faith on tho earth Who they be that are under the Law and who they be that have made void the Laâ— against themselves and who they be that are under Grace GRace reigns throvgh righteousness and the Law through Transgression and he that sayes he is from under the Law and the transgressor alive he makes void the Law against himself but is under it in the account of God For the Seed or Image of God being fallen the transgressor is above to whom there is no Grace nor-Life promised who hath no true obedience but for self-ends upon this is the Law added till the promised Seed arise And a School master the Law is till it bring to Christ who of the woman is made under the Law who takes upon him the Seed after the flesh the Soul to redeem from under the Transgressor that the natural Plant of God may grow so who can witness the Teachings and Chastizings of the Law to bring him so low till he come under the Seed so as the seed be set above the head of the Transgressor and have bruised it and have taken away the strength of sin there the strength of the Law is taken away also And as the Soul is raised up through the Law the Law being fulfilled by the seed through the Spirit so it arises above the Law into the Kingdom of Grace which reigns through Righteousness and not by making void the Law for the Grace is to the Seed and the Law to the Transgressour and as these reign in the Creature so is he under the law or under Grace for the Law hath power over the man of sin as long as he lives then is the Seed of the Promise in bondage but he being dead by which the seed is held captive the seed rises under Grace which as it rifes through the law fulfils it and being fulfilled it loses its strength as sin dies and so hath no more power the Law being the strength of sin till it be fulfilled by the seed through the Spirit so he that is dead to sin is free from sin and under Grace And he that casts off the Law while he is alive that sins makes void the Law against himself So he that 's under Grace is dead to sin and dead to the Law which is the strength of sin and sin hath no more dominion over the soul the power of it being subdued which was the Law unfulfilled but where the Law is made void the strength of sin yet remains and the Law will overtake them in the end And he that learns this in the Death and Resurrection and eternal life shall in this work learn what the Transgression is and how the law is added upon him and how it is the strength of sin in him but not in the seed and what it is that makes the entrance through the Law and how Grace comes to abound where sin hath abounded and to reign through Righteousness unto eternal life So where the Transgressor is slain there the Law is at an end and fulfilled and the natural Plant of God brings forth against which there is no law but the law is against the man of sin and the man of sin against the law as long as he lives and power it will have over him and one jot of it will not pass away till it be fulfilled And he that would cast off the Law and make it void is far from Grace but in him that fulfils the Law doth Grace and Truth abound Of the Way of Life from the Knowledge that devours the Life WOuldest thou know the way of Life from that Knowledge which devours the life then be no longer as the wild Asses Colt but take up the yoak of the Son in whom thou sayest thou believest that the life of Faith thou may feel and know for only in the obedience is the life made sure to thee of what thou believest and thereby is faith and knowledge made perfect But untill thou attain power for obedience of Faith thou art dead and knows but words in which thy Faith stands without life which accomplishes nothing but will arise to condemn thee when thy time is out Therefore in all thy seeking mind that which worketh in a lowly mind calling thee into the Obedience of what is there made manifest in the begettings of the Father and not in the conceivings of the Brain but in the Son For in the Brain-knowledge the Boaster Rules who glories in the wisdom of words but not in the words of life but in the Obedience of the Son is the Father known and glorified in such as walk in the Spirit and not in the mind whose praise is of God and their lives hid with him from all knowledge but what is Revealed in the Obedience of the Son So from man you may learn the knowledge of words but the knowledge of life is only begotten of God so he that hath the Son hath life not of the disobedient Nature for the only begotten of God is Conformable to him that begetteth him in all things through Obedience So feeling thy measure of the begettings of God in it be obedient and seek not to be above it in any thing lest the enemy thereby get power in thee to puffe up thy mind in thy Knowledge above thy life which devours the life Therefore as thou feels Faith Love Meeknesse Gentlenesse Patience or any Godlinesse move in the Spirit therein become obedient with all diligence and thereby shalt thou know the power thereof against all the contrary motions in thy flesh so shalt thou learn the salvation of Grace unto life eternal which thou canst never attain by talking or any other way but in the Obedience thereof so shalt thou not receive the grace of God in vain nor words without the working power of life whereby the living knowledge of the Mystery of godliness will daily increase For by Obedience of the Spirit is the soul purified from its darkness and pollution and made fit for the further manifestation of the hidden Mystery and the receiving the fulness thereof and walking therein And so by the holy Ghost thou shalt be able toconfess Jesus Lord over all powers in heaven and in earth the opener of all secrets and only revealer of the Father who begetteth by whom thou becomes wise in thy knowledge unto salvation not unto vain babling whose words shall rise and Condemn them who glory therein But thou if in Spirit thou hearken diligently and obey shalt know that he who sometimes spoke by the Prophets doth now speak by his Son the everlasting power of godliness only begotten of the Father and in all things like unto him in whom he is made manifest And the Prophets have Prophesied of glory to come but the Son declares the Father in the present life according to the measure of him formed and as he arises in fulness he opens the heavens and gives the inheritance thereinto An opening of Light to all sorts of Rulers
and People that wait for the Kingdom of God that you may not oppose him in his appearance nor set up another to reign upon earth in his stead DO you say you seek God you Rulers and People will you seek his face upon earth or would you see his appearance to reign in righteousness or can you rejoyce to see him manifest in flesh or do you love his image who is the Fathers of Lights from whom you look for the Son from Heaven then be not carnally minded in your expectation least you know him not in his appearance who is a Spirit and so oppose him as your Fathers in the flesh ever did except you be born of the Spirit you cannot see the Kingdom of God The Father dwells in the light and changes not and the Son is the light of the World in his own Image by whom he changes all things that are out of him and overturns shadows and customs and makes the world new and in Spirit and power is his Kingdom upon Earth and the flesh is the Vail with which he was ever hid from flesh and bloud but revealed in spirit to such as desired to know no man after the flesh to set up or to worship And no man could ever say that this Jesus was Lord but by the Holy Ghost So with the light of the Spirit alone which sees through the vail is Jesus known to be Lord and King for ever with which you may all see what you set up to be Lord and Ruler in your selves or over others You that chuse Rulers Judges and Justices Mayors and Constables c. Do you see through the Vail to chuse Jesus in Spirit to Rule over you or over others Is that eye open which knows the Holy Ghost what Vessel is filled therewith that you may chuse him to Rule in his Kingdom do you seek for that Spirit to chuse withall by which alone Jesus is known to be Lord Then it is plain yon seek Gods Kingdom in the face of Jesus Christ who is that spirit which turning to causes the vail to be taken away from all hearts and will change you also into his image by that Spirit as saith the Scriptures So there was none to be chosen for Judges Kings or Rulers in Israels Common-wealth but who had of this Spirit and Unction put upon them and then the Lord Reigned over them in his Anointed whether King Priest or Prophet man or woman but when they chused Rulers like other Nations then they rejected not Samuel but the Lord that he should not Reign over them Now you that say you seek the Lord to Rule over you and say thy Kingdom come mind what you chuse to rule in you or over you with what spirit lest your practise oppose your prayers and make void your daily expectation do you chuse after the â—â—esh as other nations do or do you chuse after the holy Ghost If you chuse after the flesh then you set the vail betwixt you and the Lord and Gods Kingdom and his image you cannot see and so you reject the Lord as other nations do but if you look through the Vail unto that which is within the Vail then shall the vail be taken away from all your hearts and you shall see him amongst you whom you wait for and him alone set up and worship and chuse him alone to reign over yon who is near you at hand to all that put not his day afar off So if you make Rulers like all the Nations then after the flesh they that are rich they that are proud they that are full of earthly glory c. Here is the earth set above then the Vail is before your eye and you see not the Lord that Spirit nor do you set up Jesus to be Lord by the Holy Ghost but iâ— that eye be open in you that can see through the vail of earth and all this deal of flesh and darkness to that which is within the vail even the holy One in his Temple him to chuse and set above in your mindes then your eye shall see the Lords anointed and the King in his glory and he shall rule whose right it is in every heart and your Governors shall be of your selves and all violence shall cease and shakings of Governments the Government being upon his shoulders who is the Prince of all your peace in the great and in the small who shall reign in righteousness and judge the people with equity for God and not for rewards to whose authority every knee shall bow and every tongue confess for conscience sake his name being written in every heart will then be read whose kingdom is everlasting and in spirit and power he reigns and in spirit is worshipped in heaven and in earth who fills all things with the presence of his Glory and his kingdom is near to all that can believe it s within you saith Christ and he rules where he is not known though not to salvation who is made of the seed of David after the flesh by the word of God to all Generations a King for ever according to promise whose Kingdom the eye which the god of this world hath blinded is putting afar off who sees not the light of his glorious Gospel though he be not afar off but him in whom all things have life and being either to salvation or condemnation and this is the condemnation that light is come already into the world which men who loves their evil deeds say is to come and so looks for that withouâ— who is a spirit within and therein hath ever reigned more or lesse but now is arising to his day over all the world whose sound is gone out to the ends of the earth and his light ariseth in every heart to life or condemnation and some it leads into rest and others it pricks to the heart and they kick against it and will not have it to rule therein and to this day he is rejected of the builders who is the first born unto God in Spirit blessed over all And now all sorts of people who in truth wait for the Kingdom of God upon earth with that which in you is of him you may all see if you keep that eye single when he draws near who is born of the Spirit and when he is put afar off in his Government here below when you behold in any manner of Authority such a spirit as is for God alone looking to that of God in every man without respect of person or riches and with a single eye seeks to find out where that measure of God is transgressâ—d in any or where it is oppressed by any and with that measure of God in himself seeks to set judgement upon the head of the transgressor and to set free the innocent principle of God in all which will not lead any to evil then is the judgement of God and for God and that of God is set above in
all that 's he that 's born of God here the kingdom of God is near and as this increases so God draws near and his Kingdome increases and that of God in you all will answer thereto and rejoyce thereat which waits for him and that which is upright in every heart shall say that is the judgement of God and in that Vessel is God on his Throne according to the measure of that Spirit set up in Judgement so is Jesus Lord by the Holy Ghost known and bowed to But on the contrary in what place of authority soever it be in which the Innocent comes for Judgement against the Oppressor who is too strong for him and so seeks to Justice to plead his Cause and to deliver the seed of God that is burthened and when he comes his Cause is not heard but is thrust away if not further ensnared because he cannot oppress that of God in him more either by bowing to something of vain Customs or Worships never set up by God nor owned by his witness for Conscience sake or else because he cannot hire his judgement by feeding a covetous Spirit which is for Rewards and not for God that he Judges and so the innocent soul is not relieved at this throne but sent away as an offender from that place where he should be eased and justified with the judgement of a free spirit for justice sake doth not that of God in you all testifie against this that judgement is here turned backward in that vessel and that Jesus is not Lord therein so the innocent heart is sadned but not saved and the Kingdom of God put afar off and the Scepter of Righteousness not seen Wherefore Rulers and People who set up flesh instead of the holy Spirit to rule over you the wills of men the pride and glory of this world or any visible thing here below born after the flesh see what you chuse and what you put afar off and with that spirit you now chuse you will never see the Kingdom of God nor be able to say in truth that Jesus is Lord it s by the spirit of holiness meekness and true judgement and works of righteousness that Jesus is known to reign and therein stands the sight of his Kingdom and Lordship in every heart in every Court and in every place of judgement to all generations which you deny in chusing the man of this world after the flesh to rule in you or over you therein and yet you say you look for him and thy Kingdom come daily but deny him in the simplicity of his lowly spirit to rule for his own in all as all your Rulers ever did as you have read in words and now may read in deeds the world by wisdom knows not God so that spirit chuses its own to rule but cannot receive him whom you say you look for And how should any one who sees the kingdom of God and where the simplicity of Christ is above own that kingdom or worship that Spirit and not betray the simplicity of Christ and give his honour to another And if in the meeknesse of mind you did but weigh this you could not think it so strange why so many at this day who have received the kingdom of God in his lowly just and righteous spirit chuse rather to suffer death under that spirit of this world then to bow to worship it or confess that due thereto which belongs onely to Jesus the Lord neither would you say it was obstinacy or contempt of Authority rather to suffer by the will of man then to rob the Lord of his glory and deny Christ in his kingly office set up another in his place And herein true wisdom may see that in so doing we resist not that power which is ordained of God nor the person but that spirit we testifie against by sufferings under which God never anointed for a Saviour holding forth the anointing as we have received for a witness against him in the spirit of meekness confessing our King in whom we receive power to suffer so to us he is come and by the gift of the Holy Ghost we can say he is Lord therefore to us there is but one Lord though there be many so called whether in heaven or in earth yet have we but one in all both in heaven and earth and him we know where ever he is by the gift of the Holy Ghost and to him in spirit we confesse and bow and the fruits of his spirit are manifest with the light of the world testifying against all the works of darkness in all the children of his kingdom And to us he is born who is from above the Holy Child wonderful in Councel and Strength whose heavenly power and vertue takes â—uâ— affections from all earthlyobjects and worship whose name is Immanuel and it is written in our hearts and shed abroad into the world in our lives and Christ Jesus is the end of our conversation him alone to put on above all to preach by walking in him as we have received of that lively image of holiness and truth the anointed of God and so we confess him before men who is the right heir in what vessel soever he appears and the praise we give to God where this treasure is found in the earthen vessel and the hope of all our glory is Christ within and the increase of his government is Christ within of which there is no end and with that spirit is all righteousness established the kingdom of God upon earth and eternal life And where this is not seen chosen and followed there men rule in their own wills and where mens persons and riches is respected in chusing such there the same is respected in judgement by such and the Law of God is perverted and the sword of Justice which should defend the cause of the innocent is laid by and the fist of wickednesse is lâ—ft up against that which is tender of God in every conscience and when this rules the righteous seed mourns in secret but wickedness reigns openly and this is and ever was the state of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdoms of the Gentiles the one rules in the Spirit of Holiness and the other exercise Lordship in their own wills chosen and set up not by the Holy Ghost as you may read in the Scriptures concerning Israels common wealth who when they wanted the ruling of this spirit they sold themselves under their enemies but when this was their Judge they had a Saviour chosen after the spirit not after the flesh what ever was the vessel the Spirit was their Saviour Moses was a poor wandring Shepheard yet in this Spirit a God to Pharaoh and Saviour of Israel Samuel a poor man who received no reward for judgment and when they went about to chuse another after the manner of other Nations they rejected God who then gave them a King in his wrath David a poor man not chosen by
and given me hope to attain him yet I had not thâ—n learned him nor was he yet formed in me so was I led in the Light of Christ to see what I had of this treasure in the earthen vessel which I found to be in me very little and that Seed the least of all Seeds so I became little in that eye which told me the truth though I had been high in my own thoughts formerly And so to the Word of the beginning of Christ I was led or the first Principle of the Doctrine of Christ that with that which teacheth Christ I might learn Christ in every measure of him as I grew therein so was I brought to know him that was made under the Law and to the foundation of repentance from dead works and to doctrines of Baptisms and to Eternal Judgement then came I in Truth and Life to see what they were doing whom the Apostles exhorted to work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling after they had fully believed what Christ had done for them at Jerusalem in that Vessel and many other Scriptures did he open to me as I learned him which before to me was a Mystery while I learned them in meanings without the Life of Christ which then was opened by the Revelation of Jesus Christ as they came to be fulfilled in me being led by the same Spirit in that work of Faith then came I to see that I through the Law must be redeemed from the Law and that my redemption from it must not be by making it void but by fulfilling of it and till then it had power over me and sin took occasion by it to strengthen it self in me but as I came to grow in the Spirit and Power of Christ I was in him brought through it it in him fulfilled and I dead to it as it came to be fulfilled and the words of Christ I found true I came not to break the Law but to fulfil it and it is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away then one jot of the Law to pasâ— away till it be fulfilled and I needed not a meaning to that Scripture but a fulfilling thereof in Christ Jesus and the Schoolmaster that brings to Christ I learned and Christ formed the heir under tutors before I knew the liberty of the Son of God or perfect freedom and then I saw the Scriptures could not be broken nor wrested but it must be learned in the life of it to Salvation which the unlearned wrest to their own destruction by meanings without life and that it was of no private interpretation but this one Spirit must open it all in the fulfilling thereof and this Faith in Christ Jesus onely was able to make wise unto Salvation of Eternall Life And then came I clearly to see Christ Jesus set before me in all things that I was to go through in that faith which I had first received and that the attaining of him was the hope of glory and no hope without him and this hope was as an Anchor in all hardships and temptations which was not a few I was led through but all was counted little while I stood in this Faith for the hope that was in me to win Christ and I clearly saw that notwithstanding my first faith in what he had done at Jerusalem yet if I did not continue therein to follow the same spirit in obedience thereto believing therein in all its leadings hoping to attain to Christ Jesus the end of that Faith in daily growing towards his Stature and fulness but had turned aside or set down short of the leadings of that Spirit in the way I had made void my hope of Glory the work of my redemption and that which Christ did at Jeruâ—alem as to me and had denyed my first Faith and could not have been saved from wrath to come That being the end of that Faith committed to me that therein I might faithfully without doubting follow him in Spirit through all Tryals and Temptations of which way he was a perfect example in his walking in that Flesh at Jerusalem that through the Scriptures I might have hope seeing he went the same way before me there in which he now leads and thaâ— therein I might see him to be the same to all generations as he was there and in his Saints that followed him And as they exhorted one another to look unto him in their Travel who was the Authour and Finisher of their Faith and to consider him as an example who endured such contradictions of sinners against himself least they should be weary of suffering and faint in their mindes and â—o their Faith and Hope was strengthened So also I looking to the same in him and also in them after him my Faith and Patience might be doubled and my obedience made without doubting and my hope firme unto the end which end was the winning Christ in me the Hope of Glory the great Mystery of Faith which is hid from all till the Revelation of Christ Jesus and so when the Saints and Apostles had Christ revealed in them they were able Ministers of him and had the mystery opened and preached it without doubt that mystery of godlinesse which was great yet hid from the world but to them without all controversie God manifest in flesh not God flesh but manifest in flesh which mystery of Faith they held in a pure conscience and so I knew my Faith to be the same Faith once delivered to the Saints and the good fight of that faith I came to know and that Faith which overcomes the world which hath the promise and inheritance of Eternal Life which all that go back from denyes the Faith of Christ and sets up a Faith without Christ which is not the faith of Christ and so in the learning of Christ I came to see the faith of Christ from faith to faith and the faith of Devils the living working faith and the dead faith without works and I finde that Christ never believed that he could never be perfect nor overcome the Devil nor overcome sin it was never the Faith of Christ to make void the Law of his Father unfulfilled in him it was never his faith to revenge evil but to overcome it with good it was never his faith to respect persons or that he could commit sin and not be the servant of sin it was never his faith to sue contend or fight or persecute any to judge for rewards or Preach for hire or any way to serve the Mammon of this world it was not his Faith to observe his own will his own times or the worlds customes but to observe his Father in all things and onely what he received from him that he did and could do nothing of himself he never believed them to be children of God who said and did not And much such like things as these were never by him believed but is the worlds faith to uphold them in sin
the outward appearance as man looks but by the heart by the direction of the Spirit he was the Shepherd of Israel and his seed of the same Election hath the everlasting Kingdom of promise to all generations Elisha a Plowman yet by that Spirit was he the Chariots of Israel and horsmen thereof Deborah a woman yet a Judge deliverer to Israel And too long would it be to instance in all ages how he hath set up his throne and saved his people in this Election not of wisdom riches or worldly glory but the poor of this world rich in faith heirs of the Kingdom of promise which you say you look for but cannot see nor receive while you chuse after the flesh as the world hath ever done who still have bent all their wisdom and Religion to keep the Heir out of his Kingdom whom they have been looking for after the flesh but not believing in the light to give them a sight through the vail to him that is born of the â—pirit have resisted the Holy One and chosen the murtherer as did your Fathers so do you alwayes resist the Holy Ghost and as it was so it is that which is born of the flesh is flesh chuses after the flesh and worships after the flesh for it can see no further it cannot see the Kingdom of God and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and chuses after the spirit and worships in spirit and these are contrary Kingdoms and he that 's born after the flesh persecutes him that 's born after the spirit ever did and ever will do for the Scripture cannot be broken which hath so said and is now fulfilled And now you that are called Christians you read and Preach of this King Christ Jesus and his Kingdom what a One he ever hath been in his appearance upon Earth by whom he hath been received and by whom rejected and after what manner he hath ever suffered and by what power he hath reigned in all ages and this you will confesse in words but will you now receive him to reign in you Or can you own his appearance where it is set up in others and not be offended therewith is that eye open that knows him or can you delight in him who was never like the world in his walkings was not he ever poor as to this world and therefore rejected of the rich and learned lowly and rejected of Princes and them that was high was not his work ever to change shadows and forms and Religious traditions set up in mens minds above the life of Truth and leadings of the spirit and to set up spiritual worship and obedience in its place And therefore by the builders ever rejected and condemned and his new work was ever foolishness to the wise wherefore he bare the reproach thereof with patience was he not ever meek and innocent and harmless in his conversation towards all men as a Lamb indeed separate from sinners in life yet seeking them to save out of sin with the daily giving up his life c So he was and so he hath ever appeared on earth now can you receive him King as he was you that wait for him Or do you think he is changed Is he now become proud and lofty in flesh after the world cruel coverous and hard-hearted subtle and crafty to deceive the simple strong and violent to trample on the helpless doth the glory of his Scepter now stand in meats and drinks and fine apparel or great earthly possessions doth he now come to take up his abode and delight in these things who ever hath come to take the minds of his people out of these things up into the heavenly treasure doth he now delight in earthly glory strife and exaltation Is the weapons of his warfare now become carnal wherewith he over comes his enemies doth he now come with haling and beating whips and prisons and cruel tortures to take the Kingdom of peace who hath suffered such things formerly from the world himself will he now turn oppressor of that which is tender in Conscience and grind the face of the poor or pervert the Judgment of the needy Should he now be seen in works of this nature were this to appear the second time without sin unto salvation as he is promised Sure the vail is thick over that heart who sees not that this is not his Kingdom Power nor Glory nor his image who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Yet is this nature above in many and chosen to Rule over many who say they wait for his Kingdom that eye being darkned with the love of the world which should give the true sight of his coming the carnal mind thinks God to be like himself But did you but honestly look into your own hearts with that eye which puts a difference between things that differ in your selves to know each motion of each Spirit and each power and the end and nature of its working the earthly and the heavenly you would soon be able to Judge of these two which so far differ in their fruits and are so contrary in all things and to own the right heir in his Kingdom But while you suffer the god of this world to keep his Throne in your hearts by letting him captivate your minds and affections into earthly delighrs it is not like he will suffer you to chuse aright nor receive another to reign in you or over you the eye of the mind being blinded therewith the light of the Gospel cannot shine into the heart by which you should chuse and which gives the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus nor that treasure be seen or received in the earthen vessel as King either in your selves or others but the wise in heart knows what they wait for and when they see him they rejoyce with the joy of his Kingdom which consists not in carnal things nor comes with outward observations but whose coming is within and whose Kingdom consists in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost blessed be our King for ever and blessed are they who put not his Kingdom afar off .. And therefore you Rulers and People of all sorts high and low this word is to you and this day is to you the day of the Lord arise and receive your King into his Kingdom that he may receive you and establish you therein the Lord it at hand he is near to all that call up on him in truth and righteonsness To you Princes Judges Justices Mayors and Constables all sorts of Rulers who are in the place to Govern the Lord is at hand he is near you all the Kingdom of God is within you the Principle of God is within you with which if you mind it he will break the yoak of the oppressor within you and without you by the sword of Justice that 's his Kingdom upon earth put it not afar off let it arise
not thus with Israel when they builded Temples and increased their Altars and multiplied their Sacrifices what was the end was it not all to sin for thereby they strengthened themselves against the way of the Loâ—d in his Prophets and blessed themselves in their worships said no evil should come upon them for they made many prayers but their hands were full of blood for the best of them was become as a Bryar in the way of the Innocent and â—he most upright as a Thorn-hedg in the way of his servants in whon he appeared against their back-sliding evils and false worships but they were not so to their own Teachers for them they fed fat and gave gifts rewards and hire to them so having got Prophets of their own in their way then they joyned together and one cryed peace to another and when God came to break that peace in his way and to tell them it was not his peace then they all joyned to hedge him out and made a wall against him of their own righteousnesse which they daubed up with their increase of Sacrifices and false worships so they said they were innocent people said so and Priest and Prophets and Rulers said so for they had trimed their own ways so they said they should have peace and he that told them truth then became their troubler So having covered themselves with this garment they could shed innocent blood boldly which was found in the Skirts thereof not by secret search and what became of all this did their own wayes save them in the end did not innocent blood out-cry the multitude of their Altars till there was no remedy So he became their enemy whom they called their Redeemer So now read your wayes at this day and measure them in Truth and see what it is you are hedging our who it is and what is his message against and what is his manner of coming and our manner of opposing that so if it were possible you might come to see a glimps of the old way and of your own works is it not he that comes to cry out against that which is wicked in your streets and false in your worships that 's become your enemy and breaks your peace whom your hedge cannot stop nor your wall keep out how many bryars and Thorns are set against him at this day to take hold of him if he do but open his mouth in your streets what Laws new and old theâ—e is to make him an offender for a word in your Temples how is he beat in your Synagogues haled before Rulers and cast into Prisons how is the Scriptures fulfilled upon you and his witness doubled against you manifold over above all your forefathers of whom you read and yet you say you are innocent you are no persecutors but for liberty of Conscience they were persecutors that so used him in the Prophets and in the Apostles and in Queen Maries dayes that so used Martyrs c. but cannot see your work of the same nature which Queen Maries Laws are far too short for you to accomplish but with many additions thereto are you in much fury driving on to destruction yet having trimed your own way say you we are Christians and have a Gospel Ministry of godly men c. But what Christians did ever Christians count it a breach of their Peace to reprove sin in the Gate or where ever it is committed did Christians ever cast into prison or count it disorder to dispute in their Synagogues in the time of their worship did they ever make a Law to whip strangers who asks them nought or to force people to swear against the conscience and many such things are now done which in the time of the Apostles the heathen came far short of which now is filling up all against him whose coming is ever as a stranger in the earth and what hedgings here is at this day to keep him out from his own is plainly to be seen and that he should not have liberty to seek up his lost ones in high-wayes and hedges Markets and Steeple-houses how have you heightned your walls higher then your fore-fathers and what daubing is at this day against the way of God from which your own wayes cannot save you for the way of God is perfect and will endure to aâ—l Generations wherein the upright walks and sinners falls in opposition thereto But how should you know his way who denies his light within seeing they that rebell against the light never knew the pathes thereof you aâ—e they who have erred in your hearts and therefore have not known his wayes and how should you have peace or enter into his rest for you that denies his light and resists his Spirit in your hearts must needs be offended at his coming in your streets so you have set your selves against him and he hath set himself against you as at this day and therefore it is not with you now as it was when you were in the work of making him way to walk in tender consciences and you will find him arise more to cross your wayes as you seek to stop his way you have begun to walk contrary to him and he is beginning to walk contrary to you and unto you is he become an enemy so take heed what you do for till you return will he watch over you for evil and not for good and the more you trim your own wayes to withstand his way the more will he discover the blood of the innocent in your skirts before the Sun till all may see you are no Christians nor what you Profess but open enemies to God and his people and your hands full of blood Wherefore be not rash you heady people you that are but looking for his coming iâ— outward observations are witnesses against your selves that his way you have not yet learned though you have read of it yet you know it not and will you appoint him a way and call it his way and will he own it who comes a way you have not known nor can believe if you be told it it would be your wisdom to stand still every one and cease from your own wayes and wait in the light which only gives the knowledge of him and his way which light shines in the heart as saith the Scriptures and the Kingdom of God is within you and he whom you oppose is a Spirit and comes a spiritual way to cut down spiritual wickedness so to the Spirit of light turn that you may see to prepare to meet him in his own way and not to set your way to oppose him that he should not break you to pieces The living God glorified in his Temple the true Worshippeâ—s that worship him in Spirit and in Truth NOw glory to God in Heaven and the thousands of his Saints doth confess him upon earth who bear his Name and testimony against the world who have still put his coming afar off who have
not that which they profess in them but tell of great things which they have not who are without God in spirit and his worship in Spirit such as Christ said worshipped they knew not what and such now worship they know not what who worship that they have not and profess him they possess not without God in the world in whose heart there is not God who are not the Temples of the living God but to this day worship in Temples made with hands as those who resisted the Holy Ghost ever did and how should such be holy vessels holy men and women what should sanctifie where God is not and what should lead where the spirit is not but the blind eye that leads into the ditch and what is like to govern where God is not in his throne in the heart how can such but be filled with unrighteousness who retain not God in their knowledge so it is not strange to the children of light who with the eye of God are guided to see the whole world lie in wickedness and to see such thingâ— acted againsâ— God in his Temples now by such as are without God as ever was so the Scriptures are fulfilled as you may read And ye holy iâ— heart rejoyce and lift up your heads towards the day of Redemption and own your generation here on earth that you may be gatâ—ered to the Fathers with that which comes from above and that spirit which perfects the just and casts out the unjust where are the dogs and Adulterers and such as know not God and where the hearts are gathered to the Fathers in God there the earth is blessed whose God is the Lord who have received the spirit from on high and are filled with the Holy Ghost as Stephen was who saw heaven open who was full of God whom the great Professors stoned who was full of wrath and yet said they looked for his coming from Scriptures yet like mad men run upon him destroyed his Temple so he destroyed their temple which they thought to uphold who resisted God the Holy Ghost because he had no place in them who could not receive the light of the world nor his word could find place in them but in such as they â—â—st out it found place whose bodies were the Temple of the livâ—â—g God as he hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and 〈…〉 och walked within with God in spirit and was not Isaiah God â—ad wrought all his works in him Jeremy waâ— full of the fury of the Lord Ezekiel was the son of man And Daniel had the spirit of them mâ—st High God the spirit of light understanding Aâ—d Paul had the Son of God revealed in him the same that he Preached and said they that knew not Christ in them were reprobates and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit And to David the Lord said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and David declared it and the Saints were begotten of God and partakers of the Divine nature and confessed the Father and the Son in them and that the Son of God was come and had given them an understanding which they that looked for him to come without understood not who beat him in their Synagogues and shamefully intreated him because they knew not the Father nor the Son but said he was to come And they that had the Son had Life and the rest was children of wrath filled with wrath and so the Father and the Son supt with such as had them and the Lord was at their Table and they fed with him in his sufferings and blood and the rest made a large Profession of him but fed at the table of Devils and these grew great in violence and strong to devour and shed blood and the other excelled in meekness and patient in suffering and here were they separated into life and death never like to meet more And here now may all read the worship in spirit in such as know God in spirit and the worship in Letter in them that have not God and know not what they worship and these know not what they do who know not what they worship and the Son of God saith Father forgive them they know not what they do who saith they worship they know not what who worship not in spirit who worship in their thoughts of God but not the Spirit of God in possession and knowledge who think they do God service to kill and destroy the Temple of God because they know not him in themselves that is worshipped therein as Christ hath foretold and must be fulfilled at the coming of the Holy Ghost And when God descends from heaven to walk on Earth in his Temples and to require his worship to himself out of all Sects and traditions this is his entertainment from all that look for him in observations whose coming is within and his Kingdom is within you And now to you he is come of whom you have been long talking and in that way he appears among you of which you are Preaching The Jews had but the prophesies and shadows to know him by reading without them but you read and Preach in words of the lively pattern in spirit and have heard of the same Life and Testimony which now he bears against you in his Temples and when he comes you cannot receive him who suffers the same things among you Oh England how wilt thou stand in judgement what wilt thou plead for thy self when he arises to judgement whose Testimony against thee is drawing to an end what will be thy excuse and who wilt thou say thou took him to be who now endures such contradiction against himself such haling beatings scourgings and mockings and banishings imprisonings and death without resistings hast not thou heard of him before he came that thou might have known in this thy day the things of thy peace hast thou not read of him that is sent to seek his lost in Temples and Synagogues in Markets and where the greatest of the people be in which manner he now appears and being refused of the rich gathers the poor in the high wayes and hedges and yet hath no where to lay his own head hast thou not heard of the everlasting way of his walkings in Prophets and Apostles and his pilgrimage in their bodies upon eaâ—th who was ever a stranger in the world at his coming from Heaven what spirit wilt thou say this is which hath conformed so many at this day who was amongst you like wolves to devour others now to suffer the spoiling of their goods and torturings of their bodies and taking away their lives without seeking the least revenge wilt thou at that day say thou had thought it had been the spirit of the Devil as many of you now doth though in your consciences otherwise convinced Alas for thee how art thou wept over at this day And what a lamentable sorrow
in the begettings of God from above to see in patience that formed born and brought forth but mixing with their reasonings and wisdom from below have not attained his appearance but have turned the truth of God into a lye his glory into shame wherefore God hath given them up to believe their own conceivings And you hath he called into that glorious hope and powerful faith wherein you now stand and them he hath left to be heirs of the corruptions of this world which they have minded more than himself where now many of them are the great opposers of his appearance who were once called to bear a measure of his testimony in spiritual life and power And now dear friends the called of God you are unto the day of his coming whose light hath shined out of darkness giving you a knowledge in this great mystery and hope and a power you have received from above whereby you are come nearer the day than those before you and many have denied the world and their Inheritance that you might stand single in hope thereof Now the day is yours if you be watchful and faithful thereto that you mix not with the earthly seed nor bring forth a false birth but that your hearts be single and open to receive him from above the heavenly seed in the will of God and not of your selves the Son of righteousness the Fathers glory who hath the living Image and power of God to make all Sons and Daughters of the most High conformable to himself and heirs with him of the same Kingdome glory and power even as many of you as so receive him as to put him on as he is and so walk in him as the begotten of God Children of the most Holy whom he hath counted worthy of so high a calling as to receive his name power and glory and to bear testimony what he is before all men and to hold forth the power that you have in his name and Image above all names and forms in heaven or in earth and this with all diligence meekness and fear lest Satan deceive you of that simplicity that is in him and so you come short of his glory and others be called Now quit your selves as the beloved of God cast off every weight which would hinder your attaining him that in the light is set before you crucifie every affection after the earthly and put away all the cares and pleasures that would choak this seed and whatever would mix in your minds or plead for a place in your hearts let it be to you as an accursed thing that the blessing of Abraham may come upon you and through you to manifest to all the world and that the holy name of Christ may be glorified in you which hath long been polluted through such as have professed it in a contrary nature For this is he to whose appearance in the World every tongue shall be made to confesse and the Angels of God shall worship him for he is the glory of God and power of righteousnesse in Heaven and in Earth Gods love and good will amongst men and in him is the Father revealed whom no eye hath seen You that have received him and hold him forth are the light of the world let him shine to the glory of your Father It 's you that hold forth the foundation of faith he being lifted up will draw all men to him hold him forth clearly as you receive him from above and there is that in every Conscience that will answer to his appearance for God hath not left him without witness So that he that believes not is condemned already in himself because he believes not in that only begotten of God whom the Father hath sent into the world If he do not that work in you which none other can do then how should any believe or confess that it is he But at his appearance his works shall declare him and leave all without excuse His Righteousness his meekness his patient sufferings his lowly mindedness his faith and obedience to the Father his love and tender compassions towards all men being richly furnished with all manner of godliness shall declare him whose Image he bears and whose Sonne he is and from whence he comes for the earth hath not those fruits power and glory Thus shall he be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe and receive his testimony And in this birth you shall not only save your selves but hold forth Salvation to all that hear thereof Wherefore as you profess that holy calling above others so in the fear of God take heed what you bring forth be sober and watch diligently in that which is from above least the enemy prevaile to mix somewhat of your own to hold forth in his name that hath not the nature power nor purity of the Son of God and that being above spoil you of his appearance and mar the true Image which you will find the envious one seeks to devour upon all occasions that alone having power over the head of the Serpent wherefore see that you be covered with him alone as he is from heaven But above all things I beseech you put him on as he is the Son of Gods love and so hold him forth towards all men but especially towards the brethren so much the more as this being that which the enemy hath cast long apon the children of light to wit want of love taking his advantage while the way hath been preparing thereto and the Spirit of Judgment and burning hath passed on the old building a time of sorrow and pulling down dressing the house where love should dwell so that though the root of the matter was in it yet could not in that time spring forth towards others nor indeed be fully shed abroad in the heart while that is there which God hates which love many have now received and it is full time to bring forth him so begotten in you lest any selfishness appear in his stead and so prevent you of that which is most excellent But that you all may put him on as he is manifest from the Fathers bosome and that you be cloathed therewith from heaven so plentifully that you may have to cast over a Brothers nakedness a garment of the same love who came from above to lay down his life for his enemies and of the same power who can forgive sins and offences above seven times a day beholding each others with that good eye which waits for the soul and not for the sin which covers and overcomes the evil with the good â—hat with him you may be perfect in love judging and receiving one another in the increase of God and not in that which is for destruction giving more abundant honour to him that lacketh that in the body be no schisme nor defile one another nor keep alive a Brothers iniquity nor blot out the name and appearing of the holy seed in the least
that suffers divers seeds shall have sorrow therein and he that sowes amongst thornes and bryars must reap trouble and where this kind is suffered to grow there is torment to themselves and trouble to others for how should the thistle change its nature So all that desire peace prepare a place that the seed thereof may grow alone and the Sun thereof may arise and shine clearly that nothing may grieve his holy spirit for Jacob must dwell alone and not be numbred among the rest of the Nations neither hath the Lamb fellowship with the beasts of the field Now as you have seen the Image of the earthly and felt his power and inclination to earthly things captivating your minds downward to things below even so must you bear the Image of the Heavenly if he reign that comes from above Till then think not you are perfect nor have attained to the resurrection of the dead For this I know of him in whom your life is hid that as he ariseth he shall as strongly lead your mindes into the Heavenly as ever you were captivated with the earthly So he that can read the figure rejoyce in hope concerning him that is to come yet let none glory in the fight of this knowledge but press into the life thereof that God may be seen and glorified in you For as he that hath gone much out with his mind and hath drunk in abundance of the earthly is become the most subtle selfish and hard and filled with all unrighteousness till he become incurable even so he that returns in and drinks abundantly of the heavenly doth become simple innocent and harmless separate from all ungodliness till he become incorruptible and receive power to attain the Son of God whose image declares the Father from whence he is for he that hath seen the Son hath seen the Father and he that hath the Son hath the Father also So dear friends behold the end of your calling and glory of your profession your life in this world and eternal inheritance for the which to attain we endure all things for which sufferings and patience we have a cloud of witnesses So we follow not fables and fancies as some suppose but every one as he is proved herein is able to set to his seal even to the day of the Lord with them that are gone before whose spirits herein are perfected Wherefore dearly beloved of God for his name sake I beseech you be zealous for his appearance and with meekness and fear instruct the ignorant who oppose themselves comfort the weak in all things leading with a life that cannot be blamed knowing how manifold your labour of love is doubled in everlasting glory as he comes to be made manifest to the world And the Lord God of power strengthen all your hands by the appearance of his love that by the shedding of it abroad in your hearts you may be made able to overcome the world and willing to give your necks to the yoak of Christ and to bear the burthens of the weak till the brotherhood arise and the body of Christ be perfected in one that none of you suffer an evil eye or ear which delights to behold the weakness of others but that your whole delight be to wait for the appearance of God in all and to behold his face in them rather than their failings And as this arises in every particular it shall be a sure token to you for good and that you are passed from the love of evil unto the love of God the Father and the Son And what you delight in shall be your inheritance And as you grow herein so shall he whom you love to see delight to make his appearance amongst you and to walk in you and you shall not seek his face in vain but with his likeness shall be satisfied and shall praise the beauty of his appearance Thus in honour preferring one another you shall know that the power of love is a ministration of life to that which is to be â—eloved Who will be on the Lords part now in this day of darkness when iniquity is growing to the full and the manchild is to be born above it And who will give up the vessel to bear his name against the enmity that is now arising And who will be glorified with the Lamb Blessed and happy is he that is found worthy to follow him out of the world bearing his reproach To as many as receive him he gives power to become the sons of God But he that will bear his name must receive his nature and himself also so walk even as he walked his name is power over sin and the world So the servants of sin and the world cannot bear it he that bears his name must bear it in his life and power lest he blaspheme Of flesh and blood it is not born nor by the will of man is it manifest it is he that is born again who hath his witness in himself that must bear his name before the world for a witnesse against them who hath that life in him which testifies against the deeds thereof but who bows thereto betrays him and proves false in his testimony Moses in his house made all things in likenesse of the pattern so it became a Tabernacle of witnesse to all the Nations of the true God therein and against all their false Gods and false worships and herein was he faithful to him that called him and to all that beheld the pattern he preached Gods presence dwelling in the Tabernacle made with hands How much more must he that bears the name of Christ follow the pattern and suit his example holding forth a Tabernacle of witnesse and preaching the presence of the true God therein and against all the world their false births false ways and worships herein proving faithful to him that hath called thereto and to all that beholds holding forth that holinesse is his habitation here on earth as it is in heaven bearing a lively testimony thereof by the Tabernacle of witnesse conformable to the heavenly example in all things And to this end Christ descended walked and suffered on earth leaving an example to all that follow his steps wherein as in a lively Oracle God is found in all that 's builded after his image and â—eek in his name and nature for the immortality that dwelleth therein Now God was not to be found in the Tabernacle of Molech though sought never so earnestly but in the Tabernacle of witnesse built according to the pattern neither is he now to be found in the image of the world nor is hiâ— name born in that nature though professed never so zealously Therefore let every one that nameth the nâ—me of the Lord depart from iniquity The seed of evil doers bears not the testimony of Christ but against him Did they blaspheme who said they were Jews and were not How much more do they who professe the name of Christ and are out of