own destruction And so you that know not the moving of the spirit in which the Scriptures are writ have given meanings and so in this long night of Apostacy have brought forch errors and false Doctrines and filled the World with Sects Opinions the simplicitie of the Gospel being betrayed by the crafty subtiltie of men but we who are come Ephes 4 4 〈◊〉 29 14 15 in the light to see the fulfilling of the Scriptures know that the wisdom of the wise is turned into foolishness and the counsel of the prudent is brought to nought the Prophet is become a fool and the diviners shall run mad Hos 9. 7. and he that hides from the wise reveals to babes and sucklings and it seems good unto him though the heathen Luke 10. 2â—â— then rage and the people imagine vain thugs the Lord is risen to recover his own inheritance that hath Psalms 2. â— Ezek. 34. 2. 3. long been laid waist by the destroyer and the devouring shepherds have not fed the sheep but eat the sheep who have run and were never sent therefore have not the people been profited and the mistery of iniquity that began in the Apostles dayes hath spread Ier. 23. 21. 2 Thes 2. 7. again to the filling of the world with thick darkness as it was foretold by Christ and the Apostles that devouring Wolves should come and make Maâ— 7. 15. havock of the flock and that in sheeps cloathing and these were to prevail all the time and times that the world wondred after the beast though your teachers would mak you believe Rev. 13. 3. the false Prophets are come but now that they might hide themselves but O that you did see and believe the Scriptures then would you know who were the ravening Wolves we or they whom you call your ministers see which is the Wolfe that devours and destroyes he that sends for his gain Isa 56. 11. from his quarters and if he has it not raises war and sues and casts in prison and if any speak in his meeting place or asks him a question he causes or suffers his people to beat them or hale them or stone them or whip them and will not speak himself but for gifts and rewards Now are these the Wolves or they that bear all these things in patience going up and down freely giving as freely as they have received try whether of these be the ministers of Christ by that you call your rule and truly people God will not be mocked and his eye beholds the deceitful worker every where and the Scriptures are ours upon whom the ends of the world are come and for us were they written and shall bear witness for us against all the Idolatrous generation that sets them in the place of God to me are they precious who am come to the comfort of them and let the wisest of your teachers if he can without a meaning bring a written Scripture to prove that they any where are called the Iohn 1. 4 6â— word the foundation the light or the life I shall give some of the many written in the Scriptures to shew that he who is the light is the life and Iohn 8. 12. the way and the ordinance and the name ohn 14. â— by which only salvation is and are not those then false Prophets and deceivers Iohn 1. 1 which would make you from the Scriptures believe that which is not Iohn 1 14 Phil. 29 and hide from you that which is are not these the Antichrist which instead 1 Cor 3. 11 of Christ are setting up that which is not he in his stead O shall not the Acts 10. 42 Col 2 14 plagues threatned in that book come upon them who are known to add and diminish and surely as the Sorcerers of Egypt are they that harden the Dut. 2 4 Rev. 22 18 19 heart in making likenesses and truly friends these things are not written to you as to have your help or aid to defend or assist us as your parsons use to pray and cry for for we are the people that have no helper on the earth yet beleiving know we shall be Micah 4 1 the mountain set upon the top of every mountain and while you are striving against the little stone cut out of the mountains without hands it Dan 2. 34 growes and you see it not and shall be the praise of the whole earth and the devourers and the destroyer and all the ungodly shal be crusht under it then shall the earth be filled with righteousness and of the increase of this kingdom there shall be no end which is come and coming and not by power might but by my spirit shall all the opposers of this kingdom be brought down saith the Lord and the glory of it is the son and all the subjects are cloathed with holiness all being Priests and Kings to God and the glory of it is now seen coming down from heaven by them that the world hates who are following the Lamb through many tribulations into it and the Dogs and the Whoremungers and Rev. 14. 4 the makers and lovers of lyes Mark this false teachers hearers that speak the things you know not with the Rev. 22. 15 fearfull and unbeleiving must you be shut out Mark you this that cannot beleive what herein is declared â—â—t to you it seems strange that God should appear to his people as of old and give us the same spirit as they had that gave forth Scriptures saying to the hardning of your own hearts Miâ—â—cles are ceased why to us it is not marvelous to receive what we have waited for the spirit of truth to lead into all truth and the Scriptures declare of him and he is the same and changeth not infallible and almighty who is given to convince the world of â—in and till you come to believe in Iohn 16. â—â— 92 that which convinces of sin you can neither understand nor beleive the â—criptures nor me nay though one rise from the dead and I who know how precious your souls are with thousands more have been made willing in this the day of the Lords power to go forth with our lives in our hands denying â—ll that has been dear to us that you might be brought from under the power of the Prince of darkness to the obedience of the light in which only is fire salvation no other name given under heaven whereby any can be saved I am the light saith Christ Jesus Iohn 8 12 and if any come to me be shall not abiae in darkness and so all people who hate the light and are speaking against it and giving it names as naturall and such like are you not speaking against the Saviour who is the light and the way and the truth as the Scriptures declare O that for your souls sake you would cease from hearing and speaking lyes and come
to you all whatever your teachers tell you who cry vehemently against the light for they know if you harken to the light their trade will soon dovvn and therefore many lyes in their pulpits and else where do they publish to hold up the kingdom of darkness saying we deny the Scriptures and Christ which dyed at Jorusalem and the ministers with many more false accusations to which I answer for the truths sake no other Christ do we profess then he that made a good confession before Pilate who when crucified had over his head a writing set of Hebrew Greek and Lattin by his crucifiers as now he hath receive it if you can of whom Enoch Moses and all the rest of the Prophets prophesied and the Apostles bare witness to him do we believe in and call all to who is in us the hope of glory and the Scriptures of truth we believe and Deut. â—4 â—5 are come to the fulfilling of them and being witnesses that the Angel of the everlasting Gospel hath flown through heaven after this long night of Aposâ—asie Rev 14. 6. we know that the hour of righâ—eous judgement is come in which Babylon and all her merchants must down and we cannot but warn them and you of their sure destruction for these are the ministers of Antichrist and not of Jesus Christ who set up any thing in his stead who is the eternal Son of God and this was they seen to be by some of them called puritans forty years ago to my own knowledge and some that had been breed at Schools and universities with them and had taken their orders though they were dark times have all along according to the light received witnessed against the evil of these times servers so much as that they were hated of the world suffered persecution some to death others banishment for his names sake who is Iohn 1. 6. the light and the ministery sent of God did and do bear witness to him that is the light and these we honour in the Lord who by his power have turned many thousands from darkness Act 16 14 to light and from the power of Satan to God and we try them by their works and their fruits are fruits Mat. 7. 16 ler. 23. 28. of unrighteousness but you cannot gather Figs of Thistles nor Grapes of Thorns what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord God who is gathering his Wheat into the Garner and the day of Harvest is at hand and the tares must be burned with unquenchable fire so be awakned for to that of God in every mans conscience I am manifested that you are warmed and called to repentance and from your dead worships and works Iohn 4 23. to the living God who is a quickning spirit and in spirit will he be worshiped and his first appearance is to destroy sin in the flesh and if this you despise which convinces of sin you offer despite unto the spirit of grace Heb. 10. 29 by which all the saved of God are sealed and have the witness in our selvs that he is true this is the mediator of the new Covenant written in the heart put in the inner parts which who are come to need not any Heb. 8 6 ler. 31. 33. to teach but are all taught of God from the least to the greatest knowing â—he pouring forth of the spirit upon â—ons and daughters whereby we proâ—hesy and this is a lanthorn to our â—â—et and a light unto our steps and â—â—eeping to it he manifests himself unâ—o 1 Cor 13. 11 Iohn 4. 4. us whom we know and feel maniâ—ested in flesh to destroy the works of the Devil and as that which is perfect comes that which is unperâ—ect is put away for he that dwells in us is greater then he that rules in the world though it be denyed by â—ll those your teachers which preach against perfection to the weakning of the faith by which all the holy men of God were pefected and by which the world and death and he that hath the power of death the Devil are overcome and this is our victory O that you felt it it is under the blessing of eternal life and without you know this to arise which can remove the mountains what have you to do with promises for the promises are to the seed for ever and ever not unto Rom 4 16 seeds as unto many but unto on Christ Jesus this seed bruises the Serpents head and keeps him under who rules in all you that live in Sion and plead for it but we that believe know the casting out of Devils and the treading of the Serpent under foot and we speake with new tongues Mark 6. â—7 and the world cannot bear it and the ear is bored that hears the she pheards voyce and they can no more heare â— stranger and so the Scripture which you say is your Rule doth testifie against you secrets are made known to us that fear him more and more shall they be covered with darkness that striye against the light which now pricks many of you and it is hard for you to kick against it and though you have or may for a time get above it yet if not afore at your death-beds some of you shall confess that that speaking trouble none can speak peace and that condemning none can justifie for he that is a God pardoning sin iniquity and transgression will in no wise acquit the guilty are not you guilty whose hearts condemn you and there is no remission but by blood blood is lise and the life of 1 Iohn 3. 20 Heb 9 22 Jesus is the light of men but all that â—elieve not in the light are condemâ—ed already as saith the scripture Mâ—â—k â—6 â—6 â—nd know not the blood that clenses â—o more then they that peirced Jesus 〈◊〉 at Jurusalem and saw the blood â—nd water run out yet had neither â—ensing nor salvation by it then but â—ohn 1. 7. â—ll who are in the light as we are in â—he light have fellowship one with aâ—other and the blood of Jesus clenses â—s from all sins whereby we have boldâ—ess in the day of Judgement knowâ—â—g as he was we are in this present 1 Iohn 4. 17 â—orld hated mocked and despiteâ—â—lly used of you for whose soules â—â—ke we have and can deny all that is dear unto us not loving our lives unâ—o the death that while it is day you â—ight hear his voice vvho svvears in â—is vvrath the unbeleiver shall never â—nter into his rest and vvithout you â—novv and feel that vvhich is pure â—nd perfect and eternal to beleive in Heb. 3. 1â—â—â— â—our faith is in an Idol and your offerings will not he offer who lives for ever to make intercession for all that come to God by him vvho is a psal 16. 4 priest for ever made by the Law of an endless life and if ever you come to know
of Christ Jesus you have proved your selves though you say you are the children of the kingdom and no church of Christ but in the world you are which lyes in wickedness and enmity against the life of Christ Jesus and in the very same works which he said you would do teacher and people are found and are not built on that foundation that bears and tries all things which cannot be shaken but as the troubled Sea roring and swellings casting mire and dirt as the Scriptures saith of the wicked world which some out their own shame and shews what you have Esa 57 20 â—ude 13 been long treasuring in your evil hearts and so out of the abundance that is Maâ—â— 12 34 therein you have powered out upon the servant of the Lord just as your fore-goers have done and as he foretold who is this day a swift witness against you who have set your selves against him and the day hath declared it that you have no part in the sufferings of Christ Jesus but your part is proved to be with them who hath shed his blood since Abel to this day The world by wisdom knowes not God saith the Scriptures which is now fulfilled in this generation where are high notions swelling words great professions and zealous formes all in the world without God in them boasting themselves in a lye who profess redemption in words but in works are in the world and in the darkness thereof blindness of mind hardness of heart and earthly captivity without life and power in you to give you victory over the prince of lust the God of this world over your own spirits which lusts to pride lusts to envie lusts to strise and covetousness and oppression and all that unreasouable nature which devours the creation and keeps it in bondage under the power of Satan and under wrath and the curse which daily groans to be delivered into its former glory into it's first being in God and his sons which is right redemption without a lye where all things are of God and in the truth set free from the devourer which rules in worldy men and women where all things are not become new and where all things are not of God yet professing redemption with pride lust and covetousness and all vanity in your Vessells not knowing him who is the greater to be in you to condem these evils then he that is in you to entice you to all these things and blind you in them and here you are seen with the pure truth that is in God to be out of God in the world and in the lye not doing in the truth nor redeemed thereto but the witness of truth lyes slain denyed and buried in you and where he raigns not in the light there you are in the darkness of this world blind in your hearts and there the false Prophet is up in the seat of Judgement teaching lyes and false-hood to make you more blind still and to harden you therein to seek to blind others also and to turn truth backward that he may grind the poor and needy to satisfie his lust in you and to that end you are fitted for the destroyer and so comes the truth to reprove your pride and devouring vanities which wasts the creation and turns it quite to another end then God gave it you for and when you say what might so many poor people live on if we did not wear these things as though your pride which is the ground of all oppression did releive the oppressed and thus you turn truth backwards with shameless and unreasonable words not having a shew of a truth and then if truth arise stop your mouth in the open falshood then you have more hidden deceit to cover your lust And you say pride is not in the out-side it 's in the heart when all men may see it in the out side and as many as have that eye open in the heart which you hav blinded with lust sees and knowes that your pride had its first rise and rooting in your heart ere it came to spring forth it's cursed branches which now shines in the open streets without shame that this which speaks outward is but part of that fullness that is within in the heart though your blindness be so great you see it not neither within nor without and your hearts too hard to feel it but have set up there the Idol and stumbling block to blind withall and then you say what was these things made for if we may not wear them where the truth of God in you would answer were it not denyed and betrayed by your evil eye that they was not made for the devoured nor to be spent on your Justs to the lust of the eye and pride of life but for the service of the needy and co cover the naked that there might be plenty in the creation and none might want which would be so were the devoured judged in you cast out and did you know him in you to order the creation which made it who would lead you that are rich another way to releive the poor then with being proud and vain and wastfull of his freeness and fullness and that spirit would let you see that were it not for that devourer which in you speaks and acts there would be no poor for he gives plenty for all that he sends into the world and the lust arising in the heart of men and women is it that makes poor and accursed and keeps poor by oppression in you those that are under the power thereof and cease but your oppression of them to satisfie your pride and judge the destroyer in you that wasts it and the poor would arise through the fullness of him that filleth all things which is kept back by the devourer and the curse that is upon him in the creation through you in pride gluttony and drunkenness who have all one head against truth and so the glutton saith What are the creatures made or but for man to eat c. and the Drunkard being reproved hath the same pretence of mercy to the pore as the proud saith he How many poor people lives of Brewing and might begg did not such as rich drink it as they brew it c. And thus deceit utters it's voice in all the world where it is head who are without the true God in them as though is was the work of the devourer that did uphold the creation in plenty and keep the poor from want and how great is the darkness of this generation in whom this passeth for truth Is not this the world which by wisdom knowes not God but are given up to vile affections and to believe lyes Oh men how deep is truth fallen in you that nothing of it doth arise to condemn this doctrine him that lives by it in you what deceit is this that hath filled your hearts to make you believe you take care for the
are found and call not your selves Christians for Christ owns no such workers for that of Christ suffers in you and by you and though you say God is your Father as they did yet you do the works of the Murtherer and though you say Christ is your Saviour yet the destroyer is head in you and though you say the Scriptures is your rule yet they condemn your lives and cast you out amongst such who persecuted them who gave forth the Scriptures and while you stand in that nature you have no part in the Scriptures to inherit but the plagues and woes therein foretold for such workers And the Scriptures needs no meanings to prove you there but are fulfilled in you in the behalf of him whose work you are doing but when you would take them to prove your Teachers or your selves to be of God then you must do it with meanings twinings and wrestlings for in plainness and truth as the Scriptures were given forth they shut you out And when your Teachers and your selves with all their learning and crast have taken the Saints words and put them upon your selves that you might be taken for sheep a sheep indeed is sent forth amongst you and all your covers are too narrow to hide the Wolf that is within and how little a thing of Gods choosing quickly confounds so great a building and profession and lays naked that which many years you have been hiding and thus when the weakness and foolishness which is of God comes amongst you it lays waste your great wisdom great professions great notions long prayers separations and gathering and Names of Ministers of Christ and people of God Church of God and House of Prayer and all is shaken and gone and nought of all this left but a heap of confusion tearing haling beating pulling stoneing laughing and evil-speaking not the least face of a Church of Christ left nor one jot of all your sheeps clothing to be seen and the poor Instrument by which this is done you count but a fool or mad or one not worth hearing speak or worthy an Answer that the Scripture may be fulfilled which saith God hath chosen foolish things weak things base things of the â— Cor 1 World and things that are despised to confound the wise and mighty and bring all to nought that is not in himself and this day is coming upon you unawares who are professing the Scriptures with your Candle out and so not having the light of Faith in you to guide you it is risen against you in the weak to lay open your nakedness blindness and hardness of heart before your selves and all men So thou that would be counted a shepherd and a guide behold thy Flock and the fruits of thy Ministry When I was to come amongst you in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of his spirit to prove you did you carry your selves as sheep towards me Let moderation judge you and be ashamed What a heap of confusion was you all turned into on a sudden when the foolishness of God appeared amongst you in weakness and contempt And did thou carry thy self as a true Shepherd to flye and leave thy flock in such a tumult upon a poor despised woman and neither to stay and answer one question nor to rebuke the devourer which was head in thy flock So that if the Lord had not strengthened and preserved this weak body it might have been crusht with violence pushing and haling to and fro for as one in the waves of a raging sea so was I amongst thy flock Oh shepherd be ashamed of thy flock and they of thee from that day forward till you repent Vine-dresser be ashamed of thy Work how is thy Vineyard over-run with bryars and thorns that the meek cannot pass unless he be fenced with Iron and Steel Oh husbandman What dost thou sow amongst them where this is reaped And people be ashamed of your shepherd and of his hire and of your defence and let the Words of Christ judge what he is that flyes and leaves his flock and hath not the Weapon of truth in the spirit of meekness to defend himself and his flock with let your fruits judge you in the light of Christ Jesus what he hath sown and in what ground it hath sprung up now it is laid open to your faces and the nature of sheep is not in your fold violence hath filled your House of Prayer the abomination that makes desolate is got up therein and stands where it ought not pride is exalted and the wicked worker is set up and the blind is got into the seat of judgement and leads the blind who calls light darkness and darkness light and the ear that should hear the true shepherd you have stopâ— and the eye of a spiritual mind is blinded by denying the light within and you have lost the defence of truth and so there is no way to make you understand what you are but by laying you open by your fruits before the sun in whose light your fruits are condemned you seen to be none of his flock nor he your defence but enemies to it and his appearance in the weakest thereof whom he chooseth for such a work Glory to the Lamb And let all that learn his nature praise his Power and Wisdow sor evermore for he hath fitted the meek of the Earth for his defence but the horse and his rider he hath cast into the sea And so people had there been in you reasonableness or moderation or any desire to have known the truth in its power when I did but ask a moderate question of your Teacher you would have been stil and sober moved him to answer and in meekness of spirit you to have heard both parties that so you might have judged with that of God in you which wil arise to the truth where it is who had truth on his side and if your Teacher had had it in him is it not stonger then all to defend him and you therewith which is Christs weapon against all errors whatsoever and then if he had had the Staff of the true Shepherd to have stood over you and defended you then had he shewed himself like a shepherd and you like sheep and not he to betake himself to flye for his defence and you to carnal Weapons and with the fist of wickedness list up run all a heaps in rage and confusion to defend your Teacher and his Doctrine by uncivil demeanor not becoming men and women of government wherein you have but made it appear openly to be Truth that you withstood by what way you took against is as truth hath foretold in Scripture concerning the Worlds Teachers and Professors and what usage Christs sheep should have in the midst of Wolves and upon you this day is this Scripture fulfilled for a witness against Teacher and People and out of it you are cast and out of the Kingdom and patience
to the light which is the true light and then you might see what God requiers Truth in the inward parts which Psal 51. 6. though it may be you have red oft yet are not come to it while you despise the light and have not as I know none has out of the light found that God requiers and what stead will all that stand you in which he requireth not and so all men and women come to the light It is the words of Christ Jesus He that walketh in the light stumbleth Iohn i. 9 10 not and all from it have and do stumble and fall and therefore as you love your souls and prize your everlasting welfare give heed to the most sure word of Prophesy then that voice which come from heaven your teachers tell you that 's the Scripture but thus it is written You do well to take â—eed to the more sure word of Prophesy as 2 Pet. â— 19 to a light that shines in a dark place till the day dawn and the day star ar se in your bearts as to this you come the subtlety of the deceiver which hath beguiled man and led into the transgression may be manifested and you shall come to see what thou wert and what thou art and what thou must be before thou come to inherit the purchased inheritance for thou wert made in glory O man and woman in the Image of God but by transgression art become as a brute beast that perishes and knowest nothing but what thou knowest naturally as from that wisdom which is sensual and devlilish for here sits the Devil in the sensual fulfilling the lusts slaying the soul and yet seeming religious here 's Cain's offering Esaus tears but not the blessing for that 's to the seed for ever and ever and in the Gel. 3. 16 light only must thou come to know the promised seed which is to break the Serpents Gen. 3. 1â— head So to that of God in every man I speak who has not left himself without a witness in the worst of you that you harken diligently to that which hath at somtimes shewed your iniquities and called you out of it for it is better to harken then to offer the sacrifices of fools and till you hear him that called Abraham how far are you Sam. 15. 22 Hâ—b 11. â— from the election that cannot be deceived in the deceit in the error and yet talking of others to be Hereticks and deceivers but we know who holds the truth in unrighteousness who neither hear nor obey the call of God Mind Titus 2. 11. 12. people who are talkers so much of free grace what have you learned of it are you sober that hail and pluck and fight and laugh and scoff even in your most holy assemblies Have you learned to deny all ungodliness and wordly lusts who are in the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life Do you walksoberly and righteously in this present world Are your women the Daughters of Sarah that wear not gold nor silver nor pearl not brodered hair Are you the men whose moderation and temperance is seen unto Isa 56. 12 all who live in the excess eating and drinking and in pride and covetousness Rom. 2. 11 and wantonness respecting persons that are rich and oppressing the poor despising the needy and in the middest of all these your iniquities call your selves Christians and say you are justified by Christ Jesus and saved by his blood Will not the Lord be avenged for these things Will not the righteous God do righteously Doth he justifie the wicked or wil he save the ungodly Psal 7. 11 Exo. 34. 6 7 or acquit the guilty nay a due recompence wil be rendered unto all the workers of unrighteousness who are puting the evil day afar off and are crying where are the dayes of his coming things are as they were let ns eat and drink for to morrow we must dye but Mark 9 44 the Worm which must never dye wil be your torment for as the tree stands it shall fall and after death comes judgement and in righteousness wil he rain who shall give to every man according to his works done in the body whether they be good or evil and in vain wil a talk of salvation be in that day for all you that are out of the covenant and I knowing assuredly that God is revealed from heaven in flames of fire to take vengeance on all that knowes him not 2 Thes 1. â— 18. cannot but warn you while you have time to cease from all your imaginations of God which are vain and to come to that which is only able to redeem from the powers of darkness and bonds of Satan whereby you have been and are captivated and all having a gift to profit with all come to know it in your selves for by this must all be presented before God who is just in all his judgements and requiers of no man according Rom. 6. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 6 to that he hath not but according to that he hath his own is he come â— Pet. 4. â—0 for and though the unprofitable hide it yet it is good and perfect O that you knewit and the power thereof for this only can redeem your souls out of the pit and break all the bonds of iniquity and clense from sin which hath seperated Luke 2. 48 you from God and this was it which the Prophets witnessed to set Psalm 4. 1 their souls at liberty before they could say the Lord is my righteousness and you that know not this gift which is from the father of spirits to be your leader and guide and teacher your best works are but self-righteousness Heb. 6. 1 dead works and to be repented of but we who have gained to that which shewed us the evil of our wayes and the vanity of the world with the glory thereof have been brought to cease psalm 4. 2 from our own works and words and come to stillness in which the still voyce hath been heard of God who complains of all you that are walking in vanity turning your makers glory into shame by speaking deceit and following after lyes and in this stilness standing are we come to possesse sure salvation by his redemption that saves his people from their sins and so it is God that works all our works in us and for us and self and the boaster are shut our by the powers of the eternal word of seperation and so our joy and boasting is in God all the day long but you out Mat 1. 21 Esa 26. 13 from the light disobedient to that which shews your misdoing have nothing to warn you or to rejoyce you or give you peace but wat is from the fire of your own kindling and this you shall have at my hands saith the Lord Esa 50. 11 to lye down in sorrow and this is the truth