spiritual Wickedness in High Places So one of them that stands in the Power of God out of the Power of the Prince of the Air is able to chase ten and ten a thousand according to the righteous Prophesie of the Holy Man of God Those that dwell in the Fear of the Lord and truly dread his pure Name at all times every word that proceedeth out of their mouths is as the Words of God's own mouth which cannot be altered nor changed to all eternity for such are the Vessels that hold the heavenly Treasures Gods free Gifts and eternal Graces and everlasting Mercies and divine Vertues spiritual Blessings which God doth not reveale in any earthly-minded Man whose mind is wandring after earthly Glory Honour Riches and Treasures but he reveals his eternal Riches in the Earthen-vessel whose mind and soul is quickned raised and changed by the Power of the Almighty God and joyned to the Light the measure of his own Spirit to convert them and bear them up into the same state and image wherein God created the soul and mind of man at the first In the beginning of his Creation God did not create the outward Form of mankind in his own Similitude and Likeness No for then all men would bear the similitude and likeness of God throughout all Generations which thing could never be for wicked and ungodly men whose thoughts and imaginations are evil continually and are of their father the Devil and his works they do and his image and likeness they bear God is a perfect Spirit of divine Light and immortal Glory and his Son Jesus Christ is the express Image of his everlasting Fathers eternal Brightness and none can ever liken nor fashion any thing like him And them that bear the image of the Devil they live in spiritual pride and are haughty minded and will not be reformed nor hearken to the Counsel of God nor imbrace his gracious Invitations nor receive his tender Mercies nor be warned by his favourable Judgements nor gentle Corrections but in obstinacy and perverse rashness alwayes resist it and cast it behind their backs and trample it under their feet till the Lord is even forced to be a swift Witness against them and to sweep them away with the beesom of destruction and so here their end is woful and their torment is eternal and the Lord is clear of their blood and they must confess their destruction is of themselves They that are of the Image and Likeness of Christ are created anew in Christ Jesus to every good work and have received and do live in and are guided by the pure Spirit of perfect Peace and Patience perfect Love and bowels of tenderness mercy and pitty towards every one without respect of persons and they have alwayes a holy fear true humility and a heart of uprightness and such persons do bear the true image and similitude of God the Father and the form and likeness of his Son Jesus Christ after the inward man and they are patterns of good works and good examples to all whereever they come and it is their meat and drink to do the will of God wheresoever he shall call them or command them to follow the Lamb from Sea to Sea and from Island to Island and from Country to Country to bear his holy Name and to witness forth his eternal Truth to all people that live in darkness and blindness according to the righteous examples of his Saints and Servants that were guided by the same Spirit and walked in the perfect way of God in the antient dayes and are as willing and do suffer for our honourable Testimony that our pure holy and just God whose right it is may have the Glory Praise and Renown to the ends of the Earth throughout all Generations Amen Amen saith the Spirit 19th of the 8th month 1662. Written at Malta by me the Lord's Servant Katherine Evans ALthough that they my Bible keep from me That I the holy Scriptnres cannot see The Precepts pure which are upon record That were giv'n forth by 'th Spirit of the Lord Yet a small Book hid in a secret place Have I where I can reade the words of grace And in the same I can discern The bastard from the perfect born For unto us a Child is born who 'l break to pieces that great Horn Which hath lift up himself on hie Upon the Throne of Majestie He shall be brought down under all Where he shall lie and cry and call To 's Idol-gods which alwayes he Hath worshipped with heart and knee But no Salvation he shall find Among his gods that are so blind Both dumb and deaf like unto he They cannot speak nor hear nor see His Pictures and his painted walls His Altars and his Temple-Vails His golden Images every one Shall soon be brought to destruction All Praises to the God of might Which hath preserv'd us day and night Mongst Lions Wolves that are so strong Although they make us suffer long Yet the Diviners do run mad And lying Prophets they are sad Th' exalted Beast in his renown Triumphs that he shall gain the Crown Because that Pharoah's on his side And lofty Haman in his pride And bloody Herod with his Sword All fighters are against the Lord. But th'God of Pow'r which is so strong Will soon reward them every one According unto Heavens decree For their Rebellion Blasphemy Then some shall howl and some shall mourn The rest shall wish they 'd ne're been born For pain and torment day and night Because they have despis'd the Light WHen dear Daniel Baker was at Malta I had a very small Token to present him in a Paper with these lines The thing is little receive my love It cometh from a harmless dove Within whose breast doth still remain God's perfect praises to maintain I have not time nor place to show The love that from my soul doth flow The Cristal streams so pure and bright That do arise both day and night My love to Truth doth me constrain In Prison ever to remain If it be so I cannot be In Truth and Righteousness set free My dear Redeemers face so bright Doth shine upon me day and night His Countenance doth exceed all Captivity and bondage thrall Though my mortal body be bolted fast yet my immortal soul hath room to pass by Sea and Land and cannot be prevented by an Enemy Lord teach me in thy Wayes that I may walk therein And lead me in thy Paths and cleanse me from all sin Before I knew the Lord my God to be so near to me I walked in the way so broad thinking he did not see But when my wayes directed were and paths the Lord did guide I walked alwayes in his fear and did not go aside HEavens Glory is appearing And his Brightness shineth forth O're all Nations for the clearing Of the Lord's Eternal Truth Now ev'ry one that sits in darkness Under the shade of Death doth lye May come forth unto the Brightness Out of gross obscurity For now a Fountain is set open He that will may freely come in Unto the everlasting Ocean And be cleansed from his sin And ev'ry one that is in bondage And in deep Captivity Under Pharoah and his Army Shall be set at liberty If that they will seek their Freedom At the hand of God alone They shall be Heirs of his Kingdom And wear the victorious Crown It is not all the pain and labour That ever mortal men can take Which can bring them into favour With the Lord that did them make But they that stand in self-denial Taking up their Cross daily Thorow many a fiery tryal For God's Truth most valiantly 'T is them alone shall be preserved By the Pow'r of God most hie And none but them shall be received Into glorious Liberty The Candles of the Lord are lighted For to search Jerusalem And all Nations are invited To the Marr'age of the Lamb. Blessed are they that keep their Armour And in their Wedding-Garments drest Ready to enter the Brides Chamber They are counted with the Guests Now the Lord will purge all Nations Out of gross obscurity Destroying all the deeds of Darkness Deceit and Hypocrisy Th'Trumpets are struck up in Sion And do give a dreadful sound For the razing down of Babel With her glory to the ground And Antichrist with all his Fashions And Delusions which are strong Shall suddenly be dash'd to pieces Christ alone shall wear the Crown Katherine Evans THE END
Disciples indeed and did hearken to his Teaching did hear his Voice and follow him and a stranger they would not hear but Christ alone was their Head Guide Teacher Leader and they did believe in his Name and obeyed his Will For it is not every one that saith Lord Lord shall be saved but he that doth the Will of the Father is accepted And this is the Will of God that ye should believe in Him whom he hath sent and be sanctified for Christ is the same that ever he was to all that believe in his Name He is their King to rule and Prophet to teach and Priest to offer up the spiritual Sacrifices that are accepted with the Father who saith Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity for I have given him a Name above every name that at the Name of IESUS every knee shall bow He that doth depart from iniquity doth bow at the Name of Jesus but those that do bow their knees when they hear Jesus named and do not depart from iniquity do not bow at the Name of Jesus but are Hypocrites and do bow to the Beast and do not believe in Christ Jesus neither doth their faith stand in the power of God but their faith is vain Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ saith He that believes in the Lord Iesus in his heart and confesseth with his mouth that God hath raised him from the dead shall be saved for with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation but Paul did not say that every one that confesseth that Christ was crucified at Jerusalem and God raised him up again should be saved No that would contradict the Scriptures for as I live saith the Lord if Israel were as the sands upon the Sea-shoar for multitude but a remnant shall be saved For they are not all Israel that are of Israel but he is an Israelite indeed in whose mouth there is no guile but every one that confesseth the same Christ near them which was crucified at Jerusalem For know ye not that Christ is in you unless you are Rebrobates And let them know that do not witness the Life of Christ raised within them that sin and wickedness is alive in them and where sin and wickedness liveth there Christ lieth crucified in the streets that are spiritually called Sodom and Egypt and it is the faith of the Drunkard Swearer Lyar Murderer Adulterer and covetous persons and them that work all manner of Abominations which shall never enter into the Kingdom of God as saith the Scriptures yet those will confess that Christ dyed at Jerusalem to their own condemnation because they do not walk in obedience to him John saith Try the spirits whether they be of God yea or nay Every one that confesseth that Christ is come in the flesh is born of God but he that denieth Christ to be come in the flesh is not born of God but is of Antichrist and denieth the Lord that bought him He that professeth Christ and doth not possess Christ neither is possest of Christ it is he that is Antichrist and is not of Christ but where Christ is manifested in the flesh he destroyes the work of the Devil and giveth power over Sin Death Hell and the Grave and over Antichrist and all the dark powers that do corrupt the Earth Where sin is destroyed death hath no power The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal Life And he that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life but is in Death and the Wrath of God abideth upon him He is the best Christian that is most like Christ. In him was no nature of cruelty at all but full of love mercy and tender compassion ready to forgive and willing to receive all that come unto him having nothing of their own he will in no wise cast out and he doth exhort all men to do to others as they would have others do unto them and commanded his Disciples to love one another and to love enemies and to do good to them that hate them and despitefully use them God is Love and he that is born of God doth love every one and cannot use cruelty to any but he that is not born of God committeth sin and he that committeth is of the Devil and dwelleth in the dark where all sin is committed but he that dwelleth in the Light dwelleth in the habitation of God where no sin is committed nor transgression found and he that doth not know the Light in the Conscience that convinceth of all sin doth not know God for God is Light and Jesus Christ is the express Image of his Fathers Brightness and eternal Glory in the Light Life and Power who is immortal invisible incomprehensible altogether pure and perfectly holy and wise and is throughly glorious beyond all that ever can be thought or spoken of him by all mankind and he is risen with healing in his wings and is not vailed as in times past but is clearly seen heard and understood of all them that have received him and lovingly imbraced him in the Truth they in whom the eye of Innocency is opened by the mighty Power of God they do see him and enjoy him and can and do bear witness of him as Paul did Christ the same yesterday and to day and no otherwise for ever Paul did not know him till he was risen from the dead and ascended to the Father as the Scriptures bear witness Paul was a Persecutor after Christ was crucified and he held the clothes of the witnesses that stoned Stephen a man full of the holy Ghost because he said The Most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither was he worshipped with mens hands No Stephen did know that his body was the Temple of the living God and God is a Spirit he is worshipped no otherwise acceptably 〈◊〉 Spirit and in Truth and Paul was consenting to his death and after he was journeying from Jerusalem to Damascus with Letters from the high Priests and Scribes to hale men and women out of the Synagogues that did speak in the Name of Jesus and to bring them bound to Jerusalem But in the mid way there was a Light met Paul and smote him so that he fell to the ground and Paul saw a Light shine round about him but he saw no man and he heard a Voice saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Who art thou Lord said Saul I am Iesus whom thou persecutest said Christ the Light it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks and then Paul cryed out saying Lord what wilt thou have me to do And as soon as the Lord revealed his Son Christ Jesus in him by his own immediate Spirit he did not confer with flesh and blood but went and preach'd him Paul did profess Christ before and did profit more in the Jewish Religion than
defile and pollute the Mind and Soul and corrupt the Heart of man hence it is that nothing but the clean and pure Spirit of the Lord God that can in any wise cleanse and sanctifie the Soul and Mind or purge or purifie the Heart again and it seems to be a very vain thing for any man or woman to think otherwise Now let every one that is called a Minister of Jesus Christ see that he be so indeed and in truth for they must come a great way before they can administer Christ Wherefore it is safe to consider that Death reigned or reigneth from Adam to Moses and from Moses till the Prophet John and John was a burning a shining Light the greatest that was born among women but the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he and John cried in the Wilderness saying Prepare ye the Way of the Lord make his Paths streight for he whose shooe he was not worthy to unloose was coming after him whose fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his Floor and gather the Wheat into the Garner but the Chaff he will burn with Fire unquenchable And John denied not and said He was not that Light but he came to bear witness of the Light saying This is the true Light that lighteth every one that cometh into the world Now it behoveth all that are called Ministers of Christ to call themselves to mind how they travelled through all these Administrations spiritually from Adam till Moses ye are all in death and when you have received the just and holy Law of Moses upon Mount Sinai then you must journey through all the Prophesies till you come to Mount Sion the heavenly Jerusalem the City of the living God before you can be a noble Minister of Jesus Christ And this I am bold to declare in the Name of the Lord Jesus whose Servant I am through mercy Be ye not deceived the Lord God will not be mocked any longer there is a great Mystery in Godliness insomuch that all the earthly Wisdom and Learning and Languages Studies or Prudency is never able to fathom or comprehend the least Motion of the Life of it but as the Mind is joyned to the Light the Word of Life the Word that was before the World was the Word by which the World was made the Word that is quick and powerful sharper than a two-edged Sword even to the piercing and dividing between soul and spirit joynts and marrow and is a searcher and discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of every ones heart and this is he whose Vesture is dipt in Blood his Name is called the Word of God and he is come according to the determinate Counsel of the Father to make a separation between the Pretious and the Vile and to divide the Sheep from the Goats and to gather in the Flock of his Inheritance the People of his own Pasture the Sheep of his hands to fill up his own Fold out of every Kindred Tongue and Nation Jew and Gentile Bond or Free of his Israelites indeed in whose mouths there is no guile and he will place his Name amongst them again and work his Fear in their hearts and write his Laws in their inward-parts that they may never depart from it and they shall be his People for ever and he will be their God eternally and he will be merciful to their Transgressions their Sins and Iniquities he will remember no more for our God cannot deny himself nor forget his holy Promises who hath said I have given Him for a Covenant of Light to enlighten the Gentiles and a Leader and Commander to the people and the day is come that all the Children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord and be established in Righteousness And as for those Ministers that say Men and women can never be freed from Sin while they are here nor made perfect while they are in the body I say such Ministers do not know Christ Jesus the Light nor his Ministry which saith When he ascended up on High he led Captivity captive gave gifts unto men some Prophets some Apostles some Ministers for the perfecting of the Saints and for the Work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the whole body of the Church And again it is said All Scripture given by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost is wholsome for Doctrine for Instruction for Reproof and Correction in Righteousness that the man of God may be made perfect and thorowly furnished to every good Work Now let all sober-minded men consider where men and women should be made perfect if not here while they are in this body If not in this Body where then Solomon saith As the tree falleth so it lieth the Spirit of the Lord doth not once mention any other place to be purged in in all the Scriptures of truth And the Prophet spake to the Church and said The Lord would purely purge away the dross and take away the tin and rebrobate silver and gold And this I know when Souls come to be quickned by the powerful Word of Life and Truth they come to know the Purgings of the Father and the Washing in the Fountain of Eternal Cleansings in the sweet Streams of Light and living Refreshment the everlasting Refining in the Sanctifying-Furnace of the Spirit of the Lord God and so they do come to be cleansed purified and sanctified throughout souls bodies and Spirits and are made Vessels of Honour and fitted for Glory without the help of any Man or any outward Observation whatsoever What is to be known of God is manifested within and He that giveth power over any ones sin is sufficient to give power over all sins and will and doth to all that be obedient The willing and obedient shall eat the Good of the Land but they that refuse and rebel the Sword shall devour them the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and his zeal will perform it There is none can forgive Sins but God only against whom all sin is committed for whatsoever just offence is given to any he that giveth the offence sinneth against the Commandment of God which saith Do by all men as you would have them do unto you and love thy neighbour as thy self He never commanded any to do contrary to his own nature which is Love Mercy and Long suffering waiting to be gracious not willing the death of any but that all should return and forsake the Evil of their Wayes and deny the Evil of their Doings and then he would have mercy upon them and abundantly pardon all such as come to him in the Name of the Lord Jesus bringing nothing with them but a penitent heart and an humble spirit confessing their sins being weary of the burthen and weight of them and he will forgive and take away the Guilt from the Conscience while there is guilt within the sin is not pardoned when the Sin and the Guilt of Sin