in the heart and reveals Truth in the inward parts and so becomes the Author of Faith and of eâ—ernal Salvation and the Mysterie of this Faith is held in a pure Conscience where his Arm hath been working and purging and purâ—fying And as you give up to that Measure of LIGHT in your own Conscienceâ— and wait to be guided and led by it and exercised in it you will know CHRIST revealed within you whom you are looking for without you and puts his Day far off from you And so you live in want of him and know not how to come to him nor the place where to find him but live in the Dreamings and the Nâ—ght-Visions and have a talke of him and what he hath done for you and so spend your precious time in slumbering and dreaming but do not behold the Light of his Countenance noâ— feel not the Joy of his Salvation nor drink not at the Wells thereof Now wait to feel him in the Light which makes all things manifest within you and when he draws near unto you reâ—ect hâ—m not if you feel an evil thought discovered that is his appearance that makes the â—â—iscovery then do thou sink down to that which makes manifest and be still and quiet in thy mâ—â—d and in the stayedness wait to receive him and though it 〈◊〉 but a little thing in its first appearance do not thou despise the Day of small things nor cast behind thee the Grain of Mustard-Seed because it is a little one but wait to know the glory of the Day and the branching forth of the Graâ—n of Mustard-Seed until it be grown up and spread it self over all The Lords Love freely opens unto all you that in tenderness and simplicity thirsts for his lâ—ving presence and for your sakes plainness of speech is used and God's pure Truth opened in the Life of his own Spirit that you may come and partake of the Riches of that GRACE and MERCY which from the FATHER is revealed and appears in you all that you may truly know the benefit that is in the Lord of Life and Power and feel his Eternal operation your Consciences to purge and your Hearts to purâ—fie that you may have fellowship with him in the everlasting Covenant of Peace and know the Blood of the Covenant to take away your sin and to pardon your Iniquity and so the Redemption through his blood you wil feel and the forgiveness of your sins according to the Riches of his Grace And this is unto you from the Lord God Eternally moved who breaths after Life that you may Arise and follow the Leadings of God into his own House and from his Hand receive your Daily-bread and drink of the Water of Life freely and this will satisfie and refresh you and daily renew strength unto you to follow the Lord God in the Light in all obedience and faithfulness without any weariness or faintness so will the Lord God receive you and be a Father unto you and make you Sons and Daughters and give you an Inheritance amongst the Saints in Light who are justified by Faith in Christ Jesus Be swift to hear and slow to speak A few Words of tender Counsel unto the BAPTISTS with all that walk in that WAY HEar you seperated ones who have set your selves in the Highest Seat and whose Branch puts out over all the Branches of the Tree you are beheld though you be climbed high and your Work is seen of what sort it is you must come to Tryal for your Work is not right before the Lord Once did the Morning open unto you and a Measure of Light out of Darkness shined and a sight you had of something which was out of the Truth and beheld Babylon without you in Practice and Worship and saw her Merchants that traded in her and could not for Conscience-sake Trade with them any longer nor buy their Merchandize any more but you separated from them in Practise and Worship And that which made these things manifest to your Understandings was Light and it was near unto you though you were but little acquainted with it you had Clearness in sight through Forms and Traditions then in practice amongst men and something opened before you that appeared more excellent and you did not onely depart out of that which was manifest to be out of the Truth but there was also a true waiting amongst you that you might come to enjoy living Bread that something in you hungred for and in that day a tender people you were whilest the true fear was in your hearts placed and in the fear you diligently waited and were kept low and little in your own eyes and you had fresh Visitations of God's Love and felt that which truly judged the Abomination and Vanity which you beheld in the World and you were convinced of the evil thereof and could have no fellowship with them and you cannot say in truth but in that Day the Lord was near you to have wrought his Work in you had you enclined to his Counsel and as you were kept in lowliness to wait and met and assembled in God's fear he was not straitned towards you but did relieve you and succour you in your wants and had compassion upon you in all your needs What Hungerings and Thirstings Breathings and Pantings were raised in the earnest for Life and Salvation And what a tender love was raised in many of you after the best things And how did you delight to walk in that Way which then was made manifest to you Was it noâ— better with many of you in that Day then it is now Consider soberly in the fear of God and judge down the rash wrathful Spirit which hath a Seat in many of you Are you not gone from that in which the Lord did first visit you and in which his tender Love was made manifest in you Was it any thing without you that first let you see your Way to be corrupted and that brought you into a sensibleness of your want and of your miserable and undone state without the Salvation of Christ Was this made manifest unto you by Reading or Hearing or by the Gift of God's Spirit manifest in your own hearts How hath the old Enemy deceived you and drawn your minds into the Visibles to look after and behold the things that are seen and there tenders you Satisfaction and so draws your minds from the weightier matter and that which is of absolute necessity for all to know a part in And so you are cumbred about many things and are got into the many Words and there you are sucking your nourishment and labouring to receive strength and there have taken up your rest What have you to live upon besides the Letter And what do you know of GOD and CHRIST more then what they declared who enjoyed his Life And if you say that it is sufficient for you to mind the Declaration and to know GOD and CHRIST as the Saints
THE Morning-Watch OR A Spiritual Glass Opened WHEREIN A Clear DISCOVERY is made of That which lies in Darknesse from whence WARS CONTENTIONS and DESTRUCTIONS do arise concerning a professed RELIGION With a few words of tender Counsel Unto the Pope Prelate Presbyter Independent Baptist c. That they may all watch to the Morning and in the Glass behold themselves and try their Principle and Practise and see whose Image it bears and vvhether it be the same Principle that the Saints vvere guided by and the same Practice that they walked in that none may lye any longer in darkness and be deceived but all may come in one spirit to be gathered and into one body baptized where Love and Life Peace and Eternal Unity is truly enjoyed and possessed By one vvho travels for Israel's Freedom William Smith LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Robert Wilson at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Wind-Mill in Martins near Aldersgate 1660. To the READER READER THe Way of Life or the Way of Death is the Choice that all people make and are found walking in The Way of Life is strait and there be not many finds it the Way of Death is broad and many walk therein Theâ—efore it is of concernment for thee to examine thy present state and to be careful in what way thou walkest least suddenly thou fall into danger for God would not have thee peâ—ish nor to go on in the Way of Death but would have thee turn and depart out of it and for that end hath he freely made manifest in thee a measure of his Spirit to discover it that thou mayst see the danger and escape it and that thou mayst not run into it and destroy thy self and that is in thy Conscience placed which truly tryes thy wayes and doings and doth not let an evil thought word or deed go unreproved thaâ— is the Light of Christ which thou art enlightened withall and lets thee see that when thou art at liberty in the flesh and satisfying the lusts of it thou art in the broad way that leads to destruction it reproves thee for it calls thee to turn and depart out of it if thou walk in pride drunkennesse covetousnesse envy or malâ—ce in scorn or disdain of others the Light of Christ doth reprove thee in thy own Conscience for such things and calls thee to abstaâ—n from them and this is the broad way that leads to destruction all that walk in it and will not turn from it when reproof comes they destroy themselves and will perish in their gain-saying Therefore whilest the Lord is visiting thee in his tender mercies harden not thy heart against him nor reâ—ect his counsel but be diligent and ready to receâ—ve and in the quietnesâ— of thy mind attend to the Word near thee which is in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou mayst obey it and do it for it is Gods gift unto thee and stands a witness for God in thy Conscâ—ence it is Life and the Life is the Light and the Light breaks forth in thee and makes manifest unto thee the secrets of thy own heart and lets thee see all thy thoughts whether they be good or evil and thou canst not hide thy Counsel from it nor cover any intent so close but it will find it out This is God's Love unto thee who hath given his Son for thee that thou in him might believe and have everlasting life Wait in his fear his counsel to know and his leading to follow and he will bring thee to the strait Way and open it for thee to walk in and he will judge and condemn all that in thee which must not enter and he will bring thee down into the Death where God's Wonders thou wilt behold in the deep And this is the straitness of the Way and the Ground why so few findes it and walks in it Because that flesh and blood must not enter but be judged down to death Therefore Reader be diligent to find out thy present state and to know the Way wherein thou art walking and do not deceâ—ve thy self by crying Peace when sudden destruction is near at hand and be not secure with a talk of God and Christ but wait to know them and speak not of Faith and Grace until thou have them for thereâ—n thou deceives thy self and the Enemy blinds thy mâ—nd in a secure state So unto that of God in thee which is pure I direct thee that thou mayst know the Leadings and Teachingâ— of it and believe in it and joyn to it and it wâ—ll bring thee to know those things that concerns thy own Peace And in the measure of God manifest in thee read this following Treatise and it will keep dâ—â—n that mind thaâ— covets Knowledg and would be feeding upon Knowledge which the Lord forbids or if any thing arise in thee which would be angry oâ— envious the Light of Chrâ—st will judge that down and â—â—ll keep thee low in the meekness and patience to read and understand and if any thing seem hard unto thee whiâ—h at present thou mayst not have clearness â—n let it aloâ—e until the day declare it And be not hasty to know nor rash to juâ—ge in that which cannot dâ—scern it but be stiâ—l coâ—l and sink down and wait in patâ—ence until the appointed time And this is published in the servâ—ce of Love for thy sake who erres for want of knowledge and is not come to walk in the Way of Understanding that thou mayst be informed of the subtil workings of the Enemy of thy Peace and to know a part in that which gives Dominion over him which is CHRIST JESUS the LIGHT in thy Conscience unto which I am made manifest who â—ravels to relâ—eve the weary and to ease the oppressed ones that the feeble may be strengthened and all that breath after God may be saved â—n this day of his Mercy My Friendship is to thee and all people in the Truth of God W. S. THE MORNING-WATCH Or A Spiritual GLASS Opened c AWAKE Awake all people Arise lift up your eyes watch to the Morning the Day is come and the glory of Israel is risen all things is manifest as they are Darkness is dangerous and the Ways thereof leads unto Death Why will ye walk therein And why will ye dye O ye yeople Everlasting Mercy from the Lord God is held forth that none might be lost but all might be saved Bow down your ear and hear be diligent and encline for that is come which was before the Subtilty and that is manifest which in the beginning made all things and was before the Serpent prevailed or before that sin or death entered and this hâ—th God revealed in his tender mercy and hath visited many therein whose Understandings are opened and their eyes enlightened to behold the way of life and they are come to that which was before the World was made and knows a part in that
which was Moses life whose understanding was opened to see to the beginning and beheld God's Eternal Power in the Creation and the movings of his Spirit upon the face of the Waters and his bringing Light out of darkness and when this was opened to his understanding and he had seen it then he declared it and it was written and that which was written was called Scriptures but that which Moses declared as the Word of oâ— Life which was in the beginning and this Word was with God and was God who said Let there be Light Gen 1.3 mark God said it this was the Word the thing was done and came to pass Then God saw the Light that it was good and he called the Lâ—ght Day and the Darkness he called Night and the Evening and the Morning were the first day Gen. 1.4 Mark this The Word said Let there be Light and the Light was brought out of Darkness so the Morning was come and the first Day was created in the Eternal Word and â—nto this Life was Moses gathered and had his Understanding opened that he could see to the Beginning and behold the Works of God in the Creation which was wrought and brought to pass before his time upon the Earth there was no Traditâ—on to give him the knowledge of it but the Light which shone out of darkness in his heart in which he was gathered unto God and had union with his Life and in the Lâ—fe revealed Moses had clearness in his Understanding to the Beginning and beheld the six dayes Work and the Creation finished and also the seventh Day in which God rested He â—eheld man in his Innocency and Vprightness and saw the Image in which he was created and the purity and glory in which he was formed he beheld the Habitation in vvhich he vvas placed and he saw the covering with which he was clothed and in which he stood before the Creator and was not ashamed he beheld Paradise and all the Trees of the Garden and saw what was allowed unto man for Food and what was forbidden He beheld the Serpents subtilty and his deceitful working and saw how he entered and how he prevailed over man he beheld how he drew enticed man's mind from his obedience unto God and he saw how man fell and degenerated from the Power that had made him and he beheld the entrance of sin and transgression and saw the Curse and Death that came over all men in the Fall he beheld and saw the Love of God open and the Seed of the Woman promised to break the Serpents Head This was â—oses understanding opened in the Light that shone out of darkness which was manifest within himself in which the Morning appeared and the First Day did break unto him then in the Light he read thorow the generations that were before him and declared of their states and conditions and of their wayes and doings and then it was written and became Scriptures Mark It was not Scripture before Moses had declared it and what he hath declared and what is written is true and given forth by him in the Power that made all things manifest to him So he declared of Adam and of hâ—s Innocent state and of his Fall and of his driven-out-state he declared of Cain and of his Sacrifice and of Abel and of his Sacrifice he declared of the Flood that came upon the World of the ungodly and of Noah a just person who with his Sons and Daughters were preserved in the Ark He declared of Abraham the Father of the faithful and of the Covenant that God made with him and his Seed for ever he declared of Ishmael and Isaac of Esau and Jacob and through all the generations that had gone before him and he did not receive these things by Tradition or by any knowledge that came without him but as they were opened and made manifest within him where he beheld and read them in the Light and Life by which all things were made and created and into which he was gathered and united This is that Moses whom God sent into Aegypt to bring up Israel his chosen who with mighty Signs and Wonders delivered them from under Pharoah's Power and was a Leader unto them out of Aegyptian Darkness and from under the heavy Tasks that they weâ—e oppressed withall He received the Law at Mount Horeb and he writ it in Tables of Stone that Israel might know the Statutes and Ordinances which the Lord required that they should observe and keep and that they might obey the Lord their God this was the Covenant which God made with Israel in those dayes when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt and it was committed unto Moses who was made a Minister of it and taught the people to observe and do it that they might possess the Land which the Lord their God had given unto them and that they might not forget the Lord and his Benefits And this was Moses Ministration for the Law came by him howbeit this Ministration was not the Thing it self neither could make the comers thereunto perfect yet in its time was glorious and was a true Figure and Shadow of him that was to come which afterwards was to be more fully revealed whose glory exceeded and Moses Ministration was but a Type of him and a School-Master to bring unto him who was before the World was and it held forth though more darkly as in a Glass the glorious appearance of CHRIST the Word of God and Power of God who was yet to come and to be made manifest and revealed of whom Moses truly prophesied when he said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall you hear in all things and who will not hear the voice of that Prophet shall be cut off from amongst the People Mark They were to be cut off that would not hear the voice of him of whom Moses prophesied who was yet to come and to be the end of the Lâ—w for Righteousness and to be the fulfiller of it and to save and redeem from under it seeing that no flesh could be â—ustified by it because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it and because it was a Ministration of Condeâ—nation unto such as did not continue in all things written therein therefore Moses testified of him who was to be raised up and directed all to hear his Voice whose Ministration was to bring in Everlasting Righteousnesse and to redeem from under the Bondage of the Law and this was Moses Testimony unto CHRIST the Power of God and he did not direct People to look at any thing or hear any thing that was written before his time but to look to Christ and to hear his Voice that they might come to that which made the World and was in the beginning with whom Moses had then true union and felt his life and beheld the Excellenâ—y of his glory which was still to be
revealed and both the Law and Prophets bear witness unto him and the Scriptures throughout testifies of him and declare his unchangeableness who through all abides the same what he was in the beginning he was the same to Moses and to David and all the Prophets and Holy men of God who all received a measure of his unchangeable life and were thereby inspired and as that in them moved so they spake and declared and their Testimony agreeâ— in one for they were all come to that which vvas in the beginning and all declared the same thing according to its manifestation unto them that from Moses until John all the true Prophets boâ—e their Testimony unto CHRIST the Power of God whom they knew to be freely given of God to be a LIGHT and a LEADER that he might be salvation unto the ends of the Earth as they received they Ministred and truly testified of his Power and what they knew him to be made unto them so they declared of him and witnessed him to be a King a Judge a Law-giver a Rock a Fortress a Deliverer And so according to the Manifestation they Ministred and not by Tradition or Custom That the Testimony of John agreed with the Testimony of Moses and they both witnessed the same Thing and had Union with the same Life So John was come to that which was in the Beginning and in that he was the greatest of all the Prophets and was sent of God to prepare the Way and to make the Pathes streight for he was near to be revealed in glory of whom Moses and the Prophets had testified and John declared of the Word which was in the beginning by which all things were made And he testified That in the Word there was Life and the Life was the Light of men John 1. mark The Word in the beginning is the Life and Light of men by which all things were made This was his Testimony who was sent of God to bear witness unto the Light and he did not declare of another then the holy men of God had done the same that Moses and the Prophets had testified of and he was sent of God to bear witness unto this Truth which was in the beginning and he did not testifie of that to be the Light which Moses and the Prophets had written before him neither did he testifie of himself to be the Light but that is the true Light saith John that enlightens every man that comes into the world John 1.9 Here was the Light shone out of Darkness in John the Morning and the first Day was come unto him as was unto Moses and he beheld his Glory as the Glory of the onely begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Then God sent him to bear witness unto the Light which in him was made manifest that all in the Light might believe and he called unto others to behold him and said he was the Lamb of God and was come to take away the sins of the World John 1.29 Mark He beheld him and his Glory and felt his Power and what his Power tooke away then he declared him as he knew him and not from any Tradition or Writing before him though then there was much written which did truly testifie of him Weigh this Truth all ye Priests and Professors and ponder it in your hearts Have you beheld Christ and seen his Glory whose Name in Words you declare Have you felt his Power to take away your sin If yea then why do you teach for Doctrine mens Traditions and build upon other mens labours and stretch your selves beyond your own measures running into the Lines of what others have written And if nay then how dare any of you make mention of his Name or speak of his Glory or of his Power seeing you have not beheld him yet made manifest in your selves You are not sent of God no not one of you who cannot witness in some measure the glory of the onely begotten of the Father revealed in you Therefore let all flesh be silent and the mouth of Iniquity for ever stopped and let none speak more of Christ or his Glory and Povver then they knovv a measure of his Life made manifest in their mortal bodyes by vvhich they come to know their sin taken avvay For John testified that the giving forth of the Law vvas by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ John 1.17 Mark Grace and Truth vvas come unto John by Jesus Christ and he had beheld and had felt the Virtue of it by vvhich Moses Administration vvas fulfilled in him And this is John's Record who vvas sent of God to bear Witness unto him in whom is life the same vvhich was in the beginning of vvhom Moses testified that so their Record agrees in one and their Testimony is unto the same Life in Unity for they vvere gathered unto Him vvho vvas in the beginning and vvas made manifest through Generations to be a Light and a Leader and all that believed and obeyed him had Life Eternal in him And this is he that vvas made under the Law to Redeem them that vvere under the Law and in fulness of time came and vvas made manifest to Israel and vvas the end of the Law for Righteousness unto all that did believe and so he fulfilled the Ministration of Condemnation which could not justifie any because of its weakness he brought in a Ministration of Righteousness which did exceed in Glory And this was the Word in the beginning which became flesh dwelt amongst them they beheld his glory and received him and as many as received him unto them he gave Power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believed in his Name And John preferred him before all saying He that comes after me is preferred before me for he was before me and his shoo-latchets I am not worthy to unloose I baptize with water but he shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose Fan is in his hand he must encrease but I must decrease saith John And when he came and was made manifest unto Israel of whom Moses and the true Prophets had testified and whose Glory they saw was to be revealed he Ministred forth of his own Fulness and of his Fulness they received who upon him waited and in him believed Then he confirmed the Testimony of all the Holy Men of God saying I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life John 8.12 And this Testimony the Pharisees could not receive but told him he bore Record of himself and his Record was not true These were the wise Generation and the Scripture-learned ones in that day who had the Law and the Prophets read amongst them every Sabbath and yet did not behold his glory when manifest amongst them of whom Moses and the Prophets had testified nor did not believe his own
conform to that which you were convinced to be out of the Truth and some of you passed through an Exercise in the Tryals and stood in faithfulness according to the manifestation in that Day and the Lord appeared for you and relieved you and gave you Dominion over your Oppressors and you have had a time in which you might have done good but the Benefit you let slip out of your minds and did not like to retain God in your knowledge but when Prosperity encreased you grew fat and stood puffed up and had no regard unto the poor but walked in the steps of those that went before you and handed forth as bitter a Cup to others who were tender in their Consciences and could not conform to your Inventions as they had done unto you whom the Lord removed because of Oppression and your little finger became a heavier weight upon many than the Loyns of such as went before you and then you began with your Laws to persecute such as could not bow to your Image and it is just with the Lord to bring those over you whose Necks was once put under you that you may consider what you have done and repent before it be too late For the Lord doth not forget the poor which by you is oppressed and shamefully entreated who this day suffers in prison by your Cruelty and Oppression Oh! what Hypocrisie hath been in the bottom of you and how deceitful and unfaithful have you been unto God! who appeared for you and gave you ease from your Burdens and relieved you when you were afflicted under the Yoak that lay upon your necks and raised you up and set you over your Oppressors and when Power was given into your hands you turned your Feet into the same Path and set your selves up in their Places and exercised LORDSHIP and DOMINION over others and as much Cruelty was manifest from you as from those that you destroyed And so you killed and took Possession and lived in the height of Pride and Vanity Doth not the Lord behold you and your Doings And will he not be avenged upon such deceitful Workers I tell you yea for he is righteous in all his ways Therefore be serious and in coolness consider and speedily turn to the Lord least he smite you and there be none to deliver you For though you deny both Pope and Prelate and cannot own nor conform to their Practice and Worship but war and fight against them and cannot bow under their compelling Laws nor join with their Birth which they bring forth yet look into the Glass of Righteousness behold your own see whose Son he is whose Image he bears for your Births are Children of one House and conceived in one Womb and born after the Flesh and though a difference in the Form appear yet the Root of all is in the deceitful and corrupt heart which lyes in the degeneration and though you have cast off much of their Idolatry and Cut off many useless Branches yet the ROOT is not changed but there you meet in one your fruit doth savour of it You layed by the name of BISHOPS and pulled up Altars and you rent the SURPLICES and the Book of Common-prayer you pulled down ORGANS and layed by Singing-men and Boyes with many other thing which then you beheld to be useless in that service and in that day you cried out for LIBERTY and your zeal was hot to carry it on and there was in many of you an honest true desire after the best things and your eyes were towards the Lord and you prospered and prevailed whilst you did the things that were right in the honesty of your hearts in the sight of God but when ease came you presently forgat the Lord and his benefits and began to set up your selves and your own way and branched forth in another appearance and brought forth a Birth with another Form and Likeness but receives breath from the same Life Did not you make a DIRECTORY and in that formed your Birth as your wisdome invented and made a way to your selves that seemed right in your eyes Did you not make CLASSIS and ELDERS and DEACONS to have Rule and Dominion amongst you and to be Chief in your Assemblies And did you not bring people to a CONFESSION of what they believed And were any to eat bread with you at that you cal SACRAMENT but such as were approved by those Officers ordained And did you not thus become Judges of the Worthiness or Unworthiness of people to eat and drink with you and either Received them or Excluded them in your own Wills Is not this a Brat that must be dashed in peeces and the Son of the Bond-woman that must be cast out I tell you yea as certainly as others have been dashed in peeces and cast out whose likeness you could not own to be true And now behold whether you be not striving with all your Strength to uphold the life of that Root from which you have cut off many Branches Have you not been digging about it all this time and have forced some Branches to put forth from it higher in appearance than those you cut off and so you are found in the Whoredome and drinking as deep of the Cup of FORNICATION as those you War against and are in the dark night of Apostacy with them all walking in darkness and cannot behold in clearness the Form or Likeness of one another and so fight and destroy one another about it And when you cut down one thing you give life unto another thing that springs from the same Root and is of the same Nature Why did you not pull down the made CHURCHES of Wood Stone when you Rent the SURPLICES and the Book of COMMON PRAYER Why did you not put down COLLEDGES-Ministers when you pulled down ORGANS And why did you not take away TYTHES from such a Ministry when you pulled up ALTARS What is the difference of these things that you have taken away some and spared others Were you not commanded to smite AMALEK throughout and not to spare any thing alive but you looked after the best thâ—ngs and regarded not the Lord so you but put them out of their Houses to take possession your selves and what might be profitable to you or advance your glory that you preserved and laboured to give more life unto it for had you minded the leading of God neither STONE-CHURCH nor COLLEDâ—E-MINISTER had been this day standing as in any seeming service for God neither TYTHES to maintain that Ministry or any Impropriator whatsoever but these things you spared for your own Gain Glory and have Invented how to Reform some things in Appearance and have continued others as seemed Right in your own Eyes as your CHURCHES and COLLEDGES and COLLEDGE-MINISTERS TYTHES and GLEAB-LANDS and EASTER-RECKONINGS with much more which sprung up from the same Root and of the same Nature as other Branches which you took
his out-stretched arm he appears for his Chosen this day and of his manifold Mercies we have largely tasted And when BABYLON hath made her Cup Ready and begins to hand it forth unto the Lambs and to compel them to receive it and drink it then will the Lord Appear and strike with astonishment the hearts of the furious and make them confess to his Everlasting power and to his People for whose sake he will Arise to save Therefore unto him look from whence help comes and feel his power to compass you all about and his strength to gird you up that none of you may be surprized with fear or doubting but in the Immortal stand over all and be Bold and of a good Courage that BABYLON may know we cannot fall down and Worship their IMAGE what ever they can do unto us and GOD even the God of our fathers he will remember his holy Covenant and Israel his Chosen and though he may try us yet will he never forsake us but will stand by us to deliver us that all may know we are a people saved by the Lord Oh! feel the purpose of your hearts drawn in the Light to cleave unto the Lord and do not depart from his Counsel so will he make you able to stand unto the end and will plentifully reward you in the Riches of his Love and Life which is without End And the God of Jacob keep you all and the holy One of Israel be Strength and Wisdome to you all that he may have the glory over all who alone is Worthy Infinite Endless Powerfull Father of life Blessed for evermore Be not Fearful but Beleeving A few Words concerning true Discerning and Judgement NOw is Salvation come from the most High and the God of Israel is over all he is confounding the Wise men in their Wisdome and destroying the strong men in their strength he is breaking the Idols of silver and the Idols of gold and every carved work he is throwing down and his eye beholds the way of every man and he sees their work of what sort it is he is the searcher of the heart and he passeth by beholds the Intents thereof hidden things he brings to light and by the gift of his own Spirit he shews to every man his thoughts this is his perfect gift to every man a manifestation thereof all men have that they thereby might profit and though a measure of this Spirit have a being in all and makes it self manifest in all and is the true Light that doth enlighten all that comes into the world yet all do not receive it nor come to be guided by it so walk in the flesh and cannot please God neither can perceive the things of God and what is performed by such as a Service or VVorship to God he doth not require it at their hands and though they make many prayers he will not hear for they have no union with his Spirit and this tryes all people and their works in a true Discerning and gives true Judgement upon all according to their doings and who have not this Spirit of Christ they are none of his but all that receive it and have union with it they walk not in the flesh but in the Spirit in which they see the Shapes and Forms of every Image and Likeness and the ground from whence they do arise and no false birth can have a hiding place but from the least to the greatest they are discovered and the fairest â—overing that any have cloathed themselves withall is seen through and all the â—ormed likenesses which appears this day amongst the Sons of men in what they do profess of God they are all seen to be of the flesh and their Root and Principle is of that part and nature that is earâ—hly from which no good thing can arise and it brings forth a Birth in its own likeness and of its own nature which by the Spirit is truly discerned and every work of the flesh is manifest to the Spirit for the Spirit searcheth alâ— things and truly judges all things for the Spirit is truth And though this may seem in many of your eyes to be rash judgement and you may call it so yet it will stand a witness against all that are satifying the flesh For there is not any thing so hardly received as that Testimony that strikes at the life of another and That which deals plainly and simply with all and desires the good of all That meets with the least entertainment in the hearts of people but that which flatters and cryes peace when the bonds of iniquity stands that is a pleasing thing unto the mindes of all who walk in the flesh and that which comes to rip them up and discover their nakedness to their shame that they kick against and will not own nor receive it for truth for there is not any people would come to shame for what they do and that which opens secrets and brings any thing to light by which shame may come upon them they turn against that and reject it though the thing be really true which is witnessed against and so there is no work of the flesh that would come under the Spirit's Judgement though it be truly discerned and judged as it is and the Discerning and Judgement stand in the truth but those concerned in it will not own it but cry out Who made you a Judge and why are you so rash to judge as if all were to be condemned but your selves how do you know the hearts oâ— people and why may not others be as râ—gâ—t as you for what you know So every Form and Likeness would save its own life by putting off the Judgement as if none could Dâ—scern it and no false Birth that would have its nakedneâ—s to appear lest it should come to shame thereby And thus people harden themselves against the Spirit's Testimony which in it self is the searcher and trier of hearts and Reins and none can hide their counsel from it Mark Is not this the Judge that stands at the door and knocks Doth not he discern when evil rises in your hearts And doth he not there Reprove you What is it that you can hide that he findes not out what can you do in your secret chambers that he doth not know And what thought can you think amongst all your thoughts that he doth not discern And doth he not judge you in your own consciences if you have thought any evil or uttered vain words or done any thing wickedly Will you deny this to be a true Discerneâ— and a Righteous Judge Be sober and there is a witness which you may feel in your own selves to answer to the Truth declared and all that have received the Spirit and are born of the Spirit they have an understanding given them by which they are able to Discern the flesh and all the works of it and give true Judgement upon it without respect of persons not