sinned and died who have been ravined from the Spirit within them as he did from the Spirit within him and so have faln and sinned and died as he did but now all who cometh to witness Redemption from that Estate they must come into the Spirit and Light within them from which they have ravined and if they do not come to believe in and obey that they will never come to be made alive in and by Christ the Second Adam though they may talk of and profess never so much of God and Christ without them at a distance from them and though they may have a perswasion in their hearts and may really believe all that is written in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Birth of Christ and of his Death and of his Resurrection yet this believing will not bring them into acceptation with God if they do not come to believe in the Light and Spirit of Christ within them For I say in the fear of the Lord God consider Doth not all the prophane people in all those Nations ealled Christendom generally believe that he was the Son of God who was crucified without the Gates at Jerusalem and was born of the Virgin Mary and rose again the third day as they read the Scriptures of Truth which beareth witness of those things and yet though they have given credit unto those words which are written of him many of them are Proud and Covetous Drunkards and Swearers and Lyers Persecutors Murtherers and Theeves and Cheaters and Dissemblers Now I say in the Fear of the Lord God consider Is this true Saving Faith which they are in and though they have been taught by Tradition to believe as aforesaid yet their hearts are very corrupt and full of wickedness and so are far from the Lord God and they are far from being accepted with the pure God in that Estate now the Apostle saith Faith purifieth the heart and the Mystery of the Saints Faith in the Apostles dayes was held in their Pure Consciences which was Christ in them the Hope of Glory 1 Tim. 3.9 so they were in the True Saving and Living Faith their Faith stood in the Power Spirit and Light of Christ within them and the Power Light and Spirit of Christ within them did purifie their hearts and it made them of a Right Spirit and so that which purified their hearts dwelt in them for it is written The Tabernacle of God is with men Rev. 21.3 Ezek. 37.27 I will walk in them and dwell in them said God I will be their God and they shall be my people and Christ said unto the Saints I and my Father we will come and make our abode with you and Christ said unto his Disciples before he was offered up He that is with you shall be in you and he said Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing and though the Apostle had known Christ once after the Flesh yet benceforth I know him so no more 2 Cor. 4.16 said he and he said I bear in my Body the Dyings of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus may be made manifest in my mortal Flesh Joh. 14.11 c. to 25. and he said I am crucified unto the World and the world unto me and the Life that I now live is by Faith in the Son of God I Live said he yet not I but Christ in me and so he witnessed Christ in him the Hope of Glory and the Apostle said unto the Saints Try your selves prove your selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Now I say the people of God who are in scorn called Quakers do believe and certainly know that he who was born of the Virgin Mary was the Son of God who was hated by the Jews and sentenced to die by Pilate though he could find no fault in him we do believe that he was crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem and was raised again the third day by the mighty Power of his Father in whose will he suffered though there was no fault in him and we believe and are sure that God was greatly honoured in his Faithfulness Obedience and Humiliation who though he was without fault humbled himself unto the death upon the Cross and we do believe and are sure that all that did believe in him in that Age in which he suffered outwardly and did confess him boldly before his Enemies and suffered death for his Name sake or imprisonment they are everlastingly well who continued in faithfulness unto the end But consider O all ye professors in that called Christendom it was a hard and mighty thing in that Age in which he suffered to confess before his Enemies that he was the Messiah the Christ the Son of God for to confess before his Enemies that he was the Son of God was cause enough for his Enemies by their unjust Law by which they had put him to death to put those to death that should so confess him So that in that Age there durst none confess him before his Enemies to be the Son of God but those who were come to feel and know the Measure of the Spirit of God which he had given them to instruct them for that gave them to know that he was the Son of God and it filled their hearts with zeal and boldness to confess him to be the Son of God though they were put to death for their Confession for Christ said No man can come unto me except my Father draw him Joh. 6.44 45 46. so God drew them by the Measure of his Spirit in them to know that Jesus was the Son of God and by the same he drew them to confess him boldly before his Enemies And Christ said unto his Disciples Whom do men say that I am some said he was John Baptist and some Elias But he said unto his Disciples Mat. 16.13 14 15 16 17. whom do ye say I am Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Jesus answered and said unto him Flesh and Blood hath not revealed that unto thee but my Father only But oh you Professors in what Form soever consider It is many Ages past since Christ suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem and people have been ravened from the Life and Power and Spirit in which the ancient Christians lived for you may read that the Saints were called Christians fiest at Antioch Act. 11.26 and it is very like at that time the name Christian was as hatefull a name both with the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles as the name Heathen is hatefull here in England and other Nations who calls themselves Christians but Christ and his Apostles wrought many great and wondrous Works in and by the mighty Power of God Acts 20.29 30. while they were walking upon the Earth among the Sons and Daughters of men and they wrot in the Spirit and Power
God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 5.2 3. And now Oh ye Magistrates Priests and People who have persecuted and imprisoned until death your Neighbours called Quakers and spoiled and made havock of their Goods here you have broken the commands of Christ which is upon Record in the holy Scriptures of Truth which you call your Rule and everlasting Wo will come upon you if you do not speedily repent and with speed forsake those evil deeds for it is written in the Scriptures of Truth Wo unto thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and I know we have not spoiled your goods nor sought your hurt any way but hath and still doth desire that you might repent and forsake the evil of your wayes and have your Sins forgiven you and obtain mercy from the Lord God we desire not your destruction the Lord God knoweth but we desire that you might repent and live But the words of Christ in the holy Scriptures bears witness against you that you have not done unto us as ye would we should have done unto you if you had been in our condition and we in yours you would not have had us to have imprisoned you unto death as you have done many of our dear Brethren whose innocent blood lies upon you and it cryeth unto God against you for vengeance as righteous Abel's did cry unto God against Murthering Cain and God doth hear and will avenge the blood of his Elect And you would not have had us to have spoiled your goods as you have done ours therefore the Scriptures of Truth without you and the Light of Christ within you doth bear witness against you And now you are stripped of all your Coverings and you stand judged and condemned before the Lord God of Heaven before whom all things are naked and bare he searcheth all hearts Ezek. 18 read it through and tryeth all reins and there is not any wicked work that you do or have done but the Lord God seeth them all and they must not go unpunished for the Lord God is just and equal in all his wayes and he will deal justly with you and with all people upon the Earth yea he will certainly reward every one according to their deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil And Christs words are upon Record in the holy Scriptures which you call your Rule where he commanded his Disciples to love their Enemies Mat. 5 43 44 45 46 47 48. and to do good unto those that did dispitefully use them and persecute them and they did as he commanded them for they loved him with all their hearts and his Commandments were not grievous unto them but to keep his Commandments was great joy unto them and so it is unto us whom you in scorn call Quakers endless infinite eternal everlasting praises honour dominion and thanks be unto the Lord our God who hath gathered us out from amongst you and by his own everlasting power working in our hearts he hath made us a willing people yea willing to bear all that you are permitted to do unto us and also makes us willing to do you any good that lieth in our power and so to reward you good for evil and this shall add to your torment and our God for whom we suffer he will clear our innocency in the sight of all Nations But you are far from fulfilling of this Command who hates and persecutes us who are your friends and so these words which Christ spake which is in the holy Scriptures which you call your Rule bears witness against you and the Light of Christ within you condemns you and so you are stripped of all your Coverings and so you stand judged and condemned by the Lord God in the presence of all holy just and upright men who sees and behold your wicked works And now all ye Merchant men Husbandmen and Tradesmen of what Trade or Calling soever who are Extortioners who take unlawfull gain and use unjust Weights and Measures who cheat and defraud one another in Buying and Selling and Exchanging of Gods good Creatures some of you lying and speaking worse of Gods good Creatures then you know them to be for your own corrupt ends that you may make a prey upon them that hath those good Creatures to sell and others of you that hath Gods Creatures to sell you speak better of them then you know them to be and so you tell lyes to get gain and so to make a prey of the Buyer and here you are judged and condemned by the Light of Christ within you and by his words which are upon Record in the holy Scriptures of Truth without you which you call your Rule because you do not do unto others as ye would they should do unto you and you do not love the Lord God with all your hearts and therefore you cannot love your Neighbour as your self therefore those words with many more in the holy Scriptures bears witness against you and the Light of Christ within you condemns you so you are neither Ruled by the Light of Christ within you nor by the Scriptures of Truth without you and so you are unruly Therefore I say unto you all turn in your minds unto the Eternal true Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightened you all and if you love it it will work repentance in your hearts and if you give up your minds to be led by it it will lead you out of all deceit and double dealing and if you love it and in faithfulness follow and obey it it will lead you to love your Neighbours as your selves and then I am sure you neither can nor will nor dare cheat nor defraud them but then you will do unto them as you would they should do unto you and I am sure there is no man that would be cheated nor defrauded by any man that he deals withal in buying and selling and exchanging Gods good Creatures and so let every man and woman come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them and as they would have none to cheat nor defraud them the Light of Christ will not suffer them to cheat nor deceive nor defraud any man or woman or child whatsoever if they love it and in faithfulness follow it for the Light is the Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth all those that believe in it and in faithfulness follow it and so if all people would come unto the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them then it would lead them all to deal justly plainly truly and uprightly one with another But alas this pure Light and Spirit in peoples Consciences is not loved nor heeded nor believed nor obeyed by many thousands of men and women who doth profess God and Christ in words and calls the Scripture their Rule and that is the reason that there is so much cheating and defrauding amongst people in buying and selling and exchanging
pomp and dignity outwardly but when he came Mark 6.3 he came much contrary to their thoughts and expectations and imaginations for he was supposed by them to be Joseph the Carpenters son a man of low esteem amongst them and so they dispised him because of his low Appearance which was so far contrary to what they had imagined concerning his coming and so they would not have him to rule over them but they slew him so they lost the benefit of his coming and so died in their sins and so was shut out of the Kingdom of God because of their unbelief so here was their Misery they would not receive him because he came not according as they had imagined he should come Now Friends to come nearer to your condition I shall write as the Spirit of the Lord shall move me which dwelleth in my heart Friends consider What is the reason that you will not own the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you and all people to be a sufficient Teacher and Ordinance for Salvation unto you and all people and to bring you and all people unto God out of sin if you and they did believe in it and obey it I say consider Is it not because you have read the Prophets Christ and the Apostles Writings with the same dark minds in unbelief that the Jews did read the Prophets Writings and in the Darkness which you have loved a great deal more then the Light you have imagined that Christ would shew himself unto you some other way then by his Light in your Consciences It hath been a very hatefull thing unto many of you Professors to hear us exhort you to turn unto the Light within and because we told you that was the Ordinance of God for Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth according to the words of the Prophet who prophesied in the Power of his coming Isa 49.5.6 7 8 22. who said I will give him for a Light unto the Gentiles and Leader to his People to be his Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth and when we have born our Testimony amongst you concerning this Light according to the plain words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles laid down in the holy Scriptures and in the brokenness of our hearts have in much love unto you declared our own experience of the vertuous opperation of this Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned us and what Christ the Light had done for our Souls since we in his Light believed and when we thus laboured in the Love of God to do you good in perswading you to believe in the Light wherewith he hath enlightened you that so you might have come to have felt the vertue and power of it in your own hearts for your own everlasting good then many of you have rejected our Testimony and hath shamefully entreated us and hath rewarded us evil for good and you have hated this Light and cried Away with this Light and also with those that have been moved of the Lord God to bear witness unto this Light Which is the Trve Light which hath Enlightened every one that is come into the World as the Jews cried away with Christ when they imagined he had been Joseph the Carpenters son 1 Cor. 2.4 5 c. to 16. and so the Light is judged by your Carnal Wisdom and Reason to be too low a thing to stoop unto and the Jews in their Carnal Wisdom and Reason judged Christ when he was come not to be worthy or fit to be a King over them because they looked upon him to be a Carpenters son a man inferiour unto many of them as they imagined and so they hated him and slew him And so now all you Professors who have been and yet are haters of the Light and cryeth away with it and accounts it too low a thing for you to stoop unto you are deceived Christ will not shew himself unto you any other way but by the measure of his Spirit wherewith he hath Enlightened you it is written No man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God but many of you Professors will not believe that the Light wherewith Christ hath Enlightened you is of power and sufficiency to bring you to God out of sin and so to this day you have not the Benefit of Christs coming but you are still in your sins committing them and pleading that you must do so while you are in the Earthly Tabernacle And so are you not Rebellious Children who Rebel against the Light Grace and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ which he hath placed in you to Instruct you And do not you as plainly Crucifie and do Dispite unto the Opperation of the Spirit Light and Grace of Christ in your Inwards Parts as the Jews did unto the Vessel which they imagined to be Joseph the Carpenters son So consider of these things soberly in meekness in the fear of the Lord God and be not angry at me for writing thus in plainness unto you for know you all assuredly that it is the Love of God in my heart unto you that constrains me to write thus in plainness unto you so while you have a little time prize it and while you have a sence and feeling of the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ in your inward parts checking and condemning you when you do Evil believe you all in it and in obedience unto it give up and when it condemns you for Evil which you have already done then own its Judgments for its Judgments are just and true and when it letteth you see Temptations unto Sin before you have consented unto the Tempter or done the Evil he tempteth you unto then love it and let your minds be closely joyned unto it and then it will preserve you from doing the Evil that you are tempted unto and then it will be no sin for you to be tempted unto Evil if you do it not nor give your consent at all unto the Tempter Mat. 4.1 2 to 13. but love the Light which lets you see his Temptation and in it you will have Dominion over the Tempter and you will be kept out of his Snare for Christ was tempted but sinned not and Christ the Light will not condemn you for being tempted unto Evil if you do it not and if you believe in and love and obey the Light of the Son of God wherewith he hath Enlightened you Though you may have done much Evil God will forgive you for Christ the Light his sake in whom you do believe and though you may feel great and strong workings in you to do Evil yet if you love the Light within you that gives you the sence thereof it will work mightily in you against that nature which would lead you to do Evil and if you keep your minds unto the Light then you will feel that nature to die daily in you which hath led you into Evil and so that which hath led you into
at all for the Tythes were ordained for the Tribe of Levi Neh. 10.38 who were to serve in the Outward Temple who were the Outward Priesthood who had not any part in the division of the Land for the other Tribes had the Land divided amongst them Num. 18.20 22 c. to the end Chapter but the Tribe of Levi had no part of the Land but as I said before the Tythes was for to relieve them and not only them but the Strangers and Fatherless also that there might not be a Begger in Israel but this was before Christ the Everlasting High-Priest was made manifest as to the outward but when he was come and was offered up then Stephen a man full of Faith and full of the Power of God he lift up his voice in the Power of the Everlasting High-Priest and said God that made the World dwels not in Temples made with hands but the Temple-worshippers they were filled with wrath against him for his true Testimony and they stoned him to death And Paul in the Power of the Everlasting High-Priest he said unto the Saints Heb. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. That their Bodies were the Temple of the Living God and when Paul writ unto the Hebrews he told them that the Priesthood being changed Heb. 7.12 to the end of the chapter there was also a necessity of the change of the Law So the Ministers of Christ in the Power of him the Everlasting High-Priest they preached down the outward Temple and its Worship and its Priests and all their Sacrifices which made nothing perfect Heb. 10 11 20 21 22. as pertaining to the Conscience and so the Priests and Temple and Tythes was but to continue till Christ was offered up and though they did uphold the outward Temple worship and its Priests and Tythes for some time after Christ was offered up and so slew Stephen and others for crying against it yet the Arm of the Lord God was against them and it brought them down and the Foundation of their Temple was pulled up and they were scattered up and down in many Nations and are so scattered unto this day according unto the Prophesie of Christ Jesus the Everlasting High-Priest Acts 7.47 48 49 50 59 60. And now unto all people I say 2 Sam. 7.5 6 12 13. 1 Kings 6.1 2. there was never any outward House or Temple that Gods Worship was limitted to but only that at Jerusalem which David prepared for and Solomon builded neither was there ever any command from God to pay Tythes unto any other Priests but only those who belonged to that Worship under the Law and the Command was but in force until Christ was Crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem Joh. 4.20 c. to ver 27. and that was many hundred years ago and the Scriptures of Truth which the Priests of England do call their Rule do prove what I have written concerning this thing And O ye Priests of England you have no command from God to take Tythes and therefore you have no right to Tythes and there is a People of a tender Conscience in this Nation whom you in scorn call Quakers God hath opened their Eyes and they see and know you have no right to Tythes and therefore in obedience unto Christ Jesus the Everlasting High-Priest 1 Cor. 3.16 17. who hath ended the outward Temple and outward Priests and Law and Tythes they have with-holden their own from you 2 Cor. 6.16 and durst not give you any Tythes for if they had then they had provoked the Lord God unto wrath against them and for this their tender obedience unto their God you have persecuted several of them your Neighbours unto death and thus you have brought innocent blood upon your selves for which you must drink deep of the Cup of Gods fierce Indignation Isa 49.25 26. and you do still continue your Cruelty in imprisoning the Bodies and spoiling the Goods of those your Neighbours and you have not yet repented of those your grievous Sins neither do you seek Repentance for those your grievous Sins for if you were sorrowfull for what you have done in those things which you have done then you would give over so doing but the most of you who have power given you by men you continue in your wicked works Phil. 3 18 19. and as the Apostle said Your Consciences are Seared as with a hot Iron and you have sold your selves Slaves unto Satan to do his work with greediness for his Servants your are to whom you obey and in those things you obey Satan for he was a Lyar and a Murtherer from the beginning and his Children and Servants are like him and these your wicked works which you have done it hath been for your Bellies which you make your god and though you have been professing the true God in words yet you have not known him for your hearts have been far from him and though you have talked of him with your Mouthes for Money yet in works you have denied him and so you have not loved the Lord God with all your hearts and so you could not love your Neighbours the People you call Quakers as you have loved your selves for if you had loved the Lord God with all your hearts then you would have loved your Neighbors as your selves for before any man or woman can come to love their Neighbours as themselves they must come to love the Lord God with all their hearts but you have loved your Bellies more then you have done either God or your Neigbours your Fruits do make it plainly manifest many thousands of Englands Inhabitants seeth it to be so therefore you are not Ruled by the holy Scriptures without you nor by the holy Spirit which is the Original of the Scriptures within you but you are unruly and the holy Spirit of God in your own Consciences and the holy Scriptures without you do bear witness against you and you stand judged and condemned before the Lord God and all just and holy men And Christ Jesus spake words which was written and is upon Record in the Holy Scriptures which you call your Rule he said unto the people Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do you even so unto them this is Christs Command and he saith If you love me keep my Commandments and if you did love him you would keep this his Command He that saith he knoweth or loveth God and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar 1 John 2.4 If any man say he loveth God and hateth his Brother he is a Lyar for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And this Commandment have we from him that he that loveth God loveth his Brother also 1 John 4.20.21 By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments For this is the love of
THE Everlasting Rule Born Witness unto VVhich is to Try all People that do profess God and Christ in WORDS OR I. A tender Salutation unto all People in what Nation soever and under what Form soever who do profess God and Christ in Words wherein is shewed unto them how the True God comes to be known and worshipped in his own Way II. Also an Exhortation unto all People to come to that which will give them victory over Sin and the Devil who is the Author of it III. A distinction between the Ministers of Christ and the Ministers of Antichrist and both their Fruits discovered By a lover of Truth and Righteousness who seeks the well-being of all Mankind William Gibson God is Light and in him is no darkness at all if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1.5 6 7. I am the Light of the World saith Christ he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life John 8.12 While you have the Light believe in the Light that ye may be Children of the Light John 12.36 All Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of the Lamb Rev. 21.23 24. Printed in the Year 1667. The Epistle to the READER FRiend It is in true tenderness desired of thee in thy read ng of this following Testimony to turn thy mind unto that measure of the good Spirit of God which he hath placed in thee to instruct thee that thou thereby may be instructed in the reading of it for it is that onely which doth give unto man the knowledge of the things of God and as man joyns unto this in his heart this gives unto him the sight of the things of Gods Kingdom and to taste and savour the things that are of God which while his minde is out from this of God in him he can never have the true sight of nor taste nor savour the things that be of God but thou coming to this it will cool and settle thy mind inwardly so that thou may read in coolness and stilness of mind without any prejudice anger or byassedness in thy mind and so if thou thus come to read thou may come to receive benefit in that which thou dost read and if thou so do then my desire is answered and my soul therein refreshed and if it come so to pass my soul shall give the glory unto God who hath taught me those things which I have written unto thee and I do desire that thou also may give him the glory if thou do receive any benefit for unto him it doth belong for ever And this I do say unto thee in the pure fear of my God that those things which I have written in this following Testimony he hath taught me by his Spirit which he hath given me to instruct me which while my mind was out from it and I did not believe in it those things which I have here written was hid from me and in that state of unbelief I was as dark and spiritually blind as others Although I could talk much of God and Christ yet I knew them not nor the Heavenly things I did read of God and Christ in the holy Scriptures but I did neither know God Christ nor the Scriptures until I came to believe in the Spirit of God which he hath given me to instruct me and since I came to believe in him and to depend on him for teaching he hath revealed great things unto me as it is written The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and it is written That it is the Lord that teacheth his people to profit and I will teach my people my self saith God I will write my Law in their hearts and minds and they shall no more need to say one unto another know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest of them unto the least of them and I will be mercifull unto their sins and I will remember their iniquities no more he here speaketh of those sins which is committed in time of unbelief that when any man or woman cometh to believe in his Son Christ Jesus the Light whom he hath given for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and followeth his Son the Light whom he hath given for a Leader and Commander to command man to forsake the Devils works which is sin and to lead him out of the Devils work which is sin when man yeilds and submits unto Christ Gods Power revealed and made manifest in his inward parts for to lead out of sin and to destroy it and to bind and cast him out who is the Author of it then God forgives and forgets those sins and iniquities for his Son Christ Jesus his sake in whom they have believed and so they have their sins forgiven them for his Name sake in whom they have believed and unto whom they have submitted and by whose Wisdom they are led and guided into those things which is well-pleasing in the sight of the Lord God and thus he becomes the way to God the Father unto every sinfull man or woman that comes to believe in him and faithfully to follow him and thus he becomes the Author of Eternal Salvation unto every one that doth believe in and obey him and thus he comes to help man as it is written Help is laid on one that is mighty to save and certainly Reader his Might and great Power hath been received in this present Age wherein we live unto a little Remnant whose minds have been turned within to wait in the Light wherewith he hath enlightened them the strong man of sin the Prince of the power of the air who in dayes past kept the house kept the heart kept the mind of men and women and did exercise them in those things which was abomination to God he hath been made to bow and tremble and fall before the Son of God in the heart of man which Son and Power of God is greater and stronger then he who was glorified with the Father before the World began that heth in wickedness which he is the God of who hath blinded their minds that is given up to serve him lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine into their hearts and lest by this Light he should be discovered and his works destroyed he doth labour all that he can to keep people from believing in this true Light Christ who hath enlightened every one that is come into the World But I say there is a Remnant who hath believed in Christ the Light and they have felt him the great and mighty power of God to make this strong Man of Sin to bow and he is cast down and out who once did sit in
and the excellency of it is of him and not of us and to him we give the glory and honour for to him it is due for ever who by his Light which he hath caused to shine in our hearts hath given us to see them and their false Doctrines and false Worships and Wayes and now he hath given unto us Christ his Son his Covenant of Light to be our Teacher and this is that Way which once we did not know And God said unto man Thy Teacher shall no more be removed into a Corner but thine eye shall see thy Teacher thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it And we can say Experimentally through Gods mercy that that which in times past came behind us to call us out of Evil when we were gone into Evil even than same hath led us out of Evil and so that which formerly we were turned from we are now turned to again so that which followed us and condemned us when we did Evil that is come before us and leads us into those things which is well-pleasing to the Lord our God and so Christ Jesus the Light in us is become our Shepherd and we do hear his Voice in us and we do follow him and he doth give us Peace in our inward parts which neither the Devil nor Wicked men can take from us if we abide faithful unto him And so we are set down under him who is the true Vine and we are Branches in him and so we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in the Son of God Christ Jesus and this is the true God and Life Eternal and he is our Teacher Bishop and High-priest and Lord and King and we do believe that he shall no more be removed out of our sight nor hearing but we shall for ever see him and he shall Live and Reign for evermore and he said Because I live ye shall live also and we know what he said is true and he said I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth shall never die and these things we do stedfastly believe And as for those Priests and Professors who say Revelation is ceased and there is no immediate teaching to be received in this Age and those that say they have not an infallible Spirit as the Apostle had as for those that hate the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned them and loveth darkness which is of the Devil that cannot reveal the things of God and his Kingdom unto them and we know that those who hate the Light and will not hearken to the Light nor obey the Light they can have no immediate testimony to bear for God unto others and we know that there is no infallible Spirit but the Spirit of God and Christ and so they who do not believe in that measure of the Spirit of God and Christ which he hath placed in them to instruct them they have no infallibility but they fail of their Duty toward God and one towards another and so they are unprofitable Servants and wholy useless in the worship of God For if any man have nor the Spirit of Christ he is none of his now it is certain that the Spirit of Christ is infallible it did never fail to fulfil the Will of his Father and the Apostle said God had sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby they called him Father and we do confess to the Glory of God that he hath sent the same Spirit of his Son into our hearts by which we can experimentally call him Father and in and by this we have the things of God and his Kingdom revealed unto us and are immediatly taught by this and this is infallible and doth not fail to lead us into all truth if we do in Faithfulness follow it and so it is our Comforter who love it and obey it but it is and will be the Torment and Condemnation of all those that hate it So the way of the Wicked is Darkness they know not at what they stumble Destruction and Misery is in their way and the way of Peace they know not The Priests and Professors who cry Revelation is Ceased and there is no immediate Teaching to be received in this Age and say that they have no Infallible Spirit These People say that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the Revealed Will of God unto them I say the Scriptures was given forth by the Inspiration of God which gives understanding and they do not stand and remain Open and Revealed unto any man or woman but unto such who comes into the Spirit of God and Christ which is infallible for when the Son of God opened his mouth and spake unto the World he spoke in Parables and they could not understand his words because their minds was out from that of God in them for Christ told the unbelieving Jewes that they did neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God And now all People whose minds are out from that of God in them they can no more know the Scriptures then the unbelieving Jewes could for it is that from which they were at first given forth which must give People the true understanding of them for Christ said unto his Disciples unto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but unto others who were in the unbelief he did speak in Parables even the same words which to unbelievers seemed Lyes and madness even those words was made plain unto them And their hearts did burn within them when he opened unto them the Scriptures after his Resurrection and I say the Scriptures is a book sealed from all People who hath the Light and will not own it to be their Teacher and they are jangling and quarrelling about the meaning of the Scriptures and so are fighting and striving one with another about the Shaddow and Outside of things and never comes to Christ the Substance for said Christ to the unbelieving Jewes Search the Scriptures for in them ye think you have Eternal Life But ye will not come unto me that you might have Life He did not say you cannot come unto me but he said you will not come unto me that you might have Life so Reader thou mayst see they had a Stubborn will who would not come unto Christ God said unto man in the daies of old I have set Life and Good before thee and Death and Evil and God did not nor doth not say unto man Choose Death that thou mayest dye but he did say and doth say choose Life that thou mayest live Paul said I will that Prayers and Supplications be put up for all men in as much as God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge
Evil will be daily weaker and weaker but that which will lead you into Good will grow daily stronger and stronger until it hath wholy overcome that nature which hath led you into Evil but mark as I said before it is no sin to be tempted to do Evil but the sin is to do the Evil that one is tempted unto so when Christ the Light shall give any one Dominion over the Tempter so that he cannot make them do any thing that is Evil yet he will tempt them to do Evil at sometimes so all who cometh to be preserved out of sin they must keep their minds unto the Light within them daily Luk 9.23 24 25. yea hourly For said Christ he that will be my Disciple must deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me mark he must deny himself and take up that which crosseth his own selfish will and selfish wisdom for it is Self in man and woman which leads unto the Tempter and so commits sin and this made Christ say unto his Disciples Without me ye can do nothing he said unto them Joh. 15. from verse 1 to 11. I am the Vine ye are the Branches as the Branches cannot bring forth Fruit except they abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me so read the thing in the Spirit inwardly If a man believe in the Light of Christ within him and loveth and obeyeth it then he cometh to be ingrafted into Christ the true Vine then the Light in which he hath believed is a daily cross unto self in him which if it had its way in him and were not crossed and kept down by the Light then it would obey the Tempter and so commit sin but when the Light is believed in loved and obeyed self is judged and denied and kept under the yoke and cross and then it is no more Self that Reigneth in Man which while it Reigneth will answer the Tempter and so commit sin but then it is the Seed of the Woman which Reigneth and Remaineth in Male and Female which hath in them bruised the wise and cunning and crooked Gen. 3.15 and wilful Serpents head and so the Seed Christ the Light comes to Reign over Man and Woman in their own hearts and such are come to be born of God and so hath overcome the Wicked one and such doth not commit sin because the Seed Christ Reigneth and Remaineth in them and then though the Prince of the World come and tempt such to do evil they do not obey him because they have denied Self which did commit sin and now Christ the true Seed and in whom the Tempter the Prince of the World hath no part Reigneth and he is the Lamb of God who hath taken away the sins of as many as have believed in and in faithfulness followed the Light within them wherewith he hath enlightened them and in such he hath fulfilled in the Substance that which he did in the Figure in the outward Temple at Jerusalem For it is written That he made a Whip of small Cords Joh. 2.15 and whipped out of the outward Temple the Buyers and Sellers And he said My Fathers House hath been Called a House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Theeves this I say was but a Type or Figure of his coming inwardly in Spirit to cleanse the Temple of mans Heart and Body which was defiled with Idolatry Covetousness Pride Envy Lying Swearing Cheating Dissembling vain Talking foolish Jesting Whoredoms Murthers Roberies and divers other Abominations which men and women have been defiled withal And so Glory to the Lord God for evermore he hath sent his Son a Light into our hearts and since we have believed in the Light of Christ in our hearts he hath clensed our hearts from such of the beforementioned evils as we were in the practice of and so we have felt and known a sharp Spiritual Scourge inwardly in our own hearts scourging and afflicting our Souls inwardly for our sins and iniquities which we did commit in Rebellion against the Light in our own hearts and so we have born the indignation of God inwardly Micah 7.7 8 9. in our own hearts and consciences and he ha h sitten as Refiners Fire and as Fullers Sope in our inward parts purifying our hearts which was sull of uncleanness and we have known great pain inwardly and we have wept and mourned over the Right Heir the Seed Zech. 12.10 11. the Light which we had Rebelled against and done dispite unto but since we learned obedience unto the Light the Lord our God hath forgiven us our trespasses which we had trespassed against him and now he guides us by his Spirit and Light which dwelleth in us yea now are we become the workmanship of our God Created by him in Christ Jesus the Light within us unto good works Ephes 2.1 2 c. to the end I hil 2.13 which he before ordained that we should walk in them and so it is our God who worketh all our works for us and in us and so it is by the Grace Light and Spirit of our God in our own hearts which did convince us of our sins and did trouble and condemn us for our sins Isa 26.12 that we are saved from our sins I mean Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. we are led out of the Action and Practice of that which formerly we lived in the practice of for which the Light Spirit and Grace Isa 1.16 17 18 19. which is but one in its Nature though its Names be divers did condemn us And so as the Apostle Paul said unto the Saints in his time By Grace are ye saved through Faith and not of our selves for it is the Gift of God Mark by the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto all men were they taught to deny and forsake the practice of Evil doing and Evil speaking and to judge and deny the Tempter when he brought an evil thought into their hearts to do speak or give their consents unto any evil and thus did they resist the Devil in the Grace that let them see the Temptation and then when he could not get them to yeeld unto him then he fled from them as it is written Draw near unto the Lord and he will draw near unto you Jam. 4.7 8 9 10. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you So when they did believe in the Grace and Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God had enlightened them and did joyn their minds unto it and loved it then it began to lead them out of Ungodliness Worldly Lusts and all wicked Words and Works which before they bad lived in and did commit with greediness as many do now in this our Age and Generation and then when they followed the Teachings of the Grace of God in their own hearts and was by it led out of their sins which made them unlike
God but like the Devil then they came into the likeness of God again which Adam and Eve lost when they went from the Measure of the Spirit of God wherewith he had enlightened them and which he commanded them to obey Gen. 1.26 27. And though Adam's Sons and Daughters be ravined from the Spirit of God within them and so are committing Sin with greediness Gen 3 1 2. c. to the end and draw-Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and pulling Sin upon them as it were with a Cart Rope yet this is no argument to any good purpose to perswade people that all people must do as they do neither is it an argument to any good purpose to perswade people that there is no better a State or Condition to be attained unto while men and women beareth the Earthly Body or Tabernacle about seeing the Apostle Paul said unto the Saints who had been in the fall ravined from the Spirit or Grace or Light in their hearts but was then when he writ unto them returned to it again Ye were sometimes Darkness Ephes 5.8 9 13 14 15. but now are ye Light in the Lord mark his words Ye were sometimes Darkness that was before they had believed in Christs Light within them which is the true Light that hath Enlightened every one that is come into the World that was before they had believed Pauls Testimony who was sent of God Who is Light Acts 26.18 23. 16 17 ver and in whom there is no Darkness at all to turn people from Darkness to Light and so from Sathans power unto the Power of God but when they had believed in the Light wherewith Christ had enlightened them and had received Pauls Testimony who was sent to turn them from the Darkness which was in them in which they had committed sin unto the Light which was in them which had condemned and troubled them when they did commit sin then were they Light in the Lord 2 Pet. 1.19 Mark that in the Lord and so they were in him who is Light in God and Christ and so they knew God and Christ in them to save them from their sins Rom. 6.17 18 20 21 22. For said Paul When ye were the Servants of Sin ye were free from Righteousness Mark that is they were not in Righteousness but out of Righteousness and so were in unrighteousness which is sin for all unrighteousness is sin and all sin is of the Devil But now said Paul 1 Cor. 3.10 11. being free from Sin you are become the Servants of Righteousness and hath your Fruits unto Holiness and the End Everlasting Life Mark then the Fruit which they brought forth was Holy and the End Everlasting Life so here was a blessed change witnessed while they were in the Earthly Tabernacle the same Paul said to some of the Saints Some of you were Whoremongers and Adulterers but said be you are washed you are ceansed ye are sanctified he did not say unto them when they were Saints that they were Whoremongers and Adulterers as many now adayes call themselves Saints and Christians and yet liveth in much Wickedness and Uncleanness both of Flesh and Spirit But when they were washed and cleansed from their Filthiness and so was brought into the Likeness and Image of God again which is Purity and Holiness and so they came to see and know the Lord and it is written Without holiness no man can see the Lord and it is written Blessed are the Pure in heart for they shall see God 2 John 3.4 5 6 7 9 10 24. and the Apostle John said He that is born of God sinneth not he that sinneth is of the Devil we are of God said he and the whole World lieth in Wickedness Wickedness is Sin but we are of God said he he that is of God sinneth not said he he that sinneth is of the Devil we know said he that the Son of God is come 1 Joh. 5.18 19 20 21. and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true Mark they were in him that is true Even in his Son Jesus Christ and this is the true God and Life Eternal and these are true Saints and true Christians which is come to witness Christ in them and hath witnessed him in them to destroy the Works of the Devil in them which is Sin and so to make them new Creatures as he had made those Saints in Paul and John's dayes 2 Cor. 5.17 18. For if any man be in Christ said the Apostles be is a new Creature old things are passed away said he all things are become new they that are Christs said he have crucified the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts and they bad put off concerning their former conversation the old man with his deeds which is corrupt and they had put on the new man Christ Jesus the true Light Col. 1.26 27 28. who is the Lamb of God who hath enlightened every one that is come into the World that all men in his Light wherewith he hath enlightened them might believe and the Saints and true Christians in the Apostles daye did believe in the true Light wherewith Christ Jesus had enlightened them and God by it did lead them out of Sin and so out of the Fall for before Sin entred there was no Fall for Sin was the Fall from God so who is come unto the Eternal true Light within them and by it is led out of Sin which was mans I all from God they are come out of the state of the first Adam in whose state men are dead in Trespasses and Sins and they are come into the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit 1 Cor 15.20 19. and though they did once bear the Image of the First Adam in whom all are dead in Trespasses and Sins yet now they are come to bear the Image of the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Light which hath redeemed them from their Sins and though they were once dead in Adam who fell yet now are they made alive by the Second Adam who never fell and though they did commit sin daily while they were in the First Adams state faln and ravined from the Spirit of the Second Adam in their hearts yet now being come unto the Spirit of the Second Adam which they had ravined from and now having learned obedience unto it it being the Spirit of Truth or the True Spirit it leadeth them into all Truth and so out of all untruth and so all who hath in faithfulness followed and obeyed the Light wherewith Christ the Second Adam hath enlightened them they and none but they are made alive in and by Christ the Second Adam so as it is written it is come to be witnessed by such As in the First Adam all die so in the Second Adam all shall be made alive Mark in Adam all have
hath opened our understandings and we do clearly see that they have not the Living Bread to seed upon themselves and so hath it not to deal unto others for we do see and know them to be proud covetous envious men and we do see know that the Lord God never made use of such to feed his Sheep for the greedy earthly and envious man is of the Wolvish nature and he is is not a fit man to be made a keeper of Gods Lambs for he is more like to devour them then feed them with the Bread of Life but now Glory to the Lord God for ever he hath opened an Eye within us by which we are come to see them and to know them and they cannot do any good to our Souls with their Preaching and Praying that we do certainly know and so we have no need of them for we have no need of that which will do us no good but hurt for we are able to prove that they do not stand in the Counsel of God Jer. 23. from verse 21 to 32. and therefore the people that follow them are not turned from the evil of their wayes and they have not been sent of the Lord therefore he hath not blessed them and their Labours for they have been Preaching and Praying for many years and it hath been a frequent practice of theirs to sell their Sermons Hosea 6.5 and their Prayers to those that would give the most Money for them and when they had been preaching unto and praying for a People several years and hath had from those people it may be One hundred pounds by the year yet when they have heard of it may be an hundred and fifty pounds to be had by the year at another place then they have left their Flocks which had paid them an hundred pounds by the year for their hire and hath gone unto those that would pay them an hundred and fifty pounds by the year for their hire Micah 3.9 10 11. and so they have shifted from one place to another to sell their preaching and their prayers at a dear rate and those covetous Hirelings have striven one with another Isa 9.13 14 15 16. who should have that place where there was most Money to be had for their preaching and praying Isa 56.10 11. and they have gone to Law one with another to get great places where there is much hire one from another they have been bad Examples to their Flocks they have lived in Pride and in Covetousness Jer. 5.30 31. and in these things they do greatly abound at this time and they are haters and persecuters of those that fears God Jer. 6.13 14. and verse 10. and are taught of God who cannot buy their Merchandise any more and although such who are taught of God do deny them and their preaching and their praying Jer. 14.14 15. and doth not come to hear them preach and pray yet they do demand wages of them for whom they do not work and because such who are taught of God cannot not dare not give them any thing because they know they are not sent of God and therefore doth no good unto peoples Souls with their praying and preaching but hurt yet when such who are taught of God will not give them hire Ezek. 13. read it through then they Sue them at the Law and take from them it may be three or four or five times as much as they demanded to be their due and thus they are more unreasonably wicked and unlike God then any other Tradesmen so these covetous Tradesmen of Great Mystery Babylon the Mother of all Harlots they are altogether unlike the true Ministers of Christ which he sent forth who said unto them Freely you have received freely give Mat. 10.8 9. c. to the end of the Chapter and they did as Christ commanded them and they went into the Towns and Cities and Countries and Nations to enquire who had a desire after the Knowledg of God and who was willing to receive the Kingdom of God and they preached the Gospel freely without Money and without Price yea without the price of One hundred pounds by the year yea the Ministers of Christ in former Ages and the Ministers of Christ in this Age fulfilled and doth fulfil that which the Spirit of God in Isaiah the Prophet called for when he said O come ye to the Waters Isa 55. from verse 1 to 10. come buy Milk and Wine without Money and without Price why will ye spend your Money for that which is not Bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not I say the Apostles Ministers of Christ in their dayes preached freely without money and without price and they brought people to the Free Gift of God in themselves to the anointing which was in them which was sufficient to teach them Rev. 22.17 1 Joh. 22.27 28 29. vers 26. and they needed no man to teach them but as the same anointing did teach them and this Testimony which John the Minister of Christ did bear was truth and no lye and Paul who was a Minister of Christ he brought people to the Free Gift of God in them he turned their minds from the darkness which was in them unto the Light of Christ in them which was the free gift of God unto them given unto them to teach them and Paul the Minister of Christ he said The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men Tit. 2.11 12. and it taught him and the rest of the Saints who had believed in it to deny and forsake that which was unlike God and when they lived in it made them unlike God worldly Lusts and this free Grace of God taught them to live in the likeness of God in which likeness man was created and Paul when he writ unto the Saints he did commit them to God Act. 26 18. and the Word of his Grace which was in their hearts which he said was able to build them up and give them an inheritance and Paul said Ephes 2. read it through By Grace ye are saved and not of your selves for it is the Gift of God and we say the same if people believe in the Grace and obey it then it saves them from their Sins and so they are saved not by their own works but by the free Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto all men but if they do not believe in the Grace then they are not saved by it but it is their condemnation and Jude in his Epistle saith the Wicked turn the Grace of God into Laciviousness and so denied the only true God Jude 4. and our Lord Jesus Christ Now Professors of all sorts consider they could not have turned the Grace of God into Laciviousness if it had not been manifest in them and unto them but it was manifest in them and they
rebelled against it and therefore it was their condemnation though they talked of God and Christ with their mouthes and profess God and Christ in words yet in works they did deny both God and Christ and so doth all in this Age who rebel against the Grace of God in them Peter the Minister of Christ he told the Saints 2 Pet. 1.19 that they had a moro sure Word of Prophesie then that which was heard in the Mount whereunto they did well if they took heed us unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Now People take notice that the dark place where the Light did shine which people was to take heed unto was within people for said he you do well that you take heed unto the Light which shineth in the dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts so when they did believe in the Light and take heed unto the Light then the day did dawn in their hearts but when they did not believe in the Light nor take heed unto it then the thick night of darkness was in and over their hearts For God called the Light Day 1 Thess 5.7 vers 3 4 5 6 8. and the Darkness he called Night so all who do evil they do it in the Night in the Darkness when they are ravined from the Light the free Gift of God within them but Peter the Minister of Christ he brought people to the Light of the free Gift of God in them and so we the Servants and Ministers of Christ we do direct people to the Light and Grace of God in them which is Gods Gift unto them to profit withal and we the Servants of Christ do speak that freely unto people which we have freely and immediately received from the Lord God to speak unto them and it doth not cost us any Money for the Gift of God cannot be bought nor sold for Money for Simon Magus the Sorcerer when he perceived the Gift and Power of God which was with Peter and the rest of the Ministers of Christ he would have given them Money that he might have had the some Power but Peter said unto him Thy Money perish with thee thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter because thou hast thought that the Gift of God might be bought for Money so the Ministers of Christ in former Ages did not sell the Gift which God had given them for Money but judged and reproved Simon who would have given them Money for the Gift of God And the Servants or Ministers now at this day who have received a Gift from God and a Command from God to speak unto people they do not sell the Gift which God hath given unto them for Money nor any other Earthly thing nor their Words which they do speak from the Gift or Spirit of God within them they do not sell for Money nor for any Earthly thing and so in this they are like unto the Ministers of Christ in the Ages past and as the Ministers of Christ in the Ages past did direct people to the Light within the Grace within Joh. 1.1 2 c. to verse 13. the Spirit within the Word within and the Anointing within which was to guide them and lead them into all Truth so the Ministers of Christ in this Age doth direct people to the Light within Grace within Spirit within Anointing within and the Word within Deut. 30.14 which was in the Beginning that they may hear it in their own hearts and be obedient unto it And as the Ministers of Christ in former Ages lived a Godlike Sober and Holy life and lived in the good they exhorted others to come into and also lived out of the evil that they reproved others for so the Ministers of Christ at this day by the same Spirit of God within them are kept in a holy Godlike life and they are in the good they exhort others to come into and they live out of the evil that they reprove others for and in this they are like unto the Ministers of Christ in the former Age and the Ministers of Christ now in this Age are good examples unto those people unto whom they preach the Gospel and unto all people who sees them Glory yea glory to the Lord God for ever for it is his Work and it glorifies him and he is worthy for ever even so Amen for ever But the Hirelings whom God never sent nor commanded to preach who run and intrude themselves to be Teachers for Hire for their Belleys they say unto their Followers be not proud and they themselves are proud and they say unto their Followers be not covetous and they themselves are the most coveteous men that be upon the Earth their Fruits doth make them manifest for they do make it their frequent practice to force Wages from those they do no work for and I do not know any Tradesman in this Nation of any other Trade that will demand or force Wages from those they do no work for but only the Hireling Priests and the Officers of that bad Trade And the Hirelings saith be not Envious and they themselves are Envious and so they are out of the good they exhort others to come into and they are in the evil that they reprove others for and so their Doctrine is of no Authority and it is not worth heeding for it hath no power in it to kill Sin nor to cast him out of people who is the Power and Author and Root of Sin which is the Devil and so they are Hypocrites who judgeth their Followers for doing evil and they themselves are doing the same evil for Christ said that he was a Hypocrite who said unto his Brother Let me pull the Moat one of thine Eye and he had not first pulled the Beam out of his own Eye Mat. 7.3 4 5. and Christ said he was a Hypocrite who judged another Rom. 2.1 2 3. and acted the same things himself And this I say in the Name and Power of the Lord God that there is many thousands of those people who follows the Hireling Priests who are more naturally honest and are of a better understanding to receive the things of the the Spirit of God then the Hireling Priests who are their Teachers but God will gather them out from them and will teach them himself freely by his own Spirit in their own hearts Some of the Hireling Priests have been heard to say to their Followers do not as we do but do as we say now this is clearly contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle who said unto them that followed him Walk as you have us for an Example and follow us 1 Cor. 11.1 Phil. 5.17 18 19. 1 Thess 1.6 7. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 4. as we follow Christ speaking of himsef and the rest of the Ministers of Christ he did not bid them
of Gods good Creatures and that is the cause that there is so much robbing and stealing Gods good Creatures one from another and that is the cause there is so much hanging and killing one another about Gods good Creatures and that is the cause that there is so much hanging and burning and killing one another about Religion even because people do not believe in and obey the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened them and until the inhabitants of England and all Nations come unto the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened every one that is come into the World and believe in and obey it they will never come to be established in Peace nor to have the Blessing of God nor to inherit the Kingdom of God but while they are Rebellious against the Light of Christ in them there will come Judgments and Plagues one after another and there shall be no peace to the Wicked who continue in Rebellion against the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them neither in this World nor in that which is to come and these are the words of Truth from the Lord God unto all people which shall stand a Witness for the Lord God against all who do continue in Rebellion against the Light and I do declare in the Name of the Lord God that it is the great Misery of all Nations both Jews and Gentiles Turk and Pope and all other Nations whatsoever that they do not believe in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one that is come into the World for if all people in all Nations would come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them which convinceth them of Sin then the Light would reconcile all differences amongst them yea it would reconcile them all together and it would make them of one heart and of one mind but they being out from the Light they are of many minds and they are striving one with another who shall be the greatest and they are warring one with another and killing one another for Earthly Crowns and Earthly Honour and Earthly Riches and also about their Idolatrous Worship and their many Babilonish Religions Now the Apostle said Jam. 4.1 c. to ver 11. From whence cometh Wars and Fightings come they not even from your Lusts so now if all Nations would come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them then they would feel power shed abroad in their hearts in the light to cut down the Lust in them all Jam. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. from which all Wars doth arise For if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 And so if the Light were loved and followed it would cut down the Lust from which Wars doth arise and Pride doth arise and Covetousness and Envy doth arise for Pride in the heart and Covetousness in the heart and Envy in the heart is the causes which makes people break forth into Wars and Fightings one against another and so to kill and destroy one another now Christ Jesus the great Prophet whom Moses said all was to hear and obey he said Love your Enemies do good unto those that dispitefully use you and persecute you and he said Put up thy Sword into its sheath Mat. 26.51 52 53. Rev. 13.10 for he that smiteth with the Sword shall perish with the Sword you Carnal-weaponed men who are wrestling with Flesh and Blood and are killing of you Fellow Creatures either for their Religion or for their Earthly things though you may not be slain by a Carnal Sword as you have slain others yet if you do not come to the Light of Christ within you and repent and give over killing about Religion and about Earthly Honour and Earthly Crowns then the great Sword of the Lord God Almighty which proceeds out of his Mouth will cut you down and you will perish by it and be cast into the Lake that burns for ever Christ Jesus when he was manifest upon the Earth among the Sons of men he said unto them Think ye that I came to bring Peace upon the Earth I tell you nay but a Sword now you Carnal-weaponed men this Sword which he sent upon the Earth it was not like your Carnal Sword which kills the Creatures in their Sins but the Sword which Christ sent upon the Earth it was a Spiritual Sword which did enter into the hearts of the wicked and it did cut down the Sin and so redeemed the Creature out of the Bondage of Sin from under the Power of him who is the Author of Sin which is the Devil and so Christ's Sword which he brought upon the Earth it did not kill the Creature but it killed the Sin and so brought the Creature into a glorious Liberty out of Bondage to Sin and so into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God So all you Carnal-weaponed men come to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened you all that so in the Light you may all come to know and feel that Spiritual Sword to enter into your hearts and to take Peace from the Wicked One within you and so to kill the Sin in you and cast him out of you who is the Strong Man even the Man of Sin who is the Prince of the Power of the Air who rules in the hearts of you Children of Disobedience who disobeys the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you that so the Sword of the Spirit may have its way through all your unclean hearts that you may come to know Cains nature to perish in you by the Spiritual Sword even that nature in you which slew Righteous Abel that your Souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. Christ never owned Carnal-weaponed men to Fight for his Kingdom Isa 2.4 for though some offered to Fight for him that he might not have been delivered unto the Jews yet he judged and denied them in that thing and he said If my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants Fight but his Kingdom was not nor is not of this World therefore his Servants in former Ages were forbidden to Fight for him with Carnal weapons and his Servants in this Age who are in scorn called Quakers they are bound by the Eternal Spirit of the Lord God Almighty never to Fight for Christs Kingdom with Carnal weapons for the Lord God Eternal he will Fight for it with and by the Breath of his Mouth by which he slew his Enemies heaps upon heaps in the Ages past Rev. 19.15 16. and vers 13 14. Acts 12.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 21 22. and in this Age the Everlasting God he hath made ready his great and strong Sword yea he hath made it sharp and he is laying it upon Leviathan that crooked Serpent and he will slay the Dragon
that playes in the Sea yea he will dry up the Sea for he hath cursed all her Springs these are those Waters which are gathered together on which the Great Whore doth sit 2 Cor. 10.4 5. but the Waters are drying up and as the Waters dry up the Whores Torment increaseth and it is increasing more and more yea God is casting her upon a Bed of Torment and those that have committed Fornication with her and the Beast that rose out of the Earth is God judging with that which rose out of the Sea also and the Dragon Beasts and False Prophet and Whore must be cast into the Lake that burns for ever and ever he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear Babylon the City of Confusion is going to decay daily and her Children are dying daily and her tall and stately Buildings are tumbling down apace and her Desolation is coming on swiftly for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her the Light which she and her Children hath hated is gloriously shining out of Darkness and as it ariseth it maketh more and more bare her Skirts and the Everlasting Day is dawning in the hearts of the Sons and Daughters of men and this Everlasting Day will give people a true Spiritual seeing feeling tasting and handling and they shall be more Heavenly and Spiritually wise then they have been in the thick Night of Darkness and Apostacy in which men have slept and committed Fornication with the Whore and have been made drunk with her Cup of Fornication in the night while men sleep their Sences are benumned and they are dreaming that they have a thing or seeth a thing but when they are awakened then they recover their true sense and then they know that they have not the thing that they dreamed they had for the Everlasting Day of God it declares all things as they be But come to further Tryal all wicked people who profess the Scriptures to be your Rule Obad. 3 4. Isa 28.1 Psal 10.1 c. to verse 12. Psal 73.6 7 8. Prov. 16.17 18 19. Prov. 29.23 Jam. 4.6 Job 26.12 Pro. 16.5 Pro. 15.25 Pro. 21.4 Mal. 4.1 and denieth the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you Come you Proud and Lofty ones come to your Tryal these words are written in the Scriptures as followeth Wo to the Crown of Pride God resists the Proud God beholds the Proud afar off Pride goeth before Destruction Mark Pride goeth before and Destruction followeth and the High-mind before a fall these Scriptures without you and the Light of Christ within you condemns you you are not Ruled by the Scriptures without you nor by the Light within you and so you are unruly your Covering is to narrow it will not cover you but you are stripped therefore behold your Nakedness and come to the Light and repent and be humbled by the Judgments of God You Covetous Carnal and Earthly minded ones come to your Tryal It is written in the holy Scriptures Rom. 8.6 7. 1 Cor. 2.14 To be Carnal-minded is Death and the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God and the Carnal Mind cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are as foolishness to the Carnal Mind Covetousness is Idolatry and the love of Money is the Root of all Evil so these words with many more in the holy Scriptures bears witness against you and the Light within you is your Condemnation and you are left without a Covering therefore turn unto the Light and repent And you Malitious Envious and Blood-thirsty ones come to your Tryal 1 Joh. 3.15 It is written He that hateth his Brother is a Murtherer and no Murtherer hath Eternal Life abiding in him and Cain was an Envious man and slew his Brother and Haman was a Proud and Envious man and Gods Wrath and Judgments came upon them Mat. 5.44 45 46 47 48. and Christ said Love your Enemies do as you would that others should do unto you Love your Neighbours as your Selves Render no man Evil for Evil but overcome Evil with Good and remember how you use to pray Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us and Christ said If you forgive not men their Trespasses neither will God forgive you your Trespasses and the Lord God said Vengeance is mine and I will repay it and so you that are envying and hating and taking revenge and will not forgive one another all your Prayers are a Stink and loathsom and abominable unto the Lord God and he is grieved at you that you do presume to pray unto him with such wicked and envious hearts Psal 66.17 18 19. the Prophet said If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer so these Scriptures without you and the Light of Christ within you bears witness against you and so you are stripped off all your Coverings and nothing shall be able to deliver you from the Wrath of the Lamb the Light therefore while you have a little time prize it and come to the Light Mat. 5.14 15. Pro. 10.7 and own its Judgments and turn at its Reproofs from the Evil it reproves you for that so the Lord God may have mercy on you and forgive your Trespasses which you have Trespassed against him and that you may receive Power from him to forgive one another and if you do not you will perish The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And now O ye Drunkards come to your Tryal It is written in the holy Scriptures Isa 5.22 vers 20. Pro. 23.30 31. Isa 28.1 Joel 1.5 Lu. 21.34 Rom. 13.13 14. Gal. 5.19 to the end That the name of the Wicked shall Rot and Wo unto them that are strong to drink Wine and rise betime to drink Strong Drink Wo to the Drunkards who is as a fading Flower Awake ye Drunkards and weep and howl The Drunkards and Glutions shall come to Poverty these Scriptures with many more bears witness against you and hear you may read your condemnation in that which you call your Rule But oh you Beastly ill-carriaged men and women you have a Condemner nearer you then these Scriptures without you that is the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you if you did love that it would Rule and Govern you all it would not let you take more of Gods Creatures either to eat or drink then what is truly necessary but you are ravened from that and so you have no good Government but you are more loathsom then common Beasts for the Ox and the Horse knoweth when they have enough and is satisfied therewith and they are better governed then you therefore come to to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you all wait in it and cross and famish and starve and pine your own ungodly Lusts and take and use Gods good Creatures in his Wisdom with moderation that God may forgive you your Sins which is past and may guide and rule you