To all that Desire and Breath after THE LORD, AND The true Knowledge of his Everlasting Way, and the Righteousness and Peace of that Kingdom which consisteth not in Words, but in Power, Life and Joy in the Holy Ghost; And whose souls truly hunger after that Bread of Life which cometh down from above, 1 Cor. 4.20. which who cometh to eat of (saith John, Chap. 6.35.) shall never hunger more; without which your souls cannot be satisfied, nor the expectation thereof answered. Even to you all, I say, the Visitation and tender Salutation of the Father's Love through me reacheth, with Informatiof, and certain Call unto that Way and Truth of the Everlasting God, in which many at this day find the true peace and satisfaction to their souls, who have long sought and enquired after him, who now are come to find him. Written by JOSEPH COALE. London, Printed in the Year, 1667. To all you that Desire and Breath after the Lord, and the true Knowledge of his Everlasting Way, and the Righteousness and Peace of that Kingdom which consisteth not in Words, but in Power, Life and Joy in the Holy Ghost, etc. OH Friends, and distressed scattered People, Ezek. 34● throughout. who have been as Sheep scattered upon the Mountains without a Shepherd, in the cloudy, dark and dismal Day which hath come over the World, in which men have been groping as the blind for the Wall, and have not found the resting place, but have wandered to and fro, from Mountain to Hill, and have even wearied themselves for very vanity, Jer. 50.6. and spent their money for that which proves to be no bread, and their labour for that which, at length doth not, nay cannot satisfy the truly hungry soul. Wherefore, oh ye People, in every desolate Village, arise, arise and hearken ye to the Voice and Call of the true Shepherd, who is now calling and seeking you; awake; awake and arise that he may give you Life: Harken diligently unto him, Ephes. 5.13, 14. and ye shall eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto him, hear and your souls shall live; and he will make an everlasting Covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Isa. 55.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and call ye upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord; and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Now Jesus Christ he is the true Shepherd that layeth down his life for the Sheep, John 10.11, 27. and his Sheep hear his voice, and they follow him, and he leads them forth, and gives unto them eternal Life, and satisfies their souls as they hear his voice, who speaks within, by his Light and Spirit in the heart and conscience, which whosoever hears, and obeys, and follows, shall be led into the green pastures of Life, and shall come to know a quiet and sure resting place by the Rivers of living Water, where they shall lie down and none shall make them afraid, and shall eat and be filled, and drink and be satisfied. Oh therefore, ye that are hungry, and that find a want of the true Bread, and desire to be satisfied, harken diligently to the Light and Voice of Christ in you, even that true Light which he hath enlightened you withal, Ps. 36.8. which convinceth of sin, and showeth the thoughts and intents of the heart, and lets you see your own estates and conditions, I say hearken unto it, and wait low in it, and therein will you feel and know the true power of God arise to work in you; by which you will feel a stop put unto sin, and a subjecting of that evil spirit, which hath led you into disobedience and transgression against God your Maker, and into the ways and works which are displeasing to him; because of which you have been separated from him, and wand'ring in the ways of death and darkness, where your souls have been laden, and burdened, Isa. 59.1, 2. and compassed about with sorrow and trouble, being separated from its true life, and having lost the feeling of that power which preserves our of sin and transgression, which you will come to feel, as your minds are turned into that Light of the Lord Jesus, which doth appear in you against all sin and unrighteousness; in which, as you believe, you will receive power, even the power of Christ, who is the true Light, that lighteth all mankind, John 1.12 or every man coming into the world; by which power you will feel a subjecting of your minds, and nature, and thoughts, bringing you into the true obedience to Christ; so you will be made willing to follow him in the denial of the world, its works, ways, and all things that are contrary to him, which they that will be his Disciples must be separated from, 2 Cor. 10.5. and must deny themselves, as he hath said, and take up the Cross and follow him; who is not of the world, and therefore the world hates him, and those that do follow him, whose Kingdom is not of this world, and cannot be entered into but through the denial of the world, its ways and works, as I have said: and though such now are hated, Luke 9.23. and cast out of the fellowship and society of the world, because they cannot be partakers with it in its sins, and unrighteous ways, and cannot be conformable to them in their practices, and ways of worship, which are contrary to the persuasion of the Spirit of God in their Consciences, yet the Lord will and doth receive them into Fellowship and Communion with himself; who saith, Isa. 51 7. Harken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law: Fear ye not the reproaches of men, neither be ye afraid of their revile, Isa. 50.15. for the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment, and the Worm shall eat them up like Wool; but my Righteousness shall be for ever, and my Salvation from generation to generation. And though such are reviled and cast out because they have and do deny the world, and cannot be conformable to its changeable ways, and are made a prey upon because they depart from iniquity, yet the Lord will appear to their joy, and their enemies shall be ashamed; Chap. 66.5. and he will receive such as are cast out for his Name sake, and speak comfortably to his Beloved. And therefore all you tender-hearted people that cannot turn with the wind, in conforming to those things which are contrary to the persuasion of that Light of God's Spirit in your Consciences, but feel in yourselves, breathe and long after immortal substance, and would rather suffer outwardly in your persons and estates, the punishments, forfeitures and penalties of man's Law, than transgress the righteous Law of God written in the heart, and do those things to please men, which are contrary to that Light and Knowledge which God hath given you, Jer. 39.33. which undoubtedly would bring and be the cause of the wrath and judgements of God to come upon you; and so turn to be men-pleasers, 1 Thes. 2.4. which the Apostle spoke against, to displease the righteous Lord, whose ways are not man's ways. I say, oh Friends, mind ye the Lord alone, Isa. 55.8. and take heed of them that are given to change; look ye singly at, and put your trust in him, and he will carry you on in boldness, and by his power (which, as I have said, you will feel as your minds are turned unto, and as you wait in that Light, which convinceth of sin in the Conscience) you will be strengthened and enabled to bear a Testimony for him in this day of trial, against the world, and all things which ye are convinced of not to be of God; and ye will be up held above all worldly fear, in the feeling of the perfect love of God, which will refresh your souls in all your trials; for truly this is a day of trial in which the Lord is making a separation thoroughly between the precious and the vile; between him that truly fears God, 1 John 4.18. and him that only talks of him; yea between the professors and the possessors, who have found him, and cannot deny him before men, nor let him go, who is the chiefest of ten thousand; but walk with him, and abide faithful in their generation, and such shall be recorded in the Book of Life among the Righteous, whose memory shall live for ever; when those that have denied the Lord before man, and betrayed the Just in themselves, and lose their Testimony to run with a multitude to do (that which once they were persuaded was) evil, and so sink under the fear, terror, and threaten of men, who in the height of their power and glory are but like the flower of the field; and under the temptations of the Devil, who will say, This thou wilt lose, and such will hate and envy thee, and thou wilt not be esteemed amongst men, but wilt lose thy reputation in the world, and thy worldly gain, and the love and friendship thereof. And thus the Devil deceives many, by presenting these with many other such like reasonings in the mind, whereby some are overcome and swallowed up, and so deny the Lord to please men, and act contrary to what it may be they have experimentally known of him, and so become slaves and bondmen for a morsel of bread, or a thing of nought; and bow, and creep for the gain of that which will perish, even to the wounding and piercing of their own souls, and to the utter loss of their peace with God and a good Conscience, and the Names of such will surely rot, except they repent, if it be not too late; and such will now be discovered and manifested in this day, who have not been right and sound to God, but deceitful and rotten hearted, and have had a Name to Live, but are found to be Dead, as to the sense of Life and Truth within, though they have made a fair show for a time, while the Powers of the Earth have been their Prop to uphold them by an outward Law; And truly of this sort have been the very Teachers and Priests themselves: I speak it not as upbraiding any, but with pity unto such who have been led by them, Jer. 23.32. John 6.4, 5. who, as the Lord by the Prophet said, have caused them to err, by their lies and their lightness; against whom the Lords hand was turned because thereof in that day; because they had not caused the People to hear his Word in their hearts. And the Lord hath promised to gather his People from their mouth, and to feed them, and teach them himself, and this is the day in which he will accomplish it. Wherefore cease ye wholly from them, and wait upon the Lord, Isa 54.13 that you may witness his Teachings, who will teach and lead you into all Truth by his Spirit, and you shall not want, but he will supply your wants and give you all good things, and be a God and Father unto you, 2 Cor. 6.16, 17. and you shall be his People; and he will dwell in you and walk in you, according to his promise, if you will be obedient to his voice, who is now calling out of Babylon (Confusion) and out of the many confused noises in the world, and out of the sins of Babylon, which they that are partakers of, must as surely partake of her dreadful Judgements, which God will reward her with. Oh therefore, Rev. 8.4. ye scattered people in the Borders, and by the Waters of Babylon, Come away, and shake yourselves from the dust; arise, and do not delay, for the sound of a mighty Trumpet is gone forth and is heard in the Earth. Rev. 22.12. Prepare, prepare to meet the Lord by repentance, and by turning every one from the evil of his way, and cast off the works of darkness, for behold he cometh swiftly, and his reward is with him. Come out of Babylon, and be you throughly separated, and touch not the unclean thing, and the Lord will receive you. And what though ye are cast out and hated of men, if the Lord receive you and take you into his favour and protection, happy and blessed are you. Gal. 1.18. Wherefore bow down the ear and hearken to the Call of the Lord, and give up to follow him in truth and faithfulness, according to what he makes known in you, and reason not with flesh and blood but be obedient to the heavenly Call, and the Lord will delight to do you good, and will withhold no good thing from you, Psal. 84.11. as you walk in faithfulness and uprightness before him, and answer his requirings, and fulfil his will, but he will be near unto you to answer when you call upon him, and hear your cries, and give you your souls desire, and will be a present help unto you in the time of need. Oh let these things dwell upon your hearts, and let the Father's love melt you, Psal 46.3. and let it be a sufficient obligation to cause you to walk in subjection to him, seeing he hath not wholly left you, nor given you up to yourselves, nor left you altogether in darkness, but hath given you light that you should walk in it, and so become his Children, who kindled and raised good desires after Righteousness in you, and that those desires in you are not quite lost nor quenched, but are kept alive and fresh in you, which the Lord no doubt will answer and satisfy as you diligently wait upon him, who will not quench the smoking Flax, Psa. 145.19. nor break the bruised Reed, till Judgement come forth into Victory; and ye will come to enjoy that which you have desired after, and to know the work of rigteousness, which is peace, and the effect of righteousness, which is quietness and assurance for ever in Christ Jeses the everlasting substance; and so will come to see thorough, and be gathered out of all those shadows which in their time were representations of him, which now comes to be abolished and done away by him, Isa. 32.17, 18. in all that witness him come in Spirit and Power within, who puts an end to sin, and finisheth transgression, and brings in everlasting righteousness and peace to all those that do truly believe in him. Dan. 9.24 And now at this day People sticking and hanging in outward things as the Jews did, they miss the substance, and come short of that which is the souls life, food, bread, wine, water and true nourishment, and indeed all; and who became the Saints all, and fullness that did fill all, and is now to such as do believe and obey him, and follow him in all things, which he at this day doth require of them: and yet all those things are truly owned in their time and place, which the Saints and People of God were to do and observe according to the then particular command of God, to them in every age, and because of some that did uphold such things which were sometimes required, who themselves were forward in the outward practice, it was said, Who hath required these things at your hands? [mark] at your hands. Isa. 1.12. And so may it be said now to many who are sticking in outward things, But who hath required these things now at this day? Nevertheless I say, If any do find the Lords presence with them in those things, and do make a Conscience of them, and judge they ought to do it, I judge them not, if they are not otherways persuaded in themselves; and if they can in truth say, The Spirit of the Lord leads them to do it, which I have very much doubt of, and desire they may seriously consider, and truly examine. Wherefore now come ye on and press towards the true Life and substance and look not at things that are seen, 2 Cor. 13.12. which are carnal, as the Apostle said, but the things that rae not seen are eternal and invisible; And these things the Apostle brought the Saints on to, and to the knowledge of Christ in them, which he told them if they did not come to know, they were yet reprobates notwithstanding they had done many things in the outward practice; yet this was the end and substance of all, and that great mystery which was hid from ages, Col. 1.27. even Christ within, the Hope of Glory, which mystery now comes to be made known unto such (as then) who have believed in that light which shineth in the heart, which gives the true knowledge of God in the face of Christ, 2 Cor. 4.6. and reveals the mysteries of his Kingdom, and is the true guide unto the everlasting way in which the Righteous have always walked, even the way of true peace and eternal happiness, and in it is the knowledge of that truth received which the souls of many have longed for, who had long sought but could not find, because they sought amiss, or miss that in which all that seek and wait, come to find. So come ye now and seek after this as for hid treasure, even after the knowledge of that everlasting way and truth which your souls long after, which some are saying, Lo it's here, others, lo it's there, but, saith Christ, Go not forth; for behold, the kingdom of heaven is within: Luke 17.21, 23. and the truth you must find in you, though its appearance at first is but low and little, yet being owned, it grows in stature; and the Kingdom which is but as a grain of mustardseed, the least of all, in you, Mat. 13.31.32. yet it will spring up to be the greatest of all in you, and will overcome all that which hath been great and strong in you, even every other seed which the Devil hath sowed in the night of darkness whilst men have slept in carelessness, as you may read in the Scriptures of truth. vers. 25. Wherefore go not forth, but receive the truth as it appears in you, and walk in it as it is made manifest within, and through obdience you will come more and more into the knowledge of it, and it will grow in you, and this knowledge is true and everlasting, and saving, even the knowledge of the truth in its appearance and operation in the heart of the creature; for Truth hath a great work to do in man, to change his heart, mind and nature, and to destroy the Devils work, which hath been within; Eph. 2. 2●▪ the Devil hath wrought and ruled in the hearts of the children of disobedience: I Joh. 3 8▪ And for this purpose, saith the Apostle, was the Son of God made manifest, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. And so as ye receive and believe in the Truth, as it appears in you, you will feel it subduing the Devils works, and working down that which hath been exalted in you, which hath hindered you from beholding the glorious presence and countenance of the Lord, the Lifting up of which makes whole and refreshes the soul, and makes the heart truly glad. Which that you may come to see, to the satisfaction and everlasting peace of your souls, is my end in what I have here written unto you, and that which my soul truly and faithfully desires to the Lord for you. And this is a Visitation of Love unto all you who are enquiring the way to Zion, unto which the Redeemed of the Lord our God are now returning, with Songs of Deliverance and everlasting Joy upon their Heads, and they shall obtain Joy and Gladness, and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away. Among the number of which that ye may be found, in this Day of the Lords Visitation and Gathering, is the desire and travel of my soul, who am a true Friend unto you, and all that are seeking the Kingdom of God, and desire the everlasting Salvation and Welfare of all your Immortal Souls; and am known in the world (in which I labour and travel for the Redemption of the Righteous Seed) by the Name of Joseph Coale. Tregangrees, in the Parish of Austel in Cornwell, the 13th Day of the 1st. Month. 1664. Concerning Reconciliation, and how it comes to be Effected in, and Witnessed by Man. REconciliation is Effected and Witnessed through the Operatition of the Eternal Word of Life in the heart, working out and destroying that which is the cause of Separation from God, which must be slain and subdued by the Word which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged Sword, which slays the Enmity which God is never reconciled to, and man being in the Enmity is separated from God, living in that which is contrary unto him, which the powerful Word of Life subdues and works out, as it is received and felt in the heart, which is known through believing in the Light, which convinceth of sin and transgression. Wherefore all that come to witness Reconciliation, must receive the Light which shows transgression, and wait in it, to feel the operation of the eternal Power, destroying the Devils works, and losing them from his chains and bonds, and defacing his Image and and likeness which he hath changed and begotten the Creature into, which consisteth of pride, envy, malice, hatred and deceit, etc. and all unrighteousness, which must be destroyed; and no further is Reconciliation witnessed by any, than that is destroyed and subdued by the living operation of the living Power or Word of God, which changeth man inwardly, and quickens and renews him into God's Image, which consisteth of humility, love, tenderness, righteousness, and holiness, and all good; and so he comes to bear his Image and Likeness, and is changed into the Image and Likeness of God, and so is Reconciled unto him. And for this end did Christ Jesus come, and for this purpose was made manifest, to destroy the works of the Devil, and to subdue that in man which is contrary, which is the cause of separation, to slay the Enmity, to break down the wall of partition, and of twain to make one new man, so making Peace and Reconciliation; ending the sin, making Reconciliation for iniquity, and so to bring in everlasting Righteousness. And no man doth, or can, truly witness Reconciliation that yet lives in iniquity, transgression and enmity against God, and in a nature contrary to him, but must be changed by the living operation of the Eternal Word, which will burn up and consume the contrary, which the Light makes manifest in the secret inward parts; and through the spirit of judgement and of burning is he redeemed, which burns up that which cannot endure and dwell with consuming fire, and so it cleanseth, purgeth and purifieth, slays and buries under all fleshly carnal love, desires, affections, and all self-conceits, heights, boastings, gloryings, shows, likenesses, images, inventions, and contrivances in the mind and wisdom, and whatsoever is not of God must die, be subdued, cut down and destroyed, which the Light makes manifest to be contrary; for he that lives and acts in and from that, it separates him, and keeps him out, and off, at a distance from God; and he must departed from that, and must die unto it that witnesseth Reconciliation, which is effected by the operation of the eternal power working in man, fashioning, framing and moulding of himin to God's likeness and slaying of him to the world, and all that is contrary to God, to which he cannot be reconciled, nor to man, as he lives, and still remains in that, and while as he walks in the ways that grieve his ho-Spirit, And this is a true and certain Testimony unto all People. Joseph Coale. THE END