63. To all the Faithful in CHRIST Who Have stood in his Counsel the Light to be led in the Foot-steps of the Flock of the Companions and to all that profess the Light of Christ to be their Guide To you I write these following Lines to be seriously weighed in the weighty and ponderous Spirit wherein you may discern a Discovery of a false Birth in some that came forth with us as to own the Light in their Iudgments and go forth from us in rejecting the stroak of the pure judgments of God through the working of the mystery of iniquity and so become as the untimely Birth that doth not see the Sun in his glory nor the beauty of Sion who hath passed through death unâ—o life in her comely unity in the Spirit and bond of peace He that can receive it let him nâ—w in the cool of â—he day when Counsel may be hearkened unto and rightly understood in the Truth as it is in Iesus DEar Friends called and chosen of God in the Eternal Light and Power of the most high who have been and are his living Witnesses from the beginning of the dawning of his powerful and glorious day of his dreadful appearance which hath caused the Earth to shake and the Keepers of the House to tremble in this day of your visitation from on high And all you that in true watchâ—ulness wait on the Lord in the measure of his life you are sensible of what he did hath done and doth in the ordering of his dear and tender Children as in the subjection both of the inward and outward Man in every exercise of the Spirit as in exhortation prayer or praises which the most high God hath and doth accompany with his blessed presence in which he hath made all that hath kept their Habitations in the powerful life of the first Love to stand as Saviours upon Mount Sion to gather the scattered of Israel and to bring again the dispersed of Iacob And this is the work of all that are truly sent of the Lord to labour in his Vineyard who seeks not their own things neither sets up nor serves themselves with what the Lord hath given unto them but alone seeks the glory of God and serveth him with uprightness of Heart in the exercise of all the Gifts and riches of his Grace with which he hath cloathed them to the perfecting of his Praise and Glory and the comfort of his Heritage forever therefore do they shine as the Stars in the Firmament of Heaven in turning many Souls to Righteousness in which they enter into the heavenly Habitation of the most high God where it is known the Lord to be one and his Name one and there alone stands the union of all the flock of the Companions who have been truly baptized and buried with Christ in his Death where we could not cover our naked Souls with a Fig-leaf Garment of our own works or with any self-created gesture or posture of the outward Man but in true obedience to the Light waiting in the sence of our misery crying out of the great Deep to the God of mercy who in his appointed time in his tender compassions he casts the Skirts of his Garment over us and said unto us live In which Life we in eternal unity bear our Testimony to all the World in the Light of his Covenant sitting and feeding together at his Table cloathed with the wedding Garment where there never was noâ— ever shall be any rent but eternal harmonious joyful unity in the everlasting felicity where every Child of this Inheritance as moved of the Lord casts in their Mite in the returns of his Spirit offering up the Sacrifice of high praises to the most high God over all blessed forever Dear and tender Friends This ariseth in my Heart to exhort all that are convinced of the Truth that every one with diligent watchfulness search your own Hearts with the Light and in it know your own estates and seriously know your own conditions and that you may certainly understand what Spirits you are on and to have the seal of the Spirit of God demonstrating to you in full assurance that you walk with him in true self-denial according to your measures in uprightness of Heart with all the flock of the Companions as before written then will the Lord give you a sound and perfect judgment to weigh and try all Spirits and taste the breath from whence the words proceed and not to lay your Hands hastily upon any whatever they pretend but in that which tries and weighs your own spirits in coolness and singleness of Heart try and taste what Spirits they are on that comes amongst you in this day wherein many comes forth with us as to the owning of the Truth in their judgments and regulates the outward Man in some outward gestures like to the Children of the Truth and some have felt the stroak of the Judgment of the Lord which hath caused them to forsake some things which formerly they delighted in and in some measure of Zeal have born a Testimony to the Light enduring both stripes and imprisonment both in this Nation and some beyond the Seas while they stood in the Fear of the Lord who for his Names sake hath delivered them from the Winter Storms that they suffered under but they for want of watchfulness the Mystery of Iniquity hath wrought and drawn them from the Light into the pride of their Hearts to deck themselves with the jewels and gifts of the Spirit God gave unto them when they were humble before him but they departing from the redeeming judgment of God the Beast gets the deadly wound heal'd again and instead of giving glory to God for their deliverance they in this time of some measure of rest take their flight on the Sabbath day upon the Mountains of their high Imaginations and Sacrifices upon the high places and doth not regard to make their peace with Christ in them their Elder Brother and so to bring their gift to the Altar in the humble meek Spirit which gathers into unity and answereth to the witness in every Conscience but though they pretend zeal and Obedience to God in what they do they being gone from the Light they neither regard the Glory of God nor the good of his People for all that they now do is wrought in a self-serving Spirit where they enter into the mysterious working of the deceit of their Hearts to set up and cover themselves with a voluntary humility and feigned love gathering all the eloquent and inticeing words of mans wisdom with which they make a flourish in a discoursative spirit speaking high words of that they never did know to get entrance upon the affection of the tender hearted ones that are afraid to judge any but themselves with others that look more at high words then to feel from whence they came or to know the end for what they are spoken and these they
the Lord in silence you have no Oyle in your Lamps you are turned from the Light that would lead you to the Power of God which would preserve in the true thirsting to wait for refreshment that is in his presence so you are Imprisoned and Starved for want of Food while you are in a silent Meeting amongst the wise Virgins who feed on the immortal Bread which comes down from Heaven the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ which daily strengthens them in the Power of God which gathers all their Hearts together in one where the union is in the invisible being in silence rejoycing together in the Lord to the Consciences of you foolish Virgins I speak you are strangers to the life the wise Virgins enjoyes though amongst them you come your life is in beautifying the outside of the Lamp with words being quickly spoken but the fear of God is not before your Eyes but your Wills are out of the Cross a false joy arises in you speaking what you do not possess priding and glorying in other mens Lines end contending for Truth with that mind that is out of the Truth and so become Trees blosoming with leaves but bears no Fruit and here your folly is made manifest while you speak to others your selves are under Reproof in that you are strangers to the life of God I charge and command you silence Flesh and speak not before the Lord you foolish ones that dare to make mention of his Name while the worker of Iniquity raigns in you whom the Lord will destroy except you repent therefore all Friends who make mention of the Name of the living God examine your Hearts search them and try your ways with the Light that comes from Christ with it read your condition in the Book of Conscience there will you see how you stand in the presence of the living pure holy God whether in the state of the foolish Virgins that is turned from the Light of Christ that did convince them of Sin and so gets into the form of the Truth but an Enemy to the Cross so make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience c or whether you be in the state of the wise Virgins that loves the Light and in it to wait to dwell in the Power which chastiseth that nature which would draw from the Light and your Garments defile daily in the Cross and there your Souls is keept pure and chaste to follow the Lamb where ever he goes and enters with him into the rest that is prepared for the People of God where the foolish Virgins shall not come until they from their foolish Wisdom return into true obedience to the Father of Light c. Dear Children of the Lord God be valiant bold and faithful in your measures that in the Light Life and Power of God you may stand in the day of great tryal which the Lord will bring upon all you that make mention of his Name for power will be given to the Beast his Horn to exalt even to the host of Heaven for the clearing of the Sanctuary of the Lord then will all foolish Virgins and painted Beasts that are enemies to the Cross of Christ who hath defiled the Sanctuary of the living God in coming before him amongst his Saints and Children c. from amongst them they shall come trembling before the power of thâ— Beast when he utters his voice and commands all to Worship his Image but then shall all you Children of the most high God whom he hath called â—o be faithful to him in his eternal Power rejoyce who will you keep in that day in rest and peace in the ancient of days who will sit to judge in Righteousness all that withstands the rising of his Glory and of his Dominion there shall be no end Friends meet together in the true silence of your Spirits to wait in the Light for the unlimited Spirit of the Lord to manifest his Power in you to bruise the Serpents Head in all his appearance in you to put an end to Sin and to bring in everlasting Righteousness that you in him may grow up in the pure nature of the most high God over all blessed foâ— ever Amen God almighty keep you all faithful in his eternal Power in himself to bear his Name in Righteousness that his Name may be written in your Fore-heads that all that see you may witness you to be of the Righteous Seed that the Lord hath Blessed his Eternal Power and Presence keep you in the eternal unity of the Spirit and bond of Peace where I am with you in the unchangable Love and Life c. W. D. I desire you to let this be Read in your Meetings with a good understanding in the fear of the Lord for this is the Day I will make separation betwixt the Wise and the Foolish between those that fear the Lord and those that fear him not saith the Lord God almighty ALL Saints and Children of the most high God abide with God in the calling whereunto you are called which call is the measure of Light given unto you which witnesseth against all the deceitful twisting of the Serpent within you and seals up to your Spirits the eternal love of God in the free Covenant of life in Iesus Christ All in your measure as you have received of the Lord walk faithfully with him so will you be preserved pure clean and unblamable before him and will be fortified by the Arm of his eternal Power against all the deceit subtilty windings and twistings of the Serpent within you and without you I charge you all in the presence of the Lord God to abide with God in what he hath communicated to you and run not out from the Witness of the eternal Spirit that hath sealed you up in measure in the Power of his love Thou that doest run out to speak further then thou witnessest art a filthy Drunkard that lavisheth out thy self without the fear of the Lord and so spends and wasts upon thy Lusts and the plagues and vengance of the Lord is thy Portion thou filthy Drunkard for no Drunkard nor Lustful person shall inherit the Kingdom of God. All dear Lambs and Children of the Lord abide in the Witness of the eternal Spirit which will pass Judgment and bruise the Head of the Serpent in you so will you be armed against all the glorious appearances of the Serpent without to keep him out of the Scriptures and the least of you in the Truth of God will overturn all Priests and all the Men of the World that dwell in their Serpentine Wisdom and makes a Trade of the Letter speaking and disputing of the Saints conditions as the Devil did about the Body of Moses but cannot witness the Scriptures sealed up to their Souls by the eternal Spirit now all you that dwell in the Truth in your measure will comprehend them to be Houses built upon the Sand tall Cedars aspiring up into the Air
Power thereof So under all thy profession is most cruel oppression every one oppressing one another according unto their power from the highest unto the lowest so that the cry of the oppressed Seed within the Hearts of thy Inhabiters O England and those that are oppressed in outward oppressions in thee hath entered into thr Ears of the Lord God of Sabbath and he is coming in Power to set the oppressed free and to bring them to Sion which in the eternal Riches of his Love he made known to me where Sion was according unto the desires he had raised up in my Heart and the Word of the Lord came unto me saying I will gather my People out of all Forms and Observations and out of all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and I will pour my Spirit upon them and purge away their filth with the Spirit of Iudgment and of Burning and I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Spirit in their inward Parts and they shall not depart from me but shall be bound up in union with me in the free Covenant of Life in the Lord Jesus and one with another in the one Spirit so shall the Lord be one and his People one and this is Sion the City of the living God to whom all the promises of the Lord are according unto the Scripture of Truth wherein they need not to Teach every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least unto the greatest for I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more And this is the holy City the New Ierusalem which Iohn bare witness of wherein there is no Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it and the Gates of it are not shut at all by day for there shall be no night there and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither that works abomination or makes a lye but they that are written in the Lambs Book of Life and all that walk in the Light of Christ within which Light exerciseth the Conscience and leads into the holy City the New Ierusalem where the true Worshippers of the Father are who worship him in Spirit and in Truth and are come out of the night and need no Candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall raign forever and ever And this is the true Church in God Sion which shall become the praise of the whole Earth and from whence the Law shall go forth according unto the promise of the Lord and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Then shall Righteousness run down with a mighty stream and Oppression shall cease And this glory of the Lord which he hath made known unto me shall be made manifest to the Inhabiters of England if you will hearken diligently to the Counsel of the Lord which is the Light in your Consciences and in it wait on the Lord to be guided by his Power I waited in the Counsel of my God in the Calling where I was placed until the Year 1652. and in the eighth Month of the Year as it is accounted of men the Word of the Lord came unto me saying The Leaders of my People causes them to err in drawing them from the Light in their Consciences which leads to the anointing within which the Father hath sent to be their Teacher which would lead them into all Truth to seek the Kingdom of God in Observations where it is not to be found So my People perish for want of Bread Freely thou hast received freely give and minister and what I have made known unto thee in secret declare openly Which Word constrained me by the Power of it to leave my Wife and Children and to run to fro to declare to Souls where their Teacher is the Light in their Consciences which the Lord hath given unto every one a measure to profit withal for the exercise of the Conscience towards God and Men and waiting in the Light for the Power of Christ he would lead them up to the living Fountains of Water where their Souls would find refreshment in the presence of the Lord and their Bread should be sure and their Water never fail as the Lord hath made manifest to my Soul and to worship him in Truth at New Ierusalem to sing Hallelujahs and Praises among the redeemed Sons and Daughters of God in the beauty of holiness unto the Lord God that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore To you Rulers of England whose names will be honourable if you will honour the Lord in obeying his Counsel which is the Light in your Consciences that he may guide you in all your ways to you I am moved to write Thus saith the Lord God Almighty I will overturn overturn overturn until I have given it unto him whose right it is as you have seen the Power of the Lord manifest on many that were in the place where you are who all professed the Name of Christ but they would not obey his Counsel the Light in their Consciences but walked after the counsel of their own Hearts and improved their power for their own ends and dissembled with God and the Countrey but our righteous God hath overturned them to their everlasting shame and contempt Now if you will not obey the Light in your Consciences to rule in the Power of the Spirit to break every Yoak of unrighteousness and put every filthy and abominable thing out of the sight of the Lord that the oppressed may be set free but you will cause both small and great to worship the Image of the Beast in forcing them to obey the Heathenish and Unrighteous Laws made by Nebuchadnezar's nature proud flesh who set up himself a King to oppress all under his power and set up whom he would to Rule and Raign with him over others in Tyranny Cruelty and Oppression in all unrighteousness which Beast received a deadly wound with a Sword by the little Horn spoken of in Daniel before whom three Horns fell and the Horn had Eyes to see what they should do the Light in their Consciences and a Mouth which speaketh great things what they would do for the glory of God whose look was more stout then their Fellows I beheld the same Horn made War with the Saints of the most high God and prevailed against them as it is fufilled Many of them
have been Persecuted and some cast into Prison by their power and this is the Beast that had power to give Life to the Image that the Image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not Worship the Image of the Beast should be killed and this is fulfilled that when the Beast received his deadly wound with the Sword of the righteous Justice of God then did the other Beast which was the power that Raigned after him give life to the Image of the Beast that the Image of the Beast spoke and this was fulfilled in giving power to the unrighteous Laws where the Priests and unrighteous Lawyers and Judges that Iudge for Rewards that as many as would not worship the Beast in obeying the will of proud flesh must be Killed cast into Prison and there Starve and be broken to pieces and by the power of proud Nebuchadnezar's nature must be cast into places some into close Prison by the wrath of proud flesh and must neither Buy nor Sell to have any benefit of the Law but he that hath the mark of the Beast and the number of his Name Here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints And you Saints of the most high God stand in his Will for these words are sealed up until the time of the end and you shall stand in the Lot at the end of the days Here is Wisdom Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast for it is the number of a Man and his number is six Hundred threescore and six Now if you hold up this glorious Image which was set up by Nebuchadnezar's nature proud flesh in human wisdom which that Image spoken of in Daniel was but a tipe and figure of this which now shines gloriously in Forms and Observations and deny the Life and Power of Jesus Christ you will be found to be the strength and glory of this great Image And this I declare unto you from the eternal God of Power You shall be overturned as all that have gone before you which have set up this great Image and caused all both small and great to bow down and worship it The Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hand shall smite this glorious Image and break it to pieces and it shall become like the Chaff of the Summer Threshing-Floor and the Wind shall carry it away and no place shall be found for it and the Stone that smites the Image shall become a great Mountain and shall fill the whole Earth O be valiant for the Truth upon Earth ye Rulers of England and give over building up Sion with Blood and Ierusalem with Iniquity as it hath been in this Nation by all that upheld this Image which the Lord hath overturned and cast out before you and is still held up by you The Heads thereof judge for Reward and the Priests teach for Hire and the Prophets thereof divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evil can come upon us O prize your time and stand steadfast in the Counsel of the Lord the Light in your Consciences hearken unto it let it alone guide you in all your Counsel that Christ may be Head in you all then will the glory of God be the end of all your undertakings and you will remove this filthy and abominable thing out of the sight of the Lord the Judges that judge for Rewards and the Lawyers that plead for Money and the Priests that teach for Hire and set over the People to judge their Causes Men fearing God and hateing Covetousness to judge their Causes without Rewards and that the People may be taught freely without Money or Price by the free Spirit of Christ in the Hearts of his Saints who cannot but declare freely as we have freely received Then will the mighty Power of God go along with you in all your ways if you will stand in his Counsel and walk in his fear to depart from all evil which is the beginning of Wisdom and your names will become a sweet savour through the power of the Lord among his Saints as all the names of the Righteous are and you shall partake of the glory of the Lord which he is manifesting to his chosen People in this Nation which he hath chosen to make known his Power in exalting the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and will make it the glory of all the Nations in the World and the mighty God of Power will be unto us Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks and we shall sit under our Vines and Fig-trees and none shall make us afraid And this shall be the Portion of your Cup if you will deny your selves and diligently hearken to the Counsel of the Lord the Light in your Consciences to which I speak which shall eternally witness the Truth declared unto you For the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it who hath raised up his own Seed in his People in this Nation which cannot cleave to this great Image which was set up by those that were in the place where you are which the Lord hath overturned and cast out in his Indignation and is not yet taken away by you and while you uphold it the anger of the Lord is kindled against you There is no peace to the Wicked saith my God. This is the day that the God of Heaven will set up his own Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left unto other people but shall stand for ever and ever Here I have cleered my Conscience in declaring unto you what my God hath made known unto me concerning you and the Nation which shall shortly come to pass He that hath an Eye to see let him see and he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear To all you unrighteous Judges that judge for Rewards and Lawyers that plead for Money who devour the Creation and set people at variance destroy many Families and delight in unrighteousness and to all Oppressors high and low who grind the faces of the Poor and causes them to groan under your Cruelty and Oppression hear the Word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God Howl and Weep for the misery which is coming upon you for the cry of the Oppressed hath entered into the Ears of the Lord and he is coming to render vengeance upon you and set the Oppressed free For the rust of your Money and Gold shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire for you have heaped up Treasures for the last day and ye shall be cut down ye fruitless Trees that cumber the ground and cast into the Lake for it is the place prepared for you and for all fearful and unbelieving and the Abominable and Murtherers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part
and are corrupted because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long And may be none of you in all that place can witness the Condition and so Blasphemes the Name of God who will be Worshipped in Spirit and Truth and this is the rule given out from him If any be afflicted let him Pray if any be merry let him sing Psalms And there is none merry but the ransomed of the Lord who returns to Sion with joy and singing And everlasting joy shall be upon their Heads and they shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing flyes away All People may search the Scriptures and see how you have been deceived by your Teachers who have caused you to seek your lost God in carnal and dead Observations which they have not any Scriptures for all cease from them for the Lord complains of them The leaders of my People causeth them to err saith the Lord of Hosts and now are these Scriptures fulfilled in these Men which the Apostle Prophesied of This know also that in the last daies perilous times shall come for Men shall be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers disobedient to Parents Unthankful Unholy All People see are not your Teachers so Self-lovers before they come at you they must know what they must have Covetous Griping for much and if you will not give them so much as they can have in another place they will not come at you here is Self-love and Covetousness manifested without natural affections Truce-breakers false Accusers Traytors heady high-minded lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God having a Form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such the Apostles exhorts to turn away All people behold and see all these Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers they speak against Pride and live in it against Covetousness and live in it they teach by their words to be natural affectionated one towards another and they walk contrary causing poor people to pay to maintain them in Pride and high Ranks in the Earth who can scarce get Bread for their Bellies and Cloathes for their Backs yet they force them to pay them being void of all natural affections and they are Truce-breakers breakâ—ng all Bonds and Covenants if they can get more Money in another place Thus they shew forth to all the World that they are lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God and have a Form of godliness in words but deny the power thereof from such turn away for of this sort are they which creep into Houses and lead captive silly Women laden with Sin and divers Lusts these Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers every one hath his particular House to creep into where none must come but themselves or whom they please which is contrary to the practice of Christ or any that he sent forth they went through the Countries Towns Cities Villages according as they were guided by the Spirit of God to declare what he gave them to speak and your Teachers lead silly Women captive laden with Sin and led away with divers Lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth do not they tell you to look for Christ's coming in such Observations as they set up which is nothing but the invention of their Brains for Christ tells you The Kingdom of God comes not with Observations but it s within you But many of them that deny that the Light in your Consciences which makes manifest the evil of your Hearts is the Kingdom of God calling it the Light of a corrupt Conscience so shuts the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and will neither enter in themselves to be guided by the pure Light of the Kingdom of Christ within them nor suffer them that are entring in to enter as the Scribs and Pharisees did now as Iannes and Iembres withstood Moses so do these Men resist the Truth Men of Corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith but they shall proceed no farther for their folly shall be made manifest to all Men as theirs also was and no Man shall buy their Merchandize any more All you enslaved Captives in the Kingdom of Babylon Why will you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfies not hearken diligently unto Jesus Christ the Light that lets you see the evil of your Hearts to be guided by it and you shall eat that which is good encline your Ears saith Christ and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Mind the Call of a powerful and tender Father in the Lord Jesus who calls Come forth of Babylon my People and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Friends prize your times slight not the day of the Lords mercy for he waits to be gracious and saith I stretch forth my Arm all the day long to a back-sliding and gain-saying People Every one mind your conditions deal justly with your own Hearts see what your Hearts hath fellowship with and guides your minds for the Kingdom of Christ is within you it is not in Observations as your Teachers tells you for they deceive you therefore Christ for-warned us for looking forth at those which would come in the latter days that would say Lo here is Christ lo there is Christ as it is in these our days some say Lo here is Christ in the Presbyterian practice the Independents say He is there and the Anabaptists say Lo he is here But Friends mind what Christ saith unto you Believe them not look not forth the Kingdom of Christ is not in any of those nor in any other outward Observations but be awarned the Kingdom of Christ is in you and that is the Light that lets you see the evil of your Hearts and Christ compares it to a grain of Mustard-seed the least of all seeds and it grows up above all other Herbs and becomes a Tree that the Fowls of the airâ—lodges therein and he compares it to a little Leaven that a Woman took and hid in three measures of Meal and it leavened the whole lump These are earthly Parables and Figgures which Christ laies down speaking to the earthly and carnal Heart of Man that he may read his condition within Therefore despise not the day of small things but mind the Counsel of the Lord Jesus the little Light that shines in thy dark Heart look upon the â—igures the Parables the little Leaven which is hid in three measures of Meal it changes the whole lump into the nature of it self so the little Light that shines in thy dark Heart is the powerful word of Faith Which was in the beginning by
in the Light as he is in the Light and so are Partakers of his Divine Nature and as he is so are we in this present World bearing his Name in his righteous Power guiding us in his Light Thought and Will which keeps us in the Heavenly Fellowship with the Father in the Son and one with another in him So all my dear Friends Brethren and Sisters who do witness proud ambitious Self buried in this Heavenly Baptism in Conformity to Christ in his Death and you made alive through Faith in Christ our Light and Life as you have received Christ so walk in him in all Humility and godly Fear and true Watchfulness that your own Thoughts Will and Unbelief have no Dominion over your Spirits but every Minute of Time as they appear through Faith in Christ the perfect Light and Life keep your Dominion and reign over them And thus in Christ being victorious over all Self in you you will reign as Kings in the Authority of the glorious Truth of God over all the Power of Darkness without you So whatever you suffer for the Testimony of the Name of Christ he takes it as done unto himself and better a Milstone were hanged about their Necks and they cast in to the Sea then hurt or offend the least of you my Brethren and Sisters who are regenerated and born again and your Confidence is in the Lord alone So in all your Sufferings whether spoiling Goods or imprisonments or whatever your Trials be from the Sons of Men that you meet withall for your Testimony in the Blessed Truth of God let nothing Discourage you but judge all your own Thoughts and in the Glorious Light and Life in Christ Jesus rest in Peace in the pure Contentation within the Gates of Sion where your Faith and Patience will so abound in you that you shall weary out all your Persecutors and the Blessing of the Aâ—mighty God will be upon your Families who are rent one from another to fulfil the Sufferings of the Body and you shall wear your Crowns who thus patiently wait in a Quiet Mind and Resigned Will And in the Word of the Lord I declare it to all you who suffer Imprisonment as is before written That all the Wrath of the Power of Darkness shall not be able to keep you an Hour longer then the King of Eternal Glory hath determined for the Renown of his Glorious Truth on Earth and your Comfort forever Therefore let Patience have its perfect work for in Peace are we to Conquer and in Quietness to Prevail over all that resist the rising of the King of Glory who liveth in us who hath been Dead but now Alive in whose Life keep your Habitation in the Word of Faith which is in our Hearts and in our Mouths and this is the Word of Faith we preach unto you and which you are to contend for against all Evil Attendances both within and without for by this Word of Faith are the Armies thaâ— would alienate your Souls from the Enjoyment of the Lord within you beaten back and overcome and the Mouth of the Roaring Lyon stopt and all the Fiery Darts of the Devil both within you and without you quenched therefore as the Valiants of Christ Jesus in his Name and Nature contend for the Faith which is delivered unto us his Saints for this is our Victory that overcomes the World even our Faith as it was with our Brethren of old in Ages past I have fought a good Fight I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for Me a Crown of Eternal Glâ—ry And here iâ— our Fellowship with the Father in the Son and one with another in him and all dear Brethren and Sisters in this Word of Faith keep your Meetings both valiantly and faithfully that so none of you be found forsaking the assembling of your selves as the manner of some is who are out of the Word of Faith but as the Lord hath counted you worthy to be his Dwelling-place on Earth and his Tabernacle amongst the Children of Men Prize every Oportunity the Lord affordeth you to meet together in his Powerful Holy Name with the Loins of your Minds girt up with the Word of Faith in you which will empty you of Self and cloth you with the Garment of deep Humility and fill you with the Riches of his Everlasting Love and Endless Mercies for God dwelleth with the Humble but the Proud he beholds afar off So without Faith in the Name of Christ and a Humble Spirit the In-dwelling Presence of the King of Eternal Glory you cannot enjoy Therefore I charge you in the Name of the Lord Hearken not to any Suggestions within you nor Counsels without you that would draw you to sleight or forsake meeting together in the Name of the Lord Jesus but let every particular Member know your Service in the Body that by your Faithfulness others be encouraged to meet with you to wait in the Light to feel the Living Refreshings of the Lord and when you are refreshed with the Income of God's sweet Presence be watchful that not any utter words rashly before the Lord to spend your Talent in a forward Spirit to satisfie the Lust that would appear further then the Lord would have them as some have done which has brought them under a great Vail of Darkness and have lost their Way and returned with Sorrow to the burdening the Hearts of the Righteous but Tender Plants wait to know and truly discern between the Milk of the Word and the Words for the Milk of the Word is a Sweet Stream in the Refreshing to the Nourishment of this heavenly Birth that it may grow thereby and some the Enemy hath drawn to speak forth that which they in a retired Silence were to feed upon and grow up in its Nature Therefore dear Friends wait in the Light that the Word of the Lord may dwell plentifully in you as it is written so are we Witnesses If any have my Word let him speak my Word faithfully is not my Word like a Fire and a Hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces which sealeth up the Testimony God calleth unto in the Heart of his Disciples Therefore all be very circumspect in this weighty Matter that whatever you feel of the Refreshings of God in you that you do not let any thing come forth either in Words or Sounds or any Noises but what is brought forth in the Authority of this Living and Powerful Word then will the Blessing of the Lord attend what is brought forth be it much or little either in Words or Hymns or Joyful Sounds do not quench it but answer the Lord in the Authority of the Word of Eternal Life and the Sons and Daughters of the Lord who are thus exercised will not burden any but it will be a Stream of Refreshing in the Hearts of all the Righteous thus will every Vessel be preserved in the Life of Truth and not go but as the Presence
towards another And when â—effery Bullocks Papeâ—s were published in Print which would appear to the Reader of a tendancy as to the breach of Unity which would cause the Enemies of God to Rejoyce it did so wound my Spirit that for many Week they that saw me did not expect that I would continue long in the Body But God in his Mercy restored Strength in his Appointed time And when I did hear that some in the West did intend to Publish in Print against some Friends I bore my Testimony against such proceedings and told one that did favour what was intended that I would have my Hand cut off before I would exercise it in such undertakings And desired him to speak to W. R. that he would not proceed in publishing any thing of that nature for if he did it would be a prejudice to Truth and would produce very sad Consequences that would follow and my Spirit would be deeply wounded as it is this day through these Proceedings that voluntarily through want of Love casts away the Judgment that is given to the People of the Saints of the most High God to keep all sweet and savoury amongst us into the Hands of the Enemies of God as an inlet for them to come unto the midst of us to sit as Judges and trample upon us So to Clear my Conscience of all False Reports cast upon me as that I have Encouraged what is brought forth as before written and to satisfie all Friends in God I have Laboured according to the Ability God hath given me to prevent the publishing all things of that Nature as afore-said and have Endeavoured with all concerned that I could meet with to have a care of watching for Evil lest they provoke one another to wrath and so quench the love But rather look at the good one in another and in the Love of God Minister to preserve them forth of any weakness they did see lay near to attend them that so the pure Holy Spirit of Life and Love that first gathered us into it self to be a People in God and in his blessed Authority to raign over what was and is contrary to his blessed Nature may again restore where it is wanting in the Universality of its blessed Power to make up the Breaches and to restore the Desolate ones in causing every one that Professeth the Blessed Truth of God to love their Neighbour as themselves and so to do unto all as they would have others to do unto them that so all concerned in the Exercise in the Measure of the Grace of God in Christ that seeks the peace of his People may stand as Saviours upon mount Sion to the Honour of the Name of the Lord our God and the Eternal comfort of all that love not their Lives unto Death to serve the Lord and his dear and chosen People in the Meek Patient and Peaceable Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. In which the Lord keep you all with my Soul that in his pure and Peaceable Dominion we all Reign and throw down our Crowns before his Throne and all unanimously Sing all Glory Honour Praises Thanksgiving and Dominion be given to him who is found worthy to sit upon his Throne in all our Consciences Christ Jesus the true Light and hope of our Glory even so be it with all that Professeth his Blessed Truth Saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord. W. D. From Warwick the 8 th day of the 3 d Month 1682. MY Dear Faithful suffering Brethren and Sisters in Bristol Gloucester and elsewhere for the Word of God and Testimony of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Oh lift up your Heads you Blessed of the Lord whose dayes are prolonged to see this blessed day which was sounded in your Ears above twenty Years by past and have counted you worthy to receive this blessed Crown of his suffering Spirit for all you that freely resign to suffer for his Name in true sincerity shall reign forever with him in eternal glory therefore in the Name of the Lord I beseech you all convinced of Gods blessed Truth do not lend your Ear to any counsel in you or without you that would cause you to fly Sufferings and so deny the Suffering Jesus before Men for if you do you know it is written then he will deny you before his Heavenly Father c. But all you chosen Jewels that so loves the Lord that you dare but do as Godly Daniel did walk with your God as at other times with the hazard of both Estate Liberty and Life Oh Blessed blessed be the day that ever the Lord Crowned you with this blessed frame of Spirit in receiving Jesus to be your guide even so the Lord keep you and lead you to the living Fountains of living Water which in the Light is always opened in you give not way to your own thoughts but in the Light Judge them down as fast as they appear then will you be kept out of the streightness of your own Bowels in the Heavenly enlargedness in the Light Thought and Will of God whose thoughts are good and not evil to give you all an expected end in answering all the desires he hath raised up in you to do his will Therefore arise in the pure Peaceable Spirit of the Lord cast your care upon him he will arm you with Patience to endure the Tribulation which will cause the Beholders to admire as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth Behold the Patience and Faith of the Saints which will overcome all that withstand the rising of his Glory who is the God of our help over all blessed forever Where is the Rest of your tribulated Brother in the Kingdom of Patience in Christ Iesus W. D. Warwick the 17 th of the 5 th Month 1682. My Antient Friend Edward Nightingal WHom the Lord counted worthy to receive his Blessed Truth with many in that City and County when the Lord sent forth his Servants and called me to forsake Wife and Children and to give up my Life daily into his Will to endure Stripes and Bruises in many Tumults with the rest of my faithful Brethren who loved not our Lives to Death for your sakes to gather thee and all that received the Truth that you might enjoy the Presence of the Lord and amongst many others we counted thee worthy to receive his Servants that meet together in the heavenly Unity in the Truth for which both thou and I with many of the Servants of God was put into Prison as many of his Servants are this day c. And the blessed Presence of God kept and doth keep them that truly fear his Name in sweet Unity and Peace in himself and one with another to their everlasting Comfort and to the confounding the Enemies of God to behold their stedfast standing and entire union to bear their faithful Testimony in whatever they were or are called unto for the Truth of God which did not only confound Gods