To all that are UNREGENERATED: A CALL TO Repentance from dead works, to Newness of life, By turning to the Light in the Conscience, which will give the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ. By Dorothea Gotherson. Isai. 58. 10. If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon-day. Hos. 6. 4. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness( or kindness) is as a morning-cloud, & as the early due it goeth away London, Printed in the year, 1661 TO THE KING. King Charles, THe Lord having often put it into my heart by his revealed will, to writ to lost England, being truly sensible that she hath an immortal soul, in which I am deeply concerned, and for which I travail till it be born again in the particular and in the general: and therefore to thee as King, and as supreme, whom the Lord I believe hath set upon Englands throne to that end, that thou mightst rule in righteousness; therefore let not the King think it below him to red that which many think above me to writ, in respect to my sex: but in that will which would limit the holy One in any sex or person, I writ not, neither can the thoughts of that mind judge of the matter, God being not there in them thoughts, neither is his righteousness wrought by that will; and therefore from that in any one do not I expect a good thought or word of that I shall writ: but to the faithful witness of the living God, which is sprung up out of the little seed, to bear witness whence it did proceed, to that I appeal, & that I know in all will not judge amiss of what I writ. But this true experience hath taught me, that if any thing do think or speak evil of that it knows not, it will arise and judge it down again. And O King Charles, thou mayst do well to take heed to it as to a light shining in a dark place, which sometimes is clouded over; and then the prince of darkness would judge of the matter: but let the Lord arise, and let the enemy of thy soul be confounded: and if thou canst not think or speak well of what is writ to thee in dear love to thy immortal soul, why for the Lords sake onely let it alone, till the light shall shine forth which makes manifest deeds of darkness, and judges all things as they are: which is able to try all things, and hold fast that which is good, which is given to all to profit withall, and to no other end, it being sufficient to teach all to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; which if obeied, will justify eternally; and on the contrary, if disobeyed, or turned into wantonness, it will condemn for ever all those. But that the seed of the kingdom which was once spoken of to be the least of all seeds, and grew to be the greatest of all trees, may increase, and grow, and flourish, is the desire of my soul. Oh the height, the depth! the world is not able to contain what might be writ concerning it; of which kingdom and dominion there is no end: but the being faithful to a little, brings to be ruler over much. And that thou mayst grow in it, I recommend it to thee, as the onely rule of a Christians life. For King charles, thou art placed as King over this Land By an invisible and outstretched hand, That thou in righteousness mightst rule and reign, To relieve the oppressed, and help ease the pain Of the sick and poor, and the distressed, That thy call might be, Come thou blessed, Take thy reward which shall never cease, The crown of life, even everlasting peace. This, this is Gods intent of bringing thee in hither, That thou the evil do prevent, and fear him altogether: And seek him where he is to be found, & call on him whilst near, In heart that is up right & sound, for none other he will hear. The guiltless he will hold so still, but those that his Name take In vain, he will not guiltless hold, even for his own Names sake. Therefore O Charles, be thou a King That to Gods Name may honour bring: Bring all thy deeds unto the light, Thy words and thoughts try in his sight; That neither thought, or word, or dead, May from darkness ever proceed: If so it do, let it be brought, That it may soon be set at nought; That so thou singly in his sight Stand justified by the light. A tender heart he loveth sure, For his mercies do for ever endure; And love his holy law doth fulfil, For love doth love no blood to spill: Therefore in love do thou abide, That thou in love mayst ever hid; For this is that will stand by thee, When time and things away shall flee; Even love and charity which is true, Which gives to every one his due; And hide is always from the carnal, Because its being is in the eternal: For Love is the beginning and the end of all, Therefore before it do not thou fall, But in it stand, and ever keep To God and to his pasture-sheep; That so good old age may be thy crown, And length of days thy thy renown; That so thy memory may be Preserved in eternity. For the hoary head and length of days, Is that which ever gives him praise: And this is my desire for thee, Whose desire can never otherwise be But good towards thee and others all, Though never so deeply in the fall. By one who suffers till the prisoner of hope comes forth. Dorothea Gotherson. To the Reader. REader, whosoever thou art, this book is written to that end, that thou mayst red it all, not in the light vain mind which is weighed in the just balance, and found altogether wanting; but my desire is that the pure mind in thee might be stirred up, that so a measure of that spirit which is able to try all things, and hold fast that which is good, may red, judge, and receive the matter. For this know, whoever thou art, that darkness hath covered the earth, and thick darkness the people; and Satan the prince of it hath been loosed for many years, according to the Scriptures, and he hath ruled in dark hearts: but the time is come, and coming, that he is and shall be more and more chained up: therefore kick not against the pricking of thy conscience; but that which makes manifest deeds of darkness, and reproves all for evil, abide in; and so judgement will enter, which ought not to be turned backward, because Sion is to be redeemed by it, and therefore is the administration of condemnation glorious in its time, and ought so to be esteemed by all who hunger after righteousness. Therefore red with hunger, red with thirst, red what's blessed, what's accursed; red with meekness, red with love, red with innocence as the dove. And that thou the better mayst red, To the words take thou good heed: Try them, weigh them, let them be Accounted but verbal as they be. Yet know this also, that they do Declare, make known the way unto The Word of life, which is the door, And Way, and light, which was before Words, lights and ways that are carnal, And shall be, when these and all external Things shall be accounted perishing; Which for to know, is the right using. Therefore red in love to that which is pure In the conscience, which shall for ever endure: Offend it not, for it is little, For if thou dost, then one tittle Thou wilt come short of to fulfil, Therefore in this respect a mill-Stone were better on the placed, And thou in the sea headlong cast: For this small thing thou mightst attain by, If the day of small things thou do not deny: But if thou dost, then the little gain By which all that do attain must attain, Will not flourish and increase; And then thy true and everlasting peace Thou must not know, because thou flies The way unto it, and so then dies In that which lives still to pursue, And gives to thee what is thy due. And so, Reader, if thou wouldst be refined, Let judgement change thy heart and mind, And do not longer it backward turn, But if it burn, why let it burn; It will not consume the thing that is pure, Because that doth for ever endure: And for the other take thou no thought, Nor let that life be longer sought, Which in its end thy gain must be, That thou dost in it a loss see. And if thou dost well, thou wilt fare well. D. G. But wo is me for thee, Oh alas, England, England, time doth pass, And cannot be redeemed by thee, Till that thou thy Redeemer see To live and reign in thee alone, The beauty of perfection. Oh didst thou know in this thy day The true and universal way, The light, the truth, the Fathers Lamb, Which is all one with the I am, A witness now for thee I bear, That thou wouldst then true Church up rear Upon a sure foundation, To those, and none but those alone That are in the election, And chosen have the cornerstone, But unto thee a stumblingblock; The fault's in thee thou lovest not The light that should to thee all discover What thou shouldst choose, and what pass over. But thou art blind, and lov'st to be so, Therefore for thee there is a wo, A wo for thee in that woeful state; Oh repent, repent, ere it be too late: For time doth fly, time is so swift, Therefore make this thy onely drift, And onely aim,( though therefore thou Didst darkness call light, and disallow The light as sufficient, and didst it call A natural, and count it despical) Now to be brought to the beginning, Which is out of the way of sinning. Oh for thy sake I do lament, Therefore in time repent, repent: For thou hast yet a space, an hour, And to repent is in thy power: For the Just in thee doth yet lye slain, And all thou dost is yet in vain, Thy prayers, tears, thy faith and all, Because they are all in the fall: And though thou dost God father call, Yet thou art in the bitter gull Of death and hells black covenant; Oh therefore, therefore do not vaunt, Nor yet thyself above God exalt, Nor longer between two opinions halt: If God be God, then worship him; But if not so, thy life is sin. HE that hath an ear let him hear: for if the charmer charm never so wisely, the deaf adder cannot hear. But there is an ear which can hear what the Spirit saith, which speaketh expressly on this manner: There is a living fountain set open for sin and uncleanness. O England, England, go wash and be clean; be baptized into his death which was lost and is found, which was dead and is alive for evermore. The Lord hath been a long-suffering God to thee, waiting still to be gracious to thee; O do thou wai● all the dayes of thy appointed time till thy change i● wrought. What will it avail thee that light is sown fo● the righteous, and joy and gladness for the upright in hear● whilst thou art flourishin● like a green bay-tree, spreading thyself in fruitless labour! If thou wilt have th● portion in such a life, miserable is thy state for ever life eternal thou must neve● know. If thou wilt still persist thy life which i● miserable to save, Thou shalt lose it, and not another hav● O couldst thou believe this, then it were possible for thee to pass from death to life, to the overturning of the strong holds of sin, and the mountain on which thou standest, which shall shake. For the earnest desire of my soul is, that thou mightst come to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom which is everlasting: but partaker of two kingdoms thou mayst not be, neither canst thou serve two masters as thou oughtst to do: for no fellowship hath light with darkness, nor no concord hath Christ with Belial. Therefore all people of England turn to the Lord with all your hearts, and seek him where he is to be found: for darkness hath covered the earth, and thick darkness the people; and Satan the prince of darkness hath been loosed for many years, and ruled in the dark hearts of the children of disobedience. But the end, the appointed time is come, and coming; and people that belong to God shall draw near to him; and what is and hath been written with the point of a diamond, shall not fall to the ground; for there is no blot nor blemish in it: but all images, and forms of images, though never so deeply graved on dark hearts, shall be ground to powder, and scattered as chaff before the wind. And for his Elects sake, the Lord will make a short work, and he will come suddenly; blessed will all they be who wait for his appearance: for verily he will come as a thief in the night, and woe be unto all those who have been lulled asleep with sowed pillows in carnal security: O when they awake from sleep and sin, they will know their estate to be miserable, blind and naked, and wish they had kept the Word, and hide it in their hearts, which is to all as well as to Disciples, Watch: for Christ said What I say unto you, I say unt● all, Watch. This word is unt● all, but how few observe it but still I say unto all, Watch for you know not at wha● hour he will come to reig● in your hearts, whose righ● it is. And come now to b● nourished with meat in dead, and drink that whic● is drink indeed, that so you may discern the Lords body and blood, and know th● veil of the Temple, re● from top to bottom, an● know your bodies temple● for the holy spirit: for, kno● you not that Christ is in you, except you be reprobates? for al● those who are not found in him, are workers of iniquity, & he doth not, nor never will own such in that state to be his; for he is the way, the truth, and the life; and no man can come to the Father but by him, whose life is the light of men. Therefore in precious love to thy immortal soul, do I beseech all; and truly it behoves all to lay this thing to heart, to wit, the salvation of their immortal souls. For how many do I see who have the name of Christians, are of the same birth the Sadduces were of, who do deny that there is any resurrection either of soul or spirit? though in words they will say, We do believe the resurrection, yet their works, their life and ways deny it: therefore by it shall they be raised at the terrible day of the Lord to condemnation, and a depart for ever shall be the portion of all such. Oh England, couldst thou believe in the light, the truth, the life, the way, the everlasting rule, the Father, Son and holy Spirit, which are all one, then it were possible for thee to please God, and to be lead by his Spirit, to the overturning of all for those who have passed out of spiritual Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord, King, Priest and Saviour lieth yet crucified, dearly know that there must not be one ston left upon another of that building, whose beginning and end is a confusion, Babel, a high Tower, but no strength or hiding place for the righteous; which shall be consumed by the breath of his nostrils. Babel, or babbling, or confusion, whose builder and maker hath lead all the builders into the many things, words and worships: but all her little ones must be dashed against the stones, and one ston shall not be left upon another. The mouth of him whose decrees are always just, hath spoken it. Therefore my desire, m earnest desire to the Lor● is, that the lost sheep of th● house, or place, or kingdom of England, may comout of her, and see and kno● their lost state, that so the● may have a safe hidin● place in Eternity, whic● was, is and shall be, whe● Babel, or confusion in languages and things, and Babylon and her merchants, an● her traffic, little ones, & a● her things, shall be utterl● consumed. Therefore O lo● sheep of the house of England, as England stands no● of the Royal party so ca●led, come out of her, that you partake not of her plagues: the Lord had rather that you would now be taught by his Spirit, and therefore doth he now prove you by prosperity. O consider how many overturnings there have been in few years, because peo-would not admit of him to reign whose right it is: ●herefore be warned; for and will go on to overturn, ●ill he reigns in and amongst ●he children of men. For ●he Father of lights is chai●ing up the father or prince of darkness. O that you ●ould red the Revelations of S. John with the Spirit and understanding, that so you● might neither add or diminish, nor have that writing or other Scriptures fulfille● longer to your condemnation! for every jot and ever● tittle shall be fulfilled. ● England, England, it is tim● to look before thee with th● single eye, that so tho● mayst not longer be lead b● the blind, and so fall into the lake or dirty ditche● where I behold you sittin● under the shadow of death● where light is not sprun● up. Oh did you know wha● great delight is under hi● shadow, who is the belove● of my soul, I bear witness● for you, you would no longer sit down by the rivers of Babylon, with so great content to your dark mindes. And these things I writ, that the pure mind in all might be stirred up, that so you might come to the knowledge of the truth, and not always learning to none effect, other then to cast Gods holy Law which is in the heart, behind, that so the grace of God which hath appeared to all, to this end, to teach all to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, may be turned into wantonness, refusing to be lead or taught by it. O friends, the case of all such who cast Gods holy Law behind them, is very sad, who are in the degenerated state, alive because of sin, but dead because of righteousness. He is a liar indeed, who perswade● such a one in his heart that he is born again of Wate● and the Spirit: and wer● not this prince of darknes● and father of falsehood to● deeply placed in people hearts, they would see hi● to be a liar. For friends truth cannot flatter, no daub with untemper'd mo●tar, nor sow pillows, no cry peace to the wicked but truth speaks expressly o● this manner; He that is bor● of God cannot sin, but he th● commits sin is of his father the devil: and, if he yields his members subject to him, his servant he is; and, as the three falleth, so it must lye, for in the grave there is no repentance. And those that cannot believe this, their dead faith gives them to believe the power of Satan greater then the power of God; and according to their faith so it is. O friends, friends, the administration of condemnation which now I see was glorious in its time, is Purgatory( as they call it) with a witness; and I would have none imagine another: for it is the truest cleansing that can be, before heaven is attained to, where I believe you will confess with the lips, that no unclean thing can enter: and this place of cleansing by that which condemns for sin, is in the heart; and here is great purgatory indeed, to that which is under the power or law of a carnal commandment, now to be brought under, and le● by the power of an endless life: for the place of cleansing is in the heart, and th● power of God is known t● break in there by the powe● of his own might, and th● brightness of his coming and here is the across o● Christ known, which is the power of God unto salvation; a across indeed to the carnal mind that is in death, whose life is in it, and not living by faith in the Son of God. And in this life which is in death and darkness, man cannot see Gods face and live; but all that his life is in, which in the degeneration and first birth of corrupt nature is nothing but death and darkness; and whilst people are in this life, which is miserable indeed, they are made by it children of wrath, being disobedient to that which should make them of Abrahams seed, heirs of promise. And so friends, if any is weary and heavy laden because of sin, there is a place of cleansing, of rest, and true satisfaction to the hungry soul, to the poor, to the naked, to the empty: but the full, and rich, and such as thought they had need of nothing, he hath and ever will sand empty away. Therefore whosoeve● it be that can lay down hi● life, or take up his across and sell all, and give to th● poor, and distressed, an● oppressed as a cart is pressed with sheaves, and follow the Lamb, shall fin● treasure in heaven, an● shall save his life. O blessed for evermore are all those who can believe, though they do not see; great, Oh great shall their crown and reward be: but the unbelieving shall still go into the lake and bottonles pit for ever and ever. And the time of cleansing is to day; if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the wilderness: for such never came to Canaan, but their carcases fell in the wilderness. Therefore Oh friends, that you might perceive something by the types and figures, that so you might be brought to Christ, the end of all types and shadows, is the desire of my heart, and the end of my words. For surely, friends, if you do come out of Egypt, you must pass thorough the wilderness before you can come to the promised land: and if you murmur here, you shall never enter, but come short, as they did in the figure. Therefore give heed to that which reproves for sin, that so in the way of God, which is good order, you may walk in, which is by standing still, and seeing his salvation, which is a hidden mystery to the blind, as all godliness is; but he that can receive it, blessed shall he be for evermore: for all that cannot cease from doing evil, cannot learn to do well: Therefore to day if you will hear his voice, which may be terrible, yet let judgement enter, and turn it not backward; for Sion must be redeemed by judgement; & there is a flaming sword turns every way, to cut off all from coming to the three, but that which cannot perish by the sword. And therefore dear hearts, kinsfolks, countrymen and acquaintance after the flesh, prise your time; to day is your time, or the present time more properly, for you cannot promise to yourselves more then that: though one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, yet your minute, or space, or hour, cannot comprehend beyond its present time. Therefore this is the time of cleansing, when the Lord by his Spirit in peoples hearts reproves for sin in the conscience: this is the Ancient of days, which taught Enoch to walk with God, and is the true Teacher that cannot be removed in a corner, but seeth in secret and there reproves. Oh friends, that you could enter into the closet, where the jewels are made up, and shut the doors about you, and do all you do as in singleness of heart unto the Lord, not for applause or praise of men; and then your heavenly Father which seeth in secret will reward you openly: and there you may call him Father, being you worship in his Spirit, and keep in his fear: and this you will feel and know, when you are taught by the Spirit of God to pray as Christ taught his Disciples; when you can desire God to forgive you no further then you forgive others; and when you can pray for such as hate you, and despitefully use you, even your enemies: Truly friends, he is no true Christian that cannot do so, be he of what name soever: for if any is come to think he hates another because he is Gods enemy, and therefore persecutes him, and thinks him not worthy to live, it may be, or to enjoy his portion which is in perishing things; and this spirit steals words, and saith the wicked shall fill up their measure; and it is but three days and a half and they shall be cut off; and so thei● expectation is the destruction of people, and that discovers them to be carnal minded, and out of Gods way, who delights not in the death of a sinner, but rather that he would live. For the Lord hath spared, and doth now spare, because people do not know their right hand from their left: and if people did know what they did, they would no longer crucify the just. And at the times of ignorance God hath winked, and doth; but now he would have all men come to the knowledge of the truth. For sad is it for those people who are given up to a reprobate sense, to believe lies with hard●ed hearts, and stiff necks: ●or such I say, if the Lord say, Let him that is filthy be so still, and let him that is unjust be unjust still, he is still the same, and doth not change; and if he doth not reveal himself to people, it is because they are in a lost condition, and love to be so: and sin is the cause of God● separating from them, an● the Lord had rather it wer● otherwise; for mans destruction is of himself, an● the Lord hath no hand in i● neither did he create ma● to that end. And hereby some w● say we own free-will ● free-grace. To which I say, The g● of God, which is his gra● or his will, is free, and proceeds from that which is not in bondage to corruption, nor never can be: and this free will it is that onely can work Gods righteousness, and not mans will, as he is under bondage of sin, never knowing the perfect law of liberty, which is truth in the inward parts: and if this make free, there is freedom indeed. And Gods will, which is mans sanctification, is free, and he giveth liberally and upbraideth not: and every one hath a talent given to that end, to profit withall; but he that hides it, and thinks God an unequal God, and a hard master, shall be called to an account, as well as he that improved it. And Gods Spirit doth now, as it did heretofore, move on the face of the waters; and time and things change and alter, but he is the beginning and end, and cannot be limited to any thing, or end in any thing, who is without end or beginning, and doth not change. For what in him doth end alone, Is with the beginning made all one: Which a parable is to the corrupt see● Which never could nor never shall rea● What is written in the hidden man ● the heart, For that stands in the changeable par● And all that comes from it is under the curse, The beginning being bad, and the end much worse. Therefore, O England, come to the author & elect foundation of true faith: where if thou do fall, it may bruise thee; but if it fall on thee, it will grind thee to powder: for, to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. And think it not a hard saying, if it be said now, as once John said, The whole world lies in wickedness: but those that are redeemed out of it, the world hates, because they are not of it: and the spiritual man knoweth all things as he ought to know, and is able to judge of the condition which he hath passed thorough: but the carnal minded man, who is under the shadow of death, whose light is not sprung up, he knows not as he ought to know, neither is it possible for him to judge the Saints condition; but the Saints did formerly, and do now, and shal● in ages to come, judge th● world. And let none conclude that Self is here set up: fo● by denying the earthly, th● sensual and devilish par● is this so come to pass. An● let him be as he is in the curse, who hath any thing to glory of or in, but the Lord; whose glorying and rejoicing is as vain as all other, proceeding from the sensual part; and all that are here, are in the vain things and proceedings, being not yet restored to what they fell from, but remain in that which fell, and so are in the fallen state: and this is the bloodthirsty, which is like the horse-leech, which never hath enough: and here in this state is devouring of that which is just in man, because it is so. But now the Lord, who delights not to behold iniquity, calls to sinners to cleanse their hands, and purify their hearts, that so a clean heart and a right spirit they may draw near to him by. Oh go wash and be clean. But O England, England, art thou so wise In thy own blind deceitful eyes? And art thou of that cursed birth That knows not God or Christ on earth? O art thou out of that life that's hide, And art thou yet in that that is forbid To work any righteousness at all, Because its life is all a fall, A depart, a go, a leave behind, The blind still leading of the blind? O England, what, canst thou discern An outward thing, and canst not lear All such to be but temporal, And for thy soul no food at all? I know, alas, thou hast no breast; What could I do on thy b●hest? Why sure there is a crystal stream, A fountain pure, a river clean; What hinders thee in it to go, Being it makes as white as snow? The cause is in thee yet, I trow, And thou art in it still, I know, The contrary a dirty puddle, A sink, a plash that doth bemuddle And sink thee down into the mire, Which is thy place, till thou choose a higher. I know thy images so graved are On the heart that carved them, that they do not spare To tell thee that thou hast a Saviour, But never yet knew the saving power Aboe the clouds for to ascend, But under elements him tear and rend: And then at last to end the strife, Thou crucify'st the Lord of life; And then thou reign'st alone, I say, And thinkest thou art a Lady gay, And that thou art the dear Lambs wise, When crucified the Lord of life. And now thou sayest the Lord doth live, And by it dost his Spirit grieve: And now thou runn'st about to sack A rest for the sole of thy unstable feet, Running now here and there, & round About on the rotten & wrong ground. For shouldst thou stand still in this state, Thy mischief would come on thy ow● pate. And so to keep alive thy head, Thou mov'st about over the dead: And nourished art by chaff and husk, And livest onely in the dust. But dregs and all thou must drink up Of fury, and the bitter cup: O England, England, the ston aw● roll It's time to seek thy immortal soul. There were some of ol● who had eyes and saw no● ears and heard not, fe● and walked not; and ● there are still, who are not come to discern the Lords body, which is meat indeed, and true nourishment for the immortal soul, where the single eye is, by which the whole body is full of light; and where the ear is that can hear what the Spirit saith, and feet that do walk in the way of life, being lead by the Spirit of God in the way of holiness, where the wayfaring man though a fool cannot err. O come freely to the waters of life, come freely; come, buy without money and without price, for it is already paid. Ho every one that thirsteth, there is a fountain set open for sin and uncleanness, wash and be clean. O consider what hinders; the thirsty saith Come, and the Bride saith Come, and all that is within saith Come: therefore come, come; how can you neglect so great invitation of love? How oft would the Lord have gathered you under his wings, and ye would not! Oh did you know what great delight were under his shadow, you would no● longer sit under the shadow of death. I know it is an evil heart of unbelief keep you from coming to th● knowledge of the truth why believe, and you shal● receive sight the scales shall fall off: believe and go wash, you shall be clean of your leprosy: a new creature is the onely baptism. Oh that you could believe this! for without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore believe in Christ Jesus the light that hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world; that so the veil may be taken off you, which is to say his flesh. For no man cometh to the Father but by his Son, whom he hath sent a light into the world to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgement: and therefore the world hates him, and all those who are redeemed out of it by him, because he reproves them, who could not then, neither can such yet believe, that before Abraham was he was. Oh the veil, that is to say his flesh, you are under; and the corner-stone you stumble at: plain words formely written, and this day fulfilled in your eare● of this generation, to you● condemnation; the cornerstone elect and precious you stumble at, because you will not do away the vei● which is over you, but esteem it, because it cause● you to stumble and rejec● the ston that is elect & precious before the foundation of the world, plain words; for that was written by the Saints of old, in holy Writ, as their several conditions were, we own to be true; and in the same language we speak, and by the same spirit we know them fulfilled, which is the key of David, that shuts and none opens, and opens and none shuts: and we do own that no private interpretation ought to be made of the Scripture, for the Spirit spoken expressly as it meant; and if our Gospel be hide, it is hide to them that are lost: and therefore all mens meanings, or addings or diminishings are known to be out of the book of life, and plagues shall be added for their hours and years additions of fruitless labours; one conceiving it is so, another not so, and a third, but I rather take it to be different from both: and so poor people lead about by words, even to windy doctrine, tossed to and fro like the raging sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. Oh the great and many heaps of confusion which I behold among you! what, is there but one thing necessary that concerns your poor souls? and why will you not look after it, but still go on catching at things as various as the wind? Was not Jesus of Nazareth, whom they Christ did call, Appointed to end types and shadows all? And was not he the son of man a sign, Though not discerned by many in his time? And did not he many signs and wonders do? And was not all he said a Parable to The unclean nature that reigned then In the children of wrath called men? And did not he say no more signs should be, But as Jonas was days & nights three In the body of the Whale, so should the Son of man be In the body of the earth? and did they any more see? And when he out of the earth arose, Was it not a hidden mystery to all those Who cried out, crucify, crucify him? And of the same they had a sign; But the resurrection they knew not, Being their life was all a spot. And to that generation was there any more signs, Who could not discern the signs of the times? And when he out of the earth arose, Did he not then appear to those Who tasted had of his consolation, And afterwards knew him a sure foundation? And did not( after all this) Saint Paul say, If Christ is not risen, then you are they That are yet in sin, and vain is your faith? And in reference to himself further saith, Our preaching is vain if it be not so: Although none will deny, I know, But that he was long before arisen Outwardly out of the earths prison. O England, England, were watchmen which Esay spoken of all blind? and what have thine been in ages past? and what are they yet? & were there such as sold the needy for a pair of shoes? and were there Merchants of Babylon, who made merchandise of souls? And what have they done since, and what do they do yet, who are lead by the same spirit? And did the prince of darkness teach people to call evil good, and good evil, and darkness light, and light darkness? and did not some swear God lived too, and was it not false, being he lived not in them? And were there such of old who fought for their gain from their quarter, or place, or parish, & preached for hire, and made a divination of their own brain for money? and what have they done of late, and what do they do still? & were there not such who daubed with untempered mortar, and cried peace where the Lord spake none? and did such, or do such profit the people at all, who are lead about with diversities of lusts, setting up or esteeming the creature above the Creator? some making one imagination or thing their God, by setting it up and bowing before it, and some another; and rather then fail, sell the needy for a pair of shoes. O cursed Esau! what, sell thy immortal birthright for a perishing thing, which onely can satisfy that which must perish? Surely thy image they all bear, who are satisfied, and cry peace, whilst people put in their mouths; but else prepare war against them: and all such do yet but bear the image of the earthly, and their treasure is there; therefore they are not fit to teach, but rather to learn with all subjection and stillness from thinking, speaking, or acting any thing but what they have learned in this manner at home, by that principle in man which reproves and makes manifest deeds of darkness, if taken heed unto as a light shining in a dark place: but if they will not, they will neither take the kingdom themselves, nor suffer such as are entering to enter. And sure I am, did not people love to have it so, the trade of selling the needy for a perishing thing would fail, and Babylons merchants would fall, that is to say, in their trade of selling starved souls, that so their own might live, and stand upon all that is below God in his everlasting day of life which is the portion and inheritance of the righteous: but for such who have had their portion already in that life which is miserable, not considering or taking compassion on the poor and distressed, they must not expect to have an inheritance when time shall be no more, in the rest of God. O synagogue of Satan, who do say You are Christians, but are not; for you are they Do personate Christ by your worshipping in The synagogue of Satan, which is a sin As great, and doth the just as much oppress As that which daily you do now confess. And if ever you true Christians do become, You will feel a sword, a sword for to cut down Your righteousness as well as all your sinning, Ere you can be restored in the beginning, And know it all to be but dung and dross, Till which you see you are but at a loss: For godliness is onely gain to those Whose hearts are changed as well as all their clothes And coverings, which alter more can never, Because they are made of praise, which endures for ever. A reason good, which mans reason cannot find, Because true reason he doth cast behind, Because it should ever be before him placed, A reason bad, by which Gods image is defaced: And man his right hand will not know from his left, Because of reason sound he is bereft; And to the rotten reason he doth cleav●, Because it doth him of true sense bereave. The reason is still bad that man should choose That which is perishing, and the sound refuse. A reason for't I know, which is very good, And might be spoken, if well understood: It is so because it is so, the reason's plain; But whilst it is so, all that's done is vain, Onely that such to the end of their race they may run, And then begin anew by making all undone. This is the course that all I know must take, That he that died onely for their sake May live again, and them justify, In that he died to live, and lived to die. And to all those who are called Right Reverend Fathers in God I writ, for you have souls as well as others, and it behoves you as well as others to take your condition into serious and sound consideration. Do you think your gray hairs make you so? then many of low degree were Reverend as well as you: Bu● the Scripture saith, Men of low degree are vanity, and me● of high degree are a lie; an● holy and reverend is his Nam● onely. Or think you tha● your Worship or your Sacrifice, which the Lord never required of you by his revealed will, makes you so? surely I can bear witness for you, had you been babes, children, or young men in God, you would have been lead by his Spirit before this: for as many as are lead by the Spirit of God are the children of God, and no more. Deceive not yourselves any longer: that which is offered up in stead of a sweet smell, will not be accepted; your inventing to yourselves instruments of music like David, will not serve the turn now; it is truth in the inward parts the Lord is a seeking for, and a clean heart and hands, free from violence and oppression, that his soul hath pleasure in. Surely if ever the Lord appear to you by his power and brightness, it will be terrible to you: you cannot see his face and live. O that you would own the administration of condemnation to be glorious in its time! then should I have some hopes you might come to receive the kingdom of God as little children: but till you do own that administration, you are not come to the first Priesthood, which must change. Oh I desire for your sakes onely, that you would take what I writ not with the excellency of mans wisdom well at my hand; if you did, I might reason a little with you; if you are come to so high degrees, to be fathers or old men in Christ, how came you thither? did you first in the first birth, growth and life, see yourselves to be in the degenerated estate, miserable, poor, blind and naked, onely exalted above all that is called God? or are you yet in that state onely, thinking you are rich and full, and regenerated, and have need of nothing, yet want the one thing necessary? Oh my friends, I fear ye have not yet sold all and given to the poor, nor yet laid down your lives, nor yet took up your across and followed Christ, nor yet bowed at the Name of Jesus: the time is come that things in heaven, and things in earth, and under the earth, shall stoop to his Name: things shall not be so exalted any longer, nor those who are under their power, but they and the things must stoop at the Name of Jesus, before he works in them and for them. Oh I do desire for your sakes onely( for I fear not him that can kill the body, and no more) that you would not turn again and rent me. Hath the Word of life, which is nigh, in the heart and mouth, the sincere milk of the Word, which nourished Abraham and David up to eternal life, been food for your immortal souls? or hath an external thing or words been your rule and guide? Have you yet eat of the bread which comes from above, the immortal bread, which is as true nourishment for the soul, as those things are for the body which must perish with the using? or are you yet feeding upon chaff and husk, in which grain was once, but being gone out, the husk cannot nourish the soul, but on the contrary, pine and starve it? Oh my friends, you must reverence him who is onely holy and reverend, before he will reverence you. Oh that you would stand bare before the hoary head, and give place to the Ancient of days to sit down, who hath long waited to be gracious; whose locks are wet with the due of the night; who is the Ancient of days, which was before Abraham, and is at this day, and is to come: my desire is that you would exalt his Name for ever, and bring down and out all, that it may be laid low before him, whether it be Hebrew, Greek or latin, which is lawful in its place; but if you set it over his head which is the true light that hath lighted every one that cometh into the world, you must be numbered with those that cried out, crucify him, crucify him. Deceive not yourselves, God will not long be mocked: for the nations shall fear before him: all nations who have drunk of the cup of fornication, must have that which follows, none can evade it; the Lords decree will stand: red in the Revelations of S. John, who writ that book in the Lords day; the Spirit spoken expressly as it meant, that all should partake of her plagues, who were drunk with her cup: the Spirit said further, Whosoever shall add or diminish, his name shall be blotted out of the book of life. Oh my friends, all mans addings, meanings and diminishings, doth blot them out of the book of life; and when the book of conscience comes to be opened, they will see it to their condemnation, who would not go learn in Christs school what this means, to know God is life eternal. Oh friends, your souls are as precious in the sight of the Lord as others; though your sins have been scarlet-coloured, he can make you white, and his followers; but you must believe in Christ Jesus the light, or else your faith cannot be seen by your works, and so cannot be lively and true, without which it is impossible to please God, who is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and such he seeks to worship him: for burnt offerings and sacrifice he will not, but a body hath he prepared: for all that have an eye to discern, know the kingdom of heaven stands not in observations of Things, or Days, or Times, but in righteousness, joy, and peace in the holy Spirit, whose covering is above and over all false covers, a safe hiding place, and a rock of defence; the righteous flee thither and are safe. Oh that you would be lead by the Spirit of God, that so you might be children of God; for till then, if you say the Lord liveth, and swear it too, you do not speak truth to your neighbour, if he do not live in you: and his Spirit and the fruits thereof are plainly known. Oh that I could see you do good to all, and be filled with bowels of compassion towards all! then you would not go about to destroy him for whom Christ died, nor lay heavy burdens which you will not touch: for Gods way is equal, and he the same that ever he was; and if he is not revealed, it is to them that are lost: but great, and wise and prudent ones of the world, he is hide from, and is revealed to babes: and if out of the mouths of babes and sucklings the wisdom of the world shall be confounded, murmur not at it in your hearts: for the Lord will bring to pass his work, his strange work; his act, his strange act. And did my portion or well-being stand in that which you can either give or take away, I might fear you: but my treasure is not where moth or rust doth corrupt, or where thieves can break thorough and steal. Oh you Nobles of England, who are as Noble as the earth can make you; your estate I know to be but low, and on perishing things you feed: the Lords table that should make you truly noble, you will not come unto: for I believe he hath knocked at the door of your hearts, and would have supped with you; but you would none of the Lords supper and his counsel, and therefore you cannot in that estate partake of his table. Oh consider your estate a little, all you who are set upon an unholy hill, your mountain must be overturned, there is no remedy; all must be overturned, that righteousness may reign: your foundation is not good, for truly it must be rooted up in all that belong to God. Oh that you could believe, to the overturning of the strong holds of sin & Satan, that Right Honourable you might be: for as he was not a Jew who was one outwardly, and as the Circumcision which was then used was not accounted of by the children of the light, but that of the heart: so now it is not the name or outward appearance of Nobility will stand justified. He that searcheth the heart and trieth the reins is come down to behold whether your works are wrought in him; if not, he cannot behold them. Oh what a degenerating from truth is here, called Right Honourable, and Truly Noble, and yet known to be out of that which onely makes so! Oh that the peace of God you might all know! Why consider, what will it profit you if you could gain the whole world and lose your immortal souls? The Lords love is yet unto you, and he would have you repent, and seek him where he is to be found: for he that set your sins in order before you, is near you; and if you can stand in judgement, he then will justify you; if not, he will still condemn all those who are not found in him, who is the light that hath lighted every one that cometh into the world, and is onely sufficient to make manifest deeds of darkness, and to reprove for them: therefore hate not his reproof who is the true light: for those that do( according to what was formerly written by the Spirit of God) are brutish. And all ye Judges of England, with the light that is given you to that end that it may give light to every one of you, and be esteemed and set up by you, and not put out, or at least put under a measure of unbelief; with that light search, I say: do your ways please the Lord? if the Lord justify, far is it from me to condemn: but search, I say; for your souls are of great price to the Lord: Are you Englands Judges as at the first, and her Counsellors as at the beginning? or do you judge for reward? and if so, what is the reward? You may judge of this matter: are your ways the Lords ways? are your thoughts his thoughts? here are you called to true judgement: or are you yet in the broad way, where the most are? and are you yet thinking, that if you live in sin, you have a Redeemer above the clouds to save you in sin? and consider, are you in Gods way so far as to do to all men as you would be done unto? for that is but just and equal; and in words I know you will confess his ways are equal. But if you should say you love God whom you have not seen, and hate his creatures whom you have seen, you do not say well: for how can it be? If you hate your brother whom you have seen, how can you love God whom you have never seen? And God is love, and in him is no hatred at all: for his eye is towards you now, while you are yet wallowing in your blood, and trampling the blood of the covenant under your feet. Oh when I consider your condition, you who have the name of Judges, and who pretend to true judgement, surely in the day of judgement great will your condemnation be: Oh that you would stand up for the Lord in your own consciences! then should we find favour and grace in your sight; but in the mean time we do not look for it: for we dearly know, that a bad three cannot bring forth good fruit: and we have been contented to be numbered amongst transgressors, and have born the contradiction of sinners; and one day you shall know the things concerning us have an end, and that it had been better for you not to have offended a little one, much more all the tender Lambs of the flock of Christ: when Christ shall come to some, and say, Come ye blessed of my Father; for when I was in prison, ye visited me, inasmuch as you did visit my members; where will such appear in that day when the Lord makes up his jewels, who on the contrary have cast them into prison, and strengthened the hands of evil doers by a law? if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall such appear? And if such should say, We did visit, &c. and are Christians, but are not,( but of the synagogue of Satan they are, and him there they have worshipped) that saying would be as vain as all the rest, onely to fill up the measure, and a depart shall come, a separation of light from darkness; and then weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth shall be the portion for ever of such. I know if the Lord should come to pled with all the learned men of the earth, and examine them: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? all their wisdom from below cannot tell, but they must lay their hands on their mouth, all flesh must be silent before the Lord, who will be terrible in his judgements, to that end that man may know himself and God, and all as he ought to know. Oh ye wise men of Ethiopia, your life is but a span to the length of endless eternity; the grass of the field, which is green to day, and flourishing, and cut off to morrow, and cast into the oven, is an emblem of your lives: therefore spend not your time in vain; to morrow you may be cast into the oven, where the worm dies not: and which of you can dwell with everlasting burnings? I know you will be to seek in this matter: for you have called God father indeed, but where is his fear, when the unfruitful works of darkness are brought forth in such abundance? yea, so far from his fear in yourselves, that you persecute others because they are kept in the fear of the Lord, who have known it to be a vain thing to say, We live, move, and have our being in God, when they did move and live in their own wills, which could not work the righteousness of God; and now they are come to that state to stand still, and see the Lord go before them in all their thoughts, words and actions: the world hates them, because they are redeemed out of it, or at least a working out their salvation with fear and trembling. And therefore, Oh ye Judges of England, in love to your immortal souls do I warn you to seek the Lord with all your hearts and all your mindes, and then he will be found: and do good to all, but especially to the household of faith: and let your moderation be known to all men: and cease to do evil, and learn to do well. And though some Scriptures may seem to shut out the most wise, and rich, and noble, from heaven( for indeed it is harder for such then for others, for the poor soonest receive the Gospel) and though it is as impossible for a rich man to enter, as a camel to go thorough a needles eye; yet with God all things are possible: therefore if you come to him, you shall have the light of life. Oh that I could persuade you, not almost, but altogether to be Christians! for the time shall come, that all shall know the Lord, and then shall judges be as at the first, and counsellors as at the beginning; and then shall righteousness and truth run down the streets, and mercy and judgement shall kiss each other: for as your hour and power of darkness hath been known & felt, and the shadow of death we have sate under as well as you, and the unfruitful works of darkness some of us have brought forth; yet now as one from the dead, I come to warn you that you pass from death to life, that so you may not perish in your sins; for the Lord delights not in the death of a sinner, but rather that he would return and live: therefore why will ye die? if ye will die, the Lord hath no hand in it, but your destruction is of the sensual part in yourselves. And though there are Prophets, as there were of old, who do prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and some love to have it so, because they can daub with untempered mortar, and cry peace where the Lord speaks no peace; oh this is all seen to be a divination of their own brain; and these pillows are but a rest for a while, which must be removed. And all ye Ladies of England, who walk with stretched-out necks, and wanton eyes, mincing as you go, and making a clattering with your feet, curling your hair, and painting and spotting your faces, wearing gorgeous array, and the like; why consider, when you come to give an account for all things done in the body, where will you appear? for none of this adorns the Gospel; God works none of these works in you or for you; and one day you shall know you have not lived and moved in him, for he is the author of none of this: you shall not have so much time for sinning as you have had heretofore: if you will not bow to the righteous law written in the heart, that which reproves in secret for these and all other sins, you shall fall & perish in them; for in the grave there is no repentance. Let no blind guide or merchant of souls sell you any longer to work wickedness, by sowing pillows, and daubing with untempered mortar: I in plainness tell you, He that commits sin is of his father the devil, and his works they do. And vials of wrath will be poured forth on the seed of evil doers, and then it will be hard for you to kick against the pricking of your conscience: you had better never been born, then to die in your sins; you were not created to that end: the Lord had rather you were alive because of righteousness, then dead in sin: therefore in time be warned; for there's a wo to the crown of pride, as well as to the drunkards of Ephraim, who are drunk, but not with wine; who are giddy, and slumber, and grope for the wall, & stumble at the stumbling ston and rock of offence. And think not this a hard saying which was formerly writ, That all nations should drink of the Whores cup: for if all nations had not been drunk with the cup of fornication, all tables had not been filled with their vomit and filth; neither had they licked up the vomit of others, had they not been drunk: for then would they have known the table of the Lord from the table of Devils; neither would they have eaten up my people as bread, saith the Lord: but all these things are come to pass, that what was formerly writ by the Spirit of the Lord might be fulfilled. Dear hearts, my countrymen, kinsfolks and acquaintance after the flesh, for whom I travail till you are born again of water and the Spirit, till which you can never see God, or know any thing as you ought to know; in precious love to your immortal souls( who was one with you in death, till raised by the quickening power of God, to pass from under the shadow of death) am I moved to declare something of my life past, and how I was made to depart from it, to an inheritance which shall never fail, which is now revealed in the Saints in light. When I came first from my mothers womb, I was as all are in that state, an heir of heaven; but my parents, who were of the Protestant Church so called, would have me brought up within that Pale or compass, not thinking me a sufficient Christian as I was created in the image of God: therefore they did intend to make me one by that way and form of the Protestant Church so called. Then a Minister of that Church did say he did baptize me in the name of the Father, Son & holy Ghost: but if he had known the Name of the Father, and baptized me into his Spirit, he would not then have said I was regenerated and born again by his throwing water upon my face. And hereby let none conclude that I deny original sin, or sin in its original to be sin: but where sin hath no original, I dare not say it hath; and before it had a being, I dare not say it had: for the image of God is undefiled where ever it be. But some will say, We brought sin into the world with us, from our parents, and that is original sin: for is it not written in the Scriptures, In sin was I conceived and brought forth? That cannot properly be called original sin, the parents conceiving and bringing forth the child in sin: if its parents have sinned, it may be they may die in them, and be their last sin, and therefore cannot be called original as to the parents. And the parents sin cannot be imputed to the children, being the soul that sins must die; then could not the kingdom of heaven be of such; and therefore as to the children it cannot be called original: neither when a child comes to die, and to be born of the feed of old Adam, it is not because the parents sinned, or not sinned, but because that the works of God might be manifested, and to that end all might come to live in the second Adam, as they have died in the first. Therefore let none think that they are regenerated & born again by others vain babbling, for they cannot do as they promise and undertake for them, for it is the Lord onely can change the heart, after it is fully bent to do wickedly; but they neither do it, or believe it, and therefore this most solemn ordinance of God, as they call it, is sin; for according as it was written formerly, Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. For if I should ask any of the Right Reverend Fathers in God( as they are called) Do you believe that this child can forsake the devil and all his works? I know they cannot say we do believe, because they are sold under sin for term of life, being in the covenant of Satan, pleading for him and his kingdom, whose dead faith gives them to believe the power of Satan greater then the power of God, and according to their faith the Scripture is fulfilled to their condemnation; the prince of darkness, the God of this world, lulling them on in carnal security, till the three which was known by his fruit, falls, and so it must lye. And let no diviner for money led you on till you fall in the ditch, but believe and be baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and holy Spirit; for it is not the outward washing will avail, but the new creature: for this I know of a truth to be as vain as all the rest of mans ordinances, and oblations & worships, being I was used after this manner, according to the Church of England: yet notwithstanding they said I was regenerated, I was not in twenty eight years after, in which space death passed on me; and in my childhood I eat of the forbidden fruit, and by it transgressed Gods law, and would none of his counsel, because I did not know him; but a desire I had to find him out among professors of Religion in my childhood: I sought him, but could not find him amongst them, neither had I any food for my soul whilst I was in their way. Then one with the Royalists so called was I accounted above ten years, where I beholded much wickedness, though not in so high places, or with such fair colours and large covers as the professors had; and by this sort was I not like to be snared or deceived, because I saw plainly, that swearing, and drunkenness, and whoredom, and idle jesting, and vain sports and shows, I did believe all such, and many more to be nought, and so was kept from that sort of sinning in great measure; and would say often I had my Religion to choose, and until I could find a better then yet I had found, I would be of none. So in this miserable state I lived some years, being afraid of I knew not what continually, but more especially of death then of any other thing. Yet the Lord did all my life-time afflict me, and many great trials and crosses I had in the world, which since I have seen plainly was to draw me nearer to himself, and to make me know myself, that so I might deny myself, and exalt him alone, being much perplexed and filled with troubles in the world; and having failed in all my expectations and promises which it made me of contentment in perishing things, I began to be weary of my life, and still afraid to die, my conscience accusing me that I had not done as I ought to do, though I was all my life in great measure kept from acting what I knew to be sin, neither did I know what I had omitted; so in this blind state I durst not die. Then being miserable, and poor, and blind and naked, and having no helper in the earth, the Lords time was then to direct me by the mouth of his Prophets to a light which was placed in darkness, but darkness could not comprehend it: but before I ever had heard any of them, or saw any of them, I heard they were a people could lay down their lives one for another, that they were of one heart and one mind; which hearing, raised such a power in me which wrought by love, that I quickly found the report to be true; and then I was unsatisfied continually till I had heard some of them: and after I had heard, I never had one word to speak, or durst think one thought of evil of any of them; for they had directed me to that in my own particular, which did show me all that ever I had done. Then begun I to be lead by the Spirit of God out of darkness into his marvelous light: but whither his hand hath lead me since, and where I have known him most, is too hard to be uttered, or by you to be born. Oh my friends, my friends, it is the living onely can praise the Lord, the dead cannot: A living dog is better then a dead lion: for crumbs that fall from the masters table may come to them. Oh all you that are without, crumbs you may have, if you believe they belong to you: for then you may find more comfort in a crumb of true bread which falls from heaven, then in all the husks you have been musking in. I have declared something of my condition to you, that you may know there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God. And all you that are traveling out of Sodom with your faces towards Sion, look not back: remember Lots wife, who became a pillar of salt, a thing in its season and measure the most savoury, but out of its place and measure the most unsavoury, and good for nothing when it hath lost its savour, but to be trodden under foot of men. Remember, I say, look not back, but press forward to the mark of so high a calling; for the race that is set before us is patience: therefore so run that you may obtain; not swiftly, for fear of bloodshed and destruction; but let patience have its perfect work. Oh that you could red with understanding the Revelations! But if it and other writings writ by the holy Spirit of God be dark sayings to you, why do not longer blot your names out of the book of life, by adding or diminishing. O the time is come, and coming, that the souls of them which were sold for a perishing thing, cry for vengeance: And where will Englands watchmen appear, who must be numbered with Babylons merchants, who among all the stuff they were traders of and for, souls was one? Oh merchants, the ransomed of the Lord are out of your clutches; a valuable consideration is paid: neither your treasure, nor the place of your treasure, can induce them back, who have begun in the Spirit, and in the same ended what is ended: neither your flatteries or your frowns, your evil report or your good report, neither if you would promise, and were able to perform, that you would give such the whole world, and all the pomp and riches that it contains, to fall down and worship the god of this world, they could not do it: it is already cast behind all those who fit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, and have passed into the city thorough the gates, & have tasted of the three that bears twelve maner of fruits, and do know the Law( and Law-giver) and wherefore it was added: such cannot now go into death the second time, believing if they should, they should never more find place of repentance, having once tasted of the good word of God, if they should crucify him again afresh; this were impossible to renew such: for it was appointed for all men but once to die, and after death to come to judgement: but those on whom the second death hath power, God will never undertake for to renew them to repentance, and therefore it is altogether impossible. And therefore do not blame those who had rather enjoy the afflictions of Joseph, then the pleasures of sin for a season: and were not peoples hearts as hard as the nether mill-stone, they would ere now have considered the afflictions of Joseph or Lazarus: but this is the hour and the power of darkness of all who are in Cain, Esau, Pharaohs or Dives nature; such shall to their great cost one day know, that it shall not be sufficient to say, Lord, Lord, and not die daily unto sin, that so they might have lived unto righteousness; for he never knew such workers of iniquity: but and if hearts be hardened, and grow worse and worse, it is known to what end; and we are of more value then many sparrows, who are now sold two for a farthing; so unequal is mans dealings. But know, O England, this is the word That truth to thee doth yet afford: Because thou dost not yet well know Thy right hand, the Lord doth pity show In endless love, and doth yet spare. But know, before thou be ware, He may in fury burn thee up, If that thou slight salvations cup: And yet the same which was, is he, And doth not change in his decree: If that thou change, he is the same, Therefore on him do not lay blame. But if thou wilt not changed be, Still he stands firm in his decree, Which sealed is by his own hand; And nothing else can understand Or open it, but that which sealed, Because the condition is not revealed To the lest, or part which is impure, To which his mercy can't for ever endure: And yet his mercy endures for ever, And to such fail can never To whom the condition is revealed, Because that to it they have sealed. And all ye people of England, be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake onely, and see him go before you in all your actions: for Satan divided against himself cannot stand. And let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for the powers that be are of God: and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft; and therefore rise not up to destroy your brethren, or your fellow-servants, because they are not contending it may be for the same thing or form that you are contending for; yet none of you contending for the precious faith which was once delivered to the Saints, by which we know our salvation nearer then when we believed. I say, destroy not him for whom Christ died; by that rule he might destroy thee: Oh cursed Cain, thy hand against every man, and every mans against thee! What and if thy brother be lead by a fallible spirit? so art thou; and nothing shall overcome but a spirit of meekness: a fiery zeal for you know not what, shall avail you nothing in the day of the Lord, but love shall endure for ever. Surely you may look that the Lord cut you off in your sins, if you bite and devour one another. You talk of degrees of perfection; but this is a degree of imperfection, I am sure. Did not Englands Ministers stir you up to kill and devour one another at the beginning of the wars? but that it is impossible for the blind to see, you might have known them by their fruits, for all their sheeps clothing: and what are you still plotting and agitating mischief? your thoughts are very vain, in thinking you can do any thing for God by strife and hatred, envy and malice, and smiting with the fist of wickedness: this must not prevail: the fruits of the Spirit of God are clean contrary, from which your sins have made a separation. If briars and thorns go together in battle, consider what will the end be. And truly the Lord will now be honoured on them that would not honour him; for fighting, killing, and all manner of evil, doth dishonour him. And though you may promise to yourselves Things & Forms, and Likenesses, you shall all fail of your expectation, your weapons and your ends being carnal, and you still carnally minded, and therefore such unfruitful works of darkness are wrought. Oh your darkness is felt, and what it will bring forth; the seed of God being yet in bondage, and captivity is not yet lead captive, neither can you say in truth your Redeemer lives, who seeks to save mens lives, and not destroy them. Oh England, when I consider how thou hast groped for the wall at noon-days, and didst lean to thine own understanding, and choosest to walk in the crooked and blind paths, and rann'st when the Lord never sent thee, neither living or moving in him, though thou often saidst thou didst, in thy vain repetitions, saying thou wast of the vine, but thy fruit was thistles, and therefore fit for the fire: and thou saidst likewise thou wast the wheat; but the Lord came to try, and found thee chaff, and therefore art thou scattered; and in all this the Lord is glorified; for it is the living that praise him, which thou hast been often told: hadst thou had an ear to have heard, thou wouldst not have been contented with the name onely of protesting against Antichrist, & denied the Lord that paid a price for thee, trampling the blood of the covenant under feet, counting it an unholy thing; and in the mean time how much swines blood didst thou offer up? and instead of a sweet smell, what a bad savour was there! Oh how hath the sanctuary of the Lord been polluted by all this! And how hast thou profaned the Sabbath, and the day of the Lord, and called it Sunday, meaning as many houres as thou thoughtst to refrain from sinning! thou mightst as well set up an Hour-glass, and say in thy vain heart, This is the hour and time of darkness. But thou hadst no bonds from sinning; thy guide was very unequal in all his way; his hour or day was to last for term of life, and so by him wast thou taught to pled for sin, for that term: the first Adam, or a stop to righteousness, thou wast well known to, and lovedst; but the second Adam thou delightedst not to be acquainted with, which would have stopped thee from observations of days, and times, and new Moons and Sabbaths, and lead thee into the power of an endless life, which was hide from thee, because thou wast lost, and yet thoughtst thou wast rich, and hadst need of nothing; but thy thoughts were as vain as thy actions, and the one thing necessay thou didst not heed; and therefore is night come over the Seers of England, and they have no vision, because they hated to be reformed, and would none of the counsel of the Lord: for I have heard some of them say( that they might be judged out of their own mouths, in their prayers or vain repetitions) Lord, we do not receive, because we have not true faith: a true saying as they could speak; and that was the cause why their prayers, or any other worship, did not please God: for had they had true faith as a grain of mustard-seed, it would have brought to pass that which was impossible for them to believe without it. And in another vain repetition I have heard some of Englands Ministers say, Lord, we do not receive, because we ask amiss; and so have made a trade of confessing, and cry out they can never forsake: therefore hath their peace been hide from their eyes; for they did not turn people from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to the power of God; but they were always learning of them, and yet the learners nor teachers never attained to the knowledge of God, because they cried down and put out the light within, which ought to have been set up, to give light to every house, and not put under a measure of unbelief or darkness. O foolish sons and daughters of England, how have you been bewitched by those of the black art! what, did you think to be called Christians was sufficient, and the prince of darkness bear rule in you? Oh how hath he ruled in your dark hearts, and how have your foolish hearts been darkened! & how long did you sit down under the shadow of death, and what crabbed fruit did you bring forth! Oh how like were you to the hypocrites of old which so many woes Christ pronounced against! did you not love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men Master? and did you not devour widows houses, because for conscience sake they could not put into your mouths? and for all this, that oppression and violence were in your hands, you thought you should be heard by your much babbling, and long prayers, saying, Lord make us of one heart and one mind; but your God could not hear you, for he never yet answered you: but the living God saith you did not seek him where he was to be found; though you did draw near to him with your lips, yet your hearts were far off him: all your cryings, Lord, Lord, did little avail, being you did not deny yourselves and do his will. And how like were you to those of old, whom Christ saith to, Depart from me, you workers of iniquity; for when I was sick or in prison you did not visit me, inasmuch as ye did it not to my members? but you on the contrary cast into prison, and persecuted several ways his members: therefore woe is unto you, great sayers and little doers; a hand of justice hath overtaken you, as it did others, which will overturn till he reign whose right it is, in and with the sons of men. But like to the spiders web I see All swept away by purity; The spider, and the spiders web, Which tangled was in her own cobweb: And though she made it to that end, Her to save and to defend, Yet of her end she did come short, And I do know a reason for't, Because by her others might see What it is to live in vanity. Oh England, were thy people and others all created in the image of God? Come, let us reason a little, & where is that image? for I do not see it in you. I know what the best of you can say to it, that is, It is defaced by sin: it is so indeed, and you fulfil the Scriptures to your condemnation. But oh alas, I love thy soul so well, I would have thee come to the fulfilling of the Scriptures to thy justification. What, dost thou mar his visage, and wilt thou mar it always? O persecuting Cain, wilt thou never leave marring and wounding, till thou hast utterly slain? For the just in thee lieth crucified, I see, And great, Oh great will thy calamity be: And one step in the way of life thou wilt not go, Because the across of Christ thou wilt not know; For if thou didst, thou wouldst not trample on The blood of Christ, which is salvation To all that on it by a lively faith Lay hold on it: to such it always saith And speaketh better things then any blood Of man or bulls under the old Friesthood. And go to the fat swine, you cruel ones, whose bowels are shut up toward your fellow-creatures or members: Were not the image of God quiter defaced in you, you would not suffer the children to starve and pine away, who ought not to suffer for the sins of their parents, whilst people of that generation live in all fullness. I say, go learn of the better fed then taught swine, yet better taught then many that have the name of Christians: for if they hear by the cry of the little ones, that they suffer, they will with open mouth declare their dislike of it, & with the hazard of their lives endeavour to rescue them from cruelty. And ye drunkards, go to the ox and horse, whom you cannot persuade to drink more then will satisfy thirst; whom you in your cruelty daily oppress, because they stand as witnesses against you. For how do the dumb open, and asses, and harmless sheep speak to you by their looks, groans and bleatings! which you are not sensible of, your hearts being as hard as the nether millstone: for if they were not, I bear witness for you, you would be sensible of the groan of the creature, and would be moved in pity and compassion, and not exercise so much cruelty on them; and not onely on them, but on your fellow-members, for whom Christ Jesus the light of the world hath laid down his life for, your own brethren in the first Adam, whom he comes to call to repentance, and whom he pities, and desires not their destruction, but rather that they would return and live with him and in him. If you do extend so much cruelty to the dumb creature, whom ye are like in some respects, but in the better part they exceed you; for the ox knoweth his owner, his cruel owner, and the ass his masters crib; but you do not know me, saith the holy One; for I dwell in an humble and contrite heart, and you are exalted above all that is called God, in the cruelty, and oppression, and abuse of Gods creatures, which were not created for that end. And to let you see the inequality of your way, if you do show any respect or esteem of any creature, it is above the Creator, still in the changeable, in that love or affection which may seem good if it be pleased: but when it is tried what it can endure, it changes. Oh friends, this that I speak of, never went thorough the fire once, and therefore is not like to be tried seven times. And this is writ to thee, O England, that seeing thou mightest see, and pursue the things that belong to thy everlasting Peace, and sure satisfaction to thy languishing immortal Soul, before the Day cometh, that it be quiter hide from thy Eyes: For that which was Davids comfort, will shortly overtake thee; and as thou repents, returns and forsakes, accordingly it shall prove a Blessing; but if otherwise, it shall the Wages give of that which cannot do this and live. THerefore repent, repent, repent, I sing, From the Peasant low, unto the King: For a long-suffering God is he, Who calls to thee for Purity; And would not have thee run the Race That is obtained by running apace: But now begin for to stand still, That thou his holy Law may fulfil, In the light and saving health which he Hath placed in all to justify, If followed, and by it lead; But if rejected and disallowed, It will pursue thee, and condemn, Because thou art not found in him. Therefore before the Iron Rod Too heavy fall, return to God, That when it smites, it comfort may Thee in the clear and crystal day: So doth my Soul and my life say, Which without end doth for thee pray. FINIS. ERRATA. page. 47. line 15. put persecute for personate. page. 49. line 14. leave out they. LONDON: Printed for Robert Wilson, at the Black Spread-Eagle and windmill in Martins le grand. 1661.