A Word From the Lord, TO ALL THE WORLD, AND ALL PROFESSORS IN THE WORLD; Spoken in PARABLES: Wherein all may come to read themselves through the PARABLES, and see where they are; Also a word to all Professors, who cast the pure Law of God behind their backs, and turn the grace of God into wantonness, and despise the day of their visitation; with a dreadful voice to all the children of darkness, who hate and deny the light; that all may come to see themselves, and repent, before the fierce wrath of the Lord, which is kindled in England, sweep you all away: by them who are redeemed out of the curse, to serve the living, called QUAKERS. London, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the Black spread-Eagle, at the West end of Paul's, 1654. A WORD FROM THE LORD, TO ALL THE WORLD. MAN being driven into the earth, out of paradise, and death having passed over all men, the flaming sword turns every way to keep the tree of life, death having passed over all men; death reigned from Adam till Moses: and as there is death within, so death speaks, and as Christ hath given to every one of you a measure according to your ability, and this measure is the light; yet one, he loves the light, and the other, he hates the light, and this is the condemnation; he that loves the light, and brings his deeds to the light, there is no occasion at all of stumbling; this is the light that gave forth the Scripture; according as thou art grown up in it, thou wilt read them again; and this light, thou that hatest it, thou stumblest, because thy deeds are evil; thou wilt not bring thy deeds to the light, lest it should reprove them: thou knowest thy deeds are evil, this light shows thee, there thou hast learned thy condemnation; thou knowest thou shouldst not lie, be drunk, and that thou shouldst not steal, nor commit adultery▪ this light will tell thee all this, and it will condemn thee, and reprove thee; if thou love it, and bring thy works to it: but thy deeds being evil, and know'st it will reprove thee▪ therefore thou hatest it, and will not bring thy▪ deeds to it, therefore this is thy condemnation; here thou hast learned it, when the righteousness of God is revealed through flames of fire upon thee, than thou shalt see it is true; thou knowest thou shouldst not be proud, delight in fashions, and customs, and follow the world; this light will show thee, and let thee see all that is vanity, and bring thee sometime to confess it; and yet thy heart being hardened, and the deceit strong, thou rejects and hates that which calls thee to repentance, which lies low in thee, and continually calling thee to forsake thy lovers: it tells thee thou shouldst not lust, nor covet, nor thieve; it tells thee there is danger to all you thiefs, and lustful ones, and covetous ones; it speaks to you, and I tell you there will be your condemnation; when the book of conscience is opened, in your own mouths ye shall be judged, therefore take warning: when the vengeance of God falls upon you, than you will say, you had time once, when it is past, and the plagues of God are poured upon you, who hate to be reform with that in your conscience; when God calls you continually to repentance, ye hear not his voice, but trust in your own fancies and dreams, and lying divinations, and so hate the light, for if you love it, it would bring you to repentance, and the fear of the Lord; and the fear of the Lord is to departed from all sin and wickedness, and all evil, and all respecting of persons, for thou that dost, respects not God's Law, which forbids it; for he that doth respect persons, transgresses the Law, and is convinced as a transgressor, and commits sin; thou that dost not own this light, which is according to the Law of God, which respects no man's person, that in thy conscience, if you love it and hearken to it, it will exalt God alone; ye proud ones at this may stumble, but to that in your consciences, which should exercise it, I speak, and this light will bring you to walk in the commands of Christ; Christ Jesus saith, In all your communications, let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay, for whatsoever is more, is evil, and swear not at all, for that was in the old time the swearing; now thou that dost not abide in the doctrine of Christ, art of the devil, swear not by the head, nor by Jerusalem, nor by the earth, nor by heaven: These are great noted things; I say, swear not by the Bible, which is a great noted thing, which you swear by now; if the Lord's oath be performed, which he swear by himself, than all oaths are put an end to; if the high Priest jesus Christ be owned, than all the Priests are put an end to, which were true types and figures of him; for he that holds up Priests which receive tithes according to the Law, and now doth deny Jesus Christ come in the flesh, and who loves the light that he hath given them, witnesss Jesus Christ come in the flesh, but those are they which deny all the Priests: that receive tithes: for the receiving tithes was in old time, though Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedeck, who was a figure; when Jesus Christ the everlasting Priest was come, he put an end to all figures, and they and thou that hold'st up the figures, deniest Christ come in the flesh. There was a Temple which God commanded; when Christ was come and risen, all outward Temples were denied; and we witness one Priest, which is over the household of God, ten thousand witness one Priest, which is entered into the holiest, and all the Priests and his hirelings are denied; and all such as go after covetousness, to make gain of the people, are denied, and all such as bear rule by their means, and seek for their gain from their quarters, are denied; and all such as are called of men Masters, and have the chiefest places in the Assemblies, are denied; such then, who have one Master Jesus Christ, to whom all power is given in heaven and earth, who masters over all, and hath conquered all, subdued all, reigns over all heaven and earth, Judge over all heaven and earth, and the mighty day of the Lord is coming; God that made the world, dwells not in Temples made with hands, neither is he worshipped with the works of men's hands: Seeing he is Lord of all, hath given to all birth and life, made of all Nation's man of one mould, to dwell upon the face of the earth; and is coming to fill his with the knowledge of himself; to all you that are unlearned outwardly, of the letter, that cannot read the Scripture outwardly; to you I have a word from the Lord to speak; which is, Christ saith, I have given to every one a measure, according to their abilicy; this is the measure, the light which is pure, which doth convince thee, and if thou dost take heed to this light, that is Scripture within thee; as a man should give, or a King should give to his Subjects, or to them that are under him, every one a measure of the outward; so Jesus Christ the King, gives every one a measure of the inward, according to their ability; as the King doth outwardly according to their ability, and so that is a figure to thee, and if thou waitest in this measure, and approve thy measure, and be faithful in thy measure to God who hath given it thee, than thou comest to be a servant to the King Jesus Christ; as the servant outwardly doth improve his outward measure, and serve the King outwardly, so thou comest to improve thy inward, that is a figure to thee; so figures are spoken to the carnal part in man, and as the light opens and exerciseth thy conscience, it will open to thee parables and figures, and it will let thee see invisible things, which are clearly seen by that which is invisible in thee, which are clearly seen since the creation of the world, that doth declare the eternal power and Godhead; that which is invisible is the light with in thee, which he who is invisible hath given thee a measure, that will let thee see thy heart to be stony, and as stones without thee of the like nature; and the highway ground without thee, so thy heart is highway ground; and as thorny ground without thee, and thy heart is as thorny ground; and as thou walkest up and down, it will let thee see the rough way without thee, and rough way within thee; and as thy ●…nd walks in the way, full of briars and thorns without thee, so crooked ways within thee, it will let se●; as there is briars without thee, so there is briars within thee; and as serpents without thee, so the nature of serpents within thee; as vipers without thee, so nature of vipers within thee, and all this lodgeth upon the earth; the earth without thee, so the earth within thee; as Lions without thee, so the nature of Lions within thee; trees without thee, so thou art the nature of a tree, which riseth out of the earth; as trees grow out of the earth without thee, trees within thee; as forests without thee, so the wilderness in thy heart; these things doth the Scripture speak of: who had the light spoke forth these Parables, to that nature in men and women, this light lets thee see, who hates the light, as fat Bulls without thee, feeding the flesh: thou art as a fat Bull, who feeds the flesh; as there is Dogs and Swine without thee, thou art a Dog that bites, and devours, and barks, there is thy figure that barks; as Swine without thee, thou art a as Swine wallowing in the mire; and as a house without thee, thou art the house, and foul house without thee, thou art the house; as a candle lighted up in the house without thee, the candle is lighted up in thy heart, which is the spirit of the Lord, and thou wilt see the house foul, there is thy figure; as tall Cedars without thee, thou wilt see thyself a tall Cedat, who lives without the truth, spreading thyself; and as strong Oaks without thee, thou in thy strength wilt see thyself as a strong Oak, who art full of earth, and livest in thy power and dignity; and as horses without thee, thou who livest in earth and filth, and lust, thou art as a horse neighing up and down, this light will let thee see; as Asses without thee, snuffing up their noses upon the mountains, thou that art lifted up in thy high-mindedness, and full of pride and wildness, thou wilt see thyself to be as a wild Ass; and as the grass without thee, which is green for a while, thou wilt see thyself to be as the grass that grows upon the earth, which is green for a while, but is suddenly cut down; the light within thee will let thee see these things; and as cutting down without thee with a sickle, and with a sickle so cutting down thee; reaping thee down as reaping without thee, so reaping thee down, hewing down the wicked: Here thou must learn thy ●…gure, who art reaping and mowing, as thou art walking in the field, thou mayst read Scripture; as flowers are beautiful for a time, so thou that art famous, thou that art beautiful in thy glory, so thou art as fading flowers, there thou mayst learn thy figure; this light will let thee see the good ground without thee, so are they who are the good heart; ploughing up without thee, so ploughing up the fallow ground within thee; as thou hearest the thunder without thee, so must thou hear the thunder within thee; the voice without thee, so the voice within thee; these are figures: as the earthquake without thee, so earthquake within thee; and as mountains without thee, so mountains within thee; as hailstones without thee, so hailstones within thee; as wolves without thee, so the nature of wolves within thee; here thou canst go no way but thou mayest read thy figure? as beasts without thee, so thou art the nature of bruit beasts, that turns from the light of God in thee; as the canker without thee eating, so the canker within; as the Sea without thee, so the wicked are as the Sea, the like nature of the Sea within thee; as foaming without thee, so foaming within; as harvest without thee, so harvest within, who come to see with the invisible eye, all they that mind the light shall see another harvest; as there is many sowing the seed without, that lies under the clods, so shall you see the seed that lieth under the clods in thee; and as the summer without thee, so are che children of God brought into the summer, where there is joy and peace, and are brought out of the world; and as singing of birds without thee, so are they that are brought out of thee; the world it is a figure to them: as a turtle dove without thee, that is a figure who comes to this joyful Land; as doves without thee, nature of doves within; as Lambs without thee, the nature of Lambs within; as sheep without thee, so the nature of sheep within; and as goats without thee, so nature of goats within; now the light of God gave forth all these figures, like unto that nature in man, what the Saints should enjoy; and this light will let thee see, as there are fowls without thee who have nests, so thou who art flown above the truth, art as a fowl that hath a Nest, the nature of Fouls within: and as there are Dragons that devour without thee, so there are the nature of Dragons that devour the righteous, and Acts contrary to that pure Principle in thy Conscience; And as a Bed in sorrow without thee, so thou must be brought that art harloted from the Truth, into the Bed of sorrow: And as there is a widow without thee which hath not an husband, so thou art a widow who hath not Jesus Christ, who follow such Priests as are called of men Masters; As a Garden without thee, and dressing it without, so is Christ and his Spouse the Saints: As there is a weeding without thee, so the weeding of the weeds are in the heart: Thistles without thee, the nature of Thistles▪ within thee; Sour Grapes without thee, thou that art turned from the Truth, hast the nature of sour Grapes in thee: As thou seest the wild Grapes without thee, which set the children's teeth an edge without thee, so they set their teeth an edge, who are growing in the truth, and take of that which Acts contrary to the light, and the light will let ye see: as the night without thee and darkness, so there is night within: and as Stars without thee, so there are Stars within thee: as Moon without thee, so there is Moon within thee: and as Clouds without thee, so there are Clouds within thee. These are all Earthly Figures; And as the Sun without thee, so the Sun of Righteousness arising with healing in his wings within thee. All who mind the measure which God hath given you, it will open unto you these earthly Figures unto that nature in you which God spoke, and will teach you; as you go up and down you shall read your Figures: as covering without you, so there is covering within, Woe to him that is covered, and not with the Spirit of the Lord: and as a Fire and an Oven without thee, and as Stubble without thee, All you Proud, and all you Wicked are as stubble to be consumed in the fire, as fire doth the stubble; Now this light will show you these Figures: Here you may read Scriptures thou that lovest the light; thou that hatest this light canst not see these Figures. But it is the invisible that opens these, that gave them forth; And here thou that art unlearned in the Letter, mayst read the Scripture, and as the secret Chambers without thee, harken to the light within thee; and it will let thee see the secret places, where the retired place, the secret Chambers are; and as a Prison without thee, so there is a Prison within, where the seed of God lies; And as there is Threshing without thee, it will let thee see Threshing within thee; Chaff without thee, the Chaff within; Wheat without thee, so there is Wheat within: This light of God which gave forth the Scripture, this light of God according to its measure will open the Scripture to thee; For man being driven into the earth, and the earth being above the seed; So as the earth without thee, so the earth within thee; The Lord speaking low things, Comparisons like to that nature in man; that man may look upon the Creation with that which is Invisible, and there read himself; there thou mayst see wherever thou goest. And to all you the word of the Lord, that hath learned the Letter of the Scripture, your Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, Who hate the light within you, and say every one hath not the light; To you shall I open my mouth in some Parables. Ye are the painted walls, as ye see the painted walls without you, so your painted walls, there is your Figure: and as you see men stumble without you, which are blind: So do you which say that every one hath not the light, and that every one is not enlightened: For ye stumble at the eye which should let you see, and your mouth is the mouth of the false Prophet, which the Scripture speaks of: The true Prophet, saith he, enlightened every one that comes into the world; and there was but two, and there is but two; and them that saith he doth not enlighten every one that cometh into the world, and he saith he doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world; thou art the false Prophet, and goest about to make Christ a liar, who is the true Prophet: Ye are the hypocrites who are hipt above the truth, and your fair faces; and ye are the thiefs which steal your neighbour's words, and ye are filthy dreamers: Which saith, Christ hath not enlightened every one that cominto the world, they speak a lie, the definition of their own brain; and sell the Prophet's words, and Christ's words for money, which was spoken forth freely. Ye tell people ye Preach the Gospel, who Minister the Letter, and know not the Gospel; and ye tell them that the Letter is the Word; And the Letter saith God is the Word; and ye tell them the Letter is the Light: The Letter saith Christ is the Light: The Lord is coming in flames of fire, flames of fire without you, as you see with a natural eye, see flames of fire who have the light come upon you: You ungodly ones, as a sword without, which hews down, So shall ye that are wicked find the sword of the Lord, which is the word of the Lord, hue you down; and as you see fire burning without you, so ye that hate the Light, wells without water, say every one hath not the Light; and as a Cloud without you, so are the Clouds without water, and all your knowledge, Hebrew, Greek and Latin is natural; and the natural man knoweth not the things of God: Therefore to all people everywhere, to that light in you I speak; which shows you Sin and Evil to be Works of Darkness, and Deeds of the flesh: O the Old man! there is your Teacher, and there is your Condemnation, hating that light; And ye are they that get the Saints Words in the old Bottles, and ye give meanings to them, ye who are of the Generation that murdered ever the Righteous seed; as Bottles without you, so are you Bottles, New Wine put into New Bottles, the Old Wine put into Old Bottles, and that is a Figure; And as Trees with leaves without, that bears no Fruit, so are they that have oppression and no life, nor no fruit; As Suns and Daughters without, born by the will of man, so there are Sons and Daughters of God, born by the will of God, Heirs of another World; as these are born in this World, and as there is the world without you, so there is the World in the heart; as there is the field without, so there is the field in the heart; As there is the Merchantman without, that seeks for Pearls without, so there is the Merchantman that seeks for Pearls within; and as there is the Kingdom without, sothere is the Kingdom of heaven within; and the Axe is laid to the Tree Root without, to hue down the Tree without, so the Axe is laid to the Tree within, that brings not forth good Fruit; And as Trees cumber the ground without upon the earth, so do men cumber the ground, fruitless Trees; And as there are Rocks without, there are Rocks within; as there is cleaving of Rocks without, so is there cleaving of Rocks within; As there are heavy burdens without, so there are heavy burdens within, the pure are burdened; And as the rain falls upon the Plants without, so doth the mercy of God fall upon the tender Plants within; As there is a Vineyard Planted without, so are the People of God a Vineyard, who love the Light, and have the Invisible eye, will read these Figures and Parables, and ye heed not go to your natural Priests without you; But this within will open them, as you love it, and walk in it as the Saints did, who gave forth the Scripture, and they Exhorted others to take heed to that light, and said, ye have a more sure word of Prophecy, unto which ye do well to take heed, and as unto a light shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts; and this light is your Teacher, which teacheth you wholesomeness, and Holiness, and Teacheth you the fear of the Lord; and this light, hating of it will be your condemnation, and then you stumble, and then you neither understand Parables nor Figures, but are them that stumble at noon day; all you who are earthly, minding it which is Invisible, ye will read the earthly Parables and Figures, and see the time of Winter; as there is Winter without, so there is Winter within, the time of Winter, and the time of Summer, if you wait to get through the earthly part; The earth must be removed, and the earth must be shaken when the Glory of the Lord ariseth. This is witnessed: so God almighty open your understandings, all people everywhere, that you may see yourselves, Which if you take heed to that light which will exercise your consciences, it will let you see yourselves, which eye is the light, and this light will let you see God▪ But if your minds go forth, the God of this world cometh in and takes the Dominion, and so your minds are blinded, and your understandings darkened: Therefore every one, what you possess, profess, for the Saints were what they spoke: and every one as Christ hath given you a measure, according to your ability mind your measure, and improve your measure, and let the Saints conditions alone, but as you find them fulfilled in you; and lay aside all contention, and striving about words, which is no profit, but mind the pure light of God within, which will teach every one to know God, and so every one must improve his Talon, and improve his measure according to his Ability: so every one will be rewarded according to his works, whether they be good or evil; and thou that sayest every one hath not the light, who art the blind Pharisee, I shall stop thy mouth with a few words which the servants of God hath spoken forth; Christ himself saith, which is the true light, he doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world, and the one he loveth it, and the other he hateth it: And this is the Condemnation of the World, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil: And thou sai●… he doth not enlighten every one that cometh into the world, and there thou art a false Prophet, and a witness against Christ; and thou that sayest the Grace of God hath not appeared to all men to teach them, thou art he that tuins the Grace of God into wantonness; and to thee the Grace hath appeared, for that is Grace that shows thee ungodliness and worldly lusts, and there thou goest to make the Apostles liars, when the Grace of God, they say, which we witness, hath appeared to all men, which teacheth us the Saints to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live Godlily, and Soberly, and Righteously in this present evil world; and this Grace hath appeared to thee who livest wickedly, and ungodlily, and are of this present evil world, to that in thy conscience I speak, which thou shalt eternally witness me, for to it the Grace cometh and appears; and when the Book of Conscience is opened, all men shall be Judged out of it: and here thou that sayest every one hath not the light in their Consciences, to exercise it, thou goest about to make God unjust, for the light which lets man see sin and evil, is a perfect light of God; and thou that saith every one hath not a measure of light within them, to show them all their Works and Actions which they do; thou goest about to make God unjust, and unrighteous, and to keep the Creature in darkness, for God saith he will give to every one a reward according to their works; and if he had not a light, how should he see his Works, and how should the world be Judged in Righteousness but blind Hypocrites must show themselves, that they may openly appear blind to all them that are in the light, and love the light; and you that hate the light, there is your condemnation. G. F. TO all the World's Professors and People, that you may see where you are, and repent; The word of God is not known to the world, nor worldly wisdom; He that hath the word hath life, he that knows the word knows God, and here is life manifest, and the word hath quickened him, and raised him out of death and dead works; He who hath but the Letter, heareth a sound, but knoweth not what nor whence it is; and as he receives it in the Air, so he declares it, and death speaks light words without power, and dead-works, and lightness is brought forth, and the power of death Reigns; and the life of this is but an imitation, and not the life itself; the Chaff, but not the Grain tossed in the wind; And the Prince of the Air is Head, and Ruleth; And here Vanity is Exalted, the light mind is fed with Eyrie Notions, would be wise; but the Colt is at liberty, not subject to the Yoke, but kicks against the pure, and the obedience is not; And the Cross is despised by this nature who feeds here, whose end is destruction, and for the fire; For this nature knows not the living Word, but the Letter, and is without God in the world; but he who hath the Word, hath God, and is come into the Covenant by which all things stand; For he is come into the beginning, out of the Fall, to the first Fruits, and witnesseth the Word Spiritual, Invisible, Powerful, and Pure, and Sharp, a Divider, and a Discerner; By it he is Sanctified and made clean, by it he is established, unmoveable, by it he grows, and is fed daily, it is his Life, his Light, his Joy and Delight. And this Word is not to fetch from above, nor from below; Neither is it to seek in a Chapter, or a Steeplehouse without; But it is nigh, in the heart, and in the mouth: by which Word he is taught, guided, and kept at all Seasons: it is his Counsellor, and he inquires at it, as at the Oracle: and thereby he himself is brought to live the life of Godliness, and from which is spoken forth words of life, and power to others, and he speaks not his own words, not brings forth his own works, but hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his, and is entered into his Rest, and is come into the Eternal Sabbath, and is comprehended into the word, which is Christ, and is no more his own: For now Christ speaks in him, acts in him, and works in him, both the Will and the Deed: Now Christ and he is one, is married to him, and Christ is his Head and Husband: And now the head speaks, Prays, and Praises, and Prophecies, and is uncovered: and here is the Church of the First born, the Pillar and ground of Truth, where the woman must be covered and keep silent, and is not to speak in the Church, is not to Usurp Authority, but is to be in subjection; and if she would know any thing, she is to ask her husband at home, and he is to her a covering of the eyes for ever. Now all you Priests and People that talk of these things without you, from the Letter, this is a Parable to you, and you read the outside in the Letter: and from that you Imagine, and so set up a Form, or Likeness, or Image of these things: and here you Worship, and for this you contend, and would compel all to Worship your Image you have set up, and you go about to persecute and destroy all that will not bow to it with you: But it is but the Form you have, and not the Substance; And you put the Dead Letter for the Living Word, and your own meanings of it, arising from the brain, and first Wisdom, and natural Learning; This you declare, and call it professing▪ and put off your hats, which is Carnal; but the head you know not, and it is the woman that speaks, and the head is covered, and you dishonour your head, and honour yourselves; Neither are you subject to your head, but your own wills rule in you, and you live in the pleasures of the world, and are become wanton, and have set your eyes upon many lovers, and you are adulterated from your husband, and live not with him, nor is he a covering to you; neither can you witness him in you, and you in him, and the pure seed is not brought forth in you, but your seed is accursed; Neither is the pure language brought forth in you; but as to God you are smitten with barrenness, and bring forth nothing but Words, Wind, Shows and Shadows, Imitations, Inventions, Imaginations, and false Conceptions, and you never look to bring forth better fruits; Never to come to Holiness, and Perfection, and to come to your first Fruits, and that Estate in which you were Created, and you will not know that you are departed from your first fruitfulness, and have lost him in whom your life stands, and in whom your Fruit is found, and are become widows and desolate, as to your first husband, and have been running after other lovers, and have committed Adultery under every green Tree, and the holy flesh is departed from you, and you have been doting upon the Egyptian and Assyrian for wisdom and strength, whose flesh is as the flesh of Horses, and have been as fed Horses, living in the lusts of the flesh▪ as it is at this day. Now all People stand still a while, and see where you are, and the cause of your unfruitfulness; Look back from whence you are fallen, and return to your first husband, that you may bring forth your first fruits; For till then all you do is abomination to the Lord, and he cannot accept it; For what you bring forth is the seed of the Adulterer and the Whore a Generation of evil doers. And yet you make a Profession and outside appearance▪ as to Righteousness, and Holiness: But the Power to Act Righteousness you have not, but in your Actions bring forth the Image of the Devil; for all sin bears his Image, and he is the father of it; Let no man deceive you through fair words, He that sins is of the Devil, and is doing his work; and upon this Image where it is, Is the wrath of God revealed from heaven in flames of fire; here is your Portion, you workers of Iniquity. D. N. O All you who have cast the Law of God behind you, and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace, give over your Profession for shame, and never profess you love God, and have cast his Law behind you, and walk in uncleanness, fight, wrangling, quarrelling, in Drunkenness, and maliciousness, and brawling, ralling, and backbiting, cursed speakers, inventors of evil, and doers of mischief, Plotting together to devour the Truth, living in Wantonness and Pleasures, Feasting and Rioting, and Gluttony; In misnaming and miscalling the People of God who live in the Truth, and Covetous Cheaters, incontinent, without natural affection, unholy, unjust, and unrighteous, brutish, given over unto all unrighteousness, People and Priests are gone out of the way, fierce despisers of them that are good. Now all people and friends, where is your Profession and love towards God? Awake ye Drunkards, awake ye Scorners, and give over your Drunkenness and Scorning; God scorns the scornful, and Drunkards shall rot, Isa. 5.24. Therefore as the flame of fire devours the Stubble, and as the Chaff is consumed of the flame, so their Root shall be rotteness, and their Blossom shall go up as dust, because ye have cast off the Law of God, and contemned the word of the holy one of Israel: Awake ye proud ones, for ye are as the Stubble, as the fire burneth the Stubble, so shall ye be barned: Awake ye wicked ones, for ye are as the Chaff that the wind drives to and fro▪ Woe unto you liars, for you are without God: Awake and blush for shame, and turn to the Lord: Awake ye dogs which by't and devour one another▪ For ye are without God; and cross your lusts, and learn meekness, and tenderness, for that is of God, and the other is of the Devil: Awake ye Idolaters, who trust in the earth; trusting in your Riches, and in your Horses, and in your beauty, delighting in your Corn and Wine; Your Woe and misery is coming, for all the Gods of the earth must be famished: O trust in the Lord and forsake your Idols! Come down thou proud one, and lay thine honour in the dust; cast down thy Crown of Pride who art Exalted, that the Lord alone may be exalted▪ Who att thou that art Exalted and lifted up in Pride? who art thou that sets thy nest on high, and oppressest thy Fellow-Creatures, and Taxeth them? Remember! Remember that there is a God; and remember what he did to Pharaoh that was a Taxer, Oppressor, and was proud: O consider! thou shalt not escape the Judgement of God, thou hardhearted Pharaoh, thou wild Ishmael, whose hands are against every man; Thou Profane Esau which despisest thy Birthright for the Earth; thou art a place for the Dragons to dwell in, greedy devourers; thou that enviest thy Fellow-Creagures art Old- Cain; He that envies his brother is a murderer of the Righteous and the Just, whose Sac ifice God doth not accept; and thou that art Cain, who livest in envy, God doth not accept thy Sacrifice; all your Preaching, all your Praying, all your Singing, and all your Praising, is not accepted of God, whilst you live in envy; for it is the pure that he accepts, and the heart that he requires, and not the murderer's Sacrifice, for that is cain's: Woe, woe to the world; and woe to all you that turn the Grace of God into wantonness: woe, woe unto all disobedient children that will not take Council of the Lord; Woe, woe to you that paint yourselves with other men's words, that appear beautiful to men outwardly, but within are full of poison, whited Walls, painted Sepulchers, full of Deceit and Hypocrisy, outside-Churches, outside-Forms, outside-Teachers, Formal-Prayers, Formal-Teachings, Formal-Singing, Formal-Praises, Carnal-Teachers, speaking the Carnal-Letter, for Carnal-Money, to Carnal and Brutish People: Away with all this filthy Profession, for the Curse of God is upon it, and upon all that filthy Nature: And the Cursed Nature holds it up: Who are Redeemed from the Curse, their Church is in God, and their Teacher is God, and they are brought to obey the Law of God, who Teacheth holiness, without which none shall see God; who Teacheth Pureness and Meekness, Tenderness and Righteousness; And to lay aside all Envy, Wrath, Malice, Hatred, Drunkenness, Railing, Theft, Murder, Fight, Quarrelling, and Idle-Jesting, Vain-Songs, and all Venomousness, all Hypocrisy, Cozening and Cheating, Worldliness, and Earthly-mindedness: For these are the Works of the Flesh, and who act these things, shall never inherit the Kingdom of God. O all People consider where you are, there is a light in you that tells you, that all these things are sinful. Herein you have learned your Condemnation, for you know that you should do no unrighteousness; this light is your Teacher, and this light is your Condemner: and if you love this light, you love Christ, and if you hate this light, you hate Christ; (for this light shows these things) and your Profession is Carnal, Heathenish and Brutisn; Harken to the light, and it will draw you out of all the Worships, Customs and Fashions in the world, up to God, and to live in Love and Unity one with another; gather in your hearts together in one. Now you have time, prise it. O all People! beware of the Woe and Misery that is coming upon you: the Earth shall be shaken, and all Earthly ways; And all your Profession shall come to nothing, but to be Fuel for the fire: Heathenish-Ways, Heathenish-Forms, Heathenish-Teachers. For God is coming to overturn the Kingdoms of the World, and to set up his own Son, and in Righteousness will he establish it, and throw down all Unrighteous Kingdoms, all the Heathenish Kingdoms, and Synagogues of Satan; You which have Professed the Saints words, will be found to be of the Devil, and out of the Truth; Squeaking-Professors, Fained-Professors, Away with all your Fained-Humilite, for God is Power: Away with all your Professors that Profess God and Christ, being within full of Blood-thirsty-devouring, to slay the Righteous; And you which Profess truth, and live not in it, but in Envy and Sin, You are of the Devil, and his Works ye do; and every Tree shows forth its Fruit, and ye are Trees. A good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit, and an evil Tree bringeth forth evil Fruit. Now all People consider which of these Trees you are; every man and woman is likened to a Bottle; New Wine is put into New Bottles, and Old Wine into Old Bottles; And what is within you Pours forth; the Old Bottle pours forth the Old Nature; Which is, Envy, Wrath, Malice, ra●…ing God's Name in vain, Swearing, Lying, Pride and Oppression, and spewing forth your Filthiness, Corruptness, and all Abominations, and all ●…ng●…dly-Deeds, and Unrighteous-Ways, and your Filthy-Profession, which is in 〈◊〉 Wisdom of the World, by which Wisdom the World knows not God: and he that drinks the Old, doth not desire to drink the New, and he that drinks the New, will not in anywise desire to drink the Old. Out of the New Bottle proceeds Righteousness, or Rivers of Living-Water: all People see, and consider which Tree, and which Bottle you are: Whether the good Tree which cannot bring forth evil Fruit, or the evil Tree which cannot bring forth good Fruit? Whether you be the New Bottle that pours forth Righteousness, Holiness and Purity: Or the Old Bottle which pours forth Wickedness, and all manner of Ungodliness? All People see, consider what Fountain you are: Whether the good Fountain that venteth out Righteousness, or the evil Fountain that venteth out evil and Unrighteousness, Spewing out the Venomous Nature? One Fountain doth not send forth Sweet-Water, and Bitter, Salt and Fresh: And you that send forth the Bitter-Water you may Profess to be of the Sweet-Fountain: But God knows your Hypocrisy, and the Plagues of God are to be poured forth upon all such Beasts: For you are Beasts, Dogs, Swine, and Devils, Who do not abide in the Truth. Fat Bulls of Bashan, Hypocrites and Serpents, Antichrists, Seducers, and Deceivers, Dragons, Murderers, and Devourers of them that abide in the Truth: But they that abide in the Truth, the Deceits of all the World are discovered to them. TO all the children of darkness, that stumble at the light, wherewith Christ hath enlig●ted every one that cometh into the world; saith Christ, I am the light of the world, he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life: And this light you deny to be sufficient to lead to God, and here you are unbelievers, and cannot believe in the Son of God, whom the father hath given for a Covenant of light, that whosoever believes in him should not abide in darkness; but you that deny this light, deny the way to the father, the way out of the world, the way out of darkness; you deny the Prophets and Apostles, and all the holy men of God, for they all walked in this light, and spoke of it; and you deny the Scriptures given out from this light, and by this light you are condemned, and found to be of that sort, which all that dwelled in the light bear witness against, for of this sort you are who deny the light, Such as are blind guides, proud and covetous, such as are called of men Masters, such as bear rule by your means, hirelings, greedy dumb dogs, such as seek for their gain from their quarters, seeks for the Fleece, lay heavy burdens on the people, such as go in the way of Cain, and after the error of Balaam, for gifts and rewards, and such as with feigned words make merchandise of the people; which Christ the light, and all that walked in the light, cried woe against; and their words in the Scripture are left as a witness against you all, who live in such things, which words you dare not stand to be tried by, they are so plain against your practice, but wrist them by your subtlety, giving other meanings and private interpretations on them, to make them fit your private ends, and filthy practices, and thereby they have covered your filthiness, and hid your iniquities, all these times of dark 〈◊〉, ●nd have gone under the name of the Ministers of Christ, by crying out against others for persecuting, quarrelling, fight, stocking, stoning, suing, covetousness, pride, and idleness, and thus by your fair pretences, have ye deceived the simple; but now that the same Christ is manifest, which hath always been persecuted, by his light are they discovered, to be these who garnish the Sepulchers of Christ, the Prophets and Apostles whom your fathers slew, which ye yourselves are in the same work; are not you now found beating, backbiting, stocking, imprisoning, suing, false-accusing, and persuading the Powers of the earth against the bodies of these, where the light of Christ is owned, and the brightness of his coming manifest, to lay you open, so that the Prisons are filled by your means? who would have believed within these few years, that you had been of them, of which Christ spoke, by which his messengers should be shamefully entreated, beat in the Synagogues, halled before Rulers, falsely accused, and imprisoned? who would have thought you had been the men, who should have been found beating your fellow servants, suing and imprisoning for tithes and hire, such who cannot uphold you, but sin against the light of Christ in their conscience? and these whom a few weeks since you counted the most conscientious of your hearers, to whom you cried peace, peace: now that they cease putting into your mouths, you prepare war against them, and here you are found in the steps of the false Prophets, who were enemies to the light, and were witnessed against by the light, as all who walk in the light, are now turned away from you, and are come out from you, and made to declare against you with that light; and now by such as are turned from the light, are ye upholden, and to them ye fly for refuge; and now you set up drunkards, swearers, scorners, fighters, such as deny the light, and bring forth works of darkness, to uphold you with clubs, stones, and stocks, fight and tearing by the hair of the head, and shedding of blood of such as are sent to witness against you; and the most envious and cruel are become your best friends; and the Scripture is fulfilled upon you all; Like People, like Priest; and the woe that came upon such, is coming upon you all, except you repent. FINIS.