To all that want Peace with God To the SHEEP Everywhere not brought home to the thirsty breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all PROFESSORS Greetings of Love Mercy and Peace from God the Father of the Living By way of EXPOSTULATION In the Demonstration of his Spirit plainly published Concerning the way of life and of the gradual comings forth of Death through the Law and the vail unto the living Substance received of them who follows the Spirit in its several manifestations through the dispensations unto him that distributeth a portion of the Word of Faith unto every Man From a Servant of the Lord Humphry Smith LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson at the Sign of the Black-spread Eagle and Windmill in Martins near Aldersgate 1660. To all that want peace with God to the Sheep every where not brought home to the thirsty breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors Greetings of Love Mercy and Peace from God the Father of the Living VVHere the bowels are not shut up nor the heart darkned and where that doth not bear rule which stoppeth the ear and closeth the eye and where prejudice and rebellion against the Light with the wisdom of the flesh through that knowledge which puffeth up hath not wholly eaten up devoured got over and wholly overcome that tender principle which once moved in the heart towards that being of the living substance There may my words take entrance and unto such who feels that which breaths to God and who are willing to be satisfied concerning the living truth of his Son and who would receive the truth if they knew it and do yet more desire after the power of God than all the temporal things that are seen and who are yet come no further than the reading of the Law the Priests the Tyths nor that Religion that makes nothing perfect and who are come no further than the outward Baptism or shadow or Figure or such things which are to be left behind Heb. 6. or who are come no further than the Supper or the Death and so not yet saved by his life nor drunk of that which saveth and is to cleanse from all that which seperateth from God after whom and the incomes of his love immortal whosoever truly desireth and is willing to receive the power of his life and come in Covenant with the Lord Such may lend me an ear a little and you are them who may receive some benefit hereby for behold I write in plainness of the things of God my heart being enlarged with abundance of his peace in which there is good will towards men that you might come to draw near to the Witness the Testimony whereof is within the vail which vail is over the heart 2 Cor. 3. 15. and is not done away but as you come to be in him who is given for a witness Isa 55. 4. by believing in the Light John 12. 36. and so to have the witness in you 1 John 5. 10. and you to be in it and that you may come to participate of Gods in dwellings and feel the oyl which will last for ever therefore I proceed thus How can I but look back a little with an eye of pitty over those who yet are where once I was when the darkness was over the earth the cloud of error compassed me as well as others surely I cannot now be so unmindful of them that are yet lost as not to have compassion upon the Out-cast of Israel or to conceal from them these things of so great concernment but rather as the Lord of my life hath opened to me will I â—each forth my hand towards the weak utter my voyce to the prisoner of hope and shew unto the meek in the earth how the invisible God hath led his seed and is leading his remnant through and out of the varieties of things unto the one thing it self from whence the various things gifts and mâ—nistrations doth come Now that which is chiefly in my heart to write for the seeds sake is First Something concerning the Ministration of Moses when he was upon earth Secondly Concerning the Ministration of Christ whil'st he was upon earth Thirdly and chiefly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit First Concerning Moses Ministration when he was upon earth which was to last till Shiloe came or until the time of Reformation AS concerning Moses Ministration to wit the Law Condemnation or Death with the Priests Offering and worldly Sanctuary and an outward Tabernacle and dayly Offerings for sin and Store-houses for the Levites Strangers Fatherless and Widdows having the Ark of the Testimony within the vail and the mercy seat covered and the golden pot and the people to seek the Law at the Priests mouth whereby their knowledge is preserved and many profit much thereby and come day by day and year by year unto that which they esteem a place of holy worship and Ordinances of God And notwithstanding the Priests of Moses Law were made by the Law of God yet that Priest-hood changeth and the Law changeth and the very glory of all this passeth away for this dâ—d once seem glorious unto me and many more which oâ—lâ— discovered sin though it made nothing perfect and with much delight was the reading of the Law and the Prophets hearkned unto and the daily confession of sin but the vail is over the heart whilst Moses is Preacht and sacrifices morning and evening with the long prayers which the comers thereunto were not at all hereby made perfect as pertaining to the conscience though it had a shaddow of good things to come yet the glory therof comes to be done away Then how much more will the very glory of the most glorious appearance of that Ministry perish be done away which cometh short of this and hath not so much as the image of this which was as a shaddow O weak and beggarly things that are found among those Priests now and their followers who come short of Moses Ministry for he directed them to Christ the substance and so his Ministration comes to be done away as Christ comes to be received for Moses did not seek to uphold his Priests or Law or tythes or any thing else when Christ should come who is the end of the Law but did write of him and notwithstanding his Ministry and Priests he said he that would not hearken unto him should be cut off and said the Lord will raise up mark the words raise up the Lord shall raise up a Prophet and when the Prophet was come he said I am the Light and I am meâ—k and low in heart and this is to be raised up which is meek for to them that sate in darkness Light hath sprung up and the soul that hearkneth not to the Prophet which springs up shal be cut off for truth springeth up out of the earth and Christ is
But to write more plain for the sake of the weak of this glorious indwelling spirit which in the fulness of time cometh forth in flesh laying hold of the seed of Abraham the most glorious appearance that ever was being thus appeared was the express image of God who dwelleth in his people whose bodies are flesh and earthly tabernacles but by the operation of the sanctifying cleansing spirit which the Father sendeth are made fit habitations of God and so co-heirs with Christ and members of his body flesh and bones which Spirit quickneth to God and being thus received and obeyed is felt to live for ever though the shadowings forth of it be done away and this is eternal and never endeth but abideth with such for ever and the ministration of it is life it self to the soul and more to be valued and desired than all that ever was seen before it And as the Lord took of that spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon his brethren the Elders of Israel whereby they might Rule and judge with him so saith Christ the Father shall take of mine give unto you even of that spirit of Love Life Power Valour and Vertue which was upon and in him that was like unto Moses is ministred into put upon such as are truly his brethren friends whereby with him they thus gifted sanctified and qualified judgeth the world for all judgment is committed to the Son and of that which the Son hath and is committed to him doth the Father give unto his members and so from Christ the head they come to receive power over the World and its Way Worship and Fashions and over unclean spirits And that is an unclean spirit which will lead into any sin and it is an unclean spirit in which sin standeth and which pleadeth for the continuance and upholding of that which is unclean and that is of the World which the Saints judgeth And as those Elders of Israel who were of the Church in the Wilderness were not made fit to Judge nor Rule in outward matters by all the writings and words of the law though received by disposition of Angels until the Lord himself took of that Spirit which was upon Moses and put upon them So those that profess to be Elders in the Church now or any other person whatsoever are much less made fit to Rule or Judge in spiritual matters by all the reading and professing Moses writings and Christs words and the rest of the holy Scriptures though they were given by the inspiration of God until the Lord take of that spirit which was upon and in Christ who is like unto Moses and give unto and pour it upon and minister it in unto them And this is done in Gods way which is secret and time which is in his own hand to those whom he accounteth worthy thus to honour and who truly waiteth for it as a wayfering man for a resting place and as a Captive for deliverance And though Christ after his resurrection said All power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me Go ye therefore and teach yet they were to tarry until they had the power in themselves and when that was come which they were to tarry and wait for then with that they went and so taught the Nations from the sensible feeling of that which taught them how to teach and all thing else when the same Spirit and power was upon them which was before committed unto him and so the coming forth of it from him into them and filling them therewith was to them in that work of the Ministry most effectual like as the vertue going forth of Christ healed the woman so the power and vertue of the holy spirit coming forth from Christ being sent of the Father and received by the Disciples who with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with power or had the power in them and so what they were commanded to do they were to wait to receive power in themselves from God to performe and Christ did intend to give them power to do that which he commanded and as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received power so to do and so it was the power of the Holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received power from on high even the spirit or life of truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach the Nations and converted thousands and turned sinners and brought soules to God and then they were called Christians and then were people brought to be of the true Church which Christ buildeth upon that which flesh and blood revealeth not And this is the entrance into the Church of God 2 Thes 1. 1. the receiving of the spirit and in this God is worshipped not else for this hath excluded all other worship and those only are the true worshippers who comes in thus by the door which is Christ the light and spirit of truth sent into the heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divines so called in Europe or all or any of the wisest Orthodox men so call'd in any other quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true worship of God who is a Spirit now extant among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the spirit of truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth that we may see it and prove it by plain undeniable truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their proofs words wayes actions practises performances duties and several worships as things of no value Or if there be any other entrance into the true worship of God than this Spirit that God sendeth or the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone worship of God whil'st men have a being upon earth then let the wisest of the Sons of men bring it forth and produce there strong reasons therein that we may plead together and that the entrance into and the true worship it self of the only true invisible God may be declared over all the World for the satisfaction of every tender heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon earth is made a quickning Spirit and is the way and truth of life which bringeth into the worship of
the Truth and he said I am the Light which is the horn of salvation that God raiseth up to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and is the salvation of Israel and so the soul is to hearken to that which God raiseth up and that is it which condemneth sin under it who is like unto Moses whose Ministry discovers sin and so Moses directed unto Christ who puts away the sin and Paul said of the glory of Moses Ministration that it was no glory in respect of the glory of the Ministration of the Spirit and the glorious Ministry of the Spirit was received after he who had a body prepared had suffered the crucifying of his body and the Prophets searched diligently to see the glory that was to be after the sufferings of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 10. 11. But the thing intended That Moses when he was upon earth directed unto Christ and gave commandment that they should hearken unto him who said I am the Light this is one Tittle of the Law that the light be hearkned unto who is the end of the Law and the sustance and he that offendeth herein is guilty of all and this is that in which all the large Ministrations of Moses is included that Christ the Light the true Prophet be hearkned unto and obeyed that by hearing and obeying his voyce or the word in the heart they might come from under the Law and the Priests and that which waxeth old unto the life and obedience of him who abides a Priest for ever even the Lord of that glory which lasteth for evermore Secondly Concerning Christ and his Ministration when he was upon earth and his work which he finished ANd when he cometh which Moses commandeth to hearken unto even Christ the true Prophet the Light of the World the living Minister the end of the Law who had a body prepared to do the will of the Father which was in him the man Christ Jesus he saith follow me and he took up his Cross and passed through the death the vail so being made perfect through sufferings attained that glory which he had with the Father before he had a body which body was prepared to do the Fathers will whose will was that all men should be saved therefore Christ tasted death for every man and rose again for the Justification of those that believe in him who said I am the Light and is sate down at the right hand of God who is a Spirit eternally in the Heavens ascended up out of the sight of them which gaseth after that body which is gone out of their sight even he Christ the Ministry hid from ages and generations now made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil being meek and low in the heart he saith learn of me Then not of the Priests nor any longer of Moses for the Law is the Schoolmaster to Christ who being come calleth one from the Custome another from going to bury the dead another from questoning and reasoning what this man or another should do that he might not stand looking out at others but himself to follow the Light saying follow thou me And those that followed him when he was upon earth saw his miracles and heard his parables and eat of the outward bread and were filled though many now eat and are not filled and they had his body among them and they came to the Baptisme and the Supper but Christ himself Baptised not and when he was upon earth he said I go to the Father and I go to prepare a place for you and he said whether I go ye know and he said before follow me and except a man deny himself aud take up his Cross and follow me he cannot be my Disciple and he said my sheep hear my voyce and they followed me and he entred within the vail and the vail is over the heart and was made perfect through sufferings and is sate down in the Majesty on high glorified with God the Father and the Father was in him even the fullness of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and he said he had finished the work that the Father gave him to do and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done for which the body was prepared he said now glorifie me Father with the same glory which I had with thee from the beginning and he that spake in the body abideth for ever who sad a body hast thou prepared me which body being crucified he took up his life again and then those that did know him thiree dayes before knew him not and he ascended and a cloud received him out of the sight of certain men who never found him unto this day for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him and as the lightening in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again and every eye shall see him that condemneth sin and the Kingdome of Heaven is within you and yet the blind cannot see nor the deaf hear And this was he that Moses commanded to hear who said he that is with you shall be in you he that was with or without was to go away and that which was to be received within he said should abide with them for ever and the Spirit of truth was to lead into all truth for though the body was prepared to do Gods will yet they by it were not led into all truth but sometimes understood it not though he spake Spirit and Life and moreover they went away and some fled from the truth and Peter denyed him that was the truth and so such as have got a profession of the truth without them and not the Spirit within to lead into all truth such fly in the day of tryal from that truth they profess and some deny it rather than suffer with or for it and herein them called Baptists also have not come short and some of them have bowed to the Beast and so it is with many who profess Christ and truth without them even as with those who understood not the Parables nor could not cast out the unclean Spirits so that Christ was and is grieved when he hath been so long with and professed and followed without and yet not come to that faith which purifieth the heart whereby to cast out the unclean within as thou maist read in thy self And therefore Christ when he was upon earth did often speak unto them of what was yet to come and I do seldome read or take notice that he did so often Preach and repeat any one thing unto them as that of the Spirit to come saying that it mark the Spirit would lead into all truth and seeing their weakness and unbelief Mar. 16. 14. he by the often repetition thereof did as it were the more chiefly to ingage their hearts to wait for seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them and abide with them when his body was gone from them