manifested his pure presence poured out his spirit plentifully upon sons and daughters fulfilled that which Joelâ—prophesied â—prophesied of Joel 2. 28. which came to be fulfilled after Christs ascention Acts. 2. 17. and they received the holy Ghost spoke the wonderfull things of God as they were revealed by the spirit which shed it selfe abroad among them that waited for it so also the mystery of iniquity began to work even in that time and as the Apostles laid the foundation of truth and declared the truth Christ to be the foundation even so the Mystery of iniquity did work and a beginning or a foundation of error was laid by them who were gone out of the truth the false Prophets deceivers Anti-christs who were professors and preachers but they were such as were covetous and greedy of filthy lucre and made merchandize of souls for dishonest gaine and denyed the power of God Christ and were enemies to the Crosse and gloried in the flesh and spake swelling words of vanity and did all live in the lust of the flesh and were proud boasters and denyed the Lord that bought them for denying the power of God they did deny Christ though in words they preached him as this generation who are their off-springs doe out of strife contention as the Apostle writs they held the form of godlinesse but denyed the power and they were they that once were convinced of the truth and came into the forme of truth but denyed the power of truth but were in craft and deceit and they subverted whole houses from the faith and led them back into the world into unbeliefe in the Apostles dayes and yet had a worship and did worship but not the power not the life and this began to worke and wrought more cunningly and subtilly in the latter times And the Apostle Paul in many of his Epistles Iohn and Peter and Jude declares against them and Paul prophesied of them before his departure of grievous Wolves which should spring up which should not spare to make havock of the flock of Christ so the fall Apostles deceivers Antichrists and deceitful workers they went out then and did what they could to lead disciples after them into the world inwardly they were ravened from the spirit and was gone from it into the earth into the world and served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies and the God of the world which is the Devil and they went into the world and the world received them and then they and their disciples turned against the saints and they held truth in words and the form for a while but it was in unrighteousness and here was the beginners and the beginning of the Apostats and of the Apostacy it was began in the Apostles dayes by them that went out of the truth out of the light and were ravened from the spirit and erred from the faith and were enemies to the power of God and these were the beginners and the layers of the foundation and then it grew that root of wickedness faster then the truth for the Jewes resisted and the heathen resisted and the Apostates and false prophets resisted and they that were Apostatized they resisted and they caused many to stumble to erre to make ship-wrack of their faith and so the world went after them the World the Nations the kindreds the tongues the people went after Kings Princes and potentates of the earth in processe of time they had over run-all killed the saints the woman fled into the wildernesse the man child was caught up unto God then all Nations who were gone from the Rock became as a sea reeled to fro unstable unsetled what were they like to settle in the Sea then a great beast arose with his seven heads and ten hornes and the whore which had defiled the bed and she sat upon the beast and she reached out her cup of fornication to the nations and all nations was drunk with her cup and then the beast made war and the nations were drunk and they loved the beast and received his marke became cruel and pushed at the saints and followed him and made war with them and the whore she drank the blood of the saints and the Dragon appeared and with his tayle drew the third part of the stars after him to the Earth the false Prophets they are the tayle of the Dragon who were gone from the testimony of Jesus the spirit of prophecy and drew after it the third part of the stars from the firmament of his power into the earth Rev. 12. 4. The man child was caught up unto God which was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron and the woman fled into the wildernesse where God hath prepared a place for her and then the Dragon went out and made war with the remnant of her seed to wit the womans seed And so out of the Sea arose the beast out of Nations kindreds Tongues and peoples which are waters and the Dragon gave power to the beast and his seat and great authority Rev. 13. 2. And all the world wondred after the beast ver 3. and ver 4. They worshipped the Dragon which gave power to the beast and the beast likewise and now the worlâ— cryed which wondred after the beast who is able to make war with the beast and ver 6. he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven and he made war with the saints and did overcome them and all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped him whose names were not written in the Lambs book of life And the beastâ— deceived the Nations and them that did dwell on the earth and now kindreds Tongues and peoples and Nations and all the world which wondred after him they who had lost the image of God now became the image of the beast that blasphemed God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven and now the Kings of the earth that had drunk the Whores cup of fornication and the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and people who were become the beasts image now the image of the beast spoke and caused as many as would not worship the beast and the image should be killed take notice of that all who are called Christians it was not Gods image who compelled to worship or else be killed but it was the beasts image and wheresoever compultion and killing is exercised and practised they worship the beast Chap. 13. ver 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive a marke in their forehead or in their right hand and none might buy or sell but he which had the beasts marke or his name or the number of his name here was worship but it was the beasts worship and Idolatrous worship and the Dragons worship who sought to destroy the man-child which all the Angels is to worship all
the spirit now on the Lords day sees the same man-childe who was brought forth by by the woman who was to rule the Nations but was caught up to the Throne of God before he came to Râ—le and then the Dragon ruled the beasts and false prophet the Whore the Mother of harlots sate as a Queen and the woman the mother of the heir fled into an obscure and a retired place and was hid times and dayes as I said before but as she appeared again in beauty so the man-childe the heir he appears also in glory Majesty and power and John saw him Revelations 19. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sate upon him was called faithful and true and he doth Judge and make War in rigteousness his eyes was as a flame of fire on his head were many Crowns and he had a name written that none knew but he bimself and he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God And now the womans seed is increased again after the Dragon and the beasts War and now they become an Army and follows the Lamb their leader who is anoynted with honour glory and Majesty and renown strength power wisdom joy and gladness above all his fellowes yet his followers are annointed too and the seed of the woman the inhabitants of the City of the great King they are clothed with the same garment and Armour and rides on in power strength and Majesty after him and they are clothed and shall be with the garment of their Mother and the garment of their Captain their head and as he rode on in innocency so they ride on after him and the woman was in heaven that travelled and the childe was born there though he was to rule the Nations of the Earth and so who so are of this womans seed which is born in the City of the great King Jerusalem unto which the Hebrewes were come Heb 21. before the Apostacy and before the woman fled so now the same City comes to be seen again and the children are free born of their mother the Lambs wife who is joyned to him and is to be so for ever in the everlasting Covenant so they being heavenly children redeemed from the earth from under the Dragons power they follow the Lamb the word Gods power Revel 19. 14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean and out of his mouth goes a sharp sword and with it he shall smite the Nations and now comes he to rule them with a rod of Iron he was brought forth long before but was caught up to God again and the Dragon beast and whore and false prophet ruled the Nations and killed the Saints but now he appears again after the Apostacy and a great host with him and the woman also and her children are many and they all follow the first-born and now comes the wo to the dragon and Whore beast and false prophets and unclean spirits and on them that worship devils and now shall he tread the wine-press of the wrath of God Almighty And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords And now appears an Angel standing in the Sun which the womanâ— was clothed with and he cryed with a loud voyce saying to all the fowls that flie in the midst of heaven come and gather to the Supper of the great day of God and now must the flesh of the Kings and Captains and Nobles and flesh of mighty men who had drunk the Whores cup now must drink of the wine of Gods wrath and the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their Armies gathered together to make War against him that sate on the white horse and his Army and the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him and the remnant were slain that took part with the beast by him that sate upon the horse and his Army whose sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the fowls were filled with their flesh the Whore is burnt before the beast the false prophet and his Army now slain and their flesh eaten by the fowls of heaven and now the blood comes forth to the horse bridles And now the Angel descends having the key of the bottomless pit from whence the old Dragon the Serpent the red Dragon the Devil came there is his beginning there was he brought forth and there he grew up he that reads let him understand out of the bottomless pit for the Nations were never deceived till he appeared and he appeared as I have said before after the heaven and the earth was made and all things therein I say after he was not before he deceived Eve in the garden now he is grown old and so is truely called the old Dragon grown into a body of deceit well now must he be taken and bound and cast into the bottomless pit from whence he came that he deceive the Nations no more Rev. 20. 1 2. and all this War is in the bringing out of the Apostacy and in order to the Lamb and the Saints everlasting Reign in heaven and over the earth for ever This I have seen and my heart rejoyceth and my mouth shall praise the Lord the woman I say is appearing and she is cloathed with beautiful garments and the holy child the man-child hath appeared and is manifest again among the Saints and in then and the Lamb which hath been slain since the world began is alive behold he lives for evermore and now many are his followers and an innumerable company shall ride on after him who is King of Kings and now is God fulfilling that which Iohn saw in the Lords day which should come to pass the work is begun he hath appeared out of whose mouth proceeds the two edged sword which shall hew downe all the Dragons army the beast and his followers and though the cry be yet among many who shall make war with the beast and who shall speak against his prophets yet a little while and fear shall come their vaunts and boasts shall be turned into doubting and dreadfull fear on every side for Jacob shall be as a flame and Esau and all his race shall be as Stubble he that reads let him understand the wisdome of God in a mystery and the worke of the Lord which shall shortly come to to passe The manifestation of Gods glory shall be as great after the Apostacy as ever it was in any age before the rise of antichrist and the ministrations into which them that follow the Lamb shall be brought shall be as spiritual holy Celestial and divine as ever was before For the end of all our outward visible appearances shall come which the whore hath decked her selfe with and life it shall be known in the body and
THE INVISIBLE Things of GOD Brought to light by the REVELATION of the ETERNAL SPIRIT who was an ey-witness of the wonders of the Lord in the beginning Wherein is declared the Felicity of all things in the beginning and the sad estate of all things after the transgression How all the reformed Churches so called in Christendom are yet in the Apostacy The estate of the true Church before the Apostacy and her state in the Apostacy And the glory that shall appear after the Apostacy By one who believes God will shine out of Sion in perfect beauty again after the dark night of Apostacy called Francis Howgill The Light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun as Seven days And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all Nations Isai. 25 7. London Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER OR Readers TO the upright hearted Reader in all the Regions of the Earth wherein this may come who have walked in the thick fogs and mists which hath arisen out of the botomlesse pit which hath been raised up since the transgression which have dimmed your eyes hurt your sight so that you could not behold the pure Celestial being nor him that dwels in it whose presence gives Life nor any thing within the vail because the vail hath been spred over all Nations and it hath been so thick that it hath been hard for any to rent it and the night of Apostacy and darknesse hath been so long since the woman fled into the wildernesse and since the man-child which was born hath been caught up to God that few or none for this many ages past hath come to see the end of the night but hath mourned without hope and few or none hath seen or hath been able to discerne the time of the womans return out of the wildernesse again into which she fled and few or none hath seen to the end of the times after which shee should return and mens sight in the Apostacy hath been so dime and in the vexation that when the man-child which was caught up unto God would appear again few hath had faith to believe or sight to he hold him or an understanding to deserne of the times But praises be to the Lord God everlasting who hath opened is and opening the windowes of heaven and showring down his wisdome as a mighty rain his knowledge as the morning dew and an understanding is pouring forth as the water out of the bottles of heaven as the water spouts so that ages times things daies and years is measured and seen And him that was before all things is beholden by whom all things was made who hath been as in a far country all this long night of darknesse but the time is fully expired and now is he returning and his appearance is as a morning without clouds as clear as the Sun and as pure as Christal and now is he scattering the clouds fogs and mists as with the East wind his pure breath clears the air and by his arm which is mighty is he renting the vail of the covering according to his promise revealing himself in his naked glory that the solitary may rejoice and the feeble may be comforted and them that have erred may come to a good un-understanding what I have writ thou must read me onely in that which is invisible and eternal in thy self else I am sealed from thee my words are a riddle and although the the dreamers of this age in the apostacy say Imeditate revelation is ceased and not to be looked for yet I must needs bear my testimony against them all for what I have here written I neither received of man nor from man nor books nor other words but by the eternal spirit who saw these things and was an eye-witness of them and God through it hath revealed them in me and to me that I might beare my testimony of the hidden things of God which are eternal although I have made use of the scriptures and the saints words and cited some it is not for my sake but thine who reades that so every truth may be confirmed by 2. or 3. witnesses If thou wait to know and find the key of David who opens in what I have declared thou wilt see the state of things before the fall and after the fall how all men in the fall have corrupted themselves in all administrations thou wilt see the state of the Church before the apostacy in the apostacy and what shall be after the apostacy and if thou cannot reach into the things as they are declared judg them not before the day appeare in thy selfe for till then they will be obscure to thee but as it appeares in thee thou shalt bear me witnesse that these things are holy faithful and true and hath and shall be fulfilled in that which is immutable I bid thee farewel F H. The chief particulars or heads in the ensuiug discourse treated upon aud opened by the Spirit of the Lord who was an ey-witness unto these things 1. THe work of the Lord declared which was in the beginning when the word was with God and man in the image of God 2. Although the heavens and the Earth were created and all things therein finished yet the world was not begun that lay in wickednesse which the Devil is the God of neither was Christ the mystery hid nor the Lamb slain 3. The understanding may read the Wisdom of God in a mystery and also may see the sottish Doctrine of the apostates 4. An objection answered 5. Another objection answered 6. How peace joy and delight possessed every thing that God had made how every thing which he had formed glorified him with one consent in the beginning 7. How man lost his state and dominion and unity with God and all the creatures and how the Lamb came to be slain and the world that lay in wickedness came to be framed in man after the tempter entred how endless misery can in upon all after the transgression 8. How sin entred into the world and death by sin and how man is dead while he lives and all is dead works that he acteth and the state of all the sons of men and their works may be seen in the fall 9. 3. Objections answered about this particular 10. Self righteousness deeds of darkness also and dead works and are to be condemned also and man who acteth them in the fall 11. An objection answered as to the present state of the Ministry of the Nations their practice and their worship 12. An objection as to the Churches so called and their worship in the Nations 13. The dark and blind Doctrines of the Ranters denyed 14. An objection about reading the Scriptures and conforming to the outward practice of
and Earth bowed their knees to the Lamb to the Power and this was then fulfilled at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow both of things in Heaven and things in Earth and his Name was now the Word of God and this was in the beginning and the Word of God is the Power of God and now both the Celestial bodies and terresterial bodies were all subject to the Power and all the works of the Lords hands were finished and he rested and all both things in Heaven and Earth rested in the power and all kept holy-day and rejoyced Though the Heavens and the Earth were created and all things wrought and finished yet the world was not begun that lay in wickedness which the Devil is the God of neither was the Power which is Christ the mystery hid neither was the Lamb slain yet Now after all was made and created and were good and blessed and indued with power life and vertue according to the purpose of his heavenly will which is eternally pure yet was not the lamb slain nor the mystery hid which is the power wch is Christ for what should slay him or what should hide him he that reads let him understand this that I speak of cannot be reached unto with that Wisedome that stands in time which was not in the beginning with God that is shut out but the wise in heart shall understand knowledge and the prudent shall know what hath been in the beginning and of his wonderful works in the dayes of old and of the mystry which was before the world began when the Lamb was in glory the Son in glory Christ in glory the first born of every creature and was born before the world began he that hath an ear to hear let him hear when all that God had made and brought forth by the word by the Power was blessed and stood in the Power then did the Lamb sit in his throne then was he the delight of God and God in him and all that was made by him rejoyced in him here was love here was glory here was purity unity and a sweet harmony joy peace love eternal life Gods power ran through all All was good Christ was not now hid he shed himself abroad and all things was partakers of his power in which they were made here was happinesse blessednesse joy dominion everlasting and eternal felicity innocency purity and perfection and man in it God in it the Lamb in it man in it after his own image the Mystery of godlynesse was not hid there was nothing to hide it or overshadow it no vail no covering but righteousnesse was manifest and was the covering of all inocency the cloathing of all purity the robe of all and life the dwelling place of all and all the works of his hands rested with the Father with the Lamb with the Word with the power with Christ in glory with the Father in the etenall glory whereby all was upheld in purity unity harmony answering the pure will of God and man had power to answer the will of his Maker which he received from God the Father of life by the power in which he was made and to abide in the will of God for ever and herein he and all things in heaven and the whole family thereof and all the holy host of God bowed to the lambs power and he reigned the Angels were subject to the first born of every creature before the Angels or before any thing was made he was his age who can declare or his generation his age runs paralell with eternity with immortality and came from the eternal womb from the bosome of the Father where he is even where he was before the world began he that reads let him understand now the power ruling in all and over all all was in peace and was blessed Now the Angel stood in his power moved in his power and all the Celestial bodies went in and out at his command and moved not nor stirred not but when he moved this was then fulfilled let all the Angels worship him and so they did reverenced him were subject to him sang and rejoyced in him triumphed in in his power and all the Holy Host moved at his command and marched on in his strength to performe his will to accomplish his everlasting purpose and to fulfill his eternal decree and gave glory to him who sate upon the throne of righteousness and judged in righteousnesse for ever and ruled in righteousness for ever there was joy in heaven the Father rejoyced the Son rejoyced the Angels rejoyced the morning stars sang the the Sons of God shouted for joy the holy Host gave praise and all praised in the firmament of his power in which they stood moved walked lived and accomplished the pure perpetual eternal decree of their maker Moreover the terrestrial bodies were all subject to him he reigned in all over all moved all gave Life to all and was the Life of Adam of the male and the Female and then was this fulfilled even then which was spoken in time though by him who was before all time who was the life of all things I say he lived then and because he lived man lived also for he was his Life now Christ the power reigned over all and all in the Lambs power were subject in a sweet harmony answering the pure will of their Lord their King that lived for ever who was upon his throne in the heavens and now his kingdom was over all there was joy in heaven there was peace on earth the good will of God was done In Earth as it was in heaven Oh beautiful oh glorious oh comly oh admirable oh incomprehensible was the glory my tongue can not expresse and time would faile me to declare the eternal exellency which God hath revealed by his spirit and that which I see is not Lawful now for me to utter now was no mountaines nor hils to hide the mystery but it shined upon all in all over all and above all was not hid As I said there was now no hiding place that could or did overshadow the mystery of godlinesse for the eyes of all things looked upon him whether Celestial or Terrestrial and all and every thing according to its kind rejoyced in the Light of his countenance and of his power was glad and gloried in him for then there was not an other he that can hear let him Now the Earth rejoyced and the floods clapped their hands now the great deep smiled all things that was therein the springs thereof laughed which flowed forth as though they had issued out of a womb now every thing that had breath lived praysed the Lord neither was there any thing but bowed and submitted to their Maker and he Lord and King over all yet in eternal glory yet let the wise in heart understand this was in the beginning and though it was in the beginning yet this was when
the heavens and the Earth was created and all things that therein are even then the Lamb of God was alive and the Son of God glorified with the Father and man in happynesse and in pure perfection without sin in Inocency for nothing that was nocent or hurtful had yet appeared neither was there any such thing in all that God had made Here the wise may learn and they that have a good understanding may read the wisdome of God in a Mystery and also see the darke sottish doctrine of the blind Apostates who have lost the power and are keeping people ignorant of the Mystery of God NOw this hath been a common doctrine and received to be orthodox and as they call it authentick that while we are in this life there can not be an overcoming of all sins nor no expectation of it in this life and their main ground hath been this because we have natural bodies Now I say had not Adam a natural body when he was in purity and perfection in innocency in Paradise in the garden yet was this any hinderance to him to answer the will of his Creator No For as the soul spirit and body was moved by the power out of which power he was not to stir then I say he had ability to perform the will of his maker in the body for as he was created by the power in the inward man that led about the natural earthly or outward form according to its will which will was pure and kept the body acting in its place in the power for then I say all was good for the Celestial power in which he was made moved the whole man according to its will and while he stood in the power he was in innocency and purity and without blemish in the power was his health and peace and he knew no evil Ob. But some may say what is this as to the confutation of the doctrine which hath been taught as to the freedom from sin in this life Ans. This declares that there was such a thing in being to wit a natural body and an earthen vessel and yet without sin as he stood in the power for the earthen vessel was good as all the rest of Gods creation was in its place to serve the power as the rest of Gods creatures did in the beginning and who ever comes to know that state again may come to glorifie God in soul body and spirit though in the body in this tabernacle but take their own phrase for the clearing of the thing not to be freed from the committing of sin in this life I say in the corruptable life or the life of unrighteousness which may be properly called death there is no freedome from sin neither of soul or body or spirit but who comes to know regeneration or the Life of men in which Adam was created in the beginning in that incorruptable Life there is no transgression and if he live in man the body is dead because of sin and I know none who have preached any other 〈◊〉 Life who hath spoke by the spirit of God in which freedome from all sin is obtained but onely the life of Christ and whosoever comes to know the Lord from heaven who ruled over all in the beginning and was the life of all and all moved in his Life before the fall whether they were things visible or invisible that same power or Life of Christ the Lamb of God who was alive then if he live in man man come to be guided by his power as in the beginning he living in man the soul and body and spirit being quickned by his power and raised from under the bondage of corruption then death hath not power over man but life and because he lives in them they live also their souls to praise him and their bodies and the members thereof to be servants of righteousness and so that unbelieving Doctrine of the world is turned into the pit and truth is set above it Object But further it will be objected that our bodies are not like Adams in innocency we are in the fall and therefore we say they hinder from being freed from all sin and ever will while upon Earth Ans. That the naked truth may appear to them that seek after true knowledge I answer freely that I grant that the soul lies in death and the creature is subject to vanity and the whole Creation groans in travel and in pain and waits for the manifestation of the Son of God and the Redemption of the body and in this state is all mankind upon the face of the whole Earth in the first Adam but he who is the second Adam the Lord from Heaven who was in the beginning and is now what he was and shall be for ever I say as man comes to believe in the Son who hath life in himself and he come to be revealed in man and man subject to his leading he brings the soul out of death to have union and communion with himself and restores the creature from his bondage and and breakes the bond and knocks that down which hath imbondaged and so changes the body I do not mean the form of the body but the quality and nature thereof for the form of Adams body was not changed but the quality and it was degenerated from its pure nature wherein it glorified God as he stood in the Power so I say Christ who is the life of men the true light which lighteth every man that comes into the world he changes all that follow him into his own nature and restores the creature into his first estate again into purity that like as the inward man is renewed and restored by the power and serves the Power so the members of the body is also yeelded servants unto righteousness and they receive vertue and Power from the power the Life and so the whole man comes out of condemnation to glorifie his maker the will of God is don in earth as it is in heaven and he saves to the utmost them that comes unto him now if he save the soul and not the body then he saves not to the utmost But this is a high state blessed are they who waites in the faith to the end are happy that they may see and know the redemption of their souls and also the redemption of their body For I deny redemption in the grave or in death or after this life for the holy men of God never mentions a cleansing from sin in the grave nor after men be dead for they that have served sin in their life time and served the devil as long as they live and have yeelded their bodyes to be temples for uncleannesse while they live upon earth eternal misery will be their portion and not redemption think on this you who are holding this forth for an article of your Faith in the world among poor ignorant people that they must not expect redemption
the Saints in former ages 15. How all men upon the earth in the degeneration in the fall have corrupted themselves and have been Idolaters in every administration being gone from the life and Power of God in themselves And having lost the Power of God man can neither worship honour nor obey God aright 16. A few words to that which is called Christendom who professe Christianity 17. Something about water-Baptisme to both Priests and separatists 18. Something about Rome in the apostacy and all their worship in the degeneration 19. The Protestants or Reformed Churches so called not yet come out of the waters nor from under the beasts Power 20. The Presbyters and Independants are yet under Antichrists Reign in the apostacy and have among them yet the Attire of the Whore 21. How the woman that travelled in birth who was clothed with the Sun and brought forth the man-childe fled into the wilderness when the Dragon had power and the man-child was caught up unto God 22. How the woman comes out again and when and he that was caught up unto God descends again and appears again to take the Rule to himself and how he makes war with the Dragon and all the apostates and overcomes them 23. How the glory of the Lord shall appear after the apostacy greater then before and the ministration into which them that follow the Lamb shall be brought shall be more spiritual celestial then before for that shall appear in which all visible types and shadowes ends in and shall be the last that is to be expected by the sons of men the sight of which hath appeared which yet cannot be uttered 24 What the day of the Lord is and to whom it hath appeared and how it is seen and discovered 25 What it is and what it will be to the wicked declared 26. What it is to the righteous and how he appears to them and whether we are to look for it while in the body resolved 27. Where it doth appear and how it cometh and how it is to be looked for declared 28. What the Spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the the things of God 29. How the spirit of truth worketh and operateth in them who are convinced and yet have not obeyed it shewed 30 How the spirit of the Father worketh in them who hearken to it and are in some measure made partakers of its power shewn 31 Vnto whom the spirit of the Father bears witness and seals assurance of the Fathers love and of justification with God declared 32 What the grace of God is which is free and to whom it hath appeared and where all is to wait to receive it 33 whether all have received the grace of God or no and whether it be a sufficient teacher in it self demonstrated 34 Some objections answered 35 A word to the wise men of this world who are glorying in the sound of words 36 Also another to them who are glorying in outward appear ances and worshipping visible things in stead of the life 37 The Kingdome of God and his Christ declared in some measure as it is revaled by the spirit what it is and where it is to be waited for and how it comes to be revealed in them that believe 38 Divers Objections answered The work of the Lord declared which was in the beginning when the word was with God and was the Fathers delight and man made in the Image of God and lived in the Lambs Power and he was mans life and this was before the transgression of these declared as God hath manifested them by his Spirit IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning before the foundation of the Earth was laid or the Hills were framed he was with the Father and was the Fathers delight and he delighted in the Father and the Father in him then did the morning stars sing together and the Son of God shout for joy In the beginning were the heavens created and the Pillars theref set the earth was framed by the Power and all things both in the Heaven and In the Earth were created by the Power Gods Son every Beast of the field every fowl of the Heaven and the decreed place for the Sea was broken up and all things that moveth therein were created by the word and by the Power and man was made by the Power and in the Power and he was the Image of God as it is written In the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them and he had dominion over all the works of his hands over every beast of the field which were created by the Power over the Serpent among the rest which was created by the Power and was good as he was made in the Power and by the wisdom they were all brought forth and man made in that wisdom that brought them forth who was better then them all and was made partakers of the Power and of the Wisdom more then them all and by the wisdom called every thing as is was in its nature so named he everything and the dominion he had was in the Power over all things over all the Creation of God which was good and the Earth and all things that are therein the tree of knowledge good that stood in the garden also but not for food so these be the generations of the Heavens and the Earth in the day when God created them they were all good made and created by God in the Power Eternal which is good unchangeably good without variation and the unchangeable Power in which and by which they were made moved in them all and they all received vertue and Power from the Power Gods Son and the Power moved in them all and shined through them all and ran through them all and they were all to abide in the Covenant in which they were made and not any to move or act without the Power but only as the Power which was the life of them all moved them and acted them and so goodness possessed them all for all was partakers of the goodness of God and it was the life of them and they were none of them to move nor stir but as the life of men the Power by which they were created moved them which was Gods Son the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all things that therein are and they were all good and this saying was true then which was spoken by Christ the Power many generations after I in them and thou in me and all was perfect in one the Father was in the Power the Power was in the Father and all the Creatures in the Power Now was the Father glorified now was the Son glorified now was man in Dominion in Power crowned with honour Lord over all the works that God had made in the Power and now the whole Family both of Heaven
from all sin in this life and so leads them on to Perpetual misery misery will be your end and in the day of the Lord you shall witnesse this to be true But to return to the beginning again where there was no sorrow but pure joy and peace both in heaven and earth but I goe hither and thither as the spirit leads and shall speak as it gives utterance though but here a little and there a little yet shall it be in truth and righteousnesse How peace joy and delight possessed every thing that God had made every thing which he had formed glorified God their maker with one consent in the beginning before the world was framed that lay in wickednesse NOw the Lord rejoyced in all the works of his hands which he had made and rested and all that he had made rested in the power whether Celestial or Terrestrial and rejoyced in him walked in him in the motion of the power of the life they were happy and partaked of the life that indures for ever and happinesse immortal and knew no evil for there was none there was no hell yet prepared Tophet yet was not ordained neither the Devil had yet any being at all there was no wrath no sorrow no condemnation no death vexation grief or perplexity no pit of darkenesse no Angel of the bottomlesse pit no shame no tribulation no anguish nor paine no misery and in a word there was nothing that did destroy but all in quietnesse in peace in life in power in wisdome glorifying him which sat upon the Throne the Lamb who was living and the life of the male and the female and of every thing that God had made by the power subsisted in the power and in the motion thereof was good purely good and here was the goodnesse of him who was eternally good manifest in all above all and over all God blessed for ever even then the heavens rejoyced and the innumerable company of Angels was hearty glad and all the holy host sang for joy with a living voice which none that stands in time ever yet heard or can learn then the earth and all things therein that moved had life were in pure solace and mirth and pleasant joy unspeakable all knit together in unity and harmony in one consent as one family and were one body and there was health in the body and it was pure and comly and perfect and pleasant to behold crowned with Dignity covered with righteousnesse beautified with the comlinesse of the Lamb who was the life of all and now man had right to the tree of Life while he moved in the power and went not our Oh happy state oh beautiful state oh admirable state eternal felicity oh glorious state life it self the life of all and all in the life moving in the power and man right to the tree of Lifâ— while he lived in the lambs power had unity with his maker with all the Creatures that God had made was in Gods pure dominion and authority and ruled all over all things that God had made in Gods wisdome thus in short was the state of all things in the beginning as they were created and brought forth and these be the generation of the heaven and of the earth and of all things that therein are in the day when God created them when the Father was glorified when the Son was glorified and when man was in glory and honour and in dominion created in the Image of God and yet there was no evil Time would fail to speak of the state of all things in the beginning as it was and as it is revealed by the spirit of truth but in that which I have declared they who have a good understanding may take a glimps of the happy state of all things as God hath revealed them by his spirit which I never received of nor from man but by the holy spirit of God which was in the begining with God which saw all this and was an eye witnesse of this before the world that lies in wickednesse began and he that hath an eare to hear let him hear and blessed is his ear How man lost his state and dominion and unity with God and all the creatures and how the Lambe came to be slain and the world that lies in wickedness came to be formed and founded and how the curse came and the wo upon the Serpent which was blessed before and upon man and woman and the ground that received the temptation which was blessed before in the motion of the Power came to be cursed and how endles misery came in upon all in the transgression declared to them who have a good understanding NOw the Serpent was more subtle then all the Beasts of the field for that was his nature in which he was created and it was good in the motion of the Power and therefore Christ said be wise as Serpents yet as harmless as Doves and though the Serpent was wise and subtle more then all the beasts of the field till he acted and moved without commandment and out of the motion of the Power he was not cursed he that can receive it let him But he moved in the subtilty and wisdom out of the light out of the Power and went out of the truth out of his place without commandment or authority from the Power and acted and spoke of himself out of the Power and out of the truth as it it written John 8. 44. when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it now he knew there was a law and command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil for God had forbidden it now he went out of the Power without commandment of his own accord without motion now he went and talked with the woman and she was good before being in the motion of the life and Power she also looked out and not in the Power and reasoned with him out of Power contrary to Commandment beyond the command or before the Power and said unto the Serpent we may eat of all but the tree of knowledge of good and evil we may not eats least we die this she knew and the Serpent knew now the tree of knowledge was good in the Powers motion though not to live upon or for food for it was not good for food therefore God the truth the life the Power did forbid to taste of it or to eat of that tree but the Serpent out of the Power and the woman out of the Power hearkened to him that was out of the truth who turned the truth that God had spoken into a lie she joyned to the tempter and hearkned unto him and eat of the tree of knowledge without the Power and she looking out and the eye ran out from the life from the Power and was deceived and did eat of the knowledge without the Power without the life and she also
to the Lord and to the Lamb now joyned to the Dragon who makes war against the Lamb he that had union with the seed the heir of all things now hath union with the seed of the Serpent the first borne of wickedness heir of condemnation and everlasting vengeance who is driven from the Lords presence and curst for ever and to be tormented from the presence of the Lord for ever Now the world set in the heart and the heart gon out after earthly things even things that perish and now his life grew in that and after that which sadeth his delight on transitory things in lust in pleasure and wantonnesse delighting in the flesh hath forgotten God his maker and now dishonours him Oh let the heavens mourn and let the earth be without joy letâ— hils lament and the vallies be grieved let gloominesse cover the face of the deep let the floods be sorry and springs lament let all thau moveable take up a lamentation and let it be for a lamentation for ever misery is spread over all the earth is polluted and defiled and all is out of order disjoynted from the Lord and great confusion and perplexity is come upon all and the whole creation grones and travels in pain in grief and sorrow and all is made subject to vanity the oppressor bears Rule the Land mournes the Lamb is slain the serpent and his seed rejoyceth and triumphes all is filled with violonce the seed suffers the Lord is is grieved the Angels mourne the proud and presumptions is now counted happy and now the worker of iniquity set up to be a Ruler and a Law-giver now to man and in man who before had the Lord to be his Law-giver and his King Oh woful change oh sad state oh deplorable condition gone from honour and glory into perpetual misery and contempt and here all the whole Earth and all mankind may read themselves as in a glasse in what state they are in in the fall in the first nature in the disobedience time would fail me to expresse the misery and the sad estate of all mankind in the Curse yea it is unexpressable and undeclareâ—ble and unfathomable and incomprehensible by the sons of men in the unbelief but God hath revealed to me by his spirit that which is now spoke and he shall beare me record that my witnesse is true also that of God in every mans conscience when the book of conscience shall be opened and the secrets of all hearts revealed shall bear witnesse that this is true How sin entred and death by sin into the world and now man dead while he lives and all is dead works that man brings forth wherein the state of all the Sons of men may be seen and their works in the fall NOw the serpent being more subtil then all the beasts of the field in presumption of himselfe moved without the power and formed a thing without the power and began his work and brought a lye being gone out of the truth sin conceived and a lye conceived â—e is the Father of it and not the power he spoke of himselfe who was gone out of the light motion or the powers acting man also his eye being abroad out of the life and power lâ—t in the temptation upon him but if he had stood in the power as God had ordained him and commanded him and had not moved out of it he would have seen when the serpent or any other thing had gone out of the power and have still had dominion over it and though it was evil in the serpent to tempt who moved without commandement from the Lord yet if man had stood in the power he had kept him out and it had been no sin to him neither condemned should he have been and so that blind doctrine of the world and the teachers thereof is a lye who have said and taught that God ordained him to fall and upon this account that so Christ might be revealed and that his Son might be honoured for if man had not faln say they there had needed no Saviour This is ignorance and blindnesse he created man in his Image to stand in the power and ordered and commanded him so to do and to glorifie him who made him to stand in the dominion over all the works of his hands And this doth not make Christ uselesse or of no use yea he was of use before and was his life and the life of all things and what if I say salvation the wise will understand the unlearned will say what needed their salvation when there is no sin yes there needed salvation preservation in that state that he was made in that he might be upholden in that state and saved from any thing that might hurt him in that state so as to weaken him that he might not have power to fulfill the will of God and to glorifie his maker Ob. But some may say he was not saved and preserved but was created and left to himselfe to order himself whether he would stand or fall Ans. I say whose was the fault that he was not preserved and saved in that state was it in God nay and that he was left to himselfe is also as false and unlearned he left him in the power and in the dominion everlasting and commanded him to stand there and he was not to goe out of it but to act in the motion of the word and in the power by which he was made which was Christ who was glorified with the Father before the world began I say according to Gods appointment and ordination man was not left to himselfe but to stand in the power and authority of the word wherein man had power to fulfill the will of God and keep all in order according to Gods appointment but he going out of the power contrary to Gods command giving heed to the woman and the Serpent who were gone out of the command before I say he of his own accord going out when the power commanded him not to harken to any such thing but on the contrary forbad him so let in a lye and believed the woman and the serpent and so went from his preservation and protection and salvation so was catched in the serpents snare who abode not in the truth Ob. But then some may say he had a voluntary will to doe as he would and was not that will good Ans. The will was good in it self as it stood and went out in the lifes motion but moving or acting contrary to the motion of the life was not good for that was out of Gods order and appointment for nothing in man or without man of all that God had made was to stir or act without commandments now the Son was not honoured by mans faling but both the Father and the Son was dishonoured and now the Son or power was not revealed by the fall but vailed as from men so the fogy mists of darknesse is scattered
of what the Scripture spoke nor know him nor his mind to wit Christ of whom the Scriptures spoke neither were they accepted of God but reproved and rejected by Christ himself who said they erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God doubtless they did know the words naturally and read them but the spirits mind in so speaking they knew not and Jude reproves all such and said what they knew they knew naturally as bruit beasts and in that knowledg they corrupted themselves and therefore Peter well said many things were hard to to be understood which the unlearned wrested they that were ignorant of the spirit of the Father and had not learned of God who is a spirit they I say perverted and wrested the good and wholsom words of the Scriptures and were no more accepted of God then if they had never heard the words nor read them at all and as for the Jewes conforming to the outward commands when the vail was over their hearts and their hearts uncircumcised these things did not make them any whit more accepted then the heathen so the Christians since Christs time in the Apostles days and after the Apostles days who held the form of worship and the form of godliness and the outward part of worship and holds and retains it in that part which is above the seed and denies the power this no more makes a Christian inward then outward circumcision made a Jew inward neither any of these things do recommend any unto God but are covers made rests formed from that part which is above the seed so man comes to be counselled in those things when alas he is miserable and naked and hath not the righteous garment on which should make man accepted of the Father through the beloved Gods righteousness How all men upon the earth in the degeneration and in the fall and in the transgression have corrupted themselves and have been idolaters in every administration being gone from the power in which man had the ability power and wisdom to worship God aright and honour the living God of heaven and earth IN the state and condition which man was created in when he was the image of God and lived in the Power of God in which he was created He in that Power which was his life had wisdom and understanding and power to worship the living God and to glorifie his maker the which thing I have treated on before but being gone from the power and grew in knowledge without the power his thoughts became vain and his imaginations vain and his desires earthly and corruptable and so the creatures were worshipped in his heart and not the Creator the life of the creatures and he bowed to the creatures and they had dominion over him and that nature began to grow and multiply in all the earth and that seed which was at enmity with God and against the seed which is Christ and few there were that called upon the Name of the Lord in truth righteousness although some yet few one in a Nation or a few in an age nay in many ages and men multiplied in the earth and wickedness multiplyed also and idolatry and the seed of the Serpent grew great And God saw the wickedness of man that it was great in the earth and that the thoughts and purposes and imaginations of his heart were onely evil continually Gen. 6. 5. and the earth was filled with violence and crueltie and oppression and the living God forgotten and not worshipped but on the contrary they followed the imaginations of their own hearts and bowed down to every corruptable thing and to every creature and did not worship the Lord God in their hearts till the Lord was grieved at the heart and repented that he had made man and this was before the flood and after the flood when the earth was a little multiplied iniquity grew in the earth and the cursed seed sprang from Hams stock of whom was Nimrod the hunter before the Lord the beginning of his Kingdom was Babel of the which became great Idolaters and of this seed came the Philistians who were uncircumcised who were heathens and the Jebusites and Gargasites and the Canaanites and Hivites and their generations were great in the earth they were great Idolaters and committed Idolatry with stocks and stones and with brick having forgotten the Lord they began to work exploits in the earth and to build Cities and Babel having forgot the name of God they would have got a name in the earth and builded a tower whose top might have reached to heaven but the Lord whom they had forgot scattered them and this was the seed of evil doers whom God scattered and drove out of Canaan who were great Idolaters and gave it to Abraham who feared the Lord and to Jacob and to his seed to possesse And when transgression grew he added a Law the sence of Gods power and wisdom was so lost in man and they so gone from his wisdom that a Law was added after Israel came out of Egypt which was outward and written in tables of of stone wherein was the statutes and the commands that they should onely worship him and that they should not make them Gods of gold and silver neither the likeness of any thing in heaven or earth yet nevertheless that uncircumcised part which kept the seed in bondage and that corruptable earthly nature that ruled in them made gods like the heathen Egytians and they made a Calf and bowed to the molten image and forgot God and provoked him to anger till many of them were consumed in his sore displeasure and tempted him and lusted and eat and drank and rose up to play and committed whoredoms with the creatures and abused them and therefore the Lord sent his Prophets and rebuked them they abused the gold and the silver the stone and the wood which were good creatures but not to make gods of nor images thereof nor idols to draw away their minds from the Lord but they in whom the seed was not made manifest they worshipped dead things and likenesses of things which were not life it self and so transgressed the Law acting from that part and living in that nature which the Law was against which was added because of transgression to limit the transgressor and to slay him and to bruise that under till the seed came up that fulfills the Law but the seed of the Serpent had so much rule in them whom God had often delivered out of the hands of their enemies so that many perished Corah and many Princes and many thousands of Israel who followed their own inventions and were cut off in Gods sore displeasure being gone from that which was upright in which man was created followiug their imaginations out of that mind formed idols and images and set them up and answered that part in themselves which transgressed the seed not that which doth overthrow all idols
and Eternal glory happy is he that believes and abides in patience unto the end Now since the dayes of John the Kingdom of God hath been Preached and as many as were ordained to Eternal life believed and many in the day when Christ was manifest in the flesh believed unto whom he declared the mind of the Father and by him was the Father glorified he fulfilled the Law and did many works and miracles by the power of the Father and herein was the Father glorified and them that did believe in him their faith was strengthened and he opened the mystries of the Kingdom of God unto his Disciples and bore witness and prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and of all their worship and said no more at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but the time was coming when they that worshipped the Father should worship him in spirit and truth and declared against the Pharisees righteousness and said to his Disciples Except their righteousness did exceed the Pharisees they could not enter the Kingdom of God and yet the Pharisees performed all the outward things commanded but were in the idolatry and did not believe in the life Now he declared of his suffering many things also how he would go away and how he would come again and would not leave them comfortless but these things were hard to be believed then by his Disciples and further he told them he must be betrayed and suffer and rise again and when the hour was come that he was betrayed when he was with his Disciples even the same night he was betrayed he took bread and broke it and blessed it and said take and eat this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me and after he took the cup and after he had Supped saying this is the cup of the New Testament in my blood as often as you drink it do it in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11. 23. 24. and Matthew Mark and Luke declares the same and this was reall bread and reall wine which was a representation of that which was to be enjoyed in the spirit and never intended for any further thing but as a figure or a representation of the bread of life and of the cup of blessing which afterward they came to be witnesses of and as oft as they eat and drank they did shew forth the Lords death till he came Now this was practiced among the Disciples after he was risen from the dead and did converse with them at many times and exhorted them and comforted them and instructed them and told them that they should be witnesses of his name unto the ends of the earth and gave them commandment to teach all Nations and Baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and did promise to be with them to the end of the world and told how the Comforter would come and that the Father would send him in his Name even the spirit of truth which was with them and should be in them to be their teacher leader and guide and bring all things to their remembrance Now that which he gave them as a figure and to be a sign unto them of the clearer manifestation of himself which afterward came to be fulfilled and they witnesses of it who grew up in the pure invisible being and did see the mystery through the Revelation of the spirit which did more clearly show unto them the mysteries within the vail for as I said of water it was a sign of a good thing to come so the bread and the cup was also a sign of a good thing to come as all outward figures were but they that did believe and grew up in the faith in the seed Christ they came to see the substance in whom all figures ends in and had communion with him within the vail after he was ascended where he was before now the Apostle he spoke as to wise men judge ye what I say 1 Cor. 10. 15 16. the cup of blessing which we blesse 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 and v. 17. for we being many are one bread one body for we are all partakers of that one bread mark all they that did believe though they were many yet they were one bread one body and were all partakers of that one bread which bread was the flesh of Christ John 6. 48. I am the bread of life and Joh. 6. 51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Now I speak unto wise men and let the wisdom of God in them manifest judge what I say for where the body of Christ is witnessed and the flesh of Christ known they know that which all the figures ends in the Manna that God gave to Israel in the wilderness they died that did eat thereof which was as pure a type of the hidden Manna as lively a type as bread outward which was but a type of the of the flesh of Christ and both they that did eats the Manna and they that eat the bread outward and drank the cup outward are both dead but he that eat the flesh of Christ and drinks the blood lives for ever and he that eats the hidden Manna hath overcome death and lives for ever and feeds upon the bread of life feeds upon Eternal life Now this is a mystery to the Papists who are idolaters who have sprung vp in the Apostacy though they have Scriptures as it was to the Jewes John 6. 52. who strove among themselves and said how can this man give us his flesh â—o eat and so the Papists who strives about the flesh of Christ and his blood and yet have the Scriptures and they say it s in the bread and in the wine after consecration so they worship the imaginations of their own hearts not deserning the Lords body and have killed thousands and taken away the lives of thousands because they would not confesse their idol to be of God And the protestants they are setting up the bread and the wine and contenting themselves therewith and are making an idol of it and comes not to discerne the body of Christ but one saying he hath a carnall body and another a fleshly body another a mystical body another sayes his body is devided from his members and so speaks out of thick darknesse their own imaginations and hath not communion with the body of Christ neither knowes the flesh of Christ which is the bread of life which is given for the life of the World Iohn 6. 51. And as godlinesse began to work and the mystery thereof in the dayes of Christand the Apostles wherein the Lord discovered much of his wisdom and power
God injoyed and worshiped glorified and honoured in that which shall never alter but abides for ever and this shall be is the last ministration that ever shall appear among the Sons of men We who are come out of the Apostacy knowes what was before sees what shal be after the everlasting Gosple of the Son of God shall be preached again to them that dwell on the Earth the same that was preached to Abraham before either old or new Testament was written the latter all sects since the apostacy call the gospel and so greatly manifest their ignoance for that were to make two Gospels to call the scriptures the Gospel or that which is written and they who so erre in their judgements are yet among the smoke of the pit are yet under antichrists reigne are ignorant of him who is the saving health of the Nations And the living infalible true lasting and everlasting spirit of the Father shall be poured out again and many now witnesse it and a numberlesse number shall witnesse it and the time hastens And the Lamb shall stand upon mount Sion and many who are redeemed from the earth and from among men which shall be the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb and they shall sit with him and shall reigne with him and have power over sin temptation and the Devil Hell and the Lake and this is to come to passe and is coming to passe and hastens greatly and the voice out of heaven shall be heard as the voice of many waters and the voice of harpers harping with their harps and the new song shall be sung the pure song of the Lamb shal be sung by all who are redeemed from the earth in every Nation kindred Tongue and people who have heard believed and received the joyful sound of the everlasting Gospel again and now they shall fear God and glorifie him and honour him even they who have feared the Beast and glorified him in the Apostacy they shall deny his power and own the Lambs power and worship him that sits upon the throne of righteousnesse who lives for ever and ever and is eternal Life it selfe the worship shall be now in spirit and truth where the Dragon cannot come neither the beast Harlot false prophet nor antichrist nor none of his followers can come and here in the ministration shal be more glorious after the Apostacy then it was before the worship stood before in many outward visible things and representations and outward performances and ordinances I manifestly say the dragon beast whore and false prophets and Apostates took up these things and Nations and kindreds and Tongues and people who drunk of the whores cup all that were gone from their maker their husband they have been and are acting and performing imitating like Jannes and Jambres but since the daies of the Apostles they corrupted these things and hath made Idols of them and painted themselves with them and have got the sheeps cloathing therefore now will the Lord appear and manifest his power life and glory in away more invisible and pure than before and more divine celestial and glorious where never an hypocrite shal tread in the path so the restoration is a mystery that shall be after the Apostacy the glory is not to appear in externall things for there the mother of harlots hath hid her selfe long which hath made all Nations drunk but the cloathing of the Lambs wife and of the bride shall be another thing then the attire of the harlot for the spouse of the Lamb shall be arrayed in the same attire that the Lamb is cloathed withall and with the same vestment and the Tabernacle of God is to be with men and he shall dwell in them even the Lord that spirit and shall walke in them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and in them and sorrow shall be done away and teares wiped away and that done away which was the cause of sorrow Rev. 21. 3. and 4. and there shall be no more death nor crying nor any more pain for the former things are passed away to wit death which entred in by sin it shall be destroyed and the earth out of which the second beast arose and the sea out of which the first beast did arise upon which the whore sate and Hell and the lake which was prepared and raised up when man was degenerated from the Lord they shall be destroyed and he also which hath the power of death which is the Devil he shall be destroyed and his works the cause of scorne and then they shall see the Lord face to face even them that have but seen him darkly as in a glasse or as in a cloud they shall see his pure living countenance which giveth life and death and Hell shall be cast into the Lake of fire and whosoever is not found written in the Lambs book of life must be cast into the fire Then the new heaven and earth shall be seen and the heavenly City which shall come down from God out of heaven which no mortal eye shall behold neither shal be able to behold which hath twelve foundations and twelve gates and the glory of God shall be upon her and her light shall be as a stone most precious and as clear as cristall yea all things visible are too short and not to be compared to it for in it their need neither Sun nor Moon to shine in it for the glory of the Lord shall lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof and all who shall be partakers of this glorious Ministration shall walk in the light of the Lamb there shall be no night nor the least appearance of a cloud or darkness but transparent brightness and glory which shall be permanent durable and everlasting for the Lord God and the Lamb is the Temple of the City in which the Saints shall worship him that sits upon the throne for evermore and shall give unto him glory and honour and dominion and eternal praise for evermore who alone is worthy who lives for ever in eternal glory and everlasting light and brightness for cvermore And his face shall be seen in whom all figures representations shadows ends in and the pure river of water of life which is as clear as Christal which proceeds out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb and all who have kept the word of his patience shall drink thereof and be nourished up in immortality and life everlasting for ever And the tree of life that stands in the Paradice of God them that have overcome shall eat thereof and live for ever and the Nations Kindreds Tongues people and Regions who have heard believed and received the everlasting Gospel shall know his saving health and the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be seen and his servants shall serve him who is their Lord and King who lives for ever and they shall see
quenched but as there is a submission unto its pure operation it burnes up and destroyes that which hinders the growth of the seed it purgeth the heart of them that have confidence in it from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit and worketh up the creature into its own frame and nature and fashions and makes and moulds all that are in the Faith into the Image of the Father and so the Fathers love comes to be shed abroad in the heart and as the wrath was revealed through the spirit and condemnation so now the peace of God comes to be enjoyed and his consolation shed abroad largly in which there is pure rejoicing for ever Vnto whom the Spirit of the Father bears witness and seals assurance of the Fathers love and of justification with God declared NOne hath the witness of Gods Spirit bearing witness to them nor in them who have not believed in the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world by whom alone life is begotten by the powerful operation of Christ in them that believe in him who is eternal light it self whose word is spirit and life by which the new Creature is framed formed in them that believe unto whom he maketh manifest his power for unto him who is the life of men is all power committed both in heaven and earth for nothing was made or created but by him neither is any turned from sin but by him and by his mighty power without him is death in him is life and the life is the light of men So that none but they that are born of the light and are begotten by him who is light can have the spirit of Christ who is light to bear witness unto them neither the assurance of the Fathers love for onely they that are born of the spirit and walk after the spirit are justified by the spirit of the Lord for the assurance of his love is not made manifest to his enemies but unto them that are born brought forth in his own image in his own likeness and nature which is pure and incorruptible without stain or defilement the holy seed which is heir of the promise who knows the living hope which purifies the heart and bringeth the answer of a good conscience unto them that feel and witness the washing of regeneration and have known in themselves the clean water poured forth upon them which hath taken away the stains and spots and blemishes and the defilements for where these are no washed out the heart cleansed from them that believed in wherein Gods all-sufficiency is felt and his power made manifest there cannot be assurance of the Fathers love in the heart nor in the soul neither doth the spirit of the Father bear witness unto such nor assure their justification but on the contrary where sin remains unsubdued and taken away the spirit of the Father condemneth the sin and the creature now is joyned to it and is become one with it for no sin is brought forth but there is a consent and an assenting to the instigation of the Devil although when a temptation ariseth either within or without there may be a resisting and a striving against it for a little but the heart not being kept close to the spirit the enemy often enters and so captivates the understanding then there is an agreement and a joyning to the adversary and so the spirit pronounceth the sentence of condemnation upon him who is joyned to the harlot and becomes one flesh and joyned unto strange flesh which is not the flesh of Christ the seed and that which hath joyned and consented to drink of the cup of fornication must drink of the cup of indignation and terrour and bear the stroke of Divine Justice and lie in patience under it till that be cut down which hath joyned to deceit before there can be the remission of the transgression or the Creature justified in the fight of God For sin is not blotted out of the book of Gods remembrance till it be turned from and repented of neither doth the creature stand clear in the sight of God when God judges in righteous judgement which the light in every ones conscience shall answer Now he that is born of God sins not for the seed of God remains in him which is life And as the creature joyns to that seed which is heir of the Kingdom and of the Crown immortal he comes to be made partaker of its vertue and operation which seed is Christ and by his power by which he limiteth the seed of the Serpent and weakens his strength in the creature as man cometh to believe in his strength unto whom all power is committed the covenant with Death is broken and that agreement that the creature hath made with death comes to be disannulled by the arm and power of the Lord and so the creature comes to be delivered from the bondage of corruption and the new man comes to live or the new creature which is born of God which sins not comes to be framed and fashioned in the image of the Father and the Fathers love is manifest unto him and in him and he hath the assurance in himself The Babe that is born from above of the Spirit which is from above of which he is born and brought forth of the just by the just he is justified by the just God and the just witness of the spirit sealeth this in him And he hath the record of his justification For there is three that bear record in the earth the water the blood and the spirit and he that is born of that which is pure in it self hath the witness of all these three in himself for they agree in one That which one beareth wit-witness to and for the other doth the same and the record and testimony and witness of all these three hath he that is born from above Moreover there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the spirit and these three are one So he that is born of the Father and begotten of the Father in Christ the seed through the Spirit he and he alone comes to feel the Fathers love made manifest in him and is justified in the sight of the Father and hath the record of all these witnesses before mentioned in himself so that he hath his assurance and evidence near him and in him the seal of the Father the seal of the Spirit And so when the adversary comes to tempt and to assault and would raise up doubts in the mind the evidence is near which puts him out of all doubt that he is in the love of God blessed for ever and happy are all they who have waited for these things have felt these things and are witnesses of these things for flesh and blood hath not revealed these things Now let every man who reads this prove himself and try himself whether he be in the faith or
in the holy Ghost And the Colossions who had waited for it and believed in that through which it was revealed the Apostle was in the same Faith Coloss. 1. 12. 13. Who hath made us meet partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath transformed us into the kingdome of his dear Son And those things were seen in the body and witnessed in the body And the Apostle to Hebrews saith He that believes is entred into the rest And this and all these things were feeled within by the seed immortal the birth immortal and they that witness the birth immortal to live in them One said He hath made us joynt-heirs with Christ who is the King of eternal glory and they were Joint-heires with him of the kingdome that fades not away and all that ever comes to see the kingdome of God in the spirit which is spiritual must wait in the spirit and in its manifestation that so God and his Kingdome and the things of Gods Kingdome may be felt and seen and enjoyed in the spirit which is glorious Object All this which thou hast spoken may some say is the kingdome of grace and that we hold there is a two-fold kingdome the one of grace here the other of glory hereafter which none comes to enjoy glory or any part of it in this life or in the body Answ. People hath long been blinded with confused distinctions about names and being full of imaginary thoughts and conceptions have brought forth foolish and unlearned distinctions and that which God hath joyned together they would separate grace is glorious and glory is gratious he that can receive it let him the kingdome of God which was like a grain of mustard-seed afterwards it became a great tree the tree in its strength and glory and height is more glorious then when it s in the seed yet the seed and the tree is in nature and quality and kind one if the kingdome be in dominion in purity and power and glory is not here unity yet a greater measure yet still the dominion is one the power one the glory one and the thing one wherein grace standeth and glory standeth wherein the kingdome standeth grace is glorious Eph. 1. 6 7. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children and to the praife and glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved In the Fathers house there are many mansions places in the kingdome of God there are many heavenly places and they that walked to the praise of his grace came to sit also in heavenly places Eph. 2 6. through grace salvation through grace glory comes to be revealed in the earth Isa. 6. 3. The Earâ—h is full of his glory he that makes heaven and Earth glorious is glory it selfe from whence grace aud every degree of gloly receives its being the least measure of Gods strength and power is glorious and to be gloried in in the Lord by all that have seen it Things might be declared which God hath revealed which is not lawful for me now to utter for as one star differs from another in glory yet all glorious even so is it with the children of the resurrection who are quickned and made alive and raised from the dead and fashioned like unto his glorious body partakers of the glory of God of his kingdome of his power the power is his in which the kingdome stands the kingdome his wherein glory stands the kingdom power and glory stands all in him who is the glorious God and the God of eternal glory who is revealing his power his kingdome and grace and his glory unto all that patiently wait upon him in that which yet is as a grain of mustard-seed they will come to feel his presence his power and glory revealed in their hearts through the spirit and injoy God in his kingdome in his power and in his glory and through faith shall see the weight of his glory which God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will reveal unto all that patiently wait for his appearance and in his appearance Obj. But some will cry out grievous blasphemy and error what I think you look for no other glory but in this Life nor for no other Kingdome but what you enjoy in this life thus I know dark spirits reasons Answ. The Saints looked not afâ— any other glory but that which stood in eternal life and in the immortal Life and in the incorruptable life and the Country they sought after was that which God was the maker and builder of and they looked and waited to receive of his power in which the Kingdome standeth and did in this life I do not say the full weight of glory and to know and injoy and to be made partakers of his eternal dominion and authority is that which all the Saints in measure witnesse and in due time came to injoy through faith for by faith they saw him who was invisible and the things of his kingdome which is invisible spiritual and eternal but to speak of the carnal corruptable life in the flesh who are dead while they live there that life neither the kingdome nor the power nor the glory of God is revealed to them not till after the death of that life and till after the death of him who hath the power of death which is the Devil which ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience where all the mysteries of Gods kingdome is hid from their eyes and ever shall while in that state and so let the Serpent be blind and they that have an eare to hear blessed is that eare for the kingdome of God is come nigh unto many and the salvation of God and the power of Christ is seen by many honour and praise unto him everlastingly who is the onely Potentate that puts down all authority under his feet that God may be all in all but first every one must come to feel the kingdome which is as a little grain in himselfe and in it believe before any can come to know the Kingdome or wherein it consists and after it be known in its measure yet this is far short of glory in the fulness so many may come to be partakers of the power in some measure yet this is far short of the eternal weight of glory He that believes is entred into the rest and made partakers of the heavenly gift and of the heavenly power and of the heavenly grace which is glorious and doth witness a heavenly place in Christ Jesus and yet many enemies to be subdued and much of the heavenly habitation which they see not which comes to be revealed as there is an abiding in the faith which stands in Gods power in which the kingdom stands the mysteries of God and of his kingdom comes in due time to be revealed through death they come to be known that is to say through the death of death for Israel the true type after they passed over Jordan and had taken Jericho and Ai and had made an entrance into the land yet there was many enemies to be subdued and much land and possessions which they were not made partakers of long after even so after there be of the true rest enjoyed and possessed an entrance made into it yet there is many enemies to be subdued and much of the heavenly inheritance to be enjoyed by them that stand in the power which giveth dominion over sin the devil hell and the grave and they come to be made partakers of God and so the enmity being slain man comes to enjoy God who is eternal life and comes to receive the crown immortal which God the eternal power and strength giveth in due time to them that wait in patience and in faith through which the immortal inheritance comes to be revealed to all the children of light And so to conclude in few words this I say unto all who are longing after God and waiting to feel his power keep in your minds to the pure measure of Gods holy spirit and therein wait to see his kingdom and his dominion and to be made partakers of it which brings the world to an end and will let you see to the end of it too before it was and him who is now glorified with the Father in the kindom of God with the same glory he had with the Father before the world began and who so comes to the end of the world and to the beginning again comes to see him and his glory and the kingdom of glory which fades not away which who so comes to enjoy are eternally happy THE END ERRORS PAge 14. l. 9. blot out of p. 25. l. 20. for Angei r. angel p. 32. l. 24. for presumptions r. presumptious p. 33. l. 8. f. he r. the the same p. l. 12. for undeclareble r. undeclarable p. 46. l. 23. f hit r. his p. 71. l. 27. f. soul. r. fold p. 86. l 25. f. ntichrists r. Antichrists p. 99. l. 18. f. power r. popery p. 101. l. 11. f. neral r. funeral p. 124. l. 10. f. our r. your p. 156. l. 3. f. corrupt ble r. corruptible p. 160. l. 24. r. a moment f. moment p. 208. l. 12. f. cnrst r. curst