GIVE Ear ye Inhabitants of the Earth, and all ye pro­fessing People every where, who are only in the out­side Profession of God and Christ Jesus, drawing near to him with the Mouth and Lips, but inwardly are separated from him, as backsliding Israel in old time, Isa. 29.13. Mat. 15.18. This unto you is the Testimony of the Spirit of the Lord, The Glorious Day of God is dawned, and the True Light is come, the Sun of Righteousness is risen, which is the Glorious Antient Light, and Power of the Everlasting God (by which all your Professions are clearly seen, which tryes your Ground, and fathoms all your Comprehensions) which was before the World was, or ever Transgression had place, or being in Mankind, and before old Adam was, who fell from that Life, Peace and Heavenly Image he was created in, and before the Fig-leaves were sown together (in the fall) to co­ver their Nakedness, was Christ the Light, Life and Power, by which all things were made and created, whose Out going hath been from Everlasting, who is unchangeable and unalterable throughout all Ages and Generations: Christ Jesus is the cer­tain Foundation, the Life and Joy of the Soul, before the Fall; the Reprover and Condemner of sinful man by his Spirit and Light in the Fall; the Redeemer of Mankind out of the Fall; and the Life, Peace, Joy and Comfort of the Soul in the Re­storation, the Way to the Father out of all faln Wayes and dark Paths. Into which holy Way of Light, Life and Salva­tion hath God gathered a Remnant to behold the Beauty and Glory of the Feet of him that brings Glad-tidings of Good [Page 4] things, who is the certain, plain and inelligible Messenger that is of God, whose Ministry is from Heaven, that Preaches deli­verance to the Captives, and opens the Prison to them that are bound, Isa. 61.1. whose shining Light, Glory and Beauty gives a clear discovery of all uns [...]ttled Foundations, which shall be shaken by the Power of his H [...]avenly appearance, and all sinfull Earthly Pro [...]ssion, shall reel to and fro, and (like Moab) shall be emptied untill they come to nothing, and be no more; for the Day of shaki [...]g and treading down is come and coming from the Lord God, wherein all sinfull Professions shall be as a Figg-Tree when she is shaken of a mighty Wind, and the sinful Fruit brought forth by sinfull Professors, will fall as untimely Figs from the Fig-Tree: For the Lord is risen against all sinfull Professions, under what denomination soever, to the end that Righteousness may spring and Holiness bud, and shoot forth its Branches a [...] a Tree planted by the Waters, and that its Fresh­ness & Greenness, which a little despised People have beheld, may never wither or decay out of our Land more; but the Earth shall be full of Righteousness, as it shall be replenished with the Knowledge of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea, Isa. 11.9. And to this end hath our God called us to proclaim the Everlast­ing Day, in which he will perform the purpose of his Heart up­on all deceitfull pretences and shews of Religion, which are un­righteous and corrupt, (which deceive the Souls of the Chil­dren of men) by which his righteous Soul hath long been grie­ved, and therefore hath the Lord God whet his glittering Sword, and his Hand hath taken hold on Judgment, that Venge­ance may be rendred to his Adversaries, and they that hate him shall be rewarded.

Surely Gods Controversie this Day is with the Nations that profess Christianity, more then with the Heathen, because they in Words profess that they know God, but in Works deny him, and are found in the Abominations of those that in all Ages grie­ved the Lord: For when I call to mind the dayes that are gone and past, and remember the Years of antient times, how the Love and Mercy of the Lord reached to Israel of Old, and how his Glory broke forth amongst them in David's and in Solomon's [Page 5] time; and then was Israel not divided in the dayes of the [...]r O­be [...]ience and Subjection to t e Lord, but were a noble Vine, wholly of the right Seed, which God brought out of Aegypt to possess the Land of Canaan, and were planted by the Han [...] of t [...]e Lord, who reproved the Heathenish Kings that rose up against t [...]em by the way, saying, Touch not mine Anointed, nor do my Prophets no harm, Psal. 105.14, 15. And they became a [...] a V [...]n [...] ­yard, and were a People to the praise of God, who had the in­joyment of his presence to fight their Battel, for them, who caused Terror and Fear to fall upon their Enemies, untill they Rebelled against him, and set up Idolatry amongst them, who went after the Sins of Jeroboam, in whole dayes the Tribes of Ja­cob were divided, 1 King. 12.28, 29, 30. Judah from Israel, and Israel from Judah; and here the Devil had his end, in as much as Israel departed from the Lord, he was ready to harden their Hearts more and more to keep them from returning to the Lord again; and here Israel lost that Glory that from God appeared amongst them in the dayes of David and Solomon, and so dark sorrowfull times came on, and great Troubles upon the Church in the dayes of some of those wicked Kings that succeed­ed them, and a dark Night overtook their Prophets and Rulers, who lost the inward sense of the Spirit of the Lord: yet in th [...]se times they retained the Prosession of God in the Observation of Days, New-Moons, set Feast, and Sabboths, but slew the Prophets of the Lord, that were sent to them to turn them to that Glory which their fore-Fathers were pertakers of, & not to preach the invented things (which Man in his carnal polluted Wit, Wisdom and Reason had invented and made in the times of Darkness and Ignorance, who knew not the out-goings of Jacobs God) but purely to preach that Life and Power of God, which is the Foundation that stands forever. And these Servants of the true God met with little favour or acceptance with their Bre­thren, the Rebellious Jews, but cold entertainment, who were cast out and wandred up and down in Desarts, and in Caves of the Earth, who were Tempted, were slain with t [...]e Sword, were Sawn asunder, of whom the World was not worthy, Heb. 11.37, 38. And in these Dark times of Israel's Rebellion, the [Page 6] Daughters of Sion followed the Vanities of the Heathen, and walked with stretched-forth Necks, making a tinkling with their Feet, mincing as they did go, and had their round Tires like the Moon, and Ear Rings, and Nose-Jewels, and such like Vani­ties, which were for the Day of the Lords Wrath and Indig­nation, which he determined to bring upon all the bravery of their Tinkling Ornaments, Isa. 3.16, 17, 18, 24. And Israel having so lost themselves, the Prophet unto whom God gave his Word, proclaimed after this manner, Give ear O Heavens, and hearken O Earth, I have nourished and brought up Children, saith the Lord, and they have rebelled against me; the Ox knows his owner, and the Ass his Masters Crib, but Israel doth not know, my People doth not consider, Isa. 1.2, 3. And this was the sor­row from day to day of the Prophets of God, to see Iniquity to abound, and People laden with Sin, the whole Head sick, and the whole Heart faint, from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, full of Sores and Bruises, no soundness at all in it, Isa. 1.5, 6. And thus the backsliding Israelites in those dayes lost the glory of God, through rebelling against his Spi­rit; and the true Church became few in number, because of the over-spreadings of Corruptions and Deceit in the Professors of Religion, and the Daughter of Sion that was enlarged in Glo­ry, Beauty and Virtues, and honoured with the Blessing of the increase of Children, was left as a Cottage in a Vineyard, and as a Lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers, as a besieged City, Isa. 1.8. and then were peoples Hearts set against the appearance of God, and the Children begotten of the right Seed were as signs and wonders in Israel, Isa. 8.18. And therefore being in a Profession of God, and rebellious against him, they were his greatest Enemies, and hi [...] Controversie was with them because of all their Abominations; as the Lord said, You have I known of all the Families of the Earth, therefore will I punish you for your Iniquities, Amos 3.2. And thus Israel departed from the Lord, and lost the benefit of the gift of the Law, and the Adoption, and the Ordinances, whose were the Fathers, and of whom as pertaining to the Flesh Christ came, Rom. 9.4, 5. So that nei­ther their Sacrifices nor Offerings, nor the Literal expounding [Page 7] of the Words of the Law by their Priests unto them did profit them, nor the coming of Christ in the Flesh, because they rest­ed only in the Signs and Figures, and so were altogether taken up with the Visibles and Shadows; and this their Life and Rest was in the fallen Wisdom and polluted Reason which is driven out of Paradise, and the flaming Sword turns every way against it, and this they made use of to divine Lyes in the Name of the Lord, which Wisdom is from below, and thereby they did not know the Dispensation of that time and season, wherein the great Sa­viour of the World was manifested, but they Crucified him and Hanged him on a Tree, Acts 10.59. And so lost the benefit of the Salvation of God, and the glorious Ministration of Life, Grace and Truth, which came by Jesus Christ, John 1.4.

Now after this the people called Christians ariseth and comes forth to possess the common Salvation which God hath revealed in Christ Jesus, and from amongst the Gentiles comes up a peo­ple to have the benefit of a Saviour. In the day of the Revela­tion and Dispensation of the Life, Light and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, who were adorned with Heavenly Virtues, and Power given unto them to become the Sons of God, and their Assemblies were crowned with Life and Peace from God the Fa­ther and our Lord Jesus Christ, which was the Substance of that which the Law pointed at, and the fulness of that Glory which appeared in Old time, which all the Prophets bore witness of from the beginning, and the fulfilling of that Fellowship and U­nity between God and Mankind in Christ Jesus, which was dis­covered unto Solomon in his Day, and Life and Virtue was in high esteem in the Church of Christ (in those dayes) which was his Garden and Vineyard, planted by his out stretched Arm, which grew and prospered, untill the Foxes and wild Beasts got in, and preyed upon and spoiled his sweet Garden, and laid it waste, and it became open to the Wilderness, where the Church hath been in the dark Night of Apostacy (in a solitary Way, as in the dayes of Old, when Darkness over-spread the Earth, and gross Darkness covered the People, and much Murder and Blood-shed hath been about Religion) the Whore hath been conspiring against the true Wife, seeking occasion against the [Page 8] Spouse of Christ, accusing and bearing false witness against her before Kings and Rulers, and the great Men of the Earth, and so hath filled the Earth with Rebellion and Witchcraft, that many t [...]at have a desire to do well, & to come to the knowledge of Gods Salvation, are hindred by the way, and many fall down wounded for very Sorrow and Grief of Heart, because they attain not unto that they seek after; and many in this our Age and Generation, through the cunning craft and subtilty of the man of S [...]n, who so cunningly pleads for his Kingdom, and would even fi [...]st work by Perswasions and Disputes, and use Arguments, and tell People, that the holy men of God did fall (seeking thereby to strengthen their Bonds, and so keep people from looking to the Day spring of Mercies from on high, to the Glorious appearance of Christ in Spirit, where is strength enough against all Temptations, and a way made to e­scape all the Snares of the Devil) but such look to the failings and departings from God, where never Man was nor can be ac­cepted; and this is the state and condition of many this day, that except they come to know the Lord arise by his mighty Power in their Hea [...]ts, and shake the Earth and all the Evil that is therein, and all sinful Services put away, and sinful Offerings brought to an [...]nd; it will be hard for such to escape the terrible day of the Lord: Oh therefore return, return, bring no more sinful Offerings, nor vain Oblations before the Lord: he is weary of them, as ever he was in the dayes of old, and of calling Assem­blies in a sinful state, whilst Christ is not known to take away Sin, and while his inward invisible Life is not waited for; this at the b [...]st and highest estate, though in never so high a Profession, is altogether unfit for God; for while Sin remains, the separation stands between them and the Lord; and such a Body they are as old Israel was in the day of their Rebellion;Isa 1.5, 6. The whole Head sick, and the whole Heart faint, full of putrified Sores from the Head to the Foot. Therefore take heed O all ye people how ye profess Christ Jesus; for he will have a peculiar people, such as Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth,John 4.23, 24. such he seeks to Worship him, who are zealous of good Works, and not for Evil, [Page 9] not pleaders for Sin; these are not for the Lord, but against him, and the Lamb and hi [...] Followers shall overcome them, and with their spiritual Weapon [...] they shall prevail, and they shall have the Crown which i [...] incorruptible; for they stand for Christs Kingdom against all the Power [...] of Wickness in the highest pla­ces whatsoever, Ephes. 6.12. Tit. 2.14. For Sin was t [...]e cause of mans separation from God in the beginning, and the Sin. of Is­rael separated between the Lord and them,Isa. 59.2. and their Iniquities with-held good things from them; and Sin was the cause of the with-drawings of the Heavenly Peace and good things of Gods Kingdom from the People called Christians. And to this day that is the cause why the Lord with­holds good things from them, who have lost that Life and Power of C [...]r [...]st that was revealed amongst the Christians in the Primi­tive Times, and the Enjoyment of God's heavenly Presence in their Assemblies: And Dark, Dangerous Times have followed them that have Rebelled against the Lord, and a Dark Night of Apostacy hath spread over all Nations, and the Church hath been in the Wilderness, and hard Travels and Exercises, and many sore Troubles and Persecutions she hath met withal, great Trials and Sufferings of divers kinds, which come not short of the great Sufferings of the People of God in the former Ages of the World (as I said before) but rather exceed them, Heb. 11.31, 38. a [...] might largely be spoken of. But something lies up­on me to write concerning Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, with something concerning Faith and Hope, &c.

Seeing there are many this day that go about to render the Lords People, in scorn call'd Quakers, as such as deny the Or­dinances of the Church of Christ, who are a People gathered by the Lord, and built upon the sure Rock and Foundation (of many Ages and Generations, Christ Jesus) who are come to the guidance of the Spirit of Truth, which is the ground of true Demonstration, which reveals the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom, and opens to the Understandings of his People the weighty matters relating to the Peace of their Souls, which Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, but its revealed unto us by the Spirit which searcheth all things, even the deep things of God, with­out [Page 10] which no man can be wise to Salvation; therefore all must bow to the spiritual Ministration of Christ Jesus, who is ascended up on high into the Glory he had with the Father before the World began, from whence his Light and Spirit comes down in­to the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men, to enlighten them, that they may see the Filthiness of their Hearts, and so come to loath themselves in their own sight, and deny their own sinful Works, and so be saved from Destruction; by whose power the Serpents Head comes to be bruised, and so cast out, and the Works of Uncleanness and Unrighteousness cast out with him, that he may no more have part in Man and Woman, [...]ut that in the Light and Spirit of Christ they may walk, and so become true Worsh [...]ppers of the Father in Spirit and Truth; for out of the Spirit and Truth all are in the broad Way, that leads to Destruction; and so they Worship they know not what, and are a [...]ways sowing to the Flesh, of which they shall reap Cor­ruption: And this is the False Ground, where Sin is conceived by the Power of Darkness, in the Disobedient Heart (where the Power of Godliness is not to be known, unless it be to Condemna­tion) and in that state all is out of true form, frame and order, divided from the precious Life, and scattered as Sheep upon Barren Mountains without a Shepherd, in this Dark Cloudy time, wherein the Glory of the Church of Christ, that was re­vealed in the Apostles days, hath been vailed from mens Under­standings, and Hirelings (again) yea, grievous Wo [...]ves have entered in, which have not spared the Flock, but cloathed them with the Wool, and eat the Fat, as the old Apostates did, but have not fed the Flock, Ezek. 34.5. But now is the Lord come to gather the lost scattered Ones from the Desolate Hill [...] and Mountains, into the true Rest, where the Flocks of hi [...] Compa­nions feed, and lie down at Noon, where the one Shepherd and one Sheepfold is known, where they are united together in the Covenant of Life, and so know Rest to their Souls, 1 Pet. 2.5. John 10.16.

And unto this true Fold all must come, that they may be ac­quainted with the Power and Life of Christ Jesus, which ga­thers the Mind into a heavenly Frame, and brings it to a true [Page 11] stayedness upon the Lord; and unto this holy Power all must be gathered out of the Wilderness of t e sinful World, where there is no certain way, but where People are seeking the Li­ving amongst the Dead, in the invented ways of Fallen man, which by the Light and Spirit of Christ are clearly seen as they are, which Light was before the Invention of man was, and will remain when they are all gone. And therefore in a sense and sight of the many wandrings this day, of those that profess Christianity, a true desire ariseth in my Heart to the Lord for their return, while time lasts, before they go away from hence and be no more seen; for various Judgments and Opinions have risen amongst the People concerning the Worship of God, and the Coming of the Lord; some believing after this manner, and some after that; and a great stir amongst the People concerning Ordinances, who have been in the imitation of such Perform­ances, as they conceive the Saints in time past were in, while they are out of the Way of God the Saints were in, who were led by the Spirit of God, and stood for Christ's Kingdom, which consisteth in Righteousness, and stands not in Word, but in Power, 1 Cor. 4.20. And what is it for such to profess Worship, and talk of the things of God, while the Spirits mo­tion is not waited for, and while sin stands between them and the Lord; such can no more inherit the Blessing, nor obtain the Promises, then the Will-Worshippers of old, who had lost the Living P [...]esence of God, and were covering themselves, but not with the Spirit of the Lord; yet had many Offerings and Sacrifices, with which they came to the Altar of the Lord, al­though they had forsaken him, and were far from him in their Hearts: And these had Circumcision in the Sign, but not in the Substance; they were circumcised outwardly, but not in­wardly; they were not circumcised in Heart, as many now a­days; they are boasting of Baptism in sign outwardly, in many ways and forms, telling of John and his Baptism, but understand not the extent of it, how far it did reach, for it was a prepara­tion in that day to fit People for Christ Jesus, bringing them to a confession of sins, that they might come to Christ, who was made manifest to take away sin, and Christ was baptized of John [Page 12] to fulfil that Ministration; for John's Baptism could not take away sin, but one comes after me (saith he) that is mightier than I, he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and Fire, which John's Baptism was a Figure of, John 3.11. And so there was a Glo­ry attending his Ministration, in his day, as the Ministration of the Law was glorious in its time; but now Christ is come, who fulfils the Law and the Prophets, whose Glory exceeds them, whose Judgment is near, and he condemns sin in the rise of it, in the Heart; and this is nearer than the outward Law, which took hold only of the outward Man, but Christs Law is a spiritual Law, taking hold of the Inner man, bringing Condemnation upon the man of sin within, that thereby he may take away sin in the very root of it, and so bring it to an end, and bring in Everla­sting Righteousness. And so John's Baptism was outwardly, but Christs Baptism is inwardly: John's Baptism washed the outside but the Baptism of C [...]rist washeth the Heart; this makes clean the inside; and this all must know, or they will never be cleans­ed from sin: And this is by the Spirit, as its written, by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body, which all the true Believers were sensible of. And to this day the Work of God is to de­stroy the Works of the Devil, and execute Judgment upon him, as it was in the Primitive Times, and Christ Jesus is the same yesterday to day and forever. And hereby they were wit­nesses of the Resurrection of Christ, and not only so, but of his Spiritual and Second Coming, by whose Power and Spirit they were quickned, that were dead in sins and Trespasses, and a­wakened unto Righteousnes [...], and this is that which brings all true Believers to an inwa [...]d experience of the Work of Re­demption, and so they come to know the River of Judgment, and the Water of Regeneration, which washeth away the Filth from the Soul, and hereby they pass from Death to Life, from the Death that came by Sin, into the Life which is come by Christ Jesus, John 3.14. And so the spiritual Baptism comes to be known, which was signified by John's Baptism. And to what purpose is it for thee, O Man or Woman! to profess Redemp­tion and Salvation by Christ, and thou not saved and redeemed by him, but sittest down in a sinful Profession of him, and comest [Page 13] not to know the holy Ghosts Baptism, but continuest in thy sins from Year to Year, and art like to dye there; and if so thou (surely) dyest a stranger to God, and hast no right nor interest in Christ, nor any part or portion in Heavens Kingdom; therefore arise and come away, for the Gospel Day is come, and the Power of Christ is known, who is come to ease the Creation of the heavy Burden of Sin, which it hath long groaned under, and the Creature it self shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption, and brought into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.21. And nothing short of this delivering saving Power will stand any in stead in the day of Account [No Baptism short of the Baptism of the holy Ghost will prepare the Soul for the Lord, for outward Water cannot wash away sin, no more than the [...]lood of Goats and Calves in old time, which was a figure of the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus upon the Con­science, which is a Mystery to the World, as the holy Ghosts Baptism is] and therefore I may say as the Apostle did, Circum­cision availeth nothing, nor Ʋncircumcision; so I say, wh [...]ther baptized outwardly, or not baptized, it avails nothing, but a new Creature, Gal. 6.15. And it will be with many, as it was said concerning some of old, whose circumcision was reckoned for uncircumcision, who had but the outward sign; for said the Apostle, He is not a Jew that is one outwardly; neither is that cir­cumcision, that is outward in the Flesh: But he is a Jew that is one inwardly, and that is circumcision which is of Heart in the spi­rit, not of the Letter, whose Praise is not of men but of God, Rom. 2.2 [...].

So Baptism is that of the Heart in the Spirit, & such as sit down short of this they are not come to t [...]e true saving Baptism, but such as are thus baptized they are the true born Children of t [...]e bles­sed seed, Christ Jesus who is the beginning of the creation of God, whose Baptism is more deep and of greater force & vertue than the Baptism of John, John 3.11. And these are Members of that Mystical Body, of which Christ is head, and they are built up­on the sure F [...]undation, and they are in the Way of Life and Peace. And so by the Glory of Christ all False Ways and Wor­ships are discovered to them, who is the Way to the Father, [Page 14] which begets Man and Woman unto God, out of sin, and Un­righteousness, and gives them that Peace which the World can­not give; and these have the Gift of his blessed Spirit, which helps their Infirmities, R [...]m 8.26. and doth that for them that they cannot do for themselves; and these know the Travil of their Souls, and are satisfied through the Love of God in Christ Jesus, who saves his from their Sins, and so from Hell and De­struction, and these being by him baptize [...], they come into a true humble state, and so are witnesses of his gentle leadings, who is t [...]e true Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul (whose Owner the Sheep are) who stands by them, and defends them in all their Trials and Temptations, and never leaves them nor forsakes them, but brings them to a sure Deliverance, from the Power of Dark­ness, and translates them into the Kingdom of God's Dear Son, Col. 1.13, 14. And this is the saving Baptism which brings the Conscience to answer in the sight of God, in a sanctified estate before him, which is not the washing away the fi [...]th of the flesh, But the answer of a good Conscience towards God, by the Resur­rection of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 3.21, 22.

And so this leads to the Attonement, and so to true Reconci­liation, and Peace with God in Christ, where the Condemna­tion ceaseth unto such who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.1. And thus the true Church is baptized into Christ, and puts on Christ, and the Kingdom is prepared for them, be­cause they walk with him in the Regeneration, Mat. 19.28, 29. Being baptized into his Sufferings, and planted together with him in the likeness of his Death, and follow him daily through the Cross, going after him, bearing his Reproach, Rom. 6.3, 4, 5, 6. Heb. 13.13. And so the holy Ghost and Fire burns up and con­sumes Sin and Iniquity; and when a man comes to this Baptism all his sinful Services come to be manifested as they are, and Judgment executed upon them accordingly, which are but Dross and Dung, [...]r Wood, Hay and Stubble, which Christ Jesus consumes, who baptizeth with the holy Ghost and Fire, Mat. 3.11, 12. 1 Cor. 3.12, 13. And by this the Church comes to be purely purged, as the Daughter of Zion in old time, even by the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning, Isa. 4.4. [Page 15] And so the Haughtin ss of Man comes to be bowed down, and his Loftiness laid low, and the Lord alone is Exalted, Isa 2.10, 11, 12. But Alas! its a hard thing for Proud Flesh to come down to this low Valley, to be crucified with Chr st fr m the Low, Earthly, Beggerly El [...]ments and Rudiments of [...]he World, although that be the very Way, by which the Kingdom is obtained; as its written, If we Dye with him, we shall Liv [...] with him; if we Suffer with him, we shall Reign with him; but if we deny him, he also will deny us, 2 Tim. 2.11, 12. So that the de­nying of Christ is the abiding in sin, where there is no Test mony for God, and aga nst [...] D [...]vil, the World, nor the Flesh. And here is the denying of Chr [...]st before men, who deny to suff [...]r with him, and to go after him, bearing his Reproach; and this Baptism leads in [...]o a Self-denying State, to take up the daily Cross, as Christ commanded, Mark 8.34, 35. And that which hinders this Work in man is the Evil One, that wrought in a Myst [...]ry in the Apostles Days, that Spirit of Anti-christ, which turned the Heart and Mind from God's Power and Spirit revealed in the Light of Jesus within; and so holds People in a Dark, Sinful Profession of Christ, only talking of the Experi­ences of the People of God in former Ages, like the Old Apo­state Jews, Jer. 23.30. who Stole the Word of God from their Neighbours; and these were Thieves and Robbers, who knew not the Operation of the Word in them­selves, but the Enemy rules their own Hearts; and such are Empty Professors, li [...]e those that were compared to Wells without Water, and Trees without Fruit,2 Pet. 2.19. Joh. 8.14. Pro­mis [...]ng Liberty to others, when they themselves are the Servants of Corruption, while the Wrath of God hangs over them, because of Sin, which one day they will know, except they Repent; and such are within the Borders of Mystery Babylon the great, the Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth, Rev. 17.2, 3, 4, 5. Where many comfort themselves with the Wine of her Golden Cup, Fair on the outside, but within full of Abominations, who is for the Day of Wrath, and for the Burnings of the Lord's Anger, who is reserved for the Day of Distress and Calamity, [Page 16] whose Children never come to Perfection, but dye as Untimely Births that never see the Son; L [...]annes and Barrenness of Soul, and great Trouble and Horror of Conscience is within her, Death and Famine draws nigh unto her Borders. Happy are they that depart from her, for all her W [...]ys lead (to H [...]ll, and go) down to the Chambers of Death, Prov. 7.25, 26, 27. And therefore, come forth of her, all ye who have desires af­ter the Lord, be not partakers with her, of her sins, lest you re­ceive of her Plagues, Rev. 18.4. And as all come out of her, and come to know the Lord, and Fear and Obey him, know­ing the Work of Regener [...]tion, they come to be Free-born, And so come to be Heirs of God, Rom. 8.17. jo [...]nt Heirs with Christ: And such come to the great Year of Jubile to be released from the Bondage of Sin and Death; and this is Joy to the true Believers, who can say, Salvation and Strength is come, and the Kingdom of our God, and the Power of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever; and this is the Testimony of the Spirit of Truth, which Proclaims Freedom and Deliverance to the Soul; but the Spirit of Anti-christ (which rules in them that are in the sinful World) denyes the Day of Christ, the great (Freedom Day, the) Year of Jubile, and so are in danger (if they come not to the appearance of Christ in this his Day) to be Bond Slaves to the Enemy forever; and so this Evil Spirit is leading People to deny the Free Birth, and such, notwithstanding, expect the Kingdom, while they are in their sins, and walking in Unholy, Paths building (as the People that rebelled against God in the Days of old) and Dawbing over their Buildings with Ʋntempered Morter. Ezek. 13.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. But the Day of the Lord is over all, and he will Shake the Earth and Heavens also, that nothing shall remain for a Foundation to build upon but Christ Jesus and him revealed in Mankind; all other Foundations will God break in pieces, and throw down all their Works, Rev. 5.16. Isa. 1.19. And all Coverings will the Lord rip up, and all shall be seen as they are. Therefore come away to things of a more enduring Nature than that which Perisheth (which is vi­sible) and passeth away, which Christ hath fulfilled; and as [Page 17] you come truly to know his Spiritual and Powerful Baptism, you will be Members of that Church of which Christ is Head, which bears his Image, which is washed with the Water of Rege­neration by the Word, Ephes. 5.26. And so all will know the one Baptism, for as there is one Lord and one Faith, so there is one Baptism; and such come to be Heirs with him of that Inheri­tance which fades not away, 1 Pet. 1.4. And so you will know the thing sign [...]fied by John's Baptism, and you will come in­to the Brother-hood, as you receive the Spirit of Adoption; and such will [...]ave right to call God Father, and they shall be sealed with the Seal of the New-Covenant; and such are Gods Witnesses to the World, That Christ is risen from the dead, and become the First-Fruits in them that slept. And so the Wrath of God w [...]ll come to an end, and unto such his Love will reach [...]n the Inshinings of it upon their Souls, which proclaims heavenly Joy and Peace in their Habitations, which will more and more lead them into the assurance of the Life that hath no end. And so Christ's Baptism must increase, and [John's] must decrease, and all that are baptized by the one [...]pirit they come to be of one Heart and one Mind, and so are tempered toge­ther into the one Spirit, and are of tender Hearts and Con­sciences, and they come to be fastned together in the one Life, as so many Branches ingrafted into the same Root, 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. And such shall be Pillars in God's House, and shall go forth no more, Rev. 2.12. Ephes. 4.15, 16.

And so the desire of my Soul is, That all poor distressed Peo­ple may come to know the one Lord, one Faith, and one Bap­tism, so will all be made partakers of the Ministration of Christ Jesus, and will be taught of God, Isa. 54.13. And great shall be their Peace, who shall be fed with the hidden Manna the Bread that comes down from Heaven) and shall drink of the Wa­ter of Life, Rev. 2.17. Chap. 22.17. And because that Peo­ple know not this one Baptism of the holy Ghost and Fire, there­fore Pride remains, and many Heathenish customs amongst the people called Christians, and Stretched-forth Necks and Wan­ton Eyes, and Mincing Feet, and Plaiting of Hair, and the like, which is for the Day of the burning of the Jealousie of the [Page 18] Lord; but blessed be his Worthy Name, he hath baptized many into that Life and Sollidity, so that they have forsaken these old Lovers, who are redeemed from a vain Conversation, not with Gold and Silver, but by the pre [...]ious blood of Jesus Christ, and so are cloathed with the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, 1 Pet. 3.4. And so you that rest in the Figure of this Baptism, and hearken to the Perswasions of your Evil Hearts; and conclude this spiritual inward Work is not now to be experienced, as in days past; neither is there any imme­diate Revelation in these times. Here you greatly deceive your own Souls, and are found Enemies unto the Work of God, and pleading for Satans Kingdom, and keeping up that which Christ Jesus is come to destroy; and therefore be perswaded in time, lest you run out your day and time here, and the Night of perpetual Misery come upon you; for the Lord sees you and marks your doings, and beholds how you stand decked with the Outside-profession of him, and how you have Opposed his bles­sed spiritual Appearance, who in the end will be found no Respe­cter of Persons,1 Cor. 3.8. but will Reward every man, accor­ding as his Work shall be. He that soweth to the Flesh, Gal. 6.7, 8. shall of the Flesh reap Corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap Life Everlasting.

And as concerning the Supper of the Lord, what various Ways and Opinions are People scattered in, who are sepera­ted from the Substance, and running after the Shadow, and so are in several Ways and Opinions, but all come short of the true Supper, who come not to the teachings of Christ, who said, The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life, John 6.63. Who gives the heavenly Bread, which he that eats of shall live forever, John 6.51. Who said, He that eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood dwells in me, and I in him, Joh. 6.33, 34, 35, 36. And this is that which was pointed at by Christ in the outward Supper, which was the Supper he made with them before he suffered; but this is not that which is to remain amongst the Saints to the end of the World, being [Page 19] made up of outward Creatures, which cannot nourish the Soul, therefore hath he ordained another spiritual Supper, which is m [...]re durable than the Figure, for the Redeemed Soul to feed upon, without which it dyes from the Life of the World to come, John 6.53. Therefore saith Christ, Behold I stand at the Door and knock, if any man hear my voice, I will come in and sup with him, and he with me, Rev. 3.20. So this is the effectual Sup­per which is to remain to Succeeding Ages, which is the flesh and Blood of Christ in the Mystery, viz. Spirit and Life, John 6.63. And this is the Fruit of the blessed Vine, which truly fills the Soul with Joy; and in this the outward Supper is ful­filled, according to Christ's own words, I will no more drink of the Fruit of the Vine with you, till it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God, Luke 22.16. And this all the redeemed, who are brought out of sin, into the Image of God, feed upon: and this is the Tree of Life in the heavenly Paradise, which was the Life of the Soul before the Fall, and he that lives and overcomes shall eat of it, Rev. 2.7. So that without overcoming the Devil and his Works, there is none can eat thereof, and that's the reason why so many are ignorant of this heavenly Substance, for they cannot know it, nor taste of its Life and Vertue whilst in sin, For the Cherubims and the Flaming Sword are at Eden's Gate, which turns every way to keep the Way of the Tree of Life, Gen. 3.24. And therefore the new Creation must be known, and a Restoration into the Image of God again, which was be­fore the Fall, and the Mind and Conscience must be sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus; its not enough to talk of it, but all must come to know it in the Mystery of it,Heb. 13.14. which is to be known in the Light, which shines from Christ into the Heart,1 Joh. 1.6, 7. and so as you experi­ence the New Birth, you will see and know the substance of the outward Supper, and the new Wine of the Kingdom you will know, whic makes glad the Heart, which fills it with joy and gladness, and this is the true Communion of his Body and Blood (viz.) The Cup of Blessing which we bless, and the Heavenly Bread which we break, which nourish­eth the Soul unto Eternal Life; and this is a Mystery which the [Page 20] Wisdom of the World never knew, nor never shall, but its hid from them, and revealed to Babes and Sucklings, Mat. 11.25.

So there hath been a great noise amongst Professors about the Supper of the Lord, some in one way, and some in another, while the Night of Darkness hath been over them, in which people have been in a spiritual slumber, where the False drea­ming part hath been at work, which forms an uncertain satisfa­ction to its self; As when a hungry man dreams that he eats, but he awakes and his Soul is empty, and as when a thirsty man dreams that he drinks, but he awakes and behold he is faint, Isa. 29.8.

And so consider, O ye people! how the Light of God's heavenly Day sometimes doth break forth in your Heart [...], which lets you see the Barrenness, and Leannes [...], and Emptiness of your Souls, and puts you in mind of the World to come, that unto it you might turn your M [...]nds, and believe in it; for its Gods Grace which brings Salvation, which hath appeared un­to all Men, Tit. 2.11, 12. which instructs and leads in the Way to the heavenly Kingdom, and to sit down in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus, Ephes. 2.6. and to sup with him, and he with us; and here is no Defilement, but a pure cleansing from all un­cleanness; for they that come into the true unity and fellowship of the Saints must walk in the Light, for that Discover [...] all the Temptations of the Enemy,Heb 12.14. and preserves in a state of holines [...], without which no man can see the Lord. For where the Defilements remain, either in Principles or Practices, there is a deceitful Heart, which turns aside from following the Lord; and in this sinful ground are many this day, covering themselves with a profession of Christ, and talking of Salvation by him, and are content only to hear what he did in days past, and to read these things recorded in the Scrip­tures of Truth, concerning him, as the Jews of old, who read the Scriptures: Joh. 5.9. In them (saith Christ) you think to have Eternal Life; but they are they that testifie of me, and you will not come unto me, that you may have Life; and so many are covering themselves with a bare profession of Christ, as old Adam and Eve did when then they sowed Figg-leaves to­gether to cover their Nakedness, but all will not hide them from [Page 21] the Eye of the Lord, nor shelter them from the searchings of his Power, who is risen in this his day to plead with all Flesh; for he hath seen the false Coverings of the people of this Age, and their Vanities and daily Evils are in the view of our God, who is come and coming to try the Nations, and to sound the bottom of a sinfull Professions; and the Harvest of the Earth is almost fully ripe, the Lord hath revealed it, which will be reaped and cast into the fearful Wine-Press, and he that treads the Wine-Press of the fiercenes [...] and wrath of Almighty God is on his way, and the day of Vengeance is in his Heart, for the Y [...]ar of his Redeemed is come, Isa. 59.17, 18. But herein is the un­speakable love of God made known, in that he hath caused his Day spring from on high to break forth in this Generation, t [...]rough his long forbearance, as in the dayes of Noah, that People might believe in it, and be saved, and not run out their dayes in Wickedness, as they did in the old World, who were at last reserved for a day of Wrath, which came upon them at un­awares, when they were eating and drinking in their sinfull Practices, who were condemned with an overthrow, and the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were turned into Ashes for an example to them that afterward should live Ungo [...]ly, 2 Pet. 2.6. Jude 4. And so in this day of the Lords mercy he hath declared, that he takes no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, for he is an unchangeable God, Ezek. 18.30. but wills ra­ther that all should turn and live, and so escape the day of Ven­geance which draws near upon all the Ungodly, who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes 2 [...], 8, 9 And so re­turn unto Christ all ye people, and obey his Vo [...]ce: For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth, how much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from Heaven? whose M [...]nistration is very Powerfull to the raising the Soul out of Sin and Death, who breaks down the middle Wall of partition between God and Man, and blots out the Hand-writing Ordinances, and nails it to his Cross, Heb. 12.25. Chap. 7.16, 17. Col. 2.14. And this is the Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation to all true Believers, Rom. 1.16. and all that believe this everlasting Gospel come to be Children of the [Page 22] new Jerusalem, who brings forth her Children to Perfection, and they come to be Heirs of Grace and of Life, and God doth free them from Captivity, Death and Bondage; and so they come to be fellow-Citizens, and of the Houshold of God, Ephes. 2.19. And these come to Milk out (abundantly) and be satis­fied at the Breasts of Jerusalem's Consolation, whereby their Souls are made to rejoyce, and their Bones to flourish like an Herb, Isa. 66.12, 13, 14. Chap. 34.10. And these things were in old time spoken of by the holy Prophets, which are fulfilled in Christ, who is the Fountain of all living Virtues and divine Consolation, whereby the Souls of the Redeemed are reple­nished, in whom is all our fresh Springs: and so all must come to know a preparation in Heart by the Lord Power, that all may be espoused and married to Christ, and in the holy Covenant stand ready to enter into the Marriage Chamber, to partake of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, whose Wife is to be ar­rayed with fine Linnen, white and clean, which is the Righte­ousness of Saints, Rev. 19.8. and this is the happiness of the Soul forever; here the true Baptism by one Spirit, into the fel­lowship of the Saints in Light is known, and such come to be fit­ted for the Table of the Lord, and to know a seeding together upon the Feast of fat things in his holy Mountain, Isa. 25.6. and think not that any in their pollutions, who refuse the call of the Lord, shall partake of this Marriage Supper of the Lamb, nay, but that will be the portion of all Unrighteous men, who in­trude themselves into those things they see not the depth of, as was said to that unprepared Man, How camest thou hither, not ha­ving on a Wedding Garment? unto whom it was said, Bind him Hand and Foot, and cast him into utter Darkness, where there is Weeping, Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth, Matth. 22.11, 12, 13. Rev. 19.9. And so arise and be awakened, and be not alwayes like the sickly Corinthians, who discerned not the Lords body, 1 Cor. 9.28, 29, 30. and take heed how you perform a Service to God in a sinfull state; for he will not accept of it, nor re­ceive it with good will at your Hands, whatever shew you make, as they did in the dayes of Old, whose Sacrifices the Lord did not regard, but the Deceiver was accursed who had a Male [Page 23] in his Flock, and vowed and offered to God an unclean thing, Mal. 1.13, 14. Chap. 2.13. So you have something given you of God in your own Consciences, which is unspotted, which ne­ver consented to Sin; take heed how you offer out of the Holi­ness of it, lest you fall under the Curse as they did; and you may consider how Saul in the day of his Rebellion forced himself to offer to God, when he desired honour before the People, who waited not for the Lords counsel; and this Offering did not free Saul from the guilt of Rebellion against God, which was as the Sin of Witchcraft, and stubbornness as Iniquity and Idolatry, 1 Sam. 15.23, 30. Chap. 13.12. but all must be clean. For I will be sanctified in them that come near me, saith the Lord, Lev. 10.3.

Oh! the danger that many are in this Day, of the Judg­ments of God to fall heavy upon them, because of sin; yea, and they that are high in Profession too, because they come not to a true sense of their own States and Conditions, as some of old, who offered to God, and yet perished, who were consumed and dyed before the Lord, as the two hundred and fifty of C [...] ­rah's company offered unto God in a Rebellious state, and pe­rished; And Nadab and Abihu were smitten, and dyed, for offering strange Fire before the Lord; And Saul declined from the Kingdom, and lost the Government of Israel: And you may read how hasty Ely's Sons were about the Priest-hood and the Offerings, 1 Sam. 2.12. and what became of them.

And so be warn [...]d, all ye People, and seek unto God, that he may give you Repentance, that so you may be prepared for the Lords Supper (as I said before) and so come to enjoy the Promises of God in Christ Jesus, that your D [...]solations may be repaired; for the Repairer of Breaches is come, and the Re­storer of Paths to walk in; and so with the Church in old time, you will know his Banqueting-House, and his Banner of Love over you, and under his Shadow you will sit down, where his Fruit will be sweet to your Taste, Can. 2.3, 4. And this is that which gives encouragement daily to the true Believers in all their Afflictions, which fills them with Praises and Hallelujahs unto him that lives forever, and so they know the enlarging of their Hearts in the Everlasting Love of God, where they come to [Page 24] have a sure Portion in Christ Jesus, where the Pastures of Life spring, where the Poor gathered Ones feed together, who are re­turned to the chief Shepherd and Bishop o [...] their Souls, 1 Pet. 2.25. Ezek. 34.14. Psal. 23.2. And so by Repentance, that's the Way to come to the Lord M [...]u [...]tain, where his House is esta­blished; and as the N [...]tion come to Repentance, as they For­sake their sins, they will ask the Way to Zion, with their Faces thitherward, and they will say, Come, let us go up to the [...]oun­tain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his Wayes, and we will walk in his Paths, Isa 2.2, 3. And the Way of true Repentance is to take up the Cross, to all the Pleasures and D [...]lights and Unprofitable Exercises in the World, and so your Souls will live, and delight themselves in the Fatness of his House, Psal. 36.8. Psal. 46.4 Psal. 65.9. and drink of the River of his Pleasure: And this is satisfaction, above that which is Visible, that if the Figg-tree do not blossom, if the Flock should be cut off from the Fold, and there should be no Herd in the Stall; and the Labour of the Olive should fail, and the Fields should yield no Meat, I would rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of my Salvation, Hab. 3.17, 18. And so God hath before-ordained, in his fore-seeing Wisdom and Council, that if the outward man Perish, the inward man shall be Renewed day by day, 2. Cor. 4.16.

So I leave the Consideration of these things to the serious Reader, that who so is dissatisfied in Mind concerning the true Satisfaction of their Souls, that they may turn to the Living God, in the Light of his beloved Son, which shines into their Hearts; that true Redemption out of their sins they may come to know, and so increase in heavenly vertues, having Faith, which stands in God's Power, and having the Knowledge of the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, whom to know is Life Eternal: And here the increase of Patience will be known,Luke 21.19. in the which the Souls possession must be in this earthly Tabernacle and Meekness and Temperance; all must know, for such can follow Christ where-ever he goeth, who lives in the enjoyment of these Blessings afore-said; and all that's short of these things, who sit down in dead Forms, where [Page 25] the living spring of Life is not known to satisfie the Soul, and they deck themselves with worldly Wisdom, which cannot reach to find out the things of God, though it may reach to find out things that's earthly, and it may lead into the Rudiment of the World, yet no man knows the things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10, 11. but by the Spirit of God. And in the day that's nigh at hand against all such, as thus stand in Rebellion against him, will the Lord arise and seperate them far from his Kingdom, as old Adam was driven from Paradise, & so that all may forsake their sins, & be prepared & fitted, for the table of the Lord in his holy Mountain (as is said before) that the Cup of blessing, and the feeding upon the pure Body, which is Spirit and Life, all may know, and so you will have Life abundantly, even a Well, in you, which springs up to Life Eternal, John 4. and this will satisfie all, and bring all to lie down in Peace with God for ever­more, John 14.21.

And as concerning the Coming of the Lord Jesus, how un­certain have People been in their Judgments, some in one way, and some in another, following their own Inventions, being darkened with the Night of Apostacy, unto whom the Vision of all is become as a sealed Book, and so puts the Day of the Lord far off Some look for his coming in the outward Clouds, and other, when the World is at an end, and so are ignorant of him to save th [...]m from their sins; but the Scriptures say, The Judge stands before the Door, James 5.8, 9. which is the Door of the Heart, at which Christ stands in Spirit, saying, Behold I stand at the Door and knock, that thereby,Rev. 3.20. as he re­proves and smites the Heart, the hardness thereof may be broken, and that the Stony, Hard, Impenitent Na­ture of Transgression might be taken away, Ezek. 11.19. Rev. 3.20. But while the Day of his coming is put afar off, the Heart is daily hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin, and the Enemy befools the Creature with an uncertain hope of Salvation in a sinful State,Gen. 3.5. as he did Man and Woman in the beginning, alluring them with that which was pleasant to the Eye, and desirous to look upon, and so brought them over to sin, out of Obedience unto God, and deceived [Page 26] them with a Lye, telling them, They should be as Gods, and thereby d [...]st [...]oyed their Souls. So here the Devil was a Lyar and a Murderer from the beginning; and so he hath had his Way amon [...]st all sinful and unbelieving People, from the be­ginning of the World, ever since the Fall, and he seeks still to cover his Head from the bruising Power of Christ Jesus; and such as live in sin, are o [...] the Mind of the Serpent, and they through obeying him, become his Servants, and so are like to be sent away with him into Everlasting Misery, whose Ways are Sin­ful, & therefore are Destructive both to Soul and Body, which Christ is come to save from, that the Body may become the Te [...] ­ple of God again, in the Redemption by Christ J [...]sus, out of sin.

And so let all people consider these things, and give not your selves over any longer to that sinful Spirit, which lead [...] you to op­pose the Spiritual appearance of the Son of God, that thereby he might keep you in sin all your days, that you might dye in the end of your Dayes without the Peace and Favour of God. And thus many are deceived by the Lying, Deceiveable Spirit of the World, who is of the Earth and from below; and such as obey him, and follow his Delusions, are of Earthly,1 Cor. 15.47, 48. Sensual Minds. And this was mans state when he lost the Image of God, to wit, the Righteousness, & true Holiness, which God created them in; and so the Wrath of God turn'd against them, Gen. 1.27. Gen. 3.8, 9, 10. And the God of the World hath sitten in the Temple of God shewing himself, that he is God; and he hath been blinding the Minds of them that believe not in their Hearts, the Lord Jesus. 2 Thes. 2.4. And leading the Men of the World to call Light Darkness, Isa. 5.20. and Darkness Light, as the old Apostates amongst the Jews; and so are in many sinful Ways, tu [...]n'd by the Adversary into many by-Paths, where God is not known; For without holiness no man can come with acceptance before him, Heb. 12.14.

And so many are talking of the Resurrection, and of everlasting Life, but are not in the way to Life, who know not the first Re­surrection, and so are out of the way to everlasting Life, and are in the way to everlasting Death; for who so hath not part in the first Resurrection, is for everlasting Death, to be cast in­to [Page 27] the Lake of Fire, Rev. 20.6, 10, 15. And Christ-Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, who raiseth the Dead and quickneth them; and so all must believe in him, who is come to breath up­on the slain, and to unite the dry Bones together,Ezek. 33.9. who have been in the open valleys as old Israel, exceeding dry, to bring forth a living people to his Praise and Glory, to partake of the Riches of the Fathers love, which through the Son is shed abroad into our Hearts. And blessed be God, a Remnant can say, that Death is abolished, and Life and Immortallity is brought to Light, 2 Tim. 1.10. By the ever­lasting Gospel which hath been very powerfull in these last days, as the Trumpet of God which is the Voice of him that speaks from Heaven, who brings up out of the Grave of Sin and Un­cleanness, and calls all that are dead in Sin to Judgment, that Men and Women may know a passage from Death to Life, as I said before, that henceforth they might not live to themselves, but to Christ that died for them and rose again, who through Death destroys him that hath the power of Death which is the Devil:Heb. 2.14. but many there are who do not lay to heart the Sufferings of Christ, but live wanton upon the Earth, and nourish their Hearts as in a day of slaughter, and sport themselves over the Witnesses of God in their Consci­ences, as those that condemned and killed the Just,James 5.6. who for a time were not resisted; and though such are alive in the Flesh, yet they are dead to God, and a wofull Day draws near unto them, wherein the Lord will be known as a man of War who reckons with his Enemies. So its high time to awake and lift up your Eyes, that you may see the Redeemer of the Soul, and come to know his works in you, which are to be known while people are upon the Earth; For his wondrous Works cannot be known in the dark, nor his righteousness in the Land of for­getfulness, Psal. 88.10, 11, 12. Psal. 115.17. So it must be on this side the Grave, that the Salvation of God must be known, for the dead cannot praise him, nor declare God's Truth to their Children: but the Living it is that praises God,Isa. 38.18, 19, 20. the Fathers to the Children shall make known his Truth; and so put not of the day off the Lord, lest you be numbred with them that despise, wonder and perish, which [Page 28] know not the work that God was a doing in their day;Acts 13.41. neither would they believe it t [...]ough it was declared to them. So take heed, look not ab [...]ad for the coming of the Lord; go not after them that say, Lo here, and Lo there, who have lost the pure Life that was revealed in the Pri­mitive Times, and Darkness is come over them; and so they are filled with high Imaginations concerning the coming of the Lord: But its the poor in Spirit that feels a tender d [...]sire aft [...]r him in their Hearts, that shall see him and know [...]im to be their comforter,Rev. 1.7. Zach. 12.10. though they have pierced him by reason of Sin, they shall come to mourn over him and his mercy & pity will turn towards them, whose Suppli [...]ations and strong Cryes & Tears prevailed with the Father for poor lost Man, who cleanseth by his Blood, and brings to remission of Sins, and to the blotting out Sin, and God the Father accepts mankind in him, and administers out of his fulness to the daily nec [...]ssity of their Souls; and such have the benefit of a Saviour, who know Reconciliation by his Death, and Salvation by his Life;Rom. 5.10. and such come to be true Christian Con­verts, and the reason and understanding which God hath given them comes to be yoked under the power of Christ, and purely wrought through by the Life of the Lamb; and this is the true understanding,2 John 5.20. & all unruly unbrid­led Affections and Lusts come to be destroyed and cast out, and the old man with his Deeds put off, and so the Body becomes the Temple of God again, 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. And such who are come to know their Bodies to be the Temples of the holy Ghost, are they who have found their Souls beloved: and they are come to the holy Gospel day, and to the riches [...]f the Glory of the Mystery, which God in the riches of his Love hath made known amongst the Gentiles, which is Christ within the hope of Glory: And such as are come to the least degree of this saving knowledge of Christ, c [...]me to be satisfied concern [...]ng his coming, according to the Scriptures, as the Author to the Hebrews saith, It is appointed unto all men once to dye, and after that the Judgment. So Christ was offered up once to bear the Sins of many, and unto all them that wait for him will he appear the se­cond [Page 29] time without Sin unto Salvation, Heb. 9.21.28. And these are true Believers, whose times are in the Fathers hand, and these are not like the Jews, that went about to comprehend the coming of Chr [...]st in the Flesh by their fallen Wisdom: Well might the Apostle say,2 Cor. 1.21. God hath made foolish the Wisdom of this World, who by their Wisdom kn [...]w not God. For you may see how they were deceived, and how they mist his coming in the Flesh, who [...]new not the time and season of his coming, but raised objections conce [...]ning him, when the fullness of time wa [...] come; yet said they, Elias must first come. And see how they were deceived by their fallen Wisdom, in which People seek to be great in Religious matters, but still fail; and further said they, Search the Scriptures, for out of Gallilee ariseth no Prophet, John 17.52. Mark 9.11, 12. And well might Jesus Christ say unto such,Mat. 22.29. You know not the Scriptures nor the Power of God: And these were they that his Word had no place in; and such to this day, that his word hath no place in, who are [...]ot come to know [...]is Voice, and hear his Word, (know not the Scriptures nor the Power of God, neither do such understand the way of his com­ing in Spirit, although be said, he would come again, and that he would send another Comforter that should abide with his Peo­ple fo [...]er, which should fill their Hearts with Joy; And your Joy, saith Christ, no Man shall take from you, Jo [...]n 6.22. And such as believe in him in his spiritual appearance, they know him and love him, although the World hates him (and them) y [...]t they know that saying fulfilled, He th [...]t is with y [...]u shall be in you, John 14.17. And such come to be satisfied that its his ap­pearance spiritually in them, which let them see t [...]eir Hearts daily, though wicked m [...]n hate him and villifie [...]im, crying out, The Light is insufficient; and yet t [...]e true Bel [...]evers are they that walk in the Light, and they go after him bea [...]ing his Reproach, notwithstanding the contradicti [...]n of such as abide in their Sins; for they were Unbelievers that called [...]im the Carpenters Son, when he was manifest [...]d to old Israel: and so he met with many repulses in the dayes of his Flesh, and yet he triumpht over all, and is sate down at the right Hand of the Ma­jesty [Page 30] on high,Heb. 10.13. thence expecting his Enemies to be made his Foot-stool; and although the Jews did not believe in him, yet he was the Christ, and he came out of Gallilee: thus their Wisdom was confounded, and they that did not believe in him, nor received him perished, John 8.28. Luke 19.47. And so notwithstanding the many Oppositions, Repul­ses, Vilifications, Mockings, Scoffings and Slanders he meets withal in his spiritual appearance in Man and Woman, yet he is the Saviour of the World, he is the Light and Life of men, John 1.4. and the Light within is of God, that shews unto man his Thoughts, Amos 4.13. Whose Light shines in Darkness, al­though peoples dark Hearts and carnal corrupt Understandings cannot comprehend it, and though sin and pollutions be within, yet Christ the Light of the World is manifest to destroy it, Heb. 2.14. John 1.5.

And so the way of God is hid from the fallen Wisdom of Man, and past finding out by all Humane and Natural comprehension; for in that state the Seed of the Serpent grows up in the enmity in the Heart of man: And so People are Enemies to God, as the Serpent is an Enemy to him, and to his Righteous work in this his day; and here lies the Mystery of Iniquity which cannot be known,2 Cor. 3.16. but as the Heart turns to the Lord; And therefore seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near, Isa. 55.6. and put not off the day of his coming; For the Hour is come that the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live, John 5.25. For all have dyed in Transgression in the fall of the first Adam, and so all must come to the Resurrection of Life out of that miserable state by Christ Jesus the second A­dam, 1 Cor. 15.45. who is a quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven, and the deeds of the Body must be mor­tified while its upon the Earth, Col. 3.5. for afterward it will be too late. And this can't be done, untill the spiritual appear­ance of Christ, who redeems by his Blood which is his Life, and thereby sprinkles the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God, whose eternal Being upholds all things, and goes through all things, neither is there any Creature that is not [Page 31] manifest in his sight, but all things lie naked and open unto the Eye of him with whom we have to do, Heb. 4.13. Chap. 8.14. Who is the Gentiles Light, and the Glory of his People Israel, Luke 2.32. And his coming is in this his glorious day, after the working of Satan with all Power, and Signs, and lying Wonders, and all deceivableness of Unrighteousness in them that perish, 2 Thes. 2.8, 9, 10. who leads out of Death and Dark­ness into the Primitive Purity again, from amongst the Wat [...]h­men of the Night,Isa. 56.10. Rev. 22.15. and from the greedy Dogs and Sorcerers, (which are like them of old, that can never have enough, lying down, loving to slumber) into the promise of Eternal Life hath God brought a people, where the heavenly Treasure is known in the earthen v [...]ssel, 2 Cor. 4 7. And such were the faithful Followers of Christ in the Pri­mitive Times, who were Witnesses of the Spiritual and Second Coming of Christ; and th [...]se were as Clouds filled with the Dew of Heaven, and they were sent forth by the Lord into the Barren World, to replenish it with the Knowledge of God; and these were blessed, and prospered in their Labours, Tra­vails and Testimonies, and Paul did Plant, and Apollo did Wa­ter, and God gave the Increase; and so Truth and Righteous­ness did spring up in the Earth, and the presence of the Lord did attend them; but since these days grievous Wolves have entered in, which have not spared the Flock, as the Apostle fore-saw, A [...]s 20.29, 30. But as that Evil Servant, who said in his Heart, My Lord delays his coming; and so began to smite his Fellow servant, and eat and drink with the Drunken; and smite with the Fist of Wickedness; but the Lord will come in a Time when they know not, and in an Hour when they are not aware, and will cut them assunder, and appoint them their Portion with the Hypocrites, where there is Weeping and Wa [...]ling and Gna­shing of Teeth, Mat. 24.47, 48, 49, 50, 51. But these true Wit­nesses of Jesus in days past, did not sit down in a Worldly, Fa [...]se Ease, as that Wicked Servant did, but waited in patience for the appearance of the Lord, out of th [...]ir own Wills in the will of God, as becomes Christians; because, said Chr st, you know not what Hour your Lord will come, wh [...]ther at Mid-night, at [Page 32] Cock-crowing, or in the Morning, Mark 13.35. And these were not at a loss concerning his appearance, but were filled with his Life and Power, who preach't from a certain Ground of Experience, who had the Revelation of the Mystery of God; and so received their Wisdom from him, which is Pure, Peaceable, Gentle, easie to be intreated, James 3.17. And this leads into the Way of Peace and inward Quietness, out of all Discourage­ments, Murmurings and Discontent; and such come to cast their Care upon the Lord, who watcheth over them, and will not suffer them to be cast out from him, neither shall any be able to pluck them out of his hand, John 10.21. And this saving Knowledge of C [...]ist leads out of all airy Notions, and corrup­tible sinful Professions, into the one spiritual Worship, where the Presence of God is known; for the Father seeks such to Wor­ship him, John 4.23. And this leads out of all the false Societies of the World, from such who are, as the old Apostates, feed­ing themselves without fear, Promising Liberty to others, and themselves the Servants of Corruption, who are called Clouds car­ried about with a Tempest; Wells without Water, Wandering Stars, for whom the Blackness of Darkness is reserved forever, 2 Pet. 2.19. Jude 12. And these were false Witnesses, Empty Clouds, whose preaching was not attended with the peaceable Wisdom of God, but with contention and strife; and these could speak great swelling Words, and allure through much Wantonness, and have Mens Persons in Admiration, be­cause of Advantage, Jude 16. And many have followed their pernitious Ways, by reason of whom, the Way of Truth is E­vil spoken of; But their Judgment, though of a long time (saith the Apostle) doth not linger, neither doth their Damnation slum­ber, 2 Pet. 2.2, 3. And many have gone after the Evil Exam­ple of those aforesaid; and have not waited for the Son from Heaven, in his spiritual appearance, as the Church did in the Apostles days, 1 Thess. 1.10.

And therefore the Wrath of God hangs over them, who do not Experience the good end of the Father in sending his Son, which was to save the Wo [...]ld, not to leave it in sin, for then it would be left to Condemnation; but he is come to ease the [Page 33] Creation from the heavy burden of sin. And so its Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God, who teacheth every one that believes in him, in his own Language, according to their several Capacities, and this is the Original, which all the true Gospel Ministers had their Ministry from, in the day of the Brightness and Unspottedness of the Church, when she was a chaste Virgin unto Christ, before the Enemy had dominion over these called Christians; and this Original is the same, and chan­geth not, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, who will not give his Glory to another, nor his Praise unto Graven Images, Rev. 1.8, 11. Isa. 42.8. And these have the learned Tongue, who are taught of God, whose preaching gives satisfaction to the weary Souls, who directs them where they shall find their Redeemer, Isa. 50.4. And these receives their Testimony immediately from Christ, and are true Labourers in season and out of season, 2 Tim 4.2. And the Feet of such is beautiful upon the Mountains, who bring the glad Tidings of the day of the Lord, and of the coming of the Saviour of the World, in Power and great Glory, and this is the joyfull Gospel of the Kingdom, in which glorious day the Line of true Judgment is stretched out over all Transgression, of what nature or kind soever: and all such as receive him who is the Seed of Life, will have the benefit of a Crucified Christ, and not only so, but of the same Christ risen in Glory, who de­scended and ascended up far above all Heavens, and fills all things Ephes. 4.9, 10.

And so Christ is near unto all, who waits to be gracious un­to all poor Mourning Souls, that he may draw them and bring them near to himself, by raising up their Hearts out of sin and Iniquity, and through bringing them to feel the heavy weight of their Transgressions, that they may thereby come out of the love of the World, and have no fellowship with the Unfruitful Works of Darkness; and this is the Way, by which God is redeeming his People, and many have been gathered in these Latter Days by him, who can say, they have found the Lord,Isa. 26.12. who hath ordained Peace for them; for he works all our Works in us and for us, who is the Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus, [Page 34] 1 Tim. 2.5. And Heaven is his Throne, and the Earth is his Foot­stool; and he will tread down the Wicked, they shall be as Ashes under the Soles of his Feet. And this is the Seed which God hath left us, whereby lost man may come again to God; and its for this holy Seeds sake, that Times and Seasons is prolonged to the Sons and Daughters of Men; And if the Lord had not left us this Seed, we had all been as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah, Isa. 1.6. Rom. 9.29. And all that believe in him as the Father hath of old ordained him, who is the Light of the Gentiles, and God's Covenant to the People, and Salvation to the ends of the Earth: all such will be washed and sanctified and so will be saved from being cast away, and from the great dishonour, and from being broken in pieces with the Rod of Iron; and such will have a Name and a Place in Gods House, and within his Walls better then that of Sons and Daughters, Isa. 56.5. ver. 2.27. And all that are in the Transgression, wha [...]ever they may profess, except they Repent, nothing will be able to keep them from the anger of the Lord; for what will a dark defiled Profession avail when God ariseth to Judgment, all that are found therein will not be able to escape the searching day of the Lord; And here the Cry will be great, when there will be none to save, Rev. 6.15, 16, 17. Isa. 2.19. And so as I said before, these who have believed in the spiritual appearance of Christ, are the true Witnesses or Heavenly Clouds, who are b [...]ought near to Gods Kingdom, from whence they receive their Moisture, Sap and Virtue, and so are commanded by the Lord, and sent forth into the World to drop the Testimony of Life, which the Lord hath given them, where his [...]ower sends them, whose Love and Mercy is over all the Works of his hand [...]; and these true Wit­nesses turns People from Darkness unto Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, Acts 26.18. And all the deceit of the Devil in the raging Floods and Waves of the Wickedness of these times cannot stop this Gospel of Gods Kingdom; they cannot r [...]strain the [...]louds of Heaven, but a plentifull Rain God gives unto his people in this Age of the World, and he is bl [...]ssing them with the increase of Heavenly Blessings from day to day; and this everlasting Gospel must be preached unto all Nations, [Page 35] that the Earth may bring forth Righteousness, that God over all may be glorified: and all that receive this Gospel, their Consciences bears them witness in the holy Ghost, whose Power tenders their Hearts, and fills them with joy and gladness; and such can sing as Inhabitants of the Rock in dayes past, whose Bread is sure, and whose Water fails not, Isa. 42.11, 12. Isa. 33.16. Isa. 42.11.

And therefore return all you scattered ones, unto the holy pure Life of Jesus, which the antient Christians were in, in the dayes that are past and gone; for God's A [...]m and Power is cer­tainly revealed, and the Horn of his Salvation, and all them that receive him in his spiritual appearance, he gives power to them, as in dayes past, to become the Sons of God, 1 John 3.2. And all that are against him in his inward discovery in the Hearts of his People, are in the same ground with the blind Watch-men of Old, who could not inform the Spouse, in the day of her Di­stress, where her beloved was gone, Cant. 3.3. Chap. 5.7. who had lost the way-marks of the Flocks of his Companions, as thousands to this very day, who know not the way of the coming of Christ in Spirit and in Power, who is the true healer and binder up of the stroke of the Wounds of the Cons [...]ience, but daubs and heals the wounded Soul deceitfully, crying Peace, Peace, when there is none, Whose Iniquity, as some of them say, is written in their Foreheads, and Abominations reigning in their Souls Oh these are Enemies to the Life of Christ in thi [...] his Day, who is come to heal the Nations, in taking away the cause of the Wounds and Bruises of their Souls (which is Sin) and many Souls have found him, who is their beloved indeed: And so let none seek to limit Christ in his spiritual appearance, neither to time nor place, but all be still; for he commands the Nations to be silent, and all the Islands, that the people may renew their strength, Isa. 41.1. And this is known in these dayes wherein we live, in the deep silence of all Flesh the renewings of strength is witnessed, and they that wait upon him in the retiredness of their minds in the Heavenly Light, Their strength shall be renew­ed, they shall mount up as upon the Wings of Eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint, Isa. 40.13. And [Page 36] all that wait not in stilness upon the Lord, they do not know the renewings of the strength of their Souls; & such soon are wea­ry of well doing, for they are found in the way of Backsliding, as old Israel was, who because of their continual Rebellion against God, were appointed to a sorrowfull end, insomuch that the Prophet said, If I go forth into the Field, behold them that are slain with the Sword; If I enter into the City, behold them that be sick of Famine. And sometimes that which the Prophets saw concerning Israel was a day of Wasting and Destruction, a day of Calamity and of Lamentation, Mourning and Wo, Ezek. 2.10. Jer. 24. And God is the same against Sin as ever he was, and will in no wise acquit him that dyes in his Transgression, and therefore he will yet be known as a consuming Fire against all sinfull Works; and all who build not upon the sure Rock and Foundation Christ revealed in his Saints, the Day of shaking and breaking down is at hand, and their Mountains must be bea­ten ten to Dust, and their exalted Hills to Chaff, by the threshing Instrument of Worm Jacob, and their Heavens must pass away with a great Noise,Isa. 41.44. and with ser­vent Heat must their Elements melt, and their Earthly and their Airy things must be burnt up, 2 Pet. 3.10. Then Wo, wo to them who are as the Clouds without Rain, and as the Wells without Water: then shall the wandring Stars go down into everlasting Darkness, and the fruitless Trees, who bring forth no perfect Fruit unto God, will be cut down and cast into the Fire.

So all you that profess Christ Jesus, under what Name or Ti­tle soever is this Warning sent, wheresoever this may come, in what part of Christendom soever, who are not come to know Salvation by Christ Jesus, from the Sins of the World, by one who loves his Country, and all the whole Creation: For many have been the Warnings and Invitations that have been sent to you from the Lord through his Servants these many Years, both by Tongue and Pen. And this is my great desire for all poor lost people, who are looking abroad, and counting the Times and Seasons which the Father hath reserved in his own Power, lest they miss the coming of Christ in Spirit, and so lose the be­nefit of a Saviour, as the Jews did concerning his coming in the [Page 37] Flesh; but that unto a certainty all may come, and give up to believe in their Hearts the Lord Jesus, for its his right to Reign over all in all Hearts, and so will Righteousness spring up in the Land of our Nativity; and the great Abominations will cease, for which the Wrath of the Lord God is ready to break forth upon it.

And as concerning Faith and Hope, what various Opinions and Judgments is amongst the People, some believing after one manner, and some after another, but People have lost the Foun­dation of the true Faith, the Word of Faith which the Apostles preached, which was laid of Old by the Lord God for a Foun­dation in Sion, for a corner Stone, Elect and Precious, he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed, Isa. 28.16.

So all the true believers their Faith stood in him, who is the Word and Power of God, by which all things were made and created, John 1.3. Col. 1.16. And this Word is within in the Heart, by which the Conscience is purified, and Faith is given un­to such as turn to the Lord, and they know the Mystery of Faith, according to the proportion of it, though but as a Grain of Mustard Seed, it leads to believe a possibillity in overcoming Sin; so that no man hath any further ground to believe he shall be sa­ved, then he comes to know the work of Christ within, in de­stroying Sin, which work cannot be done till Christ comes, nei­ther is there any saving Faith or true Hope of Salvation in the Earth, until Christ Jesus in some measure be known;Heb. 12.2. for he is the Author and Finisher of the Faith of his People, whose Faith is a holy Faith, which gives Victory over the World, without which it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. Rom. 5.3, 4, 5. So as People come to be saved from Sin by Jesus Christ the Foundation of God, which abides for­ever, their Faith comes to increase as they feel his Work by his Spirit in their Hearts, who changes it, and takes away the sto­ny Heart out of their Flesh;Ezek. 11.19. Col. 2.12. and this is a certain Faith through the operation of Gods Power, and this Faith leads out of Sin into a restored state, from amongst the unbelievers of the World, into the true Church who are obedient to Christ, who ministers freely of his Grace unto [Page 38] them; and this was the Faith of the antient Christians, who la­boured to keep a Conscience void of offence in the fight of God and Man;Acts 24.16. and all other Faiths will come to an end, which Christ is not the author and finisher of: For the Faith of Christ, which the Creature comes to receive through the working of the holy Spirit, this gives dominion over the Wickedness of the World; but there are many wil [...] say they believe in God and Jesus Christ, and make a large Confession of their Faith, yet they do not overcome the Evils thats in the World, neither do they believe to the saving of the Soul, as the true Christians, Heb. 10.39. but follows the Spirit of the World, and so he becomes their Master; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into Bondage. So People being overcome of the Evil one, the old sinner, that sinneth from the Beginning, they are in Bondage unto him, And his Servants they are to whom they yield them­selves, Rom. 6.16. And although they profess an innocent Lamb like Christ, yet they do not believe in him, nor obey him, as he is spiritually appeared to destroy Sin, witness the dai­ly evil actions thats found amongst them; and such do grieve the good Spirit of God from day to day, and such do cause the just and the holy Lamb of God to suffer by their unlawful Deeds, and such are without the true saving Faith, and the Faith they have is a Historical traditional Faith, raised up in the Darkn [...]ss of the Night of Apostacy, from the backsliding Heart in fallen man, that seeks not unto the true God, but rests in something beside the Truth, and sits down under the Power of the Adversa­ry, and such believe there is one God; but saith the Apostle James, The Devils believe the same, James 2.19. And so the Drunkard, Swearer, Lyar, Covetous and Proud persons, Whore­mongers, Thieves and Murders will say they believe in God and Christ: but where these Sins, or any other of the works of Darkness is acted and done, the saving Faith is not lived in, which leads (as it [...] kept unto) to overcome the Devil, the World and the Flesh, but happily some, because they are not Murderers and Thieves, and the like, may account themselves good Chri­stians, although they are Proud and Lofty, and of a vain Con­versation; [Page 39] these also are full of Defilements, and fall under the Enemies power da [...]ly, who keeps them from the Mystery of the holy Faith that's held in a pure Conscience; and as the Pro­phet said concerning old Israel, who cast the Word of God be­hind their Back, and lightly [...]steemed the Rock of their Salvation, whose Day of Visitation came to an end, whose return the Prophet greatly laboured for, that they might not eternally dye out of God [...] favour: So may it be said concerning the People called Chris [...]ians, (as in Ezek. 33.35.) O blacksliding Christendom, return, return! why sho [...]ldst thou be visited in the anger of the Lord, and drink the Cup of his dreadfull Fury! Oh, why shouldst thou be partaker of the Day of Calamity, when the great Visitation of the Nations comes, and when Distress from God comes upon all Kingdoms! for a Day of Tryal is coming, and D [...]stress draws nigh to the Nations: Oh, therefore consider and return, least the Decree be sealed against thee, when the Mystery of God shall be finish­ed, and the Day of Visitation pass over Christendom, then he that is Unjust, let him be Unjust still, and he that is Filthy, let him be Filthy still, Rev. 22.11. Ezek 33.11. Rev 10.17. Ch. 11.8. Oh! these things being considered should melt the Hearts of the People upon the Face of the Earth, where-ever they in­habit throughout the World, and all that profess Christ Jesus, under what denomination soever, who have not the true saving Faith of Christ, but dead Faiths, and uncertain Hopes; all such may read their Portion with them that loved and made a Lye, except they Repent, Rev. 22.15. So all must return unto the Foundation of God, out of the sinfull World, which Founda- is placed of God in mankind to beget Faith in their hearts, which the Builders rejected in the dayes of Old, and to thi [...] day is rejected by those that stand not in Gods Counsel, Psal. 118.22. And this Word of Faith is that which opens the Heart to hear, as it is written, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, Rom. 10.17. which is the same that Moses preached to the Church in the Wilderness, which saith, he is nigh thee in thy Heart, and in thy Mouth, Deut. 30.13, 14. And this is the Word of Faith which we preach, which word is livingly demon­strated [Page 40] by the Author to the Hebrews, The Word of God, saith he, is quick and powerful, sharper then any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing assunder the Soul and Spirit, of the Joynts and Marrow, and is a discerner of the Thoughts and In­tents of the Heart, Heb 4.12. And this is the sure Foundati­on of the Faith of all true Believers; and without this People are groundless as to true Religion, and subject to alter and change in their Wayes and Judgments; and for want of being built upon this Rock, the Gates of Hell prevail over mankind, and People lie in danger of Destruction, where they cannot believe that God is at work by his Spirit in mankind this day, and there­fore all their Worships are vain, and their Faith is vain, and preaching in vain, because they are in their Sins, 1 Cor. 15.14, 17. And this Word of Faith was with Abell and Noah, and it was a teacher, and a help, and succor to Gods people in the old World; and this was their Guide, and the Rule of their Faith before Writing was, and the Scriptures testify of it; and this made Noah an Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith, by which he condemned the old World, Gen. 6.13. Heb. 11.7. And this is the same that appeared to Abraham, in which his Faith stood, and he believed God, and it was reckoned to him for Righteousness: and this is the Seed wherein all Nations shall be blessed, Gal. 3.16. So God left something of himself unto mankind in every Age, which is the innocent Seed and Word of God, which of his infinite love and mercy he hath sown in man­kind, that thereby they might be saved; and this was the Faith of the Elders and Prophets, who were of undaunted Spirits in their day and time, who became conquerors over the Ungodly through many Sufferings and hardships, who indured tryals of cruel Mockings, were Tempted, were Slain with the Sword, were sawn assunder, others were Tortured, not accepting de­liverance, because they believed and hoped for a better Resur­rection, Heb. 11.35. And so the true Faith is more precious then Gold; and this was the Faith the Apostles and Primitive Christians were in, which Faith doth work by Love, Gal. 5.6. and these who kept the Faith, were conquerors through Christ, who is the author and finisher of it, Heb. 12.2. and its a lively [Page 41] Faith which leads into good Works, and all sinful Faiths will fail, & come to end. And whilst the Christians stood in their Obedi­ence, they overcame their Souls Enemy, the roaring Lyon, that goes about Night and Day seeking whom he may devour: But afterwards there arose another kind of People, under pretence of Christianity, which made Shipwrack of Faith and a good Con­science, 1 Tim. 1.19. who turned into the way of Balaam, Jude 10. and Cain and Core; and this was the beginning of the falling away of the People called Christians: And so the Spirit of Antichrist got into the Profession of Christianity, as the A­postle said, In Words they profess they know God, but in Works they deny him, Tit. 1.16. And there are many such this day, and in that sinful state expect the benefit of a Saviour, and yet will plead for Sin till Death, contrary to the Scriptures, as Christ saith, If ye believe not that I am he, you shall dye in your Sins, and whither I go, thither ye cannot come, John 8.21. By which you may learn that the true Believers do not dye in Sin; but they that dye in Sin are Unbelievers: and so a sinful Profession and a sinful Faith, which leads into a sinful Life, and so to a sin­ful Death, will not free from the fulfilling of these words of Christ, Whither I go, thither ye cannot come. Which is to se­perate them from his presence, and from his peaceable Kingdom forever: But such as believe in Christ, who is the Light and Life of men, whose Faith stands in his Power, they overcome the Devil, and forsake him and all his Works, and they come to be freed from Condemnation; and they shall not come to that sad and woful end with the Unbelievers, but they shall be pre­pared for Gods Kingdom, who walk in the way of Holiness, and obey the Gospel, God will not appear against them in Flames of b [...]rning Fire and punishment to Eternity, but he will gather them nearer and nearer to himself, and will say unto them, Come, in herit the Kingdom prepared for you before the Foun­dation of the World, Matth. 25.34. 1 Tim. 4.24. 2 Thes. 1.8, 9, 10. And so there is nothing will save, but as all believe in this Living Word and Spirit of Grace in their Hearts, that alone gives Dominion over Sin, and leads out of all Sinful wayes; and all must come to the Obedienee of Faith, and not [Page 42] follow the Example of those that turned from Christ, and made Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience, whose Words did eat like a Canker, 2 Tim. 2.17, 18. l [...]st you dye in your Sins, and be like the Hypocrite, who hath no Faith nor Hope in his Death;Prov. 11.7. and so many thousands are in the Apostacy, denying the Work of Christ in Spirit, who like Balaam, can tell of the Good and Happy End of the Righteous, and de­sire to dye the Death of the Righteous, and that their latter end may be like his: but there is none can dye that Death, nor come to that Good & Happy End, but such as live Righteously, Godly and Soberly in this present World; and such will dye in the Lord, & their Works shall follow them, Rev. 14.13. And therefore such as are the true Believers have cause to magnifie the Name of the L [...]rd, who hath graciously appeared to the discovering of this Holy Foundation, which was as the Woman's lost piece in the House, and like the goodly Pearl which the Merchant-man found, and sold all he had for the sake of it; even so these who have found this blessed Seed, and have believed in it, who can give up all for the sake of it; these can in Faithfulness say as the Woman did to her Neighbours, when she had lighted the Candle and swept her House, Come, rejoyce with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. And this leads the true Believers into true Peace, and quiet Consciences they come to enjoy, which is very precious, and this gives an entrance into the true R [...]st, as it is written, We that do believe, do enter into Rest, Heb. 4.3. And this Faith will remain, because the Foundation of it is sure; but lost man by hi [...] Earthly Wisdom hath found out new Faiths, and new Wayes of Worship since the Apostles dayes, like old Israel in the time of their Rebellion against the Lord, who for­med Gods of their own, new God, that came newly up, whom their Fathers knew not, Deut. 32.15, 16, 17, 18. But the Foundation of God, Christ Jesus, the Author and Finisher of the Faith of his People stands sure; having this Seal, the Lord knows them that are his, and let all that name the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity, 2 Tim. 2.9. And all Faiths and Worships that are made by lost man in the Fall, by his polluted Wisdom, will fail and pass away, because its but a dead Histori­cal [Page 43] Faith, not attended with those Heavenly Virtues the true Faith is attended withal, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. For where the true Faith is wanting, the saving Knowledge of Christ is wanting, and true Temperance, and Patience, and Brotherly-kindness, and Charity, these things are wanting, and finally, true Love de­cayes and withers from amongst the People: So those who have been forming of Faiths in the Night of Darkness, have been in the Enmity and Malice [...]ersecuting of the Lords Heritage from Age to Age; whereas they who were true Believers in Christ in time past, their Faith did work by Love, and to this day the true Faith works by Love; the work of which is in the redeem­ed Ones truly experienced, which leads to love one another, in that love wherewith Christ loved us, to true stayedness of min [...] upon the Lord, and so into a true establishment in the Truth; and this leads on in the way of Life and Peace, and brings the Crea­ture to a certain hope of Eternal Salvation, through a daily experience in the patient Lamb-like Life of the working of the saving preserving Power of Christ Jesus, over the Power of Darkness: And here the Souls of the faithful are staid to the Rock, by the sure Hope, which is an as Anchor both sure and steadfast, which holds fast from being overcome by the Ad­versary, untill all the Storms and Tempests, and Winterly sea­sons be over, & the time of singing of Birds come, and the Voice of the Turtle be heard, Can. 1.11, 12. And so the Redeem­ed sing of the Mercies and Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living, and such can tell of his wondrous Works, and of his noble Acts, whose Armour is the Armour of Light, whose Faith is a Shield & a Defence unto them, and whose Hope is a Helmet, and the Word of God is their Sword; and here they are fitted for the Spiritual War-fare, and such can go forth against their Souls Enemy with boldness, and pulling down the strong Holds of Satan, and bringing every rebellious Thought into Obedi­ence to Christ, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5.

And these things are of a weighty concernment, for hereby a man must travil towards God's Kingdom, and hereby he must overcome his Soul's Enemys, and as he keeps this precious Faith, and holds fast the Hope of his Confidence in Christ unto the [Page 44] End: So is he p [...]eserved and kept by the Power of God, through Faith unto Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. And hereby the mind and af­fections come to be gathered out of the Earth, and setled up­on things above, and so the Heart comes to be prepared for the Lord, and such come to know the worship of the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth; and this leads into a true Subjection unto the Lord, in the Life of Sanctification, both in Body, Soul and Spirit, where the Seal of the New Covenant comes to be known, where God blots out the sin [...] of his people, and their Inquities I will remember no more, saith the Lord: And such may come with boldness before the Throne of his Grace,Jer. 31.34. that they may receive help and strength in time of need, 2 Cor. 1.20. Ephes. 6.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. 2 Cor. 7.1. Col. 3.1, 2. But such as are Fearful and Unbelieving, whose Faith stands not in God's Power, who are at all opportunities falling under the sinful power of the Enemy, and so are in a sepa­rated state from God, in an Unholy Unsanctified Life; these may (with the Wicked and Abominable) read their Portion, Rev. 21.8. And where this saving Faith and Hope is wanting, there can be no standing in Righteousness, though there may be a desire in many after Gods Kingdom, and to be saved from Wrath to come, yet whilst this sinful Spirit Rules and hath Do­minion in their Hearts, though never so high in Profession, the Wrath of God is over them, and because of Unbelief, they lie under Condemnation, John 3.18. and the defiled Hea [...]t and Mind still receives the Bait s of the Enemy, and so is deceived by his allurements, which works in the deceitful sinful Heart, be­getting first an inclination after Evil, and so raiseth an Affection unto it, and so to an intent and purpose to do Evil, and this is hatcht in the evil Heart; and as the mind yields to the Tempta­tion of the Enemy, so the Creature is overcome; and Lust, when it is conceived brings forth Sin, and Sin, when it is finish­ed brings forth Death, James 1.17. But as the mind and heart turns to the Principle of Eternal Light (which discovers the Temptation) which is the Word and Foundation before spoken of, and believes in it, the Devil's Work comes then to be stopt, and Judgment is executed upon him, and hereby the Soul comes [Page 45] to be saved from Sin, and so escapes the snare of its great Adver­sary; and this is through believing in the Light of Christ Jesus, in which is strength to resist the Devil and make him flee:James 4.7. but whosoever resists the motion of the Power and Operation of God in the Light, the Enemy is too hard for them. And so the Creature becomes actual in that Work which God's Wrath is revealed against, Rom. 1.18. And such are under Satans Power, who intends the Destruction both of Body and Souls: And here the poor Creature is intangled as a Fly in a Spiders Web, not knowing how to get forth from under Satans Power, because the nature of sin so overcomes him, and slays every good desire in his Heart until he becomes dead to God, and buried in sinful pleasures and delights of this wicked World, out of the very remembrance of the Life to come, and such mind not the things belonging to their Souls Peace, but go on in sin from day to day, as if they had not Souls that are Immortal; and if these come not to speedy Re­pentance, their Wound will be Incurable, and they will run out their days in the broad Way, until they come to the Lake of Fire, burning with Brimstone, where their Worm dyeth not, nei­ther is their Fire quenched, out of which there is no Redemption, and from whence there will be no return, Isa. 66.24. Mark 9.44. Mat. 7.13, 14.

And a great company in this Nation are in that forgetful state and condition, whose day hastens apace towards an end, and the time cometh swiftly upon them, wherein they must give ac­count for the Deeds done in the Body, and they cannot escape the Terrible Day of the Lord, wherein the stream of his Indigna­tion will reach unto all the Ungodly, and unto all that hold the Truth in Unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath shewed it unto them, Rom. 1.18, 19. Isa. 30.33. 2 Cor. 5.10.

Others get up into high Exaltation of Mind, in a Profession of Christ Jesus; and these, notwithstanding are found Pleaders for Sin, and Opposers of the Work of God's Spirit in them­selves and others, and are not come to the Faith of the Operation of God; and so are Opposite to the true Believers, both in Prin­ciple and Practice: And these think they have found out some­thing [Page 46] more Eminent, which they hold forth for Doctrine, from their own earthly Wisdom and Comprehension. And here the great swelling words proceed from the earthly Wisdom, and such follow them who turned aside out of the right Way, and had but the outside profession, and the words, but not the life and power, who led away silly Women laden with Sin, who were ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth. So all had need to Try themselves, as the Apostle said,2 Tim. 3.6. 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your selves whether you are in the Faith; what, know you not Christ is in you, except you be Reprobates? So this is the true Faith, and the true Know­ledge, to know Christ's Power and Spirit within; and all that want this Faith, and this Knowledge of Christ, will never overcome.Mat. 17.20. And therefore take heed, O all People! lest you have no Faith in your Latter End, to lead you to lay down your heads in Peace with God, when the Mourners go about the Streets, and man goes to his long Home, Eccl. 12.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

So all must come to Christ the Foundation, who by his Spirit begets Faith in the Heart; and let all Teachers and others, un­der what Name or Title soever, take heed, who boast of Baptism & the Lords Supper, & of Faith & Hope, whilst in a sinful state: O here you do but deceive your selves, for all worship & services which are out of the Spirit of Holiness, are not owned by the Lord;Rom. 14.23. neither can such enjoy the Comforter, whilst in that state, but are feeding upon that which is not of Faith, and whatsoever is not of Faith is sin; signifying that the true Faith is not a sinful Faith, but is a most holy Faith, which the people of God build up one another in;Jude 1.20. and this is the Faith which the people in scorn called Quakers do truly own, whom the Lord hath gathered in this his Day, and he hath not only given us to believe, but also to suffer for his sake, which Faith works by Love, and leads into the Unity of the Spirit, and this is the Way to Perfect Holiness in God's Fear, and so to grow in Grace, and to become wise in the Mystery of God's Kingdom; and we have hope in Christ; yea, an Everlasting Hope, which purifies the Heart, and our [Page 47] Hope is sure; and this is brought in,Heb. 1.19. in this Day of the Everlasting Covenant of God, which makes Perfect, as pertaining to the Conscience, which Christ is the fulness of, and our Hope of Salvation ends in nothing short of him, who is our Eternal Riches, and endless Hope of Glory, who is come to take his possession and to reign, whose right it is, who is that little Stone, which Daniel saw cut out of the Mountain without hands, which became a very great Moun­tain and filled the whole Earth, Dan. 2.35. that thereby Faith, Pa­tience, Love and Unity might spring up amongst the Children [...]f men, and Sin and Wickedness come to an end, and that the Un­believing Serpent that leads out of the Way to Heaven may be destroyed forever; and so shall the Earth bring forth Holiness, and the Hearts of Men and Women be filled with Joy and Con­solation from the Living God, who is come and coming to break down all Deceit and Hypocrisie, and he will prevail over the mighty in the Dispensation of time, and will shew himself the only Potentate, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6.15.

Now there is no Way to come out of the Unbelieving, Sin­ful World, but by Jesus Christ, whose Light shines from Hea­ven into the inward parts o [...] Mankind (as I said before) by which Light lost Man, as he believes in it, is brought Home out of the Desart and Wilderness of the World, and out of all Dark Dangerou [...] Ways and By paths of the Adversary, where­in he leads on the Rebellious to Destruction, and this disc [...]vers the way and working of the Enemy▪ and this shews unto Man and Woman what is Good and what is Evil, an [...] set [...] the Way of Life before them, and lets them see the Way o [...] D [...]ath, Deut. 30.15, 19. to the end. That they may chuse Life and Peace with God, and forsake all the Ways and Works of Sin and Wickedness, which lead out of Peace and Favour with h [...]m, because of which Tribulation and Anguish comes upon their Souls, Rom. 2.8, 9. And this Light is of the same property that the Scriptures declare it to be; For all things that's reproveable is made manifest by the Light; and whatsoever doth make manifest is Light, Ephes. 5.13. Signifying, that the Enemy doth not Discover his own Works which he begets in Mankind, but that which doth D [...]scover his Workings within, in the Heart, is the [Page 48] Light of Christ, & this lets Man & Woman see themselves as they are, and brings them to feel the weight of their Transgressions, and sets them in the view of their own Conditions; and when they thus come to see themselves in a lost Estate, and how they have Defiled themselves and Corrupted themselves with their Evil-doings, then shall they come to loath themselves in their own sight, and then Sin becomes a Burden, which can no longer be born, Ezek. 36.31. And this which begets a secret Cry in the Heart after the Lord is God's Unspeakable Love to lost man (that hath lost himself by reason of many sins) to place such a certain Principle of Life in his Conscience, which shews unto him his secret Thoughts, Amos 4.13. And this was the way by which Lost Man came to God out of the Fall in all Ages of the World; but the Universal Discovery in the large Dispensation of it is revealed more especially in these Gospel-Times, which was held forth unto Mankind, signified and figured out by many Tipes, Figures and Shadows in the former Ages of the World, as the Old Covenant, the Law was outward, and the Taber­nacle was outward, and the Anointing, and the Light, and the Sacrifices, and the Sprinkling of the Blood of the Old-Cove­nant was outward. But now in the New-Covenant the sprink­ling of the Blood of Jesus, which is his Life, whereby Remis­sion of sins is obtained, is within, which purgeth the Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God, Heb. 9.14. And this is the substance and the fulfilling of the sprinkling of the Blood of Bulls and Goats in the Old-covenant; and the first Priesthood was to be anointed with an outward anointing: But the Priest­hood in the New-covenant, is to be anointed with the spiritual Anointing, without which all preaching is vain. And this a­nointing is that which Christ gives, which the true Believers re­ceive of him, which is a sufficient Teacher; and this Anointing abides in them, 1 John 2.27. And this is the Unction they have with the holy One, whereby they know all things that apper­tain to Life and Godliness,2 Pet. 1.3. 1 John 2.20. And so the Lamp in the Old-covenant was outward, but the Lamp in the New-covenant is inward, which is to hold the spiritual anointing Oyl, and the Light in the New-covenant is a spiritual divine Light, because the Worship in the New-covenant [Page 49] is spiritual, which shines in the inward spiritual Temple. Therefore all that Oppose and Vilifie the Light, are not learned of the Father, for every one, saith Christ, that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me, Joh. 6.45. And such as come to know their Bodies to be the Temples of the holy Ghost, they know the Light that shines in them is of God, which dis­covers their most secret Thoughts, and they know the Redeem­ing, Saving Power of it in all needful times to preserve them and keep them from falling into sin, and this shines forth out of the Incomprehensible fulness of God, whose dwelling is in Light and in Eternal Brightness, and there is not another Way that leads to Eternal Life.

And so the first Covenant wa [...] changeable, and the Offerings and divers Washings, and Carnal Ordinances, and the World­ly Sanctuary; these things were to continue but for a season and time, but the great Ordinance of God, Jesus Christ, who fulfills the Shadows and Figures, he remains forever, and his Priesthood is Everlasting, because he remains and abides forever, and his Law is Spiritual, which is more forcible then the Law written in Tables of Stone, which could not free from Sin; but this spiritual Law in the Heart, accord [...]ng to the antient pro­mise of God, makes free from the Law of Sin and Death, Rom. 8.2. and the extent of this spiritual Ministration, and of this holy Law (within) in Christ Jesus, is more Universal then the outward Law, for that was only given to Israel after the Flesh, but this Law of Life and of Love in Christ Jesus, reacheth unto both Jew and Gentile, Male and Female: and so the Gospel Dispensation is unto all both Old and Young, Son and Daughter, Servant and Hand-maid, Joel 2.28. And so all that believe in the Light & walk in it, they come to a clear sight of these things, & to know the Lords House, which he is building with living Stones, which is his Church, which he fills and will fill with his Glory; but such as are darkened in their Understandings, and have lost this living way and the living Faith, are Enemies to the appear­ance of Christ, and denyes the Light to be the way of God, cry­ing against it as insufficient, and are not content nor sati [...]fied at the appearance of Christ in Spirit, no more then the Jews were [Page 50] at his coming in the Flesh, who although they waited for the coming of the Messiah Night and Day, yet when he came they did not believe in him, nor receive him, but Crucified him, and han­ged him on a Tree, Matth. 27.22, 35. And so its very common with lost man to fall into a state of mumuring, & repining against God, through the discontentedness of his Evil Heart, who likes not to retain God in their Knowled [...]e, because of their vain Imaginations, through which their foolish Hearts are darken­ed, who are not content to be subject unto God in that way wherein he is pleased to make known himself to the Children of men: For the Jews of Old had the tender Visitation of God's Love sent unto them by the Prophets, but they slew them, and received not the Message of God he sent unto them, although they declared the things relating to their everlasting Peace from Age to Age, that they might not dye in their Sins, but they loved their own Wayes and chose their own Doings, and so slighted the day of their Visitation; and when Christ came, ac­cording to the appointment of the Father, in the fulness of time, see how they were in a murmuring repining Nature, ready to commend rather the appearance of God unto the Prophets, and said, If we had lived in the dayes of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the Blood of the Prophets. Although they were in the same Nature, and of the same Spirit their Fathers were, Matth. 23.30. as afterward it appeared, not­withstanding their fair pretence in Words, yet they laid Hands on Christ Jesus, and put him to Death; and now after his Resur­rection and Ascention, being glorified with the same Glory he had with the Father before the World began, whose Light shines forth from the Throne of his Glory into the Hearts of all Men and Women: Now the discontented Professors are at Variance with it in themselves, and them that believe in it; and will not let his Light and Spirit have place and room in their Hearts, no more then the Jews would let him have room in the Inn, in the Day when he was Born of the Virgin Mary, Luke 2.7. And now some would have a Personal appearance, and a Body again, but they cannot discern his Body, until they come to his Light, that thereby they may receive a Heavenly sight and understand­ing [Page 51] of the things of God; and so in the Regeneration being Born again here they come to discern the Lords Body, & know a Spiri­tual feeding upon that which is Meat indeed and Drink indeed, Joh. 6.33, 34, 35, 30. But this hath been the way of lost man from the Darkness of his fallen mind from time to time, who is ready to confess to the appearance of God, and his mighty Works in times past, but is still ignorant of the Way and Work of God in his present Age and Generation; and not only Ignorant and an Enemy to the appearance of Christ in himself, but is filled with Envy against the very Way wherein God is known and tru­ly Worshipped in and by his People; and this hath been the Deceit of the Devil from Generation to Generation, and that same Spirit in the Jews that hated the appearance of God in the Prophets of Old, and was discontented in those daye, was the same that hated Christ Jesus in the dayes of his Flesh, and led the Jews to kill him; and the same Spirit, though under ano­ther Colour and Covering, have rul'd in those called Christians, who have been Killing, and Persecuting, and Torturing about Religion in this dark Night of Apostacy since the Apostles days, and that which Persecutes and Envyes, and fills with Pride, and leads after the Glory of the World, and sets up and exalts Self, this is against the appearance of Christ in Spirit, and such cry out against the Light, being in a ground of Unrighteousness, and of a polluted and darkened Understanding; for its those that do Evil that hate the Light, neither come they unto it, lest thereby their Deeds should be reproved, John 3.20. And this is a cer­tain Testimony unto all People, that whosoever come to Salvati­on, and to inherit the Kingdom of God must come to the Light, and believe in it,Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. 1 Thes. 5.21. because there is no other way; for Christ (being the Light) is the Way, and none can come to the Father but by him, John 14.6. And all such as come to him will be satisfied concerning the things pertaining to Everlasting Life, being in obedience unto him; for they that obey him shall know his Doctrine, John 17.16, 17. And this is safe for all, and this will be your Wisdom, O ye People, to try and prove the Light by subjecting your Wills to [Page 52] the will of God in it, and so come to the Example of the Anti­ents, who were Fathers and Patriarchs in the Church in the days of Old; and you may read how the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of Fire in a Bush, when he fed the Flock of Jethro his Father in Law by the back side of the Desart, and came to Horeb the Mount of God: Now Moses knew not the Power that was in that appearance, until he turned to it; for said he, I will now turn and see this great Light, why the Bush burns and is not con­sumed, Exod. 3.1, 2, 3. And so the Lord beheld his Heart, and saw his tender desire, & made known himself unto him. And so let all People who are of tender Hearts, when they are alone, though but in a D [...]sart, seeking after the Lord, meditating upon the things pertaining to Everlasting Life, according to their knowledge, when the Light of Christ within them shews them the Barrenness and Nakedness of their Souls, and Poverty of their Spirits, and many times in fears and doubtings in secret, what their end will be, because Sin yet stands between them and the Lord; Oh be still, and pondrous, and wait in the Light in such a Season as this; for God commands all to be silent before him, that the People may renew their Strength:Isa. 41.1. and there is no other way to come to know the Souls strength to be renewed but as all wait upon the Lord, and as all abide in the inward re­tiredness of their Minds in the [...]ight, they will come to know and feel the great Sufferings of the Seed of Spiritual Israel, as Moses was made sensible of the Sufferings of the Seed of outward Israel in the Land of Aegypt, and with Moses will be made wil­ling to suffer Persecution with the People of God, rather then enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season: and so Christ Jesus re­deems and saves out of Spiritual Aegypt, and from Spiritual Bondage and Captivity, and he preaches Deliverance to the Spi­rits that are in Prison;1 Pet. 3.18.19. for he is risen, and he ap­peared soon after his Resurrection and Ascention, in Spirit, to the quickening of many unto God, that were dead in Sins and Trespasses. And so the teaching of God is known in the Light, and such as go from it will Perish; for there is no Peace to the Soul, but as it knows the Testimony of Gods love [Page 53] in Christ Jesus unto it, and so the flowings of Heavenly Peace will be known, according to Gods promise, Isa. 66.12.

But there have been many Objections raised amongst the Peo­ple concerning this Light, because its that which every Man and Woman hath a measure of, and some are ready to say, If there be sufficiency in it, and Salvation, &c. why then are we not saved by it? Not considering how they are disobedient to it; and some have concluded it to be only the Dictates of a Natural Con­science, and so insufficient for Salvation. Now here was the [...]reat mistake of the Jews of Old concerning his coming in the Flesh, they rendred him as weak, and called him the Carpen­ters Son, and some said one thing of him, and some another; and so those that did not believe in him, but were disobedient unto him, they undervalued him in the dayes of his Flesh, as some have done in this his Spiritual appearance, that have ne­ver proved the Light and Spirit of Christ, nor believed in it, but have reasoned so much about it, till they be filled with Envy and Malice against it, that if it were possible they would so exstin­guish it, that it should never shine more,Luke 23.18. as the angry Jews cryed out, Away with him, and re­lease to us Barabbas. But some received him, and they sung Prai­ses and Hallelujahs unto him, for which cause the Unbelievers Envyed them; but said Christ, If these should hold their Peace, the Stones would immediately cry out, Mark 1 [...].9. Luke 19.40.See the great Ignorance & Darkness of these Profes­sors. And see how they tempted him, & said, If he be the Christ, let him come down from the Cross, and we believe him, Mat. 21.4 [...]. And although there was in Christ Jesus all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge, and whatsoever is necessary and needful to Salvation; yet those that did not believe in him had not the benefit of it, nei­ther were they saved by him, and so mist their opportunity, and raged and railed against him, and said, he had a Devil, and the like, till they had sinned out their Day, and were appointed to a M [...]serable End, Luke 19.27. And so many there are that through the Enmity that lodgeth in them, through a depen­dancy upon their Carnal Wisdom, which fails in finding out the [Page 54] things of God, and come short of understanding the Way of Salvation; I say such may be so confident that the Light is not the Way of Life, and so may preach against it, and write against it, as the Jews were, that said, Jesus was not the Christ, who said, His Blood be upon us, and upon our Children, Matth. 27.39. until they fill up the measure of their Iniquities, as they did.

And therefore be warned, all you that Oppose the Appearance of Christ in Spirit, and undervalue the Teachings of the holy Ghost, lest you fall into that great unpardonable Sin, which, as Christ said, shall never be forgiven in this World, nor in the World to come, Mat. 12.32. And surely many will have hard work to escape the danger of it in the Day of Account, that thus speak re­proachfully of the Living, Saving Light of Jesus, which reproves for sin in the Conscience, as some have said, Its of the Devil, and so is of a dangerous Tendency, and the Teachings of it Diabo­lical Insinuations, and the like. Oh! these be hard Speeches indeed! Will not the Lord judge for these things? and such were called Ʋngodly Sinners, which Christ is to Execute Judg­ment upon, Jude 15. But however such may Blaspheme the worthy Name of Christ, yet they shall one day bow unto it, and be made to confess unto it, to their Eternal Sorrow, when they shall receive the Sentence, according to their hard Speeches they have spoken against him; but as sure as that was Jesus the Christ of God, which was Crucified without the Gates of Je­rusalem, and buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures, who ascended up on high, and sits in Glory at the right hand of the Father; so certain it is that his Light and Spirit comes down into the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of men, and that Light which discovers unto Man and Woman the Evil of their Hearts, is as certainly of God, and is of Power and Efficacy to save from sin, as ever God made man upon the Earth; and it is the Seed Immortal whereby the creation must be eased of the Burden of Sin: And therefore all that oppose it, and set themselves against it, the Lord will be too hard for them; they may (as the old Pharisees did) endeavour to shut [Page 55] the Kingdom against Men,Matth. 23.16. and many they may hinder from entring in, and like the blind Guides of old, who cannot see the Door, but climb up another way, and so become Thieves and Robbers; and like the old Apostate Jews, steal the Word from their Neighbours, and so Rob God of his Glory, and stand in the way to keep the People from coming to the Son of his Love, and set Bryars and Thorns in the Way of the Lord, and build up many sinful per­formances, till it become as the Tower of Babel, but the Lord will Confound and Break all down before his glorious Power, John 10.1. and the Lord will find out man where-ever he hides himself; therefore let none deceive themselves, for God will not be mocked, whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. And so turn to the heavenly Record of the Son of God within, that you may come to bear his Image; for as he was Meek and Low­ly, Patient and Long-suffering in the Days of his Flesh, so his Light and Spirit teacheth his people to be, who was a suffering Seed, bruised and slain by the wicked actions of men, from the Foundation of the World: and those who believe not in him and obey him, they are his Enemies, and their Names are not in the Record of Life: Therefore all return and come un­to him, for his Call is gone forth, whosoever will may come and drink of the Water of Life freely; and this is his day, where­in he is come and coming to try the Nations, and the Day of Vengeance is in his Heart, for the Year of his redeemed is come, and they that fear his Name are his Witnesses, upon whom the Glorious Sun-beames of his Eternal Love is r [...]sen, even the Beams of the Sun of Righteousness who is risen with healing under his Wings, Mal. 4.2. Isa. 63.4. Who in this his Day will come upon Princes, as upon Morter. Therefore doth my Heart La­ment, and my Soul Mourn in secret for the sad Estate of the peo­ple of the Land of my Nativity, for whom I am greatly concern­ed, because of the Anger of the Lord of Hosts, which will pass through Nations and Kingdoms as a consuming Fire amongst the Stubble that's almost fully dry, for the Minds and Hearts of people are greatly corrupted, they are in the driven-out state, in the cursed Earth, as old Adam, when his Souldied [Page 56] to the enjoyment of God's Presence, and this is because of Trans­gression, which Ground and cursed Earth is more especially in mans Heart, which receives the Serpents Evil Seed, from which all manner of Ungodliness springs and grows, which Ground brings forth nothing but what is to be consumed as Bryars and Thorns, and the like; here Unbelief springs, and this is the E­vil Heart that departs from the Living God, Heb. 3.12. And here the saving Faith is not known, nor the Work of his holy Spirit, and the Evil Heart is the place where the Devil conceives all manner of sin, and begets inordinate Lusts and vile Affections; and this the whole Earth is filled withal, which causeth barrenness and leanness of Soul to the Children of men; and so the Land is full of Bryars and Thorns, Swearing, Lying, K [...]lling, Stea­ling, Pride, Covetousness, Drunkenness, Whoredom and all manner of Uncleanness, and these great Abominations are be­come the great Fashion of the most part of people in our Age and Generation Well said the Apostle to the Saints of old,1 Pet. 1.14. Fashion not your selves according to the World, for the fashion of this World passeth away. So these things are to be consumed, and they must pass away and come to an end, for here thousands are lost, and in a Wilder­ness amongst Bryars and Thorns. And no marvel that there is such a hard Cry amongst the people of their Miserable Estate! Its high time to call to God for Mercy: Sad is your Condition indeed, who are like lost Sheep upon Barren Mountains in the thick Darkness: Oh! Return, return by Repentance! Come to the blessed Light of Christ Jesus; and so will you know the true Shepherd, and then you will be changed, and the cursed Ground will be removed, the Evil Heart that receives the Ser­pents Seed, and all will be good again, as in the beginning: and so C [...]rist the Divine Light will be a hiding place unto all such from the Wrath to come, as Noah's Ark was to him in the old World, in which he was preserved from the Flood that came over all the Earth, by which the Rebellious (the Thoughts of whose Hearts were Evil before the Lord continually) were de­stroyed, Gen. 6.5.6, 7.17. From which Destruction none by flying to the Hills and Mountains could be preserved: And sin [Page 57] and wickedness hath again gone over the World, and God sees that the Wickedness of man is great; and therefore over all, as well sinful Professions as other sinful Works, will the Judgment pass through the Nations and Kingdoms of the World; for the tops of their Mountains are defiled, their best Performances and their holy Duties sin: Therefore over all sin will the Lord rain down his Indignation, which shall rest upon it until it receive its Reward, Rom. 6.23.

And in a deep Consideration of these Things, a Necessity lies upon me to Declare this to my Conuntry-men, and unto all in what Part of Christendom soever this may come, That the Jea­lous God is risen and arising, and who [...]oever set Bryars and Thorns against him, whosoever set up sin ul Doctrines and use corrupt Arguments, and so rise up against the Lord and against his Anointed, the Lord will go through like an Armed man, and like a Gyant refresht with Wine, and consume together both them and all their Bryars, and he will bring Terror upon the Ungodly, which shall reach to the breaking down of the high and mighty Tower of Babel, the great City of Confusion, wherein lies the Blood of the Innocent, for which God hath her in remembrance to bring the Day of perpetual Calamity upon her, Rev. 18.21. And the Dread of the Lord shall be upon all the Workers of Iniquity, when they shall cry to the Mountains, fall upon us, and to the Rocks, hide us and cover us from the Face of him that sits upon the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb, Rev. 6 15, 16. Therefore let all be bowed down before the Living God, for neither Mountains nor Towers, which men raise in their Imaginations for a Munition will hide or preserve them in the Day of the Lord, no more than the Mountains and Hills could preserve the people in the Old World. Oh! then bles­sed will all be that return to the Covenant of God, the Everla­sting Light of Christ Jesus, the Antient strong Hold of the Daughter of Zion, and therein keep their Habitations, where over all Fears and from all Dangers they will be preserved, where no Hurt can come to the Soul, whatever the Body may suffer here; such will be kept in a safe dwelling, within the cer­tain Munition, which God hath prepared for them, where the [Page 58] pure streams of his Love run sweetly as the soft waters of Shiloh, by which they are sweetly refresht and comforted, and so rest together as Sheep gathered by the Great Shepherd, who is their Bishop, and heavenly King, and great Law-giver, Whose Power, Vertue and heavenly Dominion is made known in the Light of his beloved Son, in which his redeemed Ones can Rejoyce, and sing Praises to him that lives and rain forever, Rev. 5.14. 1 Pet. 2.25.

And whereas some have said, That the Light is a New Thing, or not preached before the People called Quakers arose: But you may read in the Scriptures of the Antiquity of it, and what they were led into, who did not obey it, and what great Evils were pronounced against such as rebelled against it, and how full of Envy they were, how they caused the Needy to lodge with­out Cloathing, and took the Widows Ox for a pledge, and pluckt the Fatherless from the Breast, & took the Sheaf from the Hungry; these be they that rebel against the Light, that know not the Ways thereof, nor abide in the Paths thereof; signify­ing, That such as believe in the Light, they come to bring forth better Fruits than these, Job 24.7, 8, 9, 10, 13. And sad was the portion of them that rebelled against the Light, whose roots shall dry up from beneath, and from above their Branches shall be cut off; who shall be driven from Light to Darkness, and chased out of the World; whose Candle shall be put out with them, and the sparks of their Fire shall not shine; whose steps shall be straitned, and their own Counsels shall cast them down; who shall be brought to the King of Terrors, and Brimstone scattered upon their Habita­tion, Job 18. So you may see that the Light is precious, inas­much as it delivers from all these dangers; and whosoever comes to Repentance, and says, I have sinned and perverted the thing that is right; the Lord will deliver his Soul from going down into the Pit, and his Life shall see the Light; and such shall be enlight­ned with the Light of the Living, Job 33.27, 28, 30. And David spoke of it, saying, Lord, send out thy Light and thy Truth; let them lead me to thy holy Hill, to the Altar of God: and in this Light David beheld the Dwelling-place of God's People throughout all Generations, Psal. 90.1, 2. Psal. 36.9. [Page 59] Psal. 23.2, 3, 4. And Solomon declared of the Light, who was indued with a large Gift of the Wisdom of God, which Wisdom was before the World,Prov. 8.22, 23, 24, 25. or ever the Mountains were settled, or the Hills brought forth; when there were no Depths, and when there were no Fountains abounding with Water. And this is Christ the Power and Wisdom of God, who was possessed with God's Glory in the beginning of his Way, before his Works of Old: This is that Antient Wisdom, which was the Guide of all the Faithful from the beginning; and its way is a clean way, out of all Darkness, in purity and cleanness; and this is the Path of the Righteous, that shines more & more as a shining light unto the Perfect day, Prov. 4.18. And Isaiah the Prophet was first convinced by the glory of God, which was that which let him see the undone estate of himself, and the uncleanness of the people in his day; and by means of the appearance of God his Iniquity was purged, and his sin was taken away, and he became a learned Man in the Mysteries of God's Kingdom, and prophesied largely of Christ, both of his Sufferings and Death, and of the Glory that should follow; and how the Gentiles should be visited with the Cove­nant of God, saying, I will give him for a Covenant to the People, for a Light to the Gentiles, that he may be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth, Isa. 49.6, 8. Isa. 53. Chap. 29.13. Chap. 1.15. [Mark] The Light is God's Gift, by which Mankind to the Ends of the Earth must be saved; and so all that oppose and villifie the Light, they oppose and villifie the Covenant of God; Therefore cease, all ye Opposers of it, do not hate the Gift which God hath given you for to save your Souls, lest you dye in your sins, for the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets, from which the Scriptures were written; and people must come to the Spirit of Christ again, and believe in his Light in their Hearts, which discovers sin, otherwise they cannot read with a true Understanding but pervert the Scriptures, and wrest them to their own Destruction, while they read them with a poluted Spi­rit, and in the will of the Flesh; from which the Scriptures did not come, but holy Men of God spake as they were moved of the holy Ghost, 1 Pet. 1.11. 2 Pet. 3.16. So the Prophets of God [Page 90] preached the Light, and the Apostles were sent to turn people to the Light, and they extolled the excellency of it; they did not say, it was Insufficient, or the Light of a Natural Conscience, or that the teaching of it was Diabolical Insinuations, but preach't it to be the Covenant of God, in which is Salvation (for all that believe in it and obey it) to the Ends of the Earth: And this is the root of David, the bright and morning Star, which was to arise to raign over the Gentiles; Ʋnto him shall the Gentiles seek, and his Rest shall be glorious, Isa. 11.20. And in this holy covenant both Jews and Gentiles come to be recon­ciled to God and one to another; and this is Zions Glory, and now she may arise and shine, and put on her Beautiful Garments, for her Light is come, and the Glory of God is risen upon her, Isa. 60.1. Isa. 52.1, 2.

And so return, and come to the Light of Christ, lest the day of your Visitation pass over, as old Israels did, over whom the shadows of the Evening was stretched, and whose Harvest was ended, but they were not saved nor gathered, Jer. 6.4. And Daniel had an excellent Spirit of Light and Understanding, who was a true Worshipper, and the Lord was with him in that pe­rilous Day, when his Life was in danger, because of the Kings Decree, in that Land that was filled with Idolatry, wherein Gods witnesses were but few, when by the decree that was made, none was to offer a Petition to any God or Man but to the King for thirty Dayes; yet Daniel prayed in Faithfulness unto the Lord, with his Window open towards Jerusalem, as he used to do, Dan. 5 11. Chap. 6.10. whose Faith gave him Victory over all. And so the true spiritual Worshippers, who are true Be­lievers in Christ, and are of tender Consciences (though times be Perilous) have not forsook the assembling of themselves toge­ther, as the manner of some is, Heb. 10.24, 25. And Micha the Prophet spake of the Light, Micha 7.9. wherein he saw the Righteousness of God: and so when people come to believe in the Light, they come to behold the wondrous Works of God, which cannot be known in Darkness; and in the Light is the In­heritance of the Saints, which Inheritance is undefiled, which fades not away, reserved in Heaven for them, Col. 1.12. 1 Pet. [Page 91] 1.4. and Christ preached the Light, who opens blind Eyes, and brings forth of Darkness & of Obscurity, which is the fulfilling of the antient P [...]ophecies, Isa. 29 18. And John the Baptist preached, saying, I am not that Light, but I am sent to bear witness of him, that is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, Joh. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. ver. 23, 29. and Paul wa [...] smitten to the Ground by this Light, for entertaining such an evil Spirit in his Heart, which led him to hale to Prison both Men and Women for worshipping God, and believing in Christ Jesus, as they were perswaded in their Consciences: And so all that are found in that or any other Sin the Light condemns, & reprove [...] and sm tes their Consciences, Act. 26.13, 14, 15, 16. And all that are out of the Light, are in Sinful Paths, where there is no true lasting Peace, but all the Joys & Pleasures in the World will be mixt with Misery in the end; and so all must come to this holy Seed, Christ, the Light, which slayes the Enmity; for the sharp Sword goeth out of his Mouth, with which he smites the Nations, and he rides upon the White Horse, and the Armies in Heaven follow him, who is cloathed with a Vesture dipt in Blood, and his Name is called the Word of God, and its he that makes all thing [...] now, who is the great Reformer of the Nations, Rev 19.11, 13, [...]5. Ephes. 2.27. and in his Heavenly Light the Virtue of his blood i [...] known, which cleanseth from all Sin; and this is a Mystery to the World: And so if we walk in the Light, as he is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Je­sus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin. And this is the antient Message which the holy Apostles heard of God, and declared it in faithfulness, as they had received it, that God is Light, and in him is no Darkness at all. 1 John 1.6, . And herein is the fellowship of the Saints, where they sit together in Heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, Ephes 2.6. being quickened together into a lively Hope, where they know the one Offering that per­fects forever them that are sanctified, whose Sins come to be washt away, and their Garment made White in the Blood of the Lamb; here is forgiveness of sin [...] known, and a new Birth in measure brought forth, in the Regeneration, begotten again by the incorruptible Seed; and this takes delight to serve the [Page 62] Lord, and is not weary of well doing, but forsakes all the Plea­sures and Vanities of the World, and denys Self, and takes up the Cross daily and follows Christ, and so in the End shall receive the everlasting Kingdom; and this assurance of Gods Love in Christ at the last Day will be more precious to thee then Gold; if thou hast the Lord to stand by thee in the needful time, when the de­sire of thine Eyes shall fail, and the Keepers of the House trem­ble, and those that look out at the Windows be darkened, and the Doors be shut up in the Streets, & all the Daughters of Mu­sick shall be brought low: Oh! this will be a troublesome Day un­to all the Rebellious, who spend their precious time in Vanity, & seek not unto the Lord: Oh! much better were it for such that they had never a being, Eccl. 12.3, 4, 5, 6. But in this day the Lord will comfort his People, and fill their Hearts with Joy, and their broken Bones shall rejoyce, who are the Children of the Light and of the Day, who live and walk in the Truth; such come to behold the Glory of the Church in dayes past, and the Life and Peace which the true Christians were attended withal, who kept their Integrity and Faithfulness to the Lord, whose Testi­monies were precious, and to this day are sweet and lovely, in the remembrance of the true Christians, whose Faith stands in the Power of God, who are come to the Universal Testimony of Life, and to the Mount Sion, and Heavenly Jerusalem, and Church of the first Born written in Heaven, and to the Spirits of Just and Perfect men, and to Jesus the Mediator of the n [...]w Covenant, and to the Blood of Sprinkling, that speaks better things then that of Abel, Heb. 12.13, 14, 15. whom God hath gathered by his Eternal Arm out of the World, that is over­spread with Darkness and Wickedness, wherein the Dragon hath had his way, who hath kept People in a dark Carnal Security, & the Watch-men of this dark Night have slept a very profound Sleep, who have lost the Vision of the things pertaining to ever­lasting Life; and so are like them of Old, who were blind Lea­ders of the Blind, and to this day their Eye-lids are heavy, they cannot look up to behold the Day-spring of the unspeakable love of God from on high, which through his tender mercy hath visi­ted this Generation, neither do People, that are in the Night of [Page 63] Darkness, believe the Glorious Gospel of Gods Kingd m, which is the Power of God unto Salvation, unto all them that believe in it, wherein the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith, Rom. 1.16, 17. And the Light of this Glorious Gospel shines within, its a Light unto the Feet of the Righteous,Psal. 119.105. as Gods Word was unto David in his Day, which Word was in his Heart, and whereby a Young-man's Way might be cleansed, as he did take heed unto it, Psal. 119.9. And its the God of the World that blinds the Minds of the Unbelievers, lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ should shine within them, 2 Cor. 4 3, 4, 5. And all that are out of the Light of this holy Gospel (viz.) the Power of God, are following the Thoughts and Imaginations of their Evil Hearts, & so are grievi [...]g the Lord from time to time, and raising Sinful Doctrines, and setting forth something in Words, that's fair upon the out-side, like the Whores Cup; as those in the dayes of Old, that kindled a Fire, and walked in the Light of their own Sparks; But this is that they shall have of my Hand (saith the Lord) they shall lie down in Sorrow, Isa. 50.11.

And so, much more might be said concerning this Glorious Light of Christ, into which all Nations shall be gathered in the Dispensation of time, and the Kingdoms of thi [...] VVorld shall become the Lord's, and his Christ's, and he shall Reign for evermore, and the Dragon with t [...]e B [...]ast and false Prophet, must be taken and cast into the Lake of Fire burning with Brim­stone, Rev. 20.10. and the great Whore that hath corrupted the Earth with her Witch-crafts & Sorceries, of whose Cup of For­nications all Nations have drunk, in whom is found the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus, she must be overthrown, and sink under the Indignation of the Almighty forever, Rev. 18.21. And so this glorious appearance of the Son of God, which is a splendor of that incomprehensible Light, which comes forth out of the Womb of Immortal Glory, out of the Treasury of the Riches of Gods love, shall never end; for its the Churches Glory, and her Sun shall go down no more, the Lord is become her everlasting Light, and her God her Glory, Isa. 60.19, 20. And this is cause of Joy to the true Believers, who are Members of that Holy [Page 64] Church, of which Christ is Head, who have none in Heaven but the Lord, nor any in the Earth in comparison of him, whose E­ternal Love fills their Hearts, which brings to an end the dayes of Sorrow; so that they are perswaded neither Tribulation, nor Distresses, nor Peril, nor Sword, nor Cold, nor Nakedness, nor Heights, nor Depth, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come shall be able to seperate them from the love of God they have in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.35, [...]6. Whose powerful Voice hath raised many that were in the Sleep of Death, that hath passed over all men because of Sin; for since by Man came Death, by Man also came the Resurrection of the Dead; and as in Adam all dyed, so in Christ shall all be made alive: 1 Cor. 15.21, 22. and its he that quickens by his Light and Spirit out of Sin and Death, where­in the Souls of People dye from the injoyment of Gods presence. I say its Christ Jesus that quickens unto a lively Hope of Eternal Life, who ascended up on high, and led Captivity Captive, and gave Gifts to men, wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, arise from the Dead and Christ shall give thee Light, Ephes. 5.1 [...]. Chap. 4.8. whose Light and Spirit remain according to the ap­pointment of the Father, in and with the Sons and Daughters of men, either to Justification or Condemnation, who is gathering a People to himself in this his day, and bringing his Sons from far, & his Daughters from the Ends of the Earth, Isa. 43.6 to sit down together in a quiet Hab [...]tation in the Covenant of Light & Life, where all the Promises of God in Christ unto his people are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20. And this Heavenly Day was prophesied of by the Prophets of Old, who had a Vision of the Glory of the last days, and the Spirit of Christ was in them; and this was their stay and support in all Ages, who was afflicted with his People in all their Afflictions, who went with them, and the Angel of his pre­sence saved them, Isa. 63.9. And this was the Foundation of the true Church from the beginning, and Abraham by the same Word & Spirit was called out of his Fathers House, who travil'd as a Stranger in the Land of Promise, going back to his Country no more, but dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, who were Heirs with him of the same Promise, and they that [Page 65] do such things, who forsake the World and all its Glory, for the Lords sake, they declare plainly that they seek another Ha­bitation; so here we have no continuing City, but we seek one to come, a City that hath Foundations, whose Builder and Ma­ker is God, Heb. 11.8, 9, 10. And so Christ, the Seed, which was promised unto Abraham, is the Blessing unto all Nations, whose Kingdom is everlasting, and of the increase of his Govern­ment and Peace there shall be no end, Isa. 9.7. and this is the one Foundation which changes not, who is from Everlasting to Everlasting, which gave a Heavenly understanding to his Ser­vants of Old, whereby they saw the wondrous Works of God; as Daniel beheld in the Light and Spirit of the Lord, till the Power of Darnkess was destroyed, and till the Thrones were cast down, and the Beasts Dominion taken away, and the Anci­ent of Dayes came, and gave Judgment to the Saints; and the Time came that the Saints of the Most High possest the King­dom; and this Daniel saw even to the perpetual Destruction of the Devils Kingdom, who saw the coming of the Messiah, and how he was to make an end of Sin, and bring in Everlasting Righteousness; and this is Christ's Kingdom, which stands not in Meats and Drinks, but in Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the holy Ghost, and that all Kingdoms and Dominions must serve and obey him, Dan. 9.18, 27. Isa. 9.6, 7. And this was the same in all the Prophets, by which they saw some­times the approaching of Gods Wrath upon the People, before they were carried away into Captivity, and sometimes the love of God in gathering them, and bringing them again to their own Land. And Ezekiel prophesied largely of the love of God, and of the uniting his people together in the last Dayes, and that they should no more be divided into two Kingdoms, neither should they be two Peoples; And I will place my San­ctuary in the midst of them, saith the Lord, and my Tabernacle shall be with them, Ezek. 37.22, 25, 26, 27. And more clear­er was Christ beheld in the Apostles dayes, as John said, The Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld his Glo­ry as the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth, John 1.14. Rom. 8.3. Phil. 2.6, 7, 8. In whom the Prophecies of [Page 66] the Scriptures are fulfilled, who bore our Sins in his own Body upon the Tree, who by the Grace of God hath tasted Death for every Man, and is returned into the Glory he had with the Father before the World began, John 17.5. 1 Pet. 2.24. Heb. 2.9. and all the true Apostles and Prophets of Christ, in the clear Gospel times, who were made able Ministers of the New-Testament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit (preacht) from a certain ground of Experience, what their Hands had handled, and their Eyes had seen, and what they had tasted of the Word of Life, who preacht the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, John 1.1. which none of the Princes of this World knew; for if they had known him, saith the Apostle, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. 1.23, 24. Col. 1.26, 27. Heb. 9.28. 1 Pet. 3.18, 19. who is the Hope of Israel, both of the Jews and Gentiles, who in his time, will shew himself the only Potentate, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Revelations 17.14. Chap. 19.16. Ephesians 1.10. 1 Timothy 6.15, 16. And all that are out of the Light of Christ, are out of the protection of his holy Spirit, and so may fall into the Pit of Misery at una­wares; and this Light and Day of Christ doth discover every mans Work of what sort it is, which Day burns as an Oven against all Transgression; and the consuming Fire, which Christ hath kindled in the Earth, is known in the true Believers to burn up Transgression, who comes as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver, Mal. 3.1, 2, 3.

And by this way he will fan the Nations; for the Lord hath seen the Great Abominations of the people in this Age of the World, and how Darkness and Desolation, as to the Knowledge of the True God, hath gone over all Nations; and before the Day of Perpetual Distress come upon the VVorld, the Lord hath sent forth the Invitation of his Love, to Call all that will come out of Babylon to the blessed Appearance of Christ the Light of the World, which was and is, and is to come, into whose Light the Kings of the Earth, that are saved, must bring their Glory. So you may see that the Light was held to be more precious than the Glory of Kings, which is the greatest Glory that's upon the Earth and amongst men, the honour of [Page 67] Kings is held to be the greatest Honour; but the Angel of God preached the Light to be more worthy, inasmuch as the Kings of the Earth that are saved do bring their Glory and Honour into it, Rev. 21. So the Light was preached by the Prophets, and Christ and his Apostles, and by the Angel of God in the dayes of John. And this is a blessed day, wherein the Lord is comfor­ting of his People, and speaking Peace to his chosen Ones, who is raising up the Tabernacle of David, that was fallen down, accor­ding to his Promise, Amos 9.11. And Zion is arising again, and she shall flourish, and break forth on the right hand, and on the left hand; the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, Isa. 54.3. And the Day is come wherein God will perform those things before spoken of, and not one jot or tittle shall fail; as our Lord said, Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my Words shall not pass away till all be fulfilled, Mat. 24.35. And Zions dead men shall live; as its written, Thy dead men shall live together, with my dead body shall they rise; awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust, for thy Dew shall be as the Dew of Herbs, and the Earth shall cast out her dead, Isa. 26.19. And so all that witness Redemption, who come to be quickned to God by Christ Jesus out of the Grave of Sin and Death; they are them that are risen with Christ, and come to settle their affections on things above, not on things below, but where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; and these seek the Kingdom of Heaven with the Righ­teousness thereof, above all things, Col. 3.1, 2. And these can sing the New song before the Throne, with the Harps of God, being redeemed by the blessed Saviour of the World from un­der the Curse, Rev. 15.2, 3, 4. And they can rejoyce and be glad in him, and they can say, Salvation is come, and Strength is come, and the Kingdom of our God, and the Power of his Christ, and he shall raign forever and ever, Rev. 12.10. whose Invisible Arm of Salvation carries them on from day to day, and great Happiness doth them; for he that hath Mercy on them doth feed them; and he that sits upon the Throne, is in the midst of them, who leads them to Living Fountains of Waters, and wipes away all Tears from their Eyes, Rev. 7.17. Chap. 21.3, 4. Isa. 60.20.

So this is an Invitation to all People, that they may re­turn to the Lord, whose Mercies are great, and his Long-suffer­ing very large, who hath long born with Mankind for his Name's sake, although their sins have abounded: but now he is risen, and the Day of Calamity is near, who hath whet his glit­tering Sword, and his hand hath taken hold of Judgment: Oh! hasten and meet the Lord by true and unfeigned Repentance, that you may be prepared for the Day of Account, while time lasts, for afterwards it will be too late; for God is calling the Nations to Judgment, and the Day of the Great Assembly is at hand, wherein all must appear before the great Judge of Quick and Dead, to render up their Account unto him; and all that come to true Repentance and obey the Call of the Lord, and come out of Babylon into obedience to the Truth, and so Fear and Dread the Lord God, and partake not with the great Whore of her Sins, God hath said, such shall not partake of her Plagues, but such as are Rebellious, and harden their Hearts a­gainst the Lord, and continue in their sinful Ways and Abomina­tions of these Times, they must partake of the Plagues of Babylon; whose Witch-crafts and Sorceries have deceived all Nations: And therefore the Great Day of Perplexity is coming upon her; for strong is the Lord that judgeth her; and all that commit Fornica­tion with her, must with those that committed Adultery with Jesabel of old, be cast upon a Bed of Torments, and into great Tri­bulation together. And so Prepare, prepare, for the Day of the Lord is near, which will be a Distressing day unto many, where­in the strong will be as Tow, and strength of the mighty will depart from them, and great Feebleness will overtake them, for the Glory and Haughtiness of man will the Lord abase, and bring low and lay it in the Dust, where the Memory of many shall perish; for the Lord is come and coming to search all Hearts, and to try all the ways and doings of the Children of men; and there is none so separated from him into the greatest Abominations whatsoever, though they may agree, and cove­nant themselves with Death and Hell; yet his Wrath will find them there, and Everlasting Punishment shall rest upon them; [Page 69] If they go down into the bottom of the Sea, there will I command the Serpent, and it shall bite them, saith the Lord: If they ascend in their Imaginations as high as the Clouds, thence will I bring them down, Amos 9.2, 3, 4. O Lord, therefore whither shall we fly from thy Presence, who art come to destroy him that hath destroyed the Earth, and bewildred and desolated the Crea­tion, whose raging power thou hast destroyed in many, blessed be thy Name, who have believed in the Light of thy beloved Son, which shines through all the Clouds, and Vailes of the Night of Darkness, which leads all that believe in it into the Primitive purity again: Oh! this is thy Unspeakable Love to them that fear thy great Name, amongst whom thou hast planted thy Righ­teousness, and caused Holiness to bud; and thou art causing it to spring up in the Earth again, which day many longed to see; and Peace dost thou extend to thy People like a River, accor­ding to thy Promise, Isa. 66.12. Therefore let the Li­ving praise thee, and sing of thy Mercies and Judgment [...], for thou art God, and there is none besides thee, who hast brought a People out of Darkness into thy marvelous Light: Oh! thou didst gather us, and we were gathered; thou didst turn us, O Lord, and we were turned; when we were in the Prison-House of Darkness and Unbelief, thou didst open the Doors of Ob­scurity unto us, and didst bring us to shew our selves in a Testi­mony for thee, that we might declare of thy wondrous Works, having seen thy goodness in the Land of the Living: Oh! thy Mercy was great towards us, that thou didst not destroy us in our sins, but didst give us time and a place of Repentance, when our Cry was Day and Night unto thee: Oh! thou didst give us strength against th [...] Adv [...]sary of our Soul's Peace, the great Troubler of th [...] Nations; and now thou hast brought us to him whom thou hast ordained to heal the Nations, and ease the distressed and wounded Soul [...], who is our Lord and Master, and our Saviour in the time of Trouble, whose precious Blood was shed for us, who is become our Hope, and the Rock of our Sal­vation. Thi [...], O Lord, hast thou done for many in this thy Day, who hast beheld the Crys of our breathing Souls, not that we were better than others, but for thy Mercies sake, of thy [Page 70] own free will and good pleasure; and thou dost uphold them, that trust in thee, and fear thy great Name, upon whom thou dost cause the Sun of Righteousness to arise, according to thy Promise, with healing in his Wings, Mal. 4.2. And this is thy Glory and thy Covenant (O Lord) in which thy redeemed walk, though but as Wayfareing men, and as Strangers and Pil­grims upon the Earth, yet thy secret Invisible Power and Word of Life doth instruct them, and the holy anointing that they have received of Christ, their heavenly High-Priest teacheth them of all things that is necessary to Salvation, which is the Truth, and is no Lye, John 2.27. And these commit the keeping of their Souls unto thee, in Well-doing, as to a faithful Creator, who art that God that knows all things, and canst out of thy divine Fulness administer suitably to all States and Conditions of the Children of men; and that thy Mercy and Long-forbearance, O Lord, may be lengthened out to this Generation, that many may come to know the Lord to be one, and his Name one, and that his Power may be known, and his Truth become famous through the World, and all Deceit and Hypocrisie may be root­ed out, Is the great Desire and Travail of the Soul of him, who hath known many Spiritual and inward Conflicts, and a Passage through many morning Seasons from year to year; but is now, through the Endless Love and Mercy of God, brought to the Day of Joy and Glad-tidings, having seen the Travail of his Soul and is Satisfied.