again in a full free true satisfactory endless life Therefore it remaines that this Saviour or the way of this Salvation be plainly made known described or charactered to the understanding of the simple that the hungerers and thirsters after righteousness who are weary and heavy laden may come unto him and be refreshed which by the help of Gods good Spirit of grace by which it is put in my heart and brought to my remembrance I shall endeavour to do to that end and that God may be glorified being rightly known and worshipped in which I have my reward from him and in him who worketh in me both to will and to do according to his good pleasure Now this may seem to the wisdome in some needless to treat of or speak of those things by way of information direction or doctrine which have been so common and frequently declared and published in these days in which most are ready to say in these Countrys we are Christians and beleeve all these already and these things have been daily taught in our streets or the like and these are no new things to our ears but that which we have heard of old or from the beginning c. Now mark my words and give good heed unto that which followeth for they shall stand fast answering the witness of God in all as a nail in a sure place and they shall speak as the oracle of God 1. Concerning the Knowledg of God His worship and of the first day and the seventh or Sabbath day c FIrst as to the matter in hand at which I at present aim is to speak somwhat to your understandings concerning what God is and where he is and what his worship is and where and how he is to be worshipped and by whom he is onely truly and acceptably worshipped for this was the occasion of what follows or rather the Spirit of God in my heart took occasion to give forth these things unto publick view by hearing a dispute or controversie between two teachers amongst the people called Baptists neer Amersham in Buckinghamshire whose names according to information by enquiry was Thomas Tillham Joseph Ciech concerning the day or time in which God was to be worshipped one seeming to hold for the first day of the week and Tillham for the seventh day at which time I being there by chance had spoken something among them of these things if I had not been prevented by being thrown down by some of the ruder sort amongst them which was through the occasion of that Tho. Tillham who said he would not stay in the house if I was suffered to speak amongst them and also said that my words came from the Spirit of the Devil when I began to speak in the Spirit of God So they could do no less in obedience to the intent of his words but to pull me down or hall me out of the house for he was much in fury the mark of Cain I beheld in his face but I have the vvitness in my self that the bovvels of Gods love in me vvas even yearning tovvards the simple hearted amongst them vvhom I savv vvere led in ignorance darkness and blindness by their blind leaders vvhich causeth them to erre more more from the vvay of the Lord by darkning his secret counsel in them vvith their many words without knowledge and for their sakes did the Lord begin to open my mouth in his fear power and vvisdom to speak concerning the things that belong to their everlasting peace of vvhich novv the Lord have given me an opportunity to write that he may for ever be clear of all their blood and be justified by them and this they shall acknowledge vvas his love and mercies unto their souls in the the day of visitation which is at hand hand vvhether they hear or forbear The Character of true worship and of false worship and worshippers AND now take notice of this one thing follovving by the way consider it and the effects of it which hath been very frequently amongst the Sons of men in the cloudy dark day of Apostacy from Christ and the Apostles life which is of worshipping a God they know not or without the true knowledge of him whom they worship c. For in this state and spirit hath lodged the very root and ground of all errors discord strife and confusion persecution and cruelty about Religion and worship where they have killed and destroyed one another about it In this state were the Athenians and the Shrine makers of Diana who persecuted the true worshippers who knew the God whom they worshipped and declared him unto them who arose up against them Therefore beware of their Altar and inscription To the unknown God whom they did ignorantly worship as many do now who are in enmity against the true worshippers who can say to the praise of God as our elder brother did we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews and he is a Jew that is one inwardly So the character of a true worshipper is to know God first then to worship him in the spirit of truth which only gives that knovvledge And the character of a false vvorshipper is contrary vvorshipping first not knovving vvhat nor vvhom they vvorship vvhich is not accepted nor novv never can be seeing the hour is come that they onely are the true and acceptable vvorshippers vvho vvorship the Father in the spirit in the truth for such onely he seeketh to worship him John 4 21 22 23 2â— To knovv the true and liveing God is the great and needufl thing vvithout vvhich all vvorship sacrifice and religion is vain though a man or people had all the words of Scriptures from the beginning to the end were in the highest profession of Christianity in the world yet if he do not truly know God he is but in darkness even until now and he that saith he knowes God or loves God and yet hates his brother is a lyer Therefore to be contented to worship an unknown God or to worship they know not what is very blind ignorant false erronious but if thou come first to know God then thou art in the right way of a true worshipper as may be mentioned more hereafter and seeing the right way to vvorship God or to be a true vvorshipper is first to know him vvhom they vvorship therefore it is necessary to speak next vvhat God is as I said before and then vvhere he is and hovv he may be knovvn and then vvhat and vvherein his onely vvorship is and vvho are the onely true acceptable vvorshippers seeing there are many false and vain vvorships and vvorshippers that knovv not God nor his day in vvhich he is onely vvorshipped 2. Concerning God what he is and where he is c. GOD is Light this is our message vvhich vvas from the beginning and in him is no darkness at all this is his name he that can
begun in the Spirit and would you now be made perfect by the lesh and the Spirit is within and the flesh is without Mark They began in the Spirit and afterward run in observations of days and months and times and parties who were saying J am of Paul and J am of Apollo c are ye not now carnall and walk as men J am afraid of you saith he lest J have bestowed upon you labour in vain yet he travels again in birth with some of them that Christ may be formed in them who is the end of the outward days months and years the wisdom and power of God whose years never fails but is the same yesterday to day and for ever the beginning and the ending of the Works of God which is but one whom the heart in which this world is and the love of it knows not though be came into it and is come into it and the World was made by him and for him and he is before all things blessed is the man that doth witness this in his own particular for such only have the comfort of the Scriptures which declares of these things Therefore come to the Spirit of God which reproves the vvorld for sin and walk in the Spirit that it may lead you into all truth and shevv you things to come in vvhich is no occasion of stumbling or disputing about dayes or times meats or drinks or the like but you vvill see plainly of the Father and it vvill take of Christ vvhat he did and suffered and shevv it unto you that you shall not need to say Whatis this meaning and vvhat means the other Scripture and the like but you vvill being faithful be made partakers of his sufferings vvithin and vvithout and knovv his death vvhen you are made conformable unto it bearing in your body his dyings that his life may be manifest in your mortal flesh c. This the Apostles and Saints did and do vvitness vvho began in the Spirit and vvalks in the Spirit and vvorships God in the Spirit and in the truth vvho have no confidence in the flesh but are Jewes invvardly vvhose circumcision is not outvvardly of the flesh but invvard of the heart and of the spirit vvhich the other vvas but a type of or a shaddovv as vvas also the Seventh or Sabbath day of the rest prepared for the seed and heritage of God So if you would rightly know and observe the day in which God is only acceptably worshipped you come to the Light which is the first day and in which God dwels for ever and is the last as it is written In thy Light shall we see Light for with thee is the Fountain of Life and the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Now what canst thou desire more O man then the Fountain of Life and to know the secrets and everlasting covenant of his mercies and loving kindness in which is the treasures of wisdom and knowledg which are made manifest unto them who waits at that wisdoms gate which was before the hills was whose voice cryed in the streets to the simple saying turn in hither eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled forsake the foolish and live Therefore take my advice in Gods Counsel and come now to the fear of the Lord and wait in his Light which makes all things manifest for that is the beginning of wisdoms path which leads unto the perfect day in which the most holy unchangable everlasting God is worshipped and out of this there is no true knowledge of him or his worship or any acceptance with him or any assurance stability or satisfaction which will endure for ever and this is the word of the Lord unto you all For the hour is come that the true worshippers who know what and whom they worship do worship God in the Spirit and in the truth these are the true worshippers who worship the Father this is the childrens worship that honours their Father and their Mother whose days are long in the Land of the living even the everlasting day which sprang from on High So all the worship and sacrifice without the guidance of God's good Spirit of truth is false and they that run strive and act without it are false worshippers let them profess in words and show what they will for the Spirit is the guide of its children the true vvorshippers into all truth in vvhich they vvorship their father vvho seeketh such to vvorship him And all such as are not guided by it do run before it and talk of the things of God in their dark understanding sensuality out of God's covenant of Light and doubt of his fear in the contentions and debates strivings disputings and vain janglings about them and those things that shall for-ever in that state be hid from their eyes So that all people upon earth in all their professions of religion vvithout the leadings of God's Spirit are at best but vvill-vvorshippers like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord and the Lord is that Spirit the beginning of vvhose kingdome is Babel confusion read your state vvith God's vvitness the Light in all your consciences vvhich vvill ansvver the truth and do not dissemble not strive to make coverings vvhich vvill be too narrovv For it is even so The very beginning of that Kingdom worship or building where the Spirit of God is not the guide and leader is Babel and there the mighty hunter who is a mighty one in the earthly comprehension goes before the Lord that Spirit which should guide and go before them But the day is at hand that Nimrod and his Kingdom both City and Tower which was built in the high imaginations must fall and all the untempered morter-daubers shall fall with it and the wall shall be no more at all nor them that daub it the Life of God hath spoken it which is come down to confound the Language of all the Earth and to restrain them from what they have imagined to do Therefore hear all ye people in whose hearts are any honest desires or true breathings after the true and living God and the Knowledge of his wayes and worship come ye all to the Light of Christ Jesus with which you are Lighted in which as you abide you will come to know the one pure Language in which the Righteous Pure God of Truth is onely worshipped with one consent which was before Babel the many Languages and before the hunters confusion and contentions about these things was in which you will come to feel the path of Peace and way of Holiness in which a fool shall not erre where your Immortal Souls may be satisfied as with marrovv and fatness in Gods House vvhere the Bread is sure and the Water fails not vvho makes Rivers in the desert and the dry Land springs of vvater and makes the Wilderness a fruitful field and the barren
Womb to bring forth many Children vvhich are as Oliv-branches round about his Table Glory unto him that Liveth and Raigneth for Evermore in the Highest Amen Therefore come out of Babylon come out of Babylon confusion saith the Lord come avvay and stay not but come into Zion the Holy Hill and declare in it the Vengeance of the Lord against her For the Arrovves are ready and the Bovv is bent by the arms of the Almighty that shall sink Babylon therefore haste run and deliver every man his soul out of her for God hath set her on fire at both ends he that can read let him and thou shalt be burnt O City of confusion the smoke of whose torment begins to ascend up which shal ascend for ever and ever for strong art thou O Lord God Almighty who wilt judge and avenge thy own cause and of thy righteous seed and the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus upon her and thou hast said the time is at hand that she shal sink like a Milstone in the depth of the Sea and rise no more at all therefore unto thee be the glory and praises songs and halelujahs in the highest for evermore for thou art worthy Postscript ABel worshipped God in the Spirit and in the Truth but Cain was a false worshipper and knew not God who arose up against Abel his brother and killed him about Worship Enoch walkt with God and was translated he worshipped God in the Spirit and in the truth and God took him and he had a witness in him that he pleased God Abraham obeyed God who rejoiced to see Christ's day the Light and was led out of his own Country thereby he was a true Worshipper of God in the Spirit and in the Truth These and many more obeyed God and vvorshipped God and knevv God and his day in vvhich he is vvorshipped before the Bible vvas vvritten vvhich declares of these things Esau the first Birth the cunning Hunter abroad lost the Birth-right and Blessing he was a profane person but Jacob the plain man the second birth which carried at home was blessed And saith the Scripture Blessed is the man whose mind is staied on thee thou wilt keep him in perfect peace But the foolish woman her feet abides not in her house but pulls it down with her own hands being without loud stubborn and clamorous These things were written for your learning and may be read near they are an Allegory but let him that readeth understand for the time hastens in which they shal clearly be understood to the ends of the earth The Second Part c. Concerning Christ Jesus and his Names c. AS concerning Christ Jesus what he is and what he was and where he is none knows or can rightly or truly know but such as have received the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth and shews the things that are and are to come which reproves the world for sin for righteousness and for judgment which is the Comforter of all them who forsake their sins their own righteousness and all false judgment and puts on his righteousness and righteous judgment which exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees who in all ages did and do shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men not entring themselves nor suffer but persecute them that would And the Kingdom of Heaven is within c. 1. Christ is a Name given to some thing which was before that Name was and Jesus is a Name given to the same thing and Emanuel and many other Names are given to the one self-same thing according to the discoveries operations and manifestations unto them and in them in several seasons who declared of him according as they witnessed and knew his appearances and effectuall workings in their inward parts even the holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit which Spirit revealed the Mysteries of Godliness unto them according to his will and their several measures and abilities of his gift 2. This Christ of whom they speak was in the world before the Law and in the time of the Law was that mystery hid under all the vails and types figures and shadows carnal ordinances and ceremonies in which time he was as a seed or that good part or substance of truth and righteousness hid in the consciences of the Children of Israel which answered the outward Law written in tables of stone This Moses saw in his day who received the Laws ordinances statutes judgements and ceremonies which were to keep them in a sence and in a fear towards God against whom they had transgressed and to keep them near the feeling of his tender seed and witness in them that they might not be wholly hardened against his appearance when the time came that he should be manifest to Israell which was the end substance of all these outward things Which once being rightly known and obeyed in the inward parts keeps the heart and conscience tender and upright pure and undefiled in God's sight and fear without the precepts of men shadows or ceremonies for I have seen that wisdom of God that gives the interpretation of things and to understand the dark sayings of old and what was hid in all those Ceremonies in the time of Moses's Laws and he that makes known the Parable I am sure is the end and substance of them all in whose Light let me speak of two or three which in simplicity hath been hid from the wisdom of man who cannot answer them but as that understanding is brought to nought but let that answer in which they are given forth and you shal understand them with satisfaction and my questions are these 1. Why did the Lord command that when any one found a birds nest that the Dam was not to be taken with the Young 2. And thou shalt not seeth a Kid in his mothers milk 3. Nor fow thy field with diverse sorts of seeds 4. Nor wear a garment of linnen and wollen together 5. And thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn c. Now if thou canst see with that eye which Paul saw who was a fool for Christ when he said Doth God take care for Oxen or Speaks he not this for our sakes For our sakes no doubt c. Then thou wilt answer Doth God take care for birds nests or the sowing of fields or garments of linnen and wollen or Kids or their mothers milk or was there not something in all this for our sakes Well but however these things served to keep them in a sence of the unknown seed which suffered because of the hardness of heart and corrupt will of man which had lost the knowledge and guidance of God's good Spirit and these things served for a time even till the fulness of time came in which the seed came to be manifest which was Christ who had been hid from ages and generations and till the same spirit that