Mercy and loving Kindness of the Lord has not been answered behold sower Grapes and wilde Fruit was brought forth and what was the consequence of it Was it not the taking away the Hedge through which it was eaten up and breaking down the Wall thereof and it was trodden down Read see feel and consider and the Lord God Almighty visit you in your Habitations and secret Chambers in his holy dread with his searching Life and piercing Word of Power who in his tender infinite Love and Mercy long-Sufferings great Bowels to his Seed and Off-spring visited us in his pure morning aforementioned to give all the sence of their inward states as they are in his sight from whom nothing can be hid And now dear Friends the cause of the hindrance of the prosperity of the work of the Lord in the Souls of any hath not been from any cause in God or deficiency in his Light Power and Wisdom but from the Creatures going out of a capacity of receiving and enjoying the working Power of God in which Salvation is worked out by all that wait for it and joyn with it and cleave to it and not forsake it for I have learned of the Lord through many exercises unexpressible that after the Visitation of the Almighty to any Soul the Lord requires an inward worthy receiving his Love spiritual Watch to be kept in his holy Light in which all the workings and approaches of the destroying Adversary of the Soul is discerned and the enlightned and obedient mind is preserved and through the spiritual fence given in a tender waiting on the Lord in the inward part supplicating breathings ariseth to the living eternal God of Love and Compassion who beholding the want of the Soul descends in his Love and reaches forth his helping Hand to the broken and contrite Hearted and lifts up the bowed down Spirit with the liftings up of his holy spiritual Standard so the Temptation and Assaults of the Enemy is vanquished and overcomse and the Power of God is felt in thoe that descend with it in humility to be working on the Root as an Ax and on the Rocky as a Hammer and Chaffy as a Fire Now Friends when there is an abatement of the inward and spiritual care and a gradual lessening of the inward watchfulness then the mind becomes both unworthy and uncapable of the enjoyments of the Power of the Lord that begun and carryeth on the Work of the Lord so then the Enemy comes as not seen through the minds being out of the holy Watch in the Light the nature that was wounded comes to be healed again and ease given to that which should be destroyed so the Enemy perceiving where the weakness is and how and by what means he has gotten a little enterance he endeavours in all subtilty and vigilency by presenting matters and subjects to lead by degrees out of a watchful state and according to every degree of digression he brings over the once enlightned mind a proportion of darkness and deceiveableness of Understanding and insensibility of Spirit in the in ward feeling part of the subtilty of the Enemy of the Soul who thus works that with the declining there may be a proportion of benuming all the inward sences of Seeing Hearing and Feeling and then again he has Mankind in a state fit to work upon by drawing them out by his Power to act and bring forth that which he sees them most capable of and which there is the greatest inclination in their natures to go into hence Schisms arise in Judgments which the wrathful part in Man getting into he works by the way of a fierce management with a sort of Zeal but not according to Knowledge in which the power of the Enemy works up at last into a Schism and the Enemy is never wanting to present matters to the mind as just for the Creature to be blown up with which ends in dishonouring the Lord and his precious Truth and hurting and harming others until the Enemy has worked his end by such Instruments bringing them into an Alienation from the Life of God into a worse state then the tender day of God's Visitation found them in and so if not humbled under the mighty Hand of God and returning they are exposed to Shame and so dies away under the Wrath of God. Now dear Friends the Enemy of Sions Prosperity works variously according as he sees where he may get an entrance by proportionating his Snares to the inclinations of every one as before is hinted c. Where he sees an inclination in any to be taken with the earthly things there he works subtilly to captivate the mind and draw it out of the watchful tender spiritual state into a false Liberty both to the affections to the things acting and possessed and in the conversation amongst Men others into superfluities in Meat Drink and Apparel on themselves and houses and such their comforts stand most in outward things and by degrees are swallowed up of them and the Pleasures Lust and Delights below and so they dye to an inward Life of watchfulness and freshness which is preserved in fear and dread in keeping the holy Watch and in the spiritual Cross which Crucifies to the World and the World to it Now dear Friends here is our spiritual Incouragement viz. The same that through Death to Sin made us alive to God as we abide under the leadings and teachings of it keeps us alive to him in a growing increasing fresh flourishing state for as we delight in his eternal Law of Life we grow as Willows by the Water-courses of Immortal refreshings and Travel faithfully on in our spiritual Journey until we come to Sion the City of God and then are Enjoyers of the end of all our Tryals and Tribulations having overcome we see an enterance administred and that abundantly into the eternal Rest and Sabboth of our God. The Lord Almighty give all to enjoy this blessed Portion and goodly inheritance and let all see in this Age and the Ages to come all that which lets and hinders them taken out of the Way that the God of all our Mercies in whom is all our fresh Springs may have his Honour and Glory his Church and People through Ages the Comfort and Consolation Amen Amen C. Marshall A Testimony concerning the Precious Unity of the Spirit in Christ Jesus THe Unity of the Spirit is so precious a vertue and glorious a Qualification in all the Churches of Christ Jesus that whilest the people of the Lord did abide therein in every Age they were in a thriving flourishing sweet and glorious station for as long as they truely held the Head Christ Jesus and kept in Unity with him Unity and Amity was preserved amongst them in their several stations and services as Members of one Body c. Of which Unity David speaketh preciously and comprehensively saying Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in
and the voice of a Stranger And by the Spirit of the living God are we gathered up together up to God to worship him in Spirit and in Truth and are of one Heart and of one Mind and of one Soul and have all one Teachers and peak all one thing And we being all taught of the Lord are far from Oppression though we be Oppressed and for the Truths sake was I moved of the Lord to lay this before thee that our Conditions may be known that the Truth may not suffer under the reproach of the Heathen who live after the Flesh and Persecute them who live after the Spirit A word more to clear thy mistake when we spoke unto thee that the Lord would make thee an Instrument in his Hand to establish the Gospel wherein thou apprehendest us that should be established by an outward Law that was not our desire nor we spoke no such thing but we witness the coming of Christ in his Kingdom is not by Might nor Power nor Pomp nor Glory from without nor by any Law which is in the will of Man but our desires were that there should be no Law upon Religion for it needs no Law to defend it for pure Religion and undefiled is this to loose the bands of Wickedness and set the Oppressed free and take off every Yoke And where pure Religion is exercised this is the Fruits and if thou be guided by the pure Light of God shining in thy Conscience and the righteous Law set up in thy Heart and the Spirit of God thy Teacher then there need none â—â— desire thee to take away those Laws that ensnare tender Consciences and so they who pretend Conscience and are not guided by the pure Law of God will be seen by those who dwell in the Spirit to have erroneous Consciences and so this Law will take hold of them and the righteous Law is upon the Transgressor and limits the carnal Mind and fleshly Will but doth not limit the Spirit but is at Unity with it And therefore Friend to thy Conscience I speak and witness this to be true in the Presence of God that as thou art guided by this pure Light in thy Conscience and this Law of the Spirit set up in thy Heart thou canst not deny us for we are none of those which dispise Government and defile the Flesh who pull down others to set up themselves but all unfruitful works of darkness we deny and seek to advance the Government of Jesus Christ alone and love all and have unity with all who are here and honour all Men in the Lord and have fellowship with those whose Conversation is as becomes the Gospel of Christ and they who Rule and Live here cannot suffer any outward Law to take hold on us who stand in obedience to the Commands of Christ for there is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord sets free and commands obedience take heed how thou suffer any Law to limit that Spirit for they who are brought into the obedience of the Spirit are dear unto him as the Apple of his Eye and his care is over them and the Lord will free them from their Oppressors And thus were we pressed in Spirit to lay before thee our conditions and the conditions of our Brethren who are gathered into the eternal Unity where there is no Rent nor Schism that thou might not be ignorant of those things and to shew thee that our desire is not for any outward thing or self-advancing for all self we deny for we came contrary to our own will and we declare this unto thee contrary to our own will and if thou stand not in thy own will thou wilt hear us and own us in advancing the Lord Jesus Christ upon the holy-Hill of Sion that the Law might go out of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and this we wait to see accomplished and his promise fulfilled in those who govern the Nations that the Kingdoms of the World may become the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ And thus we have laid our selves naked before thee in the Presence of God and cleared our Consciences to thee and leave it to that which is pure in thy Conscience to judge Take heed for he that is in high Places is subject to many Temptations This I was moved of the Lord to Write unto thee who is a Servant of the Lord and a lover of thy Soul called John Camm For E. V. and the rest of the Flock of God in and about Banbury DEarly beloved Friends and Brethren in the eternal everlasting Covenant of Love and Life doth my Soul dearly salute you all who in your Measures keep in the same Love and Life and grows up in your stature which is well pleasing to God Oh my dear Hearts in the Life and Power of God which casts down Sin and slayes the enmity and gives you Victory and Dominion over the World which keeps you and preserves in the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all men upon the Earth to try them but you abiding in the pure Eternal living Measure of God dwelling in his Life and Power which is your Rock and hiding place shall be kept out of the same which the Enemy hath laid to take your Souls and here is your safe dwelling place so the Lord God of Power in his Life and Power keep you all in your dwelling place which is the Lord that with the Measure of him you may be guided which leads up into the Land of Righteousness into the Holy City where the uncircumcised and the careless and disobedient cannot come so with Bowels of dear and tender love unto you all who are Children of my Father and kept in his work I bid you farewel in the Lord and in him I am your dear brother for evermore John Camm My Wife and little Thomas dearly salutes you who are faithful in your places farewel As for my outward health it is much like as it was I grow weaker in the outward man but in the Lord is my strength and my support continually Glory and pure Praises be unto him for evermore Amen J. C. John Camm's Letter the 5th day of the 11th Month 1654. to Friends DEarly beloved in our Head and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ our dear love in him Salutes you all yea truly the same love runs out unto you all who wait upon the Lord and abide in your Measures that we are loved with all of our Father and we are your Epistles written in your Hearts not with Pen and Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God and then you who are guided by the Light which comes from Christ Jesus may read us daily and truly you are dear and precious unto us as you abide and dwell in your Measures yea truly ye are our very Lines and the Seal of
that makes truly Rich and everlasting happy and Truth in the inward parts the Lord loves and every one to speak the Truth from his Heart to his Neighbour and to his Friend watching over one another for good in Truth and Uprightness then there will be no treacherous dealer in the Assembly nor none that lies in wait to hurt the Poor and Harmless nor none to Exalt themselves above their measure in the knowledge which puffeth up and despiseth the Lowly and the Poor such will the Lord God throw down therefore all fear before the Lord and none be high-minded if any man boast he beareth not the Root every one keep in the Pure life in the true love and fellowship of the Gospel of Peace and all look to the Author and the Finisher of your Faith which in Truth stands in the Power of God then you all keep your Habitations your walking is in steadfastness and your going comes to be established Let all be warned and awaked for the Lord is at hand who will bring every mans work to the tryal and happy for evermore are all they who are found faithful when they are weighed in the Ballance of Equity and true Judgment Sow in Patience press on in the way of Righteousness serving the Lord with one consent calling upon his Name with one accord keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace so will you rejoyce in the Lord alone who is the Succourer of the Poor and the Refuge of the Needy in the Day of distress Let all that know him praise him and fear him and in singleness of heart wait upon him whose Mercy endureth for evermore Let nothing draw you from your holy calling and stedfast waiting upon the Lord nor separate you from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Light our Life and our Redeemer So the Lord God Almighty multiply his Grace Mercy and Love his Life Light and Power in you and amongst you that you may be grounded rooted builded established and in the everlasting Covenant of Life find Peace where you may rest in the City of God whose Gates is Praise and hath Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks where no Weapon can prosper that is formed against you glory and honour and living Praises be unto the Lord our God from all who know him now and for evermore I am your Friend who truly desireth after your Prosperity in the Life that shall never dye John Andland To Friends in Westmorland who Love the Truth and in Cumberland Bishoprick c. An Epistle to Friends DEarly beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ Brethren and Sisters in the Eternal Spirit Members of the Body of Christ Grace Mercy and Peace from our God be multiplied in you that every one of you in particular may grow in your measure and encrease in the unsearchable Riches of our God Oh! ye Plants of Gods renown planted into the true Vine by the true Husbandman dear and precious are you to us as you abide in the Vine and grow in the Vine there you are our joy and we are refreshed continually in the Unity of the Spirit for in it are you present in us and we in you in our Hearts are ye written by the Spirit of the Living God and we read you daily our Life is one our Joy is one our Sufferings are one and our Victory is one Oh! Dear Hearts our love reacheth you and our Bowels are shed towards you our Hearts are broken when we know of your faithfulness and stedfastness in the work of the Lord waring against all Deceipt and watching every one in your measure to be serviceable in the calling whereunto you are called we speak the Truth in Christ we lye not it is like precious Ointment shed abroad in us which gives a sweet smell unto us that we are much refreshed by it to know of your faithfulness and boldness to know of your labour and carefulness and tenderness towards one another in the Lord it is like Balm upon our Head in rememberance of you our hearts are broken and we rejoyce to behold your order in the Lord dwelling and abiding in him who is our Head and therefore in the Name of the Lord Jesus do we exhort charge and command you every one to abide in your measure in the true Vine and to dwell and walk in the Light which is Eternal by which you will judge all double minds who talk of the Unity of the Light but do not walk in the Light and abide in the Unity such are not of the Body who do not abide in the Vine but you who do abide in the Vine try all such and have no fellowship with unfaithful Workers for such are unfruitful who do not abide in the Vine such are they who mind earthly things who are Enemies to the Cross of Christ who walk not in the Light with the Light of God all such are seen abiding in it you will separate the clean from the unclean and true Judgment from the Life which is pure will be given upon the impure none can judge but he that is pure thou that judgest another and dost the same things thou art for Judgment let all Flesh be silent before the Lord God and dwell all in the Life of the Son of God in which you will comprehend all busie minds and forward minds who abide not in the Life who are not to judge but to be judged with the Life so in the Life dwell every one and there you have all one Life and we are with you in the Life which was before the World was in that which was before time which in time was made manifest which brings up out of time in that have we Unity and there we behold you ye faithful Ones ye Sons and Daughters of the Lord unto whom the Promise is made manifest which is Yea and Amen to the Seed which Seed is but one unto which shall all Nations bow and they that set themselves against you shall surely fall before you the Lord hath blessed you and you are blessed by his own right hand hath he planted you and the shout of a King is heard amongst you and his Voice is terrible to the Nations and dreadful to the Heathen round about cursed are they that curse thee happy art thou O Israel a People saved by the Lord the Lord of Hosts is with you and there is no Inchantment against you no Weapon formed against you shall prosper the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Therefore in the Name of the Lord and in his fear abide every one for the Voice that is heard amongst you gives Alarm to the Inhabitants of the Land and because of the Man-Child that is born in you are the Nations troubled rejoyce for evermore ye Saints of the most high God for Power is given you to be avenged of all your Enemies yea even to War against the Beast and to make the Whore Desolate the Fire that is kindled
love that Light and walk in it there is no occasion of stumbling and if you hate that Light then you stumble at noon-day and there is your condemnation but loving this Light and bringing your works to this Light so far as this Light hath judged you in particular so far you may judge in general for that Judge is but one and waiting in that Light which keeps you in the Fear of the Lord waiting upon the Lord to be made partakers of the precious Faith for the Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience and walking in this Light it enlightens your Consciences and Understandings walking in it you have Union one with another for the Light is but one which will discover all imagined Lights falle Worships Wayes and Churches and draw you to the Church in God the Fountain of Light and their Faith is but one which purifieth the Heart which stands in God which is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience and all who are in it are one if they be ten thousand God Almighty bless direct and keep all you that fear him how to wait upon and walk before him and be low and stand in the Counsel of God that whatsoever you do may prosper but if you go out of the Counsel of God Pride High-mindedness and Oppression and grinding the Faces of the Poor gets up now your minds being guided by that which is pure it is cross to the carnal which oppresseth the Poor in particular if it be not crost and out of it ariseth Pride if the pure Spirit of the Lord be not your guide and head and if there be no oppression within then there is none without for woe is unto him that is covered but not with the Spirit of the Lord Therefore mind every one what you are covered withal John Camm In the Year 1655. The Testimony of George Fox Concerning our Dear Friends and Brethren John Audland and John Camm who were Convinced of Gods Eternal Truth in 1652. and Received it and walked in it and Preached it WHen George Fox came to Furbanck Chapel in Westmoreland John Audland and Francis Howgil was preaching there in the morning but they Preacht freely and there came Major Boosfield and Col. Benson and they were free Preachers in Yorkshire also And in the Afternoon there was a great gathering of People more than in the Morning and so the House would not hold them and so I was moved to go upon a Mountain hard by and the People gathered to the Mountain and sat down though it was then a strange thing to have Meetings any where but in the Church so called because it was holy Ground they thought People were so ignorant then so after Sometime I stood up and said unto them That that Ground was as holy as any other and that Christ did meet upon a Mountain and by the Sea side and in Houses and so did his Apostles and Disciples and though the Jews had a Temple called holy in the old Testament and a Worship there yet Christ had ended that Temple and Worship and set up a Worship in Spirit and Truth and all the true Believers in Christ that received him and his Gospel of Life and Salvation were the true Christians and their Bodies were the Temples of God and Christ of the holy Ghost and many other weighty things were opened in that great Assembly and Many Hundreds were turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God and received the Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus and by it received Christ in their Hearts and many others precious Truths were opened to them that Day And though the Apostles went into the Jews Synagogues and Temple it was not to hold them up but to bring People off the Jews Wayes Traditions and Ceremonies to Christ the Substance for he was come and is come the same to Day as he was Yeasterday and so forever a Leader a Governour a Prophet a Bishop a Shepherd and a Priest to exercise his Heavenly Offices in his People his living Members his Church which he is the holy Head of and a King to Rule in their Hearts by Faith and as I said before many Hundreds received Gods Truth that Day and Immediately after that Christ the Son of God was revealed in them John Audland and John Camm and several others went forth and Preacht Christ and his Everlasting Gospel and John Audland went to New-Castle and there was cast into Prison for Preaching the Lord Jesus Christ and his Everlasting Gospel by the Priests and Magistrates there and hazarded his Life amongst them and after sometime he and John Camm went up and down the North and at last they went into the South and to London and Bristol and other parts and John Audland as far as Plymouth Preaching Christ and his Gospel and Mightily the Lords Power and Spirit did uphold them and carry them on over the persecuting Spirit both of the Priests and Magistrates who were in a great Rage against them that sometimes they were in hazard of their Lives but they being supported by the Lords Power that is over all especially one time when I came Prisoner out of Cornwall to Bristol there was one Paul Gwin a Baptist got into some of the Magistrates and Professours about the Year 1656. which raised the rude People and the Rabble of the City against the Meeting and John Audland their envy was so great against him that it was the Lords Hand Power that he escaped with his Life and I coming out of Prison in Cornwall that Year to Bristol I came to the Meeting in the afternoon in an Orchard where was a Multitude of People and this Paul Gwin being there the Lords Power did mightily confound him and his Company that he came there no more and John Audland stood up and Declared Gods Truth after I had done and so in the Lords Power came over him and them that would have destroyed him and these two Servants and Sons of God spent themselves in the Gospel and Service of our Lord Jesus Christ who had received Christ and he had given them Power to become the Sons of God c. And through their great Services and Labours in the Lord they spent themselves who had their Tryals and their Sufferings by Professors and Prophane some that proved false Brethren and false Apostles But the Lord gave them Dominion in his eternal Power to the last in which they finished their Testimony and dyed in the Lord and rest from their Labours and are Blessed and their Works follow them and as Christ saith He that Believes though he were Dead yet shall he Live and he that liveth and Believeth shall never Dye Joh. 11. 26. In this Life do they Live and are alive in the Spirit they that come to the Innumerable company of Angels and to the Spirits of Just men made perfect know it Kingston upon Thames the 7th of the 4th Month 1689. George Fox The TABLE THomas Camm 's Testimony concerning John Camm and John Audland Ann Camm's Testimony concerning John Audland and John Camm Charles Marshall's Testimony concerning John Camm and John Audland Charles Marshall's Testimony concerning the Vnity of the Spirit J. Camm 's Letter to O. Cromwell pag. 1. J. C 's Letter to E. V. c. p. 11. John Camm 's Letter to Friends p. 14. J. C 's Letter to Friends in Bristol p. 22. John Camm 's Epistle to Friends p. 29. To all dear Friends in about Bristol p. 40. J. C 's and J. A 's Letter to E. Pyot p. 49. Dear and loving Friends c. p. 50. J. A 's and J. C 's Letter to Friends p. 57. Mabel Benson 's Testimony concerning John Camm her Husband p. 61. J. Audland 's Letter to Friends c. p. 63. J. Audland 's Epistle to Friends p. 70. Dear and well-beloved Friends p. 76. John Audland 's Letter c. p. 84. J. Audland 's Letter to C. Marshall p. 88. A Letter to J. A. by his Wife p. 92. J. A 's Letter to Friends at Bristol p. 95. J. Auland 's Letter to Bristol p. 101. The School-Master Disciplin'd c. p. 107. An Answer to William Prynne p. 129. A Reply to W. Prynne p. 144. John Audland 's Epistle c. p. 155. An Epistle to Friends p. 163. J. A 's Letter to Friends p. 170. J. A 's Letter to a Priest p. 176. The Suffering Condition of the Servants of the Lord c. p. 184. A Question answered c. p. 244. To two or three Persons in a Family p. 252. J. C's to Friends and Brethren c. p. 255. J. A 's and J. C 's to Friends c. p. 262. Dear and Loving Friends c. p. 271. Dear and Loving Friends in the c. p. 277. Friends of God and Brethren c. p. 285. Some Particulars concerning the Law sent to Oliver Cromwell c. p. 297. George Fox 's Testimony concerning John Audland and John Camm p. 326. THE END
World departed Oh! the strippings of all needless Apparel and the forsaking of superfluities in Meats Drinks and in the plain self-denying Path we walked having the fear and dread of God on our Souls that we were afraid of offending in word or deed our Words were few and savory our Apparel and Houses plain being stripped of superfluities our Countenances Grave and Deportments Weighty amongst those we had to do with Indeed we were a plain broken-hearted contrite spirited self-denying people our Souls being in an unexpressible Travel to do all things well-pleasing in the Sight of God for our great concern night and day was to obtain through Jesus Christ the Great work of Salvation and thereby an assurance of the everlasting Rest and Sabboth of our God and in those days Oh! the unexpressible Labour Travels and spending of the Strength of these Servants of the most high God in great Assemblies in that City and Countries round about our Meetings were so large that we were forced to meet without doors and that in Frost and Snow In which Meetings Oh! the extending of Voice of these Servants of God to reach over these great multitudes when several thousands have been assembled together and as the Work of the Lord increased so the Enemy was at work in Priests and People in those dayes who stirred up the Youth of the City into a tumulting like the men of Ephesus and once we had a very great tumult that the Streets were crowded and these two Servants of the Lord were seized upon by the multitude and were in great hazard But the Lord signally delivered them as in dayes past he had done his Servants on such occasions and all came to be quieted and our Meetings peaceable and many grew in Grace and in the Knowledge of God and Christ Jesus which is Eternal Life much more of particulars I might write but affecting brevity for several reasons I say in short such was the effectual working of the Almighty Power of God and makings bare of his Arm of Salvation that attended those Servants of the most High and the great work of our Gospel meeting with the various Trials and exercises that attended them and us that were the fruits of their Labours in the Lord that my Tongue cannot express what I was an eye and ear witness of and a Soul sharer in Therefore to the God of this bright Morning of our day of Visitation ariseth springs up as in Covenant with himself through Christ Jesus holy heavenly high Praises Might Majesty and Dominion is ascribed to the Lord God and the Lamb. So let it be saith my spirit in fear and trembling through Ages and Generation for ever and evermore Ameu And now dear Friends every where but more particularly in and about the City of Bristol who have seen the Morning of the day of God break forth in our Age as aforesaid and by the divine Light thereof have seen the darkness that has covered the people expelled in which darkness people have been Ignorant of the true and living God and his precious work of Salvation in which ignorance they have performed their worship even in the same nature that they are sinning and rebelling and grieving the Good Spirit of God which all ought to be subject too now it pleasing the divine Being in his infinite love and tender pity and compassion to look down upon us whilest in the Land of Egypt and House of Bondage spiritually and to send forth his Light and Truth to give us a sence inwardly of the deplorable states of our Souls in the separation from and depravation of the enjoyments of the Lord which sence and sight begat in us living Breathings and a holy Cry after the knowledge of him we saw our selves ignorant of and he in the fulness of the Dispensation of time visited us as afore mentioned of which dear Friends we were right glad although when the Lord discovered our states he laid Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and gave to us the Cup of Trembling in which was the Wine of Astonishment which was in mercy to our Poor Souls that could not be redeemed but by Judgment poured on the nature that had separated us from God and on us as joyned thereunto and here although Sin revived we begun to dye to it O Good day and precious season worthy worthy both to be remembred by us and our Off-spring through Generations for although it was the season of the Administration of Condemnation yet was it glorious and in this season the Almighty God by his spiritual Trumpet sounded to us that the end of this his spiritual Appearance was to root out lay waite and utterly destroy the nature of Sin and Iniquity that had divided and separated us from God and hindred the good things from us of his Heavenly power and Kingdom and we were perswaded the set time was come for clensing and sanctifying the Temple and fitting it for the pure immortal God and did not we begin inward as in the day of Hezekiah that the Temple might be clensed throughly in every part for in the outward Temple they clensed first the inward part of the House of the Lord and so came along to the Porch until the Temple was throughly clensed Indeed in the Morning of our precious Day of Visitation the Ax was laid to the Root of the corrupt Tree and the Hammer to the hard Rocky Heart and the spiritual Fire kindled in the Stubble Now dear Friends in the Word of Truth I say unto you search with the holy Light of Christ Jesus how this work has prospered in your Souls see whether you that knew a right beginning first in the inward part have come along faithfully in the work of Sanctifying the Heart and the Temple from the inward part to the outside see whether the Root has not escaped the Ax the rocky Heart the Hammer and the Chaff the Fire for if it has the cause is not in the Lord nor in his Power but in your disobedience and negligence going from the Ax Hammer and Fire and so sparing the best as disobedient Saul and Israel did so the Root of bitterness sprang up against the work of God and bringings forth of his heavenly wisdom To the holy plain speaking Witness of God I speak earnestly desiring and entreating all to have a single regard to that which will duely and rightly apply these things and let all see whether that nature be alive that the holy Power of the Lord did work against in the beginning and if so see the cause which being seen will deeply humble and seize on the spirits of all concerned Oh! what a day have we had how has the good Husbandman been at work in his Vineyard how did he plant in a fruitful Hill with the choicest Vine he digged pruned and gathered out the Stones and Hedged and Walled about and after all he looked for good Fruit but where the unspeakable
unity it s like the precious Ointment on the head that ran down upon the Beard even Arons Beard and went down to the Skirts of his Garment as the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Sion for there Mark the Lord commanded the blessing even Life everlasting This was the state the holy Power of the great God gathered a people into For concerning them it is left upon record they continued daily in fellowship and that with one accord Now dear Friends we clearlysaw felt and understood in the precious Morning of our tender Visitation that the same ancient Power of the Lord that wrought powerfully first to disunite us from the nature which separated us from God and then to bring us up into unity and fellowship with himself in his dear love and therein one with another For here ever was and is the the Foundation of the true Unity even that of the Spirit in which love the Body edifies it self and is increasing and building up a holy Habitation for God through the Spirit so then all abiding and growing up in the love of God and walking with him in the divine nature Unity encreaseth amongst all the Members and Branches taken out of the wild-Olive and planted into and abiding in the Vine of Life Christ Jesus our Head and Law-giver and here the Church of Christ grew up into a state of being clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her Feet Ah! precious blessed sweet and glorious station But did it always thus continue in the Apostles dayes Ah! no the old Serpent the Enemy of mans welfare wrought powerfully and cunningly first to draw forth from the R oot of Life and out of the holy Love and spiritual subjection to this glorious Power that had gathered them to a daily inward walking with God and to draw out of a spiritual exercise of the Spiritual Cross and holy Watch as before has been demonstrated c. And then fruit from another Root was brought forth as the Reader may note in several Epistles and in John's Testimony to the seven Churches of Asia Then the Power of the Lord that had gathered them moved to exhort to put away bitterness Wrath Anger and Clamour Evil-speakings and Malice Ephes 4. And now dear Friends with your Lamps trimmed and burning look inward searching every corner of your Hearts that clear unto your own understandings every one of your states may appear as it is in the sight of the pure al-seeing God that so all the Enemies darknings and vailings and turnings aside by what way or means soever may be clearly with the Light of the Lamb seen and discovered And tender Friends those that have seen the sweet lovely precious stateof Unity and Concord that the excellent Power of the Lord God Almighty gathered into and was gathering into in the blessed morning of our day and the spiritual advantages comforts joy refreshments and divine Satisfaction that attended the Church of Christ in this true and spiritual Unity with our the Lord Jesus Christ and one with another and on the other hand Head the anxious exerising consequences of the Enemies prevailing to break unity and of the lamentable effects thereof so that all the true hearted sincere spirited to God cannot but on the on Hand admire prize and unexpressibly esteem the precious Unity And on the other hand greatly dread the turnings aside and going out of it For those who have kept their Habitation and lived to God as they have tasted and enjoyed the sweetness and beheld the amiableness of this Unity and Amity so they have felt the sorrows and anguish of the effects of the contrary which have caused them to go many days and months with bowed down Souls crying to the Almighty God of tender compassion Night and Day under the unexpressible weight thereof and the tender God of Love bowed his ear to the cry of the Poor and sighing of the Needy and has arisen in the might of his Power and the Majesty of his Glorious Presence hath relieved and his holy Arm has been made bare through which he hath redeemed his Darling from the Dog and his dear ones from the Devourer and still continues working to bring into this precious unity in the holy Light of Life with God in Christ Jesus and one with another And now dear Friends every where unto you and to the Generation coming after I have this Warning and tender Advice to leave behind me in the Name of my God that hath been with me in my Travels in his Power Work and Labour of the Gospel of Life and Salvation Keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and let none give way to a prejudicing Spirit which leads into secret Whisperings Back-bitings and such like evil and pernicious Fruits the working of which Spirit is like a Moth in a Garment dividing destroying spoyling and eating up for indeed as Sion is a City at Unity with it self under the seamless Garment of Christ Jesus and there all are well and safe growing increasing and flourishing so when the Spirit abovesaid prevails to draw out of Sions Gates and from within her Walls of Salvation Oh! what deplorable work and havock will it make in its Growth and Progress working as I said before of the Moth gradually and secretly first but as it prevaileth and increaseth in its growth and strength it will appear as a roaring devouring Lyon seeking whom it may devour and swallow up Here comes in Pride and haughtiness of Spirit puffed up with the abundance of injoyment of outward things Emulations Heart-risings evil Jelousies Bitter-speakings Detractings and abundance of evil Fruit ariseth from this evil Root of Bitterness which Root and Fruit is to be brought under and sunk down under the eternal Judgment of the holy glorious sweet Power of the Lord. And therefore Friends I say unto you in the Name of the Lord God eternal let none give strength or any incouragement or nourishment any way to this Spirit in any of its murthering workings in any Heart but let it be looked on as a Vagabond and Fugitive in the Earth and so as it is kept out of the Camp of God and from Israels dwellings by the sweet living bright Power of the great God of heaven and earth it will perish under Truths Judgement set up in every soul and so the nature thereof as well as its evil rending and dividing fruits will be worn out and destroyed for ever And then all keeping in the first love pure fear living awe and holy dread fearing to offend our God and tender Father persevering in an inward keeping the holy Watch and abiding in Subjection and Obedience to the spiritual Cross in staidness of Mind soundness of Judgment and clearness in Understanding you see Comprehend and Fathom all the Enemies Devices Temptations and Snares and the Lord God beholding you in a stedfast Habitation of Obedience and spiritual tenderness before him
is shed amongst you so in the pure Light abide which is your Eye by which you will see the Lords Love to you and wait in it that you may know the washing and the cleansing by the Blood of Jesus which Purifies the Heart and Sprinkles the Conscience and so the Mistery of Faith you will know so this is the Word of the Lord to you to exhort you and charge you that you all wait upon him from whence strength comes that your strength may be renewed that you may grow dayly and increase in the Riches of the Love of God and that you meet often together and dwell in Love and in the Bond of Peace and joyn to nothing which is contrary to the Pure Life for thou that joyns to that which defiles the wo is upon thy Head from the Lord God and there is the Hypocrite and the Dissembler which hath the Form but not the Power whose mind joyned to the Harlot and wo is the end of that profession therefore all dwell in that which keeps pure in the Measure that all may be crucified and mortified which is upon the Earth and from the Earth and abide in that which mortifies daily and crosseth the Earthly part and works it out and this is the Word of God to you whose minds are turned to wait in that which turns the mind the same leads up into the endless Life so the Mighty Power of the Lord God be amongst you and keep you that all strong holds may be broken down and that the Word of Life ye may all dwell in which gives Life and cuts down all that which is against the Life so fare you well The Lord God of Power carry you along on your Journey to the Eternal Sabboth we are your Servants for the Truth sake and the Seed sake Salute us to all Friends our Love flows freely to you your growth is our joy and riches growing in the Life you will see the Crown of Life and raign over the World and there we are your dear Brethren in Joy and in Tribulation John Audland John Camm The Testimony of Mabel Benson concerning John Camm her late Husband deceased THis short Testimony I have to bear for and concerning John Camm my dear Husband deceased that he was a tender dear and loving Husband to me one that feared the Lord and was freely given up to spend and be spent in the Service of Truth as Hundreds can testifie his life and delight being therein to the end of his dayes a pattern of Holiness he was in his Life and Conversation to the Flock of God he was exceeding noble and faithful in the Testimony of Truth he never shrunk in the time of his greatest Tryals which were not a few the Lord being always with him to the astonishment of his Enemies after he had travelled several Years in the work of the Ministry though in great Bodily Weakness the Lord was pleased in his Mercy to bring him home to his outward being to finish his course in much Peace to my great satisfaction the which in Measure abated my sorrow in the loss of him as to his Bodily presence together with my being well satisfied that he is at rest with the Lord and made richly to partake of the joys of Heaven in everlasting Life therein to praise the King of everlasting Glory unto all eternity Amen Mabell Benson John Audland's Letters and Epistles To Friends soon after he was gone forth in the Ministry Dear Hearts IN the eternal Truth every one in your Measures mind your own condition and be Low Meek and Humble for such the Lord teacheth Mind the fear of the Lord always to dwell in it that his secrets may be opened for in the fear the secrets are made manifest and the Pure know the secrets but the Wisdom of God is hid from the vulterous eye but that eye which comes out of Death comprehends Death and the Grave and sees God which no Man can but the Son declares him for he sees him Now dear Hearts wait for the Son to be made manifest in you every one in particular keep your Eye single that your whole Body may be full of Light. My dear Hearts be bold in this day of the Lord and valiant for the Truth upon Earth you who are redeemed from the Earth up to God to serve him and are called let nothing stand between but keep open that Eye which comprehends all the Earth keep out the Earth lest that the Eye be vailed keep clean within that nothing grow up within but what is pure that so you may discern the impure and you who are kept pure be bold to reprove the Unfruitful works of darkness and have no Fellowship with them neither within nor without for if any thing be spared within it will spare without and to be Rebellious is as the Sin of Witchcraft Oh my dear Hearts my care is that you grow in the Truth and that you may keep single every one in your Measure take heed of coldness and dulness in any but dwell in Authority and speak in Authory that deceit may be confounded and banished from among you that so the Pure may be cherished in the Truth none be Careless but be Watchful and Watch one over another in Love that you may be established in Righteousness that the Land may rejoyce and the Peaceable flourish and all the Unrighteous be cut down by the Righteous And Friends dwell in the Power of Truth and mind the Presence of the Lord with you always which keeps bold and causeth you to tread upon all the Worlds Ways Words Worships Priests and Deceits that so you may be fed upon the Mountains in a large Pasture Dear Friends mind your daily feeding in that which is eternal and feed not the Carnal nor labour not for the Bread which perisheth but for that which endureth for ever And all Friends take heed of looking back for if any draweth back my Soul hath no pleasure in him But all dear Friends press forward in the strait way my Hearts desire and prayer to the Lord is that you may grow and increase in the Increase of God and that you may all be Faithful for there is your Crown Oh be Faithful to the end that you may inherit all things and be partakers of that which never shall have end and keep in the Cross daily which will Crucifie daily and Mortifie daily your Affections which be upon Earth for the day of the Lord is approaching the good and happy day glad-Tydings to the Prisoner but a day of Terror to the Wicked and to all that live in filthiness who profess much Love to God with their Mouthes but the Heart going after Covetousness And a word to all you who are in that condition who draw near God with your Mouthes but your Hearts far from him to you who are convinced of the Truth of God and denies the Priests in words and come to Meet amongst the Saints
their badness for the Scriptures speaks that out of the North an evil shall break forth Reply To prove that we came out of the North and had never been out of the Nation of our birth and Habitations doth sufficiently confute thee who made that thy ground to have proved by the Information that we were Coppingers acquaintance in Rome for sayst thou those two persons which came to Bristol was most likely his two fellow Franciscan Fryers and here thy likeness is another Lye and the Scripture doth not prove thy shrew'd sign neither doth it cover thee nor hide thee but upon thee will evil break forth who the evil hast committed a grievous Storm and Whirl-Wind will fall upon the wicked and sweep away the refuge of Lyes and Lyers into the Lake read thy Portion and put it not from thee Secondly Thou sayst for affirming that the Quakers use inchanted Potions Bracelets Ribbands Sorcery and Witchcraft to intoxicate their Disciples and thou savst this is evidenced in the Premises and apparent in most places where they ramble and thou shalt prove it no farther but close up all with two Scripture exhortations Reply I demanded of thee before to prove any such thing by us or let thy Mouth be stopt and as touching proving any such thing thy Mouth is stopt and thy Premises proves it not by us but is made up of Lyes and Slanders and false Reports which thou hast gathered where thou hast rambled up and down in thy Imaginations sending out a pack of filthy Lyes spawned out from the old Serpent the Devil and Satan out of whose Mouth proceeds the Frogs and there mayst thou read thy self apparently his Disciple intoxicated and thee with all the rest of the spawn of Romish Frogs Jesuites and Franciscan Fryers is denyed and cast out from amongst the People of God scornfully call'd Quakers and if thou canst prove no better then to close up as thou dost the Lyes will rest upon thy own head but wilt thou turn back a little and take one Exhortation where thou art giving two if there be any spark of honesty in thee or any remembrance of thy latter end or any consideration that Lyars must be cast into the Lake repent of the evil of thy doings and cease lying and slandering the Innocent which thou canst not prove to be Offenders and lay thy Mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope so here in plainness thy Lyes is turned upon thy own Head and the former answer is just and stands a witness against thee and thou art more unmasked and clearly detected and till thou canst begin upon better evidence silence best becomes thee Remember again thou art warned cease thy gain-saying lest thou perish in thy rebellion and go down alive into the Pit. By one who is a Witness against the prophaneness of Priests and People called John Audland Luke 11 52. Wo unto you Lawyers for ye have taken away the Key of Knowledge ye entred not in your selves and them that were entring in ye hindred John Audland's Epistle to all who love the Truth Given forth from Oxfordshire the 12th Month 1656. DEarly beloved Friends unto whom the large Love of God hath been made manifest in visiting you from on high with his marvelous Light which hath clearly shined in the midst of you by which you have seen your way to the eternal Rest and Peace and have tasted of the Power of the Lord and been often refreshed with his Love and Life being shed plentiously amongst you so that you have found in some measure Redemption from the bondage of Corruption and the way is plain before you which leads to perfect Freedom in the pure and precious Truth of the living God which as you stand in it and walk in the undefiled way in the pure Fear and Counsel of God you will be kept in the pure Unity in the Love unfeigned to grow together in the Life of Truth in the Power of God in which is your beauty your comliness your strength your order and your peace every one in particular and one with another all glorifying the Lord in your uprightness and obedience in your holy calling in the measure of the Grace of Life in which every one abiding you receive power from the Life which gives Dominion over the World and the powers of Darkness and the wickedness in the high places you dwelling in the Life and Power of God are kept in subjection to the higher Power which is the Ordinance of God which throws down the man of Sin the deceitful works and raiseth up the dead to Life quickning the slain and opening the Prison Doors which brings Joy and Peace and the Oyl of Gladness and the Garments of Praise and the acceptable Year where the meek come to be beautified with Salvation there the Treasures of Life is seen of Wisdom and of Love which reached to the Poor to raise him up and there the weary finds rest and the hungry Soul comes to be satisfied with the unsearchable Riches of the Lords Love of which there is no End unto them who wait upon him in faithfulness Dear Hearts other Foundation can no man lay then that which is laid already which is Christ Jesus the Light of the World the Way to Life and everlasting Rest and those that believe enter into the pure and peaceable Kingdom which is prepared for the little Flock who follow the Voice of the true Shepherd who leads into the fresh and pleasant Pasture where the Lambs feed in peace and lie down in safety in the sure Habitation grounded on the Foundation of God which stands firm and unmoveable forever against which the Winds nor the Storms nor the Floods can never prevail blessed for ever are all you who are on it builded and established for the day will manifest every ones work and he that is not rooted in the Life and stands not in the Power of God will suffer loss but you abiding in the Power of God which is the Cross of Christ you receive a Kingdom which cannot be shaken and a Crown which doth not corrupt and an Inheritance which fades not away and in the Light of God every one walking you read your part in the Resurrection unto Life which is a blessed Condition and to seed upon the Life which makes you grow in the heavenly Image the new man which is after God in Righteousness and true Holiness which is perfected in the Fear of the Lord All being kept watchful and diligent your Garments are kept clean and you are found covered with the Spirit in the day of the Lord which comes suddenly upon the Sloathful and Careless in which day the Hypocrite can never stand nor the foolish Virgin cannot enter but is shut out of Gods Kingdom wanting the Garment which gives an entrance in the Marriage-Chamber where the faithful rejoyce and praises the God of their Salvation And verily Friends it is the Gold tryed in the Fire
which they ought to have done so are breakers of their Covenants and Vowes made in their Baptism which promised that they would forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh c. And that they would keep Gods holy Will and Commandments c. But now they offend grievously Gods holy Laws and leaves that undone which they should do c. And their Teachers tell them they connot forsake the Devil and all his works but their best Actions and their Prayers are Sin while they live and all Sin is of the evil One Therefore we dare not joyn with them to commit Sin But if it be said these are but humble Confession to God laying our selves low and confessing our Sins which we ought to do when we pray to him Answer either your Confessions are true or a lye If true then you are breakers of your Vows and in the Unconverted state yet therefore not the true Church Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 4 10 11. Be not deceived neither Idolators nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilars nor Extortioners can Inherit it in that state And said the Apostle to the Saints Such were some of you but you are Washed but you are Sanctified but you are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And if your Confession be a lye then you are also manifest to be a Company of Dissembling Hypocrites and to be of him who was a Lyar from the Beginning and not Members of the Church of Christ Thirdly because the People there met together have no health in them therefore we are not perswaded in our Minds that we ought to joyn with them no health in them Christ is the saving Health of all Nations who believe in him therefore Christ is not in them so Reprobates concerning the Faith and not the Church of Christ nor Congregation of the faithful People but are disorderly out of the order of the Gospel and we are commanded to withdraw from all such as walk disorderly So we meet together in the Fear of God according to the Practice of the Saints and come not to these places which were the old Mass-Houses to Worship amongst those People which have no health in them and these are three Principal things upon which many more things will follow wherefore we do not go to these Places aforenamed J. A. The Coppy of a Letter sent unto two or three Persons in a Family Dear Hearts IN the Light of the Lord wait upon the Lord in his Fear to have your Minds stayed in his Will that you may walk in Obedience Uprightness in the Presence of the Lord to see him amongst you and in his Counsel abide every one faithful in the Calling and Measure which you have received and are called unto that orderly and in order you may wait and walk every one in particular and one towards another in Soberness and Wisdom that in Love you may be preserved and Truth adorned which you profess that God alone may be exalted I warn you and charge you that in Faithfuluess every one of you walk and in Diligence and Love that there be no Disorder Sloathfulness nor Carelessness but every one mind the Presence of him whose Eye is over you before whom all is naked and bare that you may walk in the Light and the pure Fear of God which will keep you Watchful and Sober in all diligence as unto the Lord knowing you must give an account to him And none be high minded but fear and be Low and Humble and take up the Yoke of Christ and learn there And take heed of your own wills which would lead you into the by-Parths But stand single in the Will of God waiting upon him continually that you may receive the living Mercies from him that your Souls may be nourished with the Food that is Immortal and this I lay upon you all that you be faithful and Diligent that all may be kept in Order and Love that the Family may be guided in Wisdom So my Dear Hearts in Love do I Salute you all and I remain your Dear Friend in that which endureth forever John Audland These following Epistles were found in Manuscript after the foregoing Books and Epistles were Printed To which is added George Fox's Testimony concerning John Camm and John Audland Dear Friends BRethren and Sisters Babes and Lambs Plants of my heavenly Fathers Planting my dear Love in that infinite unchangable Love of God doth my Soul Salute you all yea truly my Bowels of tender Love and Compassion unto the Seed of God in you all that you may be kept pure and blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and travel in pain until Christ be formed in you until the Babe be born in you which is Heir of the immortal Inheritance which never fades away Dear Hearts in the pure Light of Christ all dwell and abide which leads up into the pure Life where there is no Death where we shall all meet together and feed together at one Table and all Eat of one Bread of Life and Drink of one Fountain of living Water which nourisheth all up to the Everlasting Life where we shall meet together and sit together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus where all Sorrow and Sighing shall fly away and there no Thief can come to rob us of our Crown Therefore in the Bowels of tender Love as a Brother I beseech you all to walk worthy of your Calling for holy is he that hath called you and holy is your Calling unto an holy Life and godly Conversation are you called and to a Separation from the World and to a daily dying to it and to a forgetting of all things which are behind and to walk up to those things which are made manifest in you by the Light which comes from Christ which being obedient unto it it leadeth up to Christ your Head and Example in all things and he was obedient unto the Death of the Cross and being faithful to the Light which comes from him it will lead you to the Death upon the Cross and Crucifie you unto the World and wordly things and raise you up into the pure Life to follow the Lamb whether soever he goeth and if you suffer with him you shall reign with him for he was perfect through Sufferings and through Sufferings and many Tribulations must you enter And therefore all come to the Cross and love it and rejoyce in it that you are counted worthy for his Name sake and take heed that none suffer as Evil-doers for there is no Joy for that nor no Crown nor Reward for these suffers not on the Cross and these Sufferings do not Crucifie but the Condemnation upon all such is Just by the Light which never changeth which comprehends all such hasty Spirits which run
towards God and let you see that God is near and present who is terrible and dreadful to the wicked in him the Righteous rejoyce and are glad so wait all for Counsel from God and God Almighty direct your minds for all your Laws which have been made and acted in that nature from the Light and contrary to it and the Law of God which is according to the Light of Christ in your Consciences all those Laws that have been acted from it and contrary to the Light of Christ have been made with the murderous nature with the Light which Christ hath enlightned every one that comes into the World withal with this Light they are all to be condemned and with the perfect Law of God to be judged which is according to the Light of Christ in the Conscience which Light of Christ owns the Law of God and which Law of God owns the Light of Christ in every mans Conscience and the Light of Christ in every mans Conscience which is perfect witnesseth the Law of God to be perfect and witnesseth against all Laws which is contrary to the Light of Christ in every mans Conscience and which is contrary to the Law of God which is according to that in the Conscience So to the Light of Christ in all your Consciences I do speak that you with it may wait upon God to receive your Law from God which is perfect and endures for ever else your Laws which you make in your own wills which is not perfect and doth not endure for ever which the Law of God doth and that in the Conscience So with the Light of Christ all such Laws Law-givers and Law-makers are to be condemned with the Light of Christ which doth endure for ever and the Law of God which is perfect and doth endure for ever all such are judged with it which are contrary to it So this is the Word of God to you and Warning to you all They that be in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ do not respect Persons they that be out of the Faith of our Lord Jesus do respect Persons though they may profess him and then the Life makes the difference as it is manifest now in England who be in the Faith who be out of the Faith and they that be in the perfect Law of God according to the Light of Christ in the Conscience do not respect Persons for he that doth respect Persons is convinced by the Light of Christ in the Conscience to be a Trasgressor of the Law of God so that they that do respect Persons do walk contrary to that in the Conscience and the Law of God and are convinced by the Light of Christ in the Conscience and to be Transgressors and this is for all the Powers on Earth take Warning that with the Light of Christ you may see what you act and what you acted from contrary to this Light you are to be condemned by it all ye that â—espect Persons walk contrary to the Law of God and to the Faith There is the difference the one lives in the Light of Christ which witnesseth the Law of God which is perfect and the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which none of these that do live here do respect Persons now all those that do profess the Law of God and Faith and respect Persons are out of it and here it is the Life that makes the difference and in it is the Unity J. C. TO the Heads and General of this Land to stand in the Counsel of God that you may be directed by his Wisdom which orders all things for by it all things were made and if you make a Law with your own wills over that in the Consciences of men that God will throw down you and your Laws For that which exerciseth the Conscience is the pure Light of God which leads up to God out of all Filthiness and Uncleanness and Corruption which the Law of God takes hold upon he or them that act contrary to a pure Conscience let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God for Conscience sake now if a Law be made over the Conscience that is pure that Law is against God and many for keeping their Conscience clean did suffer death as God hath given to every one a Light and a measure to profit withall mind every one that which is of God in you to teach you to walk to God before him and as it teacheth you and enlightens your understandings it will teach how to direct others and so to judge of things eternal so far as that is born up in your understandings which is eternal and as every one hath a measure so every one to improve his Talent and not limit God to learned men as hath long been which have learned but their naturall Languages so their original grounds are external their Word and Light is external and their Preaching and Gift is external and they go to you Magistrates who have an external Law to uphold them in their external Ministry for your Law doth alter and change which is external now that which is external with it to judge things eternal that cannot be but to limit God for he that hath the first gift of God hath that which is perfect and that which is perfect is eternal and such have a descerning to know the gift of God from the gift of man and who are sent to Preach the Everlasting Gospel hath that which is eternal that which is everlasting hath no end and he that judgeth of these things is eternal that can discern the everlasting Gospel from words and the promise was that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head now thou that canst witness the head of the Serpent bruised in thee and the Seed of the Woman Head in thee which is Christ witnesseth the Promises of God fulfilled in thee which is the glad Tidings to the Soul and the Soul come out of death and here is Christ Jesus revealed within and this Ministry is not of man nor by man but by the Will of God which the Will of man knows not For the natural man knows not the things of God Now every man in his first birth and state may see himself but natural and not able to judge of the things of God which are eternal but the Spiritual man judgeth all things yea the deep things of God but this is the Second birth the new man therefore all Friends take heed of judging with evil thoughts that mind that respects Persons judgeth with evil thoughts and it is the carnal part within who is not of the Faith but who is of the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ is without respect of Persons and therefore as God hath given you a measure of a Light within let that guide your minds and keep you in the Fear of the Lord and if you