THE DAY Manifesting the NIGHT, AND THE Deeds of Darkness Reproved by the LIGHT.

That all may plainly see whose work they are doing, that deny the Truth, and persecute the true worshippers, who are led by that Spirit that reproves the world of sin; and knowing the terrors of the Lord, cannot but deal plainly with all men, that they may take warning before it be too late, least they be taken alive in their wicked­nesse, and cast into the lake of fire.

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Simmons, at the sign of the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, 1660

The Day manifesting the Night, and the Deeds of Darknesse reproved by the Light.

THe prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, being as unclean as common; for though they draw near in words, and in promises, yet the heart is adulterated, and gone after other lovers, far from the Lord, and the Lord is far from hear­ing such; their hearts being gone after covetousnesse, are Idolaters, and worship not the true God, being erred from the free gift of the Spirit, which leads into all Truth; so being from Truth in the inward parts, are in the de­ceit which the Devil leads into, yet they may cry, Lord, Lord, while they are doing Sathans work, but such cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, nor their prayers come be­fore his Throne, being not in the Spirit which makes intercession for the Saints with groanings which cannot be uttered, which is ac­cording to the will of God, Rom. 8.26, 27.8.4. and this is it by which the sons of God are led, out of their own wills, out of their own time, into the will and time of God, who moves both to speak and pray by his Spirit, according to his own will; (Mark) he that teacheth to pray is he that makes inter­cession, who helps the infirmities, and teacheth to pray as we ought; and this is not an infirm man, or men who plead for the infirmity, who know not the Spirit that helps it; neither is it a Book that a man makes and calls a help to devotion, or Books composed by the will of men, that can help the in­firmity, for then might man in his own will and time, make or compose his own help, or the help of others; But help is laid upon one that is mighty, and vain is the help of man, Psal. 89.19. who is not led by the Spirit into the Truth, and he or they that are led by it, will labour to bring all others into it, out of all dead works, dead forms, dead helps, and dead worships, [Page 4]knowing all to be but dead to God that is not quickned by his Spirit, which is the unction from the holy One, whereby we know all things, Joh. 2.20. (as he pleaseth who reveals them) for it is the spirit that searcheth the deep things of God; and also by it is the deep mysteries of Antichrist searched out and known, and his wayes seen which leads men from the gift of God, to mens inventions, forms, imitations, composed good words and fair speeches, whereby the hearts of the simple are deceived, Rom. 16.18. these serve not Christ but their own bellies, lead­ing from the unction least they should be known, keeping people ever learning, that they may be ever paid for teaching, keeping them in that which never brings to the knowledge of the Truth; for it is the light that shineth in our hearts, that gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4.6. so this is clear, that is not the way of God, which leads not to the true knowledge of him, who is a spirit, and is known in the Spirit, and worshipped and served in Spirit and in Truth; for that which is not in the Spirit is not in the Truth, and being out of the Truth in the deceit where the Devil is, who is out of the Truth, and so it becomes a false worship in the nature of Cain who slew his Brother, and these worshippers being in that nature, would slay all that deny their worship, and persecute them that come not to their Sacrifices; because the old Serpent his enmity is against the seed of the woman, to destroy it where it appeareth, for there it bruiseth his head, in denying his worship which is out of the Spirit in the flesh, and there leads people to worship in that nature, in which is the lust that slew the Lamb from the foun­dation of the world, which is accursed from God, and at en­mity with his Spirit, this is the first birth which is of the flesh; that persecutes him that is born of the Spirit.

The Scripture saith, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 12.3. for flesh and bloud reveals not this, but the Spirit of the Father, and he that hath not the Spirit is none of his, and he that hath the Spirit prayeth with it; and not with Books which are mens invented forms, that know not his necessity or want, which would limit him to read another mans words, that it may be never knew his condition, nor that God which he pray as to; and also to joyn in prayer with [Page 5]those whose prayer is abomination to God, whose God is the Prince of darknesse, which have no inheritance in the king­dom of heaven, neither can say that Jesus is the Lord in Truth, being out of it, though there may be many poor ig­norant Creatures, and deceived simple hearts, and many that loath the common notorious grosse wickednesse, yet in the common form of prayers all are to joyn together, with the drunkards, whoremonger, thief, swearer, and lyar, whose Father is the Devil, and covetous, who is an Idolater, the pro­fane, unclean and abominable, whose prayers the Lord ab­hors; and he that is led by the Spirit abhors to joyn with the wicked in their prayers, which is abomination, for he that joyns in abomination is guilty thereof, for they which joyned with those who put Christ to death, were guilty of his bloud, and so are they that joyn with those who crucifie the Lord spiritually in Sodom and Egypt, whose sacrifices God abhors, being in that nature which slew his Son, and this sacrifice be­ing sin is a service of the Devil, and those that serve the Lord cannot partake of the Lords table, and of the table of Devils, 1 Cor. 10, 2. for that which is offered in the Gentiles nature is not a sacrifice to God, and Paul saith, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice thy sacrifice to devils, and not to God; and they that sacri­ficed with them had fellowship with them; therefore Paul war­ned them not to have fellowship with Devils, 1 Cor. 10.20. he that commits abomination against God, therein serves the Devil, and he that joyns in that service must receive his wages of than Master; and had it not been a most wicked thing for those Gentiles, to have compelled them whom God had gathered into his Church, (who worshipped him in Spirit) to have come and been partakers with them in their sacrifices to Devils, you may be sure, that those who were the faithful; servants of God, would first have sacrificed their own lives and also it had been a great evil, if the true believers (who were separated from the Idolaters) should have forced these Idolaters to partake with them in their holy things, or con­form to the form of their worship, for that had been but to make them the greater sinners, because it would have added hypocrisie to unbelief and idolatry, being out of the faith, what they did was sin; and so they who were separated from [Page 6]them in this, would have been guilty of their sin, which the Church in God never was, nor ever will be, for it is the Spouse, the Lambs wife, that cannot joyn with harlots, nor compell harlots to joyn with her, but as the whore hateth the right vertuous woman in her heart, (and yet will commend vertue) while she labours to draw from it, and would rejoyce if she could bring others into her state; but were it not sad if she should have power to compell? for it was yet ever the worse that would have forced the better, it is the harlot that would force the virgin, which hath caused her to lay down her life that she might keep her virginity.

But it is the virgin that dwels in the love of God, and in that love labours, that others may come to taste of it, and it is that which will constrain them that taste of it, to deny themselves and their former lovers, and so come to be taught by his grace, to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and to live righteous and holy in this present world, the wise man saith, Cant. 1.3, 4. Because of the savour of thy good ointments, thy name is as oint­ment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee; and again, Draw me, we will run after thee; but where there is no vertue to draw, there the Lord dwells not; and those are they that would by power force to their worship, and cause as many as will not worship the image thats set up, to be persecuted or killed, and those that kill or persecute others who worship not with them, are not of God; Let them be called by what name or Title soever, to great Babylon they belong, and are of that great City, in which was found the blood of the Prophets and Saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth, Rev. 18.24. So that it is clear, the false Church, the whore, that is she that drinks Mark, all the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus, that is slain upon the earth; now see whether persecuting and killing for Reli­gion and Conscience sake, be not a true mark of the whore, or false Church, in which all the bloud is found; and also it doth appear, that the true Church, the Spouse of Christ is clear from blood; who are neither fighters nor killers, for if they were fighters and persecuters, they might be killers, and then there might be bloud found among them, but it is all found in Babylon; therefore come out of her all ye that desire peace and righteousnesse, and be ye separate saith the Lord, and touch [Page 7]not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, 2 Cor. 6.17.

And be it known unto all people that dwell upon the face of the whole Earth, that the Lord our righteousness is risen in his mighty dread and everlasting Power, and is seen and felt in the light, in this his great day and manifestation of him­self in Spirit, according to the Word of his holy Apostle, who declared of his comming the second time without sin, unto Salvation to all those that wait for him, and we who have waited for him in his Light, the manifestation of his spirit, (out of all our own Performances, Righteousness, Strength, Wisdome, Dead Formes, Dead Ordinances, which are but inventions from the Letter.) I say to us he is come, and we who are called, chosen, and faithfull are his witnesses, and follow him whether ever he goes, as every one in his measure comes to be redeemed into the Lambs nature, and therefore can neither swear nor fight to destroy mens lives, for they which do such things know not what manner of spirit they are of; for in the second Covenant there is no destroyer of the Creation of God, but all together redemption and restoration is known there, and there is the blessing witnessed where all things are clean and pure, it being all the work of his own hands, and he saw that it was good and blessed it.

Now all people upon the face of the whole Earth who have not known his-second coming in spirit and power (who worketh all our works in us and for us) they are all in their own works, in their own righteousness, in their own worships, worshipping they know not what; some Stocks, some Stones, some the Sun, some the Moon, and all of them their own in­ventions, imaginations, and conceivings, for he was in the World, and the World was made by him, and the VVorld knew him not, Joh. 1.10. Notwithstanding all their wisdome, and the Testimony of his Prophets, and also the holy Scriptures, yet they knew him not, though he came to his own, yet his own received him not, Joh. 1.11. because they knew him not, who also preached the Kingdome of Heaven to them, Saying it was at hand, it was come nigh unto them, it was in them, this was and is a great mystery, yea the wisdome of God in a hidden mystery, which none of the Princes of this VVorld knew, for had they known it [Page 8](mark) they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory, 1. Cor. 2.7, 8. That which was and is they knew not, though within them, yet in it they believed not, though it testified of the Father, being the Word in the heart in the mouth, that they should hear it and do it, he that heard it heard him, he that continued in it, was a Disciple indeed, knew the truth, and was in the truth, which made him free, Joh. 8.31, 32. But where it was denyed, not believed, had no place, they it were that went about to kill him, Joh. 8 37. (and they it are that persecute him now) whom they know not, though they may be the wise disputers of this World, to whom the wisdome of God is hid in a mystery, which the wisdome of man could never find out in any age, nor never shall; Yet it is made manifest to his Saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery amongst the gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of Glory, Col 1.26, 27. and he in whom this hope is revealed purifieth himself even as he is pure, Gal. 1.16. And this is he that consults not with flesh and blood, but with the Son of God who is revealed in him; who is that one seed to which the promises were made, and to thy seed which is Christ? Gal 3.16. And this is the seed that the Red Dragon makes war against, Rev. 12.17. that keeps the comandements of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ, and cannot bow nor worship any thing, but only him that made Heaven and Earth, the Sea and the Fountains of waters, Rev. 14.7. And for this cause we suffer, and are re­proached all the day long, reviled and percecuted, and are as sheep appointed for the slaughter, here is the patience of the Saints, here are they that keep the commandements of God and the faith of Jesus, Rev. 14.12. and these are they that see the vanity of that worship that teacheth, for doctrines the comandements of men, Mat. 15.9. and those worshipper draw nigh to the Lord with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, but their heart is far from him; and this is a vain worship, and all that are come to worship God in the Spirit cannot bow to this vain worship, which is the invent­ed formes of mans wisdome, who have invented several forms of service for several dayes, and particular parts, for particular places, and some parts for particular Jestures of the Body, [Page 9]and also divers habits for their divers Orders of Teachers; all which and much more not mentioned, came in since the Primitive time, in the dark night of apostacy and fal­ling away from the gift of the Holy spirit; for Christs Ministers were (and are) Ministers of the gift of God, and as every one had received, so they were to Minister, as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God; but mans Ministers or Ministers made by the will of men, are Ministers of the manifold inventions of those who have erred from the spirit, and strayed from the shepherd and Bishop of their Souls; and when men take from them that which they before gave them, their Ministry endeth; so man puts them up (and orders them what to pray and what to say and doe) and man puts them down, if they conforme not to them and their will; and gives them other orders and directions what to say and do, which most p [...]rt obey, and those who do it not, they put out and find those that will; and this Ministry made by man, changes as the Governments and Powers of the Earth change.

But the Ministery of Christ stands in the Power of an endless life, and changeth not, for Christ changeth not, who is the endless power that his ministery stands in, whose Government changeth not, but of the in­crease thereof there is no end, 2 Timothy 3.5. and that Ministery which stands in the form without the Power is to be denyed and turned from, though it were a form of Godliness, for it is unprofitable and cannot edifie the body of Christ, being out of the power, are out of the truth, though they may be ever Teaching, and the people ever hearing, yet can never be able to come to the know­ledge of the truth, 2. Tim 3.7. for how can they bring o­thers to the knowledge of that they themselves know not? therefore unprofitable and do but deceive themselves and others, yet many of the people Love to have it so, and so let them have it, it is the portion they have chosen; but those who have chosen the Lord, do not love to have it so, for he is their portion, and they are his, and all those who go a­bout to restrain them from their worship of him in spirit and in truth, will bring swift destruction upon their own [Page 10]heads, and if so great judgment shall fall upon those who doth but offend one of these little ones (who have chosen the Lord to be their Teacher,) what shall become of them that persecute and kill them, for following the Teachings of the spirit of the living God who made Heaven and Earth? shall not the Lord avenge his own elect, that cry day and night unto him? yea he will avenge their cause, and that speedily, when they have filled up the mea­sure of their sufferings, and their enemies the measure of their wickedness, which they are doing apace, in Im­prisoning the innocent, because they will not break the commands of Jesus, but this is our joy (whom you scorn and call Quakers) we know whom we serve, and for whom we suffer, and also you shall in a little while know whom you persecute; you may know now if you will but make search that we are such who have done you no wrong, and as we abide in the truth we never shal, for truth wrongs no man, but they that are out of it are they that wrong us, and also their own souls; Oh that they did but know what they did, that a persecuter might become a sufferer for his sake, (whom once he knew not) he that flesh and blood cannot reveale; but once being revealed within, persecution soon ceaseth, and no more consulting with flesh and blood, but with him who hath revealed himself within, who saith learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart, Mat. 11.29. who came not to destroy mens lives but to save; and when his Disci­ples would have had Fire to come down from heaven, upon those that would not receive him, he reproved them and told them they knew not what manner of spirit they were of; but he that cometh to that measure of Gods spirit in himself, by that knows what spirit he acts by, for the fruits of the spirit of God is Love, Joy, peace long-suffering, Gentleness, &c. But the works of the flesh is Idolatry, W [...]tch-craft, Hatred, wrath, strife, envyings, and Murthers, this is the fruit of the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, and by it they were led, that spared the murtherer, and crucified Jesus, and this is the spirit that in this age leads such who spares the fighters, and swearers, and drunk­ards, the prophane and abominable, &c. and afflict, punish, [Page 11]and imprison those who are found in the well doing, be­cause they cannot submit to their wills, and break the commands of Jesus; by this the evil doer is incouraged, and Satans Kingdome strengthened, and contrary to the Or­dinance of God, he that doth well is discouraged, and suf­fereth for his well doing, that is to say, for meeting to­gether in Gods fear, and waiting upon the Lord in the measure of his spirit, in which he is worshipped; and this is the gathering together in his Name, when his Power and presence is felt in the midst, and the dread thereof hath made our flesh to tremble, who appears as a consu­ming fire against all in us, that is contrary to him, that he may purifie and cleanse us, and prepare himself a habi­tation fit to dwell in by his spirit.

And this is the day of his mighty power wherein he is performing his promise, and the word of his Prophets, ac­cording to the Scripture of truth, which we witness ful­filling and fulfilled in us, who are faithful to the teachings of his holy spirit; and we who have felt and tasted of the mighty power of God, as we are obedient and keep in it, we need not fear the wrath of man, whose breath is in his nostrils, (and the worst he can do is but to kill the body) neither need we fear the Power of darkness, which works in all those that obey not the truth, the light of Christ in their own consciences, the measure of his spirit by which the Sons of God are led; but they it be who obeyed not, that persecute those that obeyed, but we being obedient are kept in the power, in which we are nothing terified by our adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to us of Salvation and that of God, Phil. 1, 2.8.29. for to us it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, and this is our rejoycing that in our sufferings we have peace with God, and joy in the Holy Ghost, keeping our conscience clear towards God and towards man; and herein we suffer not as evil doers but for the well doing, by those who are in the evil doing, and in the evil doing they please the devil, which they may know and see daily by the rejoycing of his Servants; how doth the drunkards sing for joy, and also the swearer, [Page 12]and curser, railer, and fighter, and they think it not enough to see us haled to Prison and persecuted by those who pretend authority, but these vile wretches do fall up­on us in the high waies as we are passing along about our occasions, to or from our meetings, and there they have beat several of us till they have even wearied themselves; and this extremity of the Divels rage, I with others have lately felt by many stripes upon our bodyes; but in the patience we are kept by the power of God, and therein to shew forth the Lambs nature, which shall overcome, and also to let them see what nature they are of, who beat & fight, persecute and kill, this is the nature of Cain who slew the innocent, and this is his nature which now persecutes, beats, and slayes the Lambs of God, but the new nature is that which suffers and comes thereby to be made perfect, but the other are filling up their measures of Iniquity, and fitting themselves for destruction, which is prepared for them and ready to be poured out; when they think them­selves most securest, then sudden destruction cometh and they shall not escape; for God will avenge our cause which we have commited to him, upon the heads of all our e­nemies; for there is none neither in Heaven nor in Earth, that we can petition or request or bow our knees to, but to the Lord God Almighty, by whose power we draw our breath, in whom is our life and being, who hath created us for this purpose, and raised us up to glorifie him, whose we are, and in whom our life is hid, that the World seeth it not, neither knows it; for if they did, they would not persecute and seek to slay it, but when our life shall appear they that laugh now shall howle, and they that scoff now shall lament bitterly, and all our enemies faces shall gather blackness, because they be found fighters against the Lord, and his spiritual appearance in his people; and if the blasphemy against the holy spirit is never to be forgiven, what shall the punishment of those be who fight against it, and seek to destroy those in whom it ap­peareth, and for no other cause but for the perfect obe­dience of it?

How many this day lieth in Prisons, Dungeons, and [Page 13]stinking holes, for the Testimony of a good Conscience, and keeping the commands of Jesus, notwithstanding the word of a King; for they that fear not God, they it be that honour not the King, but violate his word, making it appear that neither the honour of their King, nor the fear of destruction will restrain Cains nature from persecut­ing; but it is not for the Kings honour nor safety to put such in Authority who fear not God, nor regard his word in whose Name they Act; for to act that in his Name which he hath declared against, is a dishonour to him, and a disgrace to the Government, which things have been and are daily acted against us, who being met together in the fear of God upon the first day of the week, have been haled out and carryed to Prisons, but those who meet to drink, sport and be drunk, can be suffered and go un­punished; let such Magistrates consider who they Rule for, whether for God or the Devil, they that incourage God­liness Rule for God, and they that encourage wickedness are against God, and the good and well being of the peo­ple of the Nation, and God is against them, and they shall not escape unpunished.

For yet a little while and our deliverer cometh, who will plead our cause in the sight of all Nations, that they which are a far off may see and hear of his wonderous works, and the Nations round about may tremble at the operation of his Power; for the mighty day of the Lord draweth nigh, dreadfull and terrible, and who may abide his coming, who will render vengeance against all that obey not the truth, even the Gospel of everlasting salvati­on, which is now sounded forth in England, and is passing, and to pass thorow all Nations, saying fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his Judgement is come, and worship him that made Heaven and Earth, the Sea and the Fountains of water; For the declaration of Gods ever­lasting truth in these Nations hath left all without excuse, and the witnesse of God in their own consciences doth testifie against them that obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, and his Servants they are whom they obey, whether of sin unto death, or of righteousness unto life eternall; [Page 14]and let all people to whom this shall come, consider their doings and whose work they are doing; for verily your reward will be according to your work, and this I testifie from the word of truth, and it shall stand for ever, all that are not in the light which Christ hath enlightened them withall are in darkness, and are doing the works of dark­ness, and let them profess what they will, darkness is their reward, but all who are in the light, are in that in which God works, being the children of the day, the children of light, whose inheritance is with all Saints in the light, this is their portion they have chosen it, and the faithfull who continue to the end, the Crown of ever­lasting Glory is their reward.

Written by one who witnesseth the Deliverer come to Sion, whose joy is in that love which would that all men should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved.

Morgan Watkins.
THE END.

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