us still We could not rest but we must rise till we did know his will If for our zeal you us condemn Samuel must stand our Friend To speak for us when that God will to Jesses house him send Who there for us will make excuse for this our Ignorance When he did judge God annointed with his outward eyes glance For the Lord said he should not look on outward countenance Nor on the height of the stature though it was Jesses Branch For by that way God doth not look neither by it doth chuse For what accords not with his heart that still he doth refuse Here Samuel took the first-born Son for Gods Annointed sure But Countenance nor Stature doth answer to God the pure So second third and all seven past before Samuel But no answer from God he had of them as he could tell So being at a stand he said are here all thy Children David unworthy counted was to be with his Brethren Yet by the Lord annointed is whatere of him is sed For Gods Spirit on him is pourd Sure mercies of David Thus you see all the seven Sons disowned by their Maker But this same last Sheep-keeping lad because he was a Quaker All here may see that God doth chuse the heart that is upright Which tremble doth at his own Word is pleasant in his sight So we can say in truth of heart when God did first us call And we ran in the several wayes yea some have run them all In something we did answer him that pleasd him we do know That he never left calling us till his Truth us did show So the Last way some did profess was no Form but Seeking By Babylons fall they all did cease but now is found the thing The MESSIAH that doth restore Israel that was lost The which hath suffered much Shipwrack is cast upon our coast So the sure Mercies we have found the Christ the first the last The Spirit of the Living God which was in Ages past Christ by the flesh was Davids Son he being his Off-spring But yet in Spirit was Davids Root for David calls him King Here answerd is the great Question that doth with Truth accord How Jesus Christ not only was Davids own Son but Lord This is the King that God hath set upon his holy Hill That shall the Pot-shards of Earth break that bow not to his Will God being a Spirit his Son is so and so of right is Lord. Who was and is and ever shall be King with one accord His Day Christ said Abram did see tho some him for 't did scorn The Everlasting Father was though Isays Child new-born This was the Scepter which was not from Israel to depart The inward Israel indeed who 're Circumcis'd in heart This Law giver 'tween Judas feet yea nearer in his womb Who never shall from his depart until that SHILO come This was the Spiritual meat and drink this was the store the stock Of Israel that followed them to drink t is Christ the Rock Yea this the Rock of Ages is it was and shall be so Generations Foundation no other shall they know So now that former fickle State in which we wore wavering Being wholly unsatisfied until we had our King But now our Lord and King is come and in our hearts doth raign And hath our Enemies Sin and Death in 〈…〉 eat measure slain So I again to you do say do not upbraid us more With such a fickle wavering state as you have done before When in dead Forms and outward Priests which perish with using We neither handle touch or taste with you any such thing Wherefore your outward visible Signs must all of them give place According to your Liturgy 't is inward spiritual Grace The which now in the heart doth raign of many in this Nation For outward Shaddows were but till the time of Reformation But now the good things they are come Christ Body is discern'd And Gods Kingdom of Righteousness of Joy and Peace is learn'd The which in Meats and Drinks doth not consist as many think For in this Kingdom we afresh with Christ this fruit do drink And therefore all your Washings then that divers were and many With all your worldly Elements that doth not perfect any For the Body Christ hath prepard to do thy will O God For that thy People willing be in this days Power O Lord. And now may'nt I say Glory to as well as Englands Form The Father Son and holy Ghost in it I see no harm And that in the beginning 't was I also say the same So it shall be world without end Praise to his Holy NAME His Name 's but one and yet to him there many Names are given According as he Ministers to us here under Heaven And here on Earth Three record bear tho Three in ONE agree And answer Heavens record to as Branches of ONE Tree Some more SCRUPLES clear'd NOW for the opening of the Truth which is our strength c stay In answering of Objections to this same some may say Object Oh! here 's a Table richly deckt Oh here are dishes store Oh! is all this but one Small Mite and from a Widow poor Though here are many good Dishes they have not the right place Nor in good Order Vsherd in oh this doth spoile the Grace For there are sometimes Dishes come the which should last be brought And this Course will not it admit of this some will find fault Though we confess the meat be good and on the Table store But Sauce here is not sutable to sight it is but poor Answ My Answer this noâ—… â—…nquet is for them full Stomack have But bitter things for hungry Soules which newly come from grave But yet in it ought sweetness find O this is all my aim To praise the goodness of our God for his Love in the same And seeing meat is on the Board if it be'nt rightly set Let others take the pains that can the Dishes places â—…it Now for my part when I did taste any dish that was good I presently brought him to board to others for their food If in Feasts they first best Wine bring and after that that 's worst Yet Christ when he makes Water Wine the last's as good as first So these Traditions we do not in our minds much admire So hungry Souls with Righthousness be fed is our desire Object Tautologies O some may say be here I do them find Which are Dishes of one like meat this doth not please the mind Answ My Answer is 't was meat I lov'd that I often did eat And so for 't should not be reprov'd for giving of my meat This way Prophets and Apostles did use with Line on Line Thus putting Saints in remembrance by stirring their pure mine And that 't was not grievous to them the same thing for to write Yea those things which they did believe and had thereof the sight Object But now again for to return and
different Ministrations which Operate as thrifts And yet it is but the same Lord on whom we only call And the same God that Operates and Worketh all in all To own the Word of Wisdom's given the Word of Knowledg to By the same Spirit another hath both Faith and Power to do And heal infirmities of Soules by working Miracl's many And Prophesie and Descerning of Spirits where ther 's any All this the one and self-same Spirit which doth his members fill Dividing unto every man severally as t' will If this Church Figure be too bright for worldlings for to see The use we make of our Meetings in one Body to be Take your own Body-figure-world the Countrys Members are And each Comodity there grows which are brought from on far These outward things the spirit are of the world that 's compleat And every place where each doth go are members of the great And now God he hath plac't things so in the whole ther 's no want Neither can any Country say I 've all her 's nothing scant And so each Country his Offring to each other sends Then these these gifts when they receive with others making mends This order the worlds members have their wants for to supply By sending their abounding fruits for things they on rely And where most trading there is us'd Oh there they rich do grew In gold silver and pretious stones this Babylon doth know By Schism War if Trading fail Oh! then they do grow poor By wanting of Commerce and Trade when they have spent thir store This being true why shall not we as Members each of other Bring forth our Offrings to the Lord these may comfort another Object Me thinks I hear some Critick say O this is cunning made For to compare Conventicles to our great World and Trade You count your selves so heavenly me thinks that you should not So paraphrase on this fowl World lest you receive a blot Answer My Answer is 't is for thy sake thy hearing being but dull That I speak after the manner of men to thee in full Moreover this Worlds Children are more wiser much by far In their own generation then Lights own Children are So to this generation who mock and scorn and fain And for thy sake I have digrest but now let me return Unto Gods order in his Church that all may hear and learn This favour and incoragment it is held forth to all That what of God revealed is to any other shall Have liberty to speak it forth the Prophet which must hold Their spirits being subject to the Prophet which is bold So it the bruised reed breaks not nor smoking flax doth quench Till Judgment unto Victory comes and Truth sits on the Bench. For that the knowledg of the Truth doth bring us all together And from this Truth we cannot swerve nor from each other sever For the profession of our Faith together must hold fast For this our hope our stay our strength that must help us at last For whether shall we go but there where words of Life do spring And from the roots doth hony drop that makes poor Souls to sing Oh these Assemblies we may not at all as some forsake Least fiery indignation upon us God doth take For that it is a wilful sin not to profess Gods Name When before men we be brought forth to suffer for the same For where that two or three be come together in his Name If the mid'st of them he will be who can keep from the same For that in him the Treasures be of Wisdome Knowledg to Which he gives to his Children dear whose hearts to him are true In him 's the Oracle of God who doth his People teach In their hearts how to worship him so they it forth do preach And not Meeting it was the cause of Hearing some were dull Which made things hard for to be said or uttered to the full For there were some that for their time ought Teachers for to be And yet have need one teach again first Principles to see And were become such as had need of Milk and not strong Meat For every one that useth Milk unskilful is to Eat Or feed upon the Righteous Word for that a Babe is he To him strong Meat doth not belong with him t' will not agree But those that are of riper age to them it doth belong E'en those that by reason of use have their sences made strong Being exercised do deserne between both good and evil So in Gods Truth we are kept from the lying murdering Devil Job that was just and perfect both such Meetings did come to With other of the sons of God as Gods sons now do do And though Sathan did also come 't was for advantage sake To be Informer and accuse that he their goods might take And though that he Commission got to take all in his power By Sabins and Caldeans to as he doth at this hour Perswading God they him would Curse if he 'll but let him tuch Their goods or ought else that they have no Meetings would be such And yet again there was a day when the Sons of God Came For to present themselves before the Lord they are the same Who still hold fast Integrity although that he doth move ' Gainst him and us both to destroy yet we 'll not Curse our Love Yea Skin for Skin and all we have yea Bone and Flesh also We hope we shall to him give up rather then Curse him mo For how can we commit this sin not to walk in Gods way When we such large experience have of him our strength and stay But I shall rather here break forth it being now the Spring By Chirping praise our Gad of Love Who can but to him sing And in my song I shall you shew What these our Meetings be I figured have in many things yet all in Truth agree We are the Tabernacle of the Con-gre-ga-ti-on The which the Lord in Earth reserves to call his Name upon In us the Ark and Covenant is and Mercy-seat we see With Pot of Heavenly Manna to to us the Cher'bims flee With us also there is the Rod that buddeth and is green Of the High Priest from Judah came as plainly may be seen Here is the Golden Censer to in which is heavenly fire And here 's the Table of Shew-bread What can you more desire And here 's the Cap of Blessing to in our Communion This Blood our Souls must also purge for other help we 've none And if that you Baptiz'd would be oh here are Baptim's many Here 's Water Fire Suffrings Death here you cant miss of any With us there is the Laver of Re-ge-ne-ra-ti-on For Juda and Jerusalem it cleanseth Mount Sion And Fire-Baptism's also here the Holy Ghost Gods Word A Suffering-Baptism doth appear proceeding from the Sword A more secret Baptism there is cannot be spoke with breath And this is that Baptism of Christ Baptiz'd into his
again together brought and kindled fresh anew Oh then each coal rejoyceth much when fire is put thereto Which is the end for which they are created of the Lord That Light Life Heat and Comfort to each other may afford And if our Candles being Light we can by no means hide But must come to our Candlestick what ever doth betide Because that we know it is night in which many do grope Therefore we do bring forth our Light to give to them some hope Which is the Gospel-power of God that Satan can't abide But seeks our Candle to put out that he Gods power may hide For he the Prince of darkness is and would have all be so And if 't be asked Where Light may shine He present cryes No no. Then seen his wicked works would be that to them are the Gate Of their Destruction therefore he of all things it doth hate When first in flesh Christ did appear though in a Child young born He musters then up all his power for to destroy the Form And led them then to Bethlehem with this his false intent By which dark Power he did devour many poor Innocent Herod he then troubled full sore with all Jerusalem Perswading him the Child was born should Rule both him and them But this was then another thing than Worldly Rule to have For if that he would be a King the People he must save But his Kingdom it is not here nor do his Servants fight But in mens hearts it doth appear and guides them to the Right From whence all wrath strife and envy are shut out with all Wars And all in Peace and Love do Live without hatred or Jars So that the ground and cause of Fear we may from men remove No other Principle we have but unto all men Love And therefore are our Meetings now not kept in any spight Of King or Law or Parliament but purely in Gods sight For shall not Sions Daughter shine now that her Light is come Or can her Glory once be hid that 's radiant as the Sun For that she hath her Pride cast off in this the Lords own Day Her haughty Looks and stretch'd out Neck with wanton Eyes do stay Her walking mincing twinkling Feet her Bravery full soon Her Chains her Braslets and Mufflers Round tyers like the Moon Her Bonnets and Leg-ornaments her Head-band and Ear-rings Changable Suits of Apparel her Wimples Crisping-pins Also her Glasses Hoods and Veils these Burthens God endures And all her Heavenly outward shews which seen pleasant Pictures These her own righteous filthy Raggs her Covering and Garment And th' Meek and quiet Spirit hath took for her Ornament Though Captive she was to those things she hath shook off the dust And put on beautiful Garments the which she wore at first This is the Bride that bids you Come the Spirit saith the same And whosoever thirsts and will may come unto this Name The which we are gathered unto in all the Peoples sight Being Christs Bride and Body too and for the World a Light So under Bed nor Bushel nere must we at all be hid But on the Table must be set a Light for the Blinded For this worlds god mens minds doth blind with riches cares fears He would not have this Gospel shine that these foggs all would clear But would have all in darkness dwell this is his Ellement For with this Light he angry is and with us discontent Something about SPEAKING Who is to Speak or What to be spoken Object BUT some may say You many times sit silent we do see And there is no speaking at all with us this don't agree Answ My Answer is If any have Gods Oracle we 'll hear For that is it expells all Mists and makes the Air clear For this doth first the Vessel cleanse from whence it doth proceed That first believes and therefore speaks to this we 're all agreed Faiths work is first to cleanse the heart from all hypocrisies Than may it help for to pluck out Motes from their Brothers eyes For how the unconverted shall at all strengthen his Brother For then they do condemn themselves by teaching of another How shall the Thief at all exhort another not to steal Or the diseas'd Physician tell others he will them heal Or how can any teach the Law who yet the Law do break Such Teachers make Gods Name blasphemd when they presume to speak Or how blind Guides can lead the way in which others should go Or any free out of the Pit themselves do stumble so So what authority have these at all others to Teach When still the Law doth them condemn how can they Gospel Preach Moreover they say None from sin are free here thus they tell So prove themselves false-witnesses of True Emanuel And this also doth testifie their labour 's all in vain So they do give themselves the lye yet they must preach for gain Because they have their time all spent and thus been exercis'd Yea this good Doctrine counted was till Quakers them surpris'd But if there be a David here whose Table 's richly spread Whose Cup doth overflow he may speak with a holy dread The things he hath so learn'd of God and preach his holy Word But no Dreamers we can allow for them 's prepard the Sword Their Father and their Mother both the which did them beget While they prophesie shall run through this Sword against them 's set Oh this is the commanding Power doth flesh in silence keep Their glorious Dreams we 'll nor admire which are products of sleep For now that blessed hour is come The dead Gods Voice do hear And many that did sleep awak For Christ he doth appear Yea from the dead they risen are and Christ hath gi'n them Light And sin reprov'd in which we walkt in darkness of the Night And unto Judgement we are come which Sion doth redeem With Righteousness his Converts he doth bring unto esteem For that all Judgement to the Son the Father doth commit And now to Judgement he is come and in mens hearts doth sit And all his Enemies that will not have the Lord to raign Before his face they are brought forth with order to be slain The strong man he doth also bind that did his own House keep And spoil of all his Goods hath made now the Soul's wake from sleep For now our God he doth arise his enemies to scatter Which are these dreaming Prophets that do thus fawn lye and flatter And being in his own House doth his Oracles speak now So this same sence of Spirit in all cannot but it allow For he that to the Lord is joynd is with him one in Spirit And to this Truth he sets his Seal This gift is no mans Merit So by the mouth of such a man the Lord this use doth make His holy Word still to declare as he by Prophets spake For such a man he can declare the things that he hath seen And
ears have heard for with his hands Gods Word hath handled been Yea this is he can truly tell you things of admiration What for his Soul the Lord hath done in his Regeneration So he is gatherd up into the Cloud of Witnesses Which here alone did serve the Lord yea him did fear and please And these are they that do not preach at any time for Hire But having Gods Word in their heart cannot contain T is fire And if the Holy Ghost could not for money then he bought And Simon Magus was condemn'd for having such a thought What is the Ghost that is in men that money out do reach And what is that which it receives with condition to preach It seemeth then that they have not of God this self-same Gift Sith that they can contain themselves till we for money shift For them their lips can knowledge keep ther 's none that they wil cherish For if People no money have they all are like to perish For freely they receiv'd have not the Gospel they do preach And therefore freely can't it give so for rewards do Teach That these men truly you may know they tell you what was said By Prophets Christ and Apostels these are their only aid And thus like to the wandring Jews in their Names would cast out The unclean spirit that 's in men but it gives them the rout And so upon them it doth fall that they do quarter crave And do return and tell men that him out there 's none can have For that they know they Power have both in and or'e them to Though they use Paul and Jesus words for money this they do For Satans Kingdom 's not so weak he should himself out cast But this same preaching Pollicy makes it the longer last And so he sets them for to steal the Saints and Prophets Words And bids them hear the Word of God thus much he them affords But yet with this Proviso to That none the same can keep Or any now hath the same Spirit but that it still doth sleep And therefore must not now look for any such Miracle For the power and work is lost this is Satans Oracle For he hath now changed his Form to keep from Peoples sight Though he the Prince of darkness be yet seems Angel of Light These Priests and Curats that do take upon them Souls to cure Physitians are of no value that God's fire can't endure But here you see they have but what they from their Neighbours steal They having not set Seal to God he nought to them reveals And though they say Hear you Gods Word spoken to Jeremy Or unto some other Prophet yet in their mouth 's a lye And so tho they do say or swear that the Lord he doth 〈◊〉 Yea then they do false witness bear this Test they cannot give Whereas those that do dwell in God and He dwelleth in them The Prophets and Apostles know yea Davids 〈◊〉 and Stone Bâ—ing in the Path they walkt do see their foot-steps every one And know their Light and Lanthorn to which unto them hath shown And therefore can in truth repeat what they to all do tell That God also their Souls hath brought from the dark pit of Hell This Spirit it may Preach and Teach Gods wonders manifold The which can speak Gods Word in truth being right a Lyin bolâ— Here you may see we do not quench Gods Spirit he affords That in the least measure doth speak rejoyce we at those words Something about SILENCE Object BUT some do say We marvel much that you can sit Silent We do conceive it no profit nor are with it content For if that we should sit a while silent from hearing breath Our mind a wandring then would be up and down in the Earth And so contriving in our hearts what 's to be done we plot Till there be someting we know not that on our heart doth smote And if this earthly spirit act â—…n for which we feel this smart Some former evil we have done lyes gnawing of our heart So to this outward Ear we must have Objects that do sound That the inward Intelect may thereby be wholly drown'd For that which doth us thus reprove and on our hearts doth smite Doth silence make our burthen ' cause it brings that to our sight For this is that to us doth shew the evils we have done In silence we are made to know therefore we silence shun And so among the trees do run our selves there for to hide For this same small still Voice at all by no means we abide Answer All this we must confess also for we the same have felt Gods Loving-kindness we do know thus he with us have dealt For t is the Lord the which doth wound and he doth also heal 'T is he doth kill and make alive thus with us he doth deal All the Satanick thoughts which thus wandred within our hearts His Light and Power did reprove he cast at them his Darts For this is the true Prophet which Ahab cannot abide That Prophesies not well of him that from the Lord doth slide And this is the Prophet also that the Samarians knew Which told them all they ever did they said 'T was Christ the true Though he at that time was in Fesh when he their thoughts did show But now in Spirit again is come by these things we him know The Word which in beginning was made Fesh Christ yesterday The same is now and e're shall be true Soules Eternal stay And this is that must humble all it is Gods mighty hand Before that ye exalted be his Power must make you stand And therefore now to Silence come Chastisement do'nt refuse For 't is Gods Love unto you all his Sons hereby doth chuse And therefore now with David pray the Lord your hearts to search To find out all Iniquity and in his fire it parch Yea with thy Candle do thou Lord search thy Jerusalem Tha it thy Holy City may be when thou turn'st out them That have kept and defil'd thy House the Temple that is thine Which unto thee should holy be Destroy them all in time That are not Children of thy House but came in by the Fall This Heathen Babylonish brood dash them against the Wall This Enemy which in thy Field when men slept there did Sow His Legions of Tares O Lord let them thy fire know This Man of sin in thy Temple presumptuously doth sit Exalting of himself above all that is calld God yet And shewing of himself to be the God of all the Earth Giving forth Laws of sin and death to all that here have breath And by those Laws in Members war and doth us captive lead Therefore for us O mighty God our Cause now do thou plead For in Hea'n we have none but Thee nor in Earth do we seek For any other helper but Thou Lamb of God the Meek For this same mighty Man of sin sends Ministers to praech None can