or other by the hands of fellow Creatures that are the oppressing Task masters under the Tyrant flesh so that weak spirits are kept under in awe either by fear or shame And thus Iacob hath been very low but he must rise For the Antichristian Captivitie is expiring many have attained to inward freedom already they wait upon the Lord for outward freedom that the yoke may be taken off their backs Israel's Captivitie in the 70 years in the Bahylon was but a type of this Antichristian slavery under L. Esau the powers of the flesh that compasses mankind about with many straits dangers for acknowledging his Maker But as every thing hath his growth his raign and end so must this slavery have an end The proud and covetous hearts cry what slavery is this we know not what he speaks It is true you do not know but they who have lesse or more attained to the resurrection of the dead know what I say and shall rejoyce in the declaration of this power waiting the Lords leisure with a calm silence til he hath gathered together our brethren that must partake of the blessing with us CHAP. XIV TO see the Divine power in the Creation-objects is sweet but to see him ruling in the heart is sweeter The first sight is at distance far off as to see him in mear drink cloaths friends victories riches prosperity to see him in the Sun Moon Stars Clouds Grasse Trees Cattle and all the Earth how he hath sweetly cause every one of these to give in assistance to preserve each other Creature Or rather how he himself in these gives forth preservation and protection from one another and so unites the whole Creation together by the unity of himself Or further to see the Divine power in prayer in Discourse in Communion of Saints in Reading in every sweet and refreshnigs that a man meets within all these is the Almightly Comforter But this is to behold that glory abroad to see and meet him from home to behold him in Creatures without us which sight and enjoyment is often and may be totally lost and the soul left alone again and so filled with mourning in his absence O when shall I see my beloved whom my soul loves The Spouse had seen Christ in the manner aforesaid but she had lost him again for if she had never seen him she could not have called him her Beloved and mourn in his absence Let a man eat never so hearty a dinner yet within a few hours he wil be empty again and ready to languish and thus all comforts that are taken in from any creature without us may be nay wil be must be lost that so a man may come to know the Lord But now to see the King sitting in his banqueting-houses to see the Law of Righteousnesse and peace ruling and dwelling in the heart and to be refreshed with thoâ—e sweet smelling spices the discoveries of the Fathers love within This is the Word of God This is sweeter then the honey or the honey-comb for this is to see him near at hand even within the heart ruling and resting there This is the Kingdome of heaven within you This is the city of refuge that wil not sail a man This is the Rock of defence and offence This the power that makes a man bold as a Lion If a man be cast into any straits his heart dies not like Nabals the man of the flesh but he feels peace and content within and so is at rest Let come what wil come the man knows it is the wil of the Father it shal be so and he feels a quiet peace compasse his heart so that he seeth and feeleth peace within and rejoyceth in the excellency of it he seeth and feeleth love and patience within and rejoyceth in the glory of that sweet ointment that doth cast a delightful favour all his soul over Now though this man be in prison be in straits be forsaken of all his friends in the flesh none wil buy nor sell with him because they count him a man of strange opinions and blasphemies call him an Atheist a sot a Papist a blasphemer that hath forsaken God and goodnesse because he wil neither preach nor pray nor say grace when he sitteth down to meat as the custome of Professours are Yet this man is not alone for his Father is with him The Father lives in him and he lives in the Father The Father wil have his people whom he draws up to worship him in spirit and truth to be secret and silent to be flow of speech for a little season yet quick-sighted and Eagle-eyed though they be silent they are not sottish drones they shall discern and judge others righteously though others shall not discern and judge them but by rash censure which is not righteous The righteous actions and patient silence of those that are drawn up to wait upon the Lord shall be the greatest shame and condemnation to the ignorant professours and talking people that ever broke out The wise flesh that would be an Angel of light is full of towords but dead to the Law of Righteousnesse The Saints must die to waste words but he made alive to Righteousnesse walking uprightly in the Creation to the glory of the Maker of all things hereby Lord Esau will be under-mined and his house and Kingdon wil fall about his ears For though the man of the flesh be altogether for outward preaching praying observation of forms and customs and knows not how to worship if these be taken away he hath no peace if these be gone But now the man of Righteousnesse sees death in all outward forms if the inward power be wanting therfore his eye is stil inward to see the Law of Righteousnesse ruling there and guiding the body to be a profitable member in the Creation And this is the most excellent sight to see the divine power in ones self ruling dwelling and living within which if it doe that body wherein it dwels shal be wholly subject in al his to that Law of Rightenesse They that know what the power of love and the Law of Righteousnesse is they know what I say and can understand me but to others these reports sound strangely and may draw words of reproach and slander from them but it matters not they cannot hurt They that live in the light they see the Lord abroad and they see him at home they see him in other creatures and they see and feel him in their own hearts in patient and quiet submitting to what is his will so that there is a sweet agreement between the disposing hand of God without and his power within He that thus sees the Lord the antient of daies the one Almighty power doth mightily honour him when nothing can be done abroad either in adversity or prosparity but the divine power that rules in the heart consents rejoices and grudges not And now the Lord is one and his name
man Therefore be patient look up for teaching in this dividing of time when the Law of Righteousnesse arises up and makes himself more manifest he will reconcile all make every one to be of one heart and one minde and no other power must be the restorer but this King of Righteousnesse and Peace for this is he that makes men doe as they would be done unto And then envie and bitternes dies Now search the Scriptnres you that stand up to be Teachers that say I deny the Scriptures and let them judge me whether I deny them or no but one thing you shall finde to your shame that those Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles which you seeme to preserve with such love and zealous tendernesse shall cast the first stone at you to stone you out of your Pulpits for you doe not professe those Scriptures in love to them but in zealous covetousnesse to uphold your trade For now when Christ begins to arise up in sons and daughters whereby the Scriptures are honoured and proved true Prophecies Promises Visions and Revelations you deny their testimony and cry out Visions and Revelations are ceased and so you will ever have people to be hearing you speak the declaration because you live by it but if any receive the power from on high you cry out upon it It is self-conceit errour and blasphemy Well he is at worke that will discover your shame Wickednes shall slay the wicked though no mans hand be upon him CHAP. II. THere are three more discoveries of Christ to make the mystery of the Spirit shine in its excellency As Frst The great world wherein are variety of creatures as Sunne Moon Stars Earth Grasse Plants Cattle Fish Fowl and Man the Lord over the lower Creatures all sweetly conjoyned to preserve each other is no other but Christ spread forth in the Creation and so upholding the Creation by hiâ— own wisdome and power for he is the maker the preserver and restoring Spirit Therefore his name is called I and I am The Lord and besides me there is no Saviour But this is Christ very remote for though he rule in the whole Creation yet no single creature could discern oâ— spie him out he is in every one and yet that single one knew him not And therefore this one Almighty power began to make forth himself in visible descriptions before the creatureâ— causing every creature to hold forth the light and power that is in them that so the mighty Creatour may at length be known in the clear sighted experience of one single creature man by seeing hearing tasting smelling feeling This one power of Righteousnesse as he rests in the Creation that man may be the mouth that shall make a clear discovery of Christ to others from the testimony that is in himself for hee is to see Christ within himself before hee can see him in other creatures And therefore Secondly The Sripture in their severall declaration types prophecies visions voyces revelations actings of men in patient doing and suffering in righteousnesse is no other but Christ in the letter lying under the experimentall words of those Pen-men setting forth the one Almighty in his severall actings and his severall conditions wherein he hath appeared to the view of the whole Creation but seen and known only by the one creature man in whom hee is purposed to dwell bodily But still here is a large distance between Christ and the bulk of man kinde for though some few particular ones have seen him and could declare him yet others are ignorant of him So that the universalitie of man-kinde may see these two discriptions of Christ that is in the Creation and in the Scriptures both without themselves And when any attains to see Christ in these outward discoveries it is full of sweet delight but this settles no true peace for that delight that is fetching in from things at a distance from us may be lost againe and return into its proper seat againe As the pleasant beames is of the Sun which refreshes the outward man may be lost for when the Clouds come between the beames returne into the Sun again which is their proper seat and men loseth the refreshing warmth and hear And therefore Thirdly Christ or the spreading power of light is drawing the knowledge of himself as he lies in all things into the clear experience of man into whole man yea into every brench of man-kinde and he the Sonne of Righteousnesse will not only shine into but fix hinself in every one So that perfect man shall be no other but God manifest in flesh for every manifestation of this power in any creature shall be seen known rejoyced in and be declared of by man The light and heat and Spirit of the Sunne shall be declared by the Sonne of Righteousnesse in man The sweet compliance of love in one creature towards another as the clouds to waâ—er the earth the earth to send forth the fruits to preserve the living creatures that feeds thereupon shall be declared by that living power Love and Righteousnesse that is seated in man towards any creature So that though this one Almighty power be spread in the whole Creation yet it will appear to have his chief residence in man that in by and through man that one spirit may rule and govern the works of his own hands in Righteousnesse Every declaration of Christ in the Scriptures shal be seen and known in the clear experience of every sonne and daughter when this mystery is finished for Christ who indeed is the anointing shall fill all and all shall be the fulnesse of the anointing So that whatsoever a condition a man is in it is one or other condition that the childe Jesus was in growing upwards towards man-hood there is child hood youth and oldâ—age in the anointing For the wisdome and power of truth that was poured upon the head of the Son of man grows upwards towards perfection in sons and daughters Even as wee see any tree corn or cattell grows up in the eye of man by degrees for as these creatures doe not attaine to perfectson on a sudden neither doth the spirit of Righteousnesse rise up on a sudden perfection but by degrees And therefore He that beleeves makes not hast The hastie flesh would have all content on a sudden but the spirit is moderate and rises up patiently its powerfull and quick and yet slow its slow but yet sure it will sit down in peace in a man though it run thorow many thorns and briars first Yea I say whatsoever condition you are in Christ or the anointing being in you appears in that condition in you If you be in a condition of poverty so was Christ the Son of man he had not whereon to lay his head If you be hated for Rigteousnesse sake so was he nay it is the anointing in you that is hated If angry proud
or power one every where The sight of the King of Glory within lies not in the strength of memory calling to mind what a man hath read and heard being able by a humane capacity to joyn things together into a method through the power of free utterance to hold it forth before others as the fashion of Students are in their Sermon work which a plough man that was never bread in their Universities may do as much nay they do more in kind as experience shews us then they that take Tyshes to tell a story But the sight of the King within lies in the beholding of light arising up from an inward power of seeling experience filling the soul with the glory of the Law of Righteousnesse which doth not vanish like the taking in of words and comfort from the mouth of a hear say Preacher or strength of memory But it continues like the Sunne in the firmament shining forth from that established power of the divine within and the enlivened heart shall as soon be seperated from glorying in the Law of Righteousnesse that dwels in him then the heat and light of the Sunne can be seperated from the Sunne And truly let me tell you That as a man finds abundance of sweet peace in his heart when he is made to live in the Kingdome of heaven So the words hat this man speaks from this power within are very profitable to others are good seed wheresoever they are sown they will spring up and bring forth fruit for words spoken from the light of experience have a two-fold operation upon the heart of the hearers For first if I lie under straits and bondage in my spirit by reason of some inward and outward troubles but especially by reason of the enthraldome to my own lusts that over powers me so that I cannot do what I would Then the words of experience from the mouth of one that hath been in that condition and is passed thorow it sounds liberty and life to my weary soul I speak what I have felt in this particular Secondly If I delight in any way of the flesh as to seek peace in creatures abroad without me or to seek satisfaction to my envy self-will and lust and in the midst of this my folly I do occasionally hear the words of experience from some other declaring such actions and motions to be the powers of the flesh and devil and not of the spirit of righteousnesse Presently those words take peace from the earth that is from proud flesh and fill the whole soul with anger distemper grudging and torment And this is another operation that pure language produces which is a launcing of the dead flesh that the disease may be cured For this wounding is nor to the mine of the creature but it is a medicine sent from the Lord to heal him to take away the evil peace from the flesh that so the created part may lie down in rest and be at peace in Christ which cannot be moved For every comfort that is of the flesh shall be shaken and removed but Christ the one power of Righteousnesse and peace shall not be shaken nor moved but stand firm for ever And by this you may see the difference between the kingdom of the flesh and devil which must be shaken to pieces and fall And the kingdom of heaven or of God that endures for ever and is that Rock due cannot be moved CHAP. XV WHat do you mean by the kingdom devil or flesh I answer Covetousnesse the selfish power ruling in a man is the kingdome of darknesse in that man And as this power hath corrupted the Creation mankind so it rules or hath ruled in every single one more or lesse but is the curse And every one that hath lain under the bondage of this selfish power and is in any measure delivered he can from that experience declare what the power of darknesse is in whole mankind as I have shewed how secretly and closely this selfish power branches himself forth in every one till by the right of Reasons Law shining within he is discovered and cast out But what is it for a man to live in the kingdom of hell devil or darknesse I answer when a man takes delight in nothing but in satisfying of the lusts of his own heart when the way of the flesh is pleasing and the way of the spirit of Righteousnesse is a burden to him when he glories in himself and feeds with delight upon his covetousnesse pride envy lust self-will and in every thing that pleaseth flesh And if he can but overcome that power that checks or crosses his will O then this man is in his Kingdome he rejoyecs and is very well pleased but it is the kingdome of the flesh that must be shaken and removed This is no other but the glorying in that which is a mans shame What is the kingdom of Heaven or of Christ Answ. The Law of Righteousnesse and peace ruling and dwelling in mankind is the kingdom of heaven this is the universall power bearing rule treading the flesh-power under his feet What is it for a man to live in the kingdom of heaven Ans. When mankind or any single person is so made subject to the King of righteousnesse that all his delight is to walk according to that law towards every creature in the Creation through love to the Fathers honour that made al He glories in that law of righteousness which he finds seated in his heart finds content no where else and when the Spirit is honoured this man is in his kingdom he hath what he would have While the kingdom of darknesse rules in a man if he knows it not his sin is the lesse but when he comes to know the lusts of his flesh and delight therein in opposition to the righteous Law which he sees some light in also this makes the man exceeding sinfull for now he sins against the law of light shining in him and causing him to see himself Even so when the divine power rules in a man and he knows it nor as it may be in some measure this mans joy is but small for a man may act from the power of love and righteousnesse and yet not see nor know the excellency of that power which guides ◠him But when a man is made to see and know the law of love and righteousnesse within him and delights to act from that power of life and liberty which he seeth and feeleth seated in him Now this man is carried on with much joy and sweet calmness meeknesse and moderation and is full of glory This is the excellency of the work of Christ not onely to make flesh subject to rigeteousnesse but to know himself made subject to rejoyce in the sweet enjoyment of that prince of peace to make a man rejoyce to know the groun 〈◊〉 of his joy is unmovebale What do you mean by divine and divine power I anwer The divine
the offender to know his maker and to live in the community of the righteous Law of love one with another For talking of love is no love it is acting of love in righteousnesse which the Spirit Reason our Father delights in And this is to relieve the oppressed to let goe the prisoner to open bags and barns that the earth may be a common treasury to preserve all without complainings for uhe earth was not made for a few to live at ease upon and to kil such as did not observe the Law of their own making but it was made for all to live comfortably upon and the power of life and death is reserved in the hand of the Spirit not in the hand of flesh None ought to kil but such as can make alive therefore let every one walk righteously in the Creation and trust the Spirit for protection He that makes a zealous profession of the Spirit as all professours doe and yet doth not act this universall power of Righteousnesse in labouring the earth for a common treasury is a meer self-lover and he professes but himself and is a complementing enemy to Reason the King of Righteousnesse and if stil thou saist it is the Spirit whom thou doest worship then make it manifest to the world what spirit this is that rules every where besids Reason And futher he that denies this community denies the Scriptures Likewise whether the Preachers prosessours or rich men that upholds this unrighteous power of particular propriety Therefore you dust of the earth that are trod under foot you poor people that makes both schollars and rich men your oppressours by your labours Take notice of your priviledge the Law of Righteousnesse is now declared If you labour the earth and work for others that lives at ease and follows the waies of the flesh by your labours eating the bread which you get by the sweat of your brows not their own Know this that the hand of the Lord shal break out upon every such hireling labourer and you shal perish with the covetous rich men that have held and yet doth hold the Creation under the bondage of the curse This voice of the Lord work together and eat bread together doth advance the law of Reason and Righteousnesse the rising of this is the fall of mistical Babylon the oppressing flesh the living in the practice of this Laâ—v of love declares the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles to be a true declaration of the Spirit and no lie He that denies the practice of this lives in a continual denial of those Scriptures Therefore your selfish tyth-taking Preachers and all others that preaches for hire with all covetous professours take notice that you are the Judahs that betraid Christ and the Pharisees that put him to death and you stil persue the murder by standing up to hinder Christ from rising and coming in sons and daughters his second time in flesh I have now obeyed the command of the Spirit that bid me declare this all abroad I have declared it and I wil declare it by word of mouth I have now declared it by my pen And when the Lord doth shew unto me the place and manner how he wil have us that are called common-people to manure and work upon the common Lands I wil then go forth and declare it in my action to eat my bread with the sweat of my brows without either giving or taking hire looking upon the Land as freely mine as anothers I have now peace in the Spirit and I have an inward perswasion that the spirit of the poor shal be drawn forth ere long to act materially this Law of Righteousnesse If man-kinde knew their liberty which their Creatour Reason hath given us none would be offended at this new Law that is to be writ in every mans heart and acted by every mans hand They that submit in love and offers what they have freely to further this work shal prosper and finde peace for they honour our Maker by lifting up the Creation in Righteousnesse They that wil not submit freely the hand of the Lord shal be as sure upon them as it was upon Pharaoh who is their type O you great Adams of the earth that cals the earth yours and looks upon others as servants and slaves to you as if the earth were made only for you to live at ease and honour upon it while others starved for want of bread at your feet and under your oppressing government Behold the King the Lord of Hosts hath sent his servants to bid you let Israel goe free that they may serve him together in community off spirit and in community of the earthly treasure Be not you more proud and hard hearted then Pharaoh your type if you be as it is like you wil for the anti-type oft times is more powerfull then the type then assure your selves plagues shal multyply and Israel shal be pulled from under your burdens with a strong hand and stretched out arm and you and all your company shal perish together The Lord hath spoke it and he will doe it All the men and women in England are al children of this Land and the earth is the Lords not particular mens that claims a proper interest in it above others which is the devils power But be it so that some wil say This is my Land and cal such and such a parcel of Land his own interest Then saith the Lord let such an one labour that parcel of Land by his own hands none helping him for whosoever shal help that man to labour his proper earth as he cals it for wages the hand of the Lord shal be upon such labourers for they lift up flesh above the spirit by their labours and so hold the Creation stil under bondage Therefore if the rich wil stil hold fast this propriety of Mine and thine let them labour their own Land with their own hands And let the common-People that are the gatherings together of Israel from under that bondage and that say the earth is ours not mine let them labour together and eat bread together upon the Commons Mountains and Hils For as the inclosures are called such a mans Land and such a mans Land so the Commons and Heath are called the common-peoples and let the world see who labours the earth in righteousnesse and those to whom the Lord gives the blessing let them be the people that shal inherit the earth Whether they that hold a civil propriety saying This is mine which is selfish devilish and destructive to the Creation or those that hold a common right saying The earth is ours which lifts up the Creation from bondage Was the earth made for to preserve a few covetous proud men to live at ease and for them to bag and barn up the treasures of the earth from others that they might beg or starve in a fruitful Land or was it made to preserve all her children Let
libertie When slaverie began to creep in upon the Creation the Spirit might wel cry out in Lamentation Ah-dam A-dam which draws together a head of corrupted waters of covetous proud and imaginary flesh to stop the streams of the waters of life and libertie But saith the Spirit our Maker The seed from whence the Creation sprang shall bruise that Serpents head and open the dam againe and cause the waters of the Spirit which is Life and Libertie to run free againe without any stoppage This A-dam stops up the waters or Life and Libertie in a two-fold way Firâ—â— he ties up the Creation man in chains of darknesse within it self For there is not a man and womon â—ound since Adam's rise but the man Christ Jesus in whom the seed ruled in power but they were bound up in bondage to coveteousnesse pride imagination and to all the powers of the flesh So that the free running streams of the Spirit of life were stopped that they could not run which hath made every one cry O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from this body of sin or death Here you see that knowledge libertie and comfort hath been stopped or dammed up within the Câ—eation maâ— Secondly this A-dam being the power of coveâ—ous proud flesh he sets up one part of the Creation man to rule over another and makes Laws to kil and hang thal part of the Creation that wil not submit to the ruling part And so he is become a God ruling in the spirits own house not preserving the Creation but does set the Creation together by the ears to kâ—l it self to the mighty dishonour of our Maker Therefore when the people would have Saul to rule them the Spirit declared that that outward ruling power was the curse and he set him up in his wrath to be a scourge not a blessing Now whereas the Creation man should live in equalitie one towards another this A-dam hath lifted up mountaines and hils of oppressing powers and there by that dammed and stopped up that universal communitie Therefore at the first rising up of this serpentine power to enslave the Creation he might wel be declared by way of Lamenattion A-dam Adam Covetousnesse or self-love is the dam the letter A before declares that he is a preparer to miserie and is delivered by way of Lamentation Ah or A-dam Dovetousnesse or self-love is the man of sin that appears first The imagination arising from that couetous power is the woman or Eve which like the Ivie clings about the tree and so covetousnesse and imagination does beget between them a supposed joy pleasure and delight but it proves a lie These two Covetousnesse and Imagination the man and the woman of sin or A-dam and his Eve or Ivie does beget fruit or children like both Father and Mother as pride and envy hypocrisie crueltie and all unclean lusts pleasing the flesh And now the dam-head is made up strong to stop the streams of waters of life and universal libertie But in the fulnesse of time the Spirit wil break down this dam-head againe and cause the waters of the Spirit of life to flow again plentifully And herein you may see how the publique Preachers have cheated the whole world by telling us of a single man called Adam that kiled us al by eating a single fruit called an Apple Alas this Adam is the dam that hath stopped up the freedome of the Spirit within and without so that while he rules a man can have no community with the spirit within himself nor community of love with fellow creatures he does so puff them up with covetousnesse and pride and desire of Lordly rule one over another Do but look into every mean and woman and into al the actions of the world and tel me whether that first Adam be one single man as the publique Preachers tel you or is not more truly that covetous proud and imginary power in flesh that hath dammed and stopped up the way of the spirit of life and universal libertie and so he is that Father of lies and Satan that holds the Creation under bondage til the Son which is the light in the Creation shine forth and sets us at libertie And if the Son set you free you are free indeed This Son is the second Adam which is A-dam indeed that stops the streams of bondage from runing and sets the Creation at libertie again CHAP. IX WHat I have spoken I have not received from books nor study but freely I have received and freely I have declared what I have received And the Declarations of the Lord through his servant shal not be in vain The beholding and feeling of the Law of righteousnesse within me fils my whole soul with precious peace the favour of the sweet ointment and I know as this power of love spreads in al mens hearts as it wil spread for Jacob must rise Then there shall be no begger no tears no complaining no oppression but the blessing of the Lord shal fil the earth Then our swords shall be beaten into plow irons add our spears into pruning hooks and then shall the Lord be known to be the salvation of Israel and the restoration of the whole Creation Iâ— any man be offended here let him know I have obeyed my Maker herein and I have peace in him When the Man Jesus Christ was one earth there was a sweet communitie of love between all the members of that humane body For the spirit that was within made every member a servant to the other and so preserved the whole body in peace one member did not raign over another in tyraâ—nie Even so when the humane body was laid in the earth the Spirit which indeed is Christ came again the second time upon the Apostles and Brethren while they were waiting for that promise at Jerusalem And as Christ then began to spread himself in sons and daughters which are members of his mystical body they did not rule in slavery one over another neither did the rich suffer the poor to beg and starve and imprison them as now they do But the rich sold their possessions and gave equality to the poor and no man said that any thing that he possessed was his own for they had all things common But this community was a vexation to Esau the covetous proud flesh and he strove to suppresse this commnuity And the Lord he gives this Beast a toleration to rule 42 months or a time times and dividing of time and in that time to kil the two Witnesses that is Christ in one body and Christ in many bodies or Christ in his first and second comming in flesh which is Justice and Jugement ruling in man I but now the 42 months are expiring we are under the half day of the Beast or the dividing of time and Christ or the two Witnesses are arising and spreading himself again in the earth And when he hath spread
the bottomlesse pit your very fleshly self you are deceived and you shall find that when this bottomlesse pit is opened to your view it will be a torment sufficient for from hence doth the curse spread and all that misery you are or may be capable of it is but the breakings forth of that stinking dunghill that is seated within you is that power of darkness that rules within the Creation your body If the power of Righteousnesse peace take possession and rule in you then you shall live in rest and be free from hell and sorrow death and bondage If the Lamb be the light of your heart all tears shall be wiped away and you shall be in peace But if the selfish power rule your heart then as you live now upon uncertainties in confusion and vexation so this manifestation of hell darknesse and sorrows shall multiply within you and when your body goes to the Earth you multiply the curse upon the Creation and so you enter into the body of the Serpent that must be burned and consumed by the power of the Lord Hell and the curse doth rule within câ—eated flesh in every family of the earth and will rule till the feed of Abraham the blessing of the Lord come and burn up that serpent and deliver the Creation from that burden And let me tell you That this seed This blessing of the Lord is rising up in every family that lives after the flesh Whether Parents brethren or sisters they do hate grudge and persecute those in whom the blessing begins to rise up and tramples upon them like dust but out of that dust of the earth man-kind shall the deliverer come that shall turn ungodlinesse from Jacob A few years now will discover more and then that prophecy shall be materially fulfilled Then ten men shall take hold of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Zech. 8. 23. The heart of man is the place wherein heaven and hell for nature and kind are both to be seen that is when the Law of Righteousnesse rules there is Christ or the Kingdom of heaven within even the manifestations of the Father appears in glory to the sweet rest and peace of that soul But when the power of unrighteousnesse rules in the heart which is the Serpent Dragon or God of this world this is hell or kingdom of darknesse for first the man sees and feels himself in bondage to his lusts and to the powers of his flesh This is death and the curse that he lies under And then secondly The man sees himself under bondage of sorrows and torment and the increase of this sensiblenesse is will be an intolerable misery As it is said That the King of Righteousnes takes delight in nothing but what is within himself and what proceeds out of himself So the Heaven of an enlivened heart is not a local place of glory at a distance from him but the seeing and feeling the Father within dwelling and ruling there and to behold the glory of that power proceeding forth of himself to which he is made subject through which he walks righteously in the Creation and in which he rests in peace Even so the souls that are lost and ashamed in their work are not tormented by any terrour without them in any local place but their hell or place of torment is within themselves seeing and feeling themselves chained up in bondage to fears terrours â—â—rrows afrightments intolerable vexations and powers of lust and under all that cursed darknesse â—â—till the judgement of the great day And what misery or torment doth or shall appear â—â—â—m outward objects it is but the breakings forth of their own cursednesse that creates misery to himself and so goes forth to fetch in torment from without For he that hath a troubled conscience turns every thing into gall and worm-wood to terrifie himself thinking every bush to be a devil to torment him he saies he sees fearfull shapes without but they arise from the anguish of his tormenting conscience within for they be the shapes and apparitions of his own caused flesh that is presented to him which comes not from any other but out of the bottomlesse pit the Serpents powr but rules and dwels within him and the sight of this is like the misery of tender flesh burning in the fire Let a man lie upon his sick bed and to the view or others the chamber is quiet yet he saith he seeth devils and flames and misery and torments Well this is but the rising up of his own unrighteous heart the flames of the bottomlesse it that appear to himself For certainly unrighteous flesh is hell the appearance or risings up of unâ—ighteous flesh to its own view is the torments of hell Pride lust envy covetousnesse hypocrisie self-self-love and the like being crossed by the spirit of Light are the particular devils that torment the soul in hell or in that dark condition Or if so be a man be tormented by visible bodies of fâ—ry and ugly shapes as he apprehends they be all the creatures of his own making and rods which the flesh hath made to whip and punish himself withall for a man suffers by no other but by the work of his own hands And as he hath acted envy venome and poison in strange wayes of oppression walking unrighteously in the Creation Even so when his soul comes to be judged he shall apprehend snakes scorpions toads devils in bodily shapes and flames of fire and direfull noises and pits of darknesse which are creatures of his own making or the shapes and fashion of those unrighteous turnings and windings and actings of his unrighâ—eous soul that now appear in their own colours to his own torment and this is â—ell For if the flesh be righteous within there is nothing without can trouble it When the bodies of men are laid in the grave we have a word That he is either in heaven or hell Now the senses of the body are not sensible of either such But now the power that ruled in that body righteously or unrighteously is fully manifested to it felt if the power of Righteousnesse did rule Now it enters into the Spirit the great Ocean of glory the Father himself If the power of unrighteousnesse did rule now it enters into the curse encreases the body of death corruption and enmity and becomes the bondage and Burden of the Creation that â—â—â—st be purged out by fire If there be a local place of hell as the Preachers say there is besides this I speak of time will make it manifest but as yet none ever came from the dead to tell men on earth and till then men ought to speak no more then they know wheâ— I speak I speak from what I have in some measure seen within me and as I have received from the Lord in clear light within my self But is not hell the execution of
declare the Lord in a pure language shall bear his shame who soever he be None shall need to turn over books and writings for indeed all these shal cease too to get knowledge but every one shal be taken off from seeking knowledge from without and with an humble quiet heart wait upon the Lord til he manifest himself for he is a great king and worthy to be waited upon His testimony within fils the soul with joy and singing he gives first experience and then power to speak forth those experiences And hence you shal speak to the rejoycing one of another and to the praise of him that declares his power in you he that speaks his thoughts studies and imagination and stands up to be a Teacher of others shal be judged for his unrighteousnesse because he seeks to honour flesh and does not honour the Lord Behold the Anointing that is to teach all things is comming to create new Heavens and new Earth wherein Righteousness dwels and there shal not be a vessel of humane earth but it shal be filled with Christ If you were possible to have so many buckets as would contain the whole Ocean every one is filled with the Ocean and perfect water is in all and being put all together make up the perfect Ocean which filled them all Even so Christ who is the spreading power is now beginning to fil every man and woman with himself he wil dwel and rule in every one and the law of reason equitie shal be Christ in them every single body is a star shining forth of him or rather a body in and out of whom he shines and he is the Ocean of power that fils all And so the words are true the Creation mankinde shal be the fulnesse of him that fils all in all This is the Church the great Congregation that when the mysterie is compleated shal be the mystical body of Christ all set at libertie from inward and outward straits and bondage And this is called the holy breathing that hath made all new by himself and for himself Before this truth be believed in by mankinde you shal see much troubles in the great world the first Adam wil strive mightily before he loose his Kingdom he can pretty quietly hear that Christ will role in sons and daughters that are scattered abroad But to hear that the Kingdoms of the world shal be Christ's Dominions likewise and that the material earth shall be his possession as well as the earth mankind O this cuâ—s Adam to the heart all the world will storm and be angry when this is made known Wars and rumours of wars will multiply Father will be against Son and Son against Father the love of many shall wax cold and zealous professours that live without the spirit shall become the most bitter enemies to Christ and prove very treacherous self-seeking self-loving ful of subtil policy to waste and wear out every one that seeks to advance Christ by their bitternesse and oppression But all in vain for Christ must rise and the powers of the flesh must fall CHAP. XIII FRom what hath been hitherto spoken if there were no experience to prove it it appears that the first Adam or fleshly man seeks life peace and glory to himself from creatures and things that are without him As first he seeks content and peace from wife children friends riches places of dominion over others and from such like But that peace that is built upon such hay and stubble-foundations will fall and come to nothing Secondly the fleshly man seeks content and peace from Sermons Prayers Studies Books Church-fellowship and from outward Forms and Customs in Divine Worship But that peace that is built upon this foundation of gold silver and pretious stones will fall and come to nothing likewise All creatures teats are to be dried up that the soul can suck no refreshing milk from them before the Lord teach it knowledge Some there are nay almost every one wonders after the Beast or fleshly man they seek for new Jerusalem the City of Sion or Heaven to be above the skies in a locall place wherein there is all glory and the beholding of all excellent beauty like the seeing of a show or a mask before a man And this not to be seen neither by the eies of the body till the body be dead A strange conceit But poor Creatures you are deceived this expectation of glory without you will vanish you shall never see it this outward heaven is not the durable Heaven this is a fancy which your false Teachers put into your heads to please you with while they pick your purses and betray your Christ into the hands of flesh and hold Jacob under to be a servant still to Lord Esau Wel what a man sees or hears to day may be gone to morrow all outward glory that is at a distance from the five senses and taken in by a representation is of a transient nature and so is the Heaven that your Preachers tell you of But when the second Adam rises up in the heart he makes a man to see Heaven within himself and to judge all things that are below him He makes many bodies to be the declarers of him who is the one power of righteousnesse that rules therein And this is Heaven that will not fail us endurable riches treasures that shall not wax old and where moth and rust cannot corrupt nor thieves break through and steal This Christ is within you your everlasting rest and glory And as the man of the flesh fetches in comforts from without seeking content in and from Creatures and Creature-objects so he envies every one that crosses his desires crosse him in his pride covetousnesse and uncleannesse and he grows extream angry at every body tell him that his formall and customary preaching and praying is but self-seeking not setting up the Lord and he is filled with rage against those that tel him so But he never looks within to check himself he takes no remedy there at all and lets those Devils lie quiet within and if any be sent I say from the Lord to disturb those his lusts he will disturb that messenger if he can but he will cherish himself within He thinks that whatsoever he doth is good and that whatsoever crosses that power that is in his heart doth crosse the Lord But truly it is no other but the Serpents power which must be destroyed he fetches in content from the Creatures that are without him and his envy and discontent runs after things and Creatures that are without which crosses his fleshly desires But now the man of righteousnesse Christ when he rises up in the heart he loves all that are without him and he envies none but the Serpent within which troubles the Creation and so is quite different to the other For as soon as Christ is rose up in a man the first thing he doth he takes
is the spreadinq power of righteousnesse which is Christ that filleth the whole Creation with himself And he is called a tree or a vine because he doth not lie in one single person but spreads himself in mankind and every single body in whom he breaths is but a bough or bud of the vine So that look upon all together in whom Christ is spread and they make up but one vine knit together by that one spirit into one body whether they be poor or rich learned or unlearned and therefore those rich men that despise the poor and those learned University men that despise the unlearned are pricks of the thorn-bush not branches of the vine they be the curse that is now near to burning And every single one alone in whom Christ breaths is but a parcel of the vine in whom the divine power dwels and rests Even as every branch of an Apple-tree is filled with the sap which is the life of the whole tree Christ is said to be the divine because he grows and flourishes in the time of light he is the Sonne himself he is a vine or tree that grows by day in the heat of light and so brings forth abundance of fruit to the glory of the Father Trees that grow in the heat of the Sun bring sorth pleasant fruit So those that are branches of this vine that grows in the heat and life of one spirit the King of Righteousnesse bring forth abundance of the fruit of Righteousnesse according to the nature of the vine they grow from Therefore the Saints are called Children of the day not of the night for they speak what they know in experience and what they have received feelingly from the Lord and their actions and words are not at random for they act Righteousness within the Creation from the law of Reason and Righteousnesse which they feel seated within Every one that doth act or speak from the light and power of the day-vine within himself can give an account of his words and actions But this is the glory that Adam the man of the flesh hides himself from This is the Law of Righteousnesse which fleshly Israel could not behold This is the new Covenant which our Clergie is unacquainted with Now opposite to this Divine which is Christ there is a night-vine which is the power of selfishnesse or the bottom esse pit spread abroad in mankind And every man and woman that is guided by this selfish power of darknesse are but branches of the night-vine And this nigt-vine which I called Lord Esau or fleshly man hath filled the whole earth with darknesse under pretence of his learning and fleshly Government so that he is a spread tree But he is called by the Spirit the Thorn-bush The fruit that he brings forth is sour and bitter and good for nothing but the dunghill for trees that grow alwayes in the shade or place of darknesse where the heat and light of the Sun doth not cooperate brings forth unpleasant fruit Now this night-vine but rather Thorn-bush is the branching forth of the wisdom and power of selfish flesh every bud from it is a sharp prickle treacherous covetous Judas is one branch from that root and he hath risen up to a mighty great tree for every treacherous and covetous heart is but the buddings forth of Judas So envious Scribes Pharisees are other branches from the same root these have risen up into mighty spreading trees for every one that is zealous without knowledge making a profession of the spirit of righteousnesse yet grudging and â—aring the way of the spirit are but the buddings forth of the Scribes Pharisees that killed Christ after the flesh and now is spread in every Land and Family to hinder Christ from rising or else to suppresse and kill him againe if they could after he is risen up in sons and daughters So covetous Demas proud Simon Mugus froward Nabal unrighteous Elimas and such like are all the buddings forth of the thorn-bush and have covered the earth with their branches to keep it in darknesse and to hide the Sun of Righteousnesse from it And all these are centred in the Clergy the Universities are the standing ponds of stinking waters that make those trees grow the curse of ignorance confusion and bondage spreads from hence all the Nations over The paying of tythes the greatest sin of oppression is upheld by them pride covetousnesse idlenesse bitternesse of spirit despising and treading all under-foot in whom the spirit of the Lamb appears is upheld by them these are the standing enemies against Christ Their Churches are the successours of the Jews Synagogues and are houses of bondage their Universiâ—ies are successours of the Scribes and Pharisees houses of learning And though they persecuted Christ and the Apostles and would own none of their Doctrines yet when they found that Christs Doctrines began to fill the earth and to make the way of the Law odious and their trade began to fail Then did those houses of learning begin to take in and own the writings of the Apostles and to own that doctrine prevailing with the Magistracy through the deceit of their subtilety to establish tythes in their hands still for their maintainance though Christs doctrine threw down that oppression And then from legall Sacrificers they became hearsay-Preachers of the Gospel not from any testimony of light within themselves but from the writings of the Apostles which they professe great love to and keep charily for their tythes sake and by the one they deceive the souls of people for they preach the letter for the Spirit and by the other they pick their purses And this is very manifest by their carriage for though those writings which they live by were not writings that proceeded from any Schollars according to humane art but from Fishermen Shepherds Husband men and the Carpenters son who spake and writ as the Spirit gave them utterance from an inward testimony Yet now these learned schollars have got the writings of these inferior men of the world so called do now slight despise and trample them under feet pressing upon the powers of the earth to make laws to hold them under bondage and that lay-people trades-men and such as are not bred in schools may have no liberty to speak or write of the Spirit And why so Because out of these despised ones doth the spirit rise up more and more to clearer light making them to speak from experience and every fresh discovery of the Father shines more glorious then the old till at last the creature is made to see the Father face to face in his own light But now the learned schollars having no inward testimony of their own to uphold their trade by a customary practice they hold fast the old letter getting their living by telling the people the meanings of those trades-mens words and writings but alas they mightily corrupt their meaning by their multitude of
peace and secret joy And since that time those words have been like very fruitfull seed that have brough forth increase in my heart which I am much prest in spirit in declare all abroad The poor people by their labours in this time of the first Adams government have made the buyers and sellers of land or rich men to become tytants and oppressours over them But in the time of Israels restoration now begining when the King of Righteousnesse himself shall be Governor in every man none then shall work for hire neither shal any give hire but every one 〈◊〉 work in love one with and for another and eat bread together as being members of one houshold the Creation in whom Reason rules King in perfect glory He that cals any part of the Creation his own in particular in this time of Israels return from the mistery of Aegyptian bondage is a destroyer of the Creation a lifter up of the proud covetous flesh againe a bringer in of the curse againe and a mortal enemy to the Spirit For upon Israels returne from captivity the Lord himself wil burn up the curse and restore the Creation fire water earth and air from that slavery and make the earth to be a common treasury to them all for they are but one house of Israel still though twelve Tribes And they have but one King one Law-giver one teacher amongst them all even the Lord himself who is Reason The King of Righteousnesse they are all filled with one spirit and they shall all live comfortably upon one earth and so the whole earth is the Lords And this is the inward and outward liberty which the Lord wil give to Sion And this work is begun the foundation of this spiritual building is laid and the spreading of this one spirit in every sonne and daughter and the lifting up the earth to be a common treasury wil make Jerusalem a praise in the whole earth and the glory of the earth indeed and so the Father of all things shall be honoured in the works of his own hands No man shal have any more land then he can labour himself or have others to labour with him in love working together and eating bread together as one of the Tribes of families of Israel neither giving hire not taking hire He that is now a possessour of lands and riches and cannot labour if he say to others you are may fellow creatures and the Lord is now making the earth common amongst us therefore take my land only let me eat bread with you that man shall be preserved by the lobours of others But it any man have Land and neither can work nor wil work but wil strive to rule as a tyrant burdening the Creation the hand of the Lord shall fal upon him either to destruction or torment and if his life be given for a prey he shall be made to work and eat his bread with the sweat of his own brows not of others til he know himself to be a member not a lord over the Creation and thus he shall be dealt with that hath lost the benefit of Sonship All the punishment that any one shall receive for any unrighteous act whereby he begins to bring the cause againe upon the Creation he sahll only be made a Gibeonite to work in the earth not in a prison and the eyes of all shall be upon him and the greatset offence will be this for any to endeavour to raise up some few to rule over others so to set up particular interest againe and to bring in buying and selling of land againe the sore displeasure of the Lord shall be such a peoples portion Israel is not to imprison or torment and by death or smaller punishments but only to cause them to work and eat their own bread for he or they that inflicts any other punishment upon fellow creatures is an unrighteous actour in the Creation and shall himself be made a servant to all till he by the spirit in him is made to know himself to be equal to every man not a Lord over any for all men looked upon in the bulk are but the Creation the living earth This imprisoning punishing and killing which is the practice of the first Adam ye visible to the world is the curse And it is a mighty dishonour to our maker that one part of the Creation should destroy another it was not so from the beginning but it is an honour to our maker that every part of the Creation should lend a mutual help of love in action to preserve the whole But is not this the old rule He that sheds man◠bloud by man shall his bloud be shed I answer It is true but not as usually it is observed for first know That the Spirit is the man who hath determined to suffer himself to be killed and lie dead in the streets or under the several forms of Babylon government three daies or times and a half The serpent is he or the wicked man that kils the man of Righteousnesse or sheds his bloud for that space of time which is indeed the wisdome and power of the flesh killing the wisdom and power of the Spirit and ruling in the Spirits own house the heart for a time Therefore now it is declared that the Serpent or beastly power of flesh that kils the Spirit shall himself be killed by the Spirit when the Spirit begins to rise and I can tell you that the resurrection is begun for all the great fightings is between flesh and Spirit The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head It is not for one creature called man to kill another for this is abominable to the Spirit and it is the curse which hath made the Creation to groan under bondage for if I kill you I am a murderrer if a third come and hang or kill me for murdering you he is a murderer of me and so by the government of the first Adam murder hath been called Justice when it is but the curse Besides none can call himself a man till the man Christ or Spirit rule in him for til then the greatest Lord of all is but a Beast and one Beast kils another for a man wil never kill a man therefore said the man Christ Jesus I came not to destroy but to save therefore such as kill are farr from being Saints or children of Christ for they are the children of the Serpent whose delight and work is to kill the man-child but he that sheds this mans blouds by the same man shall his bloud be shed in the resurrection Therefore O thou proud flesh that dares hang and kil thy fellow creatures that is equall to thee in the Creation Know this that none hath the power of life and death but the Spirit and al punishmens that are to be inflicted amongst creatures called men are only such as to make