and so may it be well with all you as ye are faithful to God in the suffering state and so enjoy his Presence thus also with you for evermore may it go well Shall I now therefore return to Exhortation and Admonition with desires of tender Love towards you that you all in patience may stand and look to the Lord whom we have and have none other in Heaven to hear our Cry nor in Earth that truly commiserateth our Cause nor hath Power like him to help Dear Friends he knoweth our Intents and seeth how it is with us he hath given to many of us an heart to say Lord if thou shouldst suffer us to perish we will not leave thee and whatever become of us we dare not deny thee before men for thou hast called us and we are thine even thine own whom thou hast chosen Let your desires be forever thus unto the Lord and wait upon him continually and let your Eyes be more upon the Lord than upon those things which in this day of Tryal are suffered to come to pass by him which he can also turn for his own Glory and your Everlasting Comfort And Friends this know that as your Minds are upon and much caring how to preserve the temporal things the weight of them will lie upon you and stop the Springs of better Treasures but as your Minds are towards the Lord a great case and satisfaction will be come unto you And Friends Murmur not that this day is come for it may be there was need of it even amongst us and it may be ye are more yet to be redeemed out of the earthly part and transitory things and question not but this will be for good and as for Tryals since this cloud was up I have even drunk deep with you of the inward sufferings yea more than is convenient to mention but the Lord hath kept my feet upon the Rock and with all the Upright I sing Praises to his Name And now be tender one to another you may read the Figure God is bringing you near together and Aegypt is thrusting you out by reason of the Torment that is upon them and a Land of Rest is before you and from the presence of the Lord they cannot Banish us nay nor what they would neither for God is on our side though they have yet something more to do and when every mans Work is over he shall certainly receive his Reward from God either good or evil and then as the Apostle saith of the Wicked They shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Presence 2 Thes 1. 6 7 8 9. But Friends it is safe for you all to dwell in your own Tents and mind the Lord and let your love be towards him above all things and in all things that you do wait to feel his Counsel and Guidance and trust him forever for great is the work of the Lord yea I have even looked for this day that the Cry of the innocent may reach unto Heaven and as I have said the sound thereof reach over Europe that Kings may come to be crowned with Honour and Judges decree Righteousness and true Judgment may stream forth as Water and Righteousness as a living stream that Thousands and Thousands of Thousands may slock to our Fold as Doves to the Windows that the Nations of men may bow under the Scepter of Righteousness and the Powers of Darkness shut up forever Behold O Friends yea stand still and see the fall of Babel the Destruction of the Whore and the Torment of the Beast for though Hell hath enlarged her self yet this we know the Lord liveth who scatters the Powers of Darkness Oh! what more shall I say who come to the dwelling-place of its unutterable Power may feel the unsearchable things of God And Friends let not the Enemy prevail through Unbelief for there Israel fell in the days of old and there is no greater danger than that of Unbelief But consider that you have something still to resist and seldom ever more than now and you have a spiritual Enemy to war with which flyes not but as he is resisted and in the time of your weakness and inward trouble is his time to prevail if ever and if thou canst stand then full easie mayst thou walk when Refreshings come and with delightsomness mayst thou persevere when the Cloud is over and this know that a Storm lasteth but for a time and Winter is but for a season and the Night remains not always nay the four hundred and thirty years had an end and the Bounds of the Seas are set and happy is he that always looketh unto him that ruleth over them for though when the Waves swelled even the Disciples were ready to think he cared not if they perished yet he intended better things for them and when for the Life's sake they cryed unto him he soon and easily abated the Rage both of Wind and Sea and then the sweetness of a Calm is prized Dear Friends I need not open the Parable unto you but even rather say The Lord be with you even every one of you beyond all that I can write and the Lord strengthen you and keep you stedfast in the Faith and refresh your Souls and minister more strength virtue and comfort unto you all every where for evermore Amen This is chiefly intended for all the imprisoned Servants of God and them yet at liberty and to be read among them with a good Understanding in that which gives it distinctly in the fear of God Humphery Smith Chalfont in Buckinghamshire the 13th of the 11th Mon. 1660. To Nâ—w-Englands pretended CHRISTIANS Who contrary to Christ have destroyed the Lives of men Having seen something of yours called by you an Appendix whereby you would justifie your selves in Whipping Imprisoning Banishing Killing and making Spoil of whole Families I being weak of Body and in Bed the strength of the Lord arose in me from the which was given forth that which followeth THe Lord God will answer you with that which you shall never be able to resist from the which you shall never be 〈◊〉 to fly neither shall your Coverings defend you but God will visit in secret and the Almighty will rain Snares upon you and all your strong holds in one day and that suddainly in a moment will the Lord God scatter and confound with all your strong Reasons and your Weapons which you have gathered together against the invisible God and his Servants like your Fathers in the dayes of Old Isa 41. 21. these with all your Weapons of War against the Lamb and the suffering seed shall be broken in the midst of you and Death will overtake you and Gods Righteous Judgments will enter within your dwellings and a day of blackness from the Throne of God will come upon you and his Anger with Bitterness will be poured forth upon you as a mighty Storm which
Cross of Christ is to the Joros a Stumbling-block to the Greeks Foolishness for Christ is this day as he was ever a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to both the Houses of Israel 2 Cor. 1. 13. therefore are they this day speaking Evil of that they know not for say they concerning these Sects call'd Quakers We know that it is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. But in the Way that men call Heresie do I Worship the God of my Father Acts 24. 14. and am not ashamed to own the Power that shakes the Earth for if I should be ashamed to own the Power of Christ before men then he might justly be ashamed of me before my Father which is in Heaven but I own and witness the same Power which made Moses exceedingly fear and quake The which overpowered Daniel that he had no strength left in him Dan. 10. 8. Which Power made Habakkuk Tremble his Lips Quivered Rottenness entred into his Bones Hab. 3. 16. the which Power struck down Paul Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. which caused the Goaler to come in Trembling Acts 16. 26 27 28 29. Therefore I say unto all serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling Psal 2. 11. and work out your Salvation with fear and Treambling Phil. 2. 12. for now I know the Lord to be with them that Tremble at his Word Therefore O foolish People without Understanding which have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not Tremble at my Presence Jer. 5. 21 22. Are you worse than Devils that Fear and Tremble Isa 2. 19. And now the mighty Power of the living God hath shaken the Earth and the Heavens that now that which cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. 27. Now all you that will enter in with the Bride-groom wait to receive the same Power for the Lord Jesus Christ is come tendering himself unto his own John 1. 11. and I witness that as many as receive him receive Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. O be not Fools and slow with Heart to believe all that the Prophets and Apostles saith for the Lord is still a God with Power he is the same yesterday and to day and forever whose everlasting Love is shed abroad in our Hearts by which the Love of the World is cast out For if any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him John 2. 15. But we are bought with a Price and after glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit which is the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Being made Ministers nof of the Letter which killeth but of the Spirit which giveth Liâ—e 2 Cor. 3. 6. Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry of Christ be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments in Tamults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left by Honour and by Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True as unknown and yet well known as Dying and behold we Live as Chastened and not Killed as Sorrowful and yet always Rejoycing as Poor and yet making many Rich as having Nothing yet Possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 Verses Now the Light of the glorious Gospel in the Face of Jesus Christ hath shined into our Hearts whereby the Grace that was to be brought in at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. is now in us witnessed even the Grace the Apostle exhorted to hope for and the Prophets searched after 2 Pet. 2. 20. the which Grace and Glory is now made manifest in the Sons and Daughters whereby the everlasting Gospel is sounded forth in the Ears of many Thousands in England blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof For verily verily as the four Hundred and Thirty years Bondage in Aegypt was at last accomplished and as the Captivity in Babylon had an end and the Lord brought again the Captivity of his People even so now the many Years of Apostacy is over and the Lord hath heard the Cry of his own Seed and is come down to deliver Israel out of all Distresses and to gather the Out-casts Psalm 147. 2. And to bring home that which is driven away and to bind up that which is broken and to strengthen that which is sick but he will destroy the Fat and the Strong and will feed them with Judgment Ezek. 34. 26. but his own shall be delivered from the many Shepherds which have destroyed the Flock of Christ and they shall feed no longer Verse 20. yea verily People the mighty Power of the Lord is risen in England to gather his from the Corners of the Earth and they that have been long in the High-ways to Destruction being â—lind and Lame shall now be compelled to come in to the Supper of the Lamb and eat of the hidden Manna But many of the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out For for Judgment is Christ come into the World that they that see not may see and they that soe may now be made Blind Joh 939. And the Sword of the Lord is drawn against the man of Sin to cut it down Root and Branch and to set up the Kingdom of Christ in Rightcousness and true Holiness And this Work of the Lord shall certainly go on and Men Devils nor the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester the 8th Moneth 1658. YOu that are set to rule over others should not let secret Envy Ambition and Prejudice so rule over you as not at all to hearken to the Counsel of the Meek nor receive Instruction from the Simple whom the Lord preserveth but you should let Haughtiness and Arrogancy be done away for God resisteth the Proud And you should come to that which is meek low sober and humble with it to know a ruling over that which hath captivated you under the power of Sin and Satan who hath so blinded the Mind that the Meek of the Earth are become your Enemies for telling you the truth and the Day upon you is come in which you cannot endure sound Doctrine But this I tell you That they who hate Reproof are bruitish and every man is bruitish in his Knowledge yea O ye men your Pastors are become bruitish and have not known the Lord though this be a hard saying to you who are your selves in that which is to be ruled with the Sword of God's dreadful Power who will execute Judgment upon all and with his own eternal
now those that have the Scripture and call that their Rule in the which they read of Christ the Light yet the Light they deny and so deny him of whom the Scriptures speak and him unto whom all Power in Heaven Earth is committed and so long as they deny him who is the Light unto whom all Power is committed they cannot receive Power from him to become the Sons of God but they who do receive and believe in him who is the Light unto them he gives Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. And now the zealous professing Jews Scribes and Pharisees have the Scriptures but they deny him that is the Light and so they are blind and all those must needs be blind who hate the Light and deny it and so the Jews had the Oracles of God without them and the Law without them and Christ the Son of God without them and among them preaching to them and yet they were deaf and blind and of the Devil for they did his Works And moreover the Disciples of Christ might read the Scriptures without them and they had him in whom was the fullness of God among them with them or without them and yet in many things they understood not John 12. 16. but were often asking Questions as in Mat. 23. 10 36. chap. 16. 22. ch 17. 10 13 19. ch 18. 1 21. ch 19. 10. ch 24. 3. John 13. 7. and some time they knew not what Spirit they were of Luke 9. 55. and though he had been a long time with them yet it was hard for them to know him John 14. 5 6 7 8 9. and though he had been so long time with them consider it was with them for With may be one thing and In another until he had finished the Work without them which the Father gave him to do John 17. 4. Consider the outward Work of Christ without or among the Disciples may be finished and he was at the Passover with them and at the Supper with them and gave his Life for them and they saw his Body broken and his Blood shed without them and yet not withstanding all this afterwards he that is the Light upbraided them of Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Mark 16. 14. who for a long time had the fulness of God amongst and with them who being with them said He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. And so they were to wait to receive him within and that within was to abide forever but that without departed away but that within was and is to lead into all Truth and be with his to the end of the World for that which is in man is alwayes with him but that which is with man and not in him may not alwayes be with him And now the Light is in man and so he that is with his to the end of the World is the Light of the World who is the Resurrection and the Life who was dead and is alive and I say he liveth for evermore who hath finished his Work in the outward things to wit Circumcision Baptism the Supper and Death on the Cross without the gate and is now revealed within and worketh all our Works in us and ever liveth to make Intercession for us Isa 26. 12. Heb. 7. 25. in whose Hearts he is now crying Abba Father and he that hath the Son hath also the Father to whom be Eternal Dominion Glory Honour and humble Obedience for evermore And so Christ Jesus being also guided by that of God or rather the fulness of God in him whereby he finished his Work and departed away from among them and bid them wait for that which should abide with them forever and said These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter whom the Eather will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14. 16 25 26. and that which teacheth all things was to be revealed within and until that was come and revealed in them they did not know all things so that that which teacheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father and abideth forever is to be received within and they in Obedience to his Command did wait and their waiting was not in vain for when the time was fully come they did receive the Promise of the Father which they had waited for and so were filled with the holy Ghost Acts 2. 1 2 3 4. as Joshua was full of the Spirit and in Christ was the fullness of God and Stephen was a man full of the holy Ghost and the Desires of such was That others might be filled with all the Fullness of God Ephes 3. 19. It s not filled with the Scriptures And so they being filled with that which was holy were by that led in the Way of Holiness and with that which was holy in them were they to build up one another Jude 20. and then they spoke the Word of God with Boldness and after the Son of God was revealed in Paul three years after he went up to Jerusalem to see Peter Gal. 1. 16 17 18. and fourteen years after he went up to Jerusalem by Revelation Gal 2. 1 2. And so he did not say he went by the Scriptures or any Command without him but by Revelation and a Revelation is within and that all the Ministers and Disciples of Christ did come to be led and guided by his Spirit that was in them might easily be proved by many undeniable Truths of plain Scripture wereby it might more largely appear that they were all led guided and directed by the one Spirit in them though the Gifts Leadings and Operations of that one Spirit in them was various as may be read 1 Cor. 12. And now most People will grant this before written to be true That all the People of God formerly were led by the Spirit that was in them but that men should now in these dayes be led by the Spirit of Christ in them is by many denyed the which thing chiefly is that which I would a little search into or rather open to thee from that which hath searched me Psal 139. 23. and that according to the Scriptures of Truth if that will be by thee regarded that so it might appear unto all that are not willfully Rebellious against the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and also deniers of plain Scripture by the which I am ready to prove That the People of the Lord and Ministers of Christ were not only led by the Spirit of God themselves but also in their Words and Writings did direct others thereunto saying Walk in the Spirit be filled with the Spirit and Worship God in the Spirit Gal 5. 16. Ephes 5. 18. Phil. 3. 3. John 4. 24. But say the People Though they did walk and direct others to walk by the Spirit yet are not we now to walk by the Scriptures And is not the Scriptures now to be our Rule And
of Salvation are come wherein God even our God is shining out of Zion the redeemed of the Lord the perfection of Beauty unto all the World and all Nations who have been high shall now be brought down into the Valley there will Christ the Lord of Hosts plead in the cool of the day with all Flesh and fallen man and the day is come that the Heathen shall be weakned and the strength of the Mighty shall fail and he that handleth the Bow and the Shield and the Spear shall not deliver himself but the mighty man shall fall in the Streets and the strong man shall utterly faint and Wisdom shall perish from the Wise and Understanding from the Prudent and Judges shall be led away Fools and the Honourable shall be laid in the Dust and no Weapon formed against the Righteous Seed shall prosper for of a truth the Lord is with us and in vain do all the Potsherds of the Earth strive against the Lamb and his meek Spirit in his Members for though they Fine one and Whip another and Imprison many yet the day is come that they shall fall down under the Prisoners and bow down under the Slain for the Lord our God is risen over them all and he even laughs them to scorn and will have them in derision Therefore by ye still and quiet O ye flock of the most high and let the Bountifulness of God's everlasting Love break the Earthly Pitchers and feel Gods unlimitted Power fighting for you who are now to be quiet for a little season and you shall see the destruction of the wicked and the overturning of the seats of the ungodly who are all but as Chaffbefore the wind as stubble ready dryed before the fire of God's Jealousie which will shortly smoke against his Enemies who shall vanish like smoke when our God ariseth to confound Babel and overturn the foundation of the Wicked for great Babel is come in remembrance before our God who is now giving her Blood to drink and the day is at hand that Vengeance shall be poured forth upon the head of the Wicked and Flames of everlasting Burning upon the Whore the Beast and the false Prophet and all they that commit Fornication with strange flesh and they shall now be taken and cast alive sensible of Gods Wrath into the Lake that burneth forever and ever yea the day is at hand and the Ungodly shall not escape Therefore ye Sons and Daughters of the most High lift up your Heads behold your Redemption draweth nigh therefore rejoyce in the Lord forever and again I say Rejoyce for your Redeemer cometh riding upon the Wings of the Wind a Fire devoureth before him and behind him a flame burneth behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him and long his Enemies shall not stand but the overflowing Scourge shall pass over them all and their Covenant with Hell shall be broken and their Agreement with Death shall be dissanulled and their Shame and Nakedness shall appear to the view of all Nations and their Whoredoms shall be made manifest in the sight of all People and the Nations afar off shall hiss at them and they shall become a By-word and a Hissing to them afar off Wherefore be ye still and quiet O ye Children of the Light commune with your own Hearts and be still in your own Closets and fret not your selves because of the Ungodly for his day is short and e'er long his place shall not be found and in the mean time your Patience comes to be exercised and by the Tyranny of the Wicked and the Oppression of the Merciless your Faith is tryed and blessed forever are they who love not their Lives nor Goods more than Christ the Light but follow him unto the end who is despised of men contemned of the Wise and consulted against by the Rulers of the Earth who are now lifting up their beastly Power unto Heaven and are laying Snares and setting Traps to catch the Innocent and are openly blaspheming the God of the Seed of Abraham whom they call Quakers who confess we are Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth And all you who stand fast in the Faith that respects no man's Person and you that in patience endure the spoling of your Goods the Imprisoning or Whipping of your Persons and all you in whom there is honest desires begotten after the living Truth of the God of Life even to you all my Bowels of Love do reach and of your sufferings I do partake and my Prayer and Hearts desire to God for you Night and Day with Tears is That you may be preserved unto the end and this I write from a true sence and feeling of you your Sufferings and Conditions who are tryed divers wayes both within and without but faint not my dear Lambs the Lord God will never break Covenant neither can he leave or forsake the faithful Therefore only trust in the Lord and be still for the Lord of Hosts is fighting for you yea it is so and all your Enemies shall be but as the dust of the Earth and as the mire in the streets so shall the Lamb in Meekness Trample upon them all And my dear Friends now the Everlasting Love of God unto you hath appeared with the same Love come to love one another and be watchful one over another and in the Light meet often together and be not soon shaken in mind and so turn from the true Guide as some have done and that which is out of the Light with it judge in wisdom and meekness that you may answer that of God in all who contrary to the Light do act but of rash Judgment see that you all beware but rather in love wait to restore and build up one another and none of you depart out of Gods fear but be low single-hearted plain and honest without any By-covering or Double-mindedness but as Doves and Lambs in the godly simplicity all walk not as Strangers unto or High-mindedâ—ess one over another but in Love to serve and let your Minds be kept on the Eternal Invisible things and let Faith Love Meekness and Vertue abound in you so shall the work of God prosper in and by you Truly Friends the Love of the Lord is towards you and he will make you a blessing and a praise over the Earth and if you stand in his Counsel your Enemies shall be confounded and overturned Believe it it must be so And you the Jewels of the Lord shall be Crowned with Eternal Dominion and the Lord of Glory will be your God and Peace Righteousness and Plenty shall you enjoy forever Wherefore faint not O ye seed of Abraham who are Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth but let the meek be encouraged and the tender nursed up in the everlasting Arms of Gods endless Love and let none turn back because of the Enemy that standeth up before but all joyn battel with the Lamb and Gog and
Law which is Light sin is found that is it which is afraid to receive the Law and come near the Darkness and Thunders and Tempests and so though many do talk of the Law being a School-master to Christ yet they are much afraid to receive the Ministration of Condemnation as their Fathers were who might have boasted that they were the People of God his only chosen flock and that the Land of rest was promised to them and that they had fed upon the Passover and yet they perished before they came to that which was promised who are left for an Example and they might have boasted and talked much of the goodness of God and of his wonders and of his presence being with them and of their own experiences therein and that therefore they were not to come under the Ministration of Condemnation and fear and horror and trembling and astonishment and that they need not now to be afraid of God who had shewed them so much love and mercy And many such things might they have pleaded as most professing People do now who can talk of promises and deliverances and of Christ and his Merites and Righteousness and Justification and Redemption finished without them and especially of Ordinances and their own experiences of the Power of God but are yet in their sins having not received the thing promised neither come to him who is the end of the Law and maketh an end of sin whom many satisfie their vain Minds with talking of him with the same Tongue that useth deceit and professing him who is the end of the Law but the Law they despise holding the Truth of God in the unrighteous Ground which by the mighty power of God through the Ministration of the Law is to be shaken and removed as it is written Sinai also was moved and all Israel trembled and Moses did fear and quake and once more will the Lord shake not only the Earth but the Heavens also and then shall the Foundation of the Hypocrites be overturned forever For though the Name of God and Christ be professed yet if Moses's Law be despised such dye without Mercy for the Law is to remove the Iniquity which doth with-hold the Mercy and the good things from man and in the end of the Law is that received by which the Law is fulfilled which is according to the Law and the Prophets but there is none can come to that in the end of the Law who refuse to come to the beginning of the Law and despise the Ministration of Condemnation and make a mock at Trembling or at least not knowing what it is exceedingly to fear and quake being not in the least sensible what that is which must be shaken and removed before the thing promised be obtained for a Promise may be made long before the thing promised be given or obtained for a Promise was made unto Abraham and his seed and yet it is written of him and many more that they dyed having not obtained the Promises and he that made the promise was before the sin who ministred forth the Law to discover the sin through the Ministration whereof and by Obedience thereunto that cometh to be received which taketh away the sin in which all the Promises are received And so all that come to receive the thing promised they receive that which is the end of the Law and was before the sin in which there is no sin by which sin is finished and him received in whose Mouth there is sound no Guile who bringeth his to be as he is in this present World being made the Righteousness of God through him having the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in them by him who is the end of the Law dwelling in them in whom also his Power worketh mightily which is more than to talk of the Law being fulfilled without them for many such are neither come to that which fulfills the Law neither yet to the Law it self and such are hating reviling backbiting opposing and many ways persecuting those who witness the Law fulfilled in them even as Saul who was bred up at the feet of Gamalâ—â—l and knew that of the Law which was written without and walked blameless according to the Righteousness thereof and yet knew not that which gave forth the Law but persecuted him by whom the Law should be fulfilled whose dreadful Power smote him down and a blindness came upon that great Professor who had profited much in that Religion above many of his equals And to that Power which struck him blind did he then bow and became obedient and afterwards said When the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed And so that was struck blind and is to be blinded which professed the Law before it came and encreased in that knowledge without the Life and Knew not that by which the Law should be fulfilled Therefore that which sees must be blind and that which is blind is to see And this Revelation and heavenly Vision he did not then call a Temptation nor a Delusion neither did he despise that which struck him blind and let him see a Body of sin and came to cut him down because of the sin but cryed out of his Wretchedness and accounted all as Dross and Dung and unto this he was obedient and this he loved and did not say of it That it was not able to save him from Sin the which before did prick for sin though against that which prickt he had strived which was in him and it was said unto him It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks And so that which striveth and kicketh against that which pricketh at the Heart is that by which the Heart is hardened for the Word is hid in the heart which Word is sharp as a sword which Word being preached some were pricked to the heart others cut to the heart so that many cryed out Men and Brethrenâ— what shall we do to be saved And so the Word being nigh â—n which God is striving with man even piercing the hearts of many that some in secret have been ready to cry out and say What shall I do to be saved And yet being not truly sensible what it is in them which did prick and pierce through the heart and let them see themselves out of Gods Covenant therefore have they strove against it and called this a Temptation which was the Powerful Operation of God by the Light of his Son in the heart calling to Repentance the which they have called a Temptation of the Devil esteeming it so to be which is most horrible Blasphemy and resisting of the Spirit and refusing to turn to him that smiteth And this is the blindness of them who know not God who by the Light of his Son doth knock at the Door of the heart to minister forth the Law to judge and condemn and break the hardness that in the broken heart this Word of Life might be received and his Power made known
out of the Covenant And this know assuredly That many may see that which is afar off and not feel the Life of what they see and so are many high Professors in the World who change from one Opinion to another and are all yet but fruitless Trees which are to be cut down and rooted up And many there are who call him that is the Light Lord and Master but to the Light are not obedient in Self-denial nor taking up the daily Cross which is the Power of God and crucifies unto the World and so the first Man of the World being not crucified nor put off the new Man is not received and so little more is witnessed by many who profess Truth without the Life than was in the time of other Forms for if the Death be not known the Resurrection of the Just received and the Dead raised then is all in vain And this is not known by any but such who know the Judgments of the Lord set up in the Heart and the Cup of Astonishment to the Adulterous Seed which comes of the will of the Flesh and cannot lay down the Life for the Friend Wherefore I say wait to know the Birth that is Immortal and feel that born up which never yet was raised in them over whom the Vail yet is that the free Birth may be known and the Seed whom God hath appointed the blessing unto from under death redeemed that by the powerful risings thereof the understanding may be opened with that which was before Forms were that to it you may come which giveth Life unto the Soul and know a Saviour born of the barren Womb and a Deliverer brought forth in the place where he hath not been known and the Plant to spring out of that ground which is yet dry that it may be overshadowed with the loveliness of its spreading forth that a way may be opened in the Wilderness and the humble exalted in the Valley and so come to learn of that which is yet little and low and take heed of taking counsel of the Serpent whose subtilty will soon lead forth from the Simplicity neither cover your selves with any thing before the Righteousness of God which is perfect be received but love that which comes from the man of Sorrows who comes to break the peace of all them who walk not in the Everlasting Way of Life Let all them who are out of it search their Hearts with the Light And take heed of that which is high froward or strong in the Will for we are weak which is not brought to the Cross for there is the first Birth from the wrong grounds which will speak and act that which it lives not in neither is able to confirm it in Faithfulness to the Death and Loss of all for things may be true in themselves and that which is out of the Truth may speak of it yet such vain Talkers cannot suffer to Death for what they speak For that which cometh forth first is strong in the Earthly and would live forever and have the Blessing and would rule over the meek thing in the particular and in others having a secret desire to be admired being far unwilling to take a Servants place but certainly it is the meek humble suffering Seed which in many is yet oppress'd that is to last forever who through Death comes into the Dominion Therefore sink down out of the airy Comprehension and Subtilty above the Life and first come to suffer with that which is meek and low if ever you intend with it to reign in that Peace and Life which from all that without the Vail is hid and in silence watch and be sober to see him come which saves the Soul and clothes it with his own Righteousness that you be not found without a Covering of the Spirit Power and Life among the foolish Virgins for few there be that find the Way of Life and abide therein And I knowing the Terror of the Lord that will certainly come upon all them who dye out of his Covenant therefore I Warn all People every where as the Lord enlargeth me to wait to feel the powerful Word of Repentance and with the Light to make diligent search into the ground and foundation of all Professions Words and Actions For the Lord will make inquisition for the Blood of the Just and reward the Double-minded according to the intents of their hearts the Gaul whereof will be rent with the Power of his Might which will sweep away the refuge of Lyes and confound your Divinations in the head of that knowledge above the seed and a day of Desolation must come Sword and Famine must you know and the Earth to be removed and your Heavens shaken that the poor may come to receive the glad Tidings of the Gospel which is the Power of God for the fat and the strong are for judgment both within and without and they are still sent away empty but the poor are they which are to be satisfied not the rich high wise strong mighty prudent Diviners and Orthodox men and zealous Professors and liscentious Libertines as they are called who profess a Saviour to come and some would have a King to reign hereafter but they are not agreed how nor when nor where their King shall reign whom they imagine shall come but are found Despisers not Lovers nor Faithful Followers of him that is come the Glory of whose KINGDOM is already shining over the World and is established in Righteousness who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is our Head our Law-giver and our King and we do not look for another as the Drunkards of Ephriam do who are drunk but not with Wine and stagger at Noon-day and must be dashed one against another and broken to pieces as the Potsherds of the Earth who are looking for a King to come and know not the King who is already come who is the Light to which they will not bow though it in secret doth them reprove and shew us plainly of the Father and lets them see their Disobedience To it now therefore bow and bend for plainly the Lord God who is Light will not alwayes strive by the Light of his Son in your hearts And this know That as I tender the least honest desires that are begotten in any after the living Truth of God yet I am to deal plainly with all and clear my Conscience of all who are covered with their own Conceivings and in Words and Writing to warn all in the Spirit of Truth and Meekness as the Lord moveth me in faithfulness to declare against that which yet in any bears rule over the Seed which by Judgment must be overturned and all the Judgments of the Lord are true Wherefore ye that are willing to come out of Temptations into that where the foolish Virgins cannot enter wait in the fear of the Lord to feel his Work within whilst the day of Salvation lasteth lest thick
to the Protector the corruption of those that are put in Authority under the Protector who act contrary to the Protector 's Laws against those that have been faithful And there is not any Friend at any time that can by any means since the Sessions gain or have for Money a Copy of our Indictments And let all People take notice that all that is printed in this Book is all but a short Declaration to what might be printed of the Persecutions of Priests Magistrates and People of this Town against the Saints From the Dungeon in Evesham by him that is known to the World by the Name of Humphry Smith A WARNING TO THE Priests Magistrates Rulers A Inhabitants OF EXON That they may be Preserved from the Wrath at hand With some of the Effects of the Priests Minstery in Devonshire whose Fruits have exceeded many and are now brought to light that the simple may return from them who profit not unto Christ the Light who reacheth all to profit and is come to teach YOU who are this day fasting for Strife and Debate that you may smite with the Fist of Wickedness and that you may exalt your selves in Pride vain Glory and Oppression one over another and persecute and imprison the Just and be as Lords over Gods Heritage exercising Authority one over another seeking honor one of another each man seeking his own Interest and not the good one of another pleasing your selves in lying Vanities corrupting your selves in those things which the Righteous Law of God forbiddeth sporting your selves in this the day of the Lord which is stealing upon you all as a Thief in the night so is he coming upon you unawares who are this day mocking God and your own Souls and are with and in Cain's nature offering a Sacrifice to God but the just Witness of God in the particular is murdered and you with your Sacrifices are shut out from the Lord God of Sabboths whose Rest you come not into but are feeding upon the Serpent's Food which is to know and not obey and the young Serpents are nourished and the old Serpent's Head is not broken Iniquity lodgeth in the Heart and Wickedness ruleth in the inward Parts From the Image and Life of God you are all fallen and are gone astray from your Maker and are erred from the right way and gone a Whoring after your own Inventions and have committed Fornication with strange Flesh the Thoughts of your Hearts are Evil and on your Beds do you imagine Mischief one against another and by Deceit and Defraud have you filled your Houses with the Treasures of Aegypt and Darknese is in your Dwellings even thick Darkness that may be felt and from your Eyes are the things of God hid and a Vail is over you and the Seed is in Bondage the partition Wall is yet standing and you are found without among the Dogs and the Sorcerers and the wild Beasts of the Field in the Nature of the Wolf subtil and devouring both the Lamb-like Spirit within and the Lambs without the Flock of God is scattered and the Thorns choak the Seed the fruitless Trees are not cut down the Brambles cover the Ground and Fruit to God is not brought forth but wild Grapes and Leaves and Airy Imaginations in the Subtilty above the Light where the Serpent is twining to keep his hold and this is the Reasoning in mans Will which is not brought to the Cross neither are the Corruptions of the Flesh crucified but you go on in your Sins from day to day and even hate to be reformed Was Sodom and Gomorah guilty of any Sin that is not found this day among you Are you not drinking down Iniquity as the Ox drinketh down Water Nay do you not even say in your Hearts that you are delivered to commit all these Abominations Wo Wo unto you the Lord God of the whole Earth hath a Controversie you his Judgments are as swift as lightning he is coming and is come to try you and to weigh you all in the just Ballance and now all your Coverings are too narrow all you who have made Lyes your Refuge and turned the Grace of God into Wantonness sporting your selves in this the mighty Day of the Lord and are found in Excess Pride Drunkenness and Gluttony ye painted whited Walls guilded Tombs painted over with Saints words but Enemies to the Saints Life even for you am I made to take up a Lamentation for the Wo and Misery coming upon you by reason of your Haughtiness and the Stoutness of your words through the hardness of your Hearts which are not circumcised nor purified by Faith but in them Perversness and the Love of this World hath gotten a room instead of God and so the old Bottles are full of stinking stuff and the Inn is filled with the Guests of this World and there is not room for Christ the Light Life and Son of God to be born up to take away the Sin of the World though you profess him and talk of him yet you complain for lack of Power whereas we bear Testimony That he is come who is the Power of God and unto him that saves from Sin is all Power committed both in Heaven and Earth in whom and by whom alone this Sonship is received and the Victory over the World which knows not God among whom you are seen in the Light that comes from Christ the Son of God who made all men of one Blood to dwell upon the face of the Earth and upholds all by the Word of his Power in whom we live move and have our beeing as the Poets have written and as the Wise and Learned of the Earth have said who came not to feel after find him before whom the Hills tremble and the tall Cedars bow he who is coming to turn your Waters into Gall of Wormwood and your Coverings into burning Pitch and his Jealousie will smoke like Fire against you who are as Stubble ready dried cut off from the stock and withered Wo unto you Workers of Iniquity is not your day at hand that you must depart forever and be no more seen Hath not Hell enlarged her self for the double-minded Ones Yea now is the day wherein the Wrath of God shall be revealed from Heaven upon all Unrighteousness of men who hold the Truth of God in Unrighteousness This shall come upon all you who have chosen your own way and are departed from the living God Is not this the Fast that the Lord hath chosen to loose the Bands of Wickedness Observe Wickedness is a Band which must be broken before man comes to offer up living Sacrifices well pleasing unto God who requireth to let the Oppressed go Free and that you break every Yoke Consider is the oppressed Seed of God let go Free the Seed to which the Promise belongs or is not the Iniquity born upon the Shoulders of him that is the Light whereby he is pressed down And are you not
Power is Unlimited whose Mercy endures forever whose Judgments are just and true and all his Ways are equal whose Presence is Dreadful unto all the Double-minded whose bright Appearance is as a fierce Whirlwind of Fire and his Voice as the Terribleness of many Thunders all the Bowels of the Earth are ript open by the Dread of his Powerful Voice and all the created Earthly things pass away as if they had not been because of the Presence of the Almighty and the fierce Terror of the Lord of Glory who is now arising as a Gyant unto the Battel and as a mighty man of Valour unto the War who a long time hath held his peace and hid his face But now saith the Lord will I arise and roar like a Lyon and utter my Voice like a man of War yea I will arise as a Lyon out of a Thicket and a young Lyon out of the Forrest and I will Thunder from Heaven and Darkness shall be upon the Earth and with the Fire of my Jealousie shall the Wicked be consumed the Vngodly as the Smoke that vanisheth forever Wherefore come all ye Brambles of the Earth and gather your selves together all ye Briars Thorns and Thistles and all ye strong Oaks and tall Cedars yea all ye fruitless Trees that long have cumbred the Ground behold the Day is at hand that you shall be consumed forever and as the Stubble ready dry before an unquenchable Fire that is kindled with the Fierceness of the Wind of the Nostrils of the most High so shall all the Brambles of the Earth be Wherefore assemble your selves together O ye Heathen and stand up to Judgment O ye Princes and Rulers of the Earth and prepare to meet the Lord whose Trumpet is sounding an Alarum out of the holy Mountain to gather the whole Host of the Heathen to Battel and the People who know not God to the Slaughter of the great King Arise ye Idol-shepherds awake ye Blood-thirsty Rulers stand up together ye fatted Bulls Let all the wild Horses stand to the Battel saith the Lord of Hosts that I may pour out my Indignation like Fire upon them and Consume them as in a Moment forever that I may give you Blood to drink and fill you with Torment for evermore for thus saith the Lord Once more more will I arise and Confound mine Enemies and ease me of mine Adversaries and I even I will fill the Heathen with Horror and all mine Enemies with the Blackness of Darkness a Fire will I kindle in the Bowels of the Scornful and in the Proud shall the Flames burn forever and all the Earth shall know that I the Lord in the midst of them am Mighty in Power and that none is able to deliver out of my hand Therefore shall the Shepherds Howl forever and the Priesthood of England be Confounded and covered with a perpetual Shame the Nations afar off shall hiss at them and the Ages to come shall call them Accursed for the day is at hand that not a Tongue of all the Dogs of Aegypt shall be lifted up against the Seed that long hath groaned under the Bondage of cruel Oppressors who bite with their Teeth and imagine Evil upon their Beds and lay Snares for the Souls of the Innocent and watch for Iniquity to devour the Simple Therefore shall these things come upon you an unbelieving Generation whose Hearts are hardned Ears stopped and Eyes closed and many of you sealed up unto the great Day of everlasting Destruction which upon you the seed of Evil-doers is stealing unawares Neither shall you believe the things that are hastening upon you and declared unto you for the Prophets and Seers are covered a deep sleep is upon the bruitish Pastors and the Vail is upon the Hearts of all who are under the old Covenant and many of them are given up to the hardness of their Hearts and their Consciences are seared and such have yet a measure of Wickedness to fill up and then upon them the Vessels of Wrath fitted for Destruction shall the Flames of everlasting Burnings be poured forth forever from him that sitteth upon the Throne Wherefore Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth forever Wo to the Proud and Lofty Ones Wo to all the Hard Hearted Abominable and Unbelieving the Devil is come down among you the old Drogon is Head in you the God of the World hath blinded your Minds the subtilty of the Serpent hath deceived you and now Wo is your Portion you are undone forever your King is the Angel of the bottomless Pit Gog and Magog are your chief Captains Cain is your Father Nimrod the mighty Hunter the builder of Babel is your elder Brother the great Whore is your Mother Ishmael and you are of one House Pharoah and Haman are your Companions Judas the betrayer of the Just is near unto every one of you and the Life of the Just crys for Vengeance upon your Head the glittering Sword of the Most High is drawn to cut you down forever the Ax to the very Root shall now come and Root and Branch shall be cut off forever Wherefore all ye Sorcerers Witches and Sons of the Whore with all Blasphemers who say you are Jews and are not come to the true Circumcision but Servants of Sin and so the Synagogue of Satan and all you false Prophets who feed at Jezabel's Table and not at the Table of the Lord nor never drunk of the Blood of the New Covenant to cleanse you from all Sin but are daily drinking the Cup of Fornication Now come all together the Standard of the Lord is lifted up against you and you shall have to drink forever the Cup of the Wine of the fierceness of the everlasting Wrath of the Lord Almighty and he will plague you with the Beast and the Whore together for evermore and your Seed shall be cut off the Earth and your Children from among the Living your Memorial shall Rot for evermore and your Name blotted out from under Heaven and all that hear of you shall Hiss at you and an astonishment and a hissing shall you be unto all People Where are Queen Maryes Judges and Bloody Persecutors who sought to drive down all by their Devilish power who were as high in Wickedness and cruel Oppression as any of you who are this day thirsting for Blood Where are your Cardinals Jesuits Friars Monks Abbots Abbies and Nunneries Where are your Altars and Crosses c Even as there hath been an Overturning of these so shall the Off-spring and Residue follow after and then shall the Priests howl and the Lamentation of the Shepherds be heard in all the Land and the Great men and the Rich men and all the Mighty of the Earth shall lament bitterly for their Torment shall come in one day and there shall be none to deliver Then shall your high places of Worship be left desolate and the Temple of the Beast destroyed forever and all the Idols burnt
with Fire and the Abominations of Molech confounded forever and the Whoredoms of the Whore punished with an everlasting Destruction and all them that have committed Fornication with the painted Harlot shut up in the Bed of Torment and in the Wine-press of the â—ierceness of the Wrath of the Almlghty for evermore In that Day shall the Songs of your Temples be turned into howling forever the place of your Worship laid desolate and the Dung of your solemn Feasts spread upon your Faces your Rottenness shall appear and your Unsound parts be made manifest the Skirts of the VVhore shall be discovered and all your Nakedness that long in secret have committed Fornication with her shall now appear to your everlasting shame And this shall come upon you as a Whirl-wind and overtake you as a Thief in the Night and when you cry Peace then shall Destruction upon Destruction come suddainly and you shall not escape Torment shall take hold upon you and Anguish shall seize upon your inward parts a Fire shall be kindled in your Bowels forever which shall burn and none shall quench it Oh who shall stand in this Day or who shall be able to endure the Terror of the Wrath of the Almighty Surely all the Ungodly shall be as the Grass that is cut down in the heat of Summer and all the Unrighteous as Fuel fitted for the Fire Oh! Whither then will the Sinners fly for Help or the Wicked for a Refuge VVhere shall the Lyar stand or how shall the Proud endure VVhat shall be the End of them that know not God And where will they be hid that obey not the Gospel of his Son Why certainly into the Lake must they be turned and with an utter Overthrow shall be condemned forever as it is written The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all that forget God Therefore lament O ye Inhabitants of the Earth for the Lord is become your Enemy by reason of your Sins he is raining Snares as thick as Hail-stones upon you and the VVise men shall be taken in their own Craftiness Judges led away Fools Princes laid in the Dust Diviners turned Mad and a Curse will come upon all your goodly things Y your Glory shall vanish as the Dust and your Beauty shall be as the Dung upon the Earth Your Riches shall eat you up as a Moth doth a Garment your chiefest Delights will be your greatest Torment For the Lord is making the Earth empty and Wo to the Inhabitants thereof for evermore no Deliverer in it shall be found neither yet any to comfort you therefore shall the Young man VVeep and VVail the Strong man Cry bitterly In that day the Priests shall Howl the Honourable Lament and the Ancient go Mourning all the day long For the Lord is changing Times and Seasons and the Iniquity of the People is ascended up and the remembrance of the VVicked is come before him and once more will the Lord shake his Hand against the Wicked as in the day of Sodom and overturn the Oppressors as in the day of Pharaoh and shake the Heavens the Earth and the Sea and this shall be known when the Lord passeth through the Earth with his grounded Staff and Battels of Shakings And in that Day shall your solemn Meetings be confounded your high Places left desolate and your goodly Temples defaced Bats and Owls shall then build in your Steeple-houses and they shall be for the Fowls of the Air to lodge in the Night the unclean Beasts and Spirits of Devils do and shall resort thither a Den for Dogs shall it be made Your Bells shall come down after your Organs and your Temples shattered as the old Abbies and a perpetual Shame shall come upon all them that have been and are upholding the outward Temple made with Hands wherein God dwelleth rot and they themselves a Den of Thieves and full of Rotteness Therefore Astonishment of Heart shall come within and Destruction and Overturnings without Fear on every hand and Amazement shall come upon all Flesh then shall the Vine-dressers be ashamed and them that preach Peace to the Wicked shall no longer be hid Wherefore all you that have been Parliament-Members and all Judges Mayors Justices and Constables and all other Officers and People whatsoever that have been upholding the Wicked and oppressing the Just and have been hatching Mischief against and acting all manner of Cruelty you could invent upon the Servants of the Most High God behold the Lord will kindle a Fire in your Bowels which shall burn in the Night-season and with all your striving against it and vain hopes shall you not be able to quench it and when you should go to your Graves in Peace even then shall the Pangs of Hell lay hold upon you and utter Darkness shall compass you in on every side Oh! Fierce Furious and with unspeakable Violence will the Plagues of God come rolling in upon you When I was sick in Prison for a long time so weak as neither I nor any Friend then with me ever know any one and recover strength in the Body again at which time I gave up my Life and took my leave of Friends and lay down in the Fathers love not feeling sorrow or pain Friends hardly then knowing whether I breathed or not in which time I saw things unutterable And though Heaven was opened two Angels by my sides to bear me away into everlasting Rest yet was I left only for this end For the work of the Lord amongst the Sons of men for a time and so came into the Body again having seen before the way that all the Wicked shall go out And this I eternally witness to â—e true and now this Paper is written as a Warning from the Lord by one that came as from the Dead and yet many of you will not believe like the unmerciful mighty Waves of the Sea Which none can stop For verily and plainly I have seen the way that all the Wicked shall go and the place that they shall abide forever and none of their greatness in the world shall save them from it And I have seen the place where the Innocent whom you hate and all that dye in the Lord shall sleep in the Infiniteness of fulness of the Fountain of the Fathers unspeakable Mercy and unlimited Love where they shall rest in the fullness of God forever and ever and the entrance thereinto is easier and more to be desired than to fall into a sleep the sting of Death being taken away And this I know and testifie what I have seen and so warn all you the Enemies of the Lamb 's dear Members and your own Souls of the day that is coming upon you and the Vials of Wrath that therein will be poured forth upon you who when have felt Torment in your selves have then let Wrath arise up in you whereby you have been filled with Envy against a harmless People upon whom then to get ease
Power without Hands may break in pieces that made with Hands or the greatest tallest or most glorious Image that hath been conceived in the dark mind and set up on high above the humble suffering Seed to be worshipped within in the Power of the Light is resisted with all his Wiles though therein he bringeth Scripture to uphold his Kingdom and Dominion over the other to have it bow down to him and worship him who abode not in the Power which by the Power is resisted and denied forever And so that which denies the other and is Humble and Low it is that all are to wait to receive and joyn unto from it Power to know in it to stand against the other which did it oppress and by secret subtilty being exalted doth alwayes endeavour to sit in the Temple of God shewing it self as God being covered with a Profession of the Truth which in the Truth doth not abide yet to the Truth in words may confess and acknowledge that which saveth from Sin to be the begotten of God and may believe and tremble and yet remain an Enemy to the same tempting him by many Glorious Presentations to bow to that and worship that which abideth not in the Power that so thereby over the Power it may always rule in the Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness wherein many are ensnared others tempted and some Overcome whose latter end is worse than their beginning Oh! who can declare the Depth of the Ground of this Mystery of Iniquity or utter forth the Innumerable Transformings and Changings of that which still seeketh by all subtilty to keep from the Obedience to the Life of the Power by which man was made and from which he was led by that which said Ye shall be as Gods which against God doth stand in that ground which by him is cursed And how can the unsearchable Love of the Father be uttered with words who so loved the World that he gave his Son to them that asked not for him that by his Light might be seen the Deceiveableness of the many Workings of the Powers of Darkness in the Mind that is darkened which from the Darkness to the Light is to be turned with the Light in the holy Fear to watch against every appearance of the changeable Powers of Darkness which sometimes appeareth as an Angel of Light against whose Appearance all are to stand armed with the Power of him who is the Light and to feel the Power of the Word which is as a Fire and yet to resist that which the Devil darteth in which is also like unto Fire that the tender Simplicity after which my Soul breatheth may not be betrayed by that which still seeketh to devour and to keep from the Power of the Cross and turn aside from the narrow Way of Life and that in it all the innocent Friends of Christ may be kept to follow the Leadings of that which from the God of Truth and Love and Peace to them hath come by it to be led out of and from all that which in the Truth did not abide Therefore is this given forth even from the Breathings of my Life appealing to the pure Witness in you all which the Changeableness of Iniquity doth always stand against the which in Gods living Power let all that feel it keep against the other to stand and keep out of all Satan's Wiles to be preserved to the end of all that which hath an End that then when time shall be no more you may rest and abide with and in him that is the Truth whom the Devil hath nothing in to receive the Blessings of the Father and the tender Mercies of the most High to refresh you and overcome you with the Power of his Love that it to you all may be the Bond of Everlasting Peace in which with all the humble and faithful I am bound up and in it with them for evermore do rest Humphry Smith Winchester-Bridewell 1685. THE Love of God Declared AND SATAN'S VVILES DISCOVERED THE Lord God of Life and Father of Infinite Love Preserver of all the simple Deliverer of all the innocent whose Power reacheth unto the Heavens and his Goodness to the Sons of men who never forsook the Faithful but was near unto them in the hour of Temptation and knows how to make War for the Innocent to escape and deliver the Oppressed in the day of Distress whose Mercy endureth forever whose Love can never be fully declared whose Glory is beyond all Expression whose Wayes are past finding out whom my Soul honoureth forever to whose Infinite Fullness and Incomprehensible Power be Blessing and Glory and Honour from the Power of my Life to the Throne of his Love forever and ever Even he who is the Fountain from whence cometh the Breath of the Life of the Souls of all Mankind He I say from the Throne of his Power through the brightness of his Love with his Eye of Fatherly Pity hath look't down and taken notice of the Wants the Groans and the Cryes of his captivated Seed which hath been long oppressed with the strong and cruel Bonds of Iniquity which separated man from God and grieved the Spirit of the most High who bowed the Heavens and came down to visit the Captives and relieve the Oppressed which is acceptable to many and a time of everlasting Comfort for by him the weary come to be refreshed and the weak receive Everlasting strength for the Lord hath Compassion on the Needy and comes to clothe the Naked with the Righteousness of his Son for his Spirit reacheth unto that which is in Want and his Compassion is extended to the Lowly in Heart which long breathed after Life and Power to overcome the Evil but knew not the way to obtain it and therefore in the restless Wilderness under the burden of Sin did long Travail as in a wearisom Land of Darkness having little hope towards God being often in much Distress when no Eye pitied even then had the Lord Mercy for his own Name sake and he remembred his Covenant with Abraham his Friend and had Compassion on the Seed of the barren Womb which was as the Root of a Plant hid in a dry Land whom the Lord came to visit in the Power of his Infinite Love and said to the dead Live forever which Word of Power reached through the Earth making way through it unto the Seed that it through the Earth making way through it unto the Seed that it through the Earth might spring by the Virtue of his Life as a Lilly in the Spring that so the Prisoner might grow up out of Captivity and receive the early and the latter Rain and the Dews of Heaven that as a tender Plant it may grow and become as a Tree and be fruitful as a Vine bearing much Fruit over the Earth Oh! the Infinitness of the Fullness of the Fountain of the Father's unexpressible Love unto the Prisoners of Hope and the captivated Seed
laid upon me to say every night but I found that was just as dry Heath instead of a Honey-comb before And so being led on in a Form and to look after Things and Teachers without the Light within became darkned and my understanding of the Son of God's Love shed abroad in my Heart which sometimes being sensible of I began very Young to look after Priests and Sermons and thought to have sound the true Thing again there but as true as the Lord God of Heaven and Earth liveth They did me more harm than all the rest and led me farther from my Teacher and from the sence of the feeling after God Acts 17. 27. to sind him near me then ever and withal begot in me abundance of the Serpents subtilty and the more because I being sensible of a want in me received their fair Speeches with much eagerness and earnest Desires believing them that that was the Way to Peace so that I grew much into that knowledge which puffâ—th up and did indeed encrease my Sorrow and so by them was I deceived the Lord God knoweth I Lye not but speak the Truth in Flainness having not Envy towards any of their Persons and this is the very Truth of my Heart in the Presence of the living God That it was more harder for me to leave and deny and know Redemption out of that which I learned from and among the Priests then to leave the Fruits of all the Sin that ever I by Temptations did run into and my Witness herein will abide in me forever Therefore let the Lord God be the Teacher of your Children who hath given them Life and Beeing and a better Teacher you cannot provide for them nor direct them unto and that which may be known of God is manifest in them and let that lead them and guide them in his fear and you are to let them understand that they should do and speak justly according to that Witness of God in them which will let them see when-ever they are tempted to speak a Lye or say they have done such a things as you commanded them and have not and will let them see they should be faithful and diligent unto you in all things that are just in the sight of God and other things you should not require of them left you grieve them but examples of Righteousness should you be in all your Words and Actions unto them and if you are not able to set them to School to learn to read yet they have the Light from christ in them already and that will shâ—w them plainly of the Father and he that is the Light is the good Old Way in which the way faring men though Fool cannot Err. And if you set them to school never so long to read and write and with their learning to search the Scriptures which is good yet they are to come to Christ the Light that they may have Life and they are to learn of him and follow him and so to learn of Christ as to know him to be in them the Hope of Glory and the Way out of Sin and unto the Father his will in all things made manifest to obey rather then man that so it may go well with them and that they may come to receive a Blessing from God and be a Comfort to their Parents who fear him and at last in Gods Everlasting Covenant lie down with Peace and Rest ANd all you young Children who are growing up into years of discretion this you are to understand that you have not made your selves but were created by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who ruleth over all Mankind whose Presence is every where and filleth Heaven and Earch and Knoweth the secrets of all the Hearts of the Children of men and sheweth unto man both Old and Young what is his Thoughts from whom the least Evil cannot be hid who is dreadful in Holyness and just in his Judgments and Righteous in all his Wayes and his Presence is near unto every one and from his All-seeing-Eye can no one hide his deeds and before him should you fear forever and learn in his fear to walk which will keep you out of Evil and grieve ye not his Spirit left he refuse to help you in your great Distress neither provoke the Lord against you by learning Wickedness among the Sons of men who are all astray from the lowly Guidance of his Spirit and so their works are Evil and their words Unfavoury and Evil Words they use which doth corrupt the good Manners the which of them you should not learn but let your Yea ne Yea and your Nay be Nay and so learn of Christ that his Power he may minister unto you and you by him come to be saved that you may be Children of God and taught of God and drawn by his Spirit unto Christ his Son who said I am the Light of whom the Scriptures bear Testimony And in him the Scripture saith is Life and he is come who is the Light that you might have Life in your selves and come to be Heirs of the Promise of God by Regeneration through the working of the Power of God which worketh in the Hearts of the Children of men to sit them for himself a Habitation of Holiness that he may be glorified in his People And certainly you ought in the tenderness of your Years to have a true fear before that God of Life which made you who is an invisible Spirit as may be read in the Holy Scriptures of Truth And as you learn the fear of the Lord who cometh to dwell in his people he will by the Direction and Guidance of the Light of his Son in your Hearts who is the Mediator by whom the Law is handed forth will he teach you your Duty towards your Neighbour which is near unto you and to Honour your Father and Mother and what Honour is as also your Duty and Obedience in the first place towards God that his Love might be towards you and that your dayes might be prolonged as also saith the Law for whoso groweth Wicked and Rebellious against the Light the Lord suffereth not to live out half their dayes Job 24. vers 13. For Life comes from God and he withdraws it at his pleasure from them that obey him not and when he taketh way their Breath they dye and the Breath of God was the Life of the Soul of man and Christ said He was the Life who is meek and lowly in Heart who said Suffer little Children to come unto me and said he I am the Way and he cometh to condemn Sin and calleth to Repentance his Name is caled The Word of God Rev. 19. 13. and the Word is very nigh thee even in thy Heart Rom. 10. 8. And so that is the Way that you all which are Young should go and be trained up in that when you are old you might not depart from it Prov. 22. 6. so may you have
Canaan whom Noah cursed And the beginning of this mighty Hunter's Kingdom was Babel where the Lord whom he hunted before followed after and confounded the Language of all them that belonged to this mighty Hunter who was a mighty one in the Earth and out of this Land of Babel went forth them that built many Cities and afterwards there was a People whose gods were according to the number of their Cities And so see what followeth when man is not led by the Spirit of God as Noah was and so preserved but hunts mightily before him being mighty in that which is Earthly first he is mighty in the Earth then a mighty Hunter then builds a mighty Tower whereby he that is earthly would climb up to Heaven this a Figure and then God confounded the Language and after wards those that were in the many Languages professed God who confounded the Language before whom their Father Nimrod hunted and they being found in that which God confounded though they professed God yet in Works denyed him and crucified his Son the Lord of Glory and writ over his Head of the many Languages Latin Greek and Hebrew and this was written above him that was the Light and so them now who are of the stock of Babel are yet exalted above the Light and count the Light a weak and low contemptible thing not able to save it self much less to save them that believe in it and so therein manifest themselves to be of their Fathers who crucified him that said I am the Light and said unto him If thou be the Son of God save thy self and so despised him who came to save them And this is some of the effect of mans hurting mightily in the Earth before they came to receive the Spirit as Nimrod did Gen. 9. 18 25. ch 10. 8 9 10 11. ch 11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. John 19. 19 20. But Jacob followed obeyed and believed the Lord who is a Spirit and the Presence of God was with him and the Blessing of the Most High was upon him and the Lord promised To be with him who was a Worm in six Troubles and in seven and when he passed through the Fire and the Water and God gave him a new Name and afterwards promised To give his Seed a Name better than of Sons and Daughters and Jacob was a plain man and dwelt in Tents and him God loved and he prevailed with God Isa 41. 14. ch 43. 1 2 3 4 5. Gen. 22. 28. Isa 56. 5. And so Nimrod with his Followers who was mighty in the Earth came to be confounded and Jacob who was little in the Earth as a Worm and dwelt in Tents he and his Seed came to be blessed And Moses the Servant of the Lord whom God Almighty honoured in his everlasting Love and made him a Deliverer unto and a Judge and Ruler over the People Acts 7. 35. he being in Aegypt the Land of Darkness and Bondage and all the Seed and Israel of God in cruel Oppression and I do not read that he had any direction from Man or Scripture or any thing else without him to guide him at first to refuse to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter and the glory of Aegypt and to chuse to suffer Affliction with the People of God Neither do I read that he saw the Angel or Glory of the Lord until after he was and had been Obedient unto that which God had given into him for that which may be known of God is manifest within Rom. 1. 19. for it is said in the Scriptures of Truth That it was by Faith Heb. 11. 24. that he refused the evil and chose the good and Faith is that which is in the Heart Acts 15. 9. As it is written If thou believe in thy Heart Rom. 10. 9. Acts 18. 37. And of that Faith in the Heart God hath given to every man a Proportion Rom. 12. 6. And as that which is but little in man is loved and obeyed so man comes to know more of God and hear his Word of Faith which is in the Heart Rom. 10. 8. And by hearing and Obedience of Faith man receiveth the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. which is an undeniable Truth which I might prove by a cloud of Witnesses from the Scriptures which were given forth from the Inspiration of God by his holy Servants And so there being something of God in man whereby man may as Moses did first refuse the Evil and then chuse a suffering state and so learn to do well the Sin then comes to be done away Isa 16. 17 18. and afterwards more of God's enless Love and powerful Presence is made manifest and so being faithful in the little received from God in the Heart man comes to rule over much as Moses did who first learned the Obedience of Faith in the Heart though in Aegypt and in the time of great Persecution where he was also despised of his Brethren yet he obeyed the Word of Faith in the Heart and so afterwards to him God appeared and the Word of the Lord came unto him and he talked with God afterwards face to face as a man talketh with his Friend and the many Wonders that the mighty Power of God wrought in and by him are recorded at large in the holy Scriptures for a Testimony thereof to last throughout many Generations And by this Faith also afterwards the Members of Christ did walk 2 Cor. 5. 7. And Joshua who succeeded Moses was full of the Spirit of Wisdom consider that he was first full of the Spirit and so thereby he came to be a Leader and Ruler over others and the Dread of the Lord fell and his Judgments came upon them who rose up or stood against him and those whom he by the Power of the Spirit in him came to rule over and great many and mighty were the Victories that God gave unto this man who was bold and couragious by reason of the fullness of the Spirit that was in him and the People hearkned unto him as they did unto Moses and he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses Deut. 34. 9. Josh 11. 15. But the Lords people in these dayes who are led by the Spirit of God in them are accounted both by Priests Rulers and People to be drunk or mad as it was before when the Son of God who is the Light was revealed in Paul Gal. 1. 15 16. he was accounted by the Ruler of the People to be mad Acts 26. 24. And when the Disciples of Christ had waited and afterwards received the Spirit of Truth within from the which they spake as with new Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance at them then many were amazed others mocked supposing them to be drunk Acts 2. 12 13 14 15. And when Hunnah prayed in Heart being grieved in Spirit was esteemed to be drunk even by Ely the Priest yet she by her Prayers in her Heart obtained her desire of
them that follow him their Captain know right well and before him all the mighty of the Earth are as a tottering Wall and as a broken Hedge and he it is that rideth upon the Wings of the Wind whose Power is unlimitted whose Wayes are past finding out who descended into the Lower parts of the Earth from whence the wicked never knew him to arise But I with the rest do witness he is risen through the Earth and his Feet stand upon it and is become the first Fruits of them that slept and is ascended up on High and hath Dominion over all and is crowned with Glory and Honour eternally in the Heavens and hath given Gifts unto men and from him the Gift of Eternal Life is come And this is my Beloved O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and this is my Friend and Redeemer O ye Sons of men even he who hath redeemed my Soul from Hell and brought me back From the Power of the Grave this is the Prophet of whom Moses did write should come and is come and there is not another than he that is raised up in the midst which is Christ the Light of the World in the Heart this is he that hath done wonderous works for in and by me and many more who are thereby made living Witnesses unto his Name whose Name is a strong Tower and a Rock of Defence he is a sure Dwelling-Place he is the Rest of the Soul and the â—oy of the Living And since he hath put the Sword of his Spirit into my hand and his Word of Life into my Mouth and Wicked thereby have been cut down like the Grass and the Mighty have been trampled upon as the dust in the Streets the tall Cedars have been as the Brambles and the strong Oaks have been rooted up the Prophet became a Fool the Pastors became Bruitish and the Spiritual Man was as Mad but the Seed hath been refreshed and the weak nursed up the tender Plant preserved and the Hungery fed And for his Names sake will I not keep silent until my Testimony be finished and until Jerusalem be made a Praise over all the Earth and her Righteousness break forth as the Morning and her Comliness as the Brightness of the Sun and till I see the Destruction of her Enemies and her Adversaries overturned forever for Powerful is our King who is come to reign Oh! who can with-hold the Pen from writing and the Tongue from declaring VVhen the Lyon hath roared who will not hear VVhen the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie How can I but declare his Wonderous Works and proclaim his Name where-ever I come and confess him before men though I should suffer much more Prisoning Dungeon and VVhipping than I have done surely his Name I will declare in the World who is the Light and give my Testimony of him that saves from Sin whose Name is called Jesus the Light of the World which is the elect precious and Corner but stumbling stone even to both the Houses of Israel but it is he that is come to rule the Nations with his Iron Rod and dash his Enemies in pices like a Potters Vessel and judge the Earth in Righteousness and the people with his living Truth and now the Sinner shall not stand in Judgment nor the Wicked in the Congregation of the Righteous for he utters his Voice like Thunder against the Wicked and is dreadful against all the Double-minded he condemns the Unjust with an utter overthrow and pulls down the Unrighteous from their Seats Oh! who of the Wicked can stand when he thunders from Heaven and pierceth through the secret parts of the Heart And though I do speak an Allegory yet I do not speak contrary to the Scriptures but according thereunto from the Spirit of Truth and though I speak of the Operation of Christ in his Members yet I do not deny the Works which were wrought by him in his own Person and though I preach Christ within the Hope of Glory yet I do not preach another and though Paul travelled in birth again until Christ was formed in the Galathians yet he did not desire another Christ should be formed in them And though Paul said God had revealed his Son in him yet it was not another Son and though I say the Son of God is come and hath given me an understanding yet it is not another Son but the same that ever was who worketh all our Works in us And though I preach him The Makeâ—â—â—â— End of Sin yet I do not preach another but they who preach a Christ that doth not make an end of Sin nor save them who preach him from their Sirs do preach another Christ seeing the true Christ maketh an end of Sin And though I say the Prophet is come who is mighty in Word and Work and raised up in the midst or in the Heart yet it is not another but the same whose Wonders appeared outwardly whilst he was in the form of a Servant upon the Earth And though I preach him to the World the Light of the World yet it is not another but the same who said I am come a Light into the World and I am the Light of the World Joh. 8. 12. And so he being come a Light into the World he is to be preached as he is the Light that all men through him might belive and mens minds turned from Darkness to him who is the Light in the Darkness and it is most right and proper to preach him the Light who is now come and is the end of the Law to all them that believe in the Light and the end of the Prophets who preached him that is the Light under various Names or Terms as King Priest Prophet a Son a Child the Mighty God and David called him Lord and he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a Mediator c. who being come saith I am the Light and so its right and sound Doctrine to preach him as he is The Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World which is the true Light and we that preach this do not preach another but him who said I am the Light By me who refused the Glory Treasure and Preferment of the World and did chuse rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God and though I profitted much in that Religion where the carnal Ordinances are yet that profiting came to be accounted as Dross Dung that he might be received who makes an end of Sin who being now come his Love constraineth me his Name to publish who is the true Prophet whose Name is called Jesus who hath and doth save from Sin for whose Name sake I have been often brought before Rulers haled and beat out of the Synagogues numbred among Transgressors tryed at Assizes as an Offendor yet there denyed the Liberty of a Murderer being six times imprisoned twice stript naked and whipt with Rods and since put into Bridewell once
me he cannot be my Disciple and he said My sheep hear my Voice and they follow me and he entred within the Vail and the Vail is over the Heart and was made Perfect through suffering and is sate down in the Majesty on high glorified with God the Father and the Father was in him even the fulness of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and he said He had finished the work that the Father gave him to do and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done for which the body was prepared he said Now glorifie me Father with the same glory which I had with thee from the beginning and he that spake in the body abideth forever who said A Body hast thou prepared me which Body being crucisied he took up his Life again and then those that did know him three dayes before knew him not and he ascended and a Cloud received him out of the sight of certain men who never found him unto this day for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him and as the lightning in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again and every eye shall see him that condemneth sin and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and yet the blind cannot see nor the deaf hear And this was he that Moses commanded to hear who said he that is with you shall be in you and he that was with or without was to go away and that which was to be received within he said should abide with them forever and the Spirit of Truth was to lead into all Truth for though the body was prepared to do Gods will yet they by it were not led into all Truth but sometimes understood it not though he speak Spirit and Life and moreover they went away and some fled from the Truth and Peter denyed him that was the Truth and so such as have got a Profession of the Truth without them and not the Spirit within to lead into all Truth such fly in the day of Tryal from that Truth they profess and some deny it rather than suffer with or for it and herein them called Baptists also have not come short and some of them have bowed to the Beast and so it is with many who profess Christ and Truth without them even as with those who understood not the Parables nor could not cast out the unclean Spirits so that Christ was and is grieved when he hath been so long with and professed and followed without and yet not come to that Faith which purifieth the Heart whereby to cast out the Unclean within as thou mayst read in thy self And therefore Christ when he was upon Earth did often speak unto them of what was yet to come and I do seldom read or take notice that he did so often preach and repeat any one thing unto them as that of the Spirit to come saying That it Mark the Spirit would lead into all Truth and seeing their Weakness and Unbelief Mark 16. 14. he by the often repetition thereof did as it were the more chiefly engage their Hearts to wait for and seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them and abide with them when his Body was gone from them whither they could not come and to this one thing doth he direct them in various expressions as of his going to the Father and coming again and saith he I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive John 12. 16. And many things Jesus did which if they should be all written the World might not contain the Books John 21. 25. And many things he spake unto them Acts 2. 40. and yet there was something to come to be waited for and after to be received which was more than all this for said he These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you But the Comforter Mark the word BUT intimateth something greater or more than what was spoken to them whilst he was with them for he saith He that is with you shall be in you John 14. 17. and said But the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he will teach you all things Mark what that is that teacheth all things and bringeth all things to your Remembrance what soever I have said and so that is within which bringeth the words of Spirit and Life to remembrance John 14. 25 26. And having spoken of other things he saith again But when the Comforter comes even the Spirit of Truth John 15. 26. And if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you John 16. 7. And I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth John 16. 12 13. Here it may be seen that they who followed Christ without and not received the Spirit within could not bear what he had to speak unto them and also it may be seen that when the Spirit was come it would be better with them And much more might be mentioned how Christ foretold what was to come and be received and revealed in that day John 16. 23. when the Spirit should be poured forth according to the Prophets all which plainly declare and most evidently set forth how Christ in his Ministry when he was upon Earth did most chiefly direct unto the Ministration of the Spirit of Truth which was then yet to come and that they might not run to teach others as many do now before they had received the Spirit of Truth in themselves by and with that to be led into all Truth but might receive the Power of Truth in themselves from the Life thereof to convert others into the same therefore said he further after he was risen again But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be enducd with Power from on high Mark 24. 4. so that though they had seen his Body before and had now seen him after his Resurrection yet that and all the rest was not enough without the Power and the Spirit which was to come which they were to wait for And so now men should tarry wait and stand still to see the Salvation of God and until they receive the Spirit for it is the Spirit not the Body which searcheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father And by this before-written in short I have a little endeavoured to shew unto the meek and single-hearted That Moses when he was upon the Earth directed unto Christ As in these words The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18. 15. And Christ when he was upon Earth directed unto the Spirit which was to come in the like words saying These things have I
more because none came to visit it nor succour it for it was in a desolate place and unseemly and few had regard unto it and yet there was some hopes it might be delivered And this was a true resemblance of the state of the Seed of God in all the World And in plainness concerning Oliver Cromwell and his Son Richard late called Protectors the Vision from God was shewed to me before the downfall of either of them thus And I beheld a great and mighty Tree much bigger than ever I saw before and appearing without Sap or Virtue in it or Leaf Bough or Branch upon it much less Fruit and the top of it was broad being all big much like unto the top of Pauls Steeple in London and close by this great old Tree grew up another Tree as out of his Root and belonged to him but not both in one Body though very near together and stood both upon one Foundation and this was as a little stripling Tree which also was without Leaves or Branches or any thing to bear Fruit so that I admired to see it so with the young Tree for I looked for Branches or Leaves but there were none And whilst I was beholding of them a Man being sent came in much haste with an Ax in his hand to cut down the great mighty old Tree which seemed strange to me that one man should adventure upon so great a work to cut down such a Tree as that for the lower part of the Tree was exceeding big and almost as broad upon the Earth as half the height so that I thought he had need of three or more to help him and that one man could scarce cut him down with one Ax if he stood hewing all his Life time But I much more admired to see the Confidence of the man that came with speed with his Ax who made no stop at all because of the greatness of him nor any thing else but as soon as ever he could get to him smote with the edge of his Ax and struck between the Ground and the Tree so that I soon perceived he intended to separate between the Tree and the Ground on which he stood and the man in the might of his strength struck but three Blows in all but he separated the Tree from the Earth on which he stood and immediately the Tree fell with a mighty overthrow and the Foundation of the Tree was altogether rotten and not one Root at all but where the Root should be was Rottenness and the Earth shook at his fall and many Great men stood amazed and fear seized on many because of the great sudden fall thereof And as this great Tree fell I saw under the Foundation of the young tall Tree that stood near the other and it was much like to fall presently after and was almost down on the one hand and then almost down on the other and yet it recovered and stood up for a time having no Root but Rottenness And the great Tree fell from him on the one side and the Earth parted from him on two sides more so that only upon one side in four or less the Earth cleaved to him and he being slender and tall without Root was not like long thus to stand neither did Richard And I likewise beheld many more smaller Trees and the man with his Ax in his Hand cut them all down at the Butt somewhat above the Ground and so left the Stumps in the Earth and therefore it might be possible for them to grow up again As some did come up again who were put down but fell the second time through Disobedience And after all this I beheld also many more Trees in abundance yea more numerous then the other coming up out of the Earth and covering the face thereof and growing up apace which were not yet ready to be cut down and I saw the man with the Ax in his hand standing still for a time having cut all the other until those should be ready to be cut down and he waited till the time came and was in a readiness with his Ax in his hand ready to strike when those abundance of Trees should come up to their growth which hastened And let those who are now come up read this and let the whole City of London take heed as I said before and Repent with speed and turn to the Lord whose Servant I am called Humphry Smith Postscript WHen those People to whom God gave his Ordinances and his Statutes had long resisted and grieved his Spirit in them who said I am God and not man the holy One in the midst of thee and had also refused plain Instructions then the Lord sent them the Prophet Isaiah who said With stammering Tongues and other Eips will I speak unto this People and for a Sign he was sent to walk Naked among them And the Prophet Ezekiel was sent with that which they might esteem dark Visions and foolish Signs which were many and hard Sayings And Jeremiah he lamented over them and all the Lords Prophets proclaimed against their Priests and Leaders of them who caused them to Err and yet would they not be warned nor their Priests leave preaching Peace unto them nor they leave following their Priests until they had crucified the Just and denyed him that is the Light who saveth his People from their Sins and Jerusalem became a Heap and a Desolation and an Astonishment and so both Priests and People went into Destruction and Captivity together And thy Sins O London may be equalized with hers and are as many and as grievous and that thou mayst a little the better understand my Vision concerning thee therefore have I written these latter things that concerned others which if thou understand not that which concerns thee is more Mysterious To the great Flock of the Imprisoned Servants of GOD Almighty THe Lord is become our Portion and the God of Jacob the Lot of our Inheritance even the God of the whole Earth whose Throne is in the Heavens his Dwelling in the Hearts of the Humble before whom the least Lamb of his Fold is more delightsom than the beautifulst Flower of the Grass of the Field and of more value than the Fowls of the Air or many Sparrows which are according to his Providence the Mystery of whose Will lodgeth in the secret Chambers of his Wisdom whose Wayes are unsearchable and his goings in the deep none can fathom the unsearchable Fountain of his Goodness nor find out the utmost of the Intents of his Heart but as Love springs up with healing Oyl discovering a measure of the Motions of his Spirit whereby something of his Mind is known who inhabiteth Eternity and is dreadful in Holiness severe in his Judgments clear in his Love free in his Mercy bountiful in his Goodness large in his fatherly loving Kindness wonderful in his Operation pitiful to the Meek gentle to the Upright in Heart rewarding the
Darkness come upon you and you be found in the Night in which none can work and take heed of a secret High-mindedness and prize your day of Visitation more then Life or Liberty and take heed of that which would contrive a way to shun the Cross or stop the mouth of the Witness but let the honest Simplicity come to rule in the measure of it and take heed of entring in and yielding to Temptations for many ways hath the Serpent which is near to beguile and destroy the Life from man which is not overcome but in the continual fear through the Cross to the Will with the Power of the Light which is given to lead through all these things into the rest which is prepared only for them who are faithful to the Light For this have I not learned nor received from men the Lord God knoweth I Lye not but through the operation of the mighty Power of God whose Indignation I have born in whose Judgments I rejoyce forever and glorifie and praise his blessed Name who by it my Wisdom confounded and suffered me to be sifted and tempted by the Enemy divers wayes yet preserved my Life under the shadow of his Wing that I might praise and serve him in the Land of the living and declare his Wonders among the Sons of men and let them also see with the Light the narrow way that they are to come which in some measure hath been declared though in that Language which the Wisdom of the World may not understand and call it legal to whom as foolishness it may appear but my voice may be known to the Spirit in Prison whom my Soul travels for in the bowels of my Father's love Given forth for such who say they see and yet their Sin remaineth and may be serviceable to such who can hear and understand the things of God that those who are yet blind may no longer put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness H. S. The Meditations of an humble Heart Written only for Friends who can read it To the Vndefiled of God Elect Chosen and Precious ELect Chosen and Precious whom God hath loved and doth love and cannot but love from Everlasting to Everlasting with an Everlasting Infinit Love who art the most delightsom Plant of most Honourable Renown renowned with honourable Dignity forever the Delight of all the Upright the Life of all the Virtuous the Spouse of all the Undefiled Virgins the Staff of Abraham's Strength the Bread of Jacob's Soul the Succour of Joseph in time of need the Mouth of Moses's Wisdom the Rock of Israel's Srength the certain Hiding-place of all the Troubled the House of all the former scattered the Bed of Repose wherein the beautified Damsels fill themselves with the solace of most heavenly divine Delights whose Beauty surpasseth Expressions of words whose tender Offers have invited many whose Love hath allured the hearts of Thousands whose Pleasant Countenance hath prevailed with a numberless Number to love thee forever whose pleasant Smiles have gathered unto thee innumerable Doves of the Wilderness and thy Virtue hath caused the barren desolate to bring forth both Bud Blossom and Fruit in abundance the Breath of thy Nostrils hath enlivened the Dead the sound of thy Voice hath quickned the Weary by thy Power hath the barren brought forth in abundance whereby the Earth hath been covered with thy fruitful Riches Thou art clothed with Innocency forever thy dwelling is hid from all the disobedient Children of men Thou hast bound thy self to live out of their sight with thy Darlings in a stronger Covenant than all outward Marriages Thou deckest thy Beloved for thy self and then thou delightest in her Thou preparest thy Spouse for the joy of thy heart and then lovest her because of her Beauty Thou deckest her with Ornaments of well-refined Gold and causest her face to shine Thou fillest her with Glory within and causest her to dwell among the Honourable and walk with the choicest Virgins in the Paths of great delight and she is become the Daughter of the King of Kings Thy Goodness doth much overcome the hearts of many thy Wisdom pleaseth the Prudent thy Meekness delighteth Hundreds thy Strength upholdeth an infinit Number and thy Life nourisheth Thousands thou renewest the strength of the Faint thou turnest the shadow of Death into a Morning thou keepest thy Flock under the shadow of thy Wing and nourishest them with the choicest Food thou guidest them with the hand of thy Power and succourest them at every needful time and thou relievest their greatest wants The Consideration of thee which brings thy Goodness into remembrance even filleth the hearts of the Flock of thy Fold and thou art He who only satisfieth them forever Oh! where wast thou in the day of Adversity and where was thy dwelling in the time of the Night Where didst thou hide thy self in the day of Transgression and to what place didst thou confine thy self when Iniquity ruled and what was thy state in the time of man's Sin Ah! how wast thou then as a slain Lamb and as a meek Prince deprived of his Kingdom and Government How wast thou as a true Heir deprived of his Right and as an only Son from the Father's House and found not wherein to rest thy head How wast thou grieved in that day and how wast thou wounded by thy pretended Friends How was thy Glory defamed and thy Honour laid aside How was thy Beauty marred and thy Wisdom bound up as in an obscure place How did Darkness compass about thy dwelling How was thy Strength put by and thy Comliness as if it had not been Wast thou not as in a Grave in the midst of all the Wicked And wast not thou taken in their Pits and lay long slain in the streets of the Sodomites and exiled as the greatest Captives Oh! where didst thou hide thy self when the Dragon cast forth his flood when the Waves swelled and when the Land was fruitless when the Birth failed in the Womb when the Seed came not to Maturity when the blade was killed in the Spring when the sharp nipping Frost cut down the head of the tender Herb when the Winter nights were long when the boistrous Storms were many when the whole Earth was covered with thick Darkness when the Heavens were as Brass when the Rain descended not when the distilling Dews came not down when the Blossom withered in the time of Drough when the Path to dwell in was not known when the Stars shone not when all the Lights of Heaven were eclipsed when the Voice of the Shepherd was not known when the Eye of the Traveller was dim when none could direct him in his Way nor supply him with Food for his Journey nor Water in his greatest thirst nor succour him in the time of the Storm when he knew not the end of his Journey neither perceived the way to go nor ever could have rest till he came there when the feet of
the Virgin stuck in the Mire and the Young man failed of strength when no way was known but a Wilderness when no succour was found but a Forrest of most fearful devouring Beasts when the Scorpions did bite in the day-time when the Lyon did roar in the night when the Dragon was near to devour when the Wolf yelled for his Prey when the Foxes spoiled the tender Grapes when the brazen-Serpent could not be seen when thy Lambs cryed as in the day of forgetfulness when the Young lamented the birth for want of the food when thy Damsels fainted with thirst when Pity was not to be found amongst men when Mercy could not be seen in Heaven neither would the Earth open her mouth and swallow up to end the state of Misery when the day of Jacob's Trouble was as in a Whirlwind or as a combustious Thunder in the midst of heat and cold which none doth know but the man that hath seen it who in the bitterness of his soul hath long travelled as a Woman in her sore pangs of Sorrow through the Warfare in the grievous troublesom day of Distress O! how wast thou then as a Prisoner in the Pit and where was thy place to be found or who could search out thy dweling O! Thou now well-known to be the much more than the threefould Chiefest of ten Thousand hundred Thousand and of Thousands of Thousands to whom my Soul's love can never be fully expressed Arise now thou meek One of Wisdom spake forth thy self in thy own Virtue let thy Spouse hear thy Voice and rejoyce in thee for evermore whom thou hast fitted for thy self a chaste comely Virgin to shine forth thy Glory in forever for thy Beauty hath often filled my heart with precious Oyl and the Desire of Thee hath drawn me out of my self my lips at first have stammered at thy presence but thou hast healed the wounded heart Thou art the chiefest of all Delights and happy are all them that know thee To the Espoused Virgin ARise out of the dust awake as in the days of old let thine Eye be more bright with the Light of the Day than in the Ages past adorn thy self with Comliness deck thee with Ornaments prepare thee with sweet Oyntments put on Beauty as a Beam of the Morning shine forth as the fairness of the Sun enrobe thee with Righteousness as with a Garment and deck thy self with precious Jewels as the choicest Bride grow up as the tender Plant spring forth as the Lilly blossom as the Rose be fruitful as the Vine grow up as the Cedar spread as the Vine-branches let Salvation be the Wall on which thou layest hold come forth as the encreasing Herbs of the field with many stems from one Root and many branches on every stem and many blossoms on every branch and much more many seeds of fruitful encrease under or after every blossom that the Sower may be made glad with the abundance of the encrease thereof that the good Husband-man may rejoyce in his labour that the Planter may delight in the works of his hands Let thy Fruit be as of an Apple-tree whose Boughs therewith do bend let the taste thereof be as sweet as the Honey and the smell thereof as the sweet Odour let thy Boldness appear as the Morning and thy Meekness as the Bay-tree that is alwayes green be more fruitful than Labanon let no Female that God hath made bring forth the fruit of her Womb more often than thee in labour be more diligent than the Ant in multiplying bring forth more often than the chiefest of the Conies though she make her Nest in the Rock In fragrant smell let not the sweetest Flower or Oyntment surpass thee in Beauty let nothing exceed thee in Meekness come not short of Sarah in Wisdom and Prudence let neither Abigail Ruth Easther nor Mary excel thee receive thy beloved as the choicest of Princes and imbrace him in the Arms of Righteousness forever Bring forth according to his Nature and let thy increase be of his own Image keep clean thy Garments let not thy Beauty be spoiled defile not thy breath with the Garlick of Aegypt nor thy taste with the Grapes of Sodom drink not any thing down which may defile the savour of thy Breath that may offend thy Prince neither let any Covering remain upon thee which may cause him the less to love thee let all thy wayes be pleasant to Him all thy Robes delightsom in his Eye let thy foot-steeps be ordered as in the sight of the King and let thy words be grave and sound which may not offend Him that his love may both continue and encrease towards thee and he delight in thee and rejoyce over thee and the smiles of His Countenance fully gratifie thee for all the fâ—owns of thy former now forsaken Lovers that thy daily delight may be in Him forever and flourish under his Arm as the beautiful Rose of Sharon with its blossom of many doubles and remain fruitful as the Olive-tree forever So will the King delight in thy beautiful Excellency and so shall the Prince be satisfied with thy fruitful Virtue thy Arm shall gather thee Riches and thy Faithfulness shall give thee strength thy Boughs shall reach over the Earth thy spreading shall be over the Sea thy Fruit shall shine affar off thy Root shall remain firm and steadfast thy Branches shall enlarge themselves and the weak shall lay hold on thy Skirts thy Leaves shall be pleasant to many and thy Sap shall ever spring up from the Root thou shalt never be forsaken in the troublesom Night nor removed with the greatest Storm nor overturned with Wind or Sea but shalt be kept from the Darkness which thou hast seen Hereby let all the Barren hear the Voice of the fruitful Vine and she that sate in the desolate place come to see the Light of the Morning and let the Spouse be prepared and the Virgin adorned and let the Voice of Meekness be heard in the solitary place and Life spring forth as the Noon-day that the Prisoner may come out of the Pit to sit in his Throne forever and the Captive from Exile to the enlargedness of Dominion that the Bounds may be broken and the boundless known where no limit is Something how the Marriage of the Vndefiled Lamb and the Virgin came at first to be THe slain thing had God's Power in it even in that state and when it became as a Servant because of man's Sin in the great service of love to help man out of Sin who hath Power both to serve and to rule both to lay down his Life and to take it up again who in himself is still the same and his Power is exercised in his Suffering as well as in his Ruling or as when He exerciseth his Power in Ruling And He that was dead is alive and he hath taken unto him his great Power and doth reign over the Creature and the Sin having
guile this is he that hath been long set at naught whose tenders of Love constrain Obedience to himself because of the beauty that is in him which from them is hid over whom the Vail is through which they cannot see the Comliness of his Love I rest in the Fathers will your Souls Friend H. S. FRiends the Lord is with us and the God of Heaven is on our side and the Lord is our Defence who hath spoken Life and Peace to my Soul behold he will be with us forever and the holy Arm of his precious dreadful strength shall no Nation under Heaven prevail against dwell all in the Power of God and the blessing of the God of Heaven will be upon you all forever THe Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he then Prophesied but after for his disobedience he lost the Kingdom and was afraid of the shame before the People and the Kingdom is rent from such who disobey the Lord though they were among the Prophets like Saul who afterwards went to the Witch And the Witchcraft is near to all such as stand not in the Counsel of God to cause the People to hear his Word and not their own whose Word feeds not the flesh above the seed but is as a Hammer to break the Rocks in pieces and it kills and makes alive and opens a way through the Earth for the Prisoner of Hope to come forth And the Spirit came upon Balaam who was reproved by the dumb Ass that he was exalted above and resisted and he durst not go beyond the Word of the Lord he durst not go beyond that which was quick and powerful in the heart nor over-reach it to do more or less for the gaining of half a Kingdom in the Earthly And such as exceed Balaam therein may expect to be cut down also by the true seed as he was and so to fall among the rest of the Enemies of the Israel of God who is dreadful in Power And the Spirit came upon Jephthah who after offered his own Daughter for a Sacrifice and the Spirit came upon Sampson and yet he not standing in wisdom was bettrayed of his strength by a Daughter of the Philistines who also afterwards put out his eyes And so the Spirit may come up in some and yet afterwards they lose that with which they should see and some there are that use their tongues as in the Name of the Lord upon whom the Spirit never came mark that And Caiphas the High Priest prophesied and he spake not of himself and yet he was an enemy to Christ the Power of God and such as are got up high like high Priests above the measure of the Man of sorrows speak from self or flesh and are in that by which he that is the Light doth suffer and the power is resisted and the seed in others oppressed and they not brought to the Living Minister within the vail that abides a Priest forever but are in that which will dye And many might be named upon whom the Spirit came And Judas also had obtained part of the Ministry â—ut now consider the Spirit resteth upon the branch of the Root even the seed it self for the Spirit came upon many but it rested and relieth upon the se ed only even the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanâ—ing and counsel and might and knowledge and of the sear of the Lord in the fear of the Lord which is a fountain of Life which Life all are to feel and not be kept from by words without it but to feel that which comes from it and favour that that Jacobs Tent all may know which who so dwell in are blessed against whom there is no enchantment and where the Witch-craft cannot enter which leads from the strait and narrow way to the Spirit and Life into a liberty to that which is fleshly where that is kept alive which the word in the heart as a hammer and a sword should have broken and cut down for Paul was grieved with such who at first could almost have pluckt out their own eyes for him and after sought occasion against him and themselves to be made perfect in the flesh and all flesh as grass is to be cut down with the Sword of the Lamb and where the flesh is above the Spirit suffers by it and the vail is thickned which keeps from the Unity and out of the Life and Power of God H. S. THe Lord God of Heaven preserve all every where in the Love Long-suffering Forbearance Meekness and Gentelness out of the Strife or Self-seeking for suerly Wo will come upon that Spirit where-ever the Lord finds it and even the Lord knoweth the desires of my heart in true Simplicity hath been That his Righteous Judgments might pass betimes upon every appear ance thereof in my self and all others and I believe that God will never prosper it in any therefore my Exhortation in the Everlasting Love of the God of Heaven is That you all every where live in true Brotherly Love remember Joseph's Advice to his Brethren That they fall not out by the way The heavenly God of Power and Life and Virtue keep ye out of all this in the Life of Wisdom and Meekness where Strife shall never inhabit nor Death enter within the walls of Zion in which their dwellings are who keep themselves undefiled and remain in the fear of God to whom I commit you all and to the Power of the Word of his saving Grace praying to the Lord for you that evermore you may continue in the Love of Christ Your Freind and Brother Humphry Smith To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven in meekness of Love with Greetings of Peace from the Seat of Infinite Mercy â—endred unto and sent to be read among them all who live in the humble State THere was a time of Blackness and Darkness which covered all flesh and the Guilt of Sin was upon all Consciences and Hardness of Heart possessed every Vessel and the Minds of all was astray from God and their Souls in the bonds of Iniquity in the day when none was able to deliver his brother O! who can utter the distress and the Languishing state which the Sheep then scattered were in O! the secret Groans of the Out-casts of Israel which God hath now gathered Why should it be forgotten Who could pluck their Feet then out of the Snare or deliver their Souls from Death had not the Lord in mercy looked down from Heaven surely many had sunk in the Pit of Misery and never come to see the Light of the Morning for the which the Bowels of the humble yearned in secret and the Sights were deep in the Solitary Place And then did the Lord in the Bowels of his Mercy let open his Ear and for his own Names-sake had regard unto the Complaint of the poor and needy and he caused Light to break out of Darkness and Truth to spring from its secret
which teacheth to deny Ungodliness should stand and remain And how wonderfully hath the Lord preserved his whole flock unto this day even so that with true gladness of Heart in living Praises it might truly be said That no Weapon formed against Gods Israel hath to this day yet ever prospered though no man hath appeared either in Field or Court on their behalf nor visible hand appeared for the defence of the flock of Heaven O! where is that Lamb of the fold who now stands in the Covenant of Redemption that cannot breath forth the Praises of God in the heart-breaking Power of his Love and the sensible feeling of his tender unspeakable Mercies Behold O friends the goodness of God is unutterable yea I have not words to express it and such that feel it may taste of it and drink of the fulness thereof beyond the narrowness of my broken speech and let such draw near unto me and let lose that which bindeth and closeth up in the Bowels that we may meet at the entrance of Wiâ—dom's Gate and live one with another and one in another so as the World did never â—now neither in their nature shall eveâ— understand for my heart is filled with Love and my dweling is enlarged with bouâ—dless Borders of Peace and my Life streams forth in meekness Behold there is none can stop it where the seed springs up as a Lilly and where the dawning of the day is witnessed where undefiled Love which cannot think Evil hath its resting-place and where the true simplicity of meekness remains Even there my Lines are read my Words are heard my Mind is Known my Language understood my Love received and even my Life takes entrance What shall I say I am with near or in the midst of aâ— the Innocent Lambs by the virtue of that Power and inviâ—â—ble Spirit which filleth all in all and in silence with you could â— long rest where the World should neither know nor yet perceive me the same Bread which I receive in the invisible Power break unto or disperce among the Lambs of God who can feed upon no other Even so the same is it which my Soul at present doth live yea behold I live who once was dead and my Life is hid among the rest with Christ in him from whence the heavenly Food and the Souls-saving and hearts-satisfying Power doth come And this is to stir up your Minds and to put you in remembrance of the Lords dealing with you and his large Loving-kindness towards you and his effectual work of Love in you that you may never forget him nor be unmindful of his fatherly Pity towards us all when we were all in our low estate and that you may feel the Revivings of his virtue and the Inlivenings of his power and the quicknings of his Spirit That you may grow therein and wax fruitful to God and come to be seated and established in the Land of Life blessed from Heaven with much more fruitful increase than the Land of Goshan That the fruit of Lebanon may be known and the Rose of Sharon and your selves as the Cedars that are full of Sap and your Life as the Vine that never wanteth Nourishment whose Fruit aboundeth to the glading of the Vine-Dresser that the Lord may rejoyce over his Heritage and delight himself in the midst of Zion and be glorified in his People and admired of all them that believe THe Lord God of Heaven preserve all every where in the Love Long-suffering Forbearance Meekness Gentleness out of the Strife or Self-seeking for surely Wo will come upon that Spirit wherever the Lord finds it and even the Lord knoweth the desires of my Heart in true simplicity hath been That his righteous Judgments might pass betimes upon every appearance thereof in my self Neither do I believe that God will ever prosper it in any nor any with it Therefore my Exhortation in the Everlasting Love of the God of Heaven is That you all every where live in true Brotherly Love and remember Joseph's advice to his Brethren That they fall not out by the way The Heavenly God of Power and Life and Virtue keep you out of all this in the Life of Wisdom and Meekness where Strife shall never inhabit nor Death enter within the Walls of Zion in which their dwelling is who keep themselves undefill'd and remain in the fear of God to whom I commit you all and to the Power of the Word of his saving Grace praying to the Lord for you That evermore you may continue in the Love of Christ From the feeling and refreshing whereof in the heart this is written unto you by him that in the Truth can serve the least of you being your Friend Humphry Smith ANd Friends this is a time of quietness and stillness or a time for you so to be and there hath been a large time of gathering and for convincing and now the Lord is proving and trying them that are gathered And after this time blessed and thrice happy shall they be that are found faithful in it and worthy to be Crowned with Heavenly Honour and to be further employed in Gods service and to remain as Pillars among the Flock of Heaven and as Lights to invite others home to the dwelling of God And now should all Friends be kept in Wisdom and take heed what words they use among men or concerning any men though they do contrive against us Had the Lord left us where they are and set them where he hath placed us then might we have been this day as ignorant of the Way of Peace towards Enemies and of the Path of Innocency and Righteousness as they now are but the Lord hath shewed us Mercy And I say the God of Heaven forgive them and defend us And all that dwell in this may come at last to see a time of greater Gathering than ever yet was Oh! my Pen cannot write it And if all were quiet in their own measures and little at all were moved in that measure either to write print or speak at this time waiting singly upon God Oh! he would plead for us and he alone would help us and keep us as in his Arms until the Indignation were over-past And this I write that you might know of my continual confidence in the Lord if he had or did not at this time raise up or make use of any of us to help him or to be workers together with him But a Remnant he hath whose hearts he enlargeth with prayer and some of them with strong inward desires and groans and some with utterance to declare the good will of God unto others in your Assemblies and some steadfastly to believe in God that he will never leave us and all this ascends up before the Lord even as one sacrifice And he that hath heard and had mercy on us when we were not his People and turned not back our complaints in that day O! how shall he now forget
the Lord who gave her a Son that knew the Lord and ministered before him being yet a Child but the Sons of Ely the Priest were Sons of Belial and knew not God like the Priests of England 1 Sam. 14. and 2. 18. And David a man after Gods own Heart was a deaf man and heard not and as a dumb man that openeth not his Mouth being dumb with Silence and held his Peace even from good until his Heart was hot within him and the Fire burned then he spake with his Tongue Psal 38. 13 14. Psal 39. 1 2 3. 9. and afterwards he said Thy Word have I hid in my Heart which Word is as a Fire that I might not sin against thee and so that which keepeth from Sin is hid in the Heart and that Word David said was a Lamp to his Feet and a Light unto his Paths which Word he kept and loved the Law of the Lord which is written in the Heart and so was made wiser than his Enemies and had more understanding than the Ancients and all his Teachers Psal .. 119. 10 11. vers 42 43 50 67 81 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105. And all the Prophets of the Lord were led guided and directed by the Spirit of Christ which was in them both in their Actions which sometimes were as Foolishness and Madness in the Eyes of the Professing Jews and also in their Words which sometimes were as Thunder against the ungodly though they were the Rulers of the People and their Words were so Terrible against them that professed Godliness and lived in unrighteousness that Amaziah the high Priest said of one of the Prophets who spake in the dread of the Lord That the whole Land was not able to bear his Words Amos 7. 10. And Amaziah the Priest of Bethuel being not able to bear the Word of the Lord therefore he falsly accused Amos of conspiring against the King Amos 7. And from the Spirit in them did the Prophets with boldness declare against the Wickedness of the Rulers of the People saying to the poluted City Thy Princes are Rebellious and Companions of Thieves they love Gifts and Rewards and judge not the Fatherless nor the cause of the Widdow and suh as these are the Adversaries and Enemies of the Lord upon whom he will be avenged and all them that trouble his Servants Isa 1. 23 24. 2 Thes 1. 6. And it is just and right for the Friends of Christ to declare against the Enemies of the Lord and those that decree unrighteous Decrees and write grievousness which they have prescribed and turn aside the Needy from Judgment and take away the Right of the People that they may Rob the Fatherless against these is the Hand of the Lord stretched out and they are to bow down under the Prisoners and fall under the slain Isa 10. 1 2 3 4. and saith the Prophet Wo to the filthy and poluted City her Princes are roaring Lyons her Judges are evening Wolves her Prophets are light and treacherous her Priests have poluted the Sanctuary Zeph. 3. 1 2 3 4. and many more such expressions they used which was not Railing but sound Words in the fear and dread of the Lord read Amos the first and second Chapters And from the Spirit of Truth in them did they also declare even against such as were the Teachers and Leaders of the People and were made Ministers by a Law of God which Law was then in force and those Ministers departing out of the way and corrupting the Covenant like the Priests of England therefore the Lord made them as he will these who deny the Way the Light base and contemptible in the Eyes of all the People because they also have been partial in the Law Mal. 2. 8 9. and against such did and do the Servants of the Lord declare they being such Shepherds that cannot understand but are blind ignorant dumb greedy Dogs these are the worst of Dogs Isa 56. 10 11. and by such is the horrible thing committed Jer. 5. 30 31. And the Pastors are become bruitish Jer. 10. 21. Therefore hearken not unto them Jer. 27. 13 15 16. verses also read Jer. 23. and Ezek. 34. For as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent Hos 6. 9. And one of the chief of that number is John Hodder Priest of the Parish called Haychurch in the County of Dorset and there was a People the Heads thereof judged for Reward and the Priests teached for Hire and the Prophets divined for Money is it not so in England Mich. 3. 11. and saith the Prophet O ye Priests this Commandment is for you I will send a Curse upon you and corrupt your Seed and spread Dung upon your Faces even the Dung of your solemn Feasts hearken ye Priests of England Mal. 2. 1 2 3. And this was and is sound Doctrine which the itching Ears of the false Teachers of our dayes cannot endure to hear being found themselves such cursed Children that cannot cease from Sin that were to come in the latter dayes 2 Pet. 2. 14. and those Words and many more to the same effect were they guided by the Spirit of Christ the Light in them to speak and from that Spirit they declared against the Rulers Priests and People who had the Law or Letter and Moses Writings without them yet were Enemies to the Spirit of Truth within But the Prophets searched diligently to see what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signifie 1 Pet. 1. 11. So that the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets which testisied unto them and was their Rule and Guide And when Christ came who is the end of the Prophets and the Law he also declared against the same generation as the Prophets did and we do and he said They were of their Father the Devil who did his Works notwithstanding they had the Scriptures and the Oracles of God and were of the place of holy Worship and were zealous and strict therein even against them did Christ proclaim many Woes Mat. 23. for the Word of God had no place in them neither could they hear it John 8. 37 43. but in Christ the Light did all the fullness of God dwell Col. 1. 19. 2. 9. And so he that had the fullness of God within him was counted a Deceiver a Blasphemer denyed and crucified by them that had the Oracles of God without them and read the Prophets every Sabbath-day yet knew not their Voices Acts 13. 27. which prophesied of him whom they knew not when he was come who is the Light And now we do bear witness that the Light is come as did Isaiah 60. 1 2 3. though Darkness covers the Earth and gross Darkness the People yet in him that is the Light doth the fulness of God abide and no man cometh to the Father or fulness of God but the Son who is Light And