raised up Jesus from the dead comes to dwell in people and quicken their mortal bodies the power of God vvitnessed and the Spirit of Truth to be the guide and leader into all truth and to be their Comforter c. But vvhen this is fulfilled and vvitnessed there is no more need of any shadovv figure or ceremony to put us in remembrance but the Spirit of Truth being received brings all things to our remembrance and shews us things past present an to come vvhich declares plainly of the Father and no more to us in parables figures or shadows So now this Christ was before the World that now is began and was a seed before any Name was given to it which in process of time being begotten of God was born of a Virgin had a Body prepared to do the will of his Father as it is at this day but none knows him or ever shall Born but of a Virgin he that hath ears let him hear whose eye is single mind stayed on God forsakes all takes up the daily Cross denyes Self followes the Lamb wheresoever he goeth loves him that had been slain more then all more then Father Mother Wife Husband Children House or Lands Yea of his own Life these only knows him born though once like Mary said How can this be seeing I know not a man seeing I have no strength wisdom parts or abilities of my own but the answer is as it was be thou but the Virgin the Power of the most High shall over-shaddow thee and that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God this was Christs Name in the Womb a Holy thing read within and then had other names as Jesus and Emanuel and many more before these and many more since and yet he is but one and was before them all This is the I am which was before Abraham whose name in the beginning was the Word all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made in him was Life and the light was the Light of men c John 1.1 2 3 4 c. Awake therefore now ye shepherds who have been keeping your flock by night And look upwards ye earthly minded and behold his Star in the East the wise men whose eyes are in their head have seen it and been led by it till the Babe was found lying in a Manger for in the Inn there was no room for him He that hath an ear to hear let him hear and he that hath an eye let him see for the day is come that what we have seen in secret must be preached upon the House-tops Behold a wonder a woman doth compass a man and yet she is clothed with the Sun was there ever such a thing heard but this is in Heaven and none knowes it or ever shall as I said but the Virgin who is over shaddowed with the Power of the most High And this is the word of the Lord God unto all People upon Earth Therefore if thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of Light and God is Light but the double minded man is unstable in all his wayes and the Carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject to him but the Virgin is subject to the Power of the most High where Christ is known to be first a holy thing then a Child given and a Son born which is Emanuel God with us a Saviour a wonderfull Counseller the mighty God the Prince of Peace with many other names which as I said before is given to this one incomprehensible being which the whole world cannot contain But that which may be known of God or Christ which is one is manifest in people there he is and is onely to be found and he that have seen him who is the Son hath seen the Father also but it is onely the pure single invisible eye that can see him for he is a Spirit and is known and worshipped onely in the Spirit and in the Truth c. This is that God which Paull preached to the Athenians that made the World and all men of one blood that dwells upon the face of the earth and hath appointed them bounds of their habitations times seasons that they all should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him who is come near to judgment and is the swift witness against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men for he searches the heart and tries the 〈◊〉 and shews unto man what is his thought this is he that formed the Mountains and created the Winds whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain and yet dwells with him that is of an humble and contrite Spirit and trembleth at his word and he 〈◊〉 in his people whose God he onely is who know him dwell in them And saith David to the people Let God arise and his Enemies will be scattered as smoke before the Wind and this is he by whom all things was made as it is written John 1 1. Concerning the Word and the Scriptures IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God all things were made by him and vvithout him vvas not any thing made that vvas made in him vvas life and the lise is the Light of men and the Light shineth in the darkness but the Darkness comprehendeth it not c Read this now vvith understanding and thou wilt see that Christs name is called the Word of God as it is vvritten in Revel 19.13 And then if thou comest to see him the seed of the woman vvhich bruiseth the Serpents head thou mightst knovv the parable of the sovver vvhich sowed good seed in the field in all the sorts of ground there mentioned but the enemy sovved the tares in the field and the field is the vvorld vvhen the parable is opened and the seed is the vvord of God Luke 8 11 And saith David I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee which vvas a Light to his feet and as a lamp to his path and said the Apostle We have a more sure vvord of prophesie then the outvvard voice though it came from the excellent glory vvhich ye do vvell to take heed unto as unto a Light in a dark place c. Novv this was not the Scriptures but of this the Scripture declares even of the vvord which vvas in the beginning before the Scriptures vvere vvritten vvhich cannot be properly in no sence called the vvord or vvord of God because it is many words declares of vvhat God did and said of his Creating the World by the vvord vvhich vvas not created by the Scriptures but holy men of God spake and vvrit them as they vvere moved by the Holy Spirit vvhich is the Word And said Moses God spake all these vvords Exod. 20 1◠vvhich God vvas the Word in the beginning that spake the words and the vvord of
body was the Christ which had a body prepared to do his will that prepared it Now was it the body or an invisible power Spirit or Soul that sayd A body hast thou prepared me He that hath an ear and understanding let him hear and judge But yet here this question may rise concerning the body of Christ is it not written The heavens must contain him untill the restitution of all things And was he not taken up into heaven when the cloud received him out of the sight of the Gallileans that guned outwardly after him To this also I may answer unto thee who lookest dayly for his personall appearance and coming if the heavens must contain him until the restitution of all things why doest thou thus so much expect his coming before that time of the restitution of all things or canst thou say that that time is come if not let it come first before thou so earnestly expect his coming but indeed it is but a cloud that hath received him out of the fight of the gazers but saith the Lord to his children I have blotted out your iniquities like a thick cloud and to the people your sins have separated between me and you and have with held good things from you And indeed this hath hid both his body and face from you for the kingdom of heaven and the Lord from he aven comes not with outward observation but the kingdom is within and the Lord from heaven is that quickning spirit which quickens them that have been dead in the sins the trespasses the clouds of separation that they might live unto God and behold the beauty of the Lord in his temple which temple they are in whom he dwells and in whom he walks and he is their God and they are his people and the day being come and the Sun risen the clouds and the shadows are fled away but they who live in iniquity are dead unto God whose God he is not the cloud is stil between that they can neither see darkly as in a glass nor face to face but are in darkness clouds blindness even until now But if the inquisitive mind be not yet answered but art still saying as they did in the Apostles days concerning the Resurrection How doth the dead rise and with what body do they come I must answer unto thee as he did Thou fool that which thou sowest it not that body that shall be c. But the Lord giveth every seed it 's own body as it pleased him It is sown A naturall body but it is raised a Spirituall body It is sown in weakness but it is raised in power a Spirituall body raised in power now canst thou tell what body this is But if thou understand it not thou hast little or no knowledge of the mysteries of God I speak to the shame of that inquisitive mind that would know these things which are hid in Gods treasury and yet will not come to the door nor the keys that gives the understanding of them without which no man can enter this Kingdom which is prepared for that birth to which only it be longs for no man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit of God which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God which are spiritually discerned So that unless you come to the Light and Spirit of God the door that reproves the World for sin and lets you see the evil of your wayes and obey it enduring the cross and bear the condemnation and in dignation because you have sinned against the Lord and turn at his reproofs that he might powr forth his Spirit upon you and make his words and secreta known unto you I say unless you enter in this way at Gods Light and Spirit that shines in your hearts you shal never rightly know understand or enjoy any of these things of Gods Kingdom before mentioned it 's an infallible word of Truth from God unto you all For they are hid perpetually from the out-birth of the wisdom of this World and revealed onely to the Babes in the inward spiritual ground in Christ Jesus who is still a mystery hid to the professors Scribes and Pharisees rulers elders and hypocrites as wel in this age as in the ages past who then were saying among themselves notwithstanding his mighty works which were done among them Is not this the Carpenters Son whose Father and Mother we knew and are not his brethren and sisters among us c. Undervaluing and contemning his low and mean appearance who was in the forme of a servant and these did love to be called of men Master and greetings in the market and upermost Rooms at Feasts and to go in long robes and stand praying in the chief or highest places in the Synagogues and were the blind Pharisces to whom the woe belonged as at this day it doth to them who in the same spirit are contemning the low appearance and manifestation of the Son of God saying Is not this you preach or declare of which people must believe in natural Light even this which checks and reproves us for sin Have we not had this alwayes with us from our child-hood and do not we know its father and moher Is it not some of the remainder that was left in Adam after he fell to restrain him and his children from gross evil c. And is it at best any other then restraining grace and not saving or but natural conscience and the like this hath been the reasonings amongst many though mighty works hath been done and are yet a doing and must yet be done by him who is the Light the Power the Grace the Truth and the Wisdom of God in these last days thorowout the earth But O ye Children of men and high in the tree of Knowledg which is forbidden as to seed upon let me answer these your reasonings with a few questions in Gods Wisdom which is hid from the eyes of the prudent of this World c. 1. What was that seed and where was it after man fell which was promised that it should bruise the Serpents head And what is that Serpent and where is he whose head must be bruised 2. What was that which let Adam see his Nakedness when he had transgressed What are the Eyes of the Lord that are in every place beholding the evil and good and where are they if not in every conscience seeing the Lord saith to his faithful I will guide thee with mine eye 3. And what is the true Light that Lighteth every man that commeth into the World and what is that Light of men that shineth in the darkness which the darkness comprehendeth not and where is it if not in the conscience of every man 4. What grace is that and where is it which hath appeared unto all men which bringeth salvation which is the Saints teacher is it onely restraining and not saving seeing the Scripture saith it bringeth Salvation 5. What Light
again in a full free true satisfactory endless life Therefore it remaines that this Saviour or the way of this Salvation be plainly made known described or charactered to the understanding of the simple that the hungerers and thirsters after righteousness who are weary and heavy laden may come unto him and be refreshed which by the help of Gods good Spirit of grace by which it is put in my heart and brought to my remembrance I shall endeavour to do to that end and that God may be glorified being rightly known and worshipped in which I have my reward from him and in him who worketh in me both to will and to do according to his good pleasure Now this may seem to the wisdome in some needless to treat of or speak of those things by way of information direction or doctrine which have been so common and frequently declared and published in these days in which most are ready to say in these Countrys we are Christians and beleeve all these already and these things have been daily taught in our streets or the like and these are no new things to our ears but that which we have heard of old or from the beginning c. Now mark my words and give good heed unto that which followeth for they shall stand fast answering the witness of God in all as a nail in a sure place and they shall speak as the oracle of God 1. Concerning the Knowledg of God His worship and of the first day and the seventh or Sabbath day c FIrst as to the matter in hand at which I at present aim is to speak somwhat to your understandings concerning what God is and where he is and what his worship is and where and how he is to be worshipped and by whom he is onely truly and acceptably worshipped for this was the occasion of what follows or rather the Spirit of God in my heart took occasion to give forth these things unto publick view by hearing a dispute or controversie between two teachers amongst the people called Baptists neer Amersham in Buckinghamshire whose names according to information by enquiry was Thomas Tillham Joseph Ciech concerning the day or time in which God was to be worshipped one seeming to hold for the first day of the week and Tillham for the seventh day at which time I being there by chance had spoken something among them of these things if I had not been prevented by being thrown down by some of the ruder sort amongst them which was through the occasion of that Tho. Tillham who said he would not stay in the house if I was suffered to speak amongst them and also said that my words came from the Spirit of the Devil when I began to speak in the Spirit of God So they could do no less in obedience to the intent of his words but to pull me down or hall me out of the house for he was much in fury the mark of Cain I beheld in his face but I have the vvitness in my self that the bovvels of Gods love in me vvas even yearning tovvards the simple hearted amongst them vvhom I savv vvere led in ignorance darkness and blindness by their blind leaders vvhich causeth them to erre more more from the vvay of the Lord by darkning his secret counsel in them vvith their many words without knowledge and for their sakes did the Lord begin to open my mouth in his fear power and vvisdom to speak concerning the things that belong to their everlasting peace of vvhich novv the Lord have given me an opportunity to write that he may for ever be clear of all their blood and be justified by them and this they shall acknowledge vvas his love and mercies unto their souls in the the day of visitation which is at hand hand vvhether they hear or forbear The Character of true worship and of false worship and worshippers AND now take notice of this one thing follovving by the way consider it and the effects of it which hath been very frequently amongst the Sons of men in the cloudy dark day of Apostacy from Christ and the Apostles life which is of worshipping a God they know not or without the true knowledge of him whom they worship c. For in this state and spirit hath lodged the very root and ground of all errors discord strife and confusion persecution and cruelty about Religion and worship where they have killed and destroyed one another about it In this state were the Athenians and the Shrine makers of Diana who persecuted the true worshippers who knew the God whom they worshipped and declared him unto them who arose up against them Therefore beware of their Altar and inscription To the unknown God whom they did ignorantly worship as many do now who are in enmity against the true worshippers who can say to the praise of God as our elder brother did we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews and he is a Jew that is one inwardly So the character of a true worshipper is to know God first then to worship him in the spirit of truth which only gives that knovvledge And the character of a false vvorshipper is contrary vvorshipping first not knovving vvhat nor vvhom they vvorship vvhich is not accepted nor novv never can be seeing the hour is come that they onely are the true and acceptable vvorshippers vvho vvorship the Father in the spirit in the truth for such onely he seeketh to worship him John 4 21 22 23 2â— To knovv the true and liveing God is the great and needufl thing vvithout vvhich all vvorship sacrifice and religion is vain though a man or people had all the words of Scriptures from the beginning to the end were in the highest profession of Christianity in the world yet if he do not truly know God he is but in darkness even until now and he that saith he knowes God or loves God and yet hates his brother is a lyer Therefore to be contented to worship an unknown God or to worship they know not what is very blind ignorant false erronious but if thou come first to know God then thou art in the right way of a true worshipper as may be mentioned more hereafter and seeing the right way to vvorship God or to be a true vvorshipper is first to know him vvhom they vvorship therefore it is necessary to speak next vvhat God is as I said before and then vvhere he is and hovv he may be knovvn and then vvhat and vvherein his onely vvorship is and vvho are the onely true acceptable vvorshippers seeing there are many false and vain vvorships and vvorshippers that knovv not God nor his day in vvhich he is onely vvorshipped 2. Concerning God what he is and where he is c. GOD is Light this is our message vvhich vvas from the beginning and in him is no darkness at all this is his name he that can