A SALUTATION TO THE Seed of God. AND A Call out of Babylon, & Egypt, from amongſt the Magitians, where the houſe of bondage is, and the Imaginations Rules above the Seed of God.
ARiſe, ſhine forth, thou ſeed of the Covenant, to which the Promiſe is; for thy glory is come; and with Judgement is the Lord ariſen to redeem his choſen; and all that turn to him ſhall be covered with righteouſnes, even that which before the world was, and above all the world is, which is perfect for evermore. Put off your rags you that have covered your ſelves with your wiſdome; and let that which is imperfect be done away. How long will it be ere you hearken to the Lord, that you may pertake of the beſt, and receive of the Lord freely, that your ſouls may be ſatisfied, that no leannes there may be, nor crying out of wants. Can the Lord be pleaſed with that righteouſnes, which that of God in your conſciences declares to be imperfect? Or will he accept that which is none of his own? Conſider of this you Profeſſors of2 the Nation, who pray and weep and ſeek, but finde not that which gives peace, nor reconciles you to God. W••hout faith in Chriſt its impoſſible to be well-pleaſing to God, who is your peace; and thats not faith in Chriſt that lays hold of an imperfect righteouſneſſe; for thats your own: But thats the righteouſneſſe of God which by faith in Chriſt alone is f•eely received; and the leaſt meaſure is perfect. This is the gif•that comes from above, which takes up the creature above all other. That which we have received we declare, and wee can doe no other, for in him is our glory, and this of his is our boldnes in the day of Judgment, that as he is ſo are we in this world, herein is our love perfected in him, becauſe we are of him, and one with him in his righteouſnes; and that meaſure we have of it is freely ours without upbraiding, and an inheritance we have in it wherefore we leave all to follow him who is our fullneſs, and cannot but call to all who loves their ſoules to come to us, knowing his freeneſſe. And your labours to no purpoſe, you who are kindling ſparkes, with whom we have laid long in ſorrow; and we know the end of your labour, and your fruit is curſed, though in the ſweate of your browes you bring it forth, all you that ſay you muſt doe what you can, and Chriſt will doe the reſt; you muſt do ſome and Chriſt muſt doe other ſome, this is your own way and not the way of God; for here the linſie-woolſie garment is ſeene, which is forbidden; for in the way of God, Chriſt is all, in all; but here is part in you, and part in him, (as you imagine) and you are two, and there is ſin, for while you live ſin lives, and if we ſay, we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves, and have not the truth in us; But where he alone lives there is no ſin; for the life of Chriſt is the death of ſin, as it is manifeſt, and for this purpoſe we know he was manifeſt to take away our ſinnes, and in him is no ſin, for by the appearance of his life are we tranſlated into his likeneſſe, which is our boldneſſe, and he that hath this hope purifies himſelfe even as he is pure, for we ſee him as he is, our life, our hope, our ſtrength and way, which is pure, and perfect; and as he is ſo he makes our way perfect: and this is our peace, that we have nothing but what we have received, and it is his owne3 and he cannot deny himſelfe, who is faithfull, and with his faithfulneſſe are we made faithful, to him; and the leaſt meaſure of him which comes from above, which is preſent power and in a meaſure of him we move and have our being where nothing is impoſſible: The day of his power is come whereby we are made willing, in which will his people ever took pleaſure: and whatever he doth is good for us, and his wonderous works we ſee, which have been told of, how with his own arme he takes the kingdome, is us, which ſo much we talked on when we did not know him, nor his power, but (with you) put the good day far off us to another generation, when the Lord was neare us though we did not know him but looked for the kingdome of God without us, which was within us unregarded, therefore did we ſit down in ſorrow, being out of that way where reſt was placed, and did not ſe•him who was foreordained for good works wherein we ſhould walk, in which by him we ſhould be exerciſed, therefore we could never come to be ſatisfied, but our conſcience ſtill accuſing us, in our beſt performances, yea feares and doubtings were our beſt condition, who therein were like the falſe Prophets ſpeaking peace one to another, where God had not ſpoken peace in our conſciences, thus healing the hurt deceitfully, as all the world at this day is doing, crying peace when the bonds of iniquity ſtill ſtands; and you are ſervants in evill workes where the Prince of this world is Ruler and guid: and what peace can you have while that Kingdome ſtands, and you in it? and this Kingdome muſt ſtand till his power be known who is appointed to take it, and binde the Prince of it.
Wherefore come out of Death all that will have life, and make no longer Covenant with it. How can you prevaile who take the Serpents councel to overcome the Devils kingdome? and this you doe who ſearch into the things of God with your fallen wiſdome; So are you kept in labour to no purpoſe, never can get from under the works of condemnation, therefore you conclude, None can ever come to be wholly free while they live, and ſo make the blood of Chriſt of none effect, which we doe witneſſe doth cleanſe from4 all ſinne, and ſave to the uttermoſt all that come unto him, the thing which Hagars ſeed doth moſt oppoſe, and ſcoffe at, that wherein we triumph above the world, and Imagemakers, That our God is a Saviour from that which none can be free from who are without him, though they make many likeneſſes of him from the letter, the forme without the power, tis to no purpoſe.
Take notice you ſeverall ſorts of Worſhippers, who worſhip a God a farre off whom you know not; which if you did there would not be ſo much contention about him, what he is, and the way of his worſhip: Nor can you know him till he be revealed in you; nor can he be known in you but as you come to be cleanſed, for with him dwells no uncleaneſſe: Thus you that plead for your ſinnes plead againſt your own ſoules, which cannot be ſatisfied but by his preſence, who is not ſeen preſent where ſin is ſtanding.
And by unbeliefe doe you cut your ſoules off, while you ſay you can never be cleanſed till after you be dead: here hath the Devil deceived you, and ſo far prevailed with you, to enter into Covenant with him, while you live to ſerve him. And being blinded, this you know not, That you have made Covenant with Hell and Death, which by God is curſed and troubled: That I know and own, that troubles your peace, and ſets you on ſeeking; but the way you ſeeke is from another principle, which is ſelfiſh, and ſhall never obtaine peace for you.
He that troubles all thats out of his way, guides and gives peace to all in his way; the ſame is a ſpirit the world knows not, blowes where it liſteth, therefore never found but in his own way, and will: You who ſeek him in the will of man, there cannot finde him: nor can your Miniſters made by the will of man tell you of him, where he is, or the way to him: He is not born of that Generation, not of that Will, nor of that ſeede is he begotten, therefore not knowne to them: therefore they themſelves, with all their ſeeking, not having found him, can doe no leſſe then tell you, that he will never appeare more to his people: that which is written is all the word; and what others have ſeene is all the knowledge that5 any need ever to looke for, while the world continues: and what others have done, thats all you have to talke on for your righteouſneſſe.
And thus the way of Gods walking and working in his people is wholly excluded from the face of the earth. And a faith you have deviſed and ſet up beſides it, if not wholly againſt it; ſo that now to witneſſe good works is counted Poperie, (though all that comes to God are fore-ordained to walke therein, and to that end new-created) Thus are not men afraid to denie the work of God and his Righteouſneſſe, and yet ſay you are his workmanſhip, and that you are in God and Chriſt, but out of his works, and muſt be, in the works of the Devil, yet God is your Father: Yet in this confuſion none muſt tell you, you are in Babylon, for then you ſay, they judge you; nor that they that teach you thus are Miniſters of Antichriſt, for that you call railing; though to ſuch the Spirit of Chriſt hath ever uſed it. Thus hath the Devil ſet up his worke, and fenced it with the name of higheſt Faith in the world; and who is under this Faith, though they ſinne, yet they ſay, they can never fall finally, nor totally, (though the whole man be found in the action,) nor is your ſins like others, becauſe you ſay you are believers, though both they and you in one action and nature. So that Faith which you profeſſe is become a defence for ſin: But our Faith is that which overcomes ſin, & ſo to the good work is not reprobate. And thus you ſet up a profeſſion without power. But did you mide the light of Chriſt that never changes, by it to be taught in Spirit, theſe deceits would be ſoon diſcovered, and you could not walk in darkneſſe. With it we ſee that he that commits ſin is of the Devil, and is fallen from God; whatever be his profeſſion; and there can be no greater fall then to fall from that which ſhould keepe him, into the Devils power, to act according to the Devils movings, and to bring forth his begettings, and ſuch we know are his children. With the Light we ſee that he that is in the way of God is in holineſſe, and he that is not is in the way of the Devil; and that he thats in God is out of ſelfe, and there ſin is blotted out and forgotten; but he thats in ſelfe is in ſin, though he be praying6 or plowing: with it we ſee the life of Chriſt is pure, and who lives any other life its polluted, though never ſo finely covered: with it we ſee the way of God is perfect, and you whoſe way is not perfect is the way of condemnation. With the Light we ſee him that hath not the word within him, to have no more then the Devil hath, who knows the letter and can preach it; and that he that hath not that faith that overcomes ſin (in its meaſure) hath no faith but as the Devils; and that he that hath not heard his voyce knows him not; nor he that hath not ſeen him, hath no fellowſhip with him; and whoſe heart is filthy can doe neither. With the Light we ſee that who is in the work of God is in the good work, and he that is not is in the evill, and whatever he doth is abominable; and that he that hath not the righteouſneſſe of God, hath his own which is imperfect; but who hath that of God, hath that which perfectly ſatisfies both God and man, ſo far as with it the creature is covered: With it we ſee him that hath faith without this work, to be as a body without a ſpirit, which can doe nothing; and that faith is vaine thats without power: And as we ſee with that which is eternal, ſo we judge, and the world receives not our teſtimony, becauſe the carnal minde is enmity and cannot he ſubject, nor can the naturall man receive the things of the Spirit, onely thoſe who minds the light of the Spirit diſcernes and owns our teſtimony and receives our witneſs and his power, who is true, and ſo become willing to follow that truth that leads to freedome.
How long have you talked of being a willing people in the day of his power? but doth vaine words ſave you while you are in the power of darknes, and your own wills ſtanding? Are you a willing people for God when you ſee with the light of Chriſt in your hearts, what you ought to doe, and what you ought to forbear, but your own wills withſtands it, and leads you into coveteouſnes, pleaſures and wantonnes, and ſelfiſhnes, contrary to it? And what power is this which acts you in theſe ways of unrighteouſneſs, for which your hearts condemns you? This is the power of darknes, which the light of Chriſt in your conſciences bears witnes againſt. And thus you have got words inſtead of power and life: and you think ſalvation7 is in them, crying, the Ordinances of God. But did God ever ordaine a talke without power and life? Is not Chriſt the Ordinance, and the end of all Ordinances, who is the way, the truth, and the life; Is there any Ordinances without him in the Goſpel? Or will he accept your taken on performances from imitation of others which he leads not to in ſpirit; Is not he that commands and he that gives power one, who in ſpirit gives out his will to every generation, which they who followed imitations could never own, nor could he ever own their ſervice, whoſe fear and worſhip is taught by the precepts of men, and not by his ſpirit within: Is not he the Sabboth, Circumciſion, Baptiſme, the Supper? &c. are not all theſe in him? and doth not he miniſter all theſe in ſpirit to every one that comes to him? and ſo the ſhaddow is come into the ſubſtance the end of all ſhaddows, which is life indeed, but the figures are not the life, nor can any have the life but who comes to the end of them; for the outward makes nothing pefect, but the inward doth, all that come unto it, and abide in him. When will you be weary of your vaine imaginations? of a Day to come wherein you muſt have power? How long have you been deceived with theſe vaine thoughts? Was not this it you talked on, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years ſince? yet now further off from it then ever. And are not theſe vaine words, though you cannot bear it to have them ſo called? When will you be aſhamed of your vaine profeſſion, you that run to ſeek God in the high-places amongſt the hirelings, running from God to ſeek him vvhere he is not? And is not this vaine profeſſion when nothing is brought forth but winde, nor is he found by you wherein your fruit is? Thoſe who had the forme and not the power could never finde him, then how ſhould you ſpeed any better that joyne with them who have neither? for in ſuch a forme you worſhip as in which God never appeared, but Chriſt and his ever witneſſed againſt, and doth to this day, yet will not you be inſtructed, but in your own wills and ways you will ſtand, though you finde nothing but emptines in it; and yet you talke of being a willing people in the day of his power; but when will you have it preſent who abide in that8 way where both will and power is wanting. Free-will you have not, but to follow Satan, who hath begot a will in you that God never created, contrary to, God in all things, and where that will rules it will not own his power, therefore is that a day a far off you; but the will of the Devil and his power is perſent, and acts you at his pleaſure, and you are offended that any ſhould vvitneſſe being ſet free from it.
Thus you are ſuffered to pleaſe your vaine minds, the day to talke on, but the night and deeds of darkneſſe you muſt walke in, elſe your old maſter is highly d•ſpleaſed; and if any call you to the Light he ſayes its Deluſion: and as for freedome from ſin, or the way to perfection, thats moſt dangerous Hereſie and Deluſion.
And thus he makes you moſt afraid of freedome, leaſt any of you ſhould believe in the Son which leads to it: for the Devil knows, if he can but keep you from believing it, you are ſure for ever comming to it, for as is every mans faith ſo ſhall be his freedome: Thus you ſtand afar off, and cry, take heed of Deluſion and deceiving, when you have nought but your ſins to be deceived on; nor can you ſay you have ought in you thats pure, but that which you deny in your conſcience which is a witnes againſt you: and this is the cry of all who are deceived already, in all formes in the world: But who have the Spirit that can try all things is bold as a Lyon, and will not receive nor hold faſt any thing but that which is good, that none can take from him.
The Heathen were ever afraid to be ſpoyled of their Idols, and ſo are you of your Images you have ſet up, and formed from others every one according to your owne wills. If ſhaddowes and likeneſſes could ſave, then would it be found in theſe Nations, who have of all ſorts, and ſtatures tall and with heads of Gold ſome of them, which you zealouſly worſhip, and compell others alſo who know no better. And this is that they ſerve for, for they cannot ſave you, onely they ſerve you to contend about, and keep you doing, leaſt you ſhould waite upon God alone, and be ſaved from your ſinnes, and then the Devils Kingdome were broken, wherefore he feeds you with a profeſſion, and form without power. 9And of likeneſſes you may chooſe from one to another, yet all in his Kingdome of ſin and imperfection, as long as you live thats his limit, and for no leſſe time will he have his Covenent: and you are willing to enter into it with him, and plead for it, exceedingly mad againſt any that break it, or believe in him that redeems from it; nay ſo blinde and deafe are you, that if any have found freedome, you cannot abide to hear them declare it; and the end of Chriſts comming muſt not be preached, nor his Covenant that is pure and without ſin, as he is that made it: and ſo each Covenant is like its Maſter. And this we doe witneſſe and ſee now at preſent, which you know not who look not for it till after death, therefore ſin muſt ſtand in that Covenant, becauſe you have not our keeper, for God hath ſo concluded it. And the Light is in the world where all are ſinners, but none have the life, but who receive the Light and joyne to it, and are led out of the world by it; to ſuch ſheep Chriſt is keeper who follow him out of uncleannes, and for ſuch he is become an undertaker, the ſtrong man to binde and caſt out, who believe that he will doe it for them; but the ſwine he keeps not, the ſhepheard they will not follow, there the Devil muſt enter and have power, and into the Sea muſt they headlong.
Take heed carnall profeſſors, whoſe Religion lookes downward into the earth, the Sea is next, and the place is ſteepe. And you have nought to keepe who deny the life of purity and perfection, which we have in the holy God, as all ever had who lived in him; And in him is truth and freedome; but a lie there is in all your likeneſſes, and you are blinde and will not ſee it, all you who have a God and Chriſt and a worſhip which doth not make the commers thereto perfect, nor ſet you above the Devill, nor overcome his temptations. Your God and King we know, which keepes you in the earth, which you will curſe if ever you looke upward, your peace we know and the end of it, your Kingdome with all its glory; when from this world you are taken, there is your parting, when he ſhall breake your Covenant, whoſe Covenant you have broken, and would10 not heare him, though you pretended ſtill to ſeeke him. Thats his call which in your conſciences lets you ſee you have loſt him, which did you wait in it would lead you to him, but erring from it you are out of his way and counſell, and all other wayes is to no purpoſe: his Light is that which ſearcheth your hearts in ſecret, nor can any other judge you in private, yet from that you will be running, to aske counſell at them who know not your condition, ſo inſtead of God you conſeſſe to men that cannot judge you, nor help you; while you go to the naturall you leave the ſpirituall, and ſo with naturall words you ſeed the naturall comprehenſions, but the ſpirituall man ſeeds not at that fountaine; for its the ſpirituall that thirſts, which not minded, the naturall runs, and ſeeds above it, and this being above you cannot receive the food of the Spirit, therewith to God to be reconciled, and quickned; nor is that fed that death hath paſſed over, nor out of death is it raiſed, but that which lives in you is for death, and by feeding on that wiſdome the vaile is thickned, and the eternall is out of your knowledge; yet you ſay, God is a Spirit, and teaches in Spirit, and will be worſhipped in Spirit, but cannot endure to hearken to any thing within you, nor turne to that Spirit.
How blinde are you led with your blinde guides; Is not that which is ſpirituall within? or can it be knowne any where elſe? Is God known by hearſay? then who is it that knows him not? Can the carnall eye ſee the ſpirituall God, or the carnall eare hear him? then ſhould not his miniſtry be to the ſpirits in priſon, to open the blinde eyes, and to unſtop the deaſe eares, yea where the carnall is open. But this you know not who have eyes and ſee not, eares and hear not, and hands which never handled the word of life; yet would you be teaching others, that which you never ſaw nor heard, and to this teaching you would limit others. Paul was ſent to open the blinde eyes, yet was he ſent to thoſe who had eyes as you have, with which they could ſee to ſtone him and whip him, and eares to hear him, and call what he ſaid hereſie, and blaſphemie, as you doe, and as ever the carnal judged of the ſpirituall, who hath not an eare to hear what the Spirit ſaith.
11Oh unwiſe people, you have but one thing that lets you ſee your evill, yet will you not turn to that for teaching, nor that eye you love not which lets you ſee your darkneſſe. You cry you have nothing thats good in you, yet will you not own that which lets you ſee it is ſo, and thus you keep Covenant with darkneſſe, though death and deſtruction be the end of it; but the Covenant of Light which ſhines in darkneſſe you regard not, thats far below your comprehenſions, nay its the leaſt ſeed in you (which we know is the ſeed of the kingdome) troden under foot by the kingdome of the world: therefore nothing elſe leads out of the world, but that whoſe kingdome is not in it, and with this ſeede is the Covenant; which ſeed you know not who take pleaſure in the fleſh, thats of another kingdome, to which is no Covenant, but Death and Hell: Yet you talk of Abraham & his Covenant, and Promiſe, but that in Abraham in which the Covenant was, eſtabliſhed was that which led him out out of the world, wherein he became a ſtranger, and wanderer, as that ſeede ever is, which you call vagabonds, perſecute and impriſon, you that have rule in this world, ſhewing that you are not of that ſeed that entertaines ſtrangers, nor in that Covenant where all are ſtrangers and Pilgrims in this world; nor doe you own that which divides you from this world, being uncircumciſed in heart, which to be is the ſeal of Abrahams faith: and ſo you whoſe life is in the earth are far off from Abrahams boſome, Faith, and Covenant, which is onely to his ſeede, not to the ſeede of evill doers; not to ſeeds which is many, but to one which is Chriſt: So in the world, out of Chriſt; and out of Chriſt, out of Gods Covenant; for his Promiſes are all yea and amen to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, but not to them that abide in the world. Who owns him as King cannot want the Promiſe, neither can you have it who abide in the world: therefore you apply the words, but want the life which is the power, nor can your literall Promiſes ſute your condition, nor ſave you from Satans power; but as all others, who think ſalvation to be in the letter, ſo doe you, denie leading and guiding of the Spirit, in which the power is placed, therefore12 the Light you will not follow, neither can you believe it to be ſufficient; And he that denies the Light cannot own the Lord of life. So you are ignorant of God and his way in which he makes himſelfe krovvne to his people, and ſo takes up your reſt in outward obſervations, ſet up and upholden in the wills of men, and for ſuch traditions you are zealous, and ſtrongly contend for them, but the Lavv of God written in your own hearts you make of none effect, while you denie to be ruled according to it; yet you ſay, We are in the new Covenant, when you are in the old traditions; and what you know is from others: But the leaſt in that Covenant knows him and his preferce, and witneſs him true according to his promiſe, ever manifeſting his power to undertake for us againſt all our enemies, a preſent help in time of trouble, and we know him in whom we have believed, where he is, and the way to him, have ſeen the glory of his kingdom, and the powers of the eternall World, the houſe wherein are many Manſions, yet the loweſt place is pure, for which the Lord alone prepares his people, and their way which the creature cannot doe of himſelf, onely Chriſt doth it where ſelfe is denied, and ſelfe-will, for by the will of man comes no promiſe, nor obtains that (will) any performance; So he begets both the will and the deed, which you know not where your wills is ſtanding, by him not forgotten, who in your wills make a profeſſion, and in the ſame wills contend for it, with which you can fight, and ſue, and trade in the world, and heap together, and what you will you pray and aske for, and grudge if you be not ſatisfied; but if you compaſſe your deſires, in that will the luſt catcheth the gift, but you forget the giver, ſo that mercies become a curſe to you, which to thoſe who in the will of God ſtands are a bleſſing, which will of God is to keep the heart and eye to the Creator and giver, and if ſuch receive not the giver, the gift is nothing that ſatisfies, becauſe the vertue and fulneſſe is wanting whereby the gift is ſanctified.
Thus is God prized and praiſed in his own Will, a ſacrifice for ever accepted: Therefore Chriſt muſt not be offered up in his own will, but in the will of the Father, Mat. 26.13 39. and in that will he had power to lay down his life, and againe to take it up, thus he is become our example, whom we delight, in the ſame will, to follow, which you that read this in the Scripture with your own wills cannot, therefore to you the croſſe is preached, which muſt be taken up ere you can follow the example.
This is the ſlumbling Stone and Rock of offence God hath laid to prove you, who ſay you love God, and ſay, Thy will be done in earth, but loves your owne wills better, as your practiſes witneſſe to your face daylie, when his will is your ſanctification, but yours is pollution, and to live in uncleanneſſe, againſt which he hath given teſtimonie, witneſſe that in all your conſciences which is pure, declaring daylie to your faces that he conſents not to your ſinnes, nor takes delight in your deſtruction, and here Gods love is tendered, and your love is tried: God ſo loveth the world that he hath given his Son a light into the world, that whoſoever believes and followes him ſhall not abide in Death and darkneſſe, but ſhall have the light of life; and this we know who love his appearance, and that he hath loved us firſt; and in that love we follow him, and call to all to come to it: But how doe you anſwer this love of his, who abide in the love of the world, where the Fathers love dwels not, nor with his light will you be led out of the world where his love dwelleth, thereof to be partakers; yet you will talk of it where it is not, and theſe vaine words cannot ſave you, God is light and in him is no darkneſſe at all, and if wee walk in the Light as he is in the Light, then have we fellowſhip with him, and the blood of Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin; But whats this to you who walk in darkneſs, not cleanſed, nor can you believe that ever you can be while you live; yet would you not be called unbelievers, though that faith that purifies the heart you cannot own; yes ſay you, we believe we ſhall be cleanſed after we be dead in another world, ſo your faith muſt worke hereafter, but is dead at preſent, ſuch a faith as never was profeſſed by any you read of; but that faith we witneſſe which overcomes this world, and this is preſent power, as the Saints have found it, and14 born witneſſe of it, that God was faithfull who had given them a meaſure, above which was no temptation; but your gift is to come, ſo temptations prevailes for the preſent, and you cannot own them where it doth not, thus you put farre from you the good day the Lord and his power, which now is preſent where he is received, and believed; And by ſuch he is praiſed who by faith are redeemed, above the pollutions of this world, the ſtrange land wherein they were captivated, into freedome, where Sions ſong is ſung, which you cannot unredeemed.
And here ſee your praiſes which ariſe from a vaine minde in your owne wills and imitations, but not from a ſoule redeemed, quickned, and ſet free from the power of ſin and temptation, ſo your praiſes are not living praiſes, nor from a living principle of the living God, but from that principle where death reigns, and the ſeed of God is in priſon, ſo you praiſe you know not what, who are ſtill unredeemed from bondage, but where redemption is witneſſed there that ſeed is raiſed, the bonds of death are broken, the way of life is found, and this being known in the life, then with underſtanding God is praiſed, and with the ſame ſpirit which he hath raiſed which onely with God is accepted, without reſpect of perſons, and here the works of God praiſe him, and in his Saints he is glorified, and admired in all who are raiſed above the graves, who are in him and ſee his worke: and this Church is rightly gathered, who out of ſin, death, and darknes, is brought into God, who is holy, with whom dwells no unclean thing.
Here are the pure praiſes where the Sons of God ſing together, having the Pſalme given of the Father; theſe praiſes are pure which from him comes, & to him returns freely, but this is not known to the ſons of bondage, nor believed by you, therefore you ſit down in a ſhaddow empty, and form without power, nor the preſence of God you have not, who take your reſt in fleſhly formes; that eye cannot ſee him, nor know him, thus in your ſins you periſh, for want of his knowledge, who is our life eternall, and to you is freely tendered, but by your unbeliefe denyed, & ſo his love rejected.
15All you that are in the world, who lye in wickednes, God ſo loveth you that he hath ſent his Son into the world to you, a witneſs againſt the world, and all the deeds of it, that they are evill; but all that own and follow him, into the good work he leads them, and out of the evill hee keeps us: and that's his light which in your conſciences ſhines in the midſt of darkneſs, which you comprehend not with your dark mindes, nor ſenſuall wiſdome, yet a faithfull witneſs is it againſt your deeds of darkneſs, declaring your end, and death upon your life, and ſorrow and howling upon your laughter, condemning your vain pleaſures, and invention, with which you ſpend your pretious time, which ſhould be redeemed and not ſpent unprofitably, which with the light the Saints and redeemed ones are led to, to redeeme the time; and this is our diligence, and delight in: but yours is to ſpend it, ſhewing a contrary nature and leader, a contrary delight in a contrary kingdom, with whom you joyned, and to whom you are faſhioned according to the courſe of this world, and the Prince and powers of it which rules in children, where diſobedience is born and brought forth.
And thus you are united into that nature which God hath appointed the Devil to be Prince of, and wrath and woe the end of, and ſo God is juſtified herein, that you who deſpiſe the riches of his light in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhould be left in darkneſs, therewith to be guided, and in Chaines reſerved, till the great day, in which you ſhall be judged by the light now denyed, with your carnall reaſon, prudence and wiſdome, from which God hath hid the things of our kingdome, in all generations, and that is the darkneſs even your wiſdome and prudence which is the greateſt light you have to judge withall, moſt ſought & prized by you who deny the light of Chriſt, and this wiſdome when it ſpeaks cals light darkneſs, & darkneſs light, ſo did they ever who with it judged: And this is your condition, who deny the light of Chriſt, and ſay its not ſufficient, but preferr your comprehenſions and imaginations above it, and that was ever it with which people reſiſted the counſell of God againſt themſelves; and this is his counſell,16 and all you know of him, that which is manifeſt in you, which moves againſt ſin and wickedneſs, and would lead out of it if you did it follow. The ſame that condemns you for ſinne when you had done it, the ſame would lead out of it before it be acted, and ſo keep out of condemnation.
And now honeſtly conſider if you have ſuch a Counſeller, who is with you at all times, & faithfull to you in ſhewing the evill, to which you are unfaithfull when you forget it, and turne from it for your ſelf-ends; and the righteous pure way he ſhews you with the light in your Conſcience, which you reject for earthly pleaſures, and know when you do it; yet will you pray that God would ſhew you his way, & make you wiſe to ſalvation; but when he hath freely done it, you will not walk in it nor own no ſuch wiſdome, becauſe it comes contrary to your own wils; yet you will ſay the wiſdom of this world is fooliſhneſs with God, yet will you not own that which is fooliſhneſs to the world, to guide you, out of it, though there be nothing elſe appointed to doe it, but that is contrary to it: thus in words you confeſs him, but in workes deny him, and his counſel: yet you ſay, wherein doe wee deny him? doe not wee profeſs his name & Covenant, & waite for his righteouſneſs, thereby to be ſaved? I ſay, it ſerves you to talke on, therewith to cover you while you are ſerving the other Maſter, the Devil, and the world; but his Covenant you put farr from you, his name, and his righteouſneſs whereby wee are redeemed.
What Covenant have you, who deny the light of Chriſt to guide you? was not he given for an everlaſting Covenant of Light, both to Jew and Gentile? and in his light all that knew him was guided, according to the ſeverall adminiſtrations both of Law and Goſpel. And when they turned from his light in Spirit, to mens teaching from the letter, then they ſet up carnall worſhips inſtead of ſpirituall obedience, then they became wiſe in their own eyes, and zealous for their cuſtomes, but by him was rejected, who is worſhipped in Spirit: And with you it is the ſame now, though you cannot ſee nor beleeve it, no more then they did when they were told of it by them who in the light walked, and ſtood in his counſell,17 which all errours diſcovers; they made the Law of God void through their tradition, walking after the Fathers; ſo doe you that Law God hath written in your heart, by following your companions and learned Rabbies; they ſaid and did not, and ſo doe you alſo; nay herein you exceed them, who have a higher profeſſion, but leſſe practice; they did not beleeve him come who is to fulfill all righteouſneſſe for, and in all that beleeve and follow him; but this Chriſt you profeſs, and the Scripture that ſo witneſſes of him, yet are you farther from it then ever they were, both in practice & opinion; they kept to the letter in the Forms of their worſhip, though they had loſt the life and power, but you have left the lettr and lead one another in your inventions; ſo that you have no plain Scripture for your worſhip performed by you in your Idols Temple. And for your opinion of Gods righteouſneſs you far exceed them: they put it from them to another generation, waiting for him to come, who was appointed King of it, asking when it ſhould come, ſhewing a deſire to ſee it, but you have put it wholly from you into another world; and if any have found it and its power and purity, and beare witneſs of it, whereby the body of ſin is deſtroyed, and the ſoul freed, and the creature redeemed from committing ſin, your faith beleeves it to be the greateſt blaſphemy in the world, nay you dare not come neare it, leſt you ſhould be infected, but conſult how to baniſh it out of the Nations as an error not to be tolerated in the world.
Thus you profeſs a Redeemer, but hee muſt be a man whoſe Redemption muſt be of another world, and there muſt hee work his work, but the old work of the Devill muſt ſtand in this world: yet the more to blind you, and that you may the more blind others; he ſets you on talking that Chriſt is your Righteouſneſs, when you never knew him ſo in you, who is ſtronger then the God of this world to binde him, and take you out of his Kingdom, and break that Covenant whoſe faith is, that you muſt be ſubject to him while you live in this world, which is ſuch a faith and Covenant as none ever profeſſed who believed in the name of Jeſus,18 at which every knee bowes who hath his name, and hee that beares that name departs from iniquity, and beares teſtimony to his righteouſneſſe, here in this world, in the midſt of the untoward & unrighteous generation of this darke world, that ſo God may be glorified in his creatures, by his light ſhining, and his righteouſneſſe reigning, above the unrighteous principle of the devil which he hath begot in the untoward Nature, and in ſuch the Devill is denyed and diſowned before the world, where God is obeyed; and ſuch are his ſervants, ſons, and Daughters who obey him and wait upon him, that they may bring to light what he workes in them, even that which none elſe can work but hee alone that's pure, nor can any bring it forth but by his power, and thus his workes praiſe him in the gates of the wicked, where the floods of ungodlines doe moſt ſwell and rage, even then in his people doth this kingdome ſtand in Righteouſnes, & Peace, and Joying in holines.
And this wee witneſſe to be that Covenant, and that power by which wee are entered into that inheritance which is eternall, and are made partaker of the divine nature, which nature is righteous, mercifull, and juſt, meeke and patient, faithfull and diligent to the obedience of the Croſſe; long-ſuffering, full of love, moderation, and temperance, and in all things thereby are tranſformed into his holineſſe, ſo farre as wee are entred into, and abide in this Covenant, ſo that we can truly ſay, here hee is all and ſelfe is nothing, but abhorred, becauſe it is polluted, the eye being now open thats onely taken with affection to that which is holy: And with this eye we ſee you, your name, your Covenant; and your righteouſneſſe, which all lyes under the power ofdarkneſſe. Is not that light which is in you become darknes, who have your way to ſeek without you? What name is in you when the Serpents ſeed is ſtill unbruiſed, who is head and rules in you? where the Name of Jeſus is, the Devills tremble and bow, as God hath appointed, and they that know his name doe it witneſſe. What is your righteouſneſſe who bring forth that which is imperfect, which with the light of the Covenant is condemned? Is this the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus, which doth not ſatisfie God and man, being witneſſed by that in the Conſcience?
19And now you may ſee what it is you profeſſe in this world, and in what ſtead it will ſtand you in the day of evill, which is condemned already with that in your Conſciences. But you uſe to ſay that the Righteouſneſſe of God you looke for hereafter, to be covered with it at the day of Judgement, but not in this life; I ſay what's this then you are now doing, which you are here preaching, preſſing, and practiſing, whoſe is this Righteouſneſſe? is it either Gods, or your owne ſelfe-Righteouſneſſe? which if it be Gods it endures for ever, but if not, it's abomination what ever it ſeemes to you, whoſe eye is blinded, and ſo profeſſes and practiſes and preſſeth an abominable ſacrifice; and know not that you doe evill: for this I ſay, Better no righteouſneſſe then that which is not Gods, for ſuch is ſpirituall wickedneſſe in heavenly places, and the long prayers of ſuch is abomination, and they receive the greater Damnation, and of ſuch Chriſt ſaith, Publicans and Harlots take the Kingdome before them. But you ſay, Muſt we not pray then? I ſay, wait for the ſpirit of prayer, which onely is heard, and without which none know what to pray; for & with that prayer which helps the infirmities, and gives the underſtanding; only ſuch are anſwered in what they pray for: what effect hath thy prayers which are abomination? doth God heare a contrary ſpirit? thou that delightſt in wickedneſſe, God will not heare that prayer; that's out of the Covenant; and thou art in that nature that God hath curſed from him, and its in vaine for thee to bleſſe it; And this is the cauſe why nothing you doe is accepted, becauſe it is performed in the diſobedient curſed Nature, and there is Cains ſacrifice, and Eſan's prayers and teares. And you that abide in that nature, are of thoſe who ſaid, Why have wee faſted and prayed, and thou haſt not regarded? you call, but receive no anſwer. But did you but minde that in your Conſcience which is pure, you would ſee how often hee hath called to you, and checked you for ſin, but you have not anſwered: There might you reade the cauſe why you call, but hee doth not anſwer, as hee hath ſaid, Becauſe I called, and you would not anſwer, therefore when you cry I will not anſwer.
And thus it is with you who obſerve the outward worſhips,20 but minde not the Spirit which is given to profit withall in the worſhip: and though all have a meaſure, yet you that hide your talent, cannot pray with the Spirit, nor with the underſtanding; and ſo your fellowſhip is with the forme, but not in the power; with men in words, but not with God; and ſo your times are in your owne hands; and you have reſolved them before-hand; And you have a time to pray, and a time to play; a time to abſtain from your luſts, and a time to fulfill your luſts; a day to abſtain from the world, and days to conform to the world; and thus not being guided with that Spirit which is before all, to lead and bring you out of time, you are ſtill in obſervations, and your times of Religion, and your times in the world; your cuſtomes in Religion, and your cuſtomes in the world, are both in your owne will, and corrupt nature, and ſo your prayers are abomination, and your plowing ſin: But the times of Sons and Daughters are not in their own hands; and this wee have learned of Jeſus in Spirit, not to pleaſe our ſelves, nor to be men-pleaſers, but to be obedient to another principle, which moves contrary to the will of all men, for him wee witneſſe who is not borne after the will of man, but which the will of man could never owne, who by the wills of men ever ſuffered, where hee is borne into the world; and the ſame this day is manifeſt, a ſeede contrary to the ſeed of evill doers, and a righteouſneſs that exceedes the righteouſneſs of the world, that which is amongſt the greateſt profeſſions; and this is that holineſſe without which none ſhall ſee God. But ſay you, this is that Righteouſneſſe wee beleeve in, and by which we are juſtified, by that blood which was ſhed at Jeruſalem, and by that obedience that was in him, and by that holineſſe; but that the want of his righteouſneſſe, in us, or, that want of Chriſt or his blood in us can hinder our juſtification, that we deny, and look upon it to be Hereſie and falſe Doctrine; for it is Chriſt without us that hath ſatisfied for ſin, and not Chriſt in us; and his blood without us, and his righteouſneſſe without us; and his faith and patience, meekneſs and ſufferings, hope, and love, and obedience &c. its theſe without us that whoever beleeves in ſhall be ſaved, and by this faith the ungodly is juſtified,
21To which I ſay, Hee that beleeves not what Chriſt ſuffered at Jeruſalem, with all his obedience and Righteouſneſs, and that hee bare our ſins in himſelf, and trode the winepreſs alone, and alone was well pleaſing to the Father, and that in him alone the work of Redemption is placed, and wrought, with much more which may be truly ſaid of him; I ſay, whoſoever beleeves not this, cannot be ſaved, neither can hee ever come to receive Chriſt within him, working and witneſſing the ſame in Spirit, as is declared in the letter: nor can hee come to witneſs him that's greater in him, then hee that's in the world, giving him victory over the Devill, Sin, and the World; becauſe God hath placed all power in Heaven and Earth in him; and without faith in him who is that power, none can come to it, nor receive it, but in him in whom God hath freely given it; Nor can any have him, and be without it, all the promiſes of life and ſalvation being in him Yea and Amen.
But now you that make the receiving of him to ſtand in a bare confeſſing with the tongue, when the heart beleeves not unto righteouſneſs, and that this is that faith, a perſwaſion from the letter, or from the knowledge of others, that ſuch a one dyed at Jeruſalem, and roſe againe, and from thence conclude, that all ſhall be ſaved, and are believes, that profeſs this Faith, though they come not to the Fellowſhip of his ſufferings and of his reſurrection in themſelves, and ſo come to witneſs his death and life manifeſt in their mortall fleſh, and ſo the body of ſin put off by the body, and waſhed with the blood of Chriſt, and ſo be baptized into his death, dead with him to ſin, and alive with him to righteouſneſs, and true obedience to the Father in their meaſures.
I ſay, you that ſay that a bare perſwaſion or outward Confeſſion is that faith that juſtifies the ungodly without Chriſt in them; Then what are you doing when you ſay, Stand off me, for I am more holy then thou, and are gathering from them, who all beleeve with this faith as well as you, onely they differ from you in other practiſes, as ſome open ſinnes and the like: and why have not the greateſt drunkards, and22 ſwearers, or who remongers, as good right to Chriſt & Churchfellowſhip as you have? or why doe you hinder them from that which you call the Seales, or Sacraments, ſeeing that faith in Chriſt is the ground of intereſt to all that belongs to Chriſt?
Doe not you according to your own principle exclude beleevers even of the ſame faith with you? and who are thoſe unbelievers you tell on who are condemned? and to whom doe you preach faith in theſe Nations, ſeeing you can finde none in them, who are come to underſtanding, Papiſt nor Proteſtant, but they beleeve this with you, That Chriſt dyed at Jeruſalem? If hereby they be juſtified before God, how dare you charge any thing upon them or ſeparate from them if God have owned them? Alſo many hundred thouſand pounds a yeare may be ſpared which are ſpent under this pretence, as to make people beleevers when all they preach to are beleevers already, and have that faith that juſtifies the ungodly. And whoſe is the righteouſneſs people are exhorted to bring forth? if the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt that's neceſſary to ſalvation be onely without them; then whoſe is that you call for within them? But if you ſay, they muſt have ſome of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt within them, and the reſt without them, then why doe not you deſcribe a meaſure, that people may know how much to look for, and when they come to an end of their labours; and how much they muſt doe before Chriſt will undertake to doe the reſt: Or if Chriſt have done all, how much of it muſt they doe over againe before they come to their reſt, and to be accepted: and differ what it is that muſt be brought forth from within, and what muſt be beleeved without, but not enjoyed within, that ſo people may come to ſee what is Chriſt and what is ſelfe righteouſnes, and where they are, that they may avoide the one, and receive the other.
But thus you lye in confuſion; from which by that faith which ſtands in Jeſus, wee are freed: and have received his righteouſneſs to which wee are obedient, by which wee are purified, by bringing forth that which hee begetteth, as formerly we were defiled by bringing forth that which was begotten23 by the Devill, and ſo through obedience of the Spirit our ſouls are purified, and we become conformable to him that's gone before us, who received light and obedience, and power from the Father, and ſo became the firſt fruits unto perfection and holineſs, through whom we receive power for obedience, grace for grace, by which wee are ſaved, and our life is in him, and our obedience, and hee is all in us, which we receive of the Father who hath wrought all our workes in us, and ſo ordaines peace for us; yea beyond all that you know, or can beleeve, who know not Chriſt in you. So you have ſet up a reprobate faith, that you cannot but be ſervants of ſin while you live in this world, & ſo are to every good work reprobate.
But you uſe to ſay, You have that, which Chriſt did in his owne perſon, evidenced to you, that hee did it for you particularly, which drunkards, ſwearers, and the like have not. I ſay your Evidence is but in words and conceipt, who have not Chriſt in you, no more then theirs is: You are perſwaded and hope it is ſo, and ſo are they alſo, but neither of you bring forth the fruits that are his. But you ſay, you bring forth better fruits then drunkards and ſwearers. I ſay, the beſt fruite thats brought forth in either, which is not the worke of God by Chriſt in you, is but ſelfe-righteouſneſſe, and all your ſelfe, taken on performances in your owne wills is no better. But you ſay, you doe what you can, and God accepts the will for the deed, but ſo doe not thoſe who are openly wicked. I ſay, God accepts no will but his owne, and this hee begets by his Spirit in all that waite upon him in the light of Jeſus, and with ſuch hee that begets the will, begets the deed alſo; and it is no more what we can, but what hee will with whom all things are poſſible, and wee can doe nothing, neither doe we deſire to doe any thing, yet can wee doe all things that hee wills, through him that in us; ſo the will of God is done in us by his power (in our meaſures) as it is in Heaven, and this is perfect righteouſneſſe, where Chriſt is all, and the Creature nothing. And as for your doing, and others not doing ▪ I ſay every one hath that opinion of himſelfe, that hee is not ſo bad as others, and with this the ▪ Devill deceives you, to keep all in24 his kingdom. And by this opinion of yours none is to be condemned, who hath any worſe then himſelfe in his doings: for this muſt needs follow from the beſt to the worſt; unleſſe you deſcribe how farre it muſt goe and no further; and then muſt you needes ſhut out ſome who have endeavoured as much againſt ſin (in their owne ſtrength) as ever you did in yours.
I have knowne a drunkard ſhed more teares, ſet ſtronger reſolutions, and make more vowes, againſt that filthy ſin of Drunkenneſſe, then ever I knew the greateſt profeſſor doe againſt his ſecret covetouſneſſe, which is Idolatry: Nay the higheſt profeſſions can plead for it (though not under that name) and make a trade on it, which the other is aſhamed to doe for his drunkenneſſe. Now if God had placed righteouſneſſe and acceptance in doing what one can, then why ſhould not the firſt of theſe be accepted as well as the latter, ſeeing hee prays and weeps and doth what he can to overcome it? And thus all ſorts of people in the world, who know not Chriſt and his ſtrength in them (which alone is appointed by God to overcome ſin for all that receive him) I ſay you are all in confuſion labouring to no purpoſe, one condemning another, thereby to get peace to your ſelves, but all under the curſe, and ſo is the fruite you bring forth, becauſe it is not in Jeſus, and hee in you, in whom the Father hath placed fruite and acceptance, peace and reconciliation, to whom all ſhall confeſſe for ever.
And now to all honeſt hearts, in whome there is a ſeed of God, who are thus ſcattered in this body of confuſion, having loſt the way of truth, peace, and righteouſneſſe, ſo that you cannot come to that which makes perfect, but are at a loſſe with all you can doe, and are condemned with that in your conſcience, that you are not covered with the righteouſneſſe of God, but are found naked and miſerable: I ſay that which condemnes you who are out of the way, is the light that leades to the way, for whatſoever makes manifeſt is light; ſo that which makes manifeſt your darkneſſe, is that light that ſhines in darkneſſe to lead out of darkneſſe, that condemnes you while you are in it. But that which, cryes peace in darknes25 is the Prince of darknes, to keepe in darknes. That which condemnes the World, is the light of the World, given to lead out of the World all that beleeve and follow it; and ſuch are juſtified by the light, that their deeds are wrought in God, & by him: which light reproves the evill deeds not wrought by him.
I ſay this is the light of Chriſt given into the world, that whoſoever beleeves and followes ſhall not abide in darkneſs but have the light of life. Now reade all the Scriptures and ſee if there be any other Covenant but this Covenant of light, and this is the life which is the light of men, which darkneſs comprehends not, nor the world knowes not, in which alone the power is placed, which whoever receives becomes the Sons of God, as the Father hath appointed, which he will not alter, the Covenant, for all the world: therefore all that are out of the light, are out of the Covenant where God hath placed his power: And if you would give your goods to the poor, and your body to the fire, its to no purpoſe, becauſe you are out of this love of the Father. Therefore all are firſt called to beleeve in the light ere they can be accepted: for without faith its impoſſible to pleaſe God, or be found in his worke, or receive his power; ſo all your labour brings not forth that which is accepted, but with the light is condemned, that it is not perfect, and ſo you ſit down in ſorrow, notwithſtanding all your labours which are out of the light, where God hath promiſed no peace, nor power; for God doth not manifeſt his workes in the darkneſs, but in the light, that all the Children of light may ſee and praiſe him who doth all for his own glory, which the Children of darkneſs ſee not who are out of the light of Chriſt. So ſuch talke of what God hath done, and what he will doe, but know him not at preſent, nor his power, working all their works in them.
Therefore this I ſay to all who deſire to know him, that you ſtand ſtill in the light of Jeſus, that you may come to ſee the life and its movings; and the powers of death, and its movings; that you may ſee what ſpirit workes obedience ▪ and what ſpirit workes diſobedience, ſo ſhall you ſee what's done in the body; if the eye be ſingle, then is there no place26 for darkneſs, but it is diſcovered. So with the light you come to diſcerne each Spirit, and each principle, and their ſeverall workings; and that the one is the powers that workes in the light, that workes to obedience; the other is the powers that workes in darkneſs, and workes to diſobedience: and as God hath appointed that the one ſhall not worke in darknes, ſo the other ſhall not worke in the light: for as he hath given to the Devill the powers of darkneſs, to worke in the Children of darkneſs, that they all may be damned who wil not receive the light; ſo hath he reſerved the light pure, and therein placed his power, that ſo none may faile who beleeve in it; and here is the bleſſing and the curſing; the Election and reprobation, the light and the darkneſs, both which the light diſcovers as it ariſes in all who in it beleeve and waite. And if you abide in the light, you will ſee none can curſe what God hath bleſſed, nor bleſs what he hath curſed; for as the one of theſe leads to the life from whence it comes, all that beleeve and follow it, ſo the other downe to death all that abide in it: for none in the light did ever periſh, nor out of it was ever ſaved, whatever is their profeſſion.
In the light is the power, and the power in the light, for this is one in Chriſt Jeſus; and in this light if you keepe waiting, with it you ſhall ſee the motions of ſin which are after the fleſh, working in you, drawing your mindes after them to obey them; and you ſhall ſee at the ſame time the motions of the Spirit in the meek principle drawing you to the contrary; ſo that if you be not raſh to follow the motions of the fleſh, but with the light take counſell, you ſhall ſee every word and action diſcovered to you, in the light, of what ſort they are of, from what roote they ariſe, and what they tend to; and here you come to the knowledge of ſin, and who begets it in the Creature, and the knowledge of Righteouſneſs, and who begets it in the creature: and here in plainneſs you come to ſee your Father and whoſe Children you are, even his whom you obey; for if you bring forth the workes of the Devill, which hee begets in you, then are you his Children; but if you deny the workes of the Devill,27 and to bring them to light, then God gives you power to bring ſo th what hee will beget in you in the light, and men ſeeing that worke of God brought forth into the world, thereby is God glorifyed; and this is not a talking of God, but a living to him in your meaſure, and here ſhall you grow up (in the obedience) in the knowledge of Chriſt, and learne him of God, and the way to him; ſo every one that hath learned of the Father commeth to mee, John 6. 44. 45. And none can come to mee, except my Father draw them; ſo ſhall you ſee the Law written in your hearts, which diſcovers luſt and uncleanneſs, even in your hearts in the firſt riſe of it; and you will come to ſee that this Law is pure and muſt be fulfilled every jot & title, elſe no paſſing, & when you ſee none can fulfill it in its righteouſneſs & purity, then is way made for Chriſt; and ſo the law is the Schoolmaſter to lead to him where the righteouſneſs is placed and power to fulfill it, who is the end of it for righteouſneſs to every one that beleeves. And as your mindes are kept to this Law that God hath written to ſhew ſin and evill, you will come to ſee the power that ſin hath not over you, and that you are wholly polluted and ſold under it; then will you ſee the great tranſgreſſion, and the feare of God will appeare in you, and ſo your hearts will grow tender in his feare, which is but the beginnings of the knowledge of God and his wiſdome: And ſo waiting in the light, you will come to ſee openings and breathings after Chriſt Jeſus, in which abiding and waiting low in the feare you will come to ſee ſome openings and promiſes of the Fathers Love to that ſeed which is breathing in you after him, and ſome hopes of pardon of ſin in Chriſt Jeſus, and ſo come to ſee the Law and the Prophets, propheſying which condition many have come to, and then have loſt their condition by the mindes getting out of the feare, and fleſh exalting into the promiſe, and ſo come to get the wound heald before death be flaine, and ſo loſes that little communion they had with God afarr off, but never come ſo far as to the waſhing throughly, nor to the marriage, but the light minde gets into this, and tattles it out to others, and calls it experience, yet28 never came ſo far as to ſee Chriſt and the Father, yet after theſe doth the world wonder, notwithſtanding they live in the ſame filthineſs as they did formerly; yet ſay they, I have aſſurance ſo many years ſince, and the promiſe of God is ſure, and his Covenant cannot be broken, but cannot ſee that the condition is loſt, and the ſeed is buryed under the earthly pleaſures, to which the promiſe was: for the promiſe is to the ſeed which is one, not to ſeedes which is many Gal. 3. 16. not to the fleſhly man which is now got up, but to the ſpirituall ſeed which is meek and lowly, which God teacheth and bleſſeth, and the creature that turnes to it is bleſſed becauſe of that meek Spirit into which they are turned, and ſhould be for ever, if in it they did continue; for to it is the Covenant which cannot be broken, therefore all that depart out of it, it will not follow; for then ſhould not the Covenant ſtand ſure in that ſeed which is but one, one heart, one minde, one ſoule, one ſpirit; and whoſoever receives this unity of faith, ſhall finde this Covenant ſure: but this was never placed in the worldly ſeede, but in the ſpirituall: ſo the carnall is death, and hell, that's its covnant; but the ſpirituall is life and peace, that's its Covenant; and each Covenant ſtands ſure to them who are in them. So that creature who was ſometimes tender and lowly minded, and that ſeed awakened to which is the promiſe, not waiting in the promiſe till it be performed; the creature turnes into the world where the curſe is, and there inherits, yet is the Covenant ſure to the ſeed and all that abide in it; and this all witneſs who have waited in their meaſure, though he that turnes from it is damned.
And if you abide faithfull in the light waiting, you will be ſo far from turning into the liberty of the fleſh, that you will ſee every vaine thought and Imagination judged, in the firſt motion, and the ground of all ſin you will ſee layd open, and ſo come to ſee the Axe layd to the roote of the corrupt tree, that hath brought forth the evill fruite, which is Johns Miniſtery, and the Baptiſme of Repentance, and ſo be led on to him who fulfills all righteonſneſs; and that kingdome you will heare preach't at hand, which conſiſts not in words,29 but in power; then vaine babblers, you will come to ſee and avoide, and be brought onely to preſſe after Righteouſneſſe, and ſo ſee your light grow and ſpring up to the burning and ſhining, till the day-ſtarre ariſe in your hearts; then will you ceaſe to put God and Chriſt afarre off you, and waite to ſee Chriſt in you the hope of Glory; and ſo come to ſee Chriſt in you the light, the way, the truth, and the life, and not to have your light and life to ſeeke in a booke without you, nor from men, but Chriſt your life in you, made manifeſt in your mortall bodies; and ſo coming to the Son, and to ſee him revealed, by him come to have the Father revealed alſo, and ſo come to the knowledge of God which is life eternall, even God in his Temple, where hee is worſhipped in Spirit and truth, and this truth in you, and this God in you: then ſhall you know that your bodies are the Temples of the living God, as hee hath ſayd, I will dwell in them and walke in them, 2 Cor. 6: 16. And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you, 1 Cor. 3. 16. By which Spirit he is worſhipped, and by the ſame Spirit you are taught, and this is not knowne by heare-ſay, nor got by imitation, nor taught in the imaginations, but through death it is learned, onely in thoſe who in the light are guided, and by the Spirit kept, in the fire, and in the water, where death is ſlaine, faith purifyed, and the body cleanſed and purged from its droſſe and filthineſſe, patience given and proved, and all the gifts and graces of God which vaine mindes talke on, but know not but in words, theſe to be waited for in the light, received in the faith, and proved in the patience, to the bringing the Creature wholly to rely upon God in the worſt condition, even at their wits ends, when all the world failes and becomes enemies, then to fall into the defence of God alone; or when the world tempts with the greateſt pleaſures, then to deny all for the love of God; this is ſoon talked on, but none can have it but who have received it in the ſame way of obedience that Chriſt hath gon before, and leades in Spirit and power all his after him, who beleeve in his light and follow it: Then may you ſay, follow us as wee follow30 Chriſt, and walke as you have us for examples; till then you are but imitators, and out of the life and power, and ſo lead one another into formes and traditions, but deny the power which ſhould give you victory over ſin in this world; and ſo you get the Saints words, but their lives you have not; that you looke for in another world, but in the meane time goeth on to fill up the meaſure of evill, and ſo go to the grave in feare and torment: And all thoſe Calls and Reproofes of the Spirit of light in your owne hearts, now by you ſlighted, are by him recorded, and remaines a teſtimony againſt you till that dreadfull appearance of the righteous Judge, and heart-ſearcher, ſhewing his love tendered, and his deſire to ſave from ſin and condemnation; which love being rejected, there is no eſcaping condemnation.
And you that have form'd a Chriſt in your owne imaginations, ſo as your pride, luſt, ryot and oppreſſion may be exalted, and you in them; and now your eyes are abroad, expecting his comming without you in obſervations of dayes, yeares, perſons and formes, loe here, loe there, and the time and manner of his reigne, you are jangling about, and what a-one he ſhall be; and which of you ſhall be greateſt at his comming, and ſuch like conceits without you, hath the enemy up amongſt you, till you have wholly loſt the favour of Chriſt within, and can neither know his appearance in your ſelves, nor beleeve him in others, in whom he is come, nor know what a one he ſhall be: What a Chriſt is this you are looking for? Is he the ſame that was from the beginning, whoſe kingdome is not of this world? and doe you looke for him after another manner then he hath appeared? is he not the ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever? how hath the enemy of your ſoules deceived you, and keepes you ſpending houres and dayes, talking of him what he was, and what he will be at a diſtance without you, but knowes not him at hand what hee is, ſo that when hee would appear in you to lead you out of the world, you know not his voyce, nor will you obey him in ſpirit, becauſe he is not come in your forme, nor teacheth after your will, and in your way, ſo is hee now ſet at31 nought by you builders as ever he was, and you cannot receive him in your hearts, nor is there any roome for him in the Inne farther then to take on and expreſs as a covering for your pride and earthly pleaſures, let that of God in your conſciences be judge, betwixt God and you herein, how you receive the Son of his Love the deſpiſed one, ſearch your hearts therewith and ſee: Can you receive him who is ſet as a ſigne every where to be ſpoken againſt? will you beare his markes in your body? will you take up his Croſſe dayly, and beare his reproach? will you own him in whippings, ſtoneings, mockings, and temptations, and to be counted the filth of the world and off-ſcouring of all things for his name ſake? Can you be willing to be accounted fooles, that his wiſdome may be manifeſt in you? will you beare his reproach in ſtocks, and priſons; and dungeons, and to be numbred amongſt tranſgreſſors? will you confeſs him before men to the loſs of your eſtates, and to the caſting out of the Synagogues? will you own him in leading you through the loſs of all your unjuſt gaine and oppreſſion in your tradings, or will you follow him to yea and nay in all your occaſions? ſhall nothing ſeparate you from the Love of God in him who is rejected of all the World? This is our Chriſt, and this is his condition in this world as ever it was, and this is his Glory to carry his People through all theſe things, and above all theſe into the eternall Kingdom of the Father, and them preſent perfect without ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing; and this is he whom the world cannot receive, nor all you who are in the worlds pleaſures can ſee any comelines in him, nor beauty, that you ſhould deſire him; that eye is blinde that jangles about him afar off in the carnall comprehenſions and ſenſuall wiſdome, it's the eye of faith that ſeeth him preſent (in the meaſure) and leads to follow him, and he that beleeves hath the witneſs in himſelfe, wherewith his glory is ſeen in the eternall the ſame to all generations that will receive him who is the light of the world, yet not of this world nor his glory, from whoſe root ſprings righteouſneſs, mercy and judgment, who is meek and lowly, a man of ſorrowes,32 acquainted with grief, who takes no pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, to ſet up pride, but ſhakes his hand at the gain of oppreſſion, who ſtrikes at your life in all unrighteouſneſs, and that's his witneſs in you, which cals you out of their vain things, that with his light he might lead you out of the world there to commune with you about your back-ſlidings, and ſhew your tranſgreſſious, and the everlaſting Covenant of the Fathers Love, even the eternall inheritance which none can come to, but who receives his witneſs in the light, a Croſs to all the worlds lovers, and it's glory. So if you can receive him you may, if not, this I ſay to you, your expectation will faile, who lookes for his appearance in the worldly glory, or after your imaginations, who judge him to be like your ſelves, or ſuch a one as you would have him, who have changed your glory for fading things, and ſo imagine of him alſo ▪
Doe you think the Lamb hath changed his glory, becauſe the beaſt is got up into his ſeat? nay his glory is the ſame, though you have changed your God, and have bowed down to the Prince of this world and his glory, and hath committed adultery therewith, yet God is the ſame and changes not. Wherefore come down you painted harlots, you adulterers and adultereſſes, whoſe minds would uphold carnall delights, and yet profeſs the name of the Lord Jeſus, you are an ill ſavour to the Nations whom the Lord is about to gather, who ſay you are the people of God, but live worſe then the Heathen, you are the enemies of God, and your profeſſion ſtinkes in his noſtrills; will he accept your words, when your lives preach rebellion openly, and have begot a faith in one another to beleeve that God wil accept you herein, & a Chriſt you look for conformable to your Kingdom of pride and worldly glory, ſelfe-worſhip & reſpect of perſons, whither you have followed the Heathen into that principle where man erres, thither are you gon out of the faith of Chriſt which ſtands not in reſpect of perſons, neither can you beleeve who receive honour one of another, ſo your hope ſhall periſh, and your ſorrow and your end ſhall come upon you in one day, except you returne, though now you put it afar off, yet33 ſhall you ſee that vain words ſhall not ſave, where Light and life is denyed.
And you whoſe unity ſtands in the viſibles, and by them are gathered together, and there you receive and know one another, and that you make the door to receive into your Church, and without it no Communion, whoſe knowledge is outward, and your worſhips outward, as in words, or water, bread or drink, or any carnal periſhing things, though good in their time and place, to them who in their place could uſe them; yet were they not given as the ſubſtance but as the ſhadows, not in the place of God, but in way of obedience to God, as many other carnal things, which in their place and time muſt not be omitted; as, Temple, Circumciſion, Sacrifices, Brazen-Serpent, which were good, till ſet in the place of God, and till they who had them, ſet them up againſt truth and righteouſneſs, and became as bad, if not worſe, then they that had them not, yet bleſſed themſelves in their evil ways, becauſe of them, and excluded all elſe. Then the Lord departed out of them, and left them empty and deſolate, and his next appearance cryed them down without, and ſet up the ſubſtance of them within, ſo that God hath been forced all along to pull down what he himſelf did ſet up, though never ſo good, yet if cannal, the carnal mind would get into it, and adulterate from the maker; as you may reade in the Scriptures how many things he hath laid waſte upon that account, even at his appearance in ſome of his ſons and daughters, even ſuch things as he had ſaid ſhould be ſigns for ever, yet their abuſe cauſed the ſervants of God to cry them down; ſo your carnal things wherein God and his power, and righteouſneſs is not, your ſetting them up inſtead of Chriſt, makes them odious to all that know Chriſt, and they cannot ſee that which belongs to God given to any creature and be ſilent; but you will ſay, they are commands of God, and there is no Scripture for taking them away; I ſay thoſe carnal things are but commands as Circumciſion and the Paſsover were, and many other, yet were they taken away with out letter, by that Spirit that gave them, when they were abuſed; what letter34 had Hezekiah to take away the Brazen-Serpent, and break it in pieces; what Scripture had Paul to cry down Circumciſion when he ſaw it abuſed, though he had circumciſed; what Scripture had Paul to deny that he was ſent to baptize, when he ſaw them abuſe it, and ſetting it up above Chriſt: and many other things which by the Spirit of God was removed, when Idollized; for which the literal obſervers who denyed the Spirits teaching, counted them blaſphemers, as you do now; and ſo by ſuch they ſuffered for holding forth the ſubſtance, and denying the ſhadows, to ſuch as Idollized them, though otherwiſe the ſhadows had been lawful: nor do I judge any that do it in obedience, and ſo come up above it, but all you that ſtick in theſe outward things, contending about dipping, or ſprinkling, but neglect the power and life, you are the Jews of theſe days, who ſtrive about outward waſhings, ſome for yong, and ſome for old; but in the mean time, all out of the power, and in the world, in your own wills and worldly pleaſures and profits, pride and covetouſneſs, ſome for free will, others not, but all in your own wills: and thus while you are about theſe things received by tradition, the law of God written in your hearts is made of none effect; nay you cannot own it, that there is any thing there to guide or give the knowledge of God; ſo you have a form of God ▪ but the world hath power over you and in you, and ſo are become a reproach to Religion; wherfore come out of the world and the power of darkneſs, and come to the guide of the ſpirit of truth, that you may be ſet free to the Lord, from the rudiments, which God is departed out of, and follow the Lamb whitherſoever he goeth: then ſhall you ſee him ſeparating you from the world in the ſubſtance of truth, in mercy and righteouſneſs, before you be hardened in your wickedneſs, and your forms be left to you deſolate, and a ſtrange thing come upon you, which is ſeen concerning ſome of you, who will not now own his appearance who before all form is: will it not be a ſtrange thing to ſee you who above all have cryed out for liberty of Conſcience, and againſt perſecution, who have been perſecuted for Conſcienceſake, to ſee you become the moſt ſubtil perſecuters that ever35 were in the world, you in this generation; be not grieved to hear of theſe things, for God is bringing ſtrange things to paſs, which you will not believe though it be told you; but when it is come upon you, remember you have been told, for the Lord is gathering his ſeed out from the heathen where it hath been ſcattered, and who will not be gathered ſhall be ſcattered; and who will not come into the kingdom of the Lamb, muſt be left amongſt the beaſts, and when man denyes the Spirit of God to lead him, he is no better, who hath blinded that eye that foreſees the evil, ſhall fall into miſchief ere he be aware.
ANd you Rulers, Magiſtrates and Governours, who have the ſword of the Lord in your hands, to rule in righteouſneſs and judgement, there is one thing needful for you to minde, that you know the Lord to be your Judge and Lawgiver in particular, without which you cannot rule for God, nor as deſerving the name of Chriſtians; the Heathens exerciſe Lordſhip in their own wills, and there is but one thing that differs you from them; if you rule for God, and after his will, ſo as to give way that he may ſet up his kingdom in the ſoul, who hath ſet you up to rule amongſt men; And you cannot rule for God, unleſs you be ruled by him, but if you have received his Law written in your hearts, and his Judgements there, and his power and authority, and your ſouls ſubject thereto for Conſcience-ſake, even to that power that is of God, to come under it, and the principle of everlaſting Judgement and righteouſneſs, to reign in you and rule you; and with that power and authority upon you, and with you, you go forth to judge his people, and the heathen, then you rule with God and for God; and with his power and authority which you have received, and to which you are joyned, are you juſtifyed before the Lord God, for whom you judge; and his Law in every Conſcience, ſhall anſwer to your judgement, that it is juſt and of God; and ſo to that power of God and his authority ſhall every ſoul be ſubject, not onely for fear, but alſo for Conſcience ſake, ſo you become Miniſters of God to others; but if you depart out of the counſel of God36 and the leadings of his Spirit, and get up into the ſeat of thoſe that went before you, and take counſell at your ſelves and your policy to eſtabliſh your wills, as a law, and have not reſpect to the law written in the heart; but contrary to it, ſet up reſpect of perſons and places inſtead of Judgement and righteouſneſſe. Then it muſt needs be that all who have reſpect to the everlaſting Law and power of God, in Spirit, muſt ſuffer by you, as witneſſes againſt you; as the Prophets, Apoſtles, and Martyrs have done againſt your forefathers, till the Lambs teſtimony be finiſhed, and ended, againſt you alſo; yet are not we deſpiſers of authoritie, herein, no more then they were, who in ſubjection to that power ordained of God, ſuffered by the wills of men, who ſhould have defended them, by that power, from the wills of men, who are not ſubiect to that power of God; ſo by men who deny that power that is ordained of God, to rule in them; by thoſe doe ſuch ſuffer as obey that power; yet are the Innocent ever accuſed, to be againſt the power, who are but againſt mens wills, in obedience to the power, and this is no new thing in this world; But our Judgement remaines ſure, and to that power we appeare, which no mans will can alter; to which all ſhall confeſſe, and every knee bow, when he ſhall Judge who now ſuffers; And if they ſhall depart into everlaſting puniſhment who doth not miniſter to him in priſon; Then what will your doome be who caſt him into priſon, now that he is come into the world? And if the not knowing of him will not excuſe, ſuch as doe not miniſter to him; Then what excuſe for you who call him vagabond, ſtranger, deceiver, Devill, &c. and think no place bad enough to caſt the body into, in whom he is? And if into everlaſting fire with the Devill and his Angells they muſt goe, who doe not viſit him in priſon; Then what way will you eſcape, who will not ſuffer any of his brethren or ſervants to viſit him, though they be moved to come from farre to doe it? And though you may reade all this in the words of truth, from his owne mouth, Math. 25. yet I know you that are in your owne wills, can no more beleeve theſe words, then the Jewes and their rulers; though you know it is he that ſpoke thoſe37 words, and confeſs it to be the word of the Lord, which the Jewes did not know, ſo your guilt is greater. And though our freedom is in the Lord, and we look not for it from men; nay though ſome of you the more you be warned, the more you harden your ſelves againſt God; yet while we are moved of the Lord we cannot be ſilent, if by any meanes ſome of you might turne to the light, and ſearch your wayes therewith, and ſo be joyned to him, and eſtabliſhed in his power, which is the deſire of our ſoules for you. That with the honour of God you may come to be honoured, which none can have who ſeek for honour from men; So you who deſire to ſee into the wayes of God, Conſider theſe things following.
Did ever any that ruled for God ſeek for their honour from men, or doth God honour ſuch; or did ever any want honour who ſought the honour of God onely, and not their own?
Is not the Spirit of meekneſs, juſtice, and mercy, without reſpect of perſons; the Spirit of the living God, which being in a Magiſtrate, he is moſt like God, which makes him everlaſtingly honourable here and hereafter, which is true honour and authoritie?
Is it not want of this Spirit that hath made rulers Contemptible, and laid them open to plots, murthers, and the luſts of ſeditious people in all ages, which the Spirit of God keepes out of, and makes their latter end a bleſſing to following generations?
Was not perſecution ever blind ▪ or did ever the Princes of this world know the Lord of life, by whom he hath ſuffered in all ages, though they have been alwayes warned of it before they did it; or did ever the innocent ſuffer but under the pretence of offenders?
Was not Chriſt ▪ and thoſe in whom he was moſt ſeen ever Pilgrims and ſtrangers in the earth, ſuch as you now call vagabonds and wanderers, whip and impriſon, though they aske you nothing, nor ever are beholden to the world, wherein their reſt is not, which God foreſeeing hath commanded all38 that owne him to entertaine ſtrangers; and made a law for it, which you have a law againſt it? Levit. 19. 34. Heb. 13. 2. Is it not the principall end of Magiſtrates, to Judge the cauſe of the ſtrangers, poor, and helpleſs, to releive the oppreſſed, and ſet the priſoners free, & c? And how you doe this, let that of God in your Conſciences Judge for him, till he appeare to plead the cauſe of him that hath no helper in the earth.