to the truth and witness the glory of his power revealed in me praises praises to his name for ever therefore do deny all the worlds glory and honour pleasure and profit and esteem it great riches to be worthy to suffer persecution and reproach with his dear people who are reviled of the world and scornfully called Quakers but known to me by another name and I to them by the same but to the world by Morgan Watkins A TRYAL OF A CHRISTIAN It is not the outward name of Christian that differs from a heathen but the inward life and nature TRy your selves with the touch-stone of Truth all you who bear the name and are professed Christians see and read within with a single eye whether you be in Truth what you profess in words and have the nature and life of Christ manifest in you or you have the bare name and are one in nature and life with the heathens the day is dawned which doth discover each name and nature and it is not the outward name of a Christian that will avail where the life and nature of Christ is wanting Many there be who are called Christians because they have been sprinkled with outward water which hath been called baptizing into the faith and into the Church but all are not Christians who are so called it is not the outward name nor the outward sprinkling or dipping that doth make a true Christian no more then the outward name and the outward Circumcision did make a true Jew as it is written by the Christians He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcission which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter So it is of a Christian not the outward washing or sprinkling but the inward washing with the blood or life of Jesus whereby the heart is sprinkled from an evil conscience and the body washed with pure water so as many as are baptized into Christ by the holy Ghost have put on Christ and are one in Christ one heart one mind one soul and are like unto Christ in name and nature they bear his Image and his name is written in their foreheads and they are marked and known to be his and followers of him by their meekness and lamb-like harmlesness by their gentleness patience and long suffering by their soberness and temperance moderation and vertuous chaste conversations by their humility and true love one toward another these are tokens and marks of a true Christian but all those who have the name of Christians and profess God and Christ and scriptures and do not live according to what they do profess but are in nature like unto the heathens and so they are marked out and known by their fruits All those that live in rage envy wrath and malice these are marks of a heathen and not of a Christian and they are of their Father the Devil and bears his mark in their foreheads so every one doth bear the image of him that begat him There are two births the one from above the other from below that from above is pure and that from below is impure and these are contrary one to the other even as light and darkness all the Children that are begotten of God who is pure and born of the spirit are hated and persecuted by them who are begotten by the Devil and born of the flesh and so as it was in former ages they that were born after the flesh did persecute them that were born of the spirit even so it is now in this age but they that were born of the spirit did never persecute any but did bear and suffer even as Christ the forerunner hath lest an example and all that follow him and will live godly in him they must suffer persecution for it can be no otherwise for enmity is put between the two seeds and there is no agreement nor fellowship betwixt them so every child is of the nature of him that begat him All the Children of God who are born from above they bear Gods Image and are like unto their father as the Lord is righteous and just and loves truth and righteousness and cannot behold but hates iniquity even so all his children they are pure and loves truth and righteousness and cannot have fellowship with the unfruitful workers of darkness but it is a burden and a grief to be in company with the wicked and presses and grievs their righteous spirits as it did just Lot who was grieved with the sins of Sodom hearing and seeing their wickedness and profaneness it grieved his righteous spirit day by day so it is with the Children of God what their father loves they love and what he hates they hate also But the Children of the wicked one who are born from below are contrary in nature to the Children of the holy one and bears a contrary Image and so contrary fruits and are of the same nature with their father the wicked one which is the devil who is unclean and hates the truth and loves iniquity so all his children are naturally inclined to evil and hates the truth and lives in iniquity and loves darkness rather then the light because their deeds be evil and so are under the wo and condemnation aliens and strangers from the living God and from the covenant of promise for the wicked have no right unto the promises of life but their portion is wo and misery in the lake of fire Now thou that reads this read within thy self with that of God in thee which is light and it will let thee see whose child thou art and whose Image thou bears whether the Image of the holy one or the Image of the wicked one and what thy nature is inclined unto whether to good or to evil and whether thou takest delight in the Law of God and his commandments or whether thy delight be in the things of the world which fades away whosoever thou art whether Professor or prophane one thou canst not serve two masters thou canst not be heir of two kingdoms thou canst not have enjoy the love of God and the love of the world at one time for the love and friendship of the world is enmity against God therefore saith the Apostle love not the world neither the things that be in the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him for the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye and the pride of life this is not of God but of the world and if thy heart and affections be hankring after the things of the world whether gold or silver lands or livings wife or children goods or cattel pleasures or earthly honour or seeking earthly preferment if thy love be drawn away to any of these earthly things and there takes pleasure and delight thou art not a childe
then anger and passion arises and so the old man is alive and the old garments are on these are the tokens and marks of a Heathen Therefore in the fear and name of the Lord I do exhort you to put off the old garments which defile you put off the old man with his deeds put away lying and swearing pride and vain pleasures drunkenness quarrelling whoredoms murders scoffing and jeering and such like deeds of darkness these are the filthy garments which defile you the old man which is to be put off otherwise you cannot enter into the kingdom of God and these garments must be put off before the new garments of righteousnesse be put on there must be a putting off the deeds of darkness before there be a putting on the armour of light for the new garments of righteousness must not be put upon the old garments of unrighteousnesse but first there must be a stripping off all the old coverings both of unrighteousness and self-righteousnesse for that righteousnesse is as filthy as the unrighteousness arising all from one ground and root and is both alike abomination to the Lord though many things may be acted and done amongst the formal professours which in themselves are good yet not being acted from a good ground it is evil The prayers of the wicked are abomination in the eyes of the Lord therefore cease to do evil that is the first thing to be done Let every one that nameth the Name of Jesus Christ depart from iniquity for indeed none else ought to name his Name but those who depart from iniquity for all that live in sin and filthinesse do name the Name of Christ in vain and are to depart from the presence of the Lord into the pit of darknesse therefore all and every one who seeks to be saved fear God for the fear of God is very pretious it is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death and where it is placed in the heart it keeps clean the heart and the old deeds of darknesse are put off and all the old coverings and cloathings even to be naked as a child and then the cloathing of truth is put on and the pure treasure is put into the pure heart and these are Christians and are blessed as it is written Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God for the pure eye which is the light being in the head which is Christ God who is pure is seen and felt a God near at hand dwelling in the pure heart guiding and leading all his children out of the crooked wayes and snares of death into the pure way of life and peace to worship him in spirit and in truth according as his spirit which dwells in them doth teach them these are the children of God who are taught of God and serves him in truth and uprightness of heart singly and purely in the new life of righteousness these are Christians who have put off the old garments that is all the deeds of darkness and have put on the new garments the white robes that is truth and righteousness and they are cloathed with equity having put off the old man and put on the new man Christ Jesus and are one in him and like unto him in name and in nature the same love being shed abroad in their hearts and the same mind as was in Christ and the same spirit according as it is written love one another with the same love that I have loved you withal and let the same mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus and the same spirit for he that hath not the same spirit is none of his so these are Christians who are in Christ and if any be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away and behold all things are become new new heart new mind new love new life new words and new actions new name and new nature these are them who have come through the fire and have passed through many tribulations having denied themselves and the pomp and glory of the low world and have taken up the Cross and followed Christ through the sufferings and death whereby they are crucified to the world and worldly pride and pleasures and have learned of Christ meekness and humility and so are sent forth into the world to bear witness against the unrighteousness of the world and they are willing to bear and to suffer the reproach of the world knowing it is their portion from the world But all they who are professed Christians in England and other parts who have gotten the words of the true Christians and are guilded over with glorious words and makes a fair shew outwardly as though they were a a people that did delight in the Commandements of God yet the new life of a Christian is not brought forth amongst them as was in the followers of Christ but the old life of the Heathens is in them old heart old mind old love old life old words which are corrupt old actions old name and nature deceitful hearts full of filth and abomination pride and envy wrath malice lust and covetousness double minded feigned love corrupt life filthy communication wicked actions and so the old bottle poures forth the old wine and such things as these are acted and done amongst them which are called Christians which are an ill smell and an ill savour so that the name of a Christian is become abomination among the heathen such filthiness and such abominations are acted and done amongst the Professed Christians that causes the name of Christ to be blasphemed amongst the heathens Consider well all you who say you are Christians whether indeed these things be not so is not the old man alive in you and are not you doing and fulfilling the lusts of the Devil You who say you are Christs and layes claim to him as though he were your inheritance come and let us reason together and try what right you have to this inheritance You will say the heathens are without Christ and have no right to the promise of life and so say I yet he is given a light to the Gentiles but who are the Heathens you put them a far off into other nations as to the Turks and Pagans who have not the outward name of Christians But come near and try your selves and see if you be not found the heathens All who are in Christ are Christians and all who are out of Christ are Heathens of what Nation or countrey soever they be for he is not a Christian which is one outwardly neither is that the Baptism which is outward in the flesh with outward water but he is a Christian which is baptised into Christ by the spirit and power of Christ and so is one in Christ a new creature the heart being sprinkled from an evil conscience and the body washed with pure water and the pure life of Christ is brought forth which witnesseth against the unrighteous
they did eat together in singleness of heart as it is declared and testified in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ for we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread This bread and this cup are not carnal and visible but spiritual in invisible This bread is Christ for saith he I am the bread of life I am the living bread that came down from above John 6.35 John 6.51 he that eats of this bread shall live for ever and he shall never hunger and he that drinks of this cup shall never-thirst but it shall be in him a well of living water springing up unto eternal life John 4.14 Christ Jesus is called by several names in the Scriptures and they who have the names but not the substance are in confusion and devision and falls out about the names and so runs into the outward which are but the shadowes but knows not the life and substance 1 Cor. 2.14 John 6.35 John 8.12 He who is called the bread of life the same is called the Light of the World who doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World John 1.9 and every one loving and walking in the light so they come to walk in love and unity 1 John 1.7 and are all made partakers of that one light and so of that one bread which is the Saints life 1 Tim. 3.16 which is spiritual and a mistery hidden from the world and from all worldly wisdom Psal 25.15 but revealed to them that fear the Lord and is to them a living Ordinance ordained of God for the Salvation of their souls And as for the outward water it is but a figure of the living water within which washeth and cleanseth the heart which the outward water doth not Heb. 10.22 Ephes 4.5 Mat. 3.11 As for the one Baptism I own which is the Baptism of Christ with the holy Ghost and with fire which the water Baptism was but a figure of and in denying the outward water Baptism it is no breach of Christs Commands 1 Cor. 1.17 for I was not sent to Baptize but to preach the Gospel And all you who take upon you that power I demand of you who gave you commission to go and Baptize with outward water if you take your commission from the letter without a lively commission from Christ I deny your ground and your commission 1 Cor. 3.11 for it is not the letter of the Law of God that doth impower any one to execute the Law of God neither doth the letter of the Gospel impower any one to go and preach the Gospel though they be never so skilful and expert in the knowledge of the Scripture without power from on high to commission and impower them no more then the letter of the Law of England doth impower any one to be a justice of peace to execute the Law though many may buy the letter of the Law and may be expert and skilful Yet if the earthly powers do not give them commission they cannot act as a justice nor execute the Law if they should take upon them such a thing the powers of the earth would call them into question Even so all you who have taken upon you that power to baptize without commission from the Lord assure your selves you will be called into question and in the Name of my Lord and Master I do charge you to give an account who it was that gave you commission and cease speaking against others who keep the commands of God whom you cannot accuse justly for breach of the holy and pure substantial commands And likewise all other the Ordinances of Christ as praying and singing according as the spirit of God doth move to sing with understanding 1 Cor. 14 15. and to pray with understanding for as the Apostle saith Rom 8.26.27 1 Cor. 2.10 we know not what to pray for as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities and makes intercession for us with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered for it is the spirit that makes manifest and searcheth out the deep and hidden things of God John 4.24 for as God is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit so there is none knowes him nor worships him in spirit John 3.5 but those who are born of the spirit And so whatsoever the world or the enemies of Truth do say or speak of us Rom. 13.8 yet we can truly say in the presence of the Lord that we ow no man any thing but love 2 Cor. 6.4 to the 11. desiring the good of all people that all might come to the knowledge of the truth and for this end do we labour and travel under many heavy burthens through much reproaches and cruel mockings Mat. 5.11 12. stocks bonds and imprisonments every one giving their sensures of us and so we pass thorow many tryals but in all these things we can rejoyce knowing that it is and hath been the portion of the Lords chosen ones to be reviled and persecuted by the wicked generation they went through evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true and so in the Name and Power of the Lord do we go abroad as we are led by his spirit freely declaring unto others in tenderness of love unto their fouls what the Lord hath done for our souls and we do not go about to deceive any Acts 26.18 nor to draw any to our opinions but to turn them from deceit and deceivers and to gather them to the Lord that so the Lord may teach them according as he hath promised and according as it is written Isa 56.13 all the Children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord. And though for our love we be envied and hated John 15.20 yet for Christ our Masters sake we can willingly bear it for the servant is not greater then his Masters for saith Christ as they have done unto me so will they do unto you and so it is no new thing but that which hath formerly been for the appearance of Christ was ever opposed especially by the professing people who had a form of godliness but were ignorant of the power as the Scriptures do bear testimony with me For in the time of the Law under that administration divers Statutes and Ordinances were given forth by Moses and while those things were practised and done in the integrity and simplicity of heart it was accepted of the Lord But when they turned from their integrity and uprightness of heart though they drew near to God with their lips and with their mouthes and multipled their offerings and sacrifices Yet it was abomination in the eyes of the Lord and the Lord sent his servants the Prophets to testifie
denies the true Ministers work and leads silly men and women captive laden with sin and led away with divers lusts ever learning but never comes to the true knowledge of God nor perfection such as speak from the letter and not from the spirit and cannot preach but at certain times when they have time to study and so by their industry and paines provide themselves not having freely received from the Lord such called Ministers as are thus fitted and prepared are by the will of man and are so sent forth in to the world but are not sanctified by the pure living Word of God neither do abide in the pure Doctrine of Christ 2 John 9. 1 John 2.18 26. nor bring any to perfection such we do deny and turne from them and testify against them as Antichristian and deceivers of the people 1 Joh. 3.7 8. The Church of Christ we own Secondly 1 Tim. 3. â—â— which is the pillar and ground of truth which is built of living stones elect and pretious which is the body of which Christ Jesus is the head 1 Pet. 2.5 â— and gave himself for it and purchased with his own blood that he might present it to himself a glorious Church Eph. 5.23.26 27 30. not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish this Church we own Col. 2.19 and through the love and tender mercy of our God are made members of it and so we receive nourishment from the head to nourish the body for we are members of his body of his flesh Eph. 5.29 3â— and of his bones But that which the world calls a church which is built of dead stones we do deny which is a steeple house which carnal people that know not the Church do call the Church Acts 17.24.25 but doe lie and blaspheme for Christ is not the head or a steeple-house as he is the head of his Church neither are those who are earthly carnal proud covetous envious wrathfull malicious blood-thirsty murderous 1 Cor. 6.3 10. persecuting drunken 1 Cor. 6.9 10. lying prophane light wanton ungodly ones that meet in those idolatrous places which they call Churches they are not members of Christ but limbs and members of Antichrist and them and their Church all their Services we do deny Thirdly Joh. 4.23 24. and against them testifie All the commands and Ordinances of Christ which are durable pure spiritual and substantial which tends to a godly and upright life according as we are moved and guided by the pure spirit and power of the Lord we own and practice Col. 2.14 Heb. 9.10 but all those things which are fading carnal and shadowish though once they were commands of God and of Christ yet not being given to us in Commission it is no breach of the commands in not practising those outward things to us Is 66.1 2 3. Rom. 2.28 29. no more then it was in the Prophets and Apostles in not practising the commands of God which were outward but testified against them For if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances Col. 2.20 21 22. Christ Jesus the beloved Son of God gave forth many precepts and commands all which we dearly own in their time and place but one command that he gave forth is chiefly to be observed above all others John 15.12 Joh. 13.34 35 and that is to love one another this is an enduring and a substantial command and not to be neglected for this is a true token and mark whereby the children of God are known from others as it is written Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Joh. 4.7 this command of love is the old commandement which was in the beginning and it is the new commandement which John the beloved Disciple doth so much press unto saying Beloved let us love one another for God is love and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knowes not God for God is love Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another 1 Joh. 4. Love endures for ever 1 Cor. 13. and without love all preaching praying reading singing and all other the Ordinances of God are in vain this is the chief thing love which is grown cold amongst many of those who cry up the commands and Ordinances of Christ in words but iniquity doth abound and their love is grown cold Mat. 24.12 and that is the cause of all these divisions and distractions and wrangling about Religion it is want of true love For where the love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of his people it links and joynes them together in one love and life Joh. 27.21 22 Acts 4 32. and pure way and one spiritual worship and all strife and contention and wrangling ceaseth and so they are all of one heart and mind and one faith which we own which works by love Eph. 4.4 5 6. Gal. 5.6 Another command Christ gave forth which is not to be neglected by any of his and that is this Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye likewise unto them this is an enduring and substantial command and ought duly to be observed for this is the Law and the Prophets and this command we own and teach people to observe and many others there be of like force and effect and ought not to be neglected as if any on smite thee on the one cheek Mat. 5. chap. turn the other and Christ saith Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more is evil These and all other the commands of Christ which tends to purity and leads to truth even that which the Lord loveth 1 Per. 3.4 Psal 51.6 which is truth in the inward parts to serve the Lord in truth and righteousnes all the dayes of our lives we own and practice Luke 1.74 75 and I challenge all the world to come forth and mention what they can lay to our charge But as for the outward things which are but shadowes and figures as bread wine and outward water 1 Pet. 3.21 which many of the professers in England do so much idolize and cry up though the weightier matters be neglected we are dead with Christ from such weak elements Col. 2.21 22.23 Joh. 5.50 51. and cannot be subject to such empty shadowes having tasted of the living bread and drunk of the fountain of life where satisfaction and refreshment we have found to our hungry thirsting souls And no new gospel do we preach Rom. 1.16 but the same which hath been declared by the Servants of God and Ministers of righteousness And this was that bread of life which the Saints did feed on and the Communion-Table where
of humiliation and your Lecture dayes as they are called it is all abomination to the Lord Though ye make many prayers the Lord will not hear you your hearts are polluted and your hands are full of blood Therefore fear the Lord and depart from the evil of your wayes cease to do evil and learn to do well and let every one that nameth the Name of Jesus Christ depart from iniquity Rev. 14.7 2 Tim. 2 19. Luke 17.20 Seek no longer the kingdom of God in observations without you neither spend your money for that which is not bread Isa 55.1 Luke 15.17 Mat. 11.28 29 but return home to your fathers house and there you shall find satisfaction the candle being lighted and the house being swept you will find the lost groat in your own house Hearken to the voice of Christ which cryes in your consciences for equity and reproves you for the evil of your doings that is a sure testimony it is the light of Christ Eph. 5.13 and you cannot be deceived in following the light Joh. 8.12 for saith Christ I am the light of the world and whosoever follows me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life This light is alwayes present with you and from this nothing can be hid Heb. 4.12 Prov. 20.22 this light doth discover the evil thoughts and the evil intents that arises out of the evil heart and as sin is discovered in any one wait upon the Lord for his power that it may be destroyed and so the axe comes to be laid to the root of the tree and every tree that brings not forth good fruit Mat. 3.10 1 Thes 5.21 is hewn down and cast into the fire And none be hasty in believing false reports but try all things and hold fast that which is good And this is that which we labour to bring all unto even pure truth in the inward part that so they may offer up a sacrifice in righteousness Psal 51.6 Deut. 33.19 from the pure heart to the pure God and so have peace with God and dwell in safety sitting under their own Vine and eating their own bread being built upon the Rock 1 Pet. 2.5 Mat 7.25 where the stormy tempests and the raging persecutors cannot move their foundation but stand sure being built upon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together Eph. 2 20.21 groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. And so though we the servants of the Lord be counted deceivers and the truth a Sect 2 Cor. 6.8 and the way heresie as formerly it hath been I confess as Paul did Acts 28.22 That after the way which they call herefie so worship I the God of my fathers believing all things Acts 24.14 not only what is written in the Law and the Praphets but likewise what is written in the testimony of Christ the Apostles and it is not any breach of Christs commands in denying the shadows and rudiments of the world no more then it was in Paul Col. 22.20 21 Heb 9.10 11. Col. 1.27 2 Cor. 4.11 1 John 5.10 in denying the carnal commandments and shadows of the Law witnessing the substance which is Christ within the hope of glory which I bear testimony unto even the life of Christ manifest in mortal flesh and seal it with my spirit and sign it with my name Alexander Parker To all who are hungring after the liing bread and hath not wherewith to satisfie themselves in their own houses but are seeking without and begging from others and are spending their money for that which is not bread A word of love to invite them to come into my fathers house where they shall find full satifaction with a word of exhortation to all who are called to be Saints by way of remembrance to stir up their pure minds AWake dear friends the day of the Lord is dawned and the glorious day-light is breaking forth arise out of your deep sleep and stand up from the dead that Christ may give you light the night is far spent and the day is at hand put off therefore the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light Wisdom cryes and calls unto you to come forth of darkness and all unrighteousness Oh give ear and be obedient and willing to give up all and to follow the voice of Wisdom this pure voice is near unto you even in your secret Closet secretly reproving you for your rebellion and hard-heartedness and calls unto you for purity and uprightness hearken diligently to this still voice hear and your souls shall live You have long been wandring astray and following the dead doctrines of men and have been feeding upon the dry husks and have spent your money for that which is not bread and your labour but are not satisfied and you have rejected the counsel of God and have rebelled against him and would not turn at his reproof though many times you had secret checks and reproofs by his light within you but you have not been obedient but have cast his Law behind your backs and turned from his free grace and love into wantonness and vain delights of this present world Oh return home to your Fathers house wander no longer in your dark imaginations but wait on the Lord in his fear and you shall find satisfaction take his yoke upon you and learn of Christ meekness and lowliness of spirit so shall you find rest unto your souls And all you my dearly beloved ones to whom the Gospel of peace hath been declared in the demonstration and power of the spirit who in love and tenderness have received the word of the Lord my love is enlarged and floweth forth freely unto you and my prayers to my heavenly Father for you is that you may all be preserved and kept by his mighty power through faith unto salvation All you whose understandings are opened with the light of the Lord and whose minds are turned from the darkness and false wayes and worships of the world to the living God him to worship in spirit and in truth As every one hath received of the Lord so every one wait and walk worthy of so high a calling whereunto the Lord hath called you that as you are separated from the world outwardly in a measure so the separation may be made inwardly that you may be in truth what you seem to be in shew outwardly otherwise in vain is all your profession and all your meetings together if you be not guided and led thereunto by the pure movings of the spirit of the Lord for except your righteousness do exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore all of you in the pure fear of the Lord try and examine your selves and search your own hearts and see what garments you have on and how you
out of the deceitful and wicked heart and the Devil he is the father and the Author of it and of all sin and whosoever commits sin is of the Devil and so out of the heart from the cursed ground it springs and arises for lust after it hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished brings forth death for the wages of sin is death Therefore every one in particular mind the leadings and movings of the pure spirit of Light for there is your strength near you and if ye thorow the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body then shall ye live and be made sensible of the workings of God destroying the Devils works and defacing his image and renewing in you a pure image like unto himself and so the pure Truth ye will really be possessed of that which the Lord doth love and desire even Truth in the inward parts and offer up a sacrifice in righteousness to the Lord which is a broken heart and a contrite spirit which ever was and is acceptable in the eyes of the pure God for God is pure and loves righteousness and to know him and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent is life eternal Now to have a literal knowledge of him and so to speak of him from the Scripture letter and not from the spirit and power of God within this is not a saving knowledge but puss up into pride and soto reject and despise the cross of Christ Such a knowledge had they who crucified the Son of God and such a knowledge have many in our age but are persecuting the appearance of Christ in his Saints But this I say none knows the Lord in Truth and Righteousness but as he is revealed and manifested by his spirit within for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep and hidden things of God So all turn in your minds and wait upon the Lord in the Light of his spirit that into his house you may be led there to feed upon the living bread soul-satisfying food upon the hidden Manna that which the world knowes not but it is hid from them who be without feeding amongst the swine upon the husks and empty shadowes but through love and mercy is revealed unto us by the spirit of our God and freely imparted unto you to invite you to come in to our Fathers house that you may eat with us and be satisfied and praise the Lord with us in the Land of the living for ever and ever Oh my dearly beloved whom my soul longs and breaths after whom in the truth I dearly love you are as a lively Epistle written in my heart and I cannot forget you go on in the Name and Power of the Lord look not back there is nothing behind you but death and darkness for if any one draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in them therefore press on towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus let not the rage of the heathen daunt you knowing that it is our portion from that wicked and untoward generation to be reproached and reviled But blessed are ye when men revile you and reproach you and persecute you and speak all manuer of evil against you falsely for the Name of Christ rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets and the holy Apostles which which were before you for if you were of the world then would the world love you but because Christ Jesus hath chosen you out of the world to be unto him a holy People therefore do they of the world who know not God hate and revile you but herein they are discovered and made manifest of what generation they are of even of cursed Cains who slew his brother and where envy and rage is they bear the mark of Cain and so in this day of the Lord they are made manifest for wherever persecution is it is a mark of the beast that makes war against the Lamb and it is not the mark or token of a Christian for the Nature of a Christian is to suffer and not to persecute therefore though ye suffer and be reproached yet be not discouraged but put on the strength of God the armour of righteousness whereby ye may all be kept safe and the fiery darts of the wicked cannot pierce you Dwell in meekness and love and pure innocency these are the Garments of the Lamb which the world cannot stain though they may cast dirt and filth upon you by their lies and false slanders yet your innocency and uprightness shall stand a witness against them and so their mouths shall be stopped and the witness of God in their own consciences shall testifie against them and answer for you and for the Lords Truth which you profess and make them to acknowledge though against their wills that God is in you of a Truth I do by the power of the Lord charge you all in the presence of the Lord who profess the light that you walk in the light that every one may be in life and substance what you seem and profess your selves to be in words that no hypocricy may be amongst you nor deceit nor feigned love nor seeming shew of feigned humility for that is gross and wicked abomination in the eyes of the pure God but that indeed and in truth your love may flow forth one towards another without dissimulation for this is a true mark and token that you are the Lords chosen ones for hereby shall all men know that you are followers of the Lord if ye love one another for love is of God and all who dwell in love they dwell in God for God is love Oh let this love constrain you to deney your selves freely and follow him who by his love invites you to come and eat and drink freely at his Table Let not the love of the world nor any other earthly enjoyment draw away your hearts and affections from the pure love of God into the love of the visible and creaturely enjoyments and so for a messe of pottage Esau like sell your birth-right for want of a small thing of self-denyal chusing the pleasures of the World as many do rather then to suffer with the people of God despising and counting the Cross of Christ foolishness and so lose the Crown of glory Oh let it not be so with any of you but take up the Cross willingly and despise not the day of small things but whatsoever the light of Christ doth shew you to be evil or vain cast off and deny that evil and vanity otherwise you cannot have true peace for whilst the wild nature is at liberty and the unruly affections and lusts they war against the soul therefore saith Christ take my yoke upon you and learn of me I am meek and lowly in spirit and you shall find rest unto your souls So the yoke of Christ being laid upon the