life togather us unto God in the unity of the light and fellowship of the Gospel to the bringing forth of all vertue in Brotherly kindneâ—â— and unfeigned love so 〈◊〉 the same he passed out of thiâ— City but a few days before he laid down the body in perfect peace returning to the Father who sent him and in whose will he brought forth unto God and his works follow him This and several others that he penned have formerly been printed and some have given praise unto God for the benefit received thereby And now out of a sincere desire that God over all may be glorified from whom every good and perfect gift cometh and the souls that are yet afar off from the life of righteousness may be brought nigh is this again published And in the â—â—eling of the everlasting spirit the justifier of all that believe therein is it sent abroad by her that is a traveller for the breaking of the head of wickedness and the opening of the eyes of the ignorant and that the simple may not stumble at the Authors name but read this or any other of his Writings in Gods fear that thou may receive counsel instruction wisdom and comfort thereby as many who believe have done I have here set down his own words as they were written by him and sent unto the Parliament Concerning Christ Jesus that you may not be harmed or hindred by false reports but receive the truth in the love of it in which it is sent to you in the good will of God from her that is made willing to be a servant for Christs sake R. T. This following Testimony was written by his own hand and delivered to the then Parliament who persecuted him as a Blasphemer in the time of his imprisonment in Bridewel CHrist Jesus the Immanuel of whose sufferings the Scriptutes declares him alone I confess before men for whose fake I have denied what ever was dear to me in this world that I might win him and be found in him and not in my self whose life â—nd vertue I find daily manifest in my mortal body which is my eternal joy and hope of glory whom alone I seek to serve in spirit soul and body night and day according to the measure of grace working in me that in â—â—e he may be glorified whether by life or death and for his sake I suffer all things that he alone may have the glory of my change whose work alone it is in me Even to that eternal Spirit be glory and to the Lamb for ever But to ascribe this Name power and vertue to James Nailor or to that which had a beginning and must return to dust or for that to be exalted or worshiped to me is great Idolatry and with the Spirit of Christ Jesus in me it is condemned which Spirit leads to lowliness meekness and long-suffering So having an opportunity given with readiness I am willing in the fear of God the Father in honour to Christ Jesus and to take off all offences from every simple heart this to declare to all the world as the truth of Christ is in me without guile or deceit daily finding it to be my work to seek peace in truth with all men in that Spirit James Nailor The Heads of the particulars contained in this ensuing Treatise I. What the Possession of the living faith is pag. 1. II. Who they be that are under the Law and who they be that have made void the Law against themselves and who they be that are under grace p. 24. III. Of the way of life from the knowledge that devoures the life p. 26. IV. An opening of light to all sorts of Rulers and people that wait for the Kingdom of God p. 27. V. A Candle lighted to give the sight of the good old way of God at his coming from the wayes that now ensnares the simple p. 42. VI. The Living God glorified in his Temples the true worshippers that worship him in Spirit and in Truth p. 50. VII To the Ranters p. 57. VIII Deceipt discovered by its fruits p. 59. IX A Message from the Spirit of Truth unto the Holy seed p. 69. What the Profession of the Living Faith is c. FOrasmuch as a right Faith is the onely ground of mans Eternal happiness and the only thing which gains the Creature an entrance towards his Creator and without which it is impossible to please God though much hath been said of it already yet I having found by learning the true and living faith which hath the living power different from that faith which is dead and without that power And seeing that so many at this day are at ease in a dead faith and their souls in the grave In tender love thereto I am stirred up to declare something of the faith of Christ which I have found onely effectual to Salvation and Reconciliation with God And somewhat the rather in regard the Enemy hath spread so many false reports of me touching my faith in Christ Jesus which here I shall declare in plainness for the satisfying of simple minds who desire to know Truth rather then to Reproach it and for those who seek occasion I chuse rather to bear their reproach that are in that Nature then contend therewith for my work is not with Flesh and Bloud nor is it in my Spirit to strive with any about words that stir up strivings and contention and edefie not but with God I strive daily and to that of God in all I seek to be manifest which resists not evil but seek to overcome it with good waiting for the Kingdom of God in all and the Souls Redemption out of death and the Seed out of bondage and where that is not effected in measure I look not to be owned nor my witness received though it be not of my self but Christ Jesus in me And first a Faith or belief I have found in the World of which I shall say little in this place having found indeed little in it to the Salvation of Life It s a literal Faith grounded upon the History of the Scripture touching God and Christ and what Christ did in that Temple which the Jewes destroyed at Jerusalem c. But doth not know him in Spirit nor believe him as his Name is EMANUEL to all Generations and so doth not necessarily work the believer into a conformity to that head in his then walking by his coming again in the same Spirit and Power working in them the same Will Mind and Affections and Obedience to the Father in their measure which was in him the Example Author Worker and Finisher of the True and Living Faith And of this Faith being somewhat dressed by the several Opinions of men are all the unclean Spirits living in whatsoever abomination is to be mentioned in the world all Sects and Opinions or whatever may be found in all Colours in these Northern Parts of the World with this Faith they are covered and this
is their strength and here they take comfort to themselves against all Reproof witâ— in or from without though living openly in the greatest Whoredomes against the Spirit of Holiness Carnal or Spiritual that can be mentioned even at a distance from Christ in his whole life yet they believe Christ came to save sinners of which they are chief and they that are whole need not the Physician c. And so the greater their wickedness is the nearer to Christ they believe And by this Faith he that came to save People from sin and to lead out of sin both by Example and Spirit is made a cover for all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and to strengthen the heart of wickedness against the life of holiness some in one sin some in another but with this Faith do all sorts strengthen themselves and hardens their hearts against the light of Christ and that Spirit which reproves the World of sin and convinceth of it and would lead out of it and hence it is that the witness of God that is holy in all is trampled under foot in all and little regarded in any but by this Faith believed on in none to be the way to the Father though the world have no light but it nor is there a Promise of Life in any other And this to me appears to be that Faith of the Devil or dead Faith the Apostle speaks on James 2. Though more hardned in it against Gods fear for the Devils when they believe tremble at it So this Faith I leave being judged already by its fruits with the light of Christ in every honest heart that loves holiness And of that Faith I shall speak something in which I have found a measure of the Life of Christ made manifest in my mortal Body in which life alone is the True and Eternal union and atonement with the Holy God into whom no unclean thing can enter And this is not a notion of what was done in another generation past or to come hundreds or thousands of years distance but that which leads to the beginning of the work of a new Creature at this day and a new birth spiritually begotten and born and brought to light without which none can see the Kingdom of God nor enter therein And this Faith doth not work by the comprehensions of brain-knowledge that because I could here conceive or declare of Christ Jesus from the beginning to the age thereof in words or thoughts that therefore I have learned him or know him as I ought to do or am grown up in him to a perfect man and so to deceive others by declaring and boasting of what God hath not wrought in me as a man may easily do and deceive his own soul and bewitch others also by leading them out of their measures of Gods present work in them But of the living Father wâ—h now worketh powerfully in spirit by love thereto the mystery wherof is holden forth in a pure conscience working out the old leven purifying the heart making all things new judging and killing and crucifying with Christ in spirit the works of the flesh and casting out every thing in me that is not of God and renewing in me the things of God in their order by his mighty working in me in which the soul is raised out of the grave and the dead restored to life actually and not in conceit Of the Grounds and Workings of this Living Faith I shall speak something And though the foundation of this Faith or beginning of it was that I did really believe in that which Christ did and suffered at Jerusalem and that there in that vessel he bare the sins of the World and satisfied the wrath of God for sins past and overcame death hell and the grave and made way for the Seed to arise in all through the whole World who would believe in his light which then shined through him to all men wherein he might be seen to be the Way the Truth and the Life apparent openly triumphing over all that had passed above the Seed And much more might be said of him there finished all which I did believe according to â—cripture which was an opening of me to receive him from Heaven in the same spirit and power without which I could not have received the gift of that holy Spirit God having so purposed from the beginning that the Covenant of Eternall Life and power should be received no other way but by faith in him who in the fulness of â—ime was there manifest in flesh for the taking away sins past and making a way for the Resurrection of life over all to save from sins for time to come The effect of which Faith when in the 〈…〉 ight I first received it did turn my mind out of all my sins past and took my mind out of them and turned me towards God and holiness of life I then believed to attain in that faith and receive power therein to grow up in him to his fulness and stature which then I see no less faith could save me then the perfect Faith of the Son of God which before I had not received but then received with such gladness of heart that it set my face and delights out of all sin towards the perfection of Christ in which I then believed which was the Joy then set before me yet was not the work done and finished in me already though I having received the Faith and Hope of the Son of God and was turned from all my former sin and my own righteousness so that if I had departed this Body I had died in no less Faith then the Holy Faith of Christ Jesus and so being turned to his Spirit out of the works of the Flesh I was turned from my sin and so from condemnation yet was there a great work to do in me before I could witness freedom from the body of death and the root and ground of evil removed and the seed raised to reign and the soul brought into the holy City the resurrection of the dead and fellowship in the Father and the Son c. And that glorious liberty of the new Creature and all things to be of God in me as the Scriptures do witness so this faith did not work me into a conceit of my self glorying in knowledge and so to become a Teacher of others what I had conceived below the life but it led me down into the obedience of the Spirit of Light to wait therein for the Resurrection of Life and I came to see in that Light that the motions of sin did still work from the old ground and root and that must be removed by the power of Christ working in spirit and my obedience and watchfulâ—ess therein was required and that without obedience to this faith I could not come to perfect victory over the enmity nor the glorious liberty of the Sons of God for though this faith had turned my heart towards Christ
WHAT THE POSSESSION OF THE Living Faith IS And the fruits thereof And wherein it hath been found to differ from the dead Faith of the World in the learning and following of Christ in the Regeneration With an opening of Light to all sorts of People that waits for the Kingdom of God And a Candle Lighted to give the sight of the good Old Way of God from the wayes that now ensnares the simple Also a Message from the Spirit of Truth unto the Holy Seed who are chosen out of the World and are lovers and followers of the Light Written by J. N. in the time of his Imprisonment and now the second time published by a Friend LONDON Printed in the Year 1664. DEAR Friends and People to whom this following Treatise may come I saw and felt it meet that something might be declared of the Author thereof who was Censured Judged Condemned and cruelly persecuted by them that knew him not yet they that had the knowledge of him and were conversant with him for some years before in the time of his sufferings can with me bear witness and that not a few that he came amongst us in the spirit and power of Elias and mighty works were wrought by him and an effectual dore was opened and many were turned unto God and gathered into the feeling of that power in which he was and of which he testified and it abides for ever the fountain and giver of every good and perfect gift of whom he had received liberally grace for grace and of his fulness did he manifest not onely in words and writings in and of the truth but in his conversation which was holy harmless and undefiled as one Redeemed out of the earth in the heavenly was his dwelling and no other Inheritance did he seek And though spirits of all sorts did beset him and temptations and snares of all were laid for him yet the Covetous and Wanton found nothing in him for over the world he kept in the holy faith which gained the victory and a Conqueror he died and lives for ever in that life which is everlasting of which he testified and called many to and those that received his testimony and abide therein are come to the Church of the first-born where we have fellowship with him in that spirit that quickens the dead and brought to life our Lord Jesus Christ in whose suffering and Resurrection he had fellowship and in him was he found therefore the world hated him and that they might fill up their measure of unrighteousness by him were they tried who being tempted out of the body become a sign unto them that had and did resist the substance and in the dark they acted and brought forth a cruel Decree without Law Reason or Witness that he had said or done any thing contrary to Justice Law Scripture or Decree of God or Men But those that had rejected the Light brought forth this dark Conclusion that because he did not condemn what some others whom they supposed had spoke blasphemy therefore he was a Blasphemer Truly I never could in my own disposition rejoyce to trample on any fallen though an enemy but being come to see the fulfilling of the many Prophesies spoke by the Servants of the Lord of the woes wrath and just overturnings that would unavoidably come on such who resisted the Light I cannot but confess to his righteous judgments that hath given them of their own doings and covered them with darkness who loved darkness better than light though my soul desireth that those of them that yet have abiding in the Earth might come to repentance now the just punishment of their doings being brought upon them who were themselves in the Blasphemy who said they were Christians and were not said they would give liberty of conscience but did not cried out against persecution and yet persecuted It is the Hypocrite that did and doth blaspheme that seems to be and is not For these was and is reserved the blackness of darkness and it encreased upon them who loved it better than light and over-turned and over-whelmed are they by it and shallnever come from under it nor have dominion over it but by the rising of that light to which and in which he testified whom they thought not worthy to live and therefore found out and invented punishment much worse then an outward death But Light springs for the righteous And in those years of his cruel and close confinement as he saw felt and learned he gave forth for the raising and strengthning of the immortal Seed that many do and Nations to come shall bless God for and by the everlasting Power which his Persecutors resisted he overcame and was gathered into the communion of the body which the unworthy neither did nor do discern and so drank into the one Cup of new Wine in the Kingdom of the Father though in those years of his cruel close imprisonment as he hath declared he combaâ—â—d with all spirits and was under the waters and beheld the foundations of the Earth and passed by the gates of Hell and spirits of darkness in the night-season surrounded him and under the earth he passed and deaths he knew many and when the weight of the Mountains was upon him his Friends and Acquaintance stood afar of him and it was to be so and he declared wâ—â— felt the weight thereof whaâ— it was to be sepaâ—â—â—ed from his Brethren and that if any one who 〈◊〉 life in God retain sin on Earth it is retained in Heaven So that Power that led him through â—he many temptations and trials made him a living example of lowliness and subjection not onely confessing wherein he had grieved any in the day he was tempted but in the spirit of forgiveness he sought to be forgiven even of those that had been bgotten by him so he were a father To Babes he did and could stoop that the Spirit of love and forgiveness might rise over all for he loved Justice and Righteousness and bore testimony thereunto that that was and would be the strength of those that abode therein being delivered from that which had pressed him down in the liberty and power of the free Spirit he often spake of the subtilty and wickedness of that spirit that works in the Air with which he had been beset ond what it led to and the end thereof to be perdition So he visited after his enlargement many of that sort and often prophesied as of many things which we have seen come to pass that they would turn into the earth or to liberty and ranting which his Soul abhorred and therefare often spoke and writ against the workings of those spirits in what appearance soever and to holiness in soul body and spirit called he and for the removal of that which hindred was his travel to the last day of his visible being among men And as at first he appeared in this great City in the power of an endless
and great travels and many temptations and tryals within and without but the greatest enemies was yet within me which would upon every hardship be tempring with unbelief to destroy this Faith and hope which was all that I had set before me to encourage me to endure such hardships and to follow the light in a way I had not known and to walk in the Cloudâ— to meet the Lord and to leave my former knowledge and wisdom and glory and riches to go in a way I had not wâ—llâ—ed and to abide such assaults on every hand every foot the world which I was called out of ready to overtake me and compasse me about and to turn me back again into what I had seen and enjoyed behind me ever seeking to perswade me that I should never attain to him that was set before me in the Faith and hope Then come I clearly to see that though I had received the Faith of Christ as a shield in this War by which I was saved that the wrath of God took me not away in these temptings and murmurings and reasonings and doubting which did arise in the fleshly part yet the purchased possession was not yet redeemed for me to enjoy at present though I had heard and believed the Gospel of salvation and was sealed with the holy Spirit of promise till I came to be boilded up with Christ for an habitation of God through the Spirit And I found by daily experience that my salvation was not compleat so long as my soul was subjected under any earthly lust or passion nor the War over but as by the mighty working of God in me by that Spirit this came to be subdued under the feet of Christ and the Soul set above it with him to reign in the heavenly place so was my Salvation nearer then when I believed for the Soul is not safe while sin lives or the flesh lusts for that wars against the Soul and every sin wounds it and this shall all know who are not past feeling what ever their Faith be touching Christ Jesus or what was wrought in another whilst sin defiles the Soul it is not safe nor the honest heart hath peace and rest for the rest and peace is placed in the Holy City where comes no unclean thing into which the Soul enters not till that all righteouâ—ness be fulfilled upon earth the Soul singled from all corruption and have put on immortality death swallowed up in victory when the sting is taken away which is sin the strength of sin which is the Law which is not taken away but where it is fulfilled there onely grace reigns through righteousness and this I found to be truth as the truth is found in Jesus as I came to learn him and put him on by Faith which I had believed and I see the folly of such as would make void the Law by talking of Faith and Grace wherein sin is yet standing and the Soul taken captive therewith which I had often sought peace therein to my self but could not inherit liberty to my Soul any other way but as it came to be purified in obedience through the Spirit And this work was not wrought in me by the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as I came to learn him in Spirit for spiritual wickedness had taken my Soul captive and by the Spirit it must be sanctified and set free And I came to see that if I had been in his company here on earth as long as his Disciples were in the flesh and seen as much as they did and heard from his own mouth I should have been short of this work as they were in whom the Child was unborn when he went away in the flesh and they knew not what Spirits they were of untill he came again to them in Spirit and was revealed in them then could they preach the Resurrection of the dead and the Souls Redemption and desired to know him no more after the flesh when once they had received him in Spirit but Preached Christ within the Hope of Glory who till then looked for an outward kingdom and glory untill they had received his promise He that dwelleth with you shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you the world seeth mâ— no more but ye see me and because I live ye shall live also at that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and yâ—u in me and I in you And this was his promise whom they received whom the world seeth no more whose expectations are carnal neither can any see the Kingdom of Heaven but who are born of this Spirit and Heirs of this Life and he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life but the wrath of God abides upon him whatever he may say he believes and none hath the Son but as they receive this Spirit and are led by this Spirit and born thereof And this I found also that this Son of God doth not appear in any within or without but as he conforms them to his own Image which he hath alwayes born in this world as saith the Scripture when he shall appear we shall be like him who shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body from glory to glory by the same Spirit And herein we have boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this present world and this is not obtained with thoughts of believing without but by a lively working Power which works out the earthly image and nature and conforms to the heavenly in that spiritual birth which is not of flesh and blood nor could flesh and blood ever discern it in whom it was but ever hared it in whom it hath appeared in all Ages Which is of a shining nature where it is begotten of the Father and cannot be hid where it is formed but by his fruits gives light to the world contrary to the worlds wayes showing of his coming to Judgment against the deeds of darkness And this heavenly begetting of the Father is to be holden forth in that clear â—mage of the Father according to every several measure as he grows therein without mixture that all may see that he is not of this world who also takes them out of this world as he grows in any or they in him forth of the world they must go bearing his reproach that the Scriptures may be fulfilled they are not of this world even as I am not of this world and this is the worlds light and condemnation even his coming And so I find that Faith which joyns to the world where it is and doth not overcome the world is not the faith of Christ nor layes hold on the power of Christ though Faith may believe the History of the Scriptures concerning Christ which faith sets not up the Kingdom of God in the heart and casts out the world there
faith on tho earth Who they be that are under the Law and who they be that have made void the Laâ— against themselves and who they be that are under Grace GRace reigns throvgh righteousness and the Law through Transgression and he that sayes he is from under the Law and the transgressor alive he makes void the Law against himself but is under it in the account of God For the Seed or Image of God being fallen the transgressor is above to whom there is no Grace nor-Life promised who hath no true obedience but for self-ends upon this is the Law added till the promised Seed arise And a School master the Law is till it bring to Christ who of the woman is made under the Law who takes upon him the Seed after the flesh the Soul to redeem from under the Transgressor that the natural Plant of God may grow so who can witness the Teachings and Chastizings of the Law to bring him so low till he come under the Seed so as the seed be set above the head of the Transgressor and have bruised it and have taken away the strength of sin there the strength of the Law is taken away also And as the Soul is raised up through the Law the Law being fulfilled by the seed through the Spirit so it arises above the Law into the Kingdom of Grace which reigns through Righteousness and not by making void the Law for the Grace is to the Seed and the Law to the Transgressour and as these reign in the Creature so is he under the law or under Grace for the Law hath power over the man of sin as long as he lives then is the Seed of the Promise in bondage but he being dead by which the seed is held captive the seed rises under Grace which as it rifes through the law fulfils it and being fulfilled it loses its strength as sin dies and so hath no more power the Law being the strength of sin till it be fulfilled by the seed through the Spirit so he that is dead to sin is free from sin and under Grace And he that casts off the Law while he is alive that sins makes void the Law against himself So he that 's under Grace is dead to sin and dead to the Law which is the strength of sin and sin hath no more dominion over the soul the power of it being subdued which was the Law unfulfilled but where the Law is made void the strength of sin yet remains and the Law will overtake them in the end And he that learns this in the Death and Resurrection and eternal life shall in this work learn what the Transgression is and how the law is added upon him and how it is the strength of sin in him but not in the seed and what it is that makes the entrance through the Law and how Grace comes to abound where sin hath abounded and to reign through Righteousness unto eternal life So where the Transgressor is slain there the Law is at an end and fulfilled and the natural Plant of God brings forth against which there is no law but the law is against the man of sin and the man of sin against the law as long as he lives and power it will have over him and one jot of it will not pass away till it be fulfilled And he that would cast off the Law and make it void is far from Grace but in him that fulfils the Law doth Grace and Truth abound Of the Way of Life from the Knowledge that devours the Life WOuldest thou know the way of Life from that Knowledge which devours the life then be no longer as the wild Asses Colt but take up the yoak of the Son in whom thou sayest thou believest that the life of Faith thou may feel and know for only in the obedience is the life made sure to thee of what thou believest and thereby is faith and knowledge made perfect But untill thou attain power for obedience of Faith thou art dead and knows but words in which thy Faith stands without life which accomplishes nothing but will arise to condemn thee when thy time is out Therefore in all thy seeking mind that which worketh in a lowly mind calling thee into the Obedience of what is there made manifest in the begettings of the Father and not in the conceivings of the Brain but in the Son For in the Brain-knowledge the Boaster Rules who glories in the wisdom of words but not in the words of life but in the Obedience of the Son is the Father known and glorified in such as walk in the Spirit and not in the mind whose praise is of God and their lives hid with him from all knowledge but what is Revealed in the Obedience of the Son So from man you may learn the knowledge of words but the knowledge of life is only begotten of God so he that hath the Son hath life not of the disobedient Nature for the only begotten of God is Conformable to him that begetteth him in all things through Obedience So feeling thy measure of the begettings of God in it be obedient and seek not to be above it in any thing lest the enemy thereby get power in thee to puffe up thy mind in thy Knowledge above thy life which devours the life Therefore as thou feels Faith Love Meeknesse Gentlenesse Patience or any Godlinesse move in the Spirit therein become obedient with all diligence and thereby shalt thou know the power thereof against all the contrary motions in thy flesh so shalt thou learn the salvation of Grace unto life eternal which thou canst never attain by talking or any other way but in the Obedience thereof so shalt thou not receive the grace of God in vain nor words without the working power of life whereby the living knowledge of the Mystery of godliness will daily increase For by Obedience of the Spirit is the soul purified from its darkness and pollution and made fit for the further manifestation of the hidden Mystery and the receiving the fulness thereof and walking therein And so by the holy Ghost thou shalt be able toconfess Jesus Lord over all powers in heaven and in earth the opener of all secrets and only revealer of the Father who begetteth by whom thou becomes wise in thy knowledge unto salvation not unto vain babling whose words shall rise and Condemn them who glory therein But thou if in Spirit thou hearken diligently and obey shalt know that he who sometimes spoke by the Prophets doth now speak by his Son the everlasting power of godliness only begotten of the Father and in all things like unto him in whom he is made manifest And the Prophets have Prophesied of glory to come but the Son declares the Father in the present life according to the measure of him formed and as he arises in fulness he opens the heavens and gives the inheritance thereinto An opening of Light to all sorts of Rulers
all that 's he that 's born of God here the kingdom of God is near and as this increases so God draws near and his Kingdome increases and that of God in you all will answer thereto and rejoyce thereat which waits for him and that which is upright in every heart shall say that is the judgement of God and in that Vessel is God on his Throne according to the measure of that Spirit set up in Judgement so is Jesus Lord by the Holy Ghost known and bowed to But on the contrary in what place of authority soever it be in which the Innocent comes for Judgement against the Oppressor who is too strong for him and so seeks to Justice to plead his Cause and to deliver the seed of God that is burthened and when he comes his Cause is not heard but is thrust away if not further ensnared because he cannot oppress that of God in him more either by bowing to something of vain Customs or Worships never set up by God nor owned by his witness for Conscience sake or else because he cannot hire his judgement by feeding a covetous Spirit which is for Rewards and not for God that he Judges and so the innocent soul is not relieved at this throne but sent away as an offender from that place where he should be eased and justified with the judgement of a free spirit for justice sake doth not that of God in you all testifie against this that judgement is here turned backward in that vessel and that Jesus is not Lord therein so the innocent heart is sadned but not saved and the Kingdom of God put afar off and the Scepter of Righteousness not seen Wherefore Rulers and People who set up flesh instead of the holy Spirit to rule over you the wills of men the pride and glory of this world or any visible thing here below born after the flesh see what you chuse and what you put afar off and with that spirit you now chuse you will never see the Kingdom of God nor be able to say in truth that Jesus is Lord it s by the spirit of holiness meekness and true judgement and works of righteousness that Jesus is known to reign and therein stands the sight of his Kingdom and Lordship in every heart in every Court and in every place of judgement to all generations which you deny in chusing the man of this world after the flesh to rule in you or over you therein and yet you say you look for him and thy Kingdom come daily but deny him in the simplicity of his lowly spirit to rule for his own in all as all your Rulers ever did as you have read in words and now may read in deeds the world by wisdom knows not God so that spirit chuses its own to rule but cannot receive him whom you say you look for And how should any one who sees the kingdom of God and where the simplicity of Christ is above own that kingdom or worship that Spirit and not betray the simplicity of Christ and give his honour to another And if in the meeknesse of mind you did but weigh this you could not think it so strange why so many at this day who have received the kingdom of God in his lowly just and righteous spirit chuse rather to suffer death under that spirit of this world then to bow to worship it or confess that due thereto which belongs onely to Jesus the Lord neither would you say it was obstinacy or contempt of Authority rather to suffer by the will of man then to rob the Lord of his glory and deny Christ in his kingly office set up another in his place And herein true wisdom may see that in so doing we resist not that power which is ordained of God nor the person but that spirit we testifie against by sufferings under which God never anointed for a Saviour holding forth the anointing as we have received for a witness against him in the spirit of meekness confessing our King in whom we receive power to suffer so to us he is come and by the gift of the Holy Ghost we can say he is Lord therefore to us there is but one Lord though there be many so called whether in heaven or in earth yet have we but one in all both in heaven and earth and him we know where ever he is by the gift of the Holy Ghost and to him in spirit we confesse and bow and the fruits of his spirit are manifest with the light of the world testifying against all the works of darkness in all the children of his kingdom And to us he is born who is from above the Holy Child wonderful in Councel and Strength whose heavenly power and vertue takes â—uâ— affections from all earthlyobjects and worship whose name is Immanuel and it is written in our hearts and shed abroad into the world in our lives and Christ Jesus is the end of our conversation him alone to put on above all to preach by walking in him as we have received of that lively image of holiness and truth the anointed of God and so we confess him before men who is the right heir in what vessel soever he appears and the praise we give to God where this treasure is found in the earthen vessel and the hope of all our glory is Christ within and the increase of his government is Christ within of which there is no end and with that spirit is all righteousness established the kingdom of God upon earth and eternal life And where this is not seen chosen and followed there men rule in their own wills and where mens persons and riches is respected in chusing such there the same is respected in judgement by such and the Law of God is perverted and the sword of Justice which should defend the cause of the innocent is laid by and the fist of wickednesse is lâ—ft up against that which is tender of God in every conscience and when this rules the righteous seed mourns in secret but wickedness reigns openly and this is and ever was the state of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdoms of the Gentiles the one rules in the Spirit of Holiness and the other exercise Lordship in their own wills chosen and set up not by the Holy Ghost as you may read in the Scriptures concerning Israels common wealth who when they wanted the ruling of this spirit they sold themselves under their enemies but when this was their Judge they had a Saviour chosen after the spirit not after the flesh what ever was the vessel the Spirit was their Saviour Moses was a poor wandring Shepheard yet in this Spirit a God to Pharaoh and Saviour of Israel Samuel a poor man who received no reward for judgment and when they went about to chuse another after the manner of other Nations they rejected God who then gave them a King in his wrath David a poor man not chosen by
them that would have slopt him Did not he speak words in Amos against the Wickednesse of their King Priests and Worships that the Land was not able to bear Did not he lead Jonaâ— through the streets of Nineveh And in which of the Propheâ—s did not he thus walk in and some received him in his way and turned from their own wayes and found Mercy and the rest that rejected him were destroyed in their own wayes in which they blessed themselves as at this day Now read these and read what you now oppose in your Streets and Steâ—ple-houses and Markets and let that of God in you be judge if you be not of such as now say Depart from us we will have none of thy wayes Also search your Gospel if you can receive his way therein which changes not Did not he come in Christ and in his Apostles as a wandereâ— to and fro without a certain dwelling place to Preach Repentance and amendment of life and the light of the world from City to Village from place to place which way you now call Vagabonds And did not he enter their Temples and Synagogues Schools and Markets and all their places of Worship and concourse where sin or false Worship was acted and there Disputed and testified against their whole way and called them to the way of God and this was his manner of walking in them even in times of their Worships and in the greatest Assembly of Meetings and Markets which to you is become as gall and wormwood and you call it Disturbance and Peace-breaking Was not this his way in such as knew their bodies to be his Temples and in whom he walked and spoke the words of Life and Judgment and Truth his way by which he overturned the World leaving all without excuse against the day of wrath which was to follow where he was rejected his way by which he called many thousands out of false Worships in which they were setled as you are and their Souls deceived but this was his way to Salvation which was not their way as he hath said my wayes are not your wayes yet was there no other way fâ—r them to be saved which is the same at this day to all that receive his coming and to all that resist the Holy Spirit in his Temples as did your fathers so do you saith Stephen to such as worshipped God in outward observations but denied his way and worship in Temples made without hands these resisted the Holy Ghost resisted the way of God as do you Read and consider Steven was full of God the Spirit spake in him they resisted him they called him a Blasphemer they stoned him by a Law here was Gods way and their way now try your wayes whose work is to resist the Spirit and Light within which hath filled the hearts and mouths of his servants to cry against sin Mind what you râ—sist Had not God come in this his own Way to seek and to save by his appearance in such vessels as he had prepared of old for that end whom in time he filled with himself as they stood in need in all conditions to pass with him through all hardships and crooked wayes of the wicked world from place to place seeking a seed to himself what had become of the Saints of old which was covered with darknesse till he came thus to appear to them holding forth his light and his life and glory in vessels prepared to shew forth his vertues and the riches of his grace not only in declaring in words but also in power to suffer for his Name long and hard Tryals with much patience and meeknesse in all which they became signs to the world and lively witnesses of God to his own in every Conscience whereby the Seed of God in many gathered strength to arise out of darknesse and come to judgement and by their sufferings waxed confident in the Faith that it was the eternal God that they had seen preached and that was in them who thus suffered and did not receive their words as the words of men but of God who was with them and in them in all And this his way was not only to receive such as came to him but with danger of life went in to their Assemblies and publick places to bring them out of the claws of the Devil who beat some in their Synagogues haled some before Rulers cast some into Prison who suffered great afflictions to bring souls from under the dark power and in all this God was afflicted with them and by his own Spirit brought them out and this was his way of ransoming and redeeming and of bringing to Zion as you may read of old And thus by his Spirit and by his working in them did he work wonders and signs and was a witnessâ— against the whole body of sin overturning false wayes and worships by a way they knew not nor did the world know it was he until he had brought to passe his work upon them having thus gathered out his Seed from amongst them who then sought to stop his way as you do at this day And what was their end And in this way was the Churches of Christ gathered even blood and sufferings and tumults and beatings and mockings and whippings and all manner of cruel usage fighting with beasts after the manner of men and by the patient sufferings of Christ in them were many recovered out of the snares of the Devil which had he not sought them in this way they had lived and died in blindnesse And this was the way in which God gathered the Churches which you who oppose this way would imitate and in this way was the mistery of Godlinesse and the mistery of iniquity revealed and the Kingdome of Christ known upon earth and in this way came the Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophets of which you talk and would turn to oppose this way like them who read his coming in the Prophets and would have stopt his coming in Christ and the Apostles so do you ever resist the way of the Holy One and yet in words you pray for his coming but having erred in your hearts from that light which should give the knowledg of him you know not his wayes but have in your imaginations set a new way for his appearance every one in his own form but all think you are doing him service to stop his old way by force Ah foolish people and â—ull of wit will you call on him to come to judgment and stop his way with cruelty Is not the day of the Lord darknesse to you who deny the light Gods wayes are not yours nor his thoughts yours who are vain therein will you hedg up his way against him will you set Bâ—iars and Thorns before him and shall not the light of Israel kindle a fire amongst you shall not he go through and tread you down and with your own tear you as a Lion from whom none shall deliver Was it
will stand in your way as thick Darknesse which you cannot remove nor passe then shall you curse your God who hath set you on Preaching Words above Life and lies by which the Spirit of truth in you and others have suffered and been denied and Gods Witnesse lie waste and been resisted in its gentle Calls Motions and Reproofs All which a just hand and unresistable will bring upon you in that day when Chains of Darknesse hath compassed you in the Horrible Pit Deceipt Discovered by its Fruits YOu that call the Children of the Light blasphemers and Seducers and many evil Names you give out to People against them because they Preach Christ the light of the world and Christ for Righteousnesse and Perfection c. Hear what Blasphemy and Seducing and Deceiving is and who are the Deceivers They were blaspemers who said they were Jews and were not and this was Blasphemy in Gods account To professe in words what they were not in works Rev. 2. 9. And they were blasphemers who said He that wrought the works of righteousnesse was of the Devil Mark 3. 22 28 29 30. And James said They Blasphemed that Holy Naâ—e by which the Saints were called who drew them before Judgment Sâ—ats and Oppressed them Jam. 2 6 7. And Saul blasphemed in persecuting for Conscience towards Christ Now this God callâ— blasphemy Falsly to take upon them the Name of a Jew seeing the Jewes were to be a Holy People to the Lord and to beâ—r his Holy Name before all the world in Righteousnesse and Truth and the fruits of his Spirit which Name they who had not the Life did blaspheme by taking the Name of a Jew And Christ callâ— it blasphemy to condemn the fruits of that Spirit â—o be of the Devil And the Apostle calls it blasphemy To hale before the Judgment Seats and persecute the poor that God had chosen out of the world These were the old blasphemers in Gods account and their children be in the same steps till this day and therein the truth finds them and uncovers them So come to your Rule and be tryed as you are in Deed and not in Words in Gods account and not in your Own This is the blasphemy to say You are Christians and are not To say You are in Christ and are not To say You are of God and do the Works of the Devil that old Murtherer and Persecuter To say Such as do the works of God are blasphemers and to Oppresse your brethren for conscience sake And this blasphemy exceeds your Fathers by how much the Name of Christ excels the Name of a Jew Will you bring forth the abominable fruits that God hates and cover them with the Name of Christ and father them upon the Spirit of Christ and say you are in Christ and Redeemed and Baptized into him and have Communion in him and get up Likenesses and Imitations from the Letter to cover you with in a nature contrary to Christ And is not this the Height of Deceit and Blasphemy What is the Name of Christ and the Redemption of Christ the Death of Christ the Baptism of Christ the Resurrection of Christ the Communion oâ— Christ and the Words of Christ become a Cloak for the Works of Wickednesse And doth not this blaspheme his Name his Words his Spirit his Ordinances and his People and all his Holy things and cause them to be blasphemed amongst the Heathen and throughout the World But to preach Christ the Light of the world and to confesse him in us so far as we feel the power of his Spirit taking us out of the power of Sin and Conforming us to himself and to bring forth the fruits of his Spirit in Truth and Righteouseâ—sse this doth not blasphemâ— but in such he is Honoured who shew forth his vertues and walk in his Spirit such exalt his Name This was Pauls work when he had left off to blaspheme Now come to your Rule and be tryed it tells you who are Christs and who are Antichrists Deceivers and Blasphemers and they are known by their Works and not by their Words It saith They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin And as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And as you have received Christ Jesus so walk in him And he that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as he walked and ye are all one in Christ Jesus And if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature and all things are of God And he that saith he know Christ and keeps not his Commandements is a Liar And this is the blasphemer who covers himself with the words of truth but is an enemy to the life Now here is the testimony of Truth lay it to the testimony of your lives and measure your selves therewith and we will measure our selves therewith also and let Truth judge the Deceiver and Liar and Blasphemer by his Fruits and where he hath his Seat What will Truth say where Covetousnesse is found Have such Crucified the Affections Have Proud men Crucified their Lusts Have Wanâ—ons Crucified the Flesh Have Swearers Lyars and cursed Speakers put off the body of Sin Oâ— iâ— it dâ—â—d where these workâ— are alive where there is Envie Strife Suits and Contentions Is this to put on Christ or to be all one in him Where Flâ—ttering Scorning Back-biting and Slandering is and the Vessels filled with such Wickednesse are all things of God And are such baptized into his death or planted into his Resurrection And are not they blasphemers who persecute others for Conscience towards God But to preach Christ to be the Light of the World and the Hope of Glory in the Saints our Life our Righteousnesse and Perfection and to suffer for it is no blasphemy Now here is your Measure and with Truth are you measured weighed and tryed Your Baptismes your Communion your Redemption your Death and Resurrection and your life Eternal And in the light you and we are seen and with the life thereof you are found who bring forth thesâ— fruits to be under the power of sin unredeemed and out of Christ the life deceiving your own souls and others of the righteous Inheritance amongst them that are Sanctified and blaspheming the holy Name of Christ and grieving his holy Spirit by professing that in his Name which you have not and by your evil deeds acted under his Name whereby it is polluted which was not given for a cover to such Works In this holy Name of Christ hath God placed his Covenant and Life and in these Holy things did Holy men and women meet with God worship him and dwell with him in Spirit as his house in which he was seen and walked And are these now become a cover for a Den of thieves a habitation and hiding for all the abominations now acted in the world Is
not your heads but feel the life of what in this followings paper is declared For though the Thief the Boaster the proud and exalted ones have or may cover themselves with like words yet this birth never was is or shall be brought forth but by the espoused Virgin pure chaste and spotlesse true and abiding innocency far distant from all feigned purity which many being puffed up in their vain minds have or may intrude into things they know not and so deceive the simple by a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels these hold not fast the head which gives the life to every member he that is without beginning of days or end of life by whom and for whom all things were made to him shall every knee bow who filleth all in all of whose fulness he hath received grace for grace who in these following lines salutes the whole elect of God every where plentifully giving forth of the great Mystery of godliness hidden from ages and generations now made manifest to the meek and upright in heart who in the unfeigned love abide which endures for ever R. T. DEar friends Brethren and Sisters of the Seed of Abraham partakers with him in the holy call and who in his faith wait for that glory and inheritance immortal which every one of you shall receive at the appearance of the great God and his Son Jesus Christ to you all be peace truth and love increased wherein you may be established to the end of your calling That which is set before me in the Spirit of truth and for which my soul travels and breaths after in the whole Creation but especially in you who are already called thereunto I am moved to impart unto you thereby to stir you up earnestly to press on towards the appearance of that to which you are called in one which is no other then what hath been holden forth from the beginning even the only begotten of the Father filled with grace and truth for the obtaining whereof you that are faithful have denied the delights of this present world and do daily undergo the enmity thereof Of whose appearance many of you have received a certain hope which cannot be shaken and a measure of him some are come to in the same Spirit who have seen felt and handled of his appearance and have received of his fulness wherein alone you excell and are able to hold forth that life iâ— the power of obedience meeknesse and fear which no form nor knowledge without is able to bear or bring forth which is that alone wherein I rejoyce in you and not onely so but find cause in heart to magnifie that goodnesse and glorious power of God already manifested in you and through you to the world whose praises will daily increase as his vertues appear in you which that you and all the number of called ones may increase and grow to the age stature and full appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the full desire of my soul and that which will give us an assured joy and perfect peace in one when knowledg will vanish and that which is in part shall be done away Wherefore you that have received the Spirit of Prophecy and that light out of darknesse which lets you see what manner of one the Son of God must be at his appearing in Spirit and power holiness and great glory I beseech you that none of you sit down at rest in this sight nor be you puffed up therewith as though you had already attained lest thereby the Enemy prevail to assault you above what is meet and so others lesse in wisdome who are more lowly in spirit step in before you and obtain that Crown and glory to which you were called and so while you feed on the knowledge you loose the life but that every one waite in the light to feel the power and life of the Son of God manifest in your bodies giving you victory over your own spirits and raising you up out of death into the life of the Prophecies that you may all know the true worship in Spirit and what you bow unto that henceforth you may be servants of righteousnesse begotten and not made which only hath food able to satisfie your thiâ—sting souls that you may all feel the onely begotten of God in vertue and power working mightily the work of the Father and destroying the work of the devil in every particular for hereunto were you first called that you should inherit eternal life and power the true riches of grace in righteousness and to receive a Kingdome that cannot be moved but that is able to keep you against all assaults of the enemy which â—iches is Gods onely begotten in whom is received of the perfect fulnesse of God which is only able to satisfie all fears and supply all wants in all who attain to his appearance And further I beseech you that you satiâ—fie not your selves onely with a feeling of this working in you but that you diligently attend an entrance thereinto that you may put him on whom the Father begetteth and formeth in you that you souls may be bathed and anointed therein And not only so but that you bring him forth before all men even him the only begotten Son of God in meekness long-suffering in patience in righteousness in godly holinesse and all his vertues the living image of him by whom he is begotten that it may appear to all men whose you are and who possesseth the vessâ—l and what he is that appears therein that it may be seen and confessed that God is in you of a truth revealed in his only begotten For this is he to whom at his appearance every tongue shall confesse and every heart be struck with fear though the form of his beauty and visage of his glory hath amongst false Births and fained professions been more marred then any mans who instead of bringing forth into the world the only begotten of God to convince and condemn the world of all ungodliness and save them from it have brought forth the conceivings of their own brains and the child born to them is no Saviour but their birth hath left them in the world and one with it who are now turning the words of Christ against his works and their power to withstand his appearance in others who is the same which was and is and is to come to all generations So that instead of holding forth that spiritual power of perfect Redemption from above to save his people from their sins and set them at liberty from the bondage of corruption to serve God in the new man the Son of Righteousnesse of peace and holinesse Gods image there appears the Son of wickednesse in every form at liberty and pleaded for the Image and power of all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse preached and set up so that the very faith and hope of Gods appearance in this generation is destroyed So these not waiting in faith single
the vine in a contrary nature Wherefore all who aime to hold forth in life to his appearance and to attain his coming in purity and glory must be diligent in the heavenly light ever minding the way and moving of the holy Spirit him that is from above that his form you may see who hath the heavenly image and the holy power that so beholding him with open face as in a glass you may be changed into the same image and formed thereafter from glory to glory by the powerful working of the same Spirit until the Tabernacle be built conformable to the heavenly exâ—mple and holy pattern in body and Spirit that as he is so may you be in this world that God may appear in his Temple that as the image of the earthly appeares in the world so the image of the heavenly you may bear a witnesse against them And by drinking in the communion of that holy Spirit and power from above you may become as able zealous and willing to hold forth the heavenly in holiness meekness purity patience love long-suffering faith and obedience to God and all the fruits of the Spirit as the Sonnes of the world are to hold forth the earthly in lusts and pleasures strife and envy cruelty and oppression and all manner the works of the flesh that you may as truly and really give up your bodies minds and strength to suffer with Christ that he may be manifest and magnified therein in your mortal bodies as others who are without God in the world do give themselves to act according to the principles and power of the God of this world his unrighteous wayes worships and fashions and all his cursed courses and the whole body of sin and mystery of iniquity born in them And where the Tabernacle is thus edified and the Temple thus cleansed there is a vessel of honour fit for the Masters use that being filled with the holy Ghost God may dwell on the earth and take up his rest therein his Tabernacle being with men the appearance of the blessed day so many souls hunger for and Abrahams Seed longs to see which the God of this world strongly opposes in all whose minds he hath blinded and whole spirits he possesseth in disobedience to the heavenly light for which the wrath of God remains upon that generation till this day and for ever Wherefore all you who wait for the Kingdom of God and love his appearance whose coming again is without sin abide within and wait in that Temple where the witnesse ariseth against the world that in faith and patience you may be counted worthy to receive that witnesse that it may arise and cover you and that in bearing it you may come out of the world being conformable to him who suffered without the gates bear his reproach and you bear his name touch not the unclean thing and he will receive you for himself in you to appear and be glorified lifted up against the powers of darknesse You that have received the earnest of this Spirit hath he not said I will dwell in you and walk in you wherefore come out from among them and be you separate This is the joy that is set before you to wit his appearance and that glory for the attaining whereof we endure the present sufferings and reproach not to be compared therewith for glory immortality eternal life O friends who shall be found worthy at his coming and in whom may he appear and not consume them for our God is a consuming fire even in his holy Temple is he known and with clean hands will he take up his rest and in the pure heart shall he be seen else who may dwell with everlasting burnings and who may abide that baptisme wherein every one shall be salted with fire at his coming THere is a Spirit that I feel that delights to do no Evil nor to revenge any Wrong but delights to endure all things in Hope to enjoy its own in the End Its hope is to outlive all Wrath and Contention and to weary out all exaltation and Cruelty or whatsoever is of Nature contrary to its self it sees to the end of all temptations as it bears no evil in it selfe so is conceives none in thoughts to any other For its ground and Spring is the Mercies and Forgivenesse of God its Crown is Meekness its Life is Everlasting Love unfeigned and takes its Kingdom with Intreaty and not with Contention and keeps it by Lowlinesse of mind in God alone it can rejoyce though none else regard it or can own its Life It s conceived in Sorrow and brought forth without any to pitty it nor doth it murmur at Grief and Oppression it never rejoyceth but through Sufferings for with the Worlds joy it is murthered I found it alone being forsaken I have fellowship therein with them who lived in Dens and Desolate places in the Earth who through Death Obtained this Resurrection and Eternal Holy Life J. N. Through the negligence of the Printer and the diligence of that spirit that would not have truth and righteousness to Reign some faults have escaped which the friendly Reader is desired to correct and not impute the blame to the Author for herein he was blameless In pag 1. line 1. for profession r. possession p. 11. l. 21. for wherein r. where p. 13. and last line for the bodies r. his bodies p. 15. l. 10. for here r. there l. 38. for Estate r. state p. 17 l. 1. for or r. of p. 19. l. 21. for him r. them p. 20. l. 27. for towards righteousness r. towards Gods righteousness p. 26 l 20. for mind r. wind p. l. 32. for oorn r. born p. 42. l. 3. for innocent pass r. innocent cannot passe p. 46. l. 7. this sentence is left out these resisted the spirit that spake in him p. 48. l. 35. for our r. your p. 49. l. 22. for the r. their p. 53 last l. for measure r. in measure p. 57. l. 6. r. to come and l. 25. for rooted r. blotted p. 65. l. 9. for she r. the. p. 72. l. 7. for you souls r. your souls THE END