PRIMS Full-text transcription (HTML)

A VISITATION TO THE IEWES, FROM Them whom the Lord hath viſited from on high, among whom he hath performed his promiſe made with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and to his ſeed, which Moſes ſaw, and the Prophets gave teſtimonie of, to which ſeed the Apoſtles witneſſed, which ſeed we are, which ſeed of Abraham Chriſt came according to the fleſh, which we now witneſs, Glory to the Lord for evermore.

ALSO, A VISITATION to all you that have long had the Scriptures; but found out of the life of them that gave them forth, that are ſtumbling about the words, fighting and contending about them, impriſoning and perſecuting them that witneſs the life that gave them fotth.

The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming, who dwells not in temples made with hands, nor is he worſhipped with mens hands, but in the ſpirit the Scripture was given forth from.

Given forth by G. F.

LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the ſign of the Black Spread Eagle neer the Weſt End of Pauls, 1656.

A VISITATION TO THE JEWES, &c.

TO the Iews ſcattered, who are the ſeed of God, to whom the promiſe belongs, who have long had the words, but miſt the promiſe; which promiſe is to the ſeed, from them who are of the ſeed, who witneſs the promiſe, to you this is ſent.

From them that are of the ſeed of Abraham, to all the ſcattered Iewes according the fleſh, who have the Law of God, the form of it, but being found out of the life of it, have not poſſeſſed that which Moſes ſaw, who received the Law from God, which Law you have the form of, and your fathers in ages paſt had, who put Chriſt to death and ſlew him that is the end of the Law, Gods Righteouſneſs, Chriſt Ieſus the end of Gods righteous Law, which Law was to keep out of all unrighteouſneſs.

And your Fathers that had the form of the Law ſlew the Prophets that ſhewed the coming of this juſt One Chriſt Ieſus the end of his righteous Law Gods Righteouſneſs; they having the Prophets words, and Moſes words, but out of the Prophets and Moſes life, who ſaw the juſt One that was to come and fuffer, were thoſe that ſlew the Prophets.

David ſaw the juſt one, and called him Lord; and Moſes ſaw him which received the Law from God, which Law was given to your fathers, which you have had the form of, who ſaid,Deut. 18. Like unto me will God raiſe you up a Prophet from among your brethren, and him they ſhould bear, and every one that would not hear that Prophet ſhould be cut off.

Now your Fathers that had Moſes, who this Prophet ſaw, and received the Law from him, he ſaid, God would raiſe up this Prophet, and he came among4 your Fathers, that had the Law and Moſes words, but not Moſes life; and the Prophets words, but not the Prophets life; but they knew him not, neither heard him, though he was a Prophet, raiſed up from among the Brethren; and was made of the ſeed of Abraham, according to the fleſh, but declared to be the Son of God, according to the Scriptures, by ſignes, wonders and miracles, Devils being made ſubject to him, looſing many from their chains which were kept under bonds; and yet your Fathers believed not that Prophet which Moſes ſaw, and the Prophets ſaw, which was to come to fulfil what was written of him; neither heard they him, though it was Moſes command they ſhould, and Gods command: So therein was in the tranſgreſſion, though the Law the words of it they had, but found in the tranſgreſſion, out of the life of the Law and the life of the Prophets, and came to be mingled among the Heathen which knew not God, who be in the ſame tranſgreſſion, though you profeſs the words declared from the life; wherefore being out of the life of the Prophets, being raiſed up among your Fathers, who speak of this juſt one, of this Prophet; your Fathers did perſecute them, and did put them to death; and at laſt the Son come.

And to your Fathers ſpoke a parable,Luk. 20.13.81. which was agreeable to the Prophets words; As a man letting forth a vineyard to husbandmen, and he ſent his ſervants to look for fruits, and they beat one and caſt him out, and wounded another, and killed another; and laſt of all he ſent his Son; and when they ſaw the Son, the Heir of the Vineyard, Come, ſaid they to the Keepers of the Vineyard, this is the Heir, let us kill him, and caſt him out, then the Vineyard will be ours. And theſe things your Fathers did fulfil, they killed him, they caſt him out, and delivered him up to the Gentiles to be mocked, ſcourged, and crucified.

Now conſider, what hath become of you ſince, of you Husbandmen? have you not been laid waſte? and was not the word fulfilled concerning his coming and riſing up from among the Brethren? And when he was come among you, he would have gathered you, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, but your fathers would not. And he ſhewed them how they ſtoned the Prophets, and killed them; and how Wiſe men ſhould be ſent among them, and Scribes and Prophets ſome of them they ſhould crucifie and ſcourge in their Synagogues, becauſe they neither knew the Father, nor the Prophet that he had raiſed up, which Moſes ſpoke of.

Wherefore,Mat. 23. •• ſaith he to JERUSALEM, Behold, your houſe is left unto you deſolate, Hath it not been ſo? Was he not a true Prophet to you herein? Are not your Houſes unto you left deſolate?

Are not the Prophets words here fulfilled on your fathers, and you ſcattered, which Prophet Moſes ſpake of, who went up to Jeruſalem, and was betrayed by him that David ſpoke of unto the chief prieſts and Scribes, who condemned him to death, and delivered him to the Gentiles to be mocked, ſcourged and crucified, but the third day he roſe again; and ſaith Chriſt, It cannot be that a Prophet periſh out of Jeruſalem.

This the Prophet ſpake to your Fathers, of whom you have the form of the law, and the words of the Prophets, which killed the Prophets, and yet built their Sepulchres.

Here you may ſee your Fathers, and as it was with them, ſo it is with you, being now found in the ſame Tranſgreſſion, untill you come to the life of the Prophets, of Moſes; then with the life you ſee him who is the end of the Prophets and Moſes, even the EMANVEL ſpoken of, born of a Virgin, which is Chriſt.

Now coming to the life the Prophets were in, and Moſes was in, with that this you will come to ſee; and with that you will come to the Converſion, and ſee the everlaſting Offering.

And Chriſt the EMANVEL, this Prophet whom Moſes ſpeaks of, and the Prophets ſaw, (who ſaid, it could not be that a Prophet periſh out of Jeruſalem) was delivered by the chief Prieſts and Scribes to be condemned to death, and delivered to the Gentiles to be mocked, ſcourged and crucified: Now minde, He was betrayed into the hands of the chief prieſts and ſcribes, and was condemned to death, and by them delivered to the Gentiles to be ſcourged and crucified.

Now ſaith Chriſt, when you ſhall ſee Ieruſalem compaſſed with Armies, then know that the deſolation thereof is nigh: Hath not Ieruſalem been compaſſed with armies, and hath it not been laid waſte? your Houſe deſolate, and ſcattered as the Prophet ſaid? Hath not Ieruſalem been compaſſed with armies, where the Prophets were ſlaine? and ſaith the Prophet, They ſhould fall by the edge of the Sword,Luk. 21.24 and be led away captive into all Nations; and Ieruſalem ſhould be trodden down of the Gentiles, to whom your Fathers delivered him to be crucified to death, untill the time of the Gentiles was fulfilled. Now minde, Are not theſe words fulfilled which the Prophet spake whom God raiſed up? Is not Ieruſalem trodden down? have not you been carried Captives into other Nations.

have not the Gentiles trodden Ieruſalem under foot? hath it not been compaſſed with Armies? have not your houſes been left deſolate? have not ſome fallen by the Edge of the Sword? Have not they come upon you, the Gentiles, whom you delivered this Prophet unto, to be mockt and crucified? and have not they laid Jeruſalem waſte? And hath not the Temple been thrown down, and not one ſtone left upon another, which Solomon was commanded to build, as Chriſt foretold, who was a greater then Solomon. So conſider, Are not the words of this Prophet fulfilled on you that had the words of the Prophets, but being out of the Life, knew not the Subſtance; and being ſtrangers from the Life of Moſes, who had the Life of the Law, and ſtrangers from the Life of the Prophets; you ſee not Gods purpoſe, nor decree, nor determinated counſel, which had ſhewed unto his Prophets of the coming of the Juſt One before he came, whom your Fathers being in the tranſgreſſion, out of the life of the Law and the Prophets, choſe a Murderer, Barabbas, and the Chief Prieſts perſwaded the people to ask the Murderer, and to crucifie the Juſt. Doth not this ſhew that they was in the ſtate of the Murderer?

And when the Juſt was riſen, which death nor bonds could not hold, according to the determinable counſel of God, as David who foreſaw it,Pſalm. 16.10. ſaid, He would not leave his ſoul in hell, nor ſuffer his Holy One to ſee corruption.

The chief Prieſts, and thoſe that ſet a guard on Chriſt after they had crucified him, when the news came he was riſen, gave large money to the Souldiers to ſay, that his diſciples came by night and ſtole him away; and this Report hath gone among the Iews, and ſo blinded you with a lye, for a lye is of the devil, and he it is that is out of the truth, and abode not in it, that blindes the eye, and caſts a miſt before their eyes, that they ſhould not believe, and ſo believe the lyes before the truth.

For had your Fathers known Moſes and the Prophets in the life, they would have known him, the juſt One, the Holy One, whom God would not ſuffer to ſee corruption, though he was numbred among the tranſgreſſors, and among them he made his grave, whom God highly exalted at his right hand, to whom Thrones, Powers and Dominions muſt be ſubject to, who is the end of Gods Righteous Law, Gods Righteouſneſs, which the Prophet Eſay spoke of, who could not hold his peace for Zions ſake,Iſa. 62.1. and for Ieruſalems ſake he could not reſt, until the Righteouſneſs thereof go forth as brightneſs, and the ſalvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles ſhall ſee thy Righteouſneſs, and Kings thy glory; and thou ſhalt be called by a new Name. This Righteouſneſs is come forth, and the Gentiles ſee it, and doth burn as a lamp, and the brightneſs and ſalvation thereof is witneſſed among them, and the vengeance of our God is proclaimed, the acceptable yeer of the Lord is come, and comfort to all that mourn;Iſa. 61. the good tydings is preached to the meek, the broken hearted is bound up; Liberty is proclaimed to the Captives, and the Priſon5 doors are opened, and them that are bound go forth, who ſing of his glory; and the Gentiles ſee•h is Righteouſneſs and profeſs it, and the Lord is an everlaſting light to his people, and God their glory. For we can call ſalvation our walls and gates praiſe. And the ſons have come from far, this is witneſſed; and behold, ſaith the Lord, Gentiles ſhall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightneſs of thy riſing, lift up thine eyes round about thee, and all that gather themſelves together, they ſhall come to thee from far; and ſaith the Lord, Ariſe, ſhine, for thy light is come, for the glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee; behold, darkneſs ſhall cover the earth, and groſs darkneſs the people, but the Lord ſhall ariſe upon thee, and his glory ſhall be ſeen upon thee. Iſa. 60. Iſa. 49.6.This light the Prophet ſaw the Gentiles ſhould come to, and Kings to the brightneſs of thy riſing. And ſaith the Lord by his Prophet, It is a light thing that thou ſhouldeſt be my ſervant to raiſe up the Tribes of Jacob; take notice and reſtore the preſerved of Iſrael, take notice again; I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayeſt be my ſalvation to the ends of the earth.

Now mind, the light to the Gentiles, and ſalvation to the end of the earth, which now the Gentiles profeſs; the Prophet who was in the life, ſaw this; and many, as its ſaid before, do witneſs this light to the Gentiles, and ſalvation to the ends of the earth, the Redeemer of Iſrael, the raiſer up of the Tribes of Iacob; and this is the Redeemer of Iſrael, the Holy One, to him whom man deipiſeth, to him whom Nations abhorreth, to a ſervant of Rulers, Kings ſhall ſee and ariſe,ver. 7. Princes alſo ſhall worſhip becauſe of the Lord who is faithful, and the Holy One of Iſrael, and he ſhall chuſe thee.

And thus ſaith the Lord, I will lift my hand to the Gentiles, and ſet up my Standard to the people, and the people witneſſeth the Standard, and the hand is witneſſed, which to the Gentiles is lifted up of the Lord God.

Behold my ſervant whom I uphold, my elect in whom my ſoul delighteth;Iſa. 42. I have put my ſpirit upon him, he ſhall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles; the Gentiles now witneſs this judgement brought forth to them, and this judgement is ſet in the earth; he ſhall not fail nor be diſcouraged, till he have ſet judgement in the earth, and the Iſles ſhall wait for his law: Now many of the Iſles do witneſs this law, who have waited for it, which is Royall.

Thus ſaith the Lord, he that created the heavens, and ſearched them out he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it;v•r. 5. & 6. he that giveth breath to the people upon it, and ſpirit to them that walk therein; I the Lord have called thee in Righteouſneſs, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles: Now this Covenant to the people, and this light to the Gentiles that the Prophet ſpeak of, the Gentiles witneſs now the light: and the people witneſs this Covenant of God, and Gods promiſe fulfilled. And them that were Miniſtes, of this Covenant, were ſent to turn the Gentiles from darkneſs to the light; and choſe Iews and thoſe Gentiles that did believe in the Light, did believe the everlaſting6 Covenant, and did receive the everlaſting Covenant, and the glory of Iſrael; and this brought in the Gentiles to light, which broke down the Partition-wall between the Iew and the Gentile, and of twain made one new man: which covenant of Light the Prophet ſaw before he was come; and when he was come your fathers owned him not, neither received, though by ſigns, and wonders, and miracles confirmed he his Miniſtry that he came from God, yet ſaid they blaſphemouſly which had the Prophets words, and Moſes words, but out of the life of both, That by Beelzebub the Prince of the devils he caſt them out.

And here they having the words, and not the life, when the thing was come that the words spoke of, they that had the words knew him not, and the Gentiles, their mindes being alienated from the life of God, and ſtrangers from the Covenant of promiſe, and Common-wealth of Iſrael, to them the light was promiſed, and that to it the Gentiles ſhould come, which many did, and do now injoy and know the unſearchable Riches that are hid in God, Chriſt Ieſus.

And the Iews and the Gentiles receiving the Light the Covenant of promiſe, they come to be baptized with the ſpirit into the one body, and that Covenant of Light which brings in the Gentiles, lets ſee the end of the firſt covenant, that doth decay, and lets ſee the everlaſting covenant, Chriſt Ieſus, wh•came to fulfil the Law, and not to break it; heaven and earth ſhall paſs away, but not one tittle of the Law ſhall paſs away,Pſal. 19.7. the Law is perfect, converting the ſoul, and brings it from under that which was againſt it; and ſo at this covenant of God, the Light of the Gentiles, the Iews ſtumble, which covenant the Prophets propheſied of, and your fathers in thoſe dayes ſtood againſt; and ſo here is the ſaying fulfilled,Pſ. 69.22. The builders rejected the corner ſtone; and as David ſaid, Their Table became a ſnare, a trap, and a ſtumbling-block, and a recompence unto them: And hath it not been ſo? I ſay then, have they ſtumbled that they ſhould fall? Rom. 11.11.God forbid, but rather through their fall ſalvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealouſie, take notice of that. Now if the fall of them be the Riches of the world,Verſ. 12. and the diminiſhing of them, [mark] the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulneſs? I ſpeak to you Gentiles.

So here, who are come into the life of Moſes, and the Prophets, do witneſs that which Moſes and the Prophets ſaid ſhould come to paſs, That Chriſt ſhould ſuffer and riſe from the dead, and ſhew light to the people and to the Gentiles, in which Light Iews and Gentiles are one, I will make an everlaſting covenant with you ſaith the Lord,Iſa. 54.55, 56. even the ſure mercies of David, behold, I will give him for a witneſs to the people, a leader and commander to the people; Behold, thou ſhalt call a Nation that knew thee not, and nations that knew thee not, ſhall run unto thee: Now this everlaſting covenant is witneſſed, to which Nations run; and the people witneſs the leader, which you that had the covenant which did decay ſtood againſt, and do injoy the covenant of peace and authority, which you do not that have not the life, which I will not remove, ſaith the Lord that hath mercy on thee; and every one that keeps from polluting, takes hold of this covenant; As for me, this is my covenant with them, ſaith7 the Lord, my Spirit that is in thee, &c. So the everlaſting Covenant is witneſſed, which doth not decay, with which is ſeen that which doth decay; I will make an everlaſting covenant with them, and their ſeed ſhall be known among the Gentiles; and ſaith the Lord, My glory ſhall be declared among the Gentiles, and I will take of them for Prieſts and Levites ſaith the Lord; And behold, ſaith the Lord, the days come, that I will make a new Covenant with the Houſe of Iſrael, and with the Houſe of Iudah, not according to the covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt, which covenant they brake, though I was an husband to them ſaith the Lord; but this ſhall be the covenant which I will make with the Houſe of Iſrael, After thoſe dayes I will put my law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they ſhall be my people, and they ſhall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, ſaying, Know the Lord, for they ſhall all know me, from the greateſt to the leaſt, ſaith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquities, and I will remember their ſins no more: Mind this, you that have this firſt covenant which was given to your fathers when they came out of the Land of Egypt; but ſaith the Lord, I will make a new covenant, not according to the covenant I made with your fathers, which was to decay, for there you had a Law in Tables of Stone writ; but here in this covenant you ſhall have the Law written in your hearts, with which you ſhall come to know the Lord, and need not ſay, Know the Lord: And here is the Covenant which is everlaſting. Now the covenant which was made with your fathers, while that was ſtanding you were to be taught the Lord; but this covenant being witneſſed and received, the Law-Writer in your hearts, you ſhall no more every man teach his brother, and his neighbor, ſaying, Know the Lord; for all ſhall know him from the greateſt to the leaſt.

And now thouſands do witneſs this ſecond covenant, this everlaſting covenant, not according to that covenant given to your Fathers in Tables of Stone, but the everlaſting covenant w•i•ten in the heart, where they know the Lord: And theſe witneſs the ſecond cove•a•t, where the iniquities are forgiven,Ier. 31. and the ſins and tranſgreſſions the Lord will remember no more.

If theſe Ordinances depart from before me, ſaith the Lord, then ſhall the ſeed of Iſrael ceaſe from being a Nation before me for ever, and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them; I will make an everlaſting covenant with them, That I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear into their hearts that they ſhall not depart from me.

So you that had the covenant given to your Fathers when they came out of the Land of Egypt, ſtood againſt his covenant, though it was witneſſed by Moſes and the Prophets, which you read; ſo you ſtand againſt the promiſe of God to you, which now thouſands of the Gentiles do witneſs the covenant of Light, which to them was promiſed, with which they know God, and ſo are come into the life of the Law, and covenant of God, which reconciles Jew and Gentiles together; which brings to ſee that he is God of both, and brings them to one; ſo that which doth convert, brings into the life that the Prophets ſpoke of, and Moſes ſpoke of, which God to them did let ſee, and the promiſe, which thing is come to paſs, and the life of the Law and the Prophets is witneſſed, and him that ſits on the Throne of David now reigns.

And again, thus ſaith the Lord, If ye can break my covenant of the day, [take notice] and my covenant of the night, that there ſhould not be day and night in their ſeaſon. Mark, This Covenant which orders day and night in their ſeaſon, then may alſo my covement be broken with David my ſervant, that he ſhould not have a ſon to reign upon his Throne; and this is the covenant, and this is the King of the Jews, which they would not have him to reign. And this is he who bears his Government upon his Shoulders, which is without end; and this is the Heir, and this is he that is come for judgement into the world, to make them blinde that ſay they ſee, and to make them ſee that ſees not.

And this is the queſtion that lies upon you to anſwer, If he was Davids Son, how did he call him Lord? Now as you come to the Light, you will ſee it, and him that ſhall, and doth reign on the Throne of David, with the Prieſts, Levites and Miniſters; as the Hoſt of Heaven cannot be numbred, neither the Sand of the Sea meaſured, ſo will I multiply the Seed of David my Servant, ſaith the Lord.

Now he that ſits on the Throne of David, his Seed witneſſes him Lord and King, who is the Prince of life, that hath Dominion over death, through death hath deſtroyed him that hath the power of death, and Repentance is preached, and remiſſion of ſins through faith in him, from whence comes the refreſhing into the ſoul, who is the Biſhop of it; and as they cannot break the covenant that keepeth day and night in its ſeaſon (for they was made by him who was the covenant) ſo they cannot break this covenant with David, that he ſhould not have a Son to reign on his Throne; if they can break that covenant that orders day and night, then they may break this covenant with David my Servant,Jer. 33. that he ſhould not have a Son to reign on his Throne. They ſhall ſet their faces towards Zion, ſaying, Come let us joyne our ſelves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that ſhall not be forgotten. Now the everlaſting covenant written in the heart, by which you need not ſay, Know the Lord, brings from among the Heathen, ſeperates from9 from among the ſtrangers, and aliens from the life of God as the Gentiles were.

Though the Lord by his Spirit in the Prophets ſpoke of the Promiſe, That he ſhould be a Light to the Gentiles, and that they ſhould ſee his glory, which many now do enjoy, and imbrace and ſee him who ſits on the Throne of David, him whom Abraham, David, and Iſaiah ſaw, and Jeremiah ſaw, and the Prophets gave Teſtimony of, and Moſes, who ſaid, God would raiſe up, and the people ſhould hear him, and the people doth hear him; yet they which had the words, being ſtrangers from the life of God, knew him not when he was come, and God had raiſed him up, but denied the Reſurrection of the Juſt One.

And Jeſus Chriſt, the EMANVEL that Moſes ſpoke of, the Prophet which God raiſed up, ſaid, Think not I am come to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfil it; (whom your Fathers thought was out of the life of it) Saith he, It was ſaid in old time, Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery; [mark] Commit it: But I ſay unto you, He that looketh after a woman to luſt after her, hath in his heart committed adultery already. Now mark, here is the Law written in the heart; here is the new Covenant that the Prophet ſpeaks of, which is agreeable to Moſes, and to them all, that which fulfils the LAW, not breaks it.

And the Law ſaith, Thou ſhalt do no murder; but your Fathers which had garniſhed the Sepulchres of the Prophets which their Fathers had killed, deſired a Murderer before the Juſt One, the Emanuel, the Saviour, him whom Moſes, the Prophets, and Abraham did give teſtimony of; and they ſaid, His blood be upon us: and Chriſt ſaid, All the righteous blood from Abel to Zacherias, ſhould be required of this Generation. So have you not been driven into other nations, and your houſes been deſolate ſince, and Jeruſalem trodden under foot, where the Prophets periſhed that ſhewed the coming of the Juſt One, which at laſt the Son was caſt out by you, upon whom the Gentiles hath trodden.

But now is the Lord gathering to himſelf, and his Name is great among the Gentiles, and the Remnant of Jacob ſhall be in the midſt of many people (which now is witneſſed, and his Tent is known) as the dew from the Lord, as the ſhewers on the graſs, that tarries not for man, [take notice] nor waits for the Son of man; and the Remnant of Jacob ſhall be among the Gentiles in the midſt of many people, as al yon among the Beaſts of the Forreſt, as a yong lyon among the ſheep, whom it he go thorow he tares down and tares in pieces, and none can deliver: Now this is ſeen among many people.

And in that day ſaith the Lord,Iſa. 10.11. there ſhall be a root of Ieſs, which ſhall ſtand for an enſign of the people, to it the Gentiles ſhall ſeek, and his reſt ſhall be glorious. Now the Gentiles have found this glorious reſt, which to this enſign, this root of Ieſs they do ſeek, this day is fulfilled among them, and witneſſed glory to the Lord God the Higheſt for ever: And he ſhall ſet up an enſign for the Nations, and ſhall aſſemble the out caſts of Iſrael, and gather together the diſperſed of Iudah, from the four corners of the earth.

Now this Enſign is ſet up for the out-caſts of Iſrael, for Nations, and to the gathering of the diſperſed of Judah from the four corners of the earth: Now you owning the light, you own this enſign, (and this enſign now is witneſſed) ſee it, and have that ſet upon the Throne of David; for the Lord will utterly deſtroy the tongue of the Aegyptian ſea,Iſa. 11. and there ſhall be a high way for the remnant of his people, which ſhall be left from Aſſyria, [take notice] like as it was to Iſrael in the day that hee came up out of Aegypt.

And where this Covenant (that is everlaſting) of Light is received, with it the firſt is ſeen that doth decay; And thus ſaith the Lord, I will hold thy hand, I will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant to the people, and a Light to the Gentiles, to open the blinde eyes, to bring out the priſoners out of the priſon, and them that ſit in darkneſs out of the priſon-houſe. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory I will not give to another; Behold, the former things are come to paſs, and new things I tell you of, before they ſpring forth, I tell you of them: Now, when theſe things were ſprung up among you, and come to paſs, that had the firſt Covenant given to you, when you came out of Aegypt;

Theſe new things, this new Covenant, you received not, though to you it was declared by the Prophet before they did ſpring forth, and this Covenant of the people, the light to the Gentiles, opens the blind eyes, brings out the priſoners out of the priſon-houſe, and this is he that preaches unto the ſpirits in priſon: Now you and your fathers that have reſted in the former things, not beholding nor ſeeing the new things that are come to paſs, and declared to your fathers before they came to paſs, ſhewes how you have refuſed the corner-ſtone, (which have been builders of the words without life,) the Covenant of Light, the Prince of Peace, the Lord of glory, he that ſits on Davids Throne, that comes in the volume of the book to do the will of God.

So the new things which were declared by the Prophet before they ſprang forth, you that remain in the old have rejected it, and have you not been rejected, (mark) and provoked by a people that were not a people? Have not the Gentiles which followed not after righteouſneſs, obtained the righteouſneſs, even the righteouſneſs of Faith in Chriſt Jeſus,Rom. 10. the Covenant of Light, the Light of the Gentiles, among whom his name is great, and their eyes are opened, and the priſoners11 come out of the priſon-houſe, and in him do the Gentiles truſt. And thus ſaith the Lord, in an acceptable time have I heard thee, in a day of ſalvation have I helped thee, I will preſerve thee, and give thee for a Covenant to the people, to eſtabliſh the earth: I will give thee (ſaith the Lord) a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayſt be my ſalvaion to the end of the earth. Now he that eſtabliſheth the earth, the covenant is witneſſed by whom all things were made. What? is he ſalvation to the end of the earth, the covenant of light? yea, who in lighteneth every man that cometh into the world, which I ſaiah ſpoke of, which your fathers had their will on. And thus ſaith the Lord, I will preſerve thee, and give thee for a covenant to the people, to eſtabliſh the earth, to obtain the inheritance of the deſolate heritage; [mark] this covenant of the people to eſtabliſh the earth, which obtains the inheritance of the deſolate heritages, and ſay to the priſoners Go forth, and to them that are in darkneſs, Shew your ſelves, which is now fulfilled, and fulfilling; they ſhall feed in the way, and their paſture ſhall be on the tops of the hills, and theſe witneſs the freſh ſprings of water, and this is witneſſed among them that witneſs his covenant, and are converted to God, to ſerve the living God in righteouſneſs, who are come to the life of the Prophets, and poſseſſeth that which they ſpoke of; therefore did David give thanks to the Lord among the Heathen, and ſing praiſes to his Name; great deliverance gives he to his King, to David and his ſeed,Pſa. 18. (whoſe ſeed we are for evermore;) and Moſes that received the Covenant from the Lord, when your fathers came out of Egypt, ſaid, Like unto mee will the Lord thy God raiſe thee up a prophet from the midſt of thy Brethren,Deut. 18. him ſhall ye harken unto: Now this Prophet did Stephen witneſs and hold forth, when he was brought before the Council, whom they caſt out and ſtoned. Acts 7.Your Fathers had the Tabernacle of VVitneſs in the VVilderneſs, as he had appointed, ſpeaking unto Moſes, that he ſhould make it according to the faſhion which he had ſeen, which alſo the Fathers that came after brought in with Ieſus, into the poſſeſſion of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our Fathers, unto the dayes of David, who found ſavor before God, and deſired to find a Tabernacle for the God of Jacob, but Solomon built him a houſe, howbeit the moſt high dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as ſaith the Prophet, Heaven is my Throne, and the earth is my footſtool, what houſe will yee build me, ſaith the Lord, or what is the place of my reſt? Now your fathers that held up theſe o•tward things, being not in the life that ſaw beyond them, the end of them, the things which Steven here witneſſed, whom your fathers that had the Law & not the liſe, put to death, which had perſecuted the Prophets that ſhewed the coming of the Iuſt One, of whom they had been the betrayers, & murderers of that ſtoned Steven; theſe know not that new thing that muſt come to paſs, before declared, which the Lord by his Prophets ſpoke of, but were diſobedient & rebellious againſt the Lord, & caſt his law behind their backs, & ſlew his prophets w^ch teſtified againſt them, to turn them to the Lord, & they wrought great provocations; therfore the Lord delivered them to their enemies, & vexed them in the time of their troubles; & when they cried to him he heard them, according12 to his manifold Mercies he gave them a Savior, who ſaved them from the hand of their Enemies: Now you may ſee the cauſe why his hand was againſt them, being rebellious and diſobedient, caſting the Law behind their backs, being out of the life of it; here is the cauſe of ſlaying the Prophets who witneſſed the life of his Law, and yet many yeers did the Lord forbear them; and teſtifie againſt them that had the words by the Spirit in his Prophets: Therefore now you having the Prophets words, have built their Sepulchres; were you in the Prophets life, you would ſee that which the Prophets gave Teſtimony of, and Moſes, him by whom the world was made, the Glory of Iſrael, the light of the Gentiles, the leader of the people; take notice, the light is to lead, yea, the light is the leader of the people.

Now you being out of the life of the Prophets and Moſes, having their words, thinking to have life in the Scriptures, ſearching them which do teſtifie of Chriſt, but not coming to the Prophets life, you know not the voice of the Prophets, though they be read among you every Sabbath-day, now Chriſt the end of them; ſo coming not to the Prophets life, you come not to Chriſt the life, whom the Prophets teſtified of, who ſaid unto your Fathers, Ye will not come to me that ye might have life, who had that which teſtified of him; ſo he now is witneſſed that the Scripture teſtifies of, who is the light and life, which light is the life of man, him by whom the world was made.

And your Fathers which had the Prophets words, and Moſes words, being ſtrangers from the life, were them that ſaid, They ſaw, but were them that were blinde, & ſaw not Chriſt the Juſt One, that the Prophets ſhewed the coming of, and Moſes ſpoke of, which you had your Law from, who ſaid, Like to him God would raiſe up a Prophet, him you ſhould hear, whom you did not hear, but put him away from you, who were out of the life of the Prophets, and would not hear him that was the life of them, and ſaid, As for this man you knew not whence he was, and would not have him to rule over you.

Therefore conſider you, ſince your Fathers nor you never came to ſee this Prophet which Moſes ſpoke of, and the Prophets teſtified of, whom your Fathers had the words, but not come to the life, which you never come to ſee, until you come to the life of Moſes and Abraham that ſaw his glory, and that will let you ſee Chriſt the end of them, and that which the Prophets ſpake of, and wrote of, and gave teſtimony of, which all his Holy Apoſtles witneſſed after his Reſurrection; him, who was the Covenant that the Prophets and Moſes gave Teſtimony of, which you having the words, but being found out of the life, them perſecuted.

But that now you may c•me to ſee in this mighty day of the Lord, his gatherings together, with his Covenant of light, and his mighty power, which is everlaſting and changeth not, where the propheſie is13 opened, and things not declared or is known, which gathers together in one up to God, which leadeth out of the changeable things up to God who is a Spirit; and the hour is now come, wherein they worſhip him in ſpirit: And the ſalvation of the Jews which is to the end of the earth, is believed in, and witneſſed, and the time of the Gentiles not believing in the Light is ſeen, and their Converſation, wherein was the exceſs, wantonneſs, luſt, wine, reviling, banquetting, and abominable idolatry; with which Light from them who believe in it, are turned, and come to the honeſt converſation, & the obtaining of the Savior Ieſus Chriſt, who hath aboliſhed death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Goſpel. And the Goſpel is preached to the Gentiles, which is the power of God to ſalvation to every one that believeth in the Light; and him ſaith God I give for a Covenant, a light to the Gentiles, and when this Covenant of God was come, Chriſt Ieſus the everlaſting covenant, ſaid he, Believe in the Light, I am come a Light into the world, and he that abideth in the Light, ſhall not abide in darkne. And the Embaſſadors of this Covenant of light, Life and Peace, hazarded their lives among the Iews and Gentiles, among all ſorts of people, which w•re•ut of the life of the Law, and they did preach to them, to the Gentiles, and do ſtill, for the Covenant of Light is everlaſting to bring them to it; but now many have the words declared from this Covenant of Light, but yet are ſtrangers to it, and them that kill the•o•d Ieſus Chriſt, and their own Prophets have perſecuted the Apoſtles, and pleaſed not God, but were contrary to all men, theſe were of your Fathers, who had the words, but were ſtrangers to the life; and theſe did forbid ſpeaking to the Gentiles, to whom the Covenant was promiſed, they themſelves being in the tranſgreſſion, out of the life of what they profeſt, and out of the life of the Prophets who declared this Covenant; but now the Riches of the glory of the myſterie of the Gentiles is known, which God would make known, which had been hid from ages and generations, which is now made manifeſt to his Saints, which is Chriſt in them the Hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man, that we preſent every man perfect in Chriſt Ieſus the Light the everlaſting covenant of God.

Now ſuch Gentiles that walk after the vanity of their minde, are ſtrangers, yet from the glory of Iſrael, and the Common-wealth, and the life of God, and the covenant of Light; but God is gathering with his covenant of Light up to himſelf both Iews and Gentiles in one: I ſay, his everlaſting covenant, not according to the old covenant which he gave to your Fathers when they were brought up out of the land of Egypt, which did decay and wax old, for this covenant never doth decay or wax old, Glory, glory to the Lord God of life for ever.

And ſo the Gentiles that are not yet come to own the light, are without the true Hope, without God in the world; and ſo the promiſe being to the Seed, he ſaith not unto Seeds, as of many, but of one, which is thy Seed, which is Chriſt: And this I ſay,Gal. 3. That the covenant that was confirmed before•f God in Chriſt, the Law which was 43•. yeers after, cannot diſannul that i•ſhould14 make the promiſe of none effect, that the bleſſing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jeſus Chriſt, as its writen, I will give him to be a light, to whom he was preached after his Reſurrection; and this Light brings from giving offence to Jew and Gentile that believe, but offends both that be againſt it. Eph. 2, 3, chap.

And when the Gentiles which had not the Law, did the thing contained in the Law, which ſhewed the works of the Law written in their hearts, that judged you Jews that had the Law, and were tranſgreſſors of it, which cauſed the Gentiles to blaſpheme God, and ſo your circumciſion became uncircumciſion, and their uncircumciſion became circumciſion, and judged you; ſo the Light, which is the life, joynes Jews and Gentiles together in one, up to one God, who is Light, who is Lord of all, and rich to all, with which Spirit they come to be baptized into one Body: And here that you may come to know the Salvation that is ſent to the Gentiles, the everlaſting covenant which among them is witneſſed, which God of old promiſed; and Chriſt the Prophet ſayes, Go not in the way of the Gentiles, but to the loſt Sheep of the Houſe of Iſrael.

Now when your Fathers had delivered him up to be crucified, he ſent them to preach to all Nations, to the Jews and to the Gentiles, and when the Jews did not hear, (your Fathers that had the words of the Prophets and Moſes, which ſpake of this Covenant) they turned to the Gentiles, and the Holy Ghost them witneſſed,Act. 9. to whom the Apoſtles were ſent, to whom the Promiſe belonged; and ſo Iſrael which had the Law and the Prophets, being out of the life, ſaw not the Glory of Iſrael, neither the light of the Gentiles which now is manifeſted, him whom the Apoſtles and Prophets declared. Luk. 2.

Now among the Gentiles there is an exerciſing of Lordſhip, and the great ones exerciſe authority on them, but it ſhall not be ſo with you, ſaith Chriſt the light, the covenant whom God ſpoke of, whom Moſes ſaid God would raiſe up: For they that are here in the light, are from the will of the Gentiles turned, their Lordſhip to Chriſt the Lord, [mark] and ſo the Gentiles are no more aliens but Citizens, & Co-Heirs, joynt-Heirs, who believe in the light, in the Covenant.

So you that hold up that which doth decay, ſtand againſt the Prince of life, the Covenant that doth not decay, which many of the Gentiles received; and you that ſtood in the firſt, that doth decay, come to be thruſt out now with that which doth not decay: And now as you hearken to the light, this you will come to ſee, and it is the light that doth now manifeſt the counſels of your Hearts, your thoughts, your vain imaginations, and Covetouſneſs, which is idolatry, and the luſting after thoſe things which you ſhould not.

Now this light doth manifeſt that which gives to ſee Chriſt the covenant of light, that it is which brings into the life of the Law and15 the Prophets to ſee Chriſt who is the light, which light is the life of men, who is the end of the Law. I am the light of the world, and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, him by whom it was made. If you love the light, and bring your deeds to the Light, it will let you ſee whether they be wrought in God; but if you hate the light, it will be your condemnation: And ſaith Solomon the King, (which Chriſt that was a greater, ſaid, A greater then Solomon was here; and Chriſt the light ſaid, Before Abraham was, I am; which becauſe he ſo ſaid, they took up ſtones to caſt at him) to do Juſtice and Judgement, is more acceptable to the Lord then ſacrifice: Mark,Prov. 21. this Juſtice and Judgement is more acceptable to the Lord then your ſacrifice. And ſaith the Lord, I will take no Bullock out of thine houſe, nor Goat out of thy Flock; for all the Beaſts of the Forreſt are mine, the Beaſts of a thouſand-Hills. Pſal. 50.I know all the Fowls of the mountains, and all the wilde beaſts of the Field are mine: If I be hungry, I will not tell thee, for the World is mine, (mark) and all that therein is.

Will I eat the fleſh of Bulls? or drink the blood of Goats? Offer unto God Thanksgiving, and pay thy Vows to the Moſt High; and ſaith the Lord by the Prophet, I deſire mercy and not ſacrifice, and the knowledge of God more then Burnt Offering.

Now you may ſee, many had the Burnt Offerings, and not the knowledge of God, whereas the knowledge of God he required more then burnt-offerings, and Mercy and not ſacrifice: Minde, Mercy and not ſacrifice.

And when Chriſt was come, the Covenant of Light, he bid your Fathers (who were in the burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, but out of the knowledge and mercie) Go and learn what the Prophets words meant, he would have mercie and not ſacrifice, ſuch as had the burnt-offering, and not the mercie, nor knowledge of God, which God deſired mercie before ſacrifice, and the knowledge of God before Burnt Offerings. So your Fathers that had the Sacrifice and the Burnt Offering, were without the Mercie and the Knowledge of God, who knew not the Son the Covenant of Light, that Moſes and the Prophets ſpoke of, and the blind offered the blinde that which was not accepted of the Lord, who reſpects not your perſons, but ſuffered you to be trodden under foot of the Gentiles who have been ſcattered.

But now is the Lord warning to turn to him, and to do works meet for Repentance, that you might come to know the Prince of life, the end of the Law, the end of the Prophets, the end of all outward ſacrifices, and come to know the Spiritual Sacrifice, which is acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt, which goes from the Spiritual Houſhold, which is built on the Prophets, Chriſt the Corner Stone, who is now come to reign on the Th•one of David, whoſe Seed witneſs him Davids Son, which God would ſhew mercy to David, and to his Seed for evermore;16 which mercie his Seed witneſs, and witneſs the Son who reigns on the Throne of David, the Son of God, who are the Seed of Abraham, to whom the Promiſe was when he was in the uncircumciſion; and the Promiſe which was made to him when he was in the uncircumciſion, do we witneſs fulfilled; Glory, glory to the Lord God for evermore.

And we are of the Promiſe, which is to all the Seed, which was not made to him through the Law, therefore its of Faith, that it might be by Grace, that the Promiſe might be ſure to all the Seed; not to that onely which is of the Law, but to that alſo which is of the Faith of Abraham, who is the Father of us alſo; and him who was made of Abraham is now witneſſed, that took upon him the Seed, according to the fleſh, who is before Abraham was; a greater then Solomon; him, who according to the fleſh is the Seed of Abraham, but according to the Spirit was declared to be the Son of God, the King of Glory.

And him David ſaw, and called him Lord, who ſaid, God would not ſuffer his Holy One to ſee corruption, nor leave his ſoul in hell; and ſaith David of him,Pſal. 68. Thou hast aſcended up on high, thou haſt led captivity captive, thou haſt received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell amongſt men. Mark, He that aſcended up on high, led captivity captive, and gives gifts unto men, that the Lord God might dwel amongſt them.

And he that aſcended, mark, he that led captivity captive, what is it? but he that deſcended firſt into the lower parts of the earth, and he is the ſame that aſcended far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things by whom all things was made, to reconcile all things to himſelf, And he gave ſome Prophets, ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Apoſtles and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, till all come into the unity of the Faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, the Covenant, unto a perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt.

And the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaking of Chriſt, ſaid he, He would proclaim liberty to the captives,Gen. 61. mark, to the captive; and he did proclaim liberty to the captives, and went miniſtring to the Spirits in priſon.

Now you who have had the words declared forth from the Prophets and Moſes, but not being guided with that ſpirit that gave them forth, you ſee not the captive, but are captives, ſees not him that brings deliverance, and heals the broken hearted, and recovers to the blinde their ſight, and ſets at liberty them that are bruiſed; that leads captivity captive, and gives deliverance to the captive; and this is not known till you come to the covenant of Light,

And when Ezekiel was among the Captives at the River of Keba, the Heavens were opened, and he ſaw the Viſion of God, (Mark, when he was among the captives) and he was to go to them of the captivity, and ſpeak to them; and after he was commanded to ſpeak to the captives,17 the Spirit of the Lord took him up, and brought him to them.

So conſider now, you that have had the Prophets words, but not knowing him that is on High, that leads captivity captive, being found out of the life, are ſcattered abroad; but hearken to the Light that will diſcover your iniquity, whereby your captivity may be turned away; whereby you may come to the life of the Prophets and Moſes, with which you may ſee Chriſt:Lam. 2.14. For Ieremiah did lament the falſneſs of the Prophets, which had not diſcovered their iniquity, which might have turned away their captivity, that you might come to know the voice of the Bridegroom, the voice of joy, the voice of gladneſs, and the voice of them that ſay, Praiſe the Lord of Hoſts: for his mercie endures for ever. And of them that bring the Sacrifice of Praiſe into the Houſe of the Lord.

I will cauſe to return the captivity of the Land, as at firſt, ſaith the Lord; now know, this captivity led captive, and this captivity returned.

And was it not often, that Ieruſal•m and the children of Iſrael were car•i•d into captivity for tranſgreſſing of the righteous Law of God? and did no•the Enemie come upon you, which trod down the Wall of Ieruſalem, which was before Chriſt was manifeſt in the fleſh, which after came and was manifeſt in the fleſh, according to the ſaying of the Prophet which ſhewed the coming of the Juſt one, who when he was come among you that had the words of Moſes and the Prophets, but being out of the life, ſaw not that which Moſes and the Prophets ſaw; and the Prophet ſaid, Jeruſalem ſhould be laid waſte, and compaſſed with Armies; the Wall thrown down, and you ſcattered: Is not the word of this Prophet fulfilled among you, and upon you? had you been in the life as Moſes was in, and the Prophets, and Abraham, you would have ſeen the glory of Iſrael, him whom God raiſed up to ſit on Davids Throne, the Hope that all the Fathers hoped for.

Now your Fathers being out of the life, though they had the words, knew not the Subſtance when he was come, but on the contrary delivered him up to the Gentiles to be crucified, which Gentiles trod your city under foot, and they cried, crucifie him, crucifie him, and deſired his blood might be upon their Heads.

Now Jacob comes to be ſaved from his captivity, and Iſrael ſhall return to his reſt, and I will be found of you, ſaith the Lord, and will turn away your captivity, and will gather you from all the Nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, and will bring you again to this place ſaith the Lord, whence I cauſed you to be carried away Captive; when you come to the life of the Law, this you ſhall witneſs.

Now wait in the light, that you may come to witneſs this Promiſe fulfilled, for the Lords flock hath been carried away captive, but now is the Lord redeeming, and gathering with his power them out of captivity, and leading captivity captive.

And ſaith the Lord, I will gather the Remnant of my Sheep out of all the countreys where I have driven them, and bring them again to their Fold, and they ſhall grow and encreaſe; and I will ſet one Shepherd over them; which ſhall feed them; they ſhall dread no more, nor be afraid, neither ſhall they lack any thing, ſaith the Lord: for the day is come, ſaith the Lord, that I will raiſe unto David a righteous branch, and a King ſhall reign and proſper, and ſhall execute juſtice and judgement in the earth.

Now this Branch, this King, this Shepherd, this Fold do we witneſs, that are his lambs, his ſheep, and are come to witneſs the life that Moſes was in, and the Prophets were in, and David was in, from which life the Scriptures was given forth to be believed and fulfilled, which we ſee with the ſame that gave them forth,Iſa. 14. and the Son we ſee to reigne; and the Lord is cutting off, according to his promiſe, Babel, his Name and his Remnant, Son and Nephew, and there ſhall be a High-way for the Remant of his people, which ſhall be left from Aſſyria, like as it was unto Iſrael in the day when he came up out of the land of Aegypt: Of this take notice.

In that day ſhall the Remnant of Iſrael, and ſuch as have eſcaped of the Houſe of Iaccb, ſtay no more on him that ſmote them: mark, on him that ſmote them, but ſhall ſtay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Iſrael in truth: The Remnant ſhall return, even the Remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God; for though thy people O Iſrael be as the Sand of the Sea, yet a Remnant of them ſhall return, and there is a Remnant that keeps the commands of God. And did not the Lord ſpeak to Ezekiel; That your Fathers ſhould be carried away captive, and the time is come that whoſoever ſhall call on the Name of the Lord ſhall be ſaved; for in Mount Zion and Jeruſalem ſhal be deliverance, as the Lord hath ſaid, and the Remnant whom the Lord ſhall call.

And the Remnant of the Philiſtines ſhall periſh: Seek good, and not evil:Amos 5. hate the evil, and love the good; and eſtabliſh Judgement in the Gate. It may be the Lord of Hoſts will be merciful to the Remnant of Joſeph, though the number of Iſrael be as the ſand of the Sea, yet a Remnant ſhall be ſaved.

Even ſo at this preſent time, there is a remnant through the election of Grace; and now is the Remnant known that doth give glory to God. And thus ſaith the Lord to your Fathers, who changed his Judgements into wickedneſs, and his Statutes more then the wicked: I will execute Judgement in thee; I will do unto thee that I never did before, neither will I do any more the like, I wil execute Judgement in thee, the whole Remnant of thee will I ſcatter in all the winds.

And theſe things, and many more this Prophet doth relate, which was done to your Fathers, and what they ſhould act and do, they, who are out of the life of the law: But now ſuch as be in the life of the19 law, Prophets, and Chriſt, can ſay, Who is a God like unto thee? who takeſt away iniquity, and paſſes by the tranſgreſſion of the Remnant of his Heritage: and ſaith the Lord, I will bring again their captivity and the captivity of Sodom, and her Daughters; and the captivity of Samaria, and her Daughters:Ezek. 10.53. then will I bring again the captivity of thy Captives in the midſt of them.

Now they that be in the life of the Prophets, ſees this, That they that were in the captivity, had ſpoyled the Oath in breaking the Covenant; Yet notwithſtanding, ſaith the Lord, I will remember my covenant with thee in the day of thy youth, and will eſtabliſh unto thee an everlaſting covenant, and thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord: The Lord will raiſe up the Tabernacle of David that is falne down, and cloſe up the breaches thereof; and I will raiſe up his ruins, ſaith the Lord, and build it as in the dayes of old, that they may poſſeſs, the Remnant of the Heathen, which are called by my name, ſaith the Lord.

And the dragon was wrath with the woman, and went to war with the Remnant of her Seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt; the dragon is wrath with them that keep the commandments, and them cannot endure, but is wrath, and makes war againſt them. And the Remnant of the Seed of the woman appears now, that have the teſtimony of Ieſus, and keeps the commands of God, over all the world ſtands, and the dragon and his wrath fears not, but by the teſtimony of Ieſus, they overcome, which is the Spirit of Propheſie, who are his Remnant which keeps his commandments, with whom the dragon now is wrath, and makes war againſt.

And now is the Lord made manifeſt to them that asked not after him, and found of them that ſought him not; this Propheſie of Iſaiah is fu•filled in this our dayes; The Father is made manifeſt; God hath made manifeſt his Covenant to them that did not ask after him. Mark. Them that asked not after him, to them is he made manifeſt.

And you which be ſtrangers from the Light, the Covenant, having the firſt Covenant, this ſaw not, your eyes was blinded, who was from the life of the Law and Prophets, and this ſhould provoke you to jealouſie, The life muſt be brought from the dead, before the riches of the world be known, the covenant of light, the unchangeable, & the converſion, to the life of Moſes & the prophets, & the Son of God, who of them is the end; & this you muſt know before you be converted, & come to the father of ſpirits, & know Moſes & the Prophets that gave forth the ſcriptures, for the life is that which doth convert, & lets ſee to what condition it was given, & gives a ſpirit of underſtanding, by w^ch. the Prophet ſpoke by, by w^ch. ſpirit they ſaw the eye of your fa•hers that God blinded, whoſe ears were dul of hearing, & hearts groſs, & are in blindneſs, not receiving the covenant of light within; ſo over your hearts the vail i•remaining, who yet have that eye which is blinded, & cannot hear the holy Ghoſt, nor him who was born of it to be converted & healed, who ever teſiſted, & are for Iudgement with the ſpirit y^e Scripture was given forth from; for Moſes in the light ſaw the covenant, & Abraham ſaw the promiſe in y^t light, & we in y^t light do inioy y^t promiſe which they ſaw to be fulfilled, y^• covenant of light, & witneſs y^• holy ſpirit y^• ſcrriptures were given forth from, & do ſee them which hath y^e words o•y^e ſcriptures,•ut20 not in the ſpirit that gave them forth, them God the Father of ſpirits ſcatters though they gather together, and ſuch be Heathens that know not the Spirit the Scriptures were given forth from, theſe know not God the Father of Spirits, but are all a heaps about words, killing and deſtroying one another.

From them who are Iſraels common-wealth, who are the remnant that keeps the command of God, and are of the ſeed of Abraham, who witneſs the mighty power of the Lord, in raiſing his own ſeed by his own power in this day, and the trumpet is blown in Zion, and the alarum is ſounded in his holy mountain, which makes the earth to tremble, and do tremble at the word of the Lord, and are by the dark world called quakers, at whoſe voice Moſes exceedingly did quake, which power and voice now is known among us, which doth no•onely ſhake the earth, but the heavens, which power removes that which is ſhaken, that that which cannot be ſhaken may remain, and appear, and before this covenant you come to know, your hearts muſt be rent, ſo to come to witneſs the aboliſhing of death before life, and immortality be brought to light through the Goſpel, which is the power of God, which removes, ſhakes, and throwes down all, and ſo the promiſe comes to be fulfilled: And ſaith the Lord by the prophet, Make the heart of this people fat, make their eares heavy, ſaith the Lord to him that was in the ſpirit, leſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underſtand with their hearts,Pro. 6.22. Iſa. 6 chap. and be converted, and be healed, theſe that was from the light of the Law, the life, for his law is light, ſaith Solomon.

But I ſaid, How long Lord? mark, and he anſwered, untill the Cities be waſted without inhabitant, and the houſes without man, and the land be utterly deſolate, take notice. They that be in the Holy Ghoſt ſee this fulfilled upon you, who have nor underſtood with your hearts, nor ſeen with your eyes, nor been converted, whole cities comes to be laid waſte, and houſes without man, and the land come to be deſolate without the ſpirit, that gave forth Scriptures: and the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forſaking in the midſt of the Land; of this take notice. But yet in it ſhall be a tenth mark, and it ſhall return, and be eaten as a teil tree, and as an oak, whoſe ſubſtance is in it, when they caſt their leaves, of that take notice; ſo the holy ſeed ſhall bee the ſubſtance thereof.

Mark. Rom. 12.15. Iſa. 6.13.The holy ſeed life from the dead, he that hath an ear, let him hear; ond this muſt be known before the riches of the world be.

Now that which gathers you to the promiſe, is the light and power of God, and the light will let you ſee all the evill deeds you have done, all the ungodly actions you have committed, and all your tranſgreſſions, that is the light which ſhews you them, and if you love the light you will come to ſee your ſelves, and whether your deeds bee wrought in God, and if you believe in the light, which manifeſteth21 all that ever you have done, ye will become the children of light, and receive power from Chriſt, from whence the light comes, him by whom the world was made, to ſtand againſt the evill, which hee hath given you a light to ſee; and with this light you come to know the M ſſias your Saviour, to ſave you from your ſin which he diſcovers, and to ſee the everlaſting offering.

But you that do hate this light, and go into the evill, and love the darkneſs more than that which ſhews you your evill deeds, and evill wayes, when God is not in all your thoughts, when your heart revolts, and when you call on him with your lips, and your hearts afarre off: This is the light of Chriſt that ſhewes you this, and lets you ſee your covetouſneſs, and idolatry, and if you go on in theſe things beforementioned, the light will be your condemnation, even the light ſaith Chriſt, who inlightneth every man that cometh into the world.

This light of Chriſt tells you, you ſhould not do unjuſtly one to another, that you ſhould not be drunk, nor oppreſs one another, nor wrong one another. It's the light that ſhews you this, and meaſures things aright, and this word is nigh you in the heart, and in the mouth to obey and do it.

Now as you love the light, and bring your deeds to it, you will come to know the light Moſes was in, and come to know the Prophet which he ſaid, God would raiſe up, whom you ſhould hear, and come to know the Covenant of light, which brings in the Gentiles to ſerve the living God from dead Idols, which the Prophet ſpoke of, which is the glory of Iſrael.

And as you love this light before mentioned, you will come to know the Law in your hearts written, the new Covenant, the everlaſting Covenant, which the Prophet propheſied of, which now thouſands do witneſs, with which light they know God the glory of Iſrael, Zions King, and him are come to worſhip; and this light will tell you, you muſt not bow to any likeneſs, but unto God alone, nor commit adultery, nor ſerve graven images the Gods of the Heathen, nor follow their cuſtomes which are vaine, for againſt that Gods hand is turned, who is one with the Light, which Light the darkneſs cannot comprchend, though it in darkneſs ſhines, and Chriſt the light came to his own, and his owne received him not, even among your fathers that had the Oracles of God, and the darkneſs could not the light comprehend, though the light in darkneſs ſhined, neither could the darkneſs ſee him by whom the world was made, the light, who is glor•fied with the Father, with the glory that he had with the Father before the world was: Therefore to the light in you I ſpeak, that with it you may be turned from darkneſs, and the power of Satan to God, and receive the covenant of light, and the power of God Chriſt Ieſus, that you may come to life, regeneration, and c•nverſion, and the renewing of your mindes, remiſſion of ſinns,22 and receive the refreſhing into your ſouls.

And as you love the light that ſhews you the evill that ever you have done,2 Cor. 4.6. ye love Chriſt, and that light is it which gives the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Chriſt, which ſhines in the dark heart, and none comes to the knowledge of God but by the light which ſhines in the heart; and this treaſure have we in earthen veſſells, that the excellency of the power might be of God, and not of Man: But if you do this light hate, you hate Chriſt, and remain ſtumbling, blinde, and ſcattered, refuſing the Corner-ſtone, whom all the builders ſtumbles at, who are out of the light, and none comes from ſtumbling to know the words of the Scripture declared from the life, but ſuch as own the light.

To the light in you I ſpeak, if you go on in your evil deeds, and unbelief, not believing in the light, the light is your condemnation; hateing the light, you hate Chriſt, for you do not come to the knowledge of God but by the light, He that comes to the knowledg of God knowes his Son; now none comes to the Son, but who owns and comes to the light, which from the Son doth come: And this light brings to one heart, one minde, one People, one God, one Mediator betwixt God and Man, and this light unites and brings Iew and Gentile together, and he that believes not in the light, doth not believe in God who is light, nor know his Son, who inlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. And to you this is the word of the Lord.

A VISITATION TO All you that have long had the Scriptures, but found out of the life of them that gave them forth, that are ſtumbling about the words, fighting and contending about them, impriſoning and perſecuting them that witneſs the life that gave them forth.

TO all you who are from the life of the law, and the Prophets, which is the light, and from the ſpirit of underſtanding, which gave forth the Scripture, and hearing hear not, and ſeeing ſee not, having hearts and underſtand not, whoſe ears are heavy, whoſe eyes are ſhut and whoſe hearts are fat; who are in the tranſgreſſion, out of the Law of God, and his Covenant firſt and ſecond, againſt all ſuch the Lord ſent his Prophet to declare, and commanded him, Go tell this people,Iſ•. 6 9.10. hear yee indeed, but underſtand not, and ſee yee indeed, but perceive not, make the heart of this people ſat, and make their ears heavy, and ſhut their eyes, leſt they ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underſtand with their heart, and be converted, and I ſhould heal them, who is the light, ſuch as was from the light, who with that ear could not hear.

Now the Prophet was here in the life of the Law, the people was here from the life of the Law, therefore the life turned againſt them that were from that of God in them, and the life of the Law, the life turning againſt them, being one with that of God in them which they24 were gone from; ſo the life blinded them, and their ears became heavy, and their hearts fat, and their eyes ſhut, and they could not hear with their ears, nor underſtand with their hearts, nor be converted, even ſuch as were gone from the life, with which the ſpirit of God was one in which the Prophet was.

And ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah to this people, that were gone from the life of the Law, what the Lord would do with his vineyard, he would take away the hedge thereof, and it ſhould be eaten up, and break down the wall thereof, and it ſhould be trodden down, and I will lay it waſte, and it ſhall not be pruned nor digged,Iſai. 5.5, 6. I will alſo command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it: For the vineyard of the Lord of Hoſts is the Houſe of Iſreel, and the men of Iudah his pleaſant plant, Hee looked for judgement, but behold oppreſſion; for righteouſneſs, but behold a cry.

Theſe were thoſe that were blinde, where the judgment was not, but the oppreſſion, and were from the light, ſuch Chriſt came to make blinde, againſt whom went the woe that drew iniquity with cords of vanity, and ſin as it were with a cart-rope, that called good evill, and evill good, ſuch as were from the life of the Law, and ſuch as theſe hearing hear not, and ſeeing ſee not, whoſe hearts are made fat: Make them ſat, whoſe eyes are ſhut leſt they ſhould ſee, whoſe ears are heavy leſt they ſhould hear. Then ſaid I, Lord, how long? and he anſwered, untill the Cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houſes without man, and the land be utterly deſolate; [mark, and take notice of this] untill the cities be without inhabitant, and the houſes without men, and the land be utterly deſolate.

Now ſuch as were here out of the life of the Law and the Prophets, being in the tranſgreſſion, the life went againſt them that were from the life, and blinded it, and ſtopt that ear, and that heart cannot underſtand, that againſt the life is turned, untill the city be waſted without inhabitant, and God hide his counſel and ſecrets from this eye, and from this ear; ſo he comes to make them blinde, that they cannot ſee, which be in the tranſgreſſion, who doth not blinde the light the eye that the Prophet ſaw withall.

And again,Iſa. 29.9, 10, 11, 12. &c. the Prophet ſaid to them that were out of the life of the Law, in the tranſgreſſion, Stay your ſelves and wonder, for the Lord hath poured out upon you the ſpirit of deep ſleep, and hath cloſed your eyes, the Prophets, and your Rulers, and the Seers hath hee covered, the viſion of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is ſealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, ſaying, Read this I pray thee, and he ſaith, I cannot; for it is ſealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, ſaying, Read this, I pray thee: and he ſaith. I cannot; for I am not learned.

Wherefore thus ſaith the Lord, Foraſmuch as this people draw neer25 me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men, therefore will I proceed, &c.

Theſe people were from the life of the Law, whoſe hearts were farr removed from God, to theſe the books was ſealed, and the Viſion of all was become unto them as a ſealed book, and they could not read it, neither the learned, nor the unlearned, for to both it was ſealed; to this people that could not ſee nor hear was the book ſealed, whoſe eye was blinded though they were learned or unlearned, ſuch as was from the life of the Law, which was the light, the life of the Law, the light they had not, and ſuch the prophet ſaw, who was in the light of the Holy Ghoſt, and their fear towards the Lord was taught by the Precepts of men, (as it is now with them that are blind) theſe their eyes were cloſed, upon whom was poured a ſpirit of deep ſleep, who ſtagg•red like a drunken man, but not with wine, who ſought deep to hide their counſel from the Lord, and worked in the dark, among whom the Lord will do a marvellous work, and a wonder, the wiſdom of their wiſe men ſhall periſh, and the underſtanding of the prudent ſhal be hid.

Theſe were-them that turned the things upſide down, who ſhould be eſteemed as the potters clay: for ſhall the work ſay to him that made it, He made me not? Or, ſhall the thing framed, ſay of him that framed it, He had no underſtanding? Yea, he ſees [take notice] that hath made and framed: Mind this, you who call upon God with your lips, but your hearts afar off, who be ſtrangers from the life of his Law, who turn things upſide down, who muſt be turned upſide down, before the life of the Law, which is the light, be known, and their eyes opened. Who are in the ſpirit of ſlumber, and the ſpirit of deep ſleep, yet have wiſdome, and a prudent underſtanding: Theſe were them that the Prophet ſaw from the life of the Law, and ſuch God made blinde; for the promiſe was when God gave forth the Law, Bleſſing, and them that were in the life ſaw the end of it; a Curſe was not to them that did abide in the life of the Law, the woe was not to them that did abide in the life of the Law, but the bleſſing; the curſe was to them that did not abide in the life of the Law, and ſuch came not to ſ•e the end of what they profeſt; and theſe went from the life of the Law to mens precepts, and they were ſuch as called upon God with their lips, but their hearts were afar off; and ſuch owning not the life of the Law, they owned not Chriſt when he came, who was the end of it, but was blinde, and ſo the fulfilling of Iſaiah's words came to be, which were ſpoken forth from the life, which when Chriſt came, who was the life, they that had the words of the Law, and being out of the life, knew him not, but were them that were blinded, & by hearing ſhould not hear, nor underſtand; and ſeeing〈◊〉ſhould ſee, & not perceive; theſe which was gon from the life of the law, the light, which Chriſt was one with the life which they were gon forth from.

Theſe could not perceive nor ſee, though they ſaw, and though they heard, they could not underſtand, which were in the tranſgreſſion, from the life of the Law, and ſuch Chriſt came to make blinde; and theſe eyes muſt be blinded that they cannot ſee nor heary for that which muſt hear, comes to the life of the Law, and to the converſion; and ſaith Chriſt to them that were gone from the life of the Law, which hearing heard not, neither underſtood, Theſe peoples hearts were waxed groſs, their ears were dull of hearing, their eyes was cloſed, leſt at any time, [mark] they were ſo ſhut up from the light, the life of the Law, leſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underſtand with their hearts, and be converted, and I ſhould heal them.

Now you may all come to ſee what peoples hearts they were that was waxed groſs, and ears dull of hearing, and could not ſee with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, leſt they ſhould be converted, and Chriſt ſhould heal them; ſuch as were out of the life of the Law, and out from that of God in them; in the uncoverted eſtate, againſt whom Chriſt cried wo: For how can they hear with their ears, or ſee with their eyes, that are from the life of the Law? and how otherwiſe can it be, but that their hearts will wax fat and groſs, and be hardned with the deceit, who go from the Light, the life of the Law, which is the eye which God blindes not, who is light, and teach mens commandments for doctrines; ſuch as hear not the life of the law, are blinde, and are ſuch as run into the luſt, whoſe hearts grows fat; and are ſuch as have a wiſdom, and a prudent underſtanding, but as to hearing or ſeeing the things of God, their eyes are made blinde, and ears they have, but hear not; and hearts they have, but underſtand not; and cannot underſtand with their hearts, nor ſee with their eyes, leſt at any time they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and I ſhould convert them, and they ſhould be healed.

Now this ear and eye which is from the life of the Law, heareth not, ſees not, and the heart waxeth groſs, and that eye muſt be made blinde before Chriſt come to heal them, and convert them: He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.

And to ſuch as were from the life of the Law and Prophets, in the tranſgreſſion, Chriſt ſpoke parables; them that were from the life of the Law, ſeeing, they ſaw not; and hearing, they heard not, nor perceived, nor underſtood; to them in parables that were from the life of the law and Prophets, which Chriſt ſaw, theſe having the words, but being out of the life, were them that were blinded, groſs, and could not hear nor perceive, nor underſtand the myſterie of the kingdom. Unto theſe Chriſt ſpoke in parables.

And the Diſciples ſaid to Chriſt, VVhy ſpeakeſt thou unto them in parables? and he ſaid unto them, To you it is giv•••o know the myſterie, but to them it is not, who have eyes, and ſee not; ears, and hear not; but bleſſed are27 your eyes, for they ſee; and your ears, for they hear: For whoſoever hath, to him ſhall be given, [mark] and he ſhall have more abundance: [mark] and whoſoever hath not, from him ſhall be taken away, even that which he hath. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. So they knew the myſterie of the kingdom which was in the Light; and they law not the myſterie of the kingdom which were not in the light; therefore ſpoke Chriſt to them in parables, becauſe in ſeeing, they ſaw not; and hearing, they heard not; neither did they underſtand: So in them is fulfilled the Propheſie of Iſaiah, which ſaith, By hearing you ſhall hear, and ſhall not underſtand: and ſeeing ye ſhall ſee, and not perceive: for this peoples heart is waxed groſs, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have cloſed; leſt at any time they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and ſhould underſtand with their heart, and ſhould be converted, and I ſhould heale them.

Therefore parables were ſpoken to theſe which were from the life of the Law, which did not underſtand with their heart the Myſterie of the Kingdom, to be converted and Healed: For ſuch as underſtood, came with their heart to the life of the Law, the Light, to converting and healing: others ſtood againſt it, and that eye was blinded, ſo ſaw not, and was not converted: and all dulneſs of hearing was from them that were from the life of the Law, the Light; which life of the Law gives to ſee before tranſgreſſion was; and ſo theſe that did not underſtand, with their hearts not converted, not healed, were them that were gone from the light, the life of the Law; ſuch could not ſee the ſecond Covenant when he was come, and to theſe Chriſt opened his mouth in parables, and uttered forth things which have been kept ſecret from the foundation of the world, to the fulfilling of the Prophets words who was in the life; and to thoſe that were out of the Light, the life of the law, was the Parables ſpoke; but bleſſed, ſaith Chriſt to his diſciples, are your eyes, for they ſee, and your ears, for they hear;Matt. 13. now is the life manifeſted that was with the Father before the World was, which all the Prophets of God did give teſtimony to, which while Moſes is read, the vail is over the heart, but where is the life of Moſes that ſees the end of the firſt covenant, Christ Ieſus; ſo they that were out of the life of the firſt, were in the hardneſs, ſuch as had the words of Moſes, but out of the life, whoſe ears were dull of hearing, and ſerved God with their lips, out of the life the light, but their hearts afar off, ſuch were in the days of Iſaiah the Prophet, & in the days of Chriſt in the fleſh, theſe Chriſt plainly told, them he came to make blind who ſaid they ſaw, but were out of the life of what they profeſt, the l•ght, which is the eye, & ſuch the God of the world blinded the eye of their minde, and for judgement Chriſt came into the world, to make them to ſee that ſaw not, and to make them blinde that ſaid they ſaw, where the God of the world ruled.

And John ſpeaks of the fulfilling of Iſaiahs words,Joh. 12. who ſaw the glory of the Lord, and spake of him; he ſaw them that were from the life of the Law, the light and the Prophets, that could not ſee with their eyes, nor underſtand with28 their hearts, whoſe ſerving God was with the lip, but the heart afar off; theſe could not hear Chriſt when he came, nor underſtand with their hearts, nor be converted nor healed; ſuch were for judgement, and ſuch Chriſt judged and made blinde; for theſe could not underſtand with their hearts, nor be converted nor healed, which was from the light, and had it not.

And the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the hated and loved, the Election and Reprobation, that the purpoſe of God, according to the Election, might ſtand not of works, but of him that calleth, as it was ſaid, The Elder ſhall ſerve the Yonger; Eſau have I hated, Jacob have I loved; [mark] ſo it is not of him that runneth,Rom. 9. but of God that ſheweth mercie; as the Scripture ſaith of Pharoah, For this purpoſe have I raiſed thee up, that I may ſhew my power in thee, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth: [Of this take notice.] The Power which overthrew Pharoah, brings the Seed out of bondage; therefore hath he mercie on whom he will have mercie; and whom he will he hardneth. But thou wilt ſay unto me, VVho hath reſiſted his will? why doth he yet finde ſault? Nay but O man, Who art thou that replieſt againſt God, who is Light? thou who art from the Light? ſhall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, Why haſt thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the ſame Lump, to make one Veſſel unto Honor, another a Veſſel to diſhonor? [mark] But what if God will ſhew his Wrath to make his Power known, endured with much long ſuffering, the Veſſels of Wrath fitted to deſtruction, the children of Diſobedience. [mark] Iacob is loved, but Eſau is hated; Eſau was the firſt, a Prophane perſon: Pharoah, a Perſecutor of the Seed of God, who was hardned, God had mercie on his Seed, and made his Power known, in overthrowing the one, and delivering the other.

And him that willeth, and him that runneth, obtaineth not the Promiſe of God, but the Election obtains it; in Iſaac ſhall thy Seed b•called; and they which be the children of the fleſh are not the children of God; and ſo it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth, but in God that ſhews mercie, the Election obtains it.

But O man, Who art thou that replieſt againſt God? [mark] Man, not the Election which obtains the Promiſe: Shall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, VVhy haſt thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, to make one Veſſel of Honor, another to diſhonor? What if God will to ſhew his wrath, and make his power known, endured with long ſuffering, the Veſſels of Wrath fitted to deſtruction: [take notice] endured with much long ſuffering, the Veſſels of Wrath ſitted to deſtruction.

What if God will make his Power known upon ſuch, and will ſhew his Wrath upon the Veſſels thereof, who are in the diſobedience, from the Light; Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, the Veſſels of29 Wrath where the enduring with much long-ſufferings hath been; ſuch be from the; ife of the Law of God, in the diſobedience, children of Wrath, on whom the Wrath of God abides; therefore the thing formed that ſaith, VVhy haſt thou made me thus? here is the willing, and not the Election, which obtains it without the willing and running, which overthrows the Veſſels of Wrath fitted for deſtruction, and the willing and the running, who hath endured with long ſuffering: And now it is ſeen, The Lord will have mercie on whom he will have mercie, and the Promiſe is to the ſeed, and Jacob is loved, and Eſau is hated, and Iſhmael is driven out; and the power which overthrew Pharoah, which hath ra•ſed up the Seed; and the Veſſels of Wrath, on whom he doth make his power known, and ſhews his Wrath, which he hath endured with much long ſuffering, the Veſſels of Wrath fitted for deſtruction, and the will that is willing is ſeen, and the minde which is running, and attains it not; and the man which replies againſt God, who is ſaying, VVhy haſt thou made me thus? as if the potter had not power over the Clay: And here is the willing and the running, but the promiſe of God is to the Seed, and the Election obtains it, and hath obtained; that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Veſſels of mercie whom he hath called; ſo the promiſe is to the Seed, not to Seeds, as of many, but as of one, which Seed is Chriſt. Rom. 11.And David that was in the life of the Law, ſeeing the ſecond Covenant, ſaw them that had the words of the Law, but were out of the life: And Paul who was in the life of the Law, the Light that David was in, ſaw Davids words fulfilled in his generation, among them that were out of the life of the law, though they had the words, and ſaith, acording as it is written, God hath given them th•ſpirit of ſlumber, eyes that they ſhould not ſee, and ears that they ſhould not hear unto this day; they were ſuch as were from the life of M•ſes and the Prophets, having their mindes reprobated; and ſaith David, Let their Table be made a Snare, and a Trap, and a ſtumbling-block; an for a Recompence, let their eyes be darkned that they may not ſee, and bow down their back alway: Such as were from the life of the Law, have they ſtumbled that they ſhould ſall? God forbid; but that through their ſall, ſalvation is come to the Gertiles.

Now they that had the outward covenant, the words of the Law, and ſtood for the outward, and were not guided with the inward, their Tables became a Snare unto them, and a Trap, and a ſtumbling-block, and they fell, and through their ſall (who was in the outward, from the light, the life of the Law) ſalvation came to the Gentiles, and the R•ches of the world, the Light, which is Chriſt the Salvation, which overthrows the outward, and brings in the inward, the Jews in the ſpirit: For ſuch as were in the life of the Law, the Table did not become a Snare, a Trap, but they-ſaw the end with the Light, which is the eye; but ſuch as were from the life of the Law, had the Spirit of Slumber; ſo the Election30 hath obtained it, and the reſt was blinded; [mark] the reſt were blinded, the election is not blinded; read this, who ſees this, who is come to the election, which obtains where this is witneſſed, that which is blinded is ſeen, and the God of the world is judged, and the eye he ſets up, and that which doth blinde is judged with the light, with the eye, where the converſion and healing is, and the caſting away of them is ſeen, that were out of the life of the Law, and the Prophets, which had the outward Oracles, which brought in the Gentiles, who ſaid, they ſaw, but were out of the life of what they profeſt. For, if the caſting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what ſhall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? [mark] the receiving of them is life from the dead, and that which doth receive them makes them blind, that life which came from the dead unites both Jew and Gentile together, when the converting comes, the healing comes, and the elect, and the life of the Law, and the Prophets is fulfilled, and the other eye is put out, and the groſs heart, and the dull eare, and the ſpirit of ſlumber, and all this is with the Spirit of Truth judged, and the light which is the eyes guide, and the lip ſerving of God, all this is judged, which brings the life from the dead, which brings to ſerve God with the heart, and brings the heart nigh unto God, which while they profeſt, the Law the light, being from the life; that Heart perceives not, that Eye ſees not, which goes from the light, and cannot ſee the myſterie, nor hear Chriſt the end of the Law.

And here is the rebellious people, and the ſtiff-necked, which hearing hear not, and ſeeing ſee not, hearts have, and underſtand not, whom God blindes, that his myſteries they ſee not, them that are from the light,Rom. 1. which are from the life of the Law, the light, which is one with the light of God, in every man, which anſwers his Law, ſo that which may be known of God is manifeſt in them, for God hath ſhewed it unto them, with that they know that the judgements of God are upon them, when they act unrighteously. And in the Acts the Apoſtles ſpeaking to the Iewes which had the words of the Law, and the Prophets, but out of the Law, the life of Moſes, and the Prophets, who knew not Chriſt the end of them, in which life the Apoſtles was in, when he had ſpoken with the Iewes, and perſwaded them concerning Chriſt out of the Law, Moſes, and the Prophets, ſhewing unto them the fulfilling of Iſaiabs words, ſaying, Go unto this people, and ſay, hearing you ſhall hear, and not underſtand; and ſeeing you ſhall ſee, and not perceive; for the heart of this people is waxed groſs, and they are dull of hearing, and their eyes are cloſed, leſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underſtand with their heart, and ſhould be converted, and ſhould heal them.

To them he ſaid, Be it known unto you, the ſalvation of God is ſent to the Gentiles, and they will obey it.

So here the Apoſtle, Chriſt, and Iſaiah ſaw them that had the words of Moſes, and the Prophets, but out of the life, the light, ſuch could not hear nor ſee, being from the life of God, ſuch were blinde, and ſuch Gods Hand often turned againſt, and carried them into captivity, yea, to the bringing down, and bringing forth of his ſeed out of Captivity; ſo in bringing them down that were in captivity, they often came to remember God, and ſo Gods promiſe ſtands with the ſeed ſure, and his election ſure.

All along you may ſee in the days of the Prophets, Chriſt and his Apoſtles, ſuch as had not the life, the light, of the Prophets and Apoſtles, being found out of the life of the ſpirit of God, had the ſpirit of ſlumber, had hearts, and could not perceive, eyes they had and could not ſee, eares they had and could not heare, and ſuch eyes God made blinde, and eares God made deaf, and knew not the myſterie of the Kingdom, having their hearts groſs, and far from God, and ſerved him but with the lips, and they that were from the life of the Law were here, they that were in the life of the Law they ſaw ſuch as were from the life of the Law; here one ſaw, and the other did not, one ſaw, and the others eye was to be made blinde: And they that did carry Gods ſeed into captivity, ſhould be brought into bondage, and God would judge them, and they had the eye which was blinde; ſo you may all ſee, that which was from the life of the Law, the life of the Prophets, the life of Chriſt, which is the light, doth harden, which is the deceit, and ſuch as hear the voice of the Son of God are not hardened, but ſuch as hear not the voice of the Son of God, are hardened through the deceit, among theſe there was warres, one deſtroying another, and carrying captives.

But who are come to the life of the Law, and the end of the Law, the end of the firſt covenant, the everlaſting Prieſthood, from the changeable to the unchangeable, witneſſeth that which doth not vail, change, nor harden, and make to ſee captive, and lead out of captivity, while Moſes is read, the vail is yet over the heart, which doth harden, but take away that which doth harden, and bring the minde out of the changeable, which their minde was in, in the outward, to the life, the light, which was hardened and blinded, having the ſpirit of ſlumber, to the covenant of light, the everlaſting covenant, the end of all ſhadowes, types, and figures, to the ſubſtance, that covenant is decayed, and ſo with this that is kept out which doth harden, [mark] the deceit, which is out of the truth, the life, which is in the tranſgreſſion, having a pretence of the worſhip, but out of the life of it; all ſuch are blinded, and can neither hear with their ears, nor ſee with their eyes, nor be converted, nor healed, and from the life of the Law are, whoſe hearts are afar off from God; ſo all theſe that have the words of Moſes, and of the Prophets, that are from the light, the life, with the32 life come to have all their wiſdome and knowledge overthrown, ſuch had their eyes blinded, and had a ſpirit of ſlumber, and Hearts groſs, and theſe the life of the Law overthrew, from top to bottome, and all that profeſſion without the life of the Law, calling upon God with the lips, but Hearts afarr off God overthrowes and judges, judges and blindes, he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.

That which overthrowes the Jewes outward, brings in the Jewes inward in the ſpirit to the King the light, which is one in the ſpirit, and baptizeth them both Jew and Gentile into one body, and here he comes to the life of the Law, and the Prophets, and Chriſt, and the promiſe fulfilled, where there is ſeeing, and hearing, and converſion, the Heart being brought to the Lord God to perceive; and to you this is the word of the Lord.

And this eye the Lord doth not blinde, God doth not blinde his own eye, but that eye which is out of the life of the Law, the Prophets, and Chriſt, and that eye is blinded which receiveth not the teſtimony of the Prophets, nor the Son, and this the Prophet ſaw with the Holy Ghoſt, and Chriſt ſaw, who by the Holy Ghoſt was conceived, and the Apoſtle ſaw with the Holy Ghoſt ſuch as was blinded, and is to be blinded, and the Holy Ghoſt was not blinded; that which goes from the life, cannot believe the life, but is hardened, they being from the life could not hear, nor ſee the life, when the life ſpake unto them to be converted, their eyes was ſo cloſed, leſt I the Light ſhould heal them, to them woe was from the light, to them which were from it, they went from the life, and the life was againſt them, ſo the light caſt them away that held up the outward Prieſts, that had the outward Covenant; their eyes they have cloſed, [mark] they have cloſed their eyes, leſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and hear with their eares, and unde•ſtand with their hearts, and ſhould be converted, and I ſhould heal them; [mark] they have cloſed their eyes, leſt they ſhould ſee Chriſt, (that owns not the light) that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, they have cloſed their eyes, leſt they ſhould ſee it, and hear it, and come to underſtand with the heart, and ſhould be converted and Chriſt ſhould heal them. They cloſed their eyes, leſt they ſhould ſee the light (who was from it, and owned it not,) the healing which brings to be converted, and turns the heart from being groſs, and the new heart comes to be received; theſe that have cloſed their eyes, leſt they ſhould ſee the light at any time, ſay they ſee, but are blinde, ſo being from the light the ſin remains; theſe call on God with their lips, but being from the light the heart is afar off; & theſe are the unconverted, & underſtands not with the heart, and are unhealed, and follows the world, which ſayes, they can ſee, which Chriſt came to make blind, and for judgment is he come into the world, that they that ſay they ſee may be made blinde, & they that ſee not might ſee; and this light brings Iews and Gentiles to ſee one another, and this raiſes up the tribes of Jacob, & gathers together in the unity in one, and with it doth them reconcile up to God, with the covenant of light, which is unchangeable.

And the Apoſtle Iames ſpeaking of the Faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Lord of glory, which is without reſpect of perſons,Jam. 2. ch. and ſhewing the Law which is Royal, which is without reſpect of perſons, ſaith, If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbor as thy ſelf, ye do well; but if ye have reſpect to perſons, ye commit ſin, and are convinced of the Law as tranſgreſſors: So that you that reſpect perſons do commit ſin, and would have others to reſpect perſons and to commit ſin, who cannot, elſe you caſt them into priſon, and go into the tranſgreſſion of the Law of God, and is againſt them whoſe ſouls are ſubject to the Higher Power, and doth not reſpect the Ordinances of God, as they do that reſpect perſons, and doth commit ſin, and are Tranſgreſſors, and ſo brings to themſelves deſtruction, whoſe ſouls are not ſubject to the Higher Power, but the Ordinance of God is reſiſted by ſuch, and the Royal Law, and it convinceth them as Tranſgreſſors; So ſpeak, and ſo do, as they that would be judged by the Law of Liberty; for whoſoever ſhall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all: [mark] This one Point of reſpecting perſon, which if it be broken, it is guilty of all. As for inſtance; He that ſaith, Do not commit adultery, ſaid alſo, Do not kill; if thou commit not Adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a Tranſgreſſor of the whole Law, adulterated from the life, and reſiſts the Higher Power, to which the ſoul ſhould be ſubject.

Qu. But deceit will ſay, If I muſt not reſpect perſons, I muſt not honor my Father and Mother.

Anſ. He honors not father and mother that diſobeys Gods command, and is out of his Law, and lives not in the life of his Law, who ſaith, Thou ſhalt not reſpect perſons; and the ſame ſaith, Obey your Parents in the Lord; for the law is the light, and the light is the life, and the life preſerves, which light gives to know God and his will in the law, and Gods judgements on them that tranſgreſſes it; and this light keeps from adultery; and where the Royal Seed is now riſen up, made under the law, brings to know, That marriage is hono able. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.

Obj. Saith he that is out of the light, may not I reſpect another woman as well as my wife, ſeeing I may not respect perſons?

Anſ. The light, which is the Law, teacheth thee not to commit adultery, and, To love thy neighbor as thy ſelf, and thy Wife as thy own fleſh, and to know that marriage is honorable, and the bed undefiled: And this Light brings Parents to train up their Children in the fear of the Lord, with which they come to honor them in the Lord.

And this the Law, which is the Light, that tells thee, Thou muſt not luſt•or covet, which if thou doeſt, thou haſt an Idol.

So that which covets goes from the Law, which is the Light, and from the Light, which is the Law, to the Idol-maker, where is the founder of the Image, that hardens, blindes, ſtops the ear, and makes the heart groſs, and there comes in the eye which God blindes, and there is the32 heart far from God, though there be calling upon him with the lips.

To the Light in you all I ſpeak, that you may come to the law written in your hearts, with which you may come all to know the Lord, and Chriſt his Son, his Righteouſneſs, the end of Gods Law, which is righteous, the end of the righteous, Gods righteous Law.

Let every man be ſubject to the Higher Power; [mark] for there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. [mark] Put on the whole Armor of God, for we wreſtle that we may be able to ſtand againſt the wiles of the devil; for we wreſtle not againſt fleſh and blood, but againſt Principalities and powers, againſt the Rulers of the darkneſs of this world, againſt ſpiritual wickedneſs in high Places; wherefore take unto you the whole Armor of God, that you may be able to ſtand in the evil day, having done all to ſtand; having your loins girt about with truth, having the Breſt-plate of Righteouſneſs: So the Armor and Breaſt-plate of Righteouſneſs, brings to ſtand againſt the Principalities and Powers, againſt the Rulers of Darkneſs, againſt the Spiritual wickedneſs in High-Places, whoſe feet are here ſhod with the Preparation of the Goſpel of Peace, and have the Shield of Faith, whereby they are able to quench all the Fiery-Darts of the Wicked; and have the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and their Souls are ſubject to the Higher Powers, and wreſtles againſt the Principalities, Powers, againſt the Rulers of the Darkneſs of this World, againſt Spiritual W ckedneſs in High Places.

For there is no Power but is of God; the Powers that be ordained of God, brings to ſtand againſt the Principalities and Powers, againſt the Rulers of Darkneſs of the World, the Spiritual wickedneſs in Highplaces: [mark] Here is the Higher power, that which God hath ordained, to which the ſoul muſt be ſubject; and here is that which is out of the Truth, the which whole Loins are girded with it, againſt it ſtands:

And whoſoever therefore reſiſteth the powers which be ordained of God, reſiſteth the Ordinance of God, which God hath ordained; and they that reſiſt, ſhall receive to themſelves damnation: Such as go from the Light, the Truth, and the Power of God, their ſouls are not ſubject to the Higher Power, but that comes in which wars againſt it, the Luſts, which war againſt the ſoul, where the Spiritual Wickedneſs, and the Ruler of the Darkneſs, againſt which, who be in the Truth Wars, for Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.

Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou ſhalt have praiſe of the ſame; [mark] then thou art kept in the truth, and the Loins about girded with it; for he is the Miniſter of God to thee for good, who hath this Higher power which is of God, which is above the Principalities, and powers, and Rulers of Darkneſs in the World, and Spiritual Wickedneſs in High places, which is out of the light, out of the truth; ſuch are not the Help Governors, but he is35 the help government that ſtands againſt them, which is the Higher power to which the ſoul muſt be ſubject; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, then thou goeſt from the light, and thy ſoul is not ſubject to the higher power, and art where the ſpiritual wickedneſs is, and the ruler of darkneſs, and the ſpiritual wickedneſs in the High places, which is to be wraſtled againſt, and ſo thou goeſt into the evill; and this Higher power goes againſt thee, for he is the Miniſter of God, a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evil, whoſe ſoul is not ſubject to the Higher power, but is gone from the truth the light, into the power of wickedneſs and darkne•s, which the power of God is above.

Wherefore ye muſt needs be ſubject, not only for wrath, but for conſcience ſake, ſo the light which turneth from the evill, and the powers and rulers of darkneſs, and ſpiritual wickedneſses in high places and principalities, the ſoul it brings to be ſubject to the higher power for conſcience ſake, and to own the miniſter of God, which is for good, which is in the power, which who reſiſts, brings to himſelf damnation, who to the evill doers is a terror, for the power of God turns againſt them that goes from the light, and this is the power, that no mans perſon doth reſpect.

So for the Lords ſake ſubmit your ſelves to every ordinance of man,1 Pet. 2.13, 14, &c. whether it be the King, as Superior; or to Governors, or unto them that are ſent by him, for the puniſhment of evill doers, and for the praiſe of them that do well; here the higher power is it that puniſheth the evil doer, and torments the evill, goes againſt it, and againſt all the ſpiritual wickedneſſes, in high places, [take notice of that:] To that ordinance for the Lords ſake, we are to be ſubject unto, for the Lords ſake, for it is the will of God to have the evil doer puniſhed, that ſo with well doing you put to ſilence the ignorance of fooliſh men, as free not uſing your liberty as a cloke of maliciouſneſs, but as the ſervants of God. [Mark.]

And again, Peter who was in the light, and his ſoul ſubject to the higher power, and owned every ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, which went againſt the evill, he ſaid unto the Rulers when they commanded him to ſpeak no more in the name of Jeſus, Whether was it better to obey God or Man? This ſpake Peter, he that ſtood againſt mans ordinance, which was contrary to the command of God; ſo ſuch as did not believe in the light, ſuch was not to be obeyed, whoſe ſoules were not ſubject to the higher powers, for the commands of God are not contrary to his own power, for whoſe ſouls are ſubject to the higher power, they own Chriſt the light, the power of God, the end of the Law: So all for the Lords ſake, be ye ſubject to every ordinance of man for the Lords ſake, for the puniſhment of evill doers, (mark,) to be ſubject to that ordinance that puniſhes the evil, that doth not puniſh the good, that doth not go againſt the command of God, nor Chriſt, for it is that power the ſoul muſt be ſubject unto.

And Peter that was ſubject to the higher power, who was not ſubject to the Rulers, the High-Prieſts, Elders, and Councill, who charged them to ſpeak no more in the name of Chriſt, ſaid to them, Whether was it better to obey God or Man, and to their ordinance was not ſubject, but preached Chriſt the light, whoſe ſoul was ſubject to the higher power.

Neither was the three children ſubject to the Kings command, who commanded them to bow to the image he ſet up; neither was Daniel obedient to the Kings decree, which was made that he ſhould not pray unto his God.

Neither was Mordecai obedient to the Kings command, and to Haman could not bow, though by his not bowing all the Jewes might have been deſtroyed; ſo him that would have Mordecai to bow, God bowed and overthrew Haman, and brought down Nebuchadnezzar that ſet up the image, and gave for his commandment to all Nations, People, and Languages, that all to it ſhould bow; and God with his power made him to know the moſt High reigned; which moſt High made him to bow, and feed with the beaſts of the field, ſeven times was to paſs over til he knew the moſt High to rule in the Kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomſoever he will; mark, to whomſoever he will he gives it, hee was a higher power above Nebuchadnezzars power, which Nebuchadnezzar was out of, which power overthrew him, which power the three children was in. This he knew not by all his might and authority, until ſeven times paſſed over him, and that which was to paſs over him ſeven times, was to be fulfilled before it was known that the moſt High ruled in the Kingdomes of men; (mark) which thing he did no•know, when he was againſt that power which the three children were in, and to which their ſouls were ſubject, though they were caſt into the fire, for not bowing to the image, nor harkning to the Kings command. But the image, and the founder of the image was thrown down, and before he was thrown down, he knew not the moſt High to rule, as they do not now, and ſuch God with his power breaks downe, and the images to which the ſervants of the Lord could not bow, that were ſubject to the Higher power, that delivered them; which power threw down Nebuchadnezar that had ſet up the image, and made him to bow to, and to worſhip, and to know that the moſt High reigned. And to you this is the Word of the Lord.

G.F.

THE END.

About this transcription

TextA visitation to the Iewes, from them whom the Lord hath visited from on high, among whom he hath performed his promise made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to his seed, which Moses saw, and the prophets gave testimonie of, to which seed the Apostles witnessed, which seed we are, which seed of Abraham Christ came according to the flesh, which we now witness, glory to the Lord for evermore. Also, a visitation to all you that have long had the Scriptures; but found out of the life of them that gave them forth, that are stumbling about the words, fighting and contending about them, imprisoning and persecuting them that witness the life that gave them fotth [sic]. / Given forth by G.F.

AuthorFox, George, 1624-1691..

Extent Approx. 116 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.

Edition1656

SeriesEarly English books online text creation partnership.

Additional notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A84832)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 114740)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 133:E883[7])

About the source text

Bibliographic informationA visitation to the Iewes, from them whom the Lord hath visited from on high, among whom he hath performed his promise made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to his seed, which Moses saw, and the prophets gave testimonie of, to which seed the Apostles witnessed, which seed we are, which seed of Abraham Christ came according to the flesh, which we now witness, glory to the Lord for evermore. Also, a visitation to all you that have long had the Scriptures; but found out of the life of them that gave them forth, that are stumbling about the words, fighting and contending about them, imprisoning and persecuting them that witness the life that gave them fotth [sic]. / Given forth by G.F. Fox, George, 1624-1691.. [2], 36 p. Printed for Giles Calvert, at the sign of the Black Spread-Eagle neer the west end of Pauls,London, :1656.. (G.F. = George Fox.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "July. 16.".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

Languageeng

Classification

Society of Friends -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800.
Jews -- Early works to 1800.

Editorial statement

About the encoding

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial principles

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.

Publication information

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

ImprintAnn Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2014-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2).

Identifiers

DLPS A84832
STC Wing F1978
STC Thomason E883_7
STC ESTC R202191
EEBO-CITATION 99862577
PROQUEST 99862577
VID 114740

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.