and down as with a Tempest by the Prince of the Power of the Air that now works in the Children of Disobedience who are either Strangers to the Light or have turned their Backs upon it and reject it As the Lord hath complained in dayes past of some who cast his Law behind their Backs and would none of his Counsel and so by Sinning against the Lord I was treasuring up Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgments of the Lord which will certainly come upon all the Workers of Iniquity that are Disobedient unto the Manifestation of God's Holy Spirit in their own Hearts and Consciences a Measure of which Spirit and Light God hath vouchsafed unto all which reproves all and waits upon all and invites all to come unto him and be saved and so if any perish in Sin their Destruction is of themselves for the Lord waits upon all that he may be gracious that that appears against Evil and Sin in the Hearts of all if it be minded believed in and waited upon it will lead out of Sin And having known the Terrors of the Lord and the Indignation of the Almighty because of Sin and Transgression and for Sinning against the Lord I do warn all and exhort all to mind the Day of their Visitation and not to slight God's Love but while it is called to day harden not your Hearts against that that reproves but bow to the Appearance of Christ Jesus in your own particulars for this is the Day of God's Love wherein he is stretching forth a Hand and Arm of Love and Salvation unto all So let all bow unto the Scepter of Christ Jesus that so Salvation and cleansing from Sin on this side the Grave thou mayest come to witness for as the Tree falls so it lyes and there is no Work nor Device in the Grave whither we are all very shortly going therefore mind the Lord and walk in the Light of the Lamb and obey the Lord in all things for every one must receive according to his Works and according to this Deeds done in the Body for the Lord will not condemn the Righteous nor clear the Guilty though the Professors of this Age hold forth and believe such a thing and so are wresting Scriptures to their own Destruction and they say That though we are polluted in our selves and full of Wounds and Bruises yet God looks upon us in Christ Jesus as righteous and that he will look upon Persons that are polluted with Sin as in themselves yet to be Righteous as in Christ at the same time while polluted with Sin as in themselves and so are imagining a Righteousness by Way of Imputation as they call it but this Device will not avail any but all must really come to witness Christ's Righteousness wrought in them and the Unrighteousness wrought out and so to walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and so come to witness the Strong Man that hath kept the House to be dispossessed and his Goods to be spoiled by one that is Stronger then he which is Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God to as many as believe in him and obey him in all things Now this is a Business of the greatest Importance and Concernment inasmuch as the Soul is of an Immortal Being and must live or be Eternally either in Joy and Felicity or else in Wo and Torment forever and evermore a Condition never to be altred never to be changed therefore let all and every one of us mind the Work which lyes before us and work out every one his own Salvation with Fear and Trembling for it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his own Good Pleasure and let not any of us spend that little time we are yet to remain in these Houses of Clay in Vanity and Folly in Rioting and Drunkenness but mind the Grace of God that brings Salvation and appears unto all and teaches all that are willing to be taught by it to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lust and to live soberly and godly in this present Evil World Now the Evil One who is called the Devil and Satan the Enemy of Man kind endeavours to keep all Hearts and Minds upon Visible Fading Perishing things which are but for a very short Season and the Glory and Beauty thereof must perish and fade away and so presenting the Glory of this present World and the Delights therein endeavours thereby to keep all from worshipping and serving the Lord in Spirit and Truth and so out of the Sence of an Eternal State and Being and from listening to the Voice of Christ Jesus which is neer at the Heart that waits upon all to lead out of Sin and so to bring into Fellowship with God again But so long as I was captivated by Sin and was not walking in the Light of the Lord so I came to stumble and fall for he that stumbles stumbles in the Night and they that are drunk are drunk in the Night and so here I was not regarding the Voice of the Lord nor walking in his Fear but was rebelling against the Light though the Lord by his gentle Corrections did speak once yea twice yet I regarded not his Call but was even as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak and instead of receiving Correction I was oftentimes ready to murmur against the Lord and repine at his Fatherly Chastizements though the true and faithful Witness did oftentimes arise in my Heart and was a swift Witness against every thing that was Evil and this did shew unto me that I had sinned against the Lord and therefore his Hand was stretched out against me and the Lord followed me with his Judgments and his Judgments are Righteous altogether and this was the Lord's Love Blessed and Magnified be his Name for ever for before I was afflicted I went astray but now in some Measure am obeying the Voice of the Lord and herein Peace is witnessed which is not to be found in the Way of Sin And oftentimes I did resolve in my Mind to be more faithful to the Lord but not looking unto him so Salvation from Sin I fell short of So Sin prevalled and I was led Captive by the Evil One by not giving Heed unto the Light of Christ Jesus which shined in my Heart and appeared against Sin But as my Mind came again in some measure to be retired and waiting upon the Light which reproves for Sin so I found Strength in some Measure to withstand Sin and so as many as wait upon the Lord will be kept out of Defilement and Sin and Pollution and so in perfect Peace with the Lord for there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit that walk according to the Guidance and Direction of the Spirit a measure of which is given unto all to
A WARNING UNTO Apostates Backsliders That formerly have made a Profession of the Truth but walk not answerably thereunto But are crucifying to themselves afresh the Son of God and putting him unto open Shame and thereby are treasuring up Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgments of the Lord. Also A Visitation and Warning To all Workers of Iniquity that they may Repent and Turn to the Lord with speed before his Dreadful Judgments be poured forth upon them By Richard Stubbs Printed in the Year 1673. A WARNING UNTO ALL Apostates Backsliders That formerly have made a Profession of the Truth but walk not answerably thereunto c. HAving been Convinced of God's Everlasting Truth which is Christ Jesus the Light of the World which lightens every one coming into the World which is the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven a Quickening Spirit the which Light and Spirit a measure thereof is given unto all and appears unto all whereby the Lord is clear of the Blood of all that perish in sin for their Destruction is of themselves as the Lord hath said in Ages past Your Destruction is of your selves but in me is your Help For the Light of Christ or Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared and does at this very day appear unto all in their Hearts and Inward Parts which is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart and makes manifest sin and is of a Divine and Heavenly Nature and hath no Fellowship with Darkness but leads out of Darkness and teaches all that give up to be taught by it To deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present Evil World And hereby the Works of Darkness and the Old Man with his Deeds come to be put off and the New Man to be put on which is renewed in Knowledg after the Image of him that created him and here no provision is made for the Flesh to fulfil the Lust thereof and so let none live in Rioting and Drunkenness nor be Over-charged with the Care of this Life nor Cumber their Minds with the many things whereby many are intangled and insnared by the Net of the Cunning Hunter who goes about seeking whom he may Devour and as many as are insnared by him are off their Watch and are not waiting in the Light of the Lord in their own particulars and so are neither sensible of the Lord's Presence nor yet the Workings of the Evil One whereby many live as without God in the World and so are Dead while they Live and so are Unprofitable to the Lord having not a Sense of the Lord's Presence being gone from his Appearance in their own particulars and so cast the Law of God behind their backs and as many as disregard and reject that Light in their own Consciences which appears against sin they reject the Lord and cast his Law behind their backs and so when the Presence of the Lord is not minded nor his Light taken heed unto then Darkness prevails and the Worker of Iniquity enters and sows his Seed as it was said While Men slept the Enemy sow'd his Tares But this is the Day of God's Harvest wherein he is bundling up the Tares for the Fire of his Wrath and making a Separation between the Precious and the Vile and is gathering the Wheat into his Garner where the Enemy cannot enter And the Lord is a sure Refuge to as many as believe in his Light and stay their Minds upon him and is a present help in time of Trouble I say When sin appears when Iniquity would prevail and bear Rule then by all that believe in Christ the â—ight of the World is the Standard of the Lord lifted up against the Man of sin and in the Sttength of the Lord are his Temptations repell'd and beaten back and so the Lord is known and witto be a present Help in time of Trouble by a Remnant that at this day have their Minds in some measure turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God But I was captivated and overcome of the Evil one by not waiting upon the Lord nor having the Loins of my Mind girded up unto the Light that shines in the Heart and appears against Evil nor having my Mind exercised in the Light of Christ Jesus in my own Heart at all times so for want of this a light and airy spirit begun to prevail and grew up whereby the Faithful and True Witness lay slain as I may say in the great City which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also the Lord was crucified and is crucified and pierced at this day as in Dayes and Ages that are by-past and gone by all those that art eating and drinking with the Drunken and live Wantonly upon Earth For spiritual Sodom is within in the Heart and spiritual Egypt is within all those that keep the Seed in Bondage and that will not let it arise And so all they that are walking contrary to the Light in their own Consciences which appears against sin they are crucifying the Lord and grieving his holy Spirit But Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever who is abundant in Long suffering and Mercy and is not willing any should dye in their sins for whoever dye in sin whither Christ goes thither they never shall come But the Loving-kindness of the Lord is extended and his Light hath descended and the Lord hath reached forth a Hand of Love and Arm of Salvation and vouchsafed Help to the Helpless even to as many as take heed to the Light in their own Hearts and stay their Mind upon the Lord do witness the fulfilling the Promise of the Lord That they should look upon him whom they had pierced and mourn over him And blessed be the Lord forever for his Mercy and tender Loving-kindness there is a Remnant at this day who have turned the Eye of their Minds unto Christ the Light of the World whom they have pierced in their own particulars as well as others and have mourned over him and are now in some measure walking in the Light of the Lord. And Blessed and Magnified be the Name of the Lord forever and for evermore who hath in measure inclined my Heart to wait upon him that so I may be inabled to withstand the Appearance of Evil and the Temptations of the Evil One who by his subtil Workings and cunning Devices seeks to ensnare and intangle as many as are off their Watch and not minding the Appearance of Truth in their own Hearts which never tempteth any Man to Evil nor consented unto Sin but the Evil is judged and condemned by the Light which shines in the Hearts of all to discover Sin and to lead out of Iniquity and so to Christ reconciling Man unto God again who is an Enemy unto God by reason of Wicked Works for Sin separates between God and Man
let their Profession be what it will without Holiness of Life it is impossible to please God the Profession of the Truth it self will little avail any without the Possession thereof it will but increase their Condemnation but they that walk in the Light and mind the Appearance of Christ Jesus in their own Hearts these come to have Fellowship with the Lord And here I speak not of things at a Distance or because it is thus written but what I find in my own particular to be true And as a Holy Harmless Innocent Life comes again to increase and grow up So Favour with the Lord and Communion and Fellowship with the Light of Jesus and also with as many as walk therein again comes to be witnessed and so in a Holy Innocent Life stands the Communion of Saints and here the Forgiveness of Sins that are past is known and the Resurrection of the Body out of Sin witnessed even from Death unto Life from the Death of Sin unto the Life of Righteousness the which is lost by Sinning against the Lord and walking contrary to the Light for so I must call it for in it is no Darkness at all I never yet found any though many through the Darkness of their Minds and Hardness of their Hearts are ready to charge the Sins and Backslidings of them that profess the Truth and Light upon the Truth and Light it self and so many are saying We may see what your Light is And so are speaking Evil of a Thing they know not and so are Blaspheming God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven But unto all such I testifie and declare and it is my Testimony for the Lord that the Light which condemns Sin in the Heart never yet did and it is my Belief never will lead into any Sin but when I was off my Watch and was not waiting upon the Lord to be ordered and ruled by him then I was sometimes eating and drinking with the Drunken and so was crucifying to my self afresh the Son of God and putting him unto open Shame even as Ages have done and are doing that are eating and drinking with the Drunken and living wantonly upon the Earth and are crucifying the Just in their own particulars And herein was I captivated by Sin and Peace with the Lord I knew not but Tribulation and Wrath from the Lord seized upon me because of Sin for I was disobeying the Lord and so in that State as I may say was shut out from the Lord's Presence and Favour and at every Entrance was placed a Flaming Sword which the Lord hath placed for the Destruction of the Man of Sin and for the cutting down the Disobedient Nature and none can enter or come to enjoy Peace with the Lord again but as that which hath separated and been as a Partition-Wall be taken out of the Way and so an Entrance is administred again as the Man of Sin comes to be slain by the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which is Quick Powerful and Sharper then any two-edged Sword piercing even to the Dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart And so at this Day Blessed be the Lord there is a Remnant that know the Word of the Lord to be as a Sword with two Edges that cuts every Way even to the dividing between their Souls and that Spirit of Darkness that would not have Christ to reign And also know the Word of the Lord to be as a Fire even as a Consuming-Fire in their own Particulars and so come to know the Briers and Thorns to be burnt and burning up that so Way may be made for the Seed to come forth to the Praise and Glory of the Lord that so his Name may be renowned and magnified above and over all the Powers of Darkness whole Majesty is most Excellent and his Glory to be exalted above and over all that is Mortal and over all spirits of Darkness and over the Prince of the Power of the Air that now rules in those that rebel against the Light of Christ Jesus And a Remnant that have believed in the Light and in some Measure are walking therein do know the Way of the Lord to burn as an Oven which burns up the Wood the Bryars and Thorns and so in some Measure are come to witness the Man of Sin to be destroyed even by the Appearance of Christ the Light in the Heart and by the Brightness of its shining forth whose Glory and Brightness shall yet shine forth even to the Abasement of all Worldly Glory and Greatness and to the Dazelling of the Eyes of the Heathen for the Lord hath determined to exalt his Truth and set his King upon his Holy Hill of Sion and as many as cleave unto the Lord shall live and reign with him but whoever denyes him shall be denyed Admittance into Heaven and the Joy and Peace which is Spiritual and that abides forever they shall never come to witness who vilifie the Light of Christ Jesus and whoever rebell against its Holy Command and Heavenly Operation all such forsake the Fountain of Living Waters and hew unto themselves broken Cesterns that can hold no Water But unto as many as wait for his Appearance and obey his Holy Call they come to witness the Day of the Lord to burn as an Oven and all that is Unrighteous to be consumed or consuming and the Unclean Spirit to be driven or driving out of the Land and so come to know the Heavens to pass away with a great Noise and the Elements to melt with fervent Heat the Earth also and the Works that are therein to be burnt up in this Day of the Lord's Appearance in their own particulars and so are not like the Professors who are looking for a Day which consists of 12. Hours or so wherein all the Outward Fabrick of this visible World and things therein should be on Fire but are come to witness and in their Measures to testifie unto the World that the Day of God is come wherein he is setting Fire to the Earthly Part in Man and the Works that are therein wrought that so he may make Way for the Seed of the Everlasting Kingdom to take root downward in the Hearts and Consciences of Men and Women that so the Fruit of Holiness and Righteousness may be brought forth to the Praise and Honour of him who is carrying on this Blessed Work in this the Day of his Appearance and so know in Measure the New Heaven and the New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness and the Tabernacle of God is with Men as he hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and they shall be my People and I will be their God But so long as I was captivated by Sin though professing the Truth yet Peace with the Lord I knew not neither was there any Stedfastness in my going but was hurried up