TO THE PRINCE OF VENICE AND All his NOBLES: Which was Delivered for Him in His PALACE, and Received by Him in His COUNCIL-CHAMBER. Being A VISITATION and WARNING of that CITY. Which also may serve unto ENGLAND, and all Nations, called Christian Nations. Written by the Servant of the Lord, JOHN. London, Printed for Robert Wilson, at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Windmill, in martin's Le Grand, 1661. TO THE PRINCE OF VENICE, etc. FRIEND, I Have many things to say unto the Rulers, Prophets, Priests and People of the City VENICE, but yet you are not able to bear them: You being yet in the Nature and Ground in which Amaziah the Priest of Bethel was, in the days of the Prophet Amos; Read Amos 7.10. etc. And are not come to the Charity which Paul wrote of, which bears all things, believeth all things, 1 Cor. 13.7. hopeth all things, and endureth all things. But whether you will hear, bear, or forbear, this is the Word of the LORD GOD to you all. The LORD of Hosts hath a Controversy with the whole Earth, with whom he is arisen to plead, even with all sinful Flesh, upon the face of the Earth, which have corrupted their ways before the Lord. Behold, the mighty Day of the Lord GOD is at hand, wherein the LORD will Plead with all Flesh, and enter into judgement with all Flesh, and execute Judgement by Sword and Vengeance, with Plague; and fulfil his Wrath by Famine and Fire, until he sweeps the Land, as with a Besom of Destruction; and that it be cleansed of evil-doers. Behold, Overturn cometh, and Overturn followeth until the Last Overture be fulfilled, and He Come whose right it is to Reign, and the LORD Christ set up his Everlasting Kingdom, whose Dominion shall never have end: With whom no hypocrite, lip-worshipper, nor sinner, shall have an inheritance of Life, but shall be cut off for ever from the presence of the Lord, and separated unto perpetual Woe and Misery, to be held in the lake of fire and sulphur, with the blackness of the chains of darkness, under the fiery Indignation and wra●● the Lord God; and therein to be swallowed up alive, and to remain beyond the measure of all times. Think of this you Whoremongers, Whores and Harlots, you Drunkards, Gluttons, Proud, Covetous, cursed Swearers and Liars, Cheaters and Defrauders, Revelers, Sporters, Gamesters; you that spend your precious time in Vanity, wherein yet GOD hath spared you to Repent. In your abominable unclean Lusts, Vanity and Wantonness; you Envious-hearts, that cannot speak out of Crookedness and Frowardness; GOD hath a treasure of Vengeance, seven Vials full of Wrath, the Wrath of the Lamb whose Life in your Sodom, is day by day, throughout the number of your days slaughtered in your streets. Think of Sodom, and call to mind the end of Gomorrah, for now at this time the Lord warns you, even as he visited them Cities; Prepare, prepare therefore to meet the LORD by true and unfeigned Repentance, if haply the Lord may spare you, and turn away the fierceness of his Wrath, which looketh towards you. Leave off your flattering-speeches, and Titles one to another, and let every one speak the plainness of his heart and truth to his Neighbour: Amend all your ways and flatter not your selves, nor deceive your souls, with saying that you are of the Church of Rome: For many shall say Lord, but not enter; and the Jews called Abraham their Father, yet wanted his Faith; But forsake your cursed speeches and Oaths, and Adulteries, and Whordoms, and Drunkenness, and all Idolatries and Enchantments, and Sorceries; cast from you the cords of vanity, and so turn to the Lord, and then the Lord will turn to you: Or else GOD hath spoken in his holiness that he will visit you with his Vengeance, because of your unrighteousness and ungodliness; and although you may now, shut your ears against your burden, and laugh and mock at God's Messengers, and afflict and punish them which cry against your loathsome abominations, which stink in the nostrils of God, and his Saints, and is an abhorring unto modesty; yea though you may but gainsay our voice; It is because we cry against your sins, and for none other cause, but because we cry against all sin, and reprove Iniquity in the gap: Yet be it known unto you, that GOD sent unto Babylon her burden, Isa. 13.1. and unto Moab his burden, Isa. 15.1. And unto Damascus her burden, Isa. 17.1. And unto Egypt, Isa. 19.1. And unto the Desert, Isa. 21.1. And unto Tyre, Isa. 23.1. And unto the South, Isa. 30.6. And unto Niniveh her burden. Nahum 1.1. And unto Dumah, Isa. 21.11. And unto Arabia, Isa. 21.13. And unto the Valley of Vision, her burden, Isa. 22.1. And it came to pass that those things which were once the Prophet's burden for them, God laid every one's burden upon their own back, and made them all to bear their own burden; even as also from the Lord God, I say unto you, GOD will make you bear your own burden, even for your own sin, which is grievous, whose burden also will be grievous in the day whereof you shall say each one to his neighbour, and to his acquaintance, even as Cain said, Gen. 4.13. Our burden and punishment is greater than we can bear. Remember you are warned in the day of the Lord's pity; Repent and turn from your sins, for the Lord God laughs at your Confessors and Confessions, whilst you and they are still following on in sin, heaping sin upon sin, drawing Iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with cart-ropes: Else in God's day of Vengeance, Isa. 5.18. you shall remember that I did not run before I was sent, that God might visit you with warning, even as Niniveh was by Jonah, which then repent. Prise your time, for this is the word of the Lord to you all, therefore whilst you have time Repent. And thou the PRINCE of Venice, and the rest of the Nobles; Arise from your Throne, put on mourning in the inward parts, and proclaim this in the City, Jonah 3.5, 6. for my MESSAGE is unto you, and I clear my self unto you; Let the KING of Niniveh be your Example, and clear your selves to the People of all their blood. I am come to make blind those which say they see, and to turn from the darkness, those which are blind to the LIGHT, that they may see. I am not come with the inticing-words of man's Wisdom, neither in the excellency of Speech to man's Wisdom, nor in the deceivableness of vain Philosophy, but in the plainness of the demonstration of the Truth, in the Power of GOD unto that of God in all, but hid and sealed out of sight from the unclean and vulturous in all the World; I am the Light of the World (saith Christ) which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Saith John, John 8.12. John 1.9. who was a witness of him that was, and I do tell you of the same that is, and is to come. The little Stone cut out of the Mountains without a hand, which smiteth at the feet of the great Image of the Earth, whose head is gold, the body and members, part silver, part brass, part iron, and part iron mixed with clay; Dan. 2.32, 33. Until all the Images and Image-makers of the Earth be confounded before the LORD, and the great Image of the whole Earth, become like the chaff of the summer-threshing-floors, and the wind carry them away, that no place be found for them, and the little Stone which smiteth the Image become a great Mountain, and fill the whole Earth. For now is the Lord God of Heaven, and Earth about to set up his own Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and the Kingdom shall not be left to other People, but it shall break in pieces and consume all other Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. I am the Light of the World [saith the Lord of the Kingdom] he that believeth in me shall not abide in darkness, but have the Light of Life. The Trumpet of the Lord hath sounded and is sounding, and many that are dead in Christ have heard the voice, and are already risen out of the grave, and have appeared at the Judgement of the Lord of the whole Earth, who cometh quickly to Judge all the Inhabitants thereof, 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. both quick and dead. And now are the words of Paul fulfilled: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. John 8.51. And furthermore, He that now shall keep the words of Him who is the Light of the World, shall never see Death. All this cometh and is come according to the Everlasting purpose of the glory of the LORD, and that men may no more make a talk of the Scriptures, but that they may be all fulfilled. Awake, awake therefore you that slumber in your confessions, and yet are asleep in your sins; awake to the turning from your sins, that ye also may hear the voice of the trump of GOD, and the joyful voice of the shout from Heaven with Him, who cometh in the glory of his brightness, clothed in white, whom no flesh can see and live. Awake, awake to the Judgement, whilst the day springeth from on high, and visiteth you. For of a Truth whether you will hear or forbear, the LORD GOD cometh who hath shown signs in the Heaven, in the Firmament above the Earth, and darkened the Sun at his Word, and turned the Moon into blood, even whilst the Nations were asleep, and shown it to the thousands which he hath gathered from Sea to Sea, and from the Islands in the Sea; and shown his Wonders unto them fire and pillars of smoke, and blood, and vapours, whereof I am a witness, for the LORD GOD of Heaven and Earth; who am of him sent, to declare his mighty day which is at hand, to the Inhabitants of the Earth. A warning therefore to the World whilst you have time, Repent, lest he who cometh as a thief in the night, find you in the cursed nature of iniquity, and you be judged with the condemned for ever unto wrath: and think you of the perverseness of that faithless generation, in the days of Noah, who continued eating and drinking, in the strength of their lusts, and would not take warning, until the Flood came and made an utter destruction of them all; for as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be: Matth. 24.37. So if You perish in your sins, and the People for their sins, the blood be upon Your own heads henceforth and for ever. Remember you were warned to Repent. Now the LORD is coming to blind the World, which do say that they see, and to bring to nothing their wisdom, and to confound all the Will-worships of all the sons of men upon the face of the Earth; who can Sing, and Preach, and Speak, and Pray in their own time, and in their own wills, that is to say, when they will, even in the same will wherewith they Swear, Col. 3.5 1 John 3.15. Psal. 109.7. John 4.23. Rom. 8.4. and Lie, or are Proud, or Covetous, which is Idolatry; or Envious, which is Murder. All these things in the Will and Time of Man, both in Priest and People being but one, as saith the Scripture, Let his prayer become sin; and again, saith Christ, God heareth not sinners, for the Worship of God is in Truth and in Spirit; such Worshippers the Father seeks to Worship him, such as walk not after the Flesh; in whom the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled, who walk after the Spirit, in the Spirit. Now who are in the Spirit, and led by the Spirit, into all Truth, in the true knowledge and understanding of the mysteries of Truth, which is hid from those which walk after the flesh in sin, and are sinners, walking against the Life of the Spirit, which leadeth the true Worshippers of GOD in the Spirit out of all sin into all truth. John 16.13. By which Spirit of Truth, the Scriptures were spoken forth, and the Prophecies of the Prophets were spoken forth as Parables, as saith the Prophet. The Vision of all is become unto you, Isa. 29.11, 12. as a book that is sealed; which men deliver to one that is learned; saying, Read this I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed. And again the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned. So that it is hid from both the learned, and the unlearned, being not in the life of the Spirit by which it was written and given forth: and Christ spoke not any thing to the World, but what he spoke in Parables. Matth. 13.34. 2 Cor. 4.3. 1 Pet. 3.19. And if our Gospel be hid, it is hid from them that are lost, (saith Paul) who live in their sins, against the life of the Spirit, by which the Gospel came, and was preached to the Spirits in Prison, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And now if the World knows not how to try their own Spirits, let me show them a little by ask a few Questions according to the Scriptures, which by the Spirit of Truth and Understanding were given forth; which if you have the Spirit, and do walk according to the Truth of the Scriptures, by the Spirit of Truth, of Wisdom, and right Understanding, then with the Life of the Spirit you will be able rightly to answer them all; else you will know of what Spirit you are, as it is more necessary, that the World should know of what Spirit they are, then to imagine that they worship in the Spirit, whilst yet they are in their sins, and as men in the flesh, walking and living in the lust and liberty of the flesh. Query. 1. What is that Line which God stretcheth over the Earth to measure the Earth withal? 2. What is that Behemoth which God made with Job? and how doth he eat grass as an Ox? and although God made him with Job, whether did Job know him until God discovered him to Job? And whether hath God made him with you, yea or nay? 3. What are those Chains, wherewith CHRIST shall bind the KINGS of the Earth? and what are those Fetters of Iron in which also their NOBLES shall be bound? 4. What is that Iron Rod, with which He shall rule the Nations, and dash the wicked in pieces as a Potter's vessel? 5. What is that Seal, with which He sealeth the mouth of the Pit of darkness? 6. What is the Seal and Inscription thereof, wherewith the number of the Lord's People are sealed? 7. What is the Seal and Mark of the Beast, and his Number? 8. What is that Eye of Discerning which giveth the sight of reading the Inscription of every Seal in the foreheads of all, to the understanding of what number they are? and have you that Eye yea or nay? 9 When came in the Apostasy? and when was the discovery and Revelation of the man of sin, and spirit of Antichrist which wrought in a mystery? and how is he destroyed by the brightness of the coming of Christ? Read 2 Thes. 2.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. and tell me, Whether any man in particular, or any professing People in general, are yet redeemed from under the power of the working of the spirit of Antichrist, who remain in the first nature, bringing forth the fruits of Transgression, yea or nay? 10. Whether is there a Spot in Christ's Church? and Answer me plainly, Whether is there any one sinner, a member of Christ's Church upon Earth, yea or nay? 11. What is the Law of Life and Liberty of the Saints, which keep themselves in the Liberty, free from sin and transgression, which gendereth to Bondage, a measure of which is given to all; and to as many also which have not the Letter, by which also they shall be judged, as they shall who have the Letter, and yet walk contrary to the Letter of the Scriptures? 12. What is the Plummet unto which God seateth Judgement, that he may fill the Earth with Judgement, and the wicked with Condemnation? 13. What were those Battering Rams which God caused Ezekiel to place against the Walls of Jerusalem round about? and whether do they now Smite against Jerusalem, or Batter against the Walls of Mystery Babylon, yea or nay? 14. What are those Thorns and Briars which the wicked Princes of the Earth shall set in the gap, and set in Battle against the Lord, which the fire of the Lord God shall consume, that the Scriptures may be fulfilled? 15. What is the Battle of the Lamb, and who are His Followers? and whether any are his true Followers, but such as are able to hear all things, and bear all things in the true season? and whether are any now of the true Church, which was in Rome in Paul's days, but such as are ready to try all things, and hold fast that which is good, yea or nay? 16. Whether are You of that Church which are Proud, Envious, or Persecutors, which are Murderers in their hearts, yea or nay? 17. Whether is not all Sin of the Devil, and he that commits Sin of the Devil? and is there any other spirit which Persecutes or envies the Just now, but that spirit which was Envious in the beginning, and slew Abel the Just then, because God accepted him, and which also killed the holy Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, yea or nay? 18. Whether is there more than One Intercessor and Mediator between GOD and Man, and who is it? 19 By what Means shall a Young Man cleanse his Ways? 20. Is there one among all the Lip-professors of GOD in all the World, which walks in the clean way, either Prophet, Priest, or other, in which no sinner can walk, yea or nay? 21. Shall not I know the Tree by his Fruits, and all Professors by their Works, yea or nay? 22. Whether are not Christians, so called, and Heathens, Turks and jews, notwithstanding the diversities of their Confessions and Professions of Words, being all in sin and sinners, and transgressors, one in the Substance, and so in Unity, in one Ground and Nature, under the Curse and Wrath of GOD, yea or nay? 23. Who are the People Prophesied of, should come, of a Deeper Speech than you can perceive, of a Stammering Tongue than you can Understand? Isa. 33.19. 24. Let me ask the Prophets, Priests and wise Men of the City of VENICE, and let a Search run through the Land of ITTALY, to find out him which can show the Princes thereof the true Interpretation of my Vision, which is not a Dream, as the Voice of a Dreamer, but the Vision of the Lord, concerning the Times at hand; and prove you if their Wisdom can satisfy your hearts touching this matter? In my Vision I saw Seven Trees planted in Seven places, and the ground of Six of them where they grew was of one Nature, and each Tree had his fence about him, and I saw many Workmen labouring to raise the Defence higher, they began to Labour when it was a little Light, and the Night shortly overtook them all, that they could not Work any longer, so that they saw not the good of the Work of their hands, and therefore they sat down, and slept in sorrow. And it came to pass that there arose a Star, which while the Workmen slumbered, it shown me, that the first Tree was full of Moss, and withered without shooting a Leaf, and so waxed rotren: And I heard one say, Yet notwithstanding, let it stand for a season, until a fire be kindled. The Second sprouted out some certain Leaves, and it grew into Two Bodies, from One Root, the one was more green and fresh in colour than the other: And it came to pass, that a Wind blue, and they dashed each other; but the green part stood longest, although her leaves fell therewith, and her Body waxed dry at the Root. The Third prospered for a little season, but much heat parched the Branches thereof, and that also decayed. The Fourth had a time of Prosperity, but the Winter-season blew cold Winds over her Boughs, insomuch that the Rind peeled away, so that the Body was left naked, and it withered standing. The Fifth grew by a pleasant Brook, and the Waters thereof refreshed her Root, but the Ground being not good to retain the moisture, although that she budded and blossomed, yet it came to pass that a Wind from the North gently blew over it, and many of the blossoms were blasted, and the rest that remained, although they came towards the goodness of Fruit, yet afterwards, there came a rushing Wind from the rising of the Sun, and they all fell in an untimely season. The Sixth grew mightily, more tall and lofty than all the other five, and was the most of all beautified with the largest Leaves, and delightful-coloured blossoms, which covered her large quick-sprouting-boughs, but immediately her Root became a nurse of Rottenness. And I saw an Axe blade in the hand of a certain Shepherd, and lo, He looked over all the Six, and said, This is because of their unfruitfulness; and yet a sorer thing must come to pass. And he turned to the Seventh Tree, which was planted in a low Valley unploughed, and behold her Body bowed, and she stooped unto Him that had the Axe blade in his right hand; and He took a member of that Tree, without hurt to the Body, and he made thereof a Helve for the Axe, and fastened it thereto; and he turned again towards the Sixth Tree, and smote it, that it fell to the ground; and so He passed to the Fences of all the other Five first, and made breaches upon them, that they may all become utterly a Desolation for ever. And he again said, Even so must it be unto many Oaks, and Cedars, and wild appletrees in the Woods and Wilderness of the Forests of the Regions of the Earth. And again he returned to the Seventh Tree, and digged about it, and pruned it, and it bare Fruit to his pleasure. And he again uttered his Word and said, This is to spread, and I will dig a Well by her, and make her Field pleasant, and a refreshing River shall compass her Banks; that my Flocks which I have in secret places may openly feed as one Herd within the compass of this Fence which I have framed, and will build it round about, that no Thief may reach to taste of her Fruit. And I saw it and blessed the LORD, and magnified the NAME of the most High GOD. All that have received the key of Knowledge of the Oracles of GOD they can Read me, and Understand me, and Receive me, and know that I am of GOD; who being of GOD do know that the whole World lieth in wickedness. Now a wise Prince and wise Rulers, and wise judges, and wise Priests, and wise People, such as minister to the glory of the LORD, they will not judge of any thing before the true time. But Fools are rash and perverse, and froward, and heady, and furious; such cannot judge aright for GOD: [being not in the measure of GOD, which is meek, humble and patiented, which is the true eye to see all things justly weighed, in the balance of Equity] and therefore cannot measure a cause aright, and so not judge with the right Judgement; for it wanteth to be set up within to destroy the heady and the rash, and fierce, and proud, and envious within; and so the measure without is scant, and wanteth of the truth, because it is first scant within and judgeth not evil within. So it was with Christ; sinners judged Him who was without sin, that was and is the unjust Judgement, than a Nation is full of sin, and it haileth blood upon it wilfully: but yet the LORD GOD will judge for all, and the Nations shall know that he is Judge of Heaven and Earth. Therefore to the Light, which is God's measure in you all, turn your minds; which Light in all your Consciences, shows you and will show you all the evil, that ever you have done in the body; which if you love it, and follow it, will judge you all; and so as you love the judgement thereof, you will come to judge for GOD: The evil eye will be cast out, and the measure will be single within, to judge all in truth and equity without; therefore let all your Laws be according to that of GOD in the Conscience: and this is the Word of the LORD, in the Nations of the Earth. Oh VENICE! Why were thy Princes against the Execution of GOD'S judgements upon the heads of thine Inhabitants: If plagues be their due, because of their iniquities, thinkest thou that that thing is equal in GOD'S sight, which is made as a fence against GOD? Or, thinkest thou in righteousness that it is better to keep plague out of thy City, which can in a moment break over thy Walls, than to cleanse the City of Whordoms, Adulteries, Oaths, cursed Speeches, Drunkenness, Pride, Idolatry, Envy and Murders, by the just Execution of true Judgement in thy City: But what now if GOD willing to show his wrath upon the unclean vessels of Wrath, visits thee with Plague within thy City, and make thy bulwark, which thou madest against GOD, which is a fence binding unto Idleness, wherein mischief is hatched without thy City, to be put in Practice in thy City. I say what if GOD make them Walls, which thou hast built against GOD, the works of thine own hand, the burden of thine own back, Bulwarks and a fence to fight against thee within thy Walls? Will not judgement be Just then in thine own sight? Look upon thy Lazzarette and remember thou wert told that if thou pullest down Product, and repentest and amendest thy ways, GOD will preserve in thee the longer a People, and in Judgement thou shalt remember this. Concerning Iniquity in the heart, and the Fruits of the Cursed Tongue. GOD is coming to judge all Iniquity in the heart, and will rip open every heart, and show every man the deceitfulness of his heart: No Iniquity is hid from GOD, nor deceitful word or action, so as that He seethe it not; GOD, who is the searcher of all hearts, seethe the foolishness and deceitfulness, and the Iniquity in the hearts of men, which flatter one another with vain Titles, which neither profits Body nor Soul, saying one to another, I am your servant, Sir, Your humble servant, Sir Your servants servant, Sir You are my Lord and Master, I am your Slave, Sir.;; GOD seethe the Iniquity, and cometh to judge the Iniquity which is in the heart, the heart not thinking what the tongue speaketh; Judas 16 but, speaketh words of praise, and flattering words and titles to men's faces, and have men's Persons in admiration before their faces, because of advantage, that is the Iniquity in the heart; and when they have turned their backs, and have not the end which the Iniquity in the heart reached after, than they will say concerning the persons whom they did flatter to their faces with titles of vain praise, and vain honour, saying, that Devil did this, and that Devil did that, and that Accursed did the other thing. Now if the Accursed One in them, which works the Iniquity in them, did not blind their hearts, than they would see and know, that wherein they did flatter, they did but flatter with the Devil, which they did confess was the Devil: And when they said, I am your servant, Sir, and I am your slave Sir, You are my Lord, Sir; they did but give testimony that they are servants of the Devil, and the slaves of the Devil, Luke, 19.22. and the Devil is their Lord. And thus said Christ unto the unprofitable servant, even as these are unprofitable servants, Out of thine own mouth thou art judged; and so, Out of your Own mouths you are judged: Rom. 2.2. And this is the Judgement which is of GOD, which is according to Truth, which that of GOD in all your Consciences sets to seal, and shall set to seal the Truth of GOD's Judgements. Now such men which by their own Confessions, who out of their own mouths are judged, which the Light in their Consciences witness, that they are the servants of the Devil, and the slaves of the Devil, and the Devil is their Lord: they will go to a Priest, which Priest says he is the servant of God, and they will confess to him some of their wickedness, and the Priest will judge of it. Now I will tell you what Paul saith to such a Priest, Rom. 14.4. What hast thou to do to judge another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. So this I find the People in the Iniquity, and the Priest in the Iniquity, each one partaking of each others Iniquity. Again, There are those which do say, they are Gentlemen, and say, such a one is a Gentleman, and such a one is a Gentleman, and such a one is a gallant Gentlewoman, which are well bred; he is a very understanding man, he can compliment well, he is a man that can sing well, and among such as are his Equals he is very Noble, and will keep company and drink and be merry, and knows very well how to behave himself amongst Gentlemen in all manner of good behaviour and courteous salutation: And as for that Lady, she can sing well, and play well upon Music, and she knows how to behave herself well towards Gentlemen, in bowing the body, and speaking pleasant words. But now, if I were to ask a wise man, Of what Kingdom is all this? Is it of the Kingdom of GOD which is come down, and is coming down among men? or is it the Devil's kingdom, which is the ground of deceit in the hearts of men? Christ said, Be not you called of men Masters; Matth. 23.7, 8, 10 nor be not you called of men, Lord for one is your Master,; and one is your Lord, which is in Heaven. Christ did never teach Lying, nor Pride, nor Vanity, nor Lust, nor no such evil thing, but his Life bore witness against them; for he said, My Kingdom is not of this World; if it were, Joh. 18.36. than would my Disciples have fought. Now hereby I know that all these who are in the Lust, Vanity, Lies, Flattering and Deceit, in their words, works, carriages and behaviours, that they are not of Christ's Kingdom, for being vain in their minds, and proud in their hearts, after that they have flattered, and complemented one with another, when a matter or cause comes in competition between them to have the Superiority, and Mastery, and the most of the goods, riches and glory of the kingdom of this World, they fall into contention, strifes, debates, quarrelings and fight one with another, sometimes to the slaying and murdering one of another. Now these are they which the World call Gentlemen. Oh! utter shame to all the World! If they came but to see their own Ignorance in this matter; Christ said, Learn of me, for I am Meek and Lowly: Matth. 11.29. And He forbade His Disciples, which learned Meekness of Him, and Lowliness of Him, to be one with the World, in that which they feigned as their lowliness, and which the World do now say is their lowliness and humbleness, Matth. 23.5, 6, 7, 14. Luke 6.26. in salutation. Be not you as the hypocrites are, that love greetings, and salutations in the Market-places, and love the uppermost Rooms at feasts, and that love to pray to be seen of men, or to have the praise of men, or to be well spoken of in the world's ways. Woe be unto you, when all men shall speak well of you, saith Christ, For those which were in the customs of the World then, which were vainglorious, and proud, loving the praise of men, and the flattering-words of men, & to flatter men with words of praise, they were at enmity with Christ and his Disciples then: Of which discipleship Paul bears his Testimony, exhorting the Brethren, saying, Be not conformable to the things of this world, Rom. 12.2. but be ye transformed, by the renewing of your minds. And now such as are called, and do call themselves the Gentlemen in these days, they have done, and in all places are ready to do, the same things, which the former evil generation did unto Christ, and the Disciples, and the Brethren, which were transformed, by the renewing of their minds, to as many which also are now led out of the vanities of the World, to bear witness against the deceits of the World, and the Iniquity in the hearts of the sons of men. Furthermore, those which say they are Gentlemen; Some are Scoffers, that's Ishmael's brood, and have Envy in their hearts, which are Cain's Brethren; They will pull off their Hats to a man's face, and envy him in their hearts, and mock him behind his back, and will smite, and fight, and quarrel, and yet such are called Gentlemen, and are said to have good breeding, and good manners, whilst they have but the breeding of the wicked, and the manners of the scornful; and this is rottenness, and dirt, and chaff, the dross and offscouring of the Earth: and when any of them come to know GOD, they shall know this to be Truth, according to the mind and will of GOD, answering that of GOD, the Light in all Consciences. And again, some of your Gentlemen will Lie, and swear to a Lie, in whose mouths Lying and Swearing is as common talking; and some know how to compliment, to go a whoring, and to be drunk with Whores, and to make themselves merry upon the beds of Whores, and they dress up themselves in gay apparel, and perfume their apparel, to come with pleasant smells in the nostrils of Whores to be accepted in the house and eye of the Whores: And Whores doing the same, to be accepted of Whore-mongers, to smell sweet in the nostrils of Whore-mongers; and they paint their faces, and put black spots in their faces, the Devil's Mark in their faces, that they may be well accepted in the sight of their Lovers, and that their beauty may be pleasant to the eye, and their smell sweet in the nostrils of their Lovers. Many of these are your well-bred Gentlemen, and Gentlewomen; but they are a stink in God's nostrils, and an abhorring in the eye of the Lord; whom the LORD GOD in his mighty Day, which is at hand, will make an everlasting abhorring unto all flesh; Your well-bred Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, which are said to be of great Parentage, and of great Births, Nobleman's Children, their Father's men of great Estates, they must be honoured, and they must be respected, for they are gallant-bred Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, and are full of good manners; whilst the least part is not equal in all their members, the heart is not upright before the LORD, but their bones are full of Rottenness. And would not this very Generation make a mock of Christ, if Christ should come to ask of them, What was your Father Adam? Did my Father say, that he was a Gentleman when he was made in his uprightness? ●or your Mother Eve a Gentlewoman, as the proud deceitful flesh among you, are titled Gentlemen and Gentlewomen? What was Abel, Seth and Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Job, Micha, Zechary, and the rest of the Prophets, were they such Gentlemen as you? Or if Christ should say, was I reckoned such a Gentleman as you, who was (by such transgressors as you are) numbered among transgressors? Was Peter, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, Gentlemen, such as you are? If Christ should ask you these things, would not you laugh at him and mock at him, as the Jews laughed and mocked him upon the Cross? And now I ask you, which of you is better than they were? And further, Where did any of the Apostles, or Disciples, or Brethren say one to another, You are my Lord, Sir, I am your slave Sir; with pulling off of Hats one to another, and making great bowings one to another? Where do you find that that was the manner of their salutation and greeting one another, which you hold in deceit one towards another. Yet these Gentlemen of your nature, besides that Name, in their cursed nature will say, We are Christians, and Christ is our Lord and Saviour; Mat. 7.21, 22. But I will tell you what Christ will say to such, yea unto many such as will say Lord, Lord, In thy Name we have done many miracles, in thy Name we have cast out Devils, (your Gentlemen are far from that of casting out Devils, and if the Lord Christ will say to them) Depart you cursed workers of Iniquity, I know you not, think you, will he say less to your Gentlemen? Again, you that call Christ, Lord, hear you what the Lord Christ said unto such as you are, Luke 6.46. Why call ye me LORD, and do not the things which I say? Now this Christ said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and thy neighbour as thyself. Paul witnessed to it, Rom. 8.4. John 14.15. John 2.4. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And again saith Christ, He that loveth me keepeth my Commandments. Unto which John bears Testimony, saying, Whosoever saith he knows God, and keeps not his Commandments, is a liar. So you are here brought to proof and trial, whether GOD is your LORD, or the Prince of the power of darkness (he that was a Liar from the beginning) your principal Head and Ruler, let that of GOD, the Light in all your Consciences Answer. Psa. 50.16, 17. How dare you take my Name in your mouths, saith GOD, whilst you hate to be reform? This is to you also that take God's Name in vain, when your hearts are vain and exercised in vanity, and telling vain stories, and speaking about vain things, GOD will not hold you guiltless that take his Name in vain, and the Name of Jesus in vain; Exod. 20.7. yet you would have the Name of Christians because you confess Christ to have been slain at Jerusalem, but that will not serve you, though also you call him Lord, whilst you keep not the Commandments of the Lord. For I inquire among you all, concerning the Lord of Life, whether you know him to be daily crucified in your streets, which spiritually are called Sodom and Egypt? Revel. 11.8. Here Christ is but called Lord with that Iniquity which for the love of the unrighteous Mammon call men Masters, and Lords, and saith, I am your Servant Sir, I am your Slave Sir, whilst that is but a flattering Lie; And here they flatter others with Lies, and flatter themselves with Lies and in Lies, and are so vain in their Imaginations, that they would flatter GOD with Lies: But GOD will make you all to know, that he will not be mocked. Gal. 6.7. Wherefore I say unto you, that in vain hopes you expect Salvation, whose pleasure is to persevere in Iniquity, who are bound in the Womb of Witchcrafts, in the loathsomeness of all manner of unrighteousness. If Noah, Daniel and Job were among you, Ezek. 14.14. their righteousness should but save themselves, and but only Jesus the Righteousness of GOD intercede for them; or if Paul, Peter and Mary were among this Generation of loathsome sinners, their righteousness should but only save themselves, and Jesus the only Intercessor, and Mediator but only Intercede for them: So wherein you hope to die the death of the Just, and so to receive the Inheritance of the Just, and live not the life of the Just, I tell you nay; The Inheritance of the Just will not be yours, who live not the Life of the Just. Your hope in the end (Remember in vengeance, when you are under wrath, that I told you before [mark the end] their hope) is the hope of the Hypocrite, and their trust is as a Spider's-web: Job 8.13, 14. Luke, 16.20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Isa. 3.18. to 24. you that are called Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, who live in your lusts and pleasures. Read you your Figure as in a Glass; the Scripture concerning the Rich man and Lazarus; Read the Torment of Dives and mark his portion, and consider your latter end. Judah and Jerusalem had a day of warning, whose Inhabitants were adorned with all manner of bravery and tinkling Ornaments, with chains and bracelets and ornaments of the legs, and earrings, and rings, and changeable suits of apparel, wimples, and crisping-pins, and glasses, and fine linen, and hoods, and vails; but the LORD GOD changed the glory of their Liberty, and brought them down into Captivity. Let their Sufferings be your Example; and remember when Suffering comes upon you, that you were warned to Repent. And now you that would know the true adorning, let me tell you what Peter witnesseth to be the true adorning; he saith, Let it not be the outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Now what will you all say for yourselves, who in your life are enemies to the Life, walking contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle Peter? Deceive not your Souls, if you would choose to die the death of the Just, to have the Inheritance of the Just, You must all choose first, to come to the Light in all your Consciences, which reproves you for all your sins and wickedness, and following the Light which comes from Christ, and none other Guide, it will lead you to the Life of the Just, where none other Guide can lead you, unto Christ the true Light of the World, who is the Shepherd and Leader of his little Flock unto pleasant Pastures, who are despised and hated of the wicked sinful World, even as our Lord and Shepherd was before us. But now is the LORD GOD coming to judge for his own, whose we are, and not our own. The Ground of Idolatry in the Heart. NOw I would show you the Ground in which an Idol is made, and in which Idolatry is brought forth. Exod. 32.1, 4. Whilst Moses was in the Mount, and out of the Camp, the Children of Israel consulted together, and with Aaron the Priest, and made a Calf, and Worshipped it. Ezek. 40.14. As for the Heathen in these days, they have the Images of things visibly before them, and do bow their heads unto them; but as for the house of Israel they have set up their Idols in their hearts. Now come you and examine all your hearts, and let that of God in you answer me: Paul the Apostle said, Col. 3.5 Covetousness is Idolatry: In that heart which is covetous, the Image of Caesar, the Image of the Prince of the Nation, his Superscription, Mark and Stamp, in the Gold, Silver and Brass, that's the god which he serves, that is the Idol in his heart, the love of the Mammon is planted in his heart. Now that heart Christ saith cannot serve GOD, because the unrighteous Mammon is master in the heart, (Matth. 6.24.) master of the mind, master of the affection, and master of the secret thoughts, and there is no spirit to serve GOD; for the mind is in the Mammon, and it cannot serve GOD. Again, Such as are proud, having great Possessions in the Earth and go vaingloriously in gay Apparel, which seek for the honour which comes from man, and which love to be called Master and Lord, and to be said unto, I am your servant Sir, and, I am your slave Sir; such are Unbelievers saith Christ, Joh. 5.44. which seek honour one from another; they have not Faith, for they are not faithful in their life, in obedience to Christ's Words, who saith, Be not you called of men Masters for one is your Lord,; Matth. 23.8, 10. which is in Heaven. Now their glory in the flesh, is the Idol set up in their hearts; here GOD is dishonoured by that cursed Image in the heart, and Idol of vainglory in the heart: for the Scriptures say, All Glory belongs to GOD. So when the heart lusteth after any Glory, and sets up Glory in his mind, that is a strange god, and that strange god hath the glory, and not the True GOD; that is one of the gods of the Earth, which will not save, but shall be destroyed, with the worshipper of the false god. Again, Some are Drunkards, others Gluttons, Whoremongers, Whores and Thiefs; I would have all these also to know the Image and Idol which is set up in their hearts, and the fallen god which they worship with their affections, and all their hearts, which the true Eternal GOD will destroy: Phil. 5.19. Lust and pleasure is their god, as the Apostle saith, Whose belly is their god, who mind earthly things. But whilst their hearts and affections take pleasure in the things of the flesh, and so worship the Idol and false god in their hearts with the love of their hearts, (which part [that is to say, the whole heart] the True GOD requires) they are but fatting themselves to be fit for destruction, which shall surely overtake them, with the sore displeasure of the True GOD. Again, Others love to see the Pictures of their Friends and Kindred and Children, and the Pictures of the Patriarches and Apostles, and Christ and Mary; and the Pictures of Wild-Beasts of the Field, and the Tame Beasts of the Field, and the Fowls of the Air, and the Fish of the Sea, and the Creeping-things of the Earth; and so that eye which takes pleasure in the sight of these Pictures, let's in the love of them into the heart, and so unto many (mine eye hath seen in the Counsel of GOD,) these things have been a double Image, and a double Idol; as the Image and Idol of the Heathen, and the Image and Idol of Israel, an Image and an Idol without, which they have bowed unto, and kissed upon a piece of Board, or against a Wall, and upon a piece of Paper, or cut out of an entire body of Wood: GOD's Vengeance and Plagues and Indignation will smite the hearts of all such Idol-worshippers, which worship Images and Pictures without, and let in the love of these things into their hearts, than it becomes the god of the heart also, here GOD is not known among such to be all in all; for where an Image or an Idol, a false god within or without stands, the True GOD is nothing at all to them, or in them, until He shall be known to them all, in Vengeance and Fury against them all. Now I would show you further, that those things may be made an Idol and an Image in the heart, which GOD once commanded; To which end Jeremiah spoke unto the House of Judah, saying, Jer. 7.4 Trust you not in lying words, saying, The Temple of the Lord, The Temple of the Lord, The Temple of the Lord are these, when he was sent to cry against the Temple, which GOD once commanded to be built, that His Name might be sanctified therein. Then the Temple was all glorious within, as I am speaking after the manner of men without: as it was also glorious within in the Substance, whilst the Jews were kept to within where the Substance was known; but when an Eye was open in them, to let in the glory of the Temple without, than they were turned from the glory of the Temple in the Substance, and so GOD forsook their Temple. 2 Cor. 6 16, 19 Now saith Paul, Your Body is the Temple of the living GOD; and he that now shall set up Love and not the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, which is CHRIST the Love, which cometh from GOD: GOD is Love, 1 John 4.16. 1 Joh. 1.5. and GOD is Light; So he that sets up another Love than the Light, and hath in his heart another Love than the Light, he sets up a false god, and worships an Image, and is an Idolater in the substance, though his love be to make long Prayers, or to read the Scriptures, or to hear Sermons, or to sing Psalms, or to give Alms, and all his Goods to the Poor, and his Body to be burnt, being out of the Light which reproveth all sin in the Conscience, and reproveth all false love in the Conscience, Matth. 6.5. the love of that which would be seen of men, or have praise of men; that which leads to be spoken well of men, for his words or for his works, or for his Religion, that is the false love, in the hearts of the Heathen and professing Christians; That is their false god, even the love which is not of the True GOD, who is Love, and who is Light; for the Light in all your Consciences upon a due search of all your hearts, will reprove it. And again, Gen. 6.5 Where the Imagination of the heart of man ruleth, which is only evil continually; I say, where the Imagination worketh in Jew or Gentile, to walk according to the Law, or the Gospel, being not in that by which the Law was given forth, and the Gospel preached, they worship a false god, (that which their own hearts do imagine to be God,) whilst the True GOD is hid from Imaginers, the worshippers of strange gods, which their Imaginations do make in their minds. Now that is the ground of an Idol, and the ground of Idolatry, The Imagination which blinds the eye, and blinds the heart, Rom. 1.28. and blinds the understanding, altogether concerning the true Knowledge of the True GOD. For they like not to retain GOD in their knowledge, who like to retain Imaginations in their minds. Many have heard it said, that GOD is a Spirit, Joh. 4.24. and he will be worshipped in Spirit, and do think from that report they have enough of the knowledge of GOD, and of the True Worship, and yet the World that thus confess, are divers in their Worships, being not yet in the Spirit in which GOD is truly known, and witnessed to be a Spirit, they worship they know not what, Joh. 4.22. who are in the flesh, in the lust, nature and deeds of the flesh, which is at enmity with God, who is a Spirit. Here I find all the World, Jew and Gentile, Professor and Profane of all Nations in sin, in the flesh, at enmity with GOD and the Spirit, and with all that walk with GOD, and Worship GOD in Spirit, and do hate and persecute them; Gal. 4.29. according to that which Paul said, As then, he that was born after the Flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit; even so it is now [mark] even so it is now because they know not GOD, which hath begotten us into the Spirit, and therefore they hate the Father, and them whom the Father sendeth. And this to all the Idol Worshippers within, and the Idol-worshippers without, in the World, is the Word of the LORD GOD. Concerning the straight Way to Life. IT is not the will of the LORD that always the simple, should be held in a by-way. Therefore let me declare unto the simple, Isa. 35.8 the straightway of the Lord, which the way-faring-men, though fools, shall not err therein. All the World is yet ignorant of that way, being in divers paths in the going forth of their Feet, but in the substance and body, their footsteps lead them, Matth. 7.13. to meet all in the one broad wide way of sin and transgression, which leads to the Pit of Perdition. This is glad-tidings to the Seed of the captivity which I sound among the sons of men, The LORD is come and coming, to fulfil the Promise of his Covenant, which he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophet Jeremiah, (whom GOD sent as a Child among the Nations with his Word, and to confound the counsels of the wise, by the Revelation of his Wisdom in Childhood) Behold the days come, Jer. 3.31, 33. (saith the LORD) that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their GOD, and they shall be my People. 1 Cor. 10.1, 2, 3, 4. That was the Law which God gave unto Moses, (who was a Follower of Christ) which was not written in tables of stone, but engraven upon the table of the heart. For this commandment which I give thee this day is not hidden from thee, neither is it a far off; it is not in heaven, Deut. 30.11, 12; 13, 14. that thou shouldest say, who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? neither is it beyond the Sea, that thou shouldest say, who shall go over the Sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it and do it? But the Word is very nigh unto thee, in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart, that thou mayest do it. Rom. 10.8. 2 Pet. 1.19. And this was the Word of Faith which Paul preached, and the same Word of Faith which Peter also bore witness to, saying, We have a more sure Word of Prophecy, whereunto ye do well, if ye take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your Hearts. Now all that are not come to this Word of Faith, which is a Light that shineth in a dark Place, they are out of the true Faith of Christ, whose Name is called the Word of GOD; Who saith, Rev. 19.13. John 8.12. Joh. 12.46. I am the Light of the World, which lighteth every man, that cometh into the World, saith John, 1.9. And Christ the Light of the World; who said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life no man cometh unto the Father, but by by me, John; 14. v. 6. This is the Way which for Ages hath been hid from the simple, [the Light] which leadeth to the Father, who giveth Life everlasting to all that love the Light, and follow, and walk in the Light, wherewith they are lightened, which tells you in you● own minds and consciences, that you must not Swear, nor Lie, nor Steal, nor Covet, nor be Proud, nor Scornful, nor vain in your Words and Hearts, nor wanton in your Minds, unto uncleanness and lust of the Flesh, nor Envy any man, which is murder, nor be Drunk, nor Gluttonous, nor to do any Wickedness. This is the straightway, Matth. 7.14. and the little narrow way which Christ the Light (who is the Way) spoke of leads to Life; it is straight and narrow to that Nature, in all flesh living, which walks in sin, enemies to the straight way of Life: John 16.8. The Light which convinceth the World of sin, if you love it, and follow it, will lead out of all sin; this is the way which the Prophets prophesied of should be to the wayfaring-men, though fools, wherein they should not err. This is trial to all the World's ways, of Jew and Gentile upon the face of the earth: Are they entered in that way in which a Sinner cannot walk? 1 Jo. 3.8. Joh. 3.19. No Sinner doth walk in the Light; for all Sin is of the Devil; And he that commits Sin is of the Devil; And this is the condemnation of the world; that Light is come into the world, and men love Darkness rather than Light, because their deeds are evil. The Lord God is come to put all Professions in the Balance, and will weigh them in the Balance of Equity, and that which is found in the vanity of many large words, and Shows, and likenesses, yet not being in the substance, in the Righteousness of God, which is Christ the Light; By the substance [which is the Light] the Lord God, [who is Light] will overturn them all, and by the breath of his mouth, will blow over all confessions and professions, and those which make them, and like as untimely leaves they shall fall, Jer. 48.11. and perish, and rot on the Earth. For behold the Lord God hath looked and hath seen, and seethe all the World asleep, and like unto Moab settled upon their lees, which have not been emptied from vessel to vessel, and the old scent of their traditions (in whom iniquity is increased by their traditions) remains in them, and the taste is not changed at all; And now is the Lord of Hosts, which brought Israel out of Egypt, stretching out his Arm, for the sake of the Captivate, to break the bonds and lose the captivity; for he hath said in his righteousness, they which have lead into captivity, shall go into captivity, Rev. 13.10. and the captivate shall go free. Oh all ye Sons of men, who are endued with sobriety and moderation, ponder your ways and consider your do, for behold the Lord lifteth up his hand against all the ungodly; and now the voice behind you saith, Isa. 30.31. this is the way walk in it; who therefore sent his Son into the world a Light, who hath lightened you with his true Light, that you should walk in the Light, which convinceth you in your consciences of all sin, when you are in secret, and none eye seethe your hearts; and the Light tells you in your minds your wicked & evil intents, and when the thoughts of sin arises in your minds, the Light shows it to you, which if you love and join your minds to the Light it will save you from your sins, & then you will know the end of Christ's coming in the flesh, which was to save his people from their sins, Math. 1.21. 1 Jo. 3.8. and that he might destroy the works of the Devil, the works of him which doth evil, that is the wicked one in man, which was a liar from the beginning. Wherefore all people prove your ways, and prove your hearts; for the Mighty God is coming to search the Earth, and to make a narrow search through it; And this is the Inquisition which the Lord of Hosts will make through the whole Earth, for the Souls which have been slautered and starved, and all the wrongs which the Innocent have suffered by the Inquisitions of the Sons of men, who have as it were hunted after mischief and blood in all their ways. Woe to the Shepherds, to the Prophets and Pastors of the Flocks, which feed their flocks upon the mountains, and nourish their increase with wind; the wind of the Lord God will disperse them and make their heritage a howling. Look to this thou populous No, Nahu. 3.8. that art situate among the Rivers, that hast the waters round about thee, whose ramparte is the Sea, and thy Wall is from Sea to Sea, when the Lord God dries up Euphrates, then shall his army have a passage unto thee; And than his Priests shall sound about thy Walls with Rams-hornes, Rev. 16 12. and in a day thou shalt fall as Jericho except thou repentest; and this unto thee is the word of the Lord God, whether thou wilt hear or forbear. Therefore to the way which will lead thee from the woe, which will redeem thee and lead thee from the cause, which is the multitude of thy sins. The Light will lead thee unto Fear and Dread, and trembling, and paleness, and feebleness before the Lord of Truth and Righteousness, whose vials are filled and prepared; and behold God's long patience is exercised to try thee, and to prove thee, and now a warning is come, and cometh to thee, and the whole World. Enter therefore into the straightness of the way, the Light, which God setteth as a mark, either for thy rise and salvation, or miserable downfall into Judgement and Destruction; which if thou repentest not, as sure as the Lord lives, he will make thee to know that thou shalt become as Babylon, which he shall be called blessed that dasheth the Brats of thy uncleanness and Whordoms against the Stones; and this upon thee shall stand as the Word of the Lord to be fulfilled in Judgement, except thou repentest. And now I tell thee there is no salvation under Heaven for thee, but the way which is set for the simple, the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, in which the wayfaring men, though fools, cannot slide nor err therein; and this is the Declaration of the Lords Truth, to be witnessed by the seed in all, even by that of God in every man's conscience. Now if any man or Woman upon the face of the Earth, King or Queen, Prince or Princess, Priest or People, from the highest to the lowest, in all Nations of the Earth do say, That the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, is not the true way to God's Kingdom; or if they say, that there is another way under Heaven which leads to Life, besides the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World; I say, their way is darkness: or if any manner of persons do hate the Light, and mock the Light, they are witnesses to themselves, that they are yet in darkness. And they who have another Rule or Guido to lead them, than the Word of God, which is nigh you (saith Paul) in your mouth, Rom. 10 8. and in your heart; or if they say, they have another guide than the Light which shineth in their consciences, it is a false Guide and leads into Darkness. Again if any Priest or People, from the highest to the lowest, do Scoff and Mock the Messengers of the Light, let that stand before all grave sober-minded men, as a sign of the last times and of the Spirit of Antichrist in those, which are the Mockers and the Scoffers, whether Priest or People, from the highest to the lowest; 2 Pet. 3 3. and so here Peter's words are fulfilled, In the last days shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts. But God will make them all to know, concerning all Mockers, and Scoffers of his Light, and the Messengers of his Light, that he sits in Heaven and sees them, and laughs them to scorn; for they are the despisers, & wonder and perish, Act. 13 41. for whom this was written, Behold I work a work in your days, saith the Lord, a work which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you; and so those who despise the Light, they are in Darkness, and so great is their Darkness, that they cannot see their darkness; but I feel their Darkness, to be thick and like a cloud, which the Light hath covered them with, because they despise the Light, and Mock the Light wherewith they are lightened, which hath shined in all their consciences; and this to that of God is Truth, and shall stand to be witnessed by that of God in all consciences, which the World hate, who make a Mock of the Light; for the Truth is but one, and the Way is but one, and that one is Christ the Light, which lighteneth every man that cometh into the World, which Baal's Priests and Prophets did always despise and mock, and this standeth over all decitfull hearts and Tongues. Concerning Righteous Judgement. GIve ear, give ear ye judges, and hear ye Rulers and justices of the whole Earth. The Lord God is come & coming to look for the fruit of Righteousness and Truth from you all; Livit. 19.15. God looks for true Judgement from all without respect of Persons in judgement; that justice and true judgement may give the Widow her right, and let the oppressed of the Land go free; and God looketh that you should incline your ear to the Cry of the poor, and answer the lamentation of the needy and the fatherless, in his time of need; God heareth their cry, even the cry of the poor and needy, the fatherless, Widow and oppressed, who cry for judgement, which cries for mercy: Behold the Lord cometh to look for the fruits of Righteousness among you, mercy and true judgement to be found in you. Oh all you high exalted in the strength of the conceits of your Wisdom, you must come down from the top of Mount Carmel, come down to the true measure of equity, come down to the just weight and balance of true judgement, in which all the Kings, Princes, Judges and Justices of the whole Earth shall be weighed and measured by the true measuring line of Judgement; such as have judged for gifts and rewards, and have not turned their hands from Bribes, but have loved the liberal hand of I will give you Sir, This is a present for my Lord; which hath blinded the eye of Righteousness, and so Equity and true Judgement hath been turned backward; and here corruption Reigns, and the fruits of Righteousness not brought forth; for the true judgement is wanting, and the balance is not used to weigh a trive and a present; the Life of the needy is not set in the Scale against it, which in the balance of true Judgement is the greatest weight, here the Innocent is undone, the Widow pours out her Tears, and the groans and cries of the poor, the fatherless and oppressed, go up to God; and God weighs that in the balance of his Sanctuary, Amos 2.6. Mich. 3 against the lightness and wickedness and corruption of the unjust Judge's vanity, who turn the poor and stranger from his right, and sell the needy for a pair of shoes; and here Zion is built up with blood, and Jerusalem with Iniquity, when the heads thereof judge for rewards. Wherefore all ye Rulers, Justices & Judges, come and learn to rule and judge aright in your own house, that you way become Ministers in the house of the Lord; for he which judges in Truth, and executeth Judgement in Righteousness, he is a Minister in the Lord's house, he bears not the sword in vain; but with the Sword he is a terror to all evil doers, and a praise to them that do well; here the wicked come to be cut off, and the murderers slain with the edge of the Sword, and this cleanseth the Land of Evil doers, and from shedding all Innocent blood; here the Just rejoiceth, and the Upright and Innocent is made glad when the Harlot is cut off, and the Whoremonger destroyed, and the sword in Judgement held over the head of the wicked; then there is no more filthiness in the Land, there is no more uncleanness in the City; for Truth runs down like a stream, and Righteousness covers the Earth, and the Knowledge of God the Land, as waters cover the Seas. A man's enemy (saith Christ) is that of his own house; Come, learn Judgement, true judgement, ye Nations of the Earth, that the fruit of Righteousness may be brought forth amongst you, and in you. Draw the Sword, and set up the Sword first in your own house, and learn to know the Murderer there, and the Harlot there, and the Wicked there, and the Liar in your own house; which David said he would not keep in his house; he loved Judgement, and therefore from a Shepherd God exalted him upon the Throne, Ps. 101 7, 8. and with him the Sword of Judgement was set up in his house, and in the Land to root the wicked out of his house, and out of the Land, and to cut off the seed of the evildoer. Now the false lover in you, which loves Rewards, Gifts, and Presents, or any Love, which is not the Love of the Light, the Love of Christ in you; that's the Harlot which betrays you, and the murderer which murders the Innocency of the Just, and perverts his cause, and strangles the Innocency of his cause, which the Sword ought to right; and that which swears and tells a Lie in you, that is the wicked one, who was a liar from the beginning, who was a murderer; and that which lusteth unto Envy in you, because you have not your wills in the flesh, that is Cain's seed, his own nature and life, which slew Innocent Abel, which is for Judgement and for the Sword; for God hath set a mark upon it to that end: Now Abel's blood, [mark Abel's blood] which is the Life, that little grain of Innocency, which is oppressed in your hearts and minds; that little poor seed which never did consent unto evil in you, but was pressed down with heaviness to heart, and laden and burdened in you, even to the Soul, which the Soul felt in time of sinning, and when you had committed sin; the Light in you which cries for Justice, the Blood which cries from the Earth for Judgement, Amos 2.13. which God hears, that is the oppression of God's Soul, which the wicked in you have laden and pressed down, as a Cart is laden and pressed down with sheaves; over which wicked one in you, the Sword is to be set, in your own house, the two- edged Sword of the Lord; his Word the Light, which will slay the enmity in righteous Judgement, and the life of the wicked-cut off: And so measuring and ruling your own house with the Judgement of Truth, here you become equal Rulers for God, of all the world without you; for the Just hath his right within, the balance of equity is set up within, and here the true eye is open, which looks into the Justness of a cause, and sees the Justness thereof, and loves it; and for the sake of truth deals Justice to the Innocent, and Judgement to the Oppressor; then the eye discerns aright, and gives unto every one his right; and cannot look upon any with prejudice, because he is thus or thus, or because he was thus or thus; here no man is respected because of his place, or because of his person; where that of God in the conscience rules, which respects no man's person; 1 Kin. 3 24. here the Sword divides aright, It gives a whole living Child to the true mother, and the harlot set to be stoned without the Camp: this makes the heart of the Righteous glad, and so the whole Land becomes as God's Israel, in which the showers of blessing and mercy flow for ever; whose dwellers plagues come not to touch. And this is the offering which God requires among you, true judgement and justice, to be executed upon the head of the transgressor, without mercy: But mercy to the Poor, the Widow, the Fatherless, and Oppressed; and not to pervert the way of the stranger, to turn him out of his way; and all to be done, and executed by the measuring line of true Judgement, that of God in your consciences, to order all your Laws, Acts, and Ordinances; that when God comes, Innocent blood may not be found in your Land, for which God is coming to visit: and where the measure is scant, and the balances falsified, God will find out the Iniquity, and overturn it, and make all as a plain before him, and plant such in the Nations for his service, as shall not bear the Sword in vain. Concerning the Law, saith Paul, 1 Tim. 1.9, 10 The Law is not made for a Righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient; for the ungodly, and for sinners; for unholy, and profane, for murderers; and man-flayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for Stealers, for Liars, and for Perjured persons. Where the measure of the Lord Rules, there the Law is fulfilled; but where the Will rules, concerning the Law, or concerning the Customs, or concerning Professions, and Religions, than the Heart is blind, and cannot Judge; then the unrighteous rules, and it judgeth the just; and by this the Just always suffered, the Prophets were killed, and Christ crucified, and the Apostles stoned and put to Death: read Ps. 94.20, 21. Sinners and ungodly, for whom the Law was made, judged them for whom the Law was not made, in their perverse Wills by a Law; and this was always the blindness and Ignorance of the World, who did not judge according to that of God in the conscience; for which cause the Jews and Greeks are under a curse to this day, whose sin is not repent of. Therefore a warning to the whole World, how they being sinners, and in their sins, Judge and condemn the Innocent, and such in whose mouth is no guile, nor in their heart Iniquity, for the mighty day of God is at hand, and the Lord is coming to enter into judgement for his own. Therefore let all your Laws be according to that of God in the conscience, that you wrong not the Innocent, nor hale Innocent blood upon your heads; for such a Nation God will establish for ever, and give their enemies as a prey to their net. And this is your Visitation from the Lord, whether you will hear or forbear. I. P. Postscript. GO ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have MERCY and not SACRIFICE, Mat. 9.13. saith Christ; Learn to offer unto the Lord of his own, that which is acceptable in his sight; offer Truth and offer Righteousness, the fruits of an upright heart. God requireth substance and not shadows; Psa. 50.9, 10, 11, 12. substance without all shadows. I will take no Bullock out of thy house saith the Lord, nor He-Goats out of thy folds; for every beast of the Forest is mine, and the upon a thousand Hills. I know all the Fowls of the Mountains, and the Wild-beasts of the Field are mine; all the Bees of the Woods, and the Waters of the Fountains are the Lord's, who sanctifieth Israel. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the World is mine, and the fullness thereof. The Lord hath no pleasure with thousands of Rams, or with the offering of ten thousand Rivers of Oil; for he hath showed thee, O Man, what is good, Mic. 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13. and what the Lord doth require of thee; But to DO JUSTLY, and to LOVE MERCY, and to WALK HUMBLY with thy GOD? The Lord's voice crieth unto the City, The rich men thereof are full of Violence, and the Inhabitants thereof have spoken Lies, and their Tongue is deceitful in their Mouth. Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, Hose 5.4. in making thee desolate, because of thy sins. They frame not their do to turn unto God, for the spirit of Whoredoms is in the midst of them; And they have not known the Lord; Hos. 4.2, 3, 4, 6, 9 for with Swearing, and Lying, and Killing, and Stealing, and committing Adultery, they break out, and Blood toucheth Blood: Therefore shall the Land mourn, and the Inhabitants shall fall in the day, and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy Mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. For it is come to pass, that there is like People, like Priest; wherefore I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their do. The Lord God is working a Work of glory and praise unto his own Name, and utter confusion to the whole Earth; Confusion of their Words, Confusion of their Works, Confusion of their Ways, and will show the Confusion of their Do, and confound the Imaginations of their Hearts, and will make the Earth to know, Rev. 21 23. ch. 22.5. that in his holy Temple, in the City of the Living God, there needeth not the Light of a Candle, nor the Light of the Moon, nor the Light of the Sun, for the Lamb is the Light thereof. And if the Lord had need of any of those Lights, who created them, he would not say unto vain man, that he needed them. For he showeth thee O man, that thou shouldst walk by the Light which shineth in thy Conscience, which showeth and convinceth thee of thy sins and transgressions; he requireth not the Songs of the cruel, nor the Prayers of sinners, Io. 9.31 Psa. 34.18. Ps. 51.17. but in a broken heart the soul of the Lord taketh pleasure. Wherefore strip you, make you naked and bare, put away the Lies and Oaths and Curses of your Lips, and the Iniquity and Lusts of your Hearts. Come now and you with Righteousness, and adorn your Breasts with the Chain of the Glory of Truth, and be bound to the Lord therein. Then in stead of Vengeance the dew of Mercy; in stead of the overflowing wrath, showers of Compassion; in stead of a cup of trembling, the wine of everlasting consolation: Else behold the Indignation of the Lord, as a Flood from his holy Mountain, shall sweep the Channels, and the stream of the fury of the Lord, shall accomplish his end upon all the possessors of corruption. And this is the Word of the Lord God to all the Inhabitants of Sodom. Written by his Servant, in obedience to his Commandment, who is made a man of sorrows because of your sins. Oh! that you all heard the voice of my cry over your City, then would you with sackcloth, and join in mourning, and repent, and know that your warning is from the Lord God, which hath measured thy streets, whose channels flow with blood and uncleanness. I am a Lover of all your Souls, JOHN PERROTT. THE END.