A TESTIMONY TO THE FREE and UNIVERSAL LOVE of GOD IN JESUS CHRIST TO THE SONS of MEN: IN True Love sent forth (more especially) to the Inhabitants of Colchester and Parts adjacent; For them to read over, and weigh with due and serious Consideration, in the blessed Fear of the LORD.  
By THOMAS bail.  
Hear Counsel, and receive Instruction, that thou mayest be Wise in thy latter end.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1675.   

THe Universal Love and free Grace of God to man kind, is again, (after a sad and deplorable night of darkness) revealed and showed unto thousands, who have waited upon him in his holy Light, and Heavenly manifestation in their hearts and consciences; and testified of, and born witness unto, in this our age and generation; for to enjoy which, what sighing, what breathing for, and soul-traveling after, (in a holy hunger and thirst, in deep exercise and travel of Spirit, in a holy faith and fear in the Lord) hath there been by many in former days and times, some yet living are able to give some testimony thereof: And this happy and blessed appearance of the Lord, to the call and restitution of mankind, to this his great kindness in Jesus Christ, hath been sounded forth in this place and parts; and that truly I may say, according to the Nature of it, which is free, and universal, and plenteous, from the God and Father of it; and that very largely, with clearness and certainty, by his Servants, his Messengers and Ministers, who here in this Town and County have laboured, for several years by past, both by word and writing: And the Lord hath given them fervency of Spirit, zeal and courage, and also utterance in judgement and understanding, that sinners might be converted unto him, and people come again, to partake of that heavenly blessed life (which in the true light which now shines is made manifest) which the Saints and people of the Lord partaked of in the primitive times; and notwithstanding this certain and infallible testimony, which hath been held forth in this place for these 20 years past, in kindness, tenderness, and love unfeigned, with freeness, to bring Souls home to the Lord, yet what darkness, security, and insensibility of heart and mind is there remaining in the Consciences and Spirits of the generality of you, as if there were no such thing as Religion in truth and righteousness to be minded, as if the Lord God had forsaken the habitable parts of the earth for man to live in the perverse ways of his own heart, and as if you had outlived that belief, which formerly was as a standing Principle or Faith in people's minds, of coming to Judgement for the deeds done in the body, both the quick and the dead, the good and the bad (as the Scriptures testify of) and that there is no such thing to be as punishment unto the evil doer, tribulation, anguish and pain upon every soul that doth evil; nor reward of life eternal to them that do well. And this great evil (which is false hearts, ease and security in the flesh) aboundeth very much amongst you, even in and amongst you my Neighbours, Townsmen and Acquaintance; and the consideration thereof with grief and sorrow of heart have I seriously weighed within myself; and certainly can conclude nothing but a sad and woeful destruction from God Almighty, to be rewarded in flames of Fire from Heaven, into the bosoms of all such as persevere therein, until their departure hence, and be no more seen.  
And therefore this is a warning and charge unto you, into whose hands it may come, that you break off your sins by timely repentance, and seek the Lord whilst he may be found, and that in discharge of my Conscience in the sight of God, that the Testimony of the truth of our God may be kept up over the heads of all disobedient gainsayers; and that that holy heavenly Principle, the Light of Christ Jesus, in the Consciences of all people, may have its place and due Authority in your hearts and lives, to the eternal Honour and Praise of so gracious and bountiful a giver; and to your blessedness and great felicity here in this life, and hereafter, when time with you shall be no more.  
And God Almighty (the searcher of our hearts) knows to whose righteous, eternal, and everlasting Judgement, we shall all shortly stand, and for ever be concluded, that my end and intent herein is God's glory and your salvation; this is my sole and alone end and intent in this matter: And therefore bear with me a little in patience and quietness of your Spirits; and let not your hearts be like a boiling pot, because I writ unto you whom men despise, and am by Scorns called a Quaker; for be it known unto you, that if so you entertain my lines, and that innocent love which draws my heart in gentleness to visit you, that you will be left in the hardness of your hearts the more to fill up the measure of your iniquity, that Judgement may come upon you for all your evil deeds.  
And now concerning what I have to write, or chief intent hereby, I shall write it as to two sorts of men, or as in two states and conditions, although they have different branches, yet springing from one and the self same root of evil, and not all sinners according to one similitude; and these I call Profane and Professor: And by Profane I intent such as make not a Profession of Godliness, no more indeed, than those that never heard of such a thing, or as men without God in the world, as such there are amongst you, their lives testify unto me herein; and are such as live in wildness, ignorance, disorder and confusion; and cry, tush, who seethe? such, whose natures are given way unto, which are not civil, but rude: And this ought not to be, and it is time for such, not to walk as in the days that are past, wherein fear that is holy, humility, sobriety and chastity were set at nought, for to possess and live in bad things, as lying, stealing, whoredom, wrath, drunkenness, swearing, and many wicked things more; which is a shame to any people, & a burden to the Creation of God, vexing the just and the righteous: And oh you untoward people, the sound of these things, & the evil effects thereof, how do I and many more pass through the streets and lanes, with the nauseous smell and burden of them falling upon us, for which we cannot but cry unto the Lord our God, under the heavy oppression of; And for these things, the cries ascend up from the innocent souls against you, and the Lord is weary of iniquity, and would rid his Adversary out of his way, and destroy him by the brightness of his coming, who worketh great evil in you, great sin and transgression against God, and against your own souls; and I ask you, what good doth your drunkenness or your swearing do you, or any other of those evils which you accustom yourselves unto? I am sure you are deprived thereby of comfort, peace, and content here; and which is more, if not repent of, and that your repentance be before it be too late, will certainly end in your ruin and destruction for ever more.  
And therefore repent, repent of these your abominations, and live no longer in the lusts of your own evil hearts, but be ye considerate of your ways and do, of the tendency and end of them; for you are not wholly wrapped up in ignorance, the knowledge of sin and evil (in some measure) you have enough to condemn you, if you repent not, if you put not away the evil of your do, and learn soberness, justness, truth, and those things which the Lord requires of you: for I have showed thee, O man (saith the Lord's Prophet) what the Lord requires of thee: and the Lords Prophet, (which he hath raised up) saith the same to you now; this knowledge and understanding (as I said) in some measure you have; for you yourselves know, you should not swear, nor lie, nor steal, nor be drunk, nor violent (as lately some to their shame showed themselves) and where will you hid you? and what cloak will you take upon you (for Christ Jesus the Judge is come) to cover you from his allseeing eye, from whom in his light you have seen these things to be evil, to be bad, to be against him, and that you cannot stand by them, but are condemned in yourselves for them, and cry out, God forgive me, I should not swear, or be drunk, or the like: but why then do you? are you altogether ignorant, that they that know their Masters will and doth it not, are worthy to be beaten with many stripes? no not ignorant wholly, or altogether, for if so, than no crying to God for forgiveness would proceed from you; for where there is no Law, there is no transgression; but it seems here is Law with you, and Transgression with you; and therefore you cry out to the Lord (whom you know you have sinned against) for forgiveness: so this you well know, and are not ignorant of.  
And thus you lie in great desolation, and take ye heed, lest it prove a desolation for ever, and that your scattered broken state you never witness the true Shepherd's Crook to pull you out of it into that holy power which would (if you would submit thereto) keep and preserve you from that spirit of darkness, ignorance and profaneness which now you are possessed and so filled with, and overcome by, as that no escape or deliverance is by you known or sought after, but he the evil one, which hath ruled in your members, in a sad and woeful night of transgression, still reigns and rules, as if you were made for his service, and he as of right the just Lord and Ruler over you.  
Now you may understand that he that made you, made you for another purpose, and for another end, as that which should be profitable unto you, and of great advantage (as namely, a Crown of Glory upon your heads, and that is that you should serve him that made you, which is reasonable, even that heavenly bright and holy spirit of Wisdom and power which form you, and gave you being, and understanding, and knowledge beyond the Beasts of the field, or the most excellent earthly Creatures and Bodies which you see moving upon the face of the Earth; and that service which he expects from (accepts, and receives of) his Creatures, Man and Woman, is performed in and by a pure, holy, contrite, humble heart and spirit, and that it may be the fruit and product thereof, and not that which springs from a corrupted heart and root; and to that end, the Lord God hath bestowed upon mankind universally (without respect to persons) a measure of holiness and purity, which is of his own nature and purity, and doth proceed from him the Father of Lights, to gather man again out of the state of Darkness and death (where you are who walk in the lusts of the flesh) into a state of glory, a renewed state, where all things are become new, clear and pure, to walk in the Light thereof, and glorious shinings in their hearts: And to this largely testify the holy Scriptures, which I doubt not but some of you at some time or other have read somewhat of; wherein it's said, That the grace of God which brings Salvation, hath appeared to all men, (if to all men, then to you) teaching us (who were they) they that believed in it and obeyed it, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and it would do the same for you, and teach you as well as they, to live soberly and righteously in this present evil world, if you would bring your deeds to it, if you loved not darkness rather than light, if you would bow down in heart and conscience in obedience and full submission to it; for its work, and the very end of its being given (by the good giver of it) is to reprove, convince, instruct, guide and rule in righteousness; and therein is it to be found and enjoyed, and the benefit that comes thereby, and not where you are in disobedience, gainsaying, and rebellion; for never any enjoyed it, or its teachings and leadings in such a state (although it knocks often, and calls to forsake death) but by submission to its pure holy teachings and requirings: and this is the Lords Messenger, and Angel of his holy Power, by which he calls unto man to hearken unto him, (to forsake death and live) that so to him doth call to return: And this voice, it's said is behind man, who is gone forth from it, (through the subtlety of that Serpent, who at first did, and still doth deceive man, through man's harkening unto him) calling upon him to go back again, and to go home to the Father's house, and not to go forth, for no teacher is like unto him, as all who have come to his teaching, in this age, and in all ages past, have constantly born witness.  
But now you must be willing and obedient, if you would enjoy this innocent life, this Pearl of great price, this hope of Glory, than which, there is none besides; you must receive it according to the Counsel of his own will: his Testimony is, I am come, not to send Peace on the earth, but a Sword; Fallen man cannot put forth his own hand to take of the Tree of Life and live, for there is a Sword, a flaming Sword put into the hand of Cherubims, which turns every way, to keep him from it; of this you may have read: Thus was Adam in his transgression stopped; and be you assured this Sword is not taken down, but still turneth against you: I believe many of you at times feel the turning, or shaking of it against you; which makes you to fear, to tremble, to be afraid; and some to feel such horror, torment, and perplexity of spirit within you, when the thoughts or consideration of death comes near you, and who in your weakness of body, on your sick beds cry out, O that the Lord would spare me this time, I would take warning, and become a new Creature, and live a more holy, selfdenying life than ever I did; and thus oft times the flamingness of it, and the sharpness of it comes near you, yea very near you, even into your bosoms; but the way to get to the tree of life is not by a few false words and promises, uttered on a sick or dying bed, from an impenitent deceitful heart, which being in torment would have some cool water poured upon it: for I have sometime known, when some such have been spared, (and let these my words enter into your heart's consideration, who are concerned herein) they have soon forgot God that smote them, and have returned with more greediness to that evil conversation, for which the just hand of God was lifted up in smart rebuke against them: therefore take heed to watch over your ways and do, whilst you have time: but this is the way, O Man and Woman, to this tree of life spoken of; return, return from the evil of your ways and do, and kiss the Son, (that is to say) embrace him, harken diligently in all bowedness of Spirit and humility of Soul upon this his inshining engrafted word, which is able alone to save your souls, and none other, nor nothing else; and here the soul that sinneth must die, and the judgement must be executed, and the flaming Sword have its place, and do its work, which is quick and sharp, and divideth between joints and marrow, soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart: can any thing come more near to a man? feel ye this, have ye felt, or do ye feel this sharpness, this quickness, (for it is to be felt) this dividing Sword of the Lord; which divides between a man and his lovers, and know yourselves to be redeemed from that Spirit of transgression which hath ruled in your hearts, and yet does and has the dominion there, and know the Adversary is destroyed by the brightness of his coming, who comes to finish transgression, and to make an end of sin: It's time for you this to learn and know, and happy shall you be, if now you come forth to the help of the Lord against the mighty, and keep not back your lusts, pleasures, nor sinful sports and pass-times, but deny yourselves in those things, and be willing and obedient, take the yoke of Christ upon you, and learn of him, who saith, hold that fast which thou hast, that you may eat the good of the good Land, the promised Land of Rest to your souls, which flows with Milk and Honey: but as Israel of old, could not go on, in hope to possess the Land of Canaan, but by passing from Egypt, through the Red Sea, and a vast and weary Wilderness, wherein great exercises, trials and sorrows were, no more can ye inherit substance (the inheritance of the Saints in Light) and possess that peace, which the world can neither give nor take away, but by taking up the daily Cross, and following him, who said unto the woman that asked him to have her two Sons to sit, the one at his right hand, and the other at his left hand in his Kingdom: Can ye be Baptised with that Baptism that I shall be Baptised with? can ye drink of that Cup that I shall drink of? are you willing to suffer with him, and to be made like unto him, who was a man of sorrow, even like unto his death, and to bear about in your bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus, that so through the dying, and the death, you may come to know life, and the quickenings of it, and its virtue and holy operation, to fashion and mould you, to fit and prepare you for that Kingdom, for that Crown and weight of Glory, which is laid up in store for all them that believe in Jesus Christ, and follow him through the Regeneration: for through the being made in fellowship with him in his sufferings, and raised unto life by that eternal Spirit which raised up Jesus from the dead, thou mayest reign with him in his Glory, in his blessedness, and eternal life world without end.  
But ye my Neighbours and Acquaintance, I have often seen and taken notice of a Spirit and Life in you altogether contrary hereunto, as being disorderly, a scoffing mocking Spirit, of Ishmaels' nature abounding amongst you, against the Spirit of the Lord, and its teachings, and movings, against the holy Light of Jesus Christ within, and the Professors and Witnesses of it, which hath and doth tend greatly to the grief and burden of God's holy Spirit, which is teaching; and if you have not the Spirit of Christ, you are none of his; and this your unchristian carriage and behaviour the Lord will require it into your bosoms, in the day wherein he will enter into Judgement with you, and then it will be unutterable sad for you; and than you will find yourselves as far from an excuse for your so doing, as the man was who was speechless, when it was said unto him, Friend, how camest thou hither, not having on the Wedding Garment? this will be your state then; for I tell you, there is no excuse now to be made, no pleading of Ignorance now, no saying (although many foolish ignorant people will now so say) when the Lord gives grace, or when the Lords time is come, and when the Lord please to give us power, than so and so: but take ye notice, and let it be a warning unto you, and an information; the Grace of God is given, the true Light now shines, by which thou mayest see, and know, and understand the things that belong to thy peace; and therefore shut not thine eyes, stop not thine ears, fold not thy arms and cry, Yet a little more sleep in sin, and in the lusts of this world, lest God in Judgement leave thee to be past feeling, and thou be shut up, and sealed up in utter darkness, where shall be weeping and wailing for ever more: Doth not Wisdom cry? doth not Understanding utter her voice? blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, and giving attendance at the posts of my doors; for he that findeth me, findeth life; and she is ready to receive those that wait for her, and prevent those that early seek her, by first showing herself unto them: so be not ye dull of hearing, shut not your eyes from beholding Wisdoms ways, be not careless in your Spirits and presumptuous, trifling away your precious time in a light mocking, scoffing Spirit, for such walk after their own ungodly lusts, but learn wisdom (which is the fear of the Lord) whilst you may, and to redeem the time that you have misspent; have ye a watchful careful mind and Spirit in the Lord, lest also that little time which remains unto you, be likewise spent in vain, and you pass away speedily into the pit, with the workers of iniquity, out of which there is no Redemption; for man's life soon passeth away, it's said to be swifter than a Weavers Shuttle, the swift passing away of which, many of you have a certain knowledge of; and swifter than a Post, that tarrieth not: and what, know you who shall live until tomorrow? it is said, today, whilst it is called today, the time present is only ours, all flesh is grass, and the glory of man as the flower of the field; and doth not the grass soon whither, and the flower soon fade away? even such is this present certain-uncertain state and life of ours; but the word of the Lord (which David said he hid in his heart, that he might not sin against him) endures for ever; hid it likewise in your hearts, that ye may have it for your friend in the most needful time, which is at hand, and cannot, nor must not be delayed.  
And now my mind is turned (in tender love) towards you. O ye the people of Profession, that make profession of God and Christ, the holy Spirit and Scriptures of truth, O that ye were found in the possession and inheritance of these things that so much barrenness of soul, heaviness of Spirit, and dulness of sight and hearing might not abound amongst you as there does; for instead of a garden dressed by the hand of a skilful Husbandman, you are as a field of a Forest, where the hedge is broken down, and where the beasts of the Forest have their repose; O that I could say of you that ye are as a watered garden, as a fruitful Land which the Lord hath blessed, and that his dew, dew from heaven, is distilled plentuously into your souls, that thereby your hearts are revived and made to leap for joy: but I see you like many fenced Cities laid waste, and like a fruitful Land turned into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein: For, Friends, if to the Line you be brought, crookedness and perverseness doth appear, and the Axe must come upon you, before you will be squared for the Lords heavenly building; and when you are weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary, you are found too light; so that assuredly, the hand writing upon the wall is as certainly against you, as it was against Belshazzer, and the Kingdom will be taken from you: and therefore I, your Neighbour and Friend, do counsel and advise you, as one who hath received great mercy and kindness of the Lord, to return and come from those things, wherein you have exercised yourselves, and have a life in, things without substance, life or virtue, unto him that searcheth your hearts, that stands at the door and knocks; why should he not be let in? for he speaketh on this wise, if any man hear my voice, and opens the door to me, I will come into him, and sup with him, and he with me; and is not this encouragement enough to satisfy your souls, and to answer his desire, in letting him in, for his presence giveth life, and at his right hand are pleasures for ever more: he shows unto man his thoughts, and makes manifest what is reprovable; I say, at the door he stands and knocks, open ye unto him, and in the humility of your hearts, and let not his woo be any longer slighted by you: yea, be ye open, ye everlasting gates, that the holy one may enter in, and despise not his lowly appearance, but sit ye down under his shadow, and his fruit will be sweet to your taste: come, come away from the barren Mountains, where the pasture of life is not enjoyed, and come taste with me and many thousands more, how good he is, and see and behold how lovely he is, and beautiful altogether; for I must tell you, that your Forms, your Ordinances and Observations, which you have set up to worship the Lord in, are lifeless sapless things, empty and void of the Spirit of Life, yea empty sounds and notions; so that your withering is seen, the covering wherewith you cover yourselves is not of the Spirit of the Lord, and your nakedness doth appear, your darkness is felt, in which you grope after that (namely eternal life) which you cannot attain unto therein the life is ●●●ified, the holy one is ascended over it all, and his cry is unto man, and unto the sons of men, Worship God, give glory and honour unto his Name, who made the heavens and the earth; for he seeketh such to worship him, and in the spirit and in the truth it must be performed: therefore cease ye from the works of your own hands, and cease ye from the man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? truly my Friends, not at all, I have tried them; I have tried them in the day of my distress, when the heart-sercher found me out, and when he arose to Judgement, who pleads with all flesh by burning and devouring fire, than my iniquity became my burden, and my soul wanted a Saviour, and a thousand worlds (had I had them) would I have parted with for the bosom of this beloved; I tried first one, and then another, and found them short of giving food to my soul, or Physicians of value, the best of them so accounted of; then said I unto the Lord, Lift up thou the light of thy countenance upon me; Lighten mine eyes, O Lord, lest I sleep the sleep of death: and whilst I read the Scriptures I did clearly see, that I was short of that blessed life, in which the righteous obtained the Promises; and I a poor miserable captive (whose captivity had been long and grievous) cried out before the Lord, in distress which is unutterable, and said, Surely thy love, in sending Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners, is in vain as to me, for I have not the benefit thereof▪ a sad time it was, mourning and sorrow was as my daily food, and in distress and grief I mourned out many of my days and nights before the Lord, who alone knew my sorrow, and unto whom alone my soul cried for relief, and at length he was pleased to shorten those days, and satisfy my soul (in the daily waiting upon him) with his goodness.—  
And now, Friends, in the holy sense and blessed effect thereof, doth my soul thus labour for you, that you also may be encouraged to trust alone in the Name of the Lord revealed, which is not afar off but near you, and in you, to work your works for you, that he may deliver your souls from the pit, and pluck your feet out of the mire and clay, where they stick fast whatever you think, and will stick fast, if not unto him you answer whilst he calls, who doth enlighten you; that so through his heavenly shinings into your hearts, you may thereby in him believe and be saved, with an everlasting salvation.  
And, Friends, you pretend to Reformation, and to Separation; but from what, and to what? the voice and cry of the Holy One (who is going forth to slay with the Sword of his mouth, those his enemies, that will not that he should reign) is, Come out of Babylon my people, be not partaker with her in her sins, lest ye also partake with her in her Judgements; and be ye separated, and touch no unclean thing (mark that word, no unclean thing) and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: now is it thus with you, are you in such a Separation? are you thus come out from amongst them? or in what doth your Separation and Reformation consist? can you before the Lord, the Searcher of your hearts, in his holy fear answer yea, or are not you rather at a stand in yourselves, as knowing that it is not thus with you indeed, but are drawing near with your lips, and your hearts in the mean time far removed from him; trusting in the thoughts of your own hearts, and in the Arm of flesh, (vain man) who dawb with untempered Mortar, who can be removed into a corner, and who to feed their own bellies, starve their souls, keeping you from the true Bishop and Shepherd of them; if it be not thus with you, and that whilst you Profess a Separation from the world, you intent not from the evil of the world, but live in the Love and Friendship of the world, (which is enmity against God) and set thereby at naught him, who hath the power, and calls unto you to separate you by his Light and Grace in your Consciences, Why are you so Conformable to this present evil world, as you are, in its Fashions, Customs and Delights? and ought you not rather to be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is the good will of God, and learn a bridle to your tongues, (those unruly members) which set the whole course of nature on fire; and so set a watch before the door of your mouths, that you may not offend in your words, but be slow to speak, and swift to hear him that speaks from heaven; and slow to speak before him who ought of right to have the pre-eminence in all things in you: The marks of Christ Jesus, do they appear in your foreheads, or his lovely-lowly selfdenying Image, who is meek and lowly in heart, and said, My Kingdom is not of this world, if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my Servants fight: Consider well of this, lest yours be of this world, and that your portion be in this life.  
But my Friends, much might be writ and brought to your view and consideration, but the sum, and that which concerns you to know & experience is, there ought to be a daily watching in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, against every appearance of evil; a daily taking up the Cross to self; a daily dying, and a daily mortifying; yea, and a daily quickening, and a daily renewing, and a daily growing and increasing in the grace of God, that mortification may be known, and lived in, of the lusts and vile affections, and a being born again, and a daily putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, and a daily walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit, if so be that ye would come to the inheritance of the Saints in Light, and to know what it is to be born again not of mortal seed, but of immortal; and to know that bread, & to eat of it, which comes down from Heaven; and to drink of that water which they that drink of thirst no more; for it is in such as do, a well of living water, springing up into everlasting life; and so a conformity to his holy will you ought to witness, who is the salvation of God, prepared before the face of all people, a Light (as good old Simeon said) to lighten the Gentiles, to lighten their feet out of the Darkness, and to be the glory of his people Israel; who believe in his name, who walk in his Light, who pass their sojourning here in his fear, and in his wisdom; whose conversations show that they seek for a City whose maker and builder is God; these are they who walk in the Light of the Lord, and do not reject it, nor stumble at it, putting Darkness for Light, and Light for Darkness; with whom the secrets of the Lord are, to whom he shows forth his Covenant, and brings to his Mercy-seat; feeds with his daily bread, waters with his holy dew from above, watcheth over for good; directs by his eye, leads on by his Spirit through all temptation, persecutions and afflictions; and finally Crowns with his Crown, his life and Glory, in the Kingdom of his Father.  
And therefore buy the Truth, and give all for it without grudging; for what is to be compared to it? neither Silver, Gold, nor precious Stones: and consider ye, let understanding have place in you, for it is said, ho every one that thirsteth come, buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price; and who will, let him take of the water of life freely. And now remember ye the young man and his case, who came (it is said) running to Jesus, and said, Good Master, What shall I do that I may inherit eternal Life? and Jesus said unto him, thou knowest the Commandments, and he answered, all these things I have observed from my youth, and Jesus loved him, and said, one thing is lacking unto thee, go and sell all that thou hast, and come follow me, and take up the Cross; here Jesus came near unto him: now here is something, which may be said to be, and is your case, as to the one thing lacking; the selling of all, following Jesus, and taking up the Cross; the want of which is the cause of that woeful darkness, worldlyness and ignorance that is amongst too many of you, and hard it is to make you to believe it: but it is said, that the young man who came running to Jesus, had great Possessions, and so was sad, at what was said unto him, and went away sorrowful; and so have you, but your Possessions and his differ much, and yet how unwilling are you to come to Jesus, sell all, take up the Cross and follow him; but the man that sold all to buy the field wherein was the Pearl was a wise man, and well instructed in the things which belonged to his eternal peace; and you shall do well to buy Eyesalve that you may see, and find white Raiment, that your nakedness may be covered, of Jesus Christ whilst he sayeth, I counsel thee to buy of me, lest ye remain in blindness and nakedness, until no eye pities you.  
And so this is a certain living Testimoy, unto the universal Love of God in Jesus Christ, to the Souls of all men; which I counsel you to consider of in secret, or in your Closets before the Lord, who searcheth the heart, that so your souls may have a place to rest in, which is true, and in truth, and abides and remains over all imaginary, false, and insecure hideing places, which now you are short of, in uncertainties, doubts sometimes, and fears, your own thoughts and vain hopes, which will prove at last as void and empty of soul satisfaction, and assurance unfailable in the hour of need and great distress, which hasteth swiftly, upon you, as sparks of your own kindling, which those that kindle them, notwithstanding, must lie down in sorrow.  
And is likewise my souls desire in the Lord, in his Love, in tenderness and plainness unto you, that you trust no longer your precious Souls short (or without) that great salvation which is everlasting, in the Lord Jesus Christ, who inlightens you, that all these that believe in him, might not perish, but have everlasting life; and remember what is written, whilst you have the light, believe in the Light, that you may become children of the light, wherein no occasion of stumbling is; and I hope, as concerning some of you, my love herein shall not altogether be as water spilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; for is there not an honest heart that will consider? a breathing soul that wants peace with the Lord, that will consider? a thirsty wounded spirit, that wants true balm, that will consider? or a blind man that wants his sight, that will consider these things, will seriously ponder these things, to seek and to search, that they may attain unto the truth, that will not be as the stony ground, where no true entrance can be had; nor as Subjects of the Prince of the Air, from whom these things may flee away as the wind, which no man knows whence it comes, nor whither it goes; so inconstant and unsettled is the minds of such; but rather make diligent search, and seriously examine, what is here in true kindness sent unto them, and offered to their due and weighty consideration, and wherein God's witness answers in your hearts and consciences, to the truth, necessity and kindness thereof, so receive ye, so believe and walk; that in all things, which you put your hands unto, his heavenly, holy, immaculate appearance in you, may be by you eyed, believed in, and constantly obeyed, in a holy steadfast faithfulness, and diligence, to walk before him in the Light, as Children of the Light, whereunto you are called, and exhorted; until you have made your calling and election sure, and wrought out your Salvation with fear and trembling: for know ye, that our God is a consuming Fire, and will in no wise acquit the wicked and ungodly, but render Tribulation and Anguish to every soul that doth evil.—  
Solomon prayed for Wisdom to the Lord, and was heard in that which he prayed; and in his Proverbs he thus saith; I passed by the Field of the Slothful, and by the Vineyard of the Man destitute of Understanding, and so it was all grown over with Thorns, and Nettles had covered the face thereof, and the Stone Wall was broken down: Then I beheld and considered it well, I looked upon it and received Instruction: Yet a little Sleep, a little Slumber, a little folding of the hands to Sleep: So thy Poverty cometh as one that Traveleth by the way, and thy Necessity like an Armed Man.  
THE END.