is the seed of the Kingdome of Heaven which is like unto a grain of Mustard-seed and how comes it to grow to a Tree and how come the birds of the Aire to lodge therein and whether is it fruitfull before it be grafted yea or nay Query 32 What and where is the field in which the Pearl is hid and what is the Pearl to the field how are they distinguished and how is the Pearl hid and by what comes the purchase of the field and how comes the Pearl to be found and who are they that have found it and do keep it having found it yea or nay Query 33 What is the seed of God unto which only the promise of God of salvation unto life everlasting is Query 34 What was the Image of God which man lost through the disobedience and transgression against the will and commandement of God and whether all that stand in the disobedient and transgressing state are not still seated in the lost state yea or nay Query 35 How lyes the Image of God now in the dust and what is the dust to the Image of God and what is the Serpent and how doth the Serpent feed upon the dust of the ground and what is that ground which is not at all substantial but dusty and that ground whose substance is mountains stony and rocky and altogether barren and unfruitful Query 36 By what comes the change of the ground Moab also hath been at ease from his youth hath not bin emptied from vessel to vessel what is Moabs seed now which in the nature stands in the same state that Moab was then whether are ye in any other condition or life then as ye were from the beginning as ye have grown in years so you have grown in wickedness whether therefore do ye beleeve that it is possible for you to be saved except the ground be changed Moab emptied ye become begotten born of God unto another life whether doth he that is born of God commit sin yea or nay Jer. 48.11 John 3.3 1 John 3.9 Query 37 What is the salvation of Jesus from what doth he first save his people In plain words shew to all people what is Salvation Redemption and Restauration and from what unto what and when Query 38 What is that life of Christ which is slain in spiritual Sodom which is daily crucified upon the Crosses of your Catholique Churches Query 39 What manner of fruit bare that Almond Tree of which Jeremiah saw a rod what is that seething pot which Jeremiah also did see and what is the flesh which for one day must boyle therein and whether a root and fruit ought to be boyled with the flesh and whether will the Broth of these things be clean food according to the Law yea or nay Query 40 What is that new threshing instrument which is prepared for the hand of worm Jacob to thresh withall how shall he thresh the hills to Chaffe and mountains to dust and with what shall be fan them and what is the wind that shall carry them away and where shall the chaffe be carried and in what quarters shall the whirle-wind scatter the dust of the mountains Query 41 Whether the seed of the woman and the seed of the Kingdom which Christ said is like to a grain of Mustard-seed and the seed of Abraham and worm Jacob are they in the substance one two three or four yea or nay shew plainly without deceit how that two three or all are one in the substance or otherwise make manifest how in the declaration so also they differ in the substance Query 42 What is the new creation of God whether is it now short of the creation of the first man Adam whom God made a living soul do any of you believe that the second is made a quickning spirit and which of these two is the greater and most full of glory are any of ye passed from death unto life from the dishonour of sin transgression to see the beauty of the first Creation and to behold the honour of the Lord from Heaven doe ye beleeve the Revelation of the Son of God yea or nay Shew how Christ hath revealed himself unto any one of you 2 Cor. 5.17 Query 43 What and where standeth the Tree of Life which he that comes to eat thereof shall never taste of death and which he that tasteth not thereof in this life shall never see the day of life have any one or more of you in all your Nations and two Catholique Churches ever seen a leaf of the Tree of Life which healeth the Nations and describe how and by what wind any leaf was blown upon any of your Nations and shew forth those that are healed thereby of your Nations Query 44 Whether do you believe the real substantial everlasting virtue of the blood of Jesus If you answer yea why then in abominable deceit and miserable ignorance do you teach for doctrine an infernal place of purgatory Read the Scriptures Acts 20.28 Heb. 9.12 Rev. 1.5 1 John 1.7 Rev. 5.9 Rom. 5.9 and what advantageth the peoples pennance and the Popes and Priests remission of sins if after pennance repentance and remission they must go into the torment of Purgatory to be cleansed from their sins to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Query 45 What and where is the Sanctuary of God seated wherein the Saints of God do daily worship and what is the equall ballance thereof and the dust of the ballance Declare plainly what is that which measureth justly all words works worships studyes wayes and spirits which reacheth over iniquity and comprehendeth the mystery thereof what is that line which measureth the worlds wayes and the plummet unto which judgement is laid and what is that Reed which John had to measure the Temple of God the Altar thereof and what is that Court which he was not to measure which the Gentiles tread under foot Concerning the studies in Vniversities of Tongues Ministry Astrologie Physick Law and Philosophy Query 46 WHat is the foundation chief corner stone of your Universities Colledges do you not reckon Tongues Rhetorick Philosophy to be precedent steps leading unto Theologie to the compleating of a Ministry as the principle leaders unto the expert practice of Physick Law Astrologie and whether are not these Arts and Sciences the sum substance and end of your studies yea or nay Query 47 Whether only the word of God is not the real substance of the ministry of God the ground of understanding true knowledg of all the natural whether all Tongues Arts and Sciences besides the word are not vanity and whether all that professe the substance yet standing in the naturall and have not the word from God as from the mouth of God are not in vanity and deceit and in utter enmity to the word yea or nay Query 48 Who is he of all your Patriarchs Popes Doctors Priests
AN EPISTLE TO THE GREEKS ESPECIALLY To those in and about Corinth and Athens WITH Certain Queries propounded to the Priests and Doctors and all the rest of the Members and Officers belonging unto the two Churches of Greeks and Romans which is of concernment for the view of them all throughout the WORLD Written in Egripo in the Island of Negroponte By a Servant of the Lord J. P. LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth within Aldersgate 1661. To the Reader Friends THe Word of the Lord is the Proclamation of War onely with the wicked and the messengers thereof holds not the persons of men in contempt or scorne it casteth out the root of envy which Satan planted in the heart and fixeth the love of God for the souls inheritance which floweth in pitty and aboundeth in mercy to others He that readeth and receiveth in him also hold 〈◊〉 and he shall bear Testimony to the Truth and witnesse for God that the zeal of the Lords House is neither Envy Emulation Wrath or vain Contention Wherefore I say God who hath 〈◊〉 mercy and 〈◊〉 bountifully of the riches of his Grace unto me hath freed me from the nature of evill towards my neighbour and hath given me of his Love therewith to seek the lost from which issues the plainnesse of my Declarations and Speeches which without guile fraud or flatteries Love in simplicity holds forth the Truth in nakednesse and this will stand a Yoak to the stubborn and a Dart in the side of the rebellions The enmity is 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 He that hath an ear to heare let him heare This is verily a character of the same nature of what follows in the succedent Pages Given forth by a Friend in the Truth A lover of souls J. P. The Day will declare the Dreadfull and Mighty Work IN the Councel of the wonderfull Counceller and All mighty Father and Fountaine of Wisdom who confoundeth the Councils of the wise and the wisdome of the Fathers of this world in whose sight the prudent and learned amongst men are but as fools plotting in their works the contrivance and invention of the perpetual evil of their souls This is given forth to the only true intent that the simple hearted may be rightly informed of the way to salvation life and peace everlasting For of a truth the Lord God of Heaven and earth is arisen who for many hundreds of years hath been as a stranger upon the earth And now in this his mighty day which is broaken and breaking forth by the work of his own hand he will frustrate the tokens of lyars and make the Diviners mad and turn wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishnesse who will open a door to the simple and lead the Wayfaring men and fools in the unerring path of Righteousnesse and the deceit in the earth shall no longer stand without a heavy work as it did in the dayes of the ancient Fathers Doctors and Lawyers of the world who took from the people the key of knowledge who entred not in themselves but stood in the gap and set Bryars and Thorns in the way and hindred such as was entring The flame of the fire of the Lord will finish the course of the former times for shall it not burn in a dry Countrey And if the Nations post unto Euphrates for water to quench the fire shall not that River be also dryed up before they come there And if from thence they flye unto Jordan shall not the utter Consumption be ere they can have help from thence Behold the Lord will make a quick work in the earth Let the Nations therefore repent and now not in any upbraiding or rash judging manner but in the Councel of God as a servant by Commandement in the work of the Lord in love unspeakable to all souls I shew unto the people their states and unto the sons of men how they stand in the sight of God my testimony reaching that of God in mens consciences to the measure of the Light in all desiring only to be made manifest which when the sinner is convinced of his sins and the wicked man converted in his mind and turned from the evill of his wayes then shall they confesse of a truth the blessed day of the Lord and say Surely it was well for us that the Prophet spared not to shew unto Judah her sins and unto Jerusalem her transgressions Yea well sprang forth that day and that hour was the certain timely season of the appearance of mercy and manifestation of loving kindnesse wherein Nathan was sent to shew unto David the treachery and rebellion of his heart And now what am I that God should remember me also with the mercies of David to shew me my transgression that by his word I may be converted and healed Verily of none other do I make mention but only of the name of the Holy One and that which proceedeth from his presence declaring this Dread shewing unto all people the Door of mercy the Fountain of life the Gate of knowledge everlasting treasure of undefiled pure wisdome For as much as the Lord holdeth forth a day of visitation unto all that the whole world may be left without excuse in the day of Gods dreadful judgements when the compleat fulfilling and finishing of the time cometh to passe of the full gathering of the scattered Seed in the Fields of the Earth and full calling of his Remnant from the four windes of the Heavens throughout all Nations Kindreds Countryes Tongues and Peoples and the Lord hasteth the Reaping of the Harvest A warning to the World to repent and this to the Debtors and Captives of the house of Israel is sounded and sounding The year of Jubilee beginneth in the morning season yet a little while and your slumber will be over and the clouds of the night will passe from the sphear of your low degree which ariseth and will quickly passe over the Sun of another exalted Nation Oh how doth the day change the times the Children are become Dogs and the Dogs which were are become the glory of the earth and who hath an eye to see or a heart to believe that this is come it cometh and is at hand that the Dogs shall eat the Childrens bread and no more shall their name be a reproach among the Gentiles but their day of Son-ship shall be the Dread of the Heathen Who is he now that will set Briars in the way or Thorns in the breach of the Gap which the Lord hath made and who is he that contendeth against his maker saying why cometh this thing to passe mine hand is turned against it Ye despisers and wonder and perish behold I work a work in your dayes which if a man shall tell it unto you ye shall in no wise believe it And you that resist are but for the consumption of the fire of Gods jealousie in the day of his wrath A warning a warning
Kingdome you who are called Jesuits also mark this your figure the Chamelian which lives by the Aire which according to the Law is an unclean Beast which can change himself into all colours perfect white onely excepted Read your similitude and see how you who live in your lusts can without a mock of the Truth be titled with the name of the Church of Christ Jesus in which is neither spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing as uncleannesse or unrighteousnesse 1 Cor. 6.11 Although such were some of them but they came to be washed and were cleansed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Which Spirit of truth the light is this day the Leader of the Saints and servants of God into all truth Now therefore doe ye Read What is the Chaffe to the Wheate And what relation hath the Spirit of truth unto your life which is squared and fashioned in the frame of Error Deceite hath been the Master-builder of the fabrick of your habitation the spirit of Iniquitie working in a mystery the foundation of your walls and the strength of lyes and lying wonders the pillars of your house which by the gilded appearance of the beauty of the wisdome of the ancient and learned in Philosophy Rhetorick and Sophistry is covered with many painted tiles of vanitie under the shaddow whereof you bow to the Images and pictures which the unrighteous hearts of your fathers Invented whose Gods are before your eyes unto which the affections of your naturall sences are joyned whereby with the carnall and naturall according to the motion of the Spirit of Error and Deceit in you you are led to worship the workes of their hands as is manifest by your bowings and bendings to the Image and likenesse of the naturall which the naturall invented and the carnall made And this also came in in the Apostasie when that was forsaken which the Eternall Spirit did command And now through the custome of your forefathers and you in the dayly practice of their invented Ceremonies being setled on the leese of their abominable Idolatries are come in your generation Matth. 15.9 to teach for doctrine the traditions of men And therefore in vaine is your worship as saith the Lord But yet ye have also to speake in the commendation of your fathers seniority and wisdome who gave commandement for such resemblances by Images and pictures not as if they were the gods of your worship but the resemblances of the Lord Christ c. whom by these resemblances you teach the ignorant for to worship Answer The greatest blindnesse is in the hearts of your learned Fathers I speak out of the spheare of their Colledges in mine Answer to their plea for their sinfull Idolatries and over all your Nations doe cry out and lift up my voyce as one in mourning lamenting for the lost seed among you which they that should rather in righteousnesse handle the plow to break up the clods to uncover the seed have used the spade and shovel and have heaped up dirt and stones thereon to the miserable burden thereof Oh horrible Ignorance a people bound with the chaines of darknesse can any thing be the resemblance of the Lord or the likenesse of his Image who is the Infinite Eterternall a pure holy glorious endlesse living Spirit but that which he maketh in his likeness and formeth in his own Image by the power of his own Almighty hand And doth he who is a pure Everlasting Spirit of life make or fashion any whom he fashioneth but in the likenesse of that which all the world by wisdome by Philosophy or by arguments can never attaine to reach unto the sight or understanding thereof Can any make the resemblance of God who is Immortall which the mortall never saw Can the corruptible and mortall which never did nor never shall see incorruption and immortalitie make with their corruptible hands and changeable unrighteous Idolatrous hearts the resemblance or likenesse of the Incorruptible Spirit From the Lord God I say and declare unto you all your bowings to your Crosses and Images and Pictures praying upon Beads to Mary and Saints is abomination to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth and in these things you are but a stinke to the rest of the Heathen who with you doe stand Enemies to the Doctrine Gospel and Crosse of our Lord Jesus for as they in words doe hold the name of our Lord in contempt you with your deceitfull shaddowes doe make a mock of truth and his sufferings in loathsomenesse you are seated as an abomination in the sight of God who created you and in the eye and sight of the servants of the Lord who by the price of blood are redeemed and with pure water are washed from the polutions of the iniquitie and the blood and envie which is among you and the rest of the Nations kinreds tongues and peoples of the Earth and now are the followers of the Lambe whethersoever he goeth Abundantly do the Scripture beare testimony against your practices mark from the precepts and commandements of God Exod 20.4 unto Moses through the house of the Prophets and the life of the Saints search and then see Isa 44.3 might not you with as much confidence make a calfe and say to the ignorant this is the resemblance of God worship ye it and draw the picture of a Monster and say this is the resemblance of the wonderfull Spirit which was in Paul or Peter bowe ye before it Read Jer the 23.11 12 13 14 15 verses Oh miserable blindnesse and the greatest darknesse is the Priests ignorance who teach the people lyes and cause them to erre in their wayes With the light search and see how far you are from being under the power of the word of the Lord who contrary to the letter of the Scriptures Do worship in the forme of the traditions of your fore-fathers Christ said to his Disciples in those dayes Joh 4.23 The houre cometh and now is that the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth for the father seeketh such to worship him mark such as are in the Spirit Math 23.29 having one father which is in Heaven but ye being yet in your sins and in the flesh are the false worshippers who have many instructions and traditions and observations given to you according to the wills as the product of the inventions and conceptions of your many fathers and now as ye shall turne your minds to the light of the Lord Jesus which will rip open your hearts you will finde that rule to be the equall measure of your wayes which will give you a true fight that you are not in the truth as it is in Jesus who is the truth in whom and by whom and through whom the Prophets writ their prophesies and the Apostles had their utterance whose words do stand to the bearing
Lord and the wicked shall be turned into hell But every member according to the diversities of their measures of the Spirit of life who are of the true Church can witnesse and read the Scriptures with the life in their life which is hid with Christ in God Col 3.3 but you standing only in that which hath written Annotations and which draweth Inferences Conclusions and meanings from the Scriptures that witnesseth sufficiently concerning you that you are not in the life of the first Principle of pure Religion which giveth the understanding of the Scriptures Ignorance therefore is the cause of your error Math 22.29 Math 13.34 as saith Christ You erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Wherefore unto you they are parables and hidden sentences from the darknesse of your clouded understandings who is he that seeth your misery and doth not lament you who have consented to the blinding of your selves through the yeelding of your minds captives to the perverse wills of your Instructers they have trodden out paths in unrighteousnesse and you have walked in their crookednesse Verily I am as one wounded for your sakes and heavily pressed with the clods which the ploughers have ploughed upon your backs Oh where is the hand which hath holpen you Have not your watchers forgiven you your sins in vanitie and strengthened your hands with the strength of their own hearts in iniquitie In what manner have they brought you unto confession and what will that availe you if after your confessions the same and worse sins and iniquities are wrought and committed by you Are you so ignorant as to thinke that their words of absolution is the covenant of pardon and salvation Or do you thinke that bare confession of your sins only will bring you under the Condition of mercy Mark the order of the declaration of Solomon's wise sentence which maketh frustrate the expectation of your vaine confidence Pro 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy Oh people why therefore will ye thus rest and remaine in the night of slumber when will ye be awakened to come to see the works of your teachers how that they have double-girded your loynes with the cords of ignorance and have made that the strength of their renowne and praise in the Nations and your cloathing with the clouds of darknesse is your Priests garment of glory over you by this their power governes in Dominion and Majesty and you remaine as Subjects chained under the yoak of their iniquitie Oh who can declare your misery It is my sorrow for the Seeds sake to behold it and I know that it suits not with the delight of your hearts to read the explanation of it But hath the Lord a Remnant and shall he not visit for the sake thereof yea verily and this therefore in love to the soules of the simple that they may come to the light of the day each one in the sensiblenesse of his own heart and life to reade with understanding the mystery of godlinesse and Scriptures of truth which do speak one and the same thing in the word and intention and not of many things as by more then one but of all things in and by one through whom the worlds were made and the Covenant of God stands sure through whom also grace mercy and peace is come to as many as are joyned to that one in the clearnesse of the naked truth through the relinquishing of the hidden things of deceit and all the former wayes vanities customes traditions superstitions and ungodly words and works and renouncing the counsells of the many fathers and men of the world through the spreading of whose spirit and the fruits of their life delusion hath a long time reigned in the world cleaving to the only sound counsell of the living God father of truth which deceiveth nor deludeth any man but establisheth all men that come unto it in a holy way exceeding the errors of mans wayes even in that new and living way which he hath prepared wherein the uncleane cannot walke Isa 55.8 but it is unto those the way-faring men though foales shall not erre therein Wherefore all people be not any longer blinded under the perverse crooked wills of your Instructers and Pastors but examine and try truly whether they have lead you in the way of God wherein the wicked cannot walke And now in all this will you count me your enemy in putting you upon diligent inquiry and also in telling you the truth Lay it to heart oh people and you Doctors and Teachers of the Nations Come forth and consider assemble assemble the principal members of your bodyes together and call a full Councell of the Magicians of your Lands and suffer us then to prove you before all men provide your rods that you may cast them in the presence of the Nations and behold ours is ready to be cast also that it may be knowne whether God is the God of Egypt or of Israel and that all the Inhabitants of the Earth may have an understanding who are the people that have stolen the name of Israel that were never borne of his Seed and if it shall be seene that the Serpent of our rod shall eate up the Serpents of your rods then of a truth it shall be knowne that God worketh with us and not with you but against you But if the Serpent of our rod shall be swallowed up and by the Serpents of your rods utterly devoured then let not the Nations spare to publish and cry in their streets that the God whom we worship hath utterly forsaken us Againe I say assemble your Prophets and let the worke of the Lord and his word answering by fire give testimony to the Prophets whether the Prophets of your Lands are the true Prophets that the Inhabitants thereof may truly know and understand that if the Lord be God then let them follow him but if Baal whom ye worship he God then do you continue following of him no hurt will come unto your Nations through the tryall of the Prophets so that if the Lord answers our Prophet by fire and kindles the sacrifice of the oblation in your sight then shall ye know that our Prophet is the true Prophet of the Lord but if your Prophets shall cut themselves even to the drawing of blood of their bodyes and no word of answer to their supplications as the answer of the Lord by fire from Heaven but afterwards if in their madnesse and wilfulnesse they shall kindle a fire in their wrath and charge you to kindle fires in your houses to burne this testimony among whomsoever it comes then behold that shall be a signe unto you that God is not among them for if the Lord be their God then would he plead for them or if they be Jealous for the Name of the Lord God of Hosts then will they stand forth to plead
Light wherewith you are lightned even by so much you are short of the true way of the Kingdom of God John 14.6 John 8.12 John 1.9 For be it known unto you of a truth That the way is but one the truth is but one and that one is Christ the Light of the world which lighteth every man that cometh into the world Ephes 4.4 5 6. 1 John 1.5 James 1.17 Wherefore be ye not ignorant that there is only one true body one spirit one hope of the true calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme and one communion of the Lords body one God who is Light the eternal Father of all who are children born of the Light wherewith they are lighted which cometh from God the Father of Light unto life everlasting This then is the witnesse to the whole world and the message to the whole world and the tryal of the whole world their wayes their words their works and their worships all whose deeds are wrought in the Light they in the Light have peace and their hearts doth not condemn them but such who professe God and the Truth in Christianity and yet are Swearers and Lyars Thieves Whores Whoremongers Cheaters Covetous Proud Envious Hard-hearted Mockers Scorners Drunkards Gluttons Abusers of themselves with mankind who in worse nature than the beasts nature change the naturall use of the creature into that which is against nature these walking working and acting contrary to the Light in all their consciences with the Light are judged and condemned and this is the condemnation of all the wicked world John 3.19 That Light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather than Light because their deeds are evill And such are not an honour unto God nor a praise unto Christ whose life savours not of the Truth nor of the nature of Christianity their profession shall in no wise be unto their Justification But in how much they have professed the name of Christ who is the Light and made the profession of his name the Cloak of their unrighteousnesse even by so much the more will the Light in all their consciences be the aggravation of their misery through judgement unto condemnation Unto this one therefore must all come to be made partakers of the everlasting inheritance of salvation even unto the Light which cometh from Christ by it to be led unto Christ who is the Life and Light of men John 1.4 Isa 42.6 Isa 49.6 Luke 2.32 who is the salvation of the Prophets whom they prophesied of saying I will also give thee for a Covenant of the people for a Light of the Gentiles to open the eyes of the blind to bring out the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the Prison house that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth On whom also the Apostles believed who through Faith in the Light and obedience to the Light wherewith they were lightned were made partakers of the purchase of the blood and promise of the Covenant to wit the salvation of their souls And behold this is the Ensign and Standard of the Lord which was set up for the fall and is now setting and set up for the rising again of many in Luke 32.34 35. Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against by whom shall come the revelation and ripping open of all thoughts and hearts Ye people all upon the face of the whole earth unto that in all your consciences which revealeth unto you all unrighteousnesse and the prophanesse and rottennesse of your own hearts and the wickednesse of your own thoughts words and works which also is the revelation of the terrible indignation and of the wrath of God against all the ungodly and workers of iniquity even unto that light in all your consciences must ye all be joyned your hearts must be given unto it to be led and to be ordered and guided by it that you may come to witnesse a new Life begotten by the Light in you John 3.3 for except a man be born again he cannot see nor enter into the Kingdom of Heaven As your minds come therefore to be joyned to the Light wherewith you are lightned you by the witness of perfect subjection and obedience to the pure motions of it will come to know the true and everlasting testimony of the Lord and be made partakers of the hope of the heavenly calling and your confidence not as in the dayes of vanity sin and death will be gathered into the one substance of the spirit of Life in which you will come to see what is the glory of the living body which liveth by the faith of the Son of God Your baptisme will not be as in the dayes under the power of the Elements For as much as the Testimony of the life of Jesus is the fulfilling of Scriptures John he said that Christ who was the substance should increase but he who baptized with the Elements as the figure should decrease Math. 3.11 signifying also the baptisme of Christ that it should be with fire and the Holy Ghost which he testified concerning him John 1.26 27. of whom he said There standeth one among you of whom ye know not he it is who cometh after me is preferred before me the same also is he which hath been in the world John 1.11 as a stranger upon the earth who came unto his own but his own received him not whose life is manifest through the Revelation of the light wherewith the whole world is lightned which leadeth unto the knowledge and witnesse of his Baptisme Eph 4.5 Crosse Death Resurrection Life and Communion of his eternal body and this is the baptisme which the Apostle testified is only One even the baptisme of the Holy Ghost and with fire which John said should encrease through the decrease of the water Flesh and blood revealeth none of these things concerning the Kingdome of God which is a mystery unto all the world how great therefore is the ignorance of the world to administer those things which they call Ordinances unto Infants which things are Parables and altogether hidden things in the substance from the wisdome of the world which if the Revelation and Life of the substance be not unto the elder what profiteth then the Traditional washings or sprinklings which neither is by commandement or manifest example in the Scriptures unto the infancy of the younger and what can their Infancy through the figures reach fathom or feel concerning the substance let the worlds Fathers answer this for them Unto the crosse therefore of the Lord Christ Jesus ye ought to come which neither is gold nor silver nor brasse nor iron nor any other mettal nor wood nor stone nor Image of bone or any other dead creature but this is the everlasting testimony of the Crosse of Christ Jesus Luke 22.42 Father not my will but thy will be done he that hath
an ear to hear let him hear and he that understandeth not nor knoweth this is yet under his own hour and power of darknesse Understand therefore that the manifestation of the will of God is in and through the Light wherewith you are lightned which cometh from Christ the true light of the world which lightneth every man that cometh into the world unto which Light in all your consciences your minds must be subject you must wait upon God with your minds in the Light your hearts turned to it that you may witnesse the power of it ruling and reigning in you and working through every Member of your mortal bodies bringing your wils under it and subduing and subjecting your affections to it this is the true Crosse of Christ Jesus to take up the Crosse and to walk in Crosse unto your wills and affections which take up Images and take delight and pleasure in Pictures and imaginary likenesses of the Crosse of Christ Jesus and to walk as quickned Members in crosse to your whole life as it now stands in the nature and lust of uncleanness sin and death in the enmity to the Life and power of God and mystery of Godlinesse in crosse to your foolish airy childish vanities of Beads Bracelets and other Traditional Superstitions and Idolatries which things are but the signification of folly and childishnesse in the first nature which receiveth not the knowledge nor things of God the Light also wherewith you are lightned Eph 5.4 must guide your minds and stay your hearts and thoughts upon God and lead you also in crosse unto the Lightness and wickedness of your lives which stand in the pleasure of vain jesting and idle foolish talking Rom. 13 13. in surfeiting and drunkennesse in chambering and wantonnesse strife and envying in the ground of all manner of sin iniquity and mischief which produces and yields the fruits of lying swearing pride covetousness cheating and defrauding adulteries and whoredomes dissimulation robberies and desperate murders even in that evill and cursed ground where man is droven from the presence of God under the power of the agreement of Hell and death alienated and estranged from the Covenant of Life yoaked under blindness and chayned with the blackness of darkness shut out of the Garden of pleasure and Paradice of God where nothing can restore the losse which came by transgression but the power of the Cross of Christ Jesus which worketh death to the disobedient and carnall There is none other entrance now unto the tree of Life which he that eateth not thereof dyeth in and perisheth unto everlasting death but through the flaming sword which is set at Edens gates Gen 3.24 to keep the way of the Tree life Can your eye read or your ear hear for your hearts to receive this ye vain scoffers at the Saints entrance into the holy City and Paradise of God You are witnesses to your selves that your Inheritance is not in the Kingdome of Heaven which is like unto a grain of Mustard-seed Math 13.31 which also is likened unto an Onion seed whose perfect fruit being taken out of the natural earth yet quickly perisheth not but prospereth yielding growth from the body of the root more than all roots of the earth This is the work of Life the Cross which neither is likeness imitation nor Image of the things or nature of death but the mighty power of God which bringeth death unto death which hath passed over all men Rom 5.10 12. and reigneth over all men from Adam unto Moses even over all that have sinned who have not known Moses although their sin hath not been after the similitude of Adams transgression from lost Adam therefore unto Moses you must come to witness an entrance into Moses his house in whom was revealed the hope of the promise that should come to passe which also is come in power Rom 8.4 in the substance to them In whom the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit who have seen the Prophets day and are come through the work of Johns cry in the wilderness Math 3.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. who are no more of the flesh as in the flesh working the works of the flesh but through the death of the Crosse are buried in the separation from the worships words and works of the first nature risen and born unto Life unto the inheritance of Redemption and Justification into the unchangeable Kingdome of the word of the Covenant where he that is least is greater then John the Baptist Math 11.11 who was the greatest Prophet borne of women and thus being passed and translated from death to life not as any longer under the power of sin are partakers of the Elements or subject unto the carnall Ordinances are altogether under and one with the power of the ministration of life in the communion of the Eternall body of the Lord and from your superstitions and Images and nature of iniquitie and transgression by the power of the Crosse of Christ Jesus ye must be changed through obedience to the motions of the Light in all your consciences into the Image of the glory of the second Adam who is the Lord from Heaven if ever ye shall come to witnesse a hope which will not wither to be Joyned unto the heireship of the promise of the Inheritance of the kingdome which Covenant was made only with Abraham and with the seed of Abraham born of the free-Woman Gen 22.16 which by the one Everlasting Oath of God is confirmed unto all that by the blood of sprinkling are entered into the City Heb 12.22 Rev 22.15 where not any thing that is defiled can come for without is the curse even over as many as stand in the ground without the compasse of the fence of the Paradice of God where are dogs and sorcerers and whore-mongers and murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Repent Repent therefore the mighty day of the Lord God is at hand wherein he will sift the Nations as with the five of equitie and fanne the Inhabitants of the earth with the winde of his wrath and through all Nations will make an equall separation in Righteousnesse the Chaffe from the Wheate the Drosse and Reprobate from the refined Silver the just from the vile him that feareth God from him that feareth him not A day of woe to the wicked and of vengeance to the workers of iniquitie in which cometh to passe the Revelation of the Wrath and Indignation of God which is even ready to be revealed in flames of burning fire against all the ungodly A day of howling to the sonnes of Sodome and of everlasting lamentation to the daughters of Gomorrha Strength shall not defend you nor Art deliver you where then will you run for a refuge ye want the wings of the Sunne of the Morning to fly unto the ends of the earth
the rockes will not rend to cover you nor the mountaines move to hide you so terrible is the day of the dreadfull Lord God of Hosts and none like it that even his breath shall shake terribly the foundations of the earth and the Isles of the Sea shall role as ships in a tempest the Jealousie of the heavens shall send forth their winds which shall stirre up the depth of the Sea and she shall spue out of her wombe the dead bodyes which her rage devoured upon the earth also the grave shall give up her dead that all both great and small may arise and stand before the great Judgement of the Lord The trumpet of the Lord hath sounded and is sounding Blessed is he that heareth the proclamation of the voyce of the Angel unto the witnesse and have a right and a part in the first Resurrection Rev 20.6 on him the second death shall have no power but such shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeares whose day is begun in the earth he that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith and when the thousand yeares are finished Rev 20.9 the whole number of the deceivers of the earth shall be utterly devoured with the fire of God out of Heaven A dreadfull found to the wicked I have heard the proclamation of the voyce of the Archangel of God and the noyse of a Joyfull shout from Heaven of which I John beare witnesse and do hold the testimony as unto the witnesse of the Eternall Decree of God concerning that which was and is and of the Judgement which shall come overtake the wicked throughout the mountaines and the hills and the caves and the dens of the earth woe shall compasse their dwellings and Indignation and Wrath shall be placed as the bounds of their habitations who can count the sands which are set for the bounds of the Seas he also can comprehend the misery of the workers of iniquitie prepare prepare therefore to meet the Lord by true and unfained repentance for of a truth the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is arisen and rising in dread to touch the whole earth 2 Pet 3.4 5 6 7. say not therefore in your hearts Where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation as a people willing to yeeld unto ignorance and voyd of the knowledge How that by the Word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the water and in the water whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men To your own therefore returne departing from your fore-fathers traditions examine your selves try your selves prove your hearts and see what you have which will be able to stand in the day of tryall and not consume in the burning fire of the Lord God whereby the Heavens shall be set as in flames 2 Pet 3.10 and the Earth and Elements shall melt with the fervent heare thereof and all the workes that are in the earth shall be burnt up and seeing then that all these things shall be quickly dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse Feare feare dread and tremble tremble before the Lord God of Heaven and Earth all ye hard and cruell high and lofty bow down ye Cedars of the hills and come down ye strong Oakes of the mountaines unto the lowlinesse of the valeys the Lord God will stop the wayes of the Savages of the Forests and place Strength in the path of the Lyons of the Wildernesse and their fiercenesse shall no longer devoure the prey the strong shall starve with hunger woe to the Deserts the Lyon for her whelps and the Beare for her young as being robbed as being spoyled and destroyed they shall roare together they shall run and not have remedy they shall seek and not have rest for behold the word of the Lord shall be accomplished in the Earth upon the Herds and concerning the flocks upon the Shepherds and upon the Pastors and the end shall be the consumption of all flesh which hath corrupted its way upon the face of the earth before the Lord and with this cometh the determination of time which shall never bring end to the torment of the wicked and whosoever worketh and loveth a lye O Earth Earth heare therefore thy warning and all the Inhabitants thereof give eare to the sound of the voyce in the day of your visitation the commandement standeth not far from you neither is the Word separate in another Nation so as that you should say Our arme reacheth not over the Sea to bring it from thence and who can touch Heaven to bring it down from thence but the Word is very nigh unto you Deut 30.14 in your mouth and in your heart that ye may also heare it and do it 2 Pet 1.19 Therefore unto the more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well if ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts The Light which through Judgement and condemnation in the secret parts of your minds and hearts preacheth and prophesieth wrath woe and the just indignation of God against all unrighteousnesse this sure word is nigh you and with you in your beds in the fields and streets and market places the Light which convinceth you of lying and swearing and double-dealing and all manner of wickednesse if you love it and lissen unto the checks of it in your hearts and minds and so come to follow the Light which convinceth you in secret of lying and swearing and vaine jesting and foolish and wanton gestures and communication the Light in all your consciences wherewith you are lightened which convinceth you of your sins will lead you out of your sins and so will come to witnesse sanctified hearts unto God and you will come to feele your hearts given up unto sanctification and your minds unto the things of Gods kingdome and by the Light also you will come to discerne the two seeds and the two natures and you will grow unto the witnesse of the Judgement of the one from the promise of Sion unto the habitation of the heritage of Esau whose mountaines are places for Dragons And the other unto the Justification of life to be made partaker of the treasure of life and filled with the vertue of the Lord in wisdome and a good understanding which the world cannot receive unto the true knowledge of the Scriptures unto the witnesse of them fulfilled in you which through faith in Christ Jesus the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world Eph 5.13 are able to make one wise unto salvation