if Sons then Heirs and Joynt-heirs with Christ now Heirs doth inherit but no unclean thing doth inherit therefore Sons and Heirs must needs be sanctified throughout and must needs be born again of the Holy clean Seed that inherits and the Apostle said Ye are the Off-spring of God and the Off-spring of God must needs be Holy for as the Root is so are the Branches and as the Tree is so is the Fruit. But I shall return to my former Subject again viz. the Second Covenant the Light or Law written in the Heart which we have received and therefore are not looking up to the Mount that might not be touched and that burned with Fire nor at Blackness and Darkness and Tempests nor at Figurative and Shadowy things Hebr. 10.1 and 12.18 22. c. but we are come to Mount-Sion the City of the Living God to the New and Heavenly Jerusalem c. and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the unchangeable Priesthood that endureth for ever for the Law maketh Men High-Priests that have infirmities that continueth not by reason of Death but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son High-Priest who is Consecrated for ever and therefore he is the surety of a better Testament and such a High-Priest becomes us and such a one have we need of who is holy harmless undefiled separate from Sinners Yea this was his Work I say still and the end of his coming to separate and savâ— his People from their sins and this is Christ Jesus an High-Priest of our Profession a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck who is worthy of more Glory then Moses inasmuch as he that buildeth the House is worthy of more Glory then the House now Christ is a Son over his own House which House are we if we hold fast our confidence and hope to the end wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them but this they still doubt of and cannot believe who are yet wading in the frothy unstable Waters and stumbling in the dark being tossed with every windy vanishing Doctrine and is not come to the breakings of the Day to the Light the Son I mean for its the Sun and Light that makes Day and makes all things manifest Ephes 5.13 John 12.36 I say they cannot believe that Doctrine that any should be saved to the uttermost and no marvel for they are Strangers to the Covenant of Promise the Light and to the vertues and effects of the Light which until I received and obeyed I was as doubtful as they and did object against it as incredible but I was of them the Apostle foresaw that spoke evil of things they knew not for I had not then known nor tryed the Light though it was in me yet I loved darkness rather even so do they now who spakes against Light and the sufficiency of it they speak evil of that they know not c. in that thing they corrupt themselves But to proceed I say Christ Jesus is come the New and Living Way who is King Priest and Prophet so the Covenant is changed the Priest-hood is changed so there must of necessity be a change of the Law also and then Tythes and Oblations must needs cease Hebr. 7.12 For verily they that were of the Sons of Levi who received the Office of the Priesthood had a Commandment to take Tythes of the People but it is evident that after the similitude of Melchisedeck there ariseth another Priesthood who is made not by the Law of a carnal Commandment as the Sons of Levi and Aaron was nor Consecrated by a carnal nominal Bishop as Priests are now but he was made and ordained by the Power of an endless Life and this is no other then the Son of God who is Consecrated for evermore and saith the Apostle with this assertion There is verily a disanulling of the Commandment going before because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof mark here is a disanulling of the Commandment what Commandment The Law of the carnal Commandment by which the Priests the offspring of Levi received their Office and the Commandment by which they took Tythes of the People read Hebr. 7. throughout so the Priesthood being no more of Levi nor the Sons of Aaron then there is no more Law nor no more Tythes after the First Covenant for the New Covenant is established the New and Living Way is made known and the unchangeable Priesthood being brought in the First Covenant and Priesthood must needs give place the Law must needs be abrogated and the Commandment disanulled and the first Tabernacle and Sanctuary must needs be turned out and then all the Rites and Ceremonies and all the Appurtenances and Ordinances of that Priesthood Tabernacle and Sanctuary must needs be turned out also then no more room for Tythes being an Appurtenance or Ordinance of that Covenant when Christ the Spiritual Eternal and Unchangeable High Priest is come and we say he is a greater and more perfect Tabernacle for the First that stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal Ordinances was but imposed untill the time of Reformation being Figures for the time then present mark and but shadows of good things to come Hebr 9.10 and 10.1 and 8.5 Now when doth the time of Reformation enter that you may shake off the first Priesthood Tabernacle and Ordinances Is it not now high time for People to amend repent and reform Is it not time for Men to work out their Salvation Is it not time to make their calling and election sure Is it not time to turn from Darkness to Light and from Satans power to God Is it not time to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteosness thereof If so then is not the time of Reformation come Is not the Spiritual appearance of the Son of God come Is not the Comforter that leads into all Truth come Is not the sound of the Everlasting Gospel come Is not the time in which the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth come Is not the Light that was given for Salvation to the ends of the Earth come Is not the Light that gives the knowledge of the Glory of God come Is not he that convinces the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment come Is not he that is the Way Truth and Life come Is not he that saves his People from their Sins come And is it not now a time of Reformation Is it not now time to die unto Sin and awake unto Righteousness Is it not time to put on the New Man which renews into the Image of God and brings into Righteousness and Holiness else in vain hath the many and large Professions of England been and to what purpose hath it carried the name so long of a holy and reformed Nation if the time of Reformation
Countenance said O is it so that I who have written so much can scarce now write my Name well it must be so and the Will of the Lord be done I am content and thus was his precious time spent in giving and resigning himself up unto the Will of the Lord saying come Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And so about the sixth hour at Night as he was in a slumber fell into a Fit or Trance Jonathan Nicholson his Brother in Law being with him in Bed heard him say as he fell into a fit Farewell Farewel Farewell three times as if he had been waiting for the time of his change but in about half an hour he again revived and came to his perfect senses as before Three of his Children being brought to him he called to them by their Names saying dear Babes I am glad to see you expressing it with much joy and gladness advising them to live in the fear of God and to be good Children and to keep amongst Friends and said I have not much Gold and Silver to leave you but I hope the blessing of the Lord will attend you and so Kissing and Embracing them he took leave of them his dear Wife coming to him weeping he said to her Weep not thy care and tenderness hath been much over me and often seemed to lament and pitty his dear Wife that had been a true Help-meet unto him from the time of their first coming together unto that day in his Exercises and Weakness which were not a few And so after he had taken his leave of those about him he fell into another fit and in less then half an hour was taken away with little or no pain being the 18th Day of the aforesaid ninth Month 1684. This is to be noted that he often in his Life time when in great pain and affliction by reason of the Distemper of his Body did desire the Lord to mitigate his pain upon his Death-bed and not take him away in those Tortering fits which the Lord in great Mercy did Answer for he did say that he was not Sick and felt little pain but a great weakness and decay of outward strength yet still was well Preserved in a sweet Frame of Spirit to the great Satisfaction and Comfort of those that were with him at his last End Thus they are blessed that Die in the Lord from henceforth they rest from their Labours and their Works follow them where the voice of the oppressor is no more heard the Wicked cease from Troubling and the weary are at Rest George Rooke The TESTIMONY OF ANTHONY SHARP DEar Thomas Carleton was a True and Sound Meek and Faithful Friend that Loved the Blessed Truth and Faithful Brethren and was so much in the self denial and a Lover of the Brethren that he Preferr'd them before himself And having the marks of a True Desciple was a good Example and left a good Savour behind him and I am satisfied he is at Rest Anthony Sharp The Captives COMPLAINT OR THE Prisoners PLEA Against the Burthensom and Contentious Title of TYTHES With a True Relation of the Prisoners Spiritual Progress and Travel towards the New and Heavenly Jerusalem Together with the sad and grievous Sufferings he sustained by a Persecuting and Covetous High Priest in Cumberland for his Gospel Testimony against Tythes Here is also laid down several Grounds and Reasons against the Propriety Payment of Tythes in this Evangelical Day and Dispensation As also several Papers and Queries sent to the Priest which to this Day remains Unanswered All which is now referred to the view judgment and understanding of every Conscientious impartial Reader of what Profession soever wherein the Prisoner doth recommend himself his Sufferings and the empty groundless Cause thereof to every Mans Conscience in the sight of God as was the Practice of the Apostles and Saints of old in the primitive Times 2 Cor. 4.2 Re-printed in the Year 1604 The Captives Complaint or the Prisoners Plea c. FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the incomprehensible wise God who made Heaven and Earth and all that is therein to create Man and set him apart for his own Service Worship and Glory as the most competent Creature whereby to advance his glorious dreadful Name over all his Creatures upon the Earth over whom He gave Man dominion and for the better Ruling and Governing His Creatures and Worshipping and Glorifying Himself the Author and Creator of all He hath indued Man with Reason and Understanding and infused into him a Principle of his own Life and stamped or set His own Image in him thereby to beautifie His creature Man giving him dominion power and liberty over all that He had made both the Fruits of the Earth and every Creature moving thereon the Fishes of the Sea and the Fowls of the Air and every Creature moving therein save only of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil he was not to Eat Now the Serpent being more subtil then all the Beasts of the field did insinuate it self into the affections of the Woman and having got room in the weaker Vessel did induce both the Man and the Woman through feigned smooth words and not by direct opposition mark that into disobedience to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth whose Image they then lost by the Serpents Transformation who raised the discontented aspiring self-seeking Principle that desired to be equal with God which they soon received and obeyed thereby losing the happy blessed and good estate in which he was placed and thereby fell into the knowledg of Evil and naked miserable estate with God being Transformed into the image of the Serpent was captivated in the Curse and so came to be driven out of the Garden of Eden in which he was placed and to be fenced out from the Tree of Life and from the Presence of the Lord in that State for ever And because the Serpent had done this the Lord cursed it above all Cattel and every Beast of the Field and put enmity between its seed and the Seed of the Woman saying The Womans Seed shall break its Head and it should Bruise his Heel so the Enmity being placed between the Seeds the warfare was begun which ever since hath continued through the Generations of Mankind and hence the striving between the Twins in the Womb comes to be known and the Elected and Reprobated Seed is known and the Seed of the Bond woman and the Seed of the Free-woman is known and the Fleshly Birth persecuting that which is born of the Spirit is known and the Promise of the Lord to the Seed of the Woman is known and fulfilled in those that witness the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven to be come and the Seed of the Covenant is known to such in which all the Nations of the Earth is blessed and blessed and happy are they that are apprehended and overcomes in this Seed for they shall again come to eat of the
World and all that nature that in it we may live and by it all may be preserved unto the end That so the Lord God Almighty his Living Holy Name and Eternal Truth may be Feared Served Honoured and Obeyed over all by and through all for He alone is worthy yea Everlasting worthy God blessed for ever and evermore Saith the Soul and Spirit of him who is the Lords and yours in the Unity of the Gospel of Christ Jesus T. C. A General EPISTLE CONTAINING Wholsom Admonition and Advice to Friends in IRELAND and else-where By Thomas Carleton DEar and well beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters who are in some Measure gathered by the Arm of God's Power and have known the blessed Appearance of Life and Salvation to you is the Salutation of my unfeigned Love and in the Fellowship of God's Everlasting Light do I tenderly greet you all and for the clearing of my Spirit of that which for some time hath been upon me do I communicate these Lines in the true Simplicity of my Heart dearly desiring all that love the Lord Jesus Christ To keep low and near the Lord and wait to feel God's living Power in your Hearts unto which we were turned or exhorted from the Beginning for in the Light of the Lord I see there is a Necessity for it For unless the Sense of God's living Power be felt Profession is vain and Meetings are not made profitable for the Mysteries of Life and Salvation and of true Christianity consist not only in any Profession Name or Notion of this or that Principle Article or Creed formed or received in the Minds of Men or Women but in a living Enjoyment and Possession of the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus the Author and Finisher of the living saving Faith So my dear Friends all wait to feel the Operation of that Power in every Heart and Soul to subdue all to God and to work all into submission and real obedience to the heavenly Will and Mind of Christ Jesus who is come a Light into the World that all men through him might believe hear is the unchangeable standing Rule which every one is to measure themselves by and he or she that is measured or squared by this are as polished Stones for God's spiritual House and he or she that is not squared by this are not fit to be Members of God's Building so all having the Measuring line in your hearts let Judgment be laid to it and so try all things words works behaviours and the Intent of all and from what ground and spirit it doth proceed and this unchangeable everlasting Rule all keep to it and Build by it so shall you be justified with it in the Day of Tryal so all things done by this unchangeable unerring Rule the Law of the Spirit of Life this keeps clean and pure and sets free of all Mud and Confusion Sin and Iniquity and things that bring death and darkness over the Soul and understanding and so cloud the Testimony So let every man and woman by this standing Rule examine themselves and so let them eat speak or act as the Lord shall perswade them and wherein any one doubteth and is not clear in what he or she undertaketh let such forbare and wait in quietness till the Lord clear their way So all take heed and keep to the Rule for in the Lord's Light we see Light and have Clearness and Freedom and Peace but going from the Light without Rule without Guide the Vail comes over Darkness gathers in Confusion and Trouble then Peace comes to be lost So you that have known in any measure the work of Regeneration and of the New Birth through the working of God's Spirit and power in your Hearts by which some unclean spirits have been cast out keep to the Power still and beware of letting in the unclean spirit again for if you do the latter-end will be worse then the beginning And lean not to the World's Wisdom beware of that spirit I advise all for by that wisdom God is not known and if once the Sense and enjoyment of God be lost then man and woman is in a woful state without God in the World so keep out of the world's spirit I intreat you all and live as Fools to it and all its wayes fashions customs for in the light of the Lord I see a great Snare there at this day and too many that make Profession of Truth are like to be split upon that Rock So dear Friends live loose to the world and all the glories of it and seek to be wise in that which is not of this world that you may be loved of God and so dwell in that which can bear the revilings and reproaches of this world and the contradiction of sinners as our Lord Jesus Christ hath left us an Example So beware of looking back to Egypt's Glory again to see any heauty or comliness in that dark Land for from the Lord I see a Temptation attending God's spiritual Israel in this day as surely as ever it attended Israel after the Flesh and many are too prone to desire the pleasures of Egypt again though the best of them be bondage as many to their Sorrow have found yea too many there be that cannot bear tryals and reproaches and the way of the Cross and self-denyal but think it long and wearisom and hard as they did in the dayes of old and so are too ready to murmur and repine and lust in their hearts after this World 's glory again and joyn to its fashions and customs again and so set up Idols again as they did whose Carcases fell in tho wilderness with whom the Lord was displeased So beware of letting in that spirit of destrust unbelief and rebellion against God and his pure Witness in your Consciences and beware of building that which was once destroyed or licking up that which was once vomited or entertaining of that which was once cast out or owning that which was once denyed either in words in works in behaviour in apparel in doctrine or faith hath Truth in you condemned for all idle vain prophane wicked unfound and unfavoury words and brought you into a Form of needful true and sound words keep to it still hath Truth condemned all idle proud prophane wicked and ungodly Actions and all empty airy foolish wanton lustful proud self-willed and Men-pleasing behaviours and brought you into moderation gravity plainness reallity and Truth in Life and Conversation keep to it still hath Truth condemned for decking and adorning the Body with vain superfluous proud needless worldly eye-taking Toyes in Apparel and led you into plain profitable decent needful things keep to it still and fashion not your selves like unto the World nor learn any of their manners nor of the breeding of that Egyptian-Spirit which keeps the Seed in bondage and oppressed the just in the particular and in the general so from the Lord I advise you all and
warn you all that are Parents to watch over your Children and bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord and beware you breed them not up in the World's manners nor customs nor in pride lightness and vanity nor in things that puff up and lead away their minds from under the Cross of Christ Jesus but rather breed them up in Humility Lowliness and Self-denial and in the Fear of the Lord which is the beginning of true Wisdom and gate of Virtue and so endeavour to train them up in the right Way to Life and lay a good Foundation in them while they are young and then both you and they may expect a blessing from the Lord which is better then all So away with all Manners and Breeding and Education that is out of the Fear of God for you your selves know the first Nature in it self is too inclinable to be taken with the Manners and Customs of the Egyptian-Spirit and to take pleasure and conceit it self and be puffed up with and in those things that lead from God without nursing and encouraging thereunto so keep all Low in Meekness and Self-denial that God's Fear may be timely planted in their Hearts and the Principles of Life and Peace they may be instructed in as you your selves have learned them of the Lord that so the loving-kindness and gentle dealings of God towards us we may tell of them to our Children and they to another Generation so all learning the way of the Cross and Self-denyal that Will that is carnal and earthly will be mortified and slain and the Spirit of the World and the Customs thereof will be Crucified to you all and you all unto it and then how can they that are Crucified to the World live any longer therein and so Spiritual Men and Spiritual Women Sons and Daughters of the incorruptible Seed begotten again by the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus and so dead to the World's Spirit Ways Customs Manners Traditions Ordinances and Worships all in the Fall and Degeneration from God and every one Living up to this being guided by God's Wisdom keep their Testimony clear and unviolated in the sight of God and Men. So stand true Witnesses for God and be Faithful or full of Faith in the Lord believe in Him love Him above all and trust Him with all Wife and Children Estate and Life and take heed of giving Offence or of causing Truth to suffer in its Esteem for God hath glorified it and will glorifie it and Wo from the Lord is to them that cause Truth to be Evil spoken off that brings a blot upon their Testimony and so marreth the Visage and Countenance of Truth in the particular or in the general And dear Friends stand living Witnesser for God's Truth and be not cowardly but valiant as Soldiers of Christ Jesus and stand up against all the Works and Workers of Iniquity against all Hirelings and false Shepherds against the grand Oppression of Tythes with the abolished Ceremonies and Ordinances of the first Covenant and Jews outwardly which Antichrist and the Deceivers that are gone into the World having lost the Power would innovate and set up again among the Gentiles and Jews inward contrary to the Institution of God and stand up against all Swearing and that which leads to Swearing and against Lying or Stealing and against Fighting or Killing since our Kingdom is not of this World and against Fornication Adultery Whoredom Lasciviousness Luxury and all manner of Uncleanness the sins of this World which are so vile they are scarce fit to be spoken of or named amongst the Saints so as becomes Warriours for God and the everlasting Gospel of Christ Jesus stand clear of them all and against them all and then there will be no need of shifts and excuses and crooked Reasons in the fallen wisdom to hide or cover any one with And my dear Friends let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay and keep to the form of sound words in all your Communications Bargains and Dealings one with another and also with them that are without that so you may honour the Lord and honour his Truth and convince all with whom you have to do that Truth and Righteousness lives in you and you live in it this is the glory of all Profession And be not forward and rash in Words and Promises for some there are yea too many that make Profession of Truth and true Religion and yet know not a bridle for the Tongue and the Apostle said such Mens Religion was vain yea and too many there are that are hasty to promise and flow to perform and then shuffle to excuse themselves as Eve did where no Excuse can properly bear in the Truth so beware of it I desire you all for this was one express Token the Apostle laid down of the falling away therefore be slow to promise but careful quick and forward to perform when promised and that keeps Truth clear and answers the Expectations of all and Preaches to all with whom we have to do and hereby the Saints reached God's Witness in one another in the beginning so keep to it still and every one speak the Truth from his Heart without Dissimulation and learn not the slighty words and cunning evasions of the deceitful Spirits of this World which darken knowledge thereby to drive Bargains to accomplish self-ends and covetous designs for such things though never so fairly glossed are inconsistent with the innocency and naked simplicity of our Gospel neither is Truth honoured by such deceitful coverings so all Friends keep clear of such things and be plain-hearted with all Men for no coverings will hide or avail in this bright lightsome Day but that of God's Eternal Spirit which will stand over all and Darkness cannot comprehend it but going from the Light and Spirit of God into the fallen deceitful wisdom then the World comprehends and sounds and bottoms all such and so Truth suffers in the particular and in the general so the Law of the Spirit of Life which we profess is beyond all Laws and a Rule beyond all Rules and reaches further to the ordering and guiding of all those that are resolved and given up to it in Obedience then all Laws Precepts Canons or Injuctions that are outward whatsoever so the Righteosness that is God's which Christ Jesus is the Author of is beyond all and exceeds all the Righteousness of other Professions Scribes or Pharisees whereby its plain every Righteosness doth not enter nor is accepted of God but only that which exceeds the Scribes and Pharisees which Christ works in all his by the Operation of his eternal Spirit So my dear Friends wait to feel it and the effectual Works of it brought forth in you all which to feel is more then words that your Faith may stand in it and in a living Enjoyment of it for that Man or Woman that doth not feel it and the efficacy and vertue of