never a true account of Stewardship brought in by any imployd about the things of God Thus much through infinite favour and grace God hath revealed unto us that wheresoever that spirit resides not which first framed the mind of the Son of God according to the eternal wisdom to judge of all things as God judgeth the love of God was never shed abroad in that heart for the spirit of faith works by love and where the love of God is not there is the love of this world which is of that wicked ones and the love of the world is enmity with God and the spirit of envy never makes good construction of the expressions of him it doth repugn therefore where the Spirit of Christ resides not there can never be good construction given of the words of Christ for he hath a name given him that none can read but himself and he is called the word of God therefore all other readers are false interpreters and that is the only in let and progress of sin and death in the world unto this day There be many who arogate a Call to interpret the word of God Some holding themselves set a part from the common affairs of this life in such sort as they are not to intermeddle with any temporary occasions but to have all things brought in unto them that concerns this present life by the labours of and means of others who stand not in that relation neither to God nor men which themselves do being men whose Calling is spiritual and therefore not to be imployed about any carnal things assuming Scripture for that purpose not only from the equity of that Law given concerning Levy but also as the Stand in the room of Christ who is of greater deserts to be maintained then Levy was There is one Scripture looks earnestly upon me concerning this Point which such men make great use of to prove their Apostolical Authority to require Tythes Stipends and Contributions together with the honour of the upermost Seats where they come with respect unto the dignity of their Calling and Office above others of the Saints of God in which regard say they all others are become debtors unto them to contribute both wealth and honour for which they aledge as one special ground for such supply as having divine Authority on their side 1 Cor. Cap. 9. Which form of words they deal with as they do with all other expressions in the word of God using it to mans ends and intents and not according to the mind and intent of the Son of God For that which they go about to prove their Calling by to be spiritual and heavenly is a direct Declaration given out by the Spirit of God to prove their Ministry to be carnal and earthly give me leave therefore as briefly as I can to declare from that Scripture what God seems as by his eye to direct and guide unto Our Apostle in the former Chapter sheweth the difference between Knowledge and Knowledge the one in way of the fall of man from God the other in the way of Resurrection and Ascension to God the one puffeth up as an empty blader filled only with wind above others the other is filled with love to edification which ever prostrates it self to the party known where or in whatsoever he appeareth the one sitting at meat or communicating in the Idols Temple the other refusing to eat carnally so long as the world stands rather then to offend the Brother-hood And having concluded that an Idol or an Idolathite for there is a generation of them is nothing in the world and that there is but one God in truth and verity though many do assume the names and titles of that one God yet an Idolathite is nothing in the world though they so assume and arogate the tearms because the Son of God who is the Maker of all things never contributed any thing unto the form thereof no more then it can be said that the holy Son of God did ever give out any thing to the being of the uncleanness of that unclean spirit namely the Devil which an Idol is concluded to be by the Spirit of God for whatsoever the Son of God gives being unto is a work of Creation but an Idol the Devils is that Abaddon and Apollion that is destruction which is nothing of the work of God in Heaven or in earth and so is nothing in the world Therefore but one God or power of Creation of all things for an Idol is the ruin and destruction of Gods proper creating vertue where it is erected which erection of an Idol is to terminate the scope true and proper intent of any part of Gods word in any thing whatsoever besides Jesus Christ and him crucified besides which our Apostle acknowledgeth he desires to know nothing For all other knowledge besides that or without that is thus explained by our Apostle viz. If any man or any thing see thee that hast knowledge or see thee knowledge or thee that art knowledge for such as mans wisdom or knowledge is such is the man for as it gives man his being above all other creatures so it gives distinctions of men among themselves Sit at meat in the Idols Temple that is continue and abide communicating in the word and worship of God as terminating any part of or thing in the Temple or Pallace in any carnal and fading matter or thing Shall not the conscience or shall not that knowing together in thee for there is a unity in Idols worship as certainly as there is in the worship of the true God in spirit and truth Of the weak that is of such as are sick or dead being without and destitute of that healthful Spirit of grace and life in Christ Be imboldned to eat things sacrificed to Idols that is what ever is in thee or belonging unto that assembly of evil doers shall be encouraged to yeild up it self to the Rule of such knowledge for all things in man are governed by wisdom and a spirit of teaching therefore all things concerning the sons of men make their addresses to the light set up in the mind of man of what nature or mind soever it be to take their form receive commission as also instruction for their progress in execution therefore thou Idolatrous knowledg set up in the Idols Temple art become the Authour of destruction for there was never any destroyed since the world was but by this thy knowledge which puffs up with pride as an empty bladder filled with nothing but with the wind of Satannical delusion where the substantiality of the Son of God never was nor never will be Therefore he saith Through thy Knowledge or through this knowledge for the party and property to know are never separated for man is not man but by ability to know and that with respect to a God to be communicated with and worshipped Shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ dyed that is thou
delighted in Gallatians 6. 14. It never attains to the offering up unto God the fruits of an Eternall spirit as that which is onely acceptable to God without the institution or addition of any things transient and temporary whatsoever for Christ who is onely acceptable to God so offereth up himself once and for ever in the true operation and continued act of acceptation thereof for the act and acceptation are of like continuance and have the same place of residenccy for where the one is found there is never the absence of the other Hebrewes 9. 14. For Christ is both the one and the other Again false Interpretation can never make God its onely inheritance and portion to live on him onely in the exercise of its Ministery because it terminates the word in carnall things and therefore is bound over to seek some certainty and settlement in the things of this present life and cannot as a pilgrim in point of all transitory things where ever he comes commit himself to God as his onely and allsufficiency as the true Priests and Prophets of God have ever done according to that Royall Ordination and apointment of God Deut. 18. 1 2. Num. 18. 20. 21. who is become their lot and happy inheritance Psal 16. 5 6. even of all true worshippers who are made Kings and Priests unto God Revel 5. 10. Revel 1. 6. False interpretation never invests into the spirit of intercession an office of the Priest which Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites never received nor gave out the spirit of prayer never accompanies false interpretation and it is the Spirit only that helps our infirmities and makes intercession in us or by us otherwise we know not how to pray as we ought Rom. 8. 26. and the spirit of prayer never moves but upon the words of truth Psam 45. 4. for it ever comes to God in the name of Christ or in the power and authority of the Son of God Iohn 14. 13 14. Iohn 16. 23. which onely consists in the true understanding of his Word Isay 11. 4. Revel 2. 16. For all things receive their being form and proper vertue from it Moreover false interpetation never attaines the Priests office to make an Atoment and Reconciliation between God and man to reconcile the Word of God so as to accord and agree with it self in all things and at all times having a like cessity of the utteriug of it self upon the same foundation 1 Cor. 3. 11. in the same termes and form of Words according to the true scope and intent 2 Tim. 1. 13. and of the same attainments in point of the end and issue 2 Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 1â— without which there was never peace wrought between the Creator and the Creature nor form given unto the Faith of Christ for the Word of God never came out as from God but in that onenesse of spirit which appears in the man Christ and he that cannot bring the Word of God into an agreement and harmony in it self without neglect of what hath been spoken or want of somewhat which hath not yet appeared he Can never utter the truth as it is in Iesus Ephes 4. 21. and without the Truth as it is in Iesus no peace with God appears for he onely is our peace Ephes 2. 14. And this reconciliation of the Word of God is as strange a thing to a naturall minde as to bring the strict Iew and the profane Gentile to become one and that to the minde of a carnall interpreter takes a man being a Iew or a Confessour according to the letter as far from the Word of God as it is the ground of his beleese as the Apostle Paul that Minister of the Gentiles was taken away from his religion as it consisted of the orders of Ierusalem the minde letters and power of the High Priest and Elders and those breathings out of slaughters against all that called upon the name of the Lord Acts 9. 1 -14 And as it takes a strict Iew that is one outward and according to the letter so far from his religion and so from his God which hee flies unto as his onely help So also it takes the carnall Gentile as far from his religion and God who walkes at large without any tie or bond upon him in the liberall and licencious use of all things as Corneliâ—s was taken far from being a thing common and unclean to become a devout man one that feared God with all his houshold giving much almes and praying unto God yea became Baptized or ingrafted through the Apostle Peters Ministery who was a Minister of the Circumcision into the grounds and true principles of the whole Law of God Acts. 10. To bring therefore the carnall Iew into liberty as from under the Law in all things and the profane Gentile who hath no bond upon him in the use of Gods works buâ— can use them all at his pleasure to become as under the bond of the law of the Spirit in all things This power of God in freeing from the law of the flesh and bringing men under the law of the spirit is in a carnall mans eyes as though religion cast off both the Word of God as also the works of God as though he would not be ruled by the one nor acknowledge any thing to be in the other as though religion sprung from neither of them both neither from word nor work of God but did annihilate both and verily so it doth according to that judgement which a carnall Interpreter passeth upon them according to which he can never reconcile the Word of God and therefore his proper work is to set God and man at variance Adde further that false Interpretation never blesseth nor speaketh well of the King Christ it never attaines unto the Office of Priesthood so as to speak well of the King of Saints therefore he saith ye shall not see me so as to blesse praise or commend him that comes in the Name of Lord it is a definitive sentence given by Christ that the spirit of a false Interpreter will never speak well of the power and authority of the Son of God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19. 16. Revel 17. 14. that is his Kingdom consists of none but Kings for they all Reign over the things of this life as things put under their feet Psal 8. 6 7 8 9. as really as they are all in subiection unto what soever is of God which no earthly Kingdom can ever attain unto 1 Whosoever comes therefore in the Name of the Lord as having authority to command by vertue of the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus Carnall interpreters ever prefer the commands of men according to the law of the flesh before that Iohn 19. 7. Setting up the glory of the Creature before the glory of the Creatour 2 Whosoever comes in the authority of Gods Wisdome to order and contrive all things according to that
in all particulars Yet I have made my self a servant to all or as the word is a minister in all that is I serve and minister in or usher in the word of God by means of all things in heaven and in earth being such things which the mind of man can give some form unto whereby the word of God hath made it self speakable unto all the sons of men which is the proper end of all Gods works that the word of blessing and also of the curse may take place and be eternized which otherwise could not be for the manner of being forms relations and operations of all the creatures are so many dishes chargers or platters wherein that food and bread of life substantiated only in Christ is presented unto mankind to feed upon for there is nothing in all the works of God wherein the food of eternal life is not commended unto the world as being that figure or letter of the Scripture that great volume or common Library standing fast in all ages and as free to be read by the poor as the rich the meanest as the greatest Potentates in the world Therefore it is said go and preach the gospel to every creature or as the word is in every creature that is present Christ Jesus unto the world as in a figure by all things contained therein But the men of the world like unnatural canibals or men-eaters or as the Ostrich of whom it is said she can digest Iron falls upon feeding of themselves with the dish or platter in which the food is brought which is to pass away as nothing of that meat fit for the son of man to feed on in the very representation thereof and in so doing they suffer the bread of life to pass from them as a thing of nought worth And that wherein the reality of the word of God is only signified unto us as in a figure is that great engine which Satan hath ever erected as that tree good for food pleasant to the eyes and to be desired to make one wise whereby he hath alwayes insnared the men of the world and fastned the word of the curse upon them namely the things wherein the word of life expresseth it self unto mankind without which it were not speakable to man no more then it is now unto a brute beast Now the end why I thus serve or minister in all things that visibly appears is this namely that I may gain the more or that I may gain all that is win them by conquest or subdue all things as subservant and put under the feet of Jesus Christ as all things were concluded to be at the first as such things which are no part of the kingdome of God no more then there could be a helper fit for man found amongst them all in the beginning when the nature and use of them all was seen in giuing names unto them accordingly these are all to be gained as by conquest subdued and brought under the feet of the Son of God as subservant unto him and that in the very act of serving or ministring in them as nothing of that kingdome which is not of this world that the truth and reality of all things intimated thereby may appear to be realized substantiated and eternized only in Jesus Christ that son of the living God who is the fulness of him that filleth all in all or is filled all in all for the word is both of active and passive signification to shew unto us that in the Son of God there is both an aptitude to fill and to be filled which is that grand grace of the gospel in all things and at all times in all ages Vers 20. To the Jews I became a Jew that is that is to such as stand strictly upon pedigree family the distinction of tribes churches or congregations of people Sects and Seminaries to keep intire peculiar and certain the genealogy of Christ so as they may approve of him in his appearance to be such a one as to whom the promise is annexed to such I desire no better ground to work upon or means of conveyance of my doctrine for their conviction whereby to gain by conquest and subdue under the feet of Christ all such distinctions anities relations and historical seed platts of production and from these humane and Jewish principles to make good and maintain that all such conjunctions and propagations in whatsoever they appear to be holy and acceptable before God do only consist in Christ Jesus the son of God so as they shall never end nor alter in whom only they are real and in all other respects whatsoever they are empty and vain for there is no true genealogy of Christ ever to be found according to the real intent of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures where the parties contracted to bring forth and the product or seed are not of the same plurality and singularity the one as the other yea and of the same distance with respect to the tribes or family and of the same unity and nearness of blood for neither in the conjunction of stock nor yet in the simplicity of the product is there any unity of creature and creature to be considered otherwise then only in way of metaphorical allusion and in point of doctrinal respects only the unity and conjuction of the Creatour and the creature is the matter and form of them both in all true and substantial respects and intents of the word of God in the intended consistance without which all are empty void and vain Therefore the true stock and family tribe and kindred genealogy and off-spring of the Son of God is as strictly and precizely to be kept maintained unto this day as it was to the dayes of the Virgin Mary to make manifest and confirm the promised seed without which we cannot possibly know who is the true inheriter of the promises and so are void of the faith of God which continued act of genealogy confounds and bring to nought all literal and traditional genealogies of the carnal Jew confirming the truth to be in Jesus and not elsewhere from the beginning unto this day Which true Sonship and off spring only can still utter this voice unto the vain conceits of a carnal Jew so as to confound them namely that although it be true that I am the Son of David yet it is as true that be one David was I am and therefore David in spirit calls him Lord which argument rightly proposed by Christ as reasly present is of force to stop the mouths of all Jewish pharisaical scribes and elders again though he be the seed of Abraham yet can he as truly say before Abraham was I am and therefore it is that Abraham payes tithes unto Melchisedec and is blessed of of him and without all contradiction the less is blessed of the greater and yet this ouâ— Melchisedec is Abrahams seed in which respect Abraham being his Ancestour is considerable
for the bringing forth of such operations yet cannot but confess the time of them is past and at present is only assemblance of it So do false interpreters they pretend the primative of the church and yet know no more how to make this time the first time then they know how to make a Christian in these dayes to be the first begotten of God therefore meer counterfeiters of time 4. Stage players counterfeit places if he draw but a curtain they act as in the Kings pallace when it may be but in a stew or brothel house So do false interpreters draw but out wine and wafer or water and a person without vale or covering and the act as in the pallace of the king of Saints and in the mean time confess that his dwelling is in heaven where themselves never as yet came and thus false interpreters are the stage players of the world who dissemble the being of persons histories times and places and cannot but confess the reality of them is out of being in point of present appearance Whereas the truth of interpretation doth not only comprehend them all extending it self unto them but also gathereth them up into present exercise and that in the reality of their proper being For he that can look back upon the word and work of God he knows how to convey himself thither or else it is a dead letter unto him he also knows how to bring up convey that word and work to take place and give it self a real and present being in himself otherwise it is not become a quickening spirit unto him and the like skill that the spirit of the Scriptures hath to convey it self back to the original and foundation of things it hath also to convey it self forward to the accomplishing and finishing of them not only in after times but also in the time present otherwise it is as the word of man subject to times and seasons and not as the word of God that is ever the same as himself is Therefore it is that Christ saith before Abraham was I am and the prophet Hosea speaking of Jacob conversing with God saith he met him in Bethel and there he spake with us and the Lord hath set up this name as his memorial in Abraham Isaac and Jacob as being in them conveyed unto Moses and all the Saints of God namely I am that I am hath sent thee for if the sender had not been in him that was sent those great works in Egypt had never been effected for the memorizing of the name of God forever Wo therefore unto false and counterfeit interpreters of the law of God which wo doth not only concern such as know themselves to deal deceitfully with the Scriptures for advantage but also such as upon false principles are never so much perswaded that they speak truth whether they deliver it unto others or receive and take it in as upon their own account it skils not the matter is the same and hath the same acceptance and reward intailed The word wo is a voice of cursing as an edict or proclamation given out by Christ as ruler of all things which none can gain say or contradict containing the whole sum in every part and particular of that cursed estate and condition of sin and unrighteousness as brought in and continued among the sons of men by false and hypocritical interpretation of the word of God as being no other but the spirit of the serpent from the beginning who is said to be the dragon that old serpent which is the devil and Satan Revel 20. 2. And this woful and sinful estate and condition as the proper portion and patrimony of all false interpreters being the only spirit whereby they live in fostring and maintaining the deeds of the flesh is apposed unto that blessed condition of the Son of God the fountain and original of all happiness whose spirit is the true intent and proper scope of the word of God in which alone his life is preserved and maintained forever and therefore he is called the word of God and saith of his proper language the words that I speak are spirit and life therefore without true interpretation of the Scriptures no conservation but a crucification of the Son of God Therefore it is that Christ so often ingeminates and reiterates this word wo as the curse consisting in false interpretation being that and also those which put him to death the persons and the spears being one therefore the Prophet cries out unto God Rebuke the company of spâ—armen or the roor or the crew of the Canes or the wilde beasts of the reed as the word imports Psalm 68. 30. prophecying of those who gave Christ vineger upon a reed in his thirst upon the cross and put a reed in his hand and smote him on the head head with the reed Matth. 27. 29 30 34 48. Psalm 69. â—2 as such as make hollow the word of God emptying it of the proper spirit thereof which thereby becomes as a spunge to draw in sharp bitter and tart things to present unto Christ that is cruel and savage persecutions even unto death therefore the prophet calls them the mighty bulls and calves of the people that is the high priests scribes pharises and elders who falsly expound and apply the word of God to the putting of it to death of whom the prophet largely comments in that two and twentieth Psalme Now to describe a false expositour of the word of God as a general Maxim to hold true undeni bly and universally in the discovery of them in all times places and persons is this They deny the word of God its proper and natural rise and accordingly carry it to an improper and unnatural center First they deny the word of God its proper and natural rise that is they conclude that all things whereinsoever God hath expressed himself do not arise nor have their original in the word of God as considered and consisting in the unity of God and man no nor that any thing in the first act of creating the world could possibly arise out of such a fountain but say they that device of God and man being one was only brought in after man had sinned but in the beginning all things were good yea man himself in a goodness besides short of and out of Christ Whereas the truth is there was never reality of goodness to be found as coming within the account of God but only in that work of God and man being made one in Christ therefore it is that when the man said unto Christ good master taking him for a meer man Christ asks him why callest thou me good there is none good but God not denying himself to be good but that goodness doth not consist in the excellencies of the creature but in the excellencies of the Spirit of God that made all things and what work soever holds nor proportion with the mind of the maker hath not the
the guilt observe these things 1 What manner of blood it is or whose blood it is that is righteous blood according to Matthew the blood of all the Prophets according to Luke 2 Observe how it is dealt with that is it is shed and the place where upon the Earth 3 From what time it is shed that is from the foundation of the World 4 Vnto what time that is to the present generation 5 That of them it is required that is of the present generation as Luke records it 6 And lastly that it comes upon them according to Matthew For the first the Spirit of God stiles it righteous blood and it affirms also that it is the blood of all the Prophets from the foundation of the World so that there is the same guilt in taking away the life of any of the Saints or Prophets of God that is of any true Interpreter of the word of God in the present age that ever was in the spilling of any righteous blood in the world from the foundation thereof Christ Iesus himselfe not exempted for there is but one righteous life and death as the word blood signifies both which are ever found in Christ and never elsewhere for in all the operations of life he is the Lord our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. by whom we live unto God now I live not I any more but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Again there is but one righteous blood in point of death unto sin and Satan therefore Christ once suffered and once offered up himselfe 1 Pet. 3. 18. Heb. 9. 26. Heb. 10. 10. which is not found but in Christ for it is one act which comprehends all the Saints therefore the Apostle saith I now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up the remainder or that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ Col. 1. 24. that is I fulfill in my flesh that off-spring or posterity of the suffering of Christ which are common unto that incorporate body according to the true intent and meannig thereof shall we think our selves to be the off-spring and posterity of Christ and not have the similitude of Christ in all things Was ever such a generation brought forth that bears not the image of the Progenitor if we be implanted into his resurrection we are implanted into his death also Romans 6. 5. if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is not of his Rom. 8. 9. and so it may be said of all things that are appropriated to Christ as his peculiar interest if any man have not the life of Christ the same is none of his if any man have not the wisdome of Christ the same is none of his and if any man have not the death of Christ that man is none of his we conclude then there is but one righteous life and death in the true posterity and off spring thereof wherefore he that spills the life by living carnally unto the things of the world or he that spils the death by dying carnally unto the things of God that man is guilty of blood in the highest degree for there is but one righteous blood therefore the same guilt and condemnation in the shedding thereof in whom or what age or generation soever Moreover it is but one and the same spirit of that one word of God which hath been falsified and cruelly destroyed by false interpretation from the foundation of the world which is that name of Christ that none can read but himselfe for he is called the word of God Rev. 19. 12. 13. Now if the letter of the word were Christs name or authority then any wicked man might read and know the name of Christ yea the Devill himselfe in his tentations alleged the letter of the Scripture Mat. 4. 6. compared with Psalm 91. 11. 12. who is so far from the knowledge of Christ or from acknowledging him in his vertues to be that which he is But none can know this name of Christ namely the word of God but himselfe therefore wheresoever the truth of the word of God is known there is Christ himselfe he that is guilty therefore of the neglect or rejection of the spirit of the word of God or of that law of the spirit in whomsoever it is that person is guilty of the neglect and rejection of Christ himselfe Luke 10. 16. for none hath or knoweth that name but himself 2 The second point is how they deal with this blood where it is shed that is on the Earth false interpretation lets the blood of Christ who is heavenly out of its proper place as Cain did the blood of Abel which is therefore said to cry from the ground Gen. 4. â—0 it speak but not as in its proper veines and place of its naturall residency and aboad contrary to that blood of sprinkling which is therefore said to sprinkle Heb. 12 24. as having livelyhood and spirit in it to give life and motion to the whole body and therefore speakes better things than that of Abel in as much as life is better than death But the blood being shed on the Earth as Christ affirms here in this place it is that is expounded and applyed carnally as that the death of Christ should consist in the separation of the soul and body of a man living and dying only in such an age or time of the world and not else thus to draw forth the death or the life of Christ is to shed it upon the earth and as blood shed upon the ground is a meanes for the ground to bring forth more abundantly earthly fruits which are naturall to the ground where it is shed but none of those fruits which it brings forth in the body the proper place of its residency even as the blood of a Lamb shed and sucked up by a Woulf ceaseth to have any more the livelyhood and spirit of a Lamb in it but it is now translated and changed by its community with the Woulf as the ptoper agent to work upon into the liâ—e spirit motion and nature of the Woulf so is it in that way of false interpretation for it takes the spirit and life of the word of God out of its proper place that is to say out of that mysticall body of Christ and will not give it its proper place of its aboad For they say that the Saints of God have only some created or creature-like vertue and certain influences of the spirit of Christ but not the same spirit in the reality of it which the Son of God hath They say the Saints of God have a death in them to sin and Satan but not the reality of the death of Christ They teach that the people of God have the righteousnesse of Christ else they could not be just before God but it is not in them nor theirs properly as they are Saints but it is the righteousnesse of another that is nearer to God than themselves and is only imputed to
think they shall escape the wiles and power of the Devill when the arm of flesh fails them whereby they seek to defend themselves for the present sure they think their God will be grown to more power and care over them in and after death or else they will be loath to passe through it but I leave them and in Spirit cleave unto him as being in you who is ever the same allsufficient In whom I am yours Samuel Gorton A Copy of a Letter from the Men called Quakers The Superscription For our Friend Samuel Gorton this deliver Friend IN that measure which we have received which is eternall we see thee and behold thee and have onenesse with thee in that which is meek and low and is not of this world but bears witnesse against the world that the wayes and works thereof are evill and in that 〈…〉 spirit we salute thee and owns that of God 〈…〉 is waiting for and expecting the raising 〈…〉 is unâ—er the Earth and in the Grave groâ—niâ—g â—or the removing of the stone which the wise professors hath and doth lay upon that it might not come forth but the time is come and coming for the Angell of his presence to take away that which hinders that the Prisoner may come forth and arise to the glory of him who is raised up to the glory of the Father and hath overcome Hell and Death and all the powers of darknesse and is a spreading his name forth to the nds of the Earth and hath sounded his Trumpet in these parts also and is a beginning his war with Ameleke and the Philistins and Egyptians in this part of the world who are set and setting themselves against the Lord in this the day of his mighty power wherein he will exalt the horn of his annointed and bring down all the fat Kine and Buls of Bashan whose eyes are ready to start out with rage and madnesse against that which is become as a burthensome stone amongst them and is that stone which will break all their imaginaries to peeces and shall become a great mountain which shall bring down the stout hearts of the Kings of Assyria and all their high looks and levell their mountains of wisdome and knowledge and dry up the tongue of the Egyptian Sea and shall make way for the ransomed of the Lord to come to Sion with joy and gladnesse being redeemed from Kindreds Nations Tongues and People by the blood of Iesus which is spirit and life in all those that obey the light which from the life doth come for the life is the light of men and whosoever beleeves in the light which they are inlightned with shall not abide in darknesse but shall have the light of life which light we have obeyed in coming into these parts and we do witnesse the life in the measure given to us whereby we are enabled to encounter with Principalities and Powers and wickednesse in high places and can deny the world and the glory of it and take up his Crosse dayly and follow him in which we witnesse the power of God whereby the World is crucified unto us and us unto the World and in that in â—ur measure we deny our selves and can wait in the eternall counsell which is out of time manifested in time not being hasty but let the Lord alone to do his own worke in â—is own vvay and there can sit down in our rest which is his will and when he moves us then we go and do his will in his power and when he clouds we stand still waiting for the removing of the Cloud and so we know when to journey and when not and herein are we aâ— rest when our Adversaries are in trouble and in Egyptian darknesse sitted and prepared for destruction which assurealy must fall upon them from the God of 〈◊〉 Friend the Lord hath drawn forth our hearts to this place in much love knowing in the light that he hath a great seed among you though scattered up and down and are as sheep without a shepherd and you are travelling from Mountain to Hill in your wisedome and imaginations the resting place being not yet known nor cannot be known by the highest wisdome of the world but in the deniall of it for there is something underneath which is not nor cannot be satisfied with all the divings into the mystery of things declared in the Scriptures of truth which is the man of Gods portion and was given to that to profit withall that it might be throughly furnished to every good word and work but this is too low a thing for those which are high in their wisdome and knowledge which they can hardly stoop unto that is to become fools that they may be wise that the pure wisdome may dwell with them for evermore But the Lord is come and coming â—o lovell the Mountains and to rend the Rocks of wisdome and knowledge and to exalt that which is low and foolish to the wisdome of the world and blessed shalt thou and all those be who meets him in this his work which he is doing in the Earth and in this place wherein thou now dwellest in setting up the King the Lord of Hosts to reign in righteousness for his tabernacle shall be among men and he vvill dwell in them and vvalk in them and he will be their God and they shall be his people from henceforth even for ever Now to that which thou writes to us to know our minds to stay in these parts â—e are unwilling to go out of these parts if here we could be suffered to stay but we are willing to mind the Lord what way he will take for our staying and if he in wisdome shall raise thee up and others for that end we shall â—e willing to accept of it but what the Master of the Ship will do in the thing we know not they indeaveuring to force him to to enter into bond of 500l to set us ashoar in England which he did at first refuse for which they sent him to prison without Bail and Mainprize as we are informed but since he doth proffer his own bond but they will not at present accept it without security b sides to be bound with him for they are affraid that we should be set ashoar in these parts again therefore they make their Bond as strong as they can but the Lord knows away to break their bonds asunder The Master hath been writ unto and warned that he should not enter into bond which if he did not it would be as a Crown of honor upon his head but if he doth the Lord knows how to defeat themand him too Now what he doth is out of a slavish fear because he would not lie in prison and hinder his voyage but if the bond hinder him not he would have been willing to have delivered us and we should have been willing to have satisfied him which we did proffer him and if he be not