opened to the Gentiles and was the Hope of Glory to them even Christ within them whom the Apostles preached warning every man and teaching every man that they might present every one perfect in Christ Jesus the Hope of Glory within them which Faith the Jews not receiving lost their King and Kingdom And is your hopes without you as the Jews was Is that the Hope the Apostles preached to the Gentiles or that which enters within the vail Is there not a vail drawn over your hearts again whilst you read this in Scriptures And have not you lost the Key of knowledge who are gone out from the annointing in your hopes Have you not lost the Key of David which should let you see Davids Lord in which the Kingdom of God is established for ever Did God swear this to David after the flesh or to Abraham after the flesh or to any after the flesh Then how is his Kingdom everlasting Or why did he say the flesh profits nothing And why did the Apostle say they desired henceforth to know no man after the flesh no not Christ himself Flesh and blood passeth away but this Kingdom is everlasting so him whom the Apostles preached in Spirit by the receiving of the Holy Ghost wherein they were to grow up to his age and stature and appearance him you reject in spirit to be the hope of your glory and kingdom and wait for a Government after the flesh and so shut up the great Mystery of godliness which was opened and the Kingdom against your selves which Mystery is not after the flesh but God manifest in flesh Christ within the Hope of Glory and this Mystery was ever shut with carnal expectations but opened in the Spirit as it was so it is who denies the Spirit to be Lord shuts up the Kingdom Wherefore arise out of the flesh you Rulers and People and receive your King long hath he been rejected and thrust out of the Throne of Judgement for which you have no Peace nor Establishment Why will you not turn to him who calls you in Spirit what a shame is this that you are called Christians and know not your annointing Christ in you What Christians and without Christ Christ not come What do you Rule withal and discern with and Judge with Is not all that reprobate who knows not Christ in you But if you know a Just a Holy a Righteous Principle of Spirit in you that is of Christ set it up and you set up Christ bow to the Holy Ghost and you worship in Spirit and thereby you shall say that Jesus is Lord set up his light in your hearts and his day will arise to you all for there must the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts which will give the knowledge of God near you and true Judgement near you and that which Rules over spiritual wickedness near you which all must bow to who receives the Kingdom of God honour God in your hearts set him up in your hearts let him be Judge in your hearts and first receive his Light and Judgement there before you pass Judgement upon others least you in judging others before men condemn your selves before God David had little thought he had done that when he said he that had taken his neighbours lamb should surely dye and you may soon do the like if you go out from the Spirit and Judge before you receive Judgement in your own hearts and see all be clean there first then is your Scepter established in Righteousness and your Judgement in Truth which is the Scepter of the Throne of David in Spirit which condemned David in flesh and will condemn you in the flesh if you sin against it and that is his Kingdom and he is King for ever who in Spirit condemns sin in the flesh and for this end is he manifest that the Righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in all who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit which comes in his Name who went away after the flesh that the kingdom might come And if you receive your Authority and Judgement in this right Principle of God it will Judge for God in all your selves and others and it will fit you to be Mediators betwixt the Offender and Sufferer in all and you will see what it is which transgresseth and what is transgressed and the nature of every offence to pass an equal Judgement accordingly and this is of God and he loves it and where that of God is pressed not to clear the oppressor but to Judge the oppressor and set that of God which is innocent free and here with that of God in your selves you Judge for that of God in all and set that of God above the oppressor in all which oppressor is not of God in you nor in others but is to be Judged and for the Law and for the Sword but against that of God the Law is not And here is Gods Kingdom already near and not afar off where God is all in all and the Righteous reigns and the power that is ordained of God the Soul is subject to for Conscience sake towards God in Heaven and Earth and that of God in every Conscience shall answer to your Judgement and Authority and God shall set you up therewith as a terrour in every heart above the evil-doer the murtherer and traytor and the arrows of the Almighty shall stick in the hearts of all that seek to undermine this Government for the Kingdom of God it is in which he Rules who cannot forget himself nor hath this Kingdome been taken from any who once received it thus till they go out of it themselves by suffering or setting up another to rule above that measure of this Just and Innocent Principle of God And if you receive this Kingdom from Heaven in love of it then shall you receive your Judgement from Heaven also and your Law to Judge by and God shall make you rich towards him in Righteous Judgement and towards his People and a discerning Spirit will he give you in this Annointing to know hard matters that are hid from flesh and blood which you shall receive in secret and bring forth openly and all shall hear and fear and praise the Lord for you and you shall no more go to the Heathen to learn Judgement whom the Lord hath removed far from him nor shall you uphold those Laws by which the servants of God hath suffered formerly in the times of Popery nor shall the Statutes of Omri be kept and observed nor follow the wayes of the house of Jeroboam for you have seen what God hath done concerning them that you may fear to follow them But you shall have your Laws from the Law-giver Christ Jesus and your Judgement from the Father of Lights whose Ministers then you are to whose sword that of God in every Conscience shall answer which is written in every heart and which every heart shall fear to offend when they
had them and the Lord was at their Table and they fed with him in his sufferings and blood and the rest made a large Profession of him but fed at the table of Devils and these grew great in violence and strong to devour and shed blood and the other excelled in meekness and patient in suffering and here were they separated into life and death never like to meet more And here now may all read the worship in spirit in such as know God in spirit and the worship in Letter in them that have not God know not what they worship and these know not what they do who know not what they worship and the Son of God faith Father forgive them they know not what they do who saith they worship they know not what who worship not in spirit who worship in their thoughts of God but not the Spirit of God in possession and knowledge who think they do God service to kill and destroy the Temple of God because they know not him in themselves that is worshipped therein as Christ hath foretold and must be fulfilled at the coming of the Holy Ghost And when God descends from heaven to walk on Earth in his Temples and to require his worship to himself out of all Sects and traditions this is his entertainment from all that look for him in observations whose coming is within and his Kingdom is within you And now to you he is come of whom you have been long talking and in that way he appears among you of which you are Preaching The Jews had but the prophesies and shadows to know him by reading without them but you read and Preach in words of the lively pattern in spirit and have heard of the same Life and Testimony which now he bears against you in his Temples and when he comes you cannot receive him who suffers the same things among you Oh England how wilt thou stand in judgement what wilt thou plead for thy selfe when he arises to judgement whose Testimony against thee is drawing to an end what will be thy excuse and who wilt thou say thou took him to be who now endures such contradiction against himself such haling beatings scourgings and mockings and banishings imprisonings and death without resistings hast not thou heard of him before he came that thou might have known in this thy day the things of thy peace hast thou not read of him that is sent to seek his lost in Temples Synagogues in Markets and where the greatest of the people be in which manner he now appears being refused of the rich gathers the poor in the high wayes and hedges yet hath no where to lay his own head hast thou not heard of the everlasting way of his walkings in Prophets and Apostles his pilgrimage in their bodies upon earth who was ever a stranger in the world at his coming from heaven what spirit wilt thou say this is which hath conformed so many at this day who was amongst you like wolves to devour others now to suffer the spoiling of their goods and torturings of their bodies and taking away their lives without seeking the least revenge wilt thou at that day say thou had thought it had been the spirit of the Devil as many of you now doth though in your consciences otherwise convinced Alas for thee how art thou wept over at this day And what a lamentable sorrow hath many of the Lords servants for thee whom thou hast cast in holes and prisons for their obedience to God and testimony of their conscience towards God in them whose patient sufferings and unparaleld cruelties are no more valued with thee then if they were dogs and this hath gone throughout thee from the least to the greatest till there be very few left which are not wholly hardned so that to hear of these evil dealings exercised upon the innocent doth no more enter your hearts then the rain enters a rock wherefore our souls are troubled for you and our hopes concerning your healing grows dayly less and our sufferings in the Lord Jesus dayly greater hasting to the full and what will you do in the end thereof Or whom shall we take to witness for you or may you be compared with any that ever hardned themselves in these wayes and escaped destruction that our hopes might revive and our prayers not cease did ever any thus deny the life of what yon Preach in words your selves and which some of you have in measure felt and suffered for and have been answered in by the Lord and your eyes have seen the vengeance of the Almighty and how dreadful it hath been both upon Kings Priests and Rulers for resisting Ah how much better had it been for you never to have known these things which you have seen read and Preached then now that they should be fulfilled upon you to the uttermost how well had it been for you had you been as those you call heathen rather then to Profess Christ and thus act against him at his coming even in the same way your selves Preach him Alas alas what hath the innocent done why he thus is used among you doth he cry against sin against pride against false worships against corrupt Rulers corrupt Teachers corrupt Lawyers c. And with much meekness bears his witness against these evils in you for a testimony of light to your words whom he hath lifted up in wrath and zeal and judgement against the same things in the persons of others and will not this arise against you of which you are witnesses all in one generation But say thou he breaks the peace and breaks our Law and is unmannerly c. But was he not ever so accounted and is he not now in the same way he ever walked what would that peace do for you could you keep it whole which is broken by reproving sin and deceit Is there any peace to the wicked from God will be keep that Law which will not give him liberty to Reign in his Temples and to lead his people by his Spirit or will you plead that Law against him in judgement when he comes to deal with you who should know his Law written in your hearts to limit you and not your Laws to limit him nor your manners must not bind the conscience where he is known to be King and this you know is truth and have pleaded it against others and now cannot own it will not the Laws of Christ and the manners of Christ of which you read in Scripture agree with your Government and peace who calls for his Kingdom to come amongst you and profess to rule according to Scriptures how will this stand at that day when you must not be your own Judges nor by your own Laws And why is he counted your enemy seeing his appearance now is in love to give you light out of this for your Eternal salvation against which he will certainly come in Judgement to
WHAT THE POSSESSION OF THE Living Faith is And the fruits thereof And wherein it hath been found to differ from the dead faith of the World in the learning and following of Christ in the Regeneration With An Opening of Light to all sorts of People that waits for the Kingdom of God And a Candle Lighted to give the sight of the good Old Way of God from the wayes that now ensnares the simple Written by James Naylor in the time of his Imprisonment and now Published by a Friend LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. FOrasmuch as a right Faith is the onely ground of mans Eternal happiness and the onely thing which gains the Creature an entrance towards his Creator and without which it is impossible to please God though much hath been said of it already yet I having found by learning the true and living faith which hath the living power different from that faith which is dead and without that power And seeing that so many at this day are at ease in a dead faith and their souls in the grave In tender love thereto I am stirred up to declare something of the faith of Christ which I have found onely effectual to Salvation and Reconciliation with God And somewhat the rather in regard the Enemy hath spread so many false reports of me touching my faith in Christ Jesus which here I shall declare in plainenesse for the satisfying of simple minds who desire to know Truth rather then to Reproach it and for those who seek occasion I chuse rather to bear their reproach that are in that Nature then contend therewith for my work is not with Flesh and Blood nor is it in my Spirit to strive with any about words that stir up strivings and contention and edefie not but with God I strive daily and to that of God in all I seek to be manifest which resists not evil but seek to overcome it with good waiting for the Kingdom of God in all and the Souls Redemption out of death and the Seed out of bondage and where that is not effected in measure I look not to be owned nor my witness received though it be not of my self but Christ Jesus in me And first a Faith or belief I have found in the World of which I shall say little in this place having found indeed little in it to the Salvation of Life It 's a literal Faith grounded upon the History of the Scripture touching God and Christ and what Christ did in that Temple which the Jewes destroyed at Jerusalem c. but doth not know him in Spirit nor believe him as his Name is EMANUEL to all Generations and so doth not necessarily work the believer into a conformity to that head in his then walking by his coming again in the same Spirit and Power working in them the same Will Mind and Affections and Obedience to the Father in their measure which was in him the Example Author Worker and Finisher of the True and Living Faith And of this Faith being somewhat dressed by the several Opinions of men are all the unclean Spirits living in whatsoever abomination is to be mentioned in the world all Sects and Opinions or whatever may be found in all Colours in these Northern Parts of the World with this Faith they are covered and this is their strength and here they take comfort to themselves against all Reproof within or from without though living openly in the greatest Wholedonies against the Spirit of Holiness Carnal or Spiritual that can be mentioned even at a distance from Christ in his whole life yet they believe Christ came to save sinners of which they are chief and they that are whole need not the Physitian c. And so the greater their wickednesse is the nearer to Christ they believe And by this Faith he that came to save People from sin and to lead out of sin both by Example and Spirit is made a cover for all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and to strengthen the heart of wickednesse against the life of holinesse some in one sin some in another but with this Faith do all sorts strengthen themselves and hardens their hearts against the light of Christ and that Spirit which reproves the World of sin and convinceth of it and would lead out of it and hence it is that the witnesse of God that is holy in all is trampled under foot in all and little regarded in any but by this Faith believed on in none to be the way to the Father though the world have no light but it nor is there a Promise of Life in any other And this to me appears to be that Faith of the Devil or dead Faith the Apostle speaks on Jam. 2. though more hardned in it against Gods fear for the Devils when they believe tremble at it So this Faith I leave being judged already by its fruits with the light of Christ in every honest heart that loves holiness And of that Faith I shall speak somthing in which I have found a measure of the Life of Christ made manifest in my mortal Body in which life alone is the True and Eternal union and atonement with the Holy God into whom no unclean thing can enter And this is not a notion of what was done in another generation past or to come hundreds or thousands of years distance but that which leads to the beginning of the work of a new Creature at this day and a new birth spiritually begotten and born and brought to light without which none can see the Kingdom of God nor enter therein And this Faith doth not work by the comprehensions of brain knowledge that because I could here conceive or declare of Christ Jesus from the beginning to the age thereof in words or thoughts that therefore I have learned him or know him as I ought to do or am grown up in him to a perfect man and so to deceive others by declaring and boasting of what God hath not wrought in me as a man may easily do and deceive his own soul and bewitch others also by leading them out of their measures of Gods present work in them But of the living Faith wch now worketh powerfully in spirit by love thereto the mistery whereof is holden forth in a pure conscience working out the old leven purifying the heart and making all things new judging and killing and crucifying with Christ in spirit the works of the flesh and casting out every thing in me that is not of God and renewing in me the things of God in their order by his mighty working in me in which the soul is raised out of the grave and the dead restored to life actually and not in conceit Of the Grounds and Workings of this Living Faith I shall speak something And though the foundation of this Faith or beginning of it was that I did really believe in that which Christ did and suffered at
man makes but with his own Gift which is good and perfect in every measure thereof And this also I have learned in Christ Jesus and declare to all that seek Faith in him That I never received any measure of this Faith of Christ in vain but whatever I acted or suffered therein from the least measure till this day in it I prevailed against what ever the light of the Spirit led me out therein and a shield I have found it and a growth in it towards Christ Jesus in every work of it wherein I have stood single to the end however tempted or tryed before the end appeared yet in the end of that Faith I was ever a Conqueror through the Spirit and whoever proves it to the end in singlenesse of heart shall be witness with me herein with a Cloud of witnesses that have gone before who by this holy Faith have prevailed over the powers of sin and entered into the holy Rest who have not sought their own Kingdom but the Kingdom of Christ And only this pure Faith which works towards the appearance of Christ in all actions and sufferings is that which orders all things in their place and time and fits all Relations for his appearance therein to glorifie God for God is not glorified in any thing upon Earth but in which the Son appears who is the express Image and Glory of God and in whom alone he Reveals himself and the glory of his Judgements and Mercy the Grace and Truth of God is in his face in whom ever he appears And so every measure of the heavenly Faith works towards the heavenly appearance and the earthly faith to the earthly appearance And so Faith in God is that which works effectually by love to the Image and Life of God in this world which is seen onely in his spiritual begettings which being believed in and set above shines forth in every measure shewing the vertue and glory of the Spirit of God but the fained earthly faith admits of some earthly thing in the heart for its end in love to which it works disobedience to the Spirit and so comes short of the glory of God for it cannot hold forth the fruits of the Spirit to glorifie God with an earthly lover in the heart nor can one faith serve God and Mammon so he that loves the things of this world is Gods enemy whose faith withstands the appearance of Christ in his actions or sufferings and so withstands the glory of God which therein should be manifest to all men and this is that faith which ever of old hath put him afar off yet gets the form and words to withstand the life and vertue And of this sort they are of whom the Apostle speaks having a form of godliness but deny the power of godliness who ever was the greatest enemies to the coming of Christ being not of the Faith of Christ nor of the Spirit of Christ but being from below withstands his coming from above to be brought forth in his vertue or worshipped in his Spirit this is Antichrist And this spirit and this faith it is that wrests the Scriptures to seduce from Christ and destroy the way of his coming and to that end what Christ really Commands to be brought forth of his life and vertue in real appearance this spirit serves himself with a meaning instead of serving Christ with real actual obedience And so his birth is a meaning instead of the life of Christ and this he sets to oppose that life least it shouldd be born into the world as for instance when Christ faith in Scriptures Him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer him the other and him that sues thee and takes thy coat forbid him not thy cloak also and him that takes away thy goods ask them not again resist not evil but but overcome evil with good and love them that hate you and many such like Commands which Christ means really and indeed and led an example in himself and who ever receives the same Spirit it moves to the same things as it grows in any and being obeyed will bring forth the same fruits to glorifie the Father thereof to all Generations which Spirit waxeth not old nor in its fruits barren where it is really received in the Faith thereof and obeyed But faith this other faith in the earthly spirit Christ did not mean as he spoke you must not take him litterally those words must have a spiritual meaning and this spiritual meaning of his is to devour the life of this obedience both in Letter of Christ and Spirit of Christ and to set up a subtle meaning without the life of Christ and contrary to his example and this he will have to take place in all both against the plain words of Christ his example in his walking and the working of his Spirit in others if he cannot destroy this faith and fruit before it be brought forth then his work is to render him a high Blasphemer in whom this Child is born and brought forth to light and counts it high presumption for any to witness the life of Christ in them by bringing it forth into the world yet himself will preach Christ in him and the Life of Christ in him and the Spirit of Christ in him and his body the Temple of God c. because he finds these words in Scripture but if any worship in that Temple so as to believe and obey unto life openly that he cannot own without a meaning instead thereof and so he sets the form to deny the Power and Christs Words he wrests to deny his coming And how long this faith hath professed him to come and his Life and Glory at his coming in its own carnal Comprehensions many may witness but is never like to receive him in the same Life and Spirit and Power in which he ever appeared and so to that generation is he ever to come but never present further then to make a cover for sins past and present and an encouragement for sin to come and thus the devourer turns the best of things into a lye in all that believes him that he may keep Christ and the Soul from their present union which he could not long do but by consent of the Creature there being that of God in every one which daily draws towards him where it is not quenched by believing lies whereby such as receive not the Truth in the love of it comes to be damned as it was in the dayes of old and a strait passage I have found into the way of Truth and life which misseth all his subtle pretences and I have seen his words true who faith Few there be that find it the enemy being every way ready to meet them that seek with a shadow meaning or some deceit to believe in stead of the substance handling the Words of God deceitfully using the gifts of God to withstand the life of the giver and turning grace
that Knowledge which devours the life then be no longer as the wild Asses Colt but take up the yoak of the Son in whom thou sayest thou believest that the life of Faith thou may feel and know for only in the obedience is the life made sure to thee of what thou believest and thereby is Faith and Knowledge made perfect But until thou attain power for obedience of Faith thou art dead and knows but words in which thy Faith stands without life which accomplishes nothing but will arise to condemn thee when thy time is out Therefore in all thy seeking mind that which worketh in a lowly mind calling thee into the Obedience of what is there made manifest in the begettings of the Father and not in the conceivings of the Brain but in the Son For in the Brain-knowledge the Boaster Rules who glories in the wisdom of words but not in the words of life but in the Obedience of the Son is the Father known and glorified in such as walk in the Spirit and not in the wind whose praise is of God and their lives hid with him from all knowledge but what is Revealed in the Obedience of the Son So from man you may learn the knowledge of words but the knowledge of life is only begotten of God so he that hath the Son hath life not of the disobedient Nature for the only begotten of God is Conformable to him that begetteth him in all things through Obedience So feeling thy measure of the begettings of God in it be obedient and seek not to be above it in any thing lest the enemy thereby get power in thee to puffe up thy mind in thy Knowledge above thy life which devoures the life Therefore as thou feels Faith Love Meeknesse Gentlenesse Patience or any Godlinesse move in the Spirit therein become obedient with all diligence and thereby shalt thou know the power thereof against all the contrary motions in thy flesh so shalt thou learn the salvation of Grace unto life eternal which thou canst never attain by talking or any other way but in the Obedience thereof so shalt thou not receive the grace of God in vain nor words without the working power of life whereby the living knowledge of the Mystery of godlinesse will daily encrease For by Obedience of the Spirit is the soul purified from its darknesse and pollution and made fit for the further manifestation of the hidden Mystery and the receiving the fulnesse thereof and walking therein And so by the holy Ghost thou shalt be able to confess Jesus Lord over all powers in heaven and in earth the opener of all secrets and only revealer of the Father who begetteth by whom thou becomes wise in thy knowledge unto salvation not unto vain babling whose words shall rise and Condemne them who glory therein But thou if in Spirit thou hearken diligently and obey shalt know that he who sometimes spoke by the Prophets doth now speak by his Son the everlasting power of godlinesse only begotten of the Father and in all things like unto him in whom he is made manifest And the Prophets have Prophefied of Glory to come but the Son declares the Father in the present life according to the measure of him formed and as he arises in fulness he opens the heavens and gives the inheritance thereinto An opening of Light to all sorts of Rulers and People that wait for the Kingdom of God that you may not oppose him in his appearance nor set up another to reign upon earth in his stead DO you say you seek God you Rulers and People will you seek his face upon earth or would you see his appearance to reign in righteousnesse or can you rejoyce to see him manifest in Flesh or do you love his Image who is the Father of Lights from whom you look for the Son from Heaven then be not carnally minded in your expectation least you know him not in his appearance who is a Spirit and so oppose him as your Fathers in the flesh ever did except you be born of the Spirit you cannot see the Kingdom of God The Father dwells in the light and changes not and the Son is the light of the World in his own Image by whom he changes all things that are out of him and overturns shadows and customs and makes the world new and in Spirit and power is his Kingdom upon Earth and the flesh is the Vail with which he was ever hid from flesh and blood but revealed in spirit to such as desired to know no man after the flesh to set up or to worship And no man could ever say that this Jesus was Lord but by the Holy Ghost So with the light of the Spirit alone which sees through the vail is Jesus known to be Lord and King for ever with which you may all see what you set up to be Lord and Ruler in your selves or over others You that chuse Rulers Judges and Justices Mayors and Constables c. Do you see through the Vail to chuse Jesus in Spirit to Rule over you or over others Is that eye open which knows the Holy Ghost and what Vessell is filled therewith that you may chuse him to Rule in his Kingdom do you seek for that Spirit to chuse withal by which alone Jesus is known to be Lord Then it is plain you seek Gods Kingdom in the face of Jesus Christ who is that spirit which turning to causes the vail to be taken away from all hearts and will change you also into his Image by that Spirit as saith the Scriptures So there was none to be chosen for Judges Kings or Rulers in Israels Common-wealth but who had of this Spirit and Unction put upon them and then the Lord Reigned over them in his Anointed whether King Priest or Prophet man or woman but when they chused Rulers like other Nations then they rejected not Samuel but the Lord that he should not reign over them Now you that say you seek the Lord to Rule over you and say thy Kingdom come minde what you chuse to rule in you or over you with what spirit least your practise oppose your prayers and make void your daily expectation do you chuse after the flesh as other Nations do or do you chuse after the holy Ghost If you chuse after the flesh then you set the vail betwixt you and the Lord and Gods Kingdom and his Image you cannot see and so you reject the Lord as other Nations do but if you look through the Vail unto that which is within the Vail then shall the vail be taken away from all your hearts and you shall see him amongst you whom you wait for and him alone set up and worship and chuse him alone to reign over you who is near you at hand to all that put not his day afar off So if you make Rulers like all the Nations then after the flesh they that are rich they that are proud they
that are full of earthly glory c. Here is the earth set above then the Vail is before your eye and you see not the Lord that Spirit nor do you set up Jesus to be Lord by the Holy Ghost But if that eye be open in you that can see through the Vail of earth and all this deal of flesh and darknesse to that which is within the Vail even the Holy One in his Temple him to chuse and set above in your minds Then your eye shall see the Lords anointed and the King in his Glory and he shall rule whose right it is in every heart and your Governous shall be of your selves and all violence shall cease and shakings of Governments the Government being upon his shoulders who is the Prince of all your peace in the great in the small who shall reign in righteousnesse and judge the people with equity for God and not for rewards to whose authority every knee shall bow and every tongue confesse for conscience sake his Name being written in every heart will then be read whose Kingdom is everlasting and in spirit and power he reigns and in spirit is worshipped in Heaven and in Earth who fills all things with the presence of his Glory and his Kingdom is near to all that can believe it s within you saith Christ and he rules where he is not known though not to salvation who is made of the Seed of David after the flesh by the Word of God to all Generations a King for ever according to promise whose Kingdome the eye which the God of this World hath blinded is putting afar off who sees not the Light of his Glorious Gospel though he be not afar off but him in whom all things have life and being either to salvation or condemnation and this is the condemnation that light is come already into the World which men who loves their evil deeds say is to come and so looks for that without who is a Spirit within and therein hath ever reigned more or lesse but now is arising to his day over all the World whose sound is gone out to the ends of the earth and his light ariseth in every heart to life or condemnation and some it leads into rest and others it pricks to the heart and they kick against it and will not have it to rule therein and to this day he is rejected of the builders who is the first born unto God in Spirit blessed over all And now all sorts of people who in truth wait for the Kingdom of God upon earth with that which in you is of him you may all see if you keep that eye single when he draws near who is born of the Spirit and when he is put afar off in his Government here below when you behold in any manner of Authority such a spirit as is for God alone looking to that of God in every man without respect of person or riches and with a single eye seeks to find out where that measure of God is transgressed in any or where it is oppressed by any and with that measure of God in himself seeks to set judgement upon the head of the transgressor and to set free the innocent principle of God in all which will not lead any to evil then is the judgement of God and for God and that of God is set above in all that 's he that 's born of God here the Kingdom of God is near and as this increases so God draws near and his Kingdom increases and that of God in you all will answer thereto and rejoyce thereat which waits for him and that which is upright in every heart shall say that is the Judgement of God and in that Vessel is God on his Throne according to the measure of that Spirit set up in Judgement so is Jesus Lord by the holy Ghost known and bowed to But on the contrary in what place of Authority soever it be in which the Innocent comes for Judgement against the Oppressor who is too strong for him and so seeks to justice to plead his Cause and to deliver the seed of God that is burthened And when he comes his Cause is not heard but is thrust away if not further ensnared because he cannot oppress that of God in him more either by bowing to something of vain Customs or Worships never set up by God nor owned by his witness for Conscience sake Or else because he cannot fire his judgement by feeding a Covetous Spirit which is for Rewards and not for God that he Judges and so the Innocent soul is not relieved at this throne but sent away as an of fender from that place where he should be eased and justified with the judgement of a free spirit for justice sake doth not that of God in you all testifie against this that judgement is here turned backward in that vessel and that Jusus is not Lord therein so the innocent heart is sadned but not saved and the Kingdom of God put afar off and the Scepter of righteousness not seen Wherefore Rulers and People who set up flesh in stead of the holy spirit to rule over you the wills of men the pride and glory of this world or any visible thing here below born after the flesh see what you chuse and what you put afar off and with that spirit you now chuse you will never see the Kingdom of God nor be able to say in truth that Jesus is Lord It s by the spirit of holiness meekness and true judgement and works of righteousness that Jesus is known to Reign and therein stands the sight of his Kingdom and Lordship in every heart in every Court and in every place of judgement to all generations which you deny in chusing the man of this world after the flesh to rule in you or over you therein And yet you say you look for him and thy Kingdom come delay but deny him in the simplicity of his lowly spirit to rule for his own in all as all your Rulers ever did as you have read in words and now may read in deeds the world by wisdom knows not God so that spirit chuses its own to rule but cannot receive him whom you say you look for And how should any one who sees the Kingdom of God and where the simplicity of Christ is above own that Kingdom or worship that spirit and not betray the simplicity of Christ and give his honour to another And if in the meekness of mind you did but weigh this you could not think it so strange why so many at this day who have received the Kingdom of God in his lowly just and righteous spirit chuse rather to suffer death under that spirit of this world then to bow to worship it or confesse that due thereto which belongs onely to Jesus the Lord neither would you say it was obstinacy or contempt of Authority rather to suffer by the will of man then to rob
the Lord of his glory deny Christ in his Kingly office and set up another in his place And herein true wisdom may see that in so doing we resist not that power which is ordained of God nor the person but that spirit we testifie against by sufferings under which God never annointed for a Saviour holding forth the annointing as we have received for a witness against him in the spirit of meekness confessing our King in whom we receive power to suffer so to us he is come and by the gift of the Holy Ghost we can say he is Lord therefore to us there is but one Lord though there be many so called whether in heaven or in earth yet have we but one in all both in heaven and earth and him we know where ever he is by the gift of the Holy Ghost and to him in spirit we confesse and bow and the fruits of his spirit are manifest with the light of the world testifying against all the works of darkness in all the children of his Kingdom And to us he is born who is from above the holy Child wonderful in Councel and strength whose heavenly power and vertue takes our affections from all earthly objects and worship whose name is Immanuel and it is written in our hearts and shed abroad into the world in our lives and Christ Jesus is the end of our conversation him alone to put on above all to Preach by walking in him as we have received of that lively image of holiness and Truth the annointed of God and so we confesse him before men who is the right Heir in what vessel soever he appears and the prayers we give to God where this treasure is found in the earthen vessel and the hope of all our glory is Christ within and the increase of his Government is Christ within of which there is no end and with that spirit is all righteousness established the Kingdom of God upon earth and Eternal life And where this is not seen chosen and followed there men rule in their own wills and where mens persons and riches is respected in chusing such there the same is respected in judgement by such and the Law of God is perverted and the sword of Justice which should defend the cause of the innocent is laid by and the fist of wickeduess lift up against that which is tender of God in every conscience and when this rules the righteous Seed mourns in secret but wickedness reigns openly And this is and ever was the state of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdoms of the Gentiles the one rules in the Spirit of Holiness and the other exercise Lordship in their own wills chosen and set up not by the Holy Ghost as you may read in the Scriptures concerning Israels common wealth who when they wanted the ruling of this spirit they sold themselves under their enemies but when this was their Judge they had a Saviour chosen after the spirit not after the flesh what ever was the vessel the Spirit was their Saviour Moses was a poor wandring Shepheard yet in this Spirit a God to Pharaoh and Saviour of Israel Samuel a poor man who received no reward for judgement and when they went about to chuse another after the manner of other Nations they rejected God who then gave them a King in his wrath David a poor man not chosen by the outward appearance as man looks but by the heart by the direction of the Spirit he was the Shepherd of Israel and his seed of the same Election hath the everlasting Kingdom of promise to all generations Elisha a plowman yet by that Spirit was he the Chariots of Israel and horsmen thereof Deborah a woman yet a Judge deliverer to Israel And too long would it be to instance in all ages how he hath set up his throne and saved his people in this Election not of wisdom riches or worldly glory but the poor of this world rich in Faith heirs of the Kingdom of promise which you say you look for but cannot see nor receive while you chuse after the flesh as the world hath ever done who still have bent all their wisdom and Religion to keep the Heir out of his Kingdom whom they have been looking for after the flesh but not believing in the light to give them a fight through the vail to him that is born of the Spirit have resisted the Holy One and chosen the murtherer as did your fathers so do you alwayes resist the Holy Ghost and as it was so it is that which is born of the flesh is flesh and chuses after the flesh and worships after the flesh for it can see no further it cannot see the Kingdom of God and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and chuses after the spirit and worships in spirit and these are contrary Kingdoms and he that 's born after the flesh persecutes him that 's born after the spirit ever did and ever will do for the Scripture cannot be broken which hath so said and is now fulfilled And now you that are called Christians you read and Preach of this King Christ Jesus and his Kingdom what a One he ever hath been in his appearance upon Earth by whom he hath been received and by whom rejected and after what manner he hath ever suffered and by what power he hath reigned in all ages and this you will confesse in words but will you now receive him to reign in you Or can you own his appearance where it is set up in others and not be offended therewith is that eye open that knows him or can you delight in him who was never like the world in his walkings was not he ever poor as to this world and therefore rejected of the rich and learned lowly and rejected of Princes and them that was high was not his work ever to change shadows and forms and Religious traditions set up in mens minds above the life of Truth and leadings of the spirit and to set up spiritual worship and obedience in its place And therefore by the builders ever rejected and condemned and his new work was ever foolishness to the wise wherefore he bare the reproach thereof with patience was he not ever meek and innocent and harmless in his conversation towards all men as a Lamb indeed seperate from sinners in life yet seeking them to save out of sin with the dayly giving up his life c So he was and so he hath ever appeared on earth now can you receive you King as he was you that wait for him Or do you think he is changed Is he now become proud and lofty in flesh after the world cruel and covetous and hard-hearted subtle and crafty to deceive the simpie strong and violent to trample on the helpless doth the glory of his Scepter now stand in meats and drinks and fine apparel or great earthly possessions doth he now come to take up his abode and
delight in these things who ever hath come to take the minds of his people out of these things up into the heavenly treasure doth he now delight in earthly glory strife and exaltation Is the weapons of his Warfare now become carnal wherewith he overcomes his enemies doth he now come with haling and beating whips and prisons and cruel tortures to take the Kingdom of peace who hath suffered such things formerly from the world himself will he now turn oppressor of that which is tender in Conscience and grind the face of the poor or pervert the Judgement of the needy Should he now be seen in works of this nature were this to appear the second time without sin unto Salvation as he is promised Sure the vail is thick over that heart who sees not that this is not his Kingdom Power nor Glory nor his Image who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Yet is this nature above in many and chosen to Rule over many who say they wait for his Kingdom that eye being darkned with the love of the world which should give the true fight of his coming the carnal mind thinks God to be like himself But did you but honestly look into your own hearts with that eye which puts a difference between things that differ in your selves to know each motion of each Spirit and each power and the end and nature of its working the earthly and the heavenly you would soon be able to Judge of these two which so far differ in their fruits and are so contrary in all things and to own the right heir in his Kingdom But while you suffer the god of this world to keep his throne in your hearts by letting him captivate your minds and affections into earthly delights it is not like he will suffer you to chuse aright nor receive another to reign in you or over you the eye of the minde being blinded therewith the light of the Gospel cannot shine into the heart by which you should chuse and which gives the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus nor that treasure be seen or received in the earthen vessel as King either in your selves or others but the wise in heart knows what they wait for and when they see him they rejoyce with the joy of his Kingdom which consists not in carnal things nor comes with outward observations but whose coming is within and whose Kingdom consists in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost blessed be our King for ever and blessed are they who put not his Kingdom afar off And therefore you Rulers and People of all sorts high and low this word is to you and this day is to you the day of the Lord arise and receive your King into his Kingdom that he may receive you and establish you therein the Lord is at hand he is near to all that call upon him in truth righteousness To you Princes Judges Justices Mayors and Constables all sorts of Rulers who are in the place to Govern the Lord is at hand he is near you all the Kingdom of God is within you the Principle of God is within you with which if you mind it he will break the yoak of the oppressor within you and without you by the sword of Justice that 's his Kingdom upon earth put it not afar off let it arise in your hearts set it up above the will of man let it shine in your hearts let it speak in your Courts that which is of God in you all which Judges justly and with equity lay by your will your pride your covetousness and all that 's above that Spirit of meekness in your minds and make room in your hearts for the Holy Ghost that thereby Jesus may be Lord in you and over others that you may know him to whom Judgement belongs to be in you you need not say who shall ascend into Heaven to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep to bring up Christ again from the dead for he is nigh you and you may feel his witness in Spirit and his Word is in your hearts the Word of Faith the Word of Righteousness that therewith you may all know him who standeth in the Congregation of the mighty to Judge among the Gods who Judges not unjustly nor accepteth the person of the wicked but that with him you may deliver the Poor and Fatherless and Judge the cause of the Stranger wherein they are oppressed that 's his Kingdom and that 's the Word of Faith and the Word of Righteousness that leads to it And if this be set up in your own hearts to love it more then gifts and rewards persons or earthly glory then is the Lord near you and his Kingdom is above the earth in you and your work will be to set it above the earth in others and so the Kingdom of your Father who begets this in your hearts his Kingdom comes as his Will is done upon earth as it is in Heaven where all obey him there is the Kingdom his the Power is his by which you Judge and the glory is his of your Righteous Judgement now and for ever if you therein abide And thus shall you be of the obedient Children to that of your Father in you begotten who say and do who pray and practise and not like the Scribes and Pharisees and Lawyers who said and did not who made long prayers but devoured the poor and needy and Judged not the cause of the stranger but laid heavy burthens upon others and bowed not thereto themselves who could not believe in the light nor receive Christ within them though he told them the Kingdom of God was within them and his Word had no place in them who was filled with pride and wilfulness so they had lost the Key of knowledge the Key of David to open to them the way into annointing whereby to know Davids Lord to reign in Spirit which hath the Promise of Davids Throne for ever So when they lost this the Kingdom departed from Israel and the Priesthood also and he set up his sign to the Gentiles preaching the Kingdom of God to them that were afar off and they that were not a people came to the Kingdom of his annointing and that great Mystery that had been hid from ages was opened thereby to the Gentiles which was Christ in them the Hope of Glory and Kingdom of the Father And now you that are called Christians and are making great Declarations what a glorious Kingdom the Kingdom of Christ will be at his coming and what holiness and righteous Government and many high things and great glory you look for c. But above all the rest how are you estranged who are gone out again from the annointing to look for this without you while you reject it within you Was Christ within them that great Mystery that had been hid from ages which by the hearing of Faith was