laid upon me to say every night but I found that was just as dry Heath instead of a Honey-comb before And so being led on in a Form and to look after Things and Teachers without the Light within became darkned and my understanding of the Son of God's Love shed abroad in my Heart which sometimes being sensible of I began very Young to look after Priests and Sermons and thought to have sound the true Thing again there but as true as the Lord God of Heaven and Earth liveth They did me more harm than all the rest and led me farther from my Teacher and from the sence of the feeling after God Acts 17. 27. to sind him near me then ever and withal begot in me abundance of the Serpents subtilty and the more because I being sensible of a want in me received their fair Speeches with much eagerness and earnest Desires believing them that that was the Way to Peace so that I grew much into that knowledge which puffâ—th up and did indeed encrease my Sorrow and so by them was I deceived the Lord God knoweth I Lye not but speak the Truth in Flainness having not Envy towards any of their Persons and this is the very Truth of my Heart in the Presence of the living God That it was more harder for me to leave and deny and know Redemption out of that which I learned from and among the Priests then to leave the Fruits of all the Sin that ever I by Temptations did run into and my Witness herein will abide in me forever Therefore let the Lord God be the Teacher of your Children who hath given them Life and Beeing and a better Teacher you cannot provide for them nor direct them unto and that which may be known of God is manifest in them and let that lead them and guide them in his fear and you are to let them understand that they should do and speak justly according to that Witness of God in them which will let them see when-ever they are tempted to speak a Lye or say they have done such a things as you commanded them and have not and will let them see they should be faithful and diligent unto you in all things that are just in the sight of God and other things you should not require of them left you grieve them but examples of Righteousness should you be in all your Words and Actions unto them and if you are not able to set them to School to learn to read yet they have the Light from christ in them already and that will shâ—w them plainly of the Father and he that is the Light is the good Old Way in which the way faring men though Fool cannot Err. And if you set them to school never so long to read and write and with their learning to search the Scriptures which is good yet they are to come to Christ the Light that they may have Life and they are to learn of him and follow him and so to learn of Christ as to know him to be in them the Hope of Glory and the Way out of Sin and unto the Father his will in all things made manifest to obey rather then man that so it may go well with them and that they may come to receive a Blessing from God and be a Comfort to their Parents who fear him and at last in Gods Everlasting Covenant lie down with Peace and Rest ANd all you young Children who are growing up into years of discretion this you are to understand that you have not made your selves but were created by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who ruleth over all Mankind whose Presence is every where and filleth Heaven and Earch and Knoweth the secrets of all the Hearts of the Children of men and sheweth unto man both Old and Young what is his Thoughts from whom the least Evil cannot be hid who is dreadful in Holyness and just in his Judgments and Righteous in all his Wayes and his Presence is near unto every one and from his All-seeing-Eye can no one hide his deeds and before him should you fear forever and learn in his fear to walk which will keep you out of Evil and grieve ye not his Spirit left he refuse to help you in your great Distress neither provoke the Lord against you by learning Wickedness among the Sons of men who are all astray from the lowly Guidance of his Spirit and so their works are Evil and their words Unfavoury and Evil Words they use which doth corrupt the good Manners the which of them you should not learn but let your Yea ne Yea and your Nay be Nay and so learn of Christ that his Power he may minister unto you and you by him come to be saved that you may be Children of God and taught of God and drawn by his Spirit unto Christ his Son who said I am the Light of whom the Scriptures bear Testimony And in him the Scripture saith is Life and he is come who is the Light that you might have Life in your selves and come to be Heirs of the Promise of God by Regeneration through the working of the Power of God which worketh in the Hearts of the Children of men to sit them for himself a Habitation of Holiness that he may be glorified in his People And certainly you ought in the tenderness of your Years to have a true fear before that God of Life which made you who is an invisible Spirit as may be read in the Holy Scriptures of Truth And as you learn the fear of the Lord who cometh to dwell in his people he will by the Direction and Guidance of the Light of his Son in your Hearts who is the Mediator by whom the Law is handed forth will he teach you your Duty towards your Neighbour which is near unto you and to Honour your Father and Mother and what Honour is as also your Duty and Obedience in the first place towards God that his Love might be towards you and that your dayes might be prolonged as also saith the Law for whoso groweth Wicked and Rebellious against the Light the Lord suffereth not to live out half their dayes Job 24. vers 13. For Life comes from God and he withdraws it at his pleasure from them that obey him not and when he taketh way their Breath they dye and the Breath of God was the Life of the Soul of man and Christ said He was the Life who is meek and lowly in Heart who said Suffer little Children to come unto me and said he I am the Way and he cometh to condemn Sin and calleth to Repentance his Name is caled The Word of God Rev. 19. 13. and the Word is very nigh thee even in thy Heart Rom. 10. 8. And so that is the Way that you all which are Young should go and be trained up in that when you are old you might not depart from it Prov. 22. 6. so may you have
truly come from the one state into the other by having a little Water poured on their faces and by the speaking of these words viz. I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen It being done by a man who himself at another time will confess with his own Mouth That he is with the rest a miserable Sinner And how can an old miserable Sinner make a young Child thus happy XXV Whether all Children so sprinkled or the most Seâ— Caâ—◠〈◊〉 part of them were made Members of Christ Children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven If not whether it be not pity that so many thousand Children should be taught and trained up to speak that which is untrue whilst they are so young in saying they were made so when they were not and likewise to be deceived thereby all the dayes of their lives If they were made so how shall a reasonable man be perswaded from any good reason of Scripture-proof that they are afterwards dismembred from Christ separated from God and dis-inherited out of the Kingdom of Heaven And when did Christ lose his Members or God his regenerate Children or his Kingdom the Inheritors thereof XXVI How can such make others the Members of Christ who are not so themselves And whether Christ hath any miserable Members And if miserable Sinners pretend to take upon them to make others the Members of Christ and receive Wages for it and yet do it not whether such are not plain Deceivers XXVII Whether the Priests that say they are miserable Siâ—â—ers and miserable Offendors be really so or not if not are not they miserable Lyars in so saying If they be whether they that are miserable Sinners and miserable Offendors can make others so free from all sin and misery as the Members of Christ in whom is No Sin who were as miserable as themselves if they were born in Original Sin and in the Wrath of God XXVIII Whether Children were not first taught their duty towards God before their duty towards their Neighbour And whether all such are not still in the first place to obey God and secondly to love their Neighbour as themselves And so whether Obedience to God is not still to be preferred before obedience to man though his Neighbour If not why were they so taught If it be why then do the Teachers now seek to cause them to obey man in Swearing and many other things rather than Christ who said Swear not at all Mat. 5. James 5. XXIX Whether Children are not taught among other things to hurt no body by word or deed to bear no Malice in the heart to rule the Hands the Tongue the Body and the Desire in not coveting any man's Goods If this be right so to do why do not the Priests themselves do it and instruct all Magistrates and People in the like and suffer them that do so and encourage them also to continue in the same If this be not right why did the Priests teach it us when we were young and whether be the Priests covetous yea or nay XXX Whether Children were not taught that they could do little of themselves nor walk in the Commandments of God nor serve him without his special Grace and after in another place that the Geace was inward and Spiritual If so whether God's special Grace which is inward is not much more than the Letter which is outward If it be not why were those words written in the outward Letter XXXI Again if none can walk in the Commands of God nor serve him without his special Grace which is inward then what manner of walking or service is theirs who of late have denyed the Grace which is inward and them that are led by it which Grace the Bishop in the Confirmation prayeth to the Lord to defend Children with And if nothing can be done of ones self without this Grace and that this Grace doth defend and the Apostle saith bringeth Salvation and by Grace ye are saved and the Catechism saith this Grace is inward and spiritual and also why are so many persecuted this day for receiving this Grace and power by it which is inward who walk in the Commands of God and serving him XXXII Whether Children were not taught that this See Bishopping inward and spiritual Grace was a death unto sin and a new birth unto righteousness If so then whether shall People esteem those Common-Prayer-men to be rightest who directed to the inward and spiritual Grace to bring unto a death unto sin and a new birth unto Righteousness or these men who direct unto the Letter without or a Steeple-house or any thing else that is outward and visible seeing the others directed to that which is inward and spiritual which the Apostle said saved them and whether the same doth not save now or whether the Grace of God hath not the same sufficiency in it self as it had in the dayes of the Apostles or in the dayes of the late Reformers of the Common-Prayer And whether those which have received this inward Grace may not thereby increase in the same and in the Spirit more and more according to that in the laying on of hands XXXIII If you will grant the Apostles words to be true See Maâ—â—imony that the man was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the Transgression 1 Tim. 2. 14. then whether this be not dark work or works of darkness to cause the man to worship the woman seeing they were both deceived and in the Transgression and so instead of worshipping God make him worship the deceived Transgressor XXXIV If you will grant that man was not deceived but the Woman who was first in the Transgression Then wherefore is it that Man being first deceived by the Woman must now also worship the Woman And whether this be God's Ordinance or not And did not God ordain that Man should rule over the Woman Gen. 3. 16. And why then did man ordain that man should worship the woman And when did God ever ordain that man should worship that which he had set him to rule over If you will grant that when Peter did only contradict Christ in words Christ esteemed him as a Devil saying Get thee behind me Satan Mat. 16. 22 23. Then whether all the women you marry do not more contradict Christ both in Words and Actions than Peter then did and so in as bad or a worse state than Peter then was And if so then whether that man which is caused to worship such a woman or a woman in such a state do not therein worship one that was deceived by the Devil XXXVI But whether doth the man worship the woman yea or nay If he doth is it not evil to worship the Creature or any thing else but God alone If he doth not why must he speak that Lye and so thereby serve the Devil and â—o be constrained to worship the
upon him insomuch that in five days time he was so weak that he could scarcely help himself then he also sent a Letter unto Judge Terril signifying his Illegal dealing with him and also gave him to know that he was very Ill but there was little done in the thing so he grew weaker and weaker so that two men did turn him in his Bed and in the time of his Sickness he spake several precious words to Friends signifying unto them That he was given up in the will of the Lord either in Life or Death and as he lay under a great sit of the Feaver he said My heart is filled with the Power of God and then said It is good for a man at such a time as this to have the Lord to be his Friend Another time he said Lord thou sentst me forth to do thy Will and I have been faithful unto thee in my small measure which thou hast committed unto me but if thou wilt yet try me further thy will be done Also he said I am the Lords let him do what he will And near the time of his departure he cryed earnestly unto the Lord and said O Lord hear the inward Sighs and Groans of thine Oppressed and deliver my poor Soul from the Oppressor O Lord hear me O Lord uphold and preserve me I know that my Redeemer liveth Thou art strong and mighty O Lord with several other precious words Also about the same time he prayed unto the Lord That he would deliver his People from their cruel Oppressors and that those that were convinced or brought forth by him that the Lord would be their Teacher He lay very quiet and still and not any unsavoury word proceeded out of his Mouth all the time of his Sickness but he behaved himself like a Lamb and he was very sensible unto the last Moment he was faithful unto the Lord in his day and a Crown Everlasting is upon his head which shall rest upon him when all his Oppressors shall gnash their Tongues for pain and vexation of Heart as some of them have felt already yea and the full Cup of the Lords Indignation is preparing for all them who delight in Cruelty He was very meek and of a quiet Spirit very loving to all that had the least appearance of the Light springing up in them yea if any knew not the Light which condemns the sin then in the Meekness of the Love everlasting he would open unto them the way thereunto and labour mightily to bring them to the knowledge of it Oh! how great was his love to the eternal Truth which abounded in his heart and how would he groan for the lost Sheep surely his Love was more than my Tongue can express and his Courage did abound in a great measure he delighted not in vain Janglings nor Disputings of men of Corrupt Minds but in the simplicity of the Gospel of Peace which is his Crown forever and ever What shall I say his Life is swallowed up in Immortality and is no more to be seen in the visible yet he reigns over all Whisperers Back-biters and Slanderers of his innocent Life forever Thou Renowned Judge in Israel thou Valiant Souldier of the Lambs Host Peace is thy Portion forever Blessings will fill thine House and Fruitfulness will attend thy Seed as they abide in the Counsel of him who was the Bishop of thy Soul N. C. BUt O you Rulers of England what shall I say unto you Must you needs be made a perpetual Reproach unto all that come after you And is your delight wholly in Persecuting of the Innocent O Cruel Men O Merciless Men Will nothing but the Lives of Gods dear Servants satisfie your bloody Wills Surely the Lord God will visit you in his Wrath and sweep you away in his sore Displeasure yea in the dreadful Flames of the Burnings of his Vengeance will he cast you Oh! you Unsatiable Vigorous Tyrannical Idolatrous Men What! is Cruelty your Delight And is it Blood that you thirst after as after Wine which will not satisfie your Lustful Desires And is it nothing but the eternal Truth which you would not have so much as come into your Coasts worse than Barbarians How do you evilly intreat those who come in the love of the Lord to preach Repentance in your Streets and you take away the Lives of such who come to publish Salvation unto poor Sinners Surely your Unjust Dealings are come up before the God whom you so much contemn in his Servants and your Unrighteous Actions against them whom he hath sent in his own Name are pierced into the Bowels of the God of the Humble hearted who will surely plead with you in his Indignation and utterly destroy you in his Wrath if you Repent not speedily and humble your selves under his Righteous Judgments Wherefore I say Repent Repent for the Consumation is at hand yea the swift Vengeance of the Eternal God is nigh to be revealed upon all the Disobedient and the utter Wo and Calamity of all the Merciless with the cruel hearted is coming yea nigh to come which shall make a final End of all the Rebellious and Stiff-necked Ones whose Hearts are hard as the Adament Wherefore Awake Awake sleep not in your Wickedness in this day which is coming as a Thief in the Night upon you but arise up from Cruelty and shake your selves of the Garments of the Pollution of Blood which hath stained you Cleanse your selves of your Idolatry and clear your selves if you can of the Lives of Gods Servants which have dyed in your Prisons but if you cannot then known be it unto you That God will not spare the best of those that have had a hand in these things and shall persist therein but will destroy them utterly and Curse them from his Presence for evermore and in this I shall be clear of all your Blood when it comes upon you Nicholas Complin Written the 21th of the 4th Moneth 1663. William Jenings's Testimony concerning Humphry Smith THis is my Testimony for that man of God viz. my dear antient Friend Humphry Smith who dyed a Prisoner for the blessed Truth in Winchester Prison I being with divers more Friends in Prison with him for the Truth 's sake a long time before and also at his departure have this to say of him viz. That he was a man whose deportment and behaviour amongst us in Prison was comely yea even as a Father that takes care for his Children even so was his care and oversight over us he was a faithful Overseer indeed and one that minded the Lords business and certainly it s well with him He was kept very sensible in his sickness whereof he dyed was not heard to speak one unsavoury word although his exercise was not small through much weakness and in the time of his weakness near his death his crys were to the Lord for the preservation of his People who were dear and near unto him so that
and here printed A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Or Chief Heads contained in this VOLUMN THe Sufferings of the Saints at Evesham Or a short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God Page A Warning to the Priests Magistrates Rulers and Inhabitants of Exon pag. 1. Some of the Effects of the Priests Ministry in Devonshire p. 6. The first and second Priesthood declared according to the Scriptures p. 10. An ALARUM sounding forth unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth as a Warning before the Vials of Everlasting Wrath be poured forth upon them p. 19. A sad and mournful Lamentation for the People of these Nations p. 28. Idolatry declared against p. 46. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness by the Light Life and Mighty hand of God p. 52. I. Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and Imployment p. 55. II. Concerning my publick Preaching p. 62. The Wandering Star discovered or something in Answer to a Book called The Quakers Blazing-Star or The Worlds Wonder p. 68. A Word to all Professors p. 86. The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester after pag. 92. To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life p. 93. The Two striving within p. 98. The Love of God declared and Satans Wiles discovered p. 102. The Ground Foundation Beginning and Father and Children and Compass and End and the Effects of all the Harpers Musitioners Singers and Dancers p. 108. Divine Love spreading forth forth over all Nations Or the Glorious Day of Vnity Peace and Concord p. 116. To all Parents of Children upon the face of the whole Earth p. 123. The true and everlasting Rule from God discovered and that which proveth all things published from the Spirit of Truth p. 135. A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another p. 155. An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ p. 164. The sounding Voice of the dread of Gods mighty Power p. 167. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought home To the thirsty breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors p. 175. I. Concerning Mofes's Ministration p. 177. II. Concerning Christ and his Ministration p. 179. III. Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit p. 185. The Vision of Humphry Smith which he saw concerning London in the year 1660. p. 195. To the great Flock of the imprisoned Servants of God Almighty p. 201. A Warning to New-England's pretended Christians p. 207. The Lamb and his day proclaimed p. 211. Six Proposals stated for the Honour of the KING I. By his Subjects Vnity one with another p. 214. II. By his Subjects submission actively or passively unto all his Laws p. 216. III. By his Subjects faithfulness unto him p. 217. IV. By his Subjects Vprightness in their Traffick with other Nations p. 218. V. By his Subjects departing from that which dishonoureth both God the King and themselves p. 218. VI. By his Subjects being the peculiar chosen People of God p. 220. To the Lambs of Christ p. 223. To such in whose hearts the spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare p. 226. Sound things asserted 1. In the Kings own words 2. from late Experience 3. From Scripture-Truth 4. According to Reason and Equity p. 229. Forty four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-men of the Liturgy Also eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed p. 236. An Epistle to all the Meetings in Dorsetshire p. 258. To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset p. 263. One Hundred and Forty four Lines of secret inward Melody and Praise to the Lord p. 269. Hidden things made manifest by the Light in a plain distinction between Condemnation and Temptation p. 272. Concerning Temptation p. 279. A Direction in the way to that within the Vail by which Temptations are overcome p. 285. The Meditations of an humble Heart p. 290. To the espoused Virgin p. 293. Something how the Marriage of the underfiled Lamb and Virgin came at first to be P. 295. To all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end P. 297. To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven P. 301. The Cause of the long Afflicted and sore Oppressed sent forth from Winchester Prison P. 309. The Answer to the Mittimus P. 310. A Copy of a Paper sent to the Sessions P. 312. To the Sons of men P. 317. To Friends at Ailsbury Prison and in them parts P. 323. To the the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen P. 328. Concerning Tythes P. 335. To my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith P. 363. THE Sufferings Tryals Purgings Of the SAINTS at EVESHAM Who by their Obedience to the Lord in their Measures do overcome their Enemies by their daily suffering under them Or A short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God occasioned by the Priests and the continual Proceedings of the Magistrates against them called Quakers AS the Priests were always Enemies unto Christ and his Disciples so do they continue persecuting the Saints laying Snares for the Innocent and smiting with the Tongue Jer. 18. 18. and stirring up the Rulers and the rude Multitude making Uproars and Insurrections against the Saints as they did against Christ and his Ministers for the chief Priests assembled with the Scribes and Elders of the People consulted how they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him yet they would not do it on the Feast day lest there should be an Vproar among the People Mat. 26. 3 4 5 But the chief Priest and Rulers in Evesham after their Consultations how to ensnare the Innocent did come on the first day to ensnare us but standing in the counsel of God we were preserved from their first Snare which they laid for us I having notice of it before in bringing the whole multitude to provoke or entrap us the which when they could not do though hundreds of them gathered together about the Door where I and many of the Servants of the Lord were like those that gathered together about Lot's door Gen. 19. 4 5. yet none of them could provoke us to words nor had they any way to ensnare us then as afterwards will appear And after the chief Priests had hired Judas for thirty pieces of Silver to betray Christ Mat. 26. 15. and after Judas had brought again the thirty pieces of Silver then the chief Priests took the same Money for the which Judas had sold Christ and with it they bought a field of Blood Mat. 27. 6 7 8. So the chief Priests have purchased unto themselves and all their Generation with
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
of that Torment you have acted that Cruelty which afterwards the Light of Christ in your own Consciences hath condemned you for and the same will condemn all you forever that Repent not And these things will certainly come to pass and then shall all the Heathen know that the Lord is the same that ever he was and that he hath heard the Cry of the Oppressed and seen the Affliction of his People and taken notice of all your secret Contrivances against them who are born of and led by the Spirit who are as the sound of the Wind unto you that know not whence they come nor whither they go who now suffer by you with Christ and shall reign with him forever and ever when he who is their Life shall appear to confound Zion's Enemies forever and overturn the very Foundations of the Wicked though never so great and high and bring down the Mighty from their Ungodly Seats and overturn the Inventions of the Wicked and pour forth Everlasting Judgment upon the Beast and all them that bear his Mark or worship his Image And when the Whore shall have Blood to drink and the Mouthes of her Merchants stopt forever and all them that love and make Lyes their Refuge with all the Unclean and Unbelieving who receive Honour one of another and all the Blood-thirsty turned into the Lake then shall Righteousness spread over the Nations as the Morning-due and Holiness as the Light of the Sun in Summer and Judgment run down as Water and Peace spring up as a Fountain that overflows and is never dry In that day shall the poor of the Flock be gathered and the Out-casts of Israel return Deliverance shall come to the Captives and Joy to them that have Mourned the Wilderness shall then rejoyce and the Desart be glad for evermore Springs shall arise in the Desart and a Fountain shall be opened in the Wilderness the Standerd of the Lord shall be lifted up on High the scattered in the Desart and the Meek of the Earth shall flow unto it Nations shall turn unto the Lord of Hosts and People be gathered to the Banner of the Most High they shall feed together as the Lambs in the Morning and be satisfied as the Flock in Summer and then shall Zion's Mourners be comforted and filled with Joy forever then shall they shout aloud for Joy with Halelujah for evermore when the Smoke of the Torment of the Whore her Lovers and her Brats ascends up as the Smoke of Sodom forever and ever Then shall Glory Honour and Praise arise from them that were beheaded for the Testimony of Jesus the Light of the World and unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and the captives shall come out of their Captivity and the Prisoner out of the Pit and every Bond-man shall be set at Liberty and those that are at ease and Liberty in the Flesh shall be bound with Chains of Everlasting Darkness forever and ever and they shall be tormented day and night in the presence of the holy Angles and in the presence of the Lamb who is Light even all them who will not that he should reign who is the Lamb the Light and then shall they see Abraham Isaac and Jacob who wandered up and down and were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth these with all their Seed then shall they see in the Kingdom and Dominion of God and they themselves shut out and so the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus shall they know fulfilled Wherefore Wo Wo Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and all you the Enemies of the Lamb by reason of the Judgments that are yet to come for your Proud Flesh which is as the Flesh of Horses shall be as Dung upon the Earth and your Flesh is to be given unto the Fowls of the Air to feed upon for the Day of the great Slaughter is at hand and the Battel of the great King shall be set in order and every Battel of the Warrier is with confused Noise and Garments rolled in Blood but this shall be with Burning and Fuel of Fire and Blood shall all them have to drink who are found in Babel the great Whore that long have made the great men of the Earth Rich in whom the Blood of all the Saints is found from Abel unto this day wherein she and her Children are thirsting for the Blood of all them who believe in the Light Written upon the seventh and eight dayes of the 2d Moneth by him who suffers by some of Gogs Army in the House of Correction and common-Goal of Hampshire with the rest of the Lambs of Christ who is the Captain of my Salvation who hath armed me with the whole Armour of God and clothed me with the Armour of Light whereby he hath enabled me to stand in the day of Battel against all the Fiery Darts of the Devil and the Oppressions of Pharoah's Host and yet have nothing to Glory in but in the Lord having received all from him who teacheth my Hands to War and my Fingers to Fight and that not with Carnal Weapons but with Spiritual and deny all Carnal Fightings Qurrellings and Wars that ariseth from the Lust and learneth of him who maketh War in Righteousness and joyns with him in the Battel against the false Prophet the Whore and the Beast and all those that have his Mark in the Hand or in the Fore-head who rise up against them that have their Father's Name written in their Foreheads who is Light in whom I have believed and by whom do expect Deliverance in his due time with all his suffering Seed out of outward Bonds in the which I bear my Testimony against all his Enemies without Respect of Persons or Flattering Titles to any but in Love to the Souls of all though never so Dreadful to that in all which doth the Soul destroy to the which I am never to be reconciled but stand a Witness against until the Just under that arise and witness for me whose Love is only to the Seed of God in all by which I am known read and understood in the Light and of the other called Humphery Smith A Sad and Mournful LAMENTATION For the People of these Nations but especially for the Priests and Leaders of them and the more because of that which is coming to pass And let all People read it and let it have entrance into their Hearts in the fear of God for it is of much Concernment both for Priests Rulers and all People it being the deep Meditations of my Mind and the true Openings with the Light and Revelation of God in my Heart sundry times when my Spirit hath had secret conference with the Lord at such times as I have been absent from men or in the Night season in a true Mournful state of Pity towards the Souls of all Mankind for the Eternal good whereof this is written In Winchester-Prison and House of Correction being a colse Prisoner in a
filthy Hole the 16th day of the 11th Moneth 1658. by me that have him to be my Life who is a man of Sorrows that of men am called Humphry Smith MAny Dayes and Nights and Times and Seasons for many Weeks and Moneths of late Years have many deep and serious Considerations been in me and many Meditations in my Mind and Heart in the true fear of the living God and often times in quietness waiting on the Lord God of Abraham hath my Spirit had secret and private yet plain Conference with the Lord concerning the Teachers and Leaders of the People even the Hireling Priests of England and other Nations and the Followers of them And when I have weighed all in an equal Ballance I have found that it hath been in pure Love to the Souls all Mankind and without Prejudice or Envy to them their Bodies or Persons as they are the Creatures of God and the eternal Witness of God in his Covenant of Life hath and doth and will justifie me herein forever And when I have looked back upon the Teachers and seen what a stir and a noise is made among them about God and Christ and Faith in his Blood and Redemption and Justification by him and all proceeding from that nature in them which is at Enmity with God And when I have seen how many Thousand Thousands and Hundreds of times ten Thousands following of them and Contending Fighting Stoning Whipping and Imprisoning for them and are guided or rather blinded by them And when I have seen what care is taken for them and to uphold them by the great Rulers of the Nations even Protector Council Parliaments and Justices besides many Thousands of bruitish People that are stoning and fighting for them that they might be upheld and maintained yea even in Excess and Fulness from the Peoples hard Labours And when I have seen how many Hundred Thousand Pounds every year they have received from the People And when I seen that notwithstanding all this the People are still in Transgression and so under the Wrath of God and yet know not how to come out of their Sin which separateth from God but that many Thousands dye in their Sins and many more are pleading for Sin and many end their dayes in a Bed of Torment gasping strugling grovelling and raiging in unquietness under the horrible Terrors of the unutterable fierce Indignation of the Wrath of the Almighty and so go down into the Pit forever as many have done not knowing a resting place in the peaceable stillness of God's Covenant of Life and Peace Oh! when I say I have beheld and deeply considered these things and many more which might be named and seriously pondered them in my Heart from a true sense of God's Pity to the precious Souls of all Mankind and from a true Understanding of the Terrible Woâ—s VVrath Horor and Perplerity of Spirit that then comes upon such who thus due in their Sins not reconciled to God even then hath my heart been broken within me and mine Eyes as Fountains of Tears and a sad Lamentation night and day hath come upon me and a true Mâ—â—rning for the slain of the People who thus are cut off from God and separated from the Land of the Living O Wo is me because of these things my Soul hath been oppressed and my Spirit grieved and to the Lord alone hath a grievous Cry ascended up and I have said Oh that I could Mourn and Weep yet more in secret because of these things And when I have looked upon the Priests and People I have seen plainly and truly from the Lord God That the Spirit of Error and Ignorance in them hath been and is the very cause of all this Disorder Soul-Perishing state that is in and upon the Sons of men and their continuance therein then hath my Spirit said within me The Soul that sinneth it must dye but the Lord will require their Blood at the hands of those that have caused them to Err And the Lord hath said unto me concerning these Priests and Teachers My hand is against them And when I have looked farther back and considered them who were made Ministers by a known Law of God that they were declared against by the Spirit of Prophesie and that they were such Shepherds that could not understand being greedy and could never have enough Isa 56. 10 11. and that they were bruitish Pastors Jer. 10. 21. and as Murderers and Troops of Robbers and that the Lord had cursed their Blessings and made them base and contemptible in the Eys of the People Mal. 2. Then said I Ah! what state then are these men in who are not made Ministers by a Law of God neither yet sent forth by Christ Mat. 10. but are out of his Doctrine Mat. 23. and so Enemies unto him being known by their Fruits Mat. 7. 15 16. and are made Ministers by the Will of men and upheld by carnal corrupt Laws and the Imprisoning of hundreds that are come out from them that we may not partake in the Plagues with them who are seen to be of Babel Rev. 18. 4. in whom is found the Souls of men and the Blood of all the Saints from Abel unto this day and they have been upheld by the devouring of Widdows Houses the robbing of the Fatherless the spoiling of the Goods of Hundreds the Imprisoning of many until Death the Rifling and Robbing of whole Houses as may be witnessed in the County of Kent by a Paper entituled A Horrible thing and the Record of Sufferings for Tythe and many other parts in the Nation And when I have beheld these things I have said in mine Heart Those Ministers or rather Deceivers are far short and much worse than them in the Prophets dayes who were made Ministers by a Law of God though they became as Robbers and Murtherers And then have I also lamented the hard hearted blindness of many Rulers in these dayes who have been worse in their persecuting of those who from the Spirit of God do declare against these Ministers made by the Wills of men than the Rulers in the dayes of the Prophets who did not so Persecute them that declared against those who were made Ministers by a Law of God And surely I have said did not these Priests bewitch the Rulers that they cannot obey the Truth Gal. 3. And so cause them to obey them or be as it were Slaves or Pack-horses to them even making their boast in Print that they are still spurring on the Magistrate as Richard Baxter Priest of Kidderminster hath written But I say were not the Magistrates blinded by them and therefore uphold them by their corrupt Laws even giving them Treble Damages they would soon fall and come to nought for they are already fallen under the Magistrates and come creeping to them in the Serpents Wisdom upon their Bellies which is their God for more Dust or Earthly Treasure Money Goods and Earthly things But the Bishops
and the Priests in their dayes were exalted above the Magistrates and the Priests have yet that Spirit of Pride from which they write as if they rid upon the Magistrates and spurred them like Horses and this hath been so but it may be otherwife And I have seen how the Beast the Whore and the false Prophet uphold one another and ride one upon another and the Priests spurring up the Magistrates it s their own words and all making War with them that are sanctified rising up against them that are anointed who need none to teach and compassing about them whom God hath loved who are of the City where the Lamb is the Light and need not the light of the Sun nor the Moon And when I have thus pondered the state and condition both of Priests Rulers and People and compared them and their state with the Priests Rulers and People in the dayes of the Prophets and seeing the condition of these to be much worse and many things more that might be named and that the latter end of many is like to be miserable and that the Name of God is blasphemed by such who say they are Christians and are not like them Rev. 2. 9. and that they are in the Blasphemy though Rich men who do oppress the Poor in Spirit and cause them to be drawn before the Judgement-Seats James 2. 6 7. even then hath the consideration of these things often times brought a deep Mourning upon me and Sorrow hath filled my Heart But when on the other hand I have seen the Work of the Lord secretly going on in a hidden manner opening the Eyes and Understanding of many Rulers in the Nation and that many who are and have been in Authority amongst Men and in the Army have already and are believing in him who said I am the Light and is the Lord of Glory though as a Lamb dumb and a man of Sorrows not pleading his own Cause nor having whereon to lay his Head but Sick and in Prison and that many devout and honourable Women as in Acts 17. 12. are also coming and come to the Faith which purifies the Heart and Respects no mans Person without which Faith in the Heart walked by its impossible to please God And when the Eye of my Mind hath been fixed upon that Object then hath my Soul magnified the Lord therein and my Spirit hath rejoyced because of him that bringeth and is bringing Salvation and because of Righteousness Peace and true Judgment that the Lord is setting up over all in the Hearts of many Rulers and Devout and Honourable among the People that in Righteousness throught Humility they may come to be renowned with Honour forever These things on that hand and much which is coming to pass for an Everlasting Good among the People and is revealed in the Light and Fore-knowledge of God hath given some ease to my Wounded and Troubled Spirit and the Refreshings of my Father's Love hath bound me up in the Covenant of Life with the tender Seed in those whom the Lord is drawing by his Love through Humility to the durable Honour and Riches which will never fade Surely herein hath my Soul been made as a watred Garden with the Influences of my Father's Love so that living Praises over all hath ascended up to him whose Name is blessed for evermore because he worketh and none can let him But when I have looked back again upon the Priests and the many hundred Thousand Souls that are kept in the Witchcraft Gal. 3. Rebellion Job 24. 13. gain-saying blindness and ignorance and the daily murthering of the Souls of so many then because of the Shepherds who destroy the Flock there hath been in me a Lamentation and a Cry Oh the Priests the Priests surely Vengeance is prepared of God for them Wrath Indignation Cursing Mal. 2. 2. 2 Pet. 2. 14. Bitterness Torment Perplexity Astonishment of Heart Endless Misery and Shame amongst men from the wrathful Vengance of the wrathful Terrors of God will come upon them in a Day unaware and their Houses shall be left unto them desolate and they shall become a By-word among the People as I have already written from the dreadful Indignation of the Lord God of Hosts in a Book entituled An Alarum even so shall it come to pass upon them behold it is hastning the Lord God of Hosts hath spoken it and his Word shall not fail neitheir shall his Decree be changed And when these things have come upon me even as a Flood of mighty Waters then have I said in the Grief of my Heart alas for the Priests The Priests even the Leaders of the People where will they hide themselves in this day of sierce Wrath and siery Indignation from the Jealous God of Majesty that is near at hand Oh! how will Shame cover their Faces and how will their Countenances fall like Cain and how will they Curse like Shimei even their God and their King who is the God of the World and their Belly is their God and how will they seek Repentance with Tears like Esau who might have said He was of Abraham And how will they Repent too late like Judas who had obtained part of the Ministry Acts 1. 17. and yet denyed him that was the Light and betrayed him who comes to make an end of Sin and was a Devil and hanged himself and yet had obtained part of the Ministry Alas for the Priests of England Are not they worse then Judas Did not he bring again and restore the Silver which he had taken And can the Priests of England do so Nay they have wasted it upon the Lust and Pride even abundance so that if they themselves and all that they have left with their Wives and Children should be sold at the utmost value though I not desire it should be so yet thereby could they not restore the tenth part nor one part in a hundred of the Silver which they have taken nor bring again the Money as Judas did which they have gained Therefore have I said Surely a sad Day will come upon them when they become a By-word and a hissing to all People and are turned out of their Parsonages Glebe-Lands Tythes Treble Damages and old Mass-Houses as their Fathers the Bishops and Deans and Quiresters and Singing-Men and Boys were turned out of their Pomp and Pride vain Glory Covetousness Exaction and Tyranny and out of their Bishopricks Denaries and the like And when also that Gods Witness shall arise in them to confound them within and the Light of Christ condemn them for their Deceit and Hypocrisie Tyranny Pride Idleness fulness of Bread Extortion and all manner of Wickedness Oh the Priests the Priests have said What a Day will this be unto them Surely then as I said and say again That the Shepherds shall Howl and a bitter Lamentation of the Priests shall be heard in all the Land yea the noise of their bitter Cry soundeth already in my Heart
Lye witness thy own Words after the Meeting at Clifton where thou sayest Thou sawst such a Spirit of Prayer as thou never hadst seen before To which those that were there can yet testifie and we witness growth in Grace and Knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. and walk from Grace to Grace leaving the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. 1. forgetting those things that are behind we press forwards For man in his own Wisdom cannot find out the Lord who is a Spirit John 4. 24. and regardeth not the Wise in Heart Job 37. 23 24. Therefore if any man will be Wise let him become a Fool that so he may be found in the VVisdom that is from above James 3. 17. Next thou sayest That we desire the Perishing of the former Wayes of God This is another of thy Lyes For all the Wayes of the Lord are Righteous Psal 145. 17. so in page 18. Satan acts thee to call that Scripture dangerous Phil. 3. 7 8. If thou callest Paul's Experience dangerous it s no wonder that thou callest ours so too But we know that all Scriptures are written for our Learning the which we are searching Next thou wilt show the Thoughts and but the Thoughts of thy own Heart which is thy old sinful Heart wituess thy own Hand page 5. Line 11 12. Therefore from thy wicked Heart thou being ignorant of the Spirit dost in page 24. even Jeer at speaking by the Spirit in opposition to all the Holy Men of God 1 Pet. 1. 21. Therefore thou art an Enemy to Prayer in the Spirit Ephes 6. 18. the which we witness Therefore in the Light of Jesus Christ thou art calling thy own Company to wit the VVorld to try thy Exposition of thy own Lyes that thou hast cast upon us in page 23. and the last in thy Second Rule page 23. there thou denyest the Sufferings of Christ being ignorant of it in thy own Soul but we know that if we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him So we are made willing to fill up the measure of the Sufferings of Christ and those that have thus suffered in the Flesh have ceased from Sin 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. Thy Second where thou mentionest Quaking thy Lyes there we deny but Quaking and Trembling we witness to be the Saints conditions fulfilled in us who witness the same Power of God as they did Jer. 5. 22. â—sa 66. 2. Psal 2. 12. In the Third thou speakest thy own Lyes at random In the Fourth thou hast declared thy self to be an Enemy to the Sufferings of Christ calling it A Delusion Oh let Shame stop thy Mouth forever thou Enemy of the Cross of Christ and thy own Soul For although Isaiah prophesied of what Christ in his own Person hath fulfilled yet the Members of Christ are to take up his Cross and follow him as it is written and and witnessed 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ 1 Pet. 4. 13. 2. Cor. 4. 10. That which thou and the rest of the VVorld doth call our Bondage and Slavery page 18. that was the Saints and is our Joy and Liberty by which the righteous Seed is brought forth in Obedience to the Living God But it is no wonder that the World hate us for they know us not If we were of the World the World would love his own John 15. 18 19. Matth. 5. 11 12. In Answer to that in page 29. Jesus Christ is unto us the Bread of Life John 6. 33 35 48. and he is unto us the Water of Life John 4. 14. and 7. 37. In page 30. thy Lyes are made manifest unto all men that know us For which of us doth deny to Labour with his Hands And which of us is it that live in Idleness Nay it is Satan the Father of Lyes that acts thee to say that we should say It is the Language of Antichrist that bids men take care for their Families For we do take care for our Families with all diligence in the sight of God but our Conversation is without Covetousness Heb. 13. 5. What is mentioned in the third Rule page 31 32 33 34 To that I answer The same Spirit that ruled in the Children of Disobedience then even in the dayes of the Apostles the same Spirit ruleth in thee and others Now they stumble at both Prophets Christ and his Apostles and now the same Generation are stumbling at Christ in his Memembers so all they that stumble stumble at the Light and at the Corner-stone As for the Professors page 36. I tell thee and them that all Professors that are Enemies to Possession we do deny to be any Members of Christs Church which is in God 2 Thes 1. Page 37. Is another Lye yea more then one plainly in saying That we rank our selves with the sinful men of the World who are indeed under all the Powers of Antichrist from the which thou wast never yet redeemed by Christ in thee for thou art a stranger to his Life See what thou raisest from thy Supposition or thy If in pag 37. see what thou cast witness from those Scriptures fulfilled in thee thou art a Thief and a Robber stealing the Apostles words stealing the word from thy Neighbour thou confessest That we walk like as the Apostles did in many things as in Conversation Words and Writings In pag. 40 and 41. thou sayst That the whole Bulk of our Actions hitherto as far as thou hast either known or heard do declare us to be carried forth as Ministers of Righteousness Oh! let all take notice of this the Devil speaks some Truth but in the latter end of pag. 40. thou art thinking that Satans Kingdom is divided Oh filthy Conclusion Oh meer Babel Canst thou open thy Mouth and let thy Pen run against such a harmeless People of whom thou thy self art made to confess such Excellent things I shall now leave a little in following of thee in thy confused and deceitfull Lines and shall turn to that Scripture 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. for such were false Apostles deceitful Workers c. In pag. 41. elsewhere thou raisest thy own Conceivings as of other things of the Scripture and then amplisiest or illustratest upon thy own Imaginations so givest private Interpretations of the Scriptures for thy own private ends whereas no Scripture is of any private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. I shall lay down by plain Scripture who those false Apostles are 1. They are such as preach another Jesus 2. Cor. 11. 4. Now Jesus is a Saviour Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins Mat. 1. 21. He maketh an End of Sin Dan. 9. 24. Being dead with Christ Rom. 6. 8. the Body of Sin is destroyed Vers 6. He that is dead with Christ is freed from Sin Vers 7. compared with 1 Pet. 4. 1. By the which we are made free from Sin
Rom. 6. 18 22. and become the Servants of God So that the Blood of this Jesus who is the Son of the living God cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. ch 2. 12. because your Sins are forgiven for his Names-sake which Name is Jesus a Saviour from Sin and we know that he is manifested to take away our Sins and he that abideth in him sinneth not 1 John 3. 5 6. Rev. 1. 5. Now whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God 1 John 5. 1. Now Jesus is a Savior Christ is God manifest in Flesh and anointed the true Teacher 1 John 2. 17. Now he that can witness Jesus Christ to save him from Sin he is born of God and can witness Christ in him the hope of Glory which is Emanuel God with us and those dwell in God and God in them 1 John 4. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Now Sin is the unfruitful Work of Darkness God is Light 1 John 1. 5. Now he that saith he can witness Jesus and is born of God and yet lives in Darkness to wit Sin he is a Lyar. Now Jesus is one with the Father and dwelleth in the Father Now he that dwelleth in the Father hath this Hope or Faith that purisieth himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. and 5. 1. And he that abideth in him sinneth not This is Jesus the Son of the living God that saveth his People from their Sins whom Paul witnessed revealed in him Gal. 1. 16. by the which he preached Grace and Peace to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 3 30. and 22. 16. Now there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men shall be saved Therefore all those that cannot witness this Jesus this Son of God they are false Apostles that speak of a Jesus that they know not like those that went to cast out Devils in the Name of Jesus whom Paul preached Acts 19. 13 14 15 16. Those were not Vagabond Jews only but chief of the Priests that did so Now all that cannot witness this Christ this Jesus revealed and brought forth in them as the true Apostles did that spoke from the Life of Christ in them even all others are false Apostles among whom thou art seen in the Light of Jesus Christ to be and in the World like a raging Sea whose Waves cast up Mire and Dirt continually unto whom there is no Peace Isa 57. 20 21. a Wandering Star never settled Jude 13. but tossed up and down with every Wind of Doctrine from such turn away II. How you may know them Pag. 36. 9. Abiding in the Light that comes from Christ in that Light you will see Light and so comprehend all the Children of Darkness for he that followeth Christ who is the Light of the World shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life to judge all the false Apostles and all the Children of the Night who live in the dark Mind in Pride Covetousness Lying making a Trade of the Scriptures which were spoken forth from the Light by those that witnessed it but thou that takest up their Expressions and livest not in the same Life thou art the false Apostle that preachest another Gospel Now besides the foregoing Scriptures thou hast declared thy self to be a false Apostle by thy own Writings First in writing thy Thinkings and Conceivings page 50. yet my former Thoughts page 53. I am but in part convinced page 16. Methinks page 51. As I conceive such were the false Apostles 1 Tim. 1. 7. understanding not what they say nor whereof they affirm but speak and write the Imaginations of their own Hearts as thou hast done in page 18. The thoughts of my own Heart in the which are many Devices Prov. 19. 21. Secondly In being one of the world and calling thy fellow-Creatures of the World to judge what thou sayest and here thou hast manifested thy self to be a false Prophet entered into the World which the Saints of God never did page 23. And let all the World assure themselves that in page 45. Here thou dost write thy self as thou art calls thy own to witness the World one with the World therefore we being gathered out of the World are hated and written against by thee John 15. â—â— I shall forbear to write what I know of thy former and yet continued Practices this being sufficient to prove plainly that thou art a false Apostle whose many Lyes written against us I need not to mention in particular only some few in short that the simple may not be deceived by thee nor the Truth suffer altogether under thy Scandals Page 48. Thou biddest the feeble Creatures of the World To judge of Spiritual things though the World by Wisdom knows not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. page 46. thou sayest That we do Lying Wonders But hast thou in all those Lyes and Writings of thine proved that any of those which thou callest Wonders are Lying Wonders for it is not thy saying it is a Lying Wonder that makes it to be so for there were such as thee that said that Christ cast out Devils through Belzebub but they were Lyars and so art thou Thou sayest Our Works are Deceitful page 49. But thou hast no ground for it but the deceit of thy own heart page 18. the which thou callest the World to bear thee witness page 23. 50. Thou sayest We disown the Power and Spirit of Truth which is a Lye but thou hast a form of Godliness denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. 5. Page 53. Thou sayest Thou art in part convinced that per adventure the Lord would have his People walk in some way whereby they might be brought into a perfect Unity in Heart Oh! art thou not here ashamed O let even the World whom thou callest unto so often read thy Ignorance What! art thou but in part convinced what way leads to Unity Oh! for shame for shame give over thy Profession talk no longer of the Gospel thou hast made thy self manifest to all men Oh! hast thou been talking of the Gospel so long and art yet Ignorant of the way that leads to Unity Oh! let shame stop thy mouth and cover thy face forever but if thou wouldest shift from this and say Thou meanest an outward way or form I tell thee there is no way to have fellowship with the Father 1 John 1. 3. but in the Unity of the Faith and the Knowledge not a Thinking of the Son of God who is the true living and only way unto the Father John 14. 6. where is perfect unity even one Heart and one way Jer. 32. 39. which is a way of holiness The Wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein Isa 35. 8. Also in page 53. thou sayest That thou art very sensible that thou hast lost thy Comforts and therefore thou dost hope not to give over until thou hast found some way or means of having thy former Enjoyments refreshed Why hast thou lost that
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
walk in the Light and continue in faithfulness in your Measures enduring the Cross unto your Wills that by it the Carnal may be crucified and that which is Earthly mortified and all the fleshly Lusts subdued and the ground of Unbelief removed that you as Obedient Children to the Light may walk not as do others in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness where all the Ungodly lie and are without his Fear not knowing that in which the Power of God doth stand and many of them are Murmurers and Complainers who dwell in all Unrighteousness from among whom Redemption you are to find that a true Separation you may come to know that the Unclean you may touch no more and that which defiles to be no more entangled with For the Lord our God is pure his living Truth is to be known in the inward parts and that which makes Free received in the Heart and pure is the Lord in his Ministration of Life and free in the Discoveries of his Love his unsearchable Riches are made known unto his Jewels and his Secrets revealed unto them that abide in his Fear whose Fear is a Fountain of Life whose Love is streaming forth as a River of Oyl unto the broken hearted and in him the Fatherless find Mercy and he giveth strength unto the Faint he cherished the Babes as a Nurse and feedeth the Young with Milk he gathereth the Lambs with his Arms and nourisheth the tender Plant he confoundeth the Proud in his Judgments and removeth the Ground of the Wicked Kings before him are as the Drop of a Bucket and Ungodly Rulers as the Smoke before a mighty Wind His Wonders are seen among the Living and his Judgments made known upon the Wicked they that come to him find Mercy but his Enemies he turns into the Land of Darkness the Ungodly are not able to come near his Presence when he is Angry the Wicked stand afar off but there 's no Darkness in which they may be hid nor shadow of Death in which they can be covered for his Hand will find out all the Rebellious and he will reward them all according to the Pride of their Heart then shall they be banished from the Lord as the Chaff before the Wind and none of their strength shall save them But all you that wait for Sion's Redemption and call that love his Appearance who are willing to take up the Yoke deny themselves and follow the Light thus I say unto all such The Lord God of Life is at hand he is hastning his Mercies to the simple and reaching forth his hand to the Helpless your Redeemer is near your Deliverer is at hand for the Lord God hath not cast off his People neither will he leave or forsake his Chosen Ones With the Brightness of his Power is he appearing to judge down that which kept his own in Bondage and lay low that which did the Just oppress that from under the Oppression it may now arise that the Hungry may be fed and the Naked come to be clothed with the Everlasting Righteousness of God who brings his Righteousness near unto the Humble and clothes them with the Armour of Light that so they may be able to stand where the Wicked cannot endure Wherefore all you my dear Lambs in whom there is honest Desires begotten after the living Truth of my Father who are in measure made willing to walk as Children of the Day and to undergo the Reproaches and Revilings of Wicked and Ungodly men and desire the Kingdom that is not of this World from the honest Simplicity of your Hearts that you may come to rest in the Kingdom of the Father forever Unto you I say my Heart's Desire and Prayer to God for you is That you may be enabled through the Power of him who is the Light to undergo all your Tryals within and without and that none of you may faint in your Way nor be weary of well doing but that you may come to shew forth the Works of Righteousness by a chaste Conversation in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation by whose Filthiness the Just is grieved And my dear Lambs grieve ye not the Spirit of the Lord neither be you Envious against the Evil-Doers let not Wrath arise in any one of you but be Examples of Love and Meekness one unto another and all come to know what a true waiting upon the Lord is in the Sincerity of the Heart to receive that which the World never knew even the Spirit of Truth which comes from the God of Peace in which the Blessing is received and leads in the way of Righteousness and will joyn your Hearts together in the Everlasting Covenant of the Father which he is establishing with all his faithful Ones among whom you may now come to be gathered and find an eternal Inheritance with them that are sanctified who come to be made one with him that sanctifieth who now cometh to purge away the filth and cleanse that which hath not been cleansed that Sinners may be converted unto him and the Filthy redeemed from their filthiness before the day come wherein it shall be said He that is Filthy let him be Filthy still Wherefore let the Day of your Visitation be dearly prized knowing that God who is Light will not alwayes strive with man and it s his Everlasting Love in that he hath visited you and passed by the Wise and the Mighty and made your Hearts sometimes soft and tender by the powerful Drawings of his Everlasting Love which by your Obedience and Belief in the Truth comes to be more and more shed abroad in your Hearts which Love will constrain Obedience to the Light in which Light Gods Power is received which Power maketh Sons who cry Father unto him that begeteth after his own Image whose Image comes to be renewed in the Children of the Light which Light is now come and we are Witnesses of it and testisie what we have seen and declare unto you the Message that was from the beginning and so preach not another Gospel unto you but the same which is the Power of God which I neither receive of men nor learn of men but by Revelation in which the Father is known which to the World is a Mystery and sealed from all them who believe not in the Light whose Deeds are Evil but manifest through the Operation of the mighty Power of God which worketh mightily in me that I might reach forth unto you also and that you might feel the Operation of the Fathers Love that is manifest in my Bonds to you who through many Tribulations with the rest of the Lambs of Christ are to wait for Deliverance from the Bondage of Corruption in the which you have long continued but now Christ Jesus the Light of the World is come to redeem them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to Bondage and the Bonds of Iniquity are now to be
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
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
are we not to be led by that To which I Answer That God changeth not And where doth the Scriptures say That the Scripture is to be a Rule to walk or be led by And the Ministers of Christ did not say As every man hath received the Scriptures so Walk But As every man hath received Christ and he is the Light so walk Col. 2. 6. Consider there is first something to be received and then there is to be a walking in the Power and Strength of that received for a Babe is not able to walk by all the words that may be spoken unto him until he receive power and strength within him and the new born Babes are to receive the sincere Milk of the Word and the Word is in the Heart and then to grow up by that received 1 Pet. 2. 2. and every man is to walk as he hath received of Christ the Light which comes from the Word which lighteth every man John 1. 9. but every man doth not receive that into the good Understanding which he is lighted with but rather strives against and hates it for every one that doth Evil hateth not the Scriptures but the Light John 3. 20. and so they hate that in which the Power standeth but as many as receive him who is the Light to them and none but them he that is the Light gives Power and he hath gifts for the Rebellious but they hating the Light and his own whom he lighteth receive not him that is the Light and to them he committeth no more and so they have not Power yet they may have the Scriptures And so man walks by the strength that is in him which strength comes from the Word by which all things were made and man receiving the ingrafted Word which is not the Scriptures it is able to save the Soul for Christ the Light whose Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. is able to save to the utmost all them that come to God through the Light of the World Christ Jesus and in him neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a New Creature and as many as walk according to this Rule I do not say my Writings peace be unto them Gal. 6. 15 16. And so here was the Rule which whoso walked by the Peace belonged to but many call the Scriptures their Rule and have not Peace but they to whom the Spirit is a Rule from it to them Peace comes and man being led by the Spirit in him hath that to be his Rule from whence the Scripture was given forth And now that which man is to be directed guided and led by tryes measures or searches things that sometimes he calls Rule and it is not said the Scriptures searcheth all things but the Scripture is to be searched into John 5. 39. and it s said The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 2 Cor. 2. 10. Prov. 20. 27. and that Spirit which searcheth all things comes from him Who hath measured the Waters in the Hollow of his Hand and meeted out Heaven with a Span and comprehended the Dust of the Earth in a Measure and weighed the Mountains in Scales and the Hills in a Ballance Isa 40. 12. and draws a Line through the midst of his People and layeth Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet and sweepeth away the Refuge of Lyes Isa 28. 17. and telleth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their Names Psal 147. 4. And they to whom this Spirit is a Rule and are led by it they are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 14. and it is not said as many as are led by the Scriptures are the Sons of God and man is to walk by the same Rule of that he hath attained Phil. 3. 16. and mark them that walk so and it is said If ye are led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law Gal. 5. 18. but many have the Scriptures and yet are under the Law but the Spirit which is the Word Ephes 6. 17. cometh and hath power to redeem from under the Law which the Scriptures doth not for through the Spirit the Deeds of the Flesh come to be mortified Rom. 8. 13. And while Paul profited much in that Religion which he learned from the Pharisees he was an Enemy to Christ the Light but when Christ was revealed in him and he obedient to the heavenly Vision then was he led by the Spirit in him to do God's Will and he did not say That the Mystery of Christ which in other Ages was not made known was then manifest to him by the Scriptures but he said That it was by Revelation made known unto him and revealed to the holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes 3. 4 5. and he did not say without Scriptures it was impossible to please God but it is said Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. and Faith is in the Heart and purifies the Heart and so without that in the Heart which purifies it men cannot please God and so man cannot please God without being guided by that in the heart which respects no mans Person Jam. 2. And so every one is to walk according to that which he himself in particular hath attained unto and to mind the same thing according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed 2 Cor. 10. 13. and that Rule which God hath distributed is the Rule and no man ought to go beyond it or boast of things without or beyond that measure or of other mens labours or things made ready to their hands but to give all Glory to the Lord 2 Cor. 10. 14 15 16 17. And this was the Rule received from God which his Ministers walked by and exhorted others unto and so I do not bid People walk by my Writings but by their measures in them received from God and that is living as God is and of his own Nature and enables man to do his Will and so fulfills that which is written without and was given forth from the measure of God within What then do I herein in the least make void contemn slight villifie or deny the Scriptures God forbid nay I had rather my Pen mightfall out of my Hand or my Arm from my Shoulder or my Tongue cleave to the roof of Mouth forever then I should go about to make void the Scriptures of Truth and is a true Declaration Luke 1. 1. Which was given forth from that which is my Life which is hid not in the Scriptures but with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. and the Word was God and that which was God is God John 1. 1. but if I should say the Scripture is God I should be a Blasphemer like unto others Do I herein deny the Scriptures Nay rather I establish the Scripture in its place and make use of it as a Cloud of Witnesses by me in directing all People unto that which
the Scriptures testifie of and was given forth from John 5. 39. that by it in them they might be enabled to do God's Will and witness the Scriptures fulfilled as it is written I will walk in them and dwell in them 2 Cor. 6. 16. and he is the God of them in whom he dwells and they are his People in whom he walks from whose Inspiration the Scripture came in which it is written Prove all things 1 Thes 5. 21. and try the Spirits and that which proveth all things and tryes the Spirits comes from the God of the Spirits of all flesh and from the Word of his Power by which all things were made which Word in the Heart is as Fire which proves tryes and refineth things and is 1 John 4. 1. Numb 16 22. John 1 3. Col. 3. 16. Psal 3â— 3 Jer. 5. 14. Mal. 3 3. Heb. 4. 12. Psal 139. 1 23 24 John 4. 1. Luke 10. 42. 1 Cor. 2. 12. ch 1. 21. Rom 8. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 3. 16. ch 2. 10 John 15. 4 5. Jude 6. 2 Thes 1. 5 6 7 8 9 10. John 17. 17. Psal 51. 6. John 1 14. ch 8. 44. 2 Cor. 44. Ephes 2 2. John 8. 24. ch 17. 7. 1 Tim 4. 5. Job 8. 32 ch 15. 5. 1 Joh. 3. 5. Dan 9. 24. 2 Cor 3. 5. ch 4. 10. Rom. 4. 8 10 Eph. 3 17. Col. 1. 27. Joh 16 25. ch 15 5 quick and powerful dividing asunder Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart man feeling that and coming to be guided by that which searches the heart and tryes the reins with that may he try all things from the which one thing within the false Spirits are gone forth into the World and those Spirits of the world and all the world by its wisdom and that Spirit which is without knows not God nor the measure of his spirit within And so those are the false spirits that are gone forth which are to be tryed by that which is not gone forth but abides within and discerns the Heart and those that are gone forth from being guided by that within as the holy men were they are like unto the Angels who kept no their first eslate for man at first was and holy men were guided by that within which is the Word which Word is Truth and he that abode not in Truth which is in the inward parts was a Devil and a Murderer who is called the God of the World that blindeth the Minds and worketh in all the Children of Disobedience and so the Devils Works are in his Children and they are talking of the Works of God without them but they that are led by the Word of Truth that sanctifieth cleanseth and maketh free by it they come to know the Works of the Devil destroyed which was in them 1 John 3. 8. And so he that destroyeth the Works of the Devil and maketh an end of Sin and bringeth in Everlasting Righteousness is known in all them that are not Reprobates And so when sin is made an end of Everlasting Righteousness is brought in and so it s within and not without And so he being received within who brings that in which is Everlasting to that man he is within the hope of Glory and shews plainly of the Father and saith Without M E yo can do nothing It s not said Without Scripture ye can do nothing and they that are without him who teacheth all things are without God in the World but he that hath the Son hath the Father also he that hath the Father and the Son abiding in him need not to go out from that to be taught or led by any other thing or Rule without him as it is written of him that overcometh That he shall no more go out and upon him that goeth not out the New Name comes to be written and he comes to be a Pillar in the Temple of God who goeth not out Rev. 3. 12. And the Name which is better than of Sons and Daughters even the Everlasting Name that shall never be cut off is given to them within the House and within the Walls even to such who take hold of the Covenant Isa 56. 4 5. And the Sanctuary is set in the midst of them for evermore Ezek. 37. 26 27 28. And in the midst of them will the Lord spread forth his hands as one that swimmeth Isa 25. 11. And though Ephriam compassed the Lord about with Lyes and the House of Israel with Deceit yet saith the Lord unto Ephriam I am God and not man the holy One in the midst of thee Hos 11. 9 12. And so Ephriam compassed him about with Lyes who was in the midst and he that was in the midst was holy though compassed about with Lyes and the Just Lord was in the midst of the filthy poluted and oppressed City Zeph. 3. 1 to 5. Consider this all you poluted Ones who oppress the Just in the midst of you for the Just Lord in the mâ—â—st will arise as a Lyon out of a Thicket and a young Lyon out of the Forrest he shall roar like a Lyon and utter his Voice like a man of War Isa 42. 13 14 15. And then shall his Enemies be scattered Psal 68. 1. And he will sweep away the Refuge of Lyes therefore the Daughter of Zion and the Daughter of Jerusalem and Israel shall be glad for unto them it is said The Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see Evil any more In that day shall it be said to Jerusalem Fear thou not and to Zion Let not thy hands be slack the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save Zeph. 3. 14 15 16 17. And he that is mighty to save is known in the midst and so he that justifieth is near Isa 50. 8. even he who hath said I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel forever and my holy Name shall the House of Israel no more defile Ezek. 34. 7. For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his Habitation this is my Rest forever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly bles her Provision I will satisfie her Poor with Bread I will also clothe her Priests not the Priests of England with Salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy there will I make the Horn of David to bud I have ordained a Lamp for mine anointed his Enemies will I clothe with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish Psalm 132. 13 to 18. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. The true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling sence and experience according to Scripture THe true Prophet is come of whom Moses the Servant of the Lord did write who is raised up in the
of him who is the Light of the World unto whom all the Prophets gave Testimony Isaiah who witnessed the Son born and the Child given Isa 9. 6. by whose stripes he came to be healed he preached the Light and said The Light was come and the Gentiles should come to his Light and Kings to the Brightness of his rising and he also prcached the Light to be everlasting Isa 60. 1 2 3 19 20. so that Kings and Gentiles shall come unto him that is the Light who is Gods Wisdom that is from Everlasting Prov. 8. 23. who is given for a Light to the Gentiles and in him they trust And Isaiah said Come ye let us walk in the Light of the Lord Isa 2. 5. And the Disciples called him Lord who is the Light And David's servants were careful that the Light of Israel might not be quenched by his going forth to War Mark That which leads forth to War quenches the Light 2 Sam. 21. 17. And Job did not deny but the Light was given to him that was in Misery and to the man whose Way was hid Job 3. 20 23. And David preached him who is given for a Light unto the Gentiles to be Salvation to the ends of the Earth and said The Lord is my Light and my Salvation Psal 27. 1. And in thy Light we shall see Light Psal 36. 9. And Light is sown for the Righteous Psal 97. 11. And he that came of David said Truly Light is sweet Eccles 11. 7. And when he came of whom the Prophets prophesied who is the only Prophet and High-priest and the end of the Prophets and the Law and that Priest hood which was made by a Law he being come preached himself to be the Light of the World and said While you have the Light believe in the Light John 8. ch 12. And John who was a Minister of Christ preached the Light and said it was the Life of man John 1. and Light is come into the World John 3. 16. And Peter preached the Light shining in a dark place And the Ministers of Christ who were Eye-witnesses of his Glory said The Light shined in Darkness and God commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness and some witnessed that they were made partakers of the Inheritance with the Saints in Light And many more Proofs might be brought from the Scriptures of Truth as a Cloud of Witnesses to prove that we who preach declare and bear witness to the Light do not therein preach a new Doctrine nor another Gospel but the same with all the holy men of God and that which we have heard and seen which was from the beginning which Message is this even the Light which Light in the World in the Heart is the Corner-stone which is the sure Foundation and other Foundation can no man lay than he that is the Light that is already laid And this is the true Prophet which all are to hear and the Children of the Light do hear know and obey his Voice and stranger they will not hear but him by whom God speaks for God in times Past spoke unto our Fathers at sundry times and in divers manners but in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son who is the Light whose Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. which Word was hid in Davids Heart of whom Christ came who is the Light and the Word which was a Light unto Davids feet and a Lanthorn to his steps and so David called him Lord who is the Light and the Word nigh who is in the midst and preacheth Peace to them that believe in follow and obey him that is the Light and the Light is the Condemnation of all them that hate it and every one that doth Evil hates the Light but the Light is the Condemnation of all whose Deeds are Evil and every one that loves the Light wherewith he is enlightned brings his deeds to it and by it the hidden things of Darkness are made manifest and waiting in that which it doth make manifest to be Evil so Christ the Light comes to destroy the Works of the Devil and make an end of Sin and reconciles up unto God who hath given him a Light of the Gentiles and a Covenant to be salvation to the Ends of the Earth and this is he that lighteth every man that comes into the World which World God so loved that he gave his Son a Light into it that all men through him might believe and be saved from Wrath to come and so it s the Will of him that sent him who is the Light that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which Truth brings Freedom to the Seed whereby it comes to have Peace with God being redeemed from the Bondage of Corruption and set at Liberty from under the shadow of Death wherein many long have walked whose feet now comes to be guided into the Way of Everlasting Peace where the Children of the Light do rest together And this is he who hath wrought Redemption with his own Power and redeemed out of the Captivity and opened the Prison Door and preached Peace to the Spirit that was in Prison in the dayes of Noah when the old World was destroyed and brought the Flood upon the Ungodly yet saved the Seed in the midst of the Storm and raging Waves and by him even he that is the Light is Captivity led captive and that which ruled over is brought to be a Servant under and when the Word of the Lord came to the Rock it opened and much of living Water issued forth abundantly whereby the Thirsty came to be satisfied and clothing from him who is the Light doth daily come and the Rayment that never waxeth old he clothes with the Armour of Light and is as a Sun and a Shield from him the Spiritual Weapons come and he teaches the Hands to War and the Fingers to Fight so that the strong Holds are broken down and every Thought comes to be subjected and when he leads through the sufferings like a Lamb so is he followed and when he arises up to speak with Authority and not as the Scribes then is he obeyed who then utters his Voice like a man of War and lifts up his Voice like a Trumpet crying aloud unto all them that are Thirsty and proclaming the Woes unto all them who wear the false Coverings and by him are his Enemies confounded and Judges led away fools and Princes laid in the dust And at him do the Kings of the Earth shut their Mouthes and before him shall they all bow for with the Sword of his Lips doth he slay the Wicked and his slain are many and shall be more for no Flesh shall stand before him who is now come to plead and make War in Righteousness and now are his Enemies flying unto their strong Holds and fenced Cities but his Salvation is stronger than Walls or Bulwarks and that all
them that follow him their Captain know right well and before him all the mighty of the Earth are as a tottering Wall and as a broken Hedge and he it is that rideth upon the Wings of the Wind whose Power is unlimitted whose Wayes are past finding out who descended into the Lower parts of the Earth from whence the wicked never knew him to arise But I with the rest do witness he is risen through the Earth and his Feet stand upon it and is become the first Fruits of them that slept and is ascended up on High and hath Dominion over all and is crowned with Glory and Honour eternally in the Heavens and hath given Gifts unto men and from him the Gift of Eternal Life is come And this is my Beloved O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and this is my Friend and Redeemer O ye Sons of men even he who hath redeemed my Soul from Hell and brought me back From the Power of the Grave this is the Prophet of whom Moses did write should come and is come and there is not another than he that is raised up in the midst which is Christ the Light of the World in the Heart this is he that hath done wonderous works for in and by me and many more who are thereby made living Witnesses unto his Name whose Name is a strong Tower and a Rock of Defence he is a sure Dwelling-Place he is the Rest of the Soul and the â—oy of the Living And since he hath put the Sword of his Spirit into my hand and his Word of Life into my Mouth and Wicked thereby have been cut down like the Grass and the Mighty have been trampled upon as the dust in the Streets the tall Cedars have been as the Brambles and the strong Oaks have been rooted up the Prophet became a Fool the Pastors became Bruitish and the Spiritual Man was as Mad but the Seed hath been refreshed and the weak nursed up the tender Plant preserved and the Hungery fed And for his Names sake will I not keep silent until my Testimony be finished and until Jerusalem be made a Praise over all the Earth and her Righteousness break forth as the Morning and her Comliness as the Brightness of the Sun and till I see the Destruction of her Enemies and her Adversaries overturned forever for Powerful is our King who is come to reign Oh! who can with-hold the Pen from writing and the Tongue from declaring VVhen the Lyon hath roared who will not hear VVhen the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie How can I but declare his Wonderous Works and proclaim his Name where-ever I come and confess him before men though I should suffer much more Prisoning Dungeon and VVhipping than I have done surely his Name I will declare in the World who is the Light and give my Testimony of him that saves from Sin whose Name is called Jesus the Light of the World which is the elect precious and Corner but stumbling stone even to both the Houses of Israel but it is he that is come to rule the Nations with his Iron Rod and dash his Enemies in pices like a Potters Vessel and judge the Earth in Righteousness and the people with his living Truth and now the Sinner shall not stand in Judgment nor the Wicked in the Congregation of the Righteous for he utters his Voice like Thunder against the Wicked and is dreadful against all the Double-minded he condemns the Unjust with an utter overthrow and pulls down the Unrighteous from their Seats Oh! who of the Wicked can stand when he thunders from Heaven and pierceth through the secret parts of the Heart And though I do speak an Allegory yet I do not speak contrary to the Scriptures but according thereunto from the Spirit of Truth and though I speak of the Operation of Christ in his Members yet I do not deny the Works which were wrought by him in his own Person and though I preach Christ within the Hope of Glory yet I do not preach another and though Paul travelled in birth again until Christ was formed in the Galathians yet he did not desire another Christ should be formed in them And though Paul said God had revealed his Son in him yet it was not another Son and though I say the Son of God is come and hath given me an understanding yet it is not another Son but the same that ever was who worketh all our Works in us And though I preach him The Makeâ—â—â—â— End of Sin yet I do not preach another but they who preach a Christ that doth not make an end of Sin nor save them who preach him from their Sirs do preach another Christ seeing the true Christ maketh an end of Sin And though I say the Prophet is come who is mighty in Word and Work and raised up in the midst or in the Heart yet it is not another but the same whose Wonders appeared outwardly whilst he was in the form of a Servant upon the Earth And though I preach him to the World the Light of the World yet it is not another but the same who said I am come a Light into the World and I am the Light of the World Joh. 8. 12. And so he being come a Light into the World he is to be preached as he is the Light that all men through him might belive and mens minds turned from Darkness to him who is the Light in the Darkness and it is most right and proper to preach him the Light who is now come and is the end of the Law to all them that believe in the Light and the end of the Prophets who preached him that is the Light under various Names or Terms as King Priest Prophet a Son a Child the Mighty God and David called him Lord and he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a Mediator c. who being come saith I am the Light and so its right and sound Doctrine to preach him as he is The Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World which is the true Light and we that preach this do not preach another but him who said I am the Light By me who refused the Glory Treasure and Preferment of the World and did chuse rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God and though I profitted much in that Religion where the carnal Ordinances are yet that profiting came to be accounted as Dross Dung that he might be received who makes an end of Sin who being now come his Love constraineth me his Name to publish who is the true Prophet whose Name is called Jesus who hath and doth save from Sin for whose Name sake I have been often brought before Rulers haled and beat out of the Synagogues numbred among Transgressors tryed at Assizes as an Offendor yet there denyed the Liberty of a Murderer being six times imprisoned twice stript naked and whipt with Rods and since put into Bridewell once
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
prosper even as Kings whose Armies are swift to the Battel their faces are as an Adamant and their Countenances firce and terrible the found of their Voice is dreadful and the noise of their Appearance Astonish the Heathen the Earth before them is full of its Fruit behind them its a desolate Wilderness they spare not the Antient nor the Honourable neither have they respect to the Persons of men they even smile at Destruction when its coming and they are prepared for all your Oppressions VVherefore now gather your selves together O ye Potsherds of the Earth and stand up all you that thirst for blood assemble your selves together all ye Persecutors let your Counsels come up from Hell and let the depth of the Powers of darkness shew forth it self in the utmost of its strength and with it combine ye all together and stand up in the Power of your King which is the Angel of the Bottomless Pit who is head among in and over all you who thrist for the blood of the Innocent Now come and draw near in the very height of your Father's VVrath and behold we meet you in the Infiniteness of our Fathers Love and stand you together in the depth of your secret Subtilty and behold we abide in the pure VVisdom of the most High Stand ye up for the Glory and Honour of the World and we abide faithful for the Glory of the Lord our Maker And this I say plainly unto you that your long Tyranny will never weary out the patience we have received neither can you inflict more punishment than the Lord hath enabled us to bear and as your Wrath is incrased our Humility is increased much more and as you are filled and moved with Envy we are much more filled and overcome with the Power of the Fathers Life and though you contrive ways to ensnare the Innocent we take no thought aforehand to deliver our selves for Self we have denyed and we have given up our Bodies and Souls a living Sacrifice unto God to do or suffer his Will And him that kills the Body we fear not much less those that can but Whip or Imprison but for a few Moneths for our Life you cannot reach neither can you disturb their Rest whom the Lord hath crowned with Honour who out of the World are redeemed and bought with the price of Blood most precious but are become his to follow him whither-ever he leads them though it be through Tryals great Tribulations Bonds and long Imprisonments these things cannot move them who are brought to rest in the Defarts and sleep in the Woods yea and there is none can make them afraid with all their Threats unrighteous Laws Bonds Bridewels long unjust Imprisonments or Death it self And this Honour hath the Saints and herein do they rejoyce for evermore in that they are counted worthy to suffer for his Names sake who was made perfect through sufferings and and thereby overcame all the Powers of Darkness whereby Principalities and Powers are spoiled forever and through sufferings are we made more than Conquerers over all our Enemies whose Day will have an end whose Cruelty will cease whose Tyranny will be rewarded upon their own Heads and their Memorial will Rot forever but the faithfulness of the Faithful shall never be taken from him nor the innocency of the Harmless shall never be forgotten neither shall they ever want strength to stand in the day of Battel nor courage and boldness to endure when the Enemies of the Lord arise in Opposition against the brightness of the rising of the Power of the Lamb of God who is come to take away the Sin of the World even him who is the Light and the Heir against whom with one consent the Rulers of the Earth the Hireling Priests with all the Prophane and Unclean and all them of all Opinions in the World are joyning together in one Combination as with one Mind conspiring in their Enmity to slay and murder the Heir that is come to make an end of Sin Who saith I am the Light H. S. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought Home To the Thirsty Breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors Greetings of Love Mercy and Peace from God the Father of the Living VVHere the Bowels are not shut up nor the Heart darkned and where that doth not bear rule which stoppeth the Ear and closeth the Eye and where Prejudice and Rebellion against the Light with the Wisdom of the Flesh through that knowledge which puffeth up hath not wholly eaten up devoured got over and wholly overcome that tender Principle which once moved in the Heart towards that being of the living Substance There may my words take entrance and unto such who feel that which breathes to God and who are willing to be satisfied concerning the living Truth of his Son and who would receive the Truth if they knew it and do yet more desire after the Power of God than all the Temporal things that are seen and who are yet come no further than the reading of the Law the Priests the Tythes nor that Religion that makes nothing perfect and who are come no further than the outward Baptism Shadow or Figure or such things which are to be left behind Hâ—b 6. or who are come no further than the Supper or the Death and so not yet saved by his Life nor drunk of that which saveth and is to cleanse from all that which separateth from God after whom and the incomes of his Love Immortal whosoever truly desireth and is willing to receive the Power of his Life and come in Covenant with the Lord Such may lend me an Ear a little and you are them who may receive some benefit hereby for behold I write in plainness of the things of God my heart being enlarged with abundance of his Peace in which there is good will towards men that you might come to draw near to the Witness the Testimony whereof is within the vail which vail is over the heart 2 Cor. 3. 15 and is not done away but as you come to be in him who is given for a witness Isa 55. 4. by believing in the Light John 12. 36. and so to have the witness in you 1 John 5. 10. and you to be in it and that you may come to participate of Gods Indwellings and feel the Oyl which will last forever therefore I proceed thus How can I but look back a little with an Eye of Pity over those who yet are where once I was when the Darkness was over the Earth and the Cloud of Error compassed me as well as others surely I cannot now be so unmindful of them that are yet lost as not to have compassion upon the Out-casts of Israel or to conceal from them these things of so great concernment but rather as the Lord of my Life hath opened to me will I reach
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
with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with Power or had the Power in them And so what they were commanded to do they were to wait to receive Power in themselves from God to perform and Christ did intend to give them Power to do that which he commanded And as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received Power so to do and so it was the Power of the holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received Power from on high even the Spirit or Life of Truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach the Nations and converted Thousands and turned Sinners and brought Souls to God and then they were called Christians and then were People brought to be of the true Church which Christ buildeth upon that which flesh and blood revealeth not And this is the entrance into the Church of God 2 Thes 1. 1. the receiving of the Spirit and in this God is worshipped and not else for this hath excluded all other Worship and those only are the true Worshippers who come in thus by the Door which is Christ the Light and Spirit of Truth sent into the Heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divines so called in Europe or all or any of the wisest Orthodox men in any other Quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true Worship of God who is a Spirit now extant among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the Spirit of Truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth that we may see it and prove it by plain undeniable Truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their Proofs Words Ways Actions Practices Performances Duties and several Worships as things of no value Or if there be any other entrance into the true Worship of God than this Spirit that God sendeth or the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other Worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of Truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone Worship of God whilst men have a being upon Earth then let the wisest of the Sons of men bring it forth and produce there strong reasons therein that we may plead together and that the entrance into and the true Worship it self of the only true invisible God may be declared over all the World for the satisfaction of every tender Heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon Earth is made a quickning Spirit and is the Way and Truth of Life which bringeth into the Worship of God and he is the begining and the end and he leadeth to the beginning of Gods Worship and he is the end and the Rest of all the faithful in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen and without him all is as nothing and all that come before him are Thieves and Robbers and he it is that abideth a Priest forever and his Spirit of Truth is it which all People and Professors whatsoever should first wait to receive thereby to be led into that true Spiritual Worship which alone God accepteth lest they and their Worship and Building fall together in a day when there is none to deliver And then thus I will Query If Christ own dear Disciples who had forsook all and followed him not Priest or Baptists did not come to receive this Spirit by hearing all the words which he he spoke unto them but by waiting after the words were ended Then whether those that have not forsaken all nor so much as the Worlds fashions do now come to receive the Spirit by Reading Hearing or Professing the same words of Christ now written or any other part of Scriptures Or whether a Proud man hath received this Spirit or a Lyar or a Prophane person or any Wise or Prudent man whatsoever by any means or way of his And whether any such ever did have can or may by any industry or other way or means attain to this Spirit which leadeth in the true Worship of God but as it is freely given forth from God And then whether all people are not to be led by that Spirit which God freely giveth into the Worship of God because Christ said The Spirit should lead which indeed doth lead into all Truth and nothing else doth so And they that have not received this from God to lead them are not yet come to be led by that which the Sons and Children of God were and are led by And the Ministration of the Spirit which all are now to be taught by is inwardly to be known in the most nearest secret invisible manner and is more out of the sight Comprehension and reach of mans Wisdom than any other Ministration and it is given forth from the clear Fountain it self unto the Souls satisfaction of man when he is come to the end of words or having heard much or all the words that can be spoken of it remaineth unsatisfied in a restless longing desire to find receive feel and enjoy the thing it self which the words declared of and that which satisfieth the true thirsting Soul comes clearly from God to the refreshing of the inward parts of man and filling of the empty barren hungry Spirit which cannot be saâ—â—sâ—ed without Gods indewllings and thus the Disciples were led along and at last in a foolish way to the great Professors they waited among them in Jerusalem and the Lord had regard unto them and sent his own Spirit unto them and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost And the secret invisible hand of God whose Power was and is felt in my heart having out of the sight of flesh and blood in the hidden counsel of his secret Will led me by the vertue of the operation and drawings thereof through those things which thereby I come to leave behind and to receive and feel that which now goeth before and is my Leader in whose Covenant of Life Eternal my Soul is now satisfied and so by good experience of the Lords leading and from an experimental knowledge and sensible feeling and present enjoyment of the incomes of the Spirit of Truth and Life which filleth the inward parts with the holiness of it self and giveth power to do the things required before of God even from the right and good understanding thereof is this written That where it meets with the like condition in a weaâ—y Traveller
more because none came to visit it nor succour it for it was in a desolate place and unseemly and few had regard unto it and yet there was some hopes it might be delivered And this was a true resemblance of the state of the Seed of God in all the World And in plainness concerning Oliver Cromwell and his Son Richard late called Protectors the Vision from God was shewed to me before the downfall of either of them thus And I beheld a great and mighty Tree much bigger than ever I saw before and appearing without Sap or Virtue in it or Leaf Bough or Branch upon it much less Fruit and the top of it was broad being all big much like unto the top of Pauls Steeple in London and close by this great old Tree grew up another Tree as out of his Root and belonged to him but not both in one Body though very near together and stood both upon one Foundation and this was as a little stripling Tree which also was without Leaves or Branches or any thing to bear Fruit so that I admired to see it so with the young Tree for I looked for Branches or Leaves but there were none And whilst I was beholding of them a Man being sent came in much haste with an Ax in his hand to cut down the great mighty old Tree which seemed strange to me that one man should adventure upon so great a work to cut down such a Tree as that for the lower part of the Tree was exceeding big and almost as broad upon the Earth as half the height so that I thought he had need of three or more to help him and that one man could scarce cut him down with one Ax if he stood hewing all his Life time But I much more admired to see the Confidence of the man that came with speed with his Ax who made no stop at all because of the greatness of him nor any thing else but as soon as ever he could get to him smote with the edge of his Ax and struck between the Ground and the Tree so that I soon perceived he intended to separate between the Tree and the Ground on which he stood and the man in the might of his strength struck but three Blows in all but he separated the Tree from the Earth on which he stood and immediately the Tree fell with a mighty overthrow and the Foundation of the Tree was altogether rotten and not one Root at all but where the Root should be was Rottenness and the Earth shook at his fall and many Great men stood amazed and fear seized on many because of the great sudden fall thereof And as this great Tree fell I saw under the Foundation of the young tall Tree that stood near the other and it was much like to fall presently after and was almost down on the one hand and then almost down on the other and yet it recovered and stood up for a time having no Root but Rottenness And the great Tree fell from him on the one side and the Earth parted from him on two sides more so that only upon one side in four or less the Earth cleaved to him and he being slender and tall without Root was not like long thus to stand neither did Richard And I likewise beheld many more smaller Trees and the man with his Ax in his Hand cut them all down at the Butt somewhat above the Ground and so left the Stumps in the Earth and therefore it might be possible for them to grow up again As some did come up again who were put down but fell the second time through Disobedience And after all this I beheld also many more Trees in abundance yea more numerous then the other coming up out of the Earth and covering the face thereof and growing up apace which were not yet ready to be cut down and I saw the man with the Ax in his hand standing still for a time having cut all the other until those should be ready to be cut down and he waited till the time came and was in a readiness with his Ax in his hand ready to strike when those abundance of Trees should come up to their growth which hastened And let those who are now come up read this and let the whole City of London take heed as I said before and Repent with speed and turn to the Lord whose Servant I am called Humphry Smith Postscript WHen those People to whom God gave his Ordinances and his Statutes had long resisted and grieved his Spirit in them who said I am God and not man the holy One in the midst of thee and had also refused plain Instructions then the Lord sent them the Prophet Isaiah who said With stammering Tongues and other Eips will I speak unto this People and for a Sign he was sent to walk Naked among them And the Prophet Ezekiel was sent with that which they might esteem dark Visions and foolish Signs which were many and hard Sayings And Jeremiah he lamented over them and all the Lords Prophets proclaimed against their Priests and Leaders of them who caused them to Err and yet would they not be warned nor their Priests leave preaching Peace unto them nor they leave following their Priests until they had crucified the Just and denyed him that is the Light who saveth his People from their Sins and Jerusalem became a Heap and a Desolation and an Astonishment and so both Priests and People went into Destruction and Captivity together And thy Sins O London may be equalized with hers and are as many and as grievous and that thou mayst a little the better understand my Vision concerning thee therefore have I written these latter things that concerned others which if thou understand not that which concerns thee is more Mysterious To the great Flock of the Imprisoned Servants of GOD Almighty THe Lord is become our Portion and the God of Jacob the Lot of our Inheritance even the God of the whole Earth whose Throne is in the Heavens his Dwelling in the Hearts of the Humble before whom the least Lamb of his Fold is more delightsom than the beautifulst Flower of the Grass of the Field and of more value than the Fowls of the Air or many Sparrows which are according to his Providence the Mystery of whose Will lodgeth in the secret Chambers of his Wisdom whose Wayes are unsearchable and his goings in the deep none can fathom the unsearchable Fountain of his Goodness nor find out the utmost of the Intents of his Heart but as Love springs up with healing Oyl discovering a measure of the Motions of his Spirit whereby something of his Mind is known who inhabiteth Eternity and is dreadful in Holiness severe in his Judgments clear in his Love free in his Mercy bountiful in his Goodness large in his fatherly loving Kindness wonderful in his Operation pitiful to the Meek gentle to the Upright in Heart rewarding the
which cometh on a suddain and as a Whirlwind which none can stop and as the mighty unmerciful raging Waves of the Sea which none is able to resist even so shall the day of your Calamity come which is hastning as the lighting whose breaking forth all your fleshly Wisdom shall never be able to hinder Behold I have heard a Voice of Terror from the Lord against your Unrighteous Proceedings and the day of Gods Vengeance is in his heart and who should stand to plead with him Behold ye Thorns the Lord our God is a consuming fire and before him you cannot stand for your Sins have reached up to Heaven and your Iniquities are come before the most High and your grievous blood-thirsty actions are spread over Nations and Gods witness in thousands who are not of us but rather yet against us do rise up in their hearts against you and when you are awakned you will be filled with Anguish and a Cup of Astonishment from the Righteous God of Truth will be poured forth unto you and as sure as you have thirsted after and drunk deep of the Blood of Gods chosen though despised of men so certain shall you have Blood to drink and Trembling Horror Amazement will most absolutely come in that day which approacheth as a Thief in the Night and then shall your Bowels be ripped open and your inside Coverings broken and then shall your Hearts be rent with Perplexity and Amazement shall come over you as a Cloud of the Night and the hand of the Almighty will find out your secret lurking places and then shall ye know that the Lord our God doth and will plead the Cause of his People and avenge himself on his and their Enemies and then shall ye know that ye have risen up against the Lamb who is sometimes silent from pleading his own cause who though dumb as to answer the mighty Ones of the Earth yet faithful in suffering according to the will of him who ruleth over all and then shall ye know that though no answer at all were written unto your dark pretended Coverings yet shall you then feel an answer near unto you and the sound of Gods Terrible Voice shall be heard in the midst of you and form the dreadful Noise of his War shall you never be able to cover your selves with all your Writings Printings nor Declarations though never so strong from the prudency of the Earth for God hath cast all that behind his back and in the day at hand shall you most absolutely come to know it so to be For behold my heart is indeed rent and God hath opened in it the secret Counsel of his Will and his Purpose concerâ—ing you whose Decree shall never be changed which is sealed against the evil doer And 〈…〉 or Evil-doer who have done worse then 〈…〉 selves a Reproach amongst me◠〈…〉 the People O horrible and Wicked Cruâ—lty and Mercilâ—ss Tyranny which is found in the midst of you Is this the fruit of your Profession And has the Spirit of Truth led you to do these things Do not even the Nations stand and look at you And do not the Upright in Heart mourn in secret because of your Sins Ah! who could have believed that you would have done such things And do you think now to stop the Mouthes of People by publishing your strong Reasons Nay this is plain in my heart that all whatsoever you Print Publish or Declare shall never give satisfaction to the meek just Principle of God which remains in the Spirits of many Thousand Thousands in the Nations round about you And if your called An Appendix with the rest of your Writings were never answered by us and if we therein should lay our mouthes in the dust forever yet this we know that the holy One of Israel the Righteous God of Truth will plead our cause and execute Judgment in his fury and avenge the Blood of his Saints and help the man of low degree against him who is too strong for him and to the Lord God of Righteousness we commit our Cause and the Innocency of our dear Brethren and in Gods blessed will I rest and am satisfied in respect of his love unto his Jewels though but as Fools to the World and in respect of his answering of you acording to the fruit of your own wayes And behold ye Children of men I cannot but proceed to declare unto you the Day which is near at hand and warn you all to strip your selves from your coverings and sit down ye People in Dust and Ashes and confess your Iniquities in secret unto the Lord before it be to late for great is the Wo which is coming upon you and that which I have heard concerning you is none other then a Voice of Terror O the Trouble Distress and Calamity that soundeth in my heart concerning you and from the Lord God will it be poured forth and exceeding deep shall you drink thereof and this shall you know to be true when the Whirlwind cometh from far and the shadows of the Night draw near when no hiding place will be found for the Hypocrite neither a refuge for the Evil doer And then as ye have not spared the despised of the World so will the Lord cast upon you and not spare O the Bitterness and Unutterable Torments which will then come but who amongst you will believe these things and who can entertain the Counsel of the Lord And are not your hearts yet hardened against Reproof And are not to be reproved for your Envy against Gods People Nay moreover are you not sometimes already reproved by him who seeth in secret and who searcheth the Intents of the Heart and maketh manifest unto man the Wicked Enterprises thereof and overturneth the Counsels of the Wicked but remembreth the Cause of the Needy and pleadeth the Innocency of the Upright in whose sight the Death of the Saints is precious and who pleadeth their Cause in the day of Trouble and will most certainly confound his Adversaries and scatter his Enemies as smoke is scattered with a mighty Whirlwind and in that day where then will your place be found And a seed there is which God will deliver from your hands and preserve from the Blood-thirsty men which shall grow up in the midst of you as a Lilly among Thorns and Gods blessing shall be upon them with whom my Life is And as the latter gleaning in the time of Harvest so shall the gathering of Gods Heritage be And what you have done will be for the advantage of the suffering Seed and for the Glory of God and much for your disadvantage and eternal Shame and endless Misery if you repent not And this you men of sin should know that inasmuch as you have taken away the Life of Gods Creatures and moreover Unjustly by an Unrighteous Law destroyed the Lives of his Servants therein may all men see that you are contrary to Christ and led by a Spirit
opposite to him who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them And what is here written need not hinder the moving of God in any of my Bretheren his servants in giving forth a more large Answer according to the particulars written in your called Appendix or to any other of your writings the which you may also expect only this was in my heart in which I have discharged my Conscience and so herein give forth my Mite a-amongst the rest of my Brethren by way of Declaration and that from God And by this it is my Souls desire your hearts may be humbled and truly rent and broken for your own Iniquities and that with speed or otherwise Gods dreadful hand you cannot escape And this is in faithfulness to God and love to your souls from a Friend thereof called Humphry Smith The 14th of the first Moneth in the Year 1660. The Lamb his Day PROCLAIMED THe Kingdom of God is at hand which comes not with Observation Salvation is near unto all that will receive it Redemption is coming in a time unexpected and Deliverance in a way not known as a Thief in the dark is the Heir come whose Light out of Darkness is shining and that which shineth out of Darkness is it alone that giveth the knowledge of God whom to know is Life eternal and the brightness of the Day of God is springing forth of Darkness as the Morning-Sun after the Darkness of the Night and glorious is this Day of the Revelation of God to all them that have waited for his coming who in the Life of his Power through the Obedience in his Love come to rejoyce in his Dominion over all the Powers of Darkness forever and sound forth the dreadful Day of his Power unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth from the which Christ the Saviour comes to take Peace and to bring the Sword of Gods Judgments into the Bowels of all the Earthly Minded and in him that judgeth the secrets of all mens Hearts do his Followers rejoyce and proclaim him unto you all that makes an end of Sin who of the Father of Love and Mercy is tendered unto all that will receive him that in him who condemns the Evil deeds and sin in the flesh Salvation might be attained unto who now comes unto his own of whom many receive him not for he is come to judge the World whom God so loved that he gave his Son the Light of the World that whosoever believe in him by whom the secrets of all hearts are and shall be judged may be saved from Wrath to come and find a sure hiding place when the wicked shall be cut off the Earth And now who will receive the Lamb in whose Mouth there is no Guile Who among the Sons of men will receive him that hath been slain from the Foundation of the World Who will receive him that is the Gift of God which is Perfect Who will receive him that is a man of Sorrows whose beauty is hid from the prudent of the Earth Who will receive him that the Priests cry out against and the Rulers say Away with him from the Earth Who will come unto the waters of Life and return unto the Fountain of living Mercies that in his Belly the springs of Life may be felt Who can endure to follow him to end of World whose Kingdom is not of this World and who receiveth not honour of men Who can hear receive and keep the hard sayings and drink his Blood that cleanseth from all sin Who is willing to receive him that is the Resurrection and the Life whose Presence troubled and terrified his own Disciples so that their Hearts burned within them VVho will lay down their Crowns at the foot of him that is the Light and mourn over him that is slain whom they have pierced and through Patience Long-suffering and Obedience follow the one Shepherd in the Regeneration even unto them is the VVord of Consolation sent Therefore be ye awakned O all ye Rulers and People let not your Hearts be hardned against Gods VVitness in you neither stop your Ears nor close your Eyes for of a Truth the Lord is at hand and is come to try you with his Loving-kindness and with his Judgments His flock despised of men hath he sent in the meekness of his love to preach the innocent Life of his Son among you in Meekness Patience Sufferings and Tribulations who being reviled revileth not again but in patience enduring long Imprisonment yea VVant and Sickness there and Abuses cruel Mockings Stonings in the street daily and Revilings by ungodly Persons whose Cruelty is encreased and their Sins multiplied encreasing to the day of Judgment and Righteous Revelation of Gods wrath upon all Unrighteousness of men who hold his Truth in that which is not his Righteousness which is now brought near unto all that fear before him in Uprightness of Heart that Truth in the inward parts they might come to know and in it VVorship the God of the Spirits of all flesh And all you People that are meek and tender who have been taught by the Priests and not by the Lord whose Mercy to the humble abideth forever the Lord God Almighty hath so loved you that he hath provided a better Teacher for you which shall not be removed and a Priest that abideth forever and a Bishop for your Souls and behold he is no less then a King yea he ruleth over Kings and help is laid upon him who is mighty and he is able to save and he is so willing to do it that he hath laid down his Life for that end and he standeth at the Door and knocks and he that knocks is called the Word and the Word is as a hammer and the Word is in the Heart where Christ is to be received and where this knocks for entrance and it knocks against sin and in him is no sin and he cometh to save you from sin and to lead you the way to the Father and without Money doth he ever teach nay he giveth abundantly unto all that are taught by him and that more then mortal Riches and you may have him to be with you alwayes forever and he can resolve all your Doubts and satisfie every one and replenish the weary and nourish the faint and in him are all Gods Treasures of the which by him you may come to partake forever and he himself is as a Treasure in thy field but hid from thee which I have found in the Earthen Vessel and declare it unto thee that thy Fallow-ground may be ript up to find the Pearl for this is near unto thee and the motion of it is against thy sin the beauty whereof thou canst never see until to it thou comest to hearken H. S. FOR THE honour of the king AND And the great Advancing thereof amongst men over all Nations in the World In the ensuing Proposals tending thereunto stated in Six PARTICULARS Concerning the KING'S
Honour 1. By His Subjects Unity one with another 2. By His Subjects Submission to all his Laws 3. By His Subjects Faithfulness unto him 4. By His Subjects Uprightness in Craffick with other Nations 5. By His Subjects Departing from that which dishonoureth both God and the King 6. By His Subjects Being the peculiar People of God and they having his Spirit to counsel him I. Concerning the honour of the king by the Unity of his Subjects one with another WEre all or the Major part of the King's Subjects so in Unity one with another that every man sought each others good as much as his own and so fulfilled the Law of God therein by each mans loving his Neighbour as himself and doing unto all and at all times as they would be done unto having the Bond of Peace upon their Hearts by the power of his Spirit who commanded the Christians not only to love one another but also their Enemies whereby they are so far from Defraud or coveting other mens Goods or wronging any man in Person or Estate that Covetousness is not named among them neither could be by any justly charged upon them but rather the things they possess are acknowledged to be the Lord's and themselves to be but Stewards thereof and therefore durst not be unfaithful towards God or man in the Unrighteous Mammon lest the Lord should refuse to commit unto them the greater Riches And were they brought to have a certain knowledge one of another herein that they durst with boldness confide one inanothers Constancy in those things without the least fear of being any way wronged or oppressed or injured by each other with what abundance of satisfaction would such live upon the Earth and how desirable and amiable would this be for Christians and Brethren to live thus in Unity And were they brought not to turn away their faces from their own flesh nor to slight the Cry of the Poor but with an Eye of Pity still to be commiserating the Needy and much caring how to have Oppression removed that so with the more chearfulness the Necessities of their poor Brethren might the easier be relieved and such continual Care to be taken herein until all Oppressions were brought to an end and all the Poor kept from want their being sufficient within the King's Dominions to do it that what is spent in Vanity might be forborn and what is wasted in Oppression might be withheld and other wayes found out as something hath been prescribed by Thomas Lawrence of Marleborough until there were not one poor Member of all the Body of the King's Dominions to be found that had need to ask for Food or Rayment by reason of the Brotherly Care Love and Unity in the aforesaid Subjects And all Jealousies and Heart-burnings one against another and fear one of another as to be hurt in Person or Estate or destroyed one of another to be as clearly removed out of all minds as if such things had never been all being contented with the things and places that they have and no man seek another's Goods or House or House or Land or Place or Worldly Honour from him nor any strive to be greater than another therein but if any strive then so to strive as to excel in Virtue and in his service of love to his Brethren and People of his Nation until Love Unity and lasting Peace and Concord spread over all and all the contrary removed which would be much for the Honour of the KING not onely all the dayes of his Life but would reach unto the Ages to come II. Concerning the King's Honour by his Subjects submission actively or passivly unto all his Laws VVEre the King's Subjects or the major part thereof brought to be as ready to observe and keep all his Laws Edicts and Commands which are according unto and grounded upon good Reason the holy Scriptures and according to Gods Witness in their Consciences as he is to require it and as freely willing to walk according to all such his good and wholsom Laws Statutes and Ordinances as he is to impose such upon them And moreover that they could not be constrained to break them by any Forreign Prince or Evil Member at home but at all times and in all cases standing so faithful that the King be never dishonoured by their transgression of his just and righteous Laws and that for Conscience sake out of love and not for fear And moreover did the King make such Laws and Orders or suffer such to remain in force which his Subjects aforesaid did certainly know were contrary to good Reason and not according to the Scriptures or Law of God but quite contrary also to Gods Witness in their own Consciences and that such Laws also were well known to them to be destructive to the King's Subjects and much hurtful to their Estates and danger of ruinating their Families or if it should reach to Death or Banishment yet they not to rebel against the King nor raise Arms to defend themselves though they are truly satisfied that such Laws are unreasonable yet for Conscience sake not to oppose but submit unto every Ordinance of Man whether unto the King or such as are set in Authority under him And so though they cannot actively obey those Laws which are contrary to Gods Righteous Law written in their Hearts yet passively to fulfill those Laws also by a passive suffering the Penalties which those Laws require of such as actively keep them not And so therein again are those Laws fulfilled also by them that so it might be said of him That his Subjects are alwayes ready to fulfill or submit unto all his Laws and Orders either by active or passive obedience whether they be reasonable or unreasonable And a People being brought thus to submit to the King in all things would be very much for his Honour in Truth and Righteousness III. Concerning the King's Honour by the Faithfulness of his Subjects unto him VVEre all the King's Subjects brought unto such Faithfulness unto him that he himself could with good Confidence trust them or himself with them and without any doubting believe and know that they would not harm him in the least nor in the least contrive the shortning of his dayes but all desiring his long life to govern in Righteousness And were they all of such a Principle and unalterable therein as not to destroy any man's Life though their Enemies much less a Friend a Neighbour or a Christian that the King might be well perswaded of them that they would never harm him nor plot nor conspire against him nor ever offer or intend Violence towards him though he had none to guard him so that if he please he might even with boldness and confidence at any time trust himself with them or amongst them without the least danger or fear in himself knowing all his Subjects to be as careful of his Life as his Life-Guard so that if he please he might
not need alwayes to keep one Company of his Subjects to guard him for fear of any other of his Subjects but rather for fear of such as are not his Subjects And were all his Subjects brought in such Faithfulness and the King well and truly satisfied therein would it not ease him and his Council of much Care and sometimes Fear too and to be so well satisfied in himself concerning his Subjects Faithfulness to him herein that he could take their Word for it without Oath Bond or Surety Or if he had no Word or Promise at all from them yet could believe and trust them that they would never plot or rise against him nor do him harm but remain as firm steadfast and true to him as any other Princes Subjects in the whole World by any of their Oaths Bonds or other Engagements whatsoever if not more constant and steadfast which were all the King's Subjects brought unto would be such an Honour unto the King therein as would hardly be found belonging unto any Prince in the whole World again IV. Concerning the Honour that the King might have by the Uprightness of his Subjects in their Traffick with other Nations VVEre all the King's Subjects or most part of them brought into Truth Plainness and Righteousness so that their Yea was Yea and their Nay Nay that so all Merchants and Factors could take their Words and trust to their Words to be of more value than the Oaths of most Princes Subjects in the World and that in what Nation or Kingdom soever they come in the World as soon as it was heard they were such a Princes Subjects that then both the King of those Dominions with Princes Judges Merchants Factors and People might all conclude they were true men of their Words and that any man might deal with them and none be afraid to traffique with them because they abhor Deceit Defraud and Lying and all manner of Cozening or Dishonesty And would not this also promote trading and so enrich the Kingdom and be some means to relieve the Poor And is not the enriching of the Kingdom for the King's Honour And what Man or Nation is it but would desire to deal with Just Men And would not the Fame of such a Prince and such his Subjects as deal justly and truely where-ever they come soon sound over all the World And would it not be for his Honour that had such a People as did neither seek nor ask but a Just Price where-ever they come amongst all Nations in the World And if such Honour before mentioned be esteemed what part of it is beyond this which might cause a King's Name to be renowned over the whole World having such upright true just honest-hearted men in all things to his Subjects as not any other Eemperour or Prince could produce the like V. Concerning the King's Honour by his Subjects departing from that which disbonoureth both God and the King and themselves VVEre all the King's Subjects brought to leave and utterly to forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomp and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the flesh and the carnal desires of the same and so to leave and utterly forsake all manner of Evil in word and deed and to bear no Malice nor Hatred in their Hearts to keep their Tongues from Lying and Evil-speaking seeing it is the evil words that Corrupt the good manners and so not to speak proudly nor contemptuously no not of the meanest Member in the Nation but to abhor and leave Arrogancy with all manner of Voluptuosness knowing that God resisteth the Proud and so not one such prophane person as Lord Esau to be found amongst them nor one Swearer nor Lyar nor Thief nor Murderer amongst them neither yet a Drunkard nor a Glutton nor a Whoremonger nor a Covetous Person which is Idolatry to be found amongst them nor any that spend their dayes in Vanity nor that abuse or waste the good Creatures of God in any of the King's Dominions whereby any of his Subjects may come to want to his dishonour And were they all brought to forsake the very Appearance of Evil and so never to transgress any of his good Laws to his dishonour herein also would this be for the Honour of the King And thus might his Fame ring over all the World and be of great Renown among all the Upright-hearted in all Nations for what is a King without his Subjects And when is a King more honoured by his Subjects than when his Subjects themselves are most honourable and act most noble and honourably And what is more honourable and more noble in the outward practice among the sons of men whereby a King might be honoured than the things aforesaid Nay do not the Principles Qualities and Practices aforesaid make men more noble and honourable than the Titles of For Esau was called Lord Edom had many Dukes and Ishmael had twelve Princes Lord Esau or Dukes of Edom or Princes of Ishmael seeing Abraham was a Wanderer and Jacob a Pilgrim and Israel dwelt in Tents who obtained a good Report through Faith and whom God hath renowned with an everlasting Honour VI. Concerning the Honour of the King and also his great Benefit by his Subjects being the Peculiar Chosen People of God and their having the Spirit of the Lord to counsel Him VVEre many of the King's Subjects the true Servants and Children of the invisible God of Heaven and Earth by true mortification sanctification and regeneration and truly led moved and guided by the Spirit of God and many of them so grown into the Power and Wisdom of God really and absolutely so having the Spirit of the Lord poured sorth upon them in these latter dayes according to the promise of God which must be and is already fulfilled so that at a needful time one of them having as it was said of Daniel ch 5. v. 11. the Spirit Light Understanding and Wisdom being found in him could shew unto the King such a thing or things or secret Determination of God which all others the King's Wise-men whomsoever could not and to discover the lurking of the King's Enemies unto him and their secret purposes against him though they were far remote as Elisha discovered unto the King of Israel that which the King of Syria in his Bed-chamber contrived against him whereby the King of Israel escaped his Plots not once or twice 2 King 6. 10. And that they could and did at any time and often times as moved of the Lord declare and shew unto the King the Counsel of God concering himself and his Kingdom and what would come to pass concerning both and how he might avoid the Evil and chuse the Good like as Samuel and other Prophets who had the Spirit were wont to do unto the Kings of Israel in the dayes of old that so his Throne might be established in Righteousness which would be more than an ordinary Honour for
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
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
Law which is Light sin is found that is it which is afraid to receive the Law and come near the Darkness and Thunders and Tempests and so though many do talk of the Law being a School-master to Christ yet they are much afraid to receive the Ministration of Condemnation as their Fathers were who might have boasted that they were the People of God his only chosen flock and that the Land of rest was promised to them and that they had fed upon the Passover and yet they perished before they came to that which was promised who are left for an Example and they might have boasted and talked much of the goodness of God and of his wonders and of his presence being with them and of their own experiences therein and that therefore they were not to come under the Ministration of Condemnation and fear and horror and trembling and astonishment and that they need not now to be afraid of God who had shewed them so much love and mercy And many such things might they have pleaded as most professing People do now who can talk of promises and deliverances and of Christ and his Merites and Righteousness and Justification and Redemption finished without them and especially of Ordinances and their own experiences of the Power of God but are yet in their sins having not received the thing promised neither come to him who is the end of the Law and maketh an end of sin whom many satisfie their vain Minds with talking of him with the same Tongue that useth deceit and professing him who is the end of the Law but the Law they despise holding the Truth of God in the unrighteous Ground which by the mighty power of God through the Ministration of the Law is to be shaken and removed as it is written Sinai also was moved and all Israel trembled and Moses did fear and quake and once more will the Lord shake not only the Earth but the Heavens also and then shall the Foundation of the Hypocrites be overturned forever For though the Name of God and Christ be professed yet if Moses's Law be despised such dye without Mercy for the Law is to remove the Iniquity which doth with-hold the Mercy and the good things from man and in the end of the Law is that received by which the Law is fulfilled which is according to the Law and the Prophets but there is none can come to that in the end of the Law who refuse to come to the beginning of the Law and despise the Ministration of Condemnation and make a mock at Trembling or at least not knowing what it is exceedingly to fear and quake being not in the least sensible what that is which must be shaken and removed before the thing promised be obtained for a Promise may be made long before the thing promised be given or obtained for a Promise was made unto Abraham and his seed and yet it is written of him and many more that they dyed having not obtained the Promises and he that made the promise was before the sin who ministred forth the Law to discover the sin through the Ministration whereof and by Obedience thereunto that cometh to be received which taketh away the sin in which all the Promises are received And so all that come to receive the thing promised they receive that which is the end of the Law and was before the sin in which there is no sin by which sin is finished and him received in whose Mouth there is sound no Guile who bringeth his to be as he is in this present World being made the Righteousness of God through him having the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in them by him who is the end of the Law dwelling in them in whom also his Power worketh mightily which is more than to talk of the Law being fulfilled without them for many such are neither come to that which fulfills the Law neither yet to the Law it self and such are hating reviling backbiting opposing and many ways persecuting those who witness the Law fulfilled in them even as Saul who was bred up at the feet of Gamalâ—â—l and knew that of the Law which was written without and walked blameless according to the Righteousness thereof and yet knew not that which gave forth the Law but persecuted him by whom the Law should be fulfilled whose dreadful Power smote him down and a blindness came upon that great Professor who had profited much in that Religion above many of his equals And to that Power which struck him blind did he then bow and became obedient and afterwards said When the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed And so that was struck blind and is to be blinded which professed the Law before it came and encreased in that knowledge without the Life and Knew not that by which the Law should be fulfilled Therefore that which sees must be blind and that which is blind is to see And this Revelation and heavenly Vision he did not then call a Temptation nor a Delusion neither did he despise that which struck him blind and let him see a Body of sin and came to cut him down because of the sin but cryed out of his Wretchedness and accounted all as Dross and Dung and unto this he was obedient and this he loved and did not say of it That it was not able to save him from Sin the which before did prick for sin though against that which prickt he had strived which was in him and it was said unto him It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks And so that which striveth and kicketh against that which pricketh at the Heart is that by which the Heart is hardened for the Word is hid in the heart which Word is sharp as a sword which Word being preached some were pricked to the heart others cut to the heart so that many cryed out Men and Brethrenâ— what shall we do to be saved And so the Word being nigh â—n which God is striving with man even piercing the hearts of many that some in secret have been ready to cry out and say What shall I do to be saved And yet being not truly sensible what it is in them which did prick and pierce through the heart and let them see themselves out of Gods Covenant therefore have they strove against it and called this a Temptation which was the Powerful Operation of God by the Light of his Son in the heart calling to Repentance the which they have called a Temptation of the Devil esteeming it so to be which is most horrible Blasphemy and resisting of the Spirit and refusing to turn to him that smiteth And this is the blindness of them who know not God who by the Light of his Son doth knock at the Door of the heart to minister forth the Law to judge and condemn and break the hardness that in the broken heart this Word of Life might be received and his Power made known
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
hidden place and Life to grow up in the midst of Death and to break through the Powers of Darkness and the Lord in his Power gave utterance to his Servants and Messengers and then were the words of his Truth as Food to the Hungry and with much gladness of Heart was the sound of the Way of Life by many received then did Love begin to arise in the Heart and a tenderness in the Bowels and a willingness in the Mind and then was a Joy like the Joy of Harvest among the People and many began to invite one another saying Come and we will return to the Lord and we will resolve to walk in his Paths forever then was the Voice of Thanksgiving among the People and the wayes of the Lord became more delightsom than Gold and the footsteps of Righteousness more pleasant than all the Treasure in the world O! it even melts the heart to remember the dayes that are past and to consider the infinite Goodness of him that is the God of the Poor and Needy Then were many made willing to run and to leave their filthy Garments behind them even before they well knew how to do it O! how loathsom was Sin in that day and how wearisom was the Land of Darkness and how desirable even beyond expression was the unsatisfied thirsting Soul after the Presence of God Could the Treasure of the Earth then have given Peace or could Silver have satisfied the hungry heart Or could the choisest Love of the most nearest Relations have quenched the thirst of the parched ground Surely none but the Lord was then desired yea other Lovers became as loathsom and other Delights became burthensom to the weary Travellers and all Vanities began to vanish as a Vapour of Smoke and the Wind of Heaven was daily a scattering the chaff and the barren Womb mourned for the quickning Life of God who had put it into the hearts of his long afflicted scattered Ones to follow him in the Ways of Truth Equity and then did the Lord visit such again and again in his Loving-kindness by his Servants whose Living Words of Truth through them did yet more open the Understandings Hearts satisfie the judgments of the humble People in the knowledge of the way to Rest and Peace in leaving the evil chusing the good to walk come to live therein forever And then came the time of Trial and Exercise when the Cross must be taken up to the Worlds wayes and all foolish Vanities left behind and the needless words no longer used nor that Religion continued any longer in which made nothing perfect Then did the People gaze and wonder and the Relations and the Acquaintance stood like as from David afar off and then was every ones greatest Enemy with the Light found in his own House then did the Tribes of the Earth mourn then did the Dragon stretch forth his Power then did the Doubtings and Fears and Thoughts and Unbelief come roling in like Floods O the straights that many then were in even seeming greater than any before and none but the Lord could deliver so that then the Cryes were doubled and the secret Groans came on afresh again and the greater the Cryes of such were the more they prevailed with him that was to help but with his Rod he forced them to submit unto his Will by departing out of that which had caused him to frown upon them and by leaving that which had polluted their Dwelling and as they began to obey him therein so he began to let forth the smiles of his Favour towards them and when they offended again he chastized them fore and scourged them for their Negligence and corrected them because they forgot their Obedience to his will and as thereby they drew near unto him he eased the stroke of his Justice and let them taste of his Mercy and sometimes invited them with love as a Father draweth the Child And thus he left not working with them and in them by his own secret Wisdom and Power until he had brought them to be after the desire of his Heart that he might delight in them forever and that they might never more be scattered upon the barren Hills nor yet the dark Mountains And as Obedience in Truth and Innocency was willingly yeilded to the Lord Peace began to take hold and Satisfaction got some entrance and a little secret hope there was which became as an Anchor to the Soul against the Stormy time and also in the midst thereof and as Inniquity was departed from so there came into the humble Heart some satisfaction from God and some stability in his way of Righteousness and then refreshings of Life attended the heart in the Morning and the Water which reneweth the Thirsty began to open it self in the midst of a barren Land and then nothing was more desired than the living upon that Food with which the God of Heaven doth nourish only his Children which he freely gave and brought down even near to the Tents of Israel and he caused them to know his Statutes and his Judgments and he put his perfect Law in the midst of them and his Mercy seat within the Vail that they might ask Counsel at the living Oracle and he gave them his Spirit which all the circumcised of Heart do rightly know to be the chiefest good and to this end did he bestow that most precious Gift upon them and gave that Spirit of Life into them even to guide counsel and direct inform instruct reprove defend and succour them and nourish their Souls for evermore And so he set before them the way in which they should walk with him wherein he would be their Father and the Rock of their strength and made known unto them the secret Mysteries of his heavenly blessed Will which had been long concealed and doth yet so remain from the Disobedient and covered from the Children of men And when even the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob had done all this and much more for you O ye now well beloved Friends then did he begin to try your patience and to exercise yoâ— yet further to prove you and to make known unto you even more of that which had long been in the heart and then he suffered a calm to come over you and much quietness there was with many and then did the Enemy begin to assay again to bring into Carelesness and present a spirit of slumber with dulness and negligence attending and then the Seed was again burthened therewith and the Upright hearted durst not give way thereunto before whose Eyes the pure heavenly fear still remaineth surely it were almost endless to relate the sundry Tryals and States which have been known among the flock of Jacob Who could have believed that the strong should have been so tempted as they were and the mighty so assaulted divers wayes as they have been and yet that the weakest who continued in the Grace
as deal justly with us but writ therein That we were lately taken at a Meeting as though it had been very lately indeed and thereby have sought to conceal the long Imprisonment we had then suffered for the same Meeting therein signified and concerning which we have also suffered nine weeks more in this Prison of Winchester this 13th of the 11th Moneth 1662. And these our heard and unreasonable Sufferings and grievous Abuses doth even cause a Cry for Mercy and may claim Compassion in Equity as well as Justice from you who in Justice ought to shew Mercy in relieving the oppressed who having suffered all these things only upon the account of some difference in Opinion in matters of Religion or matter in us of Conscience to God wherein also the King 's late Declaration offereth us Relief the benefit thereof we shall gladly receive but if otherwise then we say The will of the Lord be done whom we dare not but follow though it should be to the loss of all John Austin Jonas Goff William Bucklan Thomas Cozens Nichlos Cumplin William Jennings Solomon Nun also a Prisoner eleven Weeks for not paying four Shillings for being absent four First-dayes from their Church at Fareham which in Conscience he could not pay and so he is kept from his Masters business being a young Apprentice-lad John Bishop also a Prisoner nine Weeks being taken out of his own House from the which he was not departed neither were there then found with him any more men but two Humphry Smith a Prisoner one year and three Moneths and never called at Assize or Sessions nor suffered to come to any of the Rulers in the County to lay before them the true state of his Case And now seeing the hardness of the hearts of the Rulers is such that though a Copy of this fore-going Paper was sent unto them at the time of their late appointed Sessions and they not release the said sufferers nor commiserate their long and fore suffering Cause being some of them but poor men and seeing the said Paper was turned again and so the cause of the long oppressed turned aside Therefore is this published with the other that both Rulers and People may hear and see the long and many Afflictions of the harmless And now as touching four Coats that in cold Winter weather were stript off us since we came to this Prison and openly carried forth by one whose name we forbear to write and the Money for them drunk presently in strong Beer concerning the which although we mentioned not a word amongst the rest of our sufferings in the fore-going Paper And yet seeing it is so that just thereupon we were curbed and checked and Friends kept out from us and bitter words used at them that were let in though the Goaler had profit by them and that even by the Goaler's Wife she having slighted Gods love and so now hath little Pity for us and this being also done at the same time when the King's Declaration was come forth which is so largely tending to our Liberty And that the said Goalers Wife and himself if they own that action may know that it was out of forbearance of love and not of slavish fear of any that we mentioned not these our Coats in the said Paper Therefore are these few lines pertaining to this matter now added to the rest of the sufferings of us J. A. T. C. J. G. N. C. This 14th day of the 11th Moneth 1662. And the cause or the Reasons wherefore the Copy of the Mittimus with the answer of me H. S. is herein made publick are these First Because John Norton and Humphry Bennit have not only thus committed me upon no other account but for being such a man as Gods servants were in the days of old and for doing no other thing but what was though sometimes unjustly charged against them and also before this late Law was made intentionally against Meeting Secondly Because they have kept me close Prisoner one Year three Moneths and upward and that only upon this account Thirdly Because I have been all this time deprived even of that benefit of the Law in this Land which Thieves and Murderers have being not all this time called at Assize or Sessions Fourthly Because the said John Norton refused to let me have any liberty for a little season when a Friend came to seek it of him after I had lain here almost a Year Fifthly Because nothing of evil is proved or brought in against me nor any Law known by which they thus keep me in long Bondage though wrongfully in the Mittimus they have pretended a Law Sixthly Because I am more hardly dealt with in my imprisonment then the High-way-men that break out of Prison or any other Ossendor here by their order for the keeping of Friends from coming in to visit him that is one of the Members of Christ in Prison Seventhly Because that by no means all this time I can be permitted once to pass forth to any House in the Town and several Reasons more wherein I am unreasonably dealt with all which having so long and with much silence and patience undergone Eightly Because all this and much more of their hard dealing and my sufferings are so little regarded by the said John Norton and Humphry Bennit and other Rulers who some of them said I might Rot here Therefore I say thus much is at present published and that other tender hearted people and the meekest among the Rulers may both read and consider the cause of the Oppressed and also the long sufferings of Humphry Smith The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service John 16. 2. If the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you John 15. 81. But in the great day when it shall be said Come ye Blessed and Go ye Cursed the things then laid to their charge will be these I was Hungry Thirsty a Stranger Naked Sick and in Prison and ye visited me not Answer When saw we thee so Reply In as much as ye did it not unto one of the least of these ye did it not to me according to Mat. 25. 41 42 43 44 45 46. The the Sons of Men. YOu Sons of men whom God hath made to shew forth the works of his hands listen a little be quiet and hear and let your Minds be still Why should Envy arise in your heaâ—ts let my words be received in Love for behold I speak in Righteousness and in Peace from him that hath good-will towards man let your vain thoughts be denied and in coolness of Spirit in true Moderation give ear a little Why should the true fear of the Lord be dispised by you And why should you not receive instruction that your Souls might live in Peace forever Or why should I be esteemed by you as an Enemy for bringing the Message of Everlasting Peace to you which long did want it
this in you you may overcome the World which is let in the heart And was not he that is the Light and the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World And hath not the World such a Foundation in you and such a growth and stature over you that you cannot see to the end of it nor believe to the overcoming of it And is it not therefore that you are joyned to that by which the Lamb is slain so that his Grave is with the Rich and his Burial with the Wicked read and understand And doth not the Blood of the slain Cry from the ground against you Did you never hear the the oppressed Cry Did you never feel a seed in you cry aloud for Life though it lies in the Death Did you never know the house of Mourning nor feel him near who is a man of Sorrows Are you quite dead and past feeling Nay nay there is many of you are not so far hardened nor yet so much given up however the time hath been that you all might have known this thing I declare of which belongs to your peace you that have the Scriptures and are talking of the place of holy Worship take heed hearken and hear a little He that makes an end of sin is come near unto you he who remains a Priest forever Mourneth over you and your day of visitation is come yea behold the Lamb the meek harmless unspotted beloved of God comes meekly though esteemed not able to save himself yet behold it s the King of Glory crowned with Immortality forever who rides meekly in Righteousness and gentle in the Father's Wisdom yea the Heir is come resist him not lest the thing which belongs to your Everlasting peace be hid from your Eyes for evermore and you left desolate only having the Scriptures of Truth but not the Truth in the inward parts where the knowledge of it makes free For behold the Prince of Everlasting Peace I proclaim unto you even the Word by which the World was made by which Word all things are upheld and the Word of Reconciliation reconcileth the heart Mark it s the Heart of the parents to the Children and the Children to the parents that the Earth may not be smitten with a Curse and who so have received that Word so as it comes to be ingrafted into them thereby their hearts come to be reconciled one to another and have Love Unity and Peace with all those Things Persons and Creatures which were at first made and are upheld by the Power of that Word to which he that is come of him it s written In Famine he shall redeem thee from Death and in War from the Power of the Sword and thou shalt be hid from the Scourge of the Tongue neither shalt thou be afraid of Destruction when it cometh at destruction and famine thou shalt laugh neither shalt thou be afraid of the beast of the Earth for thou shalt be at league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be in league with thee and thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace and thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin And you that are far off from coming to read this within may search the Scriptures and read it there of a seed that shall be great as the off-spring that shall be as the Grass of the Earth for Number so shall they be multiplied in whose Mouthes there is found no guile are Children that will not Lye that are come to him who is the Prince of Peace that makes an end of sin and is the Word before the sin and the Covenant of God the Everlasting Father who proclaims Liberty to the captive and is the one thing needful in the which all things are reconciled to God and in him to one another whether things in Heaven or in Earth or under the Earth whereby comes Peace in the receiving and submission unto that Word of Power by which all things were made and are upheld and the Light of that word is that which is become unto us both Rest and Joy and Life and Peace And this is that which is ministred into every Creature and this we have heard in secret and proclaim on the House tops and this is to be preached unto all Nations that by it he that is above all through all and in all may come to be known which is the Gospel of the Kingdom and this I proclaim unto you and publish within your borders and make mention of his Name within your Gates that the Life of Immortal Peace there you might feel and this is it which you have long resisted as your Fathers did and when you have rebelled against this like them before that also rebelled against the Light Job 24. 13. And having resisted it in your selves then you rise up against us who believe in the Light John 12. 39. and when you have even murthered the witness in your selves then you seek to destroy us who bear witness that he is come who reproves the World of sin and the World is set in the Heart and the Light is come into the World and that which reproveth for sin is in you though by reason of sin it is wounded and often overcome and with that which is wounded in you we mourn and with that which sometimes troubles you we have Peace and that in you is our Friend and pleads for us against you whom you refuse to hear and that which you are most afraid of we love and embrace and that which would break your hearts hath broke ours and that in you which is to kill the Life you live is that which hath brought us from Death to Life by which we now live for that which was alive is dead and that which was dead is alive and the first born is slain and the seed is come forth from under Deaths Bond but you that are Rich and think you need nothing in whom Wickedness is found are the grave Isaiah in which that is buried as a dead thing which should save from Death and give power over the Grave and bring peace for evermore And if that in you arise not to give you Life and Peace and so fellowship with us whose Life is in it yet do we with it rejoyce in its Righteous Judgments and have fellowship with it as it ariseth to judge and condemn you for your disobeying and contemning of it for absolutely if you will not let it now arise to mortifie the Lust and bring down the Life which is in the strength of your wills and so to give you peace then will it arise hereafter to judge and condemn you when you shall not be able any longer to resist nor overcome the strength of its dreadful power in executing Judgment upon the Transgressor To Friends at Ailsbury Prison and in them parts DEar and well-beloved Friends who continue true Followers of the Lamb of God in faithful Sufferings for
the Testimony of his Name and remain Prisoners for the same Truth and Testimony of Jesus for which also this Body of mine doth and hath long suffered Restraint and Bonds and my Soul grieved with the Sodomitish Wickedness and Heathenish Prophainness of Hard-hearted Rebellious to God and disobedient Ungodly People whose Judgment slumbereth not and whose Damnation will certainly come and be just from God upon them who have made a Covenant with Death and shew forth themselves as a people at an Agreement with all the Powers of Hell in which is the Reward of all the Wicked that have forgotten God and wholely rejected the manifold Manifestation of his Mercies which unto you O ye dear and tender-hearted is as precious Oyl and as desirable Treasure Who can but prize the Mercies of the God of Heaven How refreshingly hath it often flowed in upon the thirsty Habitations of many to the abundant refreshing and comforting of the weary Land Oh! how sweetly and with what pleasantness hath mine Eyes beheld the springing up and the growth and spreadings of the tender Plants after the distiling streams of the Heavenly Dews upon them and every one standing in his place flourishing with their Branches over the Earth not one offending the other and all casting forth a sweet favour being daily replenished with the springings up of the Sap of Life and comforted with the Sun Beams of Righteousness How harmoniously then doth the Garden flourish And how beautiful is every Plant whom God hath planted And is it possible for any other plants to bring forth Fruits unto holiness but only such whom the God of Heaven causeth to grow And how sad is it for any one Plant to hurt kill or destroy another And who can without some Remorse or pity behold the withering and fading of any such Plants whose flourishing was once so delightsom that all who passed by and took notice thereof commended them for their virtue or at least took some special notice of their prudence and the wisdom of him by whom they flourished in that they grew multiplied and prospered though they could not perceive nor understand by what invisible virtue they thus were nourished nor whence it came I say again when I have beheld the Trees of the Lord the Plants of the Garden of God in their fresh green growing flourishing united State in the Life of Liberty my heart hath often been refreshed my Soul quickned my Spirit revived and my mind and desires abundantly satisfied Then hath my life founded forth the precious praises of the Almighty in the Assemblies of the upright and my Heart broken therewith in the delightsom Love hath poured forth Thanksgiving with tenderness and tears in secret O! how then hath the overflowing of Mercy reached over the uttermost borders of my dwelling and how sweetly have we then been comforted and revived one in another How lovely then hath the face of the Righteous been when Righteousness it self in the Meekness of Love looked forth at the Windows How were the Bowels of each other then enflamed within them How sweet was the Beauty of Meekness to the Beholders Who then could but receive the love of the loveliness it self Dear Lambs of the fold of Heaven whose hearts are still opened by the feeling of the virtue of life who only know me and can hear the words of my Life and understand the Voice of my Love My Heart and Soul salutes you my Love is dear unto you my Life hath long reached forth it self towards you in my Remembrance your Life is written I am your Servant in the Love of God a Member of the Body with you a Brother in Tribulations a Companion with you in your Warfare a Feeder with you at your Table and one that rejoyceth with you in the Joy unspeakable being made with you a partaker of that precious Inheritance that fadeth not away where Life and Love and fellowship with Praises and Thanksgiving aboundeth forever Wherewith should I greet you in the Greetings of that Love which cannot be uttered And how should I Salute you in that which cannot be declared What words might I use to speak forth the Life of Wisdom or reach forth the true love of a broken Heart Behold I may become as a Babe herein and be silent as a Child yet learning utterance lest in reaching forth of my strength I should signifie my weakness to unfold the undeclareable Infinitness of the fulness of Virtue Wisdom Meekness Life and Love from the measure whereof my simple words most certainly do at present proceed as some few amongst many will surely perceive hereby who remain in the single-heartedness of undefiled Unity whose desires are still afresh enflamed and whose Bowels yet daily yearn after a more fuller enjoyment of God and the encrease and preservation of his Precious Truth and who for the same can still deny themselves to serve others in the true sense and feeling of the undefiled brotherly Love and who can lay down their Crowns that the Lamb may be honoured and suffer in the inward man that the Brother may be preserved for whom Christ dyed and towards whom Gods Love was even when he was an Enemy the which love of God being continued towards thee in the same Love shouldest thou continue towards thy Brother and there-with mayst thou do him good and perform some service towards the Lord whose love was towards you both and then from him shalt thou receive a Reward into thy own Bosom and in the needful time God will deliver thee and at the hour of Tryal he will Succour thee and thou the dear Plant of the Lord thereby mayst stand though some that were stronger then thee be overcome and fall into the Snare of the Enemy in that hour of Tryal and be then entangled with many Incumbrances and that of divers kinds The Lord God of Heaven and Earth preserve my dear tender hearted Lambs and Brethren out of such things that a Vail may not come over you and so the Life be stopt from springing up in you for then may such again go Mourning all the day long when none doth pity Friends the often Incomes of Gods Love and the forth flowings of the same towards you and the precious seed of God in them parts hath constrained me at present to visit you in the true love of my Soul with these Lines that so you might not only hear from me but also in some measure be comforted in me and likewise some of you a little refreshed hereby For Behold the God of Heaven is my Refuge and strength and the Lord of Host is my Upholder and the holy One of Israel is my Everlasting Support and the daily Incomes of that which doth truly comfort is as Marrow to my Bones yea the Lord hath prolonged my dayes inlarged my Borders and beautifyed the Place of my Dwelling My heart is overcome with his Love my Soul is filled with his Virtue and my Tongue doth declare of
his Goodness the praises of the Lord ascend up to Heaven whose Mercies refresh the Earth Oh that you might partake with me of the unspeakable Blessings of God and feel and receive in your selves the true Tenders and Offers of the tenderness of my Love hereby presented unto you that you might feel your Hearts begin to open therewith to receive the same that in the Life of the Spirit of Truth you may truly perceive me to be present praising the Lord with you and likewise pertaking with you of your sufferings having also Acquaintance of your Grief and being truly sensible of your manifold Tryals and Tribulations The Lord preserve you to the end thereof And Friends let not your hearts be sad neither be ye overmuch cast down with any thing whatsoever of which I forbare to mention neither be ye discouraged by reason of any thing that the Lord bringeth or suffereth to come to pass either amongst us or concerning us neither let the multitude of Tryals nor the length of dayes therein cause you in the least to distrust the Lord who in his secret Wisdom in the end of all things bringeth forth good unto such who in all conditions and under all Tryals do truly love and cleave unto the Lord their strength But why should I multiply words The intent of my heart is that you might have benefit by the increase of the same love of God and the Springings forth thereof of the which we have all received For you know the Truth which teacheth all things and a measure of that Life from whence all these words do come which do service for the Lord and are helpful to his Servants and comfortable to his Chosen people and for the refreshing of the tender Lambs and the building up of the members in the holy Unity to grow up in the holy Life for the honour of his Glorious Name forever in whose blessed Name Life Strength and Virtue is found the which indeed is become a true Refuge unto the Chosen Israel of God where they are succoured when none can help and where they are preserved when none other can uphold unto whom they can pour forth their Complaints in secret and Address themselves at every needful time whose complaints are never by him rejected nor turned back upon the Upright hearted as sometimes it hath been when help or comfort hath been expected from some of the Children of men who may also be tempted and in danger of being overcome but the Lord can never be overcome neither can he ever Err in his Understanding or mistake in his Judgments nor reject that which is truly simple and tender neither yet receive that which is deceitful though appearing or seeming never so Glorious Let all Friends whose hearts are tender in the tenderness thereof still return unto him from that which causeth a hardness and out of that which bringeth distrust to leave that which bringeth darkness into the mind and so to get from the barren places into the fruitful Habitation of the living Then shall Peace flow as a River and Unity shall flourish as the varieties of the various Flowers in the Field and Righteousness shall spread over all as the Morning dew and then the Beauty of the Righteous shall shine and the Glory of the Lord shall yet more abundantly appear and fruit shall encrease as in the Summer season and the Vineyard of the Lord shall yet again flourish in Righteousness and the Lord shall be glorified in his Saints who is greatly admired by all them that truely believe Oh! that the seed might lift up the head Oh! that the Plants of Righteousness might spring that the true Mourner might be comforted That fruit might abound in abundance That the weak might receive strength That the Seed of the Lamb may know the Boldness of the Lyon That all might be refreshed together and that you all might live and grow and encrease with the Encreases of God The Lord God of Heaven and Earth grant these things unto you and fulfill them in you that you may be filled with Virtue and wax bold and Valiant to the end in the noble Life of the honourable Power of God whose Name is blessed for evermore Amen From Winchester Prison is this sent forth towards you and the true Love and Simplicity of Heart by your Brother in the fellowship and Testimony of Jesus and the Bonds of the Gospel Humphry Smith To the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen whose outward Habitations are in and near the County of Essex To be read amongst them in much Wisdom Meekness Deliberation and most chiefly in the true fear of the Lord God THe sound of the everlasting Truth of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth hath passed through and amongst you and the Word of his Power in the dread of his holy Name hath been published within your borders and the way of everlasting Life and Righteousness hath plainly been declared to the understanding and the Covenant of everlasting Peace and Truth hath been tendred unto your Hearts and the Day of Visitation from God hath been freely offered unto your Souls and the things which belong to your everlasting happiness hath been set before your Eyes and those things of the Kingdom of God which pertain to the Sons of men to know in the power of his Wisdom and in the strength of his Might hath been demonstrated among you and the tender Call of God in the day of his love hath been unto you Oh that your Hearts might retain it forever and that your Eyes might be abundantly opened to see into the unsearchable things of God! Oh that your understandings might yet be more opened to receive the Riches of the invisible Truth of God! Oh that your Hearts might come to be more enlarged therewith and that you who have known the Call of God and felt the working of his Grace in your hearts unto a true Convincement might all come to live the Life of Righteousness end forever hereafter to walk from that more and more which you are truly convinced of to be evil either in Word or Deed or any manner of Practice whatsoever and to walk with more Circumspection and Integrity and Faithfulness to the Lord in obedience unto all things truly made known unto you to be right and justifiable in the sight of the God of Heaven This certainly is the breathings of my Soul unto the God of Heaven for your everlasting Well-fare And the true desire of my present enlarged Heart for your Eternal Happiness is That as the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath counted you worthy of his Call in the power of his Grace which bringeth Salvation unto all you may not judge your selves unworthy of the Kingdom of God but may cleave unto his Truth in the inward parts leaving all that which hath kept you from it whatsoever it be and all that which hath
way works worships and nature of such to serve the living God in the newness of the spirit through Faith and Patience and to walk in Innocency before the Lord for evermore Such shall come to rejoyce in the Truth and the Arm of the Lord shall bring them more nearer to himself that they may come to see the Lord in his Glory and to praise him in the Land of the living and to behold Sion in her perfect Beauty and to feel their Unity with Gods Elect and to enjoy the Covenant of Everlasting Peace that shall never be broken to be bound up together in the life of Immortality Wisdom and Righteousness to shine forth as the Morning like the Jewels of the Lamb and to be beautified with Meekness as the Members of the unspotted of God Oh! the Crown of Rejoycing and Everlasting Felicity that is set before you to whom I am not able to express the infinite bounty and goodness of the Almighty Oh! who can hold when the Lord hath spoken or conceal his loving-kindness when the Almighty giveth utterance The Lord hath enlarged my Heart let me not therefore enquire among you where there is room to receive it Oh! let there be an inward search whether that the door be open and the straitness taken away that he which was with you may find entrance in you and you truly come to feel the receiving of his life to the glad Tidings of your Hearts From such an outward Prison cannot keep me nor from them the vast distance of Miles cannot with-hold me Behold I say in the Name of God I am near unto you And when you are assembled together with one accord in the place where the Light is a Ministry to the work this read among you in the fear of the God of Heaven then shall many of you know it so to be that the Lord hath given me of his unlimited Spirit which I freely let forth unto you And the breathings of my life are that you might receive benefit thereby and be comforted together And be strengthened in the inward man that the Devil may not prevail nor the love of the World overcome the innocent desires which God hath begotten let no unbelief nor slavish fear hinder you in your spiritual progress toward the attainment of the Crown of Life in the Kingdom of blessedness which God hath certainly prepared for the upright and innocent And now behold I turn unto my Brethren the called and chosen of God whom my Soul hereby saluteth unto whom I cannot by words sufficiently express my Love neither have I room to publish the enlargedness thereof in writing neither will usual phrases of Speech satisfie my broken Heart Oh! blessed be the day that ever you were called and the hour of your Visitation and the time of the Conception of the Seed in the Womb and the season of the forth-coming thereof into the liberty of Peace Blessed be the Lord forever on your behalf who hath chosen you to the riches of life and brought you to the Well-springs of Mercy and caused you to drink of the Rivers of his strength which hath daily been renewed unto you Oh! blessed be the God whose love hath not been with-held from your Souls and who hath not with-held counsel from your Eyes Friends God hath opened my Heart unto you receive me therefore as in the Bowels of Mercy that now we may praise the Lord forever Oh! that your Souls may with me forever magnifie the unutterable Power of the God of Heaven and that you may this day with me drink freely of the Cup of Eternal Salvation that then we may rest together as in a Bed of Repose in the delightsom Arms of our Father's love that forever we may sing the Song of the Lamb and sound forth the Praises of the Almighty together that you may know the Lord is with me and that the holy One of Israel is indeed become my everlasting Support And unto you all Friends Erethren and fellow Members of the heavenly Body these are the pourings forth of Gods infinite Love free for all that can receive it And thus in few words as unto you my Brethren even desiring to be felt and received in that which comprehendeth all words and is more than words can express in which the words end which was before the words were where my dwelling is and you that truly know me know it so to be where-with you in the eternal Beeing and Substance of all living I rest in the Fountain of Mercy desiring daily in my pourings forth of my Soul unto God that you all may walk blamelesly and be preserved in the Truth of your Hearts to stand stedfast in the day of Tryal at hand And so in the power of Wisdom which is the Refuge of the Innocent the Lord God Almighty of Heaven and Earth preserve you all and keep you all for evermore Amen And hereby you may likewise know that I am in health and strength of Body and Soul and that my Heart is sometimes enlarged with the Power of Gods Love and my Spirit at Liberty which is out of their power to imprison by whom my Body is shut up in the close unsavoury Prison of my late and long sad Sufferings in the common Goal at Winchester where this is written by him that God hath called herein to be your Servant in obedience to his blessed Will known to the World but unto you in that which is nearer than this Name Humphry Smith Concerning TYTHES TYthes at first were not required but given only of the Spoils of the War only once by Abraham unto him that was made like unto the Son but the Substance being come even Christ who was before the Wars and before Abraham he redeems out of the Lust from whence the Wars arise and so bringeth to an end of that from whence Wars come and so to an End of that from whence Tythes were first given and so to give nor pay Tythes any longer being redeemed out of Lust and Wars and Fightings by the Blood of Jesus who said I am the Light that abideth a Priest forever and his day Abraham rejoyced to see who brings to the End of the Tythes and makes War with that and slayes that which caused men to Slay one another in the Wars who comes to save the Life who is Greater than Abraham who being now come denyeth fighting and saith He that taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword And so that was to perish whereby Tythes were first given then must there needs be an end of Tythes which also perisheth with the using and the Law for the Tythes which had a shadow of good things to come decayes and waxes old and vanisheth away the good things themselves being come and good will towards man and the Covenant of Light to joyn the hearts together For Tythes were never given nor paid until after men had killed and slain and done violence and wrong one to another
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
with the rest of his servants of old to live with him in the delightsom Ocean of the Infinite Fullness of his most desirable Power and precious Presence the streams whereof already are as the free Issuings forth of Life Eternal and as the streams of Mercy and the dews of the Morning Refreshing even the outmost borders of my dwelling and Comforting the mournful places of my Habitation Who can express his Goodness What man can utter his Bounty or how can man either in words or with Pen sufficiently signifie forth the Fullness and Virtue of that which passeth Knowledge Behold my Dwelling is in it and my Life is bound up with the inocent Lambs who live in the feeling Virtue of that which much super-aboundeth the most pleasantest and delightsom'st Words that ever my Tongue can utter and yet those that hear them hear the Truth in the which the Life doth stand and they that hear the Truth hear him from whence the Life doth come which Life it self in the power and virtue of it is the center of the Upright the Refuge of the Innocent and the thing it self unto which it self is drawing and gathering that it may be known within even to those who have been astray there-from that the one Fold the one Succour the one Food the one Shepherd the one Refuge the one Spirit the one Heart and the one Mind may be known and so the One God in the one only Vnity worshipped served and praised from the Power Life and Virtue of the one Spirit which comes from the only One God of Heaven and Earth before whom let the Heathen be Astonished and the ungodly fear and Tremble and the Brambles of the Earth prepare for the day of his Righteous Judgments and Fiery Indignation which as the breadth of his Nostrils being mixed with Flames of Endless Burnings he will plead with his own open Adversaries which shall be more fully manifest in the great Day of the Lord when all Mankind must give an account to him both of idle and wicked words and likewise of their deeds done in the body The Lord God hasten that day and let him come even him who cometh as a Thief in the Night even the Lord Jesus Christ who said I am the Truth the Spirit whereof the World cannot receive but we have known him and received him and know that he is true and have believed on him and have often drunk of the Living Water that springeth up unto life Eternal in those that truly believe And this I say forever blessed are they that believe and endure to the End for whom Gods Crown of Life is prepared and for all who give up their Lives and suffer faithfully for the Honour of him who hath so far honoured them as to account them worthy to bear their Testimony and to suffer for him In the which I say The Lord preserve my Friends and Brethren every where who have tasted of Gods loving kindness and remain sensible at present of the meekness of his love And let all Friends so dwell in the faith which is the gift of God over the World as to live thereby and not to lose the Crown of Glory and Immortality which was desired from the breathings of the seed in the day of Jacob's Captivity and the Lord God of my Life preserve and defend the plants of Righteousness even by his own Power and his own Spirit in that day and at that time when all other helps may not be available that then the sufficiency of the Greatness of his own Wisdom and strength may be apparent and then most happy shall those be who are found worthy to suffer and endure all manner of Tryals Cruelties and Hardships for him and his Names sake and to live and reign and enjoy his unutterable Peace and Rest which is in himself treasured up as a full Reward and much more then could have been expected for the Vpright in Heart who end their dayes in Truth and finish their Course in Righteousness and lay down their Lives for his sake to live with him for evermore And this is that thee and others may hear from me and know that I remain in the service of God and in faithful Long sufferings for the Gospel of his Son as at this day being the 6th of the 7th Moneth 1662. In the straight Prison at Winchester where I am known by this name Humphry Smith THE END
of of others as thou hast read E. S. p. 6 11 19 16. And as for the five Charges which thou mentionest p 9. and saying That if we had had more Accusations against thee its like thou shouldst have had them and in saying The first Charge was Hypocrisie in pag. 7. I answer That that which was written by me in answer to thy Deceitful Lines first sent to us I shall for the sake of the simple set down plainly in the same order as it was written by me having a just Copy of it by me and then let the tender spirited read thy Lyes in thy own Book A true Copy of the Answer sent by me and the rest to thy Letter and Accusacion 1. You said you would tell us truly c. Answer There cannot be a true discovery of Truth brought forth in these that are yet in the fallen estate as thou art 2. That there is a Mystery of Iniquity in us that we see not Answ The Mystery of Iniquity is not discovered but by the pure Light and Life of God as it is freely given forth from God the which Light all the Children of Light live in but thou livest in the dark ways of the World and livest not in this pure Light to judge by 3. That the time is come that thou shouldst dis-burden thy self of the discovery of Truth Answ Thou hast laid aside too much Truth that which convinceth of thy Evil is now a burden unto thee but we disown all that disown the Truth Mark 4. That the Devil is an Angel of Light and his Nature is to act in the Light Doth the Scripture say that the Devil's Nature is to act in the Light Answ Thou art imagining what the Devil is without thee but thou knowest but little of his actings in thee although thou art his Servant and livest in his Light as thou callest it but the Light of Life thou art a stranger unto 5. The Light as it is acted in the Soul giveth no Discovery of the Deceit but rather covers it all Answ By virtue of the pure Light that proceeds from the Father we see thee live in that thou callest Light which doth not discover unto thee the abominable Practices thou art in to wit Pride thou dost usually call thy own Child Mr. Benjamin Skipp a Proud practice seldom heard of the love of the World deceiving the People upholding the Worship of the Beast painted over with the Saints words an Enemy to the Saints Life as doth now more fully appear 6. Thou writest so largely of the Devil as if thou wert acquainted with all his secrets both what he is doing and what he will do Answ The things of God thou art a stranger to for they are hid from thine Eyes and all such wise Ones of the Devil the World and the Flesh who are in the first Nature as thou art 7. Thou writest of what the Devil will bring us to Answ 1. It is neither thee nor the Devil in thee that know what we are much less what we shall be 2. If thou and the Accuser of the Brethren in thee have ought against us at present that we walk not up to the present discovery of the pure Light as it is in measure brought forth in us then I charge thee to speak 3. Thou Hypocrite first cast out the Beam that is at present in thy own Eye before thou goest to cast the supposed Mote that thou thinkest may fall into our Eyes hereafter In the close of this Answer I writ a tender Letter in love to his Soul Now let any that live in the Light compare these several Answers with that in pag. 7 8 9. In Answer to that which thou callest Railing and Reviling Language in pag. 10. the Devil hath always brought up his Children with so much pretence of Manners that they must not tell a Lyar he Lyes nor a Thief he is a Robber or if any tell the Proud of hsi Pride or the Covetous of their Covetousness then this is called Railing read the Scriptures cited by him this is fully cited Tit. 1. 13. c. 3. 15 c. See how thou condemnest the Practice of Christ both in his Person and Members in pag. 11. To that which thou callest thy Experience in pag. 11. I tell thee thou hast had much Experience of Deceit being always in it but thou never hadst any experience of the powerful Workings of God in us only thou wast made by the Light to see thy Filthiness in some measure and then presently thou wentst from the Counsel of the Lord and acted and spoke in thy own Will the which was Deceit indeed running before the Light the which I mourned over and often complained to my Friends who can witness the same Pag. 12. The Scripture cited by thee Mal. 3. They shall discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not the Promise being in measure fulfilled in us we discern thee still to live in thy own Will and Wisdom Therefore when thou haltedst between two Opinions long at last one of our Friends was made sharply to reprove thee the which thou couldest not own and therefore left us that had undergone burdens upon our own Spirits for thee in condescending unto thee in tender love desiring thou mightst be made at last to witness the Work of the Lord in thee unto which thou art still a Stranger and now an Enemy unto In thy pag. 13. thou mentionest a Scripture as to us 1 Tim. 6. 4 5. They are there discovered by their Covetousness for they suppose that Gain is Godliness And canst thou in the least accuse â—s of Covetousness if thou canst spare not to speak the Truth but else let shame cover thy face for so many Lyes and comparing us with those in this Text. Ask the Light in thy Conscience whether thou hast not looked after Gain witness thy Tythes thy looking after another Parsonage to that thou hadst witness thy Physical Office thy questioning what to do for more Maintenance although thou hast told me that thy Lands was 10 1. per Annum 2 Tim. 3. 4. that is thy own Portion witness thy many Instruments of Musick in thy House Page 16. thou writest of Faith but thou knowest not that Faith that purifieth the Soul he that hath this Hope purifieth himself as he is pure he that believeth is entred into his Rest hath ceased from his own Works as God did from his the which Faith thou art a stranger unto for thou hast writ thy own Lyes and the Deceit of thy own Heart and thy carnal Thoughts the which thou callest the World with whom thou art to judge witness pag. 9. line 11. 7. 18. and thou thinkest in pag. 16 51 56 57. Page 17. Thou sayest that we esteem The more our Hearts are brought off the dealings of God and Prayer and Spiritual Exercises the more pure and Perfect The which thou knowest to be a
the Lord who gave her a Son that knew the Lord and ministered before him being yet a Child but the Sons of Ely the Priest were Sons of Belial and knew not God like the Priests of England 1 Sam. 14. and 2. 18. And David a man after Gods own Heart was a deaf man and heard not and as a dumb man that openeth not his Mouth being dumb with Silence and held his Peace even from good until his Heart was hot within him and the Fire burned then he spake with his Tongue Psal 38. 13 14. Psal 39. 1 2 3. 9. and afterwards he said Thy Word have I hid in my Heart which Word is as a Fire that I might not sin against thee and so that which keepeth from Sin is hid in the Heart and that Word David said was a Lamp to his Feet and a Light unto his Paths which Word he kept and loved the Law of the Lord which is written in the Heart and so was made wiser than his Enemies and had more understanding than the Ancients and all his Teachers Psal .. 119. 10 11. vers 42 43 50 67 81 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105. And all the Prophets of the Lord were led guided and directed by the Spirit of Christ which was in them both in their Actions which sometimes were as Foolishness and Madness in the Eyes of the Professing Jews and also in their Words which sometimes were as Thunder against the ungodly though they were the Rulers of the People and their Words were so Terrible against them that professed Godliness and lived in unrighteousness that Amaziah the high Priest said of one of the Prophets who spake in the dread of the Lord That the whole Land was not able to bear his Words Amos 7. 10. And Amaziah the Priest of Bethuel being not able to bear the Word of the Lord therefore he falsly accused Amos of conspiring against the King Amos 7. And from the Spirit in them did the Prophets with boldness declare against the Wickedness of the Rulers of the People saying to the poluted City Thy Princes are Rebellious and Companions of Thieves they love Gifts and Rewards and judge not the Fatherless nor the cause of the Widdow and suh as these are the Adversaries and Enemies of the Lord upon whom he will be avenged and all them that trouble his Servants Isa 1. 23 24. 2 Thes 1. 6. And it is just and right for the Friends of Christ to declare against the Enemies of the Lord and those that decree unrighteous Decrees and write grievousness which they have prescribed and turn aside the Needy from Judgment and take away the Right of the People that they may Rob the Fatherless against these is the Hand of the Lord stretched out and they are to bow down under the Prisoners and fall under the slain Isa 10. 1 2 3 4. and saith the Prophet Wo to the filthy and poluted City her Princes are roaring Lyons her Judges are evening Wolves her Prophets are light and treacherous her Priests have poluted the Sanctuary Zeph. 3. 1 2 3 4. and many more such expressions they used which was not Railing but sound Words in the fear and dread of the Lord read Amos the first and second Chapters And from the Spirit of Truth in them did they also declare even against such as were the Teachers and Leaders of the People and were made Ministers by a Law of God which Law was then in force and those Ministers departing out of the way and corrupting the Covenant like the Priests of England therefore the Lord made them as he will these who deny the Way the Light base and contemptible in the Eyes of all the People because they also have been partial in the Law Mal. 2. 8 9. and against such did and do the Servants of the Lord declare they being such Shepherds that cannot understand but are blind ignorant dumb greedy Dogs these are the worst of Dogs Isa 56. 10 11. and by such is the horrible thing committed Jer. 5. 30 31. And the Pastors are become bruitish Jer. 10. 21. Therefore hearken not unto them Jer. 27. 13 15 16. verses also read Jer. 23. and Ezek. 34. For as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent Hos 6. 9. And one of the chief of that number is John Hodder Priest of the Parish called Haychurch in the County of Dorset and there was a People the Heads thereof judged for Reward and the Priests teached for Hire and the Prophets divined for Money is it not so in England Mich. 3. 11. and saith the Prophet O ye Priests this Commandment is for you I will send a Curse upon you and corrupt your Seed and spread Dung upon your Faces even the Dung of your solemn Feasts hearken ye Priests of England Mal. 2. 1 2 3. And this was and is sound Doctrine which the itching Ears of the false Teachers of our dayes cannot endure to hear being found themselves such cursed Children that cannot cease from Sin that were to come in the latter dayes 2 Pet. 2. 14. and those Words and many more to the same effect were they guided by the Spirit of Christ the Light in them to speak and from that Spirit they declared against the Rulers Priests and People who had the Law or Letter and Moses Writings without them yet were Enemies to the Spirit of Truth within But the Prophets searched diligently to see what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1. 11. So that the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets which testisied unto them and was their Rule and Guide And when Christ came who is the end of the Prophets and the Law he also declared against the same generation as the Prophets did and we do and he said They were of their Father the Devil who did his Works notwithstanding they had the Scriptures and the Oracles of God and were of the place of holy Worship and were zealous and strict therein even against them did Christ proclaim many Woes Mat. 23. for the Word of God had no place in them neither could they hear it John 8. 37 43. but in Christ the Light did all the fullness of God dwell Col. 1. 19. 2. 9. And so he that had the fullness of God within him was counted a Deceiver a Blasphemer denyed and crucified by them that had the Oracles of God without them and read the Prophets every Sabbath-day yet knew not their Voices Acts 13. 27. which prophesied of him whom they knew not when he was come who is the Light And now we do bear witness that the Light is come as did Isaiah 60. 1 2 3. though Darkness covers the Earth and gross Darkness the People yet in him that is the Light doth the fulness of God abide and no man cometh to the Father or fulness of God but the Son who is Light And