your consciences answer and judge though the Night is good in it self and the Day is good in it self for all that God made was very good but must there not be an account given for all vain words Now to come to a company of Tradesmen whatsoever that in their Trades there are wronging cheating cozening they are slighting the work they are abusing it they do it not righteously And who are using deceitful Weights and Measures in bargaining to say to them God speed your work is not he that saith so partaker of his evil deeds Whether is it better to say Fear God and be just and do the things that is right To come to a company of Husbandmen or other men that are about the creatures in the Creation doing their occasions who are envying the Cattle bruising the Cattel cursing of them defrauding one another and some may be doing for others work and slight over the thing they have in hand and do it not faithfully to say to these God speed their work are they not partaker of their evil deeds for saith the Priest and people There are none that doth righteous no not one then they do evil and how can I say to him that doth not righteousness but partake of his evil deeds How can I say to him he hath a good Day and a good Evening when he is in the Night of Darkness And the Priests and People say while they be upon Earth they must commit sin and sin is of the Devil and he that commit it is of the Devil and how can I say God speed him that commits sin Must I say God speed him in his wayes Is not that to imbolden him in his wayes put him on a Garment there put him on a cover To bid him God speed can any do so but be partaker of their evil deeds Is it not better bid them repent And if while they be upon earth they must commit sin is not sin the evil deed doing the Devils deed to bid God speed to a Priest to a Teacher or to a Professor that tells me while he is upon earth he must commit sin are not these them that must not be received into their Houses nor bid God speed least we partake of their evil deeds We are the House of God this is not to be received into the House We are the Temples of the Holy Ghost born of God a spiritual Houshold turned from sin who are turned from the sin are the Houshold of God where the sin entreth not nor the evil deed And hath not this Baals Worship stood out of the Light that so rageth now who acts the evil deeds that is not bid God speed who acts the evil deeds before mentioned and they cannot tell them that be in the evil day they have a good day and cannot tell them that be in the works of Darkness that they have a good day or a good Evening that maketh the Heathen to rage now that the madness and folly of this appears now both in Professors Priests and people And again is there not a mighty Monster brought forth in the world and in these Nations that if you be not spoke to this birth brought forth born of the Monstrous Woman it swells and is full of fury and madness if they speak thou to him doth not this shew that 't is not the birth born of the spirit which gave forth Scripture which said thou to a particular and you to many and thou to God and thou to Christ but is not this birth born of the great Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots since the days of the Apostles and now her Son reigns and hath been set up as King At this Monster born of the flesh the very word thou strikes at his brow and makes him to rage and he is found out of the life that gave forth Scripture now to speak you to him to make him a number to set him up in his place make him a Monster pleaseth him and this Monster born of the flesh hath outstripped all the uncircumcised Philistines and Heathen that were before him before all his fellow-Kings for he is the head of them all and persecutes now before them all for we never read that any persecuted for thou before and saith thus Thou me and I will turn them out of their places for if he hath not the Hat bowed to him he rageth and is mad and full of fury yea he will fine and imprison and this is the Monster brought forth in our age to the view of all the children of Light born of the immortal seed of the Word of God who speaks the pure Language and bows to the Lord and respects no mans person but are of the royal Law of God which convinceth them to be Transgressors that doth respect mens persons and this brings them to thou particulars and thou God and Christ and you many who are come to the form of sound words and speaks righteously But this Monster this birth this Monster that is brought forth of the Monstrous woman that hath harlotted from the spirit that gave forth Scripture and Gods voice hath not heard respects persons and if his person be not respected likewise he rageth frowns envies threatens and if he have thou spoken to him the pure Language of the children of the Lord born of the spirit according to that which gave forth Scripture he likewise rageth sumes cannot endure to stay in the sight of the children born of the spirit that will not bow his hat to him to the Monster but thou him oh away with him to prison I cannot endure he should stand before me away with him that is born of the spirit the sons of God and with them to prison saith this Monster born of the monstrous woman the mother of Harlots and this is the Tydings and that which is brought forth in these our dayes But he that hath reigned is now known the birth reigns that hath the pure Language which disquiets the birth born of the flesh that is brought forth of the Lord knows him knows his Mother and his Dominion and all his raging and railing subjects and he shall turn to corruption and enter into the fire and that which brought him forth and with him all his subjects and shall pass away as a blast and the sons and daughters shall reign and take the Kingdom of God and it in shall dwell everlastingly and shall sing of the glory that they are made partakers of and do inherit over all the earth who to the Marriage of the Lamb are come and the Bridegroom sees who wears the VVedding-Garments which are not defiled with this woman nor her son the Monster neither do they fear his fury and rage but sees his rage must have an end that doth aggravate because they are not troubled more to his misery and sorrow upon whom the sword of the Lord is laid And you that can say God speed to them that be in
the evil deeds be not you partakers of them are not you contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and they have not the Father and the Son that are doing the works of the Devil And to you that be not satisfied with these things before mentioned some Queries I shall give you to answer Query I. HAth he the Father and the Son that is doing the works of the Devil and his works not destroyed yet and was not the Son manifested to destroy these works and is he to have God speed said to him that is in the Devils work now if you say VVho is out of them Such in whom Christ is manifested who are the children of the day who witness the Father and the Son to whom the God speed is spoken Query II. VVhat is the evil day is not the murder and the wickedness acted in that day Hath not Cozeners Cheaters Deceivers Oppressors Persecutors Adulterers and VVhoremongers Swearers and Drunkards this day Is not the righteous sad when this day approacheth and can the righteous say to such they have a good Morning that these that be in the evil day have a good Morning without calling evil good Query III. And have not all that work wickedness Sorcery and VVitchcrast and them that do oppress one another and wrong the innocent and thieve and cozen one another have not they this evil day And when they begin to work this to work wickedness doth not their day approach Is this day good morning or he that leadeth his life in this manner in wickedness coming to the evil day coming toward the end of it is that a good Evening Query IV. And doth them that live in wickedness in this evil day regard the time that is in the Fathers hand Doth not them that live in the evil day the day of the evil destroy the handy works of God And are not those that destroy the handy works of God are not their works evil And what must it be said God speed to their works and them in the night Query V. And are they not all yet doing the works of darkness that are not turned to the Light and yet under the power of Satan And is there any that be under the power of Satan in the darkness doing the works of God and is any to be said God speed to but such who are doing his works and are they that have the Father and the Son and are come out of the evil and out of darkness into the marvelous Light Query VI. And what is it to speak idle words is it not to speak words out of their service and place and is it not that which is spoken cut of its place out of its service idle and must there not account be given for them in the day of Judgement of every idle word Query VII Is not the ground and root of all idle words from him who abode not in the truth And is not that evil that leadeth into the vanity into bondage the creature into bondage under the corruption is not the light the truth and doth not that make free from the bondage of corruption and brings to speak words that he shall not be judged for them in their service and in their place which are not idle is not all the idle words that must be given account for in the Day of Judgement out of the truth and from them that serves him who is out of the truth So ye who say your Tongues are your own you ought to speak that are not satisfied in the things before mentioned answer these Queries and let not the polluted lips utter forth words without the true understanding let not your evil communication corrupt your good manners but come to the witness of God in you that you may know the bridle that whereby the love may be known without dissimulation and your words known without hypocrisie whose lips speak righteously in whose mouth there is no guile the lying tongue hath been beheld and the polluted lips heard to utter the Hypocrisie crying Ha ha our tongue is our own these so hath said God speed your work with the same tongue said He do him a mischief and which hath said Good Morrow a good Morning or a good Evening with the same tongue fell a railing and lift up his hands full of blood to destroy him and yet saith to him Good Morning may be in his heart to steal his Cattel or rob him or do him a mischief or cozen him or cheat him covering his goods and yet tell him its a good Evening can the other say that is out of Truth this is the good day the good morning the good evening is not this the evil day and the evil works that be out of Truth which works are to be destroyed and not to it to be said God speed is it not their works who be in the evil day to consume to destroy the handy works of God and are these works to be said God speed to Or is not Gods hand turned against such whose work it is to destroy Gods handy works And is not the Nation and hath not the Nation been full of these that hath not regarded his handy works neither seen time and seasons in his hand neither is known the bit nor the bridle but their Tongue hath uttered perverse things and lying vanities and men seek after lyes who be out of the Truth and the Light and they make lyes their refuge God is not their refuge but their lyes Blessed is the man whose God is the Lord whose resuge he is for he will sweep away all the refuge of lyes saith the Lord and the Lord having swept away the refuge of lyes that he alone may reign and be the refuge of his people These are they that abhors the Light mark they that do abhor the Light they know not the way thereof nor continue in the path thereof mark the path of the Light these are the Murderers that kills and the greedy who thieve in the night and the eye of the Adulterer who waits for the twi-light and saith No eye can see me and these disguise their faces mark They dig through Houses in the dark which they mark for themselves in the day they know not the Light mark it s a Day they know not they know not the Light nor the path of it but abhor it but the Morning is Evening to them as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terror of the shadow of death mark and take notice of this VVho continue in the path of the Light Job 24. Now if you say you wish the good day or the good evening to every one and you your selves be in the evil day and the approaching of it and in the works of darkness in the Night swallowed up in it how can you wish the good day who delight in sports delight in pleasures delight in covetousness delight in vain jesting whose mouths are filled with reproaches who are
CONCERNING Good-Morrow AND Good-Even The Worlds CUSTOMS BUT By the Light which into the world is come by it made manifest to all who be in the darkness G. F. LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth neer Aldersgate 1657. Concerning Good-Morrow and Good Even c. TO all you that stumble at them that to you cannot say God speed you and bid you have a Good Night and wish you to have a good Morning or a good Evening Now we which be in the Light and know the Day who witness the Father and the Son and to such as are here we can say God speed and not be partakers of their evil deeds And the children of the Day which witness the darkness past and the night over and to the light turned from darkness and the works of it good Day to them is here and good Morning is here But now to bid God speed to evil workers cursed speakers drunkards and cheaters cozeners them that use false weights and deceitful measures in their merchandizing in their common occasions and works to bid God speed to them are not these partakers of their evil deeds and blind to tell them so whose works are not wrought in God to tell them they have a good Evening or a good Night or a good Day that are doing mischief devouring and destroying the Creation in drunkenness in devouring cozening in Idolatry Adultry Fornication Theft Murder wronging one another in pride loftiness presumption seeking where they may accomplish their lusts to tell them they have a good Night or a good Day which appears they be in the evil day and the hour of darkness doing the works of darkness let all that fear God judge of these causes and what a custom of words hath carryed away people and what a garment the workers of iniquity wear and the evil doers whose works are evil who would have God speed said to them and Cozeners and Cheaters and Brallers and Lyars and Swearers and Persecutors would be told that their day was good and their night is good and their Evening and God speed their work who are found out of the works of God who are found in the night of darkness and the evil day that the evil rules mark while the evil rules and the works of darkness rules and adultery rules drunkenness rules swearers rules cozeners cheaters persecutors brawlers lyars swearers drunkards rules murderers thieves adulterers whoremongers idolaters fornicators proud and lofty ones whiles these rules it s the evil day this is the day of evil the evil hath his day now here and to say the evil day is a good day is to speak a lye and this must have its evening and this must have its morning and to say good morning when this begins and a good evening when this ends is it not here to call evil good call the evil day a good day and the evil evening a good evening mark And while the evil day is is not the Dogs-days there hath not they the liberty to bark and devour and all subtile Foxes there and the Swine wallowing in the mire and lusts so to say they have a good day that live in the evil day and these who are workers of iniquity and are doing the Devils work in his day his subjects and such would have said to them they have a good day and a good evening and God speed their work but such as dwell in truth cannot call evil good nor cannor bid God speed their work except they be partakers of their evil deeds while lyars cheaters defrauders rules these are works of darkness these are the evil Day and the evil Evening and when they begin these works of darkness its 〈◊〉 the evil morning so they call it And such as live wantonly upon earth eating and drinking and rising up to play and sporting themselves in pleasures while they live which be dead while they live and wanton upon earth which kills the Just and they that kills the Just they be in the evil day and against such before mentioned the Lords hand is turned and such as be in the evil day against whom the Lords hand is turned they be in the transgression which be in the evil day and all which be workers of darkness cozeners cheaters deceitful workers unrighteous ungodly and dissemblers and deceivers these be all in the evil day in the evil morning or the evil evening which is neither good morning nor good day nor good evening neither is Gods speed to these works nor deeds least there be a partaking of them and now is the evil day discovered and the evening of it and the morning of it the day of evil the evil and his day the day is come that hath discovered it and the works of it and such as are doing his works in his day which would destroy and murder because the children of the Light cannot bid God speed their work and tell them their morning is good and their day is good and their evening its good the children of the Light cannot lye to call evil good evil morning is to them that are beginning to work wickedness and to do iniquity until they come to the evil day and the evil evening the evil speed is now where the power of evil guides working in the evil is going on to the evil day and to such the children of the Light cannot say God speed who witness the good morning who witness the good day who witness the Father and the Son and bringeth this Doctrine and can say this Doctrine God speed and not be pertaker of any evil deed but to say to such who doth the evil and owns not the Light that comes from Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and be in the evil deeds wrought out of God they cannot say to them God speed unless they be partakers of their evil deeds So here is the evil day seen while he rules and hath Dominion and here is the good day known when he is bound and the morning of it and such witness the good day and the good morning and see all that the Lord hath made to be good very good to say God speed to that which is going on in the power of the evil guided with the power of evil all may see whether this be right or wrong to say to a company of men and women that are at pleasures and sporting themselves and eats and drinks and riseth up to play and lives wantonly upon earth against whom Gods anger is to bid such God speed how can we say so but be partakers of their evil deeds And likewise when a company are mocking men or women reproaching scoffing scolding passing by them bidding them God speed to bid them God speed how can we do it but be partakers of their evil deeds for here shews that the Father and the Son they know not but the Enemy the Adversary the Devil and his works they do And
to come among a company of men and women that are drinking swearing Musick Shovel boards Cards Dice to come into the house how can he to them say God speed but to be partaker of their evil deeds for a drunkard and a swearer makes the Land mourn a drunkard casts the Law of God behind his back and these shew to be evil deeds Or to come into a Market where people are at their Merchandise these being selling their Merchandise or meeting them going to Market with their Merchandise where there is deceit cheating cozening oppressing grinding defrauding one the other and more then yea and nay in their communications which is evil how can we say to these God speed but we must be partakers of their evil deeds And to come among a company of people that are making vanities toys or Baubles or making things that are serviceable and they themselves have self ends and covetous and griping and deceitful Trades men who labour for others and works for others thieve or covet or wrong how can any say to them God speed but he shall be partaker of their evil deeds When men cannot speak in their bargaining without a lye in their mouths and can any say unto such God speed but they must be partakers of their evil deeds If any man among you briâ—g not this Doctrine that he hath the Father and the Son receive him not into your Houses neither bid him God speed least you be partakers of his evil deeds who hath the Son hath the righteousness of God and who hath the Father hath the righteousness it self and to say God speed to such who hath the Father and the Son and bringeth this Doctrine who hath this they shall be free from the evil deeds who say God speed to such but to say God speed to such who hath not the Father and the Son hath not mark that hath not the Father and the Son such are not to be received into houses neither to say God speed least you be partakers of their evil deeds And such are the partakers of the evil deeds of them which bids them God speed that hath not the Father and the Son and they that have not the Father and the Son have the evil deeds for to say to the Harlot which deceives the simple whose way is death or to say to such as keep Whores or Stew-houses as they call it where wickedness is to say God speed to such can they say God speed to such and not be partakers of their evil deeds Or to say God speed to such as are Murderers can they say to such and not be partakers of their evil deeds Can they say God speed to a company of Thieves or Adulterers or Whoremongers and Idolaters but be partakers of their evil deeds and finde a company of men and a company of women doing mischief in the street and high way slandering back-biting inventing evil against their neighbor to tel them they have a good Morning can they speak this and not speak a lye though the Morning be good but they are not doing the good when the morning-light come these sins are practised And to see a company of men going to a Market whose intent is to cozen and cheat and oppress and covet to tell him he hath a good day or a good morning is not he here in the evil day To come into company or to see a company or to meet a company of men or women that are given to drunkenness or cursing or sports or pleasures or cozening or cheating or lying or dissembling or back biting or scolding to tell them they have a good day and a good morning is not this the evil day to tell them they be in the evil day is not that more proper or the evil day is to them but to tell them good day is to them it pleaseth them and so it pleaseth the lyar to tell a lye or to tell a man or a woman as they meet them going into their grounds who may be is intended if he see Cattle or so to destroy them or lame them or do his Neighbor a mischief if he see his Neighbors goods to covet and lust after them to tell him he is in the good Morning and in the good Day when he is in the utter darkness practising the works of darkness and full of mischief to come into a Town among a company of Tradesmen Traffickers Buyers and Sellers who over-reaches one another in their Bargains who in their common occasions are above yea and nay cozening and cheating one another covetting after one anothers Goods Wives and Servants or Cattle or other creatures to come and flatter them and tell them a good day is to them this will please them which be in the evil day and not come to the morning though the morning which the visible eye sees is good and the day good but they in the evil day and the day is evil to them and the morning a morning of mischief that when they come to see to do they act evil so grow up till they come to the evil day So to say they have a good Evening or a good Morning to them who who are going in the Evening to do mischief if it may be to steal a company of Horses or to steal a company of Sheep or a company of lewd people go to Whoredom Fornication say a good Even to them pleaseth them or you have a good Morning when Judgements is to come upon them who are going to do the works of darkness to say a good Evening or a good Night to such as are going to abuse their Neighbors Cattle who are going to thieve his Corn his Redge his Hey his Clothes to say the Evening is good to him pleaseth him and he hath a good Evening Or to see a company or meet a company that are mocking scoffing stocking slandering backbiting find them in this work say they have a good Evening is not this to tell a lye Or to come into a Town among a company of Shop-keepers which do cozen and lye in their Bargains cheat one the other and to tell them they have a good Evening is not this to tell a lye And to tell all Tradesmen whatsoever in time of Night or Evening it is the time then to them to work wickedness and to cozen and cheat and lye and rob and to tell them they have a good Evening or a good Night is not this to tell a lye and to flatter though the Night outwardly be good To tell a company that is going to an Ale-House or Tavern to drink or roar to abuse the creatures of God to tell them they have a good Night the Night is good Or to meet a company of men that is going abroad to seek their prey to wrong and devour and destroy one another to say he hath a good Night or a good Day is not this to them and him an evil day let the Light in all
wronging and killing the innocent and just such whose tongues speak guile and whose lips are perverse who works iniquity and drinks it up as an Ox drinks water and are in the unbelief who believes not in the Light that enlightneth every one that cometh into the world but their Tongues are at liberty such the way of peace you know not nor the day Now for you that be there to wish another the good day you speak that you know not but we speak what we know and have seen who are turned from the darkness to light from the power of Satan unto God who can say The night is over and the day is come therefore such as are here doth the good day witness that all might come to the Light and so come to this good day and good morning But you that do come to this good day and good morning you must forsake the evil and the power of Satan and the darkness and so turned from the darkness then you are turned from the evil day and turned to the light then you 'l come to witness the Father and the Son to which is said God speed Now you that say you wish one another a good day who be in the evil day when God crosseth your expectation and crosseth your wills and you cannot attain your ends you 'l say then what a sad day you have had So you cannot wish a good day while you be in the evil day till you be turned to the Light for if you wish a good day with that which acts in the evil your wishes are vain but they that are turned to the light that enlightens every one that cometh into the world comes to see the good morning and the good Evening these are turned from Satans power and Satan to God where he is kept out of and appears not in the day And so these that are here do desire that every one might come to the good day from the evil and his day from the Power of Satan to the light for every one being enlightned with the Light that comes from Christ Jesus the Saviour of your souls being turned to the Light you are turned to the Father of Light where there is no shadow of changing being turned to the Light they are turned to the day Now who be from the Light be in the darkness under Satans power these be in the evil day which is evil day to them which to them is evil day and none come to the good morning and to the good day but such as come to the Light and then these come to see the works of the Lord praise him yea the Sun and the Moon praise him the Stars praise him the Sun to rule the day and the Moon to rule the night and these praise him and this day is good and the night good too but he that is from the Light is in the Darkness under the power of the devil under his power it is his day they are in And the Just suffers where the power of Darkness rules but now the Just shall rule and doth rule over the Power of Darkness and over the evil and his day And again they that be in darkness and the evilday and out of the Light not turned to it these that be here when foul weather comes that crosseth them rainy weather say they What an ill day is this what a bad day is this when such a day comes cross to their wills And when fair Weather come that is hot Weather very hot say they What a bad day is this And again when Snow and cold Weather comes What a bad cold day is this or rainy slobby Weather What an ill day is this Likewise when hot sultry as you call it Weather comes hot close misty weather What an ill day is this say they And likewise Evening and Night when great showers come in the Night What an ill Night is this say they when that Snow or Rain great Floods or Frost that is in danger of taking away their Cattel or flowing over their Corn What an ill Night is this say they it they will say good Night to one another and it they will say an ill Night presently afterwards and say a good morning one to another or a good day and it they will say What a bad day is this or a bad morning and here is their confusion and it they will say a good Evening one to another and it they will say a bad one with the same mouth And here they call good evil when the Weather is cold and frost this is good and Snow and Rain is good and all praiseth God and is good and this they call ill an ill day or ill night this is their custom shewing they are in the evil who call the good evil and thus they are never content either too hot or too cold too much snow or frost or too sultry or no rain or too much rain and here stand they that be out of the light in the discontent who be in the evil day not turned to the light but yet remains in darkness but such as are turned to the Light which comes from him who is the Heir of all things which upholds all things by his word and power these come to see how all the works of the Lord praise him his works praise him day and night praise him Summer and Winter praise him Ice and Cold and Snow praise him and that is the bad and evil that calls them evil and for rebuke reproof judgement Seed-time and Harvest praise him and all things that are created praise him This is the Language of them who learn of him hear him that is Heir of all things who upholds all things by his Word and Power by whom all things was made and by whom all things was created for him and to him that above all things he might have the preheminence And these that be here they do not call evil good and good evil but that which is out of the Light is in the evil that which is out of the Light is our of the Truth for the Light is the Truth and the Light is the day or leads to the day but to these that be in the darkness the morning to them is death And to them that work iniquity abhor the Light and doth evil the Light to them and the Day to them is as a shadow of death for such the Light cannot endure for to them it is their condemnation And to you this is the Word of the Lord God which shall answer the Light in every ones conscience for from the Word the Light comes and the entrance of the Word giveth Light And here all may see who are turned to the Light the good Day the good Morning and the Night which God made who saw it was good and the evil day who is out of Truth the evil and his day is out of Truth where the works are done that are not good but