A DISCOVERY OF SOME PLOTS OF LUCIFER AND HIS COUNCIL AGAINST The Children of MEN.  
LONDON, Printed for T. Brewster at the sign of the three Bibles at the West end of Paul's. 1656.   

A discovery of some plots of Lucifer and his Council against the Children of men.  
1. ONe that had some experience of the devices of Satan, and is not wholly ignorant of them, doth here in few words cry out to you all the children of men to take heed, and be wise in Christ's wisdom, and watch against this roaring, devouring deep and dangerous lion; whose Jaws are the gates of hell, and whose interest is in all our natures.  
2. At first, when he saw God had made man after his own Image; (which similitude Satan himself had lost) he was so busy with the first Adam, that within 40 days he fetched him, and in him all his to his own element. And presently after when God promised Adam that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpent's head (not seeds as of many, nor heads as of many, neither) than Satan fell upon Cain her first seed, and also kept fast all the old world (excepting a few that escaped out of his snares) in iniquity.  
3. Then after this, Jehovah raised up Abraham as a common root to a spiritual nation, according to his faith, & as a public spring to the most famous nation of the Jews after the flesh. But the divider rested not, till he broke off about 600000 men in the wilderness. Afterwards he cozened ten tribes from the pure worship at Jerusalem; and at length prevailed with the other tribes, to crucify the Messiah; for he vailed over the Lord of glory, that they did not know him, but killed him.  
4. Now, when God seemed to be thus defoiled, and put back, he Creates a new people among the Gentiles. And this with a few Jews, is called the primitive Church Apostolical. But not many years after, the old dragon, played another game, and divideth those Churches by breaking them among themselves. So that the Apostasy and Antichrist, all in black and blood came up, and so for many hundreds of years the beast and dragon carried almost all before them; though all this while God hath his children, and Christ was digging the tophet deep, for to cast the king and god of this world at last into that bottomless pit.  
5. It is well known that of late years, as soon as any sort of people, were coming out of Babylon and minding the way to Zion, the enemy hath by experience of ages found out many new Inventions to delude, & divide; & by teaching his doctrines, and applying his conclusions, he prevaileth with most of all mankind to submit to him as to their sovereign.  
6. Now, whereas truth (being but one) is scattered among all Christians; and one is taught in one part of it, and another in another, so that no one sort of men have but only a parcel of the truth, and it but a part of their heart; the old dragon endeavouring to make truth war against itself, as it doth fight against him who is the father of lies, he coineth new names for every party of people, that so they might dispute and wrangle among themselves; and when any good word is spoken as a testimony, the vulgar despise it, and say O he is such a one, of such a Sect; so truth is undervalved and Sects maintained.  
7. And to secure his den of lies, he rangeth his own subjects into manifold forms, & makes them seem to fight one against another, that so he that escapeth one evil way or opinion, may greedily run into the Camp of another party of the devil, being still carefully detained within the verge of his court which is flesh and disobedience.  
8. And further rather than fail, he stirreth up a Theudas, and after him Judas before Christ comes, and possesseth the bodies of many, that so (besides the gaining of those deluded souls) he may prejudge Christ; that the people may say of Christ, he hath a devil and is mad; as them lately risen, and so tumble them over the stumbling stone.  
9 Time would fail to enumerate his protects to vex Christ, and deceive the people; but this paper intends only a hint, that unstable souls, for want of comprehension of love, may not fall into the manifold entanglements of the Serpent.  
10. Of any thing he cannot endure love, peace and purity. Therefore striveth he to set one Text, one Saint, one providence, one government, one Church, one nation, and one man against another; and delighting to fish in troubled waters, he setteth Churches on flames by disputations, and kingdoms by wars; and private Christians by envyings and evil surmisings.  
11. O thou old Serpent, the day of God discovereth thee. Thy den is malice: Thy trade is sinning: Thy recreation is war: Thy drink is the blood of souls: Thy food is dust: Thy trap is unbelief: Thy disport is tempting: Thy haunt is in flesh and blood: Thy subjects are many, but thou and thy angels shall be broken for ever.  
12. Now to overthrow this desperate enemy, the Lord appointeth man his whole Armour; faith to resist him, truth to pierce him, hope to get beyond him, peace to outdare him, love to fret him, joy to sadden him, prayer to whip him, union to defeat him, and Christ himself to tread him under feet.  
13. O wretched angel, thou accusest me, and many more before God; I will also rip up thy devices before the sons of men, according to the law of retaliation, and will vex thee in thy family of sin. Thy kingdom as an abominable branch, is cut down; Thy fall is as the lightning, Thy Tophet is preparing, Thou thyself diggest it deep. The great chain is in the great Angel's hand to bind thee. Then shall the people have peace instead of war, and love for envy, and for injustice equity. And they shall on earth sing Hallelujah to God and the Lamb that died for man, whilst thou art warming of thyself in hell fire.  
14. O Ye children of Adam, Be not deluded by this serpent, let him not drive you to sin against your light, as Balaam did his Ass; fling down this rider, and break the bridle of your own wills, and affections, and be not ignorant of his devices; The day of God revealeth them to you; love the light, and come out of darkness.  
15. Howbeit this enemy doth not so much desire your damnation (wherein God will have glory) as he doth the disgrace and contempt of the king Christ who is his implacable antagonist. He hireth sinners & payeth these poor simple soldiers with the pleasures of their own lusts, to the end that they may fight against God that made them, and against Christ their friend. And he supplieth their corrupt natures with the incomes of all pride, malice, lust, unrighteousness, discontent, unthankfulness, and woe.  
16. His study is, how to discourage the Saints, embolden the wicked, to divide the Churches, to make war in nations, to vilify the Scriptures, to create discontent in families, and hard thoughts of God and men; and being well acquainted with the constitutions of all bodies and influences of the stars, he quickeneth the sanguine complexion to lust & frothiness; He kindleth his own fire in the choleric, & over the melancholic he spreadeth his own black curtain of despairing of good; The phlegmatic also he imprisoneth in earthiness, sloth and fatness of heart.  
17. If the Government of a nation be changed, It is his policy to make his slaves free, to accept of places of trust, as magistrates under that present Government; for he well knows that such will let his kingdom of sin alone, and not terrify evil doers. In the mean time he createth scruples of the Governments in the consciences of honest men, who (durst they take power) would overthrow his dominion and all licentious practices in their respective quarters. And thus he layeth useful men upon their backs, so that by reason of their needless scrupulosities to do good, as public men, under such a government, they spend their short life in an incapacity of serving God, and their generation, and suffer Satan to swagger in all deboistness before their faces, and they dare not touch him. O Ye tender consciences be not guiled by the devil in this matter. Take all occasions under all to do good before, the river of your time emptieth itself into the sea of eternity.  
18. It is sufficiently known that breaking bread and baptism were instituted by Jesus Christ to express the love of his heart, and union of his saints. But now Satan hath learned how to traverse these canons and Ordinances of Jesus, So as that water baptism is the great text of useless disputes and endless janglings and awakenings of carnal wits, and galling one another, and rubbing on the weakness of their arguments; whereas love covers a multitude of sins, and a heap of mistakes. Yet these exercises (called Sacraments by some) are made occasions of wranglings and heart-burnings, and at this also Satan laugheth and pipeth on the divisions.  
19 Who seethe not by this time that all Ordinances and governments of Churches (and of nations too) have been, and still are made Imageries of jealousies. And like that Altar on that side Jordan (that great Altar to look to, saith the Scriptures) which occasioned honest Phineas and others to seem to inveigh against their brethren, and threaten war too until they heard them speak for themselves; now the enemy with his bellows of flesh and blood, stands near at hand to blow up all such animosities, in the wrath of God wherein he lives. His intent is to fret the sweet meek Spirit of God, to burn up poor souls in this kindling, and to warm himself with more of the coals of eternal wrath. Yea if he were not mad with fury and pride, he would for his own ease be quiet, and not be ever laying of snares for those birds he knows he can never catch.  
20. His malice will not let him alone. The violence of his nature makes him ripe for the judgement of the great day. He hath now been at his study almost six thousand years, and never slept a wink all that time, yea he studied and traveled too over all the earth, seas, and natures of things. He is a great scholar & proud one; and the father of all such conceited Linguists, or Gnostics. To his shame and theirs, be it spoken, that their learning swells them as empty bladders, to increase their account before the meek and lowly lamb.  
21. Satan is so called from Sitnah Hatred; The flames of enmity are his bonfires; envy, wrath, jealousy and malice are his trappings. Thence it is he also loveth to feed on his own dung, and to feed others with amaritude and bitterness.  
Now the devil's filth is malice, which all that live therein, find more suitable to them then the Manna of God, or the Divine Nature of Christ.  
22. Inexcusable therefore is that soul, that chooseth Satan's concocted wickedness (called kakia) rather than the flect and blood of the Son of God; unto such a poor soul it is more natural to live in contention, sourness and hatred, then in love, sweetness, and peace. These are no other than the firebrands of hell, whom Satan bloweth to keep himself warm; for the love of God is such a cold thing to him, he is ready to freeze among them that walk in the love of the Lord Jesus.  
23. Thence it is that Satan fills the courts of justice with litigious, cunning, venomous querimonies, and maketh one neighbour so apt to finger, and to scratch blood out of the scabs and deformities of another, that so provoking him to anger, he may have somewhat above board wherewith to charge and reproach him.  
24. This subtle and yet foolish vagabond whereof I speak, is discovered with his nature, by the names and titles given him. He is called Beelzebub, God of flies, because his angels are numerous and various, and flying thick in the Air of nature; or Baalzebub because he loveth the dung and filth of nature; Apolluon the destroyer, the serpent, the dragon; the liar, the sour of cares, the adversary of mankind, and the enemy of all righteousness, holiness and humility.  
25. And because there be legions of these spirits ordered to quarter in all ages, over several Countries, they therefore have observed thy Ancestors, & in what sins they most naturally wallowed, the same they will lay close to thee, and before thee as a net in thy nature, to bring thee to death.  
26. But if thou wilt needs live in love, Behold (saith he) here is the pleasant love of the flesh or common love of mankind for thee to dwell in. If thou (saith he) will't needs live in joy, get thee wine and strong drink, make thy self merry, for that solace is better than silver; spend them prodigally away upon thy lusts. I see saith Satan, thou wilt live in peace, being so well natured as thou art; A quiet harmless man or woman; well, then be it so; Thy conscience shall not trouble thee, nor reproofs awaken thee, but thou shalt be an easie-hearted sot or a voluptuous hog, of whom much shall be made in the Swine-house until it be fully fattened for the house of slaughter.  
27. Thus the cheater cozeneth Millions of souls, by affording them counters for gold, and the love, joy and peace of this world for that which is of God. And the cunning wit of hell for the wisdom which is from above: And the lying wonders and angelical glorious flashes of deceit for the true light of Paradise. And in these things he coucheth & hideth himself in the very heart and bosom of the sinner and hypocrite, but he is not awaked, because he is not fully ware of the guest that dwelleth within him,  
28. Now when we speak of this enemy, thou must by no means imagine him to be some outwardly visible bugbear or brickbrack afar off from thee. But rather a malignant powerful, subtle and agile influence, that mingleth itself with the souls of people, as the smoke is incorporated with the Air, wherefore let man watch his own heart, for by nature it is become the devil's quean.  
29. Some he persuadeth to over-feed the spirits and nature, and to hoist up too great a sail for the conscience and inner man, and by excess and riot a sturdy, stern, proud, heady, quarrelsome, unreasonable spirit, is distilled by Satan gradually into the hearts of all the drunkards, and lofty gamesters; for Satan shakes hands often with the proud men, women, and children as with his near kindred, and saith to their hearts, well played, brave fellows, I shall have your company, we shall fly high above the thrones of God, and his lamb, and get the honour away.  
30. But let not the children of Adam forget that God resisteth the proud & graceth the humble; In becoming nothing, we shall inherit all things. But by lusting to be all things, Millions become worse than nothing for ever. And while man would be something he exposeth himself to the tempests of the devil, whereas the nothingized heart sinks down under the cross of Christ, & hides himself from all the whirlwinds of the enemy, and lives in the peace, love, power, tranquillity and life of God in Christ Jesus, and so keepeth himself that this wicked one toucheth him not.  
31. Now finally my brethren, ye precious souls of the children of Adam, why should we not all join as one new man, against this common enemy of mankind? I have here saluted you in few words but with many thoughts and much love, & in fear & trembling, being desirous that we might join in a continued prayer of faith all our days to whip away this cruel hunter, in the name of Christ out of our earth.  
32. The intent of this intelligence is to awaken them that sleep, to let sinners see whose work they uphold in common, to admonish believers not to be cheated out of any good, to occasion my fellow-soldiers to strike further home on this subject, to make Satan roar, and retreat for shame. Behold he is roaring, and retreating. Hallelujah, Praises be to our Lord the Conqueror.  
33. Friends, watch, hold fast a little. He that cometh to our relief will not tarry. Study to be quiet and meek; live in love. Be active in good, and thereby overcome all evil; above all, live by faith. Do not at all doubt but that God greatly loveth you, and that Christ belongeth to you, and that the Almighty spirit is always with you, and shall be in you a fountain of everlasting light of life, Amen.  
And work earnestly with God in the behalf of your poor tempted fellow-soldier who thus saluteth you in the good will of him that dwelleth in the bush, Now unto the Great General, The word of God, The King of kings, And our Infinite great Lover be Victory and Glory, for ever, Amen, Amen.  
N. D.   

The second charge written in 1655. printed in 1656.  
1. IN the former intelligence of Satan's plots, I have not done him the hundredth part of the Retaliation which I know is due to him, from me; neither can I in this: I am wronged and oppressed by him, therefore I make out my complaint; I fall out with none of Adam's children; They are all my kindred, but follow peace with all and purity, that so in the love I may see the Lord. I am angry with none of them but as I am with myself, for that a part of our selves is ready to join with the devil.  
2. The corrupt nature within, is the fire; the devil is the wind that inflameth it; He is a spiritual strong malignant influence of the first Creation. He was fashioned out of the wrath and goodness of the father of all things, but he left the sweetness and humility of God & aimed at the dominion of the outward world (or created nature) and since hath begotten many children of disobedience upon the minds that yielded to his lustful pride, who with him are disinherited of eternal light, love and life. This is his woeful pedigree, work and wages.  
3. Paul (a lantern of the whole world, and a servant of Christ) useth divers words to discover this enemy, when he saith (among other things) that Satan hath his darts, his depths, his methods his subtleties and his snares. His darts are the sudden thoughts injected into men's hearts, that presently kindle up the passions in the lusts and humours into a flame of turbulence within. His depths work most upon men of deep reason and penetrating fancy, whereby they are often touled on by degrees into silent Atheism, destructive Heresies, voluptuous luxury, and incurable conceits of their own learning and experience; his methods consist in the ordering of thoughts in man and affections in the world, where he presenteth first the fairest dish (easiest to be digested by reason) pretending mere sound religion; then another that nourisheth sensual spirits, and lastly the devilish dish of intolerable pride, & his own sauce with it, which is despair in the end after his feast.  
4. His subtleties, or panurgia) is a conjunction of all his wits, being already at hand to deceive every man, in every place, in every age, in every calling, and this at once. And his snares & devices are his forecasting projecting faculties; whereby he foresees how one snare may be possibly avoided, and then how useful another will be, if ready at hand (& herein he will not fail.) He is permitted to come in among the sons God, into the company of the holy Angels and Saints, (though he be there also in hell and wrath) but there he gathers poisons (as the Snake doth among the green herbs, and grass) and then stingeth the wizards, deboist or hypocritical souls, that yield to him, and so swells them up like himself.  
5. He is never weary in doing us mischief. Why should we be weary in resisting him? He laughs at the backsliders especially, yet his mirth they shall not perceive in this life; but they also shall laugh with him Now, and sweetly nible at his baits, and pleasantly feed on his sugar, which is the lust and pleasure of their own flesh. He well knoweth the influence of Venus, and loves to see the dishonest, wanton dallyings of male and female.  
He fiddles and makes sport, and merry placentias, to them, while they are selling their immortal souls for momentany delights. Also Mars he well knoweth, and by that starry influence, he rouzeth up warlike or quarrelsome dispositions to be bloody, valiant, and revengeful until he hath (by means of man's humours, which doubtless are subject to the Starry Influences) gotten man's poor spirit into that turbulent outward religion, to habitate itself there where eternity is hid, and then his desire is by some means or other to cut off the thread of man's life, that he may be beyond recovery, and without hopes of the remedy of repentance and retreat.  
6. The other influences he perceiveth (as a part or conjunct) And (as in Jobs case) he loves to pour down fire, so he knows how to seem mild and watery. If any one element drown soul or body, he hath his mind and sport. And finding poor man imprisonned in his four elemental fetters, he persuades him that its impossible to live supersensually in this life, and will admit of no talk of breaking his prison. And if the poor soul once offers to go out, he will set impossibilities before him, his pleasures or guilt, and behind him, all the world and his children about his ears, his own reasonings to dishearten him; God as unwilling to receive him, Heaven but a sublime fancy, Hell but a child-frighting-bugbear, the world and things thereof as real harmless comforts, that so by all or any of these means he might detain the poor heart in his clutches, and powers of nature. And as the cat dealeth with the mouse, he also will let a soul lose, to pray, read, hear sermons, and give alms, but still keep him to live in self, unless the second David Jesus Christ snatch the poor lamb out of this lions paws, by the effectual workings of his spirit in the new birth.  
7. The young children are by him poisoned with vanity, scorning wits, scoffing expressions, (as in Elisha's case) wrangling dispositions, proud carriages, lying excuses, fleering gestures, wanton talks, disobedient spirits, idle tales, revenging thoughts, profane oaths, contempt of the Lords day, lusts after Interludes, from thence often to the Alehouse, fight, murder, gallows, and hell. O ye Parents (thou Father, and thou tender Mother) see here in time how the Devil of hell swaggers in your children, and it may be you laugh at their witty evils. This is to sacrifice your chidrens in the fire to Moloch that bloody Devil. Moloch was a brass hollow image, with the face of an Ox; and being made red hot, it had spring-arms to clasp the poor children that were cast in to them. (Hags hugs kill with kindness) and scared them to death; and while the children were shrieking or roaring, there were drums and loud music made to stop the Infant's cries from the Parent's ears. Ah thus are the souls of many children still burnt with lust, and lost in Tophet, and the valley of Hinnom. O ye children, be afraid of sin! sin the ugly Idol of Satan. And ye Parents, be warned of your posterity, lest God curse them, and they curse you, and you them at the great day. Rather study the blessing of God, that turneth the soul from its wickedness, and the hearts of the parents aright to the children, and both to the obedience of the just. Parents, look to your children's souls, that are God's portion; you should be Prophets, Priests, and Princes in all humble meekness of wisdom in your own Families. Teach the truth, and use the rod and prayer, lest God use his whip, and curse: Example not your children to wickedness; find them honest occupations according to their natural Genius, and lawful marriage when God requires it by the law of nature. And above all, let them not sit in the seat of the scornful while they are young, lest they come to the chair of anguish when they are old. Why should Satan by his vain spirit possess your children, that may become heirs of everlasting riches? Bring them once hearty to be servants of God, and he will take care they shall want nothing in this world, when you are become dust and ashes under the earth. But forget not that Satan is busy in bending these tender twigs from God and Christ.  
8. When children grow up to the state of men and women, to the flower and power and heat of the spirit of this natural world, then cometh forth the Mountebank Satan, and showeth them his tricks, dances, and musics. First in fornications between single persons; then of adulteries and unsatiable lusts of the eyes, flesh, and hidden looks of the mind, and so drowns them in the quagmires of concupiscence (which is a lust of having more.) If these souls feel (in a sour reproving conscience) that these wanton lusts are folly in Israel, and in the world; then turns he them over to peruse the lectures and lessons of the cares of this life, and make them sin by lending, borrowing, buying, selling, building, planting, providing; and (in all) hurries their minds to a neglect of God, and of the study of better things, and so hastens their end, and wears out their natures before they be made partakers of the nature of God.  
9 But if any be given and devoted naturally to inquire into the secrets of nature or Scripture, and to reading, conferring, and prying into more excellent things; then he eggs them on in their studies to find out God in their own reasons, and saith, Here's all the glorious learning of this world, and the highest contemplations of things. This will I give thee if thou worship. I would not thou should adore me as a black Devil, but admire thyself, wonder at thy own thoughts and attainments, seek thy own glory, and then I shall meet thee time enough.  
10. But O thou crooked & winding fair Serpent! This will not do with the thousands of the Elect of God. They have learned, and will more, to deny self, and to take up the inward cross that destroyeth the vain thoughts of the mind. Through Christ's death they live above, and trample thy heights and depths. They stand in the wisdom whence thou art fallen. They have seen thee in their own darkness, and sublime selfish thoughts; but thou seest not them in the love and humility of Jesus. Their silence outvoiceth thy roar; Their nothingness overthrows thy brags; Thy winds work not on these nothings. They were dead to the life of nature. They are alive to thy death, and on them is written, These are the revived of the Lord.  
11. Furthermore, If a man become a Preacher (as so called) this Doctor, Satan, will accompany him invisibly to his study and pulpit, and persuade him to flatter the great men, or at least passionately inveigh against them; and soothe up, or rock the cradle to the slumbering consciences, or sleepy Churches; or else let fly out his bitter bullets, and blind uses of reproofs against such as differ from his opinion: He shall sharply reprove that in public, whereof he is guilty himself in private. He thinks that (as Solomon speaks of the muckworms, saying, Money answereth all things) his wit, parts, & learned distinctions will resolve all other consciences, and they should submit to him and his judgement; and if that seem lame, he will be advised to acknowledge his weakness in all humble wise, and that also from hypocrisy, to fence and fortify himself in his own will and way. And thus would Satan (the Rabbi of Hell) have Preachers learn the deceit of him, that the people also may be deluded, through such stalking horses. But God hath many, and will have more sincere powerful Preachers among men, who will neither deceive, nor be deceived.  
12. If a man be a Magistrate, Satan comes to him (within him) and saith, I am a Magistrate too, and a ruler over men, and over, Angels, and properties of nature. Be thou as I am, and we shall gloriously sit on one bench. Keep up thy pomp gallantly; oppress these silly moneyless wretches and widows: Thunder out by thy Warrants, and apprehend all those fanatics that walk by the spirit, as they say, but are unmannerly unworthy idiots. Then shalt thou be my fellow-Magistrate; do as I do, I shall be at thy elbow; I shall instruct thee in all gallantry and Magistratical devices, excesses, and bravery of spirit, in oppression, drunkenness; sloth, and neglect of what is good. But let Satan be told, though he knoweth it already, and that with gnashing of teeth, that the Lord Jesus is fashioning to himself Magistrates that fear God; and hate covetousness, partiality, and pomp.  
13. There is no trade, occupation, calling, employment, or manufacture, whereinto Satan hath not not crept, and is become Master of the trade, and Lord of the tradesmen also (for the generality of them.) And while the trade their spirits is sinning, and their practice deceit and falsehood, he takes them for his fellow-tradesmen; and they that make a trade of any creature in this life, to let their lusts live thereby, have for their companion the enemy that trades in the heavenly firmamental, astral, and earthy nature. O ye tradesmen! let your conversations be in the Heavens; let Christ be your treasure, and your hearts thereon.  
14. But besides all this, it behoves the children of men, and the sons God also, to remember and know that Satan's fort is never stormed and taken by the chafed, quickened, or superlatived spirits of nature; neither are this serpent's scales pierced, or he offended or awakened by all or any of the penetrations of man's wit, reason, learning, writing, preaching, threatening, praying, or procking of him in all the strength of nature.  
He laughs at those bullets, and scorns the arrows of such bows of men. But the true bow of steel striketh him through. That bow is the word or spirit of God in man, and in man's do, prayers, preach, and writings. Thus the Prophets, Apostles, and Servants of the Lord, both small and great, have wounded the dragon; and he that bendeth this bow, denieth himself, blusheth at the weakness of his endeavours, and yet trusteth in God that whatsoever he doth, it shall prosper.  
15. The comfort and conquest lieth in this, that a great chain in the great Angel's hand is now preparing (with all her links) to bind this old Drgaon in the dungeon of the bottomless pit. O ye Sons of Zion, and Inhabitants of Heaven and earth, sing Hallelujah, and praise God and the Lamb; for the burning of Beelzebub, and Babylon his Whore, is to your joy. And it may work upon Satan somewhat to hear such songs: And as he is hopeless for himself, so he may despair of your souls condemnation. But whatever he thinks, he must shortly be bound; and when he is loosened; it is for his woe. Therefore pray earnestly in faith, and hasten that blessed time, that long-looked for day of God wherein righteousness shall bud forth, and mercy take her throne, wherein the everlasting Gospel (that discovereth eternity) shall be heard by the Trump of God, and the dead spirit released. Hasten that day wherein all Saints shall be united, when all truths shall be believed, that day wherein all shall be judged within and without by one spirit of holiness & power of love; for that day of the Spirit of the Lords mouth discovereth all darknesses, and hasteneth to chase all clouds and tempests off from all Saints speedily. Amen, Amen.  
16. In the mean while until Satan (this Achitophel) hath erected his own gallows high enough, let the poor soul be skilful in resisting him in faith. He comes to thee through thy own thoughts, and saith, Thou wretch art guilty as well as I, read over the book of all thy guilts, turn over the leaves of thy woeful conscience. Dost thou not remember, how beastial & devilish, vain, wicked and unworthy thy conversation hath? been yea thou art more guilty than I, because the Messiah hath taken the nature of man, & not of Angels upon him. Come then away with me, and thou shalt lie under me (for my ease) in the bottomless pit. Now when the accuser thus chargeth thee, what wilt thou poor soul do? Tell him, I do read over my guilts and unworthiness, I am naturally the foulest of all wretches in the world. I do confess it; notwithstanding the blood of Jesus washeth me from all sin. But now I will no more live in sin because it is pardoned. I throw it away from me, and that thou canst not do; Therefore it shall be thine; and Christ's Righteousness, and Holiness too shall be mine. I excommunicate for ever from me that vile nature which I had, that was the mother (as thou wert the father) of my corruptions. Take thou that Bride; and than what is left in me but the life and love of my Lord Jesus? what canst thou say to this? I am clothed with change of raiment; I will have nothing to do with sin any more; It is not mine; I will have fellowship with Jesus, for he is my portion and potentate.  
17. Now when thou hast thus answered the devil, watch over thy will; Never give thy consent to any sin, keep thy will pure and earnest to God; slack it not; expect and draw within thee, the mighty Power of God to carry thee every minute beyond and above thy own lusts. Thy spirit is like a bowl. The bias is thy natural corrupt disposition. If thy course in good things be slacked, than thy own bias will turn thee round (as it fareth with a bowl in bowling) but while thou givest all diligence to finish thy course with mighty energy in all good, thy corruptions are contemned, crucified, & overborn to the land of oblivion; for to be spiritually minded is life and peace, but to be carnally minded is death. Therefore whilst soul and body are together, there remains not one spare minute of time to be careless, loos-hearted, or diffident in Christ.  
18. This also is added to encourage thee, the world is full of books on this subject, but not of souls that wrestle against the devil; howbeit wherever Christ's soldiers are, they have heavenly provision made for them (food, armour, and pay) And if by reading of this (whoever and wherever thou art) thou be in the least measure refreshed of God in the great camp of Israel, Praise the great General (the living sweet Eternal and Almighty Word of God) and I shall rejoice with thee; farewell.  
N. D.   

A Chapter to this People, and to the World, written in 1655. printed in 1656.  
1. O Ye children of Adam in all the corners and habitations of the Earth, upon whom the end of this World, and the Day of God is dawning, and hastening to discover and judge all Natures and Nations, Harken, and awake, and look about you; yea look into yourself, that you may behold God in yourself, and yourself in God and in his Son and Word, who is his Love and his all how long must the children of men run on as beasts, they know not where, nor yet whence, nor yet in what they move, and breath, and subsist! Lord God Almighty, put a stop to their minds by the flaming sword of Truth in the hand of thy Covenant-Angel, whom the Ass seethe, and the Ox knoweth: O that the thousands of Israel, and millions of the Gentiles, might now all at length under thy fifth, sixth, and seventh Seal, Trumpet, and Vial, know and understand thy own Personal Being and appearance in the glasse-windows of their own spirits; for thou art not far from any of them: But many are far from thee, so as that they neither see thee, nor hear thee, nor feel thee, nor smell thee, nor taste thee the Only God who fillest all. And I poor worm am naturally as senseless as any man living, and as dark, as black, as unworthy as any child of Adam, according to this outward Man: But the new Adam within (which is thy new creature and thy child) waiteth on thee daily and silently, to hear what thou (Lord) sayest and commandest to be spoken or written.  
2. My heart is boiling in sorrow and fear, yea in indignation and love, when I am made to see my brethren and sisters, according to nature, sunk into the deep pit of corruption: And there is scarce above water as much as the crown of the head & the hair, yea their breath is stopped: The spirit of crying to God is gone, and but a form of prayer left for a carcase of Religion; and a wave of some filthy worldly lust or another comes one in the neck of another, over the head of the conscience, and over the crown of the learning of the souls of the people. My spirit within me is baked and parched in the furnace of my secret sorrows and fears, crying out, Woe is me, I cannot help any. I myself want help of God as much as any. I am scarce above water, yet I am swimming towards the shore, by believing in Jesus, to the obedience of the eternal will. But O how ghastly is it to see (all about) so many hairy scalps floating on the top of the great deep, as so many sure symptoms of dead souls, dead hearts toward God, and yet immortal spirits; All such are the men, women, or children, drowned in self and flesh. O ye friends that are perfect in Christ Jesus, pity, pity and help both them and me; I am almost arrived and landed, and sometimes allowed to stand on a bank in Zion.  
3. Now when in spirit I am helped to stand on Mount Zion (above) out of the waters and deluge of Babylon, I see the dead world generally, and the people of divers opinions particularly, burying themselves in blood, and warring one with another, and persecuting their brethren, and yet making truce and peace with sin itself in their own closerts. Every one in the common road of nature crying out, Here is Truth, follow me and my judgement, for it is solid, it is according to the rule, the word of God, the Scriptures, the Orthodox best Interpretation; My Ware is the best Ware. Buy it of me, or else it is just with God to leave you to errors, and then it is also fit that men should make war upon you. O my fellow-friend, say not so; not so; the treasures of Truth are wonderful: God is good. There is but love in him, though there be wrath eternal by him. Do not kindle up a fiery flame by working up a whirlwind in thy own spirit towards any. Look about. How many millions of lives perished in a blind War? How few follow Peace, and pursue it in God? Where be Gods children (like Him) that requite good for evil, love for hatred, peace for war? How easily must thou slip into this malicious or passionate pit? But when thou art once in, and hel-fire is kindled into flames, canst thou tell when thou shalt come out of this wickedness, cruelty, and evil surmisings of heart? Also O ye stern austere people, that are so zealously hot, and rigidly censorious, be warned, lest ye be swallowed up in this gulf, this dark womb & principle of wrath. John the Baptist (the morning star) must give way to the pleasant Sun: Terror, trembling, & shaking is indeed the end of flesh, but not of Godliness. But while ye are afraid of the invisible one, ye know not fully of what spirit ye are. Howbeit others (in the interim) live in boastings, mockings, and scold, and scufflings about outward things. They project, and undermine, and deceive, and war, to to gain a name, to get Sceptres and Nations, gold and silver, pleasures and preferments, and care not who they kill that stand in their way.  
4. Man setteth up his own mind and judgement. And when he saith the Scripture is the word of God, he himself takes upon him to judge the sense of that word, and so he will needs judge his own Judge. And if any other man's conscience strikes not sail to his opinion, he passionately gives him a broad side, and desireth to have him sunk as an heretic or formalist, and so send him quick to hell. And all that while the children of Adam thus violently act and dispute, they are as divers sorts of birds fight on the top of the same tree, and not understand nor revere that one root of this tree which bears them all up. O ye opinionists, go up to this Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; The false Prophets in your hearts have deceived you: But they that feed only on the true bread and water, and are meek in heart, have told you the truth; but ye will not hear them, till the arrow from God strike through your harness; and the end will be this, The dogs shall lick up your blood that was shed amongst you by one another. Yet we say, God is one, Truth is one, Love is the chief grace, there should be but one Church. The holy Scriptures are venerable, and to be admired. But who shall interpret the Scriptures, and say, This is the meaning? You will say, the Church, or rather the holy spirit in the true holy Church. But your neighbours ask you, what Church do you mean? Is it the Baptised, or Independent, or Prosbyterial, or Shaken, or Episcopal, or Lutheran, or Popish, or Eastern, or Western Church? The answer from God in ye is, There is none of these righteous, there is none of these perfect, no not one. The Baptised are narrow thoughted; The Independent is corrupted, the Presbyter and Episcopal are dead and swollen up; the shaken too much, mistaken in their censures and justifications; the Lutheran too sparing in the Doctrine of the New Birth; the Papal people Jewish, looking out too much through the spectacles of corrupt Reason, to dote on vain glosses in Divine worship; the Eastern and Western (both named Christian) not yielding to one another the time of the day, devoured the one the other, and were caught and swallowed by the spirit and appetite of Antichrist. The Seekers also are unstable, and the prating Ranters sensual and beastly. All these are judged as far as the light of God doth convince, or may reprove them: And let every one of them attend to it as far as they know. Not that these all are dead, but death striveth to prevail in all. The same spirit of Deceit and Error worketh in some more visibly and fully, and would be in others privily, and is in or with all these in measure.  
5. Where then dwelleth knowledge? And how shall the diggers meet with understanding? Certainly, there is a vein for the silver, and a place for the hidden treasures of gold. Ye must turn your swords into plowshares, and first cease from your false Mines; ye must no more dig with your weapons into the bowels of one another. The golden Mine is not there. Nor must ye goal and gore one another with bitter words and envenomed expressions, lofty loud words heard in the streets: what profiteth thee, or any, to speak evil of any man's whole person? (but rather strike at the evil nature now predominant in him.) Neither master thou wisely commend any mortal changeable man in his whole bulk (for man, whose breath is in his nostrils, is deceitful) but magnify God only as far as to thee he appears in every one. For as there is but one day and night, darkness and light, good and evil, and no further or other distinctions that shall long stand (And this difference is visible in every man that is enlightened, and not perfected by the light in him:) So until ye come to this dividing of waters, and see both natures striving hard one with another in all the Creation of God, and in every creature in its kind. Ye may talk much of Religion, Grace, or of Sin and Scriptures also; but ye shall be scorched with the fire of your own mouth: Ye may write out your volumnious Controversies, but to the fire of God ye shall be a Sacrifice (as the Ram was in the bush to Abraham.) Ye may make Parties and Factions upon grounds religious and judicious, (as ye baptise them) but your Factions will be broken to pieces among themselves, as sure and as far as they have broken themselves off from the One God of Truth. Ye read books, and know many things: Ye may read this with the rest with a frothy careless heart (if such you be) but you shall surely call to mind the sheep and goats for ever. Now some are so wise as to say that these sheep and goats are not the persons of people, but the qualities and properties that operate in all mankind. But such may know that one of the two qualities of light and darkness shall swallow up every person, and so the persons & natures are eternally incorporated in one. Each one in his own nature shall lie down or sit up for ever. For where the tree of man's nature inclineth in this world, there it falleth at death; and where the tree falleth, there it must be. Now I beseech you consider, that while one language continued with Heber's seed, they went on and prospered, but the pride of Babel's tower scattered them all abroad. And when man cuts and divides where God would not, God will divide where man is loath to see a breach. God's division is but one in all, but man's divisions are many in one (in almost every one) yet he himself is naturally none that would be thus torn in pieces in himself. Howbeit he himself must be thus rend asunder in his own spirit, to be a broken contrite heart to God; otherwise he will seek to rend and tear all things (if it were possible) the divine nature, rather than his own base disposition. And all this while he lives in himself, but is still looking out of himself to others. He dwells in a chamber of his own opinion, and paints it with words of holy Scriptures, and with his own deceits; but he considereth and reverenceth not that one true light that shineth more or less upon all the inhabitants of the Earth.  
6. The Turk is established in a Religion patched with his own Reason, and passeth the time of ignorance in pleasures, peace, and oppressions. As the whale is lord of the fish of the Sea, so is he among his fellow-creatures. This Leviathan hath scarce been awakened, but kept in the deeps of the multitudes of his hosts & treasures; His night hath been a long, dark, and strong night, in the spirit of this world, the Reason and fair goddess of the first creation whom the unlearned despise & utterly reject, because they know it not; for the ignorant contemneth the knowing, and thinks him a fool; but the learned pitieth the ignorant and knows him to be out of the way; for that without knowledge the heart cannot be good, saith a wiser man than many. Now this science is not the heavenly, as the Moon is not the Sun. The Turk learned in reason rationally mocketh a them called Christians and highest professors of the good, that kill murder and devour one another, for want of reason. Yet deeply blinded is he himself, and that justly, for that he hath limited God himself to his Moonish reason; as if he that made the Sun (and is Infinitely brighter) should have the use of no light, but that of the lowest planet, in which the Mahomettan tricks & deceits are covered, but by the day are made manifest. Now we easily find that spiritual learning & true Philosophy is the apprehension of the invisible natural world, and of the origine primitive instrumental cause of all things, (which is prudence) If any enjoy her, she is the daughter of God, and the Philosopher said well and right, we are his offspring, and live, move and have our being in his own essence, or in him. But they knew not, or consider not the Primogenite, The Eternal word of the Infinite God, even his heart and Son, who was Eternally before ever nature was made, or created or begotten. That infinite word (besides whom there is no true God, and that word was come into our flesh) The greatest part of the world acknowledge him not to this day.  
Howbeit he made the house of this world (and feeds it by his Virtue invisible) and he will shortly make all his family hear his voice in this palace of his own building, even that thundering voice that soundeth in all parts the earth. And no other preacher wiil convince the Turk, or any other, but he that is the first and last preacher, who is this Word of God. Their Koran is an imagination of their own brains; (as others have form directories in all nations to themselves, out of their own heads, and hearts) but God is pleased only with the worship of his own will & heart, viz. when man's will lives in his only; That, and that solely pleaseth him. But woe is to the will of man; and to the flesh of the children of men. Woe is the world. The world in Turkey, The world in Christendom; for there is but one world, under Satan in all, & in all hearts opinions Churches & agitations. The same body of sin and mystery of iniquity works in them called Christians; for with God there is not a jot (not a whit) of difference, nor respect of persons. He delights not in a Christian more than a Turk, if that Chrian be not more like Christ Jesus (his love) than the Turk is; for if the Turk be as honest, as just, as diligent in the use of his talon as the nominal Christian is, he is as acceptable as he with that God that rewardeth every one according to his deeds. And the Almighty hateth the sins of all equally, and is a lover of all souls as they are spirits branched forth out of him. All souls are mine, saith the Lord; yet by the fall all souls are not his as he is love; but many are children of his wrath, and thereun to appointed.  
7. But as the Sodomites sought Lot's door, so the Christians sought for the sepulchre in the holy land (so called) and their retreat is shameful, and much noted by the major part of this habitable world. Howbeit, the Papists generally remain very presumptuous of their cause, and confident of their way. And as they did in Sodom, it is even so now in the universal Sodom of depraved flesh. men's fleshly minds seek for Lot's door, to attain to the angelical seed, and beauty for their own self ends. And God in his Just power strikes them blind, so that they never so enter through his gate into his City, but fume and quarrel, and babble and divide about opinions and texts of Scriptures and Churches, Sacraments and doctrines and duties right, governmen and headships (and in many vanities and vexations of the Holy Spirit, who all the while waiteth within; for the resignation of their own wills unto him) But thus they will still certainly certainly continue whatever shall be written; and this I see beforehand, nothing shall avail until the fire of God devour, divide or convince them in their bold blind and filthy contentions. Man would fain find God any where but in his own heart, and walk about in all streets professing to enter to Lot's door, but he wilfully or carefully shuts the door of his own heart within him, and bars and bolts it fast with his own wilful conceited corrupt principles; opinions and self interests. He would go into Paradise, but not out of himself. He thinks to bring his beasts into God, and the flesh of his mind into the spiritual Kingdom. And so the selfish praying, preaching and dispute become mere pratings, babble and scold, before the Spirit of God. He that witnesseth this hath had a taste of most religions or opinions in the habitable world, & a prospect of the lamentable diversities among men called Christians, Jews & Turks; and certainly knoweth that this approaching General or Catholic Day of God shall swallow up and rule so amongst all, that the combustible pieces of all religions shall be consumed by the Lord, the spirit, and by the breath of his mouth, with his impartial overflowing to the very neck. He shall divide and cut asunder the light from the darkness at the last, as he did the day and the night at the first. And God will sharply reprove and condemn that of man, which would have others to follow his light and his judgement, when he himself in many other things walketh contrary to his own conscience and Understanding. He will have others be of his opinion, contrary to their own conscience, and best knowledge, when he himself imprisoneth the Truth in his knowledge from practice. God will fire that Beam which the hypocrite will not see in himself, and so his whole building must fall upon him, and the weight of his own thoughts he shall not be able to bear; with himself he could have patience, but others he rashly censured. And the only True Judge will have pity on the weeping eye, that had the moat in it, and put an end to his long-suffering towards the censorious hypocrite.  
8. What a noise doth Magistracy and Ministry make in the Christened world, and how have they hitherto kissed and clasped hands in blood and blindness together? The clergy must preach up Magistracy, and the sword of Authority must seem heathenish, if he doth not only protect, but also forcibly use his Authority for the defence of his own opinion in Christian Religion; whatsoever that be, he must be judge himself. I may not, (I do not) deny the one nor the other (Magistracy or Ministry) but I must proclaim that there is a Bill of divorce written by the Lord Jesus his own hand which he himself will shortly explain. Among the children of Adam there hath been but two laws of God in all since the beginning; though men have coined many, or at least would mix these two into one. The law of nature for to rule men (as the Moon by night) and the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to Saints (as the Sun by day) The interest of Antichrist hath been to marry these to one another, that they might engender an impure seed, of doubts difficulties and wars; bloodsheds and hellfires, and all under pretence of religion by the Magistrate and of covercive Church-discipline by the Ministers of the Gospel (so called.) For saith the Magistrate, My sword shall force differing consciences to that form of form of knowledge or Church-government which I judge most agreeable to the rule of Christ. And the clergy also solicited the Magistrate to strike them with the fist of punishment, whom they thought erroneous, in their judgement. Moreover when these two concurred in opinion, than were always the best people the world had persecuted, as Heretics, as Schismatics, and unsound. But when these differed and varied upon humoursome and ambitious grounds, thence also came forth treasons, wars, Jealousies, combinations and evil concussions in States and Commonwealths. And just it was with God, to let them both (Magistracy and Ministry) thus to wrangle to much blood in the dark, when both mistook their own bounds, or neglected their proper respective charge. Now when I say that a Magistrate (as he is a Magistrate) hath nothing at all to do with the regulating of men's opinions and consciences, I find him allowed and stinted to his own statute-booke, which is the law of nature. And I challenge that Magistrate or officer of State to answer that hath learned the measure of the circumference of the law of nature, though he should as man attain to know his own nature in particular. And yet where is the man that hath known himself in all naturals? Now the great law of nature is but in part expressed in the Judicial law of Moses, and not fashioned in all particulars to all nations. But let the Magistrates study this law that takes notice even of man's long hair (as Paul saith) and he shall find that drunkenness, fornications, idleness, turbulences, oppressions, wrongs, slanders, thefts, Murders, riots, Rantismes, Prophane-oaths, Curse, Tiplings, yea and profanations of the first day, and imposing peremptorily a worship upon others, and blasphemy also are all judged and condemned by the light of the very law of nature. And a Magistrate need not, yea he may not take cognisance (qua Magistrate) of any other law to judge and punish by. Hereby he becomes all things to all men for good, but convicts them of evils out of their own mouths, out of their own consciences, if he himself be ingenious, comprehensive and blameless. But where can be found a Magistrate as yet that doth not himself transgress in many things, even the law of nature? Now when Ministers (as spiritual men) take this natural law into their hands, they are truly Antichrist, and deal with wrong weapons, (for the spiritual armour on the right and left hand is sufficient for them in God) so when the Magistrate so presumes on spiritual to drive on and impose as a Magistrate his judgement of religion upon others consciences (though as a Christian he may do it and aught to the uttermost) he also fights against Christ and intermeddles in that which belongs not to him (as Magistrate) to his danger or ruin.  
9 Now though there be six sorts of Magistrates (according to Isaiah the Prophet) in the world. The golden Magistrate, the silver, the brazen, the iron, the wooden, and the stony Magistrate, (and also lawful for a man sent of God to tell the Magistrate his condition, as also for him to deal with such a man again in love with seriousness, and as men and brethren not encroaching, but speaking to the man's conscience) so let both endeavour in the faith and love of Christ, to get out of the iron, or wooden, or stony state, to that which is more excellent in their generation. But still bear in mind, that until both these act distinctly and apart in their proper spheres, & well acknowledge that each hath task enough imposed on him by his own proper law, there shall (I say again there may) be no true lasting settlement in any nation of the world. For while the State boweth to the Church (so called) or the Church (representative) to curry favour with the state in flattery and much hypocrisy, the family of the whole earth will be tossed as a ship in a tempest. Not that the one is to be superior to the other, but both are good in the sight of God as far as they keep their place, and well use their talents. Wherefore O ye Magistrates, Ministers and people (as ye love your souls, and peace with truth and righteousness) lay this one distinction to heart, that you may no further feel yokes of miseries upon your necks, nor confusions, differences, desolations & calamities; for no peace everlasting is there, till ye come to the bottom of peace in God the root of all. Study therefore yourselves, and how that Christ is in you, unless ye be reprobates; a light of Heaven that showeth man what is good. He doth not say that a Magistrate should forbear to take his liberty (as a knowing Christian man, as before asserted) to convince men's consciences, to promote and zealously promulgate the truth as far as he knows it by the force of the spirit of the holy Scriptures, and by that only. This he must do if he be a Sanctified one (as a Saint) but as a Magistrate he must act only by that law that accuseth man of his evil, and commendeth him for good, or may and should convince him in his own cogitations. Again therefore I say, let Magistrates, as men, study the law of men, and fulfil it too, and they shall be blessed in their work.  
10. Also beyond and besides this, many thousands cry out that the Christians are divided among themselves more than the Turks, Indians or Jews. The Christened Papists are almost in three hundred pieces in their opinions amongst their learned; The common Catholic Protestant (whose Religion is to run far enough from Papistry in some particular Articles) is all to shivers in his own Episcopal reformed doctrine (as he calls it) government and discipline (as abundantly it appears in the Nations.) Also the Reformers of these Reformadoes are scorned and laughed at by men that are called learned, as mere fools both in naturals and spirituals. Inquire and find where is there any sort of people that are not more or less to flitters among themselves; if their secret discourses and lives were manifested? I could mention many names, persons, opinions, Churches, interests, parties, engagements, and particular books, treatises and contemplations of men mixed in self; but I forbear. I feel and find almost every one hath bad thoughts of some evil in his Neighbour, and is gnawing some bone or other in his reserved thoughts. None of all these Sects and factions in Christendom doth good, all, and always, no not one. Therefore should all their mouths be stopped before the face of the Throne of God, and their lips also stayed from uttering words against others. But every man (excepting a few) forgets the great mountain of his own fins that is always before the door as the dunghill of his own house, and (as before is said) almost every childling of Adam would be pulling out either the mote or eye of his brother; many wise men are yet to learn to reconcile these differences, neither know they much of the deep ground, nor yet the end; for many study the middles in the Alphabet, but the Alpha and Omega is hid from their eyes.  
11. Many of them also that are called Preachers of the Gospel, and Ministers of Christ, that should be peace makers, (men comprehending all things in Christ) and in the true wisdom should come to the people, as the woman at Abel came to Joab Captain of David's Host, and so end all the matter of stir and strife, (and nor be behind a woman that composod all differences at Abel) Many (I say) of these Preachers rather kindle a blind and an evil fire; they speak evil of what they know not, busy their brains to build high Towers in Babel, envenome and exasperate one party against another under pretence of zeal for Christ, and bring upon themselves a swift witness, a heavy judgement at the day of God, when all the blood of such as they packed on to wars and slaughters, or evill-speakings, shall stare them in the face, and make them then starers also. Their excuse then (which will not serve) will be, Lord, I thought I contended for thy truth, and for a right Religion, as much as against Errors, Heresies, and Atheism and oppressions of Adam's children. But what will the Judge say? O thou blind guide, thou hast led the poor eternal people in the dark, and hast made them leap out of this world they knew not whither. Thou mightest have known that I loved peace, patience and overcoming all evil by love; but when the Bible and my Spirit commanded love, peace, silence, and consideration; ye were all for war, noise, turbulence, and humoursome contrivances; ye called light darkness and darkness light. Now therefore friends be ye all muzzled by your own consciences before ye be cast into outer darkness, for ye have not on the wedding garment of special fellowship with the true Bridegroom in love unto him, and to his pure Spouse, to an abhorring of self. And thus when they are first thrust out of the Bridegrooms inner chamber (where the light and warmth is) they shall be bound hand and foot, and sit without at the threshold in the outward form of the house, where will be weeping for things past (passed beyond remedy) and gnashing of teeth for very anger and coldness in Religion. Wherefore O ye Preachers (or Priests that know not the anointing, the Christ) be warned, be convinced that ye are very unlike the Bishops mentioned in Timothy; take not upon you the trade of hypocrisy, nor the burden of the souls of others. The guilt of your own secret pranks and public sins is burden enough, and more than ye can bear. See to the saving of your own poor souls first before the face of the burning and living spirit of God, and leave off a while studying of Brain-sermons for others, when as yourselves are to be cast away.  
12. Few clear visions are there in the Countries and Nations, but Teachings and Preachments seem mixed and disturbed for the present, so that few can say (if any aright) Lo here, or lo there, in public or in private, in this opinion, or in that, in this Parish, or in that Church. And the learned (as they esteem themselves) as also the unlearned, cannot (to this hour) attain to the unclasping and reading of the Book of the invisible God. What shall poor souls do before their candles be quite out, they being in great straits, divisions, and difficulties? O ye precious immortal souls, do not sleep any longer; let not your minds grow dull and heavy as ye look upon eternity. Whatsoever darkeneth you, is of the Devil and self; examine your hearts often. Dwell not abroad. Be not as the harlot, whose feet cannot be kept within her own doors (being she is a stranger at home, and overmuch acquainted abroad in the streets of deceit;) a wand'ring mind every one hath in heart by nature. Make haste to gather quickly together all the thoughts that are to go with you out of this life (for when a body falls as a leaf to the grave, the thoughts of the heart are the intimate fruits thereof.) Notice take of your light and of your practice. Compare both together, how much knowledge thou hast, or what light hast thou within thee? How far followest thou thy conscience? Wherein murderest thou the true light of the righteous One within thee? How often dost thou any thing doubtingly, thy inward principles grumbling at thy allowance of evil thoughts, and also at thy slothful performance of good? How oft dost thou condemn, and sharply judge in others, that which thou dost secretly and silkenly allow in private practice thyself? What canst thou say thou hast done whereof thou needest not to repent before the Throne of Christ, and the face of the seven Spirits of the immortal impartial God? How oft hast thou with thy own thoughts made thyself drunk, not knowing the sobriety of God, and so hast been passionate, and in thy vain mind been censuring things and persons, opinions and Churches, when at that instant the assembly of thy own wicked thoughts, and the Church within thy own breast, and multitudes of imaginations were all out of order? How oft also hast thou limited the eternal and holy one of Israel to thy own thoughts and attainments of a light? How frequently hast thou done, spoken, or thought that which thou knowest was not for good to thy spirit, nor others, but probably for hurt and slaughter to thy poor soul? How much time dost thou spend in vain, which thou mightest bestow on other things? How many affections dost thou scatter upon the creatures, which to gather up again will be a great task at the hour of death? There is no heaven or happiness but God; no way to God but Christ; no fellowship with Christ but what is spiritual; no enjoying his spirit but within (in the heart within) no comfort within thee but of what within thee is within God also. Therefore thou poor wand'ring wailing soul, keep within, but believe not thy imaginations within. Try the spirits; first try thy own thoughts; what is of love, lowliness, peace and purity is of God. Mock not thy soul, and be not deceived by others.  
13. There must appear now in this last Nunc of days unheardof motions, with words, works, & wonders beyond all former Precedents. The Antiquaries, and all that look back only to former Ages, will say of these, This is new to us, away with it, not understanding that it is the old renewed with advantage. Let such remember in their day, that as the great natural Corporation of this whole world grows old, that it may be changed as a garment by the Creator that wore it (as his vesture of time) so also towards the end of days, the second Creation (which always is within this world) shall appear from within, and be furbished and made brighter. Then shall the Son of Man (who is the Son of God by the eternal nature) bring to death of a Consumption the first Adam (that now is) who indeed was by a secondary nature, or kind of propagation, the Son of God. Consider and understand, There are two Natures; the eternal, and after that the temporal; which temporary nature is again swallowed up by the Eternal. In the Eternal, Christ was (and is) begotten as the firstborn of every thing. In the temporal, was Adam made a centre and compendium of all Heaven and Earth. In the first is Election and Rejection laid in the depths of God. In the second both do appear to the creatures sight, and therein he is active. Now when Eternity is brought forth in the fountain-heart of any child of Adam, then is time (as to that birth) swallowed up. But divers boast hereof in vain, who mind earthly or firmamental things; yea they are worse than mortal beasts, because they live below their created nature, though they were made to rule over it. O ye offspring of Adam, open your eyes, and see where you are: Ye marry Time, and trifle with Everlastingness; ye study to be somewhat for a time, and cannot stoop to be nothing, that ye may comfortably lodge in Eternity. But turn about and see how all under the Sun is vanity and vexation, and how life is seated only in the Sun of Righteousness. In his light we may find all old things pass away, and all things become new. And if ye are, or will indeed be in him (as Angels standing in the Sun) you will find the substance of yourselves renewed in glory in this life. And then ye will clearly discern what Adam was, how he fell, and we in him, and what Christ was, is, and will be, and what the Saints were, are, and will be in him also.  
14. The first Adam sinned, in him all fell; but all are not eternally lost. The second Adam suffered, in him all were raised, or made alive, as Paul saith, but all are not saved therefore. God elected some in the first, and rejected others in the second. O the depth of the immense operations, or rather looks of the nature of eternity! The Eagles of the heavenly rock are allowed to see more in the Sun of Righteousness than they may lawfully utter among men (as long as men continue dogs and swine.) But this is is safe and common, that God made Adam an upright man, (changeable if himself pleased) but man found out innumerable inventions; the flame of Adam's candle was wholly put out in Paradise by the Fall, but some fire of that same candle still remaineth in the wick unextinguished, capable of flaming again by a new birth in this life (and such the devils and damned souls have not, for they are passed out of time and life) yet such is that fire in a natural man, that it cannot re-kindle (nor the spirit of the mind (and understanding which is darkened) be renewed, without the inspiration of the Almighty upon that spirit or candle in Man (which Elihu and Solomon mention.) And that spirit of life (in his sevenfold breathe) floweth with force on what spirits he listeth; and yet its gale from heaven is upon all spirits more or less in this life. He that yieldeth to God's wind, is renewed; the other shuts it out of himself by his own wilfulness or negligence. O ye Freewillers, and ye Anti-freewillers (so called) look into that glass, cease from endless disputes and vain janglings. Use to the uttermost the will and power God giveth you in time; for man's spirit or will in this life remaineth so proxime and neighbouring to the essence and nature of God (as Princes before the Monarch) that a free choice is left him, but such a one as is worse than nothing, if the eternal spirit of grace overshadow him not▪ for it is not of him that willeth or runneth, but of God that holdeth the scales and balance in his mighty hand, and weigheth the spirits, and in man preponderateth as he pleaseth. The souls eternal estate is at his beck: Fear him therefore, and please him, as far as by him thou art enabled (which as yet thou mayst see thou hast neglected;) but in so doing thou shalt know the mystery of his Will in thy own self; otherwise thou shalt reprobate, reject, or neglect thy own soul and life for ever.  
15. The only way to inward order, is to follow the uttermost light God hath given man of his will; and he that will do his Will, shall know of the Doctrine. This spiritual regularity shall also lead to the outward, and set Adam's posterity in their due places. Now as I have spoken for a righteous impartial Magistrate (who is the image of God the father) so I plead in God for a right Minister of the Gospel (who is also the image of Christ the Son) loving, knowing, condiscending, pure, wise, deep, diligent, weaned, trained, tried, tempted, and watered every moment, and such as have by Christ's order the vanguard in knowledge, humbleness, and power. Such Ministers, Pastors, Elders, and Teachers as these are such as the Son of God and his Apostles owned, and will confess before the father, as co-workers (not against Christ, but for him, at least as willing Nethinims, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water, and the true Preacher is well content with the lowest office in Christ.) Such as turn many to righteousness and obedience of the just in their hearts (not to a private lane of man's opinion) they shall shine for ever and ever, as the stars of God in the invisible world. Now ye may know such Teachers as these by this; they are like Christ, they do what they teach, and teach what Christ doth in them. They are Innocents', they hurt none by word, by example, or by mental influence. They seat not themselves in this world in Palaces, Gardens, Pleasures, Sports, Preferments, and such vanity of vanities; for the true Preacher findeth no time to be trifled away in this life, because he beholdeth and eyeth the pleasures at Gods right hand, and so forgetteth these delights of goats on his left hand. Such Shepherds of the sheep overlook great live on earth, and are ravished with the living immortal in God. Now such as approve themselves thus the servants of the living God, receive them, and scorn them not, though they use not your tone, words, and gesture; for who art thou that wilt bear but with one branch on one tree? Thou spirit, proud spirit, ignorantly boasting of thy light, must one tree eternally bear but one branch, one leaf one apple? Silence thou proud flesh, that wouldst silence all flesh but thy own, and seek not to stop the mouth of truth, though an Ass speak it. But for the Scribes and Pharisees, that love in their hearts the highest seats (which are not always counted the pulpits) in the Synagogues, they love to judge all, and be judged of none, that's the high Pew. In that judgement the spirit of truth fitteth as Judge, but not any other forerunner; nor did John Baptist, nor John Evangelist dare sit in that high seat in the Christian Synagogue, yet in them he that sits on the circle of the earth is sternman there. Now all such Priests, all such Ministers, Bishops, Pastors, Rulers, and Administrators, as are proud covetous, dormous, lustful men pleasers, false accusers, living-lovers, belly-grooms, time vain spenders, idle loitering recreators, State-contriving Foxes, unjust wrangling, suing neighbours, and the like; such as these (whoever they be) are all dogs barking, and swine tumbling themselves in the dirt; how then can they save them that hear them? A whip of Gods making shall drive all these dogs out of the Church. They are the sons of Eli, and of Balaam; of Aaron, and of Levi in their wickedness: These follow not the good, but the evil of their Predecessors, therefore shall they whither and suddenly come to nothing. Note also, that so long as any continueth and abideth in that most excellent spirit of God, so long he is a Minister of Christ in God, and no longer; for who is he that is a Minister of Christ to day, may not speak for Antichrist to morrow? As Peter spoke from heaven and from hell too in the same hour, saying, Lord, thou art the Son of the living God, but Master spare thyself. Now so long as the two natures are competitors within man, so long he shall and must necessarily be in doubts. But when the new nature is aloft and uppermost, and as long as it keeps under the vain spirit, so long he hath joy and assurance, and no longer; for to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Therefore the Lord Christ doth call and cry to all Preachers and hearers, Give me to drink that which is pure, without the mixture of your spirits with it, even such as hath no self in it, such will do good. I will bless it to others. That is the true Physic to poor souls. Give them that, and they shall be well. But if ye administer to them mixed teachings, and their souls die upon it, who shall answer think ye? O ye public Speakers, look to your mixtures; for a pure River of God is come out of Zion; in it shall all the beasts of the field of God drink up the water of life, and leave off the broken cisterns and disturbed pools that have much mud and mire in them. The true Ministers are followers of Christ (that is, they are like him) and the false are enemies to the cross of Christ that destroyeth all sin and vanity. Down with all that nourish wickedness, and up with Christ in the rest: I say up with Christ in them, rather than with them to honours in this life, lest pride blossom again, and selfconceit bud forth. These last days will not long suffer any proud sprigs on the trees; for now the Temple of God in Heaven is about to open, and there are voices, thunderings, earthquakes, lightnings, and great hail upon that evil generation of selfseeking Christians. O that we had hearts to stand out of the way of God's arrows, out of the way of sin and hypocrisy! then should not the soul feel within it that plague here mentioned without it.  
16. The time runneth out, and is great and marvellous; the grave gapeth for man, let not man then gape also after the dunghill of this world. Hunger after Heaven, and that is to say, long after the Lord Jesus. If thou didst expect to find in this Chapter matters of knowledge, eloquence with acuteness, thou hast deceived thyself. But here is mourning, warning, and woe to the world, and also directions to them that understand; and they that seek the Lord shall understand all things. None of the wicked perceive it, but the wise shall understand, saith Daniel and Solomon. This Generation is under the sixth Trumpet of God, and the fire, smoke, and brimstone are felt & smelled in souls and Nations eminently. Now the seven Thunders utters their voices in some, and make mortal men tremble at the thoughts of the Great day. The next Trumpet must sound, and then will be the finishing of the mystery of Gods Being and Will. Now is the hour, the day, the month, and the year for thee to beg of God, and to eat the little little book which was in God's hand, and is in the hand of his Angel. The knowledge thereof shall be as honey in the mouth of thy mind; but when that Lords candle shall search the inward parts of thy belly, and discover thy great corruption, it shall put thee in bitter pain (as of a woman in travail) And that voice of the Lord shall make thy kind to calve, and cause thee to cast off thy lust as an untimely fruit. Howbeit, cease not O man to beg of God that thou mayst swallow down that book; for until then thy soul shall not rest indeed, nor shall the Nations and Churches be quiet until that Book be known. That Book is in and through the Bible, the Creation, and the heart of man, and yet properly it is either of the three. It is the Hidden word, and yet revealed counsel of God in himself, and in his spirit in the children of the new birth. The name of this Book is nothingness before the creature, and All things before the Throne of God. When thou art nothing to thyself, then shalt thou read it, and not before. No wit or learning of man are sufficient spectacles; they are lofting up over the lines of this Book. But in self denial and yielding to Gods will in thee, thou shalt become a Scribe and Scholar of the Kingdom of Heaven, and no other way. Forget not this verse of the Chapter sent to thee and to the world.  
17. One Verse more, and then no more of this present Testimony. The hour is in sight, when time shall expire and be no more; when day and night, heat and cold, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest, shall no more for ever take their Turns. And whereas now day and night, joy and sorrow pass over us (grief in the evening, comfort in the morning) go on friend a little, and it will become with thee all day for ever, or all night, without mixture of the comforts of nature (as the eternal day or night prevaileth in the spirit.) Therefore be entreated again to strive to spend thy short time aright, and one quarter of an hour in four and twenty at least to begin to mind Eternity whither thou goest. If thou sayest, That is a small time (as indeed it is) see first whether in that quarter of an hour thy thoughts will not steal away to some creature or other, and to the things of time, of vanity, and of vexation. And know, that while thou livest in the sieve of vanity (which is the course of nature in thy own will) it is impossible for thee to have a steady mind to look on Eternity. And miserable art thou whilst thou livest a cripple at Bethesda in the five gates of the sensual life, till Jesus bid thee take up thy bed and walk. And this he doth when he makes thy will to cease, thy thoughts to stop, thy working fancy to sink, thy apprehensions to be darkened in dimness of anguish, thy pleasures to whither, thy righteousness to putrive, and thy self-hood to stoop, and yield, and die, as Christ Jesus did. This is best effected by the power of his love in thy heart, which love is light and life to thy spirit, but death to thy flesh. When I speak to thee (honest Reader) I speak to myself also herein; for I have learned that sharp expressions to others, are as weights of lead to ourselves, if we be guilty of the same evils: But when we testify with truth, mildness, and earnestness, we shall be accepted of the Lord, however men censure us as they please. This I leave with thee in perfect love, and thee also with that God who will shortly speak forth his own mind with Power, Authority, and great Glory to the whole World. Peace be unto thee. Amen.  
N. D.  
FINIS.   

These Books are lately Printed, and sold by T. Brewster at the three Bibles near the West end of Paul's.  
THE retired man's Meditations, or the Mystery and Power of Godliness, etc. by Henry Vane, Knight.  
A brief History containing most of those notable Occurrences and Revolutions that happened in those late Contests betwixt King and Parliament; being a short mention of things from 1637. to the King's death 1648. Written by Thomas May Esquire.  
The Excellence of a free State, or the Right Constitutions of a Commonwealth. Objections answered, together with some Rules of Policy and Errors in Governments, as laid down by Machavel and others.  
A Confession of Faith of several Churches of Christ in the Western Counties, viz. Somerset, Wilts, Devon, Gloucester, and Dorset, (signed by T. Coller, and others.  
A Dialogue between a Minister of the Gospel, and an inquire Christian, about the work of God upon the Soul, the Authority of the Scriptures, the Principles of the Quakers, and the work of the present Generation: By Tho: Coller.  
Lazarus and his Sister's discourse of Paradise; or a Conference about the excellent things of the other world.  
A Discourse betwixt 3 Neighbours about the present Government, viz. Goodman past, Goodman present, and Goodman future.  
A Dialogue between 3 Boards in Welsh, with other Welsh things.