THE SPIRIT OF GOD in MAN, Making manifest the hidden things of DARKNESS to MAN.  
Being divine Teachings, whereby the Lord alone is exalted, and the pride of fleshly glory discovered, by the shining light of Christ in and through RICHARD RUSSEL.  1 Joh. 1.3. 
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son jesus Christ.  Isai. 60.1: 
Arise and shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen. Blow ye the Trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarms in my holy Moutain; let all the Inhabitants of the Land tremble, for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.  
LONDON, Printed by T. Lock, living in Seacole-Lane near the Sign of the George. 1654.   

The Epistle to the READER.  
BEloved Brethren; Spiritual things are given by Divine Inspiration, not by the will of Man, but by the will of God, who manifests himself, when he pleaseth, and to whom he pleaseth: And know this that God's works are not like man's works, he doth not always take the wise of this world, and learned and rich of this world, to manifest himself in and through, but be chooseth the despised, and the poor and weak of this world, who are of a sincere mind zealous for God, and God is pleased to fill them with the good things of himself, when as the other seek him in darkness, in the wisdom of man, and by the Law, as did Israel of old, who sought earnestly, but attained not to the true Vision and Kingdom of righteousness, but went empty away; therefore quench not the smoking flax, but rather wait until it be set on flame, that it may kindle your spark, so that there may be light in your house, for there is a wonderful time coming; but because it beginneth in the night, there are many that shall not see it by reason of their sleep and great darkness; yet the Son will shine to the Children at midnight; happy are they whose eyes are open to see the Son of GOD when he cometh in the clouds, than every one that hath a single eye shall see the pleasant showers fall upon the tender plants, that they may also have virtue in them to abide the heat of the day, when the Son shall shine forth in its beauty to scorch the glory of all flesh; therefore let every one that glorieth, glory only in the Lord, for he that truly knows the Lord will do so, for the knowledge of the Lord teacheth us wisdom, and so saith the Prophet Isaiah, The Lord is my God therefore will I praise him; for he knew God by his spirit, which did set forth his praise in him: therefore as thou readest, herein consider, whether thou hast the spirit of understanding, without which thou canst not understand aright the things that belong unto thy peace. So I commit thee unto the Lord, who is able to guide thee unto the peace that passeth all understanding.   

THE SPIRIT OF GOD in MAN.  

Epistle I. Concerning what Man was, and by Creation is, and how he fell; and also a word of the Divine Mystery.  
GOD which was, is, and for ever shall be, a being in himself, hath been pleased to declare the same in Creation, of which Creation man is a chief part; but before the Creation there was nothing but God, no appearances were brought forth out of the one, only infinite, and entire being, who knows how harmoniously and sweetly with an entire love— and oneness we tumbled together with, in the womb of Eternity, when all things were in union with their Original Centre.  
Now when God was to create the world, and all things therein, he had no other materials (or matter) to make it of, but his own being; therefore God is the Essence of all Essences, for all is generated or born, created and proceeded from him, and all things take their first beginning in God, as the Scripture witnesseth, saying, Through him, and in him are all things, and all things were created by him and for him, and by him all things consist.  
Consider, That God is a Spirit that is incomprehensible, and was before appearances were brought forth, by or in his essential Word, and hath neither beginning nor end, and his greatness and depth is all.  
The whole Creation is but his unfolding of himself in his varieties, and his clothing himself in the creature in their created estate; so that since this great fabric of heaven and earth hath been made to appear, God hath ever been hiding himself, hiding himself in his life, being motions and operations, so that no eye can see him, or know what he does, or what he means, but that eye which is with him where he is.  
This consider, That every spirit seethe no further then into its Mother (or Nature) out of which it hath its Original, and wherein it standeth; for it is impossible for any spirit, below the spirit of God, in its own natural power, to look into another principle, and behold it, except it be regenerated therein, or brought forth anew.  
Heaven and Earth at their first coming forth were but a vail, behind which God intended to hid himself, and did hid himself, even from Adam, in his highest and purest estate; God indeed showed himself to Adam, as he appeared in the creature, as he shined through the vail, but hide himself as he was in himself, so that Adam could in no wise reach to the true vision, but only to such an appearance as God pleased to dart forth of himself through the vail.  
Now consider, when the breath of Lise was breathed into man, (or elementary birth) it was out of God's first principle, than Man was a living soul in the heavenly Paradise, wherein there was a state of Innocency, being the morning time of man, wherein was planted paradisical fruit, which the garden [Man] should bring forth, for God did make him a garden for his own delight to walk in, and that the creature should delight in him, and to acknowledge God to be his Maker, and his all, his life and only being, to whose command he was to subject himself, in all obedience, meekness, thankfulness, love, humility, and mercy, and so represent the glory of the Lord, and to be like him; if these things be in you, and abound, you shall not be unfruitful, therefore let these things be applied to every one of our hearts in particular, these prophesying times.  
Again, observe this, that God foreknew that all created things are changeable, therefore God made a Law to man, forbidding him of eating of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, which is in the midst of the garden; for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die; and this is the Law and Covenant that I have made between me and thee, that hast a being in creation by me.  
This consider, that man was made upright, but he being let stand did putrify,— and so sought out many inventions, Eecles. 7.29. so that there aspited up in the midst of the garden (the heart of man) pride and covetousness, being not contnted with that estate that God had put him in by Creation, but did covet another estate, to exalt itself, to be more knowing than God had made him; which self-aspiring the creature delighted in, and so eating or satisfying himself in his own fruit, broke the Law and Covenant, and died, according to the words of his Maker, and so fell from a pure estate to be rebellious, and to delight in his own ways, so that the root of man's fall, as he is a creature, sprung in his heart, there lies the mystery of iniquity; therefore consider what is the forbidden fruit, which him that eateth thereof doth advance himself, and denies God, which is the creatures death, loss and shame, and ever since the fall of man, this selfish aspiring spirit of pride leads the humane nature to disobey God, and leads every man and woman captive at his will, and enslaves them in the prison of bondage and darkness, to walk in ways directly contrary to the God of Truth and Light, and yet many times persuades them that they do God good service: let a man read, hear, study, preach, pray, and perform actions of justice, yet if God be not merciful to the man, this power of darkness will deceive him, making him conceit or think he pleaseth God, when the truth is, he serves but himself all that time, if the Spirit of God be not their counsellor and support, it is so full of secret strong delusions, therefore this is called the crooked Serpent, because it winds itself into every creature, and into every faculty, and twists itself about the Tree, (Mankind) so that the humane nature is defiled, and is a seat wherein the Beast and false Prophet sitteth, and therein predominate, whereby Satan's Kingdom is set up, and a worldlike power maintained, who serves by the brain for worldlike gain.   

Epist. II. Concerning our Restitution, Captivity, Sanctification, Ascension and Union.  
BEginning with that in Eph. 1.9, 10. That in the dispensation of the fullness of time, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him.  
There is a time for all purposes that are decreed by the Father, to be fulfilled in their times and seasons; a day for to fall, a day to reign as Kings, one hour with the Beast in his fall, a day for to be sensible of his fall: a day to be senfible of the terrors and punishments by his fall, and a day to be sensible of his loss of God's presence and communion with him, and a day to abide the trial of the fire, which shall search the heart, and try the reins of man: a day for all fleshly glory to fall before the presence of the Lord: a day to mourn for these changes: a day for to go through the fiery trial, and to be refined again: and again, a day to behold the manifestation of God to be like Flames of Fire, to kindle every where, where it cometh; then shall the smoking flax be set on fire, then will the Lord say unto the Sons of men, Arise and shine, for your light is come; then shall you arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you life, then am I come saith he, that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly, and you who were absent from me, shall return to your father's house, like the prodigal, and be present with me where I am. And then you that seed upon husks, and were wanderers and strangers to the Land of Promise, the Land of the Living, thus being refined, Christ will present you unblameable and unrebukable, without spot or blemish before the Throne of God, and you shall be unto him a sweet savour, a saerifice which he is well pleased with; then saith he, Come my own delight, come my own children, which are near and dear unto me, who issued out of my own bowels, which my womb brought forth, to the glory and praise of my own name, even so shall it be by my gathering those that are afar off, and those that are nigh, into my glory, then is the time come, that the Father will glorify us, that we may glorify him, then shall we know the time that the Lord doth gather in his sewels, which shall shine most gloriously in their Cabinets, then shall they who have the single eye, behold and see that Christ is come the second time without sin unto salvation, Heb. 9.28. Therefore Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in, Psalm 24.9. Consider, that Christ is the head of every Saint, and to be a Saint is to be sanctified and drawn up into union with Christ; for he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one, Heb. 2.11. which makes them gates to show forth his praise, and to exalt their head, then shall we know, that he that descended is the same also that asoended, and know this, that there is a descending, before there is an ascending, and that which doth descend must also ascend, so every thing shall return into its Centre, if you are spiritual you must ascend into the internal Court, and the heavens shall be bowed down at the presence of the Lord, for the rising up of all Saints into union with him, when the day of remptation is upon all the world; for there is no approach, no converse, no sweet intercourse between God and the Creature, but in him, by him, and through him; and this consider, if you are not risen with Christ, ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, and these things are hid from your eyes and present enjoyment likewise; therefore let every one examine his own heart, and consider what an estate he is in, whether it be in darkness or in light, or whether the day of the Lord hath been upon thee, that thou art changed thereby from death to life, and so from glory to glory, and to be gathered out of all things below God whatsoever, that thou canst truly say, that Christ who is our life, has appeared, & we appear with him in glory, than thou art able to dwell with consuming fire, & to live in dispensations, & a life a to appear where the Lord appears, and not to smite at thy poor brethren, who Christ died for.  
This consider, That all Nations are made of one blood, and have all life and breath by one God, Act. 7.26. yet this great lump being brought forth, though they are all the same, all of one blood, yet they are cut out into two parcels, Jews and Gentiles, and they are as distinct as may be, both in their ways, and in their God, in their Laws, Ordinances, desires, ends and hopes; the Jews must not be like the Gentiles in any thing, the Gentiles will not be like the Jews in any thing; Oh how divers and distinct, and contrary are they! but this distinction must not always last, for when Christ comes forth to give up that principle of life in himself, and to slay it in them, whereby they have thus lived, the leaves and fruit of variety and distinction will soon whither, and they will all return back into union and harmony again, then shall the earth diselose her blood, so Christ brings them both into one, and takes them both, with all their differences, into his own Body, and destroys all their differences, and offers up all that God dislikes in them, in his own Body on the Cross, and so sweetly heals up the differences between God and the Creatures by his entire love unto them.   

Epist. III. Concerning seven dispensations, which hath, and shall be fulfilled in their end of time.  
THe first dispensation was, when God gave the Law to Adam as soon as he had made him, as, In the day thou eatest, thou shalt die. Now this Law it was holy, just, and good, yet it was a kill word, (or the kill letter) for it took hold on Adam's disobedience, and slew him, so all Flesh died, for all Flesh broke the Covenant in Adam, and so all Humane Flesh was cast under that dispensation of death; so every opposite estate will seek to advance itself.  
The second dispensation, is in the first Promise, or Manifestation of the Love of God to the creature, and the Curse to the Serpent, in these words, The seed of the woman shall bruise the Scrpents' head, Gen. 3.15. & 22.18. and this continued from Adam till Abraham.  
Then the third dispensation or discovery of God is more clear, than the former, for unto Abraham he speaks more particularly, he doth not still say in general terms, the seed of the woman,— but in thy seed Abraham (all Nations of the earth) shall be blessed, and so points out more directly in what lineage and generation of Mankind, God would first appear in, to bruise the Serpent's head, and this dispensation continued from Abraham to Moses, and they embraced the promises.  
The fourth dispensation is from Moses till God manifested himself in the Flesh, or till Jesus Christ was born of Mary, who was one of the house of David, and of the lineage of Abraham, and this dispensation is more clear than the former, for God by Types, and Figures, and Ceremonies and Shadows, did manifest his love to his creatures, and his wrath to the Serpent, as we may understand, when God appears in John's Baptism, or the Water Baptism, which did much type forth the Baptism of the Spirit by Fire and the Holy Ghost, which should refine and purify them, and saith John I must decrease (or that administration I lived in) but he that cometh after me, which is Christ, shall increase, and shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost, and also God did manifestly set forth his love by the Prophets in that dispensation, for than was the shadow of the Law of Moses falling, and Gospel-truths' rising, whereby they should be the more ceasing from Man, whose breath is in his Nostrils; and so likewise the love of God did much appear when the sacrifice was slain and offered, than God received an atonement, it being a type of God's indwelling in the Flesh, or a shadow of Christ the Lamb, the substances of all those sacrifices,— and I pray you consider those things which are spoken allegorically concerning Achan, Josh. 7.26. where it appears, that when Achan that troubled Israel was put to death in the valley of Anchor, the fierceness of God's wrath was turned away. And in Hosea, ch: 2. v: 14, 15. where he saith, I will give the valley of Acher for a door of hope, which was the place of Achans death; so when the Serpent who is our trouble, is subdued and killed in the valley of human flesh, than the dispensation of mods' anger is turned away.  
The fifth dispensation, is from the time that God was manifested in the flesh, in the person of jesus Christ, to the time that he appeared in the flesh and person of his Saints; likewise this also is more clear than the former, for jesus the anointed, was the substance of all those types and shadows of the Mosaical Law, for now God doth manifestly appear to dwell in the flesh, and by a manifest being, to set the Creature free from bonbage, and by Immortal life to swallow mort I beings into himself.  
The sixth dispensation is from the time that God appeared in the flesh of the Saints, till the perfect gathering up of the Elect, which is the work of that dispensation— which is called a Referrection day, or a great day of judgement, for so long as the judge sits upon the judgement seat it is the day of judgement, which he doth in every dispensation, until the time of the Restitution of all things, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Christ, Eph. 1.10. Rev 10.7. but in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets, so Gor. i. 15.24. then cometh the end when he that is Christ shall have delivered up his Kingdom to God even the Father, compared with Acts 3.21:— and this also is more clear than the former, as God appeared in Christ who is the root of the creation, it was a sign of God the father appearing in the whole body; for saith Christ, I and the children that thou hast gave me for signs and wonders: and according to his promise by Joel, ch. 2. v. 28. I will pour out my spirit upon all Flesh, etc. the Apostles also finding the same in themselves, bare witness to it, Acts 2.16.  
And thus I give you a hint of the seventh dispensation, when the Gospel's declaration shall be fulfilled, and we to be transformed and changed into the Heavenly Image whereby all things may be restored into the Indissoluble band, into the unity and peace of God which passeth all understanding of man, and all wars to cease; for so long as dispensations last and we under them, we are at warts among ourselves, and with God also in one sense, and a rechangable while we are under dispensations, and are to be changed from glory to glory, & as God doth in Scripture declare seven great dispensations, or discoveries of his counsel and will; each one clearer than other, yet in every one of these, God doth send forth several other dispensations by the hand of Angels, for the carrying on of the work, of that time and season, which are discoveries of his glory, for whatsoever comes from God is a spiritual power, and it may be said to be declared by angels, as when God appeared in discoveries to his peopel, an angel is said to appear unto them, as to Joseph in a dream, Zachariah in a vision; unto Araham and Lot it is said Angels appeared, and likewise he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his Elect from four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, Math. 24.30, 31. than shall all the holy seed be gathered in, and appear in its glory, than the tribes of the earth shall mourn, because of the desolation of their Kingdom,— than I. is taken, and I. is left.   

Epist. iv A discovery of the Reign of the Beast of Babylon's City, which hath made the nations drunk with wine of her fornication.  
I Shall begid with that of Daniel, ch. 8. v. 23.24, 25. and in the later time of their Kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a King of fierce countenance, and understanding, dark sentences, and his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power, and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and practise, and shall destroy the mighty, and the holy people, and through his policy also, he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand, and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many, he shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes, but he shall be broken down without hand.  
And all this time, that God is gathering together the Elect— he hath given a time, times and half a time, to the Serpent, which in these threefold shapes and a half, or in these three days and a half, he is called the Beast Ruling in the Whore, and this time is given him to make war, and to fight against the Prince of Princes and his Saints, and to overcome then, and to waste and destroy the holy People mightily, and this appointed time, is the year or season wherein the Beast lives, and God gives all advantages to the Beast, as riches, ontward liberty,— worldy power, and generally human authority into his hand, whereby he reigns, and is the Idol. God of this world— and hath put no weapons into the hands of the Saints,— but the anointing and sword of the Spirit of the Lord, to fight against the reproaches, slanders, opprssions, poverties, weaknsse, wickedness, Prisons, and the multitude of temptations, which the Beast through her wit, malice, policy, and power, doth cast upon the Saints, like a flood of water to drown, and destroy, and over come the work of God, in his coming forth in the Spirit,— if it were possible,— likewise, the Serpent stirs up some whom he discerns to be seeming professors, outwardly religious, having a form of Godliness, but through hypocrisy, pride, and selfishness, deny the power, and dishonour God, and discourage the tender Lambs of Christ, and cast an ill reproach upon the ways of God; and hence it is, that Isarel of old were trampled upon— by the Gentiles in the Flesh that were not in Covenant with them, but were under the condemning law, who have trod under foot the blood of the new covenant, and hence it is, that the Beast must tread the holy City underfoot two & forty months, which signifieth his Reign is but for a short space of time, but now in these latter days, when the time, times and half, draw to an end— then God sends forth several dispensations, and Angels, assisting to the sixth and great dispensation, wherein the Lords appearance will blast all the glory of the Beast, and Immaginary part of man; therefore ye that adorn yourselves with Babylon's painting, fair outsides of several colours, and dresses of Edom's die, behold the Lord is coming to execute judgement upon his adversaries and our oppressors, and to pour out Vials of wrath upon all the glory of the Beast, and to slain the pride of all flesh, whereby he curses all their glory by seven degrees, by the voice of God, through Angels and Saints, sounding forth seven Trumpets of glory to God one after another, which is perfection of glory to the Saints, or Church of the first borne,— which implies perfection, of ruin upon every particular of the Beast, blasting, cursing or the downfall of their Kingdom,— Oh! that all professors had a zeal of God according to knowledge, that they may not be like the wild sigrree that Christ cursed, which was ful of leaves, but no fruit, for iniquity abounds, and the love of many, in whom the Serpent rules, waxeth cold, and extreme ' bitter, and mad against the Saints, in whom the anointed rules, so that they gnash their tongues with vexation of spirit, and the smoke of their torment ascends upward, and so they have no rest day nor night, who worship the Beast and his Image, and whosoever receiveth the Mark of his Name; and thus consider, while God suffers the Beast co Reign, it is called the day of the Beast, and God hath given him three days and a half, to tread the holy City underfoot, or the space of two and forty months, which is three shapes, three discoveries of the Reign of the Beast, or three degrees and a half, of the Serpent's Reformation, from bad to worse, from open profaneness, to close hypocrisy; Rev. 17.4. therefore let error, sin, devil and darkness come forth in their power, it is the will of God they should do so, that it may appear to be more than what it is,— and that old Herode may be discovered which seeketh the life of the child jesus as soon as he is borne of any Virgin Spirit; also that Pharaoh should rise unto his full greatness,— that God may appear to be above, and to get himself honour upon him, for he will be glorified by both, vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour; Antichrist is now getting up upon his last legs, whose legs are Iron, and feet clay: there is life no where but in his stump, which often has been laped, but yet the root remains alive which is not enough to quicken— throughly in this his last Image and form in which he is coming forth like unto an Angel of light; but how soon was he thrown down in his last appearance and rising among us? even before he could by't, his teeth were broken; god smote him on the cheekbone, before the thorns were grown hard to prick, the fire took hold of them, which fire is kindling the smoke sparkles, to burn down the tall Cedars, and God is finishing the work apace and cutting it short in righteousness, even to the utter consumption and destruction of his enemies by the brightness of his coming; Jacob shall be a Fire, and Esau for stubble, God will be a swift witness against this Sorcery, for so are all the deal of natural men in things of god, and by terrible things will he answer them: and this consider, that the foundation that some professors are laying, in several ways or opinions shutted to their eyes, which will appear to be the abomination of desolation spoken of by Danel the prophet, all the rising and puttings forth of Antichrist are fair and well looking, but God doth pronounce the final Curse against it, which was a fruit that sprung up in the created being, and acted both inwardly and outwardly, but God's design is to weed out the tares from the good of the corn, but the husbandmen think that by this husbandry, the wheat will be pulled up with the tares, nay they think the wheat will be destroyed, and the tares nourished, because they are unskilful of the work, but the Lord is now resolved that the wheat shall spread and flourish, and he will come and sever the tares from the wheat, and throw out those husbandmen with them into the Fire, which beat his Servants and would have killed the Heir, therefore their vineyard shall be taken away and given to another people,— therefore let all Flesh be silent before the Lord, for he is raised up to make known his power for the proclaiming of Israel's return, and the captivity of his people, Zach. 2.13. for the Lord will build her again that hath been trodden down, and plant her in the magnificents beauty of beauties, in royal and adorative glory: O my beloved! my soul is ravished with the delightful delight, desiring you may be gathered into union in the celestial centre, in the bosom of the Father.   

Epist: V Concerning a further discovery of Antichrist in man, and of the Spirit of God in man, discovering that Antichrist what he is, and where he rules.  
ANd every spirit that confesseth not, that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come, and even now already is in the world, 1 joh. 4.3.  
Who hath known the mind of God? the spiritual man, that cannot but confess, that Christ is come in the Flesh, by his union that he hath with him in the spirit, and is enlightened by the Resurrection from the dead, whereby his works declare him that they are of the Father, not only in word, but in power and demonstration of the Spirit, whereby they abound in all goodness; for so are the fruits of the Spirit, as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no Law, Gal. 5.23.  
Now who are they that confesseth not that Christ is come in the Flesh? even they in whom the Spirit of Antichrft rules and is predominate in them, whereby they bring forth the fruits of wickedness by their own Beastial reason; now who is an Antichrist? even he that denieth the Father and the Son, 1. John. 2, 22. and all that obey not the command of Christ, which doth bring us unto God; then Antichrist must be the unbelieving Spirit, that cannot confess Christ by the fruits of the Spirit of God, and by his mercies held forth in lesus Christ unto him in his creaturely estate: this know, whilst thou art in this dark, ignorant, polluted, defiled, estate, thou hast an Antichrist Devil, false Prophet within thee, as it doth appear by Peter, when Christ said unto him, Got the dehinde me Satan, for thou savorest not the things of God, but of man; then look no more for Antichrist abroad or at Rome, but at home, and do not thrust it off from one unto another, and one country unto another Nation, when indeed it is Antichrist his trade to keep our eyes without, lest we should see his deceit within; Antichrist is also the whore that holds forth by'r Golden Cup full of abomination and filthiness of her fornication, Rev. 17.4, which deceives the nations and wipes her mouth, and said I have done no wrong, when she hath acted what she can; therefore tremble, tremble, tremble, for the day of the Lord will renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, and the secrets of your hearts shall be laid open, and you shall be as stubble for the Fire in that day, then shall he shake every strong hold, and your fortified places, and your high towers; yea, he will shake both heaven and earth, both inwardly and outwardly, so that there will be no safety no where but in the Lord, for he shall be the hiding place, until the indignation of the Lord be overpast, that those things which cannot be shaken (being himself) may remain, when he shall turn upside down, and overturn all things that are not according to truth, and strength, and knowledge, wisdom and power of Christ Jesus; therefore weight diligently upon the Lord, that how mayst be found in him, not having thine own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ, even the Lord our righteousness; therefore behold there is a wild Figtree, that was a show of a goodly good tree afar off to dark eyes, but to come close to the Figtree, & you my brethren after the flesh, which vaunt your selus in human learning & brainwit, then like the Fgtree are ye, and are full of beauteous leaves (without) of expressions, but to come to the fruit, ye are carnal, and devilish in action; by the fruit ye shall know them, if you are able to distinguish of fruits, by the Spirit of God, which shall try the spirits and the works of man of what sort they are: Now there is but light and darkness in which man worketh in, either light or darkness, and this is the definition, God is light, and that light is love; now Man in that love is in light, and that only light is Christ; now as God is light, the Devil is but darkness to that light, now in darkness is hatred, malice, envy, covetousness, and the root of all bitterness, which is the Devil; therefore you that would be holy, depart from these evils, for it is the highway of the righteous to departed from iniquity.   

Epist. VI Of an heavenly estate of things in the new jerusalem, in man, and of the death of the Creature in an estate below God.  
TO come close to the matter: In a word, it is this hell is called death, or a conditon below life, and this is twofold, either a death far below the nature of God, or a death of sorrows, which is a condition far below the comforts and enjoyments of God; now every man and woman as they are branches of Adam in the fall, they have no purity in themselves, and therefore in a hell far below the life and nature of God, and likewise they are avoidable subject to the sorrows of that death, and have no power to deliver themselves out of that bondage, for God is only our Redeemer and Deliverer, therefore he sent his Son not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved, Joh. 3.17. Therefore it followeth clear, that if men were capable of so much mercy, being God's creatures, as to be delivered from the guilt of Sin and of Death, which is one part of Hell, or a condition below life eternal, then will they be capable to be delivered through the mercy of the same God, from the sorrows and pains that followeth sin, both which God in his time will deliver his Creation from,  
Secondly, the heavenly estate is to live unto God with the life of Christ in the knowledge thereof of his power; and to know God to be his all in all,— to love his Enemies, to do good to them that hate you, and persecute you, to be all in love, to enjoy God in time of trouble, or at all times, and to be with him in Spirit where he is; this is an Heavenly estate, to see the invisible appear in the visible, and to swallow it up in itself, in love— as Enech that walked with God and was not, but there is such a way for Saints to go, before they come to enjoy their Kingdom, or to enter into their glory, as followeth, as jesus Christ hath showed us, in that which is called the Lords Supper and Baptism, that no Flesh will endure it, as will appear, First, from those words of Christ in Mat. 20.19.20.21. for when he was desired by the mother of Zebedees' children, that her two sons might sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left, in his kingdom, his answer was, You know not what you ask; for, saith he, Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of, and to be Baptised with the Baptism what Jam Baptised withal? As if he should say, the way that leads to my kingdom, is a Crucifying way, even from the beginning, to the end, as it was with me, who was persecuted, from my birth to my death: it is a way sprinkled with blood, and burning with Fire, very sharp and bitter, and no sweetness in it; for many storms and tempests will arise and fall upon your travel to Canaan, you must be crowned with thorts, and you must be tempted with the Serpent, buffeted with Satan, and persecuted with Herod, and how are you able to endure this? saith they, we are able; then saith Christ again, you stall indeed drink of the Cup that I drink of, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with, but to sit on my right hand, and on my left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father: which is as much as to say, you must suffer the loss of all things below, or besides me, and the way which I have gone you shall go, the death which I have suffered, you shall in some measure suffer, and then having gone the way, and suffered the death, you will say, Father Glorify thy Son, that thy Son may Glorify thee, then will he give you a crown of life, which is laid up for you in the kingdom of heaven, and as Paul saith, I have run the race, and obtained the price in Jesus Christ, I have finished my cross, henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of glory, even the Lord; and Christ himself saith, that for the glory which was set before him, he endured the cross, and despised the shame, drunk his cup and received his Baptism, and after entered into his glory: And thus he went before us as a pattern, or an example for us, but when we have obtained the Kingdom, and received the Crown, the kingdom being delivered up to the father, we are not,— Christ is all,— unto God the only one, for we then are not our own, but we are Christ's, and Christ is Gods, and so an union betwixt Christ and us, and an union betwixt God and Christ into one,— entire and alone essence, then is the Kingdom delivered up unto God by Christ, and then God the Father is as he was, that is, all in all— and out of that all— all came forth,— and into that all— shall all be through Christ, (who is the strength of God) be reduced into God, and yet a visible appearance— through the invisible, and in him to appear; this is one glimpse of the mystery of the Divine Deity operative, acting through itself in the illustration of itself,— which is wisdoms work and the Spirits teaching; therefore, let all flesh be silent before tke Lord, for it is not he that heareth my words, Saith Christ, but he that doth my will, he it is that is my disciple, blessed for ever in the name of the Father.   

Epist. VII. Concerning a word of exhortation to Christians to support the bruised Reed, that the smoking flax may be set on fire in these Gospel-times.  
O How good a thing it is for Christians to walk close with God in that dispensation wherein he appeareth unto them in; for no one can truly serve God out of that dispensation wherein he appeareth unto them; therefore then to walk up to what they know, and to judge others that are not under the same, though there be several dispensations or administrations, yet the same Lord, though they may be severally acted, yet all by one spirit, if they be sincere and upright in heart, and of a meek and quiet spirit, who dwells in love, otherwise they are but the world; a Saint is known by one of the same spirit, and disowned by the world, for they love their own, and the proof of a Saint is to show his strength in time of need, that is, to own all things that is of God, and to bear with the weak brethren, and to cherish that in them which is to be cherished, and to offer up that to the fire which is to be burnt: But how prone is man to be judging and condemning! Man hath an eye and light in his day, and he cannot forbear passing his judgement there upon things or persons: the natural man will be judging natural things, and the spiritual man will be judging spiritual things, men will be judging men, Christians will be judging Christians, yea both will be judging: there is a day of man, and the day of God, man is judging in his day, if there be not so much light as to make the day of the Lord appear in man, it is but man's day and so the worthlesness of his judgement appears in Paul's account for saith he, it is with me avery small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgement; man cannot be more forward to judge me, than I am to slight him in that action, for man's judgement is too shallow to judge in spiritual things: judge not (saith Christ) and he himself forbear judging: I judge no man, job 8, 15. though if he had judged, his judgement had been true, vers. 16. yet being not his time to judge, though he was judge, he could for bear his sentence, until the proper season of it, therefore saith Paul, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkuess, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart, therefore, saith Paul, With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's judgement, yea I judge not mine own self, 1 Cor. 4.3. Who art thou that iudgest another man's servant to his own master? he standeth or falleth: or wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, it belongs to the Lord to be judge, for thou, O man, hast no more right to judge thy fellow servant, than he has to judge thee: therefore judge nothing before the time in the things of God, for he has kept his own light for his own day, which shall lay open the secrets of every man's heat: therefore he that is under one discovery, let him not judge another that is under another discovery, and let not them who serve God in dispensations, judge them in whom he will be served above dispensations, and so to limit and confine God how or where he shall appear, or be served: but as every one hath received of the gift of God, so let them minister the same as good stewards of his manifold grace, 1 Pet. 4.10. therefore note it is a gift which cannot be purchased by money as human learning is, which servs but for external things, and cannot look into the internal, as can the gift which is given, even the spirit of truth, which needeth not to be supported by human learning, for it is supported by he that gives; but human learning is made a cloak to cover ignorance and hypocrisy, and to deceive the simple, but when it is grown to the full height, it shall fall, and then great Babylon shall fall, and her mourners shall be many: Therefore I pray you set no greater a price of it, than what it is worth, for when God called for Preachers he called Fishermen, as was Peter, and Shepherds as was Moses and David, and Herdsmen, as Amos, and Elisha a Ploughman, Christ himself was called a Carpenter, Paul a Tentmaker, but he could speak Tongues being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel: but for althat, he was a persecutor of the church before his conversion, therefore let not one sort of people have any prejudice against another, for God will call whom he pleaseth, and will be honoured where he pleaseth, and can take of all sorts some to manifest his glory; therefore be waiting upon God, and ceasing from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, & so fulfil the commands of Christ, see that you love one another, love all men, even your enemies, do good to them that hate you, & the God of love will cover you when the storm shall fall upon the wicked: O beloved! did you but know how lovely you are being in love, for love showeth the deformity in all that is not in love,— but it is not seen but by loves own eye, what an oneness there is in yourselves being in love, & what an oneness in multiplicities being in love, which will set the smoking Flax on a bright Flame, & will kindle every little spark where it comes; Love is that which ties all the Brethren in a knot, God is love, and he that dwelleth in that love dwelleth in God, and God in him; Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of Judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. 1 Joh. 4.16.17.  
FINIS.    

If you our land would know wherein we overflow,  
It is Canaan wherein the pleasant plants do grow.  
Which from the root they yield their fruit now  
Of heavenly glory forth to show:  
Not in notion, but our portion, which satisfits us  
Yea, the Sun which is so transparent bright  
With its sarafic all light,  
Power strength and might;  
Which turns all the beholders into its right,  
And puts an end to war and strife,  
Which in Religion's fight.  
But in darkness, not in light,  
Wherein their actions attend to strife,  
Which fruit doth show where it doth grow,  
In human nature far below,  
Which is a Hell to the creatures woe  
When the vials come where that doth grow:  
Which shall scorch and blast  
That which man doth hold so fast:  
Than man's teaching that shall fall,  
Which hath long time stood like a wall,  
Then Melchisedec a Preacher unto us shall be, partition wall,  
In perfect unity.  
So God who is our all, by breaking down the  
Will deliver Israel all from bondage and from thrall.  
So shall the light which is so bright,  
Shine both far and near,  
Then perfect love shall cast out fear,  
That we in heaven may appear  
With our glory in the Sphere,  
Then for to be what at first we were,  
Before in Creation we did appear,  
That Christ in one may all then be,  
Unto eternity.  
Then the pathment of our God in glory bright,  
Always a day, there is no night.  
From that Imperial Throne  
Declares the glory of union.  
Finis.