me he cannot be my Disciple and he said My sheep hear my Voice and they follow me and he entred within the Vail and the Vail is over the Heart and was made Perfect through suffering and is sate down in the Majesty on high glorified with God the Father and the Father was in him even the fulness of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and he said He had finished the work that the Father gave him to do and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done for which the body was prepared he said Now glorifie me Father with the same glory which I had with thee from the beginning and he that spake in the body abideth forever who said A Body hast thou prepared me which Body being crucisied he took up his Life again and then those that did know him three dayes before knew him not and he ascended and a Cloud received him out of the sight of certain men who never found him unto this day for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him and as the lightning in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again and every eye shall see him that condemneth sin and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and yet the blind cannot see nor the deaf hear And this was he that Moses commanded to hear who said he that is with you shall be in you and he that was with or without was to go away and that which was to be received within he said should abide with them forever and the Spirit of Truth was to lead into all Truth for though the body was prepared to do Gods will yet they by it were not led into all Truth but sometimes understood it not though he speak Spirit and Life and moreover they went away and some fled from the Truth and Peter denyed him that was the Truth and so such as have got a Profession of the Truth without them and not the Spirit within to lead into all Truth such fly in the day of Tryal from that Truth they profess and some deny it rather than suffer with or for it and herein them called Baptists also have not come short and some of them have bowed to the Beast and so it is with many who profess Christ and Truth without them even as with those who understood not the Parables nor could not cast out the unclean Spirits so that Christ was and is grieved when he hath been so long with and professed and followed without and yet not come to that Faith which purifieth the Heart whereby to cast out the Unclean within as thou mayst read in thy self And therefore Christ when he was upon Earth did often speak unto them of what was yet to come and I do seldom read or take notice that he did so often preach and repeat any one thing unto them as that of the Spirit to come saying That it Mark the Spirit would lead into all Truth and seeing their Weakness and Unbelief Mark 16. 14. he by the often repetition thereof did as it were the more chiefly engage their Hearts to wait for and seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them and abide with them when his Body was gone from them whither they could not come and to this one thing doth he direct them in various expressions as of his going to the Father and coming again and saith he I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive John 12. 16. And many things Jesus did which if they should be all written the World might not contain the Books John 21. 25. And many things he spake unto them Acts 2. 40. and yet there was something to come to be waited for and after to be received which was more than all this for said he These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you But the Comforter Mark the word BUT intimateth something greater or more than what was spoken to them whilst he was with them for he saith He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. and said But the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he will teach you all things Mark what that is that teacheth all things and bringeth all things to your Remembrance what soever I have said and so that is within which bringeth the words of Spirit and Life to remembrance John 14. 25 26. And having spoken of other things he saith again But when the Comforter comes even the Spirit of Truth John 15. 26. And if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you John 16. 7. And I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth John 16. 12 13. Here it may be seen that they who followed Christ without and not received the Spirit within could not bear what he had to speak unto them and also it may be seen that when the Spirit was come it would be better with them And much more might be mentioned how Christ foretold what was to come and be received and revealed in that day John 16. 23. when the Spirit should be poured forth according to the Prophets all which plainly declare and most evidently set forth how Christ in his Ministry when he was upon Earth did most chiefly direct unto the Ministration of the Spirit of Truth which was then yet to come and that they might not run to teach others as many do now before they had received the Spirit of Truth in themselves by and with that to be led into all Truth but might receive the Power of Truth in themselves from the Life thereof to convert others into the same therefore said he further after he was risen again But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be enducd with Power from on high Mark 24. 4. so that though they had seen his Body before and had now seen him after his Resurrection yet that and all the rest was not enough without the Power and the Spirit which was to come which they were to wait for And so now men should tarry wait and stand still to see the Salvation of God and until they receive the Spirit for it is the Spirit not the Body which searcheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father And by this before-written in short I have a little endeavoured to shew unto the meek and single-hearted That Moses when he was upon the Earth directed unto Christ As in these words The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. And Christ when he was upon Earth directed unto the Spirit which was to come in the like words saying These things have I
is written The Invisible only Wise God whom no Eye of Flesh hath seen or can see and this moving invisible Spirit of God which is without limit or end is that which all People should be led unto by all its outward visible Appearances Ministrations and Dispensations and this Spirit was that which gave forth and ordained the Ministration of the the Law which was glorious in its time though to be done away but how much more glorious is the Ministration of that Spirit of Life it self from which the Ministration of the Law came which Spirit abideth forever And the second Adam is made a quickning Spirit and the Spirit which is the Word was with God and was God before the Body of Flesh was made and that Spirit abideth forever as it heard out of the Law He shall abide forever and this is that which ever liveth to intercede And this forever blessed invisible Spirit was before time and is to be when time shall be no more and is without limit an Eternal lively substance giving Life from it self and secretly covering it self from the carnal part of man not seen nor understood but by such as by its secret motions come to be led to see through that which shadows it forth and by the Image Form Shadow or Figure to discern the substance which is the Life where Immortality dwelleth for in the most innermost and secrets of all is the Life of all being covered over with that in which it lies through the which it breaking forth in any discovery of it self is that whereby the Beholders might be drawn through the discovery to it self which in the discovery broke forth for the discovery was still too short of that from whence it came and that which was discovered forth in any Shadow Form or Image was not to be idolized nor set up for the very thing or substance of Life from whence it proceeded and herein hath been much mistake by such who came not by that which opened in the Visibles to that from whence it came in that to have their Understandings opened and thereby to be made sensible of that which is Eternal by it to be brought in where its indwellings abide forever whose breakings forth in the visible which was to draw to that invisible refreshed the Soul invisibly in an unexpected time but being after sought for in the Visibles and not in the Eternal with-draws it self out of the Visibles and out of the sight and reach of that which seeks it there that thereby that which is to live forever with it may come through all that which it appeared in unto the very thing and invisible Substance it self which is the Life of all and the true center of the living Motion which moveth of it self and gave forth all things good as they proceeded from it by virtue of its gradual and various Motions and this being come openeth it self in them that find it and live therein and this maketh Darkness Light before the People whose dwelling is with God and the crooked comes to be made straight by the thing it self and dark Sayings of old come to be opened and secret things revealed But to write more plain for the sake of the weak of this glorious indwelling Spirit which in the fulness of time cometh forth in Flesh laying hold of the Seed of Abraham the most glorious appearance that ever was being thus appeared was the express Image of God who dwelleth in his People whose Bodies are Flesh and earthly Tabernacles but by the operation of the sanctifying cleansing Spirit which the Father sendeth are made fit Habitations of God and so Co-heirs with Christ and Members of his Body Flesh and Bones which Spirit quickneth to God and being thus received and obeyed is felt to live forever though the shadowings forth of it be done away and this is Eternal and never endeth but abideth with such forever and the Ministration of it is Life it self to the Soul and more to be valued and desired than all that ever was seen before it And as the Lord took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon his Brethren the Elders of Israel whereby they might rule and judge with him so saith Christ The Father shall take off mine and give unto you even of that Spirit of Love Life Power Valour and Virtue which was upon and in him that was like unto Moses is ministred into and put upon such as are truly his Brethren and Friends whereby him with they thus gifted sanctified and qualified judge the World for all Judgment is committed to the Son and of that which the Son hath and is committed to him doth the Father give unto his Members And so from Christ the Head they come to receive Power over the World and its Way Worship and Fashions and over Unclean Spirits And that is an Unclean Spirit which will lead into any Sin and it is an unclean Spirit in which sin standeth and which pleadeth for the continuance and upholding of that which is unclean and that is of the World which the Saints judge And as those Elders of Israel who were of the Church in the Wilderness were not made fit to judge nor rule in outward matters by all the writings and words of the Law though received by disposition of Angels until the Lord himself took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put upon them So those that profess to be Elders in the Church now or any other Person whatsoever are much less made fit to rule or judge in spiritual matters by all the reading and professing Moses writings and Christs words and the rest of the holy Scriptures though they were given by the Inspiration of God until the Lord take off that Spirit which was upon and in Christ who is like unto Moses and give unto and pour it upon and minister it unto them And this is done in Gods way which is secret and time which is in his own hand to those whom he accounteth worthy thus to Honour and who truly wait for it as a Wayfaring man for a Resting place and as a Captive for Deliverance And though Christ after his Resurrection said All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me go ye therefore and Teach yet they were to tarry until they had the Power in themselves and when that was come which they were to tarry and wait for then with that they went and taught the Nations from the sensible feeling of that which taught them how to teach and all things else when the same Spirit and Power was upon them which was before committed unto him and so the coming forth of it from him into them and filling them therewith was to them in that work of the Ministry most effectual like as the Virtue going forth of Christ healed the Woman so the Power and Virtue of the holy Spirit coming forth from Christ being sent of the Father and received by the Disciples who
enters not nor the vain Janglers who come with their carnal Weapons from the Letter without to fight against the Lamb whose Commands are written in the Heart where the Holy Ghost is by such resisted who are not come to the second Ministry where all things are compleat in him who is the Head the Beginning and the End in whom the Circumcision made without Hands is witnessed so the Vail is taken off the Heart and the end is seen even he that takes away the Sin of the World and so all Trespasses come to be forgiven unto them that are buried in the Baptism and so dead unto Sin whereby also the Hand-writing of Ordinances was against us comes to be blotted out and nailed down to the Cross whereby the Principalities and Powers are spoiled by the Power of the Word that becomes Flesh whereby those things that were in shew are triumphed over and nailed down to the Cross through which the Life comes to be raised and so Christ Jesus the Son of God comes to be revealed and made manifest being quickned in the Spirit and so no more to know Christ after the Flesh but in that which is raised up through the Cross unto which the shews and shadows of things are nailed down So the Doctrines of Baptism and Repentance from dead works are left behind and those things that are left behind are forgotten and there is a pressing forwards to Perfection by the Ministry of the second Priesthood wherein every man is to be presented Perfect in Christ Jesus in whom there is a growing from Grace to Grace and a changing from Glory to Glory by the same Spirit having received of his fulness Col. 2. 10 11 12 13 14 15. Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Heb. 6. 1 2. 1 Pet. 3. 22. 2 Cor. 3. 18. In the time of the first Priesthood the outward Blood was to purifie the transgression being without and the law without And so here is the outward Washings with the outward Water and the set dayes of Purification and these things were to be done often because of the continual Transgression of that Law which stood without which came to be fulfilled and did not Christ Jesus suffer without the Gate Heb. 9. 23. Col. 2. 23. And the Law being without hath the shadow and yet not the Image therefore far short of Christ the Substance Heb. 10. 1. In the time of the second Priesthood the heavenly things themselves are purified with better sacrifices then these Heb. 9. 23. which served to the purifying of the Patterns and the heavenly things themselves being purified with the living sacrifice so the way into the Holyest of all is known which is not manifested under the first Priesthood Heb. 9. 8. And so there is an entrance made into the Believers Rest Heb. 4. 3 10. Rev. 14. 13. where the seed of Abraham sits down in the Father's Kingdom which consisteth of Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and so as there is a coming to feel the Power of the second Ministry preaching to the spirit in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 24. and so to quicken them that were dead in sin Ephes 2. 1. by whose quickning Power the seed comes to be raised up together with Christ the Head who sits at the Fathers right Hand in the heavenly places Ephes 1. 20. which are purified and prepared for the faithful Ephes 2. 5 6. John 17. 21 22 23 24. And as the heavenly things of the heavenly places are purified and the entrance into the Rest ministred so Christ comes to be seen exalted at the Fathers right Hand in the heavenly places above all Principalities and Powers which are spoiled Christ being the Head over all things Ephes 1. 21 22. And so there is a ruling over all that which stands in outward show the which Christ made a show of openly triumphing over them in it Col. 2. 15. And if there be a triumphing over these things which are in show before the entrance into the Holiest of all be made how much more are the outward shows triumphed over and the Principalities spoiled when the way into the Holiest of all is made manifest by the Power of him who is gone into the Heavens and is on the right hand of God Angels Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3. 22. In the time of the first Priesthood the Rule and Covenant were without and such as come on further resist the Spirit within yet profess the Scriptures without but resist the Inspiration which gave them forth and yet are zealous for their Rule without being yet blind like Saul even persecuting them in whom the Spirit of Truth bears rule which Spirit they being not come unto to open the Eye and lead them into all Truth are found out of thier Rule which they so much talk of Read and see James 1. 26. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Tit. 3. 9. Ephes 4. 29 30 31 32. and ch 5. 11. 1 John 3. 4. and ch 2. 4. John 12. 36. Mat. 5. 28 29 30 39 40 41 42 43 44. and Ch. 23. 26 27. 1 Tim. 2. 9. 1 Thes 5. 5 15 17 18 19 20 21 22. 2 Cor. 13. 11. In the time of the second Priesthood a measure of the Spirit of Truth is own'd received within which whoso follows walks not in Darkness John 8. 12. the which leads into all Truth and orders and rules the Creature in the fear of him who is the God of Order whereby the strong holds are broken down and every Thought comes to be subjected unto Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. who rules over all and upholds all things by the Word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. who hath given to every man a manifestation of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 7. and a proportion of Faith Rom. 12. 6. Christ being all and in all Gal. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11. and as every man hath received Christ Job 9. 9. so to walk in him Col. 2. 6. according to the same Rule already attained Mat. 25. 21. and to mind the same things already received that is the cause Phil. 3. 16 17 and mark them that walk so and not go beyond the measure of what they have received but be faithful in it as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God Tit. 2. 10. and such as walk according to that Rule grace mercy and peace be to them and to all the Israel of God 2 Cor. 10. 12 13. Written by a Servant of Jesus Christ the only High Priest and Minister of life for whose sake he suffers in outward Bonds at Dorchester this 28th day of the 1st Moneth 1657. who is despised persecuted imprisoned by the World called Humphry Smith AN ALARUM Sounding forth unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth ASA Warning before the Vials of the Everlasting Wrath be poured forth upon them THe Lord of Hosts whose Name is Holy whose Way is Everlasting whose Truth endureth forever whose
Peace with God and his Blessing to be with you alwayes and be a Comfort to your Parents and all that truly fear the Lord. Written by a Member of Christ whose love was to little Children and so is mine who am called Humphery Smith THE True and Everlasting Rule From God discover'd AND That which proveth all things Published from the Spirit of Truth To the which Rule the Scriptures also bear Testimony that the Simple and Honest-hearted may see what Rule they are to walk by to come to perfect Peace and Rest with God for evermore Also A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come and is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling-sence and experience according to Scripture Wherein also is shewed That the Prophets of God and Ministers of Christ did preach the Light and so those who preach the Light now do therein preach the same Doctrine as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did With an Invitation from the Spirit of Christ By a Servant of the Lord and a Sufferer for his Truth in the House of Correction at Winchester in Hampshire called Humphry Smith The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. To the Flock of GOD whom he hath gathered in Glocestershire Herefordshire Worcestershire Wiltshire Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Hampshire Dorcetshire and Devonshire TO you my dearly beloved Lambs and Babes in Christ Jesus chosen of God the Father before the Foundation of the Word called to be Saints sanctified with the living Truth in the inward parts justified by him that is near redeemed with the Blood of the new Covenant glorified as a royal Diadem in the hand of the Father preserved through believing and obedience by the mighty Arm of unlimited Power compassed about with Salvation anointed with Oyl of Joy and Gladness of Heart who are beloved of my Soul and the Joy of the whole Earth who are chosen and faithful and true who through great Tribubation the Kingdom do come to receive who have not loved your Lives unto the Death who did once walk in the Shadow of Death whose feet now come to be guided in the Way of Everlasting Peace to whom the hand of the Father's infinite Love hath been reached forth as unto tender Babes who come to be born and nursed up by the Womb and the Paps that are free which is the Mother of us all who know the first-born which is blessed for evermore who are become the first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb who have received the Testimony of Jesus who have washed your Robes in the Blood of the Lamb and have received the fine Linnen which is the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of the Saints whose Sins are done away forever whose Nakedness is covered who have put on the pure Robes and are adorned as a Bride for her Husband who are clothed with Righteousness as with a Garment and are all Glorious within and are able to stand upon the Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and before the Throne out of which proceeds Lightnings and Thunders and Voices who have cast down all your Crowns at the fect of the Lamb and come to wait on him forever and ever who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is worthy of all Glory and Honour and Praise and Thanks and Obedience and Dominion from all his for evermore The Salutation of me the Prisoner of Jesus Christ with my own hand unto you my dear Ones unto whom at present my Bowels of Love from God the Father are poured forth with whom I am in the Spirit of Love and Meekness among whom I have passed through good Report and evil Report yea that which is not to be named who am as one of the least yet not the least in Love unto you who are unto me as the Children of my own Bowels bound up with me in the unspeakable Life of the Father which from all the World is hid for evermore where Life and Immortality dwelleth forever and is daily felt by all you that abide faithful in the Obedience and keep your Garments unspotted of the Flesh abiding in the pure Fear and godly Humility your Bread is continued and your Waters are sure and your Souls are made as a watered Gardâ—n and Peace and Life springs up in you and you may delight your selves in Fatness and find the replenishings from the Fountain of God's living Mercies and grow up in the holy Life as Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified The Church of the first born are you come to be the Pillar and Ground of Truth made lively Stones elect and precious growing up a holy Building unto God the Father who will dwell in you his holy Temple forever and ever who are founded upon the elect precious and Corner-stone the sure Foundation the Rock of Ages the Light of the World whose light is your life which is shining forth unto the Sons of men that they may see your good Works which are wrought in and by you and hear your seasoned words which ministers Grace unto the Hearers and answers Gods Witness in all and makes for your Advantage who are as Plants of Renown a Habitation of Holiness Vessels of Honour Clusters of Grapes who receive nourishment from the Vine whose Fruit never fadeth whose Rivers are never dry whose Rayment never waxeth old whose Glory never fadeth whose strength is renewed as the Morning your Dread is upon the People and your Terror upon the Heathen your Enemies are all as stubble before you and your God in the midst of you is a consuming Fire Dreadful is his Presence in you unto all his and your Enemies the Workers of Iniquity who shall fall before you as the Grass that is cut down and wither as the Blossom that is cut off Paleness shall cover the faces of all your Enemies before you shall all People be much pained Sorrow shall take hold upon them in the Night-season then shall the Arrows of the Lord reach into their Bowels Astonishment of Heart shall be upon them and they shall fly when none pursues and be in Distress and none shall deliver Arise against them O ye my Lambs in the strength of the Lord who teacheth your hands to war and your fingers to fight let the Beast be overturned forever let the Whore have blood to drink let her Merchant be spoiled forever and all her Children dashed against the Stone and broken to pieces as a Potters Vessel with the Power of the Light let the Darts of your hands who handle the Word of Life strike through all the false Prophets and reach unto the secrets of all their Hearts to the renting open of their Chambers of Darkness and the cutting down of the Enemies of the Most High and fear not let not your hands be slack the Lord
A COLLECTION Of the several Writings and Faithful Testimonies OF THAT Suffering Servant of God and Patient Follower of the Lamb Humphry Smith Who Dyed a Prisoner for the Testimony of Jesus in Winchester Common-Goal the 4th day of the 3d Moneth in the Year 1663. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not only to me but to them also that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. LONDON Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane near Shoreditch 1683. George Fox HIS TESTIMONY CONCERNING Humphry Smith NOW concerning our dear Friend and Brother Humphry Smith who formerly had been a Preacher and a Man of Note but when it pleased the Lord to call him by his Grace and reveal his Son in him he came to be an able Minister of Jesus Christ and freely did preach the Gospel as he had received it freely and was cast in Prison for the Testimony of Jesus at Eversham in Worcestershire where he suffered very much in Oliver's days about the year 1655. and besides several other Goals that it may be party said of him as it was of Paul who had been zealous among the Letter-Professors and who had then esteem of him but when he came to possess Christ Jesus and to preach him then they hated him and persecuted him Yet through the Eternal Power of the Lord he was upholden through his Sufferings and travelled through many Hardships for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and did convert and turn many to the Lord Jesus Christ that had been outward Professors as he himself had been to the Possession of Christ so that he did see and was comforted in the Fruits of his Labours in Christ and his Grace And at last he was cast into Winchester-Goal where he ended his days and finisht his Testimony in an hard Imprisonment who there dyed in the Lord and rests from his Labour whose Works follow him Whose Memorial is blest among the Righteous in the Lords Heritage for he was a worthy Souldier and Follower of the Lamb and kept his Habitation in Christ Jesus in whom he now sleeps G. F. London the 8th of the 11th Moneth 1682. A TESTIMONY Concerning the Servant of Christ Humphry Smith DECEASED With Respect to his Life Testimony and Service for the Lord in his day ALthough I have not read all the Books and Writings given forth in Truths behalf by our dear Friend and Brother Humphry Smith and therefore cannot knowingly give particular account thereof as to all his Writings though many sound and weighty Experimental things I am sure he has written yet from the knowledge which I had of him his Conversation and Testimony and the living Society I had with him for some time before his Course was finished I have this Testimony nakedly and in the sight of the Lord to bear That he was a man fearing God and hating Iniquity fervent and zealous against Deceit and Hypocrisie and endued with a heavenly Gift and Gospel Testimony which he faithfully bore in his day according to his Ability and the Lord was with him and he was well beloved among his People He endured the Cross and bore Afflictions patiently and he was a great Sufferer in divers Goals and Persecutions for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Testimony which he declin'd not And he was in the Name of the Lord instrumental and helpful with other faithful Brethren and Servants of Christ to break through rough Oppositions perverse Gain-sayings and Persecutions of many Adversaries to the Life of Christianity even in those days of great Hardships and deep Sufferings not long after the first breaking forth of the Gospel Day to many in this Age and in divers parts of our professing Nation the Exercises deep Sufferings and Tryals of that day and time many now have not known the sharpness of since which the Lord has been with his faithful Servants all along and prospered his Work among the sincere Receivers of his Truth in the love thereof and the Lord our God hath crowned the Labours of his faithful Witnesses whose Dayes are ended in Peace among whom this Honest and Upright hearted man Humphry Smith had his Share and Portion and hath his Crown that fades not and his Inheritance Everlasting in the Kingdom of his and our Heavenly Father among the Spirits of Just Men in Glory I am really satisfied as knowing the End of the Upright Man to be Peace and that in the sight of the Lord the Death of his Saints are Precious as their Life is Acceptible And I pray God that all Friends and all those that yet remain with a Testimony for him and his holy Truth may be preserved in and with tender Regard unto the same Footsteps of the faithful and blessed Flock to the end of their Dayes as those that truly have respect to the Recompence of Reward and Kingdom that 's set before which will remain and stand us in stead when our Dayes Times and Years here are expired and gone George Whitehead London the 4th of the 8th Moneth 1682. THE Faithfulness of the Upright MADE MANIFEST Being a Testimony concerning the Life Death and Sufferings of a precious Servant of the Lord called Humphry Smith Who dyed a Prisoner for witnessing unto the living Truth in Winchester Common-Goal the 4th day of the 3d Moneth 1663. ARE thy famous Works ever to be forgotten Are thy Noble and Valiant Acts to be blotted out of the Memory of the Righteous Is thy holy innocent pure Life to be buried in Oblivion as not to be remembred by us any more Are thy Sufferings with all thy valiant Engagements with the Enemies of thy God to be blotted out of the Record of the Children of the most High Oh! what saith my Soul Nay nay let it be had in living Remembrance among the Followers of the Lamb and let it be written upon the Tables of their Hearts even to all Generations And as concerning this man he from his Youth upwards had desires after the Lord and he was often check'd by his Father because of his Solidity he mourned mightily after the Lord while he was yet a Child yea and panted after the God that made him He followed the zealous Professors and encreased mightily in that Knowledge which stands in the Comprehension yea exceeded many of his equals but at last the Lord seperated him for his own glory and sent him forth in his own Power and Eternal Name so he led him by the hand through the Wilderness and bore up his head above the Waves which sought to destroy him he became a Talk and a By-word unto them with whom before he had his Conversation yea they sought to destroy him in a moment but yet the Lord led him in the way and gave him the threshing Instrument that belongs to
down from Heaven and gives Life the which Bread being not in outward shew was not only hid from the Scribes and Pharisees who had the Oracles of God outwardly but also from them that profess Christ without them only for there is a time wherein Christ is known after the Flesh therefore saith Christ He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. Ch. 6. 35. 60. The first Priesthood though made by a Law of God which Law stands outwardly the Priests being Ministers of the Law and not come to Christ but now the Priests are out of his Doctrine Mat. 23. and so are found themselves Transgressors of the same Law which they teach to others therefore the Lord declares against such saying Wherefore ye Priests this Commandment is for you If you will not hearken I will send a Curse upon you and I will Curse your Blessing and spread the Dung of your solemn Assemblies upon your Faces Mal. 2. 1 2 3. Mich. 3. 10 11. Jer. 10. 21. Hosea 6. 9. Isa 56. 9 10 11 12. Râ—â— 2. 21 22 23 24. The Ministry of the second Priesthood witnesseth the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled within and so comes to the freedom from the Law of Sin and Death and so comes to receive a Blessing from God not a Curse Rom. 7. 6. Chap. 8. 2 3 4. Heb. 6. 7. The first Priesthood who offers daily for the Poeple and themselves thought it be much and consisteth in many Words and outward Ceremonies yet this is not able to make him that doth in Perfect as pertaining to the Conscience but the Guilt remaineth still upon the Conscience both of him and his followers Heb. 9. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. 14. The second Priesthood who hath forever Perfected them that are Sanctified he is of the heavenly Mansion of the which there are many in the Fathers House whose House are we who are of the Body which is the Church which is raised up by the Ministry of the second Priesthood to sit together with Christ in the Heavenly places where the Unclean cannot come but the living Service and Prayers are offered up through the Eternal Spirit Ephes 1. 20 21 22 23. Chap. 6. 2. Heb. 3. 6. John 14. 2 3. The first Priesthood and its Ministry consisted in reading of the Law that was written in Tables of Stone and Writings which are without and in preaching of Moses in the Synagogues every Sabbatâ—-day the Vail being over the Heart and the end of the Law not seen nor him known that 's made under the Law Acts 15. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 13 14 15 c. The second Priesthood and its Ministry consisteth in ministring Life to the Seed in Prison and opening the Prison-doors that the Seed of Abraham may spring out of the barren Womb and feel the Power of the Son of God breaking down that which the Law had power over and so to bring to him that is the end of the Law and to behold with open Face the Glory of him that takes away the Sin and brings in everlasting Righteousness Isa 61. 1 2 3. Dan. 9. 24. 2 Cor. 3. 18. The first Priesthood had the Letter but afterward resisted the Holy Ghost yet profess Moses and the Prophets Writings and make a Gain thereby but resist the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of Prophesie the Heart being Uncircumcised Acts 7. 51 52. Jude 11. The second Priesthood and its Ministry is of the Spirit with the power of the Holy Ghost and the same Spirit that guided Moses and the Prophets and all the holy men of God and so comes to that from whence that was given forth which was preached in the Synagogues every Sabbath-day Isa 44. 3. Isa 59. 21. 2 Pet. 11. 21. In the time of the first Priesthood the Cherubims cover the Mercy-seat and the Lord communeth with him that is the Minister of the Law above the Mercy-seat which Mercy-seat being both covered and under and the People being both stiff-necked and hard hearted So the Power stands above ministring the Law which is to judge and cut down that which causeth the hardness of the Heart which is covered with the Vail through the transgression of the Law under which the Mercy-seat is and the Testimony lieth under it Exod. 25. 31. Let him that readeth understand Matth. 24. 15. Heb. 9. 5. In the time of the second Priesthood the Testimony and Witness of God is raised up and the Mercy-seat opened and the hardness of Heart broken and so the Wall that 's separated between him and his Testimony comes to be broken down and the Fountain of living Mercies opened and the Soul refreshed with the hidden Manna so the Seed of Abraham comes to be raised up through the Vail by the power of him who is the living Minister within the Vail made under the Law to redeem the Soul from under the Law and so as this is read in the work of it and so felt and understood the Promise of the second Covenant under the Ministry of the second Priesthood is witnessed even as it is written I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my People 2 Cor. 6. 16. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 8. to the end Chap. 9. 12. Isa 57. 15. In the time of the first Priesthood there is much talking of the Ordinances and many are pleading from the Letter for the Ordinances which say They are to last forever as Circumcision was and also many are crying The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord and yet the Temple is made by such a den of Thieves and a habitation of Dragons and wild subtil devouring Beasts of the Field who have stollen up another way in the Serpents wisdom than by Christ the Light and the Door and so resist the Holy Ghost being yet in their Sins and their Faith vain and their Minds and their Consciences being defiled and they not come to the Doctrine of Repentance the Mountains being not leveled and the burning Light not felt nor the Wilderness not yet found nor the way opened for the Seed neither yet seen him that takes away the Sin of the World and yet such are crying The Ordinances The Ordinances and the Commands which say they are to last to the end of the World and yet they themselves not come to the beginning of the World nor to feel the power of the Word separating the Light from the Darkness nor yet to feel the entrance into the true Circumcision and so the Vail remains over the Heart that they cannot see to the end of the Commands Figures and Ordinances which are a shadow of good things to come but the End and Substance is Christ the Light Life and Corner-stone at which they stumble Col. 2. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 21. In the time of the second Priesthood the Kingdom is witnessed which is not in Words but in Power where the proud Boasters are shut out and the Unclean
the day long and in this have I believed that the Lord will hear my Cry and pity the People that are destroyed for lack of Knowledge that the Witness of God in them may arise and that the Prisoner of Hope may come to Deliverance And in this have I not been hasty as to utter their Shame for I was my self a Preacher in the Pulpits but in a Mournful state oft times many Moneths or Years have I born this Burden neither have I now uttered or written this out of Prejudice towards the Persons of any men but in the Mournful state of my long burdened and grieved Spirit from the true sence of the Sad Shameful and Miserable state that is coming upon them and the Eternal Wo and Misery that is like to follow after for evermore The which I desire they may escape by speedy returning from the Way that they are in now it is so plainly made manifest to be so exceeding Evil. H. S. IDOLATRY Declared Against THe Great and Mighty God who made the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and made all men of one Blood upon the face of the whole Earth and breathed into man that which is of his own Life that by it man might seek after him and find him who is Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal and Glorious even he dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands Acts 17. 24. neither is he worshipped in one high place or another by any of the Professing Jews who deny his Son of whom he gave Testimony That in him he is well pleased Neither is there any Worship or Service accepted with him but that which cometh from them who are led and guided by the Spirit of Truth and in it Worship the Father who is a Spirit and delighteth not in those Oblations that are Vain proceeding from the vain Minds of such who take his Name in Vain of whom he saith In vain do they Worship me And of all such I say their Faith is Vain who are yet in their Sins and found among the Gentiles who sacrifice unto Devils and not unto God being Children of Wrath and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise whose Prayers the Lord abhors whose vain Bablings cast an ill Savour in the Nostrils of the most High and their coming together is not for the better but for the worse even to feed and nourish the young Serpents and to encrease in that Knowledge which puffeth up and encreaseth sorrow the which knowledge the Hireling Priests Lips preserve which the Devil once taught saying Ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil and all they who encrease in this Knowledge encrease in that in which the Knowledge of God doth not stand neither can be received and so the Wo from the Lord God will come unto all them that continue their seeking the Living among the Dead crying for their place of holy Worship which is to be laid Desolate and living in Unrighteousness and in all Ungodly Practices without the fear of God and talking of him with that Mouth which is full of Cursing and Bitterness the Heart being not turned to God nor the Mind unto the Light of his Son who are themselves in the Jaws of Satan and are sometimes made sensible of the Power of the Devil working in them stirring them up to Wrath and moving them up to Envy Pride and Unrighteousness and the Lusts of the Creatures and the Vanity of the Mind but feel not at all the Power of God to work in them the newness of Life and his pure Image who made man Holy and Upright neither are they willing to receive that Power in them by which they might come to overcome their Sins and be led up to him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh whom all the World not knowing is ignorant by Worshipping and denying his Son who maketh an end of sin and Contemning the Just One who is a man of Sorrows and denying him who is led as a Lamb dumb and slighting him who is the Light and refusing him who is the living Minister not made by a carnal Commandment but by the Power of an endless Life who teacheth all to profit who learn of him and none teacheth like him who saith Learn of Me then not of another not of a Hireling not of one that pleadeth for Sin but of him that maketh an End of Sin whom God the Father hath given a Light to the Gentiles a Covenant to the People that all men through him might be saved who hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and all Authorities and now all Dominions and Authorities are to be subject to Him who said The true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And Truth is that which maketh Free but the Worshipping the Unknown God in a Synagogue Idol Temple or Steeple-house doth not make Free neither makes an end of Sin but all them that are there are in their Sins and have not received Power to Overcome their Sins but are following such Teachers which Peter said should come in the latter dayes who cannot themselves cease from Sin And these Teachers Peter said and so say I that they are cursed Children beguiling such unstable Souls who are carried about with airy windy Doctrines after the cunning Crastiness of men who still lie in wait to deceive against whom we bear Testimony from the Spirit of Truth which guideth us not to handle the Word of God deceitfully nor to make Merchandize of the People neither come we with Flattering Titles but in the Power of the Lord and in the Demonstration of his Spirit of Truth do we declare against all Unrighteousness of Men whether Priests Rulers or People without Respect of Persons and we declare his Name in the World who is the Light of the World and publish him among the Sons of men who is Gods Power that saveth his People from their Sins who is the true Prophet whom all are to hear that all might come to learn of him and be guided by him in the Way of Everlasting Peace that so such as are Strangers to the Covenant of Grace being yet in their Sins and are the Outcasts of Israel might now come to be taught of the Lord and hear the powerful Voice of his Son and not follow Strangers any longer nor the dumb Idol Shepherds who are become Bruitish Jer. 10. 21. and cannot understand Isa 56. 11. that from them all such who fear the Lord might be gathered Ezek. 34. and may come to know the one Lord whose Name is one and the one Truth and the one Way and the Worship of the one true God and not follow them any longer who are Strangers to the Life of God nor such as cannot cease from Sin who are all in the Curse being not reconciled unto him who was made a Curse and so they come not to receive that by which the Curse is taken away and such are without God in the World and of such the Lord hath
said You have we aried me with your Sacrifices And so say I to you now you have wearied the Lord with your Words and yet many are saying Wherein have we we aried him I say in this have you wearied the Lord in that you say such as do Evil are Good in the sight of God Mal. 2. 17. Therefore thus I declare unto you who are yet in your Sins meeting together in the Idol Temples Your Service is not the Service of the true God neither is your Worship that which the Lord accepteth for he accepteth none but the Worship in Spirit and in Truth not in one high Place or other but your Worship is in some High-Place Idol-Temple or Steeple-House where all manner of Viperous Beasts are round and unsanctified Persons meet together who commit all Abominations and live in all manner of Filthiness and yet lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us no Evil shall come unto us Whereas they are an evil and an adulterous Generation adulterated from the Spirit of Truth in which the true Worship stands and are ignorantly worshipping in a Temple made with Hands in which God dwellcth not neither is his Power there received to overcome the Sin and so the People are wearying themselves for very Vanity and travelling to bring forth Death and labouring for that which profits not neither do they come to meet the Lord in the way of his Judgments nor find the Path of Life where the Unclean can never come neither yet do they know the Bread of Life nor drink his Blood that cleanseth from all Sin nor come to be translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God but remain in that Ground which was eursed by reason of man's Rebellion Gen. 3. 17. Heb. 6. 8. which Ground being not removed with the mighty Power of God the Blessing cannot be received nor the Understanding opened to know and receive that which the Natural Man perceiveth not the Eyes of their Minds being darkened through the Ignorance that is in them the Vail being over the Heart when that is read every day of their Worship which discovers Sin but makes nothing Perfect which Worshippers did and do Crucifie him that comes to take away the Sin But now he is come who hath forever perfected those that are sanctified and he that sanctisieth and they who are sanctified are all of one But they that are not sanctified are not of the one but are in the many Opinions in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness being not come to the one Faith which purifieth the Heart nor to know the one Baptism one Church one Way one Truth one God the Father of him who is the one Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the Wâ—rld of the which Light which is but one there is given a measure to every one of you which Light shineth in Darkness though not by it comprehended which Light will let you see that you your selves are out of God's Covenant in the World's Worship not reconciled to God upholding Idol Temples and Heathenish Customs with Bells and such things which the People of God never used but did and do deny forever and exhort you and all others to leave worshipping the Beast or upholding that which is not the true Worship of the true God practised by men of Sin in Steeple-Houses every First-Day Wherefore all People every where leave your Idolatry which you have learned and received by Tradition from the former Papists and Heathen who worship the Work of their own Hands and bow down to their own Inventions as you long have done and for this many Hundred Years have been learning and yet are not come to the Truth neither to believe in it but remain in Unbelief and Ignorance and your long time of Ignorance God winked at Acts 17. 30. But now Light is come in which God is calling to you and all men every where to Repent and forsake your Idolatrous Worship which by you a sinful Generation is practised in a Steeple-house one day in seven and Catn's Nature remaining in the inward parts from the which Idolatry all that sear the Lord God of Abraham are now to come from the Uncleanness of that Worship which is upheld by the Heathen for verily the Hand of the Lord God Almighty is stretched sorth against it and them Wherefore all People turn your Minds to the Lord God of Life who dwelleth in his People and not in Temples made with Hands and hath given to every one of you a measure of the true Light of his Son which Light in you will let you see your secret Sins and will teach you and shew you plainly of the Father if you love it and come to be led by it to do God's will so may you come to worship the Lord God of Life in Spirit and in Truth with the Children of the Light and of the Day which hath dawned upon many who need not any man teach them but are all taught of the Lord Glory and Honour and Everlasting Praises to his blessed Name forever and ever Amen Given forth as a Testimony against all Idolatry and Heathenish-Worship from the true Love of God the Father in pity to the Souls of them who have Eyes and see not and Ears and hear not that they may come forth of Darkness to follow Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is bringing the Blind by a Way that they know not Isa 42. 16. Therefore is this to go abroad among all People and read in Steeple-Houses Streets Market-places private Meetings and Families that all may consider what they have been doing in the dark Ezek. 8. 12. By a Servant of the Living God a Sufferer for the Testimony of his Name in the Common Goal and House of Correction at Winchester Humphery Smith The 4th Moneth 1658. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness By the Light Life and Mighty Hand of GOD Wherein plain and simple Truths are brought to light that so the cause of Stumbling may be taken from before the Eyes of both Rulers and all sorts of Professors in Herefordshire c. Also something related of the Wonderful Power of God in the Work of Redemption and Restroration With a plain Self-denyal by him that takes up the daily Cross Behold the Lord worketh wonderfully every Morning he bringeth his Judgments to light he hath brought me back from the Grave and saved my Soul from Hell and set my feet upon a Rock THE Living Truth of the Lord God which he hath revealed in me by the mighty Operation of his Word of Life which living eternal Truth being my Life and shall last for evermore and be as a Standard of the Most High lifted up to all the scattered weary Souls that they may flow unto it and have it to be unto them a place of Refuge and Defence to fly unto in the day of Distress and by it come to be made Free and in it
Worship the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and feel it in the inward parts according as the Lord requireth by which Truth man comes to be sanctified for the Word that liveth and abideth forever is Truth which comes to be ingrafted into them who believe in the Light and in it wait for the Promise of the Father even that Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive for they know it not it being in Gods Wisdom hid from the Wisdom of the World who know not him that may be felt after and found who is near unto every one of you whose measure of Light in you is it you are all to know by it to come to know the eternal Power and Godhead as they did who had not Scriptures Rom. 1. 19. for the Light of Christ in you is that which is to give the Knowledge of God 2 Cor. 4. 6. who hath assuredly revealed his Son in me and led me in the straight Way to Life Eternal and the enjoyment of the Truth which is Immortal the which being to me a Pearl of great Price and more precious than a thousand Rivers of Oyl And that none may be hindred from receiving of this which I have most assuredly found to be more excellent than the Royalty of Diadems or the Excellency of the most purest Gold or the most Renownedst Glory Beauty or Riches that the natural Eye can behold and that all who breathe after divine Refreshings and the Rest that never shall be shaken and the attaining to the Covenant of Life and Peace may come to be gathered into the One Fold of blessed Happiness and rest upon the Rock of Ages and never more be moved henceforth and forever And that if possible all Murmurings Reasonings concerning me or what I was may be taken out of the Minds of all People of all sorts and that all Jealousies Whisperings and Heart-burnings in the Wrathful Nature may be passified and cooled with the over-spreading Streams of God's free Love which truely is shed and groweth in my Heart and streameth forth as a Well-spring of Life toward the Seed that is yet oppressed in them among whom sometime I walked in Darkness wallowed in Unrighteousness and afterwards stood up as a tall Cedar in the height of Profession preaching great and high things daily unto others whereby then I was admired by many Hundreds who thereby came not to receive Power to overcome their Sins neither yet attain to that which the Souls of many of them thirsted after whom since I have often mourned over in Pity and in the Bowels of my Father's Love to the Soul in Bondage in them from whom I have been long and far absent in Body And that none of them by looking and wondering at me or any thing that hath befallen me may stumble thereby at the Light or Truth it self or be thereby kept from receiving the living Truth or from giving heed to that which all the Wise Master-builders refuse nor that they by looking at what I was before I received and lived in the Truth and at that which justly came upon me for my former Rebellion against the Light nor at the Judgments of God that came upon me within or without because of my unwillingness to follow him who said I am the Light follow me and said He that will not leave Father and Mother Wife and Children Goods or Lands for my sake is not worthy of me and he that will not deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me is not worthy of me And what a Cross it was for me to leave what I did let that of God in all that knew me judge But I say that none of them who are Colonels Captains Justices Professors nor People by looking out at any thing concerning me may not be with-held from receiving the Truth and so kept from that which is the way to the Father and the Door to the Rest for evermore Therefore hath it lay long of late years and often upon me and that from the hand of the Lord to lay something before your Eyes O ye Rulers Professors and People of Herefordshire and thereabout endeavouring thereby to remove any cause of stumbling by reason of what I was or of any false Reports raised upon me whereby the whole Truth of God might be Evil spoken of And this have I waited long to declare among you either in Words Writing or Print thought thereby Shame might come upon my former Course of Life when I lived in all manner of Sin and Iniquity except it were actual Adultery Fornication and Murder and though also hereby Contempt may come upon all that great Profession I was in when I preached daily in the Synagogue or upon all that I then spoke or preached out of the Innocent Life of God or if hereby at present suffer I Reproach as it is like I may by many yet the Reproach of Christ is greater Riches to me than the Treasure Glory and Preferment of England And first Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and outward Employment THe Light of Christ which condemns the Evil Deeds comes from him who calleth his out of the World and from their Employments to follow him who putteth forth his Sheep and thrultech forth Labourers into the Harvest and Abraham of whose Seed I now am went out of his Country and from his Fathers House Gen. 12. and him God blessed and encreased mightily and the Lord also called and thrust forth me who at last was obedient to the Command of the God of Abraham and ever since his Presence hath been with me and his Blessings have I found and the Encreasings of God have I received Praises to the Lord God of Life for evermore who hath called me by his Word of Power through his Grace which did teach me to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to obey his blessed Will which was and is my Sanctification in Jesus Christ who did also call Matthew from the receit of Custom to follow him and Peter and John from their Employment of Fishing and made them fishers of men and Paul also being called left his Employment of Tent-making after a time and was Obedient to the heavenly Vision and those then became a Wonder and a Gazing-stock to many yet they continued on Travelling through many Countries as I since have done preaching the Word of God with boldness And one of these men who were called from their outward Employment said Every man wherein he is called there abide and whereunto they were called they did abide and so do l and when the Priests and Rulers would have stopt their Mouthes by their Commands they said Whether it be lawful to hearken unto God or Man judge ye But these Ministers of Christ did not say he that is a Husbandman there abide for Noah was a Husbandman yet a Preacher of Righteousness and Elisha a Plow-man and Amos a Herdsman neither did they
thou never hadst thou saidst but now That thou wast but in part convinced of the way And hadst thou the Comforter long ago and lost him now the Way and the Comforter is but one the which is Jesus Christ John 14. 6. 17. 26. chap. 17. 23. I know that if Jesus Christ had been brought forth in thee without which there is no true comfort who is the substance of all Tythes Types Forms and Shadows that thou couldst not unto this day have remained a Parish Priest and so upheld an Antichristian Priesthood halting between many Opinions neither according to Aaron Levi nor Christ but living in thy own will and so living above Christ who lived not in his own Will for saith he Not my Will but thine be done John 6. 38. And now who will regard thy writings when thou acknowledgest That the Comforter which is the Spirit of Truth is departed from thee Now it appears thou art a Lyar indeed now thou hast no Truth born up in thy Understanding thy former Enjoyments as thou callest it which were indeed nothing but Comprehensions got up in the Wisdom of the Serpent Oh! art thou not ashamed that the World should now read thy Confusion which thou didst soon make up in thy Writings Art thou not ashamed in such a condition as this when thou confessest thy former Enjoyments and Comforts are departed from thee even now to writ against those that thou acknowledgest to have large Experiences and much of the Power of Truth through Christ page 50 Oh! take heed lest it had been better for thee that a Millstone had been hanged about thy neck and thou cast into the Sea Oh! canst thou not look back on him whom thou hast thus pierced to wit the Life of Christ in others Now thou mayst read with Shame and Tears that which thy own hand hath written from own sinful Heart look in page 5 8 and 18. which was then in the apostatized condition without the former Comforts as thou calledst it page 53. Now thou art found to be a false Apostle indeed Oh! remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first Works yea Repente'er it be too late Rev. 2. 5. Oh though thou canst strive with man there is no striving with thy Maker who will come a swift Witness against all deceitful Workers who livewithin the power of what they speak or write much more against those that write filthy Abominable Lyes Oh! if thou lovest either Christ or thy own Soul return return unto the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience which will let thee see the Deceit of thy own sinful Heart out of the abundant Deceit thereof thy Pen hath run so largely in Confusion Now I charge thee in the presence of the living God in as much love to thy Soul as ever that thou return to the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience and mind that which cheks thee in secret I tell thee man in love there is something yet in thee which will witness me to be true See one more page 64. where for thy own defence not for the defence of the Truth thou sayst Thou wast necessitated to fly unto the Practices and Truths of other men to wit Baptists where it is plain thou hadst not the spirit of Christ to fly unto and speak from as the true Apostles had witness one Acts 6. 10. Therefore thou art both seen in the Light proved by Scripture and thy own Writings to be a false Apostle and a false Minister 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. Much more might be said and proved both from thy Writings and Actings but I desire the good of thy soul by this which is sufficient at present to prove thee to be one of the Wandering Star Jude 13. A Word to all Professors in the World BEing it was ordered of my Lord God and Father of Lights that something must go forth in Print as from me who am the least of all Saints I was even as freely engaged in my Spirit out of tender Love to your Souls to present a few Lines from that measure of the Spirit which is brought forth in me Oh! My Friends my Friends the hour is not only coming but now is witnessed in me that the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5. 25. and the Voice of the true Dove is heard in our Land to wit this Earthly Tabernacle that is made the Temple of the living God who is now fulfilling his Promises in us that walk not after Flesh but after the Spirit even in us is the Lord establishing his New and Everlasting Covenant even the sure and certain Mercies of David which is by the Life of Jesus Christ in us fulfilled and witnessed whereby we have fellowship with the Father and are in measure brought to live in him and he in us where we have Joy Rest and eternal Peace which passeth all Understanding and all the Worlds Comprehension where all the Children of the Light meet and see face to face for the Lord hath brought again Sion who is become the Perfection of Beauty out of which God now shineth Psal 50. 2. and is become our Glory and we his Isa 46. 13. O Praises Praises be unto him who hath redeemed us out of the Nations Kindreds and Tongues to serve the living God in Newness of Life and not in Oldness of Letter that so now we may offer up eternally living and eternal Sacrifice and Praise for evermore who hath in measure redeemed us from the World and out of all Darkness that is therein and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son and made us Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light which is the Eternal Light of Life for God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all and all those that live in him are the Children of the Day who walk in the Day even the pure Light in the which there is no occasion of stumbling our Feet being guided in the Path of Peace which is the true and living way in which the way faring man though a Fool shall not Err Isa 35. 8. which is the pure way of Holiness leading up into the full Enjoyment of the Father who hath long waited to be gracious unto us and now in the Day of his Love and Power hath gathered us in his Arms of Love and brought us home unto himself who were before the Out-casts of Israel wandering with you from Mountain to Hill but did not find Rest unto our Souls but now the great and mighty Power of the Lord hath raised up his own Seed in us to cry Halelujah unto him to whom alone be all Honour Glory and Obedience and Eternal Praises forever even forever and ever for he that was lost is found he that was dead is alive and behold he liveth for evermore Now my Friends the whole World lieth in Wickedness and all the World by Wisdom knows not God the
natural man perceiveth not the things of God which are hid from the Wise and Prudent even from the Readers of the Scripture from Scribes Pharisees Priests yea the Princes of this World for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory who is crucified daily by the same spirit that now ruleth in the Children of Disobedience even in the Scribes Priests and People that live in the same Nature where the learned Ones of the World are and all those that walk in Darkness to wit Pride Covetousness Love of the World Hatred Varience Strife Sedition Heresie Backbiting Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God Scoffers walking after their own Ungodly Lusts Raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame who account Gain Godliness whose Eyes are full of Adultery Feet swift to shed Blood Ears open to all deceit whose Mouthes are full of Cursing and Bitterness the Poyson of Asps is under their Lips their Throats are an open Sepulcher who imagin Mischief their Hearts being altogether Deceitful and desperately Wicked Such as these are the Fruits of the Flesh in the which all the World lies therefore I witness against the World that the Works thereof are Evil. Now in the world there are Sects Schismes Judgments and Opinions there they are heaping up Teachers to themselves having itching Ears and according to the number of their Fansies so are their wayes of Worship according to the number of their Imaginations so are their gods for there are many gods and many Lords but the living God is not known by the World for it by Wisdom knows not God No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Now he that hath the Son revealed in him is born of God and he that is born of God overcometh the World and sinneth not He that sinneth hath not seen him But this is a hard saying who can bear it the World cannot for the World hears its own they that are of God hear Gods Word ye hear them not therefore ye are not of God Now Friends all you that have looked after me and other men for teaching now I can write unto you what I know that it is the Lord alone that teacheth his people to profit none teacheth like he who is now my Teacher indeed and will be yours if you are made willing and obedient to be taught directed and guided by him who is gathering his out of all Nations Kindreds and Tongues Ezek. 31. 11. which is by Jesus Christ the one and only Priest who is the Light of the Gentiles and the light of the World by which he hath enlightened every one that cometh into the World John 1. 9. which light shineth into the Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not verse 5. Now the World is set in the heart of man eccles 3. 11. Of the which World Christ is the Light and he that followeth him shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life John 8. 12. This is that Grace of God that hath appeared unto all men teaching them to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Tit. 2. 11 12. This is the Light of Christ who is the Word of God in the Heart for his Word of the living God is not far off but it is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth that thou mayest do it Deut. 30. 14. Now therefore Friends look not forth after them that say Christ is here or there for they are all Deceivers The Word is nigh the Light is within thee even in thy Dark Heart although thy Dankness cannot comprehend it because thou lovest Darkness rather then the Light of Jesus Christ which shineth in thy Consceince and lets thee see the evil of thy Wayes and calls thee to Repentance and to forsake the Wicked and live This is the Talent that thou art hiding in the Earth for the which thou must give an Account therefore say I unto thee mind that Teacher that teacheth to deny Ungodliness and this is the Light to Jesus Christ in thy Conscience the which Light proceedeth from Christ and leadeth all that love it John 8. 12. up to Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life the only Way and no other way to the Father Now all of you owning this VVord and Teacher and Light in your own Consciences you will come to witness Jesus Christ in the Light of Life and know him to be the way unto the Father which leads out of the Darkness of all the VVorld's Ways VVorships Forms Fashions Customs VVords VVayes and Actions and come to be gathered in the Light unto Jesus Christ who is the Light and from the Light then to come to witness the Scriptures to be true yea even fulfilled in you by the same Spirit as it was in them that did write and speak forth the Scriptures and so witness with them against the same things that were witnessed against then by the Children of the Light who had fellowship with the Father by the which they saw that which in measure I witness that there is but one Way one Truth one Light one Faith one Baptism one Spirit one Head one High Priest whoever liveth to make intercession for us one Church of the first-born whose Names are written in Heaven one God over all who is Rich unto all that call upon him in Spirit and Truth the which Worshippers the Father seeketh to Worship him who is a Spirit and all his Worships are Spiritual but God hears not Sinners and he that regardeth Iniquity in his Heart the Lord will not hear him for there are none but the pure in heart that shall see God whose Presence is Terrible to all the Workers of Iniquity that continue in the unfruitful Works of Darkness Now all of you see that you keep unto the true Guide which is Jesus Christ and follow him and see that you do not turn again to the Vomit as the manner of some is who begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Oh! leave all for Christ you cannot serve two Masters you cannot be of the World and of God you must witness a Separation Therefore in Love to all your Souls that have been Professors with me in publick in these parts of the Nation and all others flatter not your selves in your Conditions promising your selves Liberty whilst you are the Servants of Corruption therefore forsake the Wicked and live Now my Friends and all Persecutors marvel not at my Change for the Wicked have no Changes therefore they fear not God Psal 55. 19. but I am made to witness the fear of the Lord to be the beginning of Wisdom the which Wisdom is pure which cometh down from above James 3. 17. which none of the Princes of this World know 1 Cor. 1. 21. therefore they call the Doctrines of Christ Madness Acts 26. 24. for the preaching of the
Cross of Christ is to the Joros a Stumbling-block to the Greeks Foolishness for Christ is this day as he was ever a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to both the Houses of Israel 2 Cor. 1. 13. therefore are they this day speaking Evil of that they know not for say they concerning these Sects call'd Quakers We know that it is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. But in the Way that men call Heresie do I Worship the God of my Father Acts 24. 14. and am not ashamed to own the Power that shakes the Earth for if I should be ashamed to own the Power of Christ before men then he might justly be ashamed of me before my Father which is in Heaven but I own and witness the same Power which made Moses exceedingly fear and quake The which overpowered Daniel that he had no strength left in him Dan. 10. 8. Which Power made Habakkuk Tremble his Lips Quivered Rottenness entred into his Bones Hab. 3. 16. the which Power struck down Paul Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. which caused the Goaler to come in Trembling Acts 16. 26 27 28 29. Therefore I say unto all serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling Psal 2. 11. and work out your Salvation with fear and Treambling Phil. 2. 12. for now I know the Lord to be with them that Tremble at his Word Therefore O foolish People without Understanding which have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not Tremble at my Presence Jer. 5. 21 22. Are you worse than Devils that Fear and Tremble Isa 2. 19. And now the mighty Power of the living God hath shaken the Earth and the Heavens that now that which cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. 27. Now all you that will enter in with the Bride-groom wait to receive the same Power for the Lord Jesus Christ is come tendering himself unto his own John 1. 11. and I witness that as many as receive him receive Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. O be not Fools and slow with Heart to believe all that the Prophets and Apostles saith for the Lord is still a God with Power he is the same yesterday and to day and forever whose everlasting Love is shed abroad in our Hearts by which the Love of the World is cast out For if any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him John 2. 15. But we are bought with a Price and after glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit which is the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Being made Ministers nof of the Letter which killeth but of the Spirit which giveth Liâ—e 2 Cor. 3. 6. Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry of Christ be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments in Tamults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left by Honour and by Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True as unknown and yet well known as Dying and behold we Live as Chastened and not Killed as Sorrowful and yet always Rejoycing as Poor and yet making many Rich as having Nothing yet Possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 Verses Now the Light of the glorious Gospel in the Face of Jesus Christ hath shined into our Hearts whereby the Grace that was to be brought in at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. is now in us witnessed even the Grace the Apostle exhorted to hope for and the Prophets searched after 2 Pet. 2. 20. the which Grace and Glory is now made manifest in the Sons and Daughters whereby the everlasting Gospel is sounded forth in the Ears of many Thousands in England blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof For verily verily as the four Hundred and Thirty years Bondage in Aegypt was at last accomplished and as the Captivity in Babylon had an end and the Lord brought again the Captivity of his People even so now the many Years of Apostacy is over and the Lord hath heard the Cry of his own Seed and is come down to deliver Israel out of all Distresses and to gather the Out-casts Psalm 147. 2. And to bring home that which is driven away and to bind up that which is broken and to strengthen that which is sick but he will destroy the Fat and the Strong and will feed them with Judgment Ezek. 34. 26. but his own shall be delivered from the many Shepherds which have destroyed the Flock of Christ and they shall feed no longer Verse 20. yea verily People the mighty Power of the Lord is risen in England to gather his from the Corners of the Earth and they that have been long in the High-ways to Destruction being â—lind and Lame shall now be compelled to come in to the Supper of the Lamb and eat of the hidden Manna But many of the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out For for Judgment is Christ come into the World that they that see not may see and they that soe may now be made Blind Joh 939. And the Sword of the Lord is drawn against the man of Sin to cut it down Root and Branch and to set up the Kingdom of Christ in Rightcousness and true Holiness And this Work of the Lord shall certainly go on and Men Devils nor the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester the 8th Moneth 1658. YOu that are set to rule over others should not let secret Envy Ambition and Prejudice so rule over you as not at all to hearken to the Counsel of the Meek nor receive Instruction from the Simple whom the Lord preserveth but you should let Haughtiness and Arrogancy be done away for God resisteth the Proud And you should come to that which is meek low sober and humble with it to know a ruling over that which hath captivated you under the power of Sin and Satan who hath so blinded the Mind that the Meek of the Earth are become your Enemies for telling you the truth and the Day upon you is come in which you cannot endure sound Doctrine But this I tell you That they who hate Reproof are bruitish and every man is bruitish in his Knowledge yea O ye men your Pastors are become bruitish and have not known the Lord though this be a hard saying to you who are your selves in that which is to be ruled with the Sword of God's dreadful Power who will execute Judgment upon all and with his own eternal
with the Indignation of the Lord and overcome with the Power of his Might Many Woes could I from the Lord declare and much of his Judgment make known unto you yea many Lines might I write and unfold the Mysteries of his Power which from your Eyes are hid and long hath my Soul mourned in secret for you and because of the fierce Terrors of the Lord which you cannot escape mine Eyes have been filled with Tears and my Heart with Sorrow and that for you O ye blind scornful and rebellious Men that rule this County The Lord God will bring Shame upon you and your Names shall Rot and be left for an evil Savour for the Generations to come Better had it been for you if the Womb had been your Grave or that you had had a Milstone hanged about your Necks and cast into the depth of the Sea before you had writ an Line or made one Order or had a hand against one of the Friends of Christ who follow him that makes an end of sin whom one day you shall see to be of the Seed whom God hath chosen who being born of the Spirit are now unto you as the Wind of which you hear a sound but know not whence they come neither whither they go whom you keep in your filthy Prison to force them to bow to you like Haman but take heed how long you provoke the Lord therein and consider what it is in you which you would have us please bow or submit unto by speaking such words as may satisfie that Will in you which unjustly cast and keeps us in Prison And now behold the Lord God hath tryed you and you are found Enemies to his suffering Seed and Fighters against God and your Hypocrisie is made manifest and the Infamy of your Unrighteousness is spread over the Nation and Gods Witness in the hearts of Thousands will judge of your Actions to be Unjust and Unreasonable and to the Children of Light your insides are discovered and your end is seen and your secret intents neither can your Devices be hid nor any shelter cover you for the Light is come that makes all things manifest and the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Be ye now therefore awakened and instructed O ye Rulers of the Earth and let your Minds be turned to the Light in you and strive no longer with God who is Light for that which may be known of God is manifest in you And did you not first strive and fight against his Witness in you you would not fight with your carnal Weapons and carnal Prisons against his Messengers and Servants who fear before him and fear not them that kill or imprison the Body till death of whose Servants and Messengers you shall know that I am one in the day of your Calamity and Destruction the which that you might escape in Soberness and Meekness have I this many Moneths dealt with you writing reasonable and plain things unto you that you might in meekness come to hear the Cry of the Oppressed both within and without but if you hear not earthly things but in that be unreasonable and unfaithful in the unrighteous Mamoâ— who shall commit unto you the greater Riches or open unto you the Mysteries of the things of God who with things that are not is bringing to nought things that are and with the things that you despise is he overturning the Counsels of the Mighty and that which confounds the Wisdom of the VVise and brings to nothing the Understanding of the Prudent and overturns the Devices of the Wicked even in that is my Life and in that which terrifies troubles torments and condemns the World do I rest in Peace with God for evermore and remain A Friend to the whole Creation and to the Souls of all Mankind who of men am numbred amongst Transgressors in a filthy Prison and place unfit for men at Winchester this 24th of the 8th Moneth 1658. To the Enemies of Equity Truth and Peace I am only known by the Name Humphry Smith To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life THE Day of Gods Everlasting Love is come and with his Mighty Power is he risen to gather all them in the Light of his Son that long have sate in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death upon whom the Day is now Dawning wherein the Outcasts of Israel shall be gathered and the Captives that long have groaned may now come to know Deliverance for with plentious Redemption is the Lord visiting his People and he is coming near unto his own and seeking them that are afar off and lifting up a Standard for the Standard for the Strangers to flow unto and many shall return unto the Lord and People shall be gathered to the God of their Salvation and he will pour out his Spirit upon the Humble and fill the Meek with the Riches of his Love Multitudes of People shall come unto Sion and the Poor of the Flock to the City of the great King for Light is breaking forth as the Morning and Righteousness as the Sun at Noon therefore shall the Mourning Seed be comforted and that which groaned in Captivity lift up the Head that the Prisoner may spring forth of Bondage and the longing Soul be satisfied and Judgment come upon the Wicked and Terror upon the Loftiness of man the Rebellious brought down to the Dust and that which boweth not unto the Light with it is condemned forever that through the Condemnation the Seed may spring which long in Death hath lain and is now to be raised up by the Arm of God's Almighty Power which now comes to be revealed unto them who believe the Voice of the true Spirit which is in the midst whom all are to hear and obey his voice who comes out from God and leads them that believe in and obey him up unto God again and he is the only Way unto the Father by whom the Redemption comes who is arising in the Hearts of the Children of Light whereby they come to know Light shine out of Darkness giving them the Knowledge of God which Knowledge they never learned from all the Teachers of the World which Teachers are themselves in that Ground in which the Knowledge of God cannot be received and that which they have not received themselves they cannot teach others therefore you have not received the Knowledge of God from them after which Knowledge something in you hath long groaned which is now to be satisfied from him in whom the Fullness of God doth dwell who is the Light of which you have received in which you are to wait to receive the Promise of the Father that your Souls may be refreshed in the Bosom of his Love and feel God's Mercies showered down as the early Rain in the time of Drought that your tender Desires may not wither nor your breathing Spirits faint in the way but may with chearfulness
nor any man to teach them then hath the Enemy invited them to sit down at ease and so not minding the continual fear at last they loath the Manna and call it Dry whereas the driness and barrenness comes by reason of their Unfaithfulness in not improving what they had through their continual watchfulness under the daily Cross And the Enemy geteth forth the Mind of others to watch for Evil or at least to look at the Temptations Backslidings Backwardness and Failings of others more than their own Conditions who see their own Evil therein some whereof thereby at last draw back others question the Truth it self and by such things as these the Simplicity in many other tender Lambs is burdened grieved and the Life pressed down by which they should grow and be fruitful unto God And others being convinced with the pure Light of something that is Evil which seemeth little to the carnal Eye and so going out from the Obedience to the Light and consult and reason and take Counsel of the Serpent who then contrives a way to shun the Cross therein and so endeavour to dawb the thing over from a secret Deceit working in the Power of Darkness until the Light hath even ceased striving with that Person and then he goes on with the thing saying He hath liberty therein But let such mark and observe themselves for no more unto them is committed neither do they grow or come any further but there stand as dry Plants coming long to Meetings having the Form but not feeling the Power for such who knowingly deny their Obedience in any thing to the Light of Christ he will deny them his Power in all things And thus doth and will the Enemy of your Souls make havock of the Flock if in the pure humble fear he be not alwayes watched against and slain by the Power of the Cross in the Light and many other Wiles and Ways doth the Enemy of your Souls watch to devour ensnare and overcome you the time would even fail one to declare it the Lord God Almighty help you against it that so in the Light you may see all these and many more things which you are all to Watch and War against that Spiritual Wickedness in High-places may not overcome you and that you may not turn aside with the Error of the Wicked nor be overcome with the power of Temptations but that you may be all diligent and watchful against every appearance of your Enemy and be able to stand in the day of Tryal that the Enemy of your Souls prevail not Therefore all Friends every where keep upon your Watch let the Light search your Hearts and keep your Meetings together in the silent fear and dread of the Lord that his Power in you all may raise you all in the Dominion and Wisdom of God to stand and feel that which keeps your Hearts together in the unlimitted Love of God and so his presence you will be fruitful unto his Blessing come to receive whereby you will be fruitful unto him in every good Word and Work The living Power of my Father preserve you all from the Power of the Enemy and keep your Minds in that which crosseth your Wills that the Lord God of Life may watch over you all for good for evermore Written for the good of many from the true Love of him who is known to many of you by that which is nearer than the Name of Humphry Smith Winchester-Bridewell the 4th Mon. 1658. TO THE Musitioners Harpers Minstrels Singers Dancers and the Persecutors From one who loved Dancing and Musick as his Life which being parted with and the Light being come which was before these things in which they are all seen And from it is declared THE Ground Foundation Beginning and Father and Children and Compass and End and the Effects of all the Harpers Musitioners Singers and Dancers Who may read what I have learned who have tryed their wayes and also searched into the things of God and declare this according to Scripture and have found the Joy which Man cannot take away JUBAL was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ and so the Father of all such Musitioners being himself of the Seed of Lemach who slew a man and so the Son of a Man-slayer was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ And the Man Christ the Light is the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World And Jubal was of the Generation of Cain who first slew a Man and then built a City he slew his Brother one that was near unto him and the Light of the Lamb slain is near unto every one even that which comes from the Man of Sorrows is in the Heart Cain's Seed slayes the man of Sorrows the Musitioners were of Cain's seed And that which slayes the man of Sorrows invents sets up and delights in the Instruments of Musick and the Father of all such was Jubal the seed of Cain who built a City and so was a Rich man and his seed delighted in Musick and so his seed who are gone from the Lords leading are building Cities Strong holds high and large Houses with painted Parlours and then set up the Instruments of Musick in the cieled Houses without and within themselves full of Rottenness or as a Cage of unclean Spirits whereby the just is murthered and the House laid wast and desolate as to the Life of God which should be the Temple of the holy Ghost and the Father of all these was Jubal the seed of Lemach a Man-slayer who also had another son Tubalcain the seed of Cain an Instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron and he that hath attained to never so much if not come to that which fulfills the perfect Law is as sounding Brass 1 Cor. 13. and there is many also of the Seed of this Instructer whose Instructions bring people to be but as sounding Brass And this first Instructor and Jubal were the Off-spring of Cain the Vagabond driven from God against whom the Blood of the Righteous doth Cry yet so rich in the Earth that he built a City being separated from God who confounds mans wisdom then comes that which makes merry over the Witness Gen. 4. And they who danced in the wilderness and sung and made a great noise and were in the Mirth and Vain Delights were a stiff-necked People and such as sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play like the same Generation now who are stiff-necked and bow not to him who is the Light low in the Heart to whom every knee shall bow but eat and drink and rise up to vain delights having Musick at their Feasts seeding themselves without fear Jude 12. like Jezabel at whose Table the false Prophets feed who made a Feast when she intended to murder the Righteous to gain his Possession read within and that which Murders the Just and such who forget God delight in
Land of Confusion who at last were brought to confess unto and fear and tremble before the living God who is Light that revealeth secrets in the Hearts But that which delights in the Musick seeks to murder the just and unto that which seeks to murther and persecute all them who are yet great in the Earth are joyned being not out of the Earth redeemed and the Rulers of the Earth take counsel together against the anointed which need not man to teach which seed is preserved and anointed amongst the flames of their burning Enmity for the Princes the Governours the Captains the Judges the Rulers the Counsellors the Sheriffs and all the Rulers of the Provinces who were of Babylon that delighted in the Musick stood before the Image and were in the false Worship and joyned together in the Persecution as such do now against the Seed of God and to confirm the Decree made by the King of Babylon which Decree was made with such fierce Tyranny and height of Pride and Envy that nothing less but presently to cast into the burning fiery Furnace would satisfie that Nature which ruled in these great Rulers in the Earth that loved the Musick whose fire of Enmity burned within them and they caused their Decree to be Proclaimed with a loud Voice That at the hearing of their Musick all men should Worship their Image or presently be cast into the Fire without because of their Fire of Enmity within the which Decree being not obeyed nor their Image worshipped nor their Enmity within nor Furnace without regarded by the Servants of the living God presently the King of Babylon was so full of Fury as the Furnace was full of Fire so that the form of his Visage was changed and rose up in that Power of Enmity against the Righteous Seed like Cain the Murtherer who rose up against his Brother whose Countenance also was changed whereby it appears he and the rest were of Cains seed and the Musitioners of their Father Jubal the seed of Lamech who slew a man read Dan. 3. When the Harp and the Musick go they must Worship the Image And the Persecuting Rulers of England need not to put this far from them being Rich and Mighty in the Earth and Envious like Cain and delighting in the Musick like the rest of his seed for the great Whore and Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Mystery Babylon hath made all the Kings of the Earth Drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and the Great Men the Rich Men of the Earth and all Nations have committed Fornication with her who have corrupted the Earth and all Nations wonders after the Beast and in all Nations the Seed and Children of Mystery Babylon and of Cain and Lamech are sprung up and even in this Nation and other adjacent Kingdoms the Princes the Governours and Captains the Judges the Treasurers the Counsellors the Sheriffs and the Rulers of the Provinces delight in the Instruments of Musick and are Envious against the Righteous Seed who cannot bow to any Image nor Worship any Golden glorious Image or Likeness whatsoever but the living God who is able to deliver them and is a Spirit dwelling in his People and in Spirit is Worshipped by them who cannot bow unto or worship any Image or Likeness without set up by the will of man And therefore it is this day that the Governors and Captains the Judges the Treasurs the Counsellors the Sheriffs the Justices and all the Rulers in the Earth who are of Babels stock and of their Fathers Cain Lamech and Jubal are joyning together to persecute them that Worship God in Spirit who commanded not to bow down or worship any Image or Likeness and so their Likenesses are denyed the Substance being come and Christ revealed within who is a man of Sorrows who said The World should rejoyce John 16. 20. But their joy should be turned into sorrow and his Light in the Conscience is it which judgeth those vain Delights in carnal Musick which is to perish with the using For when the Spirit was departed from Saul he sought for one to play upon a Harp before him and for a time he was satisfied with that and when he heard the Musick he would be well but afterwards his delight in the Musick could not overcome that Murthering Spirit in him but at the very time that Saul heard the Musick he sought to slay him that was to be King and such as Saul who reject the Counsel of God slayes him that is the Light and would not that he should reign who is a man of Sorrows and he that loved the Musick had an evil Spirit or something that troubled him and that which moved in him while he heard the Musick to murther that which was to Reign the Lords Anointed the same thing led him to the Witch And so first he left the Spirit of God then sought â—ase by Musick then sought Counsel from the Witch he was shortly after destroyed They follow Witchcraft who obey not the truth which makes Free and he that is the Light is the Truth and the Lamb slain by that which takes delight in that which is out of the Truth invented by the Generation of Cain a Fugitive in the Earth of whom his deceived Mother said I have gotten a man from the Lord whose seed loves that which keeps from the Lord and leads into the Witchcraft like Saul not obeying the Lord nor the Truth of his Son who is the Light and Saul being required made use of the Harp to quiet him for a time from whom the Spirit of the Lord was departed and afterwards the seed of the Evil-Doers even the chief of the Nations did chaunt to the sound of the Viol and invent unto themselves Instruments of Musick like David putting far away the Evil day lying upon Beds of Ivory drinking wine in Bowls but not grieved for the Affliction of the Righteous seed and these were them that were at ease in Sion who were to go into Captivity with the first that go into Captivity whom the Wo is to as may be read Amos 6. And Solomons Wives his Men-Singers Women-Singers and Instruments of Musick drew away his Heart from the Lord and after he cryed against the Vanity of these things for it leads out from the Spirit and fear of the God of order within into the confused things without and such as follow that are of Babel the Mother of Harlots who hath made all Nations drunk in whom the time is come that the Voice of Harpers and Musitioners shall be heard no more at all for the Foundation and Skirts of that great Whore and her Craftsman are discovered with the Light which judgeth these things From a Prisoner of Christ in whom my Life is hid Humphery Smith DIVINE LOVE Spreading forth over all NATIONS OR The Glorious Day of Unity Teace and Concord Tendred unto all the Meek of the Earth Given forth from a tender Compassion to
of Hosts goeth before you the mighty God is in the midst of you the shout of a King is among you and your Weapons are not Carnal but Spiritual which will bring down their Holds though never so strong And you who suffer in outward Bonds and there in your place according to your measures bear your Testimony against the covetous Hirelings who are the Merchants that belong to the great Whore who have long fed at Jezables Table and have long deceived the simple Oh! faint not in your long-suffering the Lord God is with you as you continue in patience and long-suffering and you shall be crowned with Immortality forever if you endure to the end for the Cry of your Affliction is ascended up on high and the Lord hath heard the Sighing of the needy and a three-fold Reward will you at last receive who endure to the end For the Lord God of Life who seeth in secret is sccretly undermining the very Foundations of all Sions Enemies and bringing Deliverance unto the Captives in a Way that hath not been known that unto you O ye afflicted Ones may Deliverance come not by might nor by strength of man but by the mighty Arm of Gods Power which in due time will bring Deliverance unto all the dear Lambs of Christ who this day stand faithful in the Innocent sufferings And all you who are yet but young and tender abide you all in Meekness Lowliness Diligence and Faithfulness without murmuring at them that are growing up before you and let no Root of Bitterness spring up among any of you I beseech you in the Bowels of the Lord Jesus Christ And all you that are grown up into the Understanding of Holiness walk you all in the Life of God and let that guide you in God's Wisdom as Examples to the Flock among whom you are placed not as Lords to rule with any thing in the Will but in Tenderness to serve the least Member that it may be preserved that all may grow up a holy Building unto God the Father To whom be all Glory forever and ever The Blessing of the Lord be upon you and the Power of the Most High overshadow you that you may spring forth as the Rose in Summer and be fruitful as the Vine in its Season The true and ever lasting Rule discovered c. THe Lord God formed man of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and and man became a living Soul So man was formed of that which was earthly and into that which was earthly that which was living was breathed and that which is living comes from God which is to keep and lead man unto God but man going from that which is living into that which is Earthly is thereby led from God and being led from that which is living he is also pleading for another thing than that which is the Life to be his Rule and Guide and so comes not to be guided by that which is manifest of God in him Gen. 2. 7. Rom. 1. 19. Now the Letter is not living but the Breath of Life within is the which living Breath man not knowing goeth forth from it to be guided by the Letter which killeth 2 Cor. 3. 6. But the holy men of God who walked with God and were obedient to his Will and spake forth and writ Scriptures from that which was holy in them and were Perfect in their Generation they were such who came to be guided by that which was living in them and from that men in dayes of old called upon the Name of the Lord Gen. 6. 28. and they had not a Scripture without them to guide them thereunto And Enoch walked with God and so he walked with that which is living and not with that which is earthly neither had he a Scripture without him to be his Rule and so he walking with him who is the Life came to be translated that he should not see Death Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 11. 5. And Noah who was Perfect in his Generation found Grace in the sight of the Lord. Consider this he found that by which man comes to be saved for by Grace man is saved which Grace to all men hath appeared and so Noah found that which bringeth Salvation which is the Grace of God in the Heart and thereby he came to do God's Will and not by any thing that was earthly nor from a Scripture without Gen. 6. 8 9. Ephes 2. 5 8. Col. 3. 15 16. And Noah who found that by which man is saved him God blessed and his Seed and said The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every Beast of the field and they were to multiply and bring forth abundautly from the living that was within the Earth for by that comes the increase of God and with them God established his Covenant and so Gods Covenant came to be established with him who found that in the Heart by which man is saved Gen. 9. 1 2 7 8 9. And the Lord who is the one Spirit was Abraham's Leader from his Kindred and Father's House and so Abraham heard that which was living and obeyed that which was spiritual who had not a Scripture to be his Rule and unto him the Lord appeared and blessed and in the time of the grievous Famines he and his seed was fed Gen. 12. 1 2 7 8 9 10. And he that is led by the Spirit comes thereby to receive feedings when the Famine comes upon them who are led by another thing and Abraham who followed the Lord was called the Friend of God and he through believing became the Father of many Nations and he saw the day of Christ the Light and obeyed the Word which liveth and abideth forever 1 Pet. 1. 23. and being led by that which is living from his Father's House and out of his Country so by that which is living was he preserved and him God loved and to him afterward the Word of the Lord did come saying Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward And Abraham answered the Lord and the seed which God blessed came forth of his Loins who are led by the Spirit Gen. 15. 1. Heb. 11. 8 9. And on the contrary Nimrod who began to be a mighty one in the Earth he went hunting before the Lord who is the one Spirit and now there is that first which is earthly and much earthly Wisdom whereby man goeth hunting before the Spirit comes the which should not be but man should stand still and not hunt and see the Salvation of God and so receive the Spirit to lead or go before him and not to run or hunt before the Spirit but let it lead man as it s written As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 14. but Nimrod hunted before God who is a Spirit and he was one of the seed of Ham who was the Father of
Canaan whom Noah cursed And the beginning of this mighty Hunter's Kingdom was Babel where the Lord whom he hunted before followed after and confounded the Language of all them that belonged to this mighty Hunter who was a mighty one in the Earth and out of this Land of Babel went forth them that built many Cities and afterwards there was a People whose gods were according to the number of their Cities And so see what followeth when man is not led by the Spirit of God as Noah was and so preserved but hunts mightily before him being mighty in that which is Earthly first he is mighty in the Earth then a mighty Hunter then builds a mighty Tower whereby he that is earthly would climb up to Heaven this a Figure and then God confounded the Language and after wards those that were in the many Languages professed God who confounded the Language before whom their Father Nimrod hunted and they being found in that which God confounded though they professed God yet in Works denyed him and crucified his Son the Lord of Glory and writ over his Head of the many Languages Latin Greek and Hebrew and this was written above him that was the Light and so them now who are of the stock of Babel are yet exalted above the Light and count the Light a weak and low contemptible thing not able to save it self much less to save them that believe in it and so therein manifest themselves to be of their Fathers who crucified him that said I am the Light and said unto him If thou be the Son of God save thy self and so despised him who came to save them And this is some of the effect of mans hurting mightily in the Earth before they came to receive the Spirit as Nimrod did Gen. 9. 18 25. ch 10. 8 9 10 11. ch 11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. John 19. 19 20. But Jacob followed obeyed and believed the Lord who is a Spirit and the Presence of God was with him and the Blessing of the Most High was upon him and the Lord promised To be with him who was a Worm in six Troubles and in seven and when he passed through the Fire and the Water and God gave him a new Name and afterwards promised To give his Seed a Name better than of Sons and Daughters and Jacob was a plain man and dwelt in Tents and him God loved and he prevailed with God Isa 41. 14. ch 43. 1 2 3 4 5. Gen. 22. 28. Isa 56. 5. And so Nimrod with his Followers who was mighty in the Earth came to be confounded and Jacob who was little in the Earth as a Worm and dwelt in Tents he and his Seed came to be blessed And Moses the Servant of the Lord whom God Almighty honoured in his everlasting Love and made him a Deliverer unto and a Judge and Ruler over the People Acts 7. 35. he being in Aegypt the Land of Darkness and Bondage and all the Seed and Israel of God in cruel Oppression and I do not read that he had any direction from Man or Scripture or any thing else without him to guide him at first to refuse to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter and the glory of Aegypt and to chuse to suffer Affliction with the People of God Neither do I read that he saw the Angel or Glory of the Lord until after he was and had been Obedient unto that which God had given into him for that which may be known of God is manifest within Rom. 1. 19. for it is said in the Scriptures of Truth That it was by Faith Heb. 11. 24. that he refused the evil and chose the good and Faith is that which is in the Heart Acts 15. 9. As it is written If thou believe in thy Heart Rom. 10. 9. Acts 18. 37. And of that Faith in the Heart God hath given to every man a Proportion Rom. 12. 6. And as that which is but little in man is loved and obeyed so man comes to know more of God and hear his Word of Faith which is in the Heart Rom. 10. 8. And by hearing and Obedience of Faith man receiveth the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. which is an undeniable Truth which I might prove by a cloud of Witnesses from the Scriptures which were given forth from the Inspiration of God by his holy Servants And so there being something of God in man whereby man may as Moses did first refuse the Evil and then chuse a suffering state and so learn to do well the Sin then comes to be done away Isa 16. 17 18. and afterwards more of God's enless Love and powerful Presence is made manifest and so being faithful in the little received from God in the Heart man comes to rule over much as Moses did who first learned the Obedience of Faith in the Heart though in Aegypt and in the time of great Persecution where he was also despised of his Brethren yet he obeyed the Word of Faith in the Heart and so afterwards to him God appeared and the Word of the Lord came unto him and he talked with God afterwards face to face as a man talketh with his Friend and the many Wonders that the mighty Power of God wrought in and by him are recorded at large in the holy Scriptures for a Testimony thereof to last throughout many Generations And by this Faith also afterwards the Members of Christ did walk 2 Cor. 5. 7. And Joshua who succeeded Moses was full of the Spirit of Wisdom consider that he was first full of the Spirit and so thereby he came to be a Leader and Ruler over others and the Dread of the Lord fell and his Judgments came upon them who rose up or stood against him and those whom he by the Power of the Spirit in him came to rule over and great many and mighty were the Victories that God gave unto this man who was bold and couragious by reason of the fullness of the Spirit that was in him and the People hearkned unto him as they did unto Moses and he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses Deut. 34. 9. Josh 11. 15. But the Lords people in these dayes who are led by the Spirit of God in them are accounted both by Priests Rulers and People to be drunk or mad as it was before when the Son of God who is the Light was revealed in Paul Gal. 1. 15 16. he was accounted by the Ruler of the People to be mad Acts 26. 24. And when the Disciples of Christ had waited and afterwards received the Spirit of Truth within from the which they spake as with new Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance at them then many were amazed others mocked supposing them to be drunk Acts 2. 12 13 14 15. And when Hunnah prayed in Heart being grieved in Spirit was esteemed to be drunk even by Ely the Priest yet she by her Prayers in her Heart obtained her desire of
now those that have the Scripture and call that their Rule in the which they read of Christ the Light yet the Light they deny and so deny him of whom the Scriptures speak and him unto whom all Power in Heaven Earth is committed and so long as they deny him who is the Light unto whom all Power is committed they cannot receive Power from him to become the Sons of God but they who do receive and believe in him who is the Light unto them he gives Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. And now the zealous professing Jews Scribes and Pharisees have the Scriptures but they deny him that is the Light and so they are blind and all those must needs be blind who hate the Light and deny it and so the Jews had the Oracles of God without them and the Law without them and Christ the Son of God without them and among them preaching to them and yet they were deaf and blind and of the Devil for they did his Works And moreover the Disciples of Christ might read the Scriptures without them and they had him in whom was the fullness of God among them with them or without them and yet in many things they understood not John 12. 16. but were often asking Questions as in Mat. 23. 10 36. chap. 16. 22. ch 17. 10 13 19. ch 18. 1 21. ch 19. 10. ch 24. 3. John 13. 7. and some time they knew not what Spirit they were of Luke 9. 55. and though he had been a long time with them yet it was hard for them to know him John 14. 5 6 7 8 9. and though he had been so long time with them consider it was with them for With may be one thing and In another until he had finished the Work without them which the Father gave him to do John 17. 4. Consider the outward Work of Christ without or among the Disciples may be finished and he was at the Passover with them and at the Supper with them and gave his Life for them and they saw his Body broken and his Blood shed without them and yet not withstanding all this afterwards he that is the Light upbraided them of Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Mark 16. 14. who for a long time had the fulness of God amongst and with them who being with them said He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. And so they were to wait to receive him within and that within was to abide forever but that without departed away but that within was and is to lead into all Truth and be with his to the end of the World for that which is in man is alwayes with him but that which is with man and not in him may not alwayes be with him And now the Light is in man and so he that is with his to the end of the World is the Light of the World who is the Resurrection and the Life who was dead and is alive and I say he liveth for evermore who hath finished his Work in the outward things to wit Circumcision Baptism the Supper and Death on the Cross without the gate and is now revealed within and worketh all our Works in us and ever liveth to make Intercession for us Isa 26. 12. Heb. 7. 25. in whose Hearts he is now crying Abba Father and he that hath the Son hath also the Father to whom be Eternal Dominion Glory Honour and humble Obedience for evermore And so Christ Jesus being also guided by that of God or rather the fulness of God in him whereby he finished his Work and departed away from among them and bid them wait for that which should abide with them forever and said These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter whom the Eather will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14. 16 25 26. and that which teacheth all things was to be revealed within and until that was come and revealed in them they did not know all things so that that which teacheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father and abideth forever is to be received within and they in Obedience to his Command did wait and their waiting was not in vain for when the time was fully come they did receive the Promise of the Father which they had waited for and so were filled with the holy Ghost Acts 2. 1 2 3 4. as Joshua was full of the Spirit and in Christ was the fullness of God and Stephen was a man full of the holy Ghost and the Desires of such was That others might be filled with all the Fullness of God Ephes 3. 19. It s not filled with the Scriptures And so they being filled with that which was holy were by that led in the Way of Holiness and with that which was holy in them were they to build up one another Jude 20. and then they spoke the Word of God with Boldness and after the Son of God was revealed in Paul three years after he went up to Jerusalem to see Peter Gal. 1. 16 17 18. and fourteen years after he went up to Jerusalem by Revelation Gal 2. 1 2. And so he did not say he went by the Scriptures or any Command without him but by Revelation and a Revelation is within and that all the Ministers and Disciples of Christ did come to be led and guided by his Spirit that was in them might easily be proved by many undeniable Truths of plain Scripture wereby it might more largely appear that they were all led guided and directed by the one Spirit in them though the Gifts Leadings and Operations of that one Spirit in them was various as may be read 1 Cor. 12. And now most People will grant this before written to be true That all the People of God formerly were led by the Spirit that was in them but that men should now in these dayes be led by the Spirit of Christ in them is by many denyed the which thing chiefly is that which I would a little search into or rather open to thee from that which hath searched me Psal 139. 23. and that according to the Scriptures of Truth if that will be by thee regarded that so it might appear unto all that are not willfully Rebellious against the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and also deniers of plain Scripture by the which I am ready to prove That the People of the Lord and Ministers of Christ were not only led by the Spirit of God themselves but also in their Words and Writings did direct others thereunto saying Walk in the Spirit be filled with the Spirit and Worship God in the Spirit Gal 5. 16. Ephes 5. 18. Phil. 3. 3. John 4. 24. But say the People Though they did walk and direct others to walk by the Spirit yet are not we now to walk by the Scriptures And is not the Scriptures now to be our Rule And
put into and kept long in a Dungeon sor Praying often abused in Prison sometimes near Death in Trials often in Perils often in Loss of Goods in daily Reproaches and in that which hath been greater then all these things and yet have I been preserved unto this day by the Power of him who is the Light and the only Son of God to whom be Eternal Glory from his own Seed in his Servant who is one of the least among many Brethren being a Prisoner at Winchester for the Truth of Christ by the will of men unto whom I am known by the Name of Humphry Smith An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ. COme unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden come unto me and find Rest I even I am he that comforteth Ziâ—â— I am he that preacheth Liberty to the Captives Oh! come unto me stay not I am the Way the Truth and the Life I am he and there is none other I came out from the Father into the World that it might be reconciled up unto God thorow me I am the good Shepherd that am now come to gather the Outcasts of Israel and to bring home unto God the lost Sheep that the dispersed of Judah may now return and the seed of Abraham may be brought in to me in whom the Redemption is even plentious Redemption for all that will hear and turn in hither Oh all ye scattered of the Flock my Voice is to you that have not found rest to your Souls now hearken diligently to hear my Voice and feel my Words of Life for now the time is come that the Seed that hath long lain in the Death shall hear my voice and they that hear shall live and arise out of the Death and I will give them Life Oh! come unto me my own my beloved before the Foundation of the World come and stay not I have long waited for you my Locks are wet with the drops of the Night and you have wearied me with waiting for you long have I knocked at the Door of your Hearts calling to Repentance and no man regarded now the sloathful would not arise that I might come in and take up my abode with and in my own and refresh them with Waters of Life but now am I come who am the Bridegroom and the Bishop of the Soul with my alluring terms Come oh my Friends hearken my Beloved let me not be denyed open the door of thy hard Heart and let me not stand waiting any longer behold I have Honour for all them that follow me and Crowns of Life for all that will receive me Come unto me my Lambs I have prepared my Supper I have made in this Mountain a Feast of Wines of the Lees of fat things full of Marrow all things are now ready Come in unto me I am the Bread of Life I am the hidden Manna I come to save mens lives Come all ye that are weary with the burden of your Sins I am the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World I come to take away the Sin of the World I am the Root of Jesse and the Off-spring of David I am he that opens and none can shut and shuts and none can open I have Power to forgive Sins on Earth Come cease from the Evil of your doings learn of me to do Well and then we will reason together and though thy Sins have been as Scarlet they shall then be as white as Snow for I come to finish Transgression and make an end of Sin and bring in the Everlasting Righteousness of God Therefore hear O ye scattered of the Flock that are yet in the miery Clay covered over with the thick Cloud of your Sins Oh! remain not in the filth now continue no longer with the Flesh-pots in the house of Bondage for I am come to condemn Sin in the Flesh and destroy the Works of the Devil that you may find Redemption in me and be washed from your filthiness and cleansed from your Sin Wherefore hear all ye that are far from Righteousness behold I have Gifts for the Rebellious my hand is stretched forth O ye simpels Ones come unto me and learn pure Wisdom and ye Fools be of an Understanding Heart Oh! why will ye dye O house of Israel have I any pleasure at all that the Wicked should dye turn you turn you now I do call O ye hard hearted wherefore do you hide your selves from me and dig deep to hide your Counsels from me Why do you run alwayes astray Oh! what shall I do unto you that I have not done and yet do you still go on in the Evil of your Wayes When will you once return O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be Oh! I have seen your Abominations and am wearied with your Sins and yet have you not regarded Oh! now it is high time to consider thy Ways and return from the Evil of thy Doings lest thou be shut out forever And all ye my dear Ones that have long waited for me behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me saith Christ the Son of God and I will open to you the hidden Treasures of my Father and make known his Will to you and I will remove off the burden and circumcise your Hearts Behold I come saith Christ and I will open the Prison-door and raise the Prisoner out of the Pit and bring Deliverance to the Captive and refresh the plant of my Fathers planting and nourish the tender Grape which the subtilty hath hurt and I will bind up the broken and restore unto the Mourners the years of Joy and Comfort and I will be unto you a sure Foundation a present Help in time of need and I will bring back the scattered and they shall not return and fear the Lord God of thir Fathers in my Mountain of Holiness and they shall walk in the Way of Peace and in the Paths of Righteousness where the Unclean shall not pass over nor the wild Beasts of the Field shall not come but the Ransomed of my Father saith Christ the Son of God Therefore hear all ye my Brethren and consider all ye my Friends for I am come who am the sure Foundation and the Corner-stone the Light the true Light of the World and the Life of Man and the Everlasting Covenant of the Father and the Power of God and the Wisdom of the Father by me Kings reign and the Princes of Israel shall now rule in Equity for behold I am come even he that you have long waited for and there is not another come learn of me I am meek I am lowly I am the Light low in the heart I am the living Minister saith Christ the Son of the Fathers love and the Light of the World I change not but remain a Priest forever a living Minister of Life within the vail ministring Life unto the Spirit in Prison The Sounding Voice Of the DREAD of Gods Mighty
forth my hand towards the weak and utter my voice to the Prisoner of Hope and shew unto the meek in the Earth how the invisible God hath led his seed and is leading his Remnant through and out of the Variety of things unto the one thing it self from whence the various Things Gifts and Ministrations do come Now that which is chiefly in my heart to write for the Seeds sake is First Something concerning the Ministration of Moses when he was upon Earth Secondly Concerning the Ministration of Christ whilst he was upon Earth Thirdly and chiefly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit First Concerning Moses's Ministration when he was upon Earth which was to last till Shiloh came or until the time of Reformation AS concerning Moses Ministration to wit the Law Condemnation or Death with the Priests Offering and worldly Sanctuary and an outward Tabernacle and daily Offerings for Sin and Store-houses for the Levites Strangers Fatherless and Widdows having the Ark of the Testimony within the vail and the Mercy seat covered and the Golden-pot and the People to seek the Law at the Priests Mouth whereby their knowledge is preserved and many profit much thereby and come day by day and year by year unto that which they esteem a place of holy Worship and Ordinances of God And notwithstanding the Priests of Moses Law were made by the Law of God yet that Priesthood changeth and the Law changeth and the very glory of all this passeth away for this did once seem glorious unto me and many more which only discovered sin though it made nothing perfect and with much delight was the reading of the Law and the Prophets hearkened unto and the daily confession of sin but the vail is over the heart whilst Moses is Preached and Sacrifices Morning and Evening with the long Prayers which the comers thereunto were not at all thereby made Perfect as pertaining to the Conscience though it had a shaddow of good things to come yet the glory thereof comes to be done away then how much more will the very glory of the most glorious Appearance of that Ministry perish and be done away which cometh short of this and hath not so much as the Image of this which was as a shaddow O weak and beggarly things that are found among those Priests now and their followers who come short of Moses Ministry for he directed them to Christ the substance and so his Ministration comes to be done away as Christ comes to be received for Moses did not seek to uphold his Priests or Law or Tythes or any thing else when Christ should come who is the end of the Law but did write of him and not withstanding his Ministry and Priests he said He that would not hearken unto him should be cut off and said The Lord will raise up Mark the words raise up The Lord shall raise up a Prophet and when the Prophet was come he said I am the Light and I am meek and low in Heart and this is to be raised up which is meek for to them that sate in darkness Light hath sprung up and the Soul that hearkneth not to the Prophet which springs up shall be cut off for Truth springeth up out of the Earth and Christ is the Truth and he said I am the Light which is the Horn of Salvation that God raiseth up to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and is the Salvation of Israel and so the soul is to hearken to that which God raiseth up and that is it which condemneth sin under it who is like unto Moses whose Ministry discovers sin and so Moses directed unto Christ who puts away the sin and Paul said of the glory of Moses Ministration That it was no Glory in respect of the Glory of the Ministration of the Spirit and the glorious Ministry of the Spirit was received after he who had a Body prepared had suffered the Crucifying of his body and the Prophets searched diligently to see the glory that was to be after the sufferings of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. But the thing intended That Moses when he was upon Earth directed unto Christ and gave commandment That they should hearken unto him who said I am the Light and this is one Tittle of the Law that the Light be hearkned unto who is the end of the Law and the substance and he that offendeth herein is guilty of all and this is that in which all the large Ministrations of Moses is included that Christ the Light the true Prophet be hearkned unto and obeyed that by hearing and obeying his Voice or the Word in the Heart they might come from under the Law and the Priests and that which waxeth old unto the Life and Obedience of him who abides a Priest forever even the Lord of that glory which lasteth for evemore Secondly Concerning Christ and his Ministration when he was upon Earth and his work which he finished ANd when he cometh which Moses commandeth to hearken unto even Christ the true Prophet the Light of the World the living Minister the end of the Law who had a Body prepared to do the will of the Father which was in him the Man Christ Jesus he saith follow me and he took up his Cross and passed through the Death and the Vail and so being made Perfect through sufferings attained that Glory which he had with the Father before he had a Body which Body was prepared to do the Fathers will whose will was That all men should be saved therefore Christ tasted death for every man and rose again for the Justification of those that believe in him who said I am the Light and is sate down at the right hand of God who is a Spirit eternally in the Heavens ascended up out of the sight of them which gazed after that Body which is gone out of their sight even he Christ the Ministry hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil being meek and low in the Heart he saith Learn of me Then not the of Priests nor any longer of Moses for the Law is the Schoolmaster to Christ who being come calleth one from the Custom another from going to bury the Dead another from questoning and reasoning what this man or another should do that he might not stand looking out at others but himself to follow the Light saying follow thou me And those that followed him when he was upon Earth saw his Miracles and heard his Parables and eat of the outward Bread and were filled though many now eat and are not filled and they had his body among them and they came to the Baptism and the Supper but Christ himself Baptized not and when he was upon Earth he said I go to the Father and I go to prepare a place for you and he said whither I go ye know and he said before follow me and except a man deny himself and take up his Cross and follow
spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14. 25 26. And then what if I did write after the manner of men and say If Moses were now upon the Earth and Christ in his own Body upon the Earth and Moses with all his Priests Tythes and Offerings and Religion which discovers sin but makes nothing perfect which Paul profited much in if he I say should command and exhort all People under his Ministry to go to Christ and hear him And if Christ were now upon Earth and notwithstanding his outward Miracles Circumcision Baptism Supper and Death yet he should command and exhort all that come through the Law or Ministration of Moses unto him to look and tarry and wait for another Comforter that they might receive the Spirit in them and say unto them that that should teach them all things and lead them into all Truth Then whether or no People were to continue following Moses Priests with their Tythes and long Prayers and still be seeking the Law at their Mouth or to come to Christ to seek the Gospel for Moses himself did not say that they should seek the Gospel at the Priests Mouth And then when did the Priests ever preach the Gospel And then whether those obey not Moses who leave the Priests and come to Christ the Light And whether such when they are come to Christ should alwayes be looking and following after Water Baptism and outward Supper or tarry and wait to receive the Spirit within them And then which of these now should all People that profess Christ be led by in these dayes either Moses or the Person of Christ or the Spirit of Truth And whether such as have received and are truly indeed led by his Spirit of Truth and know that to be their Teacher and follow it and are ruled governed and guided by it according to the command of Moses and Christ do not hereby obey the command of Moses and of Christ and fulfill their Doctrine And whether any other People or Professors whatsoever do obey the command of Moses and Christ but only such And whether this be not a thing of great Concernment to be known and learned by all that profess Christianity But why then do People follow these Priests of England any longer which are contrary to Moses and also to Christ who have no Store-houses but suffer the Poor to want within and without and the Widdow and Stranger ready to perish and moreover devour and can never have enough of the Spoil of other mens Goods And why do others dispute about and talk of the Body so much which they know not And is it not better to be silent and know the true God and Jesus Christ who dwells in his People and the Spirit of Truth which he requires in the inward parts and to feel after God even the Life in themselves because the Apostle said They were saved by his Life being before reconciled by his Death Rom. 5. 10. And until the Life came there were many things which they were not saved from and the Death which reconcileth was passed through and the Life was received again to save and justifie And why then are People so much busied about that which was before the Reconciliation and so therein much short of the Life and for outward Bread Wine and Water Are not these things which are seen And are not the things that are seen Temporal But Christ the true Prophet being come of whom Moses did write who is the end of the Law and so the end of that Ministry whereby that is done away for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof and Christ coming after John of whom John bare witness that he was before and greater and came after him and Christ having finished that which he himself came to do and likewise so largely and often exhorted to wait for another Comforter even the Spirit Then what Ministration is it that now standeth and remainâ—eth which is according both to Moses Christ and the holy Scriptures And what Ministration is to be expected or waited for but the Ministration of the Spirit And whether all they be not compassed about with a Cloud of Error who are upholding that Ministry of the Law or a worse which Christ is the end of and the Apostles said was done away and likewise such as are upholding and keeping up that which Christ said he had finished And whether the upholding of such things now be not quite opposite both to Moses Christ and Scriptures And being that Moses nor indeed his true Ministers of the Law are not upon Earth neither that Body of Christ which by the Professors was murthered at Jerusalem visibly to be seen upon Earth Then what was it that those have to follow who have not received the Spirit to be led by and if they will say They have the Writings of Moses and the Words of Christ I say if that be all then they that forsook and denyed Christ had more then them for they had the Words from his own Mouth which was Spirit and Life and yet they understood not and then what do those understand who have not so much as they had therefore after he had suffered and rose again he opened their Understandings And so what is all their Religion worth who are not come to the Spirit And whether Moses Ministration being ended by Christ and Christ also having finished his Work are not all People in the first place now to wait for the Spirit and to receive the Spirit by it then to be led into all Truth and so being first led into the Truth then in the same Truth to worship God in the Spirit who is a Spirit And whether there be now any true Worship standing which God accepteth but only this And whether this alone be not agreeable to Moses Christ and Scriptures And then whether all other Worship now upheld be not contrary to this true Worship of God and contrary to Moses Christ and Scriptures and indeed chiefly opposite to the Spirit of God whereby he is grieved And if so whether all such Worship Way Practice Performances Duties and Ordinances so called be not better left undone than performed until God's Spirit be received to guide therein Thirdly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit which abideth forever Moses and his Ministry were visible and Christ in the form of a Servant and so like unto Moses was visible and so was his Miracles and that which is visible to the Natural Eye the Carnal Mind can come to profess and contend about but the blessed Eye which God openeth with the Light cometh to see the one done away and the other finished by Christ the Light and Life And this Spirit is that which first moved and yet moveth and moved unto and led through the visible Ministration and this Spirit is invisible as it
it may answer its own and be helpful to the weak and feeble that such may not give over pressing forwards nor faint in their long Travail though many Mountains on which they did nourish themselves for a time will not yield them Bread now yet that they may with me and the rest of the Followers and Friends of Christ past and present alwayes continue following the Spirit as it leads until the inward man be filled therewith and so power and strength from God come to be known and received in every particular For thus it is with Christs Followers now they are not satisfied until they are filled with that which they heard of and their Souls thirsted after and so it was with them then and they were filled with what they wanted before and then from that which they were filled with they spoke forth and so they did teach the Nations and brought People under the Power of God and baptized them into that and dipt them into the Name of the Father and brought them under that which saveth from Sin and plunged them into the holy Spirit and as they taught they did this baptizing as they did teach and plunging them as their Doctrine went forth into that which washeth and purifieth the Conscience from the Filth and Guilt of Sin of which the outward Baptism was a Figure of this which saveth and so their Doctrine was from an inward Life and proceeded from that which was invisible so reached to that which wanted Life in the Hearers and so brought up the Power of God over them and them under it and into it for the Word is into and they were to bring People Into the Name not Water and they were to bring or baptize them Into the Name as they did teach Go ye and Teach Baptizing Into Baptizing is in the Present Tense when they did teach And so here the Spiritual Inward Baptism goes aloâ—g with the preaching of the Word of Life which is inward and brings man to an inward enjoyment of God being baptized Into his Name which is a strong Tower which preserveth from the Power of the Devil And we all who are brought into this and are come in here are all by one Spirit baptized into one Body and so worship God in the Spirit having the Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience by the washing of Regeneration in the Ministration of the Gospel of Peace whereby there is a drawing nigh to God being brought into his Name and a free access to the Throne of that Grace which saveth from and out of all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit H. S. THE VISION OF Humphry Smith Which he saw concerning LONDON In the 5th Moneth in the Year 1660. being not long after the King came in The Prophet speaking of the pouring forth of the Spirit in the latter days saith That then the Young Men shall see Visions Joel 2. 28. And the wise King said Where there is no Vision the People Perish Prov. 29. 18. And the true Minister of Christ said I will come to Visions and Revelations of the Lord 2 Cor. 12. 1. Concerning the great City of LONDON I Beheld all her Waters which belonged to her frozen up and that exceeding hard and the Vessels which went upon them so that I and others passed over her Waters without the least danger over the greatest Vessels which had carried her Merchandize for all was frozen with a mighty Freezing whereby all her goodly Merchandize were stopt and her mighty swift Waters were turned into a mighty think frozen Ice which stood still so that her pleasant Streams ran not And as for the City her self and her Suburbs and all that belonged to her a Fire was kindled therein but she knew not how even in her goodly places and the kindling of it was in the Foundations of her buildings and there was none could quench it neither was there any able and the burning thereof was exceeding great and it burned inward in a hidden manner which cannot be expressed and the Fire consumed Foundations which the City stood upon and the tall buildings fell and it consumed all the lofty things therein and the fire searched out all the hidden places and burned most in secret places but the Consumation was exceeding great where with it consumed And as I passed through her streets I beheld her state to be very miserable and very few were those that were left in her who were but here and there one and they feared not the Fire neither did the burnings hurt them but they were and walked as mournful dejected People and the fire burned every where so that there was no escaping of it And thus she became a Desolation and as an Astonishment for the burning was suffered of God for her chastizement and could never be â—â—enched nor overcome and in the midst of her Waters was the Vessel of her Merchandize frozen up that none could move it and there were none that could stop the burning and the Fire consumed all things both Stone and Timber and it burned under all things and under all Foundations and that which was lifted up above it fell down and the Fire consumed it and the burning continued for though the Foundation was burnt up and all the lofty part brought down by the fire yet there was much old stuff and part of broken desolate Walls and Buildings in the midst which the fire continued burning against and that which was taken as to make use of which yet escaped the fire became useless in mans hand as a thing of nought And the Vision hereof remained in me as a thing that was secretly shewed me of the Lord. And now let her Wise men find out the matter and her Prudent men read and her Divines so called interpret the Vision and let her know that her day is at hand and let every one of them look to their own ways And as for thee O City of London thy Sin hath been exceeding grievous and thy Iniquities beyond measure Who can number thy daily Transgressions or set before thee the multitude of thy Abominations Oh! thy wayes have grieved the Lord and thy works have oppressed the Just and the Lord will surely plead with thee whom thou hast long rebelled against and walked in thy Pride and nourished thy self in Voluptuousness as a Beast for the slaughter and in Arrogancy hath thy steps been found Oh! thy Heart hath been defiled and thy wayes are wayes of Grievousness and thy paths are polluted before the Lord and thou hast not done the thing that is just in his sight but hast chosen thy own Wayes and trusted in thy own Wisdom Take heed now therefore O City of London for God will be too strong for thee and thy strength shall fall before him and thou must come to an Account for thy Deeds and then where will be thy Refuge or what shall be thy Shelter Will thy Multitude of men deliver thee from God or the
with Humility forever the little Child is you to lead in the peaceable Path of the Fathers love that you all as Lambs may follow him whose Power saveth from Sin in him trust compassed about with the Walls of Salvation and feeling the everlasting strength you all to preserve in the Power of his Might his Blessing to receive unto the Seed that you in it and by it may be fruitful unto God forever For dear Friends the Father is well-pleased in him who is meek and lowly in the Heart and in obedience unto him through the leadings of his Spirit of Power in which the Father's Love is manifest which leadeth in the low Ground where the safe way of everlasting Peace is known where all things are quiet and still where the small still Voice is heard whereby the Dead come to live in the powerfull Life of the Fathers Love which compasseth about the Seed as a Wall of everlasting Strength which is made perfect in Weakness and to the Weak is only to be known that the Weak then may say I am strong feeling Strength ministered forth from that which is begotten of the Father which never was comprehended by the Earthly Wisdom which is all scattered as the Smoke before the Wind when he ariseth who hath long been as a Servant and is now to be served that he may be Lord over all who is as a Man of Sorrows and leadeth through the Suffering state that by the Obedience of Faith through the Power of the Cross which crucifies and brings to the Death that which is to dye that the Vail may be rent the way into the Holiest of all made manifest and that received into the new Ground which abideth forever even that which now Comforteth the weary Soul and Satisfieth the longing Spirit and Replenisheth the dry and barren Land with the Rivers of the Valley and the Springs of the Desart that the Meek in the Earth may Rejoyce forever and through the Earth may grow as a Lilly in Summer For plainly it s the Poor that receive the Gospel and the Meek of the Earth that shall inherit Substance and its the Lowly that will abide forever and the Seed of the Shepherd that shall be set on the Throne and he that is low shall never fall neither shall his Footsteps at all be moved he leads the Creature in the Fathers fear and guideth the Tongue in Wisdom and it s him alone that all are to wait for to receive and continue in even him that is acquainted with grief who never openeth his Mouth in Perverness but speaks Life in Wisdom through the Power of the Father's love which overpowereth the Soul as an overflowing River of Oyl which makes all well and heals the grieved Spirit which none ever comes to find but such as alone walk with him who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and became as a Servant though he was Lord over all in him there is Safety for he is the Rock and the sure hiding Place even out of the sight of the World and from the Tempters power for the Devil hath nothing in him who is meek and low in whose Mouth there is found no Guils And this is he that hath been long set at nought whose Tenders of Love constrains Obedience to himself because of the Beauty that is in him which from them is hid over whom the Vail is through which they cannot see the Comliness of his Love Oh all ye Lovers and Followers of Truth and Righteousness come ye all and sink down in your Minds unto him whose love springeth forth of the low Ground as a Well-spring of Life issuing forth abundantly as through a Rock that is hid under the Earth thence cometh Life to the Humble and there may you drink with me of the Cup of Blessings for from the Root of Jesse and the Foundation the Branch which is low doth spring forth the Life to the satisfying of every Branch and truly in him there is Life indeed and with him there is no want Who can desire another than he or who can complain that dwells in him where the Unclean doth never come where all things are at Peace and Rest is enjoyed forever Oh let none turn aside from him nor climb up above the measure of his humble Life nor reach beyond the Power of his Breathings forth neither grieve ye him through the unkindness of your forward Wills but love him as the Life of your Souls and prise him above all that can be spoken and tender his Love as the Apple of thine Eye that he to thee may be forever the Prince of Eternal Peace and the Power of thy Strength and the Blessing of thy Life that thou never mayst want Food nor Rayment nor want a shelter in the hour of Temptation nor look for another to help in the time of need And so my dear Lambs in him keep for evermore for it s he that comes out from God and keepeth them in perfect Peace who in his lowly Spirit abide from thence to feel the Fathers Love arise with it to love and tender one another So to that which is of my Fathers Life in you all I desire to be known and in it with you to have Fellowship forever which is more than â—â— to be declared by a multitude of Words or written in many or long Epistles the bowels of my Fathers love from the measure of his own Life in me is to his Image and that which is begotten of him in you all So the Life of the Power of the Lamb of God be with you all and the Blessing of the God of Love and Peace preserve you in all Humility of mind that the begotten of the Father through the Power of his Love may increase and grow up unto him who is the Life of my Soul who is blessed for evermore Amen H. S. Winchester-Bridewell To such in whose Hearts the Spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare YOu whom the mighty God of Power hath found in a Desart Wilderness polluted in your Blood without help or strength of your own whose Nakedness did once â—ppear and you in it stood guilty before the Bar of Gods Justice receiving the Condemnation due from him who then said unto you Live and since in the measure of that Word upon the Lord have waited to receive that which was promised of him who is the Father of the faithful This I say unto you the thing is great that you are come unto and entering upon to speak in the Name of the mighty God and to publish the Message of the most High to declare the Word of the Lord among the Heathen and minister Life to the Spirits in Prison to stand Witnesses for God to the People and to be as Guides and Examples to the Tribes of Israel Oh! how can you but be overcome with the dread of the Lord and filled with the Power of his Love How can your
Corruptions of the Flesh And walk in the Life of Righteousness to preach forth the Innocency of the Lamb in uprightness through a suffering state and therein to glorifie him whom in Spirit and Truth you are to serve forever more so your Life may be renowned with him forever and your Souls replenished in the bountifulness of his Love whereby Fruits in you may abound to the glory of his Grace and you become rich in every good Word and Work And all you that are weak who meet with many Hardships and Tryals and Temptations within and without be ye not therefore discouraged nor moved but still mind that the Lord is able to deliver and still on him in much Patience wait that in the due time you may come to reap And truly Friends in faithfulness you will come to know the Lord to minister strength to the weak and give power to the faint that the small thing in you may become great and the barren become fruitful for in him who is the Light the plentious Redemption is and he it is that succours and saves in the time of need and helps and delivers in the time of distress and he will not leave the Humble Comfortless nor forsake the Meek of the Earth neither can the Lord forget his Covenant of Peace with the Seed of Jacob though it be but as a Worm in the Earth And you who suffer Bonds Imprisonments or loss of Goods for his sake who hath called you out of the World dear is my love unto you and precious is the faithful suffering Seed in you to me who also with you suffer both within and in outward Bonds seeing the Crown of rejoycing that through a suffering state is manifest to the Seed which through suffering comes to live forever and the Life is that which will uphold in the measure whereof manifest in you The power of the Lord preserve you that you may feel Truth kept clear in you and preserved blameless by you that the Prisoner of hope in you may Reign over its Adversaries and you feel the Power of the Lord strengthning the spoiled against the strong that under it the other may bow that to the humble Life of the Lamb slain all Nations may become subject And all consider that he that is the Wonderful Counsellor who saith I am the Light In it therefore wait the counsel of the Lord to receive And all take heed of going out from that to set up a form of barren Words without neither build ye the things which began to be destroyed but all take heed of vain Talkers high Boasters and such who by a multitude of Words darken that in you which is to give the knowledge of him whose Kingdom consisteth not of Words for many see things afar off and speak too soon and too much and out of the true fear whose Words feed that above the Seed in many who live thereby and it burthens the Seed in some tender Lambs so that it which should live in them is kept in Death And so such Talkers with their many Words do scatter the Flock and cause Strife being separated from the suffering Seed within and so cannot suffer one with another and things are out of God's Wisdom and out of Unity and true Brotherly Love and then the Mouthes of the Heathen are opened against you all and the precious Truth of God suffers Therefore it s better all such were silent and that in the true fear you come to wait on the Lord that the power of his Life might be opened in every particular and then if that speak a Word or two it will hurt none but be received by all that fear the Lord and that my Soul loveth but this I know and feel that many Words are spoken which murder the Life in the Meek Therefore where these things are let it be searched into with the Light in every particular that the true thing in all may arise and act and lead and guide in Meekness and true Fear that the Power of God in you all you may come unto And let all your Meetings be kept as in the dreadful Awe and Presence of God and meet together often that the Seed through Death may come to which my Love is dear in which Love which comes from God his Arm of Power preserve you all which is both my Desire and Prayers to God whom in the measure of his living Truth I serve in my Spirit and for which now I suffer Bonds who to some of you may be felt in that which is more near unto many of you than the Name Humphry Smith To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset YOu whom the Lord God of Life hath visited with his Everlasting Loving-kindness in a day of Salvation and in an acceptable year hath the Lord â—ought after you who from him were going astray in the frowardness of your Wills and haughtiness of your vain Minds whereby your Souls were kept in Death out of which the Lord is now come to redeem and gather you his long lost sheep in his everlasting Arms of unlimited Love home unto the rest eternal where Peace and Plenty is within the Walls that are Salvation and the Gate of everlasting Peace within which the redeemed of the Lord do dwell and their rest is gloriously glorified with the presence of the most High who comes to rule in the Kingdoms of men and set his Righteousness and Judgment in the Earth whereby the meek of the Earth shall rejoyce and the Mourning seed shall be comforted because of him that executeth true Judgment upon the head of the Wicked which ruled over the growing seed which cryeth unto the Lord in the hour of distress and mourned for him who is the bright Morning Star whose lightnings begin now to enlighten the Earth and shine out of Darkness to give the knowledge of God in the sensible feeling part of the heart which comes to be made soft and tender thereby so that its wrought into Gods love which melts the Hills and shakes the Mountains and divides asunder that an open way fair clear may be made for the longing breathing seed to spring out of Bondage and feel Gods Mercy showered down as the latter Rain upon a dry and thirsty Land whereâ—y the Lillies grow and the Vine yields her Increase and the Olive flowrishes and Clothing from the God of Righteousness comes to cover the mourning naked Birth who hath no strength nor help but from the Lord God of Mercy who is the Father of the Fatherless and the Helper of the Helpless who also hears the Cry of the Needy and knows the mind of the Spirit and hath pity on all Sion's Mourners and Compassion of all the faint and he is helping the Prisoner out of the Pit whereby the Captive comes to be set at liberty and the opening of the Prison Door is felt by the Lambs and Children of the Day who unto the day
Magog and all Nations that rise up and gather themselves together against you the beloved of the Lord they are all but as the rising up of Smoke and as Chaff before the Wind so must they e'er long be driven away Have you not seen the Overturning and the Confounding of them that were against God and goodness who raged much against you as these do now And will not the Lord once more overturn Yea it shall be so for the Blood-thirsty Priests and persecuting Officers must follow after for though Pharoah and all his Host were overturned yet the Moabites nor the Canaanites would not take warning But rejoyce not thou when thine Enemy falleth nor because the Devils are made subject but feel thy Name written amongst the Living And now to the Lord God of Life I commit you all and to the Guidance of the measure of his Spirit of Holiness and the Blessing of the most high be upon you every one that is faithful now and for evermore and the presence of Lord be in all your Meetings Humphry Smith DEar Brethren Friends and Babes in Christ who are begotten again by the Word of Power and born of the Immortal Seed whom God hath raised up in the Day of his Love and gathered into his Covenant of Life with whom my Heart is joyned in the Life of Righteousness where the sweet savour of divine Love is felt as healing Oyl blessed forever and ever be the Fountain from whence it comes whereby the heart is made glad unto God and the weary Soul refreshed Beauty and Excellency remaineth in the Life forever and durable Righteousness inhabiteth therein Let the humble rejoyce because of its Beauty and let the meek be glad for evermore let the Earth be quiet and still and let the Inhabitants therein feel the Visitation of Life where God's day of brightness dawneth in the Hearts of his chosen where Peace abideth forever and the Light most gloriously doth shine which expels the Darkness far away and scatters the Clouds of the Night Love then springs up from God and Life and Virtue doth nourish his tender Plant unexpressibly is it received therein and the Father's Mercy more sweet than the finest Honey with this may all Gods Plants be nourished and your breathing desires answered and longing Souls satisfied then may you all lie down together receiving God's blessing of Life and grow up in the Power thereof as the holy Building of God to shew forth the Praise of his Glorious Name by walking in the Virtuous Life that the Father and Begettor of your true Desires for evermore may be honoured and you a delightsom savour of Life unto him to be joyned in his Covenant Immortal where God who is Love dwelleth in the Light which no Eye of flesh can behold nor the fleshly Birth come near nor the polluted enter within his Dwellings nor the Transgressor of the Law come with his burden into this City of Rest where the Lamb is the Light and the blessed Sabboth is kept who feel the liberty of the Seed Immortal may see and read and understand even the unutterable things of God whose Power Love Mercy Compassion and Peace may many of you feel sometimes in your own hearts which is to draw you to himself that you might love him again forever above all things that are created by him that in his Power which was before it you may come over it all to him again and in the same Power with him over it to reign and the Creatures to rule in his Wisdom that your Souls may be kept clean to God and you sanctified to himself a sit Habitation for him forever The Lord God Almighty help keep and preserve all Friends that all may stand in the day of Tryal and finish your Testimony with Peace H. S. Broomeyard in Herefordshire the 4th of the 3d Moneth 1660. One Hundred and Forty four Lines of secret inward Melody and Praise to the Lord. MY heart shall sing of thee Who dost my Soul defend Whose Life hath saved me Who didst my Wayes amend Whose strength hath me upheld Whose Love is with me still Whose Grace doth virtue yield Who hast taught me thy will O! blessed be thy Name Who hast my Life redeem'd That I may sound the same With them thou hast esteem'd O! let me now rejoyce And praise the Lord my strength Who long hath been my choice And drawn my dayes in length O! that I could declare Vnto the sons of men His Gifts and Rules rare Which he hath yet for them O! that my heart could dite The goodness of his Love Or that my pen could write His Mercies yet above O! that I might express With Heart with Tongue or Pen His sweet delight somness Reserv'd for upright men O! that I could unfold Or in meekness declare His strength which maketh bold And keepeth from the Snare Behold his Throne is Love His Seat is Mercy pure Descending from above Is he both day and hour Behold his Glory shines Vnto his Jewels rare He visits them betimes When they in Darkness are Behold his Heart is bent Towards his little Ones His Love their hearts doth rent And in his Virtue comes Behold he draweth near To all the Poor and Weak And he to them is dear Who will them not forsake Behold he doth arise In Might Virtue and Power To bring in his lost prize Into his refuge Tower The weak he doth defend The poor he 'l still uphold Forth ' needy he 'l contend And give them more than Gold His Lambs he still doth lead His little Ones he 'l teach The Hungry have his Bread The Thirsty he 'l refresh He makes the Feeble strong He makes the Barren bare He leads the Blind along Into the Light most clear He cometh as a Dew In heat of Summer time Vpon his Plants below That forth their Fruit may shine He feedeth every Babe He seeketh every Lost His Love doth never fade For his he spares no Cost His Vâ—rtue and his Strength His Wisdom and his Power He gives to his at length And they of him are sure He never doth forsake His dear and little Flock Who of that Bread partake That 's hidden in the Rock The Heavens and the Earth He with himself Doth fill He dwelleth in our Hearts And doth reveal his Will He maketh known his Way That all his Flock shall go And them in light Aray For to withstand the Foe He helps in time of need He leaves not in distress He doth effect the Deed To Man he gives redress He casteth down to Hell His Power is so great He doth the Living kill And none can him defeat He raiseth from the Grave And makes the Dead alive From him there 's none can save Nor in his absence thrive He 's alwayes near at hand From trouble to deliver He 's joyn'd with his in Band To live with them forever No God is like to him No Honour like to his No man is said to win
done it away with the same Power whereby before he came so to serve man under the Sin as to help him from under it and so to bring man with himself in his Power as it suffered by the Sin out of the Sin and out of that Power which captivated under or into the committing of Sin so to the end of it with Christ over it to live and reign forever as it is received in that way manner and operation which at first it doth come and shew forth it self in the Power of its sufferings whose Power and Virtue therein at first is known And so such who know Him in his suffering-state He permitteth chuseth and electeth to live and reign with him in his Ruling-state And so he that hath power to Reign hath power to Suffer and so to Suffer that he may Reign the exercise of whose power in his Suffering is in order to his Reigning and such as feel know and receive his Power first enabling them with him to suffer they with the same are brought to the end of sin and sinning by which the suffering came upon the Just for the Unjust and as man to this is joyned in his sufferings its Power worketh man's Redemption and so not of man or brings man back from under that power which held in the Transgression and Separation from the Bridegroom of the Soul and takes away that which captivates it and so breaks the Wall which stood between the desired Liberty and the present Bondage and so brings the true and lasting Peace and so both receive each other and are made one in each other and not otherwise It is certainly so And that man which truly suffered with it reigns with it who was joyned to it in its suffering till it came to reign and then to submit unto it and serve it in its Motions Leadings Rulings and Governings in the power of its Love which winneth the heart so to do as the chaste Wife to the Husband so with it in the Power of it man comes to reign over that which was both contrary to it and to the upright hearted man until all its Enemies are put under it and so under the man that is one with it and whose Life is in it being truly joyned to it of the Lord then not to be put asunder and so loving of it and in all things submitting to it more than the true chaste Virgin to the Husband living in the Power and the Power living in man and so both becoming one in Sufferings one in Tryals one in Tribulations one in Afflictions one in Joy one in Peace one in Liberty one in Captivity one in Riches one in Poverty And so truly one partaking with each other in all states unseparable may well in some measure be termed The Marriage of the Lamb which is come and more of it may be known and the Virgin being thus and more fully espoused to the undefiled unspotted of God they are thus far made one and she becomes the Daughter of the Husbands Father the King of Kings or the Adopted Child of God And thus the undefiled One of God and the Virgin of Sion becomes one in the unspeakable Unity which Unity being felt both as one preceive me and my Lines are understood and my Words received in Love And this is written and sent forth among all Friends who desire to hear of me and who have known me in the invisible Truth and such to whom the Lord hath made me serviceable in the precious things of the Kingdom of God which is of Peace and Righteousness where my Rest is that hereby they may hear from me and know that I remain in the labour of the Gospel which is very great and in the Fellowship of the Saints Your Brother in the unexpressible Love of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour Humphery Smith From Cogshall in Essex in which parts very many of late have received the precious Truth the 12th of the 5th Moneth 1661. This is to all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end My dear Friends THe Father is well pleased in him who is meek and lowly in the heart and in Obedience unto him through the leadings of his Spirit of Power in which the Father's love is manifest which leads in the low Ground where the safe Way of everlasting Peace is known where all things are quiet and still where the small still Voice is heard whereby the dead come to live in the Powerful Life of the Fathers Love which compasseth about the seed as a Wall of everlasting Defence whereby there is boldness and courage comes in to Jacob the worm that it s then able to stand in that everlasting strength which is made perfect in weakness and to the weak â—â— only to be known that the weak then may say I am strong feeling strength ministred forth from that which is begotten of the Father wâ—ich never was comprehended by the earthly Wisdom which is all scattered as the smoke before the Wind when he ariseth that was laid in the Earth who hath long been as a Servant and is now to be served that he may be Lord over all who is a Man of Sorrows and leads through the suffering state that by the Obedience of Faith through the Power of the Cross which crucifies and brings to the death that which is to dye that the Vail may be rent and the way into the holiest of all made manisest and that received in the new ground which abideth forever even that which comforteth the weary Soul and satisfieth the longing Spirit and replenishâ—th the dry and barren Land with the Rivers of the Valley and the springs of the Desart that the meek in the Earth may rejoyce forever and through the Earth may grow as a Lilly in Summer For painly its the poor that receive the Gospel and the meek of the Earth that shall in her it Substance and it is the thing that is low that will last forever and that shall be set on the Throne and he that is low shall never fall neither shall his Footsteps at all be moved he leads the creature in the Father's fear and guideth the Tongue in Wisdom and its him alone that all are to wait for to receive and continue in even him that is acquainted with Grief who never openeth his Mouth in perversness but speaks Life in Wisdom through the Power of the Fathers Love which overpowers the Soul as an overflowing River of Oyl which makes all well and heals the grieved Spirit which none ever comes to find but such who alone walk with him who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and became as a Servant though he was Lord over all in him there is safety for he is the Rock and the sure hiding-place even out of the sight of the World and from the Tempters power for the Devil hath nothing in him who is meek and low in whose mouth there is found no
and Christ saith Love your Enemies and if he smite thee on the one Cheek turn the other And such as are come to that and obey his command are come out of the Wars and the Strife unto the Prince of Peace who was before the Wars and so know the peaceable Covenant which will not wax old but last forever in which there is no Wars nor killing one another and so comes to the End of that Covenant which commanded the Tythes and to the change of the Law the Priest whereof and they that receive the Tythes murder and slay him that is to bring to the End of Tythes so that by him to the End of Tythes they are not come nor from under the first Covenant where the Tythes are paid whilst the vail is over the Heart and that Ministry standing which makes nothing Perfect and will dye and change and perish but he that Redeems out of and from among them and that which perisheth abides a Priest forever and of him it is said he liveth And so him we bear Testimony of who is entred within the Vail in whom the Vail is done away and so that is seen and departed from and made an end of which stood whilst the Vail was not rent and the way into a more Holy known than the first Covenant wherein the Tythes were paid the Vail being over the Heart and is yet over the Hearts of all them who pay or receive Tythes and all that uphold it who may take notice that the first Priests that ever took by force Offerings were Sons of Belial and knew not God whom the Lord destroy'd and they perished in the Wars with the Sword 1 Sam. 2. 12. ver 16. Therefore we cannot but deny Tythes and the upholding of it and all such as take it especially ly force which Actions are the fruits of such Priests as know not God and such he will overturn For the Seed of God in many Thousands Cryes unto him by reason of the Cruel Oppression of Tythes from under which the Lord will deliver us Humphry Smith This for my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith at Little Cawerne THe God of Heaven that made me and the Lord God of Power that called me to obey and follow him even in that day when I was not acquainted with his Voice and who hath been my Guide Defence Succour and Comfort unto this day and moment and who hath ever upheld me as a Father the Child by the Arm of his Power whom the world neither did nor can by its Wisdom ever know who is the only wise Invisible Spirit that upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power who is dreadful to the Heathen that know him not and more precious than ever can be expressed with Tongue or Pen unto them who have felt and received and live in the true sence of the Enlarging incomes of the virtue of his Power the Life whereof to them is most desirable My Strength Life and Refuge alone is he whose service I have no cause to decline and whose precious powerfull call he never gave me cause to repent for with himself he hath and doth dayly gratify me with a full Reward for all and all manner of my manifold Tryals and daily Sufferings and Exercises which I meet with in the way but really and Absolutely I can truly say that none of these things move me in the least from that foundation upon which the God of Heaven and Earth hath long since established me that I might stand for him and the Glory of his Name who hath both set and appointed me thereunto and given me Courage as a fortified Tower to stand as a mark for the Adversaries of Sion to vent forth the utmost of their limited Fury And in the Lord my strength is my Considence neither have I believed that ever I should distrust him though since the day that I have known him he hath even suffered the Sorrows of Death and the pangs of Hell and the Powers of Unutterable Darkness at sometimes to compass me in on every side and to lift up themselves in the vaunting Arrogancy of the swelling Pride thereof as Mountains never to be removed But behold he who hath his way in the Whirl-wind and his path through the midst of the deepest Ocan him alone it was that my broken Heart was by the power of his constraining Love resolved to follow forever even through the greatest difficulties and the most hardest Straits Tryals and Hardships with all manner of outward and inward Sufferings that might be permitted to happen unto or fall upon any one of the Children of men Oh! that I could now sufficiently declare his Goodness and so fully and effectually make mention of his Power as it deserveth or as the Lord hath given into my Heart to desire of him to be made use of in the Declaration or Manifestation thereof in this my day unto the Sons and Children of men Surely when I am waiting of him and of his unutterable Goodness and Power my Words and Lines are also short of setting forth the Virtue and Fullness of the most unexpressible divine excellency thereof that sometimes I am rather ready to dwell in silence with and in the fullness thereof which overcomes with unutterable Virtue than to be writing of that which in its self can never be written though what is written may be by and with and from the overflowings of the same and so be as drops or little streams of heavenly Water to refresh the dry and thirsty Land which therein doth its service and then the praise thereof is to return unto him who is the alone fountain of all Virtue and the Life which giveth Life even unto the dead that hear his Voice whereby he comes to be known to be Infinite in Wisdom Power and Virtue whom my soul doth Honour my heart doth Praise and my spirit adoreth forever for none is like to him neither doth my soul desire any other but he whilst in this body or for evermore in the Life which yet doth come Let all that know him bow before him and let all that hear his voice be humble and meek and let every one that truly desires after him wait with diligence and in patience upon him and let all that are faithful to him rejoyce in his Love and prize him for much more then the liberty of their bodies or the Enjoyment of Thousands and Thousands of Thousands of Temporal Visible Earthly thing All which are his and he is ours yea he is certainly mine and I am his and my soul doth magnifie him and my spirit doth yet breath farther to sound forth his Praises not only all the dayes of my life whilst in this Earthly Tabernacle but likewise in the hearts of Thousands of them yet unborn and among the Generations that are yet to come by my faithful upright Testimony and the Record thereof which may remain when the God and Father of my life hath gathered me
Power without Hands may break in pieces that made with Hands or the greatest tallest or most glorious Image that hath been conceived in the dark mind and set up on high above the humble suffering Seed to be worshipped within in the Power of the Light is resisted with all his Wiles though therein he bringeth Scripture to uphold his Kingdom and Dominion over the other to have it bow down to him and worship him who abode not in the Power which by the Power is resisted and denied forever And so that which denies the other and is Humble and Low it is that all are to wait to receive and joyn unto from it Power to know in it to stand against the other which did it oppress and by secret subtilty being exalted doth alwayes endeavour to sit in the Temple of God shewing it self as God being covered with a Profession of the Truth which in the Truth doth not abide yet to the Truth in words may confess and acknowledge that which saveth from Sin to be the begotten of God and may believe and tremble and yet remain an Enemy to the same tempting him by many Glorious Presentations to bow to that and worship that which abideth not in the Power that so thereby over the Power it may always rule in the Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness wherein many are ensnared others tempted and some Overcome whose latter end is worse than their beginning Oh! who can declare the Depth of the Ground of this Mystery of Iniquity or utter forth the Innumerable Transformings and Changings of that which still seeketh by all subtilty to keep from the Obedience to the Life of the Power by which man was made and from which he was led by that which said Ye shall be as Gods which against God doth stand in that ground which by him is cursed And how can the unsearchable Love of the Father be uttered with words who so loved the World that he gave his Son to them that asked not for him that by his Light might be seen the Deceiveableness of the many Workings of the Powers of Darkness in the Mind that is darkened which from the Darkness to the Light is to be turned with the Light in the holy Fear to watch against every appearance of the changeable Powers of Darkness which sometimes appeareth as an Angel of Light against whose Appearance all are to stand armed with the Power of him who is the Light and to feel the Power of the Word which is as a Fire and yet to resist that which the Devil darteth in which is also like unto Fire that the tender Simplicity after which my Soul breatheth may not be betrayed by that which still seeketh to devour and to keep from the Power of the Cross and turn aside from the narrow Way of Life and that in it all the innocent Friends of Christ may be kept to follow the Leadings of that which from the God of Truth and Love and Peace to them hath come by it to be led out of and from all that which in the Truth did not abide Therefore is this given forth even from the Breathings of my Life appealing to the pure Witness in you all which the Changeableness of Iniquity doth always stand against the which in Gods living Power let all that feel it keep against the other to stand and keep out of all Satan's Wiles to be preserved to the end of all that which hath an End that then when time shall be no more you may rest and abide with and in him that is the Truth whom the Devil hath nothing in to receive the Blessings of the Father and the tender Mercies of the most High to refresh you and overcome you with the Power of his Love that it to you all may be the Bond of Everlasting Peace in which with all the humble and faithful I am bound up and in it with them for evermore do rest Humphry Smith Winchester-Bridewell 1685. THE Love of God Declared AND SATAN'S VVILES DISCOVERED THE Lord God of Life and Father of Infinite Love Preserver of all the simple Deliverer of all the innocent whose Power reacheth unto the Heavens and his Goodness to the Sons of men who never forsook the Faithful but was near unto them in the hour of Temptation and knows how to make War for the Innocent to escape and deliver the Oppressed in the day of Distress whose Mercy endureth forever whose Love can never be fully declared whose Glory is beyond all Expression whose Wayes are past finding out whom my Soul honoureth forever to whose Infinite Fullness and Incomprehensible Power be Blessing and Glory and Honour from the Power of my Life to the Throne of his Love forever and ever Even he who is the Fountain from whence cometh the Breath of the Life of the Souls of all Mankind He I say from the Throne of his Power through the brightness of his Love with his Eye of Fatherly Pity hath look't down and taken notice of the Wants the Groans and the Cryes of his captivated Seed which hath been long oppressed with the strong and cruel Bonds of Iniquity which separated man from God and grieved the Spirit of the most High who bowed the Heavens and came down to visit the Captives and relieve the Oppressed which is acceptable to many and a time of everlasting Comfort for by him the weary come to be refreshed and the weak receive Everlasting strength for the Lord hath Compassion on the Needy and comes to clothe the Naked with the Righteousness of his Son for his Spirit reacheth unto that which is in Want and his Compassion is extended to the Lowly in Heart which long breathed after Life and Power to overcome the Evil but knew not the way to obtain it and therefore in the restless Wilderness under the burden of Sin did long Travail as in a wearisom Land of Darkness having little hope towards God being often in much Distress when no Eye pitied even then had the Lord Mercy for his own Name sake and he remembred his Covenant with Abraham his Friend and had Compassion on the Seed of the barren Womb which was as the Root of a Plant hid in a dry Land whom the Lord came to visit in the Power of his Infinite Love and said to the dead Live forever which Word of Power reached through the Earth making way through it unto the Seed that it through the Earth making way through it unto the Seed that it through the Earth might spring by the Virtue of his Life as a Lilly in the Spring that so the Prisoner might grow up out of Captivity and receive the early and the latter Rain and the Dews of Heaven that as a tender Plant it may grow and become as a Tree and be fruitful as a Vine bearing much Fruit over the Earth Oh! the Infinitness of the Fullness of the Fountain of the Father's unexpressible Love unto the Prisoners of Hope and the captivated Seed
of Israel Who can declare his Mercy to the Afflicted or utter his Bowels of Compassion to the Spirits in Prison What Tongue can declare the unsearchableness of his Way of Life or make known the Infiniteness of that which passeth Knowledge He hath been a Father to the Fatherless he hath given Light and Life to them that sate in Darkness and in the shadow of Death he is found of them that sought him not he spreadeth forth his Arms to gather them that asked not for him he giveth Gifts to the Rebellious and he is grieved with those that receive not the Tenders of his Love and complaineth from the grief of his Soul when Israel will have none of him He delighteth not in the Death of the Wicked but waiteth long for their Return If Israel backslide yet afterwards return with true Repentance forsaking the Evil he sheweth Mercy even to the Prodigal and he heals the Backslidings and loves them freely that none may say their Destruction is from him nor that he appointed them thereunto nor charge him with Injustice in the day of his Judgments when the Just shall arise to the Resurrection of Life and the Unjust to the Resurrection of Condemnation forever that every Moath may be stopped and every one stand Guilty before the Throne of his Judgment and every Tongue confess to God That he is Righteous in all his Wayes and that all his Judgments are Just and True And out of his Fatherly Pity from the freeness of his Love hath he visited many of you even with a Message of Life and Salvation by the Word of his Power making known that unto you which hath been hid from Ages and Generations and is yet hid from all Ishmaels Princes and Nimrods Builders yea even from all the Wise and Prudent of the Earth even that is he revealing to many of you who are willing to become Fools and suffer the loss of all for his sake who saves the Soul and that not for any Works of Righteousness which you have done but of his own free Love through the Power of his Immortal Word is he begetting Sons and Daughters to himself that he alone might be honoured who worketh all their Works in them that his Workmanship all such might be created a new in Christ Jesus unto good Works in them to walk in Newness of Life bringing forth Fruits unto God who with the Light of his Son in whom he is well pleased hath convinced many of you of the Evil of your Ways and the Blindness you were in when you were Children of Wrath even as others and his Light of Life hath shined in you to let you see the want of a Saviour and feel the burden of your Sins that the Word of Repentance you all might receive and come to be led by him whom God the Father hath sealed for a Covenant of his Eternal Love and sent for a Light to be a Leader to the House of Joseph and a Deliverer to the House of Israel and to inherit the Gentiles and possess the utmost parts of the Heathen that the Brightness of his Power might shine over all the World and the sound of his Voice be heard to the utmost parts of the Earth that the Outcasts of the Earth might be brought to the one Fold and the Seed of Abraham be gathered from the four Corners of the Earth that Redemption might be known from under the Shadow of Death and that the blind which have Eyes and the deaf which have Ears might come forth to the Light of the Son who looseth the Tongue of the Stammerer that it may speak plain that those who Err in Judgment might learn the Doctrine of the Son of the Father's Love who comes to lead the blind by a way they know not and lead them in Paths that they have not known and with Weeping and with Supplication doth he lead them that walk in the strait and narrow Path of Life where those that abide in the Fear shall not stumble but walk in the Uprightness of Innocency through the Power of the Father's Love continuing in the way of Holiness where only the Ransomed of the Lord do walk the which Way of Holiness the Lord God hath made known to many which reached unto your Hearts whereby it was at the present made soft and tender and you received the Truth with love rejoycing that you came to find the way to Eternal Peace and many began to say one to another This is the Way let us to walk in it and for a time many walked in Humility and pure dear and tender Love began to spring up in you one to another and the Enemies of your Souls began to be subject to you and the tenders of God's Love was over you to do you good at your latter end but behold before you came to the Land of Rest the Lord tryed you by suffering the Enemy to present Hardship Straits and many Difficulties to come on the other hand to present the Glory of the World and the Favour of great Men and some the Enemy draws forth their Minds from the Strait and narrow Way into carnal Liberty and Ease in the Flesh and so to contain an Easier way whereby the simplicity in many is betrayed into the Power of the man of Sin who worketh strongly to keep his hold in one Deceiveableness or another to keep in Bondage the Life of the JUST to keep his Head from being bruised by the Power of the Seed of the Promise which under the Subtilty in many hath cryed for Vengeance upon the Head of that which Murders the Just and when times of Tryal come by Judgment and Famine and Want have come upon others then have they started aside like a broken Bow and caused th Offence of the Cross to cease and then hath Unbelief come in and the Enemy caused Questionings of the living Truth and Consultations about the Way of Life and such grew weary of their Tryal like their Fore-fathers in the Wilderness even letting the Enemy draw back their Hearts to the Flesh Pots of Aegypt which God by his mighty Power had redeemed them from and was leading them by the right Hand and in the narrow Way that they should go And others the Enemy who still seeketh to devour the begotten of God hath drawn forth their Minds into a sottish careless Condition not regarding the stirrings of Gods Spirit with them by the Light of his Son in their Hearts and so not minding that his Spirit will not alwayes strive with them and having seen before the straitness of the Way the Enemy will work by all Subtilty to keep such from it and from the Meetings and Society of them that in the strait Way abide keeping them still from the Cross which would be his Death and the Life of that which would give Peace and Victory over him and all his Wiles And others coming to see that they are come so far so that they need not Words
be condemned Rather then to inflict great Punishments upon mens Bodies and Forfeitures of outward Goods because of a Principle in the inward Mind which is not removed thereby 3dly Because that Heresie is first occasioned by the Devil whereby the mind is mistaken or mis-lead and then prompt on in the same by a spiritual Motion which worketh in the spiritual Wickedness which is of another Nature and Being than the visible body simply considered in which it acts or than the outward Goods And therefore the Power of God and the Spiritual Weapons and the continual exercise thereof is to stop overcome and remove that which the taking away of carnal Goods and casting into carnal Prisons neither yet a carnal Commandment it self can do 4thly Because it is no less than the Duty of a true Minister to render an account of the hope that is in him unto him that asketh 5thly Because twenty years ago there was no such a necessity of enquiring into those things as now there is forasmuch as then your way was going down and now coming up again and that then there were not so many unsatisfied so much about such things as now there are 6thly Because divers things and Opinions in the minds of many hath within these Twenty Years been more largely contended about and opened both in open Conserrence Disputes Writing Print and Practice than in some Ages before whereby in Twenty Years time you might be learned therein and so know the better how now to return the morereadier Answer thereunto 7thly Because now you are as it were upheld under both Arms with Law on the one side and Armed men on the other that so you need not to be afraid but may with more boldness answer to such things than in the late years when the Powers of men ruled so much over you that you durst not so openly contend for your Faith or answer such things nor manifest and practise your Principles as We do ours now in Bonds under you And again as in respect of my own particular and so in the behalf of others truly with me concerned in the same First Because that I was taught educated and trained up in the very same things which you practise and profess and which yet among you your selves stand in force 2dly Because I now suffer Bonds this day as an Heretick or as a Seducer as the Mâ—â—iâ—us saith who hath to this very day with the help of God's special Grace more and more endeavoured and come to lead my Life and regulate my Words Wayes and Duty towards God and Man according to the best most weighty and chiefest things set forth in the Common-Prayer according as I was by some of your own called Episcopal-Divinâ—s trained up and without which they would not receive me into Communion with them at which time I was by one of them encouraged as by others at other times 〈◊〉 press on further commending me for what I was then already come unto 3dly Because that ever since that time unto this day I have been pressing forward and was never cast out from among them for so doing nor any thing else as by any way of Excommuniâ—ation or any known Order or Rule used or owned by them neither yet hath any one of them come to admonish me from pressing forward since that to this day neither can they well justifie rejecting of me until after the second Admonition if they could prove I was an Heretick Tit. 3. 10. 4thly And Lastly Because they did not tell me nether did I ever learn out of the Common-Prayer nor read in the holy Scriptures That a 〈◊〉 might persâ—vere too much or too far in the way of Holiness or walk too much with God or to be too much mortified or leave sin too much or be too holy or too circumspect or too just or too upright or too faithful to God and man and walk and speak too much according to the Scriptures or be too innocent or too harmless or be too much conformable to the Image of Christ or be too much like unto Him or too much cleansed by his Blood from all Sin whilst in this World or walk too much in God's Commandments all the days of Mans Life The Queries propounded to you are these viz. VVHether the late Resormers and Composers of Query 1 the Rites and Ceremonies in the Book of Common-Prayer were not themselves for Liberty of Conscience If not how are their own words true * Seeing in that before the Common prayer which sheweth why some Ceremonies are abolished and some retained they say These things were taken away which were most abus'd did burden the Conscience If they were Whether those that profess the Common-Prayer and are against Liberty of Conscience are not contrary to them like those who profess Scripture and are contrary to that Spirit by which they were given II. Whether those who profess the Common-Prayer and prescribe things to those whom they own not as their own People but persecute them as Hereticks and do think it not convenient neither will allow every People who are not their own or one with them in Worship to use such things as they shall think best to the setting forth of Gods Honour and Glory and to the reducing the People to a most perfect and holy Living c. be not contrary to them that reformed the Book of Common-Prayer Seeing they said We condemn no other Nation nor prescribe any thing but to our own People only for we think it convenient that every Country And if so then consequently every People should use such Ceremonies as they think best to the setting forth of Gods Honour and Glory and to the reducing the People to a most perfect and godly Living without Error or Superstition III. Whether those that now profess the Ceremonies and will not have other things put away than they who reformed See the latter end of that abovesaid it be not therein contrary unto them and to their Order who said They should put away other things which from time to time they perceived to be most abused And whether they did not order that not only Abuses and the things themselves that were abused should be put away and not only the things which they had put away because they were abused but likewise other things which from time to time they perceived to be most abused And so whether these now that would have no oâ—her things put away but what they did be not worse than them and contrary to their order mentioned in the Margent IV. Whether that Confession and Repentance in that beginning Seeing they say not the Scripture At what time soever a Sinner doâ— repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart God will put out all his wickedness And seeing they say They should not dissemble nor cloak their sin And seeing they confess they have offended against Gods holy law and there is no health in them but are
miserable Offendors And seeing that following is said to be the Absolution and Remission of Sins with the words of Almighty and most merciful Father c. together with the Absolution and Remission of Sins following be a true Confession Repentance and Remission from the bottom of the heart Or is it false and feigned If false is it no tâ—loaked of more sin and dissembling with God and deceiving their own Souls If true how then are such after Confession and Remission Miserable Sinners before they depart as in the Letany And if the Confession Repentance and Absolution be right and true and from the bottom of the Heart and such thus pardoned and so made clean run afterwards and that again and again into the very same Sins whether they be not like the Dog and the Sow that turn to the wallowing in the Mire and the Vomit again V. Whether after true Confession and Repentance such may thenceforth live a godly righteous and sober Life and that pure and holy according to the latter end of the Confession and of the Absolution VI. Whether all such as have erred and strayed from the ways of God were before they did so err made Members of Christ and Inheritors of God And whether any were made such Members c. but such as have tasted of the good Word of God and the Power of the World to come And whether such as have so tasted thereof and after err and stray from the ways of God can be renewed again by Repentance If not is not their Repentance false or not effectual like Esau's If true how then is the Scripture true seeing it speaks as afore-mentioned of not being renewed by Repentance VII Whether such as were made Members of Christ Children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven and are now erred and strayed from the ways of God so that they are Miserable Offendors and that against God's holy Law as themselves confess can then in that state and in that very hour sing unto the Lord and heartily rejoyce and come before GOD'S Presence with Thanksgiving And whether such Miserable Offendors are the People of God's Pasture and the Sheep of his hands VIII Whether all such as in the beginning of the Letany do themselves acknowledge four times over That they are Miserable Sinners can call God their Father by saying Our Father which art in Heaven Or can such Miserable Sinners make others the Children of God by sprinkling a little Water upon their faces And whether God hath such fourfold miserable Children Or are those that are truly the Children of God at the same time in such a fourfold miserable state Or are such miserable men truly the Ministers of Christ IX Whether God's people may be delivered by him from See Letany 6 7 8. Particulars all these things following that is to say from all Evil and Mischief from Sin from the Crafts and Assaults of the Devil from God's Wrath and from Everlasting Damnation from all Blindness of Heart from Pride Vain-glory and Hypocrisie from Envy Hatred and Malice and all Vncharitableness from Fornication and all other deadly Sin from all the Deceits of the World the Flesh and the Devil And whether such as are delivered from all these things be not delivered from all Sin And then are not such free without sin If not then what Sin is it they are guilty of who are truly delivered from all these And whether such as pray to be delivered from all these and do not believe that they shall be so delivered do not therein sin against God and so instead of being delivered out of sin by their praying add sin unto sin being it is written Whatsoever is not of faith is sin X. Whether shall I own that man as Christ did and believe See Letany the 14th Particular him who said We know that God heareth not Sinners or else miserable Offendors who in their Prayer say We Sinners do beseech thee to hear us O Lord and so believe that the Lord doth hear them though their continual fruits and the Scripture testifie otherwise XI What and where is the way of Truth which all such See Letany the 26th Particular as have erred and are deceived are to be brought into seeing when one sin was committed the creature was deceived and if deceived and in sin then unclean and no Vnclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of God And whether Christ who is the Way and the Truth be not in the Kingdom of God And whether all such as are not only yet unsaved from their sin but are miserable Offendors and that against God's Righteous Law and yet in the same Nature Way Words Worship and Practice as were their fore-Fathers whom they confess were in Iniquity have not all these erred and are yet deceived seeing Christ saved his from sin And whether such do yet rightly know the Way of Truth themselves which they should be brought into in which there is no sin XII Whether all men are capable of the Mercy of God And whether Christ hath not lighted every man that cometh into the world And whether God doth shew to all men that be in Error the light of his Truth to the intent they may return into the way of Righteousness according to the Collect appointed for the third Sunday after Easter And whether the Word be not the Truth John 17. 17. And is not the World in the heart And hath not God shewed that to all men though they be in Error XIII Whether men may with the help of God's Grace cast away the works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light now in the time of this Life And whether the works of darkness be not Sin the works of the Devil And whether the Armour of Light be not the Power of God And whether the Power of God be not sufficient to defend from the Enemy and his Power and able to defend from the Devil and his works XIV Whether those that in this life have put on the Armour of Light are not to let it shine before men that God may be glorified And whether it be not for God's glory when his people are by the Light defended from all the works of darkness And whether those that now deny the Light and would hinder the children of Light from letting their Light shine before men which saveth them from sin be not them selves against the Common-Prayer and the late Reformation of it against GOD CHRIST and Scriptures seeing that God is Light and Christ said I am the Light and the Scriptures testifie of him that is the Light who commanded his to let their Light shine And then is he a man or below the principle of a man who hideth his Light under a Bushel XV. Whether any men in their Youth Infancy or full See publick Baptism about the midst and Catechism a â—ittle after the beginning Age may forsake the Devil and all his works the vain