in man And the powers of the flesh which is the Serpent or curse shall be subdued under him and man-kind shall be made onely subject to this one Spirit which shall dwell bodily in every one as he dwelt bodily in the man Christ Jesus who was the Son of man Now as Moses declared That the Lamb Jesus Christ should be that great Prophet to whom every one should give ear delivered it in general termes leaving the particular discoveries of his new doctrine to the Lamb himself when he came and so did not go about to imagine matters that was above his circle and we see the Doctrine of Jesus Christ when he came far exceeded the Doctrine of Moses the one being the substance of the other and so moâ—â— spiritual makings forth then the other Even so the man Christ Jesus the great Prophet declared in general termes what should be in later times leaving it to every son and daughter to declare their particular experiences when the Spirit doth rise up in them and manifests himself to them For they that believe saith he out of their bellies shall flow rivers or plentifull discoveries of the water of life Therefore as Moses gave way to Christ for when Christ appeared in flesh Moses administration began to be silent and drew back and set Jesus Christ in the chair to be the great Prophet that should be the teacher in types after him And the ministration of these discoveries were to raign in the world their appointed times Even so the Lamb Christ Jesus or that single body gives way to the holy Ghost or spreading Spirit If I go not away the Comforter cannot come to you for he that dwels bodily in me is to spread himself in you that as the Father in me and I in him are one even so I in you and you in me may become one witâ— the Father And the testimony of the Apostles declares as much Though we have known Christ after the flesh in one single body yet now henceforth know we him no more so but we look after that mystery which hath been kept secret from ages and generations past which is Christ in you the hope of glory And therefore I must tell you that yet live in dipping in water and observation of Gospel-forms and types you live yet under the ministration of Jesus Christ after the flesh declaring the Lamb Christ to remain as yet in one single person But know you that as the ministration of Moses gave way to this so this ministration is to give way to the inward teachings of Christ and the spreading of the Spirit in sons and daughters which will more excellently declare the glory of the mystery The man Christ Jesus himself told the woman of Samaria Woman the time is coming that neither in Jerusalem nor in this mountain shall men worship the Father but they that worship him shall worship him in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeks such to worship him By these words The Son of man declares that both outward forms customs and types of Moses worship under that ministration at Jerusalem likewise all forms and customs and types of this ministration of himself as the Lamb held forth at a distance to be our Mediatour should all cease and give way to the spirituall worship of the Father in the latter dayes or to the spreading of the Divine power in men the one Law of Righteousnesse being the teacher of all So that upon the rising up of Christ in sons and daughters which is his second comming the ministration of Christ in one single person is to be silent and draw back and set the spreading power of Righteousnesse and wisdom in the chair of whose Kingdom there shall be no end So as all things were gone out from the Spirit and were gone astray and corrupted The Spirit in this great mystery of truth being manifested in flesh burns up that drosse out of the Creation and draws in all things back again into himself and declares himself to be the alone wisdom and power of Righteousnesse that rules dwels that governs and preserves both in and over the whole Creation And now the Son delivers up the Kingdom unto the Father And he that is the spreading power not one single person become all in all in every person that is the one King of Righteousnesse in every one Here we may see what the dividing of time is which is the last period in which the Beast is to reignâ— for now every ministration pleads his priviledge till the Law of Righteousnesse drown up all in himself Moses yet pleads a priviledge in the practice of the Jews after the flesh The Son of man or Christ in one single person pleâ—ds a priviledge and not onely the true ministration of the Son of man according to the Apostles declaration But likewise many false forms customs and observations of Divine worship are raised up through a wrong understanding of those Scriptures all plead a priviledge And lastly the ministration of the Spirit forsaking all types and â—ormes worshipping the Father in the substance of truth This now pleads his priviledge as his due right by course So that you see here is the dividing of time But this last ministration is the sufferer for the present as being denied his right by the former that ought to give way And as the worshippers in Moses ministration envied and killed such as worshipped the Son of man the Lamb So now those that worship Christ at a distance in their severall Congregations and forms and are most zealous therein are in these dayes the most bitterest enemies to the ministration of Christ in Spirit and in truth But when this ministration of the Spirit spreads himself he will make the greatest separation that ever was For though Israels separation out of Egypt amazed the world and the separation of gathered Congregations out of Parish Churches so called did trouble the earth though it is no more but going out of one form into another not into the unitie of the one Spirit Yet this ministration of the Spirit now rising up by right of inheritance will take peace from the world much more for he hath begun and he will and shall go on to gather the scattered of Isreal together out of all Aegytian bondages and self-seeking oppressing government and out of all forms and customes of the Beast to worship the Father in spirit and truth being made to be all of one heart and one minde And this shall more and more appear as the earth grows up to be a common treasury for all Therefore let me tell you That all your enmity will not uphold your â—orms your imprisoning and reviving and making law to suppresse such as â—â—e contrary to you will never work your will but pull miseries and shame upon your selves as the zealous Scribes and Pharisees did in killing of Christ the Sonne of
and tyrant-ruling flesh seek to imprison you and kill you so they dealt with him and it is still the righteous man in you that is opposed If you be made to joy in the Father the Spirit of truth it is he within you that rejoyces in himself if you feel a waiting meek spirit in you it is still Christ in you who is meek and lowly If you feel the power of love dwell within you leading you to love enimies and to do as you would be done unto it is Christ in you who is the law of love and Righteousnesse And in every condition you are in this law of the Spirit meets with the powers of your own flesh fâ—etting and fighting against him For envy frowardnesse self-love covetousnesse are the power of darknesse in you that fights against the Spirit that sweetly seeks the preservation and peace of all But that opposing power in you is the devil serpent and power of darknesse which Christ the power of light rising up in you will destroy and so mortality shall be swallowed up of life And Christ will not sit down in peace rejoycing in you till he hath subdued all these inward and outward enemies under his feet and himself become the alone King of Righteousnesse in you for he is that mighty King that shall be established upon the holy hill of Sion that is He shall be only King unto whom every man woman shal be made a subject This King shall raigne for ever and ever And this is he you would call God but indeed the power of darknesse is the god that rules in most men and women both professours and others and they will subject to this their god of darknesse till the power of light Christ take him away So that whatsoever estate a son or daughter is in it is still but Christ combating with his enemies in that estate drawing all into himself and destroying all oppsing powers that himself may remain to be the one alone Almighty power spread forth every where and so doing the will of the Father brusing the Sarpents head in you and that he himself who is the divine may grow up flourish remaine and bring â—orth aboundance of fruit in you when your created flesh is purged from bondage and made subject to him But if Christ and the Father be all one power and wisdome why do you make a distinction as if they were two I answer The Father is the universall power that hath spread himself in the whole globe The Sonne is the same power drawn into and appearing in one single person making that person subject to the one Spirit and to know him that dwels every where There is not a person or creature within the compasse of the globe but he is a sonne of the of the Father or the breakings forth of that power in one body now every small creature is the light of the Faâ—her though it be a dark one but man living in the light of the Father is called The wel-beloved Sonne because that one power of Rigteousnesse dwels bodily in him and the whole Creation is drawn up into that one centre man And now the Lord a lone is exalted in this day of his power for now the Serpent is cast out of heaven aâ—l powers of darknesse are subdued and the Spirit remaines conquerour in man yet in single man and so filling the living earth man-kinde in all his branches with himself the one Spirit This spreading power is the Fathers house in which there are many mansions or dwelling places every crerture lives herein for in and by him every one lives and moves and hath his being This is to speak truth as it is in Jesus This is Sion that is above where the Father dwels in his glory Sinai is the mountaine of flesh that is to be burned with fire that is the Spirit of Righteousnesse is the fire that will burn-up all unrighteous powers in the flesh And to see this power of Righteousnesse spreading himself every where destroying death and preserving the Creation is to see him you would call God with open face and you can never see him plainly and nakedly till you come thus to see him therefore you Priests and zealous ptofessors learne hereafter ro know what power it is you call God for the word God signifies a Governour and it may as well be attributed to the devil as to the law of Righteousnesse for assure your selves if covetousnesse pride and bitter envy doe rule you as it is apparent this dark power rules most of you then the devil is that god you worship and you are strangers and enemies to the Spirit of Truth that dwels every where which you seem to call your God or Ruler CHAP. III. ANd this is no new Gospel but the old one It is the same report that the Pen-men of Scriptures gave for the everlasting Gospel God with us or God manifest in flesh The Father exalted above all and in all for the Prophets and Apostles declare these two things First the Spirit spreads himself abroad in sacrifices and types as in Moses time and then takes all into himself againe the Spirit manifest in one person as in the son of man For all the writings of old and new Testament are all centered in Christ and are swallowed up into him And this Christ is not only confined to the Lamb Jesus anointed but is the enlarging of the same anointing in the particular persons of sonnes and daughters in whom the same spirit of truth the comforter is to be manifest in after times And this power shall not only fill man-kinde and be all in all therein but all other creatures of all kinde according to their severall degrees shall be filled with this one spirit anointing As Pauls testimony reports that the whole Creation of all kindes of creatures in whom the curse is spread through mans unrighteousnesse doth all groan and travell waiting for the manifestation of the sonnes of God When man-kinde shall be restored and delivered from the curse and all spirited with this one power then other creatures shall be restored likewise and freed from their burdens as the Earth from thorns and briars and barrennesse the Air and winds from unseasonable storms and distempers the Cattle from bitternesse and rage one against another And the law of righteousnesse and love shall be seated in the whole Creatton from the lowest to the highest creature And this is the work of restoration So that all the glory and content that man takes in other creatures of the earth it is but a rejoycing in himself or that spirit that is within him being more and more filled with peace to see feel taste smell and hear the power of the whole Creation to have a sweet complyancy of love in him and with him For now all jarring rashnesse violent storms barrennesse of the earth corruption in fire and water enmity in cattles oppressing principles in one man over
either to kill that body it dwels in or some others that angers it But the Power of Christ the Law of Righteousnesse ruling within is not moved to any such rashnesse it is patient meek and loving and doth act righteously both to his own body and to others though they be his enemies CHAP. IV. ANd truly here lies the chiefest knowledge of a man to know these two powers which strives for government in him and to see and know them distinctly one from the other that he may be able to say This is the name and power of the flesh and this is the name and power of the Lord For these two powers are the two Adams in man-kind they are Iacob and Esau striving who shall rule in the Kingdom the flesh first Or these are the Son of the bond-woman viz. The powers of the flesh which is the serpent Devil or power of darknesse Or the Son of the free woman which is Christ the wisdom and power of Righteousnesse ruling in flesh and making it free from the others bondage And here I shall declare what I know the first Adam or son of bondage is And secondly What the second Adam or son of the free-woman is both which Powers I have seen and felt manifested in this body of my flesh First I shall shew how the first Adam in his time of rule hath suppressed and kept under the second man the anointing And then secondly how this second man in the time appointed of his rising doth kill and crucifie the first Adam daily with all his lusts and freeth me from that slavery The first Adam kils and crucifies Christ in me when I consent and make provision to satisfie my pride over humility covetousnesse over contentednesse envy over love lust before chasticy esteeming the power of an humble loving and righteous spirit towards the poorest creatute but a low and contemptible thing or the like Now Christ is crucified in me he rules not he acts not in a lively power but the first man of the flesh he governs the Kingdom my body in unrighteousnesse And Christ lies buried in this earthly tabernacle under those cursed powers in my enslaved body But then secondly When the fulnesse of time comes that it is the Fathers will that Christ the spirit of truth shal arise above the power of unrighteousnesse in me that is humility arises above pride love above envy a meek and quiet spirit above hasty rash anger chastity above unclean lusts and light above darknesse Now the second Adam Christ hath taken the Kingdom my body and rules in it He makes it a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwels Righteousnesse I shall explain these two Adams a little more First then The first Adam or man of the flesh branches himself forth into divers particulars to fetch peace into himself from objects without himself As for example covetousnesse is a branch of the flesh or first man that seeks after creature enjoyment or riches to have peace from them Pride looks abroad for honour Envy seeks the revenge of such as crosses his fleshy ends by reproch oppression or murder Unclean lusts seeks to embrace strange flesh Imagination flies abroad to devise wayes to satisfie the flesh in these desires Hypocrisie turns himself into divers shapes ye sometimes into an Angel of light a zealous Professour to compasse these ends And self-love which is ignorant of the universal power lies couching in the bottom sending those six several powers of darknesse abroad to fetch in peace to delight self that lies at home in the fleshy heart And all these powers make up but one perfect body of sin and death one Devil or one compleat power of darknesse or that whorish power called the Beast with seven heads And it is called the Beast because all those seven discoveries are of the flesh and flesh is no other but a beast and the wise flesh of man is said to be the beast the King of beasts that was to raign fourty two moâ—ths or for a time times and dividing of time and then he should be destroyed by the man of Righteousnesse Christ And truly upon every head there is ten horns that is there are many branchings forth of powers from every head to satisfie self which are Kings indeed And they are called ten horns every head encountering against the five senses of the left hand man and against the five senses of the right hand man of righteousnesse and so fights against every particular spreading forth of Christ So that these Kings are not to be restrained to the Kings of the Nations though that is true such powers are enemies to Christ and they must yield up their Kingdoms unto him and those that are angry against Christ are to be destroyed But these ten horns are Kingly powers of the flesh that rules within every man leading him captive under the body of the power of darknesse for there is not the branching forth of evil in any kind to delight self but it springs forth from one or other of those seven heads all joyning to honour and advance the Beast The man of Righteousnesse Christ he is the second Adam and he spreads himself as far as the other to undermine him and to take the Kingdom that is the created flesh or the living earth man-kind out of that Devils hand For Christ is the spreading power of Righteousnesse and therefore he is called The anointing which was poured upon that humane body called by the name Iesus the Son of man and dwelt bodily there for a time but afterward was to spread in sons and daughters many bodies As the oyl upon Aarons head ranne down to the skirts of his garments if any one find rest and peace in this precious Alabaster which is the wisdome and power of the spirit he finds it not by looking upon him at a distance from him but by seeing and feeling that power ruling within the body of his flesh As thus contentednesse in all straits or poverty to live upon providence is this second Adam in thee killing thy discontented covetousnesse Humility and meeknesse is the same anointing which kils pride and loftines Love to enemies yea the law of love flowing forth to every creature is Christ in you which kils envy and rash anger Chastitie in the flesh kils uncleannesse wisdom that is pure and plain down right kils a subtil over-reaching Imagination Sincerity and singlenesse of heart the same anointing kils hypocrisie and love to others doing as a man would be done unto and so respecting the publick preservation of all creatures doth kill self-love And all these seven branchings forth of the pure spirit makes but one body Christ or one Almighty power or Mercie and Justice the holy breathing or Emanuel God in us And every one of these seven eyes or seven attributes of the Divine branches themselves forth into several horns of power to destroy the man of the flesh and to
bread the Priests must have the tenths of his encrease or else some oppressing impropriatour that shares the tithes between himself and the Priest which Law was brought in by the Pope and still upheld by such as call themselves the Christian Protestants All which is high treason and mighty dishonourable to Christ the great Prophet whom they seem to shew love to here the earth stinks because this hath been established by a compulsive binding power whereby the Creation is held under bondage this is the fruit of imagination Secondly For matter of buying and selling the earth stinks with such unrighteousnesse that for my part though I was bred a tradesmen yet it is so hard a thing to pick out a poor living that a man shall sooner be cheated of his bread then get bread by trading among men if by plain dealing he put trust in any And truly the whole earth of trading is generally become the neat art of thieving and oppressing fellow-creatures and so laies burdens upon the Creation but when the earth becomes a common treasury this burden will be taken off Thirdly For Justices and Officers of State that should relieve people in their wrongs and preserve peace they multiply wrongs and many if not most times oppresses the poor and lets the effending rich go free by laying aside the letter of their laws as the Priests doth the Scriptures and acts by subtil covetousnesse and smooth words to get money or else ruling by their own wills through envy to imprison and oppresse others letting poor people lie in prison half a year many times and never bring them to trial at all And thus the people have been and are oppressed by false imprisonments and punishments not for the breach of any known law but to satisfie the will of the Justice Bailiffs or Officer against all reason and equity as if the people made Officers to be their Aegyrtian task-masters Nay let all men speak openly as they find and I am sure they will say that the Justices and most state Officers doth more oppresse then deliver from oppression And thus I see that the whole earth stinks by the first Adams corrupt Government therefore it is the fulness of time for Jacob to arise extream necessity cals for the great work of restoration and when the restorer of the earth hath a little more manifested himself he wiâ— make the earth a common treasury and sweep away all the refuge of lies and All oppressions by making all people to be of one heart and one minde and then the Law of Righteousnesse and peace shal be the King that shal rule in every man and over every man who indeed is the Lord himself who is and wil be all and in all And now seeing there is nothing found but complainings and tears under his oppressions it is the fulnesse or fittest time now for Iacob to arise restore all things who indeed is Christ And for David to raigne who indeed is Christ the great devider between flesh and spirit the great law-giver of peace and truth For besides him there is no Saviour He indeed is the blessing of all Nations and the joy of the whole earth Therefore tremble thou Lord Esau thou proud and covetous flesh thou art condemned to die the sentence is begun to be put in execution for the poor begins to receive the Gospel thou shalt wast decay and grow weaker and weaker til thy place be no where found in earth and Christ the blessing of the Creation shal rise up and spread and fil the earth and all creatures shall rejoyce under his shadow Therefore you Tribes of Israel that are now in sackcloth every man with his hands upon his loins like a woman in travel stand stil and see the salvation of David your King this is called the time of Iacobs trouble for indeed the Spirit that is in you is oppressed under the burden of cursed flesh But he shall be delivered the time of his resurrection is come and his rising shal be your glory his light shal desperse your darknesse and cover the earth with the knowledge of himself for the blessing shal be every where Iacobs troubles formerly was two-fold First His kindred and friends endeavoured to hinder him of his temporal lively-hood and to make the earth to become a burden to him by changing his cattell and taking those earthly blessings from him which the Lord had given him Secondly when Iacob had a liberty to take wives children and cattell and to goe live free of himself his kindred runs after him and tels him he had stolen away their gods and for that begins a fresh to trouble him And the same troubles are the portion of those in whom Iacobs spirit rests For First Their kindred and neighbours endeavours to make them poor in the world and to oppresse them with the burden of poverty and straits Secondly Now the Father is drawing Iacob out of Babylon and makes his children to forsake the forms and customs of the National worship to worship the Father in Spirit and Truth Now kindred and neighbours in the flesh cries our O these men steals away our gods and by reproaches imprisonments or wrong dealing seeks to oppresse and suppresse them Wel this is but stil the time of Iacobs troubles but he shall be delivered out Wel let the lordly flesh scoffe and laugh and cry O when shal this be and say with the Lord of Samaria it is impossible for it is madnesse thus to speak wel such may live to see it but shal not enjoyne the blessing for when Iacob arises that is now very low and be must rise then Esau shal be his servant The elder shall serve the younger and thy portion shal be wraped up in Jacobs lap for all is his For now he Father is raissing up a people to himself out of the dust and of the stones that is poor despised people that are trod upon like dust and stones shal be now raised up and be made the blessing of the earth and the high mountaines shall be laid low the lofty looks of men shal be pulled down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in this day of his power CHAP. VIII AS I was in a trance not long since divers matters were present to my sight which here must not be related Likewise I heard these words Worke together Eat bread together declare this all abroad Likewise I heard these words Whosoever it is that labours in the earth for any person or persons that lifts up themselves as Lords Rulers over others and that doth not look upon themselves equal to others in the Creation The hand of the Lord shall be upon that labouror I the Lord have spoke it and I will do it Declare this all abroad After I was raised up I was made to remember very fresh what I had seen and heard did declare al things to them that were with me and I was filled with abundance of quiet
and more righteous acting The voice of mourning shall be heard no more the birds shall sing merrily on every bough O rejoyce rejoyce for the time that the Lord God omnipotent wil raign in al the earth is beginning and he wil be servant to the Dragon Beast and man of the flesh no longer but wil tread down that murdering power and make him his footstool This is the work of the Lord that wil stop the the mouths of all hearsay and imaginary Preachers All mouths shall be silent and not dare to speak till the power of the Lord within give words to the mouth to utter And when men that are ful of wast words are made to see they speak they know not what when they shal see they speak other mens words like Parots not their own and sometimes they speak words from their imagination which may be false as wel as true for ought they know for they have had neither voice vision nor revelation to warrant their words when they see this Then they shal be ashamed and confounded in themselves For now lip service is to be judged to death and every one shal be fetched in to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth or else they shal perish for mens words shal grow fewer and fewer their actions of Righteousness one to another more and more and there shal no love be esteemed of but what is manifest in righteous actions And this shal be the ruler that every one shal observe to walk righteously in the Creation towards all Creatures according to the Law of equity and Reason and this Law shal be writ in every ones heart and he that hath this law in his heart is marked for a son or daughter they that have it not are marked for enemies and rebels to the Father And such a one is a Cain The Kingdoms of the whole world must become the Kingdoms of the Lord Christ and this the Nations are angry at Therefore count it no strang thing to see wars and rumours of wars to see men that are put in trust to act for publike good to prove fals to see commotions of people every where like flouds of water stirred up raedy to devour and overflow one another To see Kings storm against the people To see rich men and gentry most violent against the poor oppressing the and treading them like mire in the street Why is all this anger But because the man of the flesh is to die his day of judgment is come he must give up the Kingdom and Government of the earth man-kind into the hand of his neighbour that is more righteous then he For Jacob now must have the blessing he is blessed yea and shal be blessed and Esau shal become his servant The poor shal inherit the earth CHAP. X. ANd here now is made plain That the first shall be last and the last first The powers of the flesh or Adam in me he appeared first and trampled the man-child the power of righteousnesse and peace under foot I but when the man-child begins to rise up to rule the other fals and becomes the tail the last nay must be destroyed Two Kings that claimes interest in one Kingdom can never live quietly together Light and darknesse will be fighting till the one be conquered And surely the man of Righteousnesse or that last man that appears shal be the first that shal be honoured and become the preserving and restoring power the great Law-giver that shall rule in the new heaven and in the new earth in righteousnesse Of further The first that is the worshipping of God in types ceremonies formes and customs in set times and places which are the invention of the first man which doth slight and loath the way of inward Righteousnesse for they that live in established forms are filled with dislike and willingly would â—either buy nor sell with those whom the Lord hath drawn up to live in him they cannot indure the way of the Spirit let them say and professe what they wil for he that is strict in a formal customarily way of worship knows not what it is to worship in spirit and truth or to walk righteously in the Creation but is bitter spirited and merely selfish And this power appears first in a man and makes people very zealous professours of God and Christ in preaching praying and hearing But without knowledge what God and Christ is and they know not what they do nor the end wherefore they do so And their teachers in the same forms are blind guides and poor hearts both shall fall into the ditch and be mired in their own inventions most pittifully And when you come to see your selves stick in confusion and disorder and knowing that your teachers have deceived you Then you will remember these words That the first must be last Moses though he was a good man yet he was not to enter into the laâ—d of Canaan which types out this to me That the first man of the flesh shall never enter into the Fathers rest Then likewise you shall see that your zeal was but zeal without knowledge and that heat in you did but carry you along to advance self not to advance the Lord And that covetousness was the Lord chief Ruler in you which being crossed grew impatient and that impatiency you called it The zeal of the Lord when experience teacheth you silence you will not be offended at these words but ashamed of your self And here likewise you may see what it is to make a Sermon for a Sermon is a speech made from the man-seer which is Chaist within for this anointing sees the Father in every thing And therefore Christ in that one body The Lamb was called a great Prophet or Seer Now that man or woman that sees the Spirit within themselves how he enlightens how he kils the motions of the flesh and makes the flesh subject to Righteousnesse and so can see light in his light this man or woman is able to make a Sermon because they can speak by experience of the light and power of Christ within them who is indeed the man Seer But now he that speaks from imagination or from tradition and not from experience of what he sees cannot make a Sermon as the publike Preachers generally do and so he is a deceiver or false Christ and false Prophet that runs before he be sent put forward by secret pride and covetousnes to get a temporal living Therfore let none speak so discontentedly against Adam the first man by Creation that they say lived on earth about 6000 years ago as though he brought in the misery upon all for the Scriptures seem to declare that there were men in the world before that time For when Cain had killed his brother Abel which in one verse Moses seems to say was the third man in the world yet in a few verses following writing of Cains punishment declares Cains own
to life And hence it is that many a poor despised man and woman that are counted blasphemers by the understanding Pharisees of our age as the learned Pharisees of old called Christ and people are afraid to buy and sell them but casts out their names for evil yet these have more sweet peace more true experience of the Father and walks more righteously in the Creation in spirit and truth then those that cal themselves teachers and zealous Professours And why Because these single hearted ones are made to look into themselves wherein they can read the work of the whole Creation and see that History seated within themselves they can see the mystery of Righteousnesse and are acquainted every one according to his measure with that spirit of truth that is to be the blessing of the whole earth and that enlightens al that come into the world these are the dust and stones so the earth that are trod under foot But out of this Sion whom no man regards shal the Deliverer come But now those that are called Preachers and great professours that runs a hearing seeks for knowledge abroad in Sermons in books and Uuniversities and buyes it for money as Simon Magus would have done and than delivers it out again for money for a 100 l. or 200 l. a year And those men that speak from an inward testimony of what they have seen and heard from the Lord are celled by these buyers and sellers Locusts â—actions blasphemers and what not as the language of Pulpits runs but the Lord wil whip such traders out of his Temple And truly the whole world wanders after the Beast and though the people many of them doe see that their Prheachers are blinde guides bitter spirited proud and covetous yet they are ashamed and afraid to disown them O great bondage under the devils And hence it is that they think they are wise and learned and the only men sent of God to preach the Gospel til the power of Righteousnesse come and declare before all the world that they are enemies to the Gospel and knows him not for the anointing is the glad tidings which are manifest within the heart not a distance from men And so Christ takes these wise and learned in their own crafty covetousnes and pride and declares them to be very silly men the most ignorant of all blinde guides painted sepulchers Prophets that run before they be sent and the great fooles of the world and troublers of Israel and the Scribes and Pharisees that stand up to hinder Christ from rising or to cast reproachfull dirt upon him where he rises as much as they can to keep him down and hold him under as a servant still and this they will doe till they be swept away amongst the refuge of lies as part of that treasure for that must be your portion Nay let me tel you That the poorest man that sees his maker and lives in the light though he could never read a letter in the book dares throw the glove to al the humane learning in the world and declare the deceit of it how it doth bewitch delude man-kinde in spiritual things yet it is that great Dragon that hath deceived all the world for it draws men from knowing the Spirit to own bare letters words and histories for spirit The light and life of Christ within the heart discovers all darknesse and delivers mankind from bondage And besides him there is no Saviour CHAP. XI WEll in the next place I must declare to you that all that which you call the history and have doted upon it and made it your idol is all to be seen and felt witin you before you cast oft true peace Adam and Christ you have heard are both to be seen within the heart Cain and Abel is to be seen within Abraham a power that prefers the honour of Righteousnesse before a beloved Isaac is to be seen within Meek spirited Moses that rules your bodies by an outward Law of Righteousnesse is to be seen within you killing of Sacrifices and offering them up is to be seen within you Israel or one that is a wrestler is to be seen within you And this is Christ the elect one that fights against your lusts The Canaanites Amalekites Philistines and all those armies of the Nations even troops of untighteous powers one following another are to be seen within you making war with Israel Christ within you The Land of Canaan the habitation of rest is to be seen within you travelling and drudging in the wildernesse and then comming to rest upon the seventh day is to be seen within you Judas a treacherous self-loving and covetous spirit The Commanders of the Jews the chief powers that are within the flesh first condemning then killing then buying Christ is to be seen within you Christ lieing in the grave like a corn of wheat buried under the clods of the earth for a time and Christ rising up from the powers of your flesh above that corruption and above those clouds treading the curse under his feet is to be seen within The stone that lies at the mouth of the sepulcher your unbelief the removing of that stone setting you at libertie is to be seen withing you Heaven and hell light and darknesse sorrow and comforts is all to be seen within the power of darknesse and the power of light and life is to be seen within you Good Angels which are divine discoveries or sparks of that glory And bad Angels which are the powers of the flesh let loose out of the bottomlesse pitâ—selfishnesse and so working its own miserie are to be seen within For man-kind is that Creation in which the great Creatour of all things wil declare and manifest himself Therefore it was said That God was in Christ That one anointed humane body reconciling or drawing all things into himself and so making peace For while al things are out of that one power of Righteousnesse jarring and flashing against him there is no peace in the Creation but sorrow tears and vexation but when all things are made to lie down quiet in him and acknowledge him in all and are subject to him the alone King of Righteousnesse now there is rest and peace every where Therefore if you look for heaven or for manifestation the Fathers love in you in any place but within your selves you are deceived for what glory soever you shal be capable of to see with your eyes or hear with your ears it is but the breakings forth of that glorious power that is seated within for the glory of the Father is not without him but it is all within himself or rises up from within is manifested abroad The Kings daughter is all glorious within All that glory which declares heaven is seen within that spirit that rules within the Creation man-kind And further if you look for any other hell or sorrows in any other place then what shall be made manifest within
revenge of the pride lust envy covetousnesse which ruled within the flesh and casts that Serpent and Dragon out of Heaven That is out of that part of the Creation and makes a man to cry out upon himself and to hate and abhor his cursed lusts which lead him captive He makes a man to look abroad with the eie of pitty and compassion to fellow-Creatures but to look with the eie of hatred and loathing upon the Serpent his unclean lusts desiring nothing so much as the death of the body of sin within So that the law of righteousnesse may reigne in peace in his soul O thou cursed envy cursed rash anger cursed uncleannesse O cursed Devil cursed Father of lies that will not suffer Christ to rise up and reign O thou enemy of all rightousnesse thou wicked one thou curse thou power of darknesse thou fleshly power thou shalt be destroyed and subdued under Christ's feet whom thou fightest against The greatest combate is within a man when the King sits upon the Throne judging unrighteous flesh and bruising that Serpents head And though this be trouble and torment for a time to the Creature yet Christ at last will sit down in him who is Prince of peace and King of righteousnesse The created flesh of man is the Beast the King of Beasts the same principles as are in other Creatures are in humane flesh The difference between man and other beasts is this The flesh of man is made an understanding Soul capable to know Reason and to walk in his light Other beasts cannot Now the wise flesh is meerly selfish he seeks himself in every thing he doth and would be a Lord and Ruler not only over the Beasts of the field but over creatures of his own kind whom his Maker made equall to himself and so strives to fetch in all other Creatures to advance his content though it be to the losse and misery of other men This is the Beast Lord Esau the wise and covetous self-seeking flesh that hath sold his birth-right and blessing to Jacob for the pleasure of unrighteousnesse a small time And now he must be turned out and deliver all up to Jacob and he is extreamly vext and will not yield quier possession but stand out stifly till he be cast out by the universall power of Reasons law Now the rule and dominion of Jacob doth not bring losse and misery to any his law is so established in love that the whole Creation finds peace under it sorrow and tears beggary and oppression shall be done away and the blessing of the Lord Jacob shall fill the earth So then we see that the great battell of God Almighty is between thi selfish power the Beast and fleshy man and the universall power Christ the man of righteousnesse for the flesh would be wiser then its Maker for though his Maker would have the whole Creation and every creature to enjoy the benefit of their Creation and no live free from straits comfortably Yet the wise and converous flesh seeks to live free in honour and quiet in himself makes laws to imprison kill and waste every one that will not conforme to his selfish Government Now the Father wil destroy the Beast in the open field by fair play and hath given him all advantages as may be for he hath given the Beast thedominion and himself is a Servant under his dominion and will undermine the wise and covetous Beast by righteous sufferings and action as a Servant And the Father encounters with the Beast or Dragon in a three-fold posture of war As First by the Sacrifices under the Law the Spirit thereby declared the destruction of the Beast and the Spirit lay hid under those types and shadows fighting against the Beast and the wise flesh in those daies sought against his Maker This is a distance of Cannon shot Secondly In the prison of Jesus Christ the Lamb the Father fought against the Beast and killed him for the Dragon was cast out of that Heaven or Creation in whom the Father dwelt bodily for that flesh was wholly made subject to the Spitit this was at a closer distance closing in the Front But the wise flesh hath many strong holds even the multitudes of men and women which he fortifies against the Spirit And therefore in the third posture which is now begun the Father encounters and wil encounter with the Beast every where that is with the wise but covetous unrighteous flesh in every son and daughter and so bruise that Serpents head in the whole body of his Army And before he hath done he wil fire all the strong-holds of this murder so that he shall not have a place to keep garrison in for the Father will subdue the whole bulk of man-kind and make all that living earth subject to him self and all with holy breathing This is the spreading of the Anointing This is the glory of the Elect One glorious things are spoken of thee O though City of God 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 which you rejoyce And this is the last encounter the Father wil have with the Dragon This is the great day of Judgment judging and condemning and putting the Serpent to death every where This is the day of Christ power in which he wil subdue all his enemies under his feet deliver up the Kingdom to his Father Therefore marvel not to see the people turn from one way of worship to another for the Father is driving this people through al the waies and forms and customs and reformation and governments of the Beast to weary them out in all that so they may find rest for the soles of their feet no where in no outward form of worship til they come to lye down in him forsaking all forms to worship the Father in spirit and trurh that is to walk righteously in the Creation And this restlesnesse of people running from one form and custome to another meeting with confusion and curse every where is no other but the dividing of time the half day or image of the Beast which is the last period of his time Then faith the Angel It is done time to the Beast shal be no more And while it is thus poor Creatures they are in bondage within for they know not what to do the way to Sion is not yet cleare and they are filled with sighings and secret mournings to see themselves in confussion and losses to stick in the mire but cannot come out This is inward slaverie under which they lie Then poor Creatures they are under an outward bondage under the hand of Tyrant flesh that rules the Kingdom and that divises the several fleshy forms and waies of government to which if any refuse to conform then they must be imprisoned reproached or tortured by punishments in what kind
or other by the hands of fellow Creatures that are the oppressing Task masters under the Tyrant flesh so that weak spirits are kept under in awe either by fear or shame And thus Iacob hath been very low but he must rise For the Antichristian Captivitie is expiring many have attained to inward freedom already they wait upon the Lord for outward freedom that the yoke may be taken off their backs Israel's Captivitie in the 70 years in the Bahylon was but a type of this Antichristian slavery under L. Esau the powers of the flesh that compasses mankind about with many straits dangers for acknowledging his Maker But as every thing hath his growth his raign and end so must this slavery have an end The proud and covetous hearts cry what slavery is this we know not what he speaks It is true you do not know but they who have lesse or more attained to the resurrection of the dead know what I say and shall rejoyce in the declaration of this power waiting the Lords leisure with a calm silence til he hath gathered together our brethren that must partake of the blessing with us CHAP. XIV TO see the Divine power in the Creation-objects is sweet but to see him ruling in the heart is sweeter The first sight is at distance far off as to see him in mear drink cloaths friends victories riches prosperity to see him in the Sun Moon Stars Clouds Grasse Trees Cattle and all the Earth how he hath sweetly cause every one of these to give in assistance to preserve each other Creature Or rather how he himself in these gives forth preservation and protection from one another and so unites the whole Creation together by the unity of himself Or further to see the Divine power in prayer in Discourse in Communion of Saints in Reading in every sweet and refreshnigs that a man meets within all these is the Almightly Comforter But this is to behold that glory abroad to see and meet him from home to behold him in Creatures without us which sight and enjoyment is often and may be totally lost and the soul left alone again and so filled with mourning in his absence O when shall I see my beloved whom my soul loves The Spouse had seen Christ in the manner aforesaid but she had lost him again for if she had never seen him she could not have called him her Beloved and mourn in his absence Let a man eat never so hearty a dinner yet within a few hours he wil be empty again and ready to languish and thus all comforts that are taken in from any creature without us may be nay wil be must be lost that so a man may come to know the Lord But now to see the King sitting in his banqueting-houses to see the Law of Righteousnesse and peace ruling and dwelling in the heart and to be refreshed with thoâ—e sweet smelling spices the discoveries of the Fathers love within This is the Word of God This is sweeter then the honey or the honey-comb for this is to see him near at hand even within the heart ruling and resting there This is the Kingdome of heaven within you This is the city of refuge that wil not sail a man This is the Rock of defence and offence This the power that makes a man bold as a Lion If a man be cast into any straits his heart dies not like Nabals the man of the flesh but he feels peace and content within and so is at rest Let come what wil come the man knows it is the wil of the Father it shal be so and he feels a quiet peace compasse his heart so that he seeth and feeleth peace within and rejoyceth in the excellency of it he seeth and feeleth love and patience within and rejoyceth in the glory of that sweet ointment that doth cast a delightful favour all his soul over Now though this man be in prison be in straits be forsaken of all his friends in the flesh none wil buy nor sell with him because they count him a man of strange opinions and blasphemies call him an Atheist a sot a Papist a blasphemer that hath forsaken God and goodnesse because he wil neither preach nor pray nor say grace when he sitteth down to meat as the custome of Professours are Yet this man is not alone for his Father is with him The Father lives in him and he lives in the Father The Father wil have his people whom he draws up to worship him in spirit and truth to be secret and silent to be flow of speech for a little season yet quick-sighted and Eagle-eyed though they be silent they are not sottish drones they shall discern and judge others righteously though others shall not discern and judge them but by rash censure which is not righteous The righteous actions and patient silence of those that are drawn up to wait upon the Lord shall be the greatest shame and condemnation to the ignorant professours and talking people that ever broke out The wise flesh that would be an Angel of light is full of towords but dead to the Law of Righteousnesse The Saints must die to waste words but he made alive to Righteousnesse walking uprightly in the Creation to the glory of the Maker of all things hereby Lord Esau will be under-mined and his house and Kingdon wil fall about his ears For though the man of the flesh be altogether for outward preaching praying observation of forms and customs and knows not how to worship if these be taken away he hath no peace if these be gone But now the man of Righteousnesse sees death in all outward forms if the inward power be wanting therfore his eye is stil inward to see the Law of Righteousnesse ruling there and guiding the body to be a profitable member in the Creation And this is the most excellent sight to see the divine power in ones self ruling dwelling and living within which if it doe that body wherein it dwels shal be wholly subject in al his to that Law of Rightenesse They that know what the power of love and the Law of Righteousnesse is they know what I say and can understand me but to others these reports sound strangely and may draw words of reproach and slander from them but it matters not they cannot hurt They that live in the light they see the Lord abroad and they see him at home they see him in other creatures and they see and feel him in their own hearts in patient and quiet submitting to what is his will so that there is a sweet agreement between the disposing hand of God without and his power within He that thus sees the Lord the antient of daies the one Almighty power doth mightily honour him when nothing can be done abroad either in adversity or prosparity but the divine power that rules in the heart consents rejoices and grudges not And now the Lord is one and his name
false expositions and interpretations for no man knows the meaning of the spirit but he that hath the spirit And if the Father send forth any of these tradesmen to declare the testimony which is in them as in these dayes he sends forth many And these true labourers shall encrease let the Universitie men do the worst they can yet the Schollars seek to suppresse them calling them new-lights factious erroneouâ— blasphemers and the like And why do they all this Because the light of truth that springs up out of this earth which the schollars tread under feet will shine so clear as it will put out the candle of those wicked learned deceivers And therefore many of them that are more ingennous or subtile then the rest seeing light arises much amongst the people begin to comply with the people and give people their liberty to speak as well as they and denie the tithes upon this condition the people will give them a free contribution and own them as the chief Preachers and Prophets sent of God and to look upon themselves as underlings to the schollars And therefore stir up people to gather into Congregations and to make choice of one man to be their Preacher though they shall have a liberty to speak in the Congregation as well as he But all this is but deceit of the flesh to draw people under a new bondage and to uphold the hearsay-preaching that in time matters may be wheeled about again to advance the schollars and give them the supremacy in teaching And what is the end of all this but onely to hinder Christ the great Prophet from rising and whereas people should all look up to him for teaching and acknowledge no other teacher and ruler but Christ the Law of Righteousnesse dwelling in every mans heart the schollars would have the people to look up to them for teaching and truly let me speak what I find the more that you look upon them or any men for teaching the more you shall be wrapped up in confusion and bondage And therefore the upshot of all your Universities and publick Preachers and men-teachers is onely to hinder Christ from rising and to keep Jacob under and make him a servant and a slave to the man of the flesh So that all this do in the world about hear-say preaching and setled forms of worship is no other but the spreadings forth of the thorn-bush the fleshly man to hinder the worship of the Father in spirit and truth And all those strict and zealous Preachers and Professours of other mens words and writings and upholders of forms and customs are no other but the Scribes Pharisees and Judas that still pursue Christ in enmity And this is the Reason why man-kind are so ignorant and cold-spirited in the acknowledgment of the Father because the night-Vine or blanches of the Thorn-bush are so mighty great and thick that they hide the light and heat of the Sun of Righteousnesse from it This is the man of sin the mysterie of iniquity that lets and must let till he be taken out of the way Indeed this Thorn-bush doth so prick that none dares meddle with it unlesse he be well cloathed with Christ This Thorn-bush or night-Vine grows in the cold time of the night while the Sun of Righteousnesse is under the Clouds and the fruit it brings forth is unpleasant as pride covetousnesse envy self-love hypocrisie confusion bondage and all the misery under the power of darknesse to make Lord Esau a compleat Tyrant and they that act from this Vine are called children of the night Now from hence it appears what horrible proud men the Clergie are that call themselves Divines or Christ that grows in the light of the Father when alas their light is but a candle stoln from the Apostles and Prophets writings it is not their own light it is but hear-say in them Surely their pride and covetousnesse declares them to be the false Christs and false Prophers and that they are branches of the Thorn-bush that are full of sharp pricks in regard they endeavour to uphold a forced maintenance from the people whether they will or no and force the people to be silent to hear them preach hear-say and not to gainsay or question what they say under pain of punishment or being counted factious or sowers of sedition This is the bondage the people are under by these publique Preachers First they are filled with confusion by their saying and unsaying for they know not what they say they darken knowledge by their words Secondly they are like to be crushed in their estates by the power of corrupt Magistrates if they oppose these Preachers Doth not their shame almost appear to all men â—f it do not it will do ere long assure yourselve you Priests you must fall and be turned out as ludas Simon Magus and the Scribes and Pharisees that are the greatest enemies to Christ the spreading power of righteousnesse The Father doth not send hear-say men to be Labourers in his Vineyard but such as he first fils with the Divine power and then sends them to work in his Vineyard So that still it is but Christ in them that is the one man that is sent of the Father for the Father sends none but his beloved Son who is the law of righteousnesse and peace the spreading power And you shall find you proud and covetous Priests ere long that poor despised ones of the world that have this law in their hearts are the labourers than are sent forth and you that call your selves Divines and Labourers you are Traitors and Enemies to the spirit you have had warning enough you are left without excuse you are the men whose mouths must be stopped not by the hand of Tyrannicall humane power as you have stopped the mouths of others I abhor it for the Lord himself whom you dishonour by your hypocrasie will stop your mouth with shame and sorrow when he makes you to see your selves to be Devils Deceivers Scribes and Pharisees Simon Magaus's Demas's and Judas's that are Traitors to the spirit But if you say you do not assume the name of Day-vines but of Divines as you whrite your selves you are as bad under this description of Divines or Diviners are witches sorcerers deceivers as Balaam was and as the maid that got her Masters much gain by divination Suerly you are no other but Witches and Deceivers for you hold forth letter for spirit make people believe that your words of hear-say are the testimony and experience of the spirit within you and you pick their purses extremly by this divination and sorcerie Well your word Divinity darkens knowledge you talk of a body of Divinity and of Anatomyzing Divinity O fine languague But when it comes to triall it is but a husk without the kernall words without life the spirit is in the hearts of the people vvhom you despise and tread under foot You go on selling vvords for money to the