the Priests and Professors could not teach but were almost as ignorant as those that in time past had not heard of any such thing and void of the saving knowledge of Jesus the way of God and could not say that he was the Christ by it I then hearing that in this Prison was that faithful Servant of the Lord and having longing desire to see him went with some of Andever that used to visit him there being that day a Meeting in the Prison which day I hope shall never be forgotten by me nor that faithful and able Minister of the new Testament knowing that which only and alone is made alive by the Spirit and quickned and reached unto by the Ministers thereof which Humphry Smith was one to the turning of many from Darkness to the Light from the Power of Satan to the Power of God by which alone People come to receive Remission of sins and an Inheritance among them that are sanctified through the great Mercy and Loving-kindness of God was he an Instrument in convincing and turning me off and from the Worlds by-Paths and crooked Ways of the Wicked which were and are Darkness in which there is no Peace to them that walk therein to the Light of Jesus the Way of the Lord and Path of the Just which is a shining Light which shineth more and more to the perfect Day and to the fear of the Lord which ever was and is the beginning of Wisdom and will be forever to all that do abide therein a Fountain of Life to depart from the Snares of Death I have cause forever to praise the Lord in the behalf of this tender innocent faithful man to God's Truth and People his Memorial cannot pass into Oblivion by any that had a true knowledge of him dear Humphry Smith whose Health was impared him suffocated and visible Body destroyed by this bad corrupt Prison though thou wast here destroyed thou art greatly rewarded God having proved thee and found thee worthy for himself The Memorial of the Just is blessed the Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance and the Name of the Wicked shall Rot but they that were and are wise shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars forever and ever Edward Waldern Winton-Prison the 8th day of the 11th Moneth 1682. Humphry Smith's Testimony concerning his Father COncerning my dear Father who to his unspeakable gain but to my great sorrow and loss the Lord took from me to himself whilst I was young besides the natural and dutiful Remembrance of so dear a Father I and many others who knew him can say of him The Righteous shall be in Everlasting remembrance in which I may say by way of Introduction unto many who never knew him and have since received the Truth unto whom these his works may come for their encouragement to read them That the Lord of the Harvest who among other faithful Labourers sent him forth into his Harvest did sanctifie and prepare him to so good a work and prospered it in his hand so that many were turned to God by him notwithstanding the great Opposition of Malicious Cruel and Ungodly Men by whom he suffered more especially in Cromwel's time Imprisonment Dungeon Whipping and much Affliction and Hardships but being zealous for the glory of God and the good of Souls he valiantly endured it all and broke through the Ice-like hardness of envious Professors who having been first some-what warmed by that which formerly stirred up good desires in them after God but not keeping thereto became the sooner and harder frozen And as his diligence was great in this great work so was their Envy great in endeavouring to hinder him therein by many long and hard Imprisonments which brought great Sicknesses upon him yet upon all occasions he was given to Hospitality apt to teach and in his place taking care for the Church of God As his Admonition was tender so his Reproof was sharp not neglecting the one nor refraining the other but dealing with every one according to their Condition not sparing me his only Son any more than another having in his last Letter to me written a little before his Death these words among many tender Expressions And now although as I said before thou art my only Son yet if thou refusest the Instructions of thy Father and shalt reject the Counsel of God and not walk in Gods holy fear nor keep in the way of Truth then let the Judgment of Friends pass upon thee let the Law of God seize upon thy Conscience c. The last time I saw him was about a year before he dyed at which time he gave me such Advice and Warning as thereby I perceived I should never see him again so great a sight of things and men had he that I may truly say he had the necessary Gift of Discerning of Spirits with frequent Visions and Revelations from God by which he foresaw and prophesied of many things some whereof he saw fulfilled others are since and the rest will certainly be fulfilled in their appointed time some of them are herein extant dispersed among his Works which are now printed for thy benefit sober Reader it being agreeable to words he wrote to me in a Volumn of Books he caused to be bound for me That I should keep that Book safe and not spoiled any way that in years to come Ages may read and see my love to the Seed This in short I have written concerning him knowing there be many still living who have a larger Testimony in themselves concerning him And some who were his Fellow-Labourers in the Word and Doctrine whom he did and I do love and in Honour Prefer counting them worthy of double Honour some of them having more knowledge of him are able as they see meet to give a larger Testimony concerning him I shall conclude desiring that my self and all the Children of faithful Parents may walk in the good Way they walked in and not like that Generation mentioned Judges 2. 10. Who arose after the Death of Joshua and the Elders which knew not the Lord nor yet the Works which he had done for Israel but that we may follow the Lord fully and faithfully and he may raise up in us the same Love Zeal Diligence and Vallour as he did in our Parents is the earnest Desire of Humphry Smith Saffron-Walden in Essex the 13th of the 9th Moneth 1682. Dear Friends BE pleased to take notice that dear Humphry Smith was a man that suffered many long and crueâ— Imprisonments for his Love and Testimony he bore to Gods blessed Truth and People in his day which occasioned part of his Writings to be scattered about in Manuscript and not found till part of this Book was printed whereby some few of them are mis-placed as to the years in which they were written but the following Table of Contents will direct to the particular Heads of such collected
said You have we aried me with your Sacrifices And so say I to you now you have wearied the Lord with your Words and yet many are saying Wherein have we we aried him I say in this have you wearied the Lord in that you say such as do Evil are Good in the sight of God Mal. 2. 17. Therefore thus I declare unto you who are yet in your Sins meeting together in the Idol Temples Your Service is not the Service of the true God neither is your Worship that which the Lord accepteth for he accepteth none but the Worship in Spirit and in Truth not in one high Place or other but your Worship is in some High-Place Idol-Temple or Steeple-House where all manner of Viperous Beasts are round and unsanctified Persons meet together who commit all Abominations and live in all manner of Filthiness and yet lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us no Evil shall come unto us Whereas they are an evil and an adulterous Generation adulterated from the Spirit of Truth in which the true Worship stands and are ignorantly worshipping in a Temple made with Hands in which God dwellcth not neither is his Power there received to overcome the Sin and so the People are wearying themselves for very Vanity and travelling to bring forth Death and labouring for that which profits not neither do they come to meet the Lord in the way of his Judgments nor find the Path of Life where the Unclean can never come neither yet do they know the Bread of Life nor drink his Blood that cleanseth from all Sin nor come to be translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God but remain in that Ground which was eursed by reason of man's Rebellion Gen. 3. 17. Heb. 6. 8. which Ground being not removed with the mighty Power of God the Blessing cannot be received nor the Understanding opened to know and receive that which the Natural Man perceiveth not the Eyes of their Minds being darkened through the Ignorance that is in them the Vail being over the Heart when that is read every day of their Worship which discovers Sin but makes nothing Perfect which Worshippers did and do Crucifie him that comes to take away the Sin But now he is come who hath forever perfected those that are sanctified and he that sanctisieth and they who are sanctified are all of one But they that are not sanctified are not of the one but are in the many Opinions in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness being not come to the one Faith which purifieth the Heart nor to know the one Baptism one Church one Way one Truth one God the Father of him who is the one Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the Wâ—rld of the which Light which is but one there is given a measure to every one of you which Light shineth in Darkness though not by it comprehended which Light will let you see that you your selves are out of God's Covenant in the World's Worship not reconciled to God upholding Idol Temples and Heathenish Customs with Bells and such things which the People of God never used but did and do deny forever and exhort you and all others to leave worshipping the Beast or upholding that which is not the true Worship of the true God practised by men of Sin in Steeple-Houses every First-Day Wherefore all People every where leave your Idolatry which you have learned and received by Tradition from the former Papists and Heathen who worship the Work of their own Hands and bow down to their own Inventions as you long have done and for this many Hundred Years have been learning and yet are not come to the Truth neither to believe in it but remain in Unbelief and Ignorance and your long time of Ignorance God winked at Acts 17. 30. But now Light is come in which God is calling to you and all men every where to Repent and forsake your Idolatrous Worship which by you a sinful Generation is practised in a Steeple-house one day in seven and Catn's Nature remaining in the inward parts from the which Idolatry all that sear the Lord God of Abraham are now to come from the Uncleanness of that Worship which is upheld by the Heathen for verily the Hand of the Lord God Almighty is stretched sorth against it and them Wherefore all People turn your Minds to the Lord God of Life who dwelleth in his People and not in Temples made with Hands and hath given to every one of you a measure of the true Light of his Son which Light in you will let you see your secret Sins and will teach you and shew you plainly of the Father if you love it and come to be led by it to do God's will so may you come to worship the Lord God of Life in Spirit and in Truth with the Children of the Light and of the Day which hath dawned upon many who need not any man teach them but are all taught of the Lord Glory and Honour and Everlasting Praises to his blessed Name forever and ever Amen Given forth as a Testimony against all Idolatry and Heathenish-Worship from the true Love of God the Father in pity to the Souls of them who have Eyes and see not and Ears and hear not that they may come forth of Darkness to follow Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is bringing the Blind by a Way that they know not Isa 42. 16. Therefore is this to go abroad among all People and read in Steeple-Houses Streets Market-places private Meetings and Families that all may consider what they have been doing in the dark Ezek. 8. 12. By a Servant of the Living God a Sufferer for the Testimony of his Name in the Common Goal and House of Correction at Winchester Humphery Smith The 4th Moneth 1658. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness By the Light Life and Mighty Hand of GOD Wherein plain and simple Truths are brought to light that so the cause of Stumbling may be taken from before the Eyes of both Rulers and all sorts of Professors in Herefordshire c. Also something related of the Wonderful Power of God in the Work of Redemption and Restroration With a plain Self-denyal by him that takes up the daily Cross Behold the Lord worketh wonderfully every Morning he bringeth his Judgments to light he hath brought me back from the Grave and saved my Soul from Hell and set my feet upon a Rock THE Living Truth of the Lord God which he hath revealed in me by the mighty Operation of his Word of Life which living eternal Truth being my Life and shall last for evermore and be as a Standard of the Most High lifted up to all the scattered weary Souls that they may flow unto it and have it to be unto them a place of Refuge and Defence to fly unto in the day of Distress and by it come to be made Free and in it
with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with Power or had the Power in them And so what they were commanded to do they were to wait to receive Power in themselves from God to perform and Christ did intend to give them Power to do that which he commanded And as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received Power so to do and so it was the Power of the holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received Power from on high even the Spirit or Life of Truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach the Nations and converted Thousands and turned Sinners and brought Souls to God and then they were called Christians and then were People brought to be of the true Church which Christ buildeth upon that which flesh and blood revealeth not And this is the entrance into the Church of God 2 Thes 1. 1. the receiving of the Spirit and in this God is worshipped and not else for this hath excluded all other Worship and those only are the true Worshippers who come in thus by the Door which is Christ the Light and Spirit of Truth sent into the Heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divines so called in Europe or all or any of the wisest Orthodox men in any other Quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true Worship of God who is a Spirit now extant among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the Spirit of Truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth that we may see it and prove it by plain undeniable Truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their Proofs Words Ways Actions Practices Performances Duties and several Worships as things of no value Or if there be any other entrance into the true Worship of God than this Spirit that God sendeth or the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other Worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of Truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone Worship of God whilst men have a being upon Earth then let the wisest of the Sons of men bring it forth and produce there strong reasons therein that we may plead together and that the entrance into and the true Worship it self of the only true invisible God may be declared over all the World for the satisfaction of every tender Heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon Earth is made a quickning Spirit and is the Way and Truth of Life which bringeth into the Worship of God and he is the begining and the end and he leadeth to the beginning of Gods Worship and he is the end and the Rest of all the faithful in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen and without him all is as nothing and all that come before him are Thieves and Robbers and he it is that abideth a Priest forever and his Spirit of Truth is it which all People and Professors whatsoever should first wait to receive thereby to be led into that true Spiritual Worship which alone God accepteth lest they and their Worship and Building fall together in a day when there is none to deliver And then thus I will Query If Christ own dear Disciples who had forsook all and followed him not Priest or Baptists did not come to receive this Spirit by hearing all the words which he he spoke unto them but by waiting after the words were ended Then whether those that have not forsaken all nor so much as the Worlds fashions do now come to receive the Spirit by Reading Hearing or Professing the same words of Christ now written or any other part of Scriptures Or whether a Proud man hath received this Spirit or a Lyar or a Prophane person or any Wise or Prudent man whatsoever by any means or way of his And whether any such ever did have can or may by any industry or other way or means attain to this Spirit which leadeth in the true Worship of God but as it is freely given forth from God And then whether all people are not to be led by that Spirit which God freely giveth into the Worship of God because Christ said The Spirit should lead which indeed doth lead into all Truth and nothing else doth so And they that have not received this from God to lead them are not yet come to be led by that which the Sons and Children of God were and are led by And the Ministration of the Spirit which all are now to be taught by is inwardly to be known in the most nearest secret invisible manner and is more out of the sight Comprehension and reach of mans Wisdom than any other Ministration and it is given forth from the clear Fountain it self unto the Souls satisfaction of man when he is come to the end of words or having heard much or all the words that can be spoken of it remaineth unsatisfied in a restless longing desire to find receive feel and enjoy the thing it self which the words declared of and that which satisfieth the true thirsting Soul comes clearly from God to the refreshing of the inward parts of man and filling of the empty barren hungry Spirit which cannot be saâ—â—sâ—ed without Gods indewllings and thus the Disciples were led along and at last in a foolish way to the great Professors they waited among them in Jerusalem and the Lord had regard unto them and sent his own Spirit unto them and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost And the secret invisible hand of God whose Power was and is felt in my heart having out of the sight of flesh and blood in the hidden counsel of his secret Will led me by the vertue of the operation and drawings thereof through those things which thereby I come to leave behind and to receive and feel that which now goeth before and is my Leader in whose Covenant of Life Eternal my Soul is now satisfied and so by good experience of the Lords leading and from an experimental knowledge and sensible feeling and present enjoyment of the incomes of the Spirit of Truth and Life which filleth the inward parts with the holiness of it self and giveth power to do the things required before of God even from the right and good understanding thereof is this written That where it meets with the like condition in a weaâ—y Traveller
should cry after us A Quaker A Quaker And whether such be willing to suner as much for their prophane Swearing as they would us and as we have done for not Swearing at all And whether such can be content to suffer as great Punishment for going to an Ale-House needlesly on the First-Dayes or any day as they would have us suffer for not going to the Steeple-house the First-dayes which to us is needless And whether they would have such Laws made against them for such things and such their practices as they would have made against us for our practices in Liberty of Conscience as pertaining to the service and Worship of God And if Liberty had been so much promised them in this their Wickedness as hath been to us in the matter of Conscience would they have had that promise broken And whether they would be haled out of their Ale-houses Tipling-houses and Whore-houses as oft as they meet there or could be found there by any Officer Souldiers Boyes or People as they would have other sober persons haled out of their own Houses and peaceable private and Publick-Meeting-houses wherein they meet to serve God And would they receive every such time the like usage or abuses by any Boyes or Persons that should find them there or take them in such things and that would stone them for their Whoredom and Drunkenness at the present or would they receive the like Punishment afterwards when they were brought before a Magistrate in Imprisonment or otherwise If not then whether all such men as these who would have the King break his Word be not absolutely of the Devil And would they not limit the Spirit of God and his Worship and Servants and tolerate the Spirit of the Devil and have liberty for his service and his Children therein And then whether it be good or safe at all for the King to hearken unto the Counsel of such men or in the least to incline thereunto in this matter And whether the Lord God will ever bless their Counsels herein which lead to Destruction And whether the King be in the least to receive or consent to the Counsel of such men herein or their Petitions in that matter and so become a Breaker of his Word and Promise This will I leave to Gods witness in themselves and in the King Council Parliament and all other Magistrates and other inferiour Officers and People whatsoever to answer yea or nay And further I might enquire in like manner concerning the matter and manner or form and place of Worship whether they would be deprived of theirs as they would have us of ours and be haled out as they have haled us and suffer so much therein as they have caused us and have Laws made against them for it as they have made against us and have another manner of Worship and Place and Teachers imposed upon them than what they are perswaded of to be Right And how do such come to be more certain that their way of Worship is right in things they have no Scripture nor example therein for than we do come to be certain that our way is right which we have Scripture and example therein for And how came they to know that their worship is better in a temple made with hands in which God dwelleth not and the Apostle declared against Acts 7. 44. than ours is in the Spirit of which God is John 4. 24. and in the Truth which is his Son in whom the fulness of God doth dwell Col. 2. 9. and in the Light where God doth dwell for Christ said I am the Light John 8. 12. And he that hath Immortallity dwelleth in the Light 1 Tim. 6. 16 And whether such as are compelled to a Worship which they are perswaded is not right and that God doth not accept are they not therein made Hypocrites And if they would compel us from such a Worship that we are perswaded is right and also compel us to such a Worship that we are perswaded is not right whether they themselves would be done so by And if not how do they love their Neighbour as themselves and do unto all men as they would be done unto according to the command of Christ Mat. 7. 12. And wherein are such like unto a Christian Spirit which the true Christians were in and them that by the Holy Ghost were made Overseers of the stock of God who said that it seemed good unto them and to the Holy Ghost to lay no greater burthen upon the Gentiles thâ—n to obstain from Meats offered to Idols and Blood and things strangled and Fornication which were necessary things Acts 15. 28. These things in brief at present are offered in plainness and love unto the consideration of all Rulers and People by one that truly desireth Peace amongst men being an Innocent sufferer for the cause of God in the place of my late long and sad Sufferings in a close unsavoury Prison at Winchester the 28th of the 9th Month 1661. being known amongst men by the name Humphry Smith If a Ruler hearken to Lyes all his Servants are Wicked Prov. 29. 12. Bewise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth Psal 2. 10. Judge righteously and plead the cause of the Poor and Needy Prov. 31. 9. The King that faithfully judgeth the Poor his Throne shall be established forever Prov. 26. 14. Thou shalt not wrest Judgment thou shalt not respect Persons neither take a Gife for a Gift doth blind the Eyes of the Wise and pervert the Words of the Righteous That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayest Live and Inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Deut. 16. 19 20. The People that are gone out of the way it were them that knew not the way of peace Rom. 3. 12. vers 17. But Christ who is our Way and unto us the Prince of Peace hath taught us to give the Back to the Smiter and to turn the other Check Forty Four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-Men of the Liturgy by one whom they trained up in the best things set forth in the Book of Common-Prayer Eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed BEcause your manner and way of Worship and practice First in many things hath been these twenty years by many Zealous persons very much questioned who ought to be satisfied or stopt by sound Arguments and Doctrine and words of scripture-Scripture-Truth or else a true Reconciliation in the hearts and minds of both cannot easily be 2dly Because it is most agreeable to the Law of God and most according to the Commands of Christ and doth most suit with the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles and is professed even by you in the Book of Common-Prayer To love thy Neighbour as thy self and not hurt the Body of any man by word or deed to Love Enemies to do good unto all and to convince Gain-sayers with sound Doctrine and words that cannot
miserable Offendors And seeing that following is said to be the Absolution and Remission of Sins with the words of Almighty and most merciful Father c. together with the Absolution and Remission of Sins following be a true Confession Repentance and Remission from the bottom of the heart Or is it false and feigned If false is it no tâ—loaked of more sin and dissembling with God and deceiving their own Souls If true how then are such after Confession and Remission Miserable Sinners before they depart as in the Letany And if the Confession Repentance and Absolution be right and true and from the bottom of the Heart and such thus pardoned and so made clean run afterwards and that again and again into the very same Sins whether they be not like the Dog and the Sow that turn to the wallowing in the Mire and the Vomit again V. Whether after true Confession and Repentance such may thenceforth live a godly righteous and sober Life and that pure and holy according to the latter end of the Confession and of the Absolution VI. Whether all such as have erred and strayed from the ways of God were before they did so err made Members of Christ and Inheritors of God And whether any were made such Members c. but such as have tasted of the good Word of God and the Power of the World to come And whether such as have so tasted thereof and after err and stray from the ways of God can be renewed again by Repentance If not is not their Repentance false or not effectual like Esau's If true how then is the Scripture true seeing it speaks as afore-mentioned of not being renewed by Repentance VII Whether such as were made Members of Christ Children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven and are now erred and strayed from the ways of God so that they are Miserable Offendors and that against God's holy Law as themselves confess can then in that state and in that very hour sing unto the Lord and heartily rejoyce and come before GOD'S Presence with Thanksgiving And whether such Miserable Offendors are the People of God's Pasture and the Sheep of his hands VIII Whether all such as in the beginning of the Letany do themselves acknowledge four times over That they are Miserable Sinners can call God their Father by saying Our Father which art in Heaven Or can such Miserable Sinners make others the Children of God by sprinkling a little Water upon their faces And whether God hath such fourfold miserable Children Or are those that are truly the Children of God at the same time in such a fourfold miserable state Or are such miserable men truly the Ministers of Christ IX Whether God's people may be delivered by him from See Letany 6 7 8. Particulars all these things following that is to say from all Evil and Mischief from Sin from the Crafts and Assaults of the Devil from God's Wrath and from Everlasting Damnation from all Blindness of Heart from Pride Vain-glory and Hypocrisie from Envy Hatred and Malice and all Vncharitableness from Fornication and all other deadly Sin from all the Deceits of the World the Flesh and the Devil And whether such as are delivered from all these things be not delivered from all Sin And then are not such free without sin If not then what Sin is it they are guilty of who are truly delivered from all these And whether such as pray to be delivered from all these and do not believe that they shall be so delivered do not therein sin against God and so instead of being delivered out of sin by their praying add sin unto sin being it is written Whatsoever is not of faith is sin X. Whether shall I own that man as Christ did and believe See Letany the 14th Particular him who said We know that God heareth not Sinners or else miserable Offendors who in their Prayer say We Sinners do beseech thee to hear us O Lord and so believe that the Lord doth hear them though their continual fruits and the Scripture testifie otherwise XI What and where is the way of Truth which all such See Letany the 26th Particular as have erred and are deceived are to be brought into seeing when one sin was committed the creature was deceived and if deceived and in sin then unclean and no Vnclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of God And whether Christ who is the Way and the Truth be not in the Kingdom of God And whether all such as are not only yet unsaved from their sin but are miserable Offendors and that against God's Righteous Law and yet in the same Nature Way Words Worship and Practice as were their fore-Fathers whom they confess were in Iniquity have not all these erred and are yet deceived seeing Christ saved his from sin And whether such do yet rightly know the Way of Truth themselves which they should be brought into in which there is no sin XII Whether all men are capable of the Mercy of God And whether Christ hath not lighted every man that cometh into the world And whether God doth shew to all men that be in Error the light of his Truth to the intent they may return into the way of Righteousness according to the Collect appointed for the third Sunday after Easter And whether the Word be not the Truth John 17. 17. And is not the World in the heart And hath not God shewed that to all men though they be in Error XIII Whether men may with the help of God's Grace cast away the works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light now in the time of this Life And whether the works of darkness be not Sin the works of the Devil And whether the Armour of Light be not the Power of God And whether the Power of God be not sufficient to defend from the Enemy and his Power and able to defend from the Devil and his works XIV Whether those that in this life have put on the Armour of Light are not to let it shine before men that God may be glorified And whether it be not for God's glory when his people are by the Light defended from all the works of darkness And whether those that now deny the Light and would hinder the children of Light from letting their Light shine before men which saveth them from sin be not them selves against the Common-Prayer and the late Reformation of it against GOD CHRIST and Scriptures seeing that God is Light and Christ said I am the Light and the Scriptures testifie of him that is the Light who commanded his to let their Light shine And then is he a man or below the principle of a man who hideth his Light under a Bushel XV. Whether any men in their Youth Infancy or full See publick Baptism about the midst and Catechism a â—ittle after the beginning Age may forsake the Devil and all his works the vain
and here printed A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Or Chief Heads contained in this VOLUMN THe Sufferings of the Saints at Evesham Or a short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God Page A Warning to the Priests Magistrates Rulers and Inhabitants of Exon pag. 1. Some of the Effects of the Priests Ministry in Devonshire p. 6. The first and second Priesthood declared according to the Scriptures p. 10. An ALARUM sounding forth unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth as a Warning before the Vials of Everlasting Wrath be poured forth upon them p. 19. A sad and mournful Lamentation for the People of these Nations p. 28. Idolatry declared against p. 46. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness by the Light Life and Mighty hand of God p. 52. I. Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and Imployment p. 55. II. Concerning my publick Preaching p. 62. The Wandering Star discovered or something in Answer to a Book called The Quakers Blazing-Star or The Worlds Wonder p. 68. A Word to all Professors p. 86. The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester after pag. 92. To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life p. 93. The Two striving within p. 98. The Love of God declared and Satans Wiles discovered p. 102. The Ground Foundation Beginning and Father and Children and Compass and End and the Effects of all the Harpers Musitioners Singers and Dancers p. 108. Divine Love spreading forth forth over all Nations Or the Glorious Day of Vnity Peace and Concord p. 116. To all Parents of Children upon the face of the whole Earth p. 123. The true and everlasting Rule from God discovered and that which proveth all things published from the Spirit of Truth p. 135. A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another p. 155. An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ p. 164. The sounding Voice of the dread of Gods mighty Power p. 167. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought home To the thirsty breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors p. 175. I. Concerning Mofes's Ministration p. 177. II. Concerning Christ and his Ministration p. 179. III. Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit p. 185. The Vision of Humphry Smith which he saw concerning London in the year 1660. p. 195. To the great Flock of the imprisoned Servants of God Almighty p. 201. A Warning to New-England's pretended Christians p. 207. The Lamb and his day proclaimed p. 211. Six Proposals stated for the Honour of the KING I. By his Subjects Vnity one with another p. 214. II. By his Subjects submission actively or passively unto all his Laws p. 216. III. By his Subjects faithfulness unto him p. 217. IV. By his Subjects Vprightness in their Traffick with other Nations p. 218. V. By his Subjects departing from that which dishonoureth both God the King and themselves p. 218. VI. By his Subjects being the peculiar chosen People of God p. 220. To the Lambs of Christ p. 223. To such in whose hearts the spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare p. 226. Sound things asserted 1. In the Kings own words 2. from late Experience 3. From scripture-Scripture-Truth 4. According to Reason and Equity p. 229. Forty four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-men of the Liturgy Also eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed p. 236. An Epistle to all the Meetings in Dorsetshire p. 258. To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset p. 263. One Hundred and Forty four Lines of secret inward Melody and Praise to the Lord p. 269. Hidden things made manifest by the Light in a plain distinction between Condemnation and Temptation p. 272. Concerning Temptation p. 279. A Direction in the way to that within the Vail by which Temptations are overcome p. 285. The Meditations of an humble Heart p. 290. To the espoused Virgin p. 293. Something how the Marriage of the underfiled Lamb and Virgin came at first to be P. 295. To all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end P. 297. To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven P. 301. The Cause of the long Afflicted and sore Oppressed sent forth from Winchester Prison P. 309. The Answer to the Mittimus P. 310. A Copy of a Paper sent to the Sessions P. 312. To the Sons of men P. 317. To Friends at Ailsbury Prison and in them parts P. 323. To the the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen P. 328. Concerning Tythes P. 335. To my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith P. 363. THE Sufferings Tryals Purgings Of the SAINTS at EVESHAM Who by their Obedience to the Lord in their Measures do overcome their Enemies by their daily suffering under them Or A short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God occasioned by the Priests and the continual Proceedings of the Magistrates against them called Quakers AS the Priests were always Enemies unto Christ and his Disciples so do they continue persecuting the Saints laying Snares for the Innocent and smiting with the Tongue Jer. 18. 18. and stirring up the Rulers and the rude Multitude making Uproars and Insurrections against the Saints as they did against Christ and his Ministers for the chief Priests assembled with the Scribes and Elders of the People consulted how they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him yet they would not do it on the Feast day lest there should be an Vproar among the People Mat. 26. 3 4 5 But the chief Priest and Rulers in Evesham after their Consultations how to ensnare the Innocent did come on the first day to ensnare us but standing in the counsel of God we were preserved from their first Snare which they laid for us I having notice of it before in bringing the whole multitude to provoke or entrap us the which when they could not do though hundreds of them gathered together about the Door where I and many of the Servants of the Lord were like those that gathered together about Lot's door Gen. 19. 4 5. yet none of them could provoke us to words nor had they any way to ensnare us then as afterwards will appear And after the chief Priests had hired Judas for thirty pieces of Silver to betray Christ Mat. 26. 15. and after Judas had brought again the thirty pieces of Silver then the chief Priests took the same Money for the which Judas had sold Christ and with it they bought a field of Blood Mat. 27. 6 7 8. So the chief Priests have purchased unto themselves and all their Generation with
or meerly by something in you A. What! wouldst thou have me say that all Swearers Lyars and Drunkards that live and dye in their sins are justified because Christ shed his Blood upon the Cross The Priest said Nay Then I said The Blood of Christ that was shed upon the Cross I do not deny but though he hath shed his Blood there for Sinners yet none come to be justified or have benefit by it as to Salvation but those that the Blood and the Life of Christ is raised up in for they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his and such are not justified by him and though he hath shed his Blood upon the Cross yet the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And wouldst thou have me say more but that thou waitest to ensnare me Then the Priest gave over that also and went to entrap me in another thing and said One of you that are called Quakers and is a Teacher among you did bid me give over deceiving the People in telling them That the Scripture is the Word of God Now do you own the Scripture to be the Word of God A. The Scriptures I own and witness to be a true Declaration Luke 1. 1. spoken forth by holy men of God as they were moved by the Spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. and they are those that testifie of Christ John 5. 39. to be the Light of the World John 1. 9. and the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. Q. Are not the Scriptures the Word of God A. The Scripture saith God is the Word Q. Are not the Scriptures necessary to Salvation A. They are useful for Doctrine for Exhortation and Reproof Q. But are they necessary A. They are useful Q. Are they not necessary A. They are necessary to stop the Mouthes of Gain-sayers Q. But are the Scriptures a necessary means unto Salvation A. Jesus Christ is the only means of our Salvation and there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men shall be saved Q. But are men saved without Scriptures A. Now the Scriptures are written and what is written is written for our Learning therefore we are not without it but Enoch walked with God Noah obeyed and Abraham believed before Scripture was and they that are come unto Christ are come unto that which was before Scripture was Q. How did you come to know any thing but by the Scripture A. Although I had the Scripture yet I never knew Christ of whom the Scripture testifieth until he was revealed in me Q. Did not you come to your Knowledge at first by hearing some Minister A. I never profitted by any of them but lived in Wickedness so long as I followed them Q. But if ye own the Scriptures to be true and spoken from the Spirit of God why will you not own it to be the Word of God A. Bring me any one Scripture that saith the Scripture is the Word of God and I shall own it but the Letter killeth the Spirit giveth Life and the Word of God is quick and powerful sharper than a two edged Sword then I took my Bible and laid it down on the Table before them and said See this hath no Power in it neither can it stir Then the People laught at me again then I said to them Be silent for shame for I speak soberly and this Bible is not sharper than a two edged Sword and if this Bible be the powerful Word of God then the vilest Person in England may buy the powerful Word of God for Four Shillings Thus when the Priest had sought in these and the like Questions to ensnare me and found no better ground then he turned to them called Justices and said Sirs you see that though they deny Popery in the general yet you see they hold it in the particular as I have made it plain before you in that he holdeth a Man may be free from Sin and to be justified by Works wrought within and if this Popery be suffered to creep in then you may conceive the danger that may follow in this whole Nation therefore I shall leave it unto you and you know that I came not here until you sent for me therefore it is not of my procurement So after he had betrayed me as much as he could into their Hands like Judas then he would have washed his Hands like Pilate And after I was sent to Prison to the Goalers House for refusing to Swear that which afterwards they blotted out of my Mittimus and after two dayes being at the Goalers House where the mighty Power of God appeared to the silence and amazement of all the beholders as they were amazed at the Apostles Acts 2. 7. For several times after I had prayed the People were shaken and the Word of God was spoken with boldness Acts 4. 31. then I was sent to the main Goal where the People were exceeding mad against me as Saul once was against the Saints Acts 26. 11. And the Rulers stretched forth their Hands to vex us like Herod Acts 12. 1. And the Town was moved and the People ran together Acts 21. 30. And the Multitude with the Magistrates Acts 16. 22. Being cut to the Heart some gnashed on me with their Teeth Acts 7. 54. And the Multitude of the Town was divided and there was divers assaults made against us both of the Heathens and the Rulers who sought to vex us despightfully as they did Acts 14 4 5. Some threw Stones in the Prison the wait of five pound and threw Dirt and Water on my Lodging and spit on me and I hid not my Face from shame and spitting Isa 50. 6. And Pist at me several times and once they Pist on my Food and they made divers Assaults and Insurrections against our Meetings but Friends feared none of these things Rev. 2. 10. but in patience endured all their bitter Persecutions At last they were ashamed and so were the Rulers who were far worse then the rude People For though Friends met in the Street by the Prison daily yet the Meeting was not broken by the rude People but by the Magistrates who were at last more quiet and then Friends met as peaceably in the Street as if they had been in a private House so they met thrice every Week besides on the Market-dayes after the Market was over the People of the Country did come there in Peace and receive the Word with gladness and the Ignorant began to be convinced and the Gain-sayers Mouthes stopped and much People received the Truth in love whereby the Meetings were increased and the Work of the Lord began to prosper thus we continued for four Weeks together day by day in Peace and then there arose up a new Mayor which knew not the righteous Seed as there arose up a new King in Egypt Exod. 1. 8. And he saw the People of God increase was vexed at it as the world was alwayes vexed at the increase of the
thereabouts who do seldom give People large Money to tell Lyes after they have taught them so to do unless it be when they hire them to tell Lyes and Swear too in bearing false Witness for them against the Innocent but they commonly force People to give large Money to them for teaching them to tell Lyes and to deny and murder the Witness in themselves which Witness comes to be received by believing in the Light John 12. 36. ch 1. 11 12. 1 John 5. 10. And seeing these Priests do now get large Money or take it by Force for telling the People many large Repititions in their Pulpits one year after another How Christ was caused to be crucified and murdered by the other Priests who gave Money to have it done and the People know that already And when I have considered how many Hundred Thousand Pounds a year these Priests do receive and take by force for telling the People how Christ the Light suffered under the other Priests and how he that condemns sin in the Flesh and saves from Sin was called a Deceiver by the other Priests then have I said surely these Priests are worse than the other for they gave their Money even large Money but these take Money and Money that is much more large and take it by Force too even Treble Damage or three times Treble what they demand and Rob whole Houses and have got the Rulers to uphold them in it never such Robbers and take Tythe by force from such as hear them not And the first Priests that I read of in Scripture who would take the Tythe or Offerings by Force were the Sons of Belial and knew not God 1 Sam. 2. 12 16. and they said If you will not give it us we will take it by force And so they that took the Tythe or Offerings by force were Sons of Belial And such Sons of Belial now who know not God do not only take the Tythe and Offerings but they take even Three times or Sixteen times as much in some places and sometimes the Persons of men besides And those Priests formerly did give their Money and Simon Magus would have given Money for the holy Ghost but now these Priests force People to give them Money for their Meanings of the Letter And when I have seriously considered these things I have even stood as a man amazed saying Who would or how could I formerly have believed that these Priests of England were so far worse than them Priests that made a Covenant with a Devil and that caused Christ to suffer Or who would have believed that they were worse than Simon Magus in compelling People to give them much Money for their Meanings from the Letter whereas he would have given his Money freely for the Spirit but the Spirit they have not to sell but if they had what would they not do for the love of Money which is so rooted in their Hearts would they not do as Judas did who sold him that was his Master but I do not believe they would bring again the Money as Judas did though he was a Devil And who could have believed that these Priests of England were so far worse than the Sons of Ely who were Sons of Belial and knew not God for they would take but the Tythe and Offerings by force but these Priests take the Tythe and Offerings and much more and the Bodies of Men and Women also and keep them in Prison until Death for whom they do no Work and who desire none of their Ministry And if they herein be not worse than the Sons of Belial let all sober-minded judge and consider this thing with me that the first Priests that caused their Servants to take the Offerings by force knew not God then say I Alas alas for the Priests of England are they so much worse than those that knew not God How doth their Shame appear And who could have believed that these Priests were worse than Judas that was a Devil who brought the Money again that he had received But when do these Priests bring again the Money and Goods which they have received and taken away by force though Judas did not take his Money by force And how hard are these words to be received by such who have not yet come to see and understand these things And how unwilling will the Priests themselves be to believe the truth of this which I have thus weighed and considered and pondered in the Meditations of my Mind What horrible things from the Pit of Darkness are these that the Priests should be worse than Judas for after he had betrayed the Innocent he confessed He had sinned and brought back the Money but the Priests said What is that to us And are not these Priests worse than they for these do not only cause the betraying of the Innocent and say What is that to us but they take Money and force People to give them large Money for betraying that which is Innocent in them by their Subtilty and Craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive and when they have betrayed the Innocent Principle of God in People by telling them It will deceive them yet they will not bring the Peoples Money back as Judas did nor so much as confess they have sinned therein but are Impudent O hard hearted and unreasonable Men have I said What shall be said unto them Surely they are the worst of men and it had been good for them they had never been born or had a beeing upon the Earth Did the Prophet Mourn over or Cry aloud unto them that spent their Money and Labour for that which satisfieth not Oh! what shall I then say or write or how shall I cry loud enough or mourn enough yet more in secret or sound a Trumpet to these dead sleepy Priests who compell People to give them so much Money or spoil their Goods or imprison their Bodies till Death for that which is so far from satisfying them that their Souls are murthered thereby and the innocent meek thing in them betrayed and the Witness denyed Oh! who can withhold from declaring this And who can but write it in a Book that they may see the State which they are in and that People may know them by their Fruits which did never so plainly appear as now And when these things came upon me in the deep Meditation of my Mind and Conference in my Spirit what a Condition was I often in and how was my Soul overcome with Sorrow my Spirit with Heaviness and mine Eyes with Tears When did the Prophets ever see such a Generation of Priests as these And what manner of Lamentaion shall I take up because of these things Surely I will cry aloud unto the Lord in secret and my Soul shall pour forth Intercession to my Maker and with Tears as streams of Water will I beg at the Throne of the Most High for the slain of the People that are killed all
the day long and in this have I believed that the Lord will hear my Cry and pity the People that are destroyed for lack of Knowledge that the Witness of God in them may arise and that the Prisoner of Hope may come to Deliverance And in this have I not been hasty as to utter their Shame for I was my self a Preacher in the Pulpits but in a Mournful state oft times many Moneths or Years have I born this Burden neither have I now uttered or written this out of Prejudice towards the Persons of any men but in the Mournful state of my long burdened and grieved Spirit from the true sence of the Sad Shameful and Miserable state that is coming upon them and the Eternal Wo and Misery that is like to follow after for evermore The which I desire they may escape by speedy returning from the Way that they are in now it is so plainly made manifest to be so exceeding Evil. H. S. IDOLATRY Declared Against THe Great and Mighty God who made the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and made all men of one Blood upon the face of the whole Earth and breathed into man that which is of his own Life that by it man might seek after him and find him who is Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal and Glorious even he dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands Acts 17. 24. neither is he worshipped in one high place or another by any of the Professing Jews who deny his Son of whom he gave Testimony That in him he is well pleased Neither is there any Worship or Service accepted with him but that which cometh from them who are led and guided by the Spirit of Truth and in it Worship the Father who is a Spirit and delighteth not in those Oblations that are Vain proceeding from the vain Minds of such who take his Name in Vain of whom he saith In vain do they Worship me And of all such I say their Faith is Vain who are yet in their Sins and found among the Gentiles who sacrifice unto Devils and not unto God being Children of Wrath and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise whose Prayers the Lord abhors whose vain Bablings cast an ill Savour in the Nostrils of the most High and their coming together is not for the better but for the worse even to feed and nourish the young Serpents and to encrease in that Knowledge which puffeth up and encreaseth sorrow the which knowledge the Hireling Priests Lips preserve which the Devil once taught saying Ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil and all they who encrease in this Knowledge encrease in that in which the Knowledge of God doth not stand neither can be received and so the Wo from the Lord God will come unto all them that continue their seeking the Living among the Dead crying for their place of holy Worship which is to be laid Desolate and living in Unrighteousness and in all Ungodly Practices without the fear of God and talking of him with that Mouth which is full of Cursing and Bitterness the Heart being not turned to God nor the Mind unto the Light of his Son who are themselves in the Jaws of Satan and are sometimes made sensible of the Power of the Devil working in them stirring them up to Wrath and moving them up to Envy Pride and Unrighteousness and the Lusts of the Creatures and the Vanity of the Mind but feel not at all the Power of God to work in them the newness of Life and his pure Image who made man Holy and Upright neither are they willing to receive that Power in them by which they might come to overcome their Sins and be led up to him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh whom all the World not knowing is ignorant by Worshipping and denying his Son who maketh an end of sin and Contemning the Just One who is a man of Sorrows and denying him who is led as a Lamb dumb and slighting him who is the Light and refusing him who is the living Minister not made by a carnal Commandment but by the Power of an endless Life who teacheth all to profit who learn of him and none teacheth like him who saith Learn of Me then not of another not of a Hireling not of one that pleadeth for Sin but of him that maketh an End of Sin whom God the Father hath given a Light to the Gentiles a Covenant to the People that all men through him might be saved who hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and all Authorities and now all Dominions and Authorities are to be subject to Him who said The true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And Truth is that which maketh Free but the Worshipping the Unknown God in a Synagogue Idol Temple or Steeple-house doth not make Free neither makes an end of Sin but all them that are there are in their Sins and have not received Power to Overcome their Sins but are following such Teachers which Peter said should come in the latter dayes who cannot themselves cease from Sin And these Teachers Peter said and so say I that they are cursed Children beguiling such unstable Souls who are carried about with airy windy Doctrines after the cunning Crastiness of men who still lie in wait to deceive against whom we bear Testimony from the Spirit of Truth which guideth us not to handle the Word of God deceitfully nor to make Merchandize of the People neither come we with Flattering Titles but in the Power of the Lord and in the Demonstration of his Spirit of Truth do we declare against all Unrighteousness of Men whether Priests Rulers or People without Respect of Persons and we declare his Name in the World who is the Light of the World and publish him among the Sons of men who is Gods Power that saveth his People from their Sins who is the true Prophet whom all are to hear that all might come to learn of him and be guided by him in the Way of Everlasting Peace that so such as are Strangers to the Covenant of Grace being yet in their Sins and are the Outcasts of Israel might now come to be taught of the Lord and hear the powerful Voice of his Son and not follow Strangers any longer nor the dumb Idol Shepherds who are become Bruitish Jer. 10. 21. and cannot understand Isa 56. 11. that from them all such who fear the Lord might be gathered Ezek. 34. and may come to know the one Lord whose Name is one and the one Truth and the one Way and the Worship of the one true God and not follow them any longer who are Strangers to the Life of God nor such as cannot cease from Sin who are all in the Curse being not reconciled unto him who was made a Curse and so they come not to receive that by which the Curse is taken away and such are without God in the World and of such the Lord hath
Worship the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and feel it in the inward parts according as the Lord requireth by which Truth man comes to be sanctified for the Word that liveth and abideth forever is Truth which comes to be ingrafted into them who believe in the Light and in it wait for the Promise of the Father even that Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive for they know it not it being in Gods Wisdom hid from the Wisdom of the World who know not him that may be felt after and found who is near unto every one of you whose measure of Light in you is it you are all to know by it to come to know the eternal Power and Godhead as they did who had not Scriptures Rom. 1. 19. for the Light of Christ in you is that which is to give the Knowledge of God 2 Cor. 4. 6. who hath assuredly revealed his Son in me and led me in the straight Way to Life Eternal and the enjoyment of the Truth which is Immortal the which being to me a Pearl of great Price and more precious than a thousand Rivers of Oyl And that none may be hindred from receiving of this which I have most assuredly found to be more excellent than the Royalty of Diadems or the Excellency of the most purest Gold or the most Renownedst Glory Beauty or Riches that the natural Eye can behold and that all who breathe after divine Refreshings and the Rest that never shall be shaken and the attaining to the Covenant of Life and Peace may come to be gathered into the One Fold of blessed Happiness and rest upon the Rock of Ages and never more be moved henceforth and forever And that if possible all Murmurings Reasonings concerning me or what I was may be taken out of the Minds of all People of all sorts and that all Jealousies Whisperings and Heart-burnings in the Wrathful Nature may be passified and cooled with the over-spreading Streams of God's free Love which truely is shed and groweth in my Heart and streameth forth as a Well-spring of Life toward the Seed that is yet oppressed in them among whom sometime I walked in Darkness wallowed in Unrighteousness and afterwards stood up as a tall Cedar in the height of Profession preaching great and high things daily unto others whereby then I was admired by many Hundreds who thereby came not to receive Power to overcome their Sins neither yet attain to that which the Souls of many of them thirsted after whom since I have often mourned over in Pity and in the Bowels of my Father's Love to the Soul in Bondage in them from whom I have been long and far absent in Body And that none of them by looking and wondering at me or any thing that hath befallen me may stumble thereby at the Light or Truth it self or be thereby kept from receiving the living Truth or from giving heed to that which all the Wise Master-builders refuse nor that they by looking at what I was before I received and lived in the Truth and at that which justly came upon me for my former Rebellion against the Light nor at the Judgments of God that came upon me within or without because of my unwillingness to follow him who said I am the Light follow me and said He that will not leave Father and Mother Wife and Children Goods or Lands for my sake is not worthy of me and he that will not deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me is not worthy of me And what a Cross it was for me to leave what I did let that of God in all that knew me judge But I say that none of them who are Colonels Captains Justices Professors nor People by looking out at any thing concerning me may not be with-held from receiving the Truth and so kept from that which is the way to the Father and the Door to the Rest for evermore Therefore hath it lay long of late years and often upon me and that from the hand of the Lord to lay something before your Eyes O ye Rulers Professors and People of Herefordshire and thereabout endeavouring thereby to remove any cause of stumbling by reason of what I was or of any false Reports raised upon me whereby the whole Truth of God might be Evil spoken of And this have I waited long to declare among you either in Words Writing or Print thought thereby Shame might come upon my former Course of Life when I lived in all manner of Sin and Iniquity except it were actual Adultery Fornication and Murder and though also hereby Contempt may come upon all that great Profession I was in when I preached daily in the Synagogue or upon all that I then spoke or preached out of the Innocent Life of God or if hereby at present suffer I Reproach as it is like I may by many yet the Reproach of Christ is greater Riches to me than the Treasure Glory and Preferment of England And first Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and outward Employment THe Light of Christ which condemns the Evil Deeds comes from him who calleth his out of the World and from their Employments to follow him who putteth forth his Sheep and thrultech forth Labourers into the Harvest and Abraham of whose Seed I now am went out of his Country and from his Fathers House Gen. 12. and him God blessed and encreased mightily and the Lord also called and thrust forth me who at last was obedient to the Command of the God of Abraham and ever since his Presence hath been with me and his Blessings have I found and the Encreasings of God have I received Praises to the Lord God of Life for evermore who hath called me by his Word of Power through his Grace which did teach me to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to obey his blessed Will which was and is my Sanctification in Jesus Christ who did also call Matthew from the receit of Custom to follow him and Peter and John from their Employment of Fishing and made them fishers of men and Paul also being called left his Employment of Tent-making after a time and was Obedient to the heavenly Vision and those then became a Wonder and a Gazing-stock to many yet they continued on Travelling through many Countries as I since have done preaching the Word of God with boldness And one of these men who were called from their outward Employment said Every man wherein he is called there abide and whereunto they were called they did abide and so do l and when the Priests and Rulers would have stopt their Mouthes by their Commands they said Whether it be lawful to hearken unto God or Man judge ye But these Ministers of Christ did not say he that is a Husbandman there abide for Noah was a Husbandman yet a Preacher of Righteousness and Elisha a Plow-man and Amos a Herdsman neither did they
abused or smote with Envy which is of the Devil Either man or Beast and that whereby I was led into any manner of Hypocrisie or Double-mindedness or any manner of Evil whatsoever which was Unjust in the sight of God though not seen by Man or any secret Evil that then lodged in the dark Corners of the stoney Heart then in me whereby any thing did arise in me or proceed from me which was contrary to the Humble Meek Innocent Upright Life of the Lamb of God who is now come and hath taken away the Sin of the World and is Pure Humble Meek and Lowly whose Life and Power of Love constraineth me to declare openly against all that which was done or said by me in Envy either openly or secretly against any Creature for there is nothing done in secreet that shall not be made manifest And let all who knew me before who are saying I was an honest man be warned of the like Evil and leave it considering that if the Righteous scarcely be saved where shall the Ungodly and Sinner appear for many did look upon me to be either a Godly or an Honest man yet am I made willing to let open Shame come upon all that which then was in me contrary to the Righteousness of God for he alone is to be exalted and the Transgressor is to be ashamed Psal 25. 3. And every mouth shall be stopt and every one stand guilty before God and the Shame and Nakedness of all both Priests and Fathers and People shall appear as much as mine when Gods Witness in them arise though they cover it for a time by deceitfull Flatteries Promising Liberty but are as deeply the Servants of Corruption as I was And I do assirm in the presence of the Lord God that there are a Generation of Professors who follow Sermons and have gathered themselves into outward Forms who are grown up into a Profession and Knowledge in the Letter who are further off the Life of God than the Publicans and Harlots and are grown into Pride Hypocrisie secret Deceit Arrogancy and Covetousness and some of them for a time denied the Priests and then for their own ends got into their places and so are more Abominable than they and the Tree of Knowledge they feed upon but the good savour of pure Obedience unto God in all Self-denial they have cast behind their backs and are become an ill Savour among all men And the Lord God will visit them for these things and in the Day of his sierce Wrath will all such want a Hiding-place and when the day of Howling and Astonishment come upon them as it hath passed upon me then shall they know that the Sinners in Sion shall be afraid and Horrible Fearfulness shall surprize the Hearts of the Hypocrites and then shall they find that God will not be mocked though they deceive themselves with vain Hopes which shall perish with all such Professors if they Repent not ard strip themselves bare from all their false Coverings which in the day of the Lord which they put afar off will certainly be all too Narrow For because of the greatness of my Profession without the Power that overcomes all Sin therefore was the Wrath of God the more upon me and I never came to receive Pardon for Sin nor Power over it nor to receive the Life of the Son of God until his Judgments had confounded all that Wisdom which I had learned from and among the Priests and Professors And this is absolutely true and may be a Warning unto all them And all that is herein declared of the Strivings in me and Judgments of God which came upon me is very short of what it was neither indeed can it be ever declared being then confounded both within and without not having any man to be a Director unto me nor then to guide me in Gods Wisdom neither did any man bring me unto that Condition nor lead me through it but even the Lord alone in whose Judgments I now rejoyce for evermore but this especially would I have all people that then knew me to consider That at that time when I was in Distress I knew not well what I should do or spâ—ke among men neither what I should be being become a Fool for Christs sake and my Wisdom being confounded and my Understanding brought to nothing Read 1 Cor. 1. 1 9 vers 27. And so that is true which I have writ in that book in Answer to Edmund Skipp wherein I said That we were but in measure leaving of the World and entering into a little of that which is Eternal at which time before-mentioned I was brought to be silent from my publick Preaching and waited on the Lord with a few foolish contemptible Ones in the Eyes of the World at which time having lost my Earthly Wisdom and not received that measure of the pure Wisdom of God which since he hath given me whereby to order all my Words and Actions in Prudency and Moderation before the Eyes of all People and others also might then with me therein fall short whereby some to this day may stumble at the whole Truth of God looking at what happened among us in that time when the Judgments of God was often on us by which Judgments his Sion is now Redeemed and so they looking at that and watch ever since for Evil may be kept thereby from receiving the precious tryed Stone which the wise Master-builders also refuse though we now know he is laid in Sion redeemed with Judgment for a Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offence even to both the houses of Israel But let all take heed of stumbling at the stumbling Stone the Light of Christ for other causes of stumblings especially by me I have hereby endevoured to remove out of the way and minds of all that are willing to receive the Truth or believe in the Light John 12. 36. And as for Edmund Skipp if ever he come again to that which convinced him of Evil and made him in publick deny his peaching for Hire and Tythes though after he strated aside and stumbled in the Dark not minding the Light of Life which once he honestly desired after in him to which Light if he return and love the Witness of God in him which hath ever since stood a Witness for me and hath let him see his Barrenness and without a true Eternal Rest and if he to that be obedient which is manifest of God in him and by it be led into Meekness and Plainness without Prejudice he may come to receive the living Truth of Jesus Christ for which this day I suffer Bonds for I did never yet look upon him to be so utterly Reprobate as not possible to receive the Faith that purifies the Heart and Respects no mans Person for truly my love hath been to the Seed oppressed in him though that which hath exercised him in Rashness against the Truth of God I do deny forever
and there is neither him nor any Priest Preacher Professor or Profane that can have any good ground or reason to envy me for declaring openly against all that in them which I declare against in my self when it ruled in me when I was as they yet are I being by several long unjust Imprisonments detained from Liberty to declare in words those and other things therefore for this very end have I written this in short that God's Truth might stand clear and not suffer in any thing done or said by me before Gods pure Wisdom was born up in me and that also the ground of all other things against the Truth if occasioned by me may be removed out of the Minds of all that are willing to receive the Truth if they knew it for I would not if possible that any thing whatsoever which concerned me should so remain in the Mind of any one as that thereby he should be hindred from receiving the living Truth which I have found so precious without which none can be saved And if by the appearing of the Shame of my former Nakedness an inlet for the Truth may be made into the Minds and Hearts of any therein will be my Joy and the Eternal Comfort of all them who by receiving and Sanctification of the Truth and faithfulness in the Light do come to rest in the Kingdom of Joy and Eternal Peace forever and ever Thus at present in tender Love to the Souls of you Rulers and Professors in Herefordshire to whom I say believe in the Light and mind God's Witness in you and be not Rigid Bitter nor Persecutors of the Children of Light who by them in the dark are called Quakers among whom I have chosen to suffer Reproaches for Christ's sake and Whippings long Imprisonments and Dungeon and now in the House of Correction all which declares me to be as you may read 2 Cor. 6. 3 to 11. who am a Friend to the Souls of all Mankind a Servant of Jesus Christ not by the Will of men to whom I am known by the Name Humphry Smith Winchester the 19th of 6th Moneth 1658. THE Wandering-Star DISCOVERED And his False Light Comprehended and made Manifest Or something in Answer to a Book called The Duakers Blazing-Star Or The Worlds-Wonder Set forth by Edmund Skipp who calls himself A Preacher of the Gospel at Bodenham in Herefordshire But is sound and seen by the Light of Christ and proved by his own Writings to be out of the Light of the Gospel and to be himself wandered from the Truth and is now amongst the rest of the Wandering Stars mentioned in Jude v. 13. With a Word to all Professors BEing moved to write something in Answer to the Scandals that have been cast upon the Truth by Edmund Skipp in a Book called The Worlds Wonder or the Quakers Blazing-Star whereing he hath not only cast many Aspersions upon us in these parts of the Nation to wit Here for dshire but also on those yea all of the same People whom he never saw nor heard whom the great and mighty Power of God hath raised by the pure Life of Christ in them to witness and live in which we here a handful of Babes are but in a little measure yet brought to witness therefore not for our own Vindication but for the simple Ones sake who ever were carried away in all Ages with Scribes Pharisees false Prophets false Apostles through the sleight and craftiness of men whereby they lay in wait to deceive 2 Cor. 4. 2. Therefore take notice that not many Wise men after the flesh not many Learned not many Mighty for the Wisdom of this World passeth away and the Lord is now taking the Wise in their own craftiness and chusing the Foolish things of the World to confound the Wise and the things that are not to bring to nothing things that are That so no Flesh may glory in his sight but that the Lord alone might be exalted in this the great day of his Power Isa 2. 11. wherein he is risen out of his holy Habitation Zach. 2. 13. to shake terribly the Earth Isa 2. 19 21. and bring down the Haughtiness of man and lay low the Haughty looks of man Isa 2. 11. who are going forth like men of War in their own Strength against the Lord and against the anointed witness the last page of Edmund Skipps Book Psal 2. 2. Now that the Truth of Jesus Christ may the more appear I shall in this following Discourse in brief lay open some of the stromer and yet-lived-in Deceits of this open Enemy and also some of his Lyes which he hath written against the Truth of Christ whom the World knows not therefore they write spake hate stone whip imprison and falsly say all manner of Evil against us wherein the Scriptures are fulfilled by them Mat. 5. 11 12. whose Judgment slumbereth not and whose Damnation lingereth not Now before I proceed further I give thee a little notice what sort of people he thus hath opened his Mouth wide against and it shall be made manifest and that from his own writings which declare us to be the People of God chosen out of the world John 15. 19. and he to be the Persecutor I shall give thee a few short hints but if thou wilt observe his Writings thou wilt find that he himself hath declared that our whole Life and practice is proved by plain Scripture and that our Lives and Practices are the same with them that did write and speak forth the Scriptures But in short see his own words in page 40. Did you ever know People acted through a more Glorious show or appearance of Righteousness then they are to wit us their denying and throwing off the World and all care and Pains for Christs sake their forsaking Father and Mother and Wife and Children Mat. 10. 37. Luke 14. 26. though with so much Affliction Opposition Persecution and Disgrace from men Is not this like the Cross of Christ and the Sufferings of Christ and his Apostles yea even the same Their traveling so many miles from place to place and speaking so boldly unto great men crying out against their Abominations their writing so many Letters dealing so plainly with men Jer. 18. 18. And there are hardly a People to be found that cry out more against Antichrist and all appearance of Sin and Unrighteousness than they do And in page 41. The whole bulk of their actings hitherto as far as I know or have heard do declare them to be carried forth as Ministers of Righteousness page 44. for I am perswaded they dare not tell a Lye Now see plainly before thou proceed the Darkness Ignorance and Envy of this man that can persecute in writings and smite with the Tongue such a People as he himself in this very Darkness cannot chuse but confess such things by and in who that is not altogether blind will not see the Blindness Darkness and Ignorance of
this mans confused Writings See one more page 50. Now these People as far as I am and ever was able to discern them are indued with a large measure in those things the Apostle mentioned in Heb. 6. 4 5 6. I mean many of them that I know that I did take in my former Intimacy and Acquaintance with them to have received much of the Power of Truth through Christs and to have much communion with God and large experience of his Love But as for others of them they were never judged by me or the rest to be any more than a willing People and for such this Scripture doth not touch them Even by this although there might be much more mentioned thou mayst see in measure in the Light of Christ what he is that doth Rail against such a People whose Words Lives Ways and Actions are agreeable to the Scripture as he confesseth in his own Book The World loves his own and the World delights in its own the World speaketh to the World and the World hears that which is spoken from the Earthly Heart reacheth the deaf Ear and no farther that which is comprehended by the dark Mind that is spoken forth by the deceitful Tongue that feeds the Deceit that lodgeth in the Hearers so one Darkness upholds another and the same Deceit upholds its own in both Speaker Hearer So in both Writer and Reader yea all that write and speak that which proceeds not from the Life but from the Death being in the state of Death is but Death speaking to Death whereby Serpents are begotten or the Seed of the Serpents is encreased Now they that are of God hear God's Word and they that hear not his Word are not of God for the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are spiritually discerned by the spiritual man that judgeth all things though no man can judge him who is a Child of the day and dwelleth in the Light and hath no fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness out of which the Children of the Day are delivered and can witness the Darkness past and the true Light now shining in them But all those who say they have fellowship with Light and walk in Darkness are Lyars and all Lyars are shut out of the Kingdom and are estranged from God who is altogether Pure Holy and Righteous Just Perfect Light and those that dwell in him are as he is and they only have the Mind of Christ the which all the World and earthly Hearts are ignorant of Therefore I shall not put the worldly carnal Heart to judge of what may be written by me although I am but yet leaving off the World and entring into a little of that which is Eternal which no Eye of Flesh can ever attain unto and live neither can any but those that live in the same Life that speaks aright or understands what is spoken from the life by those that spake aright from the pure life Therefore let not thy deceitful Heart deceive thee in judging herein for the Old Heart is Deceitful as I shall further make manifest both unto the World and unto the Children of the Light not only from what I hear but from his own written words and my knowledge and being witnessed by the Light and Truth as it is manifested in me whereby something may so plainly appear that even the World it self may see the Deceit that always hath been and yet is in this man who now desires all the World to take notice p. 24. of his Exposition of his Lyes that he himself hath cast on us who are not of the World therefore the World knows us not for we witness against it that the Deeds thereof are Evil. After Edmund Skipp had thrown off his Tythes and convinced of much more which he was waiting to throw off too he then told me not long before he lest us That he had not Faith to carry him through neither could he believe but he was confident That the Devil would steal all that he had from him again the which is now too true Wo Wo Wo from the Eternal God to all the Inhabitants of the Earth who dwell in the earthly Darkness being seated in the Earth drove out from the presence of the living God and are Vagabonds and Fugitives in the Earth whose center is in the earthly dark Mind Wo to all those that put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light Wo to all those that go down to Aegypt for help in Aegypt the pure Seed is captiyated and kept in Bondage in Sodom and Aegypt the Lord is daily crucified and put to open shame Wo to all the Oaks of Bashan and all the Beasts of the Field Wo to them that build their Nests among the Stars for Capernaum that is lifted up to Heaven and in its wisdom in its own strength shall be brought down to Hell for the Lord God of Life and Power is risen out of his holy Habitation to confound the Language of Babel and dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and famish all the gods of the Heathen that know not God whose presence is terrible to all the Children of Disobedience Therefore Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker who ariseth to scatter his Enemies and to wound the Head of every one that goeth on still in his Wickedness Oh! the Day of the Lord is at hand wherein every man shall receive according to the Deeds done in his Body then he that hath seemed to wait and now begins to smite his fellow-Servants saying his Master delays his coming and so eat and drink with the Drunken that are drunk indeed with the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore of Babylon those are Drunkards indeed that are drunk with VVine and overcome but not with strong drink such stagger at the Promises and stumble at the Corner-stone but when that Stone shall fall upon them it will grind them to Powder Therefore be warned of the Lord thou that despisest and wonderest For all the Works of the Lord are Wonderful lest thou perish for the Lord is working a Work in these dayes that thou canst not believe nor any that live in their own Wisdom exalted above the pure Wisdom of Christ who teacheth all his to deny all yea even all both their Wisdom Righteousness Wit and all carnal Comprehensions for they are Followers of him who lived not in his own Will For saith he I came not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me and saith Not my Will but thy Will be done And he that is not yet made a Fool and so denies his own Will and Wisdom is yet exalted above the Cross and the Son of Perdition is exalted above all that is called God sitting in the Temple of God even in the Holy Place where Truth should alwayes be exalted Christ should reign as King and subdue all his Enemies under his Feet and lead Captivity
Lye witness thy own Words after the Meeting at Clifton where thou sayest Thou sawst such a Spirit of Prayer as thou never hadst seen before To which those that were there can yet testifie and we witness growth in Grace and Knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. and walk from Grace to Grace leaving the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. 1. forgetting those things that are behind we press forwards For man in his own Wisdom cannot find out the Lord who is a Spirit John 4. 24. and regardeth not the Wise in Heart Job 37. 23 24. Therefore if any man will be Wise let him become a Fool that so he may be found in the VVisdom that is from above James 3. 17. Next thou sayest That we desire the Perishing of the former Wayes of God This is another of thy Lyes For all the Wayes of the Lord are Righteous Psal 145. 17. so in page 18. Satan acts thee to call that Scripture dangerous Phil. 3. 7 8. If thou callest Paul's Experience dangerous it s no wonder that thou callest ours so too But we know that all Scriptures are written for our Learning the which we are searching Next thou wilt show the Thoughts and but the Thoughts of thy own Heart which is thy old sinful Heart wituess thy own Hand page 5. Line 11 12. Therefore from thy wicked Heart thou being ignorant of the Spirit dost in page 24. even Jeer at speaking by the Spirit in opposition to all the Holy Men of God 1 Pet. 1. 21. Therefore thou art an Enemy to Prayer in the Spirit Ephes 6. 18. the which we witness Therefore in the Light of Jesus Christ thou art calling thy own Company to wit the VVorld to try thy Exposition of thy own Lyes that thou hast cast upon us in page 23. and the last in thy Second Rule page 23. there thou denyest the Sufferings of Christ being ignorant of it in thy own Soul but we know that if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him So we are made willing to fill up the measure of the Sufferings of Christ and those that have thus suffered in the Flesh have ceased from Sin 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. Thy Second where thou mentionest Quaking thy Lyes there we deny but Quaking and Trembling we witness to be the Saints conditions fulfilled in us who witness the same Power of God as they did Jer. 5. 22. â—sa 66. 2. Psal 2. 12. In the Third thou speakest thy own Lyes at random In the Fourth thou hast declared thy self to be an Enemy to the Sufferings of Christ calling it A Delusion Oh let Shame stop thy Mouth forever thou Enemy of the Cross of Christ and thy own Soul For although Isaiah prophesied of what Christ in his own Person hath fulfilled yet the Members of Christ are to take up his Cross and follow him as it is written and and witnessed 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ 1 Pet. 4. 13. 2. Cor. 4. 10. That which thou and the rest of the VVorld doth call our Bondage and Slavery page 18. that was the Saints and is our Joy and Liberty by which the righteous Seed is brought forth in Obedience to the Living God But it is no wonder that the World hate us for they know us not If we were of the World the World would love his own John 15. 18 19. Matth. 5. 11 12. In Answer to that in page 29. Jesus Christ is unto us the Bread of Life John 6. 33 35 48. and he is unto us the Water of Life John 4. 14. and 7. 37. In page 30. thy Lyes are made manifest unto all men that know us For which of us doth deny to Labour with his Hands And which of us is it that live in Idleness Nay it is Satan the Father of Lyes that acts thee to say that we should say It is the Language of Antichrist that bids men take care for their Families For we do take care for our Families with all diligence in the sight of God but our Conversation is without Covetousness Heb. 13. 5. What is mentioned in the third Rule page 31 32 33 34 To that I answer The same Spirit that ruled in the Children of Disobedience then even in the dayes of the Apostles the same Spirit ruleth in thee and others Now they stumble at both Prophets Christ and his Apostles and now the same Generation are stumbling at Christ in his Memembers so all they that stumble stumble at the Light and at the Corner-stone As for the Professors page 36. I tell thee and them that all Professors that are Enemies to Possession we do deny to be any Members of Christs Church which is in God 2 Thes 1. Page 37. Is another Lye yea more then one plainly in saying That we rank our selves with the sinful men of the World who are indeed under all the Powers of Antichrist from the which thou wast never yet redeemed by Christ in thee for thou art a stranger to his Life See what thou raisest from thy Supposition or thy If in pag 37. see what thou cast witness from those Scriptures fulfilled in thee thou art a Thief and a Robber stealing the Apostles words stealing the word from thy Neighbour thou confessest That we walk like as the Apostles did in many things as in Conversation Words and Writings In pag. 40 and 41. thou sayst That the whole Bulk of our Actions hitherto as far as thou hast either known or heard do declare us to be carried forth as Ministers of Righteousness Oh! let all take notice of this the Devil speaks some Truth but in the latter end of pag. 40. thou art thinking that Satans Kingdom is divided Oh filthy Conclusion Oh meer Babel Canst thou open thy Mouth and let thy Pen run against such a harmeless People of whom thou thy self art made to confess such Excellent things I shall now leave a little in following of thee in thy confused and deceitfull Lines and shall turn to that Scripture 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. for such were false Apostles deceitful Workers c. In pag. 41. elsewhere thou raisest thy own Conceivings as of other things of the Scripture and then amplisiest or illustratest upon thy own Imaginations so givest private Interpretations of the Scriptures for thy own private ends whereas no Scripture is of any private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. I shall lay down by plain Scripture who those false Apostles are 1. They are such as preach another Jesus 2. Cor. 11. 4. Now Jesus is a Saviour Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins Mat. 1. 21. He maketh an End of Sin Dan. 9. 24. Being dead with Christ Rom. 6. 8. the Body of Sin is destroyed Vers 6. He that is dead with Christ is freed from Sin Vers 7. compared with 1 Pet. 4. 1. By the which we are made free from Sin
Cross of Christ is to the Joros a Stumbling-block to the Greeks Foolishness for Christ is this day as he was ever a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to both the Houses of Israel 2 Cor. 1. 13. therefore are they this day speaking Evil of that they know not for say they concerning these Sects call'd Quakers We know that it is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. But in the Way that men call Heresie do I Worship the God of my Father Acts 24. 14. and am not ashamed to own the Power that shakes the Earth for if I should be ashamed to own the Power of Christ before men then he might justly be ashamed of me before my Father which is in Heaven but I own and witness the same Power which made Moses exceedingly fear and quake The which overpowered Daniel that he had no strength left in him Dan. 10. 8. Which Power made Habakkuk Tremble his Lips Quivered Rottenness entred into his Bones Hab. 3. 16. the which Power struck down Paul Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. which caused the Goaler to come in Trembling Acts 16. 26 27 28 29. Therefore I say unto all serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling Psal 2. 11. and work out your Salvation with fear and Treambling Phil. 2. 12. for now I know the Lord to be with them that Tremble at his Word Therefore O foolish People without Understanding which have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not Tremble at my Presence Jer. 5. 21 22. Are you worse than Devils that Fear and Tremble Isa 2. 19. And now the mighty Power of the living God hath shaken the Earth and the Heavens that now that which cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. 27. Now all you that will enter in with the Bride-groom wait to receive the same Power for the Lord Jesus Christ is come tendering himself unto his own John 1. 11. and I witness that as many as receive him receive Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. O be not Fools and slow with Heart to believe all that the Prophets and Apostles saith for the Lord is still a God with Power he is the same yesterday and to day and forever whose everlasting Love is shed abroad in our Hearts by which the Love of the World is cast out For if any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him John 2. 15. But we are bought with a Price and after glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit which is the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Being made Ministers nof of the Letter which killeth but of the Spirit which giveth Liâ—e 2 Cor. 3. 6. Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry of Christ be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments in Tamults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left by Honour and by Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True as unknown and yet well known as Dying and behold we Live as Chastened and not Killed as Sorrowful and yet always Rejoycing as Poor and yet making many Rich as having Nothing yet Possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 Verses Now the Light of the glorious Gospel in the Face of Jesus Christ hath shined into our Hearts whereby the Grace that was to be brought in at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. is now in us witnessed even the Grace the Apostle exhorted to hope for and the Prophets searched after 2 Pet. 2. 20. the which Grace and Glory is now made manifest in the Sons and Daughters whereby the everlasting Gospel is sounded forth in the Ears of many Thousands in England blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof For verily verily as the four Hundred and Thirty years Bondage in Aegypt was at last accomplished and as the Captivity in Babylon had an end and the Lord brought again the Captivity of his People even so now the many Years of Apostacy is over and the Lord hath heard the Cry of his own Seed and is come down to deliver Israel out of all Distresses and to gather the Out-casts Psalm 147. 2. And to bring home that which is driven away and to bind up that which is broken and to strengthen that which is sick but he will destroy the Fat and the Strong and will feed them with Judgment Ezek. 34. 26. but his own shall be delivered from the many Shepherds which have destroyed the Flock of Christ and they shall feed no longer Verse 20. yea verily People the mighty Power of the Lord is risen in England to gather his from the Corners of the Earth and they that have been long in the High-ways to Destruction being â—lind and Lame shall now be compelled to come in to the Supper of the Lamb and eat of the hidden Manna But many of the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out For for Judgment is Christ come into the World that they that see not may see and they that soe may now be made Blind Joh 939. And the Sword of the Lord is drawn against the man of Sin to cut it down Root and Branch and to set up the Kingdom of Christ in Rightcousness and true Holiness And this Work of the Lord shall certainly go on and Men Devils nor the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester the 8th Moneth 1658. YOu that are set to rule over others should not let secret Envy Ambition and Prejudice so rule over you as not at all to hearken to the Counsel of the Meek nor receive Instruction from the Simple whom the Lord preserveth but you should let Haughtiness and Arrogancy be done away for God resisteth the Proud And you should come to that which is meek low sober and humble with it to know a ruling over that which hath captivated you under the power of Sin and Satan who hath so blinded the Mind that the Meek of the Earth are become your Enemies for telling you the truth and the Day upon you is come in which you cannot endure sound Doctrine But this I tell you That they who hate Reproof are bruitish and every man is bruitish in his Knowledge yea O ye men your Pastors are become bruitish and have not known the Lord though this be a hard saying to you who are your selves in that which is to be ruled with the Sword of God's dreadful Power who will execute Judgment upon all and with his own eternal
not thereby lifted up in Pride Ambition and Wrath so as thereby to keep your selves from the attaining unto a Pearl of far more greater Price and of a more durable Substance for great is the Riches Honour and Dignity that is coming near unto you if you let not your Hearts be hardened against it in the strength and perversness of your own Wills despising the Day of your Visitation of Love and rejecting the Message of Life to your Souls and contemning that by which you might come to live forever and have Dominion over Death and Hell and escape the Torment which all them fall into in the day of their Death who dye out of the Covenant of Life and Peace the which Covenant that you may attain unto and come to live in forever let Love Mercy be received in you and then brought forth by you and let Humility and Fear be placed in your Hearts with it in tenderness to rule over others and let the Light in you which lets you see the thing that is Evil lead and guide you to speak and do the thing that is good right and just and let your Words be few sound sober and meek and hate not them who from good will to your Souls bring the Reproof of Life unto you or publish the word of Repentance among you or proclaim this message of Love and Peace within your Borders let not such be harmed for a day and time of Visitation is coming near upon you all and happy may you be if you receive Instruction and love the Light By a lover of the Souls of all Mankind a Servant of the God of Life Prisoner at the City of Winchester known by the Name of Humphry Smith TO ALL Parents of Children Upon the face of the VVhole Earth That your Children you may the better train up in the right Way that they should go therein something of the True Way it self is discovered that Iniquity may not be received by Tradition from Parents to Children and so from one Generation to another but that your Children may come to Christ and be Children of God and so be a Comfort unto you Therefore is this sent among you every where in love to your Children and you FRom the Bowels of God's infinite Love unto a tender Seed of him not known nor brought forth in tender Babes am I moved to you to write That your Children you provoke not to Wrath nor draw forth their Minds into Unrighteousness neither be ye Examples of Rashness nor Frowardness neither teach ye them that when they are little to please your vain Minds which you must chastise them afterwards to leave again neither teach ye them to be Proud by drawing forth their Minds to look at foolish Toyes which you in the Transgression have put upon them in any manner of dressing which is needless for this know that in so doing you bring them from being such of whom the Kingdom of God doth consist to be Children of the Devil who is the Father of Pride which many harmeless Children would not come unto were they not trained into it by such as are in Pride already neither teach ye them to strike in the least nor provoke them to have any delight to see striking for thereby afterwards they come to strike one another and hurt one another and so you teach your own Children to be unnatural one to another and you unnatural to them in teaching them to strike one another and then when they are a little grown up to strike and beat them for striking one another the which you taught them Neither teach ye them to speak wicked Words nor many Words for in the Multitude of Words there wants not Sin Neither teach ye them to call Names in the least nor any such thing as you will answer it for their Souls in the great and terrible Day of the Lord for in these things is greater weight than many Thousands are aware of And for want of taking heed of these things in the true fear of God Children have grown up in these and the like things to be a great Grief unto their Parents of whom they learned it and some beat their Parents being taught thereunto when they were little and so trained up out of the fear of the Lord. And by this Wickedness received by Tradition and nursed up from one Generation to another Nations are overspread with Sin and Iniquity and Towns and Countries are filled with all Abominations whereby the Lord of Heaven and Earth is grieved Therefore of these things be ye all warned for this do I know that in many tender Babes and young Children there is a meek innocent harmless Principle from God who willeth not the Death of any and they have a Light from Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the World which Light is in them And he said Suffer little Children to come unto me forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God who come unto him that is meek and low in Heart therefore you should suffer them to keep unto come unto that which is meek and low in the Heart for that which may be known of God is manifest in them And Christ the Light had a love to little Children and said He that will enter the Kingdom of God must become as a little Child Therefore Wo be to you if you teach and cause such to become the Children of the Devil by following your devised Fables evil Examples and wrong Guidance in your own rebellious Wills For behold and look upon young Children and see how innocent and lamb-like they look and consider if every thing were as good as God made it and how much more if they were brought forth in the Covenant of God And wherein have they delight in Pride or any Covetousness or any manner of Cruelty And is it not better for their Souls if you let them keep in that state and so to suffer them to come to Christ who saveth from Sin and his Power keepeth out of Sin and his Light in the Conscience condemneth for Sin where it is and he cometh to destroy the Works of the Devil Therefore you should consider that you are far from Christ if you teach such the works of the Devil that never knew it and teach Children to enter into Sin which separateth them and you from God and keep you forever from Salvation unless you come through Judgment out of it again which many come short of and most attain not unto for few there be that enter in at the strait Gate And that you may the more consider my words and come into Moderation and the Wisdom of God in these and other things to walk exemplary before your Children and to be to them Patterns of Gravity Meekness and Sobriety therefore shall I set before your Eyes some plain and simple Truths of my experience when I was a Child First as concerning Tenderness my Heart was much affected
of Christ in me did let me see the Abominations of the Priests practices and did speak against their way of sprinkling Infants and said I should never stand as a God-father for any nor never did whereat a man Swore at me and said It was pity any one did it for me but I said I mattered not if they had never done it for I was never the better though I had never heard any one speak against the things nor did not until many years after And so that which is now my Guide is the same which was in the beginning before the Sin and no other Foundation I never knew neither can another Foundation be laid in any than that which is already laid which is Christ within the hope of Glory and he saith I am the Light come unto me and suffer little Children to come unto me for the Kingdom of God is of such as come to him meek and low in Heart who saveth from Sin And certainly I never knew the Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace until I became again as I was when I was a little Child And how hard it is to come again into that simple innocent state when degenerated from it let Gods Witness in the Couscience answer Therefore is this written that you may not shut up the Kingdom of Heaven from your Children Secondly Take heed how you cause or suffer your Children to Babble many vain words with their Tongues with a delight to hear them prattle when there is no need for thereby afterward the Tongue becomes an unruly Member set on fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. as I found and bore the fierce Indignation of the Lord for and many little Children would not come to speak so many vain and evil words which corrupt the good Manners if they were not much provoked thereunto and seeing People delight to hear them speak the most crasty words which are from the subtilty of the Serpent and many send their Children abroad among other wild People or Persons to have them learn subtilty and crast to speak their words from and how to be hardy or too hard for others by subtil Words and Lyes also in buying and selling and when they have learned it say They can live any where and that they can shift for themselves and live by their Wits and forecast which indeed oft-times to deceive others and yet there 〈◊〉 such a plain honest simple Principle in some that they can never be brought into such subtil words nor into so many words as others though they themselves have much endeavoured to attain it but they have been more plain and simple and the Lord preserveth the simple Psal 11. 6. and such sometimes could not defend their own cause but were pleaded down when their cause was just by others that had learned more of the Serpents subtilty which the Vengeance of God will one day come upon when the Lord avengeth the cause of the oppressed And in this I have had also much experience for when I was a Child I saw much into the vanity of needless words and was very backward a long time in speaking and in that and some other things much differing from other Children and many thought I would have been a fool 〈◊〉 they call it 〈…〉 the foolishness of God and therefore oft-times much means was used to cause me to speak and many Provocations long together and yet not at all scarce make me speak one word for I saw then it was needless and could not ask one how he did when I saw he was well nor answer that which was needless and when I was a little grown up and sent upon any small Errand I should deliver my Message in very few words that people thought I would be never like a man and about ten years of Age my Father in the flesh would sometimes send me to Market and it was long before he and all others could make me ask any more then the price he did allow me to sell at or if he did not set me a certain price then I should resolve of a price in the mind according as I saw the Market and so I often sold with the cheapest being loth to take too much and therefore was often esteemed and called a Fool and Dunce but it had been easier for me if I had never been drawn out of that state when I was taught of God to do unto others as I would be done unto and was fearful to strike any one but rather gave way to them that struck me and so was by many of my equals abused and it was hard for me to take away the life of any Creature and pleaded much against it with my Father and Mother when they commanded me to do it though it was but to kill a young Dog or Cat or the like my Life in me was grieved to do it and much was I forced to harden my Heart before I could do any such thing though commanded by my Parents which may be a warning to all Parents that they be not the cause of the hardning of their Childrens hearts and then say of them they are hardy Lads for that which har dens the heart seperates from God who is Love and from Christ who comes to save the Life and so the Sacrifice of God is not known which is in the broken Heart but the Lord is with the humble and the broken hearted And you should all take heed of provoking your Children to many words for all flesh should be silent before the Lord and their words and yours should be few seasoned with salt that they might minister grace to the Hearers for God sitteth in Heaven unto whom an account must be given for every Idle word and according to every word that a man shall speak shall he be judged Therefore let the fear and dread of the Lord God be before your Eyes that you bring not your Children into the Condemnation by speaking more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of plain simple Truth in few Words left the Lord God of Heaven and Earth requite it of you in the day of his firce Wrath when you will not be able to answer him one of a Thousand and left you bring your tender simple Babes to be Children of the Devil and then it be not in your power to bring them back out of that state again but they dye in their sins upon whom the Wrath of God abideth Therefore as you love and tender their good both of Soul and Body see that you keep and in all things bring them to Gods Witness in them and that will judg and reprove them for any Evil they have done and will keep them more out of all Evil then you by any other Reproof can do and will answer your chastizing for any Evil to be just when done in the true Moderation not exceeding the Offence committed nor proceeding from the least motion of the wrathful nature in you mark that Thirdly take heed of provoking your
Peace with God and his Blessing to be with you alwayes and be a Comfort to your Parents and all that truly fear the Lord. Written by a Member of Christ whose love was to little Children and so is mine who am called Humphery Smith THE True and Everlasting Rule From God discover'd AND That which proveth all things Published from the Spirit of Truth To the which Rule the Scriptures also bear Testimony that the Simple and Honest-hearted may see what Rule they are to walk by to come to perfect Peace and Rest with God for evermore Also A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come and is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling-sence and experience according to Scripture Wherein also is shewed That the Prophets of God and Ministers of Christ did preach the Light and so those who preach the Light now do therein preach the same Doctrine as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did With an Invitation from the Spirit of Christ By a Servant of the Lord and a Sufferer for his Truth in the House of Correction at Winchester in Hampshire called Humphry Smith The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. To the Flock of GOD whom he hath gathered in Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Wiltshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Hampshire Dorcetshire and Devonshire TO you my dearly beloved Lambs and Babes in Christ Jesus chosen of God the Father before the Foundation of the Word called to be Saints sanctified with the living Truth in the inward parts justified by him that is near redeemed with the Blood of the new Covenant glorified as a royal Diadem in the hand of the Father preserved through believing and obedience by the mighty Arm of unlimited Power compassed about with Salvation anointed with Oyl of Joy and Gladness of Heart who are beloved of my Soul and the Joy of the whole Earth who are chosen and faithful and true who through great Tribubation the Kingdom do come to receive who have not loved your Lives unto the Death who did once walk in the Shadow of Death whose feet now come to be guided in the Way of Everlasting Peace to whom the hand of the Father's infinite Love hath been reached forth as unto tender Babes who come to be born and nursed up by the Womb and the Paps that are free which is the Mother of us all who know the first-born which is blessed for evermore who are become the first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb who have received the Testimony of Jesus who have washed your Robes in the Blood of the Lamb and have received the fine Linnen which is the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of the Saints whose Sins are done away forever whose Nakedness is covered who have put on the pure Robes and are adorned as a Bride for her Husband who are clothed with Righteousness as with a Garment and are all Glorious within and are able to stand upon the Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and before the Throne out of which proceeds Lightnings and Thunders and Voices who have cast down all your Crowns at the fect of the Lamb and come to wait on him forever and ever who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is worthy of all Glory and Honour and Praise and Thanks and Obedience and Dominion from all his for evermore The Salutation of me the Prisoner of Jesus Christ with my own hand unto you my dear Ones unto whom at present my Bowels of Love from God the Father are poured forth with whom I am in the Spirit of Love and Meekness among whom I have passed through good Report and evil Report yea that which is not to be named who am as one of the least yet not the least in Love unto you who are unto me as the Children of my own Bowels bound up with me in the unspeakable Life of the Father which from all the World is hid for evermore where Life and Immortality dwelleth forever and is daily felt by all you that abide faithful in the Obedience and keep your Garments unspotted of the Flesh abiding in the pure Fear and godly Humility your Bread is continued and your Waters are sure and your Souls are made as a watered Gardâ—n and Peace and Life springs up in you and you may delight your selves in Fatness and find the replenishings from the Fountain of God's living Mercies and grow up in the holy Life as Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified The Church of the first born are you come to be the Pillar and Ground of Truth made lively Stones elect and precious growing up a holy Building unto God the Father who will dwell in you his holy Temple forever and ever who are founded upon the elect precious and Corner-stone the sure Foundation the Rock of Ages the Light of the World whose light is your life which is shining forth unto the Sons of men that they may see your good Works which are wrought in and by you and hear your seasoned words which ministers Grace unto the Hearers and answers Gods Witness in all and makes for your Advantage who are as Plants of Renown a Habitation of Holiness Vessels of Honour Clusters of Grapes who receive nourishment from the Vine whose Fruit never fadeth whose Rivers are never dry whose Rayment never waxeth old whose Glory never fadeth whose strength is renewed as the Morning your Dread is upon the People and your Terror upon the Heathen your Enemies are all as stubble before you and your God in the midst of you is a consuming Fire Dreadful is his Presence in you unto all his and your Enemies the Workers of Iniquity who shall fall before you as the Grass that is cut down and wither as the Blossom that is cut off Paleness shall cover the faces of all your Enemies before you shall all People be much pained Sorrow shall take hold upon them in the Night-season then shall the Arrows of the Lord reach into their Bowels Astonishment of Heart shall be upon them and they shall fly when none pursues and be in Distress and none shall deliver Arise against them O ye my Lambs in the strength of the Lord who teacheth your hands to war and your fingers to fight let the Beast be overturned forever let the Whore have blood to drink let her Merchant be spoiled forever and all her Children dashed against the Stone and broken to pieces as a Potters Vessel with the Power of the Light let the Darts of your hands who handle the Word of Life strike through all the false Prophets and reach unto the secrets of all their Hearts to the renting open of their Chambers of Darkness and the cutting down of the Enemies of the Most High and fear not let not your hands be slack the Lord
Canaan whom Noah cursed And the beginning of this mighty Hunter's Kingdom was Babel where the Lord whom he hunted before followed after and confounded the Language of all them that belonged to this mighty Hunter who was a mighty one in the Earth and out of this Land of Babel went forth them that built many Cities and afterwards there was a People whose gods were according to the number of their Cities And so see what followeth when man is not led by the Spirit of God as Noah was and so preserved but hunts mightily before him being mighty in that which is Earthly first he is mighty in the Earth then a mighty Hunter then builds a mighty Tower whereby he that is earthly would climb up to Heaven this a Figure and then God confounded the Language and after wards those that were in the many Languages professed God who confounded the Language before whom their Father Nimrod hunted and they being found in that which God confounded though they professed God yet in Works denyed him and crucified his Son the Lord of Glory and writ over his Head of the many Languages Latin Greek and Hebrew and this was written above him that was the Light and so them now who are of the stock of Babel are yet exalted above the Light and count the Light a weak and low contemptible thing not able to save it self much less to save them that believe in it and so therein manifest themselves to be of their Fathers who crucified him that said I am the Light and said unto him If thou be the Son of God save thy self and so despised him who came to save them And this is some of the effect of mans hurting mightily in the Earth before they came to receive the Spirit as Nimrod did Gen. 9. 18 25. ch 10. 8 9 10 11. ch 11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. John 19. 19 20. But Jacob followed obeyed and believed the Lord who is a Spirit and the Presence of God was with him and the Blessing of the Most High was upon him and the Lord promised To be with him who was a Worm in six Troubles and in seven and when he passed through the Fire and the Water and God gave him a new Name and afterwards promised To give his Seed a Name better than of Sons and Daughters and Jacob was a plain man and dwelt in Tents and him God loved and he prevailed with God Isa 41. 14. ch 43. 1 2 3 4 5. Gen. 22. 28. Isa 56. 5. And so Nimrod with his Followers who was mighty in the Earth came to be confounded and Jacob who was little in the Earth as a Worm and dwelt in Tents he and his Seed came to be blessed And Moses the Servant of the Lord whom God Almighty honoured in his everlasting Love and made him a Deliverer unto and a Judge and Ruler over the People Acts 7. 35. he being in Aegypt the Land of Darkness and Bondage and all the Seed and Israel of God in cruel Oppression and I do not read that he had any direction from Man or Scripture or any thing else without him to guide him at first to refuse to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter and the glory of Aegypt and to chuse to suffer Affliction with the People of God Neither do I read that he saw the Angel or Glory of the Lord until after he was and had been Obedient unto that which God had given into him for that which may be known of God is manifest within Rom. 1. 19. for it is said in the Scriptures of Truth That it was by Faith Heb. 11. 24. that he refused the evil and chose the good and Faith is that which is in the Heart Acts 15. 9. As it is written If thou believe in thy Heart Rom. 10. 9. Acts 18. 37. And of that Faith in the Heart God hath given to every man a Proportion Rom. 12. 6. And as that which is but little in man is loved and obeyed so man comes to know more of God and hear his Word of Faith which is in the Heart Rom. 10. 8. And by hearing and Obedience of Faith man receiveth the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. which is an undeniable Truth which I might prove by a cloud of Witnesses from the Scriptures which were given forth from the Inspiration of God by his holy Servants And so there being something of God in man whereby man may as Moses did first refuse the Evil and then chuse a suffering state and so learn to do well the Sin then comes to be done away Isa 16. 17 18. and afterwards more of God's enless Love and powerful Presence is made manifest and so being faithful in the little received from God in the Heart man comes to rule over much as Moses did who first learned the Obedience of Faith in the Heart though in Aegypt and in the time of great Persecution where he was also despised of his Brethren yet he obeyed the Word of Faith in the Heart and so afterwards to him God appeared and the Word of the Lord came unto him and he talked with God afterwards face to face as a man talketh with his Friend and the many Wonders that the mighty Power of God wrought in and by him are recorded at large in the holy Scriptures for a Testimony thereof to last throughout many Generations And by this Faith also afterwards the Members of Christ did walk 2 Cor. 5. 7. And Joshua who succeeded Moses was full of the Spirit of Wisdom consider that he was first full of the Spirit and so thereby he came to be a Leader and Ruler over others and the Dread of the Lord fell and his Judgments came upon them who rose up or stood against him and those whom he by the Power of the Spirit in him came to rule over and great many and mighty were the Victories that God gave unto this man who was bold and couragious by reason of the fullness of the Spirit that was in him and the People hearkned unto him as they did unto Moses and he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses Deut. 34. 9. Josh 11. 15. But the Lords people in these dayes who are led by the Spirit of God in them are accounted both by Priests Rulers and People to be drunk or mad as it was before when the Son of God who is the Light was revealed in Paul Gal. 1. 15 16. he was accounted by the Ruler of the People to be mad Acts 26. 24. And when the Disciples of Christ had waited and afterwards received the Spirit of Truth within from the which they spake as with new Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance at them then many were amazed others mocked supposing them to be drunk Acts 2. 12 13 14 15. And when Hunnah prayed in Heart being grieved in Spirit was esteemed to be drunk even by Ely the Priest yet she by her Prayers in her Heart obtained her desire of
the Lord who gave her a Son that knew the Lord and ministered before him being yet a Child but the Sons of Ely the Priest were Sons of Belial and knew not God like the Priests of England 1 Sam. 14. and 2. 18. And David a man after Gods own Heart was a deaf man and heard not and as a dumb man that openeth not his Mouth being dumb with Silence and held his Peace even from good until his Heart was hot within him and the Fire burned then he spake with his Tongue Psal 38. 13 14. Psal 39. 1 2 3. 9. and afterwards he said Thy Word have I hid in my Heart which Word is as a Fire that I might not sin against thee and so that which keepeth from Sin is hid in the Heart and that Word David said was a Lamp to his Feet and a Light unto his Paths which Word he kept and loved the Law of the Lord which is written in the Heart and so was made wiser than his Enemies and had more understanding than the Ancients and all his Teachers Psal .. 119. 10 11. vers 42 43 50 67 81 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105. And all the Prophets of the Lord were led guided and directed by the Spirit of Christ which was in them both in their Actions which sometimes were as Foolishness and Madness in the Eyes of the Professing Jews and also in their Words which sometimes were as Thunder against the ungodly though they were the Rulers of the People and their Words were so Terrible against them that professed Godliness and lived in unrighteousness that Amaziah the high Priest said of one of the Prophets who spake in the dread of the Lord That the whole Land was not able to bear his Words Amos 7. 10. And Amaziah the Priest of Bethuel being not able to bear the Word of the Lord therefore he falsly accused Amos of conspiring against the King Amos 7. And from the Spirit in them did the Prophets with boldness declare against the Wickedness of the Rulers of the People saying to the poluted City Thy Princes are Rebellious and Companions of Thieves they love Gifts and Rewards and judge not the Fatherless nor the cause of the Widdow and suh as these are the Adversaries and Enemies of the Lord upon whom he will be avenged and all them that trouble his Servants Isa 1. 23 24. 2 Thes 1. 6. And it is just and right for the Friends of Christ to declare against the Enemies of the Lord and those that decree unrighteous Decrees and write grievousness which they have prescribed and turn aside the Needy from Judgment and take away the Right of the People that they may Rob the Fatherless against these is the Hand of the Lord stretched out and they are to bow down under the Prisoners and fall under the slain Isa 10. 1 2 3 4. and saith the Prophet Wo to the filthy and poluted City her Princes are roaring Lyons her Judges are evening Wolves her Prophets are light and treacherous her Priests have poluted the Sanctuary Zeph. 3. 1 2 3 4. and many more such expressions they used which was not Railing but sound Words in the fear and dread of the Lord read Amos the first and second Chapters And from the Spirit of Truth in them did they also declare even against such as were the Teachers and Leaders of the People and were made Ministers by a Law of God which Law was then in force and those Ministers departing out of the way and corrupting the Covenant like the Priests of England therefore the Lord made them as he will these who deny the Way the Light base and contemptible in the Eyes of all the People because they also have been partial in the Law Mal. 2. 8 9. and against such did and do the Servants of the Lord declare they being such Shepherds that cannot understand but are blind ignorant dumb greedy Dogs these are the worst of Dogs Isa 56. 10 11. and by such is the horrible thing committed Jer. 5. 30 31. And the Pastors are become bruitish Jer. 10. 21. Therefore hearken not unto them Jer. 27. 13 15 16. verses also read Jer. 23. and Ezek. 34. For as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent Hos 6. 9. And one of the chief of that number is John Hodder Priest of the Parish called Haychurch in the County of Dorset and there was a People the Heads thereof judged for Reward and the Priests teached for Hire and the Prophets divined for Money is it not so in England Mich. 3. 11. and saith the Prophet O ye Priests this Commandment is for you I will send a Curse upon you and corrupt your Seed and spread Dung upon your Faces even the Dung of your solemn Feasts hearken ye Priests of England Mal. 2. 1 2 3. And this was and is sound Doctrine which the itching Ears of the false Teachers of our dayes cannot endure to hear being found themselves such cursed Children that cannot cease from Sin that were to come in the latter dayes 2 Pet. 2. 14. and those Words and many more to the same effect were they guided by the Spirit of Christ the Light in them to speak and from that Spirit they declared against the Rulers Priests and People who had the Law or Letter and Moses Writings without them yet were Enemies to the Spirit of Truth within But the Prophets searched diligently to see what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1. 11. So that the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets which testisied unto them and was their Rule and Guide And when Christ came who is the end of the Prophets and the Law he also declared against the same generation as the Prophets did and we do and he said They were of their Father the Devil who did his Works notwithstanding they had the Scriptures and the Oracles of God and were of the place of holy Worship and were zealous and strict therein even against them did Christ proclaim many Woes Mat. 23. for the Word of God had no place in them neither could they hear it John 8. 37 43. but in Christ the Light did all the fullness of God dwell Col. 1. 19. 2. 9. And so he that had the fullness of God within him was counted a Deceiver a Blasphemer denyed and crucified by them that had the Oracles of God without them and read the Prophets every Sabbath-day yet knew not their Voices Acts 13. 27. which prophesied of him whom they knew not when he was come who is the Light And now we do bear witness that the Light is come as did Isaiah 60. 1 2 3. though Darkness covers the Earth and gross Darkness the People yet in him that is the Light doth the fulness of God abide and no man cometh to the Father or fulness of God but the Son who is Light And
the Scriptures testifie of and was given forth from John 5. 39. that by it in them they might be enabled to do God's Will and witness the Scriptures fulfilled as it is written I will walk in them and dwell in them 2 Cor. 6. 16. and he is the God of them in whom he dwells and they are his People in whom he walks from whose Inspiration the Scripture came in which it is written Prove all things 1 Thes 5. 21. and try the Spirits and that which proveth all things and tryes the Spirits comes from the God of the Spirits of all flesh and from the Word of his Power by which all things were made which Word in the Heart is as Fire which proves tryes and refineth things and is 1 John 4. 1. Numb 16 22. John 1 3. Col. 3. 16. Psal 3â— 3 Jer. 5. 14. Mal. 3 3. Heb. 4. 12. Psal 139. 1 23 24 John 4. 1. Luke 10. 42. 1 Cor. 2. 12. ch 1. 21. Rom 8. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 3. 16. ch 2. 10 John 15. 4 5. Jude 6. 2 Thes 1. 5 6 7 8 9 10. John 17. 17. Psal 51. 6. John 1 14. ch 8. 44. 2 Cor. 44. Ephes 2 2. John 8. 24. ch 17. 7. 1 Tim 4. 5. Job 8. 32 ch 15. 5. 1 Joh. 3. 5. Dan 9. 24. 2 Cor 3. 5. ch 4. 10. Rom. 4. 8 10 Eph. 3 17. Col. 1. 27. Joh 16 25. ch 15 5 quick and powerful dividing asunder Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart man feeling that and coming to be guided by that which searches the heart and tryes the reins with that may he try all things from the which one thing within the false Spirits are gone forth into the World and those Spirits of the world and all the world by its wisdom and that Spirit which is without knows not God nor the measure of his spirit within And so those are the false spirits that are gone forth which are to be tryed by that which is not gone forth but abides within and discerns the Heart and those that are gone forth from being guided by that within as the holy men were they are like unto the Angels who kept no their first eslate for man at first was and holy men were guided by that within which is the Word which Word is Truth and he that abode not in Truth which is in the inward parts was a Devil and a Murderer who is called the God of the World that blindeth the Minds and worketh in all the Children of Disobedience and so the Devils Works are in his Children and they are talking of the Works of God without them but they that are led by the Word of Truth that sanctifieth cleanseth and maketh free by it they come to know the Works of the Devil destroyed which was in them 1 John 3. 8. And so he that destroyeth the Works of the Devil and maketh an end of Sin and bringeth in Everlasting Righteousness is known in all them that are not Reprobates And so when sin is made an end of Everlasting Righteousness is brought in and so it s within and not without And so he being received within who brings that in which is Everlasting to that man he is within the hope of Glory and shews plainly of the Father and saith Without M E yo can do nothing It s not said Without Scripture ye can do nothing and they that are without him who teacheth all things are without God in the World but he that hath the Son hath the Father also he that hath the Father and the Son abiding in him need not to go out from that to be taught or led by any other thing or Rule without him as it is written of him that overcometh That he shall no more go out and upon him that goeth not out the New Name comes to be written and he comes to be a Pillar in the Temple of God who goeth not out Rev. 3. 12. And the Name which is better than of Sons and Daughters even the Everlasting Name that shall never be cut off is given to them within the House and within the Walls even to such who take hold of the Covenant Isa 56. 4 5. And the Sanctuary is set in the midst of them for evermore Ezek. 37. 26 27 28. And in the midst of them will the Lord spread forth his hands as one that swimmeth Isa 25. 11. And though Ephriam compassed the Lord about with Lyes and the House of Israel with Deceit yet saith the Lord unto Ephriam I am God and not man the holy One in the midst of thee Hos 11. 9 12. And so Ephriam compassed him about with Lyes who was in the midst and he that was in the midst was holy though compassed about with Lyes and the Just Lord was in the midst of the filthy poluted and oppressed City Zeph. 3. 1 to 5. Consider this all you poluted Ones who oppress the Just in the midst of you for the Just Lord in the mâ—â—st will arise as a Lyon out of a Thicket and a young Lyon out of the Forrest he shall roar like a Lyon and utter his Voice like a man of War Isa 42. 13 14 15. And then shall his Enemies be scattered Psal 68. 1. And he will sweep away the Refuge of Lyes therefore the Daughter of Zion and the Daughter of Jerusalem and Israel shall be glad for unto them it is said The Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see Evil any more In that day shall it be said to Jerusalem Fear thou not and to Zion Let not thy hands be slack the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save Zeph. 3. 14 15 16 17. And he that is mighty to save is known in the midst and so he that justifieth is near Isa 50. 8. even he who hath said I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel forever and my holy Name shall the House of Israel no more defile Ezek. 34. 7. For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his Habitation this is my Rest forever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly bles her Provision I will satisfie her Poor with Bread I will also clothe her Priests not the Priests of England with Salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy there will I make the Horn of David to bud I have ordained a Lamp for mine anointed his Enemies will I clothe with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish Psalm 132. 13 to 18. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. The true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling sence and experience according to Scripture THe true Prophet is come of whom Moses the Servant of the Lord did write who is raised up in the
Power To all the Judges and Rulers of the Earth who rise up against the Lamb And to Gog Magog and all their Armies and to the whole Host of the Power of Darkness and to all men who fight against God who or whatsoever they be or whatsoever they be called BEhold ye Rulers of the Earth and listen and hear all ye Earthly minded Men let the Blindness of your Minds be opened that your dark Hearts may be enlightned hear I say and stop not your Ears whose Minds are in the Earth whose Eyes are closed whose Hearts are covered with a thick Vail by your own Iniquity who see not the Wonders of the Lord wrought among the living neither perceive the mighty Power of the God of the whole Earth who are besotted through the sinfulness of your continual Transgressions and are groveling as Moles in the Earth and laden with thick Clay and covered with the Vail that is spread over all Flesh that you see not the glory of the God of Life neither perceive ye the comliness of the holy One of Jacob to whom the bright Morning Star is as a Cloud of Darkness and the Way of the living God as a fierce Whirlwind of Fire who see not him that dwelt in the Bush neither hear his Voice who hath made Darkness his Habitation and his Pavilion round about him thick Clouds of the Skey Hear I say and let my words have entrance in you and let the sound of my Voice take place in your Hearts let the opening of my Lips give Astonishment to the Wicked and the enlargement of my Heart the Confounding of the Heathen let the Dread of the Lord take hold upon the Hypocrites and Astonishment seaze upon the Double-minded let the Prudent keep silent and hear and let the Honourable be quiet and consider let the Understanding give audience to my words and let the Mouth of the Fool be stopt let the Sinner stand still and be quiet and let the Ungodly consider the words of Truth rebel not against the Word of the Lord neither harden your Hearts against the Dread of his Power let the tall Cedar bow and bend and that which is lifted up be brought down and stand ye all in Meekness For behold the Omnipotent Power is come the Rock of Ages is revealed the Everlasting strength is made manifest the God of Abraham hath reacht forth his hand and the Redeemer of Israel is come to dwell in the midst the great Jehova hath uttered his Voice and he whose Name is I Am is at hand he that moveth upon the Waters may be felt and he that formeth the Seed in the Womb may be known he that inhabiteth Eternity is come to dwell in his People and walk in the midst of the poor despised of his flock having cleansed them by the washing of Water and renewed them by the Spirit of Burning and refined them with his Righteous Judgments and cleansed them with the Blood of his Son that in his Zion redeemed with Judgment he may dwell for evenmore and take up his rest in the midst of his People having made the place of his feet Glorious and his residence as a Seat in the midst of a Fire which burneth against all them that are in the Night and giveth light to them that are in the Covenant whose Glory is hid from the dark Mind and his Counsel with-held from the Unbelieving in Heart he standeth near unto the Wicked who perceiveth him not and taketh Notice of his secret Intents he observeth the footsteps of the Kings of the Earth and marketh the Decrees of the Unrighteous and when they have filled up their measure he putteth forth his Finger to their Life and taketh away their Breath he suddainly cuts off the Wicked and regardeth not the Mightiness of Princes he searcheth the Hearts of Kings and ruleth over the Powers of men his Infiniteness can never be declared in his hand is the Breath of the Life of the Souls of all Mankind Hear I say and consider my words and ponder the Meditations of my Mind for behold the Lord God of Life is come Immanuel is revealed the Root and Off-spring of David is grown up as a Plant of Renown the Seed of the Shepherd sits upon the Throne and before him shall all the Kings of the Earth lay down their Crowns every Emperor shall bow and bend and the Potentates of the Earth before him shall wither as a green Herb their Glory shall perish as the untimely Birth of the Womb their Honour shall vanish as the Smoke before the Wind their Wisdom shall fade away as a Blossom cut off and their Understandings shall come to nothing the Wisdom of the most high shall be exalted over all and with his foolishness will he them all confound yea with a foolish Nation will he anger the Judges of the Earth and with a despised People will he provoke the Rulers of the World to jealousie by the foolishness of his Flock will he confound his Enemies and by his weakness in them will he subdue the strength of the Mighty and though all his Enemies strive in the Arrogancy of their Spirits and in the fierceness of their strength yet shall he be exalted who is led as a Lamb dumb and he shall reign whose right it is in whose Mouth there is found no Guile who maketh an end of Sin and bringeth in Ever lasting Righteousness and setteth up Judgment in the Heart and cometh to rule in the Kingdoms of men and overturneth the Host of his Enemies by whom Judges are led away Fools Diviners turned Mad before whose Presence the Mightiness of the mightiest Rulers of the Earth is as Wax before the fire and their Strength melteth away as the fat of Lambs Wherefore hear and see O ye Kindreds and Rulers of the Earth the Lord our God is come the might of his strength is revealed and the Power of his Presence made known he hath chosen his Army to himself and their Names are written in his Life he hath numbred up his Hosts together and armed his chosen with his Everlasting Strength the Captain of his Host goeth before them and the Camp of the Lord is very great they are Numberless as the Sand of the Sea and Infinite as the Stars of Heaven Even so is the Seed of Abraham the Remnant of the Flock of Jacob whom the Lord hath redeemed who are chosen and faithful and true yea behold its even so and that all the Nations of the Earth shall know for the Lord of Hosts rideth on in Meekness in the midst of his Host and maketh War in Righteousness with the Enemies of the Lamb who would not that he should reign who makes an end of Sin and he is clothing his Army with Zeal as with a Garment and covering them with the Armour of Light and preserveth their Head in the day of Battel and girds them up with strength and guideth their feet upon the Rock and preserveth their
prosper even as Kings whose Armies are swift to the Battel their faces are as an Adamant and their Countenances firce and terrible the found of their Voice is dreadful and the noise of their Appearance Astonish the Heathen the Earth before them is full of its Fruit behind them its a desolate Wilderness they spare not the Antient nor the Honourable neither have they respect to the Persons of men they even smile at Destruction when its coming and they are prepared for all your Oppressions VVherefore now gather your selves together O ye Potsherds of the Earth and stand up all you that thirst for blood assemble your selves together all ye Persecutors let your Counsels come up from Hell and let the depth of the Powers of darkness shew forth it self in the utmost of its strength and with it combine ye all together and stand up in the Power of your King which is the Angel of the Bottomless Pit who is head among in and over all you who thrist for the blood of the Innocent Now come and draw near in the very height of your Father's VVrath and behold we meet you in the Infiniteness of our Fathers Love and stand you together in the depth of your secret Subtilty and behold we abide in the pure VVisdom of the most High Stand ye up for the Glory and Honour of the World and we abide faithful for the Glory of the Lord our Maker And this I say plainly unto you that your long Tyranny will never weary out the patience we have received neither can you inflict more punishment than the Lord hath enabled us to bear and as your Wrath is incrased our Humility is increased much more and as you are filled and moved with Envy we are much more filled and overcome with the Power of the Fathers Life and though you contrive ways to ensnare the Innocent we take no thought aforehand to deliver our selves for Self we have denyed and we have given up our Bodies and Souls a living Sacrifice unto God to do or suffer his Will And him that kills the Body we fear not much less those that can but Whip or Imprison but for a few Moneths for our Life you cannot reach neither can you disturb their Rest whom the Lord hath crowned with Honour who out of the World are redeemed and bought with the price of Blood most precious but are become his to follow him whither-ever he leads them though it be through Tryals great Tribulations Bonds and long Imprisonments these things cannot move them who are brought to rest in the Defarts and sleep in the Woods yea and there is none can make them afraid with all their Threats unrighteous Laws Bonds Bridewels long unjust Imprisonments or Death it self And this Honour hath the Saints and herein do they rejoyce for evermore in that they are counted worthy to suffer for his Names sake who was made perfect through sufferings and and thereby overcame all the Powers of Darkness whereby Principalities and Powers are spoiled forever and through sufferings are we made more than Conquerers over all our Enemies whose Day will have an end whose Cruelty will cease whose Tyranny will be rewarded upon their own Heads and their Memorial will Rot forever but the faithfulness of the Faithful shall never be taken from him nor the innocency of the Harmless shall never be forgotten neither shall they ever want strength to stand in the day of Battel nor courage and boldness to endure when the Enemies of the Lord arise in Opposition against the brightness of the rising of the Power of the Lamb of God who is come to take away the Sin of the World even him who is the Light and the Heir against whom with one consent the Rulers of the Earth the Hireling Priests with all the Prophane and Unclean and all them of all Opinions in the World are joyning together in one Combination as with one Mind conspiring in their Enmity to slay and murder the Heir that is come to make an end of Sin Who saith I am the Light H. S. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought Home To the Thirsty Breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors Greetings of Love Mercy and Peace from God the Father of the Living VVHere the Bowels are not shut up nor the Heart darkned and where that doth not bear rule which stoppeth the Ear and closeth the Eye and where Prejudice and Rebellion against the Light with the Wisdom of the Flesh through that knowledge which puffeth up hath not wholly eaten up devoured got over and wholly overcome that tender Principle which once moved in the Heart towards that being of the living Substance There may my words take entrance and unto such who feel that which breathes to God and who are willing to be satisfied concerning the living Truth of his Son and who would receive the Truth if they knew it and do yet more desire after the Power of God than all the Temporal things that are seen and who are yet come no further than the reading of the Law the Priests the Tythes nor that Religion that makes nothing perfect and who are come no further than the outward Baptism Shadow or Figure or such things which are to be left behind Hâ—b 6. or who are come no further than the Supper or the Death and so not yet saved by his Life nor drunk of that which saveth and is to cleanse from all that which separateth from God after whom and the incomes of his Love Immortal whosoever truly desireth and is willing to receive the Power of his Life and come in Covenant with the Lord Such may lend me an Ear a little and you are them who may receive some benefit hereby for behold I write in plainness of the things of God my heart being enlarged with abundance of his Peace in which there is good will towards men that you might come to draw near to the Witness the Testimony whereof is within the vail which vail is over the heart 2 Cor. 3. 15 and is not done away but as you come to be in him who is given for a witness Isa 55. 4. by believing in the Light John 12. 36. and so to have the witness in you 1 John 5. 10. and you to be in it and that you may come to participate of Gods Indwellings and feel the Oyl which will last forever therefore I proceed thus How can I but look back a little with an Eye of Pity over those who yet are where once I was when the Darkness was over the Earth and the Cloud of Error compassed me as well as others surely I cannot now be so unmindful of them that are yet lost as not to have compassion upon the Out-casts of Israel or to conceal from them these things of so great concernment but rather as the Lord of my Life hath opened to me will I reach
me he cannot be my Disciple and he said My sheep hear my Voice and they follow me and he entred within the Vail and the Vail is over the Heart and was made Perfect through suffering and is sate down in the Majesty on high glorified with God the Father and the Father was in him even the fulness of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and he said He had finished the work that the Father gave him to do and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done for which the body was prepared he said Now glorifie me Father with the same glory which I had with thee from the beginning and he that spake in the body abideth forever who said A Body hast thou prepared me which Body being crucisied he took up his Life again and then those that did know him three dayes before knew him not and he ascended and a Cloud received him out of the sight of certain men who never found him unto this day for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him and as the lightning in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again and every eye shall see him that condemneth sin and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and yet the blind cannot see nor the deaf hear And this was he that Moses commanded to hear who said he that is with you shall be in you and he that was with or without was to go away and that which was to be received within he said should abide with them forever and the Spirit of Truth was to lead into all Truth for though the body was prepared to do Gods will yet they by it were not led into all Truth but sometimes understood it not though he speak Spirit and Life and moreover they went away and some fled from the Truth and Peter denyed him that was the Truth and so such as have got a Profession of the Truth without them and not the Spirit within to lead into all Truth such fly in the day of Tryal from that Truth they profess and some deny it rather than suffer with or for it and herein them called Baptists also have not come short and some of them have bowed to the Beast and so it is with many who profess Christ and Truth without them even as with those who understood not the Parables nor could not cast out the unclean Spirits so that Christ was and is grieved when he hath been so long with and professed and followed without and yet not come to that Faith which purifieth the Heart whereby to cast out the Unclean within as thou mayst read in thy self And therefore Christ when he was upon Earth did often speak unto them of what was yet to come and I do seldom read or take notice that he did so often preach and repeat any one thing unto them as that of the Spirit to come saying That it Mark the Spirit would lead into all Truth and seeing their Weakness and Unbelief Mark 16. 14. he by the often repetition thereof did as it were the more chiefly engage their Hearts to wait for and seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them and abide with them when his Body was gone from them whither they could not come and to this one thing doth he direct them in various expressions as of his going to the Father and coming again and saith he I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive John 12. 16. And many things Jesus did which if they should be all written the World might not contain the Books John 21. 25. And many things he spake unto them Acts 2. 40. and yet there was something to come to be waited for and after to be received which was more than all this for said he These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you But the Comforter Mark the word BUT intimateth something greater or more than what was spoken to them whilst he was with them for he saith He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. and said But the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he will teach you all things Mark what that is that teacheth all things and bringeth all things to your Remembrance what soever I have said and so that is within which bringeth the words of Spirit and Life to remembrance John 14. 25 26. And having spoken of other things he saith again But when the Comforter comes even the Spirit of Truth John 15. 26. And if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you John 16. 7. And I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth John 16. 12 13. Here it may be seen that they who followed Christ without and not received the Spirit within could not bear what he had to speak unto them and also it may be seen that when the Spirit was come it would be better with them And much more might be mentioned how Christ foretold what was to come and be received and revealed in that day John 16. 23. when the Spirit should be poured forth according to the Prophets all which plainly declare and most evidently set forth how Christ in his Ministry when he was upon Earth did most chiefly direct unto the Ministration of the Spirit of Truth which was then yet to come and that they might not run to teach others as many do now before they had received the Spirit of Truth in themselves by and with that to be led into all Truth but might receive the Power of Truth in themselves from the Life thereof to convert others into the same therefore said he further after he was risen again But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be enducd with Power from on high Mark 24. 4. so that though they had seen his Body before and had now seen him after his Resurrection yet that and all the rest was not enough without the Power and the Spirit which was to come which they were to wait for And so now men should tarry wait and stand still to see the Salvation of God and until they receive the Spirit for it is the Spirit not the Body which searcheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father And by this before-written in short I have a little endeavoured to shew unto the meek and single-hearted That Moses when he was upon the Earth directed unto Christ As in these words The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. And Christ when he was upon Earth directed unto the Spirit which was to come in the like words saying These things have I
opposite to him who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them And what is here written need not hinder the moving of God in any of my Bretheren his servants in giving forth a more large Answer according to the particulars written in your called Appendix or to any other of your writings the which you may also expect only this was in my heart in which I have discharged my Conscience and so herein give forth my Mite a-amongst the rest of my Brethren by way of Declaration and that from God And by this it is my Souls desire your hearts may be humbled and truly rent and broken for your own Iniquities and that with speed or otherwise Gods dreadful hand you cannot escape And this is in faithfulness to God and love to your souls from a Friend thereof called Humphry Smith The 14th of the first Moneth in the Year 1660. The Lamb his Day PROCLAIMED THe Kingdom of God is at hand which comes not with Observation Salvation is near unto all that will receive it Redemption is coming in a time unexpected and Deliverance in a way not known as a Thief in the dark is the Heir come whose Light out of Darkness is shining and that which shineth out of Darkness is it alone that giveth the knowledge of God whom to know is Life eternal and the brightness of the Day of God is springing forth of Darkness as the Morning-Sun after the Darkness of the Night and glorious is this Day of the Revelation of God to all them that have waited for his coming who in the Life of his Power through the Obedience in his Love come to rejoyce in his Dominion over all the Powers of Darkness forever and sound forth the dreadful Day of his Power unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth from the which Christ the Saviour comes to take Peace and to bring the Sword of Gods Judgments into the Bowels of all the Earthly Minded and in him that judgeth the secrets of all mens Hearts do his Followers rejoyce and proclaim him unto you all that makes an end of Sin who of the Father of Love and Mercy is tendered unto all that will receive him that in him who condemns the Evil deeds and sin in the flesh Salvation might be attained unto who now comes unto his own of whom many receive him not for he is come to judge the World whom God so loved that he gave his Son the Light of the World that whosoever believe in him by whom the secrets of all hearts are and shall be judged may be saved from Wrath to come and find a sure hiding place when the wicked shall be cut off the Earth And now who will receive the Lamb in whose Mouth there is no Guile Who among the Sons of men will receive him that hath been slain from the Foundation of the World Who will receive him that is the Gift of God which is Perfect Who will receive him that is a man of Sorrows whose beauty is hid from the prudent of the Earth Who will receive him that the Priests cry out against and the Rulers say Away with him from the Earth Who will come unto the waters of Life and return unto the Fountain of living Mercies that in his Belly the springs of Life may be felt Who can endure to follow him to end of World whose Kingdom is not of this World and who receiveth not honour of men Who can hear receive and keep the hard sayings and drink his Blood that cleanseth from all sin Who is willing to receive him that is the Resurrection and the Life whose Presence troubled and terrified his own Disciples so that their Hearts burned within them VVho will lay down their Crowns at the foot of him that is the Light and mourn over him that is slain whom they have pierced and through Patience Long-suffering and Obedience follow the one Shepherd in the Regeneration even unto them is the VVord of Consolation sent Therefore be ye awakned O all ye Rulers and People let not your Hearts be hardned against Gods VVitness in you neither stop your Ears nor close your Eyes for of a Truth the Lord is at hand and is come to try you with his Loving-kindness and with his Judgments His flock despised of men hath he sent in the meekness of his love to preach the innocent Life of his Son among you in Meekness Patience Sufferings and Tribulations who being reviled revileth not again but in patience enduring long Imprisonment yea VVant and Sickness there and Abuses cruel Mockings Stonings in the street daily and Revilings by ungodly Persons whose Cruelty is encreased and their Sins multiplied encreasing to the day of Judgment and Righteous Revelation of Gods wrath upon all Unrighteousness of men who hold his Truth in that which is not his Righteousness which is now brought near unto all that fear before him in Uprightness of Heart that Truth in the inward parts they might come to know and in it VVorship the God of the Spirits of all flesh And all you People that are meek and tender who have been taught by the Priests and not by the Lord whose Mercy to the humble abideth forever the Lord God Almighty hath so loved you that he hath provided a better Teacher for you which shall not be removed and a Priest that abideth forever and a Bishop for your Souls and behold he is no less then a King yea he ruleth over Kings and help is laid upon him who is mighty and he is able to save and he is so willing to do it that he hath laid down his Life for that end and he standeth at the Door and knocks and he that knocks is called the Word and the Word is as a hammer and the Word is in the Heart where Christ is to be received and where this knocks for entrance and it knocks against sin and in him is no sin and he cometh to save you from sin and to lead you the way to the Father and without Money doth he ever teach nay he giveth abundantly unto all that are taught by him and that more then mortal Riches and you may have him to be with you alwayes forever and he can resolve all your Doubts and satisfie every one and replenish the weary and nourish the faint and in him are all Gods Treasures of the which by him you may come to partake forever and he himself is as a Treasure in thy field but hid from thee which I have found in the Earthen Vessel and declare it unto thee that thy Fallow-ground may be ript up to find the Pearl for this is near unto thee and the motion of it is against thy sin the beauty whereof thou canst never see until to it thou comest to hearken H. S. FOR THE honour of the king AND And the great Advancing thereof amongst men over all Nations in the World In the ensuing Proposals tending thereunto stated in Six PARTICULARS Concerning the KING'S
the King and God might bless and prosper him for their sakes as he did Pharaoh for the sake of that one faithful man Joseph after the King had released him out of Bonds But by this time many might say unto me as a Lord said unto the Prophet when he spake of things much unlike to come to pass How can these things be though God should make Windows in Heaven To which I answer That though I do not affirm that all those things shall come to pass concerning him yet I say that many are already and many more may come to the slate asoresaid And it would be his Happiness and more for his Honour than men can yet receive to be chief Magistrate among or over such a People and to have most of his Subjects so qualified and great would be his Peace thereby And thus further I say That the God of Heaven and Earth hath promised That a People shall be all Righteous and that Iniquity shall cease and the Nations shall learn War no more but every one shall rest under his own Vine and and none shall make them afraid and they shall be in League with the Stones of the Field and the Beasts of the Field shall be at peace with them And the Lord God hath brought many into the entrance of these things that with Christ in the Prophet they can give their Backs to the Smiter and their Cheeks to him that plucketh off the Hair And if it were well if that all the King's Subjects were come to the things aforesaid and to live in that upright state then it is not ill that some are come unto that state already And if the little that is begun towards this work were cherished might it not grow and encrease towards that state hinted at in the former brief Particulars touching the Honour of the King though there is an Honour which exceeds all this And certainly the Word of the Lord will stand forever though Men and their Powers and Heaven and Earth may pass away And assuredly the God of Righteousness hath begun his Work in this Nation and in the hearts of many of his little Ones And a Little One he hath said shall become a Thousand and a small One a strong Nation and the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdom of our God and of his Christ And what if a Nation be born at once and Sion bring forth before her Travel and the Lord answer before his People call and hear while they are yet speaking and multiply the seed of Abraham as the Stars of Heaven and encrease the innocent flock of his Fold as the innumerable Plants upon the face of the Earth that Sin and Iniquity may have an end and Righteousness reign for evermore And if it be farther enquired How the King might have his Subjects truly principled and qualified as afore said or have such Subjects generally thus for his great Honour I Answer further to the everlasting Praise of God That there are many which may well be called some of his truest Subjects in his Dominions that are already truly principled and qualified as aforesaid and more are entering and growing up into the same Faithfulness Love Unity and Peace with all men and God will encrease them and it might be much for the Honour of God and the King to encourage them therein and much for the dishonour of God and dishonour and great disadvantage of the King divers ways if he seek or should be perswaded to seek the hindrance of these things or of his Subjects who are thus already qualified or the encrease of their Number therein or their encreasing in the honest noble honourable upright things aforesaid which things might make for the Honour of the King and will certainly be for the Glory of God And this is written by one that desireth the Peace of all the Nation and Unity amongst all men and that many more may come into the Righteous things aforesaid which would be for the Glory of God the Honour of the chief Magistrate the great Benefit of the Nations and much Comfort to themselves And that desireth the encrease of love truth and virtue which brings into the true honourable Nobility for the which this is written that men may come into the true Noble and Honourable Estate in the sight of God and all just Men among whom I am a true Friend to them all in love called Humphry Smith The 10th of the 4th Moneth 1661. To the Lambs of Christ MY dear Brethren who are Children of my Father whom he hath visited with the Power of his Eternal Love and gathered into his covenant of Light where Life and Immortality abideth forever who come to feel the Life of the risings of the Son of Gods Power with his Immortal strength you all in his Power to keep as living Branches of the Root to himself single and pure in the uprightness of Innoceny in this the day of his infinite love wherein the Glory of the Most High is revealed to the humble Seed which receives the Gospel of Peace and the Ministration of Life to those who in the Death did lie and by Captivity was long in Bondage kept which now from the Lord God of Life Refreshings comes to receive and Oyl of everlasting Joy to the mourning Plant whereby the everlasting Covenant of the Father is known in which I am with you forever you standing in obedience to the Power of the Word which operates in the Heart by which all things were made in which they are all enjoyed as you all in his Wisdom stand by it to be guided in the dominion of the Word with it over all to find Life and guidance with that which is Immortal in the strength whereof to stand as Pillars of Life for the living Truth of God against all his Enemies with boldness and cheerfulness through the Power of his Son whose Life you are to feel exercising you therein to which you are to yield Obedience with all humble Submission to the Fathers will abiding low in his fear and there is both Safety and Strength that the Fountain of the Fathers love may be opened in you as a Well-spring of Life to overcome you with the Power of himself that thereby you may be refreshed one in another and be opened one to another in the bowels of the Fathers love that it may overshadow you as a Tree in Summer and be to you as the refuge of a Rock in it to be hid from all the high and raging Waves Winds and Storms and from all secret Discontent or Swellings in the mind which are apt to hurt that which is little and tender which is to be brought forth into Liberty Peace and Life with the pangs of Sorrow and as with the anguish of a travailing Woman so is the Seed brought forth which lives forever which is fed with the Milk and preserved from the Storm and the Heat and fed with Food convenient and clothed
Hearts be restrained from breaking and your Bowels from an unexpressible yearning after the advancing of the living Truth of God which he hath so freely made you partakers of May you not fall down to the Dust before the presence of the Lord and become as the smallest thing in respect of him Who can but fear before him and be astonished at the Power of his Might and bow before him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh that he over all may be honoured who is blessed for evermore And as through Humility you come to receive that which maketh Honourable even that which is Holy like pure Oyl to comfort and nourish you in that keep treasuring it up for your selves until you receive Power from on High or feel the higher Power that stands over all opening the Mouth of that which is to speak giving you Power and Wisdom your Life forth to minister to the reaching of that in all which can receive the Gospel and to the chaining down of all the Powers of the Prince of Darkness that would arise up against it And such as feel something stirring to speak Words and a great War and trouble within being neither quiet one way nor the other and by reason of fearfulness Words begin to go forth as from under a load and trouble and then feel the Earth lie upon the Seed let such take heed of speaking too much with a strangled and strained Voice but sink down again and wait to feel that rent and broken which is as a hard thing between thee and that which should rise up to speak that thou mayest feel it opened in thee as a place of broad Rivers giving thee room or as the opening of a Rock and the powerful issuing forth of a mighty stream of living Water pure and clear not mixt with Earth and Dirt and when thou hast felt this take heed of spending all upon others and another time take heed of that which would imitate such a Power again And also let such who speak in Meetings take heed of speaking above the Vail with a forward Zeal leaving the Light behind him lest he do more hurt behind him than he doth good before him and when the Vail is rent and a few Words spoken and the measure being declared the Vail comes on again upon a sudden and then some there be that change the Voice and continue in a form of strange words an hour after like a Priest Now the measure in such is owned the which they keeping to might increase but going beyond it the other will increase and that decrease but stopping with the Light when it stops and so become a Fool the Light would arise again Life speak and it s that alone which doth Service for God and other long Declarations of Words do but thicken the Vail over them that have felt Life though Death in others who have not found Life will feed upon the many words And such as are moved to bear their Testimony against the false Prophets or the Wickedness of men in it be faithful keeping in the fear and dread of the Lord that in his strength you may stand as a Wall of Brass against the Ungodly and spare not to thresh the Heathen so long as you feel the Hammer of the Lord up over them and then take heed of Disputations after and go not out of that which is your strength lest you fall before your Enemies and dishonour the Lord. But let every one take heed of running too soon for some such there are who run to Priests and others in the light airy Spirit and pride of Heart who are vain Boasters out of the Truth whose service the Lord abhors and likewise some such speak in Meetings whose Mouthes should be stopped Thus Friends from the dear love of my Life to you all and the living Truth of God for which I suffer in Bonds have writ these things in plain and few words to be considered of by you whom it concerns and the Lord God of Life make it a blessing unto you Winchester-Bridewell H. S. Sound things Asserted I. In the King 's own Words II. From late Experience III. From scripture-Scripture-Truth IV. According to Reason and Equity And certain things opened or propounded by way of Enquiry thereupon Offered in meekness and good will unto the consideration of the King's Lords Counsellors and other his chief Officers under him in all places of Justice Trust both Civil Military and Ecclesiastical Being intended for the good of the KING and themselves and all Persons under him and for the preserving of Peace amongst men The first Assertion I. FOrasmuch as you are set in Authority under the KING and so are to observe and to be Ministers of his Laws for the punishment of Evil and not to go beyond his Will and Proclamations and so to do that which is just and reasonable toward all his Subjects thereby to preserve them in Peace towards him and one with another II. In that the King hath freely engaged himself by Promise in his Declaration from Breda That no man shall be disquieted nor called in question for differences of Opinions in matters of Religion c. And in that he hath since he came to England doubled the Confirmation thereof in repeating the self-same words twice over in his Declaration Of Ecclesiastical Affairs bearing date the 25th of the 8th Moneth called October 1660. page 5 and 18. And since all this he having again renewed the same in a late Speech of his to the Parliament bearing date the 8th day of the 5th Moneth called July 1661. saying It is to put My Self in mind as well as You that I so often I think as often as I come to you mention unto you my Declaration from Breda And he further saith My Lords and Gentlemen let it be in no mans Power to charge either Me or You with breach of Our Word or Promise which can never be a good Ingredient to our future Security Page 5 6. III. In that he hath confirmed the same to us in particular in a late Proclamation entituled The Enlargement of Prisoners called Quakers bearing date the 11th of the 3d Moneth called May 1661. wherein he writeth us his Subjects called Quakers whereby Friends were generaly released out of Prison and that without Fees IV. In that the King hath promised the same by word of Mouth and granted that we should have our Liberty of Conscience and that we should not suffer therein engaging Himself thereunto in the Word of a King and in that he hath manifested the same towards us several times The first Queries upon the first Assertions THese things above written being rightly considered and truly understood this then would I learn from you or enquire of you whom the King hath set in chief places of Authority under him and let just witness of God in all your hearts answer hereunto Query 1. Whether all or as many of you whom the King hath
a People who had not a King to whom the Lord gave a King and seeing he gave them a King in his anger Hos 13. 11. and after took him away in his wrath or greater anger Q. 1. Whether then these people of our days being without a King did purchase themselves a King with Gold Silver or mortal Strength or did the Lord give the King unto them And whether the King did come to them to rule over them in his own Power strength wisdom and force of Armed men or did the Lord give or bring him to the People and that beyond and above and much more easier than he or the wisest Polliticians he had could perceive expect or believe 2. Query upon the same And whether or no the Lord was pleased or displeased with these People before the King came or rather was given to them of the Lord And whether the Lord was angry or pleased with the Governours and Government as it then stood and with the Army and the Ministry as they and it then stood And whether most if not almost all or wholly all the Rulers were not then Breakers of their Promises and Engagements which they had often made unto the People and one with another and might not God be justly Angry with Promise and Covenant-breakers 3. Query upon the same And whether the total Overturning the whole Government as it then stood and the Destruction of the Governours with Shame Scorn Ignominy Reproach and Loss of Honour Dignity Fame and Renown together with Riches Goods fair Buildings Lands Liberties and Life it self were not and will not remain a sure Testimony of Gods anger against them in which Anger he gave the People a King thus to execute his just Judgments in his anger And whether those things be Signs of Anger or not 4. Query upon the same And whether God was angry or pleased with the Souldiery and Army as they then stood seeing that before they could have their pay they were fain to swear for that manner of Government which they had so long and so often protested and fought against And may not the sense of Gods anger therein remain to this day upon many of their Consciences 5. Query upon the same And whether the Lord was then angry or not angry with the Priests and Leaders of the People and with the Ministry as it then stood especially with the pretended and esteemed most refinedâ—t of them whom some in scorn call Quakers much warned before hand and much declared against seeing they are alloverturned as from what they then stood in and were or at least seemed to be And seeing that many of them are turned from Hundreds a year whereby some are in distress some in great care how to live some faint to travel from one Country to another some being ashamed to shew their faces among People some faint to turn Hypocrites in denying their own Principles some lose their dearest Friends some faint to bow and creep like 〈◊〉 unto such that before they had in little esteem or 〈◊〉 some turn against that which themselves were in and 〈◊〉 â—gainst themselves like the wind that turns every way 〈…〉 and preach down and contradict that which before theâ— themselves were and so write and preach down themselves and contradict themselves and one another And many more things I might Query concerning them and as to their standing then and their state now and leave them or any for them who do now either own them or disown them as to their former standing when the King was given to answer for them or in their be half whether such things as these and much more which I say is justly come upon them seeing they rejected warning be Testimony and Signs of Gods anger or not 6. Query upon the same And whether those Rulers who now under the King and in the Name of the King have Imposed the things aforesaid and much more upon the Priests Rulers Souldiers and People and have executed those just Judgments of God upon those Promise-breakers and People that had not a King and took away the Liberties of many and that which was moreover even the Lives of some did do those things in love and pity unto them as they then stood or else in anger against them And if God was not then angry with the people how came those things to pass And if he was angry was not their Promise-breaking a great cause of his Anger And if the People now break Promise again is it not just if the Lord be in his Wrath with them again And if the King though he hath given him to be King should likewise break his Word and Promises may not the Lord justly be sorely displeased therewith as he was angry with the same things before and spared not the cheifest of them that did it 7. Query upon the same And if the People generally be as Wicked now they have a King as they were before or worse how then shall the ensuing Wrath of God be stopt or hindred now any more than his anger was then And is not Gods Power as great now as it was then And doth not he hate Wickedness and Promise-breaking as much now as he did then Or if the King whom the Lord hath given and these Rulers Souldiers Priests and People now under him shall break Promises as the other did and be as cruel and as hard hearted and as great Oppressors as the other Rulers and as full of Envy as the Souldiers Priests and People were in the time of the other Government when they had not a King whether then the Lord will respect Persons or the Persons of the Mighty in judgment And unto all these things here stated in brief let the just witness of God in all Consciences answer yea or nay 2. Seeing that Mercy and Truth preserve the King and his Throne is upheld by Mercy Prov. 20 28. And so seeing a King may be given in Anger to the People and in Wrath may be taken from them yet Truth may preserve the King and Mercy may uphold his Throne which thing is worth the Kings observing and all that truly love him Qu. 1. Whether now is it best for the King to keep to the truth of his Word and Promise or not seeing Truth preserveth the King And if Truth be a Preservation to the King whether Untruth and denying of the Truth be not destructive And now who are the Kings best Friends they that would have him keep to the Truth and live in the Truth or them that would lead him from it to do quite contrary to Christ that said I am thâ— Truth who said That Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away Luke 21. 33 And is not his Throne established forever and should not a Christian King take him for an Ensample And is it not good for the King to keep the Truth and not to sell it Prov. 23. 23. seeing Truth preserveth the
King and to know and receive and abide in and be led by the Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive John 14. 17. And to know that Truth which God desireth in the inward parts where Wisdom is to be known Psal 51. 6. And is not the Word the Truth John 17. 17. And is not Christs Name called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. And did not Moses say The Word was in the Heart And is not the Word there as a Hammer and like Fire Jer. 23. 29. And doth not that Word sometimes pierce and divide in the Heart and is it not there quick and powerful Heb. 4. 12. And is not Christ the Power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. And did not he say I am the Light John 8. 12. and I am come a Light into the World John 12. 46. And did not he that was sent of God bear witness of the Light and say That it was the true Light or indeed the Light and Truth which lighteth every man that cometh into the World that all men through him might believe who was in the World John 1. 6 7 8 9 10. And did not he himself say Believe in the Light John 12. 35. And is not this he which is the Truth whom God hath given for a Light unto the Gentiles Isa 49. 6. And is not this he whom the Princes of this World hath not known 1 Cor. 2. 8. who was from everlasting when there was no Deeps nor Fountains of Water neither yet Mountains nor Hills Prov. 8. 24. And is not this he that is given for a Leader and Commander to the People Isa 45. 4. who will break the Yoke of the Oppressor Isa 9. 4. even him that is the Light whom they that walked in Darkness have not seen Isa 9. 2. who endeth the Strife with burning being born unto such as know and preach the Light Shall not his Name be called the wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the increase of whose Government and Peace shall have no end who shall sit upon the Throne and establish Judgment and Justice henceforth even forever Isa 9. 6 7. Is not this he at whose Name every Knee shall bow unto whom the gathering of the People shall be And are not the Kings to be brought unto his dwelling Isa 60. 11. And shall not the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Honour unto his beautiful Habitation Rev. 21. 24. and shall he not have a habitation in the Hearts of the Children of men in whom God doth come to dwell And may not this Truth and Power of God preserve the King Qu. 2. Again if the Kings Throne be upheld by Mercy and not by Cruelty nor Persecution whether then it be not good for the King to shew Mercy And how sadly even as it were without Mercy or Pity to Old or Young Widdows or Fatherless did several Thousands lately suffer by Imprisonment and divers wayes only concerning things which to them were matters of Conscience And should the King be perswaded moreover to break his Promise and restrain Liberty of Conscience and so thereby ruinate many Families impoverish many that now live well honest and comfortable and cause Children to starve in the Streets and Old People to perish with Hardships and Abuses and many more to lose their Lives in Prisons as some have done already who can lay down their Lives for Christs sake and that not for any Evil in the least done or intended by the said Sufferers but only truly and purely in matters of Conscience to God and whether this would not be unmerciful The third Query upon the same ANd is it not said in some of that part of the Book of Common-Prayer which is in it appointed to be read once a Year or upon that day called Ashwednesday Cursed are the unmerciful and should any man be first perswaded to be unmerciful and so brought liable to the Curse and then they themselves to curse him once a Year who cause him to be unmerciful and it may be much endeavour to make he himself say Amen to the Curse against himself and so curse one another And is it not dangerous for any man to come under the Curse and to be unmerciful lest God shut up his Mercy from him Therefore whether Mercy and Pity doth not become the King that therewith his Throne might be upheld And whether all the wise men he hath with all his Bishops and his armed men with all strength and Wisdom else whatsoever be able to uphold his Throne without Gods Mercy and if he would alwayes receive Mercy from God to have his Throne alwayes upheld thereby Whether it be not meet if not needful for him alwayes to shew mercy and to let all people but especially Gods Servants have Mercy from him or at least so much right as the Lord himself hath given them which is to Worship him in Spirit and serve him in that which purgeth the Conscience from dead works that they may serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. And seeing the King hath promised as aforesaid that such shall not be disquieted therein and whether these lines are not written for his good and in love unto the King 3. And seeing the same that said I am the Truth who was in the beginning with God Prov. 8. 30. said likewise By me Princes decree Justice Prov. 8. 15. Qu. 3. Then whether he be not the Power of God who said so And if so that he be the Power of God and that thereby Princes decree Justice or that which is just then what Power is that by which Princes decree Injustice And whether it be not Injustice for the King to be perswaded to break his Word and Promise and which Power are those men in that would have him do so seeing Christ is the Power of God by whom Justice is decreed And is it not just for the King to be as good as his word and may not all such as would have him break his promise remember That Lying Lips become not a Prince Prov. 17. 7. Moreover according to reason Whether many of them that do so much endeavour to have the King act contrary to his word or make void his promise by restraining sober honest Persons from the Liberty of their Consciences in spiritual matters and duties of prayer to the God of Heaven and waiting upon the Lord in his true service and fear of his holy Name whether such as these would be contented themselves to be restrained from the Wicked Liberty of their fleshly Lusts though that was never so openly promised them and so to be kept from all Whoredom Drunkenness and Swearing and such other works of Darkness wherewith they serve the Devil And can such be willing that all Boyes and all sorts of People as often as they see a Whoremonger or a Drunkard then all cry out presently A Whoremonger A Whoremonger or A Drunkard A Drunkard as they are that such
Devil one way or serve him another XXXVII Whether the man be not Head of the woman and then whether that which is head and above must worship that which is under And whether such a joyning together as this for the one to worship the other be of God and whether God's People in time of Law or Gospel were ever joyned together in such a Covenant and whether it be not contrary to all Scripture and good understanding And whether it be not time to have this put away as is mentioned in the beginning XXXVIII Whether it be not a piece of gross Apostacy See visitation of the â—ick and Popery for proud covetous Priests who are in divers Sins generally to pretend power to absolve the Sick from Sin with these Words I absolve thee from all thy Sins And whether most of the same Priests will not themselves acknowledge that they are miserable Sinners and Offenders And can such forgive the Sins of others and cannot leave Sin themselves Or can they pull the Mote out of anothers Eye before they have cast the Beam out of their own XXXIX Whether the Priest though he by his own confession a miserable Sinner doth absolve the Sick from his Sin that so he is then free from it Or doth he not If he doth whether he doth not more for another than God hath done for him And then whence had he that Power so to do and whether any true Members of Christ can believe it If not whether therein the Priest be not a most miserable blind Leader of the Blind and a foul Deceiver of Mankind both at their coming into the World by a pretended Regeneration and at their going out of the World by as false an Absolution And whether ever there were any greater Deceivers than these XL. Whether the People that dye in their Sins and the Priests that live in their Sins be not therein truly Brethren See Burial of the dead together in Iniquity seeing the Priest saith at the burying of the dead For asmuch as it hath pleased God to take our dear Brother here deceased XLI Whether the Priest doth give God thanks for the safe deliverance of no other Women but such as are Gods See Churching of Women Servants Or whether they are not to give God thanks for almost all Women after Child-birth And whether all Women that they are to give thanks for and do give thanks for be the Servants of God seeing they say Almighty God which hath delivered this Woman thy Servant Or whether most of the women they give thanks for be not Servants of Sin and led about with divers Lusts And whether it be not one thing to be a Servant of Sin and another thing to be a Servant of God XLII Whether the new Man which is within Children See Commination and People and to be raised up in them be not Christ and whether Christ be not the Light And whether he that is the new Man and the Light be not the Way and whether all they be not blind that know it not And if Christ the Light and the Way be to be known within the hope of Glory and that the Priests have caused Children and People who were so blind they did not know it to go out from that which is the new Man and the Light and the Way within and also teach them to go after and walk in something without Whether such Priests have not these many Years cursed themselves or read the Curse against themselves and causing the People to say Amen to it in saying Cursed is he that maketh the Blind to go out of his Way XLIII Whether the Priests themselves have not put their Trust in Man and taken one Man and Protector afteru aother for their Defence And whether some of them have not been unmerciful in taking more than Ten times the value in Goods of what themselves demanded from men And whether some have not been Fornicators and some Covetous Persons and some Slanderers and Drunkards and many Extortioners If not let Gods Witness and their own Fruits testifie If they are such then whether they have not a long time read the Curse against themselves and that from Year to Year in these late Ages as long as they durst do it saying Cursed are the Vnmerciful the â—ornicators and Adulterers and the Covetous Persons the Worshippers of Images Slanderers Drunkards and Extortioners XLIV Whether the Priests that did in our Infancy sprinkle us who are now in derision by them called Quakers did then by that Water and their Words make us or so many of us as they did so sprinkle the Children of God the Members of Christ and the Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven If not whether did not they grosly deceive us as also by after teaching and perswading us we are already regenerated and born again in our Baptism by which means hindering us what in them lay for ever looking after it and causing us to say we were that we were not and so made innocent Children speak Lyes we not knowing it to be Lyes If they did make us so then what have they since done in Reviling and smiting with the Tongue and Pen and writing against us the Members of Christ and persecuting us the Children of God and that so many Years together and in causing us the Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven to be Imprisoned Year after Year to the depriving many of us of our Healths and some of our Lives and many of their Livelihoods by spoiling of their Goods And by this time some other thing then what the former Composers of the Common-Prayer did put away which did burden mens Consciences are herein by way of Query made manifest to be abused yea even the Prayers abused and several of these things the Minds of People will never be quiet concerning as to own them again unless some better satisfaction in plain and sound Words be given them either by answer hereunto or otherwise in the like nature in Love and not by Severity for Love and sound Words may win the Hearts of those which Severity Bonds and Cruelty cannot force them unto till they are better satisfied concerning it Written by one that hath learned as he was taught To for sake the Devil and all his Works the Vanities of the wicked World to hold the true Christian-Faith and to keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the dayes of his Life H. S. An Epistle to all the Meetings in Dorsetshire ONce more am I moved to visit you with an Epistle of plain words from the free and powerful operation of divine Love unto the seed which in many lieth oppressed by reason of that which through disobedience doth hinder the growth thereof so that many come not into the Life of Truth which in the power of God was declared unto you whose hearts at that time were much broken and true desires in many raised but afterwards
Corruptions of the Flesh And walk in the Life of Righteousness to preach forth the Innocency of the Lamb in uprightness through a suffering state and therein to glorifie him whom in Spirit and Truth you are to serve forever more so your Life may be renowned with him forever and your Souls replenished in the bountifulness of his Love whereby Fruits in you may abound to the glory of his Grace and you become rich in every good Word and Work And all you that are weak who meet with many Hardships and Tryals and Temptations within and without be ye not therefore discouraged nor moved but still mind that the Lord is able to deliver and still on him in much Patience wait that in the due time you may come to reap And truly Friends in faithfulness you will come to know the Lord to minister strength to the weak and give power to the faint that the small thing in you may become great and the barren become fruitful for in him who is the Light the plentious Redemption is and he it is that succours and saves in the time of need and helps and delivers in the time of distress and he will not leave the Humble Comfortless nor forsake the Meek of the Earth neither can the Lord forget his Covenant of Peace with the Seed of Jacob though it be but as a Worm in the Earth And you who suffer Bonds Imprisonments or loss of Goods for his sake who hath called you out of the World dear is my love unto you and precious is the faithful suffering Seed in you to me who also with you suffer both within and in outward Bonds seeing the Crown of rejoycing that through a suffering state is manifest to the Seed which through suffering comes to live forever and the Life is that which will uphold in the measure whereof manifest in you The power of the Lord preserve you that you may feel Truth kept clear in you and preserved blameless by you that the Prisoner of hope in you may Reign over its Adversaries and you feel the Power of the Lord strengthning the spoiled against the strong that under it the other may bow that to the humble Life of the Lamb slain all Nations may become subject And all consider that he that is the Wonderful Counsellor who saith I am the Light In it therefore wait the counsel of the Lord to receive And all take heed of going out from that to set up a form of barren Words without neither build ye the things which began to be destroyed but all take heed of vain Talkers high Boasters and such who by a multitude of Words darken that in you which is to give the knowledge of him whose Kingdom consisteth not of Words for many see things afar off and speak too soon and too much and out of the true fear whose Words feed that above the Seed in many who live thereby and it burthens the Seed in some tender Lambs so that it which should live in them is kept in Death And so such Talkers with their many Words do scatter the Flock and cause Strife being separated from the suffering Seed within and so cannot suffer one with another and things are out of God's Wisdom and out of Unity and true Brotherly Love and then the Mouthes of the Heathen are opened against you all and the precious Truth of God suffers Therefore it s better all such were silent and that in the true fear you come to wait on the Lord that the power of his Life might be opened in every particular and then if that speak a Word or two it will hurt none but be received by all that fear the Lord and that my Soul loveth but this I know and feel that many Words are spoken which murder the Life in the Meek Therefore where these things are let it be searched into with the Light in every particular that the true thing in all may arise and act and lead and guide in Meekness and true Fear that the Power of God in you all you may come unto And let all your Meetings be kept as in the dreadful Awe and Presence of God and meet together often that the Seed through Death may come to which my Love is dear in which Love which comes from God his Arm of Power preserve you all which is both my Desire and Prayers to God whom in the measure of his living Truth I serve in my Spirit and for which now I suffer Bonds who to some of you may be felt in that which is more near unto many of you than the Name Humphry Smith To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset YOu whom the Lord God of Life hath visited with his Everlasting Loving-kindness in a day of Salvation and in an acceptable year hath the Lord â—ought after you who from him were going astray in the frowardness of your Wills and haughtiness of your vain Minds whereby your Souls were kept in Death out of which the Lord is now come to redeem and gather you his long lost sheep in his everlasting Arms of unlimited Love home unto the rest eternal where Peace and Plenty is within the Walls that are Salvation and the Gate of everlasting Peace within which the redeemed of the Lord do dwell and their rest is gloriously glorified with the presence of the most High who comes to rule in the Kingdoms of men and set his Righteousness and Judgment in the Earth whereby the meek of the Earth shall rejoyce and the Mourning seed shall be comforted because of him that executeth true Judgment upon the head of the Wicked which ruled over the growing seed which cryeth unto the Lord in the hour of distress and mourned for him who is the bright Morning Star whose lightnings begin now to enlighten the Earth and shine out of Darkness to give the knowledge of God in the sensible feeling part of the heart which comes to be made soft and tender thereby so that its wrought into Gods love which melts the Hills and shakes the Mountains and divides asunder that an open way fair clear may be made for the longing breathing seed to spring out of Bondage and feel Gods Mercy showered down as the latter Rain upon a dry and thirsty Land whereâ—y the Lillies grow and the Vine yields her Increase and the Olive flowrishes and Clothing from the God of Righteousness comes to cover the mourning naked Birth who hath no strength nor help but from the Lord God of Mercy who is the Father of the Fatherless and the Helper of the Helpless who also hears the Cry of the Needy and knows the mind of the Spirit and hath pity on all Sion's Mourners and Compassion of all the faint and he is helping the Prisoner out of the Pit whereby the Captive comes to be set at liberty and the opening of the Prison Door is felt by the Lambs and Children of the Day who unto the day
out of the Covenant And this know assuredly That many may see that which is afar off and not feel the Life of what they see and so are many high Professors in the World who change from one Opinion to another and are all yet but fruitless Trees which are to be cut down and rooted up And many there are who call him that is the Light Lord and Master but to the Light are not obedient in Self-denial nor taking up the daily Cross which is the Power of God and crucifies unto the World and so the first Man of the World being not crucified nor put off the new Man is not received and so little more is witnessed by many who profess Truth without the Life than was in the time of other Forms for if the Death be not known the Resurrection of the Just received and the Dead raised then is all in vain And this is not known by any but such who know the Judgments of the Lord set up in the Heart and the Cup of Astonishment to the Adulterous Seed which comes of the will of the Flesh and cannot lay down the Life for the Friend Wherefore I say wait to know the Birth that is Immortal and feel that born up which never yet was raised in them over whom the Vail yet is that the free Birth may be known and the Seed whom God hath appointed the blessing unto from under death redeemed that by the powerful risings thereof the understanding may be opened with that which was before Forms were that to it you may come which giveth Life unto the Soul and know a Saviour born of the barren Womb and a Deliverer brought forth in the place where he hath not been known and the Plant to spring out of that ground which is yet dry that it may be overshadowed with the loveliness of its spreading forth that a way may be opened in the Wilderness and the humble exalted in the Valley and so come to learn of that which is yet little and low and take heed of taking counsel of the Serpent whose subtilty will soon lead forth from the Simplicity neither cover your selves with any thing before the Righteousness of God which is perfect be received but love that which comes from the man of Sorrows who comes to break the peace of all them who walk not in the Everlasting Way of Life Let all them who are out of it search their Hearts with the Light And take heed of that which is high froward or strong in the Will for we are weak which is not brought to the Cross for there is the first Birth from the wrong grounds which will speak and act that which it lives not in neither is able to confirm it in Faithfulness to the Death and Loss of all for things may be true in themselves and that which is out of the Truth may speak of it yet such vain Talkers cannot suffer to Death for what they speak For that which cometh forth first is strong in the Earthly and would live forever and have the Blessing and would rule over the meek thing in the particular and in others having a secret desire to be admired being far unwilling to take a Servants place but certainly it is the meek humble suffering Seed which in many is yet oppress'd that is to last forever who through Death comes into the Dominion Therefore sink down out of the airy Comprehension and Subtilty above the Life and first come to suffer with that which is meek and low if ever you intend with it to reign in that Peace and Life which from all that without the Vail is hid and in silence watch and be sober to see him come which saves the Soul and clothes it with his own Righteousness that you be not found without a Covering of the Spirit Power and Life among the foolish Virgins for few there be that find the Way of Life and abide therein And I knowing the Terror of the Lord that will certainly come upon all them who dye out of his Covenant therefore I Warn all People every where as the Lord enlargeth me to wait to feel the powerful Word of Repentance and with the Light to make diligent search into the ground and foundation of all Professions Words and Actions For the Lord will make inquisition for the Blood of the Just and reward the Double-minded according to the intents of their hearts the Gaul whereof will be rent with the Power of his Might which will sweep away the refuge of Lyes and confound your Divinations in the head of that knowledge above the seed and a day of Desolation must come Sword and Famine must you know and the Earth to be removed and your Heavens shaken that the poor may come to receive the glad Tidings of the Gospel which is the Power of God for the fat and the strong are for judgment both within and without and they are still sent away empty but the poor are they which are to be satisfied not the rich high wise strong mighty prudent Diviners and Orthodox men and zealous Professors and liscentious Libertines as they are called who profess a Saviour to come and some would have a King to reign hereafter but they are not agreed how nor when nor where their King shall reign whom they imagine shall come but are found Despisers not Lovers nor Faithful Followers of him that is come the Glory of whose KINGDOM is already shining over the World and is established in Righteousness who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is our Head our Law-giver and our King and we do not look for another as the Drunkards of Ephriam do who are drunk but not with Wine and stagger at Noon-day and must be dashed one against another and broken to pieces as the Potsherds of the Earth who are looking for a King to come and know not the King who is already come who is the Light to which they will not bow though it in secret doth them reprove and shew us plainly of the Father and lets them see their Disobedience To it now therefore bow and bend for plainly the Lord God who is Light will not alwayes strive by the Light of his Son in your hearts And this know That as I tender the least honest desires that are begotten in any after the living Truth of God yet I am to deal plainly with all and clear my Conscience of all who are covered with their own Conceivings and in Words and Writing to warn all in the Spirit of Truth and Meekness as the Lord moveth me in faithfulness to declare against that which yet in any bears rule over the Seed which by Judgment must be overturned and all the Judgments of the Lord are true Wherefore ye that are willing to come out of Temptations into that where the foolish Virgins cannot enter wait in the fear of the Lord to feel his Work within whilst the day of Salvation lasteth lest thick
done it away with the same Power whereby before he came so to serve man under the Sin as to help him from under it and so to bring man with himself in his Power as it suffered by the Sin out of the Sin and out of that Power which captivated under or into the committing of Sin so to the end of it with Christ over it to live and reign forever as it is received in that way manner and operation which at first it doth come and shew forth it self in the Power of its sufferings whose Power and Virtue therein at first is known And so such who know Him in his suffering-state He permitteth chuseth and electeth to live and reign with him in his Ruling-state And so he that hath power to Reign hath power to Suffer and so to Suffer that he may Reign the exercise of whose power in his Suffering is in order to his Reigning and such as feel know and receive his Power first enabling them with him to suffer they with the same are brought to the end of sin and sinning by which the suffering came upon the Just for the Unjust and as man to this is joyned in his sufferings its Power worketh man's Redemption and so not of man or brings man back from under that power which held in the Transgression and Separation from the Bridegroom of the Soul and takes away that which captivates it and so breaks the Wall which stood between the desired Liberty and the present Bondage and so brings the true and lasting Peace and so both receive each other and are made one in each other and not otherwise It is certainly so And that man which truly suffered with it reigns with it who was joyned to it in its suffering till it came to reign and then to submit unto it and serve it in its Motions Leadings Rulings and Governings in the power of its Love which winneth the heart so to do as the chaste Wife to the Husband so with it in the Power of it man comes to reign over that which was both contrary to it and to the upright hearted man until all its Enemies are put under it and so under the man that is one with it and whose Life is in it being truly joyned to it of the Lord then not to be put asunder and so loving of it and in all things submitting to it more than the true chaste Virgin to the Husband living in the Power and the Power living in man and so both becoming one in Sufferings one in Tryals one in Tribulations one in Afflictions one in Joy one in Peace one in Liberty one in Captivity one in Riches one in Poverty And so truly one partaking with each other in all states unseparable may well in some measure be termed The Marriage of the Lamb which is come and more of it may be known and the Virgin being thus and more fully espoused to the undefiled unspotted of God they are thus far made one and she becomes the Daughter of the Husbands Father the King of Kings or the Adopted Child of God And thus the undefiled One of God and the Virgin of Sion becomes one in the unspeakable Unity which Unity being felt both as one preceive me and my Lines are understood and my Words received in Love And this is written and sent forth among all Friends who desire to hear of me and who have known me in the invisible Truth and such to whom the Lord hath made me serviceable in the precious things of the Kingdom of God which is of Peace and Righteousness where my Rest is that hereby they may hear from me and know that I remain in the labour of the Gospel which is very great and in the Fellowship of the Saints Your Brother in the unexpressible Love of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour Humphery Smith From Cogshall in Essex in which parts very many of late have received the precious Truth the 12th of the 5th Moneth 1661. This is to all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end My dear Friends THe Father is well pleased in him who is meek and lowly in the heart and in Obedience unto him through the leadings of his Spirit of Power in which the Father's love is manifest which leads in the low Ground where the safe Way of everlasting Peace is known where all things are quiet and still where the small still Voice is heard whereby the dead come to live in the Powerful Life of the Fathers Love which compasseth about the seed as a Wall of everlasting Defence whereby there is boldness and courage comes in to Jacob the worm that it s then able to stand in that everlasting strength which is made perfect in weakness and to the weak â—â— only to be known that the weak then may say I am strong feeling strength ministred forth from that which is begotten of the Father wâ—ich never was comprehended by the earthly Wisdom which is all scattered as the smoke before the Wind when he ariseth that was laid in the Earth who hath long been as a Servant and is now to be served that he may be Lord over all who is a Man of Sorrows and leads through the suffering state that by the Obedience of Faith through the Power of the Cross which crucifies and brings to the death that which is to dye that the Vail may be rent and the way into the holiest of all made manisest and that received in the new ground which abideth forever even that which comforteth the weary Soul and satisfieth the longing Spirit and replenishâ—th the dry and barren Land with the Rivers of the Valley and the springs of the Desart that the meek in the Earth may rejoyce forever and through the Earth may grow as a Lilly in Summer For painly its the poor that receive the Gospel and the meek of the Earth that shall in her it Substance and it is the thing that is low that will last forever and that shall be set on the Throne and he that is low shall never fall neither shall his Footsteps at all be moved he leads the creature in the Father's fear and guideth the Tongue in Wisdom and its him alone that all are to wait for to receive and continue in even him that is acquainted with Grief who never openeth his Mouth in perversness but speaks Life in Wisdom through the Power of the Fathers Love which overpowers the Soul as an overflowing River of Oyl which makes all well and heals the grieved Spirit which none ever comes to find but such who alone walk with him who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and became as a Servant though he was Lord over all in him there is safety for he is the Rock and the sure hiding-place even out of the sight of the World and from the Tempters power for the Devil hath nothing in him who is meek and low in whose mouth there is found no
hidden place and Life to grow up in the midst of Death and to break through the Powers of Darkness and the Lord in his Power gave utterance to his Servants and Messengers and then were the words of his Truth as Food to the Hungry and with much gladness of Heart was the sound of the Way of Life by many received then did Love begin to arise in the Heart and a tenderness in the Bowels and a willingness in the Mind and then was a Joy like the Joy of Harvest among the People and many began to invite one another saying Come and we will return to the Lord and we will resolve to walk in his Paths forever then was the Voice of Thanksgiving among the People and the wayes of the Lord became more delightsom than Gold and the footsteps of Righteousness more pleasant than all the Treasure in the world O! it even melts the heart to remember the dayes that are past and to consider the infinite Goodness of him that is the God of the Poor and Needy Then were many made willing to run and to leave their filthy Garments behind them even before they well knew how to do it O! how loathsom was Sin in that day and how wearisom was the Land of Darkness and how desirable even beyond expression was the unsatisfied thirsting Soul after the Presence of God Could the Treasure of the Earth then have given Peace or could Silver have satisfied the hungry heart Or could the choisest Love of the most nearest Relations have quenched the thirst of the parched ground Surely none but the Lord was then desired yea other Lovers became as loathsom and other Delights became burthensom to the weary Travellers and all Vanities began to vanish as a Vapour of Smoke and the Wind of Heaven was daily a scattering the chaff and the barren Womb mourned for the quickning Life of God who had put it into the hearts of his long afflicted scattered Ones to follow him in the Ways of Truth Equity and then did the Lord visit such again and again in his Loving-kindness by his Servants whose Living Words of Truth through them did yet more open the Understandings Hearts satisfie the judgments of the humble People in the knowledge of the way to Rest and Peace in leaving the evil chusing the good to walk come to live therein forever And then came the time of Trial and Exercise when the Cross must be taken up to the Worlds wayes and all foolish Vanities left behind and the needless words no longer used nor that Religion continued any longer in which made nothing perfect Then did the People gaze and wonder and the Relations and the Acquaintance stood like as from David afar off and then was every ones greatest Enemy with the Light found in his own House then did the Tribes of the Earth mourn then did the Dragon stretch forth his Power then did the Doubtings and Fears and Thoughts and Unbelief come roling in like Floods O the straights that many then were in even seeming greater than any before and none but the Lord could deliver so that then the Cryes were doubled and the secret Groans came on afresh again and the greater the Cryes of such were the more they prevailed with him that was to help but with his Rod he forced them to submit unto his Will by departing out of that which had caused him to frown upon them and by leaving that which had polluted their Dwelling and as they began to obey him therein so he began to let forth the smiles of his Favour towards them and when they offended again he chastized them fore and scourged them for their Negligence and corrected them because they forgot their Obedience to his will and as thereby they drew near unto him he eased the stroke of his Justice and let them taste of his Mercy and sometimes invited them with love as a Father draweth the Child And thus he left not working with them and in them by his own secret Wisdom and Power until he had brought them to be after the desire of his Heart that he might delight in them forever and that they might never more be scattered upon the barren Hills nor yet the dark Mountains And as Obedience in Truth and Innocency was willingly yeilded to the Lord Peace began to take hold and Satisfaction got some entrance and a little secret hope there was which became as an Anchor to the Soul against the Stormy time and also in the midst thereof and as Inniquity was departed from so there came into the humble Heart some satisfaction from God and some stability in his way of Righteousness and then refreshings of Life attended the heart in the Morning and the Water which reneweth the Thirsty began to open it self in the midst of a barren Land and then nothing was more desired than the living upon that Food with which the God of Heaven doth nourish only his Children which he freely gave and brought down even near to the Tents of Israel and he caused them to know his Statutes and his Judgments and he put his perfect Law in the midst of them and his Mercy seat within the Vail that they might ask Counsel at the living Oracle and he gave them his Spirit which all the circumcised of Heart do rightly know to be the chiefest good and to this end did he bestow that most precious Gift upon them and gave that Spirit of Life into them even to guide counsel and direct inform instruct reprove defend and succour them and nourish their Souls for evermore And so he set before them the way in which they should walk with him wherein he would be their Father and the Rock of their strength and made known unto them the secret Mysteries of his heavenly blessed Will which had been long concealed and doth yet so remain from the Disobedient and covered from the Children of men And when even the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob had done all this and much more for you O ye now well beloved Friends then did he begin to try your patience and to exercise yoâ— yet further to prove you and to make known unto you even more of that which had long been in the heart and then he suffered a calm to come over you and much quietness there was with many and then did the Enemy begin to assay again to bring into Carelesness and present a spirit of slumber with dulness and negligence attending and then the Seed was again burthened therewith and the Upright hearted durst not give way thereunto before whose Eyes the pure heavenly fear still remaineth surely it were almost endless to relate the sundry Tryals and States which have been known among the flock of Jacob Who could have believed that the strong should have been so tempted as they were and the mighty so assaulted divers wayes as they have been and yet that the weakest who continued in the Grace
which teacheth to deny Ungodliness should stand and remain And how wonderfully hath the Lord preserved his whole flock unto this day even so that with true gladness of Heart in living Praises it might truly be said That no Weapon formed against Gods Israel hath to this day yet ever prospered though no man hath appeared either in Field or Court on their behalf nor visible hand appeared for the defence of the flock of Heaven O! where is that Lamb of the fold who now stands in the Covenant of Redemption that cannot breath forth the Praises of God in the heart-breaking Power of his Love and the sensible feeling of his tender unspeakable Mercies Behold O friends the goodness of God is unutterable yea I have not words to express it and such that feel it may taste of it and drink of the fulness thereof beyond the narrowness of my broken speech and let such draw near unto me and let lose that which bindeth and closeth up in the Bowels that we may meet at the entrance of Wiâ—dom's Gate and live one with another and one in another so as the World did never â—now neither in their nature shall eveâ— understand for my heart is filled with Love and my dweling is enlarged with bouâ—dless Borders of Peace and my Life streams forth in meekness Behold there is none can stop it where the seed springs up as a Lilly and where the dawning of the day is witnessed where undefiled Love which cannot think Evil hath its resting-place and where the true simplicity of meekness remains Even there my Lines are read my Words are heard my Mind is Known my Language understood my Love received and even my Life takes entrance What shall I say I am with near or in the midst of aâ— the Innocent Lambs by the virtue of that Power and inviâ—â—ble Spirit which filleth all in all and in silence with you could â— long rest where the World should neither know nor yet perceive me the same Bread which I receive in the invisible Power break unto or disperce among the Lambs of God who can feed upon no other Even so the same is it which my Soul at present doth live yea behold I live who once was dead and my Life is hid among the rest with Christ in him from whence the heavenly Food and the Souls-saving and hearts-satisfying Power doth come And this is to stir up your Minds and to put you in remembrance of the Lords dealing with you and his large Loving-kindness towards you and his effectual work of Love in you that you may never forget him nor be unmindful of his fatherly Pity towards us all when we were all in our low estate and that you may feel the Revivings of his virtue and the Inlivenings of his power and the quicknings of his Spirit That you may grow therein and wax fruitful to God and come to be seated and established in the Land of Life blessed from Heaven with much more fruitful increase than the Land of Goshan That the fruit of Lebanon may be known and the Rose of Sharon and your selves as the Cedars that are full of Sap and your Life as the Vine that never wanteth Nourishment whose Fruit aboundeth to the glading of the Vine-Dresser that the Lord may rejoyce over his Heritage and delight himself in the midst of Zion and be glorified in his People and admired of all them that believe THe Lord God of Heaven preserve all every where in the Love Long-suffering Forbearance Meekness Gentleness out of the Strife or Self-seeking for surely Wo will come upon that Spirit wherever the Lord finds it and even the Lord knoweth the desires of my Heart in true simplicity hath been That his righteous Judgments might pass betimes upon every appearance thereof in my self Neither do I believe that God will ever prosper it in any nor any with it Therefore my Exhortation in the Everlasting Love of the God of Heaven is That you all every where live in true Brotherly Love and remember Joseph's advice to his Brethren That they fall not out by the way The Heavenly God of Power and Life and Virtue keep you out of all this in the Life of Wisdom and Meekness where Strife shall never inhabit nor Death enter within the Walls of Zion in which their dwelling is who keep themselves undefill'd and remain in the fear of God to whom I commit you all and to the Power of the Word of his saving Grace praying to the Lord for you That evermore you may continue in the Love of Christ From the feeling and refreshing whereof in the heart this is written unto you by him that in the Truth can serve the least of you being your Friend Humphry Smith ANd Friends this is a time of quietness and stillness or a time for you so to be and there hath been a large time of gathering and for convincing and now the Lord is proving and trying them that are gathered And after this time blessed and thrice happy shall they be that are found faithful in it and worthy to be Crowned with Heavenly Honour and to be further employed in Gods service and to remain as Pillars among the Flock of Heaven and as Lights to invite others home to the dwelling of God And now should all Friends be kept in Wisdom and take heed what words they use among men or concerning any men though they do contrive against us Had the Lord left us where they are and set them where he hath placed us then might we have been this day as ignorant of the Way of Peace towards Enemies and of the Path of Innocency and Righteousness as they now are but the Lord hath shewed us Mercy And I say the God of Heaven forgive them and defend us And all that dwell in this may come at last to see a time of greater Gathering than ever yet was Oh! my Pen cannot write it And if all were quiet in their own measures and little at all were moved in that measure either to write print or speak at this time waiting singly upon God Oh! he would plead for us and he alone would help us and keep us as in his Arms until the Indignation were over-past And this I write that you might know of my continual confidence in the Lord if he had or did not at this time raise up or make use of any of us to help him or to be workers together with him But a Remnant he hath whose hearts he enlargeth with prayer and some of them with strong inward desires and groans and some with utterance to declare the good will of God unto others in your Assemblies and some steadfastly to believe in God that he will never leave us and all this ascends up before the Lord even as one sacrifice And he that hath heard and had mercy on us when we were not his People and turned not back our complaints in that day O! how shall he now forget
Be quiet now therefore and hear all ye Judges Rulers Governours Justices and all other Officers and People whatsoevr upon the face of the whole Earth who ignorantly from your Zeal in that knowledge which puffeth up have had a hand against a dispised rejected forsaken People that are accounted the Off-scouring of all things and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter and are killed all the day long who follow him in the Travail of their Souls and brokenness of Heart whose face is marred more then the Sons of men to whom from him no Beauty nor Comeliness doth appear nor any thing wherefore he should be desired who indeed and in truth is not of this World Behold I say unto you who have persecuted the Innocent and smote the harmless with the Tongue and the Fist of Wickedness if you will let the humble seed arise in you and read with fear and consider in Meekness with a true desire to receive the Power of God's Love unto you is this Word of Visitation sent therefore O ye men feel ye that which opens the heart for behold I was made of one flesh with you and the Lord God and Father of my Life made all men of one Blood that they might feel after him and find him and surely from the true sence and feeling of Gods infinite Love unto Mankind that he might be saved from Wrath to come Therefore am I moved with my Father's Pity to visit you to whom Gods Love is and in whom the Seed lieth in Bondage and is not brought to the birth nor deliverance but the Earth is over it and you that should be gathered into God's Everlasting Covenant of Peace who lie yet in the Bondage why will you not believe my words which are the Truth of the Lord in the Power of his Love which will stand forever And so all your Hating Reviling and Imprisoning the Servents and Seed of God without you in the Nation and your ruling over the Innocent Honest Plain and Harmless is unto you a true figure of your hating resisting and imprisoning the Seed of God which is in you and your ruling over the honest meek thing in you with Tyranny and Cruelty in the strength of your wills and this hath long been so and by this figure hath the Lord been pleased to preach unto you of late years that you might hear and see and understand and this is plainly so you being not reconciled unto that of God in Bondage in you Therefore is your hatred against them without you who are reconciled to God and have no Confidence in the flesh and because you are not reconciled to him that made you therefore hath his witness in you often times disturbed and broke your Peace in the Earth and the hand of the Lord hath so followed you that many times you could not cause his Spirit to cease striving with you for some time but even trouble from it hath come upon you even in the Night-season when you would have Peace and when the Power of the Enemy of your souls hath risen up in you with Wrath and Envy in hastiness and passion against the Servants of the Lord and thereby have been moved with Envy to act that which was Evil against them intending thereby to make the true Jews bow down unto Haman's spirit in you then afterwards and some at the very time hath the witness of God in you arose and brought Judgment and Trouble and Torment upon you when some of you have been alone in quietness then hath the Lord been secretly Dealing with you by his measure of Light in you the which you have strove against some not knowing what it was and sought Peace and ease another way and so have not loved that which came to confound your Wisdom nor received that which is to bring the understanding of the prudent to nothing for that prudent understanding is in man and that which is to confound it is to be received in man I speak what I know and the Truth of which will stand forever but you have not received that which in the heart began to judge you nay rather are you not afraid of being judged and of that which judgeth in you And is it not a hard saying unto you that have talkt of God to preach him unto you who confounds the Wisdom of the Wise and brings the Vnderstanding of the prudent to nothing and to tell you how that which may be known of God is manifest in you Is it not therefore plain that you are yet joyned to that which is to be confounded and so have not received that which is to confound though it be in you for the Kingdom of God was in the Pharisees but they not knowing it did neither know the Lord of Glory but crucified him without them and resisted that which was holy in them yet professed the Scriptures without them as you do whose minds are out from the measure of the Inspiration of that Spirit in you which gave forth the Scriptures which are without you which Scriptures also testifie of the Light of Christ which is in you and of that which may be known of God in you to which you are to come for unto them who had the Scriptures without them Christ Jesus said Come unto me I am meek and low in heart and his Name is called the Word of God which is nigh even in your hearts though from you there it be hid as a Treasure hid in the Field but though it be hid from you yet it is there and though you have been unprofitable yet have you had a Talent yea the Lord God hath given Gifts to the Rebellious though they receive it not that he might dwell in them ye hard-hearted stiff-necked and uncircumcised why will you not believe my words Why will you not receive the Truth When will you bend and bow before the Lord God of Life Can you say in your hearts like the fool That there is no God Would you shut him out from having an entrance in you When was it that you did come to this thing which is hid in the heart And when did you try this thing which sometimes judgeth condemneth troubleth or confoundeth whether this thing would give you the knowledge of God And is not the Light to give the knowledge of God And doth not he that is the Light enlighten every man And is not the Light that which doth make manifest And is not there something in you that doth at sometimes make manifest And is there not something in you which doth judge and condemn you for Evil which is made manifest by it You that talk of trying all things Is not there one thing and have you not yet need of one thing even that which gives Power over sin and cleanseth from all sin And have you tryed this one thing the Light or that of God in you Whether this will bring you to Peace with God and man And whether by
the Testimony of his Name and remain Prisoners for the same Truth and Testimony of Jesus for which also this Body of mine doth and hath long suffered Restraint and Bonds and my Soul grieved with the Sodomitish Wickedness and Heathenish Prophainness of Hard-hearted Rebellious to God and disobedient Ungodly People whose Judgment slumbereth not and whose Damnation will certainly come and be just from God upon them who have made a Covenant with Death and shew forth themselves as a people at an Agreement with all the Powers of Hell in which is the Reward of all the Wicked that have forgotten God and wholely rejected the manifold Manifestation of his Mercies which unto you O ye dear and tender-hearted is as precious Oyl and as desirable Treasure Who can but prize the Mercies of the God of Heaven How refreshingly hath it often flowed in upon the thirsty Habitations of many to the abundant refreshing and comforting of the weary Land Oh! how sweetly and with what pleasantness hath mine Eyes beheld the springing up and the growth and spreadings of the tender Plants after the distiling streams of the Heavenly Dews upon them and every one standing in his place flourishing with their Branches over the Earth not one offending the other and all casting forth a sweet favour being daily replenished with the springings up of the Sap of Life and comforted with the Sun Beams of Righteousness How harmoniously then doth the Garden flourish And how beautiful is every Plant whom God hath planted And is it possible for any other plants to bring forth Fruits unto holiness but only such whom the God of Heaven causeth to grow And how sad is it for any one Plant to hurt kill or destroy another And who can without some Remorse or pity behold the withering and fading of any such Plants whose flourishing was once so delightsom that all who passed by and took notice thereof commended them for their virtue or at least took some special notice of their prudence and the wisdom of him by whom they flourished in that they grew multiplied and prospered though they could not perceive nor understand by what invisible virtue they thus were nourished nor whence it came I say again when I have beheld the Trees of the Lord the Plants of the Garden of God in their fresh green growing flourishing united State in the Life of Liberty my heart hath often been refreshed my Soul quickned my Spirit revived and my mind and desires abundantly satisfied Then hath my life founded forth the precious praises of the Almighty in the Assemblies of the upright and my Heart broken therewith in the delightsom Love hath poured forth Thanksgiving with tenderness and tears in secret O! how then hath the overflowing of Mercy reached over the uttermost borders of my dwelling and how sweetly have we then been comforted and revived one in another How lovely then hath the face of the Righteous been when Righteousness it self in the Meekness of Love looked forth at the Windows How were the Bowels of each other then enflamed within them How sweet was the Beauty of Meekness to the Beholders Who then could but receive the love of the loveliness it self Dear Lambs of the fold of Heaven whose hearts are still opened by the feeling of the virtue of life who only know me and can hear the words of my Life and understand the Voice of my Love My Heart and Soul salutes you my Love is dear unto you my Life hath long reached forth it self towards you in my Remembrance your Life is written I am your Servant in the Love of God a Member of the Body with you a Brother in Tribulations a Companion with you in your Warfare a Feeder with you at your Table and one that rejoyceth with you in the Joy unspeakable being made with you a partaker of that precious Inheritance that fadeth not away where Life and Love and fellowship with Praises and Thanksgiving aboundeth forever Wherewith should I greet you in the Greetings of that Love which cannot be uttered And how should I Salute you in that which cannot be declared What words might I use to speak forth the Life of Wisdom or reach forth the true love of a broken Heart Behold I may become as a Babe herein and be silent as a Child yet learning utterance lest in reaching forth of my strength I should signifie my weakness to unfold the undeclareable Infinitness of the fulness of Virtue Wisdom Meekness Life and Love from the measure whereof my simple words most certainly do at present proceed as some few amongst many will surely perceive hereby who remain in the single-heartedness of undefiled Unity whose desires are still afresh enflamed and whose Bowels yet daily yearn after a more fuller enjoyment of God and the encrease and preservation of his Precious Truth and who for the same can still deny themselves to serve others in the true sense and feeling of the undefiled brotherly Love and who can lay down their Crowns that the Lamb may be honoured and suffer in the inward man that the Brother may be preserved for whom Christ dyed and towards whom Gods Love was even when he was an Enemy the which love of God being continued towards thee in the same Love shouldest thou continue towards thy Brother and there-with mayst thou do him good and perform some service towards the Lord whose love was towards you both and then from him shalt thou receive a Reward into thy own Bosom and in the needful time God will deliver thee and at the hour of Tryal he will Succour thee and thou the dear Plant of the Lord thereby mayst stand though some that were stronger then thee be overcome and fall into the Snare of the Enemy in that hour of Tryal and be then entangled with many Incumbrances and that of divers kinds The Lord God of Heaven and Earth preserve my dear tender hearted Lambs and Brethren out of such things that a Vail may not come over you and so the Life be stopt from springing up in you for then may such again go Mourning all the day long when none doth pity Friends the often Incomes of Gods Love and the forth flowings of the same towards you and the precious seed of God in them parts hath constrained me at present to visit you in the true love of my Soul with these Lines that so you might not only hear from me but also in some measure be comforted in me and likewise some of you a little refreshed hereby For Behold the God of Heaven is my Refuge and strength and the Lord of Host is my Upholder and the holy One of Israel is my Everlasting Support and the daily Incomes of that which doth truly comfort is as Marrow to my Bones yea the Lord hath prolonged my dayes inlarged my Borders and beautifyed the Place of my Dwelling My heart is overcome with his Love my Soul is filled with his Virtue and my Tongue doth declare of
his Goodness the praises of the Lord ascend up to Heaven whose Mercies refresh the Earth Oh that you might partake with me of the unspeakable Blessings of God and feel and receive in your selves the true Tenders and Offers of the tenderness of my Love hereby presented unto you that you might feel your Hearts begin to open therewith to receive the same that in the Life of the Spirit of Truth you may truly perceive me to be present praising the Lord with you and likewise pertaking with you of your sufferings having also Acquaintance of your Grief and being truly sensible of your manifold Tryals and Tribulations The Lord preserve you to the end thereof And Friends let not your hearts be sad neither be ye overmuch cast down with any thing whatsoever of which I forbare to mention neither be ye discouraged by reason of any thing that the Lord bringeth or suffereth to come to pass either amongst us or concerning us neither let the multitude of Tryals nor the length of dayes therein cause you in the least to distrust the Lord who in his secret Wisdom in the end of all things bringeth forth good unto such who in all conditions and under all Tryals do truly love and cleave unto the Lord their strength But why should I multiply words The intent of my heart is that you might have benefit by the increase of the same love of God and the Springings forth thereof of the which we have all received For you know the Truth which teacheth all things and a measure of that Life from whence all these words do come which do service for the Lord and are helpful to his Servants and comfortable to his Chosen people and for the refreshing of the tender Lambs and the building up of the members in the holy Unity to grow up in the holy Life for the honour of his Glorious Name forever in whose blessed Name Life Strength and Virtue is found the which indeed is become a true Refuge unto the Chosen Israel of God where they are succoured when none can help and where they are preserved when none other can uphold unto whom they can pour forth their Complaints in secret and Address themselves at every needful time whose complaints are never by him rejected nor turned back upon the Upright hearted as sometimes it hath been when help or comfort hath been expected from some of the Children of men who may also be tempted and in danger of being overcome but the Lord can never be overcome neither can he ever Err in his Understanding or mistake in his Judgments nor reject that which is truly simple and tender neither yet receive that which is deceitful though appearing or seeming never so Glorious Let all Friends whose hearts are tender in the tenderness thereof still return unto him from that which causeth a hardness and out of that which bringeth distrust to leave that which bringeth darkness into the mind and so to get from the barren places into the fruitful Habitation of the living Then shall Peace flow as a River and Unity shall flourish as the varieties of the various Flowers in the Field and Righteousness shall spread over all as the Morning dew and then the Beauty of the Righteous shall shine and the Glory of the Lord shall yet more abundantly appear and fruit shall encrease as in the Summer season and the Vineyard of the Lord shall yet again flourish in Righteousness and the Lord shall be glorified in his Saints who is greatly admired by all them that truely believe Oh! that the seed might lift up the head Oh! that the Plants of Righteousness might spring that the true Mourner might be comforted That fruit might abound in abundance That the weak might receive strength That the Seed of the Lamb may know the Boldness of the Lyon That all might be refreshed together and that you all might live and grow and encrease with the Encreases of God The Lord God of Heaven and Earth grant these things unto you and fulfill them in you that you may be filled with Virtue and wax bold and Valiant to the end in the noble Life of the honourable Power of God whose Name is blessed for evermore Amen From Winchester Prison is this sent forth towards you and the true Love and Simplicity of Heart by your Brother in the fellowship and Testimony of Jesus and the Bonds of the Gospel Humphry Smith To the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen whose outward Habitations are in and near the County of Essex To be read amongst them in much Wisdom Meekness Deliberation and most chiefly in the true fear of the Lord God THe sound of the everlasting Truth of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth hath passed through and amongst you and the Word of his Power in the dread of his holy Name hath been published within your borders and the way of everlasting Life and Righteousness hath plainly been declared to the understanding and the Covenant of everlasting Peace and Truth hath been tendred unto your Hearts and the Day of Visitation from God hath been freely offered unto your Souls and the things which belong to your everlasting happiness hath been set before your Eyes and those things of the Kingdom of God which pertain to the Sons of men to know in the power of his Wisdom and in the strength of his Might hath been demonstrated among you and the tender Call of God in the day of his love hath been unto you Oh that your Hearts might retain it forever and that your Eyes might be abundantly opened to see into the unsearchable things of God! Oh that your understandings might yet be more opened to receive the Riches of the invisible Truth of God! Oh that your Hearts might come to be more enlarged therewith and that you who have known the Call of God and felt the working of his Grace in your hearts unto a true Convincement might all come to live the Life of Righteousness end forever hereafter to walk from that more and more which you are truly convinced of to be evil either in Word or Deed or any manner of Practice whatsoever and to walk with more Circumspection and Integrity and Faithfulness to the Lord in obedience unto all things truly made known unto you to be right and justifiable in the sight of the God of Heaven This certainly is the breathings of my Soul unto the God of Heaven for your everlasting Well-fare And the true desire of my present enlarged Heart for your Eternal Happiness is That as the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath counted you worthy of his Call in the power of his Grace which bringeth Salvation unto all you may not judge your selves unworthy of the Kingdom of God but may cleave unto his Truth in the inward parts leaving all that which hath kept you from it whatsoever it be and all that which hath
with the rest of his servants of old to live with him in the delightsom Ocean of the Infinite Fullness of his most desirable Power and precious Presence the streams whereof already are as the free Issuings forth of Life Eternal and as the streams of Mercy and the dews of the Morning Refreshing even the outmost borders of my dwelling and Comforting the mournful places of my Habitation Who can express his Goodness What man can utter his Bounty or how can man either in words or with Pen sufficiently signifie forth the Fullness and Virtue of that which passeth Knowledge Behold my Dwelling is in it and my Life is bound up with the inocent Lambs who live in the feeling Virtue of that which much super-aboundeth the most pleasantest and delightsom'st Words that ever my Tongue can utter and yet those that hear them hear the Truth in the which the Life doth stand and they that hear the Truth hear him from whence the Life doth come which Life it self in the power and virtue of it is the center of the Upright the Refuge of the Innocent and the thing it self unto which it self is drawing and gathering that it may be known within even to those who have been astray there-from that the one Fold the one Succour the one Food the one Shepherd the one Refuge the one Spirit the one Heart and the one Mind may be known and so the One God in the one only Vnity worshipped served and praised from the Power Life and Virtue of the one Spirit which comes from the only One God of Heaven and Earth before whom let the Heathen be Astonished and the ungodly fear and Tremble and the Brambles of the Earth prepare for the day of his Righteous Judgments and Fiery Indignation which as the breadth of his Nostrils being mixed with Flames of Endless Burnings he will plead with his own open Adversaries which shall be more fully manifest in the great Day of the Lord when all Mankind must give an account to him both of idle and wicked words and likewise of their deeds done in the body The Lord God hasten that day and let him come even him who cometh as a Thief in the Night even the Lord Jesus Christ who said I am the Truth the Spirit whereof the World cannot receive but we have known him and received him and know that he is true and have believed on him and have often drunk of the Living Water that springeth up unto life Eternal in those that truly believe And this I say forever blessed are they that believe and endure to the End for whom Gods Crown of Life is prepared and for all who give up their Lives and suffer faithfully for the Honour of him who hath so far honoured them as to account them worthy to bear their Testimony and to suffer for him In the which I say The Lord preserve my Friends and Brethren every where who have tasted of Gods loving kindness and remain sensible at present of the meekness of his love And let all Friends so dwell in the faith which is the gift of God over the World as to live thereby and not to lose the Crown of Glory and Immortality which was desired from the breathings of the seed in the day of Jacob's Captivity and the Lord God of my Life preserve and defend the plants of Righteousness even by his own Power and his own Spirit in that day and at that time when all other helps may not be available that then the sufficiency of the Greatness of his own Wisdom and strength may be apparent and then most happy shall those be who are found worthy to suffer and endure all manner of Tryals Cruelties and Hardships for him and his Names sake and to live and reign and enjoy his unutterable Peace and Rest which is in himself treasured up as a full Reward and much more then could have been expected for the Vpright in Heart who end their dayes in Truth and finish their Course in Righteousness and lay down their Lives for his sake to live with him for evermore And this is that thee and others may hear from me and know that I remain in the service of God and in faithful Long sufferings for the Gospel of his Son as at this day being the 6th of the 7th Moneth 1662. In the straight Prison at Winchester where I am known by this name Humphry Smith THE END