ground of truth sets up an Idol and prefers an Idol above the life and so are in the Idolatry But let none mistake that I say water is an Idol nay it is a good creature of God or that I say Iohns baptisme with water was an idol nay he was in the power and spirit of Eliah and his baptisme a figure of a good thing which was to come which afterward was received by the diseiples and Christs words made good unto them Iohn indeed baptized you with water unto repentance but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire not many daies hence that was Christs baptisme I am not Ignorant of the many and great contests in this age that have been about these things and I know many scriptures that speaks of baptism all which I have searched narrowly with the measure of Gods spirit given unto me into the true ground of things the true state of each administration and in this thing I am satisfied fully that the baptisme with water was Iohns baptisme and not Christs and the baptisme of the spirit is Christs and not Iohns I have no desire to wrangle or Jangle about words or contest about shadowes but that all may come to know him in whom all ministrations ends in and there will be peace and satisfaction to wit in Christ But to say some thing to the main bassis and foundation which Priests and Separatists builds much of their arguments upon the last of Mat. and the last Goe teach and baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost as for all the Priests about their baptising of Infants here is no ground at all for here is first teach and then baptize and here 's no infants neither and so I know what consequences hath been drawn from this by the unlearned in their imaginations but them that hath the least measure of true light will not take a consequence to build a foundation on for this is contrary to their own rule they say the scripture is the Rule then their consequence is not the Rule and if the scriptures be the Rule let all people of your parishes know if you can by the Scripture shew when John or any Disciple of his or Christs baptized infants and taught them Principles of Religion â—0 years after but they are willingly ignorant that sees not you to be idolaters and as to the Baptists separates who builds upon this for their water baptisme they are as groundles as the Priests and all their Arguments are as invalled as the rest for here is baptizing the Nations in the Name of the Father in the name of the Son and of the holy Ghost and any who are judicious or wise and are in any measure of Gods pure wisdom will not say that the Name of the Father is water or the Son or holy Ghost is water the name of God is I am and a strong tower and the Name of the Son is the word and the word is the power but this is not water but further they say the Disciples had received the holy Ghost and did baptize with water after and they were Baptized with water after they had received the holy Ghost they bring divers Scriptures to prove this I shall not deny but Peter Baptized with water and Paul two or three families and thanks God he baptized no more and said he had declared the whole counsel of God and he makes not mention in all his Epistles that baptisme was any part of his command neither in all his counsel to the Churches any where doth he exhort either Timothy or Titus or Apollo or any of the brethren to Baptize with water but as for Peters Baptizing with water I know no more command he had then Paul as for the commission which Matthew writes of Mat. 28. and 19. and that Mark mentions 16. 15. there is no water and so it s the Baptisme of John I grant and Christ bearing witness to John that he was a Prophet and did baptize many and therefore he or they in honour to Johns Ministry might baptize some as well as Paul did circumcise Titus and and then in 1 Cor. 7. 19. said it was nothing and again in another place neither circumcision nor uncircumcision did avail but a new creature and because it was a figure which people did not Idolize so much then as they did circumcision for the weakness of the people for a time and the wise in heart may understand that when any representation or figure outward was set up it was not easily denyed again nor an easie thing to be laid down when the thing signified was come for many of the Jews believed in Christ and were said to be brethren and yet they came from Jerusalem and troubled the Church of Galatia and would have brought them under the figure circumcision again and the Apostle in Gal. 4. asks them now when ye know God why turn ye again to the beggarly Elements Circumcision observing dayes moneths times and years I would ask the moderate a question whether water be not an Element and pertains only to the Elementary part in man which is to passe away and be dissolved when the seed is raised up whose nature is not elementary but Celestial I shall say no more to them at this present who are contentions who are so zealous for their water upon so weak a ground but take heed that while you are striving about your outward water you neglect not the washing of regeneration and the cleansing of the spirit many have been baptized but which of you hath received the holy Ghost there is not one among you dare own or witness an infallible spirit but rather counts it an error that any should speak or witness or look to enjoy any such thing in these dayes well I say unto you your day is a day of darkness and gloominess you live in and thick darkness covers your tabernacle for who ever have received the holy Ghost or spirit of truth in any measure are led by that which is infallible and not fallible and if you look not for this you are no sons notwithstanding all your washing the outside for as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and this is witnessed praises to the Lord for ever the Lord is unto his people an everlasting light and this is the sum that water is owned to be a figure of the one baptism and was an Element and pertained to that which is Elementary but the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and be dissolved in the day of the Lord and then the seed comes up which is heir of the promise which is nourished with the water of life which is not an Element nor Elementary but is Celestial and springs up in them that believe unto everlasting life and comes to be born of the water and the spirit and enters into Gods Kingdom dominion power life wisdom excellency
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
thee evil and shewes thee good thou wilt see how it appears Even as the light shineth from the East unto the West so is the coming of the day of the Lord. And the eye which is spiritual sees it and the power and the glory of the Lord comes to be seen in the day which is pure and spiritual in the heart and the eye which is pure doth behold when it comes where it comes and how it comes and it 's hid from Vulterous eyes and from their eyes which are full of adultery and cannot cease from sin Now the day of the Lord cometh not where the carnal mind may imagine nor when Man will neither according to the carnal desire of the carnal heart neither according to the evil eye that looks out can see it but it is seen in Gods own light and by the measure of Gods holy spirit And the day of the Lord is a mystery the spirit of the Lord is the onely discoverer of it None knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God and the day of the Lord and his bright shining forth in the heart of man is one of the glorious things of God which onely the Spirit of God doth give the knowledge of to man and in man and not the letter nor the Scripture for the Jews had the letter and they had neither heard Gods voice at any time neither ever did see his shape neither did they see the day of the Lord nor the power neither in a word did see or perceive God or any of the mysteries of Gods Kingdom at all but dreamed imagined thought and conceived of things in their minds their foolish hearts being darkned for the further a man drawes from the Light his heart comes to be more dark and their understandings closed up and shut up that they cannot behold the Lord neither his glory which is revealed only by Gods holy spirit which spirit is near man though he sees it not What the spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the things of God THe spirit of the Lord is pure holy equal purity it selfe holinesse it selfe equity it selfe and is one with the Father and the Son The Father the word and the Spirit are one its Life its pure power pure strength purity it self which mixeth not neither joyneth to any thing but what is of its own nature it s an immeasurable pure substance its Life issued forth an active living power and is everlasting alters not changes not keeps its holinesse its purity for ever it is unsearchable unfathomable undeclarable words are all too short too narrow to declare its excellency and glory but onely as it makes it selfe out to them that believe and opens it self and sheds it self abroad in them that wait upon it it is revealed in its own purity manifest in its own power and received in its own Light felt in its own vertue the living Father of Life himselfe is manifested by it and appeares in his power majesty and excellency through it to man and to the sons of men to the righteous and unrighteous to godly and ungodly to the upright and to the deceitful to the children of darknesse and to the children of Light that which searcheth the heart of man and sees through all things and maketh manifest all things even the hidden things of God and the secret works of darknesse and reproveth for all evil all iniquity that is the pure act of the spirit which convinceth every man and as the creature comes to join to it it arises and shines forth more clearly and maketh it self known in its power and operation its power comes to be felt it checks and reproveth judgeth and condemneth all actions which is done and past and brings them to the creatures remembrance and as it is waited upon and hearkned unto it sheds its selfe abroad in its own pure brightnesse and bringeth all things to Light even all the deeds of darknesse and maketh manifest the intents of the mind and manifesteth all things reproveable Now as there is a waiting upon the pure appearance of it and the minde be still quiet and calm the creature comes to feel and sensibly to know his own condition and sees his minde is alive to other things and other lovers and not to God and so he sees himselfe dead to the things of Gods kingdome and in the losse and in the fall and in the transgression now this which shewes the vain motions and the vain thoughts and checketh them is an operation of the spirit and purity comes to be felt working in the heart and as it is loved obeyed it leadeth converteth the heart to the Lord and draweth towards it self out of unholinesse and from under the dark power and brings that under and so it arises in its strength as it is believed in and waited upon and judges and condemns for all evils for it is the discoverer of the mind of the Lord to the sons of men or the Father by it makes known his mind to and in the creature and doth discover the things that be eternal in their true property and nature which onely they that have the spirit and have received it and are brought out of the sensuality comes to discerne him who is invisible and the things that belongs to everlasting happinesse which is not seen by a natural eye neither received by the spirit of the world who never received the things of God neither the testimony of them who were in the Life Now all that comes to receive it that is to say the spirit of truth must wait in that which is pure unto which it joines it joines not to the corrupt man neither to the sensual heart neither to the vile affections neither to them whose eyes are full of adultery which cannot cease from sin neither to the seed of falsehood neither to the corruptible birth neither unto that which is born of the flesh nor unto the will of the creature yet notwithstanding though it join not to these yet it is near man even the natural man its manifestation or the shining forth of its brightnesse maketh all these things manifest before mentioned to be evil and thus far the spirit of God hath appeared to the world and all mankind to convince the world of sin yet still it remaines in its own purity and while the heart of any man is taken up with that and joined unto that which the light reproves that is to say the worker of iniquity that man hath not received the spirit neither is made possessor of it nor injoyes it but it stands off man and from man at a distance shewing the worker of iniquity and the works of darknesse and manifesting to the creature in its light and letting him see to whom he is joyned for so far as a man denies himselfe in acting or joyning to that which the manifestation of Gods spirit shining forth in its own
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
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
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
and the blind doctrines of the World layd waste Ob. Some will be ready to say how dost thou say he was in dominion everlasting then how should he fall that lasted but a while Ans. I say he was made by the word which abides for ever and in it which was in the beginning with God and was God and Gods Son and his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Throne is established in righteousnesse for ever and ever and in it selfe it is what it was ever and after the fall retained the same power and authority in it selfe and so will do for ever mans power stood in it onely out of it he had none so going out of it dyed to it and not any more power to do or to will or to order or to rule any thing but by it but he lost the feeling of it and the guidance of it the vertue of it and life of it and became dead to it and alive in his heart and mind to an other power to wit the power of deceit and to the power of him which hath the power of death which is the Devil so God is clear no fault in him nor in the power nor weaknesse in the dominion and authority which he had but destruction meerly wholly and onely of himself and he is to bear the his own burthen Thus man receiving in the Devils conceptions who was gone out of the truth and became one with it feeding upon knowledge without the life this was evil thus sin entred and death by sin man cut off from the power from life from the dominion which he had in the power now man is dead while he lives and in the day he eat he died dead to the power dead to the life dead to good dead to truth dead to purity dead to Righteousnesse estranged and alienated from it the grave covers him death hath prehemenence and bears rule and not life and he gone into its nature and loves it and imbraces it Oh sad life ah sad state now his life cursed which is death he cursed all his actions cursed all his conception cursed all his works cursed labouring in sorrow in travel and pain and grief and sweat and perplexity Now all may as in a line read the happy estate of man before the fall the sad and deplorable estate in the fall which who can declare or who can measure or who can demonstrate the miserable estate of man dead in trepasses and sins and life swallowed up of death death and destruction lives and man in it and now in the grave God is not remembred but forgotten Now the world set in the heart and the Earth in the heart the heart becomes earthly and vain thorns and bryers springs up and the Earth covers the slain now death lives and man lives in it and one with the enmity and in enmity against God who was before his life man now in chains of darkness when any thing moves Heaven-ward the power of death drawes the mind down again to the pit into darkness Now the nature of all things in the earth set in the heart Beasts Rocks Hills Mountains dogs swine and brutish creatures and man becomes brutish and vain they have all dominion over him he a slave to all all rules over him and death grew and dead works brought forth he cannot now perform any thing whereby he can purchase the love of God nor give a ransom for his soul now the root of betterness grew and the enmity and man in lust and when his lust is crost or his will crost then the enmity which liveth in him riseth he would kill that and destroy that imprison that and bring it into bondage that the enmity might be Lord over all and brings the innocent into bondage that which is nocent is set up and the higher deceit growes in the heart the more stir it makes and the greater destruction of that which crosses it and here came in oppression murder cruelty tyrany prisoning imbondaging revenge maliciousness and envie rage sury headiness pride this is all in the curse and springs up from the foundation of the world in the heart and so being given way unto and loved grows in strength and iniquity multiplies and the beast growes and the name great and numberless the Serpents root spreads forth it self and sprouts out in the Earth and comes to grow great and is admired now the deeds of darkness and the works of darkness comes to be many envy murder adultery fornication uncleanness riotousness sporting covetousness defrauding cheating maliciousness theft dissimulation feinedness hypocrisy witchcraft cursed-speaking railing reviling filthy communication unsavory speeches wantonness lightness foolish jeasting idle talking vain Babbling back-biting swearing lying cursing blasphemy slandering pride arogancy vain-boasting contention strife emulation mischief these and many more are now the fruits of the degenerate plant dead works and the works of darkness in man who was once a noble plant a holy right seed now the fruits of Sodom and the grapes of Gomorah whom God destroyed and overthrew is brought forth and the whole Earth is filled with violence and these be the fruits that grow and are become great over all Nations which are wrought by the Devil the father of lies who spoke of himself and works of himself in the dark in the night out of the light out of the day who went out of the truth and now worketh in all the children of disobedience who are out of the light and out of the power and here are all the sons of fallen Adam in the curse under the wo and these be the works that are wrought and brought forth which hath stained the earth and the father of them and man in whom they are wrought and the works themselves is all for condemnation never to be numbred among the Saints in light nor among their works Self righteousness deeds of darkness also and dead works which though they be not counted as bad as the former by them that act in them yet they are to be condemned also And man who acts them being in the fall CAin who was the first begotten in the fall the similitude likeness and image of Adam his Father who had transgressed and disobeyed and lost the power and became dead to it Cain I say his expresse Image out of the saith out of the Power he brought a sacrifice and offered in the same nature he slew his brother with and envied him who was in the saith and was accepted of the Lord through faith in the Power of God I say in this nature he offered and was not accepted he was in the imitation out of the life out of the Power in feinedness and this was self and not the Lord that moved him The Jewes in the Prophets time who were in Cains nature in envy and maliciousness grinding the faces of the poor and oppressing the needy and chopping them in pieces as flesh for the pot they brought sacrifices oblations
his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and the Lord God shall give them light and shall be unto them an everlasting light and they shall reign with him for ever and ever over the whore Beast false prophet Antichrists deceivers seducers the pit death hell the grave shall triumph in his strength over all the powers of darkness and sing praises to him that abides for ever these things are true and faithful and shall be fulfilled and the time is at hand blessed are they that waite and watch that they may discern the signs of the times and the coming of the bride-groom that they may enter into the chamber of rest and into the Palace of eternal life into the City of the great King to sit with him and eat with him and rejoyce with him in the glory Eternal which was before the world began shall be when it shall be no more the end hastens he is blessed that is come and coming to the end of it for that which is immutable and Eternally glorious shall appear the Lord hasten it saith my spirit Amen The day of the Lord and how it is seen THe Lord God of the whole earth who lives for ever even the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and Jacob whose Throne is established in righteousness for ever who rideth upon the heavens and shines forth in his eternal excellency from the firmament of his power he is manifesting himself in his power as in the dayes of old and revealing his righteousness as in the years past and pouring forth his spirit upon his sons and daughters according to his promise and they that believe comes to be made partakers of the blessing of the everlasting Hills even the Lord who appeared at Sinai unto Moses his servant in the bush who rose up from mount Seir and shined forth in his brightness from mount Paran and came with ten thousands of his Saints even he from whose right hand went a fiery Law so that the people could not behold his glory the same is he who hath now appeared in this the day of his power and is appearing whose glory shall dazle the eyes of the world whose brightness shall make dim all the worlds glory and stain its wisdom and shut it up in utter darkness that it shall not appear to have any existance or being and the shadow of death shall flie away and all the haughty and lofty Princes of this world shall be horribly afraid the beasts shall go into their dens when the day appears and the Lambs of the everlasting fold shall come forth and be fed in the fat valleys where the springs of life compasseth about all the banks and rejoyce in their shepherd and shall say The Lord is my shepherd which many at this time doth admire and say What hath the Lord wrought who have seen his wonders in the dayes of old and have seen his noble acts which the fathers have told of who are fallen asleep and are at rest in the Lord and now many is God bringing to see their witness to be true and to have the same fulfilled in themselves honour and praise unto him for ever who is the stay and strength of all his people for ever And the day of the Lord is broken and the light hath appeared that manifesteth all things which are reproveable and the day-star is risen in the hearts of many and they are come to see that fulfilled in their hearts which Peter exhorted them to wait for and to take heed unto the sure word of prophesie until the day appeared and did dawn in their hearts which day when it appears and to whom it appears discovereth all things and maketh all things manifest as it is declared by the Spirit of truth in the Scripture of truth and every mans work shall be tryed of what sort it is and of what nature it is and this day hath appeared to many praises to the Lord who have waited for it and now they see every thing in its ground and rise and every tree and fruit is seen according to its kind whether good or bad and every mans work is obvious to every one who are in the day and upon whom the morning of righteousness hath appeared and the Sun of righteousness hath shined upon whereby that is seen in every one by the light which is truly called day by the Lord who causeth it to spring from on high which is reproveable and condemnable and also whatever is justifiable and unreproveable is seen by the day of the Lord appearing in the heart The day of the Lord what it is and to whom it hath appeared discovered and how it is seen GOd is a spirit his day is spiritual and is seen with a spiritual eye its pure light pure brightness the pure shining forth of the Lord in his glorious excellency the pure shining forth of eternity life putting forth it self in its brightness holiness sheding it self abroad in its glory purity spreading it self in its immeasurable excellency and can only be seen as it is in it self by the children of the light that are born of it there is a natural day there is a spiritual day the natural day receives its brightness from the Sun the spiritual day receives it brightness from the Son of righteousness by whom it s brought forth without whom nothing was made or is made or brought forth but by him who is the fountain of life and as the natual day receives its clearness from the natural Sun and is discerned by the natural eye of a natural man and all things natural are seen and discovered by and in the natural day and are perspicuous and obvious to him that hath his natural sight even so from the Son of righteousness the Lord of glory light and purity the day of God receives its brightness and is issued out from him by the rayes of his brightnes and is discerned and seen only by the spitual eye of the spiritual man who is the image of the father brought forth in life and in his own nature and quality that is to say from God the Father of life by Christ Jesus the life of men the light of the world and this is the birth which is born from above wch is of the nature of the Father and the Son of the day he only comes to behold this day and discerns all things of the Fathers Kingdom by it and likewise discerns all the hidden things of dishonesty and the works of darknes which are brought forth by the Prince of darkness who is shut up in eternal and utter darkness which is his dwelling place for ever which is his residence and shall be the residence of all the workers of iniquity that bear his image for ever Ob. But some may be ready to say It is not yet appeared and all things are not yet made manifest and that day is not yet come neither hath appeared in this
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