A VISITATION TO THE JEWS, FROM Them whom the Lord hath visited from on high, among whom he hath performed his promise made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to his seed, which Moses saw, and the Prophets gave testimony of, to which seed the Apostles witnessed, which seed we are, which seed of Abraham Christ came according to the flesh, which we now witness, Glory to the Lord for evermore. ALSO, A VISITATION to all you that have long had the Scriptures; but found out of the life of them that gave them forth, that are stumbling about the words, fight and contending about them, imprisoning and persecuting them that witness the life that gave them fotth. The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming, who dwells not in temples made with hands, nor is he worshipped with men's hands, but in the spirit the Scripture was given forth from. Given forth by G. F. LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the sign of the Black Spread Eagle near the West End of Paul's, 1656. A VISITATION TO THE JEWS, etc. TO the jews scattered, who are the seed of God, to whom the promise belongs, who have long had the words, but missed the promise; which promise is to the seed, from them who are of the seed, who witness the promise, to you this is sent. From them that are of the seed of Abraham, to all the scattered jews according the flesh, who have the Law of God, the form of it, but being found out of the life of it, have not possessed that which Moses saw, who received the Law from God, which Law you have the form of, and your fathers in ages past had, who put Christ to death and slew him that is the end of the Law, God's Righteousness, Christ jesus the end of God's righteous Law, which Law was to keep out of all unrighteousness. And your Fathers that had the form of the Law slew the Prophets that shown the coming of this just One Christ jesus the end of his righteous Law God's Righteousness; they having the Prophet's words, and Moses words, but out of the Prophets and Moses life, who saw the just One that was to come and suffer, were those that slew the Prophets. David saw the just one, and called him Lord; and Moses saw him which received the Law from God, which Law was given to your fathers, which you have had the form of, who said, Deut. 18. Like unto me will God raise you up a Prophet from among your brethren, and him they should bear, and every one that would not hear that Prophet should be cut off. Now your Fathers that had Moses, who this Prophet saw, and received the Law from him, he said, God would raise up this Prophet, and he came among your Fathers, that had the Law and Moses words, but not Moses life; and the Prophet's words, but not the Prophet's life; but they knew him not, neither heard him, though he was a Prophet, raised up from among the Brethren; and was made of the seed of Abraham, according to the flesh, but declared to be the Son of God, according to the Scriptures, by signs, wonders and miracles, Devils being made subject to him, losing many from their chains which were kept under bonds; and yet your Fathers believed not that Prophet which Moses saw, and the Prophets saw, which was to come to fulfil what was written of him; neither heard they him, though it was Moses command they should, and Gods command: So therein was in the transgression, though the Law the words of it they had, but found in the transgression, out of the life of the Law and the life of the Prophets, and came to be mingled among the Heathen which knew not God, who be in the same transgression, though you profess the words declared from the life; wherefore being out of the life of the Prophets, being raised up among your Fathers, who speak of this just one, of this Prophet; your Fathers did persecute them, and did put them to death; and at last the Son come. And to your Fathers spoke a parable, Luk. 20.13.81. which was agreeable to the Prophet's words; As a man letting forth a vineyard to husbandmen, and he sent his servants to look for fruits, and they beat one and cast him out, and wounded another, and killed another; and last of all he sent his Son; and when they saw the Son, the Heir of the Vineyard, Come, said they to the Keepers of the Vineyard, this is the Heir, let us kill him, and cast him out, than the Vineyard will be ours. And these things your Fathers did fulfil, they killed him, they cast him out, and delivered him up to the Gentiles to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. Now consider, what hath become of you since, of you Husbandmen? have you not been laid waste? and was not the word fulfilled concerning his coming and rising up from among the Brethren? And when he was come among you, he would have gathered you, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, but your fathers would not. And he shown them how they stoned the Prophets, and killed them; and how Wise men should be sent among them, and Scribes and Prophets some of them they should crucify and scourge in their Synagogues, because they neither knew the Father, nor the Prophet that he had raised up, which Moses spoke of. Wherefore, Mat. 23. ●● saith he to JERUSALEM, Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, Hath it not been so? Was he not a true Prophet to you herein? Are not your Houses unto you left desolate? Are not the Prophet's words here fulfilled on your fathers, and you scattered, which Prophet Moses spoke of, who went up to Jerusalem, and was betrayed by him that David spoke of unto the chief priests and Scribes, who condemned him to death, and delivered him to the Gentiles to be mocked, scourged and crucified, but the third day he risen again; and saith Christ, It cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem. This the Prophet spoke to your Fathers, of whom you have the form of the law, and the words of the Prophets, which killed the Prophets, and yet built their Sepulchers. Here you may see your Fathers, and as it was with them, so it is with you, being now found in the same Transgression, until you come to the life of the Prophets, of Moses; then with the life you see him who is the end of the Prophets and Moses, even the EMANVEL spoken of, born of a Virgin, which is Christ. Now coming to the life the Prophets were in, and Moses was in, with that this you will come to see; and with that you will come to the Conversion, and see the everlasting Offering. And Christ the EMANVEL, this Prophet whom Moses speaks of, and the Prophets saw, (who said, it could not be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem) was delivered by the chief Priests and Scribes to be condemned to death, and delivered to the Gentiles to be mocked, scourged and crucified: Now mind, He was betrayed into the hands of the chief priests and scribes, and was condemned to death, and by them delivered to the Gentiles to be scourged and crucified. Now saith Christ, when you shall see jerusalem compassed with Armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh: Hath not jerusalem been compassed with armies, and hath it not been laid waste? your House desolate, and scattered as the Prophet said? Hath not jerusalem been compassed with armies, where the Prophets were slain? and saith the Prophet, They should fall by the edge of the Sword, Luk. 21.24 and be led away captive into all Nations; and jerusalem should be trodden down of the Gentiles, to whom your Fathers delivered him to be crucified to death, until the time of the Gentiles was fulfilled. Now mind, Are not these words fulfilled which the Prophet spoke whom God raised up? Is not jerusalem trodden down? have not you been carried Captives into other Nations. have not the Gentiles trodden jerusalem under foot? hath it not been compassed with Armies? have not your houses been left desolate? have not some fallen by the Edge of the Sword? Have not they come upon you, the Gentiles, whom you delivered this Prophet unto, to be mocked and crucified? and have not they laid Jerusalem waste? And hath not the Temple been thrown down, and not one stone left upon another, which Solomon was commanded to build, as Christ foretold, who was a greater than Solomon. So consider, Are not the words of this Prophet fulfilled on you that had the words of the Prophets, but being out of the Life, knew not the Substance; and being strangers from the Life of Moses, who had the Life of the Law, and strangers from the Life of the Prophets; you see not God's purpose, nor decree, nor determinated counsel, which had showed unto his Prophets of the coming of the Just One before he came, whom your Fathers being in the transgression, out of the life of the Law and the Prophets, chose a Murderer, Barrabas, and the Chief Priests persuaded the people to ask the Murderer, and to crucify the Just. Doth not this show that they was in the state of the Murderer? And when the Just was risen, which death nor bonds could not hold, according to the determinable counsel of God, as David who foresaw it, Psalm. 16.10. said, He would not leave his soul in hell, nor suffer his Holy One to see corruption. The chief Priests, and those that set a guard on Christ after they had crucified him, when the news came he was risen, gave large money to the Soldiers to say, that his disciples came by night and stole him away; and this Report hath gone among the jews, and so blinded you with a lie, for a lie is of the devil, and he it is that is out of the truth, and abode not in it, that blinds the eye, and casts a mist before their eyes, that they should not believe, and so believe the lies before the truth. For had your Fathers known Moses and the Prophets in the life, they would have known him, the just One, the Holy One, whom God would not suffer to see corruption, though he was numbered among the transgressors, and among them he made his grave, whom God highly exalted at his right hand, to whom Thrones, Powers and Dominions must be subject to, who is the end of God's Righteous Law, God's Righteousness, which the Prophet Esay spoke of, who could not hold his peace for Zions' sake, Isa. 62.1. and for jerusalems' sake he could not rest, until the Righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy Righteousness, and Kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new Name. This Righteousness is come forth, and the Gentiles see it, and doth burn as a lamp, and the brightness and salvation thereof is witnessed among them, and the vengeance of our God is proclaimed, the acceptable year of the Lord is come, and comfort to all that mourn; Isa. 61. the good tidings is preached to the meek, the broken hearted is bound up; Liberty is proclaimed to the Captives, and the Prison doors are opened, and them that are bound go forth, who sing of his glory; and the Gentiles see●h is Righteousness and profess it, and the Lord is an everlasting light to his people, and God their glory. For we can call salvation our walls and gates praise. And the sons have come from far, this is witnessed; and behold, saith the Lord, Gentiles shall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightness of thy rising, lift up thine eyes round about thee, and all that gather themselves together, they shall come to thee from far; and saith the Lord, Arise, shine, for thy light is come, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isa. 60. Isa. 49.6. This light the Prophet saw the Gentiles should come to, and Kings to the brightness of thy rising. And saith the Lord by his Prophet, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob; take notice and restore the preserved of Israel, take notice again; I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth. Now mind, the light to the Gentiles, and salvation to the end of the earth, which now the Gentiles profess; the Prophet who was in the life, saw this; and many, as it's said before, do witness this light to the Gentiles, and salvation to the ends of the earth, the Redeemer of Israel, the raiser up of the Tribes of jacob; and this is the Redeemer of Israel, the Holy One, to him whom man deipiseth, to him whom Nations abhorreth, to a servant of Rulers, Kings shall see and arise, ver. 7. Princes also shall worship because of the Lord who is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. And thus saith the Lord, I will lift my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my Standard to the people, and the people witnesseth the Standard, and the hand is witnessed, which to the Gentiles is lifted up of the Lord God. Behold my servant whom I uphold, my elect in whom my soul delighteth; Isa. 42. I have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles; the Gentiles now witness this judgement brought forth to them, and this judgement is set in the earth; he shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgement in the earth, and the Isles shall wait for his law: Now many of the Isles do witness this law, who have waited for it, which is Royal. Thus saith the Lord, he that created the heavens, and searched them out he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; ver. 5. & 6. he that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein; I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles: Now this Covenant to the people, and this light to the Gentiles that the Prophet speak of, the Gentiles witness now the light: and the people witness this Covenant of God, and Gods promise fulfilled. And them that were Ministes, of this Covenant, were sent to turn the Gentiles from darkness to the light; and chose jews and those Gentiles that did believe in the Light, did believe the everlasting Covenant, and did receive the everlasting Covenant, and the glory of Israel; and this brought in the Gentiles to light, which broke down the Partition-wall between the jew and the Gentile, and of twain made one new man: which covenant of Light the Prophet saw before he was come; and when he was come your father's owned him not, neither received, though by signs, and wonders, and miracles confirmed he his Ministry that he came from God, yet said they blasphemously which had the Prophet's words, and Moses words, but out of the life of both, That by Beelzebub the Prince of the devils he cast them out. And here they having the words, and not the life, when the thing was come that the words spoke of, they that had the words knew him not, and the Gentiles, their minds being alienated from the life of God, and strangers from the Covenant of promise, and Commonwealth of Israel, to them the light was promised, and that to it the Gentiles should come, which many did, and do now enjoy and know the unsearchable Riches that are hid in God, Christ jesus. And the jews and the Gentiles receiving the Light the Covenant of promise, they come to be baptised with the spirit into the one body, and that Covenant of Light which brings in the Gentiles, let's see the end of the first covenant, that doth decay, and let's see the everlasting covenant, Christ jesus, wh● came to fulfil the Law, and not to break it; heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one tittle of the Law shall pass away, Psal. 19.7. the Law is perfect, converting the soul, and brings it from under that which was against it; and so at this covenant of God, the Light of the Gentiles, the jews stumble, which covenant the Prophets prophesied of, and your fathers in those days stood against; and so here is the saying fulfilled, Ps. 69.22. The bvilders rejected the corner stone; and as David said, Their Table became a snare, a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense unto them: And hath it not been so? I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Rom. 11.11. God forbidden, but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy, take notice of that. Now if the fall of them be the Riches of the world, Vers. 12. and the diminishing of them, [mark] the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness? I speak to you Gentiles. So here, who are come into the life of Moses, and the Prophets, do witness that which Moses and the Prophets said should come to pass, That Christ should suffer and rise from the dead, and show light to the people and to the Gentiles, in which Light jews and Gentiles are one, I will make an everlasting covenant with you saith the Lord, Isa. 54.55, 56. even the sure mercies of David, behold, I will give him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people; Behold, thou shalt call a Nation that knew thee not, and nations that knew thee not, shall run unto thee: Now this everlasting covenant is witnessed, to which Nations run; and the people witness the leader, which you that had the covenant which did decay stood against, and do enjoy the covenant of peace and authority, which you do not that have not the life, which I will not remove, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee; and every one that keeps from polluting, takes hold of this covenant; As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, my Spirit that is in thee, etc. So the everlasting Covenant is witnessed, which doth not decay, with which is seen that which doth decay; I will make an everlasting covenant with them, and their seed shall be known among the Gentiles; and saith the Lord, My glory shall be declared among the Gentiles, and I will take of them for Priests and Levites saith the Lord; And behold, saith the Lord, the days come, that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel, and with the House of judah, not according to the covenant which I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt, which covenant they broke, though I was an husband to them saith the Lord; but this shall be the covenant which I will make with the House of Israel, After those days I will put my law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people, 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 greatest to the least, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more: Mind this, you that have this first covenant which was given to your fathers when they came out of the Land of Egypt; but saith the Lord, I will make a new covenant, not according to the covenant I made with your fathers, which was to decay, for there you had a Law in Tables of Stone writ; but here in this covenant you shall have the Law written in your hearts, with which you shall come to know the Lord, and need not say, Know the Lord: And here is the Covenant which is everlasting. Now the covenant which was made with your fathers, while that was standing you were to be taught the Lord; but this covenant being witnessed and received, the Law-Writer in your hearts, you shall no more every man teach his brother, and his neighbour, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know him from the greatest to the least. And now thousands do witness this second covenant, this everlasting covenant, not according to that covenant given to your Fathers in Tables of Stone, but the everlasting covenant w●i●ten in the heart, where they know the Lord: And these witness the second covenant, where the iniquities are forgiven, jer. 31. and the sins and transgressions the Lord will remember no more. If these Ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then shall the seed of Israel cease from being a Nation before me for ever, and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them; I will make an everlasting covenant with them, That I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not departed from me. So you that had the covenant given to your Fathers when they came out of the Land of Egypt, stood against his covenant, though it was witnessed by Moses and the Prophets, which you read; so you stand against the promise of God to you, which now thousands of the Gentiles do witness the covenant of Light, which to them was promised, with which they know God, and so are come into the life of the Law, and covenant of God, which reconciles Jew and Gentiles together; which brings to see that he is God of both, and brings them to one; so that which doth convert, brings into the life that the Prophets spoke of, and Moses spoke of, which God to them did let see, and the promise, which thing is come to pass, and the life of the Law and the Prophets is witnessed, and him that sits on the Throne of David now reigns. And again, thus saith the Lord, If ye can break my covenant of the day, [take notice] and my covenant of the night, that there should not be day and night in their season. Mark, This Covenant which orders day and night in their season, then may also my covement be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his Throne; and this is the covenant, and this is the King of the Jews, which they would not have him to reign. And this is he who bears his Government upon his Shoulders, which is without end; and this is the Heir, and this is he that is come for judgement into the world, to make them blind that say they see, and to make them see that sees not. And this is the question that lies upon you to answer, If he was David's Son, how did he call him Lord? Now as you come to the Light, you will see it, and him that shall, and doth reign on the Throne of David, with the Priests, Levites and Ministers; as the Host of Heaven cannot be numbered, neither the Sand of the Sea measured, so will I multiply the Seed of David my Servant, saith the Lord. Now he that sits on the Throne of David, his Seed witnesss him Lord and King, who is the Prince of life, that hath Dominion over death, through death hath destroyed him that hath the power of death, and Repentance is preached, and remission of sins through faith in him, from whence comes the refreshing into the soul, who is the Bishop of it; and as they cannot break the covenant that keepeth day and night in its season (for they was made by him who was the covenant) so they cannot break this covenant with David, that he should not have a Son to reign on his Throne; if they can break that covenant that order's day and night, than they may break this covenant with David my Servant, Jer. 33. that he should not have a Son to reign on his Throne. They shall set their faces towards Zion, saying, Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. Now the everlasting covenant written in the heart, by which you need not say, Know the Lord, brings from among the Heathen, separates from from among the strangers, and aliens from the life of God as the Gentiles were. Though the Lord by his Spirit in the Prophets spoke of the Promise, That he should be a Light to the Gentiles, and that they should see his glory, which many now do enjoy, and embrace and see him who sits on the Throne of David, him whom Abraham, David, and Isaiah saw, and Jeremiah saw, and the Prophets gave Testimony of, and Moses, who said, God would raise up, and the people should hear him, and the people doth hear him; yet they which had the words, being strangers from the life of God, knew him not when he was come, and God had raised him up, but denied the Resurrection of the Just One. And Jesus Christ, the EMANVEL that Moses spoke of, the Prophet which God raised up, said, Think not I am come to destroy the Law, but to fulfil it; (whom your Father's thought was out of the life of it) Saith he, It was said in old time, Thou shalt not commit Adultery; [mark] Commit it: But I say unto you, He that looketh after a woman to lust after her, hath in his heart committed adultery already. Now mark, here is the Law written in the heart; here is the new Covenant that the Prophet speaks of, which is agreeable to Moses, and to them all, that which fulfils the LAW, not breaks it. And the Law saith, Thou shalt do no murder; but your Fathers which had garnished the Sepulchers of the Prophets which their Fathers had killed, desired a Murderer before the Just One, the Emanuel, the Saviour, him whom Moses, the Prophets, and Abraham did give testimony of; and they said, His blood be upon us: and Christ said, All the righteous blood from Abel to Zacherias', should be required of this Generation. So have you not been driven into other nations, and your houses been desolate since, and Jerusalem trodden under foot, where the Prophets perished that shown the coming of the Just One, which at last the Son was cast out by you, upon whom the Gentiles hath trodden. But now is the Lord gathering to himself, and his Name is great among the Gentiles, and the Remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people (which now is witnessed, and his Tent is known) as the dew from the Lord, as the showers on the grass, that tarries not for man, [take notice] nor waits for the Son of man; and the Remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people, as all yond among the Beasts of the Forest, as a young lion among the sheep, whom it he go thorough he tares down and tares in pieces, and none can deliver: Now this is seen among many people. And in that day saith the Lord, Isa. 10.11. there shall be a root of jess, which shall stand for an ensign of the people, to it the Gentiles shall seek, and his rest shall be glorious. Now the Gentiles have found this glorious rest, which to this ensign, this root of jess they do seek, this day is fulfilled among them, and witnessed glory to the Lord God the Highest for ever: And he shall set up an ensign for the Nations, and shall assemble the out casts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of judah, from the four corners of the earth. Now this Ensign is set up for the outcasts of Israel, for Nations, and to the gathering of the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth: Now you owning the light, you own this ensign, (and this ensign now is witnessed) see it, and have that set upon the Throne of David; for the Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea, Isa. 11. and there shall be a high way for the remnant of his people, which shall be left from Assyria, [take notice] like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of Egypt. And where this Covenant (that is everlasting) of Light is received, with it the first is seen that doth decay; And thus saith the Lord, I will hold thy hand, I will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant to the people, and a Light to the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners out of the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prisonhouse. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory I will not give to another; Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things I tell you of, before they spring forth, I tell you of them: Now, when these things were sprung up among you, and come to pass, that had the first Covenant given to you, when you came out of Egypt; These new things, this new Covenant, you received not, though to you it was declared by the Prophet before they did spring forth, and this Covenant of the people, the light to the Gentiles, opens the blind eyes, brings out the prisoners out of the prisonhouse, and this is he that preaches unto the spirits in prison: Now you and your fathers that have rested in the former things, not beholding nor seeing the new things that are come to pass, and declared to your fathers before they came to pass, shows how you have refused the cornerstone, (which have been bvilders of the words without life,) the Covenant of Light, the Prince of Peace, the Lord of glory, he that sits on David's Throne, that comes in the volume of the book to do the will of God. So the new things which were declared by the Prophet before they sprang forth, you that remain in the old have rejected it, and have you not been rejected, (mark) and provoked by a people that were not a people? Have not the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, obtained the righteousness, even the righteousness of Faith in Christ Jesus, Rom. 10. the Covenant of Light, the Light of the Gentiles, among whom his name is great, and their eyes are opened, and the prisoners come out of the prisonhouse, and in him do the Gentiles trust. And thus saith the Lord, in an acceptable time have I heard thee, in a day of salvation have I helped thee, I will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant to the people, to establish the earth: I will give thee (saith the Lord) a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvaion to the end of the earth. Now he that establisheth the earth, the covenant is witnessed by whom all things were made. What? is he salvation to the end of the earth, the covenant of light? yea, who in lighteneth every man that cometh into the world, which I saiah spoke of, which your fathers had their will on. And thus saith the Lord, I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant to the people, to establish the earth, to obtain the inheritance of the desolate heritage; [mark] this covenant of the people to establish the earth, which obtains the inheritance of the desolate heritage's, and say to the prisoners Go forth, and to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves, which is now fulfilled, and fulfilling; they shall feed in the way, and their pasture shall be on the tops of the hills, and these witness the fresh springs of water, and this is witnessed among them that witness his covenant, and are converted to God, to serve the living God in righteousness, who are come to the life of the Prophets, and possesseth that which they spoke of; therefore did David give thanks to the Lord among the Heathen, and sing praises to his Name; great deliverance gives he to his King, to David and his seed, Psa. 18. (whose seed we are for evermore;) and Moses that received the Covenant from the Lord, when your fathers came out of Egypt, said, Like unto me will the Lord thy God raise thee up a prophet from the midst of thy Brethren, Deut. 18. him shall ye hearken unto: Now this Prophet did Stephen witness and hold forth, when he was brought before the Council, whom they cast out and stoned. Acts 7. Your Fathers had the Tabernacle of Witness in the Wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion which he had seen, which also the Fathers that came after brought in with jesus, into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our Fathers, unto the days of David, who found savour before God, and desired to find a Tabernacle for the God of Jacob, but Solomon built him a house, howbeit the most high dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as saith the Prophet, Heaven is my Throne, and the earth is my footstool, what house will ye build me, saith the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Now your fathers that held up these outward things, being not in the life that saw beyond them, the end of them, the things which Steven here witnessed, whom your fathers that had the Law & not the lise, put to death, which had persecuted the Prophets that shown the coming of the Just One, of whom they had been the betrayers, & murderers of that stoned Steven; these know not that new thing that must come to pass, before declared, which the Lord by his Prophets spoke of, but were disobedient & rebellious against the Lord, & cast his law behind their backs, & slew his prophets which testified against them, to turn them to the Lord, & they wrought great provocations; therefore the Lord delivered them to their enemies, & vexed them in the time of their troubles; & when they cried to him he heard them, according to his manifold Mercies he gave them a Saviour, who saved them from the hand of their Enemies: Now you may see the cause why his hand was against them, being rebellious and disobedient, casting the Law behind their backs, being out of the life of it; here is the cause of slaying the Prophets who witnessed the life of his Law, and yet many years did the Lord forbear them; and testify against them that had the words by the Spirit in his Prophets: Therefore now you having the Prophet's words, have built their Sepulchers; were you in the Prophet's life, you would see that which the Prophets gave Testimony of, and Moses, him by whom the world was made, the Glory of Israel, the light of the Gentiles, the leader of the people; take notice, the light is to lead, yea, the light is the leader of the people. Now you being out of the life of the Prophets and Moses, having their words, thinking to have life in the Scriptures, searching them which do testify of Christ, but not coming to the Prophet's life, you know not the voice of the Prophets, though they be read among you every Sabbath-day, now Christ the end of them; so coming not to the Prophet's life, you come not to Christ the life, whom the Prophets testified of, who said unto your Fathers, Ye will not come to me that ye might have life, who had that which testified of him; so he now is witnessed that the Scripture testifies of, who is the light and life, which light is the life of man, him by whom the world was made. And your Fathers which had the Prophet's words, and Moses words, being strangers from the life, were them that said, They saw, but were them that were blind, & saw not Christ the Just One, that the Prophets shown the coming of, and Moses spoke of, which you had your Law from, who said, Like to him God would raise up a Prophet, him you should hear, whom you did not hear, but put him away from you, who were out of the life of the Prophets, and would not hear him that was the life of them, and said, As for this man you knew not whence he was, and would not have him to rule over you. Therefore consider you, since your Fathers nor you never came to see this Prophet which Moses spoke of, and the Prophets testified of, whom your Fathers had the words, but not come to the life, which you never come to see, until you come to the life of Moses and Abraham that saw his glory, and that will let you see Christ the end of them, and that which the Prophets spoke of, and wrote of, and gave testimony of, which all his Holy Apostles witnessed after his Resurrection; him, who was the Covenant that the Prophets and Moses gave Testimony of, which you having the words, but being found out of the life, them persecuted. But that now you may c●me to see in this mighty day of the Lord, his gatherings together, with his Covenant of light, and his mighty power, which is everlasting and changeth not, where the prophecy is opened, and things not declared or is known, which gathers together in one up to God, which leadeth out of the changeable things up to God who is a Spirit; and the hour is now come, wherein they worship him in spirit: And the salvation of the Jews which is to the end of the earth, is believed in, and witnessed, and the time of the Gentiles not believing in the Light is seen, and their Conversation, wherein was the excess, wantonness, lust, wine, reviling, banqueting, and abominable idolatry; with which Light from them who believe in it, are turned, and come to the honest conversation, & the obtaining of the Saviour jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. And the Gospel is preached to the Gentiles, which is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth in the Light; and him saith God I give for a Covenant, a light to the Gentiles, and when this Covenant of God was come, Christ jesus the everlasting covenant, said he, Believe in the Light, I am come a Light into the world, and he that abideth in the Light, shall not abide in darkne. And the Ambassadors of this Covenant of light, Life and Peace, hazarded their lives among the jews and Gentiles, among all sorts of people, which w●re ●ut of the life of the Law, and they did preach to them, to the Gentiles, and do still, for the Covenant of Light is everlasting to bring them to it; but now many have the words declared from this Covenant of Light, but yet are strangers to it, and them that kill the ●o●d jesus Christ, and their own Prophets have persecuted the Apostles, and pleased not God, but were contrary to all men, these were of your Fathers, who had the words, but were strangers to the life; and these did forbid speaking to the Gentiles, to whom the Covenant was promised, they themselves being in the transgression, out of the life of what they professed, and out of the life of the Prophets who declared this Covenant; but now the Riches of the glory of the mystery of the Gentiles is known, which God would make known, which had been hid from ages and generations, which is now made manifest to his Saints, which is Christ in them the Hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man, that we present every man perfect in Christ jesus the Light the everlasting covenant of God. Now such Gentiles that walk after the vanity of their mind, are strangers, yet from the glory of Israel, and the Commonwealth, and the life of God, and the covenant of Light; but God is gathering with his covenant of Light up to himself both jews and Gentiles in one: I say, his everlasting covenant, not according to the old covenant which he gave to your Fathers when they were brought up out of the land of Egypt, which did decay and wax old, for this covenant never doth decay or wax old, Glory, glory to the Lord God of life for ever. And so the Gentiles that are not yet come to own the light, are without the true Hope, without God in the world; and so the promise being to the Seed, he saith not unto Seeds, as of many, but of one, which is thy Seed, which is Christ: And this I say, Gal. 3. That the covenant that was confirmed before ●f God in Christ, the Law which was 43●. years after, cannot disannul that i● should make the promise of none effect, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, as it's written, I will give him to be a light, to whom he was preached after his Resurrection; and this Light brings from giving offence to Jew and Gentile that believe, but offends both that be against it. Eph. 2, 3, chap. And when the Gentiles which had not the Law, did the thing contained in the Law, which shown the works of the Law written in their hearts, that judged you Jews that had the Law, and were transgressors of it, which caused the Gentiles to blaspheme God, and so your circumcision became uncircumcision, and their uncircumcision became circumcision, and judged you; so the Light, which is the life, joins Jews and Gentiles together in one, up to one God, who is Light, who is Lord of all, and rich to all, with which Spirit they come to be baptised into one Body: And here that you may come to know the Salvation that is sent to the Gentiles, the everlasting covenant which among them is witnessed, which God of old promised; and Christ the Prophet says, Go not in the way of the Gentiles, but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel. Now when your Fathers had delivered him up to be crucified, he sent them to preach to all Nations, to the Jews and to the Gentiles, and when the Jews did not hear, (your Fathers that had the words of the Prophets and Moses, which spoke of this Covenant) they turned to the Gentiles, and the Holy Ghost them witnessed, Act. 9 to whom the Apostles were sent, to whom the Promise belonged; and so Israel which had the Law and the Prophets, being out of the life, saw not the Glory of Israel, neither the light of the Gentiles which now is manifested, him whom the Apostles and Prophets declared. Luk. 2. Now among the Gentiles there is an exercising of Lordship, and the great ones exercise authority on them, but it shall not be so with you, saith Christ the light, the covenant whom God spoke of, whom Moses said God would raise up: For they that are here in the light, are from the will of the Gentiles turned, their Lordship to Christ the Lord, [mark] and so the Gentiles are no more aliens but Citizens, & Coheirs, joint-heirs, who believe in the light, in the Covenant. So you that hold up that which doth decay, stand against the Prince of life, the Covenant that doth not decay, which many of the Gentiles received; and you that stood in the first, that doth decay, come to be thrust out now with that which doth not decay: And now as you harken to the light, this you will come to see, and it is the light that doth now manifest the counsels of your Hearts, your thoughts, your vain imaginations, and Covetousness, which is idolatry, and the lusting after those things which you should not. Now this light doth manifest that which gives to see Christ the covenant of light, that it is which brings into the life of the Law and the Prophets to see Christ who is the light, which light is the life of men, who is the end of the Law. I am the light of the world, and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, him by whom it was made. If you love the light, and bring your deeds to the Light, it will let you see whether they be wrought in God; but if you hate the light, it will be your condemnation: And saith Solomon the King, (which Christ that was a greater, said, A greater than Solomon was here; and Christ the light said, Before Abraham was, I am; which because he so said, they took up stones to cast at him) to do Justice and Judgement, is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice: Mark, Prov. 21. this Justice and Judgement is more acceptable to the Lord then your sacrifice. And saith the Lord, I will take no Bullock out of thine house, nor Goat out of thy Flock; for all the Beasts of the Forest are mine, the Beasts of a thousand-Hills. Psal. 50. I know all the Fowls of the mountains, and all the wild beasts of the Field are mine: If I be hungry, I will not tell thee, for the World is mine, (mark) and all that therein is. Will I eat the flesh of Bulls? or drink the blood of Goats? Offer unto God Thanksgiving, and pay thy Vows to the Most High; and saith the Lord by the Prophet, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than Burnt Offering. Now you may see, many had the Offerings, and not the knowledge of God, whereas the knowledge of God he required more than burnt-offerings, and Mercy and not sacrifice: Mind, Mercy and not sacrifice. And when Christ was come, the Covenant of Light, he bid your Fathers (who were in the burnt-offerings and sacrifices, but out of the knowledge and mercy) Go and learn what the Prophet's words meant, he would have mercy and not sacrifice, such as had the burnt-offering, and not the mercy, nor knowledge of God, which God desired mercy before sacrifice, and the knowledge of God before Burnt Offerings. So your Fathers that had the Sacrifice and the Offering, were without the Mercy and the Knowledge of God, who knew not the Son the Covenant of Light, that Moses and the Prophets spoke of, and the blind offered the blind that which was not accepted of the Lord, who respects not your persons, but suffered you to be trodden under foot of the Gentiles who have been scattered. But now is the Lord warning to turn to him, and to do works meet for Repentance, that you might come to know the Prince of life, the end of the Law, the end of the Prophets, the end of all outward sacrifices, and come to know the Spiritual Sacrifice, which is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, which goes from the Spiritual Household, which is built on the Prophets, Christ the Corner Stone, who is now come to reign on the Th●one of David, whose Seed witness him David's Son, which God would show mercy to David, and to his Seed for evermore; which mercy his Seed witness, and witness the Son who reigns on the Throne of David, the Son of God, who are the Seed of Abraham, to whom the Promise was when he was in the uncircumcision; and the Promise which was made to him when he was in the uncircumcision, do we witness fulfilled; Glory, glory to the Lord God for evermore. And we are of the Promise, which is to all the Seed, which was not made to him through the Law, therefore it's of Faith, that it might be by Grace, that the Promise might be sure to all the Seed; not to that only which is of the Law, but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham, who is the Father of us also; and him who was made of Abraham is now witnessed, that took upon him the Seed, according to the flesh, who is before Abraham was; a greater than Solomon; him, who according to the flesh is the Seed of Abraham, but according to the Spirit was declared to be the Son of God, the King of Glory. And him David saw, and called him Lord, who said, God would not suffer his Holy One to see corruption, nor leave his soul in hell; and saith David of him, Psal. 68 Thou hast ascended up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell amongst men. Mark, He that ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and giveth gifts unto men, that the Lord God might dwell amongst them. And he that ascended, mark, he that led captivity captive, what is it? but he that descended first into the lower parts of the earth, and he is the same that ascended far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things by whom all things was made, to reconcile all things to himself, And he gave some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Apostles and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till all come into the unity of the Faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, the Covenant, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. And the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Christ, said he, He would proclaim liberty to the captives, Gen. 61. mark, to the captive; and he did proclaim liberty to the captives, and went ministering to the Spirits in prison. Now you who have had the words declared forth from the Prophets and Moses, but not being guided with that spirit that gave them forth, you see not the captive, but are captives, sees not him that brings deliverance, and heals the broken hearted, and recovers to the blind their sight, and sets at liberty them that are bruised; that leads captivity captive, and giveth deliverance to the captive; and this is not known till you come to the covenant of Light, And when Ezekiel was among the Captives at the River of Keba, the Heavens were opened, and he saw the Vision of God, (Mark, when he was among the captives) and he was to go to them of the captivity, and speak to them; and after he was commanded to speak to the captives, the Spirit of the Lord took him up, and brought him to them. So consider now, you that have had the Prophet's words, but not knowing him that is on High, that leads captivity captive, being found out of the life, are scattered abroad; but harken to the Light that will discover your iniquity, whereby your captivity may be turned away; whereby you may come to the life of the Prophets and Moses, with which you may see Christ: Lam. 2.14. For jeremiah did lament the falseness of the Prophets, which had not discovered their iniquity, which might have turned away their captivity, that you might come to know the voice of the Bridegroom, the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, and the voice of them that say, Praise the Lord of Hosts: for his mercy endures for ever. And of them that bring the Sacrifice of Praise into the House of the Lord. I will cause to return the captivity of the Land, as at first, saith the Lord; now know, this captivity led captive, and this captivity returned. And was it not often, that Ierusal●m and the children of Israel were carried into captivity for transgressing of the righteous Law of God? and did no● the Enemy come upon you, which trod down the Wall of jerusalem, which was before Christ was manifest in the flesh, which after came and was manifest in the flesh, according to the saying of the Prophet which shown the coming of the Just one, who when he was come among you that had the words of Moses and the Prophets, but being out of the life, saw not that which Moses and the Prophets saw; and the Prophet said, Jerusalem should be laid waste, and compassed with Armies; the Wall thrown down, and you scattered: Is not the word of this Prophet fulfilled among you, and upon you? had you been in the life as Moses was in, and the Prophets, and Abraham, you would have seen the glory of Israel, him whom God raised up to sit on David's Throne, the Hope that all the Fathers hoped for. Now your Father's being out of the life, though they had the words, knew not the Substance when he was come, but on the contrary delivered him up to the Gentiles to be crucified, which Gentiles trod your city under foot, and they cried, crucify him, crucify him, and desired his blood might be upon their Heads. Now Jacob comes to be saved from his captivity, and Israel shall return to his rest, and I will be found of you, saith the Lord, and will turn away your captivity, and will gather you from all the Nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, and will bring you again to this place saith the Lord, whence I caused you to be carried away Captive; when you come to the life of the Law, this you shall witness. Now wait in the light, that you may come to witness this Promise fulfilled, for the Lords flock hath been carried away captive, but now is the Lord redeeming, and gathering with his power them out of captivity, and leading captivity captive. And saith the Lord, I will gather the Remnant of my Sheep out of all the countries where I have driven them, and bring them again to their Fold, and they shall grow and increase; and I will set one Shepherd over them; which shall feed them; they shall dread no more, nor be afraid, neither shall they lack any thing, saith the Lord: for the day is come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute justice and judgement in the earth. Now this Branch, this King, this Shepherd, this Fold do we witness, that are his lambs, his sheep, and are come to witness the life that Moses was in, and the Prophets were in, and David was in, from which life the Scriptures was given forth to be believed and fulfilled, which we see with the same that gave them forth, Isa. 14. and the Son we see to reign; and the Lord is cutting off, according to his promise, Babel, his Name and his Remnant, Son and Nephew, and there shall be a Highway for the Remant of his people, which shall be left from Assyria, like as it was unto Israel in the day when he came up out of the land of Egypt: Of this take notice. In that day shall the Remnant of Israel, and such as have escaped of the House of jaccb, stay no more on him that smote them: mark, on him that smote them, but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel in truth: The Remnant shall return, even the Remnant of Jacob, to the Mighty God; for though thy people O Israel be as the Sand of the Sea, yet a Remnant of them shall return, and there is a Remnant that keeps the commands of God. And did not the Lord speak to Ezekiel; That your Fathers should be carried away captive, and the time is come that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and the Remnant whom the Lord shall call. And the Remnant of the Philistines shall perish: Seek good, and not evil: Amos 5. hate the evil, and love the good; and establish Judgement in the Gate. It may be the Lord of Hosts will be merciful to the Remnant of Joseph, though the number of Israel be as the sand of the Sea, yet a Remnant shall be saved. Even so at this present time, there is a remnant through the election of Grace; and now is the Remnant known that doth give glory to God. And thus saith the Lord to your Fathers, who changed his Judgements into wickedness, and his Statutes more than the wicked: I will execute Judgement in thee; I will do unto thee that I never did before, neither will I do any more the like, I will execute Judgement in thee, the whole Remnant of thee will I scatter in all the winds. And these things, and many more this Prophet doth relate, which was done to your Fathers, and what they should act and do, they, who are out of the life of the law: But now such as be in the life of the law, Prophets, and Christ, can say, Who is a God like unto thee? who takest away iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage: and saith the Lord, I will bring again their captivity and the captivity of Sodom, and her Daughters; and the captivity of Samaria, and her Daughters: Ezek. 10.53. then will I bring again the captivity of thy Captives in the midst of them. Now they that be in the life of the Prophets, sees this, That they that were in the captivity, had spoilt the Oath in breaking the Covenant; Yet notwithstanding, saith the Lord, I will remember my covenant with thee in the day of thy youth, and will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: The Lord will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fall'n down, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, saith the Lord, and build it as in the days of old, that they may possess, the Remnant of the Heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord. And the dragon was wrath with the woman, and went to war with the Remnant of her Seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of jesus Christ; the dragon is wrath with them that keep the commandments, and them cannot endure, but is wrath, and makes war against them. And the Remnant of the Seed of the woman appears now, that have the testimony of jesus, and keeps the commands of God, over all the world stands, and the dragon and his wrath fears not, but by the testimony of jesus, they overcome, which is the Spirit of Prophecy, who are his Remnant which keeps his commandments, with whom the dragon now is wrath, and makes war against. And now is the Lord made manifest to them that asked not after him, and found of them that sought him not; this Prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in this our days; The Father is made manifest; God hath made manifest his Covenant to them that did not ask after him. Mark. Them that asked not after him, to them is he made manifest. And you which be strangers from the Light, the Covenant, having the first Covenant, this saw not, your eyes was blinded, who was from the life of the Law and Prophets, and this should provoke you to jealousy, The life must be brought from the dead, before the riches of the world be known, the covenant of light, the unchangeable, & the conversion, to the life of Moses & the prophets, & the Son of God, who of them is the end; & this you must know before you be converted, & come to the father of spirits, & know Moses & the Prophets that gave forth the scriptures, for the life is that which doth convert, & let's see to what condition it was given, & gives a spirit of understanding, by which the Prophet spoke by, by which spirit they saw the eye of your fa●hers that God blinded, whose ears were dull of hearing, & hearts gross, & are in blindness, not receiving the covenant of light within; so over your hearts the vail i● remaining, who yet have that eye which is blinded, & cannot hear the holy Ghost, nor him who was born of it to be converted & healed, who ever tesisted, & are for judgement with the spirit the Scripture was given forth from; for Moses in the light saw the covenant, & Abraham saw the promise in that light, & we in that light do enjoy that promise which they saw to be fulfilled, y● covenant of light, & witness y● holy spirit y● scrriptures were given forth from, & do see them which hath the words o● the scriptures, ●ut not in the spirit that gave them forth, them God the Father of spirits scatters though they gather together, and such be Heathens that know not the Spirit the Scriptures were given forth from, these know not God the Father of Spirits, but are all a heaps about words, killing and destroying one another. From them who are Israel's commonwealth, who are the remnant that keeps the command of God, and are of the seed of Abraham, who witness the mighty power of the Lord, in raising his own seed by his own power in this day, and the trumpet is blown in Zion, and the alarm is sounded in his holy mountain, which makes the earth to tremble, and do tremble at the word of the Lord, and are by the dark world called quakers, at whose voice Moses exceedingly did quake, which power and voice now is known among us, which doth no● only shake the earth, but the heavens, which power removes that which is shaken, that that which cannot be shaken may remain, and appear, and before this covenant you come to know, your hearts must be rend, so to come to witness the abolishing of death before life, and immortality be brought to light through the Gospel, which is the power of God, which removes, shakes, and throws down all, and so the promise comes to be fulfilled: And saith the Lord by the prophet, Make the heart of this people fat, make their ears heavy, saith the Lord to him that was in the spirit, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, Pro. 6.22. Isa. 6 chap. and be converted, and be healed, these that was from the light of the Law, the life, for his law is light, saith Solomon. But I said, How long Lord? mark, and he answered, until the Cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, take notice. They that be in the Holy Ghost see this fulfilled upon you, who have nor understood with your hearts, nor seen with your eyes, nor been converted, whole cities comes to be laid waste, and houses without man, and the land come to be desolate without the spirit, that gave forth Scriptures: and the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the Land; of this take notice. But yet in it shall be a tenth mark, and it shall return, and be eaten as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in it, when they cast their leaves, of that take notice; so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. Mark. Rom. 12.15. Isa. 6.13. The holy seed life from the dead, he that hath an ear, let him hear; and this must be known before the riches of the world be. Now that which gathers you to the promise, is the light and power of God, and the light will let you see all the evil deeds you have done, all the ungodly actions you have committed, and all your transgressions, that is the light which shows you them, and if you love the light you will come to see yourselves, and whether your deeds be wrought in God, and if you believe in the light, which manifesteth all that ever you have done, ye will become the children of light, and receive power from Christ, from whence the light comes, him by whom the world was made, to stand against the evil, which he hath given you a light to see; and with this light you come to know the M ssias your Saviour, to save you from your sin which he discovers, and to see the everlasting offering. But you that do hate this light, and go into the evil, and love the darkness more than that which shows you your evil deeds, and evil ways, when God is not in all your thoughts, when your heart revolts, and when you call on him with your lips, and your hearts afar off: This is the light of Christ that shows you this, and lets you see your covetousness, and idolatry, and if you go on in these things , the light will be your condemnation, even the light saith Christ, who inlightneth every man that cometh into the world. This light of Christ tells you, you should not do unjustly one to another, that you should not be drunk, nor oppress one another, nor wrong one another. It's the light that shows you this, and measures things aright, and this word is nigh you in the heart, and in the mouth to obey and do it. Now as you love the light, and bring your deeds to it, you will come to know the light Moses was in, and come to know the Prophet which he said, God would raise up, whom you should hear, and come to know the Covenant of light, which brings in the Gentiles to serve the living God from dead Idols, which the Prophet spoke of, which is the glory of Israel. And as you love this light before mentioned, you will come to know the Law in your hearts written, the new Covenant, the everlasting Covenant, which the Prophet prophesied of, which now thousands do witness, with which light they know God the glory of Israel, Zions' King, and him are come to worship; and this light will tell you, you must not bow to any likeness, but unto God alone, nor commit adultery, nor serve graven images the Gods of the Heathen, nor follow their customs which are vain, for against that God's hand is turned, who is one with the Light, which Light the darkness cannot comprchend, though it in darkness shines, and Christ the light came to his own, and his own received him not, even among your fathers that had the Oracles of God, and the darkness could not the light comprehend, though the light in darkness shined, neither could the darkness see him by whom the world was made, the light, who is glorified with the Father, with the glory that he had with the Father before the world was: Therefore to the light in you I speak, that with it you may be turned from darkness, and the power of Satan to God, and receive the covenant of light, and the power of God Christ jesus, that you may come to life, regeneration, and conversion, and the renewing of your minds, remission of sins, and receive the refreshing into your souls. And as you love the light that shows you the evil that ever you have done, 2 Cor. 4.6. ye love Christ, and that light is it which gives the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ, which shines in the dark heart, and none comes to the knowledge of God but by the light which shines in the heart; and this treasure have we in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God, and not of Man: But if you do this light hate, you hate Christ, and remain stumbling, blind, and scattered, refusing the Cornerstone, whom all the bvilders stumbles at, who are out of the light, and none comes from stumbling to know the words of the Scripture declared from the life, but such as own the light. To the light in you I speak, if you go on in your evil deeds, and unbelief, not believing in the light, the light is your condemnation; hating the light, you hate Christ, for you do not come to the knowledge of God but by the light, He that comes to the knowledge of God knows his Son; now none comes to the Son, but who owns and comes to the light, which from the Son doth come: And this light brings to one heart, one mind, one People, one God, one Mediator betwixt God and Man, and this light unites and brings jew and Gentile together, and he that believes not in the light, doth not believe in God who is light, nor know his Son, who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. And to you this is the word of the Lord. A VISITATION TO All you that have long had the Scriptures, but found out of the life of them that gave them forth, that are stumbling about the words, fight and contending about them, imprisoning and persecuting them that witness the life that gave them forth. TO all you who are from the life of the law, and the Prophets, which is the light, and from the spirit of understanding, which gave forth the Scripture, and hearing hear not, and seeing see not, having hearts and understand not, whose ears are heavy, whose eyes are shut and whose hearts are fat; who are in the transgression, out of the Law of God, and his Covenant first and second, against all such the Lord sent his Prophet to declare, and commanded him, Go tell this people, Is●. 6 9.10. hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not, make the heart of this people sat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them, who is the light, such as was from the light, who with that ear could not hear. Now the Prophet was here in the life of the Law, the people was here from the life of the Law, therefore the life turned against them that were from that of God in them, and the life of the Law, the life turning against them, being one with that of God in them which they were gone from; so the life blinded them, and their ears became heavy, and their hearts fat, and their eyes shut, and they could not hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts, nor be converted, even such as were gone from the life, with which the spirit of God was one in which the Prophet was. And saith the Prophet Isaiah to this people, that were gone from the life of the Law, what the Lord would do with his vineyard, he would take away the hedge thereof, and it should be eaten up, and break down the wall thereof, and it should be trodden down, and I will lay it waste, and it shall not be pruned nor digged, Isai. 5.5, 6. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it: For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Isreel, and the men of judah his pleasant plant, He looked for judgement, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. These were those that were blind, where the judgement was not, but the oppression, and were from the light, such Christ came to make blind, against whom went the woe that drew iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart-rope, that called good evil, and evil good, such as were from the life of the Law, and such as these hearing hear not, and seeing see not, whose hearts are made fat: Make them sat, whose eyes are shut lest they should see, whose ears are heavy lest they should hear. Then said I, Lord, how long? and he answered, until the Cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate; [mark, and take notice of this] until the cities be without inhabitant, and the houses without men, and the land be utterly desolate. Now such as were here out of the life of the Law and the Prophets, being in the transgression, the life went against them that were from the life, and blinded it, and stopped that ear, and that heart cannot understand, that against the life is turned, until the city be wasted without inhabitant, and God hid his counsel and secrets from this eye, and from this ear; so he comes to make them blind, that they cannot see, which be in the transgression, who doth not blind the light the eye that the Prophet saw withal. And again, Isa. 29.9, 10, 11, 12. etc. the Prophet said to them that were out of the life of the Law, in the transgression, Stay yourselves and wonder, for the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the Prophets, and your Rulers, and the Seers hath he covered, the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this I pray thee, and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith. I cannot; for I am not learned. Wherefore thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men, therefore will I proceed, etc. These people were from the life of the Law, whose hearts were far removed from God, to these the books was sealed, and the Vision of all was become unto them as a sealed book, and they could not read it, neither the learned, nor the unlearned, for to both it was sealed; to this people that could not see nor hear was the book sealed, whose eye was blinded though they were learned or unlearned, such as was from the life of the Law, which was the light, the life of the Law, the light they had not, and such the prophet saw, who was in the light of the Holy Ghost, and their fear towards the Lord was taught by the Precepts of men, (as it is now with them that are blind) these their eyes were closed, upon whom was poured a spirit of deep sleep, who staggered like a drunken man, but not with wine, who sought deep to hid their counsel from the Lord, and worked in the dark, among whom the Lord will do a marvellous work, and a wonder, the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid. These were-them that turned the things upside down, who should be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say to him that made it, He made me not? Or, shall the thing framed, say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? Yea, he sees [take notice] that hath made and framed: Mind this, you who call upon God with your lips, but your hearts afar off, who be strangers from the life of his Law, who turn things upside down, who must be turned upside down, before the life of the Law, which is the light, be known, and their eyes opened. Who are in the spirit of slumber, and the spirit of deep sleep, yet have wisdom, and a prudent understanding: These were them that the Prophet saw from the life of the Law, and such God made blind; for the promise was when God gave forth the Law, Blessing, and them that were in the life saw the end of it; a Curse was not to them that did abide in the life of the Law, the woe was not to them that did abide in the life of the Law, but the blessing; the curse was to them that did not abide in the life of the Law, and such came not to s●e the end of what they professed; and these went from the life of the Law to men's precepts, and they were such as called upon God with their lips, but their hearts were afar off; and such owning not the life of the Law, they owned not Christ when he came, who was the end of it, but was blind, and so the fulfilling of Isaiah's words came to be, which were spoken forth from the life, which when Christ came, who was the life, they that had the words of the Law, and being out of the life, knew him not, but were them that were blinded, & by hearing should not hear, nor understand; and seeing 〈◊〉 should see, & not perceive; these which was gone from the life of the law, the light, which Christ was one with the life which they were gone forth from. These could not perceive nor see, though they saw, and though they heard, they could not understand, which were in the transgression, from the life of the Law, and such Christ came to make blind; and these eyes must be blinded that they cannot see nor hairy for that which must hear, comes to the life of the Law, and to the conversion; and saith Christ to them that were gone from the life of the Law, which hearing heard not, neither understood, These people's hearts were waxed gross, their ears were dull of hearing, their eyes was closed, lest at any time, [mark] they were so shut up from the light, the life of the Law, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should heal them. Now you may all come to see what peoples hearts they were that was waxed gross, and ears dull of hearing, and could not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, lest they should be converted, and Christ should heal them; such as were out of the life of the Law, and out from that of God in them; in the uncoverted estate, against whom Christ cried woe: For how can they hear with their ears, or see with their eyes, that are from the life of the Law? and how otherwise can it be, but that their hearts will wax fat and gross, and be hardened with the deceit, who go from the Light, the life of the Law, which is the eye which God blinds not, who is light, and teach men's commandments for doctrines; such as hear not the life of the law, are blind, and are such as run into the lust, whose hearts grows fat; and are such as have a wisdom, and a prudent understanding, but as to hearing or seeing the things of God, their eyes are made blind, and ears they have, but hear not; and hearts they have, but understand not; and cannot understand with their hearts, nor see with their eyes, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and I should convert them, and they should be healed. Now this ear and eye which is from the life of the Law, heareth not, sees not, and the heart waxeth gross, and that eye must be made blind before Christ come to heal them, and convert them: He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. And to such as were from the life of the Law and Prophets, in the transgression, Christ spoke parables; them that were from the life of the Law, seeing, they saw not; and hearing, they heard not, nor perceived, nor understood; to them in parables that were from the life of the law and Prophets, which Christ saw, these having the words, but being out of the life, were them that were blinded, gross, and could not hear nor perceive, nor understand the mystery of the kingdom. Unto these Christ spoke in parables. And the Disciples said to Christ, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? and he said unto them, To you it is giv●●●o know the mystery, but to them it is not, who have eyes, and see not; ears, and hear not; but blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear: For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, [mark] and he shall have more abundance: [mark] and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that which he hath. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. So they knew the mystery of the kingdom which was in the Light; and they law not the mystery of the kingdom which were not in the light; therefore spoke Christ to them in parables, because in seeing, they saw not; and hearing, they heard not; neither did they understand: So in them is fulfilled the Prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Therefore parables were spoken to these which were from the life of the Law, which did not understand with their heart the Mystery of the Kingdom, to be converted and Healed: For such as understood, came with their heart to the life of the Law, the Light, to converting and healing: others stood against it, and that eye was blinded, so saw not, and was not converted: and all dulness of hearing was from them that were from the life of the Law, the Light; which life of the Law gives to see before transgression was; and so these that did not understand, with their hearts not converted, not healed, were them that were gone from the light, the life of the Law; such could not see the second Covenant when he was come, and to these Christ opened his mouth in parables, and uttered forth things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world, to the fulfilling of the Prophet's words who was in the life; and to those that were out of the Light, the life of the law, was the Parables spoke; but blessed, saith Christ to his disciples, are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear; Matt. 13. now is the life manifested that was with the Father before the World was, which all the Prophets of God did give testimony to, which while Moses is read, the vail is over the heart, but where is the life of Moses that sees the end of the first covenant, Christ jesus; so they that were out of the life of the first, were in the hardness, such as had the words of Moses, but out of the life, whose ears were dull of hearing, and served God with their lips, out of the life the light, but their hearts afar off, such were in the days of Isaiah the Prophet, & in the days of Christ in the flesh, these Christ plainly told, them he came to make blind who said they saw, but were out of the life of what they professed, the l●ght, which is the eye, & such the God of the world blinded the eye of their mind, and for judgement Christ came into the world, to make them to see that saw not, and to make them blind that said they saw, where the God of the world ruled. And John speaks of the fulfilling of Isaiahs' words, Joh. 12. who saw the glory of the Lord, and spoke of him; he saw them that were from the life of the Law, the light and the Prophets, that could not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, whose serving God was with the lip, but the heart afar off; these could not hear Christ when he came, nor understand with their hearts, nor be converted nor healed; such were for judgement, and such Christ judged and made blind; for these could not understand with their hearts, nor be converted nor healed, which was from the light, and had it not. And the Apostle speaking of the hated and loved, the Election and Reprobation, that the purpose of God, according to the Election, might stand not of works, but of him that calleth, as it was said, The Elder shall serve the Younger; Esau have I hated, Jacob have I loved; [mark] so it is not of him that runneth, Rom. 9 but of God that showeth mercy; as the Scripture saith of Pharaoh, For this purpose have I raised thee up, that I may show my power in thee, and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth: [Of this take notice.] The Power which overthrew Pharaoh, brings the Seed out of bondage; therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he hardeneth. But thou wilt say unto me, Who hath resisted his will? why doth he yet find salt? Nay but O man, Who art thou that repliest against God, who is Light? thou who art from the Light? shall the thing form say to him that form it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same Lump, to make one Vessel unto Honour, another a Vessel to dishonour? [mark] But what if God will show his Wrath to make his Power known, endured with much long suffering, the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction, the children of Disobedience. [mark] jacob is loved, but Esau is hated; Esau was the first, a Profane person: Pharaoh, a Persecutor of the Seed of God, who was hardened, God had mercy on his Seed, and made his Power known, in overthrowing the one, and delivering the other. And him that willeth, and him that runneth, obtaineth not the Promise of God, but the Election obtains it; in Isaac shall thy Seed b● called; and they which be the children of the flesh are not the children of God; and so it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth, but in God that shows mercy, the Election obtains it. But O man, Who art thou that repliest against God? [mark] Man, not the Election which obtains the Promise: Shall the thing form say to him that form it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, to make one Vessel of Honour, another to dishonour? What if God will to show his wrath, and make his power known, endured with long suffering, the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction: [take notice] endured with much long suffering, the Vessels of Wrath sitted to destruction. What if God will make his Power known upon such, and will show his Wrath upon the Vessels thereof, who are in the disobedience, from the Light; Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, the Vessels of Wrath where the enduring with much long-sufferings hath been; such be from the; ife of the Law of God, in the disobedience, children of Wrath, on whom the Wrath of God abides; therefore the thing form that saith, Why hast thou made me thus? here is the willing, and not the Election, which obtains it without the willing and running, which overthrows the Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction, and the willing and the running, who hath endured with long suffering: And now it is seen, The Lord will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and the Promise is to the seed, and Jacob is loved, and Esau is hated, and Ishmael is driven out; and the power which overthrew Pharaoh, which hath ra●sed up the Seed; and the Vessels of Wrath, on whom he doth make his power known, and shows his Wrath, which he hath endured with much long suffering, the Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction, and the will that is willing is seen, and the mind which is running, and attains it not; and the man which replies against God, who is saying, Why hast thou made me thus? as if the potter had not power over the Clay: And here is the willing and the running, but the promise of God is to the Seed, and the Election obtains it, and hath obtained; that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of mercy whom he hath called; so the promise is to the Seed, not to Seeds, as of many, but as of one, which Seed is Christ. Rom. 11. And David that was in the life of the Law, seeing the second Covenant, saw them that had the words of the Law, but were out of the life: And Paul who was in the life of the Law, the Light that David was in, saw David's words fulfilled in his generation, among them that were out of the life of the law, though they had the words, and saith, as it is written, God hath given them th● spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day; they were such as were from the life of M●ses and the Prophets, having their minds reprobated; and saith David, Let their Table be made a Snare, and a Trap, and a stumbling-block; an for a Recompense, let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back always: Such as were from the life of the Law, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbidden; but that through their fall, salvation is come to the Gertiles. Now they that had the outward covenant, the words of the Law, and stood for the outward, and were not guided with the inward, their Tables became a Snare unto them, and a Trap, and a stumbling-block, and they fell, and through their shall (who was in the outward, from the light, the life of the Law) salvation came to the Gentiles, and the R●ches of the world, the Light, which is Christ the Salvation, which overthrows the outward, and brings in the inward, the Jews in the spirit: For such as were in the life of the Law, the Table did not become a Snare, a Trap, but they-saw the end with the Light, which is the eye; but such as were from the life of the Law, had the Spirit of Slumber; so the Election hath obtained it, and the rest was blinded; [mark] the rest were blinded, the election is not blinded; read this, who sees this, who is come to the election, which obtains where this is witnessed, that which is blinded is seen, and the God of the world is judged, and the eye he sets up, and that which doth blind is judged with the light, with the eye, where the conversion and healing is, and the casting away of them is seen, that were out of the life of the Law, and the Prophets, which had the outward Oracles, which brought in the Gentiles, who said, they saw, but were out of the life of what they professed. For, if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? [mark] the receiving of them is life from the dead, and that which doth receive them makes them blind, that life which came from the dead unites both Jew and Gentile together, when the converting comes, the healing comes, and the elect, and the life of the Law, and the Prophets is fulfilled, and the other eye is put out, and the gross heart, and the dull ear, and the spirit of slumber, and all this is with the Spirit of Truth judged, and the light which is the eyes guide, and the lip serving of God, all this is judged, which brings the life from the dead, which brings to serve God with the heart, and brings the heart nigh unto God, which while they professed, the Law the light, being from the life; that Heart perceives not, that Eye sees not, which goes from the light, and cannot see the mystery, nor hear Christ the end of the Law. And here is the rebellious people, and the stiffnecked, which hearing hear not, and seeing see not, hearts have, and understand not, whom God blinds, that his mysteries they see not, them that are from the light, Rom. 1. which are from the life of the Law, the light, which is one with the light of God, in every man, which answers his Law, so that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them, with that they know that the judgements of God are upon them, when they act unrighteously. And in the Acts the Apostles speaking to the jews which had the words of the Law, and the Prophets, but out of the Law, the life of Moses, and the Prophets, who knew not Christ the end of them, in which life the Apostles was in, when he had spoken with the jews, and persuaded them concerning Christ out of the Law, Moses, and the Prophets, showing unto them the fulfilling of Isaiabs' words, saying, Go unto this people, and say, hearing you shall hear, and not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive; for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and they are dull of hearing, and their eyes are closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and should heal them. To them he said, Be it known unto you, the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will obey it. So here the Apostle, Christ, and Isaiah saw them that had the words of Moses, and the Prophets, but out of the life, the light, such could not hear nor see, being from the life of God, such were blind, and such God's Hand often turned against, and carried them into captivity, yea, to the bringing down, and bringing forth of his seed out of Captivity; so in bringing them down that were in captivity, they often came to remember God, and so God's promise stands with the seed sure, and his election sure. All along you may see in the days of the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, such as had not the life, the light, of the Prophets and Apostles, being found out of the life of the spirit of God, had the spirit of slumber, had hearts, and could not perceive, eyes they had and could not see, ears they had and could not hear, and such eyes God made blind, and ears God made deaf, and knew not the mystery of the Kingdom, having their hearts gross, and far from God, and served him but with the lips, and they that were from the life of the Law were here, they that were in the life of the Law they saw such as were from the life of the Law; here one saw, and the other did not, one saw, and the others eye was to be made blind: And they that did carry God's seed into captivity, should be brought into bondage, and God would judge them, and they had the eye which was blind; so you may all see, that which was from the life of the Law, the life of the Prophets, the life of Christ, which is the light, doth harden, which is the deceit, and such as hear the voice of the Son of God are not hardened, but such as hear not the voice of the Son of God, are hardened through the deceit, among these there was wars, one destroying another, and carrying captives. But who are come to the life of the Law, and the end of the Law, the end of the first covenant, the everlasting Priesthood, from the changeable to the unchangeable, witnesseth that which doth not vail, change, nor harden, and make to see captive, and lead out of captivity, while Moses is read, the vail is yet over the heart, which doth harden, but take away that which doth harden, and bring the mind out of the changeable, which their mind was in, in the outward, to the life, the light, which was hardened and blinded, having the spirit of slumber, to the covenant of light, the everlasting covenant, the end of all shadows, types, and figures, to the substance, that covenant is decayed, and so with this that is kept out which doth harden, [mark] the deceit, which is out of the truth, the life, which is in the transgression, having a pretence of the worship, but out of the life of it; all such are blinded, and can neither hear with their ears, nor see with their eyes, nor be converted, nor healed, and from the life of the Law are, whose hearts are afar off from God; so all these that have the words of Moses, and of the Prophets, that are from the light, the life, with the life come to have all their wisdom and knowledge overthrown, such had their eyes blinded, and had a spirit of slumber, and Hearts gross, and these the life of the Law overthrew, from top to bottom, and all that profession without the life of the Law, calling upon God with the lips, but Hearts afar off God overthrows and judges, judges and blinds, he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. That which overthrows the Jews outward, brings in the Jews inward in the spirit to the King the light, which is one in the spirit, and baptizeth them both Jew and Gentile into one body, and here he comes to the life of the Law, and the Prophets, and Christ, and the promise fulfilled, where there is seeing, and hearing, and conversion, the Heart being brought to the Lord God to perceive; and to you this is the word of the Lord. And this eye the Lord doth not blind, God doth not blind his own eye, but that eye which is out of the life of the Law, the Prophets, and Christ, and that eye is blinded which receiveth not the testimony of the Prophets, nor the Son, and this the Prophet saw with the Holy Ghost, and Christ saw, who by the Holy Ghost was conceived, and the Apostle saw with the Holy Ghost such as was blinded, and is to be blinded, and the Holy Ghost was not blinded; that which goes from the life, cannot believe the life, but is hardened, they being from the life could not hear, nor see the life, when the life spoke unto them to be converted, their eyes was so closed, lest I the Light should heal them, to them woe was from the light, to them which were from it, they went from the life, and the life was against them, so the light cast them away that held up the outward Priests, that had the outward Covenant; their eyes they have closed, [mark] they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them; [mark] they have closed their eyes, lest they should see Christ, (that owns not the light) that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, they have closed their eyes, lest they should see it, and hear it, and come to understand with the heart, and should be converted and Christ should heal them. They closed their eyes, lest they should see the light (who was from it, and owned it not,) the healing which brings to be converted, and turns the heart from being gross, and the new heart comes to be received; these that have closed their eyes, lest they should see the light at any time, say they see, but are blind, so being from the light the sin remains; these call on God with their lips, but being from the light the heart is afar off; & these are the unconverted, & understands not with the heart, and are unhealed, and follows the world, which says, they can see, which Christ came to make blind, and for judgement is he come into the world, that they that say they see may be made blind, & they that see not might see; and this light brings jews and Gentiles to see one another, and this raises up the tribes of Jacob, & gathers together in the unity in one, and with it doth them reconcile up to God, with the covenant of light, which is unchangeable. And the Apostle james speaking of the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, which is without respect of persons, Jam. 2. ch. and showing the Law which is Royal, which is without respect of persons, saith, If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself, ye do well; but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the Law as transgressors: So that you that respect persons do commit sin, and would have others to respect persons and to commit sin, who cannot, else you cast them into prison, and go into the transgression of the Law of God, and is against them whose souls are subject to the Higher Power, and doth not respect the Ordinances of God, as they do that respect persons, and doth commit sin, and are Transgressor's, and so brings to themselves destruction, whose souls are not subject to the Higher Power, but the Ordinance of God is resisted by such, and the Royal Law, and it convinceth them as Transgressor's; So speak, and so do, as they that would be judged by the Law of Liberty; for whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one Point, he is guilty of all: [mark] This one Point of respecting person, which if it be broken, it is guilty of all. As for instance; He that saith, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill; if thou commit not Adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a Transgressor of the whole Law, adulterated from the life, and resists the Higher Power, to which the soul should be subject. Qu. But deceit will say, If I must not respect persons, I must not honour my Father and Mother. Ans. He honours not father and mother that disobeys God's command, and is out of his Law, and lives not in the life of his Law, who saith, Thou shalt not respect persons; and the same saith, Obey your Parents in the Lord; for the law is the light, and the light is the life, and the life preserves, which light gives to know God and his will in the law, and Gods judgements on them that transgresses it; and this light keeps from adultery; and where the Royal Seed is now risen up, made under the law, brings to know, That marriage is hono able. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. Obj. Saith he that is out of the light, may not I respect another woman as well as my wife, seeing I may not respect persons? Ans. The light, which is the Law, teacheth thee not to commit adultery, and, To love thy neighbour as thyself, and thy Wife as thy own flesh, and to know that marriage is honourable, and the bed undefiled: And this Light brings Parents to train up their Children in the fear of the Lord, with which they come to honour them in the Lord. And this the Law, which is the Light, that tells thee, Thou must not lust ●or covet, which if thou dost, thou hast an Idol. So that which covets goes from the Law, which is the Light, and from the Light, which is the Law, to the Idol-maker, where is the founder of the Image, that hardens, blinds, stops the ear, and makes the heart gross, and there comes in the eye which God blinds, and there is the heart far from God, though there be calling upon him with the lips. To the Light in you all I speak, that you may come to the law written in your hearts, with which you may come all to know the Lord, and Christ his Son, his Righteousness, the end of God's Law, which is righteous, the end of the righteous, God's righteous Law. Let every man be subject to the Higher Power; [mark] for there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. [mark] Put on the whole Armour of God, for we wrestle that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities and powers, against the Rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high Places; wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, having done all to stand; having your loins girt about with truth, having the Breastplate of Righteousness: So the Armour and Breastplate of Righteousness, brings to stand against the Principalities and Powers, against the Rulers of Darkness, against the Spiritual wickedness in High-Places, whose feet are here shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace, and have the Shield of Faith, whereby they are able to quench all the Fiery-Darts of the Wicked; and have the Helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and their Souls are subject to the Higher Powers, and wrestles against the Principalities, Powers, against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World, against Spiritual W ckedness in High Places. For there is no Power but is of God; the Powers that be ordained of God, brings to stand against the Principalities and Powers, against the Rulers of Darkness of the World, the Spiritual wickedness in High-places: [mark] Here is the Higher power, that which God hath ordained, to which the soul must be subject; and here is that which is out of the Truth, the which whole Loins are girded with it, against it stands: And whosoever therefore resisteth the powers which be ordained of God, resisteth the Ordinance of God, which God hath ordained; and they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation: Such as go from the Light, the Truth, and the Power of God, their souls are not subject to the Higher Power, but that comes in which wars against it, the Lusts, which war against the soul, where the Spiritual Wickedness, and the Ruler of the Darkness, against which, who be in the Truth Wars, for Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same; [mark] then thou art kept in the truth, and the Loins about girded with it; for he is the Minister of God to thee for good, who hath this Higher power which is of God, which is above the Principalities, and powers, and Rulers of Darkness in the World, and Spiritual Wickedness in High places, which is out of the light, out of the truth; such are not the Help Governors, but he is the help government that stands against them, which is the Higher power to which the soul must be subject; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, than thou goest from the light, and thy soul is not subject to the higher power, and art where the spiritual wickedness is, and the ruler of darkness, and the spiritual wickedness in the High places, which is to be wrestled against, and so thou goest into the evil; and this Higher power goes against thee, for he is the Minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth evil, whose soul is not subject to the Higher power, but is gone from the truth the light, into the power of wickedness and darkness, which the power of God is above. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience sake, so the light which turneth from the evil, and the powers and rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickednesses in high places and principalities, the soul it brings to be subject to the higher power for conscience sake, and to own the minister of God, which is for good, which is in the power, which who resists, brings to himself damnation, who to the evil doers is a terror, for the power of God turns against them that goes from the light, and this is the power, that no man's person doth respect. So for the Lords sake submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, etc. whether it be the King, as Superior; or to Governors, or unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; here the higher power is it that punisheth the evil doer, and torments the evil, goes against it, and against all the spiritual wickednesses, in high places, [take notice of that:] To that ordinance for the Lords sake, we are to be subject unto, for the Lords sake, for it is the will of God to have the evil doer punished, that so with well doing you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. [Mark.] And again, Peter who was in the light, and his soul subject to the higher power, and owned every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, which went against the evil, he said unto the Rulers when they commanded him to speak no more in the name of Jesus, Whether was it better to obey God or Man? This spoke Peter, he that stood against man's ordinance, which was contrary to the command of God; so such as did not believe in the light, such was not to be obeyed, whose souls were not subject to the higher powers, for the commands of God are not contrary to his own power, for whose souls are subject to the higher power, they own Christ the light, the power of God, the end of the Law: So all for the Lords sake, be ye subject to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, for the punishment of evil doers, (mark,) to be subject to that ordinance that punishes the evil, that doth not punish the good, that doth not go against the command of God, nor Christ, for it is that power the soul must be subject unto. And Peter that was subject to the higher power, who was not subject to the Rulers, the High-Priests, Elders, and Council, who charged them to speak no more in the name of Christ, said to them, Whether was it better to obey God or Man, and to their ordinance was not subject, but preached Christ the light, whose soul was subject to the higher power. Neither was the three children subject to the King's command, who commanded them to bow to the image he set up; neither was Daniel obedient to the King's decree, which was made that he should not pray unto his God. Neither was Mordecai obedient to the King's command, and to Haman could not bow, though by his not bowing all the Jews might have been destroyed; so him that would have Mordecai to bow, God bowed and overthrew Haman, and brought down Nabuchadnezzar that set up the image, and gave for his commandment to all Nations, People, and Languages, that all to it should bow; and God with his power made him to know the most High reigned; which most High made him to bow, and feed with the beasts of the field, seven times was to pass over till he knew the most High to rule in the Kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will; mark, to whomsoever he will he gives it, he was a higher power above Nebuchadnezars power, which Nabuchadnezzar was out of, which power overthrew him, which power the three children was in. This he knew not by all his might and authority, until seven times passed over him, and that which was to pass over him seven times, was to be fulfilled before it was known that the most High ruled in the Kingdoms of men; (mark) which thing he did no● know, when he was against that power which the three children were in, and to which their souls were subject, though they were cast into the fire, for not bowing to the image, nor harkening to the King's command. But the image, and the founder of the image was thrown down, and before he was thrown down, he knew not the most High to rule, as they do not now, and such God with his power breaks down, and the images to which the servants of the Lord could not bow, that were subject to the Higher power, that delivered them; which power threw down Nebuchadnezar that had set up the image, and made him to bow to, and to worship, and to know that the most High reigned. And to you this is the Word of the Lord. G.F. THE END.