ground of truth sets up an Idol and prefers an Idol above the life and so are in the Idolatry But let none mistake that I say water is an Idol nay it is a good creature of God or that I say Iohns baptisme with water was an idol nay he was in the power and spirit of Eliah and his baptisme a figure of a good thing which was to come which afterward was received by the diseiples and Christs words made good unto them Iohn indeed baptized you with water unto repentance but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire not many daies hence that was Christs baptisme I am not Ignorant of the many and great contests in this age that have been about these things and I know many scriptures that speaks of baptism all which I have searched narrowly with the measure of Gods spirit given unto me into the true ground of things the true state of each administration and in this thing I am satisfied fully that the baptisme with water was Iohns baptisme and not Christs and the baptisme of the spirit is Christs and not Iohns I have no desire to wrangle or Jangle about words or contest about shadowes but that all may come to know him in whom all ministrations ends in and there will be peace and satisfaction to wit in Christ But to say some thing to the main bassis and foundation which Priests and Separatists builds much of their arguments upon the last of Mat. and the last Goe teach and baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost as for all the Priests about their baptising of Infants here is no ground at all for here is first teach and then baptize and here 's no infants neither and so I know what consequences hath been drawn from this by the unlearned in their imaginations but them that hath the least measure of true light will not take a consequence to build a foundation on for this is contrary to their own rule they say the scripture is the Rule then their consequence is not the Rule and if the scriptures be the Rule let all people of your parishes know if you can by the Scripture shew when John or any Disciple of his or Christs baptized infants and taught them Principles of Religion â—0 years after but they are willingly ignorant that sees not you to be idolaters and as to the Baptists separates who builds upon this for their water baptisme they are as groundles as the Priests and all their Arguments are as invalled as the rest for here is baptizing the Nations in the Name of the Father in the name of the Son and of the holy Ghost and any who are judicious or wise and are in any measure of Gods pure wisdom will not say that the Name of the Father is water or the Son or holy Ghost is water the name of God is I am and a strong tower and the Name of the Son is the word and the word is the power but this is not water but further they say the Disciples had received the holy Ghost and did baptize with water after and they were Baptized with water after they had received the holy Ghost they bring divers Scriptures to prove this I shall not deny but Peter Baptized with water and Paul two or three families and thanks God he baptized no more and said he had declared the whole counsel of God and he makes not mention in all his Epistles that baptisme was any part of his command neither in all his counsel to the Churches any where doth he exhort either Timothy or Titus or Apollo or any of the brethren to Baptize with water but as for Peters Baptizing with water I know no more command he had then Paul as for the commission which Matthew writes of Mat. 28. and 19. and that Mark mentions 16. 15. there is no water and so it s the Baptisme of John I grant and Christ bearing witness to John that he was a Prophet and did baptize many and therefore he or they in honour to Johns Ministry might baptize some as well as Paul did circumcise Titus and and then in 1 Cor. 7. 19. said it was nothing and again in another place neither circumcision nor uncircumcision did avail but a new creature and because it was a figure which people did not Idolize so much then as they did circumcision for the weakness of the people for a time and the wise in heart may understand that when any representation or figure outward was set up it was not easily denyed again nor an easie thing to be laid down when the thing signified was come for many of the Jews believed in Christ and were said to be brethren and yet they came from Jerusalem and troubled the Church of Galatia and would have brought them under the figure circumcision again and the Apostle in Gal. 4. asks them now when ye know God why turn ye again to the beggarly Elements Circumcision observing dayes moneths times and years I would ask the moderate a question whether water be not an Element and pertains only to the Elementary part in man which is to passe away and be dissolved when the seed is raised up whose nature is not elementary but Celestial I shall say no more to them at this present who are contentions who are so zealous for their water upon so weak a ground but take heed that while you are striving about your outward water you neglect not the washing of regeneration and the cleansing of the spirit many have been baptized but which of you hath received the holy Ghost there is not one among you dare own or witness an infallible spirit but rather counts it an error that any should speak or witness or look to enjoy any such thing in these dayes well I say unto you your day is a day of darkness and gloominess you live in and thick darkness covers your tabernacle for who ever have received the holy Ghost or spirit of truth in any measure are led by that which is infallible and not fallible and if you look not for this you are no sons notwithstanding all your washing the outside for as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and this is witnessed praises to the Lord for ever the Lord is unto his people an everlasting light and this is the sum that water is owned to be a figure of the one baptism and was an Element and pertained to that which is Elementary but the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and be dissolved in the day of the Lord and then the seed comes up which is heir of the promise which is nourished with the water of life which is not an Element nor Elementary but is Celestial and springs up in them that believe unto everlasting life and comes to be born of the water and the spirit and enters into Gods Kingdom dominion power life wisdom excellency
THE INVISIBLE Things of GOD Brought to light by the REVELATION of the ETERNAL SPIRIT who was an ey-witness of the wonders of the Lord in the beginning Wherein is declared the Felicity of all things in the beginning and the sad estate of all things after the transgression How all the reformed Churches so called in Christendom are yet in the Apostacy The estate of the true Church before the Apostacy and her state in the Apostacy And the glory that shall appear after the Apostacy By one who believes God will shine out of Sion in perfect beauty again after the dark night of Apostacy called Francis Howgill The Light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun as Seven days And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all Nations Isai. 25 7. London Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER OR Readers TO the upright hearted Reader in all the Regions of the Earth wherein this may come who have walked in the thick fogs and mists which hath arisen out of the botomlesse pit which hath been raised up since the transgression which have dimmed your eyes hurt your sight so that you could not behold the pure Celestial being nor him that dwels in it whose presence gives Life nor any thing within the vail because the vail hath been spred over all Nations and it hath been so thick that it hath been hard for any to rent it and the night of Apostacy and darknesse hath been so long since the woman fled into the wildernesse and since the man-child which was born hath been caught up to God that few or none for this many ages past hath come to see the end of the night but hath mourned without hope and few or none hath seen or hath been able to discerne the time of the womans return out of the wildernesse again into which she fled and few or none hath seen to the end of the times after which shee should return and mens sight in the Apostacy hath been so dime and in the vexation that when the man-child which was caught up unto God would appear again few hath had faith to believe or sight to he hold him or an understanding to deserne of the times But praises be to the Lord God everlasting who hath opened is and opening the windowes of heaven and showring down his wisdome as a mighty rain his knowledge as the morning dew and an understanding is pouring forth as the water out of the bottles of heaven as the water spouts so that ages times things daies and years is measured and seen And him that was before all things is beholden by whom all things was made who hath been as in a far country all this long night of darknesse but the time is fully expired and now is he returning and his appearance is as a morning without clouds as clear as the Sun and as pure as Christal and now is he scattering the clouds fogs and mists as with the East wind his pure breath clears the air and by his arm which is mighty is he renting the vail of the covering according to his promise revealing himself in his naked glory that the solitary may rejoice and the feeble may be comforted and them that have erred may come to a good un-understanding what I have writ thou must read me onely in that which is invisible and eternal in thy self else I am sealed from thee my words are a riddle and although the the dreamers of this age in the apostacy say Imeditate revelation is ceased and not to be looked for yet I must needs bear my testimony against them all for what I have here written I neither received of man nor from man nor books nor other words but by the eternal spirit who saw these things and was an eye-eye-witness of them and God through it hath revealed them in me and to me that I might beare my testimony of the hidden things of God which are eternal although I have made use of the scriptures and the saints words and cited some it is not for my sake but thine who reades that so every truth may be confirmed by 2. or 3. witnesses If thou wait to know and find the key of David who opens in what I have declared thou wilt see the state of things before the fall and after the fall how all men in the fall have corrupted themselves in all administrations thou wilt see the state of the Church before the apostacy in the apostacy and what shall be after the apostacy and if thou cannot reach into the things as they are declared judg them not before the day appeare in thy selfe for till then they will be obscure to thee but as it appeares in thee thou shalt bear me witnesse that these things are holy faithful and true and hath and shall be fulfilled in that which is immutable I bid thee farewel F H. The chief particulars or heads in the ensuiug discourse treated upon aud opened by the Spirit of the Lord who was an ey-witness unto these things 1. THe work of the Lord declared which was in the beginning when the word was with God and man in the image of God 2. Although the heavens and the Earth were created and all things therein finished yet the world was not begun that lay in wickednesse which the Devil is the God of neither was Christ the mystery hid nor the Lamb slain 3. The understanding may read the Wisdom of God in a mystery and also may see the sottish Doctrine of the apostates 4. An objection answered 5. Another objection answered 6. How peace joy and delight possessed every thing that God had made how every thing which he had formed glorified him with one consent in the beginning 7. How man lost his state and dominion and unity with God and all the creatures and how the Lamb came to be slain and the world that lay in wickedness came to be framed in man after the tempter entred how endless misery can in upon all after the transgression 8. How sin entred into the world and death by sin and how man is dead while he lives and all is dead works that he acteth and the state of all the sons of men and their works may be seen in the fall 9. 3. Objections answered about this particular 10. Self righteousness deeds of darkness also and dead works and are to be condemned also and man who acteth them in the fall 11. An objection answered as to the present state of the Ministry of the Nations their practice and their worship 12. An objection as to the Churches so called and their worship in the Nations 13. The dark and blind Doctrines of the Ranters denyed 14. An objection about reading the Scriptures and conforming to the outward practice of
the Saints in former ages 15. How all men upon the earth in the degeneration in the fall have corrupted themselves and have been Idolaters in every administration being gone from the life and Power of God in themselves And having lost the Power of God man can neither worship honour nor obey God aright 16. A few words to that which is called Christendom who professe Christianity 17. Something about water-Baptisme to both Priests and separatists 18. Something about Rome in the apostacy and all their worship in the degeneration 19. The Protestants or Reformed Churches so called not yet come out of the waters nor from under the beasts Power 20. The Presbyters and Independants are yet under Antichrists Reign in the apostacy and have among them yet the Attire of the Whore 21. How the woman that travelled in birth who was clothed with the Sun and brought forth the man-childe fled into the wilderness when the Dragon had power and the man-child was caught up unto God 22. How the woman comes out again and when and he that was caught up unto God descends again and appears again to take the Rule to himself and how he makes war with the Dragon and all the apostates and overcomes them 23. How the glory of the Lord shall appear after the apostacy greater then before and the ministration into which them that follow the Lamb shall be brought shall be more spiritual celestial then before for that shall appear in which all visible types and shadowes ends in and shall be the last that is to be expected by the sons of men the sight of which hath appeared which yet cannot be uttered 24 What the day of the Lord is and to whom it hath appeared and how it is seen and discovered 25 What it is and what it will be to the wicked declared 26. What it is to the righteous and how he appears to them and whether we are to look for it while in the body resolved 27. Where it doth appear and how it cometh and how it is to be looked for declared 28. What the Spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the the things of God 29. How the spirit of truth worketh and operateth in them who are convinced and yet have not obeyed it shewed 30 How the spirit of the Father worketh in them who hearken to it and are in some measure made partakers of its power shewn 31 Vnto whom the spirit of the Father bears witness and seals assurance of the Fathers love and of justification with God declared 32 What the grace of God is which is free and to whom it hath appeared and where all is to wait to receive it 33 whether all have received the grace of God or no and whether it be a sufficient teacher in it self demonstrated 34 Some objections answered 35 A word to the wise men of this world who are glorying in the sound of words 36 Also another to them who are glorying in outward appear ances and worshipping visible things in stead of the life 37 The Kingdome of God and his Christ declared in some measure as it is revaled by the spirit what it is and where it is to be waited for and how it comes to be revealed in them that believe 38 Divers Objections answered The work of the Lord declared which was in the beginning when the word was with God and was the Fathers delight and man made in the Image of God and lived in the Lambs Power and he was mans life and this was before the transgression of these declared as God hath manifested them by his Spirit IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning before the foundation of the Earth was laid or the Hills were framed he was with the Father and was the Fathers delight and he delighted in the Father and the Father in him then did the morning stars sing together and the Son of God shout for joy In the beginning were the heavens created and the Pillars theref set the earth was framed by the Power and all things both in the Heaven and In the Earth were created by the Power Gods Son every Beast of the field every fowl of the Heaven and the decreed place for the Sea was broken up and all things that moveth therein were created by the word and by the Power and man was made by the Power and in the Power and he was the Image of God as it is written In the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them and he had dominion over all the works of his hands over every beast of the field which were created by the Power over the Serpent among the rest which was created by the Power and was good as he was made in the Power and by the wisdom they were all brought forth and man made in that wisdom that brought them forth who was better then them all and was made partakers of the Power and of the Wisdom more then them all and by the wisdom called every thing as is was in its nature so named he everything and the dominion he had was in the Power over all things over all the Creation of God which was good and the Earth and all things that are therein the tree of knowledge good that stood in the garden also but not for food so these be the generations of the Heavens and the Earth in the day when God created them they were all good made and created by God in the Power Eternal which is good unchangeably good without variation and the unchangeable Power in which and by which they were made moved in them all and they all received vertue and Power from the Power Gods Son and the Power moved in them all and shined through them all and ran through them all and they were all to abide in the Covenant in which they were made and not any to move or act without the Power but only as the Power which was the life of them all moved them and acted them and so goodness possessed them all for all was partakers of the goodness of God and it was the life of them and they were none of them to move nor stir but as the life of men the Power by which they were created moved them which was Gods Son the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all things that therein are and they were all good and this saying was true then which was spoken by Christ the Power many generations after I in them and thou in me and all was perfect in one the Father was in the Power the Power was in the Father and all the Creatures in the Power Now was the Father glorified now was the Son glorified now was man in Dominion in Power crowned with honour Lord over all the works that God had made in the Power and now the whole Family both of Heaven
and Eternal glory happy is he that believes and abides in patience unto the end Now since the dayes of John the Kingdom of God hath been Preached and as many as were ordained to Eternal life believed and many in the day when Christ was manifest in the flesh believed unto whom he declared the mind of the Father and by him was the Father glorified he fulfilled the Law and did many works and miracles by the power of the Father and herein was the Father glorified and them that did believe in him their faith was strengthened and he opened the mystries of the Kingdom of God unto his Disciples and bore witness and prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and of all their worship and said no more at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but the time was coming when they that worshipped the Father should worship him in spirit and truth and declared against the Pharisees righteousness and said to his Disciples Except their righteousness did exceed the Pharisees they could not enter the Kingdom of God and yet the Pharisees performed all the outward things commanded but were in the idolatry and did not believe in the life Now he declared of his suffering many things also how he would go away and how he would come again and would not leave them comfortless but these things were hard to be believed then by his Disciples and further he told them he must be betrayed and suffer and rise again and when the hour was come that he was betrayed when he was with his Disciples even the same night he was betrayed he took bread and broke it and blessed it and said take and eat this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me and after he took the cup and after he had Supped saying this is the cup of the New Testament in my blood as often as you drink it do it in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11. 23. 24. and Matthew Mark and Luke declares the same and this was reall bread and reall wine which was a representation of that which was to be enjoyed in the spirit and never intended for any further thing but as a figure or a representation of the bread of life and of the cup of blessing which afterward they came to be witnesses of and as oft as they eat and drank they did shew forth the Lords death till he came Now this was practiced among the Disciples after he was risen from the dead and did converse with them at many times and exhorted them and comforted them and instructed them and told them that they should be witnesses of his name unto the ends of the earth and gave them commandment to teach all Nations and Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and did promise to be with them to the end of the world and told how the Comforter would come and that the Father would send him in his Name even the spirit of truth which was with them and should be in them to be their teacher leader and guide and bring all things to their remembrance Now that which he gave them as a figure and to be a sign unto them of the clearer manifestation of himself which afterward came to be fulfilled and they witnesses of it who grew up in the pure invisible being and did see the mystery through the Revelation of the spirit which did more clearly show unto them the mysteries within the vail for as I said of water it was a sign of a good thing to come so the bread and the cup was also a sign of a good thing to come as all outward figures were but they that did believe and grew up in the faith in the seed Christ they came to see the substance in whom all figures ends in and had communion with him within the vail after he was ascended where he was before now the Apostle he spoke as to wise men judge ye what I say 1 Cor. 10. 15 16. the cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ and v. 17. for we being many are one bread one body for we are all partakers of that one bread mark all they that did believe though they were many yet they were one bread one body and were all partakers of that one bread which bread was the flesh of Christ John 6. 48. I am the bread of life and Joh. 6. 51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Now I speak unto wise men and let the wisdom of God in them manifest judge what I say for where the body of Christ is witnessed and the flesh of Christ known they know that which all the figures ends in the Manna that God gave to Israel in the wilderness they died that did eat thereof which was as pure a type of the hidden Manna as lively a type as bread outward which was but a type of the of the flesh of Christ and both they that did eats the Manna and they that eat the bread outward and drank the cup outward are both dead but he that eat the flesh of Christ and drinks the blood lives for ever and he that eats the hidden Manna hath overcome death and lives for ever and feeds upon the bread of life feeds upon Eternal life Now this is a mystery to the Papists who are idolaters who have sprung vp in the Apostacy though they have Scriptures as it was to the Jewes John 6. 52. who strove among themselves and said how can this man give us his flesh â—o eat and so the Papists who strives about the flesh of Christ and his blood and yet have the Scriptures and they say it s in the bread and in the wine after consecration so they worship the imaginations of their own hearts not deserning the Lords body and have killed thousands and taken away the lives of thousands because they would not confesse their idol to be of God And the protestants they are setting up the bread and the wine and contenting themselves therewith and are making an idol of it and comes not to discerne the body of Christ but one saying he hath a carnall body and another a fleshly body another a mystical body another sayes his body is devided from his members and so speaks out of thick darknesse their own imaginations and hath not communion with the body of Christ neither knowes the flesh of Christ which is the bread of life which is given for the life of the World Iohn 6. 51. And as godlinesse began to work and the mystery thereof in the dayes of Christand the Apostles wherein the Lord discovered much of his wisdom and power
from all sin in this life and so leads them on to Perpetual misery misery will be your end and in the day of the Lord you shall witnesse this to be true But to return to the beginning again where there was no sorrow but pure joy and peace both in heaven and earth but I goe hither and thither as the spirit leads and shall speak as it gives utterance though but here a little and there a little yet shall it be in truth and righteousnesse How peace joy and delight possessed every thing that God had made every thing which he had formed glorified God their maker with one consent in the beginning before the world was framed that lay in wickednesse NOw the Lord rejoyced in all the works of his hands which he had made and rested and all that he had made rested in the power whether Celestial or Terrestrial and rejoyced in him walked in him in the motion of the power of the life they were happy and partaked of the life that indures for ever and happinesse immortal and knew no evil for there was none there was no hell yet prepared Tophet yet was not ordained neither the Devil had yet any being at all there was no wrath no sorrow no condemnation no death vexation grief or perplexity no pit of darkenesse no Angel of the bottomlesse pit no shame no tribulation no anguish nor paine no misery and in a word there was nothing that did destroy but all in quietnesse in peace in life in power in wisdome glorifying him which sat upon the Throne the Lamb who was living and the life of the male and the female and of every thing that God had made by the power subsisted in the power and in the motion thereof was good purely good and here was the goodnesse of him who was eternally good manifest in all above all and over all God blessed for ever even then the heavens rejoyced and the innumerable company of Angels was hearty glad and all the holy host sang for joy with a living voice which none that stands in time ever yet heard or can learn then the earth and all things therein that moved had life were in pure solace and mirth and pleasant joy unspeakable all knit together in unity and harmony in one consent as one family and were one body and there was health in the body and it was pure and comly and perfect and pleasant to behold crowned with Dignity covered with righteousnesse beautified with the comlinesse of the Lamb who was the life of all and now man had right to the tree of Life while he moved in the power and went not our Oh happy state oh beautiful state oh admirable state eternal felicity oh glorious state life it self the life of all and all in the life moving in the power and man right to the tree of Lifâ— while he lived in the lambs power had unity with his maker with all the Creatures that God had made was in Gods pure dominion and authority and ruled all over all things that God had made in Gods wisdome thus in short was the state of all things in the beginning as they were created and brought forth and these be the generation of the heaven and of the earth and of all things that therein are in the day when God created them when the Father was glorified when the Son was glorified and when man was in glory and honour and in dominion created in the Image of God and yet there was no evil Time would fail to speak of the state of all things in the beginning as it was and as it is revealed by the spirit of truth but in that which I have declared they who have a good understanding may take a glimps of the happy state of all things as God hath revealed them by his spirit which I never received of nor from man but by the holy spirit of God which was in the begining with God which saw all this and was an eye witnesse of this before the world that lies in wickednesse began and he that hath an eare to hear let him hear and blessed is his ear How man lost his state and dominion and unity with God and all the creatures and how the Lambe came to be slain and the world that lies in wickedness came to be formed and founded and how the curse came and the wo upon the Serpent which was blessed before and upon man and woman and the ground that received the temptation which was blessed before in the motion of the Power came to be cursed and how endles misery came in upon all in the transgression declared to them who have a good understanding NOw the Serpent was more subtle then all the Beasts of the field for that was his nature in which he was created and it was good in the motion of the Power and therefore Christ said be wise as Serpents yet as harmless as Doves and though the Serpent was wise and subtle more then all the beasts of the field till he acted and moved without commandment and out of the motion of the Power he was not cursed he that can receive it let him But he moved in the subtilty and wisdom out of the light out of the Power and went out of the truth out of his place without commandment or authority from the Power and acted and spoke of himself out of the Power and out of the truth as it it written John 8. 44. when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it now he knew there was a law and command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil for God had forbidden it now he went out of the Power without commandment of his own accord without motion now he went and talked with the woman and she was good before being in the motion of the life and Power she also looked out and not in the Power and reasoned with him out of Power contrary to Commandment beyond the command or before the Power and said unto the Serpent we may eat of all but the tree of knowledge of good and evil we may not eats least we die this she knew and the Serpent knew now the tree of knowledge was good in the Powers motion though not to live upon or for food for it was not good for food therefore God the truth the life the Power did forbid to taste of it or to eat of that tree but the Serpent out of the Power and the woman out of the Power hearkened to him that was out of the truth who turned the truth that God had spoken into a lie she joyned to the tempter and hearkned unto him and eat of the tree of knowledge without the Power and she looking out and the eye ran out from the life from the Power and was deceived and did eat of the knowledge without the Power without the life and she also
rest false and fained hope and faith and of his own ragged garment and let goe his selfe-righteousnesse and his dead works and come to Christ the life of men again that man hath run from that so he might have life and peace Ob. But some would say that thou wouldst have all upside down unchristian the Nations and unchurch Churches and throw down all our worship and then what should we doe all would be as heathens and turne into Athisme I say a time of fanning and â—ifting and trying is come when nothing shall stand but that hath the image stamp and character of the living God upon it and all that which hath been brought up and raised up since man hath been in the transgression must be turned down into the pit again and all that have got a name of Christian and wants his life to live among them and in them shall be scattered as clouds with the East wind and all imitated worships and will worshippers and the fained faith and the fained hope shall be confounded and all will worships and worshippers will be overturned who are not come yet to the true light that lightens every man that comes into the World and till man comes to the light and tries his deeds and works by it he never sees what he is doing nor what he is working nor what he works and so all that man doth here in the unbeliefe it is but sin or selfe-righteousnesse which is brought forth by him who abode not in the truth in the unbelief and so who be come to the power which was in the beginning before sin entred and death by sin hath and doth measure all deeds and all works man that is in the losse in the fall sees that a dead man cannot act a living work nor bring forth living fruits unto God nor living works of righteousnesse being in the unrighteousnesse neither the fruits of faith being in the unbeliefe neither the works of the day being in the night neither the works of charity being in the emnity in a word without Christ the power the light the life which was glorified with the Father before the world began I say he said it himself who is the beginning of the creation of God the first born of every creature he said and his testimony will be found true without me ye can do nothing nothing that is wel-pleasing to the Lord nothing that ever shall be acceptable and here is the true state of all the Earth discovered and all mankind drove out from God miserable naked hopelesse helplesse faithlesse and so can doe nothing as to the glorifying of God his maker or to the ordering of any thing in the creation to his glory having lost his dominion and Gods wisdome and this being considered seriously by all and brought to the light in all and their deeds tryed by it would make the lofty bow and the stout hearted fear and the conceited sit down in solitarinesse that they should so long deceive their own souls with a conceit of righteousnesse and redemption when as death yet reignes in them and over them and not life eternall So the Devil is a distinct being from God and his works are distinst and his deeds from the works of God and neither he nor his works shall ever be numbred among the works of God but he and they that obey him and follow him who is out of the truth they their works of what sort soever they may seem unto men to be whose eyes the devil hath blinded so I say all is to be condemned and shut out from Gods presence for ever and to be destroyed by him who is a consuming fire and all the righteousnesse of man burned as combustable stuff in unquenchable fire Pr. And by what hath been said the principle of that ranting crew who are become vaine in their imaginations and foolish their understandings being darkned are seen and their principle overthrown As that light and darknesse is one good evil one and sin and righteousnesse one and truth and a lye one and that God is all and doth all and what ever is done is of God and that there is no evil but to him that thinks it so and it is onely a false apprehention of things and that there is no such thing as sin that sin is nothing Unto all these things I might speak but the understanding Reader may by what is before written see each of these plainly declared and the true ground of things laid down as the spirit gave utterance and this shall at present suffice in this matter Ob. But some may object further and say will not reading the scriptures and conforming to the practise of the saints in the use of his ordinances will not this make us accepted and bring us out of the fall and make us good christians Answ. No while death hath dominion in man and over man and the vaile over the heart man doth not understand the mystery of Gods kingdome neither understands the scripture which was spoken from the spirit of truth or any thing of truth as it is in Christ for none understands the things of God but by the spirit of God so that every man that comes to have a good understanding must come to know the pure spirit of God in him to direct him informe him which spirit was the original of the scripture for the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost and without the Holy Ghost in some measure be known â—nd that which is infallible the sayings the writings the scriptures cannot be understood because of the want of this all the Earth is run into heads sects opinions large treatises and volumes expositions have been written yet differing one from another and all from the spirit and in all these particular sects persecuting one another envying one another and hating one another and would compell others to believe what they believe in what they say if they had but power and for proof of this it is most evident in the scripture of truth and in latter ages since the Apostles it hath been and it is evidently seen both among the Papists and Protestants and among all them that are called the reformed Churches but all this is in the fall and in the transgression and in the Apostacy and is an evident token that they are all under the power of the beast who makes War against the Lamb so all compellation and they that do compell are not worshippers of the Lamb but of the beast which is to be destroyed and cast into the lake For the Jews under the first Covenant had the Scriptures the good and wholsome words of God and the Prophets and read the Law and the Prophets on the Sabbath dayes and yet the vail was over their hearts and and though they did perform many things commanded yet they being erred from the spirit did not understand
manifested his pure presence poured out his spirit plentifully upon sons and daughters fulfilled that which Joelâ—prophesied â—prophesied of Joel 2. 28. which came to be fulfilled after Christs ascention Acts. 2. 17. and they received the holy Ghost spoke the wonderfull things of God as they were revealed by the spirit which shed it selfe abroad among them that waited for it so also the mystery of iniquity began to work even in that time and as the Apostles laid the foundation of truth and declared the truth Christ to be the foundation even so the Mystery of iniquity did work and a beginning or a foundation of error was laid by them who were gone out of the truth the false Prophets deceivers Anti-christs who were professors and preachers but they were such as were covetous and greedy of filthy lucre and made merchandize of souls for dishonest gaine and denyed the power of God Christ and were enemies to the Crosse and gloried in the flesh and spake swelling words of vanity and did all live in the lust of the flesh and were proud boasters and denyed the Lord that bought them for denying the power of God they did deny Christ though in words they preached him as this generation who are their off-springs doe out of strife contention as the Apostle writs they held the form of godlinesse but denyed the power and they were they that once were convinced of the truth and came into the forme of truth but denyed the power of truth but were in craft and deceit and they subverted whole houses from the faith and led them back into the world into unbeliefe in the Apostles dayes and yet had a worship and did worship but not the power not the life and this began to worke and wrought more cunningly and subtilly in the latter times And the Apostle Paul in many of his Epistles Iohn and Peter and Jude declares against them and Paul prophesied of them before his departure of grievous Wolves which should spring up which should not spare to make havock of the flock of Christ so the fall Apostles deceivers Antichrists and deceitful workers they went out then and did what they could to lead disciples after them into the world inwardly they were ravened from the spirit and was gone from it into the earth into the world and served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies and the God of the world which is the Devil and they went into the world and the world received them and then they and their disciples turned against the saints and they held truth in words and the form for a while but it was in unrighteousness and here was the beginners and the beginning of the Apostats and of the Apostacy it was began in the Apostles dayes by them that went out of the truth out of the light and were ravened from the spirit and erred from the faith and were enemies to the power of God and these were the beginners and the layers of the foundation and then it grew that root of wickedness faster then the truth for the Jewes resisted and the heathen resisted and the Apostates and false prophets resisted and they that were Apostatized they resisted and they caused many to stumble to erre to make ship-wrack of their faith and so the world went after them the World the Nations the kindreds the tongues the people went after Kings Princes and potentates of the earth in processe of time they had over run-all killed the saints the woman fled into the wildernesse the man child was caught up unto God then all Nations who were gone from the Rock became as a sea reeled to fro unstable unsetled what were they like to settle in the Sea then a great beast arose with his seven heads and ten hornes and the whore which had defiled the bed and she sat upon the beast and she reached out her cup of fornication to the nations and all nations was drunk with her cup and then the beast made war and the nations were drunk and they loved the beast and received his marke became cruel and pushed at the saints and followed him and made war with them and the whore she drank the blood of the saints and the Dragon appeared and with his tayle drew the third part of the stars after him to the Earth the false Prophets they are the tayle of the Dragon who were gone from the testimony of Jesus the spirit of prophecy and drew after it the third part of the stars from the firmament of his power into the earth Rev. 12. 4. The man child was caught up unto God which was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron and the woman fled into the wildernesse where God hath prepared a place for her and then the Dragon went out and made war with the remnant of her seed to wit the womans seed And so out of the Sea arose the beast out of Nations kindreds Tongues and peoples which are waters and the Dragon gave power to the beast and his seat and great authority Rev. 13. 2. And all the world wondred after the beast ver 3. and ver 4. They worshipped the Dragon which gave power to the beast and the beast likewise and now the worlâ— cryed which wondred after the beast who is able to make war with the beast and ver 6. he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven and he made war with the saints and did overcome them and all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped him whose names were not written in the Lambs book of life And the beastâ— deceived the Nations and them that did dwell on the earth and now kindreds Tongues and peoples and Nations and all the world which wondred after him they who had lost the image of God now became the image of the beast that blasphemed God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven and now the Kings of the earth that had drunk the Whores cup of fornication and the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and people who were become the beasts image now the image of the beast spoke and caused as many as would not worship the beast and the image should be killed take notice of that all who are called Christians it was not Gods image who compelled to worship or else be killed but it was the beasts image and wheresoever compultion and killing is exercised and practised they worship the beast Chap. 13. ver 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive a marke in their forehead or in their right hand and none might buy or sell but he which had the beasts marke or his name or the number of his name here was worship but it was the beasts worship and Idolatrous worship and the Dragons worship who sought to destroy the man-child which all the Angels is to worship all
from the heathen and the rest invented in the night of darkness and all that you have is invented trumpery as bad as the heathen all your Crosses Altars Crucifixes your Cells your Lent your Fasts your Feasts your Hair-cloth your Images Pictures your Relickes of dead mens bones your Tythes your offerings oblations obventions your Tapers Beads your holy water your Baptizing of Infants your Purgatory your Praying for the dead your visiting of old Wals and old Tombs and rotten Sepulchres your Pilgrimages your Inquisition all this is come up since the Apostles dayes and thy consecrated bread and wine which thou calls the body and blood of Christ about which idol thou and all that have drunken the cup of fornication and the Beast hath slain thousands of men in your blood thirsty cruelty and all your works you call meritorious they are all dead will be sentenced by the Lamb who is risen to be self-righteousness and so we have found out your visible Church had no being but since the Apostacy since the Apostles dayes and you are erred both in Doctrine and practice and all your Ordination of your Ministers your Schools and Colledges is all in the will of man all this is in the fall in the transgression and under the curse Object Some of the Protestants or reformed Churches so called may say we like this well that you declare against poâ—â—â—y we agree with you in that but we have renounced the Whores cup and have denyed all the powers of the Beast long since Answ. Although many of you Priests have denyed your mother because some Kings and Rulers or Dukes or Magistrates have cast off the yoke and they protect you and give you maintenance yet we cannot but remember you of your genealogy and decent and your doctrine and practice shall prove it and make it manifest and that you take part with the Beast and worships his image and shall be evidenced more and more even before this generation passe away are not you a stem sprung from the same root doth not the fruits you bring forth evidence it and practice demonstrate it if you grant that Rome is Apostized from the faith which the Apostles were in and their practice you must not deny your fathers who made the Bishops and ordained them did not the Pope who ordained you Ministers or priests did not the Bishops who set up your Mass-house with all the Pictures and Crosses in and upon them which you call your Church who established Tythes offerings oblations Easter reckonings Midsumer dues did not the Pope first and them that were subject to his power who invented Schools and Colledges to fit you for the Ministry and qualifie you for the Ministry as you say is not this set up in and since the Apostacy began your set wages your baptizing of Infants your consecrated Bels which the Pope hollowed or his emissaries do not you preach up the letter for the word the letter for the Gospel are not you calling your bread wine a Sacrament which word you have received from Rome your Pulpets your hour-glasses your cushons your black robes long robes fals-Prophet-like your funeral for the dead like the Popes exequies for the dead your devouring widdowes houses and sueing men at the Lavv your haling them to Courts prisons your taking avvay mens goods by force three-fold ten-fold yea is that which you claim and from them that you work not for neither dare you say this was the Apostles practice or any of the primative churches If you say yea all that knowes the scripture or the least of God in them to guid them or to open their understandings they will see you nearly related to Rome and to the Apostates and deceivers and fals Prophets of old and that you are greatly inflamed with the Whores cup and did not the holy men of God speak as they were moved by the holy Ghost and divine inspiration as the spirit of truth revealed it selfe in them and do not you all head and taile deny any such thing to be now and further concludes that its a great errour to look for any such thing then be convinced in your selves you are Apostates and Apostatized from that faith and hope spirit that was in the primative times and now reads old authors it may be 20. or 30. books before you can get an hours discourse patched up to hold you dreaming till the glasse be run dare you be so impudent confident as to say that you â—are not Apostates and are you not followers of the beast and have you not his mark and bear you not his Image do not you count that disorder which the Apostles and the Churches counted order if any thing was revealed to him that stands by let the first hold his peace are not you apostatized from this order cries take him away and yet you would be called Apostolicall well these things being true and obvious enough to behold to any who knows any thing of God I need not say much more in this thing but all wise men will come out from among you and out of Babylon the Mother of Harlots which hath made you and your root and genealogy drunk with her fornication and this is my call to seperate from her and you that are in the apostacy and waite to know the word which was in the beginning and the Gospel which was Preached to Abraham which endures for ever whose joyful sound is come forth in power and great glory which will shake the foundation of your great City even mystery Babylon and not leave one stone upon another which shall not be thrown down and then the holy men of God shall rejoyce and the Saints of the most high shall sing they that have been as sheep for the slaughter shall reign over the earth and shall say The Lord God omnipotent Reigns and let us rejoyce and be glad and he hath taken to himself great power and is coming to gather his Lambs out of your mouths and to feed in a pasture you never saw which was manifest to the Saints in light before you apostates sprang and shall be again when you and all your dark muddy traditions and inventions are gone down into the pit where there is no remembrance Object But it may be the pure reformed Church of Scotland as it hath been called and the old Episcopal and Prelatical Priests of England who hath borrowed their images to set up here will be ready to say we have denyed the whore and the beast and the apostacy and we have pure reformation we have denyed Bishops which was made by the apostate the Pope and now we have settled all things according to the Primitive Church Answ. There never did spring up any deceit since the Apostles or before but it called it self by the best name as for the Priests of Scotland their doctrine and practice is made manifest and their Reformation by their principles which
distraction one envying another and persecuting one another about the words of truth spoken from the spirit of truth which cannot be understood again but by the same spirit and so all them that have not the spirit of truth are in the Apostacy And all Sects Judgements and opinions that hath risen up since the Apostacy from the faith that was once delivered to the saints when the woman traveled and brought the man-child which after because of the Dragons power fled into the wildernesse and her child caught up unto God all the faith and worship that since is sprung up since the Whore hath sitten as a Queen in majesty is all denyed the ground of their worship Lawes Traditions Inventions and all their invented practises and formes and Images and likenesses are denyed and disowned as to be the dresse and attire of the Whore which hath allured people through her inticing pretences and shewes of holinesse when indeed all is but spiritual adultery and this must be all turned under again the Whores flesh burned and her attire plucked off and her nakednesse appear and her shame to them that have committed fornication with her and they shall be ashamed of themselves and of her and abhor themselves and abhor her and destroyed shall she be and the Lambs wife shall be beautified and come out of the secret places into open view out of the solitary wildernesse into the beautifull place that the Lord will bring her into the time times and halfe time is out the thousand two-hundred and threscore dayes is at an end and he bears witnesse of it who saw her â—fly away upon Eagles wings into the secret place which was prepared for her for these dayes and times appointed and I say he that knowes the counsell of the most High in this matter can account the time times and a halfe and the dayes and what shall be after the days be expired which is at an end blessed is he that sees believes and understands he shall see that which yet hath not appeared neither can it be believed by the most though it were declared but yet a little while and the Earth growes ripe and an eare will be opened in many who cannot yet hear and for a little while in this I shall be silent and treasure up that which the spirit hath revealed till the time be fully accomplished which God hath determined and then his glory shall be revealed and all the former things which have lived since the man of sin hath been exalted shall all dye an utter consumption shall be of all the changeable Lawes made since the Apostacy and the many changeable dresses of the whore and attires in which she hath appeared Imaginary worships into which all have run since they were Apostatiâ—ed from the faith all this shall be disanulled and come to an end and be blasted for ever the spirit of the Lord saith Amen How the woman that was cloathed with the Sun and had the Crowne of twelve Stars upon her head which did flie into the wildernesse comes out againe after the great whore is judged and her child that was caught up unto God comes to appeare again NOw after the time times and halfe a time and after the thousand two hundred and threescore days she returns after the whore is judged and the great City Babylon is fallen which hath made the Nations drunk and brought forth children in fornication who had drunk the blood of the Saints in the Apostacy after the Whore was judged and the voice was heard in heaven of much people that sang Halelujah salvation and glory and honour power Who witnessed to the righteousness of Gods judgement And a voice came out of the Throne saying praise our God all his servants and ye that fear him both small and great Rev. 19. 5. and verse the 6. And I heard as it were the voice of many waters and as a great multitude and as the voice of a mighty thunder saying Halelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth the Whore is now judged the mother of harlots condemned with all her inchantments and sorceries Now the Lambs wife appears who is the mother of the man-child which was caught up unto God she that was cloathed with the Sun with the glorious everlasting Celestial light she is both the mother and the wife he that hath an eare let him hear now Jerusalem that is from above spiritually so called who was the mother of all the Saints before the apostacy she appears again and comes to be the wife of the Lamb and the city of the Saints the mother of them that are born from above this shall be and is made manifest to some but a numberlesse number shall see it and the day hastens greatly and she is appearing again and her solitary garments shall be put off and as she was beautifull before the whore made the nations drunk cloathed with the Sun and had the Moon under her feet and a Crown of twelve Stars upon her head and though she became child-lesse and also as a widow and the remnant of her seed slain and destroyed so shall she appear again in glory and beauty as before and shall be made ready yea my eye hath seen it she is making her selfe ready as a bride for her husband and unto her is granted that she shall be arrayed in fine linen clean and white even arayed in the righteousnesse of the saints which is not self-righteousnesse the garments of the harlot and her lovers but in the righteousnesse of Christ the Lamb her husband and child also and she shall now bring forth many more children though her seed have been slain yet a numberlesse number shall appear and ten thousand thousand shall be brought forth by her and glory in her and reverence her and rejoyce in her for ever and they shall be all clad in the same robe which the husband the Lamb is cloathed withall and the same the Lambs wife this woman is cloathed with all and the same shall all the children be cloathed with all the fine linen the righteousnesse of the Lamb which was dead and slaine since the foundation of the world but now alive and lives for evermore and here a heavenly family appears now after the Apostacy and this shall be seen by all that have an eye that can see through beyond the smoke of the pit that have darkned the ayre while the beast and Dragon hath had power but now hath her child appeared again the man-child hath appeared again and he that was in the spirit on the Lords day saw whether he was taken up to the Throne of God Revel 12. ver 5. and on the same Lords day he saw him after the woman was fled and the remnant of her seed was made War with and flain in the earth where the Dragon had power He that was in the spirit saw him alive again after he was caught up So he that is in
God injoyed and worshiped glorified and honoured in that which shall never alter but abides for ever and this shall be is the last ministration that ever shall appear among the Sons of men We who are come out of the Apostacy knowes what was before sees what shal be after the everlasting Gosple of the Son of God shall be preached again to them that dwell on the Earth the same that was preached to Abraham before either old or new Testament was written the latter all sects since the apostacy call the gospel and so greatly manifest their ignoance for that were to make two Gospels to call the scriptures the Gospel or that which is written and they who so erre in their judgements are yet among the smoke of the pit are yet under antichrists reigne are ignorant of him who is the saving health of the Nations And the living infalible true lasting and everlasting spirit of the Father shall be poured out again and many now witnesse it and a numberlesse number shall witnesse it and the time hastens And the Lamb shall stand upon mount Sion and many who are redeemed from the earth and from among men which shall be the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb and they shall sit with him and shall reigne with him and have power over sin temptation and the Devil Hell and the Lake and this is to come to passe and is coming to passe and hastens greatly and the voice out of heaven shall be heard as the voice of many waters and the voice of harpers harping with their harps and the new song shall be sung the pure song of the Lamb shal be sung by all who are redeemed from the earth in every Nation kindred Tongue and people who have heard believed and received the joyful sound of the everlasting Gospel again and now they shall fear God and glorifie him and honour him even they who have feared the Beast and glorified him in the Apostacy they shall deny his power and own the Lambs power and worship him that sits upon the throne of righteousnesse who lives for ever and ever and is eternal Life it selfe the worship shall be now in spirit and truth where the Dragon cannot come neither the beast Harlot false prophet nor antichrist nor none of his followers can come and here in the ministration shal be more glorious after the Apostacy then it was before the worship stood before in many outward visible things and representations and outward performances and ordinances I manifestly say the dragon beast whore and false prophets and Apostates took up these things and Nations and kindreds and Tongues and people who drunk of the whores cup all that were gone from their maker their husband they have been and are acting and performing imitating like Jannes and Jambres but since the daies of the Apostles they corrupted these things and hath made Idols of them and painted themselves with them and have got the sheeps cloathing therefore now will the Lord appear and manifest his power life and glory in away more invisible and pure than before and more divine celestial and glorious where never an hypocrite shal tread in the path so the restoration is a mystery that shall be after the Apostacy the glory is not to appear in externall things for there the mother of harlots hath hid her selfe long which hath made all Nations drunk but the cloathing of the Lambs wife and of the bride shall be another thing then the attire of the harlot for the spouse of the Lamb shall be arrayed in the same attire that the Lamb is cloathed withall and with the same vestment and the Tabernacle of God is to be with men and he shall dwell in them even the Lord that spirit and shall walke in them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and in them and sorrow shall be done away and teares wiped away and that done away which was the cause of sorrow Rev. 21. 3. and 4. and there shall be no more death nor crying nor any more pain for the former things are passed away to wit death which entred in by sin it shall be destroyed and the earth out of which the second beast arose and the sea out of which the first beast did arise upon which the whore sate and Hell and the lake which was prepared and raised up when man was degenerated from the Lord they shall be destroyed and he also which hath the power of death which is the Devil he shall be destroyed and his works the cause of scorne and then they shall see the Lord face to face even them that have but seen him darkly as in a glasse or as in a cloud they shall see his pure living countenance which giveth life and death and Hell shall be cast into the Lake of fire and whosoever is not found written in the Lambs book of life must be cast into the fire Then the new heaven and earth shall be seen and the heavenly City which shall come down from God out of heaven which no mortal eye shall behold neither shal be able to behold which hath twelve foundations and twelve gates and the glory of God shall be upon her and her light shall be as a stone most precious and as clear as cristall yea all things visible are too short and not to be compared to it for in it their need neither Sun nor Moon to shine in it for the glory of the Lord shall lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof and all who shall be partakers of this glorious Ministration shall walk in the light of the Lamb there shall be no night nor the least appearance of a cloud or darkness but transparent brightness and glory which shall be permanent durable and everlasting for the Lord God and the Lamb is the Temple of the City in which the Saints shall worship him that sits upon the throne for evermore and shall give unto him glory and honour and dominion and eternal praise for evermore who alone is worthy who lives for ever in eternal glory and everlasting light and brightness for cvermore And his face shall be seen in whom all figures representations shadows ends in and the pure river of water of life which is as clear as Christal which proceeds out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb and all who have kept the word of his patience shall drink thereof and be nourished up in immortality and life everlasting for ever And the tree of life that stands in the Paradice of God them that have overcome shall eat thereof and live for ever and the Nations Kindreds Tongues people and Regions who have heard believed and received the everlasting Gospel shall know his saving health and the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be seen and his servants shall serve him who is their Lord and King who lives for ever and they shall see
his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and the Lord God shall give them light and shall be unto them an everlasting light and they shall reign with him for ever and ever over the whore Beast false prophet Antichrists deceivers seducers the pit death hell the grave shall triumph in his strength over all the powers of darkness and sing praises to him that abides for ever these things are true and faithful and shall be fulfilled and the time is at hand blessed are they that waite and watch that they may discern the signs of the times and the coming of the bride-groom that they may enter into the chamber of rest and into the Palace of eternal life into the City of the great King to sit with him and eat with him and rejoyce with him in the glory Eternal which was before the world began shall be when it shall be no more the end hastens he is blessed that is come and coming to the end of it for that which is immutable and Eternally glorious shall appear the Lord hasten it saith my spirit Amen The day of the Lord and how it is seen THe Lord God of the whole earth who lives for ever even the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and Jacob whose Throne is established in righteousness for ever who rideth upon the heavens and shines forth in his eternal excellency from the firmament of his power he is manifesting himself in his power as in the dayes of old and revealing his righteousness as in the years past and pouring forth his spirit upon his sons and daughters according to his promise and they that believe comes to be made partakers of the blessing of the everlasting Hills even the Lord who appeared at Sinai unto Moses his servant in the bush who rose up from mount Seir and shined forth in his brightness from mount Paran and came with ten thousands of his Saints even he from whose right hand went a fiery Law so that the people could not behold his glory the same is he who hath now appeared in this the day of his power and is appearing whose glory shall dazle the eyes of the world whose brightness shall make dim all the worlds glory and stain its wisdom and shut it up in utter darkness that it shall not appear to have any existance or being and the shadow of death shall flie away and all the haughty and lofty Princes of this world shall be horribly afraid the beasts shall go into their dens when the day appears and the Lambs of the everlasting fold shall come forth and be fed in the fat valleys where the springs of life compasseth about all the banks and rejoyce in their shepherd and shall say The Lord is my shepherd which many at this time doth admire and say What hath the Lord wrought who have seen his wonders in the dayes of old and have seen his noble acts which the fathers have told of who are fallen asleep and are at rest in the Lord and now many is God bringing to see their witness to be true and to have the same fulfilled in themselves honour and praise unto him for ever who is the stay and strength of all his people for ever And the day of the Lord is broken and the light hath appeared that manifesteth all things which are reproveable and the day-star is risen in the hearts of many and they are come to see that fulfilled in their hearts which Peter exhorted them to wait for and to take heed unto the sure word of prophesie until the day appeared and did dawn in their hearts which day when it appears and to whom it appears discovereth all things and maketh all things manifest as it is declared by the Spirit of truth in the Scripture of truth and every mans work shall be tryed of what sort it is and of what nature it is and this day hath appeared to many praises to the Lord who have waited for it and now they see every thing in its ground and rise and every tree and fruit is seen according to its kind whether good or bad and every mans work is obvious to every one who are in the day and upon whom the morning of righteousness hath appeared and the Sun of righteousness hath shined upon whereby that is seen in every one by the light which is truly called day by the Lord who causeth it to spring from on high which is reproveable and condemnable and also whatever is justifiable and unreproveable is seen by the day of the Lord appearing in the heart The day of the Lord what it is and to whom it hath appeared discovered and how it is seen GOd is a spirit his day is spiritual and is seen with a spiritual eye its pure light pure brightness the pure shining forth of the Lord in his glorious excellency the pure shining forth of eternity life putting forth it self in its brightness holiness sheding it self abroad in its glory purity spreading it self in its immeasurable excellency and can only be seen as it is in it self by the children of the light that are born of it there is a natural day there is a spiritual day the natural day receives its brightness from the Sun the spiritual day receives it brightness from the Son of righteousness by whom it s brought forth without whom nothing was made or is made or brought forth but by him who is the fountain of life and as the natual day receives its clearness from the natural Sun and is discerned by the natural eye of a natural man and all things natural are seen and discovered by and in the natural day and are perspicuous and obvious to him that hath his natural sight even so from the Son of righteousness the Lord of glory light and purity the day of God receives its brightness and is issued out from him by the rayes of his brightnes and is discerned and seen only by the spitual eye of the spiritual man who is the image of the father brought forth in life and in his own nature and quality that is to say from God the Father of life by Christ Jesus the life of men the light of the world and this is the birth which is born from above wch is of the nature of the Father and the Son of the day he only comes to behold this day and discerns all things of the Fathers Kingdom by it and likewise discerns all the hidden things of dishonesty and the works of darknes which are brought forth by the Prince of darkness who is shut up in eternal and utter darkness which is his dwelling place for ever which is his residence and shall be the residence of all the workers of iniquity that bear his image for ever Ob. But some may be ready to say It is not yet appeared and all things are not yet made manifest and that day is not yet come neither hath appeared in this
thee evil and shewes thee good thou wilt see how it appears Even as the light shineth from the East unto the West so is the coming of the day of the Lord. And the eye which is spiritual sees it and the power and the glory of the Lord comes to be seen in the day which is pure and spiritual in the heart and the eye which is pure doth behold when it comes where it comes and how it comes and it 's hid from Vulterous eyes and from their eyes which are full of adultery and cannot cease from sin Now the day of the Lord cometh not where the carnal mind may imagine nor when Man will neither according to the carnal desire of the carnal heart neither according to the evil eye that looks out can see it but it is seen in Gods own light and by the measure of Gods holy spirit And the day of the Lord is a mystery the spirit of the Lord is the onely discoverer of it None knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God and the day of the Lord and his bright shining forth in the heart of man is one of the glorious things of God which onely the Spirit of God doth give the knowledge of to man and in man and not the letter nor the Scripture for the Jews had the letter and they had neither heard Gods voice at any time neither ever did see his shape neither did they see the day of the Lord nor the power neither in a word did see or perceive God or any of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom at all but dreamed imagined thought and conceived of things in their minds their foolish hearts being darkned for the further a man drawes from the Light his heart comes to be more dark and their understandings closed up and shut up that they cannot behold the Lord neither his glory which is revealed only by Gods holy spirit which spirit is near man though he sees it not What the spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the things of God THe spirit of the Lord is pure holy equal purity it selfe holinesse it selfe equity it selfe and is one with the Father and the Son The Father the word and the Spirit are one its Life its pure power pure strength purity it self which mixeth not neither joyneth to any thing but what is of its own nature it s an immeasurable pure substance its Life issued forth an active living power and is everlasting alters not changes not keeps its holinesse its purity for ever it is unsearchable unfathomable undeclarable words are all too short too narrow to declare its excellency and glory but onely as it makes it selfe out to them that believe and opens it self and sheds it self abroad in them that wait upon it it is revealed in its own purity manifest in its own power and received in its own Light felt in its own vertue the living Father of Life himselfe is manifested by it and appeares in his power majesty and excellency through it to man and to the sons of men to the righteous and unrighteous to godly and ungodly to the upright and to the deceitful to the children of darknesse and to the children of Light that which searcheth the heart of man and sees through all things and maketh manifest all things even the hidden things of God and the secret works of darknesse and reproveth for all evil all iniquity that is the pure act of the spirit which convinceth every man and as the creature comes to join to it it arises and shines forth more clearly and maketh it self known in its power and operation its power comes to be felt it checks and reproveth judgeth and condemneth all actions which is done and past and brings them to the creatures remembrance and as it is waited upon and hearkned unto it sheds its selfe abroad in its own pure brightnesse and bringeth all things to Light even all the deeds of darknesse and maketh manifest the intents of the mind and manifesteth all things reproveable Now as there is a waiting upon the pure appearance of it and the minde be still quiet and calm the creature comes to feel and sensibly to know his own condition and sees his minde is alive to other things and other lovers and not to God and so he sees himselfe dead to the things of Gods kingdome and in the losse and in the fall and in the transgression now this which shewes the vain motions and the vain thoughts and checketh them is an operation of the spirit and purity comes to be felt working in the heart and as it is loved obeyed it leadeth converteth the heart to the Lord and draweth towards it self out of unholinesse and from under the dark power and brings that under and so it arises in its strength as it is believed in and waited upon and judges and condemns for all evils for it is the discoverer of the mind of the Lord to the sons of men or the Father by it makes known his mind to and in the creature and doth discover the things that be eternal in their true property and nature which onely they that have the spirit and have received it and are brought out of the sensuality comes to discerne him who is invisible and the things that belongs to everlasting happinesse which is not seen by a natural eye neither received by the spirit of the world who never received the things of God neither the testimony of them who were in the Life Now all that comes to receive it that is to say the spirit of truth must wait in that which is pure unto which it joines it joines not to the corrupt man neither to the sensual heart neither to the vile affections neither to them whose eyes are full of adultery which cannot cease from sin neither to the seed of falsehood neither to the corruptible birth neither unto that which is born of the flesh nor unto the will of the creature yet notwithstanding though it join not to these yet it is near man even the natural man its manifestation or the shining forth of its brightnesse maketh all these things manifest before mentioned to be evil and thus far the spirit of God hath appeared to the world and all mankind to convince the world of sin yet still it remaines in its own purity and while the heart of any man is taken up with that and joined unto that which the light reproves that is to say the worker of iniquity that man hath not received the spirit neither is made possessor of it nor injoyes it but it stands off man and from man at a distance shewing the worker of iniquity and the works of darknesse and manifesting to the creature in its light and letting him see to whom he is joyned for so far as a man denies himselfe in acting or joyning to that which the manifestation of Gods spirit shining forth in its own
purity in him reproveth so he comes nearer and comes to join in some measure to the spirit of holines or the holy spirit and to receive it and to feel the power of God in some small measure though but weakly working in him to the purging out those things which the spirit lets him see is evil which hath been reproved in him and so in some measure feels in himself what to wait upon and where to wait and in what even in that which gives every one a feeling of their own condition within and opens their understandings How the spirit of truth worketh and operateth in them who are convinced and yet hath not obeyed it shewed THough God who is a spirit hath appeared by his manifestation unto all yet all have not received it he that hates the light hath not received it The eye-lids of the morning are unto him as the shadow of death that which manifesteth and bringeth to light all evil the evil doer likes it not heeds it not receives it not but still is without God in the world that lies in wickedness and without the spirit in death and dead in trespasses and sins a sepulchre in which the just lies slain in this state God is not remembred there is no remembrance in the grave nor no thanks in the pit yet night shines in darkness and a man unconverted yet convinced in that darkness and that which convinceth him is the light so light shines in darkness in man in the greatest darkness and this may convince all vain disputers who say every one is not inlightened neither that the spirit of God hath appeared to all good men have it bad men it s near them they that bring forth the fruits of darkness and bring forth the deeds of darkness they are lighted yea they that are in darkness and are darkness the light shines in them the Spirit of God shines there in darkness manifesteth their darkness here man is darkness the Ephesians were darkness in the unconverted estate yet had light shining in them Eph. 5. 8. the spirits manifestation they had but were not led by it once they were without God in the world but after were turned unto it â—it shewed them their darkness and it leading their minds they came to be made light in the Lord who is that spirit whose manifestation hath appeared to all so all are without excuse for he hath not left himself without witness and they that have not Gods witness to be theirs that is to say to possess it they have no faith nor assurance in God at all but that which should bring assurance of salvation unto them it assures their condemnation and also reveals sorrow Now as every one is turned to the measure of Gods holy spirit and keeps his mind into it he comes to feel and to see its reproof and so as the mind is kept still into it it arises in its purity and shines forth in the heart in more brightness still checking man for disobedience still judging and as it is listened unto it appears in strength and layes every mans heart open and lets him see how full of unrighteousness he is how full of imaginations he is how his heart is full of vain idle thoughts and how lust aboundeth in the heart this makes his trouble to increase and his sorrow to multiply and this is alwayes present none can run from it but it follows him and shall pursue every one to the pit who obey it not and kindle his torment and whatsoever the mind may run into to take pleasure for a moment and the heart be exercised in yet this measure of Gods Spirit is alwayes present to condemn it and judge a man for it so the strokes of the Almighty is still heavy upon his back being still in the disobedience of the spirit it never bears witness unto any man in that state but God through it still sounds the alarum of War and terror in his heart so that fear compasseth him about on every side and though for moment the cry may not be heard and through disobedience it may seem as dead as unto him yet if ever the mind be but still and a man sober and calm and ever mind what he is doing it appears again and though a man may take up something and perform something which is called religious and pray in words and read and talk of the Scriptures and may take up some carnal outward Ordinance and there content himself for a time yet still the witness of Gods holy Spirit for that shews him his hypocrisie and that he seeks a cover to shelter himself under that he may live in disobedience be at ease in the flesh but all in vain for there is no peace within but the measure of Gods Spirit still shewes him that he serves sin and follows his own will and in this will brings forth a worship and this is will-worship nay if a man practice all those things which others who were in the life performed and were accepted yet this will not satisfie God hath no pleasure in this no more then if one slew a man or blessed an Idol or kissed Baal all is abomination to the Lord and though a man may sin so far against the light of Christ in his own conscience that the light be to him as though there were no such thing yet all this well not do for the Lord will thunder from his holy plaâ—â—â—â—ough thou have stopped thy ear as to him and closed thy eyes yet he will cause his terror to strike into thy heart so that dread shall compass thee about as a wall and thou shalt be afraid for that which thou shalt see hear though the spirit strives long yet being still disobeyed the long-suffering of God comes to an end concerning him that hath been unfaithful and then his wrath is kindled as fire which shall burn to the lowest Hâ—ll into which all the rebellious and stif-necked shall be cast and have their portion for ever among all the children of darknesse therefore all who have been convinced long still are by Gods holy spirit of the way of truth and yet have not submitted to the leading of the spirit think on this for its the Lords truth which I declare to you or else eternal mysery will be your end And if thou still persist on after the imaginations of thine own heart and in thy rebellious will thou quencheth the spirit and the motions thereof though it be life in it self yet is as ded unto thee who art in the gainsaying resisting that through which Gods eternal power is manifest in them that believe thou wilt grow insensible past feeling and become as seared flesh and be senslesse as to the things of God and hardnesse of heart will come upon thee and thou wilt be as a stone that cannot be melted and woe will be unto such where the spirit of the Lord in them ceaseth
to strive with them having so long rebelled against and gain-sayd the pure drawings of it that so the Lord is grieved and wearied with their impenitency that he gives them up to their vile affections and to follow the imaginations of their own hearts who receiveth not the truth in the love of it but in the enmyty still remaines obstinate doing despite unto the spirit of grace his long-suffering comes to an end his fierce wrath comes to be kindled against such and that which would have led them out of the world in true pure and everlasting peace now becomes their tormentor and they banished from his presence and shut up in eternal misery where the fire is kindled by the breath of the the Lord that burns for ever the sentence of condemnation being past upon them because they had pleasure in unrighteousnesse and have sold themselves to do wickedly and crucifying the appearance of God in themselves which appearance though it live in the fountain of Life yet crucified by thee who art out of the Life yet lives still for ever in it self to be thy condemnation eternally How the spirit of the Father worketh in them who are turned to it and have taken heed unto its manifestation and are in some measure partakers of its power THere are differences of administrations But the same Lord and there are diversity of gifts but the same spirit and there are diversities of operations but the same God which worketh all in all Now the spirit of truth which is Life in it selfe putteth forth its own pure act not onely to convince and detect him that transgresseth its appearance and to manifest evil which hath been committed by man but also being turned unto and waited in it shews man when motions and temptations unto sin ariseth and as the creature is still and waiteth in that which manifesteth and singly keeps in his mind to it It sheds abroad its power and vanquisheth and subdueth those lusts which do arise and condemns the ground from whence they do arise and it purely draweth the mind after it and secretly worketh breatheth forth its pure life in him that waiteth in patience and in stilnesse not heeding the vayn thoughts and imaginations that riseth in his heart but rather heeds the manifestation of the spirit at whose bright appearance all the vain desires comes to be extinguished there comes to be a hunger begot within to be made partakers of its purity and of its nature For God through the operation of the eternal Spirit lets forth his power which turneth and changeth the heart and cuts a sunder and divides betwixt a man and those lovers that he hath joyned unto and makes a separation within and carries a man further from those things which the measure of the spirit reproves and this leads nearer to God And so they that do believe in the measure of Gods spirit comes to feel what repentance from dead works is and the works and the worker is seen and who it is that hath wrought is manifest in the Light and as there is a diligent waiting upon it there is nothing that passeth through the mind but it discerns and gives a discerning to every particular heart who singly and quietly waytes upon it But yet after the spirit of truth in some measure be felt and its living testymony in some thing yet it may be a long time before there be a clear distingushment in the understanding so that one cannot clearly discerne its moving from all other false motions and high Imaginations which are above And hence it is that the hasty and froward mindes followes their own motions which leads them into deceit and then the Questioner gets up and then they question all that ever the spirit hath made manifest unto them before a vail then is drawn over and the enemy lodges in the vail and in the darknesse which is entred then as soon as any hearkens within to that which is the uppermost and doth abound the enemy that lodgeth in that presents motions as to obey this and that and all is deceit So therefore all is to keep back that they may sensibly feel between the pure motions and the drawing of the spirit and the vaine thoughts that arise out of the earthly heart and when any thing doth arise which the Light doth not bear witnesse to it 's not to be followed nor heeded but a quiet still waiting that things may be cleared to the understanding and for want of this many have run out and have brought forth Satans work and acted things forwardly in their wils and so have clean lost the true sense of that which would guide their minds and have followed the spirit of error and have caused the pure spirit of the Lord to be evil spoken of But as there is a keeping back and a quiet waiting out of willing or running and haste it arises purely and stilly in the heart and shineth forth in brightnesse in the heart so that it giveth perfect evidence and full Testimony of it selfe that there will be no doubting nor questioning of its motion for it will apparently shew forth it selfe in its own transparent brightnesse with full assurance of its own will and then after it be clearly seen and its motion then keep under all reasoning and keep out all questioning and give not way to temptation and that which moves of the Lord of life will carry thee through in its own operation and power to accomplish the will of God and so thou wilt have peace being obedient and thy strength will be renewed for as any are brought to submit unto the will of God when it is known and comes to obey by vertue of its own power that which is contrary unto Gods spirit in thee comes to loose its strength and to decay and be weakned but as any disobeyes the pure motions of Gods holy Spirit after it be known the enemy is strengthened and that which is of the flesh nourished and the spirit comes to be quenched that which would give thee power if thou submitedst unto it But yet know this the spirit in it self never loses its purity neither can be quenched in its selfe but will bear its pure witnesse against thee and none shall be able to stop its reproof Thus the diversity of its operation comes to be known as it s hearkned unto obeyed loved and believed in it puts forth its pure power and gives strength and seals peace to the obedient but disobeyed and resisted it condemns judges reproves and seales condemnation to the disobedient and yet there is no variation in it selfe for it is alwayes one and the same But as it operateth upon different natures or objects unto which it joyns to or stands at adistance from that is to say the good ground it causeth to bring forth fruit unto God and the cursed ground out of which bryers Thornes do arise it kindles a fire in that shall not
vertue partaken of by all that do believe in it and receive it and are subjected to it they see feel Gods salvation revealed through it to their souls and knowes where their strength lyes not in selfe-acting but in the free gift of God the gift of righteousnesse the righteous gift by which justification cometh upon all that believe Whether all have received the grace of God or no declared and whether it be a sufficient teacher in it selfe to wit that grace that hath appeared to all if it be received demonstrated THis wise generation is below the wisdome of God whose wisdome have confounded peoples minds with distinctions as that there is a Two-fold grace First that which they call common which they say hath appeared to all men Scondly that which they call special and saving which hath onely appeared to the saints and by giving heed to these distinctions in times past many yeares ago I lost my selfe and my guid and went from the appearance of it in my selfe to hearken to a thing at a distance from me and heeded not that at home which was near because it was called common and insufficient so suffered great losse and therefore I am moved by him in whose sight I have found favour and mercy and grace to declare the truth as the Lord hath made it manifest unto me and in me that all who seek after the Lord may be informed and know where to wait upon the Lord for unto that grace that shewed me evil and temptations unto evil I was made to goe back unto after many yeares profession which they called common and insufficient before ever I found the Lord or felt his living power again For the first they ground upon the letter as they judge where it is said He causeth the Sun to shine and the raine to fall upon the just and the unjust And where it is said in him we live and move and have our being health and strength and an understanding in things natural and by which men comes to see grosse sins and evils but that which they call special is that which the Saints are saved by and are established in in righteousnesse and receive the remission of sins Now he who hath caused the Sun to shine the raine to fall and giveth health and strength nourishment to all things living that are visible in the outward visible creation and that discovereth grosse sins and open evils to man the same is he who is the life of the soul the same is he that sanctifies and purifies and saveth them that believe and its the same vertue and power that upholds the naturall man in his pure nature that upholds the spiritual man and by which he liveth unto God It 's the same grace I do not say the same measure for the same vertue and power by which all things that are visible and living were made alive and subsists in their station and covenant and bound where they are set and placed the same grace strength power and sufficiency upholdeth the heavenly bodies and moveth and acteth in a higher sphear or degree and preserveth all that believe and are quickned by him who is the power of God in heavenly places and the same power and vertue that discovereth the dark places and the hellish places and the horrible pit it 's the same power life strength and vertue that leadeth all that believe into the Land of the living into the holy place into the peaceable habitation into the holy mountain into the heavenly Tabernacle made without hands And in few words he that discovers open sins the same grace and the same purity discovereth hidden and secret sins though the measure of its purity shine in one more then another because them that are in the unbeliefe the darknesse over-shadowes and the mountains are high and the vail is thick and the clouds are many and the ayre dark so that it's resplendency and brightnesse is not seen because of the vail which shadowes it that it hath not much enterance but in them that believe and have received that grace and is joyned to it in which they believe it renteth the vail and maketh the shaddow to flie away and scatters the clouds and breatheth forth it self in purity and makes the air clearer so that its brightness shineth more purely forth to them and in them because the heart is more open to receive its vertues in yet the same purity and vertue remains still and the same grace keeps its purity and property in it self and its power and sufficiency is alwayes the same though it do not appear so to the creature So this I say and is my testimony of the grace of God which is the gift of God which hath appeared in some measure more or less unto all men and convinceth and shewes gross and open evils even the same grace by its vertue and power leadeth from the least or impurest thought and shews the secretest evils that lodgeth in the heart unbelief and also every temptation unto sin and this shall be witnessed to be the truth by the whole earth in the day of the Lords appearing and is now witnessed by all the children of Light who believe with whom I have fellowship in the pure living sufficient perfect grace of God which is Gods free gift which in some measure hath appeared to all whereby all are left without excuse And herein is the wonderful love of God made manifest to all man-kinde and all that turneth to his grace will see he hath long waited to be gracious in his grace which is near that all mankind might be partakers of his bounty love mercy favour and free gift by which justification cometh upon all that believe Therefore my bowels and heart is more open in this unto all because many have erred for lack of knowledge and have wandred aside because they have not found a true guide Therefore in dear love unto all upon the face of the Earth where this may come I write and let out my bosome into this thing that they may also be partakers with me of the free love of God and the free grace of God by which I am saved and know the wall which is salvation and the gates which are praise which the Saints are compassed about with and entered in at and for the sake of such who thirst after God and the knowledge him I write for their information and not to satisfie critical men nor them who are in the Philosophy and vain deceit who are swollen big in their fleshly understandings puffeth up in their earthly minds for by such I desire not any testimony neither acceptance But now to come to speak of that which many are doubting about that is to say the grace of God which bringeth salvation which hath appeared to all men whether this be a sufficient Leader and Teacher of it self if it be received but in order to the thing in hand let all take notice
that which shews a man the temptations when they arise that is the same now this they call common and that which preventeth a man and keeps him back that he lend not his heart nor puts forth his hand to commit evil but restrains a man from it is not that saving out of evil which stops the adversary in his way that he enter not but preserveth the creature out of defilement and saves him from it is not this saving is not this the same thing that the Apostle who was well acquainted with the grace of God and of it's operation wrote of to Titus That grace of God which brought salvation which had appeared and doth now appear to all men which taught self-denyal them to deny wordly lusts and also to live godlily or like unto God in this present world and now doth the same is not this sufficient to believe in and sufficient to save Now I doe not say but there is a greater measure let out unto them that are converted unto God then is to them that are convinced of their evil by the same grace yet still it is one and the self-same thing one gift yet a greater measure of one and the same pure vertue and power which is given to them that obeys the life which is already made manifest by its appearance unto all Ob. But some will be ready to say that this is error and that which is contrary to scripture and to Orthodox teachers that the grace which is saving is near all men and hath appeared to all men To that I answer Though grace be saving in it selfe even the grace that hath appeared to all men and may truly be called saving grace yet to them that believe not in it neither are taught by it it convinceth and shews evil and checks and judges for it yet there is no variation nor change in the gift of God but as it worketh upon different objects for faith and unbelief are two different things as light and darkness are different and so the word of his grace is the savour of life unto life that is to say unto them that believe and is the savour of death unto death unto them who are in the unbelief who indeed are dead while they live yet there is the same grace and the same word of grace yet here is different operations so the Lord killeth and maketh alive yet the same Lord The spirit convinceth of sin and reproveth for sin and also consolates and comforts Here is diversity of operations yet the same spirit which never alters Object But further some may say If that it be saving grace or at the least a degree and a measure of saving grace that hath appeared to all men then how is it that all are not saved by it Answ. Because I would all stumbling blocks were removed away that the path might be made plain that all might come to believe in that which is Gods gift in which there is power and sufficiency Therefore I am constrained by the grace of God to declare of it and to bear witness to it thus largely which I know will be to the edification of all that hunger after righteousness All are not saved by it because they believe not in it neither are taught by it yet its validity power and vertue is nevertheless in it self and though them that are careless and heedless say we feel no power nor sufficiency in it to save us from sin yet this makes not void their confidence who have received it knows its power which hath given them power and also sufficiency to do the will of God what though unbelievers who are in the alienation say there is no beauty in Christ neither form nor comliness this makes not his glory void who is the express Image of the Father full of grace and truth the Disciples saw it and bore record of him who were in the faith and the Pharisees said he had a Devil who were in the unbelief but in brief this is my testimony that the grace of God the perfect gift of God which shewes ungodlinesse and leads from ungodlynesse all that are taught by it is a sufficient teacher of it selfe I mean as the power of Christ through it is made manifest unto all them that hearken to it Paul â— Minister of the word of reconciliation who was wrapt up into the third heaven where he saw things unutterable came to be temptâ—â—d and buffeâ—ted with the messenger of Sâ—tan and feare and doubting rose up in him he prayed unto God thrice and this answer was given unto him my grace is sufficient for thee so this is evident to all understandings who are opened by the Lord that which shewed him the temptations and Satans messengers and Satans buffetings was sufficient to preserve him and so is it for all who singly are kept to it and in it sufficient to shew ungodlinesse because of its purity and to lead from worldly lusts by its power and to teach the will of God and to live like unto God in this present world and this testimony I beare of it and to it even what I have felt and tasted and handled of its sufficiency and vertue and power of its operation for the confirmation of the same truth which is believed by many brethren and also for the information of them that thirst after the Lord for the opposition of all the gainsayers and opposers of it which testimony I commend to that of God in every man which will witnesse me herein in the day of God when all hearts are opened and all falshoods truth is made manifest in the mean time shall rest in that which I have declared of in which there is pure and perfect peace A word to you wise men of this world who are glorying in the sound of words and worshipping outward appearances to all wise and litter all professors who think you are worshipping God aright who think to search in to the deep things of God by your natural wisdom learning and parts and study GOd hath broken open the seals of the great deep where the wonderful unutterable things of God is revealed from whence eternal wisdom is flowing forth to his little ones whom he hath sanctified from the womb and his power and glory is he shedding abroad and making it to flow forth as though it issued out of a womb by which power and wisdom you are all weighed even by one who is swaddled about with righteousness and girded up with the girdle of truth you are all measured as with a span and are all weighed as with a scale all your parts tongues languaguages interpretations significations wisdom that is come to be enjoyed by them who have believed in the true Light that lighteth every man which rounds you all as a heap and measures you all as with a line your breadth length height and depth your parts Tongues Languages interpretations is but all natural words are but empty
hath transgressed the life and hath disobeyed the light in your consciences is head in you and above the pure that will not recommend you unto God neither can you have any access or acceptation with God in that state till you come out of the waters upon which the Whore sits which is unstable and boisterous and reels too and fro and unsetled which is all to be dried up and all the springs cut off that nourishes and you must come to the Rock before you know any thing that will endure to build upon which rock is Christ who abides for ever but you are all gone from that which should give the knowledge of him in your selves and doth not retain him in your knowledg neither that which gives the knowledge of him the light of his Spirit which shines in your hearts making manifest in your hearts the intention of your hearts when motions unto evil do arise This must you all come to before Gods salvation or redemption you come to know in your selves or have the witness of Gods holy Spirit without which there is neither seal nor evidence nor assurance enjoyed or felt of the love of God The time of restoring is come and many are restored again into Gods Covenant and are delivered out of the jaws of death and feels him who is the healer of the Nations and the restorer of the desolate places to dwell in but first you must come to see those places made desolate wherein the wilde nature lodges before you come to have a share in the restoration Come off these barren mountains where you are feeding to Christ the life of men who hath lightned you and wait in it that you may feel his mind in your selves and the signification of the Spirit of truth from your own spirits or else you will still erre for lack of knowledge and perish for want of understanding and so lay down your heads in sorrow The Kingdom of God and of his Christ declared in some measure as it is revealed what it is and where it is to to be waited for and how it cometh to be revealed to them and in them that believe that all who are waiting for it may know wherein it consists and so receive the end of their hope and the end of their expectation and know the Dominion which hath no end THe Lord hath prepared his throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all his dominion is an everlasting dominion and without end God is a Spirit his Kingdom is spiritual his habitation is suitable to his own nature he is immortal his Kingdom is so he is light his dwelling place is so a pure scituation in which there is no uncleanness nor ever shall be It 's eternal dignity it is an immutable being that remaineth always in it's purity and pleasantness Eternally glorious it consists in power in righteousness in purity in joy in hope in peace in life in vertue eternal in quietness it s a quiet habitation it is incomprehensible unsearchable and indeclareable words are too short they are but as sounds as vails It is unexpressible in it is the treasure-house of wisdom out of which all that believe in him who is the King of eternal and immortal glory comes to receive of his wisdom of his life of his power vertue righteousness and comes to enjoy him who is the fulness that filleth all things whether visible or invisible whether terrestrial or coelestial his power is over all his dominion is over all who is eternally blessedness it self and felicity it self who makes all that believe in him to partake of his kingdom of his grace of his power of his dignity of his dominion and of his glory coelestial but these things are hid from the world who are not redeemed from the earth neither never looks to be while they are in the body Unto such I say Gods kingdom you shall never see nor enjoy while you are in that faith which is reprobate but may be truly called unbelief although you imagine a glory and a kingdom in your earthly minds and dream of a thing to come suitable unto that wherein your glory now standeth but that will all fail and those imaginations will be confounded and dissolved into nothing because they are centred in that which is out of the truth Christ and so are without ground or bottom and are out of that which should give you the sight and knowledge of God in your selves and his kingdom Christ when he taught them that followed him exhorted them that first of all they might seek the kingdome of God even while they were in the body Mat. 6. 36. The Pharisees were gazing abroad in their earthly knowledge although they had the Scripture that declared of Gods kingdome yet they knew it not and this generation is the same who are in the same nature and in the same wisdome which is earthly and litteral and they are imagining as the Jewes were and are loe here and loe there in this observation and the other and look to see it there Nay Christ said The Kingdome of God is within you to the Pharisees He bad them and others seek it first what strange doctrine was this might the Pharisees say he saith the kingdome of God is within us and yet bids us seek it Need we seek that which is in us may professors say Yea it 's like a pearl hid in the field it s like a grain of mustard-seed among many great seeds which is not easily found it 's like a piece of silver lost in the house among much rubbish till that be swept away thou wilt not find it thou must dig deep sweep clean search narrowly before thou find it although he did say to the Pharisees The kingdom of God is within you he did not say they were possessors of it or that it was theirs but to the Disciples whom he taught to pray in faith thy kingdome come and they came to find it that which they prayed for that pearl that groat that grain of mustard-seed which it was like and having found it and believed in it he saith unto them Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God And in Luke 6. 20. And he lift up his eyes on his disciples and said blessed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God They had seen it and were possessors of it it was theirs And Christ said unto his disciples There are some of you standing here that shal not taste of death till ye see the kingdom of God come in power And his words were fulfilled they declared what they had felt and seen and some of them said The Kingdome of God is not in word but in power And Paul to the Romans writes Rom. 4. 17. who was also made partakers of the same power and the same kingdome he spoke his knowledge of it and sayd It 's not meat nor drink but righteousnesse and peace and joy
I refer the Reader to intituled the principles of the Priests of Scotland their Reformation and discipline is nearly related to the Spanish Inqnisition for their Doctrine they say grace is not free and faith is not without sin and the Letter is the word of God and that they are cursed that say there is a light within which will lead up to God and as one said although it meant Christ and if any will not submit to their words and conform to their practice and traditions then they call a counsel together as their forefathers at Trent and pronounces him a heretick and within this few years banished them or else took their whole substance outward from them and if any out of conscience could not submit unto their invented tradition then if he ever came to have any converse with them again be must have a penance before he could get an indulgence from them like the Pope and furthermore if any deny them because they are out of the doctrine of Christ and are contrary to the Scripture then as I said they excommunicate them and charges all people neither to buy nor sell nor eat nor drink with them nor work for them and so the beasts power is exercised compelling to come to their Mass-houses and as for the denying the Bishops then you have denyed your fathers that begat you and ordained you then you have no Ordination but may be you have cryâ—d so for setling your Gospel you have got a Commitee to ordain you or one company to lay hands on another but when receive ye the holy Ghost Oh that is an error in your Church but are you not got into the old Cathedrals so called and into the Steeple-houses and the old Masse-houses and where you had may be 20 pounds or fourty in the year now you have gotten a hundred it may be two here 's reformation indeed well we must needs remember you of your race and stock the apostates since the Apostle dayes and the former practices which is found among the old Protestants and Papists is among you and you are still drunk with the whores cup and are crying for Cains weapons to guard you well I say you art part of the dragons tail that draws to the earth and to the pit which will be the end of all idolaters and Apostates except they come to repent And as for the Independants Churches so called you are a branch of the same root you have declared against the Bishops and court Prelates and said they were in error and many of you declared against them for pluralists because they had too great benefits and declared against Tythes as to be Antichristian and whoso received Tithes denyed Christ come in the flesh who are wheeled about and now takes them your selves and creeps into the old Mass-houses and hath taken that up which you condemned in others and so have made your former testimony void and all sober people sees your hypocrisie and deceit who have gathered a company together which you call select people or members of your Church and you exclude the rest who have as good right to your Ordinance as you for they professe Christ in words as you do And yet you will receive their means whom you judge not capable of your Ordinance and your Church will no more maintain you then it would maintain them that you have denied in words if you had not the beasts power to compel your vineyard would starve you your Gospel and your Preaching is one with the former and the people is the same in nature they were before you have got Bishops Lands agmentations and Stypends more large then your forefathers had for the most part and sue men at the Law and hales them before Judgement seats and takes away their goods whom you look upon to be in error yet this stands as good with you as any Article of your faith to force to compell to sue to hale into prison to take away their goods and get a Scripture for your cover and say he that Preacheth the Gospel must live of the Gospel and them that neither hear you nor receives you neither believes your Gospel yet you conclude its lawful to take their goods and if you cannot get them hale the party into prison are not you drinking still the whores cup and do not you follow the Beast and do not you own that Law to be just that compels people to pay mony to you who denyes your Ministry and are none of your sheep and are not your Ordinances and worship imitated things from the Scripture the Saints words and yet out of their life and practice are not you in the Apostacy have you not your profession and confession of faith to make year after year as the Magistrate changes doth not this evidence that you are unstable and are yet in the waters upon which the whore sits and scituated in Babylon the Mother of Harlots who yet makes you drunk and that makes all the filth and vomit appear in the earth that stains the earth and your idols corrupts the earth and all seperates under what name soever who have not denyed the ground of apostacy but are in the apostacy for all sects since the apostles days have taken up some part and left another since the life hath been lost and the power lost all hath been in idolatry and the Protestants who have denied the Papists yet they have not denyed them in the ground of their worship but hath retained some part and hath kept some part of their worship and all Sects sprung out of the Protestants in them all there is some part remaining for they have not denyed the ground of the worship set up in the apostacy the whores cup iâ— drunk of and the Dragon hath power which sought to destroy the man-childe and made war with the remnant of the seed of the woman who was clothed with the Sun you all stick yet in Babylon and the best of you all are but yet in the suburbs thereof For since the Apostles dayes their foundation hath been either traditions Imitations inventions of their own or borrowed things from the Jewes in the first covenant or at the best the letter hath been the ground of their faith and their foundation which they have twined and translated this way and that according to the wit and reason of every particular sect and opinion and according to the understanding of their private spirits now all these buildings and towers that men have builded up in the Apostacy they would fasten upon the writings of the holy men of God and so hath raised an imagination of their own and so would have the scripture prove what they say and the writings of the Apostles they all cal the Gospel the word of faith the light of the Gospel the foundation the tryer of spirits the touchstone and say its the foundation of their faith and Religion and so are all in the