Stubbornness all Ambition all self Exaltation and Worldly glory let that spirit and nature bow down at the Footstool of the Lamb and come bending unto him as Joseph's Brethren to Joseph Oh how then would his Bowels break and weep over its neck as Joseph over his Brethren and the Father over his prodigal oh how willing is he to receive such and love them freely therefore all keep near the Lord and wait to feel universal Love in the universal Spirit of Jesus that it may fill all possess all and mutually flow through all that your first love may be strengthened even the love of your espousals whereby you were first espoused to God and united one unto another this will renew you again oh the comliness and the beauty of this first love how precious and sweet it was many of us may yet remember how it drew our Souls to God and one unto another oh what a Heavenly harmony what a Heavenly oneness this love this first love did beget how it wrought all into concord and unity as one Body one Heart and one Spirit to hold the same Testimony and speak the same Thing in the one pure Language out of the many Languages and out of all Division the root and spring of it oh the amiableness of that first love the love that thinks no evil how precious and sweet a thing it is to behold and to see Brethren dwell together in it it truly preaches for God and is one infallible signe of a Disciple of Jesus Christ as by himself lay'd down by this shall all Men know that you are my Disciples because ye love one another for love is of God So if any have turned aside if any one be hurt if any one be wounded here is their balm retire to their Primitive purity to their first Zeal to their first fervent desire to their first love and tenderness that which is stronger then Death which many waters cannot quench nor floods wash away Oh that all would be stirred up to wait upon the Lord to feel the renewings of it that in tenderness of Spirit we may serve one another and provoke one another to love and good works and in that dwell together and watch against Division and the author and maintainers of it and the God of Peace and Love will be with us and he will delight to dwell amongst us and he will cause his that abide in his Love to revive as the Corn and to blossom as the Rose and their comliness will appear again as the morning Sun upon the Mountains so every particular retire retire to your first Love to your first Integrity to your first Zeal for God let not that be lost as the Church of Ephesus did least the Lord the Just and Righteous God remove the Candlestick out of its place so all do your first Works and keep your first Testimonies unviolated in Doctrine Life and Practice for this Preaches much for God And truly Friends this is a searching Day though a Day of outward ease yet a Day of inward trouble to many a sifting trying Day the Day of Satans transformings who goes subtilly about to deceive and with his Tail would sweep down a third part of the Stars and cause them to fall to the Earth therefore my dear Friends keep low and humble before the Lord within the Sanctuary of God and lay timely hold upon the hornes of the Altar thereof for the Day of sifting is begun and the Day of winnowing is at hand wherein our God will sift the Nations and winnow the People he will fan them yea he will fan them and thorowly purge them he will take away the chaff from the wheat and purge away the dross from the silver in his refining Fire and who shall stand when he appears who shall dwell with devouring Fire or who shall dwell with everlasting Burnings only he that walketh Righteously and speaketh Uprightly who abhoreth the gain of oppression and shutteth his eyes from seeing Evil. And truly Friends our God is come and comming to execute Justice and Judgment in the Earth I have seen it yea in the Light of Jesus I have beheld the Lord for several years past how he hath been searching out the Sins of the Daughter of his People and bringing to Light the hidden things of dishonesty yea how hath the Lord sought out the hidden things of Esau so there is nothing covered but he can reveal it nor nothing hid that he doth not know his Eye sees all and his Ear hears all his Justice he will Execute upon the head of the Transgressor and he will wound the hairy scalp of the Head of the Evil doer whether professor or prophane let none think to escape Wealth nor Wisdom he will not regard neither Mountains nor Hills can preserve or cover any of the Workers of In quity in this searching Day the Righteous God of Heaven will not be bribed he will not be mocked nor dissembled with though prophane Men Johanan like may dissemble with one another and may for a time appear like Pharisees Tombs with a fair smooth polished Face in the sight of Men and may subtilly cover their Sin and keep their deeds of deceipt and darkness hid from the Eye of Man for a time and like a painted Harlot wipe their mouth as though they had done no Evil flattering themselves with their own crafty Wit making lyes and falshood their refuge yet the Just and Righteous God who judges Righteously he will find out such he will discover their skirts and uncover all their nakedness to their shame and utter confusion Therefore all take heed of maintaining any thing hiddenly in the dread of the Lord God I warn you but mind the Light of Jesus and the leadings of it in your own Hearts and live in that walk with God in that as Enoch did of old and then you need not fear the Tryal of the Day though your Deeds be revealed upon the House top your nakedness will not become your shame you will need no deceitfull coverings nor aprons of Fig-leaves so to the Witness all retire it will dissemble with none it will truly discover your present estate and condition before God and the nature and propertie of every thing you undertake I know the experience of it not a foot can turn aside out of the narrow way of Life but being waited in it will certainly discover the worth and preciousness of it let no one ever despise Oh my dear Friends embrace it take heed of riding over or trampling on its reproofs or of thinking to smother and quench it in your selves no no its mouth can never be stoped nor its judgment ever perverted it will be as Ten thousand Witnesses it will one Day be too hard for all that now rejects it And will put the World the Flesh and the Devil to silence So let none be puffed up with any thing trust not to Egypts help nor to the Worlds wisdom for
Tree of Life that is in the midst of the Paradise of God and their names shall be written in the Book of the Life of the Lamb from henceforth and for ever It being my aim and intent at this time to present unto publick view and to the manifested Light and Judgment of all pious and sober Men not only my discent state and condition from my Childhood but rather my estate and condition in Spirit in all the gentle leadings drawing and carryings on of my Soul by the Lord from the day of the dispensation of the tender Mercy and Love of God by his light dispensed and made known in me unto this present day of my Sufferings for his Name and Gospel and also to give a Relation of the ground and cause of my Sâ—fferings the Person by whom and the manner how with a breviate of my Testimony and Judgment in the matters of this Treatise in as much brevity as possible whereby to clear my Conscience and answer the witness in others in the sight of God AS for my discent to speak after the manner of Men I sprang of mean though honest Parents according to the Flesh my Father being a Husbandman in the County of Cumberland I according to his pleasure was educated sometimes at School sometime with Herding and tending of Sheep or Cattel sometime with the Plow Cart or Threshing Instrument or other lawfull Labours according to the manner of that part of the County in which I lived yet such was the love and tender mercy of the Lord who always had respect unto the meek and lowly in heart and dwells with the the contrite and humble in Spirit and shews kindness and mercy to them of low degree that he was pleased to visit me with his everlasting Love which often presented unto me my state and manner of Life and by the same Love and Light he made known unto me that his Way and Worship was a purer holier Way and cleaner Life then yet I had attained unto and withall gave me to see the evils and miserable effects of that state and condition in which I lived according to the Fashions Customs Ways and Worships of the formal World which secret drawings I felt time after time as a small still Voice inwardly calling for Righteousness and Holiness of Life and as it were saying This is the Way walk in it Read your own States for thus I was induced to seek after the Lord and to make further enqâ—iry into the Way of God out of which I perceived my self and then not knowing where the Lord was to be found nor that it was he that stirred and drew by his Love in me I gave my self to Reading and searching of the Scriptures which was then Preached by the Man made Ministers and also generally believed by the People they taught to be the Word of God and the alonâ— way to the Kingdom and to the knowledge of God his Way and Worship and believing their Doctrines I did with much diligence and zeal press after the knowledge of the Scriptures giving up my self to Hear Sermons learn Catechisms and the like after the manner and general Practise Taught by the then Preachers sometime more Strickt then the rest whose comliness seemed to Transcend the precedent Generation of Priests and their way of Worship yet it pleased the Lord not only inwardly to break my rest in spirit but also outwardly to afflict me with Bodily afflictions for I was afflicted from my youth up and from my Childhood the rod of Correction was upon me inwardly and outwardly inwardly known to my self alone and outwardly apparent to most or all that knew me after the flesh some concluding I was in a Consumption some in one Disease some in another and then by the advice and will of my Father according to the flesh I sought to and proved many Doctors and Physitians for the restoration of the health of my Body but they like the Priests were all Physitians of no value for none did remove the cause nor take away the effect which still remained with me and upon me as a motive spur or whip to drive me forward to get an interest in the Lord who through the riches of his Love did spiritually apply my Bodily afflictions for the Health and Salvation of my Soul inwardly drawing my affections and desires after Him still presenting to my view and raising in my unerstanding a way more Holy and Pure and more agreeable to his Will then the way I was in drawing me from one degree of Grace to another and from one Dispensation to another according to his good Pleasure and Wâ—ll then I began to affect those that separated from the formal Worships and pubâ—ick People who sâ—emed to be a People of more reformed lives and judgments and of more circumspect Conversations and chused rather to settle and joyn with those called Independants who at that day were beautiful and glorious to that glimmering Twilight estate that I was in they being then pretty tender and low I often adjudged my self inferiour unworthy and undeserving the Fellowship and Society of such a People yet still I pressed forward desiring to attain unto that state which was before me which by the eye of Faith I saw and to apprehend that for which I was apprehended in the Love of God yet was I often tossed in my self like restless waves in a troubled Sea not feeling peace nor stability with the Lord I often besought the Lord in secret in the brokenness and contrition of spirit to clear my understanding and judgment and make me to know his own Living Way Truth and People Sects and Opinions then abounding one saying this is the way anâ—tâ—er saying that is the way one saying lo Christ is in this or here another saying He is in that or there thus every Denomination and Judgment construing wresting and interpreting the Scriptures to their sundry Tenents and forcing meanings from them to answer their Principles and to maintain every of their interpretations as authentick Truths in all which I was as one without Foundation tossed with every of their windy Doctrines iâ— stâ—ll rested with me Man was created for Gods glory I being ever and anon judged and condemned in my self for Sin and Disobedience for the Law was come by which is the knowledge of Sin and the Commandment being come Sin revived and I died and having as it were wrought Death in me by that which was good then Sâ—n by the Commandment became exceeding Sinful and then was I driven to seek for Peace night and day early and late in publick and private Fastings or Feastings or Family Devotions whatsoever running from one House to another and from one Town to another from one Assembly and Worship to another even as it were from Sea to Sea seeking the Word of the Lord as Amos said Amos 8.12 in all their Sabboths Lectures Humiliations or Thank givings diligently observing every Ordinance so called in which
they 'l menace and thunder out their Comminations and Excomunications and some they 'l cast in Prison it may be till Death and yet cloke themselves over with the name of Gospel Ministers and plead innocency and say its the Law that requires it and binds Men to be subject to Ecclesiastical Canons and Censures now wherein doth their innocency appear unless in putting a white Coat above a black one a Popish dress and if the Figure be true they are but outside Pharisees appearing white and clean without and that in Apparel only Yea I may say they are as wise expert Marriners in that Babilonish Wisdom as ever Trafficked or Sailed upon the Waters of the Great Whore they can Sail with any Wind that blows within the Circuit of Babylons Coasts but that Prophesie comes to be fulfilled upon them Evil Men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived c. But blessed be the Lord the Day is dawned that declares them and the Light that makes them manifest with their all Abominations and the Son is appeared that will disperse them as the Morning mist so that their skirts shall be uncovered and their nakedness shall be laid open and their visage shall be no more Vailed for the Judgment of the Great Whore is come and coming wherein all her Merchants shall weep and mourn because no Man buyeth their Merchandice any more So this Mite of my Testimony I have cast in being but a Mite indeed in comparison of the many weighty praise-worthy works given forth by many of the dear and faithful Servants of God upon this very Subject in this very Age from the breakings forth of the Glorious Light in them revealed and made known And for the clearing my Conscience in the sight of the Lord I refer this to publick view and give this Testimony to my Countrymen and Acquaintance or any others that yet see not the difference between us and the Priests in this very point and partly for satisfying or silencing of others especially the People of the Independants or Congregational Church at Melmerby so called who though as I have said before they once made the non payment of Tythes an Article of their Judgment yet have of late since I became a sufferer for them whisperingly or clandestinely condemned me in secret more then many if not all others that have less profession and seem more profane rendring me foolâ—sh and unwise to suffer so much and so long for such a trivial external tempory matter as they call it but to me it was and is no smâ—ll matter being to the Contrary perswaded in my Conscience and knowing by good experience and assured Testimonies that I must stand or fall by obedience or disobedience to the manifestation of the Lords precious Gift and Light in my own Soul and Conscience I therefore value not the Judgment of any Man or People being from the Light the Line of True Judgment and Rule of Life to me and to be accounted a Fool is no new nor strange thing for a Fool I am to their Wisdom as was the good and precious Servants of God in Ages past For the Wisdom of God is foolishness with Men and casting things upon me behind my back becomes them not it were more Christianly for them to Admonish or Instruct me face to face and to give me their Advice and Reasons in matters of this nature which if I found to be more weighty sound and agreeable to the Witness of God in my Conscience I should be very ready willing and glad to receive them and be informed by them I am neither so far remote nor so much a stranger to them though my Principle may but this way they chuse not but makes War and fights as Men that beat the Air hiddenly or a far off slighting and contemning my Principle and me for its sake above most of People as though I had been Poysonous and Infectious where I came prohibiting some of their Society and Members so called to have any Fellowship or Converse with me or to receive either Books or Papers from me or come where I was and one of their leading Teachers G. Nicholson by Name denied to make good their own Principles and Tenents held forth in their own Defence against us and also to make good several contumelious aspertions cast upon us in my Hearing by him and others and also denied to give an account of his Faith and Hope in Christ Jâ—sus saying It was in vain c. with several such like matters which I shall now omit and yet these People will be Slighting and Villifying us in secret indeed we have much more cause to have disesteemed them and their Principles having more knowledge of both them and it when we were amongst them then ever they had of us or ours and in villifying our Principles they speak evil of things they understand not being a Treasure whose worth and value they never knew the mystery whereof is hid and sealed from that state and nature they live in we have known theirs but they never knew ours yea for my own part I can truly say in the Light and Presence of the Lord that I had more love and affection in my Heart for those people then any other Profession that was from the Light yea many a time I could have mourned in secret and been willing to have undergone great hardship that they might have been won and gained to the Lord yea I could as it were have plucked them out of the fire many a time other times my spirit hath been weighed and burthened yea filled with indignation against some of them that were Elders Teachers and Leaders that caused the rest to Err who like the Pharisees of old have Shut the Kingdom of God as it were but I am sure they have drawn backward and hindred the work of the Lord both in themselves and others for they would neither enter themselves nor suffer those that would but have made War against the Light in themselves and others and I testifie they are Strangers to the Covenant of Promise Christ Jesus the Light the New and Living Way who is the Light of the World John 8.12 Who is in the World and the World knows him not and lighteth every Man that comes into the World John 1.4 5 6 7 8 9 unto whom John came to bear Witness and yet how few will believe how few doth receive John's Testimony though he was sent from God to bear Witness of the Light and all hold John as a Prophet also how few do receive Christs own Exhortation who said While you have the Light believe in the Light that you may be Children of the Light John 12.36 no marvel if they receive not ours may it not well be said unto them Behold ye Dispisers and wonder I will work a Work in your day which though a Man declare it unto you yet will you in no wise believe Acts 13.41 mark ye Despisers
that Despise the Light accounting it as a thing of nought calling it Natural or Diabolical or an unholy thing esteeming it too mean a Meat for your stuffed up Stomachs and cannot yet be digested by you what better Testimony would you have Would you have one arise from the Dead here 's John a Man sent from God and here 's Christ Jesus which rose from the Dead which Death could not bold also we have the Testimony of the Spirit of Truth and having received this Testimony we have the Witness in our selves and can set to our Seals that God is True John 3.35 and that there is no other way to the Father but by Christ Jesus the Light which is the Life and Blood of the Everlasting Covenant though many set it at nought and will not stoop to so small a thing yet all the Powers of Darkness cannot comprehend it it will break thorow them all to your condemnation that are disobedient and for proof thereof I appeal to every of your Consciences in the sight of God and let the Light therein which abideth in you which is Truth and no Lye John 2.27 let it declare for me whether any of you can hide you from it If you take the Wings of the Morning as David said and fly into the uttermost parts of the Earth it will find you out do what you will it will declare the nature of your deeds when you do evil at home or abroad never so secretly when no man sees it will condemn you and when you do well it will justifie and you will feel peace and joy in that Work it will tell you all that ever you did as the Woman of Samaria said Is not this the Christ come and see then they came and saw and believed also not because of her words but by what they heard from him themselves saying they knew indeed that this is the very Christ John 4.42 So be intreated as a Man would intreat his Friend whom he loveth to come with the Samaritans and see wether it be not so as we have said she was but one and that a Woman yet they came forth with her to see if it was he and it was he and they believed but we are many Witnesses and Testifie what we have heard and seen and handled of him So once more I say be intreated to come and see not to come forth after us and follow us as he said Luke 17.21 23. but to turn in your minds I mean to the Light of Christ Jesus in your own Hearts for the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and there hearken to him that is the Light of the World mark the World is set in Mans Heart Eccles 3.11 and when you have heard and obeyed for that is believing indeed I question not but you will be ready to say with the Samaritans That ye know that he is indeed the very Christ So put not off by delays but while the Lord calls do you answer and while he seeks be you gathered Prov. 1.24.26 yea while the Light and Love of God is with you believe in it receive it and walk in it for Darkness comes when no Man shall walk or work John 22 35 36. And the Light of the wicked shall be put out and the spark of his fire shall be quenched Job 18.5 6. Then shall his Wrath and Fury increase which will torment the Conscience for ever where they shall feel the Worm that dies not and the Fire that never goes out then Sorrow Mourning and bitter Lamentation shall fall upon them then may they cry to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills to cover us even they I mean that slighteth their day of Visitation and hate to be reformed For behold the Days come that shall burn as an Oven wherein all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble the Day that cometh shall burn them up and shall leave them neither Root nor Branch but to them that fear my Name saith the Lord shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings and they shall go forth and grow as Calves in the stall and they shall tread down the Wicked yea the Wicked shall be as Ashes under the soles of their feet in that Day when I shall do this saith the Lord he that can believe it let him This is my Testimony given forth in the same Love wherewith the Lord my God hath loved me not desiring to Eat my Morsel alone nor yet to conceal the loving kindness of the Lord which is held forth freely unto all of which I am made a partaker according to the measure of that Grace and Love received in Christ Jesus who would not that any should perish but that all Men might come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved who was the First-fruits of Righteousness leaving us an Example to follow his steps So desiring that all might come to partake of the same Grace with us and walk in the same Light with us where there is no occasion of Stumbling and come to drink of the same Living Water with us which whosoever drinketh thereof shall never thirst again but is satisfied for ever this none knows save they that drink thereof and they are but a few Having for the Reasons aforesaid committed this to publick view it s now other Mens as well as mine to judge of and no doubt may be by some opposed as well as by others approved I therefore desire the discreet Reader having soberly and piously pondred this short Treatise in the fear of the Lord not rashly to asperse either me or it behind my back thereby to make my Principle or Testimony odious in the Eyes of such as are weak and unstable in Judgment but rather having any thing to object against the Truth of any particular herein to make known their Objections to me either by word or writing and I shall be very willing to be Christianly informed or else to give a Christian information and sober Reply for their satisfaction and for the clearing and vindicating of every particular herein according to that Talent of knowledge that is given me to improve and this I hope will be easily granted by such as is willing to do unto me as they would have me or others to do unto them which is according to both Law and Prophets Given forth about the 6th Month 1667. Tho. Carleton THE END To the CALLED OF GOD And true Professors of the LIGHT SPIRIT of Jesus Christ in these Northern Nations To the Called of GOD c. OH my well-beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters in that Spiritual Heavenly Relation that stands in the power of an endless Life do I tenderly Greet you all and in the sensible Feeling thereof do I at this time with much tenderness and fear communicate these following Exhortations unto you Upon the Second day of the Tenth Month at Even after I was returned from waiting upon and serving
the Lord amongst the assembly of his People as my body I lay down upon my Bed expecting to take its natural rest my Soul also was inclined to take its sweet repose in God and in my contemplation the care of the Churches and the concerns of the Flock of God came weightily upon me so that my natural Sleep was wiped away from mine Eyes and in my Meditation with my God these things following rose fresh in me and the delivering of them to you came greatly upon me so that I felt a real necessity upon my Soul to arise and write And a cry run through me and the Mourning of my Spirit and the Lamentation of my Soul was very great for the division of Reuben oh for the division of Reuben there was great searchings of Heart oh many a Sigh oh many a Groan oh many a Lamentation is made by many a tender Heart and many a broken Spirit for the division of Reuben which at this Day were great and many so that it came upon me in the Dread and Fear of the Eternal God to Warn all the Churches all the Called of God all the Professors of his Name High and Low Rich and Poor Man and Woman to beware of Divsion even the Division of Reuben the First-born therefore take heed take heed all you that were First-born or First begotten to God who were as the First-fruits of the Spirit in this last Age and Dispensation Oh let all be Advised I humbly intreat you and in the Counsel of God do I hereby Warn you all to beware and avoid Division for that House that is Devided in it self and against it self cannot stand oh let me advise and warn you in the tenderness and brokenness of my mourning Soul as Joseph did his Brethren of old see that you fall not out by the way oh feel feel the melting compassionate Spirit of Joseph whose Bowels broke towards his Brethren and he wept upon their Neck oh that innocent Spirit of Joseph he sought no Revenge when they were fallen into his Hand and there sheaves came bowing to his sheave and the eleven stars did obeisance unto him he was not lifted up nor exalted with Pride though Lord of all Egypt as he said but was full of Compassion and wept over them when they were smitten and terrified with Guilt only innocent Benjamin wept upon his Neck Oh see his care to his Brethren fall not out by the way And as our faithful Father Abraham said to his Nephew Lot let there be no strife between us for we are Brethren and the Canaanite and the Perizite they dwell in the Land they will see it and behold it and this will agravate the Sin and the Lord will greatly be dishonoured by it Oh see the Care and Peaceable Spirit of faithful Abraham how he sought to preserve Peace and Love and even as it were submitted to his Nephew Lot the whole Land is before thee take thy choice and let not us strive for we are Brethren so here was no superiority nor exalted Spirit in Abraham but he works by Love Oh my dear Friends be you all warned and take heed of Division for we are now upon our Travel and upon our Return out of Egypt as Joseph's Brethren were and the Lord hath given us Favour in the sight of Pharoah's Princes and hath given a large supply to the Souls of us and our families who was sorely afflicted with Famine yet in all this there is no cause of Division let no ones Heart be exalted or lifted up because of Gods Love to them We are now Returning to the premised Land the Land of Rest and Peace Therefore let us return in Peace and dwell in Love together for Love is of God and he that dwells in Love dwells in God and this Love thinks no Evil it s no maintainer of Strife nor no begetter of Division And take the Advice of the Apostle mark them that cause Division and avoid them and from whence comes War and Strife and from whence comes all Division do they not rise from fleshly self-seeking Lusts that War against the Soul And is not the accuser of the Brethren concerned would not he accuse us one to another and set us at variance one with another and provoke to sell and betray one another into the hands of the Medianites to be Bondslaves in Egypt again And what is the matter the accuser works upon is it some party coloured Coat the Father is pleased to bestow upon one more then another or upon some dream of Exaltation or being Prefered one above another or is it about some Trifle Jangling or questions of Words thus the Enemy laboured of old and wrought Division and thus he would Work now if he be not watched against Oh therefore all take heed and labour to keep near the Lord every Man for himself and every Woman for her self labour to keep out that Spirit that would provoke to strife and to contention oh let it enter into none nor being entered keep possession in any for where Strife is there is Confusion and every Evil work so if any thing would arise at any time that tends to Strief or would rend and make Division in the Bowels of the love of God I desire all to watch against it shut it out crush that Cockatrice timely kindle no such fire nor blow up that Flame with words but in the meek spirit of Jesus quench it and rather give place to wrath for a soft mild answer turns it away always remembring the words of the Apostle Why do you not rather suffer wrong and suffer your selves to be defrauded and set them to judge that are least in the Church that a speedy end may be put to it And as Christ himself said he that would be Chief let him become Servant and as I have washed your Feet even so wash you one anothers Feet Here was a blessed Example of Humility laid down and the lording of the Gentiles reproved And truly Friends they that stand single in the light and counsel of God whose Eye is impartial may clearly See and distinguish in all matters of Debate and Controversie what spirit Rules for if the Lambs spirit be there there is Innocency there is Tenderness there is Humility there is broken Heartedness that spirit that is from above is Gentle Meek and Lowly easie to be entreated it is not stubborn proud nor self willed it hates not Reproof as Fools but it loves the Reprover as a wise Man so they that are of this spirit they are of Abraham's Seed and of Abraham's Faith let there be no strife between us for we are Brethren they will readily comply and follow after Peace knowing that the Lords Honour and the Honour of his Truth is concerned so let the fruits of the Lambs spirit appear in all let the Lambs nature come up and rule in all that the Lamb and his followers may have the Victory so shut out all Pride all
World and all that nature that in it we may live and by it all may be preserved unto the end That so the Lord God Almighty his Living Holy Name and Eternal Truth may be Feared Served Honoured and Obeyed over all by and through all for He alone is worthy yea Everlasting worthy God blessed for ever and evermore Saith the Soul and Spirit of him who is the Lords and yours in the Unity of the Gospel of Christ Jesus T. C. A General EPISTLE CONTAINING Wholsom Admonition and Advice to Friends in IRELAND and else-where By Thomas Carleton DEar and well beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters who are in some Measure gathered by the Arm of God's Power and have known the blessed Appearance of Life and Salvation to you is the Salutation of my unfeigned Love and in the Fellowship of God's Everlasting Light do I tenderly greet you all and for the clearing of my Spirit of that which for some time hath been upon me do I communicate these Lines in the true Simplicity of my Heart dearly desiring all that love the Lord Jesus Christ To keep low and near the Lord and wait to feel God's living Power in your Hearts unto which we were turned or exhorted from the Beginning for in the Light of the Lord I see there is a Necessity for it For unless the Sense of God's living Power be felt Profession is vain and Meetings are not made profitable for the Mysteries of Life and Salvation and of true Christianity consist not only in any Profession Name or Notion of this or that Principle Article or Creed formed or received in the Minds of Men or Women but in a living Enjoyment and Possession of the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus the Author and Finisher of the living saving Faith So my dear Friends all wait to feel the Operation of that Power in every Heart and Soul to subdue all to God and to work all into submission and real obedience to the heavenly Will and Mind of Christ Jesus who is come a Light into the World that all men through him might believe hear is the unchangeable standing Rule which every one is to measure themselves by and he or she that is measured or squared by this are as polished Stones for God's spiritual House and he or she that is not squared by this are not fit to be Members of God's Building so all having the Measuring line in your hearts let Judgment be laid to it and so try all things words works behaviours and the Intent of all and from what ground and spirit it doth proceed and this unchangeable everlasting Rule all keep to it and Build by it so shall you be justified with it in the Day of Tryal so all things done by this unchangeable unerring Rule the Law of the Spirit of Life this keeps clean and pure and sets free of all Mud and Confusion Sin and Iniquity and things that bring death and darkness over the Soul and understanding and so cloud the Testimony So let every man and woman by this standing Rule examine themselves and so let them eat speak or act as the Lord shall perswade them and wherein any one doubteth and is not clear in what he or she undertaketh let such forbare and wait in quietness till the Lord clear their way So all take heed and keep to the Rule for in the Lord's Light we see Light and have Clearness and Freedom and Peace but going from the Light without Rule without Guide the Vail comes over Darkness gathers in Confusion and Trouble then Peace comes to be lost So you that have known in any measure the work of Regeneration and of the New Birth through the working of God's Spirit and power in your Hearts by which some unclean spirits have been cast out keep to the Power still and beware of letting in the unclean spirit again for if you do the latter-end will be worse then the beginning And lean not to the World's Wisdom beware of that spirit I advise all for by that wisdom God is not known and if once the Sense and enjoyment of God be lost then man and woman is in a woful state without God in the World so keep out of the world's spirit I intreat you all and live as Fools to it and all its wayes fashions customs for in the light of the Lord I see a great Snare there at this day and too many that make Profession of Truth are like to be split upon that Rock So dear Friends live loose to the world and all the glories of it and seek to be wise in that which is not of this world that you may be loved of God and so dwell in that which can bear the revilings and reproaches of this world and the contradiction of sinners as our Lord Jesus Christ hath left us an Example So beware of looking back to Egypt's Glory again to see any heauty or comliness in that dark Land for from the Lord I see a Temptation attending God's spiritual Israel in this day as surely as ever it attended Israel after the Flesh and many are too prone to desire the pleasures of Egypt again though the best of them be bondage as many to their Sorrow have found yea too many there be that cannot bear tryals and reproaches and the way of the Cross and self-denyal but think it long and wearisom and hard as they did in the dayes of old and so are too ready to murmur and repine and lust in their hearts after this World 's glory again and joyn to its fashions and customs again and so set up Idols again as they did whose Carcases fell in tho wilderness with whom the Lord was displeased So beware of letting in that spirit of destrust unbelief and rebellion against God and his pure Witness in your Consciences and beware of building that which was once destroyed or licking up that which was once vomited or entertaining of that which was once cast out or owning that which was once denyed either in words in works in behaviour in apparel in doctrine or faith hath Truth in you condemned for all idle vain prophane wicked unfound and unfavoury words and brought you into a Form of needful true and sound words keep to it still hath Truth condemned all idle proud prophane wicked and ungodly Actions and all empty airy foolish wanton lustful proud self-willed and Men-pleasing behaviours and brought you into moderation gravity plainness reallity and Truth in Life and Conversation keep to it still hath Truth condemned for decking and adorning the Body with vain superfluous proud needless worldly eye-taking Toyes in Apparel and led you into plain profitable decent needful things keep to it still and fashion not your selves like unto the World nor learn any of their manners nor of the breeding of that Egyptian-Spirit which keeps the Seed in bondage and oppressed the just in the particular and in the general so from the Lord I advise you all and