which was to fill the earth with himself and his body but a house or Temple for the present work to redeem the lost man according to the promise The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head as also to throw down Moses Law and became the substance of his Lambs and Types and Sacrifice for that body was the Lamb that did fulfil the righteous will by his voluntary and free-will offering up of himself therefore Christ is called the spreading power because he fills all with himself and because this power did appear first to Abraham as we read of therefore is he called The father of the faithful for it was an everlasting Covenant that God made with him therefore every one that follows after him and treads in his steps being willing and obedient they shall eat the good of the land and they shall be called children of that seed of Abraham which seed is the blessing of all Nations and is the restorer of all his from bondage and although his just ones many times lie under oppression and hardship by the seed of the flesh and they are despised ones by them yet now the day is at hand that their glory shall arise and the reason is for the Almighty God is in them of a truth he will lead their captivity captive and set them down in peace for they are the City of the Lord new Jerusalem the place of his rest which shall be the praise of the whole earth for the Almighty King of righteousness is their Saviour and there is no other name under heaven whereby men can be saved but the name of Jesus and verily I bear my Testimony from him that he will be exalted in this the great day of his power for the Lord is a bringing mighty things to pass in this the day of his appearance and the hearts of his shall fear for to him saith the Lord will I look that trembleth at my word and therefore let all his redeemed ones wait patiently for the consolation of Israel for their King is coming and he will fill the earth with his glory and turn ungodliness from Jacob then shall Jacob rejoyce and Israel shall be glad For without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory And that his might not be deceived he saith In the latter times seducing spirits shall come and so cunningly carry themselves that if possible the very elect should be deceived and Paul 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3 4. sheweth some of the principles of their deceit and thus he saith Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to the seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with a hot-iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth for every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer And this Paul exhorts those that will manifest themselves good Ministers of Jesus Christ such who are nourished up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine that they should put the brethren in minde of these things and exercise themselves in godliness by which it appears that Paul reckoneth such as are before spoken of amongst Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the truth have erred saying The Resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are His and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity So that it is plain that every act of evil is a fruit of old Adam the flesh which hath nothing but envie lust pride drunkenness malice and all uncharitableness which the King of Righteousness Christ Jesus redeemeth his from and also maketh his righteous godly full of faith love patience meekness being without spot unrebukable for they are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever which word is Christ in them the hope of glory For Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you So that it is plain that the Lamb Christ Jesus was the substance of Moses and where the substance is shadows and Types doth cease and this method of divine Discovery doth finish the Mystery for the Lord doth take up all into Himself for he is in all and acts through all and all that power of Righteousness that appeareth in any is still but that power of the Lord which he hath promised to pour forth in the last dayes as you may see in the second of the Acts vers 17 18. And it shall come to pass in the last dayes saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream Dreams and on my servants and on my hand-maids will I pour out of my Spirit in those dayes and they shall prophesie So that every Branch shall be a Joynt or Member of the Mystical Body or several spreadings forth of the Vine being filled with that one Spirit Christ the anointing who filleth all with himself and so becomes the alone King of Righteousness that rules and governes all his ransomed ones Joh. 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me For I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour He is in every one of his little ones that are born again and how is declared Joh. 14. v. 15 16 17 18. If you love me keep my commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him if a man love me he will keep my
or did espie 2. BEfore or rash receive Or rash reject they durst First if his Doctrine swerve Detest him as accurst But if of heresie Thou canst not him detect Stay till thou see the truth Made plain by the effect It is a wickedness To which men are not slow In rage to cast away That which they do not know so Josephs brethren did His Dreams as Dreams deride But them their reverend King Up in his bosome laid And though he thought them strange Durst not yet vilipend But humbly did observe Until he saw the end So Moses brethren durst His zealous loving fact Reprove as deed accurst And as Usurpers act 3. THough Moses knew that God Had sent him to that end And hop'd his brethren would This secret understand Eldad and Medad when I' th' Camp they prophesie Even Joshua is rash To blame them foolishly But Moses tells him plain Not zeal doth him inflame But envie and disdain And would God would his name Not in these two alone In this sort glorifie But in all Jacobs seed When Gideon did destroy In his heroick rage The Altar which the Jews To Baal had set up Oh how this people spews Dire wrath and fell despight But Joash bold replies Will ye for Idols fight That dares this morning dies 4. WHen Saul from that he was Was suddenly transum'd And with the Prophets did As now he was indu'd Some spake of this amiss But some were better skill'd And said they cannot chuse Which with God's Spirit are fill'd VVilt thou the winds forbid To blow where they are sent Shall sacred Prophesies In Schools or Cells be pent VVhen David offered His service to his King VVhat a loud peal did then His eldest brother ring As if God might not send VVhen whom he thinketh best And as to him seems good To relieve a State distrest As if God might not set On Shepherds head the Crown VVhen they themselves forget That must be tumbled down 5. BUt let Eliab storm Let Saul himself run mad Let him and all his crew Conspire against the Lad Prince Jonathan is wise And for his brother glad And for his thankless King Religiously is sad Michal shall be his friend And so shall all the best And above all his choice VVhat cares he for the rest VVhat weighs he Nabals scorn The Ziphims treachery Abner his skill in war Dog Doegs villanies VVhen Jeroboams King A Prophet reprehended His Majesty incens'd Bid him be apprehended For this his hand he lost Until he su'd for grace Kings 't will be to your cost If Prophets you disgrace 6. DId not King Ahab so And with him that abus'd His Prince with tales and false Micaiah just accus'd The Bethelites prophane That taught as we to swear Their Boys and Gyrls to mock Him that had power to tear And with a word destroy Their lives did in one day Four hundred children loose Naaman went away From Elisha his gate VVith scorn and rage fulfill'd Because so wise men are Learned and deeply skill'd In their own judgments blind The word which him was sent Did not his prouder thoughts And high conceits content But though his footing slid His servants were more wise And boldly faithful did Their foolish Lord advise 7. IF Lords or Kings misdeem You that on them attend Be not base flattering Parasites But your best counsels lend Do not your selves and them Fond Parasites for fear Fearless down headlong cast In Pits of deeper care Yet if you be but stout To speak as you believe You may your froward Lord His leprosie relieve Or if he needs must wend After his own advise You have done nobly yet And as became the wise VVhen Elisha again In a sad time of want Did promise by next day Bread should be nothing scant This cannot be quoth he That thought God could not do That which he could not see VVas possible And so 8. IF men these Prophecies Judge as to sense they seem How can they feasibly Such uncouth wonders deem But learn of that proud lord Your judgements to submit For God is wise and strong To do all he thinks fit If in his name then hear You shall things difficult Do not with flesh and blood Too suddenly consult You may as did this Prince His life who therefore lost False sentence over-soon Pronounce unto your cost Do not with Jehu's friends If in your sight appear As will a Prophet ask What makes this mad-man here Alas can you streight know What God in heaven hath meant Can you sans tryal know Who is not surely sent 9. LEt us this Jeremie How to supplant devise Said the rash Jews for sure All that he tells are lies Is no man wise but he Is all the learning his Are there no Prophets more Do all else go amiss Poor men thus they must do That must themseves destroy Sad Jeremiah they 'll force Against their pride to pray I would their good my God But they reward me ill Let famine and the sword Them and their Infants kill As much did Pashur gain The chief of Clergie-men A sect which always hath Before all other been In mischievous designs And spightful machinations Be wise therefore you droans And shun these consultations 10. IF your Arch-Priests will needs Like Anti-christs resist Bid them alone for you Malicious blind persist He that these Priests huge fame And their foul friends found out Hath ever been the same And will still do not doubt They shall be terrifi'd That terrible now seem Magor-Missabib is This bul-beggers new names Poor wretches I do not Your pride at all envie I do not but lament And moan your misery And of these surly sect VVhich with Hilchias child At hand I do foresee Repentance be your shield VVhen Jeremie again By dreaful comminations His people would restrain VVith hideous exclamations 11. THe Priests they being chief Against him they conspire Treason must be his crime Destruction must be his hire For if you mark it well Priests they this use have got Reprove the state of sin And death must be thy lot If these blood-thirsty hounds Be suffered to prevail But Magistrates are wise Though cater-caps can rail And carry after them Sometimes with glosing lies As they Jehoiakim The King God op'd his eyes Yet you that fear the Lord And in his Son believe Do not too soon consent But boldly wise relieve And namely Shaphans child Such is thy prudence rare So art thou just and mild And for our weal takest care 12. ALthough Jehoiakim VVould not with reverence hear The Book of Jeremie But scornfully did it tear And in the fire consume Unto his greater hurt And of his royal race Yet some men had the heart VVhich next him were the first And sat in highest place The Prophet and his words To heed and to imbrace They tremble as they hear And amongst themselves confer VVhat course is best to take These judgements to aufer In Zedechiah's days Again this holy
word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And Rom. 8. 9. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are Sons of God vers 14. Ephes 1. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Paul speaking to them concerning their faith in the Lord Jesus as he had heard and their love unto all Saints he ceased not to give thanks for them making mention of them in his prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of their understandings being enlightned that they may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Which Mystery was made known to Paul by Revelation and he expresly saith That this Mystery in Christ was not made known unto the sons of men in other ages as it is now revealed unto his Apostles and Prophets which is made known by the Spirit and that is that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same Body and partakers of his promise in Christ and to this end he prayeth for them that they may be strengthened in the inner man by the riches of his glory with might by his Spirit that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Faith that they may be filled with all the fulness of God and may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ Jesus in them the hope of glory which cleanseth all his from all filthiness that they may perfect holiness in his fear for they that have learned Christ and been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus they put off all uncleanness and lasciviousness they put off the old man with his deeds which is lying deceipt lust evil speaking they must not be angry neither give place to the devil nor his Temptations against which they must keep a continual watch that they may not fall they must let no rotten nor corrupt communication proceed out of their mouths but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers and all bitterness wrath anger and evil speaking and clamour must be put away with all malice drunkenness and fornication filthiness and foolish jesting And that which maketh manifest sin is the light in every one for all things are reproved and made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light and therefore awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light and wait on the Lord to be filled with his Spirit for we are members of his Body of his flesh and of his bones that you may be strong in the Lord and the power of his might that puting on the whole Armour of God they may be able to stand against the wises of Sathan for they are not onely to wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickednesses in high places and therefore they must have their loins girt about with truth and having on the brest-plate of Righteousness the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God that enlightneth every one that cometh into the world Christ in you the hope of glory for they that are Christs crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts and he maketh his walk as he hath walked to be holy as he is holy and pure as he is pure to count all things but loss and dung that they may win Christ for whom they suffer the loss of all things that they may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death that they may attain unto the Resurrection of the dead forgetting those things that are behinde and reaching after those things that are before that they may attain unto perfection having their conversations in heaven from whence they look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change their vile bodies that they may be fashioned according to his glorious body according to that working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself and therefore they are careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and thanksgiving and supplication their Requests are made known unto God and those things that are true just pure and of good report peaceable and lovely bowels of compassion kindness humbleness of minde meekness long-suffering charity that whatsoever they do in word or deed they may and ought to do all in the name of Jesus Christ giving thanks to God the Father by him this is the fruits the Saints are clothed with which doth demonstrate their new birth which gift is from above from the Father of spirits from whom they receive power to become the sons of God by believing in his Name Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESS For he is that mighty King that shall be established upon the holy Hill of Sion that is he shall be the onely King unto whom every man and woman must be subject for He shall Reign for ever and ever But here may an Objection arise We see the power of darkness reigns in most men and women and they are guided by the god of this world who ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience for the Mystery of Iniquity doth work in them with all deceivableness in unrighteousness in them that perish to whom the Lord sendeth strong delusions that they should believe lies that they all might be damned that would not receive the truth in the love of it but took pleasure mark this in unrighteousness so it is sin is the cause of all misery I answer That all men by nature are children of wrath but God who is rich in mercie giveth unto all a tender of grace for he stands at the door and knocketh if any man open he will come in and
and I loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy sake This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise And all the seed of the Serpent shall be destroyed and the power of darkness is that cursed ground that is for burning vvhich the Lord of life and glory vvill trample upon for he came into the world to destroy the works of the devil and all things shall be subdued by his power and he vvill put all things under his feet and then when all things are brought under by this Prince of peace then the soul sits down in peace in him who is the King of righteousness vvho will make all that living earth subject to himself and fill all with holy breathings Glorious things are spoken of him for he is the City of God and this holy breathing is the kingdom of heaven within you when he rules within you and the kingdom of heaven without you likewise when you see the same glory rule in others in vvhich you rejoyce For in the day of Christs power he vvill subdue all his enemies under his feet and deliver up the kingdom to his Father Therefore let not any one marvel to see the people turning from one way of Worship to another for the Father is driving his people thorow all the Ways and Forms and Customs and Reformations and Governments of the Beast to weary them out in all that so they may not find rest for the soles of their feet in any outward form of Worship nor in any thing until they come to lie down in him forsaking all Forms to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth that is to walk uprightly being holy in all manner of Conversation for it is written Be ye holy as I am holy and pass the time of your sojourning here in his fear knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversations in time past but with the pretious blood of Christ Jesus as a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And until Christ reigneth as Lord and King the soul is restless running from post to pillar as I may so call it from one Worship and Form to another meeting nothing but confusion and the curse in every thing he doth so poor creatures are in bondage within for they know not what to do the way to Sion is not yet clear and they are filled with sighings and secret mournings to see themselves in confusion and loss to stick in the mire but cannot get out this is inward slavery which they groan under being under the hand of the Tyrant flesh that rules the Kingdom and devises the several fleshly Forms and Ways of Government to which if any refuse to conform then he thinks fit to punish them with imprisonment or shameful reproach any way he can invent so that many weak spirits are brought under and are in awe either by fear or shame and thus Jacoh hath been kept very low but he must arise To see the Divine Power in Creature-Objects is sweet but to see him ruling in the heart is sweeter for the Spouse had seen Christ or else she could never have called him her Beloved and mourned in his absence Now all things yea all things must be but loss dung and Dogs meat that we may be found in him having the Law of Righteousness and Peace ruling and dwelling in our hearts being refreshed with those sweet smelling Spices the discovery of the Fathers Love within which is the Word of God This is sweeter then the Honey and the Honey-Comb for this is to see him neer at hand even within the heart ruling and resting there This is the Kingdom of Heaven within you this the City of Refuge that will not fail a man this is the Rock of Defence and Offence this is the Power that makes a man as bold as a Lyon that in the greatest streights findeth peace and rest like Paul can sing at midnight although in chains under the hardship of persecution by Tyrants for he felt peace and was at rest yea such peace as the world knows not of let come what will come this man knows it is the will of his Father it shall be so and he feels a quiet peace compass his heart so that he seeth and feeleth peace within and rejoyceth in the excellencie of it he seeth love and patience within and rejoyceth in that sweet Oyntment that doth cast a delightful savour all his soul over Now if this man should be forsaken of all his outward Friends imprisoned banished all men deny to deal with him because they count him a man of strange Opinions and Blasphemies calling him all reproachful names as they shall say all manner of evil falsly against the new-born Babes and they shall kill them and think they do God good service in it Yet the Saints are in God he lives in them and they in him and he will have his holy Ones whom he draws up to worship himself in spirit and in truth to be silent slow to speech for a season yet quick-sighted Eagle eyed though they be silent they are not sottish as the world judgeth and falsly surmiseth of them but they shall all see and behold with the single eye and judge others righteously and they shall not be judged of any man And let the ignorant Professors of the world be ashamed for condemnation will fall upon them and fear shall surprize the hypocrites for the righteous actings and patient silence of those that are drawn up to wait on the Lord shall be the great shame and confusion of face upon them the wise flesh that would be an Angel of light is full of words but dead to the Law of Righteousness the Saints must dye to waste words but be made alive to righteousness walking uprightly to all things in all well-pleasing in the sight of God their heavenly Father for the man of the flesh is altogether for preaching praying as he calls it observations of Forms and Customs and knows not how to worship if these be taken away he hath no peace if this be gone But the man that is in his natural condition that is not born again this mans prayer shall turn into sin and all that ever he doth is an Abomination in the sight of God and he that hath his eyes in his head as Solomon saith the wiseman hath he beholds all these his performances to be out of the life and power of Christ and death is in all that ever he doth let his specious fair pretences be what they will if the inward Power be wanting no Sacrifice can be accepted therefore the clean heart God accepteth therefore the just man is continually meditating the Law of his God is in his heart therefore his footsteps shall not slide The godly man turns his eye inward to see the Law of Righteousness guiding and ruling his body and this is the excellent sight
this is all the Lord thy God requireth of thee To do justly love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God for Holiness becometh the House of the Lord for ever And Christ saith He that hath my commandments and keepeth them dwelleth in me and I in him And therefore do not think the Name or the Profession of a thing will serve the turn it is coming into the Life and Power of the thing that is expected from the Lord they that cry in that day We have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets all that will not do Depart from me saith Christ the reason why is shewed by him because they were Workers of iniquity So there is no priviledge for a people be they never so high in Gods favour yet if they sin against him they must know the wrath of God is against them for if a righteous man turn from his righteousness and do that which is evil he shall die for the evil and I will remember his righteousness saith the Lord no more The people of Israel were a peculiar people the Lord had manifested his love in abundance to them he fed them with Angels food and led them in the Wilderness that their cloaths waxed not old and he made the rock gush out waters and gave them Quails the lusts of their own hearts But they died in judgement whilst the meat was in their mouthes the wrath of God came down upon them and Gods Soul came to be angry with them even so much that the Lord said My soul shall be avenged on this Generation David a man after Gods own heart yet for sinning was forc'd to go with broken bones and his Ioines were filled with a sore Disease and he went groaning all the day long Moses for striking the Rock twice did not enter the Land of Canaan And therefore do not thou think whoever thou art and let thy profession be what it will for if thou sinnest against God thou must be punished by him And know this That the end of all teaching and speaking and writing is to be brought to doing The end of all saith Solomon is to fear God and keep his Commandments This is the whole Duty of Man And therefore be as thou seemest to be or seem to be as thou art For it is onely the pure in heart shall see God and the meek shall inherit the earth and dwell therein for ever The fifth Epistle To Roger Crabb and Francis Jennings John Porter Elizabeth Porter Stephen Powel Sarah Aldridge Anne Bunion To all those that are in the deceipt with him who stile themselves the Servants of the Lord onely with Judeth Edds and some few Others whose Names I cannot finde that they may see their durty Dregs and repent of their Abominations For the Wrath of God is revealed against all Deceipt and all Deceivers LAmentations Mourning and Wo is pronounced against all evil and he that soweth or she that soweth Dissention amongst Brethren is such a one as the Soul of the Lord abhorreth Now let not their looks dismay thee thou tender-hearted child or children of the most High for the Duty of Obedience which the Lord thy God requireth of thee is not in any other thing but in being obedient to the Commands of God as sin is made known unto thee by the light of the everlasting Spirit of Righteousness which is in thee and there is placed to make known sin and evil unto thee and is there placed in thy heart to raise thy immortal soul by the immortal seed of the word which is Christ in thee that thou mayst live unto him that hath called thee out of Darkness into his marvelous light that we might not henceforth live unto our selves but unto him and therefore living unto him is to be holy as he was holy and pure as he was pure and so the Life of the Saints is to be a Life of purity and it is the pure in heart that see him and so it is not as Roger Crabb surmiseth and William Smith and John Dunck and others in wearing hair or not hair for if they will believe the History of Josephus they may finde that Christ wore his Hair very long waving about his Shoulders and the Scriptures of Truth maketh mention that he wore it according to the manner of the Nazarites who had no Razor come upon their heads neither is it in dirty hands faces as they fondly do surmise but it lieth in the hidden man of the heart in a meek and quiet spirit which is a thing of God much set by neither is it in straw Hats or such fond conceits for they cannot be made without hands no more then woollen ones But the Reader may take notice that this people being departed from the living presence of the Lord God where Life and Peace and Rest is to be dwelt in they wander up and down seeking Rest and finde none for the Peace is not in eating or drinking but in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost It is not then in denying the lawful use of the creatures for the Apostle saith Whatsoever is sold in the shambles that eat making no scruple for conscience-sake So then it is clear that men may lawfully eat all creatures as well as herbs or what groweth naturally And every creature of God is good saith Paul and nothing ought to be refused if it be received with praise and thanks giving and it is not that saith Christ that goeth into the man that doth defile the man but that which cometh out For out of the heart saith Christ proceedeth adultery fornication murder and the like So it is the evil heart being corrupted that is the cause of the man being defiled and it is not the denying of meats wherein Religion stands for they may see that Christ fed five thousand men with five Loaves and two Fishes and commanded the Fragments to be taken up that nothing might be left and he turned water into wine if he had not allowed the use of it he would not have made it but it was to be drunk And Christ saith If any of you have a son shall ask bread will he give him a stone or if he shall ask a fish will he give him a serpent so he clearly owneth the eating of those creatures And if they or any led by their fond deceitful spirit that deny the Resurrection of the Body of Christ out of the grave let them read Luk. 26. vers 37. and so forward But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit and he said unto them Why are you troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet And while they yet believed not for joy and
Christ as is before shewed who are in the life which are onely such that have the seed of God raised in their own particulars and alwayes obey it in the power thereof such are not under the power of the Law but under Grace and the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which dwelleth in them hath made them free from the Law of sin and of death and they and they onely are Christs because they are led by the Spirit of Christ and all others let their forms be Episcopal Presbytery Independents Anabaptists or whatever all their Worship is but will-Worship and their eatings and drinkings and washings and preachings and singings and hearings are all but the Sacrifice of Fools being all will Worship the inventions of mens hands out of the life and power of the truth as it is in Jesus and therefore is before the Lord but as the cutting off a dogs neck being a blind zeal without knowledge for I know upon what ground they all stand having run through all these Forms and could never finde rest for the sole of my feet in them neither can any find true peace until they come to lie down in the Father worshipping him in Spirit and in Truth being holy in all manner of conversation for unto such it is become natural to do the will of their Father on Earth as it is done in Heaven And therefore I do dearly exhort you all men and women to whom this shall come to keep close to the pure seed of God in you for that is your true Teacher and follow it and it will shew you the Father and the Son and if you obey this Doctrine you shall know that it is of God and lend not your ears at any time or place unto the Tempter but crush the Serpent in the first motions of sin and then they turn upon his own accompt and not upon thine for it is no sin to be tempted but the sin is to yeild for when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Therefore break the Cockatrice Egg before it be hatched that it may never come to be a Serpent and resist the devil and he will flee from you and turn in the minde to the pure light and wait in it that preserved you may all be out of that sin and evil that would defile you for this pure Principle of God in you will not consent at any time to sin but will check and reprove for it and if its motions be obeyed it will keep you all single and unspotted of the world and so you shall be found worthy to follow the Lamb in this the day of his power wherein he is risen to make War with the Beast and false Prophet And therefore it doth concern every one continually to watch and to have their loines girt about with the preparation of the Gospel of Truth that is with Jesus the Word by whom all things were made who is in all his Babes and Children that are born again and those that have his commandments and keepeth them dwelleth in him and he in them and this Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world shall have the Victory and blessed and thrice happy are all they that can come to witness sensibly in their own particular him rising in them that are truly fighting under his Bannâ—… against sin the world and the devil and feel a dayly conquering of sin that die dayly as Paul saith unto sin that they may be made alive unto God and as David saith that hateth the very appearance of evil And the onely way to this is to keep low in ones self and to wait in the cool of the day turning in to the light and in it wait and put on the whole Armour of God that you may be preserved at all times out of the snares of Satan for this will let you see sensibly the Tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit to be cut down in you and a new plant raised which will bring forth its fruit in due season to the glory of the Lord who alone is worthy of all glory and honour and everlasting praises for ever and for ever And therefore all Friends keep in the pure fear and wisdom of the Lord that at all times you may be ordered by it to do all things to his glory at all times and in all places that you may be a good savour unto all men you have to do withal and let your souls truly pant and thirst after the living God as the hart panteth after the water-brooks for your Redeemer is neer you if you refuse him not the Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth and the kingdom of heaven is within you as is plainly shewed in this Treatise and if Satan be in his first motions resisted you shall plainly see him pass away as the shadows pass away and the dew when the Sun ariseth And therefore keep in the pure fear and wisdom of God that with it you may be ordered and guided in all things to do them to his glory and so you shall sensibly witness the seed of God in you all to reign that will trample Satan under feet and then shall the saints rejoyce and they shall witness pure and holy rejoycings with songs of Triumph and Praises with Glory Glory Glory and everlasting Praises to their Father which is in heaven who is worthy We have had great stirs in the Nation of late years by Souldiers and great Words and good Language have they spoken that they would do much for Christ and the setling of his Kingdom which they do not know and the protecting of his people whose Life is in it being in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost which is a hard thing for a Souldier that kills men for mony houses lands and goods ever to witness until with Zacheus he restore to him that he hath robbed by forged cavilation and to the debtor his pledge But the whole Nation is sensible if they be not wilfully blind of the backsliding and Apostatizing of the Army and how in all changes they have sought themselves and not the things of God it is like they have forgot that Text Joh. 18. 16. My kingdom saith Christ is not of this world and Paul saith Rom. 14. 17. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink nor yet Arms and Armies but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost which Souldiers and Armies usually destroy and confound and therefore Christs Souldiers must have onely the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which leadeth them into all the truth and peace and condemneth the very practices of this Army that hath so often changed and sworn and engaged with hands lifted up to heaven and yet broke all as fast as made them to the sadding of the hearts of all their faithful friends to the strengthning of the hands of their enemies and