A voice from the TEMPLE.  
The word of GOD, the covenant of Light, doth discover and declare the Anabaptist so called, to be in the reprobate state, and one of those many heads and horns of the Beast which are sprung out of the Beast, since the time of the coming in of the apostasy, when the Churches backslided and became Apostated, from the true Faith.  
And these have got the true Prophets words, but are out of the true Prophets life; and these have got CHRISTS words, and the Apostles; and for matter of the outward form, as Dipping, and breaking of Bread; but are open opposers of the Light and Spirit by which the Apostles were lead and guided, and so appears to the least Child of Light: not to have the Spirit but to be the natural men, that discerneth not the things of the Spirit of GOD.  
Written and Published to go abroad in the Army among those that are called Anabaptists:  
By one who despiseth no mans Person, but is a witness for God against the deceit of those, which say, they are Saints and are not; but do lie and are manifest to the least Child of light, to be the Synagogue of satan: JONAS del.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author, and are to be sold at the Bull and Mouth within Aldersgate: And at the Blacks Spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls, 1658.   

A Voyce from the Temple.  
BEhold! and give ear, all you that are called Anabaptists, in the Army, City, and Country: See and consider in what time you are fallen; even in a time of darkness and apostasy; wherein thick Darkness hath covered you; and a vail of Ignorance the faces of all Professors, that oppose the light of the world. Oh, how hath darkness, blindness, and ignorance covered you all! even as with a cloak, and a garment. How hath the Eye been blinded? The ear stopped? And the heart hardened? So that the Lord God and his way, his truth, and salvation, hath not been manifestly known, heard nor felt, nor witnessed; The words thereof hath been professed, but the power and life thereof hath not been enjoyed; but men have been deceived with a form of godliness, without the power.  
And you who are called Anabaptists, as well as others have been cheated with a likeness of things, without life; and ye have sought the living among the dead; and have worshipped Idols which have been without fence and understanding, and with lying imaginations and feigned likenesses hath the carnal part which ruleth in you above the seed of God been fed, and with shadows and outward appearances your souls have been starved.  
Therefore, know the day of your Visitation, and return to the light of the world; embrace Gods Covenant, that ye may come to feel the life, and so be brought out oft he apostasy; and out of this night of darkness, wherein you with other Sects have long slept; J say be awakened and consider where you stand, for you are in that apostasy and night of darkness that CHRIST did say should come, when as no man could work.  
And how it came in the Scriptures do declare; how the false Prophets, and Antichrists came in, which Christ I say had Prophesied of; and they established the form of godliness without the Power, and subverted many even whole houses and countries, from the Simplicity of Christ Jesus. So that many became insensible and grew past feeling of the Power and operation of GOD, and their minds became blinded, and their ears stopped( at I said before); and God was grieved who had brought up Children and they forgot him, and rebelled against him.  
Yea verily the Churches also became corrupted, and lost the life and power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost and became Idolaters, and worshippers of Idols, as you may red; Paul prophesied, That many should depart from the Faith, and give heed to seducing Spirits and to the doctrine of Devils. And further saith he, grievous Wolves should enter, not sparing the Flock but seeking to devour it, and would make havoc and merchandise of souls, through covetousness and filthy luore; and saith he, perilous times would come, wherein there should be a form of godliness without the power. And in that Generation before, and soon after his decease this came to pass and was fulfilled. As you may red in the Revelation; the Churches grew into Superstitions and Idolatries: The Church of Ephesus had lost her first love, and her Candlestick was to be removed; and so it came to pass. And some in the Church of Smyrna were in the Blasphemy, saying they were Jews, and were not; but of the Synagogue of satan. And the Church of Pergamus, some among them, held the Doctrine of Baalam, and to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit Fornication.  
And held the Doctrine of the Nicholaitans, which God hated; And the Church of Thyatira suffered that woman jezabel to teach, and seduced the servants of the Lord, and she and her lovers was to be cast into a bed of torment, and her Children should be killed with Death: and all the Churches should know, that God preached the hearts and tried the reins. And every one should receive according to their deeds. And the Church of Sardis had onely a name, that they lived, but was dead, and her works was not found perfect before God. And upon them would the Lord come, as a thief( so it is written) and they should be in darkness, and not know what hour he would come. And the Church of the Laodeceans were luke warm, and neither hot nor could; and the Lord said, he would spew them out of his mouth; for shee was wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and the shane of her nakedness did appear, and he that had an ear to hear might hear; these things were spoken by him that lives for ever and ever.  

The Amen.  
And so by their back-sliding they became Apostated from the Faith which was before held in a pure Conscience; and the Scripture doth declare, how they became a captivated, and the place where Gods honour had dwelled, came to be polluted, and their Dominions and treasures without, became a spoil to the teeth of the devourers. They having lost the Lords treasure, this justly came upon them; and so the holy City which had been full of Glory, was given to the Gentiles to be trodden under foot as the Scripture doth declare: And ever since the Beast and the false Prophet, hath ruled in oppression and the great Whore hath made all Nations drunk with the wine of her Fornication, yea all great Men, and Princes, and Nobles, and all the people upon the earth have been made drunk by her, and have touched her uncleanness; and ever since the day of that backsliding and apostasy, shee hath satin upon Nations, and Kindreds, and Tongues, and people; and hath been decked in divers colours, to deceive the hearts of all people; and all Nations have been deceived by her, and when the Apostles were taken off the earth; some by cruel death, and others were banished, then they sprung in more fully, and grew through all Nations, and even to this day hath the Beast with his many heads and horns ruled in Nations, and hath been worshipped.  
And so J say Darkness hath been over all people, and fancies, and likeness without Life, have been bowed under, and the Power being lost, the form hath been set up one after this sort, and another after that, according to mens vain conceits and apprehensions upon the Scriptures, and not according to the manifestation of the Spirit of God, which fulfilleth the Scriptures and brings to live, the life of them; And when the gift of the Ministry through the holy Ghost, which the Ministers of Christ had, was lost and not any more received, then began men to make Ministers by natural Learning, and Arts, and Languages of human Policy; and when the gift of Preaching by the eternal Spirit was lost, through the coming in of the apostasy, then began Man to study from books and writings what to Preach and say, not having the Holy Ghost received in them, which none is a Minister of CHRIST without.  
Yea verily, when men had lost through Ignorance the knowledge of God dwelling in them, then began they again to build Temples without, and to set up their false worship in them.  
For having lost the true sense of Gods true worship, which the Saints worshipped in the Spirit, and in the truth; then they began to worship in set dayes, and set times, and set places and outward observations; which is not the worship of GOD in Spirit and truth. And all this came in since the dayes of Christ, for he I say Prophesied, that it should be so as it is come to pass.  
They I say having lost the Power, from which the Scriptures was given forth, and not being guided in the Life, which they were in, which spoken them forth, then from the Scriptures in their own imaginations, without Gods spirit they set up Likenesses, and Images, and Sects, and forms, and many heads and many horns grew upon the Beast, which all the world worshipped, and went after; For they had lost Christ the one head wherein Union stood, and so grew into Idolatry under the many heads and horns which was upon the Beast, which pushed one against another, as it is witnessed unto this day.  
The Papists they are a head, and the Protestant they are a head, and they have many horns, every head hath several horns, yea many horns.  
The Presbyterian so called, they are a head of the Beast, and they have many horns; and the independent another head of the Beast, and have many horns, and every one of these pusheth one against another, and will not bow to each others head, but every one boweth to their own head.  
These all oppose the light of the World, and the birth which is born from above, and with their horns every one of these are pushing at the man-child, the seed of God, as soon as ever it appears: its appearance being contrary to that carnal birth which they bring forth.  
And this briefly I have declared, that you which are called Anabaptists may come to understand your own estates; and that you may be made truly sensible that you likewise are one of those many heads, and many horns of the Beast, and with your several horns you push at all these aforesaid.  
But you remain ignorant of the One head and horn of Gods salvation, and this I would have you to know, if you would but turn your minds in ward, to the light of the world; for otherwise you cannot know Christ the one head, as the Saints ever did, and as they do at this day; Therefore mind all the Saints that are now gathered out of this apostasy and dark night, unto whom the Light again is risen; worship Christ the one head, and know him the one horn, which pusheth against the Devils kingdom, which hath been long set up, and ruleth in the Earth among all these aforesaid, who have many heads and horns.  
And you J say who are called Anabaptists, are in this night fallen in the apostasy and darkness, which came in as I have said, when the Churches back-slided. Therefore consider your present condition, for under the power of the Beast you are become drunk as well as others, with the wine of her fornication, and the Beast reigneth over you all, with his Dominion and authority; and so with him you are joined, having the true Prophets words, Christ his words, and the Apostles writings, but from the Light, and out of the Life & power, and the way of God you have not as yet known in its purity: but are disputing and jangling about the Letter, what this text means and what the other means, and a disputing about Election and Reprobation, while in the Reprobate state you remain: and in which stare you stand, talking of CHRIST and his kingdom; of which you know nothing, neither have you any share in it, because you belong not to it( as yet) but with the many heads of the Beast, and in the number of her horns, you are found opposing the Light of Christ, and denying Christ mafested within to be the true Teacher: So even while you are speaking of Christ, and his gospel and kingdom, you are found enemies to it and fighting against it.  
But now after a long night of apostasy and darkness, which have been upon all the face of the earth, is the Lord appearing and his day dawning, and his Light breaking forth as the glory of the morning, and the kingdom of God is revealed, and his Dominion is setting up after the long reign of the Beast; and the Lord shall be known to be the God of his people; and for this cause hath he called and chosen faithful Witnesses, and given his powerful Ministry by the gift of the Holy Ghost, as it was in the Apostles dayes.  
And this I witness at this day, that there bee many that are called to declare abroad the things which they have heard and seen and handled, and the gospel of CHRIST is received by the revelation of Gods eternal Spirit and Son in their hearts. And the power is made manifest, and the form of Godliness is denied and judged, and Christ the one head is exalting, and the one horn of Gods Salvation is revealing, which you which are called Anabaptists are opposing, exalting your horn and setting up your forms without Life; denying the Light, and Christ manifested within, in his Saints to be the true Teacher and leader of his People.  
Whereby you manifest yourselves to be in the Reprobate state, and to be one of those many heads and horns of the Beast which are to be broken to pieces.  
Now consider you that deny the light of Christ which lighteth every man that cometh into the world to be your Teacher, and Christ manifested within to be your guide do manifest yourselves to be Reprobates and children of darkness, and you and your imaginations are judged and preached by that Spirit of Christ which searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God, 2 Epist. Corinth. 13. and 5. And if an man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of is. Rom. 8.9. But he that hath the Spirit of Christ hath the infallible Spirit. And here your conditions is judged by the least Child of light, and ye are seen to be reprobates and the natural men which discerneth not the things of the spirit of God which are above nature. And it is written, That no man can receive the things of the Spirit of God but they who mind somewhat of God in them to receive it withall.  
And now take notice, that the least measure of Gods spirit is an infallible guide and without it no man knows CHRIST, nor can judge of any thing of God or his truth, his kingdom, or way to it; but lies open to be deceived by the devil in all things, and to be lead by men of corrupt minds, that are from the Light of Christ, which Lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And now here is the ground of all errors, Sects, and Opinions, heresies, and Blasphemies that are in the world. It is I say in being lead from the guidance of his Spirit, and all live in error but them that are guided by it, but none ever erred who were guided by it alone. And now you that have not the Spirit that was in the Apostles, you have the Spirit of the world, and that spirit grows not, nor with it you grow not up in grace as the Saints of old did; but now the Scriptures are true, what they speak, but they could never be understood by your fallible Spirit which is contrary to that which gave them forth which is infallible and so to you they are a Parable; who are in that generation that would wrest them to your own destructions, and to the destruction of others, which were given forth to be fulfilled, and not to be wrested to the understanding of the carnal Spirit.  
Now the Scriptures do declare of the Covenant of Light in which God hath placed all his Promises and power, yea wheie God himself dwelleth, even in the light of CHRIST, the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; which was the message that the Ministers of Christ were to declare, which you and other the Ministers of Antichrist do oppose; therefore take notice that the light of Christ is the onely leader and Guide to all sorts of people, and in all estates of men will be guided thereby, and without believing and following this there is no Salvation; but without it all are in darkness, and this I shall make plain by the Prophets, CHRIST, and his Apostles, and their testimony of it: against whom ye bring your testimony and the rest of the Children of darkness, even against that Light which is the anointing, which was typified by that pure oil of the Tabernacle of which the Law and the Prophets prophesiod, even the everlasting Covenant of light, both to Jews and Gentiles, as saith the Prophet Esay, 24.6. and in the 49. and the 6. GOD calls it a light to the Gentiles, and for Salvation to the ends of the Earth, and in the 10. Chapter and 17. saith he, This light shall burn up as a fire the briars and thorns in his day. Also Esay 60.3.10, and 20. verses, and through his whole prophesy maketh it the sum of his work, to fore tell the coming Beauty and power of this Light.  
And John Baptist the greatest of all the Prophets, who came to see this Light he testifieth of him what he is, and what he doth, that through him all might believe, whose whole testimony was of this Light, as is written John the first, saith he. This is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and calls him the Word that was in the beginning, by whom all things was made; and saith he, in him was Life, and the life was the light of men, and that this light shined in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not; and this light you that are called Anabaptists do deny, and so you deny Iohns Ministry, but cannot see your blind Spirit opposing the living Spirit of light and life in all the Saints of God.  
But further take notice, that Simeon the Prophet he testifieth to this Light, and saith, he is prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israell, and calls it God's Salvation, Luke 2.30, 31, 32. And saith CHRIST of himself, I am the Light of the world, he that followeth me shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of Life, John, 8.12.  
But saith the Baptists and others the Ministers and members of Antichrist, this Light is not sufficient of itself; and saith Christ, take heed that the light that is in thee be not darkness, the light of the body is the Eye; therefore when thine eye is single the whole body is full of light; but when the Eye is evil thy whole body is full of darkness. Therefore saith he, take heed that the light which is in thee be not darkness; and this he spake to the people and the Pharisees Luke 11.  
But saith the Baptists and others, it is not to be found in all the Scriptures, that CHRIST nor the Apostles did never counsel Ignorant people to take heed to a light within them; and saith the Priests of this Nation, false and erroneous is that Spirit that bids men attend to a light within, and so saith the Baptists. So the liar and the Antichrist is now revealing; and there are many Antichrists of you who thus oppose Christ his Light and Doctrine, who have the horns of blasphemy and dare blaspheme God in his Temple, calling the Spirit of CHRIST false and erroneous, and saith, That to suppose that God in men is their Teacher, is an error not knowing the Scriptures; when as the Scripture saith, ye shall all bee taught of God, John 6.45. And saith the Apostle, know ye not that ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said: I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and the temple of God is holy, whose Temple ye are; but say ye Baptists, to suppose God to teach thee is an error, and so art not afraid( as I said before) to blaspheme God in his temple. And saith the Scripture, all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Esay 54. and the 13. And they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour, and every man his Brother; Saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest, jeremiah 31. and 24. Heb. 8. and 11. But saith the Children of darkness, where the son of Perdition fits in the temple of God this is error, who are strangers to this Covenant of light, and without God in the world; And they are such the Apostle speaks of, Ephes 4. Who because of the blindness of their hearts, through the denying the Light within, are alienated from the lights of God and so become past feeling; and so are given up to sin and pled for it though it be their destruction; For all that deny the Light within are heart blind, and so strangers to the life of God.  
And here are all ye Anabaptists so called, enemies to the Light, stumbling at it which is the Corner ston, and so all that oppose and hate the light, loves your evil deeds and so pleads for sin while you live, and so the words of CHRIST is fulfilled upon you, John 3.19, 20. For every one that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deeds be reproved. And further saith Christ, I am the light of the world, that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness but have the light of Life, and he exhorts the Pharisees and unbelievers, who believed the Scriptures, to believe in the light of the world, which John calleth the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world: And saith Christ, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever Believed in him should not perish but have Everlasting life; but saith, he that believeth not is Condemned already.  
And this is the condemnation, That Light is come into the world and men love Darkness rather then Light because their deeds are evil; and this he spake of them that believed the Letter as ye blind Dippers do now, but would not believe in the light of the world, as you now who deny Christ to be the Light of the world, and would limit him onely in the Heavens above the skies, and so you manifest yourselves to be Reprobates, and enemies to the Light and to the new birth where it is brought forth and witnessed; but say they that Believe, He is a light to lighten the Gentiles, Luke 2. and the 32. and the people that sate in darkness saw a great light, and to them that sate in the region and shadow of Death light is sprung up, Math. 4. and 16. And the Children of light well know that there is no other thing to enlighten them that sit in darkness whose minds the God of this world hath blinded, but the light of Christ, and till then the gospel is hide and the vail is over the heart, and all other means till the Eye be opened is unprofitable, and it is his Light alone, which is that Eye, and his Spirit alone, that takes away the vail, 2 Cor. 3.16, 17. And that it is his Spirit alone that guides into all Truth, John 16. and the 1●. Even the same Spirit which reproveth the world of Sin, verse the 8. But saith Antichrist, men are not lead into all Truth by a light within, so by that Doctrine, the Spirit of truth must either be within, or else darkness within; for say you, men are not lead into all truth by a light within, but saith the Scripture, ye have an unction from the Holy one, and ye know all things, and this anointing abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you in all things and is Truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in it, and there is no lie of the truth.  
And this spiritual light of Christ, all the holy men of GOD did ever bear witness to it, to be that by which they were enlightened, even the Light within which shined out of darkness in their hearts, which gave them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, which was their Treasure in the earthen vessels which they Preached, and not themselves, that the praise might be wholly of God who had given them this light in Christ Iesus, whereby to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty; not handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of his Truth commended themselves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God, and not to the fleshly wisdom, nor brave knowledge, but to the light in every mans Conscience, 2 Cor. 4. And they exhorted them to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but to reprove them, and said all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light, and whatsoever makes manifest is light, and this they Preached for the Light, Ephes. 5.11, 13, 14. And doth also declare, that the want of this Light having their understandings darkened and the blindness of their hearts, is the cause why men are past feeling, and so giving themselves over to lasciviousness to work all unrighteousness with greediness, Ephes 4.18.19. But saith he, the Saints have not so learned Christ; if they have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, being renewed in the Spirit of their minds who sometimes were darkness but now are light in the Lord, and so walk as Children of the light, bringing forth fruits of the Spirit in all goodness, righteousness and truth, and this Light was their Message which they declared as the way to the blood of cleansing: Saith John, this is the Message as wee have heard of him, and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all: and if wee say, we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, wee lie and do not the truth; but if wee walk in the light, as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Iesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin, John first Epist. 1. Chap. 5, 6. and the 7. verses.  
And this Light they Preached to keep out of the occasion of stumbling, and said they that walk in darkness know not whither they go, because that darkness hath blinded their eyes, 1 John 2.10, 11. And this was the end of their Ministry, which was the end of the Covenant and the end of Christs coming even to open the blind eyes, and to bring them that sate in darkness out of the Prison house, Esay 42. and 7.  
And this was the end of the Apostles Ministry, to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God, Acts 26. and the 18. And this Eye was within them that was blind, which they were to open which the God of this world had blinded, which CHRIST calls, the Light of the Body; and therefore he saith, Take heed the light that is in thee be not darkness, Luke 11.34. Which Eye the blind guides who love the world and their sin have closed, and their ears they have shut, whose hearts are waxed gross, so that they cannot neither see, hear nor understand, Math. 13.15. And in this state are you Baptists and all other Teachers, who are from the light blind guides, blind leaders of the blind, who cannot speak according to the Law and Testimony; because you know not the light in you, nor can any but from that light within; And therefore in your blindness are opposing the light of the world, which all the Prophets prophesied of. Which had the testimony of jesus which I witness and many thousands at this day to bee the light of the world, who are come to the end of the Law and the Prophets, even to the new Covenant, where the Law is written in the heart; and to the Spirit of prophesy which is the testimony of IESVS, which I knew not till that Eye was opened; and therefore went along with you in your blind worship, and self taken on performances from the Letter which gave me no Life, which life J now feel and witness in the Spirit by Faith in the light of Christ, and his commands in Spirit is life and power; for in obedience to the Faith in the light it is seen and accepted, in which I see you and your labours which are without, not in the light and Spirit, and deny you and your sparks you are kindling and your literal Teaching and selfe-righteousnesse and all your Brick-making who are in the Egyptian darkness, enemies to the light of Israell and its seed; and J see you to be enemies to Zions redemption, as you are enemies to the light of the world both in yourselves and others.  
And this I say further to all your dark generation, that all your boast of Religion and knowledge in the Letter will not bring you, to God without the light of CHRIST, nor can any one, that is in Ignorance come to know the way to Life but by the light of the World; and verily, until man bee lead thereby, he cannot come out of this darkness even with that Light which reproves the world and manifests your evil deeds, must you bee lead; and this all who are enlightened indeed, knows that he is the light in the times of darkness and there is none besides him, and that he gives Life to all who receive his light and follow it; but those that rebel against the Light, knows not the ways thereof nor abides in the paths thereof, John 34.13. There in that Chapter you may red ( Your selves) and your ways and works.  
And now in-as-much as you do oppose the Light of the world, you remain ignorant of the Word and takes the Letter for it, and so did I, till such time that I did adhere to the Light.  
And now seeing I have proved you and every man that cometh into the world; to have a measure of light from Christ, which moveth against sin, and tells men all things that ever they have done; therefore show yourselves no longer to bee of that man of Sin, that old gaine-sayer, who opposeth yourselves against the truth of the Scriptures, and yet would have the Letter thereof to be the Word which you can turn and wrest against the truth, but the Word you know not which cannot be wrested, altered nor changed, nor can you prove the Letter to be it, though many crooked ways you take to do it, but it is hard to take the Letter to prove against the Word which doth testify of the word from whence it came, but seeing you call the Letter the Word, I shall prove that the Letter is not the Word, and the Letter itself shall witness with me herein.  
FIrst, that which one may have, and not have the Word, is not the Word, but one may have the Letter and not have the Word, so the Letter is not it.  
That one may have the Letter and not have the Word is plain, John 5.38, 39. And ye have not his word abiding in you, for whom he hath sent him you believe not, and further saith Christ, Search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me: The Iewes had the Scriptures, and Christ bade them search them, and they thought to have eternal life in them; but Christ tells them, they had not the Word. So the Letter cannot be the word which one may have, and yet not have the word; for whosoever hath the Word hath Life, but so hath not all who have the Letter, the Word is without beginning or without ending, but so is not the Letter; that which can be changed by men is not the word, but the Letter hath been and is at this day changed by men, 1 Pet. 1.5. and 20. And the word of the Lord came to such as had the Latter, and some of them received it, and some received it not, yet all had the letter and believed it; and all that hear the word it quickens but many hear the letter but are still dead in trespasses and in sins, and such they are who know not how to distinguish between the word itself and the letter which is the declaration thereof; which Letter the devil and wicked men get to pled against the Word and for their sins, which is the great use the Letter is wrested to at this day, let any of the servants of God reprove sin in the word of the Lord, and presently the Serpent gets a Scripture to pled for it, and so to give God the lie, which was the Devils work before the Letter was, to wit, to oppose the Word in open lying, but now have got the Letter to hid him, and can now come as boldly which it is written, Luke 4.10. to uphold his sin and imperfection, as ever he did with his lie to Eve to set up his kingdom of Sin and imperfection at the first, which then he got in by subtlety without Scripture, but now by the Letter would maintain it by force, and if any believe to attain that estate again which was lost with blindness from the Letter, he will endeavour to prove him an heretic and find Scripture to murder him for it also, had he but power to do it; And this is the use the Scriptures are of, when such give meanings of them, and preach them whose Eye he hath blinded and have not the Word in them from which the Scriptures came, and without which none can know them nor understand them; and thus the Jewish rabbis put Christ to death by the Letter, John 19.7. And so doth he suffer to this day in whom even he is, by the worlds Teachers wresting the letter; Therefore saith Peter, such wrest all Scriptures to their own destruction, 2 Pet. 3.16.  
And this is the ground of the Divels enmity against the children of Light at this day; because wee exhort people to the Spirit of Christ and to his Light to enlighten their minds, that so they may not red without understanding, and so wrest the Scriptures to their own destructions, which things I myself did while I was in my fallen wisdom; for while man is in darkness the best of Gods gifts are perverted to a wrong end, but being enlightened by the Word, the gift is seen and sanctified to its right end, without which it cannot; for God hath placed the blessing and right use of all his mercies in his son who is the Light of the world, the Word by which all things was made and is upholden; Therefore is he first to be Preached who is first and last to enlighten people that sit in darkness, death and delusion, which light being first received, all the gifts of God are yea and Amen therein, to his praise and the Creatures good; for without Faith all is lost, and it is not Faith in the gift that saveth but faith in the giver; for many did believe in the Scripture and thought to have eternal life therein, but did not believe in the light of the world; and so denied the giver, and the Scripture could not save these, but in there own thoughts thereof deceived themselves, who had not the Word abiding in them, and so dwell in the Letter but would not come to the light of Life; for it is he that hath the son that hath life, and not every one that hath the Letter; and such alone have the word of life, which such as stuck in the letter knows not, nor can hear, John 8.47. Nay, there was many that heard Christ speak, but did not nor could they hear the Word, John 8.43. And this was much more then the Letter; yet such blind and deaf Creatures being blinded by the God of this world, thought to have eternal life in the Scriptures; but saith Christ, verse 47. he that is of God heareth Gods word. ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God; yet did Christ speak the words of God, and they did hear him carnally as carnal men do the letter, and could make him answer to his Speech, but could not hear the words of GOD as Christ plainly said; and here you may all red your blindness also, That place Acts 17.11. which you think makes so much for you to prove the Letter the Word, it doth but fall on your own heads, as also other Scriptures do; For them of Berea was not called more Noble, then they of Thessalonica because they had the Scriptures red, for the Iewes of Thessalonica had the Scripture red every sabbath day; but this was their Nobility in that they received the Word gladly with all readiness of mind & then preached the Scriptures daily; First they received the Word to enlighten them, and then preached the Scriptures in the light. So this doth plainly prove, that they had not the Word before though they had the Scriptures before: So that here you but prove that the Letter is not the Word, also this place plainly proveth that one may have the Scripture all their lives and red them in way of Worship constantly; For so did both these sorts of Jews, and neither knew Word nor Scripture, until they received the word of Light, but when the Word is received or not received, that makes the difference of Believers and unbelievers, the one owns, the other envies and persecutes, though both have the Scriptures: This Scripture proves this in the Iewes, and your practise proves the same in you who ate called Anabaptists, who call yourselves Christians, but are found by the children of Light to be one of the many Heads and one of the many horns of the Beast, who are found joined and joining with other heads and horns of the Beast, pushing against the one head and horn of Gods salvation, opposing the light in the Children of light, and ye are found joining with the lewd People as they did, and stirring up their minds to persecute through your Lies, which otherwise they might be more silent, and so your works is seen and it makes manifest what word you know: And it makes manifest I say, that ye are one of the many heads and horns of the Beast pushing at the Truth and at us who bear witness to the Light.  
And now further take notice that searching the Scriptures, without the Word first received, ye eannot find the way to Faith as this Scripture doth plainly prove; For till the Eye bee opened with the light of the Word of Life, the Scriptures are a mystery to the carnal understanding, and all that man can do with them in that state is to wrest them to his own destruction, 2 Peter 3.16. And you who are judging of Scriptures, and setting others so to do without the light of CHRIST, are they who led the Blind and resist the holy Spirit, as did your Fathers; so do you resist the Spirit with your imaginations from the Letter.  
Therefore bee ashamed of your practise: hath the Spirit given out the Letter to testify of the light of the World and its sufficiency, and that there is no other way out of the world, but by Christ the Light of the world: and that the Light and the way are one: And do you pervert this against the Light to prove it not sufficient, hath God given his Word to his seed in every Generation, and hath promised That it shall not depart out of the mouth of that Seed for ever. Esay 59.21. By which Word the world was made, and all his are to bee guided and Sanctified; and because the Testimony of some few of those who had this Word is in writing, to witness that Christ is this word, and that all are to wait for him: And will you take this Letter and pervert it against this Word, to set it in its stead, to keep People from this word and calling it the Word, which doth but declare of the word.  
Now is the deceit of your high notion found out, who have pretended so much Light and Spirit formerly, That now the true light is come and the gift of the Spirit is manifest for every one to profit withall; and you are found the greatest opposers, and have set yourselves to make the People evil affencted against the Light and Spirits teaching, though no man can say, That Jesus is the Lord but by that Spirit which is given to every one to profit withall, 1 Corinth. 12.7. And so all your Prayers and worships that are out of this Light and before it are blind and abominable, and all you prove in this your opposing the Light of the world is yourselves, Children of darkness and wholly ignorant of the Spirits teaching and the least Child of light, as J have said before, judges you herein; for the least that ever knew any thing from God, either of Iudgement, Teaching, or Promise, or Power, they know they have it in Spirit, and such know that what the Saints declare of in the Letter which they received of God in Spirit, will not satisfy their longing souls, unless they can have it from God in Spirit also: So that your opposing the spiritual Light and power, doth but give occasion to all that have the least sight of the Spirit, and its teaching to see you heart-blind and so joining with the God of this world to blind the minds of others also and the least of the Children of light you cannot deceive; With this onely you discover yourselves to bee one of those many heads of the Beast exalting your horn, and discovering your Babel, which you have builded without the Light in your imaginations from the Letter, without the light, from whence ariseth and is the ground of all false Worships, Sects and Opinions, and delusions, the seat of the Hypocrite in which you bless yourselves in darkness without God in the world, and not to have the Father nor the Son in you, and so are out of the doctrine of Christ, 1 John 9.10.  
But where this Light is received and followed, you are therewith seen and discovered, and your work, and the end of it and in all that you do, in thus opposing the Light of the world, you are but a breaking yourselves against the Cornerstone, like foolish women who are pulling down your own house with your own hands: For the more you resist the light the more it shineth, and the more you dispute against the Light and Spirit, the more you are manifest to be out of the doctrine of Christ, who is that light and Spirit: and here you show yourselves( I say) to bee one of the many heads and horns of the Beast, who thus oppose CHRIST in his Saints; Doth not he say, without me ye can do nothing, and again saith he, abide in me, and I in you, he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit, So shall ye be my Disciples, John 15. and the 4. And doth not Christ say to the Father touching the Saints; I in them and thou in me, that they may bee made perfect in one, John 17.23. And did not all his Ministers preach the same; did not Paul say, When it pleased the Father to reveal his Son in me, that I might Preach him, Gal. 1.16. And Christ in you the hope of Glory whom we preach, Collos. 1.27. And know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye bee Reprobates, 2 Cor. 13.5. And again saith Paul, My little Children with whom I travail in birth again till Christ be formed in you, Gal 4.19. And he that hath the Son hath Life John 5.12. And he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the son, and if any com● and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed, 2 John 1.10, 11. Oh how is the hidden things of Esau found out in you! who deny the Light and Christ manifested within to bee your teacher and guide. Are they not blind indeed? Who cannot see Antichrist now revealing, and who they are that deny the Father and the Son, was there ever such a wind Generation? who have denied the Light, the Spirit, the Father, and the Son, and now deny the Letter also, that any own should own what is in it declared, further then to talk on. Verily it is time for all that love their own souls, to come out from amongst these blind Leaders of the blind, who thus reject and resist the Spirit, and thus blaspheme God in his Temple, 1 Cor. 6.16, 17. Such blind Doctrine, and such blind Discourse, may serve to keep yourselves in your imaginations; but among the children of Light it can do no hurt: with the Light are ye comprehended to have formed a Christ in your own imaginations, and your eyes are abroad expecting his coming without you, in observations of persons and forms: lo here, and lo there! and the time and the manner of his reign you are jangling about; and what an One he shall be, and which of you shall be greatest at his coming, and such like conceits without you, hath the enemy up amongst you; till you have wholly lost the favour of Christ within, and can neither know his appearance in yourselves, nor believe him in others in whom he is come; nor know what an One he shall be. What a Christ is this, you are looking for? Is he the same that was from the beginning, whose Kingdom is not of this world? And do you look for him after another manner then he hath appeared? Is he not the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever? Hath the enemy of your souls deceived you, and kept you spending hours and days, and moneths, and years talking of him? What he was, and what he will be, at a distance without you; but knows not him what he is. So that when he would appear in you, to led you out of the world, you know not his voice, nor will you obey him in Spirit, because he is not come in your form, nor teacheth after your will, and in your way. So is he set at nought by you builders, as ever he was; and you cannot receive him in your hearts, neither is there any room for him in the inn, further then to talk on, which expresses as a covering for your pride and earthly pleasures: Let that of God in your consciences be judge betwixt God and you herein, how you receive the Son of his Love, the Despised One. Search your hearts therewith, and see whether you can receive him who is set as a sign every where to be spoken against? Will you bear his marks in your body? Will you take up his across daily, and bear his reproach? Will you own him in whippings, stonings, mockings, and temptations, and to be accounted the filth of the World, and off-scouring of all things for his name sake. Can you be willing to be accounted fools, that his wisdom may be manifest in you? Will you bear his reproach in Stocks, and Prisons, and Dungeons, and to be numbered amongst transgressors? Will you confess him before men, to the loss of your Commissions and Estates? Will you own him in leading you through the loss of all your unjust gain and oppression in your Tradings, or will you follow him to yea and nay, in all your occasions? Shall nothing separate from the love of God, in him who is rejected of all the world.  
This is our Christ, and this is his condition in this world, as ever it was; and this is his glory to carry his people through all these things; and above all these in us the eternal Kingdom of the Father, and them present without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: And this is he whom the world cannot receive, nor all you who are in the worlds pleasures, can see any comeliness in him, nor beauty, whereby you should desire him: for that eye is blind that jangles about him afar off, in the carnal comprehensions and sensual wisdom: It is the eye of Faith that sees him present in the measure, and leads to follow him: And he that believes hath the witness in himself, wherewith his glory is seen in the eternal, the same to all Generations, that will receive him, who is the Light of the world, yet not of this world, nor its glory: from whose root springs Righteousness, Mercy and Judgement, who is meek and lowly; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; who takes no pleasure in unrighteousness, nor to set up pride; but shakes his hand at the gain of oppression, and strikes at your life in all unrighteousness. And that is his witness in you, which calls you out of all vain things, that with his Light he might bring you out of the world, there to commune with you about your backslidings, and show you your transgressions, and to let you see the everlasting Covenant of the Fathers love even the eternal inheritance, which none can come to but they which receive his witness in the light, of the which is a cross to all the worlds sovers and its glory; So if you can receive him you may, if not this J say to you, your expectations will fail, who looks for his appearance in the worldly Glory or after your imaginations who judge him to bee like yourselves, or such a one as you would have him, who have changed your glory for fading things; and so imagine of him also, do you think the lamb hath changed his glory, because the Beast is got up into his seat; Nay, his glory is the same as it was, though you have changed your God, and have bowed down yourselves to the Prince of the world and his glory, and have committed adultery therewith, yet God is the same, and changes not.  
Therefore come down you painted Harlots, you Adulterers and Adulteresses, whose minds would uphold carnal things and carnal delights, and live in foolish mirth which is madness and folly, and bring Scripture to pled for it, and yet profess the name of the Lord jesus; Verily this is the word of the Lord to you all, you are an ill savour to the people of God, and to the Narions whom the Lord is about to gather, who say you are the people of God but live as bad or worse then the Heathens, you are the enemies of God, yea verily and your profession stinks in his nostrils: Alas do you think! he will accept your words, while your Lives preach rebellion openly, and have begot a faith in one another to believe that God will accept you herein, I mind chiefly you who are in the Army, when as a CHRIST you look for conformable to your kingdom of pride and worldly glory, selfe-worship, and respect of persons; where you have followed the Heathen into that Principle, where man errs thither are you gone out of the Faith of Christ which stands not in respect of persons, neither can you believe, who receive honour one of another, so your hope shall perish, and your sorrow shall come upon you in one day, except you repent and return; though now you put it afar off, yet shall you one day see, that vain words shall not serve, nor save, where Light and Life is denied. Consider that place of Scripture, Luke 13.24, 25, 26, 27, 28, & 29. verses: Strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you( saith Christ, the Light of the world) will seek to enter in, and shall not be able; therefore consider the day of your visitation: You are in the Letter, but out of the Life; for when once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without and knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord open unto us: and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are: then ye shall begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets: but he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence you are, Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity: There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the East, West, North and South, and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God, and behold, there are last, which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last: He that hath an ear to hear let him hear.  
And now consider all you whose unity stands in the visibles, and by them are gathered together, and there you receive and know one another, and that you make the door to receive into your Churches, as without it no communion, whose knowledge is outward, and your worship outward, as in Words or Water, Bread, and Wine, which are carnal perishing things, though good in their time and place, to them who in their place could use them: yet were they not given as the substance but as the shadow: not in the place of God, but in way of obedience to God, as many other carnal things which in their place was not to be omitted, as Temple, Circumcision, Sacrifices, Brazen-Serpent, which were good, till set in the place of God; and till they who had them, set them up against truth and righteousness, and became as bad, if not worse, then they that had them not; yet blessed themselves in their evil ways because of them, and excluded all else: Then the Lord departed out of them, and left them empty and desolate, and his appearance cried them down, as things without life, and set up the substance of them within: So that God hath been forced all along to pull down, what he himself did set up, though never so good, yet if carnal, the carnal mind would get into them, and adulterate from the Maker, as you may red in the Scriptures, how many things God hath laid waste upon that account, even at his appearance in some of his sons and daughters; even such things, as he had said should be signs for ever, yet their abuse caused the Servants of God, to cry them down: So your carnal things wherein God and his power, and righteousness is not, your setting them up instead of Christ makes them odious to all, that knows Christ, and they cannot endure, to see that which belongs to God given to any creature and be silent.  
Well! but you will say, that they be commands of God, and there is no Scripture for taking them away. To which I answer; That those carnal things are but commands, as Circumcision and the Passeover were, and many other such like: yet were they taken away without Letter, by that Spirit that gave them, when they were abused. What Letter had Hezekiah to take away the Brazen-Serpent, and break it in pieces? What Scripture had Paul to cry down Circumcision? or what Scripture bad he to deny that he was sent to Baptize, when he saw them abuse it, and setting it up above Christ; and many other things which the Spirit of God, when Idolized, for which the literal Observers, who denied the Spirits teaching, counted them blasphemers, as you Baptists and other Professors do now: and so by such they suffered for holding out the substance, and denying the shadows to such as Idolized them: Though otherwise the shadows had been lawful: Neither do I judge any that do it in obedience, and so come up above it. But all you that stick in these outward things, contending about Dipping, and Sprinkling, and breaking of Bread, but neglect the power and life: You are the Jews of these days, who strive about outward washings, some for young and some for old, but in the mean time all our of the power, and in the world, in your own wills, and worldly pleasures, and profits, pride, and covetousness, some for Free will, others not, but all in your own wills; and thus while you are about these things received by Tradition, the Law of God, written in your hearts is made of none effect. Nay you cannot own it, that there is any thing there, to guide or give the knowledge of God. So you have a form of godliness, but the world hath power over you and in you; and so are become a reproach to Religion.  
Therefore come out of the world, and the power of darkness, and come to the guide of the Spirit of truth, that you may be set free, to the Lord, and from the rudintents which God is departed out of, and follow ye the Lamb whithersoever he goeth: And then shall ye see him separating you from the world into the substance of truth, in Mercy, and righteousness before you be hardened in your wickedness, and before your form, be left to you desolate, and a strange thing come upon you, which is already seen concerning some of you, who will not now own his appearance who before all forms was, and is. And now consider, you that are not yet entred into persecution, though opposing: Is it not a sad thing, to see how some, who above all did cry out for Liberty of Conscience, and against persecution, who have been persecuted for Conscience sake, that are now become the most subtle persecutors, that ever were in this world, you in this Generation be not grieved to hear of these things; for God is bringing strange things to pass, which you will not believe as yet, though it be  told you. But when it is come upon you, remember you have been  told; for the Lord is gathering his seed out from the Heathen, where it hath been scattered, and they that will not be gathered shall be scattered; and they that will not come into the Kingdom of the Lamb shall be left among beasts, and all you that denies the Spirit of God to led you, are no better, and that eye is blinded that foresees not the evil; therefore take heed you fall not into mischief ere you be ware.  
The sixth of the ninth month 1657.   

It is written, What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ, saith Paul to the Philippians; yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of God by Faith, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9.  
NOw the end of this my declaring is, that you might no longer kick against the pricks, by opposing the light of the world, and that you might no longer jangle against Gods Covenant of Love, which lets you see your sins, and reproves you in secret for all that you have ever done: Is not this the light of the world, is not this Gods Covenant, wherein consists eternal life? yes verily? Therefore I say contend no longer for those things which God is departed out of, which are become the seat of the hypocrite, in which for a long time, and yet at this very day the hypocrite dwells, as in Water-Baptism, Bread and Wine, and such like, in which the Saints never witnessed life, but could and did use them, till they were abused, and became the seat of the Hypocrite, and likenesses without life, a form without power: Therefore profess no more then you possess; for( I say) to walk in, and to practise these outward things, and not to feel the power, and witness it, you do but deceive your own souls; for the outward Tradition and Ceremony of the Church of Christ, is nothing without the power of Christ in you, which changes the heart, and brings to live the life of godliness; for now all the world almost are become Professors of the outward Letter, and are Professors of it; but of the mystery of Godliness remain ignorant, and feel not the power thereof, and so wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, as I have said. Alas! How are the Scriptures abused, and wrested at this day, by all sorts of Professors, who err from the light of Christ, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  
Therefore this is the word of the Lord God of Life, and Power, and Righteousness to you all, be silent and wait in the light, that you may come to feel the life; for more precious is the power then the Letter, where it is felt and witnessed; for the Scriptures( of truth) are not to be compared with the power which gave them forth, though I confess the Scriptures are a true declaration of glad tidings, and are precious to those, and to all that can witness them fulfilled, who feel a measure of that Spirit and Power from whence they were given forth: But where the power is not felt and witnessed, there the Scriptures serve for nothing but to talk on, as I have said, and men keep themselves in action, but to no profit, being from that Light which would let them see; and being from that Spirit, and out of that power which gave them forth, they remain ignorant of the Spirit of prophesy; for prophesy came not of old time by the will of man: But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1.21. Yea, and saith Peter, We have a more sure word of prophesy, whereunto you do well to take heed, as unto a light which shines in a dark place, till the day down, and the day Star arise in your heart. Now by taking heed to the Light of Christ, which every one is lighted with which cometh into the world, and hath a measure of, bringeth to the dawning of the perfect day, and into a perfect state in Christ, which never any came to, nor never shall come to, but by waiting for, and walking in the motions and movings of it: yea, so it is written, If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him, 1 John 1.7. 1 John 2.8. & 10. verses. So that J say, the very first step to the dawning of a perfect day, and to a perfect state in Christ is by a solemn waiting upon God in the light of the world; which God hath set for a Covenant, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Israel, Luke 2.32. And verily, this I can witness was my great mistake for many yeares together, and the main reason why I erred and run out to this man and the other man, and out of one form into another, and was unsteadfast and unsettled, talking of the truth, but out of it, I say because I took not heed to the light which I was lighted withall which moved in me against sin, and here have all erred that are at this day out of the power and life of truth, crying lo here and lo there, and yet out of the power and from the life of the Prophets and holy men of God, it is their being from that of God in them, it is in being from the Light, from the anointing, which is the true Teacher in every one, in the male and female. Men running out in the Letter in their own wils, not minding the light which otherwise would bring to a perfect day, & a perfect state in Christ even to be born of a perfect birth from above, brought forth in the true Faith, which the gates of Hell shall not prevail against; but not abiding in the Light which manifests sin and would subdue the Lusts and slay the enmity, and wholly destroy the works of the devil if mendid abide in it; This was the great defect of the Anabaptists so called, in not rightly observing and not truly understanding, what the Letter directed too, when it saith, Repent and be baptized and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; But here I say, not minding what the Letter directed to, run out from the light in their own wills to Preach and Dip, and to give interpretations of the Scriptures in their fallen wisdom and so run from the gift of the Holy Ghost, for that was never attained to, but where it was waited for: yea the Apostles themselves was to wait for it, and did wait for it before it fell upon them, and saith Christ, tarry at jerusalem till you are endued with the Power from on high. Luke 24.49. And Christ after his Resurrection being assembled with his Disciples, commanded them that they should not depart from jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father( which saith he ye have heard of me) for John truly Baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence, and ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in jerusalem and in all Indea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth, Act. 1.4, 5 & 8. verse. Act. 11.15, 16.  
But you who are the professed Ministers called Anabaptists, you made too much hast, and ran out in your own wils in your sensual wisdom, in which you yet stand in the enmity against God, taking the Letter to oppose the Spirit, so you not waiting in the light to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in the power of your own wils you stand, and in your own wils you Preach and Dip, and break Bread, and not in the power of God, which is the true call of a Minister of Christ; without which your Ministry is imperfect, and also your Church, but had you waited till you had received power from God, he would have sent you to preach in his Name, and power, and to have let Dipping alone, which he was departed out of, before the decease of the Apostles or soon after; and it was become a thing of no repute, being become the Hypocrites Idols, as indeed it is at this day; for verily no better are any of you who live in the practise of it, and are out of the power of God opposing that Spirit in others, which would let you see to go right on your way, and verily that place in matthew 28. makes nothing to prove the universality of Dipping; Where it saith. go teach all Nations baptizing or Dipping them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: And lo J am with you always even to the end of the world; for that world was at an end, & there was an end of that when the power the gift of the Holy Ghost was lost; as the power was lost when the apostasy came in, which Power, the gift of the Holy Ghost you have not again regained, nor received who deny the Light of the world, & Christ manifested within to be your Teacher and guide; and though Christ did say, lo I am with you always to the end of the world; it is to bee understood no further nor no longer time, then the end of that dispensation; as in other cases where God said, This shall be a Covenant for ever, when as it teached but to the end of that generation, as you may red in the 17. Genes. 13. Where God saith to Abraham, I will make with thee an everlasting Covenant, and saith he, this is the Covenant I will make with thee, Every male shall be Circumcised, and this Covenant upon these conditions did last but for a time; for we red that God did afterwards make a new Covenant with his people that should never be ended; So in like manner the Priesthood of Aaron and his sons was called an everlasting Priesthood, and yet that had an end and was changed into the Priesthood of CHRIST that abideth for ever and ever, and we are said to be changed, from one Everlasting to another everlasting, which shows there are more everlastings then one; So that one Everlasting is but the time during of the same dispensation under which wee are for a time until our change comes.  
Therefore let all flesh be silent before God and in the Light wait, to receive power from God and give over your Imagemaking, for you and your Images, your likenesses and forms without life will the Lord leave desolate and you perish in darkness; wherefore arise ye and depart for this is not your rest, because it is polluted it shall destroy you with a fore destruction, Micha, 2.10. You that have taken up your rest and dwell in the imitations of others, in the shadows and in the outward form out of the life of God, and are from the Spirit, ye abide in death, and are in the way to destruction, and you remain ignorant of the true worship of God, you be so far from being of the true Church of God, which is in God that you know it not, but with the Hypocrites ye worship without the gate in the Court, without the Temple which is no more to be measured but is for the winepress of the wrath of God there to be trodden under foot, Revel. 11.1, 2. Revel. 14.19, 20. Nay verily the worship of God which is pure you know not, there the Hypocrite comes not, they that are from the pure Light are out of the pure Worship which is in Spirit and in truth.  
Therefore consider where you stand all of you which oppose the Light of the world, you have slain Gods witness in you and to every good work you are Reprobates, and here you come under the notion of Blaspheamers who say you are the Church, and the Saints of God and are not; Yea saith the Spirit to the Church in Smirna, J know the blasphemy of them, which say they are Iewes and are not, but are the Synagogue of satan, Revel. 2. and 9.  
Therefore red your own Conditions you Anabaptists in the Army who thus oppose the Light, and bring Scripture to pled for Sin, who are not come to Yea and Nay, nor to witness a bridle to your Tongues, but are found in the Idle frothy discourse of the Common sort of the world, which never made any profession of Religion: and when as I  told some of you, that as a Witness of God I stood against that folly and madness committed by the soldiery upon the Guard, which you were accessary to, and thou Robert Hazleow didst bring Scripture to prove the lawfulness of sin; and now that thou mayst repent of this thy wickedness, and bewail thy hypocrisy, I shall in the fear and dread of the righteous God of life and power, from whose presence the wicked shall not escape: show thee thy great mistake in that place of Scripture, which thou didst bring to maintain madness and folly, which is in Eaclesiastes 3.1. Where Solomon saith, To every thing there is a season, and to every purpose under the heaven. But be thou advised in the fear of the Lord; for to commit sin was never Gods purpose. But saith God, Lo, I have made man upright! but he hath sought out many inventions: But thou declarest thus to pled for sin.  
Sayest thou Solomon saith, that there is a time for all things; and therefore thou dost conclude that there is a time for laughter, madness, and folly, which in the fear of God I deny: though there be time that men do take to commit sin, that time is abused and misspent, that is not improved to Gods glory, and though thou wouldst make the Scripture a cloak to cover thy wickedness, and the wickedness of others; yet know that they were never given forth for that end, but that men should fear before him, who is able to take you a way in the act of sin, verse 14. and in ver. 16. saith he; Moreover, I saw under the Sun, the place of Judgement, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness that iniquity was there. And now compare the first verse with the 17. and see how much it makes for thy purpose to bear thee out in madness and folly: J said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose, and for every work. And in another place, saith he, Young man take thy pleasure in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in thy young days, and fellow the lusts of thine eyes; but remember that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement: And further, saith he, touching himself, I will prove thee with mirth; yea he set his heart to take delight in all things under the Sun, as in Gardens and Orchards, in Men-singers and Women-singers, and all sorts of music: but when he had taken his full swinge, and had what might be had in the whole Creation, he cries out, All is vanity and vexation of Spirit: and saith he, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man: for saith he, God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil.  
Therefore in the fear of the Lord God of life, and power from whose presence, I say, the wicked shall not escape unpunished: Bring not the Scriptures to pled for sin, nor to maintain your wicked practices; for this is a horrible filthy thing in the sight of God, and it shall lye heavy upon you one day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be laid open; then the Light of Christ, which is Gods witness, which you have slain and murdered, which you will not now own, shall then rise up in you and condemn you: Therefore I say be not so wicked as to bring Scripture to pled for sin nor make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; for, for every idle word that man shall speak, and for every vain and idle thought shall be brought to light. Therefore saith the Apostle. Be ye followers of God, as dear children, for filthiness, and foolish talking, and jesting, and such like things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience; be ye not therefore partakers with them; for ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of the light: As much as to say, bring forth nothing that is evil, but bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, which is in all Godliness and Righteousness, and Truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, and have no Fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, for it is a shane to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. And in the fear of the Lord be ye ashamed, who bring Scripture to pled for Sin, Madness and Folly. red the fift of the Ephesians, where you may see that all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. therefore, I say to you all, who oppose the Light, and pled for sin, and are asleep, and blind, and dead, as to the things of God, I say, awake ye, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light: nay, verily Christ hath given you light, for he lighteth every man that cometh into the world, as I have said, and proved by the Scriptures of Truth; but you with the man of the world are disobedient to it, and will not believe in it, but are gone out from it, and so are jangling one with another about the Scriptures, but do not understand them, because you are from the light, which is the talent which God hath given to every one to profit withal; which if you did turn your minds inward to, you might have all things opened in you which is meet and necessary for you to know: yea, saith the Apostle to the Romans, Rom. 1.28. and 19. verses, That which may be known of God is manifested in them; for God hath shewed it unto them, but as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind: And verily this is your condition, or the condition of many of you in the Army, who are called Anabaptists, you do not like to retain God in your knowledge, but are gone out from your measures, from that of God in you, which is pure, and are gone out from the light, and so you are unprofitable servants, who have hide your talent in the earth, and so remain ignorant of the Kingdom of heaven, though great talkers of it without you; but verily, you must come to know it within you, or else remain still ignorant, for without you, you cannot know it.  
Therefore turn your minds inward, to know the kingdom of heaven which Christ likens to a grain of Mustard seed, which is the least of all seeds in you; but this is a mystery to you that be from the light gone out in your fallen wisdom, talking of the kingdom of heaven, and the Prophets words, Christs words, and the Apostles; but are, I say, from that of God in you which is pure and perfect, which you have not as yet felt, nor tasted, because in it you have not believed, and so are from that which the Prophets and Holy men of God were in; and from that which was from the beginning by which the world was made: And so I say you are disputing, and jangling one with another about that which you call Religion, but are from the Light, and out of the Life, always learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth.  
It is not long, since I heard you disputing one with another about the Image of God, in which man was made, and as far as I could gather from you all, you did conclude, that the Image of God, was that understanding which Man had given him, above all other Creatures.  
To which I answer, and would haue you to take notice is this, that in the Fall, man wholly lost the Image of God, and as he stands in that state, he is altogether ignorant of the Image of God, neither can you, nor any other Professors, as you stand in the Fall: in your fallen wisdom enemies to, and opposers of the Covenant of Light, know the Image of God; for Christ the eternal Son of God, is the Image of God, and in and by him was all things made, and without him was not any thing made, that was made.  
And this is the word of the Lord to you, and to all the Professors in the World, that Christ Jesus, the eternal Spirit of the Father, is the Image of God, which we red of in the Letter. And you that are called Anabaptists, and all other Professors who are alienated from the Life of God, and opposing the Light of Christ, cannot know the Image of God, which is Christ, Spiritually considered; but as every one doth adhere to the Light, which God hath given for a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of his people Israel: And now as every one doth believe in the light which comes from Christ, who is a quickening Spirit, and as every one yields obedience to it, they shall be brought to the dawning of a perfect day, and to see the Image of God, and to have the Image of God again restored, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: So in few words, he that hath the Son hath life, and he that can witness the life of Christ in him, and is raised from a death in sin to a life of Grace, he can witness the Image of God again restored; for the Image of God was wholly lost as to man!( for the present) but not decayed, as J have sometimes heard the Priest of the world, pray to God to restore his decayed Image again to man; nay, though the Image of God was wholly lost( as to man) yet it was not decayed: but firm in God, though wholly lost as to man, as he stands in the alienated estate, a stranger to the Covenant of Light & so without God in the world.  
And this is your condition who are called Anabaptists, who do not believe in the Light, but are opposers of it; yea in this state do you stand, who bring Scripture to pled for sin: yea J say in the alienation do you stand Strangers to the life of Christ, who are not come to yea and nay, nor to witness a bridle to your tongues; but are found in the carnal Discourse of the world; and in the many fashions thereof: and cannot bear the true language of the Scriptures, as Thee and Thou to a single person, which was always the Language that was used by Christ, and his Disciples, and by Believers one to another, as thus saith Christ to Nicodemus, art( Thou) a Master in Israel, and knowest not these things: mind, Art( Thou) a Master? And saith Peter to Christ, Though all men should deny( Thee) yet saith he, to Christ, to his Master, I will not deny thee. And now but mind, Christ doth not say, that he was a saucy Fellow because he did not put off his hat, and say, Sir, I will not deny you. But you that are called Anabaptists, if any man is but a little below your degree or estate, though a brother in Fellowship with you, as you call it, yet J say, if thou art a Commission Officer, one below thee, as Sergeant, or Corporal, or a Private soldier, if he say thee, or thou to thee, he is counted by thee to be a saucy Fellow: and in the transgression, if he put not off his Hat, and say, you Sir: Oh horrible prodigality!  
Now consider, thou art not only out of the Life of the Scriptures, but art from the Letter also. And Christ said to Peter, Before the Cock crow twice( thou) shalt deny me thrice: And saith the damsel to Peter.( Thy) speech bewrayeth( thee:) She did not say,( your) speech Sir, bewrayeth( you) and saith the woman of Samarta to CHRIST, How is it( thou) being a Jew, askest drink of me, John 4.9. and in verse 10. saith Christ to the woman of Samaria; If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to( thee) give me to drink( thou) wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given( thee) living water: And ver. 11. saith she to Christ, ( Thou) hast nothing to draw with, and the Well is deep & from whence then hast( thou) this living water: And v. 12. saith she, Art thou greater then our father jacob, &c. And in ver. 17. saith Christ to the woman. ( Thou) hast well said five husbands, and he whom( thou) now hast, is not thy husband, ver. 18. And in ver. 19. saith she, I perceive, that( thou) art a Prophet. And in the 26. verse, Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto( thee) am he: And in John 9.17. What sayest( thou) of him: and ver. 18. Thou art his disciple; and in ver. 34. ( thou) wast altogether born in sin: and ver. 35. Jesus said, Dost( thou) believe on the Son of God: and in ver. 37. Jesus said unto him, ( Thou) hast both seen him, and he it is that talketh with( thee.) And Mary and Martha in their message to Christ, concerning Lazarus his sickness, sent unto him, saying, He whom( thou) lovest is sick, Joh. 11.3. And ver. 8. The Jews of late sought to ston( thee,) and goest thou thither again: and v. 21. Martha said unto Iesus, Lord if( thou) hadst been here my brother had not died: & v. 22. Martha said unto Iesus, I know that even whatsoever( thou) wilt ask of God, God will give it( thee:) and v. 26. Iesus saith to her, Whosoever liveth & believeth in me shall never die believest( thou) this: and v. 27. saith she unto him. Yea Lord, I believe that( thou) art the Christ, the Son of the living God: and v. 32. Mary, said unto Christ, Lord if( thou) hadst been here my brother had not died: and v. 40. Iesus saith unto her. Said I not unto( thee) that if thou wouldst believe?( thou) shouldst see the glory of God.  
And Iesus said unto his mother, Woman what have I do to with thee, my hour is not yet come, Joh. 2.4. And v. 10. ( Thou) hast kept the good wine until now. When she was weeping at the sepulchre, they said unto her, Woman why weepest( thou?) joh. 20.13. and this was the Language that Believers used one to another. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing; they say unto him, We also go with( thee) joh. 21.3. And after that Christ was risen from the dead, he saith to Simon Peter, Simon Son of jonas, lovest( thou) me; he saith unto him, Yea Lord( thou) knowest that I love thee. And ver. 13. Iesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto( thee) when( thou) wast young( thou) girdest thyself, and walkest whether( thou) wouldst; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry( thee) whither thou wouldst not. And Iesus saith unto him, What if I will that he tarry till I came? What is that to( thee?) follow( thou) me.  
And this was the manner of Christs speaking to Believers, and thus did believers speak to Christ; he said, thee and thou to them, and they said Thee and Thou to him: and the Disciples said Thee and Thou one to another; and thus did both Believers and unbelievers: And saith Peter to Ananias, Why hast( thou) conceived this thing in thy heart( thou) hast not lied unto men, but unto God, Acts 5.4. Likewise said he to Simon,( Thou) hast neither part nor lot in this matter, Acts 8.21. For I perceive that( thou) art in the gull of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, vers. 23. And this was the true language, from the beginning of the Prophets to the decease of the Apostles, as you may red in the Old Testament, that even children did( thee) and( thou) their Parents; and servants did( thee) and( thou) their Masters; yea the inferiors did( thee) and( thou) their Superiors, which would be frivolous for me to mention in this Treatise. But briefly to conclude, saith Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Be it known unto( thee) O King, we will not bow down, nor worship the golden. Image which( thou) hast set up, &c. And Philip did( thou) the Eunuch a man of great authority, as you may red Acts 8.27. And ver. 30. saith he, understandest( thou) what( thou) readest: and ver. 37. saith he, If thou believest with all thy heart,( thou) mayest &c.  
Therefore consider, all you that are called Anabaptists in the Army, City, and Country, how you are gone out from that of God in you, which is pure, and how ye do err from the Letter of the Scriptures, who cannot bear the true Language of the Prophets, Christ, and his Apostles: Therefore, I say, be ashamed of your ignorance and hypocrisy, who say you are Christians, and do call yourselves the Church of Christ, but do lie, who say you are Saints, and are not but are of the Synagogue of Satan, and of the concision, who do not worship God in the Spirit, nor rejoice in Christ Jesus, but have confidence in the flesh, Phil. 3.2. Therefore I say, consider how far ye are gone out from the Saints rule, & how far ye are out of the Saints life; when one that is a believer in Christ saith Thee or Thou to any single person of you who have a Commission, though in the lowest; nay a Sergeant or a Corporal, yea even those of you in the lowest degree, cannot bear Thee nor Thou from a believer in Iesus, who is come out of the worlds fashions & vain customs, & now you being from the light, & out of the life of Christ, you are one with the world, & seek honor one of another, & give that to one another, which belongs to God, & so being gone out into the world from the light, from Gods witness, you are blind and understand not Gods way, nor know not his worship which is in spirit and in truth, nor do you know his Servant, who so worship him, who cannot bow to you, but refuse it; for which you swell and look big upon them; because they cannot give that to you which you look for: And verily know this, that I am come out of your ground, and I cannot observe your fashions, nor bow down to your Images, nor worship your Persons, to me it is an horrible filthy thing, and I know it is odious in the sight of God: Therefore, I say, in the fear of the Lord, consider where you stand, for you are degenerated, from what you were, and become many degrees worse, then you were eight or nine years ago: you had then something in you, which brought you out from the Steeple-house worship, had you abode in it; which let you see that their worship was not right: which was the light of Christ, which you now deny and disown, which is the Light in which all men should walk; for he is the light of men, and the life of men, and so a rule of life unto men, from which you are degenerated, and become like the barren ground, and like the parched heath, and like unto dry trees, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, and value a Commission, and a little Honour, more then the true Worship of God; for you are become Steeplehouse hearers again, to hear those Diviners again, who divine for money, and teach for filthy lucre, which the Lords Prophets cried out against; which Jeremiah said was a horrible filthy thing; and that which have brought you to it, is that which the Prieststeach for, even for the love of money, and for the love of honour: thus have you forsaken the right Way, even CHRIST and his Light, and are gone astray from him, and his Light, which should let you see, to go right on your way: But you are following the way of Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness, as judas hath said in his Epist. 2. You have gone in the way of Cain, and run greedily after the error of Balaam, for reward, acceptations and greatness, which is unrighteousness.  
Therefore consider what will be your reward, you have gone in the way of Cain, as for looking for honour, acceptation and respect for your own Works, Religion, Holy Duties, and so forth, as performed by you, which at best is but as the fruit of the ground or an earthly Offering, or as Calves of a year old, which God hath no respect unto: therefore no reward will be given you, but what is according to your offering, but you have run greedily after the error of Balaam, which is much like this of Cain, willing to be promoted in the world as to honour and greatness, or accounted Religious, though it be in the way of unrighteousness, with zeal of Religion, walking in the outward Form, but out of the life, and not able to bear the true language of the Scripture. Therefore consider where you stand, for you are out from that of God, in you as I have said, which is pure, yea out from the light, which manifests sin, and would bring you out of the ways of the world, and out of the Kingdom of it, into the Kingdom of Christ, and into the City of the living God, into the Fathers house were you obedient to it; but being, I say, from that of God in you, from the light, and in the shadow, in the outward Form, without Life: so you are but in the outward Court, or Carnal State, worshipping in the flesh without the Spirit; and so the best of your Religion, zeal, and holiness in the flesh, and in your own wills, is I say, but in the outward Court, or without the gate in the flesh, where our Lord was erucified: so being from the Light, and out of the Life, and power, you are but as wells without water, and as clouds without rain, and as trees without fruit; which for cumbring the ground are accursed: and the Voice from the Temple makes you manifest to be of the Serpents seed, which lieth under his veil in flesh, Rev. 2.13.  
It is written, rejoice thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry thou that travelest not; for the desolate hath many more children then she that hath a husband. Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise: but as then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the Scripture. Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman, shall not be heir with the Son of the free-woman. So then brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free, Gal. 4.27, 28, 29, 30, & 31. verses.  
Also it is written, That they are not all Israel which are of Israel, neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; But in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed, Rom. 9.6, 7, 8. As it is written, If ye be Christs, then are ye Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise, Gal. 3.29. Now to Abraham and his seed were the Promise made, he saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one; and to thy seed which is Christ, Gal. 3.16.  
Therefore turn your minds inward, there to learn to know the seed of God in thee to bear rule; for there is a birth, and there is a seed which God doth disown, which hath no right to Gods inheritance: The Son of the Bond-woman, as saith the Scripture, must not be heir with the Son of the Free-woman: therefore it saith, Cast out the Bond-woman and her Son, for she must not be heir with the Son of the Free-woman. Now the seed of the Free-woman where it is brought forth, manifested, and witnessed within; it ●lays the enmity, and breaks the Serpents head; and dasheth the heads of all the Babylonish Children, which are after the flesh, against the stones.  
Now the end of my declaring is, that you may examine yourselves, and know which seed you are of, or in, or which seed is in you, bearing rule, and that you may know, I say, which seed rules in you; for his servants you are to whom ye obey, and the way to know this, is to turn to the light, and the Light will make manifest, for in the light is the Serpent, the enemy of your souls, discovered; and in the Light is the other Seed begotten and brought forth, which doth cast out the Serpents seed. So it is written, The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head: yea, as you yield obedience to the Light, you shall come to witness the new birth, and the man child born in you; and you shall feel his power, who binds the Strong man Armed and casts him out. But you that are called Anabaptists, and all other professors, who are in your first nature and fallen wisdom, remain ignorant of the Seed Christ Jesus, which is GODS Covenant felt and witnessed in his Saints, in which and by which we are lead, and by which the enmity is slain in us, and all the works of the Devil destroyed, and a destroying, whereas you Baptists do manifest yourselves not to be of this seed, who are yet in the enmity, opposing the Light, and denying this Seed, and acting in, and yielding obedience to the other Seed, and so are worshipping GOD in your own imaginations, and earthly, airy mindes, and are exalted in your fleshly wisdom, bearing some Truth in the essential part, but are out of the Life and Power of all Truth: and so standing in Cains nature, your Worship is one and the same with his Offering, and so as GOD had no respect to Cain nor his Offering; neither hath he respect to your worship, being from your measures, and from that of God in you, which is pure, and being out of the life and power of God, and not being of Abels seed, which is the one Seed, which is Christ; but being one and the same with Cain, sin lies at your doors.  
And so being moved by the LORD, I cannot but tell you the Truth; For if you do well, shall you not be accepted; but if you do evil sin lieth at your door, Genesis 4.7. But being from the Light, you cannot believe the truth, though it be  told you: And verily, my Spirit is grieved within me to see how your mouths sometimes runs over with the Prophets Words, CHRISTS Words, and the Apostles, and then you think you have done GOD very good Service, when alas! you are quiter out of the Life, and are erred from that Spirit, which the true Prophets and Apostles were acted, lead, and guided by, and are found in the enmity, and in one and the same with Cain, though outwardly you seem to be very Religious men, till you come to the trial; but when Temptation cometh, by and by, you are offended; if any one give you the least distaste, then you show what Seed you are of, and what Seed rules in you, then Cains nature is seen, and the enmity shows itself, in rendering evil for evil, which is contrary to the practise of the Saints, and Servants of GOD, as the Scripture doth declare, where it saith. Render no man evil for evil: And it is contrary to the Spirit of Jesus, which the Churches was lead and guided by.  
And as it is written of Christ, for our example, when he was reviled, he reviled not again, but committed it to him, that judgeeth righteously. And verily, this was the sweet temper of the Saints of God, showing forth the fruits of the Spirit, which is meekness, patience, long-suffering, gentleness, godliness, faith, love, and such like: but I say, let a soldier, or any other give but the least distaste to any of you Officers, who are called Anabaptists, from the highest to the lowest, how do your countenances change, and how big, as I have said, you will look upon a soldier, and Cane, and threaten to Cut him, and Cut him too sometimes; and afterward commit him to the Guard or Prison, and bear him a grudge twelve moneths after: Why verily this is Cains nature, and this is the Word of the Lord to you all, this is the enmity of the Serpent, and of his Seed you are, and under the Curse you are, and the Spirit of Christ judgeth you; but yet take notice that I do not speak against lawful Discipline, nor against lawful punishment, nor against lawful correction; for the rod is for the fools back; but of the manner of it, when it is done out of malice, in your own wills, venting your spleen, and satisfying that in you which is of God( accursed.) For that in you which takes offence is for judgement, and for the winepress of the wrath of God; and you worship without the Gate, in the Court without the Temple, which is no more to be measured, and you are ignorant, and know not the Fathers house, but are joined to the beast and are of a beast-like nature, and in the number of her heads and horns, you stand. I cannot flatter you, nor I cannot bear any longer, I am moved to declare, to see how you are gone out from that of God in you, from the pure principle, the Light of Christ, which once moved in you against sin, and reproved you for all things that you did amiss; but you have slain the just, and murdered Gods witness in you, and are gone out from the Light, from your measures; and are eating and drinking with the drunken, and have hide your talent in the earth, and have put the Lords money to abominable use, and sad will it be with you, when your Lord returns, when the Light again shineth, and the witness of GOD, which you have slain and murdered shall arise.  
Therefore consider, and return all of you, who are gone out from the Light, and have made shipwreck of Faith, and a good Conscience; who have made it appear that you have loved a Commission and Honour more then the Lord Jesus and his way and worship, Job 20.15. and have swallowed down riches; but know this, you shall vomit them up again, God will cast them out of your bellies, if you do not speedily repent; yea verily, you cannot always go unpunished; therefore as you are gone out from GOD, and from that of GOD in you, which is pure, you may well look for judgement, and to have that of God made good upon you; where he saith, You shall flee from a Rod of Iron, and a Bow of Steel shall strike you thorough.  
Therefore I say in the fear of the Lord, consider where you stand, my Spirit is grieved, I cannot hold my peace, to see how you are revolted from the highest to the lowest, and your hearts are down, and have erred from the pure principle, and the enemy of your souls have got ground and prevailed, and you lye naked and have flung away your weapons of War, you have forborn to fight, I mean not carnal Weapons, which the Lord in his time will cause to be beaten into Plough-shares, and into Pruninghooks; but I mean those weapons which are spiritual, which you flung quiter away, which you once pretended you were armed with; yea you once pretended to be armed in the power of Gods might; and I have heard you exhort those that you call brethren to put on the whole armor of God, that they might be able to stand in the evil day, when the time of temptation should come; but you were but in words, you never came into the Life, though there was something of God which moved in you against sin, which you had done well if you had took heed thereunto; for that was Gods Talent which you have hide in the earth, and the Devil overcome you, before ever you come to be sensible what the armor of God was, or where it was to be had, but you had, I say, a sufficient measure, had you took heed, to have been guided by it.  
But I know you will be offended, that I should say that you never had the whole armor of God.  
Why verily, if you had it, you have now lost it, and have hide your talent in the earth: the earth is grown over it, and you cannot tell where to find it; for the Serpent is sprung up in you, and the Seed of GOD is overgrown and choked in you, and that eye which should see is blind, and that ear which should hear is deaf and stopped, and you have no eye to see with, nor no ear to hear with; but you see as the world seeth, and you hear as the world heareth, being gone out into the world from that of God which is pure, from the pure principle of Light and Life, into the Honour, Fashions, and Customs of the world, opposing those that reprove sin in the gate, who have put on that which you once pretended to have, which is the Shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and have their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, Ephes. 6.16. But this you never had, nor this you never put on, nor this you never come to wear; you never came into this dress to stand in the power of God, though you had a measure from God, a Light to guide you to it; but you are apostated from that you had, from the Light of Christ which was sufficient to have brought to it, but the earth I say is grown over it, and you are gone out into the world, and into the Customs and Kingdom of it, and are become one of the Heads of the Beast, and have many horns grown out of your Head; and with the Beast you push against the one Head and Horn of Gods Salvation.  
Verily, I did not think at Marston Moor fight, nor several other Engagements since, that ever any of the Innocent Lambs of God should have been beaten and put in Prison, for reproving sin in the gate; for crying out against the Ministers of Antichrist, which then with one consent we all cried down; Who Divine for money, who preach for filthy lucre; which Jeremiah cried out against, and said, It was an horrible filthy thing: I say, I did not think after so many Engagements, which was to the loss of so much blood, that any, I say for Conscience sake, should ever have been put in prison in the name of his Highness the Lord Protector. What is become of the thousands, and ten thousands that hath been slain, in pretence to throw down the Kingdom of Antichrist, the Beast and Beastly power, whereby many a Woman is Husbandless, and many a child Fatherless, and many of us miss our Friends, who so engaged with us; but what is I say, the fruit and the effect of all our Labours? Is not all again a setting up which we then engaged with one consent to pull down, if GOD did permit? What is become of all our former Protestations and Covenants for Liberty of Conscience, and for setting up the Kingdom of Christ?  
Alas! alas! you are all Apostated from the highest to the lowest, from what you were, and are gone out from the Light which you then were enlightened withal, and have given your power again to the Beast, and you are become Steeple-house hearers. Again as J have said, Thus have you failed to stand in the power of Gods might, the Devil hath made a breach upon you: and a Commission, and Honour, and the love of money, which is the root of all evil hath blinded your eye, and hath put it out, I think you do not see at all: but still take notice that I am not against Commissions, but against Corruptions, neither am I against Magistracy: nay, I do not deny to live under Government; some must Command, others must be Commanded: But this is that which I am a Witness to, and to that of GOD in your Consciences I speak, which bears Witness with me, that you are gone out from the Light, from that of GOD, which is pure: And so when Commissons and Places of Command do steal away the heart from God, and from his Light, which should led to his way, that so you might live in his Life, which is pure, here Riches, Honours, and places of trust are all of God accursed, where it stands not in the Light and Life of God.  
Therefore in the fear of the Lord, consider seeing you are gone out from the Light, and seeing it is your unhappy condition to be Apostated from that measure of God which was given you to profit withal, and so by this means you are become strangers to the life of God, walking according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, Eph. 2.2. in the alienated estate without Christ, and are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, ver. 12. Why seeing you are thus fallen, know the day of your visitation, and return to that which moves in you against sin, which is Gods Covenant of Light, that now you who are afar off, may be made near by the blood of Christ, and that you may be sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, Eph. 1.13. And that the eyes of your understandings may be enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his Calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints is, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward, who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, ver. 18. And verily, this is the end of my declaring, that I might bring you to be sensible of the Kingdom of heaven, and to know the little leaven that leaveneth the whole lump, and to know the grain of Mustard seed, which is the least of all seeds. Oh that I could bring you to inherit substance! that so you might have salt in yourselves, and oil in your own vessels, and have bread in your own houses. Oh that I could bring you to feel the life, to feel Christ in you, making clean your hearts! Oh that I could make you truly sensible of your measure, of that talent which you have received, and of which you must give an account of, when the good man of the house shall return, Mark 13, 33, 37. Luke 13.12. Mat. 25.14. And now that every man hath a measure from God is manifest in me, and these places of Scripture are opened in me, which was once a mystery to me, and are yet a mystery to the world, and to all the children of darkness. Why? I say be not deceived by any means, for you have all a talent, and you are all lighted with the Light of CHRIST, as I in my measure have declared, and by the Scriptures of Truth proved.  
Therefore, I say, go not forth, but know Christ is near for he is not far from every one of us, Acts 17.27. He whose name is called the word of God, Rev. 19. is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it, Deut. 30.14. And it is written, the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep, that is, to bring Christ again from the dead: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is the word of Faith which we preach, Rom. 10.6.7.  
Therefore I say, wait to feel the Resurrection of the seed, and then all Christs Parables will be opened in you, and you shall come to know that mystery which is hide from the world from the Natural mans wisdom, though he be wise and prudent; nay, verily the wise men after the flesh, though they can speak all Languages, yet they cannot reach to Gods witness, to the pearl of great price, but remain ignorant of the white ston, and the new Name written in it, which no man knows but him that hath it.  
And now briefly to conclude, I shall as it is made out in me, declare the mystery of the Parables which Christ put forth to his Disciples, which are mentioned in the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, whereby I shall prove that every man that cometh into the world hath a sufficient measure from Christ, which if improved, no man need to perish from the presence of the Father; and yet Free-will denied, and Will-worship excluded.  
It is written, The Kingdom of heaven, is as a man traveling into a far Country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods, and unto one he gave five Talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability, and straight way took his journey, Matth. 25.14.  
And in Mark it is written thus, The Son of man, is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants and to every man his work, and commanded the Porter to watch, Mark 13.34.  
And in Luke 13. and the 18. then said Christ, unto what is the kingdom of God like, and whereunto shall I resemble it: saith he, It is like a grain of Mustard seed, which a man took, and east into his Garden, and it grew and waxed a great three and the Fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. And in ver. 20. and again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God, it is like leaven, which a woman took and hide in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened: From which Parable thus put forth by Christ, the sum and substance of the Masters goods, with the grain of mustard-seed, and leaven cast into the three measures of meal; and thus I prove it to those that believe, but to the unbeliever it is still a parable.  
This I say, is the sum, and the substance, and the word of the Lord to all Professors in the world, that the Masters goods, the grain of Mustard seed, and leaven, that every man hath a measure of, that cometh into the world, is a measure of the eternal Spirit of the Father, called the Son of God, which was once crucified in the flesh, but ever liveth in Spirit, him by whom the world was made, and by whom we live, and move, and have our being; and the whole world, I say, hath a measure of this eternal being of the Father, called the Son, and called the holy Ghost, and the holy Spirit, a measure of which moveth in all the Sons and Daughters of Adam against sin, and would not that any should perish, but that the wicked should turn from his ways and live, Ezek. 33.11.  
But the Masters goods, the grain of Mustard seed, and the leaven, the lost groat, and the pearl of great price, is a figure, and but a figure of the eternal Spirit of the Father, which was manifested in the child Jesus, and is now manifested in his Servants the children of Light, a measure of which Light and Spirit moves in all the world against sin, as I have said; and as every one yields obedience to the actings and movings of it, which is the creatures power, and which excludes Free-will and will-worship; and so by the power of God, and not by the power of the Creature is he lead out of sin thereby: so that I say, the Light and Spirit of the eternal Father, a measure of it moves in every one, which is his ability, who have not slain this just principle; therefore I say, that which moves in you against sin is Gods Covenant of Light, which is your measure, power and strength, and Gods witness which he hath placed in every one, in the Male, and in the Female, which is thy strength, and the strength of every man which to it keeps; so that he that keeps to his measure, walks in the Light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him; for he that walks in the light, keeps in his measure, which is the power of God, and so this witness of God which moves in every one against sin, brings to the sight of sin, and as every one doth bring his deeds to the light, and as he turns into the witness of God, he shall be brought into Judgement, and there he must abide till he be refined and purified as silver and gold is purified; for verily, this must all come to, that come to a perfect State in Christ; yea Zion shall be redeemed through judgement, and her converts with righteousness, Isaiah 1.27. and in Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness, and the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flamme, and the house of Esau for stubble; and they shall kindle in them and devour them, and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau for the Lord hath spoken it; and Saviours shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, and the Kingdom shall be the Lords, Obad. 17.21.  
And now as every one doth keep to the witness of God in him he shall come to feel the fire of God burning, as long as there is any of Esaus nature standing; for in the light must that nature receive its sentence; but as every one keeps to the witness, to that of God which condemns for sin, you shall come to feel the power of God, and to witness a victory over sin and death, and then this witness of God which condemns for sin will justify from sin, and as every one keeps to his measure, to that of God which moves against sin, he shall be kept from sin, for it is the present help and power against sin.  
And the witness of God is slain in the murderer, before he commit murder, and in the adulterer before he commit adultery, and in the Ranter, and in every wicked Reprobate who knows not, who believes not, nor feels not the quickening Spirit, but have crucified the Lord of Glory: Christ was crucified in the flesh but once upon the across, but he hath been often crucified and slain in the hearts of the sons of men: therefore let all Ranters, and wicked debauched persons, who have given up themselves to work wickedness, know what it is to crucify the Son of God afresh, and to put him to an open shane Heb. 6.  
And this I am moved to declare, for your sakes, who are called Anabaptists, who are not only from your measures, from the light and spirit, but deny it, that you may come to know, and feel, and to be a witness of that Divine being which moves in all men against sin: and would not that any should perish, but would that all men should turn to that of God in them, which is a pure measure given for every one to profit withal; therefore know your measure, know Gods Covenant of Light, know the Immortal Seed, the Word which was from the beginning Christ Jesus; the rock of Ages, which was before Abraham was, which is able to save all that turn their minds inward, to find him in his Temple: And now I hope for time to come, you will not be so audacious as to deny your measure; to deny Gods Witness, for that there is a seed in all, a light in all, a measure of God, the power of God, by which, and in which, all are to mind, and to take heed to, as a sufficient guide at all times, and not to stir, nor move without it: for whosoever goes from that of God, or before it, or without it, and its moving, goeth in their own wils, and whether they Plough, Preach, or Pray, God accepts them not.  
And now that there is a Light in all, a measure in all, a seed in all, I have proved from Scripture, all a long in this little Treatise; and shall further prove, that God hath sowed good seed in all the children of men. It is written, saith the Lord, O ye inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge I pray you between me and my vineyard, what could I have done more to my vineyard, that I have not done unto it, Isaiah 5.3. and in Mat. 13.24. Its manifest that he hath sowed good seed in his field, which is all the world: yea, I say God hath given to every one a portion to Trade with, he hath sowed good seed in all, and verily he doth expect fruit: yea, saith the Servants, thou sowest good seed in thy Field, from whence then hath it tares. And under the similitude of the Vine, he describeth the unfruitful state of the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah. Now will I sing to my beloved a Song of my beloved, touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine and built a tower in the midst of it and also made a winepress therein, and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes; And what could I have done more for my vineyard, then I have done: And now go to, I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard, saith the Lord, I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and I will lay it waste, and I will no more manure it: The vineyard of the Lord of hosts, is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plants: and he looked for Judgement, but behold oppression! For righteousness, but behold a cry! Isaiah 5.  
And this let all men know, that God hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, when as the unprofitable servants who have hide their talents in the earth, shall be called to account, & every man shall receive according as is meet: Therefore saith Christ, Watch ye for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even or at midnight, or at the Cock crowing, or in the morning, least coming suddenly he find you sleeping; and what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch, Mark 35. Yea verily, the Lord will come, and an harvest there shall be, when as the Lord will say to the Reapers, Gather ye first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather my wheat into my garner; but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. And now in the fear of the Lord, consider where you stand; for you are as yet from your measures from that of God in you which is pure, acting in the other seed, as I have said.( For mind) the three is known by the Fruit, and the root is known by the blade, that springs from it: indeed you do profess Religion in words, and talk of Christ, and his kingdom without you: But the kingdom of heaven doth not consist in words, but in righteousness and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost; which you who are called Anabaptists, are not as yet come unto; who cannot witness a bridle to your tongues, who are not come to yea and nay, neither can you be persuaded to wait in silence, to receive power from God. Nay say you, there is no edification in that: why in the fear of the Lord consider, that unless you come solemnly to wait upon God in the death of words; yea verily, unless you come to be silent, and solemnly to wait upon God, you will never be brought out of your own wills, nor wilworship, to worship God in Spirit and Truth, but will remain ignorant of the Sabbath of the Lord; in which we are not to speak our own words, nor think our own thoughts. Those that know the Sabbath of the Lord, and the true Rest, and the true Worship of GOD, must not speak their own words, nor think their own thoughts.  
And this is the word of the Lord to you all, be silent when you are met together, and turn your mindes inward to the light of Christ which moveth in you against sin, by it to be directed, if ever you mind to come to know Christ near you, and in you; and if you look for salvation by Christ, you must know Christ near you, and in you, or else you are Reprobates; and this is the word of the Lord to you all, and to all people, that if Christ be not in you, the Devil is in you; and if Christ do not rule in you, the Devil ruleth in you, and is King in your hearts, and you are carried captive at his will, though he suffer you to worship in your own wils, he matters not that, because he knows that GOD regards it not: and herein he hath blinded your eye, in that you think you have done God good Service, when as you have been Praying and Preaching, or Disputing some part of a day in your own wils; and after you have done are exalted in your own wisdom, which is sensual and devilish, and which is foolishness with God, and that which he will destroy. But now if you come to a death in words for a little time solemnly to wait upon God in the Light which you are lighted withall, which light moveth in you against sin, and tells you all things that even you have done amiss, that you might do so no more; this that tells you this, is the Light of CHRIST, and your measure which is given you to profit withal; this is the substance of the Figure, the grain of Mustadr seed, which is the least of all seeds; and this is the Leaven Christ spoken of which leaveneth the whole lump: this is the pearl of great price; the lost groat, and the Talent which the unprofitable Servant hide in the earth, and this is that which makes them for ever happy that hath it; but this is that which all the world is ignorant of notwithstanding it is in them to be found; and it is in them sometimes felt; but none ever came to enjoy it but as they turn their mindes inward to the Light of Christ: which Light if believed in, and obeied and followed, would bring you to this Pearl of great price, which is Christ in us the hope of glory, which is the sum and substance of all Types and Figures, and Shadows where he is manifested within felt, and witnessed; and those alone inherit substance and are clean through the word, and are come to the blood of cleansing, and to the Spirits of just men made perfect, whereas you that are called Anabaptists, who deny the Light, and the Spirit of CHRIST within you to be your Teacher and Guide; you are blind and know nothing, but are from your measure, and so you worship in your own wills, and not in the power of GOD; but ye are carnal and ignorant, and know not Gods treasure, the Pearl of great price, which is the anointing of the Father, and so having no salt in yourselves, your worship is unsavoury, and you come under the notion of the unprofitable Servant( as I have said) who have hide his Lords money, yea the Lords treasure is hide in the earth, and the earth is grown over it; and is become corrupt: for where the Lords treasure is not felt and witnessed, the earth is unclean, and there is an evil treasure, from whence proceeds lying and all manner of abominations. And it is written, The good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good fruit and the wicked man out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evil fruit: Such as is the treasure, such is that which proceeds from it; and as is the three, such is the fruit, and as is the root such are the branches thereof.  
Therefore I beseech you red and consider your own estates, and know this that your fruits discover what root you are of, and whose children you are; therefore consider your folly you vain babblers; were all your vain and idle words writ in a Book, and laid before you( that you speak in one year?) And were your eye open to see them, you would be ashamed of them, nay it would be the saddest Book that ever your eyes did behold, and it will be a sad day with you when you shall come to red your evil thoughts and deeds, not of a year, but of many years; & such a Book I assure you, you must all red within you, sooner or latter, when the Good man of the house returneth to call you to account: Alas! alas! what do you differ from the world in these things? It is true, I cannot accuse you of swearing, unless it be some small petty oath or so; but for foolish mirth, and foolish jestings, idle & vain words, there is little or no difference between those whom you call the world, and yourselves, whom you count that ye are Christians; and this ye will come to see, if ever you turn your minds inward to the Light, which at present you mind not, and all this springs from an evil root in you, from the evil treasure of your hearts and the Lords treasure is not felt, nor witnessed in you, and so you are worshipping the unknown God ignorantly in your own wills, bearing the true Prophets words, Christs words, and the Apostles, in your airy, earthly minds and understandings; but are out of the life, and possess nothing of substance, whose hearts are barren, and unfruitful, and so are settled upon the Lees in a dead formality, feeding upon husks, upon the Prodigals food, whereby your souls are pined and starved, and are ready to die the death of deaths, being from the true food, and from the light which directs to it.  
Oh blind deceived Spirits! who are from the Light, and out of the life, and in the filth of the world, in the lusts of the flesh, in the lusts of the eye, and in the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but of the world: following the fashions thereof, and living in the deceit thereof; sporting yourselves in the day time, mockers and scoffers, who are grown wanton, and will bring Scripture to pled for sin; for which deceit and hypocrisy I have been sometimes moved to reprove you for: For which you swell and look big, whereby you discover yourselves to be of Esau's nature, and in the enmity of Cain, and the Serpents head not broken; and so discover yourselves to be that seed which the Promise is not too, but the curse of the Lord is upon. Therefore in the fear of the Lord, turn your mindes inward to the light of Christ, which moveth in you against sin; that the seed, which the promise is to may be raised in you, and that a birth born from above, you may come to witness in you, which the gates of Hell shall not prevail against.  
And this is my counsel that ye wait to feel Gods living presence in you, which is a quickening Spirit, which where it is felt and witnessed, it slayeth the enmity, and breaketh the Serpents head: which if you come not to witness done in you, ye are bastards and not sons; and a bastard hath no right to the inheritance. Wo be to that Birth that is brought forth, and not rightly begotten! Wo be to that birth, and to that seed, which calls God Father, and were never begotten by him, neither are obedient to him. Wo be to him, that is to forward, that runs, and was not sent, who cannot witness a measure of the eternal Spirit, of the Father; these go before they are sent, and these are those that God hath not spoken to at all: these are thieves and robbers, that come before Christ, and talks of GOD, and of Christ; and say, they are the children and Church of God; and say the Lord saith, when as he hath not spoken to them at all: but in your own imaginations, and in your own wills, and fallen wisdom, and in your first nature which is unclean, and of God accursed: do you use your tongues, and say that you are the Church and people of God, but are not washed from your uncleanness, and yet stand upon your Creature-righteousness, but cannot witness a measure of the eternal Spirit of the Father: but are ignorant of GODS treasure as I have said.  
Why wo be those that say they are Ministers of Christ, and know not Gods treasure! and speak not from Gods treasure from the anointing: Wo be to them, who have not the witness in themselves! Wo to those that go out for help! Wo be to them that go down into Egypt for food! Wo to those that have not bread in their own houses! Wo be to them who Profess, and possess not! Wo be to them that have not oil in their own vessels! and whose Lamps are not burning when the Bride-groom cometh! Wo be to those that are gone out from their measure, from that of GOD in them which is pure! looking for a Christ to come in the clouds without them, and know not Christ come in the clouds within them! Why in the fear and dread of the living GOD of Life, and Power, and Righteousness, a measure of which moveth in all the world against sin and a measure of the eternal Spirit of the Father, you that are called Anabaptists must come to witness, or else you are Reprobates. Therefore, I say, in the fear of the Lord turn your mindes inward to the Light, that ye may know the true treasure, the pearl of great price, the grain of Mustard seed, which is the least of all seeds, and the tried ston, and the chief Corner ston, elect and precious, which you Builders have rejected, which is become the head of the Corner, neither is their salvation in any other, which is set for the fall, and for the rising again of many in Israel and to this must you all come, to this must you all stoop: yea at the name of Jesus, Every knee shall bow, and all tongues shall confess to God, in the day of his power.  
Therefore come down ye tall Cedars, and bow to the Light of Christ, which moveth in you against sin: Oh you lofty Oaks! yea. I say venture to fall upon this ston that you may be broken, which if you refuse to do, & it fall upon you, it will grind you to powder.  
Therefore in the fear of the Lord consider Oh ye lofty ones! and stoop ye stout-hearted, kiss the Son least he be angry and you perish when his wrath is kindled but a little; yea I say and you perish from the presence of the eternal God, who desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that the wicked should turn from his ways and live.  
Therefore in love to your precious, souls I exhort you to search low in yourselves that you may find Gods treasure and come to witness his living presence and power in you, which when you feel it, it will make you clean, and bring you to the perfect state as I have said, therefore in the denial of your own wisdom, which is sensual and devilish, and in the light of Christ which is your measure and your strength, and moveth in you against sin, why I say bee silent and speak not at all, but forbear to mention the name of God for a little time, and wait in that which moveth in you against sin; and that will in time give you power over sin and death: and as you wait in the light and yield obedience to it, God will give power, to his witness which you have slain in you which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt: or outward Court or carnal state of flesh where Christ our Lord was crucified; yea I say be silent speak not, nor go not forth, to ask counsel of any, but wait in that which moves in you against sin, till ye feel Gods power and till you are sensible, that there is something brought forth in you which is pure, and which hath changed your hearts and subdued your lusts and hath slain the enmity and hath broken the Serpents head, and bound the strong man armed and cast him out and all the works of the devil destroyed, and destroying.  
Thus if you will be sober minded and forbear going forth and solemnly wait upon GOD till you receive power from God to seek to God, for God will be found of his own seed and not of any other, God will be found of that which is of himself; which is begotten of him, and brought forth in the light, yea to that birth hath God respect which is of himself, which is born from above, yea those that seek him here, shall find him, those that seek him is a measure of himself shall find him and none else; for God is pure and nothing can reach to him, nor prevail with him, but that which is pure.  
Therefore( I say) be silent ye vain babblers who have been so long talking of a Christ without you, at a distance from you, and know not Christ formed in you, but deny the light and oppose the Spirit, why know this that he that hath not the Spirit is none of his, and as many as are Sons God hath sent the spirit of his Son into their hearts, whereby they cry Abba Father, and those I say that are not Sons are bastards, and those that have not the spirit of Christ are none of his but have the spirit of the world, and the spirit of the world is a lying Spirit which abode not in the truth; and woe be to that Spirit which is out of the truth! And woe be to those that are covered with a covering and not with the Spirit of the Lord, woe be to those that are looking for CHRIST beyond the Seas and above the Stars, and know him not to be nere even in his Temple in flesh, 2 Cor. 6.16. Examine yourselves whether ye be in the Faith, prove your own selves, know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye are reprobates; the Apostles and other believers did see CHRIST and knew him after the flesh, but saith the Apostle henceforth know we no man after the flesh; though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we him so no more; therefore I say be silent and sober minded and wait to know Christ near you and in you, for though Christ did offer up himself upon the across, and was a sufficient sacrifice in which God was well pleased, yet shall it avail you nothing; unless ye partake of his Resurrection; that is unless you come to witness Christ risen from the dead, and ascended and sitting at the right hand of God in heaven in you, there bearing rule and authority; for all the Saints did witness this; yea I say all the Saints, that ever was gathered, that were Disciples indeed, and all the Saints that are now gathered, were then, and are now, the temple of God; so it is written know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you; if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are, let no man deceive himself, if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftiness, 1 Corinth. 3.16.  
And it is written, That the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, be not deceived neither Fornicators, nor adulterers, nor effeminates, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God: And such were some of you( and now I come to that which makes for my purpose;) but ye are washed but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Cor. 6.11. And this is that which I would have you to mind, that it is the Spiritual presence of Christ, where he is felt and witnessed, that saveth and sanctifieth, and that cleanseth, as in the fore cited place; and Ephes. 5.5. so that we are still to mind that there is no salvation; but where Christ is witnessed in Spirit: And so those that are not lead by the Spirit are unclean, and all things are unclean unto them, even their holy things as they call them; for those that cannot witness a measure of Gods Spirit to led and to carry them forth are unclean in all their performances, and go forth in their own wills, and those that are from the Light and Spirit of Christ, are from their measures, out of the power of GOD, and stand in their first Nature, in the Fall, which is a state of enmity, and uncleanness, and they that are there cannot please God, whether they Plough or pray.  
And out of this state can no man come in his own will, but as he doth believe in the Light which doth move in him, against sin which is his measure, and which is given to every man to profit withal; so that every man that believeth in the Light, and walketh in it, he stands in his measure, and walketh, and worshippeth in the power of God; and here those that seek God find him, and those that knock it is opened unto them, and those that seek in the Light, seek in the power of God, and those alone are they which find wisdom, and the hidden treasure: yea verily, If in the light of Christ, you seek for wisdom as silver, and search for her as for hide treasures, then shall you understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of thy God, for the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding; he layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous, he is a Buckler to those that walk uprightly: And Gods wisdom is contrary to the worlds wisdom; it is of another nature, it is pure and eternal, and is above the world, and confounds the wisdom of the world; the wisdom of the world is foolishness with GOD: so that birth which is brought forth in the Light, in the wisdom of God is pure and perfect, contrary, I say, to that of the world, it is gentle, kind, and courteous, easy to be entreated, it saith no ill, nor doth no ill, nor thinketh no ill; and this is the Birth that seeks, and finds, and knocks, and it is opened unto it straight ways; and here is the ear that heareth, and the eye that seeth, and the heart that understandeth right things: this is the seed that the Promise is too; but the world that is from the light, and out of the pure wisdom of God is froward and passionate, and unclean, having eyes and see not, ears, and hear not, those things which be eternal: and now he that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the power speaketh.  
The 29. of the ninth month. I. D.   

IT is written, That God made man upright, but he hath sought out many inventions, yea and the whole world lieth in wickedness, and is estranged from God, and is in a state of uncleanness; whereupon saith Job, Who then can be justified, &c. How can he be clean that is born of a woman? And saith he, What is man that he should be clean, and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? And saith David, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. And saith Job, Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean,( nay not one;) for the first man is of the earth earthy: yea, this is the condition of all men in the fall, they are gone out from God, and from the Law which is light, and are become strangers to the life of God; and are dead in trespasses and in sins, this is mans condition in the Fall, and all men are unclean till they come to witness the quickening Spirit, and are made partakers of the Covenant which is Light: yea, I say, in a state of uncleanness are all men by Nature, none excepted.  
And in this Rate do you stand who are called Anabaptists, who are from the light, and guidance of the Spirit of Christ, and have the world in your hearts and in the lusts of it do you live, and in the fashion of it you go imitating the world in this fashion, and the other fashion, which is contrary to the counsel of the Apostles, who lived in the pure life out of the fashions of the world; yea I say contrary to the counsel of Paul, who was a true Minister of Christ do you walk; for saith he, fashion not yourselves like unto this world; for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the Eye, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but of the world, and saith he, the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof shall have an end. Therefore consider and see the vanity of your minds, how you are lifted up with Pride, and how far you are from the life of God, not having power to govern your own house, you are uncapable to take care of the Church of God; nay verily you are but talkers of the Church, talkers of the Saints conditions, for you are far unlike the Church and Saints of God, a Saint is a high word, it signifies Sanctity, the Saints were sanctified, they had received the true Faith which purified their hearts, and they were clean through the word; and their hearts were sprinkled from an evil Conscience, and their bodies washed with pure water: They were made clean I say through the word and the word of God did abide in them, which made them clean, and kept them clean and free from those spots, and wrinkles, and blemishes which you who are called Anabaptists are stained with; and especially some of you in the Army, who are turned from the grace of God into wantonness, whereby you have slain the just, and crucified the Son of God a fresh, and put him to an open shane, yea I say they that have turned from the grace of God into wantonness, have slain the just and are from that of God in them which is pure, and in this state I say do you Baptists stand, who are found in the worlds fashion and in their vain communications, who are found in the idle foolish talking and jesting, and sporting; sitting down to eat and rising up to play: Alas! alas! how are you gone out into the pollutions of the world, how are ye degenerated from what you were formerly as I have said; why verily it was otherwise with us heretofore, we were wont to be glad to make use of any opportunity, if it were but in the field, or upon a Guard, we would be speaking one to another of those things which concerned the honour of God, and our everlasting peace.  
And verily I can now witness, that there was some thing of God in us which moved in us against sin, which since we have degenerated from and gone out, from that of God which is pure; yea you are alienated from the life of God; for no sooner now, can we mount a guard, but presently say you, come? What shall do? what play shall we go too? Shall we cast a Bell? Or shall we go to jack of all trades? let us go to some thing to drive away the time? and so hy-goe-mad! out of one vain exercise into another; and you that are Officers, are as bad as others! in giving your consents, and in suffering such a noise, as if it were a Bearebaiting; and for the lawfulness of it, you that are Baptists will bring Scripture to pled for it, and make Salomon your Author for your madness, and folly, Notwithstanding he saith of Laughter it is madness, and of mirth what doth it, and saith he, sorrow is better then laughter, for by the sadness of the Countenance the heart is made better; and saith he, the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the song of fools is in the house of mirth, and in this you manifest yourselves to come short of the Scribes and Pharisees and hypocrites, who made clean the out side, but you come short in this.  
And now turn your minds into the light, and it will let you see your folly, yea I apply myself, to that of God in you to the light of Christ which moveth in you against sin, to bear witness with me, for God, and against you, that you are wicked and vain, and out of the pure life, and savour not the things of God, whose conversations is as aforesaid, who live in wantonness, and in pride, and though you are of the poorer sort, yet you will endeavour to go in the fashion, with the rich; yea though thou art but a Foot soldier, and not so much as a Trade to trust to when thou givest over being a soldier, yet some of you will wear your cuffs & bands, of the fashion, tied with great Ribbons: and your proud City Dames, who are Baptists are so proud, that they go mincing with their feet, & cannot tel what to eat, nor what to drink, nor what apparel to wear, good cloth is not sufficient, nor will not serve, nor satisfy their lust, unless it be laid with silver & gold lace; and for matter of householdstuff, you must have such a thing as your neighbour, Mr. such a one, or Mrs. such a one hath, when as in the country you have John such a one, or Mary such a one, go in a plain dress, and are called Gaffer and Gammer, though I approve not of the term, it being Heathenish: but that which I mind is, there is more humility in them then in you; for they would not take it well of any that should call them, or do sometimes call them Master and Masters, when as one of their estates is worth an hundred of some of yours here in the City, who would be, and are a scorned, if you are not called Master and Mistris. Oh blind deceived spirits! who are in the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye, and in the pride of life, which is of God accursed, and yet you lay it not to heart: Why this is the state of the wicked, this is the unclean state, wherein men have erred from that of God in them which is pure, and are in a perishing condition.  
Therefore in the fear of the Lord, turn your minds in ward to the Light of Christ, that so you may see your spots, and may be made clean: when shall it once be? For it is in vain for you to profess Religion, so long as you are not washed from your uncleanness but walk in the filthy ways of the world; and in vain do you bear the Prophets words, Christ words, and the Apostles, being erred from the Light and out of the Life, which gave forth the Scriptures: you do but catch at the shadow, and get the shell, but miss the substance: yea, you being out of the Life; you bear but a false sound, because you have not the true savour of the things of God: but being from the Light and guidance of the Spirit; the wrong part, the wrong nature, the fleshly wisdom, which is sensual and devilish, hath got the true Declaration, which was given forth by the holy men of God, who received the Holy Ghost, and gave forth from the gift of the Holy Ghost, which was lost at the coming in of the apostasy, as I have said and which you have not as yet received; because you never waired for it, as those did, who had it in the old time; nor as the Apostles did, and as others do now, who witness it again received, and in the same, and from the same Light and Spirit, do now declare, whereas you in your own wills, are rangling and jangling, and disputing one with another, falling out, and quarreling about the Letter; but being erred from the Light, and out of the Life, which gave forth the Scriptures, you savour not the things of the Spirit of God, as I have said, and so the Spirit of truth is not discerned by you; and so by it, you are not lead and guided, but have gotten the Scriptures by road( as we use to say to little children when they name their Letters, and look off from their Books) so you are talking of the Scriptures of truth which were given forth by the Spirit of truth, which is but a Declaration of the truth, and so being from the Light, take the shadow for the substance; the Scriptures for the word of God, and for that word of Life, which is but a declaration of the life, which the holy men of God felt in them; from which life in them felt gave forth a declaration of it; but this is a mystery to you Baptists, and to all that be from the light of Christ, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and will be a mystery to you, till that you yield obedience to it, and come to feel the Life which makes every heart clean, where it is witnessed. But you that are talking of a word without you; and do not feel the operation of it in your hearts, are unclean until now, and are nigh unto cursing.  
And what now? would you be compared to the Saints and Church of God! and are nothing like them( for there is this difference, they spake and gave forth as they were moved by the holy Ghost, and you speak what you have learned in the Letter:) but are ignorant of the Holy Ghost; nay, but I shall compare you to that you are like, that is to the synagogue of Satan, who say you are Saints, but are not, but do lie; for you are one of those many heads and horns of the beast, and are kin to the scarlet coloured whore, which sits upon many waters, and says in her heart, she is a Queen and no Widow, and shall see no sorrow, whose sorrows will both come in one day, unless you repent and return to the Light, from which you have erred, and now disown: Therefore I say, have a care you partake not off her plagues, whose sins reach up to heaven: and I would not have you deceive yourselves any longer, not to cheat yourselves of that inheritance, which may be had, though hide with God in Christ from the world, and from you, so long as you are in the state of unbelief.  
But now, if you say, wherein, or in what are we like unto the Beast? Or how do we resemble her? Or how do you prove us unclean? To which I Answer.  
And to that of God in your Consciences, I apply to bear witness for God with me; for if I reach not to the witness of God in you, my labour is lost, and you will reap no benefit by what I have said; yet mind and consider what I have said, and what J have yet to say and you shall see that you are one of those many Heads, and many horns of the Beast, and that you do belong to the Beast, and to the Whore which sitteth upon many waters( as thus) you say that you are the Church of God; but say you, to meet together, and to be silent we cannot edify one another, and say you to wait upon God and not to speak one to another cannot profit one another, which in so saying you prove yourselves to be beasts, in saying the gift of God is not to be attained to, by waiting for; when as it is not to be attained to but by waiting for, as I have proved by the Scriptures of truth in my former discourse, and so I shall not give you those Scriptures again; but the least Child of light doth judge you to be beasts who say; you are the Church of God and yet deny their practise, whose usual order was to meet together and wait till something was revealed, and till moved by the life of God, and then they spoken, to the edifying of the body, but if nothing was revealed, there was nothing spoken, nor none did speak till moved by the Holy Ghost; but I say the usual order of the Church when they were met together was to wait to receive their daily bread, and so did sweetly feed upon the bread of life and feel the sweet well-springs of God, and draw water out of the well of Salvation; when as you like beasts feed upon husks, and are satisfied with the shadow of things without life: and know not the green pastures nor the still waters where Christ feeds his flock in the cool of the day, but like beasts feed in the troubled waters, wrangling and jangling one with another about that in which there is no profit; and are not you beasts? which feed and are satisfied with things that are dead and without life, who are from the light and guidance of the Spirit, and know not the truth as it is in IESVS: And I deal plainly and honestly with you in telling you the truth, for you are I say from the light from that of God in you which is pure, which never consented to sin, and so you are unlike the Church of God, and like the Church of Sardis who had a name that they lived but was dead and like the Church of the Laodeceans, who said they were rich and increased with Goods, and knew not they were poor, and wretched and misetable, and blind and naked, whom God said he would spew out of his mouth; And you that are from your measures from that of God which is pure and eternal I cannot writ to you, nor of you as spiritual, but as carnal, who are in the vain janglings, and in strife about words; so it is written of the Church of Corinth, For ye are yet earnal; for whereas there is among you envyings and strifes, and divisions; are ye not earnal and walk as men, for why one saith, I am of Paul, and another of Apollo: Are ye not carnal? 1 Cor. 3.3. This is your state, you are like these, and take those of the Churches which was disorderly for your ruse to walk by, and say it cannot be otherwise; nay say you, the Church of God cannot be perfect, and in this you are beasts and pled for sin, and against perfection, because there was some in the Churches that was like you, that was from that of God in them, which was pure, which would have brought them to the perfect state in Christ, had they been obedient to it, but because there was failings among some; therefore say you, none can be perfect; and yet Paul preached to present all men perfect in Christ, that he might present them without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: and, saith he, speaking of Christ, As is he, so are we, in this world; and so of the beastly power you are, who say you are the Church of God, and yet pled for sin, and against perfection, because you love your lusts, and are not willing to submit to the pure yoke of Christ, which all must do and take up the across to their own wils, or else you cannot be his Disciples.  
And so forget not what I have said( but still mind) that there is a measure of that which is eternal in every one, in the male and in the female, which is given for every one to profit withal, and as every one doth take heed thereto, they shall come to know the Judgement Seat of Christ, and to know the unclean nature judged out, and that which is too forward to be judged down; and that which is pure of God will come to be felt and witnessed; and so as every one keeps to the light, they shall see sin in its first conception, and so the witness of God will judge that down, and judge it out that it shall never come to the birth, it shall never be brought forth into action: And now as every one doth mind the light, and is watchful, they shall see and discern the thief, the first nature, the fleshly wisdom, which stealeth the true Prophets words, and boasteth, and is exalted: yea is in the exaltation; as there is that which is too forward in every one, that are from the light, and from their measure, which runs before it is sent and this is your condition, who are called Anabaptists, you have got the words, and are talking of the Saints conditions, and calling yourselves the Church of Christ; but are not purged from your filthiness, but are praying and preaching in your first natures, and your entrusts not subdued, the enmity not slain, nor the Serpents head broken in any one of you.  
Therefore I say, turn your minds inward to the light of Christ, which will let you see the Judgement-Seat, which you must all come to know and feel, the fire of Gods vengeance upon that nature, to burn and consume up all your Tin, Wood, Hay, and Stubble, before ever you can be of that Church, which God owns; which Christ is head of: And this know, that nothing shall enter into the holy City, which is unclean, or that worketh, or that maketh a lie: Nay, God doth not regard the unclean birth, to it he will not look; but( saith he) to that man will I look, who is of a broken and contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart: Therefore wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, and think not that God is served with vain words; nay verily, he is weary of them, as ever he was with the fat of Rams, so long as you live in your sins, and do not bring forth the fruits of righteousness.  
To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord, I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight not in the blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of he Goats, saith the LORD. Therefore in the dread of God, consider your idle talk; consider how idly you spend your time all the week, you that are Souldiers, in wanton sports, which hath stolen away your hearts, and your minds are out from that of God in you, which is pure, and which never consents to sin, as I have said, 〈◇〉 you are found in the impure Language: no difference between you, and those whom you call the world; and yet upon the first day of the week you word it in your several Meetings, who have been all the week besides taking your pleasures, and fulfilling your lusts.  
And this is the word of the LORD to you all, To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices, to what purpose is the multitude of your Prayers and Sermons, and to what end do you Dip and break Bread and drink Wine: to what end do you walk in Ordinances, as you call them and are not washed from your uncleanness, but bring forth the fruits of unrighteousness. Why? even your Assemblings God cannot away with, it is iniquity; even your solemn Meetings: Therefore stay your minds in the light of Christ, which moveth in you against sin, and bring all your evil deeds to the light, that upon the judgement Seat, and by Gods righteous judgement passing upon your sins, you may be redeemed; for Zion must be redeemed through Judgement, as I have said.  
And now take notice, in this I do not deny the day of judgement hereafter, because I would have you bring your deeds to the light, that you may be judged and redeemed here, that so you may not be condemned, and perish at the last day; for you that do not know a Judgement there, and a Redemption here, and a Resurrection here, you shall never know Salvation hereafter: if you be not made clean through the word, and sanctification of the Spirit here, you shall not be saved hereafter; those that do not in the light come to witness a measure of that which is eternal of God in them, and though at the first it appear but small, even as the least grain of mustard seed, which is the least of all seeds: If you do not feel it, and if it do not wax and grow to a great three in you you are unprofitable servants, and do hinder the growth of it, by keeping it too low in the earth.  
And this is the word of the Lord to you all, if you do not witness the resurrection of the seed of God in you in your life time to make you clean, and if ye are not made clean by it; if you are not become a new lump; if you are not new Creatures; if old things be not past away, and all things become new, you are not the plants of God; you are not branches of the true vine, and so you belong not unto Christ; saith he, I am the vine, ye are the branches, and every branch in me that bringeth forth fruit my Father purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit; now ye are clean! through the word which I have spoken unto you, abide in me, and J in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me. But if you cannot withess the feed of GOD, which hath made you of one and the same Nature which Christ, you are unclean; and if you are not made clean here, and if you do not walk with Christ in the regeneration of life here, you shall never reign with him in glory hereafter.  
Therefore in the fear of the living God, take heed to, and stand fast in that which is your strength, which is a measure of that which is eternal of God, which is sufficient, if improved to bring you to the dawning of a perfect day, and into a perfect estate in Christ as I have said, but if a man abide not in his measure but go forth from that of God in him which is pure and is his present power against sin, then he goes from that which should preserve him. If a man abide not in me saith Christ, he is cast forth as a Branch and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned; and this is that which the stoutest of you must come to witness, yea the stout stubborn nature must be judged out, and the wild branches cut off, and cut down they must not cumber the ground.  
Therefore consider what I say all you that are imitating the Saints in Praying, Preaching, Dipping, and breaking of Bread and talking of the Scriptures of truth, in your fallen wisdom in your first Natures living in pride and wantonness, making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof, why? This is the word of the Lord God to you all, you are unfruitful branches, and the best of your fruit is accursed, and you must be cut down to the ground; yea Gods hewers are gone out, and the axe is laid unto the root of the three! therefore every three, which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire, yea all that are in the form out of the life are for the fire; and all your performances, are as tin, wood, hay, and stubble, and the day is approaching that every mans works shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by Fire, and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is, 1 Cor. 3.13.  
Therefore to the light all come, and submit to it and it will let you s●● the judgement feat, and bring you to the tried ston, upon which venture to fall as I have said, that you may be broken, for if it fall upon you, it will grinned you to powder; for to the judgement seat must all come before ever you shall be permitted to come to the Mercy seat, and the fire of the Lord you must all feel and submit to; and whosoever thou art if thou hast not felt the fire of the Lord, thou art unclean and yet in thy sins: and the Lord jesus CHRIST, thou dost not know, though thou art talking of him, but who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth; for he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers soap, and he shall sit as a refiner, and purifier of Silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness, Malac. 3.2.( mark that) An offering offered after burning, after a passing through the fire.  
Yea and this is the word of the Lord to all that have cares to hear, that no offering the Lord accepts of at your hands till you can witness a cleansing by fire; and this and being made clean by the word is one and the same; for is not my word like fire saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces: yea, and this is a mercy to all that can witness it, and those that do not come to witness this, to witness the judgement Seat with in, in every particular and that which is contrary to God to be judged out, yea and all the works of the devil to be destroyed, and Esaus nature judged out and consumed, by the fire of the Lord; if thou harboureft and keepest a live, any of the uncircumcised, that is; if thou harbourest any one lust in thy heart, that the Sword and the fire of the Lord, hath not cut down and burnt up; if the seed of God be yet burdened, if the enmity be yet remaining, and Esaus nature yet living, then thou dost harbour that which is for the fire, and the Sword, and then thou must look for the terrible day of the Lord to come upon thee, and upon all that have done as thou hast done, that is to keep that in the house, which is to be cast out and to spare and to keep alive that which is for the sword and for death; yea in so doing thou dost reap Gods displeasure; and what remaines but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries, Heb. 10.27. And it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD.  
But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appears as aforesaid, why? The hypocrite shall not be able to stand in judgement nor the wicked cannot stand in the Congregation of the righteous when Christ shall arise and appear terribly to shake the earch, nay no flesh shall be able to stand when he appeareth; The proud Boaster, he that hath stolen the true Prophets words, and bears them; who is out of the life of God, in the exaltation exalted in his fleshly wisdom, shall be fuel for the fire, and shall be even as chase and stubble before the wind; for behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven, and all the Proud, and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch, for he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of Silver, and he shall purify the Sons of Levi, and purge them as Gold and Silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in Righteousness.  
Now mind that( birth) which offereth an offering in righteousness, it was and is that which had and hath passed through the fire, it is that which was pure of God which the fire could not destroy, nor the flames thereof take hold, and this is a pleasant offering unto the Lord as in the dayes of old; and as in the former yeares and here is the Scripture fulfilled, where it saith, And I will come near to you to judgement, and J will be a swift witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swear●rs, and against those that oppress the hireling of his wages; the Widow and the Fatherless, and that turn aside the Stranger from his right, and fear not me saith the Lord of hosts, Malac. 3.5.  
Therefore I say mind the light that you may come to be lead and guided by it, that so you may come to know the judgement Seat of CHRIST, and to witness a cleansing; and that so you may not be condemned with the world in that terrible day of Gods separation, when he shall pled with all Flesh; and separate the sheep from the Goates; therefore, know the day of your visitation; for thus saith the Lord, My Spirit shall not always strive with man: There is a time that God doth strive with man, and there is a time, when he will no longer strive with man.  
Therefore I say know the day of your visitation and harden not your hearts against the Light which moveth in you against Sin and would not that any should perish; and verily, I could wish that you did know the day of your visitation, yea the things that belong to your everlasting Peace, before they are hide from your eyes, for there is a terrible day a coming wherein God will pled with all Flesh, with all those that are enemies to( and opposers of) his light and flight the day of his love, and have not on the wedding Garment but have trusted unto and are found in the shadow of things without life, in a form of godliness, without the power: remember what is( written) and the( King) came in to see the Guests and he saw a man that had not on the wedding garment, and he said unto him( friend) how camest thou in hither not having on the wedding garment, and he was( Speechless;) and verily this will be your conditions, when the Lord shall appear; yea I say this will be your conditions, who are from the light worshipping in your own wills, and professing the Scriptures and talking of the Saints conditions, but are found out of the life of God, and in the life and way of the world, following the fashions thereof; as I have said, sporting yourselves in the vain exercises thereof, and are not come, to yea and nay as I have said, nor to witness a bridle to your tongues, but are naming the name of CHRIST and are not departed from iniquity.  
And this is the word of the Lord to you all, against such will he come in slaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe; because our testimony among you was believed in that day, 2 Thes. 1.8.  
And this let all those Baptiss, and all those who were of other Sects, who are gone out from that of God in them, which is pure; which once moved in them against sin, and are become Ranters and have made shipwreck of Faith and a good Conscience, & have turned from the grace of God into wantonness; why let all such know, that though they have given up themselves, to work wickedness, and in the hardness of their hearts, are filling up the measure of their iniquities; and though they are grown into such a gross infidelity as not to think that there is a GOD, that will take vengeance on the wicked; why? this is the word of the Lord, to you also, and this know that the Lord will come in a day that you think not of, and in an hour when as you are not ware, and cut you asunder, and give you your portions with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth; yea verily and this know, that the Lord doth not delay his coming; nor he is not slack concerning his promise( as some men count flackness) but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance; but the day of the Lord will come, as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away, with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt, with fervent heat; the earth also( and the works that are therein) shall be burnt up: And saith the Apostle, Seeing then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hastening unto the coming of the day of GOD, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, 2 Pet. 3.9.  
But say you who are called Anabaptists, who are from the light and guidance of the Spirit of CHRIST, settled upon the lees in a dead formality without life; Say you no man can be perfect here; and upon the ninth of the tenth month upon the Guard in the Muse before several of the soldiery did deny that God hath given a measure of his Light which is infallible, and eternal, for every man to profit withall; and to which I shall not speak much to now, because J have sufficiently proved it( in my former discourse) as all that do believe will bear me witness, to which Light I do once again in the fear and dread of the Lord exhort you to take heed to, that you may be lead and guided out of the broad way of the world which leadeth to destruction: death and darkness; into the straight way of CHRIST which is Life eternal to know; and those that abide in it shall never come into the condemnation of the wicked, in which state all stand that are from the light of CHRIST; which lighteth every man, that cometh into the world: and out of this state do none come but they that are lead and guided by the Light; for he, that walketh in darkness knows not whither he goes; and therefore saith CHRIST, walk while you have the Light, and it is very ridiculous to me, that you or any other, should call yourselves the Church of CHRIST, and yet deny the light of Christ: Why vaid the Apostle to the Church, ye are the children of the day, you are not of the night, nor of darkness: and so you that deny the Light must needs be in darkness until now.  
And now let him that readeth, understand what my discourse all along, in this little Treatise tends to, and points at( which is this) That the light which comes from Christ, leads to Christ: who is the sure foundation, upon which whosoever buildeth abides for ever: But you that dis-owne the Light of CHRIST which is infallible, and eternal, and which leads to the sure foundation, to the rock of Ages; why? I say you are blind and walk in darkness, and know not whither ye go, and remain ignorant of the sure word of prophesy; which is as a Light that shiues in a dark place, though great talkers of it: and this is the word of the Lord GOD to you all and to all people under heaven, that whosoever disowneth the Light of Christ which is eternal, and cannot witness a measure of it in them, wherewith they are lead and guided, are lead by the Prince, of the power of the air, which ruleth in the hearts of the Children of disobedience, and CHRIST jesus who is the way, the truth and the Life you have not known, nay you have not seen his star, and so you know not the Manger wherein the Babe lies, and so are looking for Christ afar off and are looking for him above the stars( as I have said) and to come in the Clouds without you, where as he is come in the clouds within you, but being from the Light which leads to him you see him not, nor know him not when as he is talking with you.  
Now that you may know him, and grow into acquaintance with him, this is he, that was, and is, and is to come, by whom the world was made; and without him was not any thing made that was made; and( I say) this is he that is talking in you, in the bed wherein you lye, and upon the road as you ride, and in the way when you walk:( As thus) consider Thou that art a covetous man, is not there something in thee? that tells thee that covetousness is a sin? and thou that art a drunkard, is not there something in thee, that tells thee drunkenness is a sin: and art thou not convinced in thyself, and sorely troubled at it? Sometimes insomuch, that thou breakest forth into words, though thou dost but takes God name in vain: Yet I say, thou wilt sometimes say, Lord have mercy upon thee, what a wicked wretch sayest thou have I been, to thus offend God as I have done? Why this which moveth in thee against drunkenness is Christ: yea it is he that is talking with thee. And so let the unclean person, the adulterer, and the sweater, and him that forsweareth, and the deceitful person, consider that which moveth in you against uncleanness, and against swearing, and forswearing, and against your deceit; this is the Light, this is Christ! that is talking with you; and would not that any should perish in their sins, as I have said: And this( I say) is Christ, be ye acquainted with him; for this is he that said, I go away to him that sent me, and whither I go, you cannot come: but saith he, I will see you again, and I will come and receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also: And saith he who is the Light of the world, it is expedient that I go away, but I will sand the Comforter unto you, even the Spirit of Truth, which shall led you into all truth: whom the world cannot receive, because they see him not.  
And now this I have declared, for your sakes who are called Anabaptists, that if by any means I might bring you to the acquaintance with Christ to be guided by his Light, that so in time you might come to feel his life, and to witness Gods treasure in you, and to know the pure separation in every particular, and to come to the perfect state, which as yet you oppose and say, How can this be? nay say you, In many things we sin all: And whon we have done all that we can, we are unprofitable servants. And this I could not but put you in mind of, as being spoken by some of you upon the Guard in the Muse, the ninth of the tenth month, 1657.  
To which I answer, owning the Scriptures of truth, and do not deny, but that James did say, In many things we sin all; and indeed this place of James is fulfilled in you that are Baptists, who are from the light and guidance of the Spirit; out of the one Thing, out of Christ, out of that wherein union standeth, and so are in the many things: lo here, and lo there, lo this, and lo that, in strife about words; in the vain janglings; and so in the many things you sin All: being( I say) from the Light, which leads into Christ, into the one Thing and so your performances standing in your own wills, out of the Light, Life, and Power of GOD, and so in all things that you do, you are unprofitable Servants.  
And now I cannot say that any man is perfect in himself,( nay) but in Christ Jesus, you that were sometimes afar off are made nigh, by his blood, through the sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth: and saith Paul, We preach to present all men perfect in Christ, but out of Christ there is no perfection: It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: But this know, that if you are not washed, if ye are not sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the Spirit of our God then are ye an imperfect birth, and unlike the Church of God, and are such that shall not enter into the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.11. and in the 16. verse saith he, What know ye not? that he which is joined to an harlot, is one body, for two, saith he, shall be one flesh, but he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit; and so you carnal Professors, who cannot witness the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you cannot be clean nor perfect: and so you judge being from the Light that should let you see, that the Church of God was, and is, like unto you, even unclean, which is blasphemy to affirm; as I confess it were blasphemy, for any to affirm that any man since the Fall, as he stands in his first nature to be perfect. Nay, there is no perfection but in Christ: I in them, saith Christ, to his Father, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, joh. 17.23. And in him saith the Apostle, Ye are complete, who is the head of all principalities and powers: which Doctrine of perfection was first taught by Christ to his Disciples, saith he, Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect, Mat. 5.48. But you carnal Anabaptists are ignorant of a perfect state in Christ, and deny that there is any Scripture for it: yet besides what I have proved in my former Discourse, and because you deny that there is any Scripture that speaketh of a measure of the gift of God which is eternal, red 2 Cor. 12.7. where you may see that Paul had a measure, and he speaketh of a measure of the grace of God; and saith he, Least I should be exalted above measure, through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, least I should be exalted above measure: and so in the Ephesians, Ephes. 4.6. One Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all, and through all and in you all; but unto every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he lead captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And in ver. 11. saith he, He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors, and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints; for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.  
And now oh deceived Spirits! red and confess your ignorance, who say, that the Church of God is not perfect, Phillip. 3.15. saith the Apostle, Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded: And Paul prayed to God, that through the blood of the ever lasting Covenant, they might be made perfect in every good work to do his will, Heb. 13.20, 21. Now see your blindness, to which end, I put you in mind of these places of Scripture, 1 Pet. 5.10. But the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen: and saith he, Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on to perfection. Heb. 6.1. But this I say again, that there is no perfection but in Christ, and he whose Faith stands in the power of God, stands in that which is perfect; therefore turn your minds to the Light, and know your measures, and know that all men have a measure given them to profit withal: but the measure of Faith you have not received, because you have not believed, but are from the measure of light, which shineth in darkness, and your darkness comprehendeth it not. We red of a measure of Faith, saith he, as God hath dealt to every man a measure of Faith: and there is a measure of light, and the least measure of light, or the least measure of Faith, that God gives is perfect: and whosoever abides faithful in his measure, and yields obedience to that of God in him( as I have said) will bring him to the dawning of a perfect day, and into a perfect state in Christ; and as every one stands, single in his measure, given of God, he stands in the power of God, but those that go out into the many things( as I have said) go out from the power of God, and feel not the life of God; and those that feel not the life of God, feel the life of the world; and they that live in a state of wantonness, feel the life of the Prince of the power of the air, and are guided by the spirit, that ruleth in the children of disobedience: And this is your condition who live in wantonness, and bring Scripture to pled for sin, and against perfection: and so( as I have said) the best of your fruit is of God accursed. But oh Fools! and slow of heart, to believe all that the Prophets have said!  
The 16. of the tenth month. I. D.   

AND now Reader in the fear and dread of the living God of life and power and righteousness, and in soberness, in the cool of the day, and in the light of Christ which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, weigh what thou hast red in the true balance of equity, and be not too hasty, nor to rash, to judge; but in the light of Christ wait to have things opened in thee, and made plain to thee; for great is the mystery of Godliness, God manifested in the flesh; and verily unless thou come solemnly to wait in the light, which manifesteth sin, and evil in thee, thou canst not know the things of God. For the things of the Spirit of God are not known nor understood, but in the Light: for those that are gone out from the Light, who cannot witness a stay to their minds, they know not the mystery of godliness, neither are they godly; but are out of the godly state: for godliness doth not consist in words but in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. Nay the Hypocrite can come, and is come so far; and all the world is come so far, as to have words, and to talk what the Prophets said, and what the Apostles and other Believers said, and to imitate them, as touching the outward Form: but godliness is something else, and a godly state is something more. It is such a state that the Hypocrite is not in, though the Hypocrite be much in the imitation of the Saints, and true Servants of God, much in hearing, and reading, and often naming the name of Jesus, and talking of the worship of God; yet they know not the true worship, which is in spirit and in truth; they know not the Fathers house, but they and their worship is without the Gate, in the Court, without the Temple, which is no more to be measured; but is for the winepress of the wrath of GOD, and to be trodden under foot: yea so it is written, the wine press was trodden without the City.  
And now Reader thou that thinkest the Anabaptists( so called) are so wel-sayoured, because they are in the imitation of the Church of God, as for water-baptism, bread, and wine, and such like( outward things) in which there is no life: yet if thou come seriously to weigh things in the light, thou mayst see that I have not wronged them at all, in comparing them to one of those many heads and horns of the Beast: for they are a Beast of themselves with many horns; for they are divided and grown out into several heads; one of one opinion, and another of the other opinion, and so are divide into several Sects and opinions, and are worshipping in several bodies, the one pushing at the other, and against the other, but all against the Light which manifesteth sin and evil, and these make one absolute Beast with several heads and horns.  
And you Baptists have manifested yourselves to be a Beast, and of a beastly power, in denying the Light of CHRIST and the measure of Gods eternal Spirit, to be your Teacher and guide; No longer then the 28. of the tenth month, 1657. in the night upon the Guard in Pauls that great Cathedrell, when as I was reproving the Souldiers for sin in the power of God, and directing them to the light of CHRIST, and to take heed to it, as a measure given to them and to every one to profit withall, which if minded and obeied, would bring to the dawning of the perfect day, and into a perfect state in Christ as I have said; and to witness the power of God made manifest, which cleanseth the heart and sets free from sin all that believe and abide in it.  
But John Mercer did oppose me and deny there is any such thing, as a measure from God received, or to be received, and made manifest in the Sons of men; but saith it is a new coined word, and that which the Scriptures are silent in, and mention not, by which he manifested himself, to be of the beastly power and an opposer of the Truth; For that there is a measure of the eternal Spirit of God which the Saints of old did witness; and which the Saints now gathered, do witness, to be our Teacher and Guide, and by it we are lead into all Truth: And John Mercer and all others who deny, and cannot witness a measure of the same Spirit to led and guide them, they are lead and guided by the God of this world, by the Prince of the power of the air, which ruleth in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience as the Scripture doth declare.  
And so now Reader, in the fear of the Lord red over this little Treatise again, and thou mayst see it made plain by the Scriptures, that those which deny the Light of Christ and a measure of God made manifest in them that they have not, as yet, learned Christ, who cannot witness his Power made manifest in them: neither have they received Christ, though great talkers of him; For as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of GOD! even to as many as believe 〈◇〉 his Name:( mark this) to as many as received him, to them! he gave power, and mark the word( Power) they that received him received power, and so it is plain they that are sons have power from God, and power in God to prevail with God, and power over the world, the flesh and the devil.  
And now to say that all men have a measure from God is no new thing, nor new coined word as John Mercer saith; but John Mercer, and all others; that deny a measure of the eternal Spirit of the Father, to led and to guide them, are the slothful and unprofitable servants, who have ●id their talent in the earth, and must give an account thereof, when the Good man of the house shall return, he that hath an ear to hear let him hear. And what I say to one I say to all, what I say to Souldiers I say to Officers, Watch, for ye know not what hour the Lord will come, whether at midnight, or at the Cock crowing, or at the dawning of the day, or in the morning.  
Therefore in the fear of the Lord, consider what you are a doing, you that are in the vain disputes about Religion, and you mad Souldiers and foolish Officers, who spend most of your time upon the Guard in wantonness, madness and folly; for the Lord will come as a chief in the night( as I have said, and as it written) and cut all them asunder, and give them their portions with hypocrites, who are not found in a measure of that which is eternal of God in them; to be their guide as I have said; you that are from the light, from that of God in you, which is pure, which consents not to sin; you that have slain Gods witness, and have neglected Gods service, to serve the God of this world, the Prince of the powers of the air, that ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience; you that have not on the wedding garment, you that have not gained something by trading with that talent the Lord hath entrusted you withall: You that have not salt in yourselves, you that do not savour something of God in you, you that are not found in some small measure of that which is pure of God; and you that have not some oil in your vessels, whose Lamps are quiter out, and burn not at all, shall not enter in with the Bridegroom when he cometh, but the door shall be shut against you, for you are foolish virgins. It is written, While the Bridegroom tatryed long they all slumbered and slept, and at midnight, there was 〈◇〉 made; Behold the Bridegroom cometh! Go ye out to meet him, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.  
Therefore in the fear of the Lord, and in the light of Christ, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world Arise and trim your Lamps, all you which sit down to eat, and rise up to play, and in a dead fromality do slumber and sleep, and let your lights be burning, that you may be in a readiness; for it is those alone that are found ready, that shall enter in with him; and the door shall be shut against all slothful and unprofitable servants, and foolish virgins, that cannot witness a cleansing by a measure of Gods eternal Spirit, which sanctifieth, and justifieth all that are partakers of it.  
And as for thee John Merc●r, and the rest of thy brethren, who denies and cannot witness a cleansing and a making clean the heart by the Spirit of the living God, you are in the apostasy, and in the alienation from God, and so under the curse, and the wrath of God abides on you; and that this is your condition, thou hast made it manifest before many witnesses upon the Guard in Pauls in making thyself ignorant of what I meant by the light and life of Christ; and it doth appear, that thou and the rest of thy Brethren are strangers to the life of God, by your asking me what it is, or what I meant by the light and life of Christ; for no man knows the power of God, but those and such only that are guided by it, nor none knows the Life of CHRIST, but those that feel it; for the Life is felt and witnessed, by those that possess it.  
And now in vain do you call yourselves the Church of Christ, who remain ignorant of the life of Christ; you may red your condition in the Scriptures of truth, as in Ephes. 2. and other places: and the Spirit excludes you, from being the Church of Christ, who cannot witness the life of Christ made manifest in you; for it is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: and now you that deny the light and life of Christ to be in you, worship in your own wills, and are the wil-worshippers, and such that are always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; and so I say in vam do you form, and comform; yea in vain do you profess Religion, and your hearts not made clean by the Spirit of the living God.  
Yea verily, though your women should cast off their harlot-like attire, and tear of their silver and gold lace, and go in modest apparel: And you that are men should forsake and come out of the fashion of the world into a plain dress; nay though you did speak the same things, and declare the same truth in words, which I hold forth in the name and power and wisdom of GOD, and your hearts not changed, and made clean by the Spirit of the living God, you are but unprofitable servants, and foolish virgins, as I have said, which shall not enter in with the Bridegroom, but shall be shut out, with a Go ye cursed, I know not whence you are; depart from me ye workers of iniquity, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  
And now what I have declared are words of truth, and of a ●ound understanding to all that inherit substance: therefore in the fear of the Lord be silent, and cease from your vain babblings and disputings, and turn your minds inward to the light of Christ, which moveth in you, and in all men against sin, and wait ye for the promise of the Father, that you may come to have the Son revealed in you, that so you may come to witness the Seed, which the promise is to and to know a Birth born from above, which the gates of Hell shall not prevail against.  
And now though many be the opposers of truth, and me and others, who do it declare; yet truth shall stand, and opposers shall fall, for truth is above them all, and over them all, and shall be a swift witness against them all in the day of the Lord.  
A word to my neighbour Anabaptists in the City and suburbs of London, who constantly call the days of the week, as received from the Heathen Authors, as Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, thus being from the light, ye are from the true language of the Scriptures, and from that Spirit which gave them forth, and this is another absurdity, as to call other days by such names as was given them by the Heathen Papists: As Christ-mass, Michael-mass, St. Andrews mass, and Candle-mass, and such like heathenish terms; and you that are my neighbours do take offence at me, because I am come out of the practise of the Heathen( in which practise you yet stand) and because I cannot speak theirs and your Language, as to bid you God-morrow and God-den in the street, when I meet you, or as I pass by your doors, you say it is a simplo quality in me; and you think and say, that I am too sparing of my tongue; but I think, and know, and affirm, in the fear of the Lord, that you have too much tongue, and vainly speak, and wantonly speak, and paddle away your precious time, living in the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and in the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but of the world.  
So this is the word of the Lord to you all, whether you will hear or whether you will forbear. Whatsoever you perform in the worship of God, and not moved by a measure of Gods eternal Spirit thereunto is in your own wills; and whatsoever is done in your own wills, is not acceptable in the sight of God, but is Idolatry. And though you imitate the Prophets, Christ, and the Apostles, as I have said, and though you preach, pray, dip, and break bread, and not carried into it by the same Spirit, that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, it is Idolatry, and will not hid nor cover you from the wrath of God, in the day of his power. Therefore in the fear of the Lord be silent and wait in the light, which manifests sin and evil in you, that sin, and all the works of the devil may be destroyed, that there may be nothing remaining in you, but what is pure and of God.  
Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians did reprove some of them for being pussed up and exalted in their fleshly minds, who were gone out from that of God in them, which was pure, and said that he would nor know the speech of such, but their power, 1 Cor. 4.18. And this is your condition, who are called Anabaptists, you being erred from the Light, are gone out from that of GOD in you, which is pure, and so are in the Form, but out of the Life, puffed up in your fleshly wisdom, and so being from the light and guidance of the Spirit, are building up one another in the outward Tradition, and are talking of the Saints conditions, and are in the outward practise of such things, of such Institutions, or Ordinances, as you call them, which are Carnal, as Dipping, and breaking of Bread, and such like, and are very zealous therein: and will not own, nor join in worship with any, but such only that see with your carnal eyes, and understand the Scriptures as you understand them; and you call all those the World, whose Worship is contrary to yours, though better then yours, yet you will go in their fashion in apparel, and strive to go beyond them in pride, calling it but decency; yea I say, though you differ from them in your carnal Worship, yet not in the carnal fashions of the world, though I say you disown their Worship, yet you do not disown their Fashions; as in pride of Apparel, and Feasting; and at your Feasts, and upon all other occasions, you are as full of idle and vain talkings, and foolish jestings, as any whom you call the World, which is not convenient, neither was it ever commendable among the Saints of God; but you being from the light and guidance of the Spirit, you are puffed up, and live in fleshly pleasures: So I disown the speech of all such when they talk of God and Christ, and make a profession of Religion, whose hearts are not washed and sprinkled from an evil conscience, but lives in the practise of the Heathens, whose language is one and the same with them, as I have said, who cannot witness a bridle to their tongues.  
And this, not out of any prejudice, to any particular, but in soberness as moved of the Lord J have written and published to go abroad in the Army City, and Country; that you which are called Anabaptists and all other Sects; who are the several Heads and horns of the Beasts, that are from the light in the form but out of the Life: yea I say that you may all know the truth, and may be informed that God hath given a measure of his Light wherewith every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withall, and the least measure thereof, is an infallible guide, and is sufficient power against sin where it is minded and obeied, to led out of it; and out of the Divels kingdom, of Pride, and vain glory, and out of the worlds ways of worship which is carnal, sensual, and devilish; which stands in the enemity against the pure Light, and Spirit from whence the true declaration came, into the true worship which is in Spirit and in truth; which stands not in meats, nor drinks nor in outward washings, nor outward observations of dayes, places and such like things, in which the Hypocrite dwells; who are erred from the light and stand in the enmity, and against God, and are out of the Life from the light, in that night of darkness and apostasy; which Christ prophesied should come, and is come upon the world, where as no man could or can work, he that hath an ear to hear let him hear, and understand, and turn to the light of CHRIST, which every one is lighted withall; which is the Fathers love to all, that none might abide in darkness, and so perish: This I say is the love of GOD to all who would not that any one should perish, but would that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth: which makes free, and sets Free all that come to it, and in it abides; for it is written, if the truth shall make you free, you shall be free indeed, but if you harden your hearts and stiffen your necks against the Light, which would if believed in, obeied and followed, led you to Christ the way, the truth, the Life; but I say if with your horns you push against it, you will abide in death and darkness, in which state the wicked opposers of the Light, the Way, the Truth, and Life, go to the grave accursed, from whence there is no redemption, nor resurrection to life, but a resurrection to condemnation.  
And now take notice that I dis-owne you all, even the heads and chief Teachers or chief Disputants, who are degenerated from what you were, and have shewed your selvos, and made it manifest that you are one and the same, with the common Priests of the world, for as they oppose the way, the truth and life of God, so do you and have gotten the very same arguments, which sheweth that you are of the very same Spirit with them, though differing from them in some circumstances; yet your discourse and arguments against the Light, and against the Saints how gathered, are of the very same nature as theirs are; but yet know, in the fear of the Lord, that no weapons formed against Christ his light, and way shall prosper. And now take notice I say that I disown you all, and all your worship who are opposing the light of Christ, and making use of the Priest weapons, which I, and all the Children of light, do detest against and against you all who are in the disputings, and in the vain janglings, out of the Life, and from the Light erred, and from the Life alienated, and in a dead formality, settled upon the lees, who cannot witness a pure separation in every particular, but do own those for Brethren who are by the world( and by you who profess yourselves the Church of Christ) scornfully called Quakers, and the heads thereof of who are called, and chosen, and faithful Stewards of the manifold gifts and graces of God, who are set apart to teach and to watch over the souls of all those whom the Lord hath made them Instruments to gather, and to be overseers of: and I count, reckon, and esteem of them, as Fathers, who hath begotten me and others into a lively Faith in Christ Jesus, and have traveled in Birth with us, till Christ was formed in us: and now Fathers, and all the rest who are my beloved Brethren, this is the purpose and the intent of my heart, to watch, and to wait with you in the light of Christ, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world; yea, with you who are Fathers & Gods watchmen the true Ministers, Saints in light, will I wait in the Grace, given me of God, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, till with you, I come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: yea, in my measure will I wait all the days of my appointed time, till my change come, knowing, that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens where we shall possess durable riches, and the crown of glory which sadeth not away, but is reserved for us, where moth doth not corrupt and where thieves cannot break through, nor steal: and this is the Faith and lively confidence of him, who is by Scorners, called the Quaking soldier, but is known in the Army, and to his Countrymen, by the name of,  
jonas del. The eleventh month, 1657.   
The End.   

ERRATA,  
page. 2, line 8 for at red 〈◇〉, p 7. l. 36. r. that will be guided therely, p. 9. l. 34. for lights r light, p. 11. l. 21 for brave, r brain, p. 21, l. 18. for 〈…〉 r. into the eternal kingdom, p. 28. 1● for mended r. minded, same line for abide 〈◇〉 r. and ●beyed, p. 28. l. 20. for when r. where it saith. p. 3. 3. l. 6 for man r. men. p. 43 l. 10 for God r. job, p 52. l. 19 for even r. ever, p 61. l 9 r. what shall we do, p. 62 l. 5 for Master r. Mistris.