A LAMENTATION FOR THE SCATTERED TRIBES, Who are exiled into Captivity, and are now mingled among the Heathen, and are joined to the Oppressor, and refuses to return.  
Presented unto all the separated Congregations, under what Name or Form soever, in love to the Lost.  
Showing, The difference betwixt them that were separated by the Word of Faith, and them who have separated themselves, in imitation from the letter: And how they differ both in Doctrine, in Matter, in Form; and so not the same with the Churches of Christ in the Unity.  
The difference between the true and false ministry.  
The difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned, and the Saints Faith.  
The difference betwixt true and false Hope.  
A few words to the ministry in all Sects, and to all the mingled people who dwell in the Land of Darkness, and are tossed up and down, and knows not where the power is which is of God, which gives Victory.  
A few words for your Information.  Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee, and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity: but have seen for thee false burdens, and causes of banishment, Lament. 2. 14. 
By a Servant of Truth, and a Friend to Righteousness, who suffers with the Seed, which is held in oppression, waiting and labouring for its return; called FRANCIS howgil.  
London, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West end of Paul's. 1656.   

The Contents.  

Concerning the word of Christ which the Apostles and Ministers preached, who had it in them revealed, which did gather them into One, that believed in it, and its effect and operation that it had.  
And the difference showed betwixt that M●nistery, and the ministry of them that preach the Letter for the Word.  
The difference between them that were separated by the Word, and them who have separated themselves.  
The difference shown betwixt them that are taught of Christ, and them that follow the principles of Darkness, that leads into Error.  
The difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned, which is the worlds, and the Saints Faith.  
Concerning Hope; and the difference betwixt true and false Hope.  
True Faith, how it's wrought, and what it is, and its operation.  
A word to all the Ministers of the world, in all Sects, and to all People in every Sect.  
A few words to all you who put out the eye, through long accustoming unto sin, who are near utter darkness.  
With some Information to them who are tossed, and finds no rest, nor knows not where the Power of God is, that gives dominion over sin, the Power declared, and the way to Peace.    

TO all you who profess the name of our Lord Jesus in words, and makes mention of his words, and of his Ministers words, who had the everlasting Gospel and the word of reconciliation; and of those practices which the Churches of Christ had in their day committed unto them, after they were gathered out of the world, and had denied it and its nature, and were not conformable to it, but were changed in their inward man, & fruits of righteousness were brought forth, and they were as lights in the world, and did bear witness against the world, that they were evil; and said they were of God, and had the witness in themselves, and were bold to say the whole world lay in wickedness. To you who are called separated Churches and fellowships, under this or that name; to you I write; my soul pities you above the rest of the world; and in love to those desires which was once among you, I write; that so if it be possible you may come to see yourselves and the foundation on which you stand, that those desires which was after God begotten, may not wholly be slain, extinguished, and betrayed, through the subtlety of the serpent, whose ways are crooked, and whose subtlety is great, to keep man under his power.  
This I have to say unto you: There was and is a zeal in you, but not according to knowledge: bear my words, and judge that in yourselves which would be angry. There was that which showed you the national way of worship under episcopacy and Prelacy, and presbytery; which is one in the ground and nature that this was, the broad way, and not according to the mind of the Lord; neither was it according to precept, nor the practices of the Churches of Christ; which is clear from the Scripture: Now you seeing this was not according to Christ, nor his Ministers, nor the Churches; you began to separate from them into this or that body, under this or that name, as a body separate from the world and their worship; because you found in the writings of that which is called the Gospel, people be gathered out of the world: now your eyes being still without you, conformed to their practices, as you judged, both in matter and manner; and practising those things which you read in the Scripture that the Churches practised, and so some zealous did go forth and gather people together in this or that form: and here was your beginning; and so here you set up your rest, that you walk according to the most exact pattern that is visible or written: yet since this you do not agree, but are divided in yourselves; one sets up this, and another that thing, which you in your reason judge right. Now many things I might write unto you, which you cannot bear; but rather in love a few words, that you may see the vast difference betwixt your assemblies and Churches, and the Churches which you say is your example.  
And first of all, I will show in the ground how far you fall short: although it may be you may hate my instruction, yet I say, Suffer me a little, for I am one who have obtained mercy, after a long and a sore travel, and tossed up and down in great tempests, but at last entered into the everlasting rest, and do not desire to contend with you; for out of debates carnal I am brought; but rather in love to the honesty in you all, which is not of this world, I speak.  
First, they received power from on high, and commission given to preach the Gospel to all nations. I speak of the Ministers of Christ; and those things which they had heard, and seen, and felt, and tasted of, and had handled, of the word of life; which life was manifest in them; this they preached, and were sent to turn people from darkness to light, and from Satan's power unto God's power; and as many as received and believed the word which they preached, which was the word of faith; and faith was begotten by the preaching of it, and they heard and learned of the word of life: faith came by hearing that word: and this word which they preached unto them, was nigh them, in their mouth and in their heart, which as people turned to it, and received it, and believed; so a change was wrought in the hearers of it; and they were turned from dead works unto the measure of the living God, and they separated from the temple, and left Circumcision, and all those things of the first Priesthood, which were commanded by God, and out of the world's ways, fashion, custom, worships; and came to see the worshipping in spirit and truth, was that worship God required; and the ground of their separation was not from any literal command or precept; for all that was written there, was flat against it; but they which were Ministers of Christ, which had believed in him, preached him the substance, and the measure of him and of his grace which was in them unto whom they preached; and this was the Apostles witness in their hearts, unto which they did commend themselves in the sight of God, which is a great mystery; and they are not Ministers of the letter, but of the spirit. Now in these few words before written; with much more I could write, compare your Ministry and your members gathered; and you will see you differ in the ground in the first; for your command you take from the letter, and so are ministers of the letter, and not of the spirit.  
2. Ye preach the letter for the word of faith▪ which they did not, as is plain in their own writings, without adding.  
3. Them whom you gather, it's but into conformity to the letter, and to that which is visible: which all this may be done in the will of man, which is fallen from God; and see if it be not so with you, both Pastors and Members, not witnesses of that word which they preached, which did beget faith in them that received it, and believed in it; which faith was in them, wrought by the power of God, which gave them assurance, and their assurance was in them, and their hope in them, brought in, and wrought by the operation of the Spirit: which the preaching of the letter, sound, or declaration only of that which was in them, never works assurance, nor true faith, nor hope. And now consider where had your ground of the knowledge of God been, and your Gospel, and your faith, and hope, if you had not had the letter. I speak not to upbraid you, but to the light of Christ Jesus I speak, which will let you see how far short you are, and that you must come back again to the first principle: and now you may see, if it had been the same word or command, it would have the same effects as it had, and Change into its own nature all that received it: now see what Change is in you or not; some of you, yea, many running back after the footsteps of the priests, preaching for hire, and upholding the Idols Temple, if you can get into them, and in the customs of the world; nay, most of you not come to yea and nay in your communication, but one with the world in all or most of things, differ only in words and names; and your Gospel you have preached, hath nor begotten such a faith as was in them that had the Gospel, not to respect persons; nor none dare own cleansing from sin in the body, but calls that a delusion: but the word and faith which they preached and received, gave them victory over the world, sin and death; and by its power made them more than conquerors, and their hope purified their hearts: but you cannot believe that ever you shall be made free from sin, nor hath not hope in that, and therefore are ignorant of the body of Christ you so much talk on, which made them clean and free from sin.  
Secondly, your Doctrine is the same with the world; your hope, your faith, your justification is all at a distance grounded upon the report of Christ dying at Jerusalem, and of their report that knew him: and believing this, you call it faith, and so are one with the faith and hope which the world hath: for the report of Christ's righteousness, what he did suffer, and wrought in the Saints, if this be the ground of salvation, then why have you separated from the world? If you say▪ Because the world hath not right to the Ordinances: I say, Doth not faith in Christ give Interest to all his ordinances? And if this be only your faith▪ the world hath as good an Interest as you: so why do you separate from them? And so you shall see the matter is the same with the world, of which your fellowships consists; and the name of Christ is a great mystery, which they were sent to baptize in▪ who knew his name: his name is not letters and syllables, and using these▪ this with the lips speaking over, is not to baptize into his name: And so, friends, in love I speak unto you: There was such as separated themselves, and were sensual, and had not the spirit; and so there was no difference betwixt them and the world, for they are clouds without rain; appeared wells, but had no water in them; seemed something, but were but a show. Friends, your footsteps I know; your ground I know, and your compass and your measure; yet I shall not glory over you, nor boast myself against you; but rather, to inform your mind, that you may not build upon a foundation which will moulder away: and now boast not yourselves in your Ordinances, as water, bread and wine, which is but elementary, and was never but a sign; and in the day of appearance of Christ, the elements shall melt with fervent heat; and while you stand here, and have confidence in these things, your sun will set in obscurity, and you shall know the old heavens and earth will pass away with a noise; which when you come to know and hear, your hearts will fail for fear: for this I say to the highest of you, If you build upon any thing, or have confidence in any thing which stands in time, and is on this side Eternity, and the Being of beings, your foundation will be swept away, and night will come upon you; and all your gathered in things, and taken on, and imitated, will all fail you.  
Many more things I might write, time would fail me to utter; but these few among many, I have written, that you may compare yourselves with the Ministers of Christ then; and the Gospel which they preached, which were separate from the world in the ground and nature: and if you see yourselves in the light of Christ in your consciences, not to be the same, neither in matter nor manner, let not a deceived heart lead you aside any longer.  
Further, I say▪ they were sent out for the gathering in of the Saints, some Apostles, some Prophets, some Pastors & teachers; yet all was by the spirit. Now if you deny the command of the Spirit, or cannot witness it, but from the letter takes it up, and talks of, because the Scripture speaks of it; than you are not that Ministry.  
Again, this end was the Ministry sent forth for, for the perfecting of the Saints, which it did; which not one of you dare own, not dare say your Ministry shall, nor never did; and so not the same, nor hath not the same operation; and so is not the same faith nor word which they preached.  
And now to you who are called Members in all separated societies, and yet in Babylon and Egypt spiritually so called, where the seed is held in captivity: I say, Come forth of her, and return to your Maker, from whence you are erred, and cast off your garments of self-righteousness; and those coverings you hide yourselves under, must all be rent; they will wax old: yea, your heaven shall wax old as a garment, and your stars will fall, and your towers will be demolished, and all your buildings will fall; and your strength will fail, and Egypt cannot save you: Why gad you abroad? why trim you yourselves with the Saints words, when you are ignorant of the life? return, return to him that is the first love, and the firstborn of every creature, who is the light of the world, which light will show you back again is the way from off the mountains of leanness and poverty, where you feed upon wind and husks: and now return home to within, sweep your houses all; the groat is there; the little leaven is there; the grain of mustardseed you will see, which the kingdom of God is like: and you will see from whence you have erred from the true Shepherd Christ the light of the world, who hath enlightened you with his light, which light will show you sin, and let you see what rules in the mind and heart: which light will let you see the way out of the world, and will judge sin in you and bind it, and give you power over it; & this is the true shepherd: and if you say you love him, manifest your love unto him, by following his light revealed in you, which leads into the true separation from sin unto the Lord, to see his presence near you, who will guide you with his eye: the light is the eye of the body: and here you will see your Teacher not removed into a corner, but present when you are upon your beds, and about your labour; convincing, instructing, leading, correcting, judging, & giving peace to all that love and follow him. Therefore, haste I say; come away, while the Lord is near and at hand, while his grace shines with you: and he waits, and hath waited long to be gracious; and you have kept him out so long, his locks is bedewed with the drops of the night: his Spirit shall not always strive, that that checks and strives against sin, is it: in love follow it; let it lie in your bosom day and night; make it your companion. I pity you, I pity you; my bowels is troubled for you; I am pained for the seeds sake: therefore all slight not this love, quench not the Spirit; put not that which reproves sin away; own it, that sin may be seen, and the man of sin may be revealed by the brightness of Christ, whose coming is as the light shines from east into the west, discovers all dark paths, and the twining of the serpent, and the crooked ways of the old Dragon, by this light: and thus if you wait, you will see the day revealed in you which the Scripture speaks of, which shall declare all things, and make manifest the hidden things of Esau, who hunts abroad, and is a man of the field; whose mind is a broad. And you whose minds are a broad, hunting after savoury meat, to please the flesh withal▪ you are of his birth; you will be laid wast, and the mount in which you dwelled. Therefore all prize your time, and your visitation; if you will return, come, that he may heal your backsliding, and receive you: if you resist the light, misery will be your end, and you will lie down in sorrow.  
This have I written in love to all your souls, who am one who did drink of the Cup of fornication, and have drunk of the Cup of indignation, but now drinks the Cup of salvation, where sorrow and tears is fled away: and yet am a man of sorrows, and well acquainted with grief, and suffers with the seed, and travels, that it may be brought forth of captivity; called by the world F. H.   

The difference shown betwixt them that learn of Christ, and are taught of him, and them that follows the principal of darkness, that leads into Error.  
HE that stumbles at the light, stumbles at the door, and his mind is erred from the truth, and he follows his owe will, and walks after the imaginations of his own heart, without a Law or a guide to his feet; and so falls into snares and temptations; and into the noison lusts, which doth hurt and annoy the Spirit of grace, which should lead and guide man up to God, out of the fall and transgression. He that sees not with the light▪ he is blind; for the light is the eye of the body, and makes manifest the light of the body, which cleanseth from sin, and leads to the body, where Christ is the head, where the unity stands in one▪ by which all comes to be united, by one▪ who is the light and life of men, and comes to the one baptism; and all who waits in the light that is pure, comes to know the name of the Father and the Son, which is one: and here is the one baptism seen and received; and all that comes to be baptised into his Name, comes to be baptised into his nature; and comes to see the word which was in the begininng; and there is no other name but the word which sanctifies and washes: so all that knows not this Baptism, nor this Word, nor this Name; knows not salvation from sin▪ but lives in the reasonings and Imaginations, and knows not that water which is the gift of Christ, nor the Spirit which is given to every one to profit withal; of which a man must be born of, else he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; and all who denies the light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one withal, denies the gift of God, which leads to repentance; and so lives in sin. Repentance is the gift of God; and this is the gift of the Father which was promised, the light of the world; and all that receives not and believe not in the light, they are in the old nature; and he that is not born of the light, is not born of God; for God is light: he that is not born of the light, knows not the virgin's womb, where the man-child is borne and conceived; nor the day of Christ, nor cannot discern his coming, but looks for signs and outward observations; Lo here, and there, in the outward; and are in the unbelief; nor discerns not the Kingdom where Christ reigns, which is not of this world: all things that are outward, are of this world; and who live in them, and have their hearts exercised in them▪ knows not that which leads to before the world▪ and to the end of the world; and knows not the true and faithful witness, the beginning of the Creation of God: and all that waits in the light, waits not in the grace of God, but waits in that which turns the grace into wantonness: there Christ suffers, and is denied, and another is owned and learned of, and another teacher: and where the grace of God is not taught and learned of, ungodliness is not denied, but ungodliness is denied: where the grace teacheth, and where another thing is harkened unto and learned of, that which is not like God▪ is learned, and deceit is brought forth, and the child of fornication, which must not inherit: and all who learn of this nature, they are blind, and Ignorant of the will of God, and so knows not the Doctrine of Christ, but their eyes is without in the world, where the false prophets are gone out into the world; and there is the Errors, and the Sects, and the judgements, which are many, and the opinions which are out of the unity, and their vain Imaginations, and vain thoughts lodges in the heart; and there the light of Christ is not known, but the woman speaks, which ought to learn in silence, who was first in the transgression. And all you that put the letter for the light, are blind▪ and calls it the Word and the Gospel: you are not knowing the Scripture, nor the power of God; for the word of God is the power of God, which is immortal and eternal, and all that which is visible stands in time, and cannot lead to know him which was before time, in the beginning: and so all you who are in your earthly carnal minds, Imagining a Rule without you, and a word without you, you have not learned of him who is entered with the veil: you are hunting upon the wild mountains and forests, and knows not the voice of the true Shepherd, who saith▪ learn of me; whose word is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart: and thou that hath not harkened unto this, a separation thou never didst see, but darkness is upon the face of the deep; and the Word of God is not known, by which the heavens and the earth was made, and all things therein are upholden by the word of his power; which word of power is seen by them whose minds are turned within; and there the thoughts and intents of the heart is by it discerned, and seen; which word is quick and powerful, and discerns the secrets of man's heart; and is as a hammer, to break the rocks and the hard hearts: and this is immediate and eternal: and all who knows not this, your carnal mind stands wholly in your, and your hard hearts is unbroken; and the mountains is unlevelled, and you walk in the crooked ways of the old serpent, in subtlety and deceit, and stands covered before the Lord; and the straight paths of righteousness you have not known.  
Therefore awake out of deceit and security, all sorts of people, where you have been making your rest in the lap of the adulterer, and have drunken of the wine of fornication, and of the old drags of unrighteousness, whereby the whole man is in flamed, and the whole course of Nature is set on the fire of hell: and filth and abomination lodges in the heart: and you talk of the word of God, and of the law of God, and of the new covenant, and yet never see any thing in you which you can own to guide you, which is contrary to your wills, which is the will of God.  
All sorts of professors, whether Presbyters, Independents, Baptists, or of what name soever you are called by, who says you are separated; let me ask this: What are you separated from, and what separated you? If you deny the sufficiency of the Spirits teaching alone, and it to be the rule and alone guide unto God, who is separated from sinners, and behold them a far off: I say, you who cannot own that which shows you your vain minds, and vain thoughts, and that discerns the thoughts; if you cannot own this, the word of God you never knew, nor the Law written in your hearts, nor the word of separation; and all are in your imaginations and vain conceivings▪ in your fleshly minds▪ hear and there setting up an Image raised from a dead letter, and founded on your earthly Imaginations, and they stands in the valleys of vain hopes; and there is no life in nothing you worship and set up, neither sight nor hearing; and every one of you worship a dead thing, and that which makes not the comers thereunto perfect; but you are all pleading for imperfection and sin in the body, and all join together to oppose the life and power of God which the Saints ought to press after: and they that stand in the counsel doth obtain victory, and witness of his righteousness which is perfect.  
Are you not many of you turning into the old Bishops, road, who would tie all unto their Idols temple, or parish-Church so called; and are not you many of you going about to stop all from hearing any but you, under pain of Excommunication? Oh the gross darkness you are led in, and the wilful blindness, who have taken up your rest in that which is carnal and without, where all the hypocrites may come: verily I say unto you, your rest will be but as the leaning upon a bowed wall, or as a reed of Egypt; for the ground of iniquity stands whole, and the whole body of darkness is not removed; the earth is whole; the fallow ground is not ploughed up; thorns, and briers, and fruitless trees which cumbers the ground of the Lord, is not cut down; and so the works of condemnation you are none of you brought from under, but self stands, and your wills is alive, which is at enmity against God: only talking of a Christ at a distance▪ and his righteousness as far from you as betwixt earth and heaven: and here is your Justification, applying this unto yourselves, while you are disobedient to the grace of God in you, this is your faith and your rest▪ and this faith all the world hath and this hope; but this faith cannot justify, nor not one of you hath assurance who hath but this; who doth not witness God's righteousness brought forth in you, which is wrought by the word of faith, which is incorruptible, which justifies, and gives assurance, and is witnessed through the death of the Cross.  
And therefore I cannot forbear but to declare your Ignorance▪ and show you your deceit you lie in, and your ragged veils you hide yourselves under: for I know your peace you have, is that which will not last; and therefore be not secure and careless, nor obstinate, but lay down your Crowns at his feet, and come out of your ease and rest, and fleshly exaltation, puffed up by the wisdom of the flesh: and that which you have gathered in, and not witnesses of the same wrought in you, all for the fire: yet a little while, and time shall be no longer, for the end of time shall come upon all your strength: and all your rest in the flesh, and ease in your beds that you have made, shall be taken away: you have slain those desires in you which was once after God, and now follows the pleasures of the flesh, and have set up such a Worship over every one of you▪ as you can live at ease, and in pleasures, and in pride and vainglory, and covetousness; and are men-pleasers, and respecters of persons; and yet your Justification stands sure, and your faith which you hold; and this faith is reprobate, which leads into the works of darkness: Oh you are high, you are strong warriors for the prince of darkness, and greater opposers of the power of the Lord, than they that have professed less, who are gone before: Verily, this is fulfilled in this generation: Publicans and harlots enter the kingdom, and comes to fit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and you are shut out.  
Will he accept you for your words? will he accept you because you eat his bread and drink his wine? and one of you is hungry, and another company of you plead that your communion must now be as much wine as you can drink; and this is God's ordinance, you say. Oh ye blind and slow of heart to believe! Is not Parphar, and Damascus and Jordan, and all the water his, and the cattle upon a thousand hills? is he beholding to thee for thy lame and blind sacrifice? will he accept you for these things, while your wills stands, and while you hate to be guided by his light and Spirit, which cleanseth the inside? shall I not say as Paul said of Circumcision, It's neither baptism, or not being baptised; it's neither breaking of bread, nor drinking of wine, neither your observances and washings; your prayers nor your fasts; your feigned communion and fellowship▪ but a new creature that God requires: not outward washings, nor things carnal, which none of these things makes perfect as pertaining to the conscience, nor the coming unto these, doth not purify nor make the answer of a good conscience: while you do not witness that which makes you partakers of the divine nature, you have no fellowship with the Father nor the Son, but only sacrifice to your nets, and feed upon ashes, and would take those things which was but figures, to oppose the substance▪ as the Jews did; and never looks for him to be revealed in you, who is the end of the figures, and the end of the law for righteousness, and the end of the prophets, who now is not worshipped in the oldness of the letter, nor in figures, but in newness of Spirit, and in the new and living way which he hath consecrated for all them that come to him, and believe in him, and comes to within the veil: Heb. 10. 20. nay, these things which you call ordinances, as you practise them, are not so much as the image of heavenly things; and though you come to them year by year, and week by week, they do not make you that are comers thereunto perfect: for if they did, than there were a necessity for the continuance of them. But now to that of God in all your consciences I speak, which shall witness in the day of the Lord, that your consciences are no more purified, nor you made any more perfect, than the first day you took them up. And this I say unto you in love to your souls, I know no more of the power and presence you do witness among you in these things, then if you worshipped in the temple at Jerusalem, and burned incense, and offered sacrifice and burnt-offerings, which Christ said was left unto them desolate: and verily in the day of the Lord's account, you shall bear witness unto me, that I speak not in mine own name, although you cannot believe: I say, the Lord is departed out of these things, and the Gentiles and heathen, who knows not God, hath now all these things to tread upon, and all also to feed upon: but this I say unto you, Sacrifices and offerings without, which are Carnal and elementary, and perishes with the using, he will not have: but he is come, whose flesh is the life of the Saints, and his body is known which is prepared to take away sin: and it was witnessed of him▪ and he is come to do the will of God: and this is he in whom the Father is well pleased, who is the light of the world, and hath enlightened every one that comes into the world: and whoso is not led by the light, he is not led by the Son▪ and there is no offering but in the light that is accepted, nor nothing which is well pleasing to God▪ but what he now Commands, who is entered to within the veil, into the Heavenly tabernacle: and you whose Hearts the veil is over, and flesh is over, unturned to him you are; and his face doth not see, nor his mind doth not know; and now his worship is no more outward and Carnal, but spiritual and everlasting: and all you that cannot own the measure of God in you, which shows you his teachings and doctrine, the offering up of that which is perfect, you do not know, nor the offering up in and by the eternal Spirit you do not know; and so doth not know purging away sin; but still you are Checked and Condemned in yourselves, notwithstanding your large phylacteries and long garments of self-righteousness; and self taken in performance in your wills, from Imitation; yet all of you confess the guilt must remain: because none of you are come from under Condemnation, therefore you judge all is so. Ah ah, miserable redemption and Justification is this! what redemption is wrought among you▪ when the light in your own Consciences shows there is guilt; and you are under the power of pride, and Covetousness, and envy, and wrath, railing and slandering them that bears witness against your deceit; and hath not power over your tongues, nor over your thoughts; but are led captive by him that works unrighteousness: nay, so ignorant are you, most of you, that you know not what it is that is in captivity, and what it is that wants redemption, nor what it is which the Gospel is preached to: and purity of Spirit you do not know. Verily I say unto you all, whose minds are not turned to the light of Christ, which will let you see, notwithstanding all your righteousness and fullness, which you judge you have attained to there is one thing you lack yet▪ you that hath keeped all the commands in the letter, which few of you have done, you must sell all, and give to the poor: and yet before you witness a disciple of Christ, you must take up the cross of Christ which you all stumble at, and it is foolishness to you, as it was to your generation, who were in your nature who sought to be justified by the works without them; and even you are the same▪ looks that God accepts you, because you have conformed to the outward part of the Law, or Scripture: and if that will not do, than you look to be Justified by the righteousness of one you have heard of without you: and even then, when you yourselves are found sinners, and so would make Christ a Minister of sin. How long will you speak these things, and how long shall the words of your mouth be as a strong wind? doth God pervert judgement, or doth the almighty pervert Justice? Job. 8. 2, 3. shall not he that sins die? and is not he that commits sin, of the Devil? doth God justify him that's of the devil? nay▪ he shall condemn him: the Gospel is not preached to that seed, but the day of vengeance, and tribulation and wrath upon every one that doth evil: and whom he Condemns, he Justifies not; and whom he redeems, he redeems out of sin, and creates them that they may walk to the praise and glory of his grace: them that praises grace, and glorifies grace, walks in it, and are under it, and it hath Dominion over; and their ungodliness and worldly lusts is denied▪ and holiness and righteousness is brought forth, and the Image of God is restored.  
Oh how long shall death talk of the fame of wisdom! how long shall a deceived heart lead you aside! how long will ye be blind, how long will ye harken to your Imaginations! is any redeemed out of sin? where sin rules, and where it is acted, grace reigns not: is not this the grace of God which Condemns man's will, and self, and the lusts of the flesh? and you that are in your wills, and self in every thing standing, doth not the grace Condemn you? how then, or by what are ye Justified? but this hath been a piece of your Divinity, when that in your Consciences Condemned you, looking up to Christ Justified at a distance. Oh you vain minds▪ is not the light of Christ one with Christ? is Christ divided from his Spirit, or against himself, or in himself? when that his light Condemns, and his spirit reproves thee for sin, doth he justify? doth not his spirit bear witness in the spirits of them that are sanctified? and is not this the spirit which Convinceth for sin? and as thou actest sin, it reproves thee, and bears witness against thee; then How should it bear witness to thee? and so you may see, all of you who tells of Justification by faith, that you are in a dream, and not in the faith that Justifies: for he that is Justified by faith which is true, he hath the witness in himself: now if thou be reproved in thyself for sin by the light of Christ, where is thy witness in thyself? show it.  
For them that are saved by grace, and Justified by faith, self and self-will, and the lusts of the flesh, and disobedience to the Grace of God, is Judged and Condemned, and self-righteousness, Titus 3. 5. 6, Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy ghost. Ephes. 2. 8, By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it's the gift of God: and them that receives, and believes in the gift of God, are Justified: and grace is the gift of God, which teacheth to deny ungodliness: and them that are taught by this, it teacheth and leadeth out of all sin, and so redemption from sin is witnessed, and Justification is witnessed; and the gift of God which is the Spirit of Promise, seals the assurance in the heart: but where sin is committed, grace reigns not through righteousness: and thou that art here, art under the Law, and under wrath and condemnation; and art not under grace that Justifies through faith: and so your cover being taken off, see your shame all, and blush and repent.   

The difference betwixt the faith which is feigned which is the worlds, and the Saints faith.  
NOw your faith which leads you not to believe that you can ever be freed from sin, this faith is reprobate, and brings forth no good works, but dead works, and is not the life of the Just, but the Life of the unjust, which leads not to overcome the evil, and the works of the Devil, nor leads not into the Rest which is in God: for you speak your own words, and think your own thoughts, and hath not ceased from your own works; but worships in your wills, acts in your wills, speaks in your wills, and are your own, and doth not see an overcoming of sia, but a growing into it, into deceit more and more, and looking all is done for you; and you believe Christ hath done all, and hath fulfilled the Law for you, and yet doth witness nothing done in you, nor the Law fulfilled in you, nor sin destroyed in you; and yet you say you lay hold upon the righteousness of Christ by faith.  
O what righteousness is that you lay hold of, which is imperfect, and leads not out of imperfection? that is not true faith that lays hold on a righteousness which is imperfect: and all of you say, all that is in you there is defects and Imperfections in it, yea even the graces and gifts of God, you say they are Imperfect: then Consider, if you see Imperfection in all those things you have laid hold on, and have received, than you know not faith, nor grace, nor the gift of God, which is perfect; but believes in a dream of a thing done, and an apprehension of a thing at a distance without you: Imagining you are eating, but when you awake you are hungry; Imagining you are saved, but when you enter into your Hearts, see nothing witnessed, nothing done, nor redeemed from nothing; your faith and hope stands in works, and that is all; preaching the letter over, and proving that which is proved, and was proved in them that witnessed the life of those things in them that are written: but nothing is proved in you, but applies their righteousness, which was the righteousness of faith, and of Christ, which was in them, wrought through death, to you that are alive in sin, and lust and pride, and enmity, and malice, and deceit; yea, even to the head of the Serpent, and so would be covered in your in quity, and saved from Guilt and Condemnation and wrath: But to be cleansed from sin you regard not: for if you own that word, and faith, and hope which is of God, it will slay and kill that life for ever, and destroy all your wisdom which stands in the earthly nature: and therefore I say unto you repent, and cease from your way▪ from your vain conceivings, and all be uncovered; and you will see the first principle you have to Learn: so all your faith which is out of the Light, is seen, which you gather in from the letter, and not wrought in the light, it leads not out of the world, nor to above the world: but all who have faith, works in the light; and mortification, and sanctification, and holiness is brought forth, in purity, uprighteousness, meekness, temperance, patience, and the fruits of righteousness: for it is not dead; but the Just man lives by it, and his works appears in the world, and is as a light; but your faith which is dead, talks of it: and when you are viewed in the light, no fruits of righteousness grow in you; your hope and faith is vain, and it will not save you from condemnation in the day of the Lord: and because you find written in the Scriptures, that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be Justified, therefore you would exclude the work of grace, and the righteousness of faith, and the life of Christ, which brings forth fruits, and all faith is dead without works: for as the body lives not, but it moves and acts, no more is faith living, except it move: and so you whose faith stands in words, and in things taken on in the fallen wisdom which you read without you, that faith is reprobate unto every good work, and is vain: for the living is not witnessed, nor the dead raised in you to life, nor the lost sheep found, nor that which hath been driven away brought back; but the earth yet closeth the blood, and the earth in you covers the slain, and the grave you see not opened, nor the dead raised incorruptible: and so you are unchanged, but the corruptible lives, and the mortal, and draws you after it, and is exalted, and the head not known, who is the life of men, nor exalted: and so he draws you▪ not nor leads you not; but you are led by your own wills, and Another girds you not nor the gird of strength is not at all known but in words: and so the old man is alive uncrucified with his deeds: but his deeds are brought forth; and so by your fruits you are known.   

Concerning Hope; and the difference betwixt true and false hope.  
ANd to all sorts of professors I shall clear my conscience to you all, and finish my testimony, that I may dwell in peace with the Lord, who hath commanded me to bear witness to his Name▪ and his love also constrains me; and in love to the seed of Israel, who are bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; who are of the true Circumcision, that they may come out of captivity from among the lying enchanters, and Sorcerers, and Diviners, where they have been long held Captive, and the heritage of the Lord laid waste: and therefore you whose hope is without you it's vain, whose hope stands without, in these things which are weak, as the Apostle said of the Law, which made nothing persect, because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it, which stood in washings; and signs of the true tabernacle they were, yet they did not make perfect: so I say unto you, your bread, and wine, and water, which were figures of a more heavenly thing, they do make nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope▪ Heb. 7. 18, 19 and so while you have hope in any thing without you, you stand in that which is Imperfect; and Contends about that, but looks not for the hope to be brought in, by which you might draw near unto God, Christ the hope, the light: and while this you own not, to lead you, the light, you cannot draw near unto God, but he will slay you, and kill you notwithstanding all your words: and all that walks in the light, comes to see the hope brought in; and this hope purifies the heart, as Christ is pure: and then by it and through it there is a drawing near unto God, and an access to him with boldness: for where the lively hope is▪ there is no guilt; then there is boldness: and so you whose hope is in words without, and not in you, you forget God; all that forgets the light▪ forgets God: your hope is the hope of the hypocrite, which shall perish; whose hope shall be cut off as a spider's web, Job. 8. 14, and all your hope which doth not purify the heart, and give you victory over sin daily▪ is the hope of the wicked, Job. 11, 20▪ but the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.   

True faith how it is wrought; and what it is in it's effects and operations.  
NOw concerning faith, it is begotten in the heart of man, by preaching of the eternal Word; which word is nigh, in the mouth, and in the heart; and all that comes to harken to the word which is pure, and receive it, and believe in it, comes to see faith revealed, by which they draw near unto God; and this is begotten by the word of faith, which is the word of Christ; which word is spirit and life to all that receive it; and by it is the mountains removed, and sin overcome▪ and victory witnessed over sin, Mat. 17. 20. and this faith is pure, and leads into purity; it is the gift of God, and leads all towards God that hath it: and it is perfect; and all that stands in it, comes to have the will of God perfected in them, and that which is imperfect, comes to be done away; and the Just lives by it▪ Heb. 2. 4. and in it, and by it, and through it, is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, Rom. 1. 17. and all that do witness the birth which is from above, which is borne of God, which sins not; faith is the life of this birth, which is Just; and the Son of God lives by it, who doth the will of God; as it is written; The life that I now live, is by the faith of the Son of God: and all who hath it, and believes in this, shall never die: for by it is translation witnessed from sin and death, and condemnation, into the Immortal life; and by it is God's righteousness revealed; and well pleased is he with all who walk in it; and where this is not, his wrath and displeasure arises: and all who stands in the least measure of it, is perfect, and comes to be free from sin; for it brings and reveals the righteousness of God; which Justifies, Sanctifies, and Mortifies; even the righteousness of God which takes away sin, and purges the heart from all filthiness both of flesh and Spirit: and thus remission of sins comes to be witnessed▪ and man Justified by the righteousness of Christ▪ which is the righteousness of faith, wrought in the Creature by the eternal Spirit and word, which is one: and thus assurance comes to be made manifest: for it bears witness, and is the true evidence of the everlasting substance which is brought in; and sin, and self, and all Iniquity comes to be seen and revealed, judged and Condemned, and cast out; and God's righteousness comes to be the life of a believer, even the life of Christ, which is immortal; by which man comes to be redeemed and purchased unto God, and not his own, but becomes servant to him, and obedient to him; whose life is given and laid down, and revealed to redeem his own seed: and all that come to see this, comes to prize his love, and walks in his fear, and hath the shield of faith, by which they are defended from the enemy of their souls, and his temptations are resisted, and the fiery darts quenched: and so the enemies comes to be subdued: and this faith is present power against all sin; and all that keep in it, out of doubts and distrusts, and consultations, and murmurings, come to be preserved: and all that hath this faith, doth believe the overcoming of all sin, and walk from faith to faith; and they are daily renewed in the Lord's strength, and comes to have Victory, as they keep in it, and so remains in the true rest with God for ever, which none that lives in sin shall ever come to attain unto.   

A Word to all the Ministers of the world, in all Opinions and Sects: And to all yourpeople in every Sect.  
THe Lord is risen in his glory, and is arising in his power, to tread down the mountains: all nations make way, make way, and all ye Isles be removed, all ye high walls fall down, and all ye strong towers be rent asunder: all ye strong gates fly open; ye fenced Cities fall; ye mighty men of valour bow; your hands shall grow feeble, you mighty warriors for the prince of darkness: a day of sore distress is coming upon you: the princes of Tyre shall no more rejoice; ye dukes of Edom shall fall by the edge of his sword; ye daughters of the Philistines shall no more rejoice, nor ye daughters of Moab▪ who have been at ease from your youth, shall no more take pleasure in your delicacies; for the earth is growing thin and feeble, where all your renown and glory lay; the root is cursed, from whence your joy hath sprung: God is risen, and blasting all with the breath of his mouth, and darkness shall cover all your pavilions; and leanness shall cover your faces; who have rejoiced at the captivity of the holy seed; for now is he arising, as a Giant that runs his course, and shall tread down the earth, and blast all its glory; and will fan the nations; and all the uncircumcized in heart shall be as chaff, for now is the Lord bringing his determination upon the whole earth, to cut down all the Gods of gold and silver, and spoil all your pleasant pictures and images which stand in the earth, which you have worshipped in your hearts; yea the Lord of life hath a sacrifice in Babylon to perform, to confound her languages which is many, and to slay all her Children, in the place where they have slain the seed of the freeborn. Woe is me; what will become of ye▪ ye shepherds who have nourished people into the nature of Swine, and led into the nature of Dogs, and hath driven away the sheep from the fold; and hath begotten nothing but subtlety and deceit in people's minds; hath made them wise to do evil, and subtle to deceive, and causing to turn away from righteousness; yea many of their ears you have bored, and they have sold themselves to be bondslaves unto you, and to their lusts for ever: a woeful reckoning will you make, to the Lord of heaven and earth, who is coming to take an account of all, what they have done and brought, and what sheep they have gathered in: the Bill is drawn against you all, you hirelings; the Cup of vengeance will be your reward; not one lamb have you brought in the bosom of the father, nor one sheep into the fold; but hath scattered them: so that by deceiving them so long with your strange voice, they have forgot the true shepherd's voice▪ for into a wolves nature you have nourished them, and they are become wild▪ and now loves no fold, no bond nor limit; but loves to lie down with you upon the mountains of iniquity, pride, lust, and deceit; where all the wild beasts of the field play: and they are all gone out of the way, into the crooked paths of unrighteousness; and they follow your example who leads them▪ and this will be proved against you all shepherds who are idle, who loves the fleece, and feeds upon the fat, and seeks for your gain from your quarter: the blood of souls will be your Charge; guilty will you all be found; your mouths stopped: the light in your consciences shall be the Lord's witness, bound will you be, and cast into utter darkness.  
And you that have set up yourselves to be Teachers, who pretends Separation from the world; who have run in your wills, and have gathered to worship an image with a more beautiful face▪ you are strong, you are fat; you shine▪ you are full; you appear as Oracles▪ at which them that seeks after knowledge, seeks unto; you are painted over with names and Colours, and appears of a comely hue: your Cup is golden and beautiful to behold, to the earthly wisdom, and desirable to drink of; yea many have drunk of it▪ and are drinking of it, and they come to grow tall, and as strong as horses in battle, and as rampant as lions, and as Behemoth, who thinks he can drink Jordan dry. But one thing you have left behind you, and that is the cross of Christ, which is the power of God: now is the Lord coming to fan you, and to weigh you, how you came hither, to tell of justification, and of being saved by the righteousness of chest, when you will not own the simplicity of the Gospel; nor the meek principle to giude you into the lamb's nature: your flock is not so speckled as the former, and yet they feed in the same pasture, where knowledge, the tree of knowledge is the food; which nourishes them into a strange nature, and turns them farther into degeneration. Woe is me for you all, who are leaders, and you who are thus led; upon the left hand among the goats you will be turned, who hates the still small voice; that you cannot abide to hear in you: therefore you are erred for lack of true knowledge, and you shall go into captivity with them that go into captivity: for you have lost the key of knowledge, and you are setting up, and seeking to open, with another thing than the key of David; but you must either have that▪ or else, where the Saints life is, you cannot come, although you are reaching at it with your sensual wisdom; but farther it flies from you.  
Oh when will you be weary of feeding upon ashes; of wind and air, which puffs up your fleshly minds! when will ye seriously consider, what ye enjoy of God, and what you possess of him? are you not lost in yourselves, in and about that which you acount great part of obedience unto your God?  
Are not some of you who are called baptised persons, differing about the form? some baptising into this, some into that? some sprinkling, some dipping, some plunging: where is your example for these things? nay, do not the most of you conclude no salvation without it, although in words, some of you will deny it? and as for that you call your supper and communion, which is but carnal and earthly, you have none of you the form; one of you is for eating before supper, another after supper, another for as much bread and wine as you can eat and drink; and so your God is your belly, and you mind earthly things: and in stead of remembering of Christ's death, you crucify him afresh, one with lust, another with envy, another with pride; and so in stead of coming to the table of the Lord, you feed at the table of devils; and nourish the flesh, and deceit and uncleanness: and as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses by making likenesses; so do you resist the spirit of the Lord, because it comes not according to your carnal will, nor your vain conceptions: and so deceit leads you all, and the cross of Christ you know not; and those things you have formerly declared against you now take up: some pretends sending out to preach▪ & takes tithes, others crying out against them in words, and yet upholds them, and pays to the priests whom you say is not ministers of Christ; and so waste the Lords, goods to uphold deceit; and betray the just in yourselves; and not one of you will suffer for that you judge your principal; and now you begin to creep into the Idolstemples, and worship there, and seeks to the powers of the earth to uphold you: and one of you preaching up freewill ather down, another an election of persons, and yet you never knew true faith which is without respect of persons: another company of you▪ dreaming of a personal reign in your Carnal imaginations, and judges just such a God and a Christ as yourselves, that you may live in pride and lust, and filthy and earthly mindedness, and envy; and yet talk of reigning with him: but of being baptised into his death, you know nothing, nor suffering with him you know nothing of, nor of bearing his reproach daily nor of suffering the spoiling of all: and denying all for him, this you are strangers to; and you that tell of exercising your gifts, you have no gift but acquired by long raking in the letter, and the exercise of your carnal wit and knowledge in contention and strife: you have treasured up a great deal of stuff in the earthly memory; and this you call a gift of the Spirit; and such a one you make a Pastor or an Apostle on, and he begets into his Image; but still in the curse, and makes proselytes in the same likeness; leads into sorts and opinions from the true gift of God; for who hath a gift, it exercises him first, and then he declares unto others of those things which the gift of God hath wrought in him: and he that knows the gift of God, is led out of his own way, will, and time, into his will from whence it comes: and here is the ministry Christ always blessed; not in their own wills, but in his will, and this wrought a real change in people, from Satan's power unto God's power▪ and so in all your separation, self shines in all you have: not the form, much less the power. Another sort tells of a power to come, and of a greater glory to be revealed, and a more glorious ministry than hath been yet; yet your eyes is without, and the glory you look at, is in great words; and your expectation will fail: for you neglect the present measure of Christ's gift that leads to repentance, and that you are got above, and this is too low a thing for you▪ you judge because you heard of this, and talked of it▪ therefore you are past this; but I shall say unto you all Adulterers and Adulteresses, Come down from off your mountain of exaltation exalted above the door and the Cross: and you that are here, are Thieves and Robbers; your minds is without, feeding upon the tree of Knowledge and imitating: the best of you, in your fallen wisdom, and your foundation, is but upon report, as the vagabond Jew's were; in the name of Jesus that Paul preached, they would cast out unclean spirits; and they were sorcerers: and what are you now, who only preaches of Christ that Paul and Peter and John, in the name of that Jesus they declared of, and his righteousness they spoke of; but knows not his name in you, or his power, nor his righteousness, but in tradition, imitation, and conforming in the earthly will: here is all your worship, all of you calling the letter the light, the word the Gospel; nay some of you so impudent as to call it spirit and life: and so now you are made manifest and seen; and your God, and worship, and all your profession, is tried by the light, is seen, Comprehended and weighed, and judged with the light; and all this will be too narrow to cover you in the day of the Lord, which is coming as a thief upon all the world, who make mention of the name of the Lord but not in righteousness: & therefore strip you, make you bare, be uncovered, cast off your old ragged covers which will rust and wax old; and mind the first principle, the light that shows you evil, and own it, to lead you, and guide you out of sin, or else I testify unto you, you shall die in your sins; and wrath Eternal will be your portion, except you repent and cease from your vain thoughts and words, and wait to see the Law of God revealed in your hearts, that may show you sin, and condemn this nature in the Transgression, and do it away, and slay you, and quicken another thing which is dead in trespasses and in sins: and while you sin, the Image of God is dead, and Christ suffers: so while you have time, prize it.  
F. H.   

To all you who put out the eye, through long accustoming unto sin; who are near utter darkness.  
ANd you mingled people of Babylon and Egypt▪ who are in darkness, and loves to be so; who are blind, and loves to be so; who wallows in your iniquity, and loves to be so; who live at ease in the flesh, in pleasures and wantonness, you are dead while you live; you have taken up your rest in the earth; you are enlarging your barns, you are ceiling your houses, and you are building with hewed stone, and Cedars; and are laying house to house, and land to land, and are making yourselves great in the world, and seeking a name among men: you are swallowed up of the earth, and you go upon your bellies, you feed upon dust. Woe unto you that are here, you have your consolation here, you lay up your bags, where thieves break forth and steal: your garments are moth-eaten, your gold is rusty, & your silver is cankered; and there is your god which you worship, which you have set up▪ and worships in your heart. And when you have overreached your brethren▪ and cheated, and oppressed, and defrauded your brethren, and are grown rich, than you say, God hath given you all this; when as ye have stolen it, and got it in usury, and oppression, and deceit: and when you have it, Spends it upon your lusts, and by your greatness grinds the face of the poor when you are become strong in the earth, and have spread out your boughs so broad that nothing can grow that is near your shadow; and yet talk of God at a distance; but you know him not, but live in carlesness and ease, and liberty of the flesh▪ and pleasing the carnal mind: the Mighty day of the Lord is at hand, which shall come as a thief upon you, and require all your souls at your hands, and take them away; and then whose shall all these things be?  
And all you poor blind people of the world of all sorts, who follows the blind guides and teachers of the world, who know not the path of righteousness themselves, but live in covetousness, pride, oppression, seeking for their gain from their Quarters in the steps of their forefathers the false Prophets which the Lord declared against by Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea; and Christ cried out against such blind guides as led the blind: and the Apostles declared against such whose hearts was exercised with covetous practices; and them you set up for your teachers who are not taught of the Lord: and they walk in the broad way, and you follow their example; and yet you have a green tree to worship under, which seems beautiful in your eyes; you talk of a God and Christ▪ and of his Gospel and ordinances▪ but knows him not, nor his will, nor how he will be Worshipped, but according to the customs and fashions of the Nations▪ as the Heathen do; and follows the traditions of men, and lives in pride and fullness, and at ease, lust, and envy, in covetousness and double-mindedness, in drunkenness and riotousness, Sports, Pastimes, Pleasures, gaming playing, nourishing your hearts as in a day of slaughter; wanton wild, in swearing, lying▪ cursed speaking; in foolish jesting, in filthy communication, in laughter and folly, which is madness: The dreadful God of Heaven and Earth is arising in his power, and his day is coming upon you▪ that shall rip up your hearts, and you shall see that you are Heathens; and knows not God, although your Idol-Shepherds and hirelings have told you you were Christians, because you came one day in seven, and heard a few words spoken from the Imagination of their own brain, and all the week long and year long live in carlesness▪ and in all the abominations before mentioned, and many more; and yet you hate to be reproved, and hate to be reformed: dreadful is the day that is coming upon you, all sorts of carnal professors, and vain talkers, and busy minds; which talks of that you cannot witness: Terror▪ terror, dread and wrath, Vengeance in flames of fire, will God rain upon the ungodly, and snares, and turn them into Hell, with all them that forget God. Think on this, Oh all you careless wanton earthly minded people, whose God is your belly, who glory in your shame, who mind earthly things, and turns his grace into wantonness, and sport yourselves as in the daytime; and never consider your latter end, and sleights the day of your visitation, and so dies in your sin; and will lie down in everlasting misery except you repent.  
Terrible and dreadful is the day that is coming upon all the world, and all you who make mention of the name of the Lord, but not in righteousness, in the many Sects, and Opinions, and judgements, in Babylon, Confusion, and error; the Lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord hath spoken, who can but prophesy? the Lord hath roared out of Zion▪ and uttered his voice from Jerusalem, he will send a fire in the gardens that you have made, and consume all the thickets round about it; and you shall be a shamed of the oaks that you have chosen, and of the trees you have worshipped under▪ and the groves where ye have committed fornication with other lovers; and hath forsaken the Lord, and joined yourselves unto Idols: and now your hearts is become hard, and you will have none of the ways of the Lord, nor will that Christ should reign over you▪ for you hate his light which shows you sin and evil, and would turn you from it, and out of blindness and ignorance: but your wills leads you, and the crooked ways of the Serpent you follow▪ but now is the time near finished; all your joy shall be at an end, and all your lovers shall forsake you; and you shall mourn and howl ye careless people, who live in deceit, and are wise to do evil, and mighty to work wickedness, but to do good hath no understanding.  
Awake, awake; Arise, arise, and stand all up to judgement: let the heathen be awakened, for the Lord shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice as a whirlwind; and the heavens and the earth shall shake, and the mountains shall melt at his presence, and all the hills shall melt before him, and all the Isles shall fly away at his presence, who is risen to take Vengeance upon all the ungodly; and all shall be slain before him. Assemble yourselves, and come all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: for the Lord will plead with you as in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and there will he sit as Judge, to give every one their portion according to their work. Awake, all you that are asleep, and stand up to Judgement; the angel of the Covenant is come, and the time of harvest draws near; the reaper is come with his sharp Sickle, and is come, for the press is full, and the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great: Multitudes, multitudes shall be slain, and bound in bundles, and cast into the lake, and into the valley of decision: the Sun and the Moon shall withdraw their shining, and the stars shall fall, and lose their light; yet a little while and time shall be no longer, but you will be swept into the pit, where shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and overturned as Sodom and Gomorrha, and you shall know there is a God, who is pure and holy, who will judge you not according to your words and feigned deceitful hearts, but in righteousness. And so all dread his name, and fear him, and tremble before him, and bow yourselves, and submit unto him, lest you perish for ever from his presence, and be tormented with the devil and his angels in the lake of everlasting fire.  
And all you ungodly, think on this, for this shall be the portion of your cup for ever, who slight the day of God's love and visitation, and turns his grace into wantonness: his long-suffering shall come to an end, and his Spirit will not always strive with you: and then he will arise in his wrath, and take vengeance upon his enemies, and bind the tares and the briers and thorns in bundles, and cast them into everlasting fire, where, where is perpetual exilement from the presence of God, and from the Lamb for ever and ever, and from the light of his countenance; and this as the Lord lives will come upon all who are not cleansed from sin, and purged from your iniquity; and destruction is of yourselves; it is not because there it no balm enough in Gilead, nor no physician, nor because you have no grace nor power; but because you despise it, and will not come to Christ, who is the light, lest your deeds should be repoved; nor mind that which is given into you, to lead you out of sin; and so the one thing needful you heed not; and you that do not, will lie down in everlasting misery and sorrow world without end.   

And now to you that are tossed and find no rest for the sole of your foot; but are still led aside into pollutions and sin, and knows not how to come forth, nor where the Power is.  
CEase gadding abroad, and seeking in that principle which leads you further from God; and from your own wisdom, and reason, which is in the fall, and in the disobedient nature: for there can you never find peace, nor the way that leads unto it: all that you have heard, you see still there is one thing lacking, and you are unsatisfied: and while your eyes are without, his power you know not that gave the Saints dominion; and the further you inquire in the natural fallen wit and reason, the further you are off the first principle that leads to know God. Now I say unto you all, Christ Jesus, who is anointed of God to preach glad tidings to the poor and to the captive, who in the days of his flesh declared and preached the Kingdom of God was near; yea in them, I say unto you, now he preaches by his Spirit in the world; and he is now in the world: and this is he that convinceth the world of sin, and shows thee thy evil deeds by his light in thy conscience: and as thou waits upon that light that is given from God, it will open thy understanding, and let thee see all that ever thou hast done, and will bring trouble upon thee, and a true sensibleness of thy condition; and will bring wrath upon that nature in thee which is corrupt and contrary to the light: for the light is of the nature of Christ Jesus; and so thou wilt come to see as thou waitest in the true light wherewith▪ Christ hath enlightened thee withal, two seeds, and each of these seeds hath a nature, and they are one contrary to the other in their natures: the nature of the one is to work unrighteousness; and of the other, to bear witness against sin, and also works righteousness; and these two are contrary: the one leads into bondage the Just, and the other leads into bondage the Injust: the one is the Image of God, the other the Image of the devil: and if thou wait in the light, thou wilt see two striving in the womb; and here is nation against nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom; and these are at variance; and the life of the one is the death of the other. Now that which lets thee see that Cain and Ishmael are goodly children, who are of the first birth, yet they must not enter, nor have any share with the seed of the freewoman, but must be cast out, and therefore another seed must be witnessed, which the promise is to: who are born again, are born of that which is pure, of the living water, and that washes from sin and uncleanness; and also of the Spirit, which is life: they that are borne of this, enters into the City, where no unclean thing enters; for God takes nothing into Communion with himself, but that which is made holy, and cleansed, and purged, and purified, by the operation and working of his Spirit; which Spirit is life to them that receive it, and it reproves them that receives it not: and this is in the world, and reproves the world; yet the world receives it not, and so lies wholly in wickedness, in darkness, and blindness.  
Now unto you that hath but any stirring or desires begotten in your hearts after God or his truth, that so you may know the power of God which gives dominion over sin, harken a little, and I shall declare unto thee, if thou have an ear to hear Christ Jesus who is the light of the world, and hath lightened every one that comes into the world by his true light: and this is it that shows thee thy evil deeds, and the vanities of the world, and shows thee what is evil, and discovers unto thee all things that ever thou hast done, and will check thee when thou doth any thing contrary it, and Judge thee for that which is past: and this is the gift of God; and as thou turns thy mind to it, It will turn from sin and evil unto Jesus Christ from whence it comes: and this is present with thee; and as thou hearkenest to this, thou seest God is pure, who is present, and by the light takes notice of all thy actions and performances, with what heart thou dost them, and offers them up in: and this will let the see if thou regard iniquity in thy heart, all is abomination to the Lord: therefore keep into this, and it will show thee sin and evil before thou commit it; and as thou stands in the counsel of the light, thou stands in the counsel of Christ, and his power preserves thee; for the light is power: all that harken not unto another, is preserved out of sin, and temptation, and pollution, and sees an overcoming by the power of Christ which is present: and here is a guide to all your minds who have wandered here and there and have found nothing; here you come to know the Doctrine and teaching of Christ which leads into all truth all that believe in it, and receive it; and so it will change you out of pride and wantonness, out of covetousness and earthly mindedness, and from sin it will lead you, and from the paths of unrighteousness, into righteousness, which is the pure path of the Lord, which all comes to enjoy peace in, who walk in it: but the cross of Christ must be taken up daily, or else you cannot walk in the way of the Lord: and so to the Cross all come, and to the yoke, that you may see the wild nature bound under and limited, and your vain thoughts Judged out, and you may come to see the straight way where no liar can enter, nor no ravenous beast, nor no unclean; but they come all to be kept out: and so as you love your souls, and the way of the Lord mind the witness of Christ in you: and if you go from it, and despise it, it will follow and pursue you, and you shall never know peace: while you stand in disobedience to the Grace of God, and the free Gift of God, you can never see redemption, nor know God's power which he gives unto all that receive him: and you cannot receive his gift, but self and self-will must be denied; and so the will of Christ, which is the will which wills in the light, and works in the light, and reveals sin by the light, and declares righteousness through the light; and here the coming of Christ comes to be seen, and his day comes to be known, which Abraham saw: but through death this comes to be read and known: and so turn all to this here: the word you will hear, which is pure and powerful; it separates as you harken unto it, and divides between the precious and the vile in you all who love it; and it's nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, and discerns thy thoughts: and here thou wilt learn, as thou waitest in patience of the Son, in whom the Father is well pleased: and if thou harken to any other, it's the false Prophet which leads thee to Error: and so the displeasure of God will come against thee for ever until thou return. Blessed is he that hears, and receives and considers, and prizes the offers of grace, and the day of God's everlasting love, and owns the gift of God in him revealed, which leads to repentance, and works a change in the heart and mind of all that believe in it, and gathers up into its nature all that waits in diligence, and believes in it,: and so the day of redemption comes to be seen, and known out of death, out of the grave▪ and immortality comes to be brought forth, and incorruption comes to be put on: and they that witness this, can truly say we have found him whom our soul loves: and doth not look for any other.  
Blessed is he that hears, and considers, and waits to be made partakers of God's righteousness revealed, Justifies all that receives it, and believe in it; and they by it comes to be Pillars in the house of God for ever, and follows the Lamb whither soever he goes, where Pure Peace is enjoyed for ever and ever.   
FINIS.