is written The Invisible only Wise God whom no Eye of Flesh hath seen or can see and this moving invisible Spirit of God which is without limit or end is that which all People should be led unto by all its outward visible Appearances Ministrations and Dispensations and this Spirit was that which gave forth and ordained the Ministration of the the Law which was glorious in its time though to be done away but how much more glorious is the Ministration of that Spirit of Life it self from which the Ministration of the Law came which Spirit abideth forever And the second Adam is made a quickning Spirit and the Spirit which is the Word was with God and was God before the Body of Flesh was made and that Spirit abideth forever as it heard out of the Law He shall abide forever and this is that which ever liveth to intercede And this forever blessed invisible Spirit was before time and is to be when time shall be no more and is without limit an Eternal lively substance giving Life from it self and secretly covering it self from the carnal part of man not seen nor understood but by such as by its secret motions come to be led to see through that which shadows it forth and by the Image Form Shadow or Figure to discern the substance which is the Life where Immortality dwelleth for in the most innermost and secrets of all is the Life of all being covered over with that in which it lies through the which it breaking forth in any discovery of it self is that whereby the Beholders might be drawn through the discovery to it self which in the discovery broke forth for the discovery was still too short of that from whence it came and that which was discovered forth in any Shadow Form or Image was not to be idolized nor set up for the very thing or substance of Life from whence it proceeded and herein hath been much mistake by such who came not by that which opened in the Visibles to that from whence it came in that to have their Understandings opened and thereby to be made sensible of that which is Eternal by it to be brought in where its indwellings abide forever whose breakings forth in the visible which was to draw to that invisible refreshed the Soul invisibly in an unexpected time but being after sought for in the Visibles and not in the Eternal with-draws it self out of the Visibles and out of the sight and reach of that which seeks it there that thereby that which is to live forever with it may come through all that which it appeared in unto the very thing and invisible Substance it self which is the Life of all and the true center of the living Motion which moveth of it self and gave forth all things good as they proceeded from it by virtue of its gradual and various Motions and this being come openeth it self in them that find it and live therein and this maketh Darkness Light before the People whose dwelling is with God and the crooked comes to be made straight by the thing it self and dark Sayings of old come to be opened and secret things revealed But to write more plain for the sake of the weak of this glorious indwelling Spirit which in the fulness of time cometh forth in Flesh laying hold of the Seed of Abraham the most glorious appearance that ever was being thus appeared was the express Image of God who dwelleth in his People whose Bodies are Flesh and earthly Tabernacles but by the operation of the sanctifying cleansing Spirit which the Father sendeth are made fit Habitations of God and so Co-heirs with Christ and Members of his Body Flesh and Bones which Spirit quickneth to God and being thus received and obeyed is felt to live forever though the shadowings forth of it be done away and this is Eternal and never endeth but abideth with such forever and the Ministration of it is Life it self to the Soul and more to be valued and desired than all that ever was seen before it And as the Lord took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon his Brethren the Elders of Israel whereby they might rule and judge with him so saith Christ The Father shall take off mine and give unto you even of that Spirit of Love Life Power Valour and Virtue which was upon and in him that was like unto Moses is ministred into and put upon such as are truly his Brethren and Friends whereby him with they thus gifted sanctified and qualified judge the World for all Judgment is committed to the Son and of that which the Son hath and is committed to him doth the Father give unto his Members And so from Christ the Head they come to receive Power over the World and its Way Worship and Fashions and over Unclean Spirits And that is an Unclean Spirit which will lead into any Sin and it is an unclean Spirit in which sin standeth and which pleadeth for the continuance and upholding of that which is unclean and that is of the World which the Saints judge And as those Elders of Israel who were of the Church in the Wilderness were not made fit to judge nor rule in outward matters by all the writings and words of the Law though received by disposition of Angels until the Lord himself took off that Spirit which was upon Moses and put upon them So those that profess to be Elders in the Church now or any other Person whatsoever are much less made fit to rule or judge in spiritual matters by all the reading and professing Moses writings and Christs words and the rest of the holy Scriptures though they were given by the Inspiration of God until the Lord take off that Spirit which was upon and in Christ who is like unto Moses and give unto and pour it upon and minister it unto them And this is done in Gods way which is secret and time which is in his own hand to those whom he accounteth worthy thus to Honour and who truly wait for it as a Wayfaring man for a Resting place and as a Captive for Deliverance And though Christ after his Resurrection said All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me go ye therefore and Teach yet they were to tarry until they had the Power in themselves and when that was come which they were to tarry and wait for then with that they went and taught the Nations from the sensible feeling of that which taught them how to teach and all things else when the same Spirit and Power was upon them which was before committed unto him and so the coming forth of it from him into them and filling them therewith was to them in that work of the Ministry most effectual like as the Virtue going forth of Christ healed the Woman so the Power and Virtue of the holy Spirit coming forth from Christ being sent of the Father and received by the Disciples who
thereabouts who do seldom give People large Money to tell Lyes after they have taught them so to do unless it be when they hire them to tell Lyes and Swear too in bearing false Witness for them against the Innocent but they commonly force People to give large Money to them for teaching them to tell Lyes and to deny and murder the Witness in themselves which Witness comes to be received by believing in the Light John 12. 36. ch 1. 11 12. 1 John 5. 10. And seeing these Priests do now get large Money or take it by Force for telling the People many large Repititions in their Pulpits one year after another How Christ was caused to be crucified and murdered by the other Priests who gave Money to have it done and the People know that already And when I have considered how many Hundred Thousand Pounds a year these Priests do receive and take by force for telling the People how Christ the Light suffered under the other Priests and how he that condemns sin in the Flesh and saves from Sin was called a Deceiver by the other Priests then have I said surely these Priests are worse than the other for they gave their Money even large Money but these take Money and Money that is much more large and take it by Force too even Treble Damage or three times Treble what they demand and Rob whole Houses and have got the Rulers to uphold them in it never such Robbers and take Tythe by force from such as hear them not And the first Priests that I read of in Scripture who would take the Tythe or Offerings by Force were the Sons of Belial and knew not God 1 Sam. 2. 12 16. and they said If you will not give it us we will take it by force And so they that took the Tythe or Offerings by force were Sons of Belial And such Sons of Belial now who know not God do not only take the Tythe and Offerings but they take even Three times or Sixteen times as much in some places and sometimes the Persons of men besides And those Priests formerly did give their Money and Simon Magus would have given Money for the holy Ghost but now these Priests force People to give them Money for their Meanings of the Letter And when I have seriously considered these things I have even stood as a man amazed saying Who would or how could I formerly have believed that these Priests of England were so far worse than them Priests that made a Covenant with a Devil and that caused Christ to suffer Or who would have believed that they were worse than Simon Magus in compelling People to give them much Money for their Meanings from the Letter whereas he would have given his Money freely for the Spirit but the Spirit they have not to sell but if they had what would they not do for the love of Money which is so rooted in their Hearts would they not do as Judas did who sold him that was his Master but I do not believe they would bring again the Money as Judas did though he was a Devil And who could have believed that these Priests of England were so far worse than the Sons of Ely who were Sons of Belial and knew not God for they would take but the Tythe and Offerings by force but these Priests take the Tythe and Offerings and much more and the Bodies of Men and Women also and keep them in Prison until Death for whom they do no Work and who desire none of their Ministry And if they herein be not worse than the Sons of Belial let all sober-minded judge and consider this thing with me that the first Priests that caused their Servants to take the Offerings by force knew not God then say I Alas alas for the Priests of England are they so much worse than those that knew not God How doth their Shame appear And who could have believed that these Priests were worse than Judas that was a Devil who brought the Money again that he had received But when do these Priests bring again the Money and Goods which they have received and taken away by force though Judas did not take his Money by force And how hard are these words to be received by such who have not yet come to see and understand these things And how unwilling will the Priests themselves be to believe the truth of this which I have thus weighed and considered and pondered in the Meditations of my Mind What horrible things from the Pit of Darkness are these that the Priests should be worse than Judas for after he had betrayed the Innocent he confessed He had sinned and brought back the Money but the Priests said What is that to us And are not these Priests worse than they for these do not only cause the betraying of the Innocent and say What is that to us but they take Money and force People to give them large Money for betraying that which is Innocent in them by their Subtilty and Craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive and when they have betrayed the Innocent Principle of God in People by telling them It will deceive them yet they will not bring the Peoples Money back as Judas did nor so much as confess they have sinned therein but are Impudent O hard hearted and unreasonable Men have I said What shall be said unto them Surely they are the worst of men and it had been good for them they had never been born or had a beeing upon the Earth Did the Prophet Mourn over or Cry aloud unto them that spent their Money and Labour for that which satisfieth not Oh! what shall I then say or write or how shall I cry loud enough or mourn enough yet more in secret or sound a Trumpet to these dead sleepy Priests who compell People to give them so much Money or spoil their Goods or imprison their Bodies till Death for that which is so far from satisfying them that their Souls are murthered thereby and the innocent meek thing in them betrayed and the Witness denyed Oh! who can withhold from declaring this And who can but write it in a Book that they may see the State which they are in and that People may know them by their Fruits which did never so plainly appear as now And when these things came upon me in the deep Meditation of my Mind and Conference in my Spirit what a Condition was I often in and how was my Soul overcome with Sorrow my Spirit with Heaviness and mine Eyes with Tears When did the Prophets ever see such a Generation of Priests as these And what manner of Lamentaion shall I take up because of these things Surely I will cry aloud unto the Lord in secret and my Soul shall pour forth Intercession to my Maker and with Tears as streams of Water will I beg at the Throne of the Most High for the slain of the People that are killed all
thou never hadst thou saidst but now That thou wast but in part convinced of the way And hadst thou the Comforter long ago and lost him now the Way and the Comforter is but one the which is Jesus Christ John 14. 6. 17. 26. chap. 17. 23. I know that if Jesus Christ had been brought forth in thee without which there is no true comfort who is the substance of all Tythes Types Forms and Shadows that thou couldst not unto this day have remained a Parish Priest and so upheld an Antichristian Priesthood halting between many Opinions neither according to Aaron Levi nor Christ but living in thy own will and so living above Christ who lived not in his own Will for saith he Not my Will but thine be done John 6. 38. And now who will regard thy writings when thou acknowledgest That the Comforter which is the Spirit of Truth is departed from thee Now it appears thou art a Lyar indeed now thou hast no Truth born up in thy Understanding thy former Enjoyments as thou callest it which were indeed nothing but Comprehensions got up in the Wisdom of the Serpent Oh! art thou not ashamed that the World should now read thy Confusion which thou didst soon make up in thy Writings Art thou not ashamed in such a condition as this when thou confessest thy former Enjoyments and Comforts are departed from thee even now to writ against those that thou acknowledgest to have large Experiences and much of the Power of Truth through Christ page 50 Oh! take heed lest it had been better for thee that a Millstone had been hanged about thy neck and thou cast into the Sea Oh! canst thou not look back on him whom thou hast thus pierced to wit the Life of Christ in others Now thou mayst read with Shame and Tears that which thy own hand hath written from own sinful Heart look in page 5 8 and 18. which was then in the apostatized condition without the former Comforts as thou calledst it page 53. Now thou art found to be a false Apostle indeed Oh! remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first Works yea Repente'er it be too late Rev. 2. 5. Oh though thou canst strive with man there is no striving with thy Maker who will come a swift Witness against all deceitful Workers who livewithin the power of what they speak or write much more against those that write filthy Abominable Lyes Oh! if thou lovest either Christ or thy own Soul return return unto the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience which will let thee see the Deceit of thy own sinful Heart out of the abundant Deceit thereof thy Pen hath run so largely in Confusion Now I charge thee in the presence of the living God in as much love to thy Soul as ever that thou return to the Light of Christ in thy own Conscience and mind that which cheks thee in secret I tell thee man in love there is something yet in thee which will witness me to be true See one more page 64. where for thy own defence not for the defence of the Truth thou sayst Thou wast necessitated to fly unto the Practices and Truths of other men to wit Baptists where it is plain thou hadst not the spirit of Christ to fly unto and speak from as the true Apostles had witness one Acts 6. 10. Therefore thou art both seen in the Light proved by Scripture and thy own Writings to be a false Apostle and a false Minister 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. Much more might be said and proved both from thy Writings and Actings but I desire the good of thy soul by this which is sufficient at present to prove thee to be one of the Wandering Star Jude 13. A Word to all Professors in the World BEing it was ordered of my Lord God and Father of Lights that something must go forth in Print as from me who am the least of all Saints I was even as freely engaged in my Spirit out of tender Love to your Souls to present a few Lines from that measure of the Spirit which is brought forth in me Oh! My Friends my Friends the hour is not only coming but now is witnessed in me that the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live John 5. 25. and the Voice of the true Dove is heard in our Land to wit this Earthly Tabernacle that is made the Temple of the living God who is now fulfilling his Promises in us that walk not after Flesh but after the Spirit even in us is the Lord establishing his New and Everlasting Covenant even the sure and certain Mercies of David which is by the Life of Jesus Christ in us fulfilled and witnessed whereby we have fellowship with the Father and are in measure brought to live in him and he in us where we have Joy Rest and eternal Peace which passeth all Understanding and all the Worlds Comprehension where all the Children of the Light meet and see face to face for the Lord hath brought again Sion who is become the Perfection of Beauty out of which God now shineth Psal 50. 2. and is become our Glory and we his Isa 46. 13. O Praises Praises be unto him who hath redeemed us out of the Nations Kindreds and Tongues to serve the living God in Newness of Life and not in Oldness of Letter that so now we may offer up eternally living and eternal Sacrifice and Praise for evermore who hath in measure redeemed us from the World and out of all Darkness that is therein and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son and made us Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light which is the Eternal Light of Life for God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all and all those that live in him are the Children of the Day who walk in the Day even the pure Light in the which there is no occasion of stumbling our Feet being guided in the Path of Peace which is the true and living way in which the way faring man though a Fool shall not Err Isa 35. 8. which is the pure way of Holiness leading up into the full Enjoyment of the Father who hath long waited to be gracious unto us and now in the Day of his Love and Power hath gathered us in his Arms of Love and brought us home unto himself who were before the Out-casts of Israel wandering with you from Mountain to Hill but did not find Rest unto our Souls but now the great and mighty Power of the Lord hath raised up his own Seed in us to cry Halelujah unto him to whom alone be all Honour Glory and Obedience and Eternal Praises forever even forever and ever for he that was lost is found he that was dead is alive and behold he liveth for evermore Now my Friends the whole World lieth in Wickedness and all the World by Wisdom knows not God the
Cross of Christ is to the Joros a Stumbling-block to the Greeks Foolishness for Christ is this day as he was ever a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence to both the Houses of Israel 2 Cor. 1. 13. therefore are they this day speaking Evil of that they know not for say they concerning these Sects call'd Quakers We know that it is every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. But in the Way that men call Heresie do I Worship the God of my Father Acts 24. 14. and am not ashamed to own the Power that shakes the Earth for if I should be ashamed to own the Power of Christ before men then he might justly be ashamed of me before my Father which is in Heaven but I own and witness the same Power which made Moses exceedingly fear and quake The which overpowered Daniel that he had no strength left in him Dan. 10. 8. Which Power made Habakkuk Tremble his Lips Quivered Rottenness entred into his Bones Hab. 3. 16. the which Power struck down Paul Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. which caused the Goaler to come in Trembling Acts 16. 26 27 28 29. Therefore I say unto all serve the Lord with Fear and Trembling Psal 2. 11. and work out your Salvation with fear and Treambling Phil. 2. 12. for now I know the Lord to be with them that Tremble at his Word Therefore O foolish People without Understanding which have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not Tremble at my Presence Jer. 5. 21 22. Are you worse than Devils that Fear and Tremble Isa 2. 19. And now the mighty Power of the living God hath shaken the Earth and the Heavens that now that which cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. 27. Now all you that will enter in with the Bride-groom wait to receive the same Power for the Lord Jesus Christ is come tendering himself unto his own John 1. 11. and I witness that as many as receive him receive Power to become the Sons of God John 1. 12. O be not Fools and slow with Heart to believe all that the Prophets and Apostles saith for the Lord is still a God with Power he is the same yesterday and to day and forever whose everlasting Love is shed abroad in our Hearts by which the Love of the World is cast out For if any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him John 2. 15. But we are bought with a Price and after glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit which is the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Being made Ministers nof of the Letter which killeth but of the Spirit which giveth Liâ—e 2 Cor. 3. 6. Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry of Christ be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments in Tamults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left by Honour and by Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True as unknown and yet well known as Dying and behold we Live as Chastened and not Killed as Sorrowful and yet always Rejoycing as Poor and yet making many Rich as having Nothing yet Possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10 Verses Now the Light of the glorious Gospel in the Face of Jesus Christ hath shined into our Hearts whereby the Grace that was to be brought in at the Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. is now in us witnessed even the Grace the Apostle exhorted to hope for and the Prophets searched after 2 Pet. 2. 20. the which Grace and Glory is now made manifest in the Sons and Daughters whereby the everlasting Gospel is sounded forth in the Ears of many Thousands in England blessed are they that hear the joyful sound thereof For verily verily as the four Hundred and Thirty years Bondage in Aegypt was at last accomplished and as the Captivity in Babylon had an end and the Lord brought again the Captivity of his People even so now the many Years of Apostacy is over and the Lord hath heard the Cry of his own Seed and is come down to deliver Israel out of all Distresses and to gather the Out-casts Psalm 147. 2. And to bring home that which is driven away and to bind up that which is broken and to strengthen that which is sick but he will destroy the Fat and the Strong and will feed them with Judgment Ezek. 34. 26. but his own shall be delivered from the many Shepherds which have destroyed the Flock of Christ and they shall feed no longer Verse 20. yea verily People the mighty Power of the Lord is risen in England to gather his from the Corners of the Earth and they that have been long in the High-ways to Destruction being â—lind and Lame shall now be compelled to come in to the Supper of the Lamb and eat of the hidden Manna But many of the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out For for Judgment is Christ come into the World that they that see not may see and they that soe may now be made Blind Joh 939. And the Sword of the Lord is drawn against the man of Sin to cut it down Root and Branch and to set up the Kingdom of Christ in Rightcousness and true Holiness And this Work of the Lord shall certainly go on and Men Devils nor the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester the 8th Moneth 1658. YOu that are set to rule over others should not let secret Envy Ambition and Prejudice so rule over you as not at all to hearken to the Counsel of the Meek nor receive Instruction from the Simple whom the Lord preserveth but you should let Haughtiness and Arrogancy be done away for God resisteth the Proud And you should come to that which is meek low sober and humble with it to know a ruling over that which hath captivated you under the power of Sin and Satan who hath so blinded the Mind that the Meek of the Earth are become your Enemies for telling you the truth and the Day upon you is come in which you cannot endure sound Doctrine But this I tell you That they who hate Reproof are bruitish and every man is bruitish in his Knowledge yea O ye men your Pastors are become bruitish and have not known the Lord though this be a hard saying to you who are your selves in that which is to be ruled with the Sword of God's dreadful Power who will execute Judgment upon all and with his own eternal
greatest of his Adversaries according to the fruit of their own Ways and altogether Righteous in all his Doings from whom the Upright may certainly expect a plentiful Reward and all his Servants the Wages of Righteousness and every one of the least of his Children a certain Inheritance with the sanctified in the Kingdom that fadeth not away Even this is the Lord our Righteousness whom the World knoweth not who also appeared unto them who were truly our Fathers in the dayes of old who is the same both in Wisdom Strength and Power as ever he was and it is he that found us in the waste howling Wilderness and tossed to and fro with the unsetled Waves on which the Whore sate that brought into Drunkenness and with his holy Arm did he bring us out of the Miery Clay and my Soul from under the deep Waters and set our feet upon the certain Rock of Ages that Men Laws nor Decrees can never remove and he hath been unto us a Shield and will certainly be an exceeding great Reward or a Reward that shall exceed and surmount all the contrary What shall I say what he will be unto the faithful can never be uttered what he hath been in his Power Wisdom and Love to us we have seen and what he is let all my Brethren feel and this we are most assuredly assured of that he is become ours yea even our own and we have a part in him that is true our Covenant with him stands in the Power of his Life which is endless and he hath bought us with the price of that which puts away the Sin and certainly I cannot but glorifie him even in the Body Soul and Spirit and no other Lover doth my Soul desire nor a better Shepherd can Israel ever find nor a more wise stronger and tender Father can Children ever have nay he himself as I have said is become the Lord our Righteousness and the portion of our Cup in which Salvation standeth of which we daily drink and know it to be the Cup of blessing and can truly say our lot is fallen in a good ground I can truly say my Soul cleaveth unto the Lord who bringeth Deliverance and hitherto the Lord hath helped us and hath done greater things than could have been by man expected and what now though there be a Sea to pass through and Floods of ungodly men to get beyond shall we therefore be discouraged or shall we murmur because of the length of time or be discontented when the Lord brings his People into Tryals for a two fold end or purpose as in himself that is to say For the proving and humbling of his People that he may do them good or much more good than he hath done at their latter end And for the drawing forth of the Cruelty and Tyranny of his Enemies to the utmost which was in them before or grounded in their Hearts that their Sin being finished he might destroy them forever and overturn them so that they never rise again Or shall we be unsatisfied because the People of the Land of Darkness do shut us up out from amongst them by reason of the dread and trouble that is upon them Or shall we not be contented if the Lord should suffer us to be deprived of all things but himself that we might have none other thing to have unity with but only him alone surely this would be his Love and great would be the Unity between such and him What if we went out as Jacob did and left all behind us even Goods and Lands and Fathers House as did our Father Abraham And what if there should be a Pursuer like Saul and David yet we know the Dominion belongs to the faithful Seed though in many Tribulations even to us the seed of Abraham according to the Promise whose seed was led out of the place of Bondage as it is this day And what if we had none but him even the Lord our God to take care for our Bodies who causeth the Rayment not to wax old and the Widdows Oyl to encrease and gave Bread from Heaven in the needful time yet should it go well with us and though we had none other to trust unto then he who delivered his People after the Decree was sealed for their Destruction in the days of Mordecai who could not bow though the King had commanded it yet should we not be discouraged and though we had none other to cry in secret unto but him that preserved Daniel in praying to his God though his Life thereby was in great Jeapordy and the Decree of the King broken yet might we have quietness and peace yea much better it is to enjoy the Lord than life it self and the lowliness of his Countenance than earthly Treasure Nay truly let them take what they are for and their Minds in so we may but enjoy the Treasures of Life Immortal and the Crown of Everlasting Peace which fadeth not away Dear Friends and Lambs of the Morning and Flock of the Fold of God in the suffering state through which the Everlasting Life doth spring when I am declaring of the unutterable Goodness and transcendent infinite Loving-kindness of the Lord I am sometimes rather willing to be swallowed up in that infiniteness of it self than to be declaring of that which in it self can never be uttered as it is and when I enter into the Chambers of secrecy where the hidden Wisdom is treasured up I have been even ready to shut up all the outgoings and to dwell in the inward Chambers of the secret Closets where the unutterable Treasures are treasured up abundantly forever and even say in my Heart unto the yet scattered Ones Oh! that ye would come and see my Dwelling and find out my Resting place and abide in the beautiful Habitation and rest in the munition of Rocks Oh! that ye would come and drink of the everlasting Streams and be satisfied with the Springs of Virtue that your Bones might be full of Marrow and the inside of your dwellings beautiful so shall the Lord delight in you forever and though the World hate yet he will love and though Relations may deny yet he will own though Riches may take themselves Wings yet he will never forsake nay though mortal Parents might cast off yet then the Lord will not cast off but receive and though Wives or Husbands may break their Promise and so be without natural affection yet the Lord will never break his Covenant with his People for that shall last for evermore and though Children might for sake their Parents the Lord will be more unto them than ten Sons So that I say again were I in one day bereaved of all and seperated from my Fathers Children which of all outward things are most dear unto me yet enjoying the Lord and his Presence being with me in whose Covenant I am with all the flock of God in the invisible Life so should it be well with me
the Testimony of his Name and remain Prisoners for the same Truth and Testimony of Jesus for which also this Body of mine doth and hath long suffered Restraint and Bonds and my Soul grieved with the Sodomitish Wickedness and Heathenish Prophainness of Hard-hearted Rebellious to God and disobedient Ungodly People whose Judgment slumbereth not and whose Damnation will certainly come and be just from God upon them who have made a Covenant with Death and shew forth themselves as a people at an Agreement with all the Powers of Hell in which is the Reward of all the Wicked that have forgotten God and wholely rejected the manifold Manifestation of his Mercies which unto you O ye dear and tender-hearted is as precious Oyl and as desirable Treasure Who can but prize the Mercies of the God of Heaven How refreshingly hath it often flowed in upon the thirsty Habitations of many to the abundant refreshing and comforting of the weary Land Oh! how sweetly and with what pleasantness hath mine Eyes beheld the springing up and the growth and spreadings of the tender Plants after the distiling streams of the Heavenly Dews upon them and every one standing in his place flourishing with their Branches over the Earth not one offending the other and all casting forth a sweet favour being daily replenished with the springings up of the Sap of Life and comforted with the Sun Beams of Righteousness How harmoniously then doth the Garden flourish And how beautiful is every Plant whom God hath planted And is it possible for any other plants to bring forth Fruits unto holiness but only such whom the God of Heaven causeth to grow And how sad is it for any one Plant to hurt kill or destroy another And who can without some Remorse or pity behold the withering and fading of any such Plants whose flourishing was once so delightsom that all who passed by and took notice thereof commended them for their virtue or at least took some special notice of their prudence and the wisdom of him by whom they flourished in that they grew multiplied and prospered though they could not perceive nor understand by what invisible virtue they thus were nourished nor whence it came I say again when I have beheld the Trees of the Lord the Plants of the Garden of God in their fresh green growing flourishing united State in the Life of Liberty my heart hath often been refreshed my Soul quickned my Spirit revived and my mind and desires abundantly satisfied Then hath my life founded forth the precious praises of the Almighty in the Assemblies of the upright and my Heart broken therewith in the delightsom Love hath poured forth Thanksgiving with tenderness and tears in secret O! how then hath the overflowing of Mercy reached over the uttermost borders of my dwelling and how sweetly have we then been comforted and revived one in another How lovely then hath the face of the Righteous been when Righteousness it self in the Meekness of Love looked forth at the Windows How were the Bowels of each other then enflamed within them How sweet was the Beauty of Meekness to the Beholders Who then could but receive the love of the loveliness it self Dear Lambs of the fold of Heaven whose hearts are still opened by the feeling of the virtue of life who only know me and can hear the words of my Life and understand the Voice of my Love My Heart and Soul salutes you my Love is dear unto you my Life hath long reached forth it self towards you in my Remembrance your Life is written I am your Servant in the Love of God a Member of the Body with you a Brother in Tribulations a Companion with you in your Warfare a Feeder with you at your Table and one that rejoyceth with you in the Joy unspeakable being made with you a partaker of that precious Inheritance that fadeth not away where Life and Love and fellowship with Praises and Thanksgiving aboundeth forever Wherewith should I greet you in the Greetings of that Love which cannot be uttered And how should I Salute you in that which cannot be declared What words might I use to speak forth the Life of Wisdom or reach forth the true love of a broken Heart Behold I may become as a Babe herein and be silent as a Child yet learning utterance lest in reaching forth of my strength I should signifie my weakness to unfold the undeclareable Infinitness of the fulness of Virtue Wisdom Meekness Life and Love from the measure whereof my simple words most certainly do at present proceed as some few amongst many will surely perceive hereby who remain in the single-heartedness of undefiled Unity whose desires are still afresh enflamed and whose Bowels yet daily yearn after a more fuller enjoyment of God and the encrease and preservation of his Precious Truth and who for the same can still deny themselves to serve others in the true sense and feeling of the undefiled brotherly Love and who can lay down their Crowns that the Lamb may be honoured and suffer in the inward man that the Brother may be preserved for whom Christ dyed and towards whom Gods Love was even when he was an Enemy the which love of God being continued towards thee in the same Love shouldest thou continue towards thy Brother and there-with mayst thou do him good and perform some service towards the Lord whose love was towards you both and then from him shalt thou receive a Reward into thy own Bosom and in the needful time God will deliver thee and at the hour of Tryal he will Succour thee and thou the dear Plant of the Lord thereby mayst stand though some that were stronger then thee be overcome and fall into the Snare of the Enemy in that hour of Tryal and be then entangled with many Incumbrances and that of divers kinds The Lord God of Heaven and Earth preserve my dear tender hearted Lambs and Brethren out of such things that a Vail may not come over you and so the Life be stopt from springing up in you for then may such again go Mourning all the day long when none doth pity Friends the often Incomes of Gods Love and the forth flowings of the same towards you and the precious seed of God in them parts hath constrained me at present to visit you in the true love of my Soul with these Lines that so you might not only hear from me but also in some measure be comforted in me and likewise some of you a little refreshed hereby For Behold the God of Heaven is my Refuge and strength and the Lord of Host is my Upholder and the holy One of Israel is my Everlasting Support and the daily Incomes of that which doth truly comfort is as Marrow to my Bones yea the Lord hath prolonged my dayes inlarged my Borders and beautifyed the Place of my Dwelling My heart is overcome with his Love my Soul is filled with his Virtue and my Tongue doth declare of
way works worships and nature of such to serve the living God in the newness of the spirit through Faith and Patience and to walk in Innocency before the Lord for evermore Such shall come to rejoyce in the Truth and the Arm of the Lord shall bring them more nearer to himself that they may come to see the Lord in his Glory and to praise him in the Land of the living and to behold Sion in her perfect Beauty and to feel their Unity with Gods Elect and to enjoy the Covenant of Everlasting Peace that shall never be broken to be bound up together in the life of Immortality Wisdom and Righteousness to shine forth as the Morning like the Jewels of the Lamb and to be beautified with Meekness as the Members of the unspotted of God Oh! the Crown of Rejoycing and Everlasting Felicity that is set before you to whom I am not able to express the infinite bounty and goodness of the Almighty Oh! who can hold when the Lord hath spoken or conceal his loving-kindness when the Almighty giveth utterance The Lord hath enlarged my Heart let me not therefore enquire among you where there is room to receive it Oh! let there be an inward search whether that the door be open and the straitness taken away that he which was with you may find entrance in you and you truly come to feel the receiving of his life to the glad Tidings of your Hearts From such an outward Prison cannot keep me nor from them the vast distance of Miles cannot with-hold me Behold I say in the Name of God I am near unto you And when you are assembled together with one accord in the place where the Light is a Ministry to the work this read among you in the fear of the God of Heaven then shall many of you know it so to be that the Lord hath given me of his unlimited Spirit which I freely let forth unto you And the breathings of my life are that you might receive benefit thereby and be comforted together And be strengthened in the inward man that the Devil may not prevail nor the love of the World overcome the innocent desires which God hath begotten let no unbelief nor slavish fear hinder you in your spiritual progress toward the attainment of the Crown of Life in the Kingdom of blessedness which God hath certainly prepared for the upright and innocent And now behold I turn unto my Brethren the called and chosen of God whom my Soul hereby saluteth unto whom I cannot by words sufficiently express my Love neither have I room to publish the enlargedness thereof in writing neither will usual phrases of Speech satisfie my broken Heart Oh! blessed be the day that ever you were called and the hour of your Visitation and the time of the Conception of the Seed in the Womb and the season of the forth-coming thereof into the liberty of Peace Blessed be the Lord forever on your behalf who hath chosen you to the riches of life and brought you to the Well-springs of Mercy and caused you to drink of the Rivers of his strength which hath daily been renewed unto you Oh! blessed be the God whose love hath not been with-held from your Souls and who hath not with-held counsel from your Eyes Friends God hath opened my Heart unto you receive me therefore as in the Bowels of Mercy that now we may praise the Lord forever Oh! that your Souls may with me forever magnifie the unutterable Power of the God of Heaven and that you may this day with me drink freely of the Cup of Eternal Salvation that then we may rest together as in a Bed of Repose in the delightsom Arms of our Father's love that forever we may sing the Song of the Lamb and sound forth the Praises of the Almighty together that you may know the Lord is with me and that the holy One of Israel is indeed become my everlasting Support And unto you all Friends Erethren and fellow Members of the heavenly Body these are the pourings forth of Gods infinite Love free for all that can receive it And thus in few words as unto you my Brethren even desiring to be felt and received in that which comprehendeth all words and is more than words can express in which the words end which was before the words were where my dwelling is and you that truly know me know it so to be where-with you in the eternal Beeing and Substance of all living I rest in the Fountain of Mercy desiring daily in my pourings forth of my Soul unto God that you all may walk blamelesly and be preserved in the Truth of your Hearts to stand stedfast in the day of Tryal at hand And so in the power of Wisdom which is the Refuge of the Innocent the Lord God Almighty of Heaven and Earth preserve you all and keep you all for evermore Amen And hereby you may likewise know that I am in health and strength of Body and Soul and that my Heart is sometimes enlarged with the Power of Gods Love and my Spirit at Liberty which is out of their power to imprison by whom my Body is shut up in the close unsavoury Prison of my late and long sad Sufferings in the common Goal at Winchester where this is written by him that God hath called herein to be your Servant in obedience to his blessed Will known to the World but unto you in that which is nearer than this Name Humphry Smith Concerning TYTHES TYthes at first were not required but given only of the Spoils of the War only once by Abraham unto him that was made like unto the Son but the Substance being come even Christ who was before the Wars and before Abraham he redeems out of the Lust from whence the Wars arise and so bringeth to an end of that from whence Wars come and so to an End of that from whence Tythes were first given and so to give nor pay Tythes any longer being redeemed out of Lust and Wars and Fightings by the Blood of Jesus who said I am the Light that abideth a Priest forever and his day Abraham rejoyced to see who brings to the End of the Tythes and makes War with that and slayes that which caused men to Slay one another in the Wars who comes to save the Life who is Greater than Abraham who being now come denyeth fighting and saith He that taketh the Sword shall perish with the Sword And so that was to perish whereby Tythes were first given then must there needs be an end of Tythes which also perisheth with the using and the Law for the Tythes which had a shadow of good things to come decayes and waxes old and vanisheth away the good things themselves being come and good will towards man and the Covenant of Light to joyn the hearts together For Tythes were never given nor paid until after men had killed and slain and done violence and wrong one to another
and Christ saith Love your Enemies and if he smite thee on the one Cheek turn the other And such as are come to that and obey his command are come out of the Wars and the Strife unto the Prince of Peace who was before the Wars and so know the peaceable Covenant which will not wax old but last forever in which there is no Wars nor killing one another and so comes to the End of that Covenant which commanded the Tythes and to the change of the Law the Priest whereof and they that receive the Tythes murder and slay him that is to bring to the End of Tythes so that by him to the End of Tythes they are not come nor from under the first Covenant where the Tythes are paid whilst the vail is over the Heart and that Ministry standing which makes nothing Perfect and will dye and change and perish but he that Redeems out of and from among them and that which perisheth abides a Priest forever and of him it is said he liveth And so him we bear Testimony of who is entred within the Vail in whom the Vail is done away and so that is seen and departed from and made an end of which stood whilst the Vail was not rent and the way into a more Holy known than the first Covenant wherein the Tythes were paid the Vail being over the Heart and is yet over the Hearts of all them who pay or receive Tythes and all that uphold it who may take notice that the first Priests that ever took by force Offerings were Sons of Belial and knew not God whom the Lord destroy'd and they perished in the Wars with the Sword 1 Sam. 2. 12. ver 16. Therefore we cannot but deny Tythes and the upholding of it and all such as take it especially ly force which Actions are the fruits of such Priests as know not God and such he will overturn For the Seed of God in many Thousands Cryes unto him by reason of the Cruel Oppression of Tythes from under which the Lord will deliver us Humphry Smith This for my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith at Little Cawerne THe God of Heaven that made me and the Lord God of Power that called me to obey and follow him even in that day when I was not acquainted with his Voice and who hath been my Guide Defence Succour and Comfort unto this day and moment and who hath ever upheld me as a Father the Child by the Arm of his Power whom the world neither did nor can by its Wisdom ever know who is the only wise Invisible Spirit that upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power who is dreadful to the Heathen that know him not and more precious than ever can be expressed with Tongue or Pen unto them who have felt and received and live in the true sence of the Enlarging incomes of the virtue of his Power the Life whereof to them is most desirable My Strength Life and Refuge alone is he whose service I have no cause to decline and whose precious powerfull call he never gave me cause to repent for with himself he hath and doth dayly gratify me with a full Reward for all and all manner of my manifold Tryals and daily Sufferings and Exercises which I meet with in the way but really and Absolutely I can truly say that none of these things move me in the least from that foundation upon which the God of Heaven and Earth hath long since established me that I might stand for him and the Glory of his Name who hath both set and appointed me thereunto and given me Courage as a fortified Tower to stand as a mark for the Adversaries of Sion to vent forth the utmost of their limited Fury And in the Lord my strength is my Considence neither have I believed that ever I should distrust him though since the day that I have known him he hath even suffered the Sorrows of Death and the pangs of Hell and the Powers of Unutterable Darkness at sometimes to compass me in on every side and to lift up themselves in the vaunting Arrogancy of the swelling Pride thereof as Mountains never to be removed But behold he who hath his way in the Whirl-wind and his path through the midst of the deepest Ocan him alone it was that my broken Heart was by the power of his constraining Love resolved to follow forever even through the greatest difficulties and the most hardest Straits Tryals and Hardships with all manner of outward and inward Sufferings that might be permitted to happen unto or fall upon any one of the Children of men Oh! that I could now sufficiently declare his Goodness and so fully and effectually make mention of his Power as it deserveth or as the Lord hath given into my Heart to desire of him to be made use of in the Declaration or Manifestation thereof in this my day unto the Sons and Children of men Surely when I am waiting of him and of his unutterable Goodness and Power my Words and Lines are also short of setting forth the Virtue and Fullness of the most unexpressible divine excellency thereof that sometimes I am rather ready to dwell in silence with and in the fullness thereof which overcomes with unutterable Virtue than to be writing of that which in its self can never be written though what is written may be by and with and from the overflowings of the same and so be as drops or little streams of heavenly Water to refresh the dry and thirsty Land which therein doth its service and then the praise thereof is to return unto him who is the alone fountain of all Virtue and the Life which giveth Life even unto the dead that hear his Voice whereby he comes to be known to be Infinite in Wisdom Power and Virtue whom my soul doth Honour my heart doth Praise and my spirit adoreth forever for none is like to him neither doth my soul desire any other but he whilst in this body or for evermore in the Life which yet doth come Let all that know him bow before him and let all that hear his voice be humble and meek and let every one that truly desires after him wait with diligence and in patience upon him and let all that are faithful to him rejoyce in his Love and prize him for much more then the liberty of their bodies or the Enjoyment of Thousands and Thousands of Thousands of Temporal Visible Earthly thing All which are his and he is ours yea he is certainly mine and I am his and my soul doth magnifie him and my spirit doth yet breath farther to sound forth his Praises not only all the dayes of my life whilst in this Earthly Tabernacle but likewise in the hearts of Thousands of them yet unborn and among the Generations that are yet to come by my faithful upright Testimony and the Record thereof which may remain when the God and Father of my life hath gathered me
and here printed A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Or Chief Heads contained in this VOLUMN THe Sufferings of the Saints at Evesham Or a short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God Page A Warning to the Priests Magistrates Rulers and Inhabitants of Exon pag. 1. Some of the Effects of the Priests Ministry in Devonshire p. 6. The first and second Priesthood declared according to the Scriptures p. 10. An ALARUM sounding forth unto all the Inhabitants of the Earth as a Warning before the Vials of Everlasting Wrath be poured forth upon them p. 19. A sad and mournful Lamentation for the People of these Nations p. 28. Idolatry declared against p. 46. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness by the Light Life and Mighty hand of God p. 52. I. Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and Imployment p. 55. II. Concerning my publick Preaching p. 62. The Wandering Star discovered or something in Answer to a Book called The Quakers Blazing-Star or The Worlds Wonder p. 68. A Word to all Professors p. 86. The just Complaint of the Afflicted against the Rulers who oppress the Innocent to be delivered to the Judge of the Sessions at Winchester after pag. 92. To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life p. 93. The Two striving within p. 98. The Love of God declared and Satans Wiles discovered p. 102. The Ground Foundation Beginning and Father and Children and Compass and End and the Effects of all the Harpers Musitioners Singers and Dancers p. 108. Divine Love spreading forth forth over all Nations Or the Glorious Day of Vnity Peace and Concord p. 116. To all Parents of Children upon the face of the whole Earth p. 123. The true and everlasting Rule from God discovered and that which proveth all things published from the Spirit of Truth p. 135. A Testimony of the true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another p. 155. An Invitation from the Spirit of Christ p. 164. The sounding Voice of the dread of Gods mighty Power p. 167. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought home To the thirsty breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors p. 175. I. Concerning Mofes's Ministration p. 177. II. Concerning Christ and his Ministration p. 179. III. Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit p. 185. The Vision of Humphry Smith which he saw concerning London in the year 1660. p. 195. To the great Flock of the imprisoned Servants of God Almighty p. 201. A Warning to New-England's pretended Christians p. 207. The Lamb and his day proclaimed p. 211. Six Proposals stated for the Honour of the KING I. By his Subjects Vnity one with another p. 214. II. By his Subjects submission actively or passively unto all his Laws p. 216. III. By his Subjects faithfulness unto him p. 217. IV. By his Subjects Vprightness in their Traffick with other Nations p. 218. V. By his Subjects departing from that which dishonoureth both God the King and themselves p. 218. VI. By his Subjects being the peculiar chosen People of God p. 220. To the Lambs of Christ p. 223. To such in whose hearts the spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare p. 226. Sound things asserted 1. In the Kings own words 2. from late Experience 3. From Scripture-Truth 4. According to Reason and Equity p. 229. Forty four Queries propounded to all the Clergy-men of the Liturgy Also eleaven Reasons why these Queries are proposed p. 236. An Epistle to all the Meetings in Dorsetshire p. 258. To the despised rejected and persecuted Lambs of Christ in the County of Dorset p. 263. One Hundred and Forty four Lines of secret inward Melody and Praise to the Lord p. 269. Hidden things made manifest by the Light in a plain distinction between Condemnation and Temptation p. 272. Concerning Temptation p. 279. A Direction in the way to that within the Vail by which Temptations are overcome p. 285. The Meditations of an humble Heart p. 290. To the espoused Virgin p. 293. Something how the Marriage of the underfiled Lamb and Virgin came at first to be P. 295. To all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end P. 297. To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven P. 301. The Cause of the long Afflicted and sore Oppressed sent forth from Winchester Prison P. 309. The Answer to the Mittimus P. 310. A Copy of a Paper sent to the Sessions P. 312. To the Sons of men P. 317. To Friends at Ailsbury Prison and in them parts P. 323. To the the Young and Tender and to the late Convinced People of God amongst the rest of the Elect and already Chosen P. 328. Concerning Tythes P. 335. To my nearly related Friend Elizabeth Smith P. 363. THE Sufferings Tryals Purgings Of the SAINTS at EVESHAM Who by their Obedience to the Lord in their Measures do overcome their Enemies by their daily suffering under them Or A short Description of the first Ground of the Persecution of the Servants of God occasioned by the Priests and the continual Proceedings of the Magistrates against them called Quakers AS the Priests were always Enemies unto Christ and his Disciples so do they continue persecuting the Saints laying Snares for the Innocent and smiting with the Tongue Jer. 18. 18. and stirring up the Rulers and the rude Multitude making Uproars and Insurrections against the Saints as they did against Christ and his Ministers for the chief Priests assembled with the Scribes and Elders of the People consulted how they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him yet they would not do it on the Feast day lest there should be an Vproar among the People Mat. 26. 3 4 5 But the chief Priest and Rulers in Evesham after their Consultations how to ensnare the Innocent did come on the first day to ensnare us but standing in the counsel of God we were preserved from their first Snare which they laid for us I having notice of it before in bringing the whole multitude to provoke or entrap us the which when they could not do though hundreds of them gathered together about the Door where I and many of the Servants of the Lord were like those that gathered together about Lot's door Gen. 19. 4 5. yet none of them could provoke us to words nor had they any way to ensnare us then as afterwards will appear And after the chief Priests had hired Judas for thirty pieces of Silver to betray Christ Mat. 26. 15. and after Judas had brought again the thirty pieces of Silver then the chief Priests took the same Money for the which Judas had sold Christ and with it they bought a field of Blood Mat. 27. 6 7 8. So the chief Priests have purchased unto themselves and all their Generation with
filthy Hole the 16th day of the 11th Moneth 1658. by me that have him to be my Life who is a man of Sorrows that of men am called Humphry Smith MAny Dayes and Nights and Times and Seasons for many Weeks and Moneths of late Years have many deep and serious Considerations been in me and many Meditations in my Mind and Heart in the true fear of the living God and often times in quietness waiting on the Lord God of Abraham hath my Spirit had secret and private yet plain Conference with the Lord concerning the Teachers and Leaders of the People even the Hireling Priests of England and other Nations and the Followers of them And when I have weighed all in an equal Ballance I have found that it hath been in pure Love to the Souls all Mankind and without Prejudice or Envy to them their Bodies or Persons as they are the Creatures of God and the eternal Witness of God in his Covenant of Life hath and doth and will justifie me herein forever And when I have looked back upon the Teachers and seen what a stir and a noise is made among them about God and Christ and Faith in his Blood and Redemption and Justification by him and all proceeding from that nature in them which is at Enmity with God And when I have seen how many Thousand Thousands and Hundreds of times ten Thousands following of them and Contending Fighting Stoning Whipping and Imprisoning for them and are guided or rather blinded by them And when I have seen what care is taken for them and to uphold them by the great Rulers of the Nations even Protector Council Parliaments and Justices besides many Thousands of bruitish People that are stoning and fighting for them that they might be upheld and maintained yea even in Excess and Fulness from the Peoples hard Labours And when I have seen how many Hundred Thousand Pounds every year they have received from the People And when I seen that notwithstanding all this the People are still in Transgression and so under the Wrath of God and yet know not how to come out of their Sin which separateth from God but that many Thousands dye in their Sins and many more are pleading for Sin and many end their dayes in a Bed of Torment gasping strugling grovelling and raiging in unquietness under the horrible Terrors of the unutterable fierce Indignation of the Wrath of the Almighty and so go down into the Pit forever as many have done not knowing a resting place in the peaceable stillness of God's Covenant of Life and Peace Oh! when I say I have beheld and deeply considered these things and many more which might be named and seriously pondered them in my Heart from a true sense of God's Pity to the precious Souls of all Mankind and from a true Understanding of the Terrible Woâ—s VVrath Horor and Perplerity of Spirit that then comes upon such who thus due in their Sins not reconciled to God even then hath my heart been broken within me and mine Eyes as Fountains of Tears and a sad Lamentation night and day hath come upon me and a true Mâ—â—rning for the slain of the People who thus are cut off from God and separated from the Land of the Living O Wo is me because of these things my Soul hath been oppressed and my Spirit grieved and to the Lord alone hath a grievous Cry ascended up and I have said Oh that I could Mourn and Weep yet more in secret because of these things And when I have looked upon the Priests and People I have seen plainly and truly from the Lord God That the Spirit of Error and Ignorance in them hath been and is the very cause of all this Disorder Soul-Perishing state that is in and upon the Sons of men and their continuance therein then hath my Spirit said within me The Soul that sinneth it must dye but the Lord will require their Blood at the hands of those that have caused them to Err And the Lord hath said unto me concerning these Priests and Teachers My hand is against them And when I have looked farther back and considered them who were made Ministers by a known Law of God that they were declared against by the Spirit of Prophesie and that they were such Shepherds that could not understand being greedy and could never have enough Isa 56. 10 11. and that they were bruitish Pastors Jer. 10. 21. and as Murderers and Troops of Robbers and that the Lord had cursed their Blessings and made them base and contemptible in the Eys of the People Mal. 2. Then said I Ah! what state then are these men in who are not made Ministers by a Law of God neither yet sent forth by Christ Mat. 10. but are out of his Doctrine Mat. 23. and so Enemies unto him being known by their Fruits Mat. 7. 15 16. and are made Ministers by the Will of men and upheld by carnal corrupt Laws and the Imprisoning of hundreds that are come out from them that we may not partake in the Plagues with them who are seen to be of Babel Rev. 18. 4. in whom is found the Souls of men and the Blood of all the Saints from Abel unto this day and they have been upheld by the devouring of Widdows Houses the robbing of the Fatherless the spoiling of the Goods of Hundreds the Imprisoning of many until Death the Rifling and Robbing of whole Houses as may be witnessed in the County of Kent by a Paper entituled A Horrible thing and the Record of Sufferings for Tythe and many other parts in the Nation And when I have beheld these things I have said in mine Heart Those Ministers or rather Deceivers are far short and much worse than them in the Prophets dayes who were made Ministers by a Law of God though they became as Robbers and Murtherers And then have I also lamented the hard hearted blindness of many Rulers in these dayes who have been worse in their persecuting of those who from the Spirit of God do declare against these Ministers made by the Wills of men than the Rulers in the dayes of the Prophets who did not so Persecute them that declared against those who were made Ministers by a Law of God And surely I have said did not these Priests bewitch the Rulers that they cannot obey the Truth Gal. 3. And so cause them to obey them or be as it were Slaves or Pack-horses to them even making their boast in Print that they are still spurring on the Magistrate as Richard Baxter Priest of Kidderminster hath written But I say were not the Magistrates blinded by them and therefore uphold them by their corrupt Laws even giving them Treble Damages they would soon fall and come to nought for they are already fallen under the Magistrates and come creeping to them in the Serpents Wisdom upon their Bellies which is their God for more Dust or Earthly Treasure Money Goods and Earthly things But the Bishops
and the Priests in their dayes were exalted above the Magistrates and the Priests have yet that Spirit of Pride from which they write as if they rid upon the Magistrates and spurred them like Horses and this hath been so but it may be otherwife And I have seen how the Beast the Whore and the false Prophet uphold one another and ride one upon another and the Priests spurring up the Magistrates it s their own words and all making War with them that are sanctified rising up against them that are anointed who need none to teach and compassing about them whom God hath loved who are of the City where the Lamb is the Light and need not the light of the Sun nor the Moon And when I have thus pondered the state and condition both of Priests Rulers and People and compared them and their state with the Priests Rulers and People in the dayes of the Prophets and seeing the condition of these to be much worse and many things more that might be named and that the latter end of many is like to be miserable and that the Name of God is blasphemed by such who say they are Christians and are not like them Rev. 2. 9. and that they are in the Blasphemy though Rich men who do oppress the Poor in Spirit and cause them to be drawn before the Judgement-Seats James 2. 6 7. even then hath the consideration of these things often times brought a deep Mourning upon me and Sorrow hath filled my Heart But when on the other hand I have seen the Work of the Lord secretly going on in a hidden manner opening the Eyes and Understanding of many Rulers in the Nation and that many who are and have been in Authority amongst Men and in the Army have already and are believing in him who said I am the Light and is the Lord of Glory though as a Lamb dumb and a man of Sorrows not pleading his own Cause nor having whereon to lay his Head but Sick and in Prison and that many devout and honourable Women as in Acts 17. 12. are also coming and come to the Faith which purifies the Heart and Respects no mans Person without which Faith in the Heart walked by its impossible to please God And when the Eye of my Mind hath been fixed upon that Object then hath my Soul magnified the Lord therein and my Spirit hath rejoyced because of him that bringeth and is bringing Salvation and because of Righteousness Peace and true Judgment that the Lord is setting up over all in the Hearts of many Rulers and Devout and Honourable among the People that in Righteousness throught Humility they may come to be renowned with Honour forever These things on that hand and much which is coming to pass for an Everlasting Good among the People and is revealed in the Light and Fore-knowledge of God hath given some ease to my Wounded and Troubled Spirit and the Refreshings of my Father's Love hath bound me up in the Covenant of Life with the tender Seed in those whom the Lord is drawing by his Love through Humility to the durable Honour and Riches which will never fade Surely herein hath my Soul been made as a watred Garden with the Influences of my Father's Love so that living Praises over all hath ascended up to him whose Name is blessed for evermore because he worketh and none can let him But when I have looked back again upon the Priests and the many hundred Thousand Souls that are kept in the Witchcraft Gal. 3. Rebellion Job 24. 13. gain-saying blindness and ignorance and the daily murthering of the Souls of so many then because of the Shepherds who destroy the Flock there hath been in me a Lamentation and a Cry Oh the Priests the Priests surely Vengeance is prepared of God for them Wrath Indignation Cursing Mal. 2. 2. 2 Pet. 2. 14. Bitterness Torment Perplexity Astonishment of Heart Endless Misery and Shame amongst men from the wrathful Vengance of the wrathful Terrors of God will come upon them in a Day unaware and their Houses shall be left unto them desolate and they shall become a By-word among the People as I have already written from the dreadful Indignation of the Lord God of Hosts in a Book entituled An Alarum even so shall it come to pass upon them behold it is hastning the Lord God of Hosts hath spoken it and his Word shall not fail neitheir shall his Decree be changed And when these things have come upon me even as a Flood of mighty Waters then have I said in the Grief of my Heart alas for the Priests The Priests even the Leaders of the People where will they hide themselves in this day of sierce Wrath and siery Indignation from the Jealous God of Majesty that is near at hand Oh! how will Shame cover their Faces and how will their Countenances fall like Cain and how will they Curse like Shimei even their God and their King who is the God of the World and their Belly is their God and how will they seek Repentance with Tears like Esau who might have said He was of Abraham And how will they Repent too late like Judas who had obtained part of the Ministry Acts 1. 17. and yet denyed him that was the Light and betrayed him who comes to make an end of Sin and was a Devil and hanged himself and yet had obtained part of the Ministry Alas for the Priests of England Are not they worse then Judas Did not he bring again and restore the Silver which he had taken And can the Priests of England do so Nay they have wasted it upon the Lust and Pride even abundance so that if they themselves and all that they have left with their Wives and Children should be sold at the utmost value though I not desire it should be so yet thereby could they not restore the tenth part nor one part in a hundred of the Silver which they have taken nor bring again the Money as Judas did which they have gained Therefore have I said Surely a sad Day will come upon them when they become a By-word and a hissing to all People and are turned out of their Parsonages Glebe-Lands Tythes Treble Damages and old Mass-Houses as their Fathers the Bishops and Deans and Quiresters and Singing-Men and Boys were turned out of their Pomp and Pride vain Glory Covetousness Exaction and Tyranny and out of their Bishopricks Denaries and the like And when also that Gods Witness shall arise in them to confound them within and the Light of Christ condemn them for their Deceit and Hypocrisie Tyranny Pride Idleness fulness of Bread Extortion and all manner of Wickedness Oh the Priests the Priests have said What a Day will this be unto them Surely then as I said and say again That the Shepherds shall Howl and a bitter Lamentation of the Priests shall be heard in all the Land yea the noise of their bitter Cry soundeth already in my Heart
and behold I have seen their Wo which is near at hand their Wives also shall be left as Widdows and their Children as Fatherless and from the pitiful Benovelence of the People must they be kept from Perishing in their Bodies but alas for their Souls who shall deliver them And herein moreover is their State and Condition the more Miserable because they will not regard this neither would they at all be warned by them whom the Lord hath sent amongst them and because they will not see when the hand of the Lord is lifted up neither regard the Word of his Power therefore for their Envy to the Lords People shall they be ashamed Isa 26. 11. that upon them it may be fulfilled which is written Behold I work a Work in your days ye Despisers which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you Acts 13. 41. Therefore have I considered in the very depth of my secret Meditations what shall be said or done in these things when the Priests have violated the Law and made void that which is Perfect and the Leaders of the People rebel against the Light Job 24. 31. and harden their Hearts against Reproof and will not be warned that they might escape the Dreadful day at hand therefore have I said Ah! surely the Lord will root them up Head and Tail Branch and Root in one day Ah! fruitless Trees said I have not you your selves yet brought forth the first Fruits of the Spirit which is Love And are not ye your selves yet come to that which fulfills the Law of God to wit Love And are not all without it as sounding Brass having the Tongues and the like making a Noise among the People like sounding Brass and pleasing their Fancies as tinkling Cimbals 1 Cor. 13. And have you been all this while sowing to the Flesh And are you the men who deny him that makes an end of Sin and his Blood which cleanseth from all Sin and the Faith which purisieth the Heart And are you the men who deny the true Light of him who said I am the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Are you the men that deny the Son of God and will ye not that he should reign that is of the Seed of Abraham who wandered up and down And is it you that are saying one to another and to the Rulers of the Earth concerning him that is the Light This is the Heir come let us Kill him And would you not that he should Rule who condemns Sin and saveth his People from thir Sins and maketh an end of Sin Surely have I said even therefore will the Lord reward you according to the Fruit of your own Ways and as you have denyed him so must you be condemned by him that is the Light Job 3. 19. And as you have been and yet are with Pilate and others of Babel in the many Languages and Tongues upon which the Whore sits and as you have been and yet are of the Nations which are drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore the great Whore Mystery Babylon that sits upon many Waters and hath corrupted the Earth and as you have been drunk with the Blood of the Saints and made rich by the Robbing and Spoiling of the Houses and Goods of many even as Troops of Robbers Hos 6. 9. Forty in one Troop lately at Dorchester feeding their Belly their God And as you have devoured Widdows Houses and been drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore and the Blood of Saints even so shall you have Blood to drink and even so must you drink the Cup of Astonishment and fierce Indignation of the Lord God Almighty and he will plague you false Prophets with the Whore together and the Beast and you must be taken alive and cast into the Lake of Fire which burneth forever and ever And when I have waited to see the end of these things and pondered this in my Heart in the Uprightness of Innocency and pure Simplicity of God then hath it been said in me Where then will the Memorial of this Priesthood of these Nations who came up since the Apostles days and were descended from the Bishops that were commissionated by the Pope and established by the See of Rome And what a Howling and a bitter Lamentation will come upon many in that day when Mystery Babylon the Mother of all these painted Harlots comes to be overturned forever How then will the Great men and the Rich men and the Mighty Ones of the Earth Mourn and Lament because of the Desolation of the Whore with whom they have all along committed Fornication and to see these her Children the painted Harlots the Priests of England who are covered with Saints words even dashed to pieces with the Light which is the Stone that is falling upon them to grind them to Powder Alas alas say they how many were made Rich And how many of our Children were like to be made Rich by being bred up under the Skirts of this Woman who hath a Golden Cup in her Hand holding it forth to all that will come to her And how many young men began to love her Pov. 7. Alas say they were not many of our Children looking at the Golden Cup and and growing up under her Wing at Oxford and Cambridge and in divers other Schools and Nurseries where the Languages and Tongues are even Multitudes upon which the Whore sits Rev. 18. 1 15. who hath the Golden Cup at which the Kings and the Great Ones of the Earth have drunk abundantly And must this Woman be laid Desolate And must her Children be dashed to pieces against the Stone the Light therefore is the Cry great and the Lamentation will be grievous when the Iniquity is come to the full the Sin ripe unto Judgment the Beast fully fatted for the Day of Slaughter and that come to pass which is haâ—â—ning suddenly though few can receive these things unexpected by many revealed in me and the more are they and many other People hardened and blinded herein because the Priests are so high so great and so strong and upheld by the strength of such Laws even exceeding and doubling in their Power and Authority the Laws that were made for the upholding of their Predecessors the Jesuites and Popish Priests in the dayes of Queen Mary whose Law was but three Moneths Imprisonment and now it is six and then the Law was but for the Tythes and now it is three times as much and so they are more higher exalted than ever and our Task is doubled and trebled upon us and besides they cry out We are Idle and wander up and down But let me Reason a little Was it not suddenly after their Bondage in Aegypt was doubled that the Lord overturned the mighty strength of the Oppressors forever and was not the cry of the oppressed great because the Task was doubled upon them who were in
the day long and in this have I believed that the Lord will hear my Cry and pity the People that are destroyed for lack of Knowledge that the Witness of God in them may arise and that the Prisoner of Hope may come to Deliverance And in this have I not been hasty as to utter their Shame for I was my self a Preacher in the Pulpits but in a Mournful state oft times many Moneths or Years have I born this Burden neither have I now uttered or written this out of Prejudice towards the Persons of any men but in the Mournful state of my long burdened and grieved Spirit from the true sence of the Sad Shameful and Miserable state that is coming upon them and the Eternal Wo and Misery that is like to follow after for evermore The which I desire they may escape by speedy returning from the Way that they are in now it is so plainly made manifest to be so exceeding Evil. H. S. IDOLATRY Declared Against THe Great and Mighty God who made the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and made all men of one Blood upon the face of the whole Earth and breathed into man that which is of his own Life that by it man might seek after him and find him who is Infinite Incomprehensible Eternal and Glorious even he dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands Acts 17. 24. neither is he worshipped in one high place or another by any of the Professing Jews who deny his Son of whom he gave Testimony That in him he is well pleased Neither is there any Worship or Service accepted with him but that which cometh from them who are led and guided by the Spirit of Truth and in it Worship the Father who is a Spirit and delighteth not in those Oblations that are Vain proceeding from the vain Minds of such who take his Name in Vain of whom he saith In vain do they Worship me And of all such I say their Faith is Vain who are yet in their Sins and found among the Gentiles who sacrifice unto Devils and not unto God being Children of Wrath and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise whose Prayers the Lord abhors whose vain Bablings cast an ill Savour in the Nostrils of the most High and their coming together is not for the better but for the worse even to feed and nourish the young Serpents and to encrease in that Knowledge which puffeth up and encreaseth sorrow the which knowledge the Hireling Priests Lips preserve which the Devil once taught saying Ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil and all they who encrease in this Knowledge encrease in that in which the Knowledge of God doth not stand neither can be received and so the Wo from the Lord God will come unto all them that continue their seeking the Living among the Dead crying for their place of holy Worship which is to be laid Desolate and living in Unrighteousness and in all Ungodly Practices without the fear of God and talking of him with that Mouth which is full of Cursing and Bitterness the Heart being not turned to God nor the Mind unto the Light of his Son who are themselves in the Jaws of Satan and are sometimes made sensible of the Power of the Devil working in them stirring them up to Wrath and moving them up to Envy Pride and Unrighteousness and the Lusts of the Creatures and the Vanity of the Mind but feel not at all the Power of God to work in them the newness of Life and his pure Image who made man Holy and Upright neither are they willing to receive that Power in them by which they might come to overcome their Sins and be led up to him who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh whom all the World not knowing is ignorant by Worshipping and denying his Son who maketh an end of sin and Contemning the Just One who is a man of Sorrows and denying him who is led as a Lamb dumb and slighting him who is the Light and refusing him who is the living Minister not made by a carnal Commandment but by the Power of an endless Life who teacheth all to profit who learn of him and none teacheth like him who saith Learn of Me then not of another not of a Hireling not of one that pleadeth for Sin but of him that maketh an End of Sin whom God the Father hath given a Light to the Gentiles a Covenant to the People that all men through him might be saved who hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and all Authorities and now all Dominions and Authorities are to be subject to Him who said The true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And Truth is that which maketh Free but the Worshipping the Unknown God in a Synagogue Idol Temple or Steeple-house doth not make Free neither makes an end of Sin but all them that are there are in their Sins and have not received Power to Overcome their Sins but are following such Teachers which Peter said should come in the latter dayes who cannot themselves cease from Sin And these Teachers Peter said and so say I that they are cursed Children beguiling such unstable Souls who are carried about with airy windy Doctrines after the cunning Crastiness of men who still lie in wait to deceive against whom we bear Testimony from the Spirit of Truth which guideth us not to handle the Word of God deceitfully nor to make Merchandize of the People neither come we with Flattering Titles but in the Power of the Lord and in the Demonstration of his Spirit of Truth do we declare against all Unrighteousness of Men whether Priests Rulers or People without Respect of Persons and we declare his Name in the World who is the Light of the World and publish him among the Sons of men who is Gods Power that saveth his People from their Sins who is the true Prophet whom all are to hear that all might come to learn of him and be guided by him in the Way of Everlasting Peace that so such as are Strangers to the Covenant of Grace being yet in their Sins and are the Outcasts of Israel might now come to be taught of the Lord and hear the powerful Voice of his Son and not follow Strangers any longer nor the dumb Idol Shepherds who are become Bruitish Jer. 10. 21. and cannot understand Isa 56. 11. that from them all such who fear the Lord might be gathered Ezek. 34. and may come to know the one Lord whose Name is one and the one Truth and the one Way and the Worship of the one true God and not follow them any longer who are Strangers to the Life of God nor such as cannot cease from Sin who are all in the Curse being not reconciled unto him who was made a Curse and so they come not to receive that by which the Curse is taken away and such are without God in the World and of such the Lord hath
with the Indignation of the Lord and overcome with the Power of his Might Many Woes could I from the Lord declare and much of his Judgment make known unto you yea many Lines might I write and unfold the Mysteries of his Power which from your Eyes are hid and long hath my Soul mourned in secret for you and because of the fierce Terrors of the Lord which you cannot escape mine Eyes have been filled with Tears and my Heart with Sorrow and that for you O ye blind scornful and rebellious Men that rule this County The Lord God will bring Shame upon you and your Names shall Rot and be left for an evil Savour for the Generations to come Better had it been for you if the Womb had been your Grave or that you had had a Milstone hanged about your Necks and cast into the depth of the Sea before you had writ an Line or made one Order or had a hand against one of the Friends of Christ who follow him that makes an end of sin whom one day you shall see to be of the Seed whom God hath chosen who being born of the Spirit are now unto you as the Wind of which you hear a sound but know not whence they come neither whither they go whom you keep in your filthy Prison to force them to bow to you like Haman but take heed how long you provoke the Lord therein and consider what it is in you which you would have us please bow or submit unto by speaking such words as may satisfie that Will in you which unjustly cast and keeps us in Prison And now behold the Lord God hath tryed you and you are found Enemies to his suffering Seed and Fighters against God and your Hypocrisie is made manifest and the Infamy of your Unrighteousness is spread over the Nation and Gods Witness in the hearts of Thousands will judge of your Actions to be Unjust and Unreasonable and to the Children of Light your insides are discovered and your end is seen and your secret intents neither can your Devices be hid nor any shelter cover you for the Light is come that makes all things manifest and the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Be ye now therefore awakened and instructed O ye Rulers of the Earth and let your Minds be turned to the Light in you and strive no longer with God who is Light for that which may be known of God is manifest in you And did you not first strive and fight against his Witness in you you would not fight with your carnal Weapons and carnal Prisons against his Messengers and Servants who fear before him and fear not them that kill or imprison the Body till death of whose Servants and Messengers you shall know that I am one in the day of your Calamity and Destruction the which that you might escape in Soberness and Meekness have I this many Moneths dealt with you writing reasonable and plain things unto you that you might in meekness come to hear the Cry of the Oppressed both within and without but if you hear not earthly things but in that be unreasonable and unfaithful in the unrighteous Mamoâ— who shall commit unto you the greater Riches or open unto you the Mysteries of the things of God who with things that are not is bringing to nought things that are and with the things that you despise is he overturning the Counsels of the Mighty and that which confounds the Wisdom of the VVise and brings to nothing the Understanding of the Prudent and overturns the Devices of the Wicked even in that is my Life and in that which terrifies troubles torments and condemns the World do I rest in Peace with God for evermore and remain A Friend to the whole Creation and to the Souls of all Mankind who of men am numbred amongst Transgressors in a filthy Prison and place unfit for men at Winchester this 24th of the 8th Moneth 1658. To the Enemies of Equity Truth and Peace I am only known by the Name Humphry Smith To them who have lately believed in the Light and are waiting to receive the Life THE Day of Gods Everlasting Love is come and with his Mighty Power is he risen to gather all them in the Light of his Son that long have sate in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death upon whom the Day is now Dawning wherein the Outcasts of Israel shall be gathered and the Captives that long have groaned may now come to know Deliverance for with plentious Redemption is the Lord visiting his People and he is coming near unto his own and seeking them that are afar off and lifting up a Standard for the Standard for the Strangers to flow unto and many shall return unto the Lord and People shall be gathered to the God of their Salvation and he will pour out his Spirit upon the Humble and fill the Meek with the Riches of his Love Multitudes of People shall come unto Sion and the Poor of the Flock to the City of the great King for Light is breaking forth as the Morning and Righteousness as the Sun at Noon therefore shall the Mourning Seed be comforted and that which groaned in Captivity lift up the Head that the Prisoner may spring forth of Bondage and the longing Soul be satisfied and Judgment come upon the Wicked and Terror upon the Loftiness of man the Rebellious brought down to the Dust and that which boweth not unto the Light with it is condemned forever that through the Condemnation the Seed may spring which long in Death hath lain and is now to be raised up by the Arm of God's Almighty Power which now comes to be revealed unto them who believe the Voice of the true Spirit which is in the midst whom all are to hear and obey his voice who comes out from God and leads them that believe in and obey him up unto God again and he is the only Way unto the Father by whom the Redemption comes who is arising in the Hearts of the Children of Light whereby they come to know Light shine out of Darkness giving them the Knowledge of God which Knowledge they never learned from all the Teachers of the World which Teachers are themselves in that Ground in which the Knowledge of God cannot be received and that which they have not received themselves they cannot teach others therefore you have not received the Knowledge of God from them after which Knowledge something in you hath long groaned which is now to be satisfied from him in whom the Fullness of God doth dwell who is the Light of which you have received in which you are to wait to receive the Promise of the Father that your Souls may be refreshed in the Bosom of his Love and feel God's Mercies showered down as the early Rain in the time of Drought that your tender Desires may not wither nor your breathing Spirits faint in the way but may with chearfulness
therewith and Tears was as my meat and drink night and day and often was my Heart refreshed with love from God when I came unto that which came from Christ the Man of Sorrows who said Come unto me and suffer little Children to come unto me but many despised my Tears and vilified my Mournful state not knowing as they said what the matter was with me and much provocation was used to get me out of that Condition and as I grew up to hurry me into the Earth which brought much disturbance upon my foolish despised state that fear and terror then entred upon me and ghastly Dreams in the Night and sometimes strange Visions in which I should cry out and speak aloud to the raising of all in the House who with all the means they used could not get me out of it which even astonished the Parents with fear which things I well remember and by the violent fierce wrathful Nature that ruled in others was my quietness disturbed which begat Wrath and Anger in me again towards them which may be a Warning to you yet something of God in me was not wholly overcome And the first words according to Scripture that pierced my Heart and remained with me was He hath filled the Hungry with good things and the Rich hath he sent empty away The which words remained as a thing printed and sealed in my Heart from the pure love of God and my Meditations of him and his Love was exceeding prevailent upon my little tender Heart being a Child and so much the greater was my Grief when by the Earthly mindedness and wrathful hasty Nature in Parents and others I was even forced out of it and so provoked to Wrath Grief and Discontent and not suffered to come nor keep to Christ who saith I am the Light which I felt meek and low in the Heart therefore was my Trouble great many times and wrath and hastiness began to have entrance in me the which being sensible of and finding a love towards God to be much more precious than any thing of the World and having a Hope towards him I do affirm That when I was a little Child I should and did often pray to God believing there was a God though I knew him not even earnestly did I pray with Tears and my Heart was opened with his Love to whom also I should make my Complaint in secret sometimes upon my Knees when I could get into such a place that none could see me nor at all come to know it And sometimes as I went along the way when it come into my heart then should I even as it were beg and cry with many Tears and had boldness towards God as towards a familiar Friend though much in submission and fear as one unworthy because I had sinned against him And for these things I had no Creature to be my Example nor to learn it of and not knowing nor hearing of any that did the like I durst not let any know of it nor wherefore I did so often weep when they did see me for I saw none but despised that condition and were unsensible of my state And so having not any that was sensible of that tender Principle of God in me to cherish that or be a help to me in it but all as I grew up to nurse up the evil earthly thing that was begotten in me as I said before by that nature my Leaders were in and as I grew in years so that was apt to grow in me my natural Father being more eager than most men in labouring and caring for earthly things that when I grew to the age of six or seven years and upwards there was seldem one day in six but he caused me to cry bitterly and through provocation continually thereunto the Earth and Darkness got entrance in me more than before and the tender Principle of God in me was vailed from me and so became in after years as a Child of Wrath disobedient to God as I have written in a Book entituled Man driven out into the Earth wherein is declared the dreadful Indignation of God that after came upon me because of that wicked Nature which I was led into before I came into this peace with God which now I do enjoy with him forever whose Name my Soul doth magnifie for evermore And this I do write to be an Ensample unto you and a Warning that you may not bring your Children into the like Alienation Torment and Condemnation as I was and the more especially because that few afterwards do return to God with all their Hearts and enter in at the straight Gate And this you may also consider that this I write in plainness and true love to you and your Children for the good of Body and Soul that in the fear of the living God you may train them up so may you have comfort in them at the last and they may grow up in the Wisdom of God to rule over such outward Earthly things as the Lord or you may commit into their hands for this you may or should know that such as truly fear God will do no Evil nor waste the Creatures upon their Lust and if you teach them to waste the Creatures of God in Pride lust vanity and needless things when they are young how can you expect but they will abuse spend and waste your Estate when they are grown up and some have been bred up so high in Pride that when they have wanted to maintain that and other Wickedness they have robb'd and stole to maintain it and at last with shame come to untimely ends and many things might be named which with the Light you may also see and know that these things are of great concernment both for Body and Soul and for your good and your Children Therefore that it may go well with them and you and that God may do them good at the latter end let all your Children every where be trained up in the Way that they should go which Way is Christ and he saith I am am the Light and the Light in them will let them see that they should not Lye nor speak Wicked Words nor do any Violence one to another and so you are to train up your Children in the Light for the Light is the Way in which they may come to know God and hear his Voice for God speaks by him that is the Light And God called Samuel being yet a Child and Ely bid the Child answer the Call of the Lord. And the Child who answered the Call of the Lord reproved old Ely the Priest for that Priest's Sons were Sons of Belial and knew not God and them sons of his were the first Priests that ever took Tythes by force and they and their Father came to an untimely Death under the Judgments of God which is also to follow upon all them Priests that take Tythes by force And certainly when I was a Child the Light
the Scriptures testifie of and was given forth from John 5. 39. that by it in them they might be enabled to do God's Will and witness the Scriptures fulfilled as it is written I will walk in them and dwell in them 2 Cor. 6. 16. and he is the God of them in whom he dwells and they are his People in whom he walks from whose Inspiration the Scripture came in which it is written Prove all things 1 Thes 5. 21. and try the Spirits and that which proveth all things and tryes the Spirits comes from the God of the Spirits of all flesh and from the Word of his Power by which all things were made which Word in the Heart is as Fire which proves tryes and refineth things and is 1 John 4. 1. Numb 16 22. John 1 3. Col. 3. 16. Psal 3â— 3 Jer. 5. 14. Mal. 3 3. Heb. 4. 12. Psal 139. 1 23 24 John 4. 1. Luke 10. 42. 1 Cor. 2. 12. ch 1. 21. Rom 8. 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 3. 16. ch 2. 10 John 15. 4 5. Jude 6. 2 Thes 1. 5 6 7 8 9 10. John 17. 17. Psal 51. 6. John 1 14. ch 8. 44. 2 Cor. 44. Ephes 2 2. John 8. 24. ch 17. 7. 1 Tim 4. 5. Job 8. 32 ch 15. 5. 1 Joh. 3. 5. Dan 9. 24. 2 Cor 3. 5. ch 4. 10. Rom. 4. 8 10 Eph. 3 17. Col. 1. 27. Joh 16 25. ch 15 5 quick and powerful dividing asunder Soul and Spirit and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart man feeling that and coming to be guided by that which searches the heart and tryes the reins with that may he try all things from the which one thing within the false Spirits are gone forth into the World and those Spirits of the world and all the world by its wisdom and that Spirit which is without knows not God nor the measure of his spirit within And so those are the false spirits that are gone forth which are to be tryed by that which is not gone forth but abides within and discerns the Heart and those that are gone forth from being guided by that within as the holy men were they are like unto the Angels who kept no their first eslate for man at first was and holy men were guided by that within which is the Word which Word is Truth and he that abode not in Truth which is in the inward parts was a Devil and a Murderer who is called the God of the World that blindeth the Minds and worketh in all the Children of Disobedience and so the Devils Works are in his Children and they are talking of the Works of God without them but they that are led by the Word of Truth that sanctifieth cleanseth and maketh free by it they come to know the Works of the Devil destroyed which was in them 1 John 3. 8. And so he that destroyeth the Works of the Devil and maketh an end of Sin and bringeth in Everlasting Righteousness is known in all them that are not Reprobates And so when sin is made an end of Everlasting Righteousness is brought in and so it s within and not without And so he being received within who brings that in which is Everlasting to that man he is within the hope of Glory and shews plainly of the Father and saith Without M E yo can do nothing It s not said Without Scripture ye can do nothing and they that are without him who teacheth all things are without God in the World but he that hath the Son hath the Father also he that hath the Father and the Son abiding in him need not to go out from that to be taught or led by any other thing or Rule without him as it is written of him that overcometh That he shall no more go out and upon him that goeth not out the New Name comes to be written and he comes to be a Pillar in the Temple of God who goeth not out Rev. 3. 12. And the Name which is better than of Sons and Daughters even the Everlasting Name that shall never be cut off is given to them within the House and within the Walls even to such who take hold of the Covenant Isa 56. 4 5. And the Sanctuary is set in the midst of them for evermore Ezek. 37. 26 27 28. And in the midst of them will the Lord spread forth his hands as one that swimmeth Isa 25. 11. And though Ephriam compassed the Lord about with Lyes and the House of Israel with Deceit yet saith the Lord unto Ephriam I am God and not man the holy One in the midst of thee Hos 11. 9 12. And so Ephriam compassed him about with Lyes who was in the midst and he that was in the midst was holy though compassed about with Lyes and the Just Lord was in the midst of the filthy poluted and oppressed City Zeph. 3. 1 to 5. Consider this all you poluted Ones who oppress the Just in the midst of you for the Just Lord in the mâ—â—st will arise as a Lyon out of a Thicket and a young Lyon out of the Forrest he shall roar like a Lyon and utter his Voice like a man of War Isa 42. 13 14 15. And then shall his Enemies be scattered Psal 68. 1. And he will sweep away the Refuge of Lyes therefore the Daughter of Zion and the Daughter of Jerusalem and Israel shall be glad for unto them it is said The Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see Evil any more In that day shall it be said to Jerusalem Fear thou not and to Zion Let not thy hands be slack the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save Zeph. 3. 14 15 16 17. And he that is mighty to save is known in the midst and so he that justifieth is near Isa 50. 8. even he who hath said I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel forever and my holy Name shall the House of Israel no more defile Ezek. 34. 7. For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his Habitation this is my Rest forever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly bles her Provision I will satisfie her Poor with Bread I will also clothe her Priests not the Priests of England with Salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy there will I make the Horn of David to bud I have ordained a Lamp for mine anointed his Enemies will I clothe with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish Psalm 132. 13 to 18. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. The true Prophet who was to come is come and there is not another his Work witnessed and Truth declared from a feeling sence and experience according to Scripture THe true Prophet is come of whom Moses the Servant of the Lord did write who is raised up in the
them that follow him their Captain know right well and before him all the mighty of the Earth are as a tottering Wall and as a broken Hedge and he it is that rideth upon the Wings of the Wind whose Power is unlimitted whose Wayes are past finding out who descended into the Lower parts of the Earth from whence the wicked never knew him to arise But I with the rest do witness he is risen through the Earth and his Feet stand upon it and is become the first Fruits of them that slept and is ascended up on High and hath Dominion over all and is crowned with Glory and Honour eternally in the Heavens and hath given Gifts unto men and from him the Gift of Eternal Life is come And this is my Beloved O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and this is my Friend and Redeemer O ye Sons of men even he who hath redeemed my Soul from Hell and brought me back From the Power of the Grave this is the Prophet of whom Moses did write should come and is come and there is not another than he that is raised up in the midst which is Christ the Light of the World in the Heart this is he that hath done wonderous works for in and by me and many more who are thereby made living Witnesses unto his Name whose Name is a strong Tower and a Rock of Defence he is a sure Dwelling-Place he is the Rest of the Soul and the â—oy of the Living And since he hath put the Sword of his Spirit into my hand and his Word of Life into my Mouth and Wicked thereby have been cut down like the Grass and the Mighty have been trampled upon as the dust in the Streets the tall Cedars have been as the Brambles and the strong Oaks have been rooted up the Prophet became a Fool the Pastors became Bruitish and the Spiritual Man was as Mad but the Seed hath been refreshed and the weak nursed up the tender Plant preserved and the Hungery fed And for his Names sake will I not keep silent until my Testimony be finished and until Jerusalem be made a Praise over all the Earth and her Righteousness break forth as the Morning and her Comliness as the Brightness of the Sun and till I see the Destruction of her Enemies and her Adversaries overturned forever for Powerful is our King who is come to reign Oh! who can with-hold the Pen from writing and the Tongue from declaring VVhen the Lyon hath roared who will not hear VVhen the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie How can I but declare his Wonderous Works and proclaim his Name where-ever I come and confess him before men though I should suffer much more Prisoning Dungeon and VVhipping than I have done surely his Name I will declare in the World who is the Light and give my Testimony of him that saves from Sin whose Name is called Jesus the Light of the World which is the elect precious and Corner but stumbling stone even to both the Houses of Israel but it is he that is come to rule the Nations with his Iron Rod and dash his Enemies in pices like a Potters Vessel and judge the Earth in Righteousness and the people with his living Truth and now the Sinner shall not stand in Judgment nor the Wicked in the Congregation of the Righteous for he utters his Voice like Thunder against the Wicked and is dreadful against all the Double-minded he condemns the Unjust with an utter overthrow and pulls down the Unrighteous from their Seats Oh! who of the Wicked can stand when he thunders from Heaven and pierceth through the secret parts of the Heart And though I do speak an Allegory yet I do not speak contrary to the Scriptures but according thereunto from the Spirit of Truth and though I speak of the Operation of Christ in his Members yet I do not deny the Works which were wrought by him in his own Person and though I preach Christ within the Hope of Glory yet I do not preach another and though Paul travelled in birth again until Christ was formed in the Galathians yet he did not desire another Christ should be formed in them And though Paul said God had revealed his Son in him yet it was not another Son and though I say the Son of God is come and hath given me an understanding yet it is not another Son but the same that ever was who worketh all our Works in us And though I preach him The Makeâ—â—â—â— End of Sin yet I do not preach another but they who preach a Christ that doth not make an end of Sin nor save them who preach him from their Sirs do preach another Christ seeing the true Christ maketh an end of Sin And though I say the Prophet is come who is mighty in Word and Work and raised up in the midst or in the Heart yet it is not another but the same whose Wonders appeared outwardly whilst he was in the form of a Servant upon the Earth And though I preach him to the World the Light of the World yet it is not another but the same who said I am come a Light into the World and I am the Light of the World Joh. 8. 12. And so he being come a Light into the World he is to be preached as he is the Light that all men through him might belive and mens minds turned from Darkness to him who is the Light in the Darkness and it is most right and proper to preach him the Light who is now come and is the end of the Law to all them that believe in the Light and the end of the Prophets who preached him that is the Light under various Names or Terms as King Priest Prophet a Son a Child the Mighty God and David called him Lord and he is called a Saviour a Redeemer a Mediator c. who being come saith I am the Light and so its right and sound Doctrine to preach him as he is The Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World which is the true Light and we that preach this do not preach another but him who said I am the Light By me who refused the Glory Treasure and Preferment of the World and did chuse rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God and though I profitted much in that Religion where the carnal Ordinances are yet that profiting came to be accounted as Dross Dung that he might be received who makes an end of Sin who being now come his Love constraineth me his Name to publish who is the true Prophet whose Name is called Jesus who hath and doth save from Sin for whose Name sake I have been often brought before Rulers haled and beat out of the Synagogues numbred among Transgressors tryed at Assizes as an Offendor yet there denyed the Liberty of a Murderer being six times imprisoned twice stript naked and whipt with Rods and since put into Bridewell once
prosper even as Kings whose Armies are swift to the Battel their faces are as an Adamant and their Countenances firce and terrible the found of their Voice is dreadful and the noise of their Appearance Astonish the Heathen the Earth before them is full of its Fruit behind them its a desolate Wilderness they spare not the Antient nor the Honourable neither have they respect to the Persons of men they even smile at Destruction when its coming and they are prepared for all your Oppressions VVherefore now gather your selves together O ye Potsherds of the Earth and stand up all you that thirst for blood assemble your selves together all ye Persecutors let your Counsels come up from Hell and let the depth of the Powers of darkness shew forth it self in the utmost of its strength and with it combine ye all together and stand up in the Power of your King which is the Angel of the Bottomless Pit who is head among in and over all you who thrist for the blood of the Innocent Now come and draw near in the very height of your Father's VVrath and behold we meet you in the Infiniteness of our Fathers Love and stand you together in the depth of your secret Subtilty and behold we abide in the pure VVisdom of the most High Stand ye up for the Glory and Honour of the World and we abide faithful for the Glory of the Lord our Maker And this I say plainly unto you that your long Tyranny will never weary out the patience we have received neither can you inflict more punishment than the Lord hath enabled us to bear and as your Wrath is incrased our Humility is increased much more and as you are filled and moved with Envy we are much more filled and overcome with the Power of the Fathers Life and though you contrive ways to ensnare the Innocent we take no thought aforehand to deliver our selves for Self we have denyed and we have given up our Bodies and Souls a living Sacrifice unto God to do or suffer his Will And him that kills the Body we fear not much less those that can but Whip or Imprison but for a few Moneths for our Life you cannot reach neither can you disturb their Rest whom the Lord hath crowned with Honour who out of the World are redeemed and bought with the price of Blood most precious but are become his to follow him whither-ever he leads them though it be through Tryals great Tribulations Bonds and long Imprisonments these things cannot move them who are brought to rest in the Defarts and sleep in the Woods yea and there is none can make them afraid with all their Threats unrighteous Laws Bonds Bridewels long unjust Imprisonments or Death it self And this Honour hath the Saints and herein do they rejoyce for evermore in that they are counted worthy to suffer for his Names sake who was made perfect through sufferings and and thereby overcame all the Powers of Darkness whereby Principalities and Powers are spoiled forever and through sufferings are we made more than Conquerers over all our Enemies whose Day will have an end whose Cruelty will cease whose Tyranny will be rewarded upon their own Heads and their Memorial will Rot forever but the faithfulness of the Faithful shall never be taken from him nor the innocency of the Harmless shall never be forgotten neither shall they ever want strength to stand in the day of Battel nor courage and boldness to endure when the Enemies of the Lord arise in Opposition against the brightness of the rising of the Power of the Lamb of God who is come to take away the Sin of the World even him who is the Light and the Heir against whom with one consent the Rulers of the Earth the Hireling Priests with all the Prophane and Unclean and all them of all Opinions in the World are joyning together in one Combination as with one Mind conspiring in their Enmity to slay and murder the Heir that is come to make an end of Sin Who saith I am the Light H. S. To all that want Peace with God To the Sheep every where not brought Home To the Thirsty Breathing Soul and to the Seed though in Captivity among and in the midst of all Professors Greetings of Love Mercy and Peace from God the Father of the Living VVHere the Bowels are not shut up nor the Heart darkned and where that doth not bear rule which stoppeth the Ear and closeth the Eye and where Prejudice and Rebellion against the Light with the Wisdom of the Flesh through that knowledge which puffeth up hath not wholly eaten up devoured got over and wholly overcome that tender Principle which once moved in the Heart towards that being of the living Substance There may my words take entrance and unto such who feel that which breathes to God and who are willing to be satisfied concerning the living Truth of his Son and who would receive the Truth if they knew it and do yet more desire after the Power of God than all the Temporal things that are seen and who are yet come no further than the reading of the Law the Priests the Tythes nor that Religion that makes nothing perfect and who are come no further than the outward Baptism Shadow or Figure or such things which are to be left behind Hâ—b 6. or who are come no further than the Supper or the Death and so not yet saved by his Life nor drunk of that which saveth and is to cleanse from all that which separateth from God after whom and the incomes of his Love Immortal whosoever truly desireth and is willing to receive the Power of his Life and come in Covenant with the Lord Such may lend me an Ear a little and you are them who may receive some benefit hereby for behold I write in plainness of the things of God my heart being enlarged with abundance of his Peace in which there is good will towards men that you might come to draw near to the Witness the Testimony whereof is within the vail which vail is over the heart 2 Cor. 3. 15 and is not done away but as you come to be in him who is given for a witness Isa 55. 4. by believing in the Light John 12. 36. and so to have the witness in you 1 John 5. 10. and you to be in it and that you may come to participate of Gods Indwellings and feel the Oyl which will last forever therefore I proceed thus How can I but look back a little with an Eye of Pity over those who yet are where once I was when the Darkness was over the Earth and the Cloud of Error compassed me as well as others surely I cannot now be so unmindful of them that are yet lost as not to have compassion upon the Out-casts of Israel or to conceal from them these things of so great concernment but rather as the Lord of my Life hath opened to me will I reach
with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with Power or had the Power in them And so what they were commanded to do they were to wait to receive Power in themselves from God to perform and Christ did intend to give them Power to do that which he commanded And as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received Power so to do and so it was the Power of the holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received Power from on high even the Spirit or Life of Truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach the Nations and converted Thousands and turned Sinners and brought Souls to God and then they were called Christians and then were People brought to be of the true Church which Christ buildeth upon that which flesh and blood revealeth not And this is the entrance into the Church of God 2 Thes 1. 1. the receiving of the Spirit and in this God is worshipped and not else for this hath excluded all other Worship and those only are the true Worshippers who come in thus by the Door which is Christ the Light and Spirit of Truth sent into the Heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divines so called in Europe or all or any of the wisest Orthodox men in any other Quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true Worship of God who is a Spirit now extant among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the Spirit of Truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth that we may see it and prove it by plain undeniable Truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their Proofs Words Ways Actions Practices Performances Duties and several Worships as things of no value Or if there be any other entrance into the true Worship of God than this Spirit that God sendeth or the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other Worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of Truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone Worship of God whilst men have a being upon Earth then let the wisest of the Sons of men bring it forth and produce there strong reasons therein that we may plead together and that the entrance into and the true Worship it self of the only true invisible God may be declared over all the World for the satisfaction of every tender Heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon Earth is made a quickning Spirit and is the Way and Truth of Life which bringeth into the Worship of God and he is the begining and the end and he leadeth to the beginning of Gods Worship and he is the end and the Rest of all the faithful in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen and without him all is as nothing and all that come before him are Thieves and Robbers and he it is that abideth a Priest forever and his Spirit of Truth is it which all People and Professors whatsoever should first wait to receive thereby to be led into that true Spiritual Worship which alone God accepteth lest they and their Worship and Building fall together in a day when there is none to deliver And then thus I will Query If Christ own dear Disciples who had forsook all and followed him not Priest or Baptists did not come to receive this Spirit by hearing all the words which he he spoke unto them but by waiting after the words were ended Then whether those that have not forsaken all nor so much as the Worlds fashions do now come to receive the Spirit by Reading Hearing or Professing the same words of Christ now written or any other part of Scriptures Or whether a Proud man hath received this Spirit or a Lyar or a Prophane person or any Wise or Prudent man whatsoever by any means or way of his And whether any such ever did have can or may by any industry or other way or means attain to this Spirit which leadeth in the true Worship of God but as it is freely given forth from God And then whether all people are not to be led by that Spirit which God freely giveth into the Worship of God because Christ said The Spirit should lead which indeed doth lead into all Truth and nothing else doth so And they that have not received this from God to lead them are not yet come to be led by that which the Sons and Children of God were and are led by And the Ministration of the Spirit which all are now to be taught by is inwardly to be known in the most nearest secret invisible manner and is more out of the sight Comprehension and reach of mans Wisdom than any other Ministration and it is given forth from the clear Fountain it self unto the Souls satisfaction of man when he is come to the end of words or having heard much or all the words that can be spoken of it remaineth unsatisfied in a restless longing desire to find receive feel and enjoy the thing it self which the words declared of and that which satisfieth the true thirsting Soul comes clearly from God to the refreshing of the inward parts of man and filling of the empty barren hungry Spirit which cannot be saâ—â—sâ—ed without Gods indewllings and thus the Disciples were led along and at last in a foolish way to the great Professors they waited among them in Jerusalem and the Lord had regard unto them and sent his own Spirit unto them and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost And the secret invisible hand of God whose Power was and is felt in my heart having out of the sight of flesh and blood in the hidden counsel of his secret Will led me by the vertue of the operation and drawings thereof through those things which thereby I come to leave behind and to receive and feel that which now goeth before and is my Leader in whose Covenant of Life Eternal my Soul is now satisfied and so by good experience of the Lords leading and from an experimental knowledge and sensible feeling and present enjoyment of the incomes of the Spirit of Truth and Life which filleth the inward parts with the holiness of it self and giveth power to do the things required before of God even from the right and good understanding thereof is this written That where it meets with the like condition in a weaâ—y Traveller
with Humility forever the little Child is you to lead in the peaceable Path of the Fathers love that you all as Lambs may follow him whose Power saveth from Sin in him trust compassed about with the Walls of Salvation and feeling the everlasting strength you all to preserve in the Power of his Might his Blessing to receive unto the Seed that you in it and by it may be fruitful unto God forever For dear Friends the Father is well-pleased in him who is meek and lowly in the Heart and in obedience unto him through the leadings of his Spirit of Power in which the Father's Love is manifest which leadeth in the low Ground where the safe way of everlasting Peace is known where all things are quiet and still where the small still Voice is heard whereby the Dead come to live in the powerfull Life of the Fathers Love which compasseth about the Seed as a Wall of everlasting Strength which is made perfect in Weakness and to the Weak is only to be known that the Weak then may say I am strong feeling Strength ministered forth from that which is begotten of the Father which never was comprehended by the Earthly Wisdom which is all scattered as the Smoke before the Wind when he ariseth who hath long been as a Servant and is now to be served that he may be Lord over all who is as a Man of Sorrows and leadeth through the Suffering state that by the Obedience of Faith through the Power of the Cross which crucifies and brings to the Death that which is to dye that the Vail may be rent the way into the Holiest of all made manifest and that received into the new Ground which abideth forever even that which now Comforteth the weary Soul and Satisfieth the longing Spirit and Replenisheth the dry and barren Land with the Rivers of the Valley and the Springs of the Desart that the Meek in the Earth may Rejoyce forever and through the Earth may grow as a Lilly in Summer For plainly it s the Poor that receive the Gospel and the Meek of the Earth that shall inherit Substance and its the Lowly that will abide forever and the Seed of the Shepherd that shall be set on the Throne and he that is low shall never fall neither shall his Footsteps at all be moved he leads the Creature in the Fathers fear and guideth the Tongue in Wisdom and it s him alone that all are to wait for to receive and continue in even him that is acquainted with grief who never openeth his Mouth in Perverness but speaks Life in Wisdom through the Power of the Father's love which overpowereth the Soul as an overflowing River of Oyl which makes all well and heals the grieved Spirit which none ever comes to find but such as alone walk with him who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and became as a Servant though he was Lord over all in him there is Safety for he is the Rock and the sure hiding Place even out of the sight of the World and from the Tempters power for the Devil hath nothing in him who is meek and low in whose Mouth there is found no Guils And this is he that hath been long set at nought whose Tenders of Love constrains Obedience to himself because of the Beauty that is in him which from them is hid over whom the Vail is through which they cannot see the Comliness of his Love Oh all ye Lovers and Followers of Truth and Righteousness come ye all and sink down in your Minds unto him whose love springeth forth of the low Ground as a Well-spring of Life issuing forth abundantly as through a Rock that is hid under the Earth thence cometh Life to the Humble and there may you drink with me of the Cup of Blessings for from the Root of Jesse and the Foundation the Branch which is low doth spring forth the Life to the satisfying of every Branch and truly in him there is Life indeed and with him there is no want Who can desire another than he or who can complain that dwells in him where the Unclean doth never come where all things are at Peace and Rest is enjoyed forever Oh let none turn aside from him nor climb up above the measure of his humble Life nor reach beyond the Power of his Breathings forth neither grieve ye him through the unkindness of your forward Wills but love him as the Life of your Souls and prise him above all that can be spoken and tender his Love as the Apple of thine Eye that he to thee may be forever the Prince of Eternal Peace and the Power of thy Strength and the Blessing of thy Life that thou never mayst want Food nor Rayment nor want a shelter in the hour of Temptation nor look for another to help in the time of need And so my dear Lambs in him keep for evermore for it s he that comes out from God and keepeth them in perfect Peace who in his lowly Spirit abide from thence to feel the Fathers Love arise with it to love and tender one another So to that which is of my Fathers Life in you all I desire to be known and in it with you to have Fellowship forever which is more than â—â— to be declared by a multitude of Words or written in many or long Epistles the bowels of my Fathers love from the measure of his own Life in me is to his Image and that which is begotten of him in you all So the Life of the Power of the Lamb of God be with you all and the Blessing of the God of Love and Peace preserve you in all Humility of mind that the begotten of the Father through the Power of his Love may increase and grow up unto him who is the Life of my Soul who is blessed for evermore Amen H. S. Winchester-Bridewell To such in whose Hearts the Spirit of the Lord is beginning to move his Truth to declare YOu whom the mighty God of Power hath found in a Desart Wilderness polluted in your Blood without help or strength of your own whose Nakedness did once â—ppear and you in it stood guilty before the Bar of Gods Justice receiving the Condemnation due from him who then said unto you Live and since in the measure of that Word upon the Lord have waited to receive that which was promised of him who is the Father of the faithful This I say unto you the thing is great that you are come unto and entering upon to speak in the Name of the mighty God and to publish the Message of the most High to declare the Word of the Lord among the Heathen and minister Life to the Spirits in Prison to stand Witnesses for God to the People and to be as Guides and Examples to the Tribes of Israel Oh! how can you but be overcome with the dread of the Lord and filled with the Power of his Love How can your
not standing in the Cross to your wills in Obedience to the Light to receive the Judgment due to that ground from whence Transgression ariseth whereby the Enmity might be â—â—ain the love of the World rooted out and that ruled over with the perfect Law of God which was not subject to it that the Law of the Spirit of Life your minds might be alwayes exercised in thereby to be made free from the Law of sin and death that sin might not reign in your mortal Bodies but that through the power of the Cross of him who is the Light the sinful Lusts of the flesh might be mortified and you led by the Light through the Law by it to have the Transgression thereof to you in every Particular discovered that every one might deny and stand out of that which leads into the Transgression thereof seeing with the Light that not one jot nor tittle thereof shallpass till all be fulfiled and the Righteousness thereof is to be fulfilled in you by your humble and faithful following of him that worketh in us who cannot transgress the Law who being made as a Servant under the Law to him you are all to come and see the Law stand in force over every one that doth transgress which Law is addedbecause of sin and that which saveth the Soul doth not make it void nor mittigate the power thereof against any one that sins wilfully after the knowledge of the Truth received but upon such the Wrath of God abideth which is ministred forth through the Law with Tribulation Anguish and Wo upon every Soul that doth Evil so Trouble Torment and Vexation of Spirit cometh upon such who turn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel and let the spirit of the world reign over them not being faithful in the little which from God they had received by the powerful ministry of his living Truth that the smallest of all seeds in them might spring with obedience through the whole body of the Earth under which it lieth and by it in many is oppressed and such in whom it is so are in many Doubts and Reasonings from that ground out of which Unbelief doth arise And then the Mind being from the Light a hardness comes in and the Rebellious take entrance and so that which is worse than before gets strength which being joyned unto leads in a secret deformity farther from the Witness then ever so that then the good Savour comes to be lost and the Understanding darkned not knowing the true motion and often a carcless Spirit gets head and such are from the true Love and suffering Seed in themselves and so not joyned in the Covenant of Love and Peace with them that abide therein the which they sceing a discontent ariseth therein in the mind so did Cain he murmured at the other but the Fault was in himself for Sin lay at the Door and it is Sin to transgress against that which is Perfect and the Light is the perfect gift of God and his Gifts are Perfect and in the Light there is no Evil and the Light is to lead out of that which is Imperfect they that err from the Light are in the strife and fleshly will And the other Eye seeks for evil and then that kindles a Fire in the Bowels and eats as a Worm and so drowns that from whence true Love should arise as deep as the depth of the Sea and nothing but raging Waves over it sometimes ready to vent forth its own shame and discover the nakedness of it self and others which begets its Image in the minds of them that regard it so as to come under it or let it have entrance in them And where these things are there is little increase within or without but Truth suffers and the World takes advantage and the Weak stumble for whom Christ dyed and the Lambs hurt and their dear Life grieved And so these things are far from answering the dear and tender Call and Visitation of the Lord and then if not faithful in little when can such come to rule or how can they receive the blessing of God being joyned to that which he hath cursed What shall I say to such or with what Words shall I find entrance in them Surely if I had not a Word to write I would mourn in secret for them Oh fruitless Trees dry Branches foolish Virgins unprofitable Servants take heed lest the Lord spue you out of his Mouth What should the Lord do for you that he hath not done My Bowels within me are troubled for you and I even mourn under the burthen of your Iniquities How is it that you delight in other Lovers and what is it in you that keeps you from the power of Truth How long shall the Lord stretâ—h forth his Hand to them that rebel against the Light And how often have you grieved the Spirit of the Lord And why is it that he is provoked to Jealousie every day Will not the Lord visit for these things And can the Wicked go unpanished Turn ye now therefore O ye Rebellious and let the Double-minded fear and tremble before the God of Power for no Peace have I to preach for the Wicked nor Pearls for the Swine in which the Unclean is entred Let your Hearts now therefore be opened and let Judgment come upon that which is above the Seed and sink down into the House of Mourning that the Prisoner may hear my Voice And now you that are honest tender faithful willing and obedient dear is my Love unto you the Lord God eternal preserve you dear Babes and give you up your Lives and praise his endless rich love who hath called you to come out of the World My dear Friends let my Fathers love arise in you even the same which I now feel towards you and let me come near unto you in the power of my Fathers love that you may feel my Life and partake with me of the hidden Treasure that your Hearts may be open to me again from the feeling of the Power of the covenant of Life that in him I may salute you who is at the Fathers Right Hand For unto you O ye Children of the Light is my Heart enlarged and toward you doth the Power of my Life arise from the streams of unlimitted Love which from all the World is hid and reserved in the Bosom of the Father for the meek and tender Lambs for whom the Milk is prepared and to whom the Bread is to be given and the sure Waters that never shall fail Let the Light arise in you my dear Ones that with it your Hearts may be opened one to another that you may know that the Lord is a God of Power and near at hand unto the Humble that in his Love you may be kept and by his Power be defended and so from strength to strength in his fear to walk and to come at last to be a People saved from Death and redeemed from the
out of the Covenant And this know assuredly That many may see that which is afar off and not feel the Life of what they see and so are many high Professors in the World who change from one Opinion to another and are all yet but fruitless Trees which are to be cut down and rooted up And many there are who call him that is the Light Lord and Master but to the Light are not obedient in Self-denial nor taking up the daily Cross which is the Power of God and crucifies unto the World and so the first Man of the World being not crucified nor put off the new Man is not received and so little more is witnessed by many who profess Truth without the Life than was in the time of other Forms for if the Death be not known the Resurrection of the Just received and the Dead raised then is all in vain And this is not known by any but such who know the Judgments of the Lord set up in the Heart and the Cup of Astonishment to the Adulterous Seed which comes of the will of the Flesh and cannot lay down the Life for the Friend Wherefore I say wait to know the Birth that is Immortal and feel that born up which never yet was raised in them over whom the Vail yet is that the free Birth may be known and the Seed whom God hath appointed the blessing unto from under death redeemed that by the powerful risings thereof the understanding may be opened with that which was before Forms were that to it you may come which giveth Life unto the Soul and know a Saviour born of the barren Womb and a Deliverer brought forth in the place where he hath not been known and the Plant to spring out of that ground which is yet dry that it may be overshadowed with the loveliness of its spreading forth that a way may be opened in the Wilderness and the humble exalted in the Valley and so come to learn of that which is yet little and low and take heed of taking counsel of the Serpent whose subtilty will soon lead forth from the Simplicity neither cover your selves with any thing before the Righteousness of God which is perfect be received but love that which comes from the man of Sorrows who comes to break the peace of all them who walk not in the Everlasting Way of Life Let all them who are out of it search their Hearts with the Light And take heed of that which is high froward or strong in the Will for we are weak which is not brought to the Cross for there is the first Birth from the wrong grounds which will speak and act that which it lives not in neither is able to confirm it in Faithfulness to the Death and Loss of all for things may be true in themselves and that which is out of the Truth may speak of it yet such vain Talkers cannot suffer to Death for what they speak For that which cometh forth first is strong in the Earthly and would live forever and have the Blessing and would rule over the meek thing in the particular and in others having a secret desire to be admired being far unwilling to take a Servants place but certainly it is the meek humble suffering Seed which in many is yet oppress'd that is to last forever who through Death comes into the Dominion Therefore sink down out of the airy Comprehension and Subtilty above the Life and first come to suffer with that which is meek and low if ever you intend with it to reign in that Peace and Life which from all that without the Vail is hid and in silence watch and be sober to see him come which saves the Soul and clothes it with his own Righteousness that you be not found without a Covering of the Spirit Power and Life among the foolish Virgins for few there be that find the Way of Life and abide therein And I knowing the Terror of the Lord that will certainly come upon all them who dye out of his Covenant therefore I Warn all People every where as the Lord enlargeth me to wait to feel the powerful Word of Repentance and with the Light to make diligent search into the ground and foundation of all Professions Words and Actions For the Lord will make inquisition for the Blood of the Just and reward the Double-minded according to the intents of their hearts the Gaul whereof will be rent with the Power of his Might which will sweep away the refuge of Lyes and confound your Divinations in the head of that knowledge above the seed and a day of Desolation must come Sword and Famine must you know and the Earth to be removed and your Heavens shaken that the poor may come to receive the glad Tidings of the Gospel which is the Power of God for the fat and the strong are for judgment both within and without and they are still sent away empty but the poor are they which are to be satisfied not the rich high wise strong mighty prudent Diviners and Orthodox men and zealous Professors and liscentious Libertines as they are called who profess a Saviour to come and some would have a King to reign hereafter but they are not agreed how nor when nor where their King shall reign whom they imagine shall come but are found Despisers not Lovers nor Faithful Followers of him that is come the Glory of whose KINGDOM is already shining over the World and is established in Righteousness who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is our Head our Law-giver and our King and we do not look for another as the Drunkards of Ephriam do who are drunk but not with Wine and stagger at Noon-day and must be dashed one against another and broken to pieces as the Potsherds of the Earth who are looking for a King to come and know not the King who is already come who is the Light to which they will not bow though it in secret doth them reprove and shew us plainly of the Father and lets them see their Disobedience To it now therefore bow and bend for plainly the Lord God who is Light will not alwayes strive by the Light of his Son in your hearts And this know That as I tender the least honest desires that are begotten in any after the living Truth of God yet I am to deal plainly with all and clear my Conscience of all who are covered with their own Conceivings and in Words and Writing to warn all in the Spirit of Truth and Meekness as the Lord moveth me in faithfulness to declare against that which yet in any bears rule over the Seed which by Judgment must be overturned and all the Judgments of the Lord are true Wherefore ye that are willing to come out of Temptations into that where the foolish Virgins cannot enter wait in the fear of the Lord to feel his Work within whilst the day of Salvation lasteth lest thick
done it away with the same Power whereby before he came so to serve man under the Sin as to help him from under it and so to bring man with himself in his Power as it suffered by the Sin out of the Sin and out of that Power which captivated under or into the committing of Sin so to the end of it with Christ over it to live and reign forever as it is received in that way manner and operation which at first it doth come and shew forth it self in the Power of its sufferings whose Power and Virtue therein at first is known And so such who know Him in his suffering-state He permitteth chuseth and electeth to live and reign with him in his Ruling-state And so he that hath power to Reign hath power to Suffer and so to Suffer that he may Reign the exercise of whose power in his Suffering is in order to his Reigning and such as feel know and receive his Power first enabling them with him to suffer they with the same are brought to the end of sin and sinning by which the suffering came upon the Just for the Unjust and as man to this is joyned in his sufferings its Power worketh man's Redemption and so not of man or brings man back from under that power which held in the Transgression and Separation from the Bridegroom of the Soul and takes away that which captivates it and so breaks the Wall which stood between the desired Liberty and the present Bondage and so brings the true and lasting Peace and so both receive each other and are made one in each other and not otherwise It is certainly so And that man which truly suffered with it reigns with it who was joyned to it in its suffering till it came to reign and then to submit unto it and serve it in its Motions Leadings Rulings and Governings in the power of its Love which winneth the heart so to do as the chaste Wife to the Husband so with it in the Power of it man comes to reign over that which was both contrary to it and to the upright hearted man until all its Enemies are put under it and so under the man that is one with it and whose Life is in it being truly joyned to it of the Lord then not to be put asunder and so loving of it and in all things submitting to it more than the true chaste Virgin to the Husband living in the Power and the Power living in man and so both becoming one in Sufferings one in Tryals one in Tribulations one in Afflictions one in Joy one in Peace one in Liberty one in Captivity one in Riches one in Poverty And so truly one partaking with each other in all states unseparable may well in some measure be termed The Marriage of the Lamb which is come and more of it may be known and the Virgin being thus and more fully espoused to the undefiled unspotted of God they are thus far made one and she becomes the Daughter of the Husbands Father the King of Kings or the Adopted Child of God And thus the undefiled One of God and the Virgin of Sion becomes one in the unspeakable Unity which Unity being felt both as one preceive me and my Lines are understood and my Words received in Love And this is written and sent forth among all Friends who desire to hear of me and who have known me in the invisible Truth and such to whom the Lord hath made me serviceable in the precious things of the Kingdom of God which is of Peace and Righteousness where my Rest is that hereby they may hear from me and know that I remain in the labour of the Gospel which is very great and in the Fellowship of the Saints Your Brother in the unexpressible Love of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour Humphery Smith From Cogshall in Essex in which parts very many of late have received the precious Truth the 12th of the 5th Moneth 1661. This is to all dear Friends who keep faithful in their measures to the end My dear Friends THe Father is well pleased in him who is meek and lowly in the heart and in Obedience unto him through the leadings of his Spirit of Power in which the Father's love is manifest which leads in the low Ground where the safe Way of everlasting Peace is known where all things are quiet and still where the small still Voice is heard whereby the dead come to live in the Powerful Life of the Fathers Love which compasseth about the seed as a Wall of everlasting Defence whereby there is boldness and courage comes in to Jacob the worm that it s then able to stand in that everlasting strength which is made perfect in weakness and to the weak â—â— only to be known that the weak then may say I am strong feeling strength ministred forth from that which is begotten of the Father wâ—ich never was comprehended by the earthly Wisdom which is all scattered as the smoke before the Wind when he ariseth that was laid in the Earth who hath long been as a Servant and is now to be served that he may be Lord over all who is a Man of Sorrows and leads through the suffering state that by the Obedience of Faith through the Power of the Cross which crucifies and brings to the death that which is to dye that the Vail may be rent and the way into the holiest of all made manisest and that received in the new ground which abideth forever even that which comforteth the weary Soul and satisfieth the longing Spirit and replenishâ—th the dry and barren Land with the Rivers of the Valley and the springs of the Desart that the meek in the Earth may rejoyce forever and through the Earth may grow as a Lilly in Summer For painly its the poor that receive the Gospel and the meek of the Earth that shall in her it Substance and it is the thing that is low that will last forever and that shall be set on the Throne and he that is low shall never fall neither shall his Footsteps at all be moved he leads the creature in the Father's fear and guideth the Tongue in Wisdom and its him alone that all are to wait for to receive and continue in even him that is acquainted with Grief who never openeth his Mouth in perversness but speaks Life in Wisdom through the Power of the Fathers Love which overpowers the Soul as an overflowing River of Oyl which makes all well and heals the grieved Spirit which none ever comes to find but such who alone walk with him who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and became as a Servant though he was Lord over all in him there is safety for he is the Rock and the sure hiding-place even out of the sight of the World and from the Tempters power for the Devil hath nothing in him who is meek and low in whose mouth there is found no
guile this is he that hath been long set at naught whose tenders of Love constrain Obedience to himself because of the beauty that is in him which from them is hid over whom the Vail is through which they cannot see the Comliness of his Love I rest in the Fathers will your Souls Friend H. S. FRiends the Lord is with us and the God of Heaven is on our side and the Lord is our Defence who hath spoken Life and Peace to my Soul behold he will be with us forever and the holy Arm of his precious dreadful strength shall no Nation under Heaven prevail against dwell all in the Power of God and the blessing of the God of Heaven will be upon you all forever THe Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he then Prophesied but after for his disobedience he lost the Kingdom and was afraid of the shame before the People and the Kingdom is rent from such who disobey the Lord though they were among the Prophets like Saul who afterwards went to the Witch And the Witchcraft is near to all such as stand not in the Counsel of God to cause the People to hear his Word and not their own whose Word feeds not the flesh above the seed but is as a Hammer to break the Rocks in pieces and it kills and makes alive and opens a way through the Earth for the Prisoner of Hope to come forth And the Spirit came upon Balaam who was reproved by the dumb Ass that he was exalted above and resisted and he durst not go beyond the Word of the Lord he durst not go beyond that which was quick and powerful in the heart nor over-reach it to do more or less for the gaining of half a Kingdom in the Earthly And such as exceed Balaam therein may expect to be cut down also by the true seed as he was and so to fall among the rest of the Enemies of the Israel of God who is dreadful in Power And the Spirit came upon Jephthah who after offered his own Daughter for a Sacrifice and the Spirit came upon Sampson and yet he not standing in wisdom was bettrayed of his strength by a Daughter of the Philistines who also afterwards put out his eyes And so the Spirit may come up in some and yet afterwards they lose that with which they should see and some there are that use their tongues as in the Name of the Lord upon whom the Spirit never came mark that And Caiphas the High Priest prophesied and he spake not of himself and yet he was an enemy to Christ the Power of God and such as are got up high like high Priests above the measure of the Man of sorrows speak from self or flesh and are in that by which he that is the Light doth suffer and the power is resisted and the seed in others oppressed and they not brought to the Living Minister within the vail that abides a Priest forever but are in that which will dye And many might be named upon whom the Spirit came And Judas also had obtained part of the Ministry â—ut now consider the Spirit resteth upon the branch of the Root even the seed it self for the Spirit came upon many but it rested and relieth upon the se ed only even the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanâ—ing and counsel and might and knowledge and of the sear of the Lord in the fear of the Lord which is a fountain of Life which Life all are to feel and not be kept from by words without it but to feel that which comes from it and favour that that Jacobs Tent all may know which who so dwell in are blessed against whom there is no enchantment and where the Witch-craft cannot enter which leads from the strait and narrow way to the Spirit and Life into a liberty to that which is fleshly where that is kept alive which the word in the heart as a hammer and a sword should have broken and cut down for Paul was grieved with such who at first could almost have pluckt out their own eyes for him and after sought occasion against him and themselves to be made perfect in the flesh and all flesh as grass is to be cut down with the Sword of the Lamb and where the flesh is above the Spirit suffers by it and the vail is thickned which keeps from the Unity and out of the Life and Power of God H. S. THe Lord God of Heaven preserve all every where in the Love Long-suffering Forbearance Meekness and Gentelness out of the Strife or Self-seeking for suerly Wo will come upon that Spirit where-ever the Lord finds it and even the Lord knoweth the desires of my heart in true Simplicity hath been That his Righteous Judgments might pass betimes upon every appear ance thereof in my self and all others and I believe that God will never prosper it in any therefore my Exhortation in the Everlasting Love of the God of Heaven is That you all every where live in true Brotherly Love remember Joseph's Advice to his Brethren That they fall not out by the way The heavenly God of Power and Life and Virtue keep ye out of all this in the Life of Wisdom and Meekness where Strife shall never inhabit nor Death enter within the walls of Zion in which their dwellings are who keep themselves undefiled and remain in the fear of God to whom I commit you all and to the Power of the Word of his saving Grace praying to the Lord for you that evermore you may continue in the Love of Christ Your Freind and Brother Humphry Smith To the meek and open hearted Lambs and Flock of Heaven in meekness of Love with Greetings of Peace from the Seat of Infinite Mercy â—endred unto and sent to be read among them all who live in the humble State THere was a time of Blackness and Darkness which covered all flesh and the Guilt of Sin was upon all Consciences and Hardness of Heart possessed every Vessel and the Minds of all was astray from God and their Souls in the bonds of Iniquity in the day when none was able to deliver his brother O! who can utter the distress and the Languishing state which the Sheep then scattered were in O! the secret Groans of the Out-casts of Israel which God hath now gathered Why should it be forgotten Who could pluck their Feet then out of the Snare or deliver their Souls from Death had not the Lord in mercy looked down from Heaven surely many had sunk in the Pit of Misery and never come to see the Light of the Morning for the which the Bowels of the humble yearned in secret and the Sights were deep in the Solitary Place And then did the Lord in the Bowels of his Mercy let open his Ear and for his own Names-sake had regard unto the Complaint of the poor and needy and he caused Light to break out of Darkness and Truth to spring from its secret
us now we are his people and are purchased unto him with a Ransom more precious than all the Gold in the World Who is it among all the flock of God but have already had much experience of his Love good Will and Mercy And wherefore then should any of the Sons or Daughters of Zion suppose that God will ever forsake or leave them in distress I even say doubtless and certainly it will not be so but the Lord will stand by us and the God of the whole Earth will go before us and the wonderful dreadful powerful Presence of the most High will be with us over us among us and in us for evermore and we shall certainly be preserved by his Power And by this my tenders of Love in these Lines all the dear anâ— humble hearted Friends of Christ may hear from me and understand that something of the virtue of the Vine is and remaineth in me and if the will of God should be so that my Body suffer in this close unsavory Prison at Winchester many Moneths or several Years longer yet shall the Lord be my God forever and my Rest unto the end of Troubles and in silence and secret shall and doth my Heart and Soul pour forth Intercession to the Throne of Power in the behalf of his own Truth and People and for every feeble Plant which God hath planted And when I have put you in mind that you ought not to forsake the Assembling of your selves together I leave you to God at present H. S. ANd you should all take heed of that which would lead you up an easier way than by the Light that condemns sin and terrifies and troubles you for by it doth God speak and in it calls for Repentance and in it strives with you and many more so strongly that they cannot rest night nor day being not yet reconciled to it but this consider that this will not alwayes strive with you therefore while the Light is and is not put out if you will hear his Voice by whom God speaks peace that Peace you might enjoy forever then take heed of that by which a hardness comes upon the Heart and a Vail so thick with unbelief that the true Mourning is done away that there cannot be then a secret Crying unto the Lord for help and deliverance in the true brokeness of Heart which openeth to God with Bowels of Love and Tears whereby Gods Mercy is felt but a hardness upon the heart and a wrong thing ask for Peace in the unbelief from that which darkneth Take heed of this thing And this know assuredly that when Trouble comes in the inward parts and the rumour of War is heard between the two Nations Jacob and Esau both in the Womb and the Light condemning in the heart which hath been fleshly and the Witness of God awakning the Conscience that then if there be not a Brokeness thereby and a Mollifying of the Heart and a humbling of the lofty part then will Hardness take place and Rebellion prevail with thee against the Light Therefore in its season let these things have entrance in you and come to that which can receive it in love faithfulness and plainess as it is written H. S. The Cause of the long Afflicted and sore Oppressed sent forth in brief from Winchesteâ— Prison bâ—iâ—g a Copy of the Mittimus whâ—â—eâ—y Hâ—mphry Smith was again committed in oâ—th pace of his former lonâ— suffering in the same streight unsavory Prison wiâ—h his Answer which was then sent bâ—ck thereunto As likewise a shoâ—t Relation from the rest of them called Quakers there The Mittimus To the Keeper of his Majesties Goal at Winton or to his sufficient Deputy Greeting YOu shall herewithal receive the Body of Humphry Southton Smith who was taken at unlawful Meetings at Alton being a Ringleader and one of the chief of the Quakers who travelleth the Country to seduce the People and disturb his Majesties Peace contrary to the Law in that behalf made and provided These are therefore in his Majesties Name to will and require you forthwith that you receive the Body of him the said Humphry Smith into your Custody and him to detain in your said Goal until he shall be delivered from thence by due order of Law Whereof fail you not at your peril Given under our Hands and Seals at Alton the 14th day of October in the thirteenth year of his Majesties Reign Anno 1661. John Norton Humphry Bennit The Answer THe Jews who denyed him that said I am the Light laid hands on Paul crying out Help men of Israel this is the man that teacheth every where against the Law Acts 21. 28. And the Jewish Christians who denied the Light laid hands on Humphry Smith and in the Mittimus say He was at an unlawful Meeting And so these called Christians say Our Meetings are Unlawful or against the Law And just so it was said of Paul That his teaching was against the Law Again John Norton and Humphry Bennit say That Humphry Smith was a Ringleader Likewise Turtullous said That Paul was a Ringleader Acts 24. Again Humphry Smith is accused for one of the chief of the Quakâ—rs and for travelling the Country to seduce the People And in the same manner Paul was accused for a mover of Sedition among all the Jews throughout the World Acts 24. 5. and if so then Paul was a greater Traveller than Humphry Smith And as Humphry Smith is here accused for seducing the people so Paul was accused for setting forth of strange Gods and for preaching new Doctrine Acts 17. 18. And again Haman accused the Lords People That they kept not the Kings Laws And these men accuse us that we disturb the Peace contrary to the Kings Laws And the Rulers accused Paul for teaching things that were not Lawful And these accuse Humphry Smith That he did that which was contrary to the Law which they say is made and provided which is as much as if they had said We have a Law just like their Fathers who crucified Christ and said We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye And so these who have Envy which is Murther in their hearts say We have a Law made and provided and by the force thereof Humphry Smith who is a member of Christ must be Imprisoned his Body Mark not his Soul then his Soul may be at liberty And them Magistrates cast Paul into Prison And so these did by H. Smith And they charged the Goaler To keep Paul safely Acts 16. 12. And these charge or require the Goaler in no less than his Majesties Name and at his own Peril to receive and detain the Body of Humphry Smith in his said Goal until he shall be delivered by due Order of Law And in this their acting and writing they themselves have compared Humphry Smith with Paul and others of Gods people And themselves with Pauls Persecutors and But now they have above a year
Be quiet now therefore and hear all ye Judges Rulers Governours Justices and all other Officers and People whatsoevr upon the face of the whole Earth who ignorantly from your Zeal in that knowledge which puffeth up have had a hand against a dispised rejected forsaken People that are accounted the Off-scouring of all things and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter and are killed all the day long who follow him in the Travail of their Souls and brokenness of Heart whose face is marred more then the Sons of men to whom from him no Beauty nor Comeliness doth appear nor any thing wherefore he should be desired who indeed and in truth is not of this World Behold I say unto you who have persecuted the Innocent and smote the harmless with the Tongue and the Fist of Wickedness if you will let the humble seed arise in you and read with fear and consider in Meekness with a true desire to receive the Power of God's Love unto you is this Word of Visitation sent therefore O ye men feel ye that which opens the heart for behold I was made of one flesh with you and the Lord God and Father of my Life made all men of one Blood that they might feel after him and find him and surely from the true sence and feeling of Gods infinite Love unto Mankind that he might be saved from Wrath to come Therefore am I moved with my Father's Pity to visit you to whom Gods Love is and in whom the Seed lieth in Bondage and is not brought to the birth nor deliverance but the Earth is over it and you that should be gathered into God's Everlasting Covenant of Peace who lie yet in the Bondage why will you not believe my words which are the Truth of the Lord in the Power of his Love which will stand forever And so all your Hating Reviling and Imprisoning the Servents and Seed of God without you in the Nation and your ruling over the Innocent Honest Plain and Harmless is unto you a true figure of your hating resisting and imprisoning the Seed of God which is in you and your ruling over the honest meek thing in you with Tyranny and Cruelty in the strength of your wills and this hath long been so and by this figure hath the Lord been pleased to preach unto you of late years that you might hear and see and understand and this is plainly so you being not reconciled unto that of God in Bondage in you Therefore is your hatred against them without you who are reconciled to God and have no Confidence in the flesh and because you are not reconciled to him that made you therefore hath his witness in you often times disturbed and broke your Peace in the Earth and the hand of the Lord hath so followed you that many times you could not cause his Spirit to cease striving with you for some time but even trouble from it hath come upon you even in the Night-season when you would have Peace and when the Power of the Enemy of your souls hath risen up in you with Wrath and Envy in hastiness and passion against the Servants of the Lord and thereby have been moved with Envy to act that which was Evil against them intending thereby to make the true Jews bow down unto Haman's spirit in you then afterwards and some at the very time hath the witness of God in you arose and brought Judgment and Trouble and Torment upon you when some of you have been alone in quietness then hath the Lord been secretly Dealing with you by his measure of Light in you the which you have strove against some not knowing what it was and sought Peace and ease another way and so have not loved that which came to confound your Wisdom nor received that which is to bring the understanding of the prudent to nothing for that prudent understanding is in man and that which is to confound it is to be received in man I speak what I know and the Truth of which will stand forever but you have not received that which in the heart began to judge you nay rather are you not afraid of being judged and of that which judgeth in you And is it not a hard saying unto you that have talkt of God to preach him unto you who confounds the Wisdom of the Wise and brings the Vnderstanding of the prudent to nothing and to tell you how that which may be known of God is manifest in you Is it not therefore plain that you are yet joyned to that which is to be confounded and so have not received that which is to confound though it be in you for the Kingdom of God was in the Pharisees but they not knowing it did neither know the Lord of Glory but crucified him without them and resisted that which was holy in them yet professed the Scriptures without them as you do whose minds are out from the measure of the Inspiration of that Spirit in you which gave forth the Scriptures which are without you which Scriptures also testifie of the Light of Christ which is in you and of that which may be known of God in you to which you are to come for unto them who had the Scriptures without them Christ Jesus said Come unto me I am meek and low in heart and his Name is called the Word of God which is nigh even in your hearts though from you there it be hid as a Treasure hid in the Field but though it be hid from you yet it is there and though you have been unprofitable yet have you had a Talent yea the Lord God hath given Gifts to the Rebellious though they receive it not that he might dwell in them ye hard-hearted stiff-necked and uncircumcised why will you not believe my words Why will you not receive the Truth When will you bend and bow before the Lord God of Life Can you say in your hearts like the fool That there is no God Would you shut him out from having an entrance in you When was it that you did come to this thing which is hid in the heart And when did you try this thing which sometimes judgeth condemneth troubleth or confoundeth whether this thing would give you the knowledge of God And is not the Light to give the knowledge of God And doth not he that is the Light enlighten every man And is not the Light that which doth make manifest And is not there something in you that doth at sometimes make manifest And is there not something in you which doth judge and condemn you for Evil which is made manifest by it You that talk of trying all things Is not there one thing and have you not yet need of one thing even that which gives Power over sin and cleanseth from all sin And have you tryed this one thing the Light or that of God in you Whether this will bring you to Peace with God and man And whether by
said You have we aried me with your Sacrifices And so say I to you now you have wearied the Lord with your Words and yet many are saying Wherein have we we aried him I say in this have you wearied the Lord in that you say such as do Evil are Good in the sight of God Mal. 2. 17. Therefore thus I declare unto you who are yet in your Sins meeting together in the Idol Temples Your Service is not the Service of the true God neither is your Worship that which the Lord accepteth for he accepteth none but the Worship in Spirit and in Truth not in one high Place or other but your Worship is in some High-Place Idol-Temple or Steeple-House where all manner of Viperous Beasts are round and unsanctified Persons meet together who commit all Abominations and live in all manner of Filthiness and yet lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us no Evil shall come unto us Whereas they are an evil and an adulterous Generation adulterated from the Spirit of Truth in which the true Worship stands and are ignorantly worshipping in a Temple made with Hands in which God dwellcth not neither is his Power there received to overcome the Sin and so the People are wearying themselves for very Vanity and travelling to bring forth Death and labouring for that which profits not neither do they come to meet the Lord in the way of his Judgments nor find the Path of Life where the Unclean can never come neither yet do they know the Bread of Life nor drink his Blood that cleanseth from all Sin nor come to be translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God but remain in that Ground which was eursed by reason of man's Rebellion Gen. 3. 17. Heb. 6. 8. which Ground being not removed with the mighty Power of God the Blessing cannot be received nor the Understanding opened to know and receive that which the Natural Man perceiveth not the Eyes of their Minds being darkened through the Ignorance that is in them the Vail being over the Heart when that is read every day of their Worship which discovers Sin but makes nothing Perfect which Worshippers did and do Crucifie him that comes to take away the Sin But now he is come who hath forever perfected those that are sanctified and he that sanctisieth and they who are sanctified are all of one But they that are not sanctified are not of the one but are in the many Opinions in the Lusts of Ignorance and Wayes of Unrighteousness being not come to the one Faith which purifieth the Heart nor to know the one Baptism one Church one Way one Truth one God the Father of him who is the one Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the Wâ—rld of the which Light which is but one there is given a measure to every one of you which Light shineth in Darkness though not by it comprehended which Light will let you see that you your selves are out of God's Covenant in the World's Worship not reconciled to God upholding Idol Temples and Heathenish Customs with Bells and such things which the People of God never used but did and do deny forever and exhort you and all others to leave worshipping the Beast or upholding that which is not the true Worship of the true God practised by men of Sin in Steeple-Houses every First-Day Wherefore all People every where leave your Idolatry which you have learned and received by Tradition from the former Papists and Heathen who worship the Work of their own Hands and bow down to their own Inventions as you long have done and for this many Hundred Years have been learning and yet are not come to the Truth neither to believe in it but remain in Unbelief and Ignorance and your long time of Ignorance God winked at Acts 17. 30. But now Light is come in which God is calling to you and all men every where to Repent and forsake your Idolatrous Worship which by you a sinful Generation is practised in a Steeple-house one day in seven and Catn's Nature remaining in the inward parts from the which Idolatry all that sear the Lord God of Abraham are now to come from the Uncleanness of that Worship which is upheld by the Heathen for verily the Hand of the Lord God Almighty is stretched sorth against it and them Wherefore all People turn your Minds to the Lord God of Life who dwelleth in his People and not in Temples made with Hands and hath given to every one of you a measure of the true Light of his Son which Light in you will let you see your secret Sins and will teach you and shew you plainly of the Father if you love it and come to be led by it to do God's will so may you come to worship the Lord God of Life in Spirit and in Truth with the Children of the Light and of the Day which hath dawned upon many who need not any man teach them but are all taught of the Lord Glory and Honour and Everlasting Praises to his blessed Name forever and ever Amen Given forth as a Testimony against all Idolatry and Heathenish-Worship from the true Love of God the Father in pity to the Souls of them who have Eyes and see not and Ears and hear not that they may come forth of Darkness to follow Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is bringing the Blind by a Way that they know not Isa 42. 16. Therefore is this to go abroad among all People and read in Steeple-Houses Streets Market-places private Meetings and Families that all may consider what they have been doing in the dark Ezek. 8. 12. By a Servant of the Living God a Sufferer for the Testimony of his Name in the Common Goal and House of Correction at Winchester Humphery Smith The 4th Moneth 1658. Man driven out of the Earth and Darkness By the Light Life and Mighty Hand of GOD Wherein plain and simple Truths are brought to light that so the cause of Stumbling may be taken from before the Eyes of both Rulers and all sorts of Professors in Herefordshire c. Also something related of the Wonderful Power of God in the Work of Redemption and Restroration With a plain Self-denyal by him that takes up the daily Cross Behold the Lord worketh wonderfully every Morning he bringeth his Judgments to light he hath brought me back from the Grave and saved my Soul from Hell and set my feet upon a Rock THE Living Truth of the Lord God which he hath revealed in me by the mighty Operation of his Word of Life which living eternal Truth being my Life and shall last for evermore and be as a Standard of the Most High lifted up to all the scattered weary Souls that they may flow unto it and have it to be unto them a place of Refuge and Defence to fly unto in the day of Distress and by it come to be made Free and in it
Worship the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and feel it in the inward parts according as the Lord requireth by which Truth man comes to be sanctified for the Word that liveth and abideth forever is Truth which comes to be ingrafted into them who believe in the Light and in it wait for the Promise of the Father even that Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive for they know it not it being in Gods Wisdom hid from the Wisdom of the World who know not him that may be felt after and found who is near unto every one of you whose measure of Light in you is it you are all to know by it to come to know the eternal Power and Godhead as they did who had not Scriptures Rom. 1. 19. for the Light of Christ in you is that which is to give the Knowledge of God 2 Cor. 4. 6. who hath assuredly revealed his Son in me and led me in the straight Way to Life Eternal and the enjoyment of the Truth which is Immortal the which being to me a Pearl of great Price and more precious than a thousand Rivers of Oyl And that none may be hindred from receiving of this which I have most assuredly found to be more excellent than the Royalty of Diadems or the Excellency of the most purest Gold or the most Renownedst Glory Beauty or Riches that the natural Eye can behold and that all who breathe after divine Refreshings and the Rest that never shall be shaken and the attaining to the Covenant of Life and Peace may come to be gathered into the One Fold of blessed Happiness and rest upon the Rock of Ages and never more be moved henceforth and forever And that if possible all Murmurings Reasonings concerning me or what I was may be taken out of the Minds of all People of all sorts and that all Jealousies Whisperings and Heart-burnings in the Wrathful Nature may be passified and cooled with the over-spreading Streams of God's free Love which truely is shed and groweth in my Heart and streameth forth as a Well-spring of Life toward the Seed that is yet oppressed in them among whom sometime I walked in Darkness wallowed in Unrighteousness and afterwards stood up as a tall Cedar in the height of Profession preaching great and high things daily unto others whereby then I was admired by many Hundreds who thereby came not to receive Power to overcome their Sins neither yet attain to that which the Souls of many of them thirsted after whom since I have often mourned over in Pity and in the Bowels of my Father's Love to the Soul in Bondage in them from whom I have been long and far absent in Body And that none of them by looking and wondering at me or any thing that hath befallen me may stumble thereby at the Light or Truth it self or be thereby kept from receiving the living Truth or from giving heed to that which all the Wise Master-builders refuse nor that they by looking at what I was before I received and lived in the Truth and at that which justly came upon me for my former Rebellion against the Light nor at the Judgments of God that came upon me within or without because of my unwillingness to follow him who said I am the Light follow me and said He that will not leave Father and Mother Wife and Children Goods or Lands for my sake is not worthy of me and he that will not deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me is not worthy of me And what a Cross it was for me to leave what I did let that of God in all that knew me judge But I say that none of them who are Colonels Captains Justices Professors nor People by looking out at any thing concerning me may not be with-held from receiving the Truth and so kept from that which is the way to the Father and the Door to the Rest for evermore Therefore hath it lay long of late years and often upon me and that from the hand of the Lord to lay something before your Eyes O ye Rulers Professors and People of Herefordshire and thereabout endeavouring thereby to remove any cause of stumbling by reason of what I was or of any false Reports raised upon me whereby the whole Truth of God might be Evil spoken of And this have I waited long to declare among you either in Words Writing or Print thought thereby Shame might come upon my former Course of Life when I lived in all manner of Sin and Iniquity except it were actual Adultery Fornication and Murder and though also hereby Contempt may come upon all that great Profession I was in when I preached daily in the Synagogue or upon all that I then spoke or preached out of the Innocent Life of God or if hereby at present suffer I Reproach as it is like I may by many yet the Reproach of Christ is greater Riches to me than the Treasure Glory and Preferment of England And first Concerning my Call out of the World or my going out from my House Country and outward Employment THe Light of Christ which condemns the Evil Deeds comes from him who calleth his out of the World and from their Employments to follow him who putteth forth his Sheep and thrultech forth Labourers into the Harvest and Abraham of whose Seed I now am went out of his Country and from his Fathers House Gen. 12. and him God blessed and encreased mightily and the Lord also called and thrust forth me who at last was obedient to the Command of the God of Abraham and ever since his Presence hath been with me and his Blessings have I found and the Encreasings of God have I received Praises to the Lord God of Life for evermore who hath called me by his Word of Power through his Grace which did teach me to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to obey his blessed Will which was and is my Sanctification in Jesus Christ who did also call Matthew from the receit of Custom to follow him and Peter and John from their Employment of Fishing and made them fishers of men and Paul also being called left his Employment of Tent-making after a time and was Obedient to the heavenly Vision and those then became a Wonder and a Gazing-stock to many yet they continued on Travelling through many Countries as I since have done preaching the Word of God with boldness And one of these men who were called from their outward Employment said Every man wherein he is called there abide and whereunto they were called they did abide and so do l and when the Priests and Rulers would have stopt their Mouthes by their Commands they said Whether it be lawful to hearken unto God or Man judge ye But these Ministers of Christ did not say he that is a Husbandman there abide for Noah was a Husbandman yet a Preacher of Righteousness and Elisha a Plow-man and Amos a Herdsman neither did they