Several Papers given forth for the Spreading OF TRUTH, And Detection of DECEIT; Wherein The Plain, Honest and Sober Conversation of the Saints in Fear and Trembling is Justified, against the idle babblings of Formal Professors, the wicked fashions, and heathenish Customs of these Nations, under the pretence of civility. By G. F. Minister of the Eternal Word of God. Isa. 9.2. The People that walked in Darkness have seen a great Light, they that dwelled in the Land of the shadow of Death, upon them hath the Light shined. John 12.35. Then Jesus said unto them, yet a little while is the Light with you, walk while you have the Light, lest Darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in Darkness knoweth not whether he goeth. Printed in the Year, 1671. Several Papers given forth for the Spreading OF TRUTH and Detection of Deceit, &c. The Worship of the Saints and the World how they Differ. YOU self-willed Professors, and you conceited Hypocrites, lament for your wo is coming, you who dissemble with God and man, and deceive both yourselves and others; away with all your curious minds which feed on that air, and are so light, and which feed upon your dainty dishes and novelties, you are above the across, and so the Earthly will is fed and Fleshly desires; Woe unto you Self-conceited ones, which gaddeth abroad to change your ways, Death doth Feed upon Death, and Death doth speak Death, and all is Death, the Letter is Death, and the Carnal Mind is Death; the Lord hath said, The Seed of the Woman shall Bruise the Head of the Serpent; and people will talk of it without them; but man and woman, Doth not Death rain in thee? while the Carnal mind raineth, Death raineth, and the Head of the Serpent, is Head in thee, if God hath not bruised him in thee; and dust is the Serpents meat, you must all see it in yourselves, whatsoever is seen, is dust; all your out-side Profession is dust, which you have got out of Books and Sermons, and your latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and all which is out-ward, is dust; and all your glorious Gospel-notions are dust, and all your gold and Silver is dust, and fine Apparel is dust, and all the Worlds Glory the mind feedeth on is dust, and all the Worlds Profession and Worships which is not in Spirit and Truth is dust; if the Head of the Serpent be bruised in thee by the Seed of the Woman, thou wilt see these to be so; for the pure Worship is not without, but within, the Worlds Church is without them, carnal Lime and ston, and their Call is an outward carnal Bell, and a carnal man speaking the carnal Letter, to carnal minds for carnal Money and carnal Ends. The Saints Church is in God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Worlds Assembly is without them; a company of earthly minds met in a Steeple-house. The Saints are brought to the General Assembly of the first-born, and to the innumerable company of Angels, and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfest, and to God the Judge of all. The Worlds Teachers are of the Letter, without, a proud Man called of men Master, and hath the chiefest places in the Assemblies, going in long Robes, loving greeting in the Market, the highest Rooms at Feasts, all which Christ forbade. The Saints Teacher is within them; Ye need not that any man teach you, but as the Anointing that ye have received teacheth you of all things, and is true, and is no lye; and even as it hath taught you, still abide in it. The Worlds Law is without them, in the command of the Letter, and they break the Commands, and so it is Death. The Saints Law is within them, written in their hearts, and they are taught of God, from the greatest to the least; and shall no more teach every one his Neighbour saying, Know the Lord; for they shall know him. The Worlds Light is without them: A Chapter, or a Verse, which was another mans Light, left upon Record. The Saints Light is within them; You have a Light which shineth in a dark place, to which you do well to take heed, until the Day down, and the Day-star arise in your hearts. The Worlds Word is without them, and they take the Letter for the Word, when as the Word is invisible. The Saints Word is within them; The Word is nigh thee, in thy heart and in thy mouth, and doth sanctify them, and is sharper than a two-edged Sword, dividing asunder; and is a descerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart. The Worlds Witness is without them, which is the Letter, and it bears witness against all the practices of the World. The Saints Witness is within them; He that believeth hath the Witness in himself. The Worlds Baptism is without them, Sprinkling of Infants, for which is no Command or Example in Scripture. The Saints Baptism is within; Baptized with one Spirit into one Body, and are made all to drink into one Spirit. The Worlds Communion is without them, taking a Letter-Bread and Wine, which is Carnal, and calls that a Communion, but are separated in Spirit, and are not of one heart and one mind. The Saints Communion is within, in Spirit, written in one anothers hearts, and though absent in the Flesh, yet are they present in Spirit. The Worlds Touch-stone is without them, and they try the living by the dead, the Spirit by the Letter. The Saints Touch-stone is within, whereby they try the Spirits whether they be of God or no; Every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ come in the flesh is of God, and he that confesseth him in truth, hath him and the Father also. The World is ruled by outward Rules, and all goeth from the Rule. The Saints Rule is within them; Christ who ruleth over them is the Head of the Body. The Worlds Record is without them. The Saints Record is within them; the Spirit which God hath given unto them is their Record. The Worlds Sabbath is without them, and they have no Rest but in a Form without. The Saints Sabbath is within, where Christ is come to give them Rest, and they are saved from their own works. The Worlds Psalms are without them, and they sing Davids quakings and tremblings, wastings, prophesies, prayers and tears, weeping until his Eyes grew dim; he watered his Couch with his tears. And they tune these into metre, and say, Let us sing to the praise and glory of God, when it is all to his dishonour. The Saints Psalms are within, and they sing with the Spirit and with the understanding also. The Worlds guide is without them, in the Traditions and Precepts of men, which led from God. The Saints Guide is within them, the Spirit; and they are the Sons of God who are guided by the Spirit of God. The Worlds Temple is without them, which was builded for the Idolatrous Worship. The Saints Temple is within: Ye are the Temple of the living God, and he doth walk in them and dwell in them; and they know and can witness God dwelling in them. The Worlds Prayers are without them, and the Power thereof stands in outward words, and they ask and have not, because they ask amiss, that they may spend it upon their Lusts. The Saints Prayers are within, by the Spirit which teacheth in all conditions what to pray for, and helps the infirmities, with sighs and groans which cannot be uttered, and they ask in the Name of the Son and are heard in whatsoever they ask, and thereby is the Father glorified, for they ask in Faith, nothing wavering. All you that red these things, red yourselves, where you are, whether you are within among the Saints, or without among the World. The lion hath roared, tremble all ye Beasts of the field. The Trumpet hath sounded, let the best prepare himself to Battle: for the Great Day of SIONS recompense is at hand, and woe to all his Enemies. CERTAIN QUERIES TO All you Prophets that prophesy for Hire, and all you Priests that Teach for Money, and bear Rule by your Means, and all you Shepherds which seek for your Gain from your Quarters. Answer these, for they are given forth for the general good of all People. Query I. WHether you will own Jeremiah to be a true Prophet which cried against the Priests that bore Rule for their Money? And whether you will justify these that bear Rule by their means, which Jeremiah cried against? Query, II. Whether you will own the Prophet Isaiah to be a true Prophet of the Lord, which the Lord sent to cry against them That sought for their Gain from their Quarters? And whether you will hold up these Shepherds that seek for their Gain from their Quarters now, that he cried against? Query III. Whether you will own Ezekiel to be a true Prophet of the Lord, which the Lord sent to cry against the Shepherds which feed themselves with the fat, and cloath with the wool, and make a prey upon the People? And whether you will justify these Shepherds that seek for the fleece now, for the wool and the fat, and make a prey upon the People, which Ezekiel cried wo against? Query IV. Whether you will own Micah to be a Prophet of the Lord, which the Lord sent to cry against hierling Priests and Prophets, that Preached and Prophesied for money? And whether you will justify these things now, which the Lord sent him to cry against then? Query V. Whether you will justify such as Jesus Christ cried woe against, which were called of men Master, and had the chiefest Places in the Assemblies, and stood praying in the Synagogues, and laid heavy burdens upon the People, and love Salutations in the Markets? And whether you will justify these things which he cried wo against? Query VI. Whether you will justify Sprinkling Infants, seeing there is not a Word in Scripture to prove it? Query VII. Whether you will justify Davids Psalms, his Quakings, Prayers and Tears, and his Condition turned into rhyme and metre, and sung in the World, yea or nay? Query VIII. Whether any of the Apostles or Ministers of God did receive tithes after Christ was risen, yea or nay? Query IX. Whether ever any of the Disciples of Jesus Christ, or Believers that believed in him, after he was risen, did pay tithes according to the Old time, after the Substance was come, yea or nay? Query X. Whether these be not the Teachers spoken of which stand railing in the Pulpit, and are in envy, and sue men at the Law, are proud and covetous, be not them which go in the way of Cain, and through covetousness make merchandise of the People? And are they not to be cried against now, as Paul and Peter did then? Query XI. Whether these Teathers that seek for great Augmentations, great Benefits and tithes, be not as they which the Scripture speaks of which run greedily after the Error of Balaam, who perished in the gain-saying of Kore? Seeing the Apostle said, He coveted no mans silver, nor gold, nor apparel, but wrought with his hands, that he might be an Example to all that followed him. Query XII. Whether they do abide in the Doctrine of Christ which compel People to Swear? or the Doctrine of the Devils, when Christ said, Swear not at all: but let your yea be yea, and your nay nay, for whatsoever is more is evil. Query XIII. Whether the outward Temple was to be built up after Christ was risen, yea or nay, seeing Stephen was stoned to death for witnessing against it? Query XIV. Whether a man shall be made free from the body of Sin while he is upon the Earth yea or nay? Query XV. Whether you will own that Christ which said, Be not ye called of men Masters, or, whether you will be called of men Master, and so deny that Christ? Query XVI. Whether that was the true Christ that forbade these things? Or, whether you will own that Christ as an Example, to follow him who is the Way, the Light, and the Truth? Some Queries to all People of England, Ireland and Scotland. I. WHhether the Shepherds in these Nations now, do not seek for their Gain from their Quarters, as they did which Isaiah was sent to cry out against? And whether the Priests do not bear Rule by their Means, as they did which Jeremiah was sent to cry out against? And whether those horrible filthy things be not committed in this Land, as was in Israel? II. Whether the Shepherds in these Nations do not feed themselves with the fat, and cloth themselves with the wool, and make a prey upon the People, as they did Ezekiel was sent to cry out against? And whether they do not preach for Hire, and divine for money, as they did which Micah cried against? III. Whether the Priests of these Nations are not called of men Master, and have the chiefest Places in the Assemblies, stand praying, and have greeting, in the Market places, and go in long Robes, as those which Christ cried wo against? IV. Whether they do not deceive you which put you upon singing Davids Psalms, his Prayers, and Praises, and his Condition, which you cannot witness; so causing you to sing a lie? V. Whether they do not deceive you that take tithes and Augmentations, when as Christ saith, Freely you have receved, freely give? VI. Whether they that stand raileng in their Pulpits, and are in Envy, are proud and covetous men, and sue men at the Law, be not as they which go on in the ways of Cain, and through Covetousness make merchandise of you: are not to be cried out against now, as Paul and Peter did then? VII. Whether the Teachers of England, who seek for great Augmentations, Benefits and tithes, be not as they which run greedily after the Error of Balaam which perished in the gain-saying of Kore, seeing the Apostle said, He coveted no mans Silver, nor no mans apparel, but wrought with his own hands, that he might be an Example to all that follow him? VIII. Whether the Priests do not deceive you and bewitch you, that hold up those Idol-Temples, which God never commanded, with many other things, when the Apostle said, They did bewitch them, that taught them to observe that which God had commanded when the Substance was come? IX. Whether they do not deceive you and pervert the Scripture that tells you, Men shall never be perfect while they are on the Earth? X. Whether they are not Ministers of Antichrist, and no Ministers of Christ, that do not abide in his Doctrine; seeing the Apostle said, They that did not abide in the Doctrine of Christ had not God? XI. Whether their Call to their Ministry, and their Gospel be of God, who come from Oxford and Cambridge, when the Apostle said, His Ministry was not of man, nor the gospel he preached by man? XII. Whether any of the Saints, or Believers after Christ was risen paid tithes to any or no? Now all People, under what Form soever, who do uphold the Priests, who uphold such things, Answer these Queries, that the simplo may receive satisfaction; which is amied at in these Queries. To all such as Stumble at the SIELNT WAITING upon the LORD. YOU are not come to know the time to Keep silence, Isa. 4.7. Before the time to speak, eels. 3. But are such as Jeremiah, 2, 3. speaks of, which use your tongues and say The Lord saith; When the Lord never speak to you. So you have not known the keeping of silence before the speaking; but are such as say, Your Tongues are your own, you ought to speak; as David speaks Psal. 12. So hear what Isaiah saith, Sit thou in silence, get thou in deceivableness, O daughter of Caldea: thou shalt no more be called the Lady of Kingdoms. mark, the Lady of Kingdoms must come into silence, Isa. 41. And you know not a sitting silent in the fenced Citys, Jeremiah 8. But the Lord will put you to silence and you must witness silence before you come to speak: for, when the devil was cast forth, the dumb speak. Let the lips be put to silence that spakes grievous and proud things contemptiously against the Righteous. These are the lips that are to be put to silence. Now all you lying lips that spake contemptuous things against the Righteous you are to be put to silence before you speak, Psal. 3. Kir of Moab was brought to silence, because he was in the might, Isa. 15. And all you who be of Moahs stock must know silence though you have had a time to speak, and use your tongues before the time of silence known, and the tongue of the dumb to sing; and, The songs of the Temple shall be turned into howling, saith the Lord; and there shall Remain Dead bodys in every place, and they shall cast them forth with silence. He that hath an ear, let him hear, Amos 8.2. And such as come to know the seventh Seal shall know the silence in Heaven. And when I saw the seventh feal opened, there was silence in Heaven half an hour. He that can red this understands Rev. 8. And the Apostle saith, Let the woman Learn in silence with all subjecton for I suffer not the woman to teach, nor to usurped Authority over the man: but to be in silence: as saith the Law, 1 Tim. 2. ●●. Yet saith the Lord, I'll pour forth my Spirit upon all flesh, and my sons and my daughters shall propehsie, Joel 2. ●. Acts 2.8. They that are lead by the Spirit, are not under the Law. And, Be swift to hear, and slow to spake; saith the Apostle. And he spakes of the many unruly vain Talkers, and such Teachers as was out of the Faith, and had got the Form of Godliness, which were to be turned from; which creept in, in those dayes, which were to be silent. So their is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Be silent all flesh before the Lord, Zac. 2. ●● Now here is a birth Born of the flesh, and this birth born of the flesh will persecute that Birth born of the Spirit. Now come all to know the Birth silence, which is born after the flesh, which will persecute: see you Priests if it be not flesh that speaks in you or not. You Teachers and Professors which say you have not the Spirit of God which gave forth the Scriptures, then you have not the birth they had, so then you have the other birth, the flesh. So you are in the time to keep silent, which Solomon speaks of; Else you are them that Jerimiah speaks of, that use their tongues though the Lord never spake to them; and you are them that are swifter to spake then to hear, contrary to the Apostles doctrine. Such are the lying Prophets that have not the spirit the Apostles were in, that the Scriptures was given forth from: therfore you have not the birth, that birth and spirit that speaks forth Scripture was come to the time it might speak. So holy men of God spake forth the Scripture as they were moved by the holy Ghost: and these came to the watching and praying: but, The Prayers of the wicked are Abomination unto the Lord. And, all that watch for Iniquity shall be cut off, Isa. 29. And the Apostles were to wait, and being Assemled, they were not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father. And, they were to receive Power after that the holy Ghost was come, and they should be witness unto Christ. Now here was a time of waiting, here is a time of speaking: The hold Ghost fell upon them, that they spake the wonderful works of God, 1. Act 1. and 2. And these were them that were gathered together with one accord: So, where two or three are gathered together in the Name of Christ, he is there in the midst of them. And Christ commanded, the Assembly that were met together, to wait for the holy Ghost and the Power; not to debart, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, at Jerusalem. So the Saints were not to forsake the Assembling one another, and to exhort one another inasmuch as they saw the day appearing, Heb. 10. And what if you should see such an Assembly as was in the dayes of Ezra: They trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and sate astonished until the evening Sacrifice. Ezra. 9. And those that come into the true waiting the true assembling; they come to the true supplication and prayer. If you did see some sit down as Jobs friends did seven dayes, and speak not a word one to another: this would fret the contrary mind, and make you to wonder, Job. 2. But I say, wait on the Lord, and; wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him that Prospereth in his way, because of the man that bringeth wicked devices to pass, Psal. 37. The Lord wipes away all tears from all faces and rebuk the People; the Lord hath spoken it. It shall be said in that day, This is the Lord; lo we have waited for him, we will be glad in his Salvation, Isa. 25. The Lord is good to him that waiteth for him; and it is good for a man that he should both hope and patiently wait for the Salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear his iniquity in his youth. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath born it upon him. Now that which hath acted inniquity, must come in the silence before the just, which comes out of the iniquity, doth come to ruin, and many have the dominion, Lam. 3. For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God, and who groans within themselves for the Adoption, to wit the Redemption of the Body: and are come to that condition that they do not know what they should pray for; but the Spirit maketh intercession with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered: So come to feel him that searcheth the hearts, and knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit: Because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God, Rom: 8. And Micah, that cried out against the Diviners and Teachers for money; said, He would wait upon the Lord, and he would look upon the God of his Salvation, and he would hear him. Be patient my Brethren for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Husband-man waiteth for the precious friuts of the Earth; he hath long patience, until he receive the early and the latter rain. So be ye also patiently established in your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth near, Jam. 5. The end of all things is at hand; be sober, and watch unto prayer, 1 Pet. 4. The Apostes were in labouring, and watchings, and fastings: Now red these, 2 Cor. 6. And, blessed is he whom when the Lord comes shall find watching; verily he shall make them to gird themselves, and sit down to meat, and will come and serve them. So blessed is that man that heareth and watcheth daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors, Prov. 8. And Christ said unto his Disciples, watch therefore, for ye know not neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man cometh, Mat. 25. This speaks Christ concerning the foolish Virgins and wise, such as had oil in their Lamps and such as had not: Therefore look to yourselves ye that are fain to go and buy. And what think you of them that Christ bid Tarry here and watch with me: And Christ comes and finds you asleep, and Christ saith What could you not watch with me one hour? watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. Watch therefore saith Christ, for you know not when the Master of the house cometh; lest when he cometh he find you a sleep. And what I say unto one, I say unto all: Watch, Mark 13. Mind where the watching is, and the praying is, they be in the Light, in that which silemceth flesh; for words in that leads from the watch, therefore come to know the watch before every one of your mouths set, and so to keep that silent that must be stopped; and see what Christ said unto all men: Watch. Now all being upon their watch, all are waiting, and hear all shall come to know the armor against that which will led aside. Timothy, he was to watch in all things. And the Saints were to watch and be sober unto prayer, 1 Pet. 4.7. 1 Thes Let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober: For they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that are drunk are drunk in the night: But let us who be of the day, be sober, putting on the brest-place of Faith and Love, for an helmet the hope of Salvation, for God hath not appointed us for wrath, but to obtain Salvation by our Lord. The Saints were to watch, yea, to stand fast in the faith and watch in the same with thanksgiving, Col. 4.2 Continue in prayer and watching with thanksgiving. Remember therefore how thou hast heard and received, and hold fast, and Repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, Ile come on thee as a thief; thou shalt not know what hour Ile come upon thee, Rev. 3. Mark, who are off from their watch, Christ comes on them so; and they that are off from their watch, are out of the Light that comes from Christ. Watch therefore with all perseverance and supplitation for all Saints. The Apostle bids the Saints watch, Ast 20. For wolves would comes in among them; but he had coveted on mans silver nor no mans apparel: but such would enter in after the dayes of the Apostle. But such as feared the Lord met often together; they spake often one to the other. The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear hint, and such the Lord spares in the day when he makes up his Jewels, as a man spares his onely Son that serves him. And saith the Apostle, Build up yourselves in the most holy Faith, praying in the holy Ghost. Mark, the building up in that which is holy, in the holy Faith, and a praying in the holy Ghost; now he speaks of some that speak high words, but themselves live in hypocrisy, and was gone in the ways of Balaam and Cain, and are they that must know a time of silence; for such build not among the Saints, For they are Babylons Stones. So all these high speakers which speak the high words of the Scriptures, out of the holy Ghost that gave them forth, they be out of that in which the Saints were. And so they that pray out of that are abomination; they are to be silent; and they that be out of the Faith, they be out of that the Saints built up one another in, the holy Faith. That which is holy gives Victory, for in that the Saints built, in that they pleased God; So in the Faith, in the Unity, for it gives Victory over the Enmity and the impure; For it purifies the heart, and without it man cannot please God, neither can they build in the Unity, but in the Faith that gives the Victory, in which is the Unity, which is the gift of God, by which he pleaseth him, that praying is in the holy Ghost. The Scriptures were given forth from the holy Ghost; Stephen a man full of the holy Ghost, in his Examination, when he spake to the Counsel, he said, They resisted the holy Ghost as their Fathers did, They professed the Scriptures, and yet themselves resisted the holy Chost. So all them that have the Scriptures, and resist the holy Ghost, resist that which gave forth Scripture, and their gathering and their praying are an abomination, and their gathering is to be scattered. Therefore all Friends that are come to witness the holy Ghost, and Faith, in which the true praying is, jo which the true building is, which gives Victory over the World, which is the Gift of God, in which you please God. Keep your Meetings. Met together, as you are moved speak; For they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost, and as the Spirit gave them utterance. And they prayed with the Spirit, and it helped their infirmities: For they could not tell what to pray for as they ought; but he that preached the heart, knew the mind of the Spirit: That teacheth to pray, and here comes to be the new Birth, born of the Spirit, which God the Father of Spirits hears, which is not that Birth which is born after the flesh, but is with that persecuted. Now you may see the just man Simion, who waited for the consolation of Israel, it was revealed to him, he came to see it: And the People that gladly received Christ, for they all waited for him, Luke ●. Now that which is not silent would not wait upon Jesus, but persecute that Birth, but the Birth is brought forth, and the Light springs; it's known, and seen, that must speak, and that is known that must keep silence. Praises there ariseth to the Lord God for ever, who is exalting the Birth born of the Spirit, who is feeding upon the Bread of Life, who is manifested with the Light in the Bosom of the Lord God of Life; and the Elder is become servant to the Younger: The arm of God reigns above the Elder in his Kingdom and Throne, and God hath fulfilled his Promise, and is fulfilling it; and a time to speak is known, and a time to keep silence. They that are not come to distinguish each Birth and each Mouth, they do not know the time of Silence and the time of Speaking: Such are judged for judging the things of God, and are not fit to judge. Such as know the Peace of God that passeth understanding, and is unspeakable, they know Silence in the Life and Spirit of the Lord. An EPISTLE to all People upon the Earth: showing the IGNORANCE of the WORLD, both in Professors and Teachers. That which brings to look into the world, into time, captivates; where is the ground of the spirit of strife and mastery, and the Crown that fades and vanisheth away: as the Life ariseth, that stands in God, which gives to feel the Crown which is Immortal: therefore that which brings you to the beginning, which lets you see before Pen, Ink, Paper or Writing was; in that live: That will let you see the fullness of that which was written. To you to be red, you that think yourselves above the world, whose Wine is mingled with Water, who wear the Woollen and linen Garment, who through pride, ease, and false joy, loose the sincerity, whereby an earthen veil covers you through the lusts lived in; a veil of flesh is spread over, the whorish and adulterous Woman hath been among you, which brings forth many children, which strive to lay the heritage of the Lord wast: this is but as briars& thorns, that set themselves in battle against the Lord, who is a consuming fire The whole world are now stumbling at the Light, who have been checked with it, and convinced, but now are turned from it: So there stands all the world giving names one to another, throwing dirt one at another, where the enmity is, and fighting one with another, with weapons that are carnal, and waring one against another; and they that do so mock one another: here is the generation of mockers out of the Life, out of the Light, and every one striving for Mastery, and Lordship, and Authority, one over another but it shall not be so with you, who are Children of Light, Disciples of Christ, not of this world, whose kingdom is not of this world: who comes out of strife comes into peace. Therefore all people dwell in that which leads into all peace, and out of confusion, for God is not the author of that, but such be out of the Life holding the Truth in unrighteousness, come out of the bustlings you that are bustling& in strife one against another, whose spirits are not quieted, but are fighting with words, whose hearts burn against each other with a mad blind zeal, who are up in your wantonness, lightness,& pleasures, who set the whole course of nature on fire: among whom the way of peace,& that which is perfect is not known; who have the words of Christ, the Apostles and Prophets,& the scriptures of truth, who hold it in unrighteousness where all spirits be disquieted,& the elements come to burn like fire Where is all the masteries, seeking for earthly Crowns, exalting among the people, and gathering parties out of people, wherein stands the several ways& distance of people one from another, and opinions, and sects, wherein all come to throw dirt one at another, wherein is the weariness, groans, burdens, travels,& persecuting the just, quenching the spirit, despising prophesying, destroying the meek of the earth,& helpless,& routing of the Innocence,& Simplicity, and destroying it; where enters, heats and fire, storms and the many Waters, and the Sea, and the Earth, the Dragon and the Beast, and the false Prophets which were the Wonder in Heaven, cast down into the Earth, which makes war against the Saints and the Lamb; but over all the Lamb hath got the Victory,& that which drank the Cup of Fornication, is she that gives the Cup of Fornication, is that which draws all people from the Life within them. So their is the unquiet spirit in the World, and the restless and the wearied; for there is none upon the Earth come to have their spirits quieted, but who come to the Light Christ Jesus hath enlightened withal: And so here come every spirit to have a particular satisfaction and quietness in his own mind, and hear comes the weary to have rest in Christ, who hath enlightened them; and hear is no one but he holds the Truth in unrighteousness, but who comes to that of God manifest in him, and so that of God manifest in him leads his mind up to God, he comes to the peaceable quiet Life, and comes to retain God in his Knowledge,& his spirit is quieted, and he comes to hold the Truth in Righteousness, and his mind is not reprobated, and such a one shall find mercy of God, when their minds are girded up unto God, and their spirits and minds are quieted in silent waiting upon God, in one half hour is more peace and satisfaction than they have had from all other Teachers of the World all their life time,& hear comes every one to feel that which quiets their minds to God, and they find and feel the way of peace, and comes to grow up in that Life the Scriptures were given forth from, and the Life the Saints lived in; and Spirit which guided their minds up to God the Father of spirits; whereby every particular comes to a particular satisfaction, and all this busling teaching in the World for earthly things, Men and People shall turn from it; for that is in the earth, it is that which went in Korahs way, and Cains way, and Balaams way, which is now standing in the way, which the Apostles saw before their decease. So as you all come to be guided by that of God in you, and to feel that of God in you to guide your minds up to God, you shall come to satisfaction; it leads you out of the Earth to that within, so from all those without. And hear comes the Glory of the Lord God to be revealed in you. And though you may profess all the Scriptures of Truth, yet if every particular of you do not come to feel that of God which God hath manifested in you, and shewed to you, to guide your minds to God, you cannot know any of the Scriptures, for that opens the words to every particular, and gives to every particular a particular satisfaction, by which every one comes to Pray in the Spirit, and Sing in the Spirit, from which, glory is given to God. Now there is no People upon the Earth, come from the first Adams State, in the Earth driven from God, in sin, in death, and unrighteousness, to the second Adams State, but who come into the Light, that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the World, they that will not come to the second Adam from the first Adam, they will not come to the Lord from Heaven, who is the way to the Father. So ye that are not come to the Light, which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world, they are in the first State, driven from God from his Righteousness, his Wisdom, Truth, Light, and Life. So Christ the Light, which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world, is the way to the Father; the Truth, the Life, the Light, Gods Wisdom, Gods Righteousness, the Hope of Glory, and the Power of God; the Redemption, the Teacher& the Saviour, who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world; who is the way to the Father; which all the world de spiseth. And the teaching of the People which is from the Light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world,& doth not own that, they be out of Gods Wisdom, in the Devilish that is before, and are carthly and sensual. So this is the State driven from God, Gods Wisdom brings to God and all they upon the earth that deny the Light, that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, they are yet in the Transgression in the first Adam, they are in their own Righteousness, for any Righteousness that is not in the Light, is their own; for Christ the Light is Gods Righteousness: so every one that cometh into the world, being enlightened, which heard not the Light which doth enlighten him, he heard not the Prophet whith Moses Prophesied of So the Light condemns him,& he is to be cut off from among the people And so all the world from Christ the Light, from that of God in them, some in the presumption, some in the envy, that eats them out,& slays them, in the false joy of Presumption mount up to Heaven,& fall down to the earth again; There is all the mind unstablished in the world, they go from that of God in them, which doth not change: the Truth doth not change, which comprehends the world, fathoms the world, the Light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world, though he hate it, is his condemnation. And you Teachers that profess yourselves so to be, give over setting people at enmity one against another, give over your railing, babbling& backbiting all People in the Pulpits; for that is not to Preach the word of God: what you have sown that must you reap, and gather into your Barns& Treasure. The Lord God sees what stock you be off, who is come to Judgement to Judge the great whore, which is adulterous from him, and his Judgement is now set, and she hath sate upon many Waters, and Rivers, and Tongues, and People, and Languages. Now all People come to know Christ your Teacher who saith Learn of me; I am the way to the Father. So the Light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the World, is the New and Living Way. So you that be come to the Light you be enlightened withall, you be come to that which is New and Living now as ever it was; therefore all people come to know the Light in you, shining in your hearts, to give you that knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And all people come to know the Heavenly Treasure in the earthen Vessels, which none do but them that come to the Light, which Christ hath enlightened them withall: and all people come to know the second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, above the first Adam, who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World. None know him but who own the light, which brings them out of the first Adams state, out of the Earthly into the Heavenly. And all People come to know Gods Word in your hearts, there to obey it, and mind to do it; This is the Word of Faith preached. The Ministers of the Letter may keep you reading the Letter without, and telling you the Letter without, but they cannot endure who owns the Light talking of the Word within them in the heart, for feeling Gods Word in the heart to obey it, you come to know that which the Prophets and Apostles witnessed, The Word of Life which became flesh, which is Christ in us, know him in you all upon Earth, then will ye not be Reprobates: For if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin: and you are alive to Righteousness. And all people come to know the New Covenant that God hath prophesied of by his Prophets, and Moses wrote of and the Apostles were witnesses and enjoyers of it, the Everlasting Covenant: And knowing the end of the first Covenant, know this Covenant which is Everlasting, the New Covenant with God and his People for ever. His Law is in their hearts, they need not say one to another, Know the Lord: that you may come to enjoy the thing the Scriptures speak of. And all people know the mind of Christ, which none can but who come to the Light he enlightens them withal: that ye may come to be of one mind, heart and soul. And all people wait to receive the Spirit of Christ Jesus, which if you have not, you are none of his. And all People come to live in the Power of Godliness: Many have the Form but deny the Power, and be against them in it that declare it; and so you will come to live in the Gospel: And all people come to the Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World, yea come to the Light which every one is enlightened withal, that is come into the world, that you may come to the second Adam from the first Adam, that you may have your sins and transgressions blotted out. And all people come to know the Wisdom which is from above, which is above all Earthly, Sensual and Devilish, which is below. None owns this but who own the Light which enlightens every one that comes into the World. And all people come to know Christ in you the hope of Glory; which hope of Glory, Christ, destroys the hope of the Hypochrite: which hope purifies as he is pure. Now come to know this Hope, Christ in you, distinguished in you from your own hope: which Hope is a Mystery. And all people come to know the anointing that abides in you, to teach you, and as you continue in that which abides in you, you come to know the Father and the Son, and none knows the anointing abiding in you but who come to know the Light Christ hath enlightened them withal: Nor none abide with Christ the Son, but who continues in the Light Christ hath enlightened them withal. Therefore all come to know the anointing in you, that you may know that which teacheth you to continue with the Son; for God is coming to take off his People from the Teachings of men, and to teach his People himself; and the Lords Children shall be taught of him, and they shall cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, and come to know their strength renewed, and come to know the Prophets Life, and the Spirit he was giuded withal. And all People come from the Churches, and come to know the Church in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the pillar and ground of Truth, where there is neither spot nor blemish, nor any such thing: out of all strife and contention of this World, and come to know the power of that World where there is no end. And all People, Be not surfeited with the cares of this Life, neither overcharge your harts with the deceitfulness of Riches, but mind the power of an endless Life, and cease from all these Teachers which teach for carthly things, for such keep you in the earth, and in sin, and teaches people must be in sin while they be upon the earth: and so make the Covenant of God of none effect, and they still in their transgressions, and makes Christs dying in vain, and the one offering of no value, Which hath perfected for ever all them that are sanctified, and his blood of none effect, which cleanseth from all sin: and the Ministry of unrighteousness for the Ministry of righteousness is manifested, which lets you see the effects of the blood of Jesus and the Everlasting Offering, which you have made of no effect, to the Light Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withall, that with it you may see yourselves, and see Christ when he comes, and with it be justified from all sin, and come into the Unity one with another, and have the Love of God, and Peace of God shed in your harts, and come out of Strife one with another about words and Forms of things, and janglings about Scripture, but come to that of God manifest in you that you may know the Life that gave forth Scripture, the Synagogues, Temple, and Priest that takes tithes, and are to be denied by all such that witness Christ come, the second priesthood, and the Jews Sabath also, for all that uphold these things are the Christians that teach for filthy Lucre, and seek for the fleece, and divine for money, and bear rule by their means, that stand praying in the Synagogues, having the chief places in the Assemblies, and are called of men Masters; for all these the Prophets and Apostles cried against, and those that hold them up are to be denied. All People upon the earth that come to the knowledge of the true God, must own the Light of Christ Jesus within them, which Light is but one in all men, and brings into oneness all that believe in it. All the worlds Teachers, People and Professors, you are far from silence, and the silent meeting together, and waiting upon the Lord in silence, to hear the Still voice, and to hear this voice behind them saying, This is the Way, walk in it: and to have your mindes stayed upon God, and to be guided by God, and to be lead with the Spirit of God in●o all Truth, when they do not speak words outwardly, first the Spirit leading, then words from the Spirit; and thus the Spirit is not quenched in Son nor Daughter, in Handmaid nor Servant. The false Teachers, false Prophets, and false Apostles used their Tongues, they got the Form of Godliness, but deny the Power, for which they are to be turned from; Which saith, The Lord saith it, when the Lord never spake to them, neither stood they in his counsel, had they, they should have stood silent, and waited upon God: But they that use their tongues and say, The Lord saith it, when the Lord never spake to them, they were not silent, which the Lord said should be silent: And likewise them that went in Cains way and Corahs way, and Balaams, that spake the high things in hypocrisy, and likewise promise Liberty, whilst themselves were servants to corruption, and these cried against those that waited upon God, and these should be silent. Therefore now in this Age, they that use their tongues and say, the Lord saith it when the Lord never spake to them, and have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power, and speak the high words, but they themselves are in the hypocrisy, in Cain, Balaam and Corahs way, separated from the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, and so from God and the Father of Spirits, Professors and Teachers: such are angry and offended at them that in silence wait upon God in his counsel, and patiently wait upon him, whose hearts pant after God when there is never a word spoken, who receive strength and blessing from God, the living mercies, the sure mercies of David; yea, a hearkening diligently, whose soul comes to live, hence is a silent waiting, and a diligent waiting, and a silence in heaven, yea the peace upon earth, and good will towards men witnessed. Now they that be exalted above their measures of the Spirit of God manifested in them, such glory in Expressions and Words, and feed upon them more then Life, and delight in Words, Methods, and curiosity in speech, and this is that which is offended at silent waiting upon God, which looks at high Expressions, and is fuller of them than Life, that feed the birth that must be silent, that is born of the flesh; so there is a time to be silent: This is the Word of the Lord God to you all, that you may all come to that which God doth manifest in you; it will let you see the Birth that must be silent, and bring you to be silent, and to wait to receive teaching from God, then what is said, you may declare from the Lord of Heaven most high. Cain was the first birth, and Esau, and Ishmael were the first birth: Now tell Cain, the envious murderer, of a silent meeting or a waiting upon God, when he is a Vagabond from that of God in him, and so from God, would slay and murder them that are in the Life, and yet he will stay and sacrifice, to which sacrifice God hath no respect, who is from Gods Life a Vagabond, a murderer, that hath not an habitation in God. Here is Cains Off-spring and Generation known, so he hath not Eternal Life abiding in him, he envies his Brother, and how can he know a silent waiting upon God in the Eternal, that hath not the Eternal Life abiding in him? Consider this all ye envious ones, this is Gods Word to you all, you are far off from silent meeting and waiting upon God, or of the Love of God that envies not, or the Body that edifies its self in Love. Do not tell Esau of silent Meeting and waiting upon God, that hath despised his Birth-right, and after seeks it with tears, where there is no place found for him: Now tell Esau of silent Meeting it is a wonder to him that despiseth his Birth-right, and would sway the sword, and slay his Brother Jacob, the second Birth. But Silent Meeting is not a strange thing to righteous Abel, nor to the second Birth Jacob, for God is the Author of their Faith: and Esau a cunning hunter, the profane person, is among the Beasts of the field, that have the fat of the earth, a place for Dragons, that bears the Sword to destroy the Righteous; tell him of Silent Meeting and waiting upon God, he will hunt until he hath tired himself that he faints again, and despise his Birth-right: And likewise wild Ishmael, and the Mother, tell those of silent Meeting, and waiting upon God, nay, this will boast, and scofe, and mock that which brings to wait upon God in silence; this is that which is to be cast forth: So Esau, Cain and Ishmael, you may see your stock Stock, Off-spring, and Root, and you be the Branches, who be profane, and envious, and scoff and mock at them who do silently and patiently wait upon God for Counsel and Instruction, who is the giver of all good; so as they are moved by the Spirit to pray, to praise to give thanks, to speak with the Spirit, as it gives utterance, as it reveals things, and so it leads and receives from the Father of Spirits, and comes to be obedient. Glory over all to the Highest of Heaven and Earth, that is bringing forth a Birth born of himself, that knows the Father, and declares him, which doth keep other births silent; and all who speak a devination of their own heart and brain, and are the filthy Dreamers, false Prophets, false Teachers, Shepherds, Apostles, and Ministers of unrighteousness, and such as divine for money, and teach for filthy lucre, and make merchandise of the People, and seek for their gain from their quarters, and bear Rule by their Means, and Teach for the Flexe, and are called of men Master, and stand praying in the Synagogues and have the clief places in the Assembly, which Christ, the Prophets and Apostles cried against, who were out of the Spirit; these now cannot endure Silent Meeting together, and waiting upon God; these are full of words and steal them from their neighbours, these mind earthly things, which make merchandise of the People; and these are Transgressors all of them, for they set up that which the Apostles threw down, tithes, and Temple, and Synagogue, and Priests before mentioned. Now these be them that be out of the Life, and these be offended at Silent Meetings, and Waiting upon God in silence, and for Doctrine, teach their own Traditions, Ordinances and Commands, and neglect the Commands of Christ; telling People of Sprinkling Infants in a Baptize, and a Sacrament, where there is no such Scripture. And these will give to the People Davids conditions in metre; his Quakings, Prayings, Roarings, Tears and prophesy, and so use their tongues with other words, when both Teachers and People are out of Davids conditions; and such cannot endure silence; before they will be silent they will sing a ly: They are not high minded, they have no scornful eye. Their bones quake and tremble. They Roar all the day long; their bones fail of fatness, they fast until they may number their bones, and they cry and weep until their eyes be sunk in their heads, and Roar in their Couch( when it is not so) they are singing in a Steeple-house; and this doth declare that gross darkness hath covered them all, And this is the birth that must be silent, that spakes of Davids conditions, without Davids Life; or Davids Trembling, Quakings and Prophesies, so with Davids spirit these are judged. Now he that hath a Psalm( mark now he that hath one) Let him sing, and sing in the Spirit? and now he that sings in the Spirit, and prays in the Spirit, as the Spirit gives him utterance, he is in that Birth that silemceth the birth of the flesh. And this is to all that would learn silent waiting upon the Lord and silent meeting( for none shall ever come to God that is upon the earth) but as they do come to that of God in them, the Light, which Christ hath enlightened them withall; and that is it that must guide every ones mind up to God, and to wait upon God, to receive the Spirit from God, and the Spirit leads to wait upon God in silence; to receive from God, as many of the Prophets and holy men of God, they sat often long waiting upon God, and said, Blessed are all they whose minds are stayed upon God, they shall be kept in perfect peace. And, My soul wait thou upon God; and, the meek inherits the blessing; and ye shall find more strength, virtue, water of Life, and the mercy of the Lord, and the presence of the Lord God, as you are still kept to that of God in you; when you are still from your own thoughts, and Imaginations, and desires, and counsels of your own hearts, and motions, and wills, when you stand singly from all these, waiting upon the Lord, is strength renewed: He waiting upon the Lord, feels his shepherd, and he shall not want. And that which is of God within every one, is that which brings them to wait upon God in every particular, brings them to unity which joins their hearts together up to God. so as this moves, this is not to be quenched, when it is moved to pray or speak, for there is the power of the Lord, this is the arm of the Lord, the Dominion the victory over death; and all People and Teachers on the earth that hath kept people from the Light, that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, that which is to be known of God many fest in them, they be them that shut up the kingdom of Heaven from men, that would neither go in themselves nor suffer others; these be them that have taken away the Key of Knowledge from People, that neither they nor the people could get into the Scriptures, nor tell what the Prophets ment, nor what Christ nor the Apostles ment, but wrangle all about the Light, about the Door, for the Light is the Door, the Light is the Porter that doth Enlighten every man that cometh into the World; that all through the Light might believe; and he that believeth entereth into his Rest, hath ceased from his own works as God did from his; and he hath the Witness in himself. And, he that is born of God overcometh the World; he doth not make hast. Hear he knows a silent meeting and waiting upon God, and knows all People upon the Earth, if they come to the Light Christ Jesus hath Enlighted them withall, their Crownes must be laid down at his feet, and their Peace taken away from the Earth. And Christ, Gods Covenant of Peace, of Light with God and man they must come into; then all flesh must be silent before the Lord; so the Light comes to guide, and all you that be in your own Wisdom, and in your own Reason, tell you of silent waiting upon God, that is famine to you, it is the strange Life to you to come to be silent; you must come into a new World now, that must die in the silence, die from the Wisdom, from the knowledge, from the Reason, and from the Understanding; so as thou comest to feel that which brings thee to wait upon God, thou must die from the other, that brings thee to feel the Power of an endless Life, and come to possess it, and a silent waiting upon God comes to receive the Wisdom from above, by which all things were made and Created, and it gives an understanding and a reason, which distinguisheth from the Beast; and the Life of God in thee, which brings to wait upon God which gives thee Life, brings to know God, and to know God is Eternal Life. And to you this is the Word of the Lord God. QUERIES to all that Stumble at the LIGHT. Query I. IS that a New Light to you in the Church of England, which which John spoken of, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, at which you Orthodox Divines stumble, and cannot agree about? Do not you here stumble at the Corner ston, yea or nay? Query II. And do not you which stumble about the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, stumble at the foundation Christ? Query III. Did not the Doctors, and the Teachers, and the great Learned men, and the Rabies, and the Builders, stumble at this true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World in Johns time, who bore witness to the Light; and Christ time, the Light; though they Professed the words of Moses and the Prophets of the Covenant of Light which was to come, yet owned it not when it was come, and received it not? Query IV. And did not them that owned the Light discent from them; and are not they now which own the Light, to discent from them which have the Scriptures and cannot agree about the Light, though they be Doctors, and Learned Rabies, and Scholars and are not these to be turned away from, who have the Form of godliness but not the Power, yea or nay? Query V. Do not you believe in the true Light which ligheth every man which cometh into the World, yea or nay? Query VI. And do ye believe every man that cometh into the World is lighted with the true Light, yea or nay? Query VII. Doth any believe in Christ but who believes in the Light, yea or nay? Query VIII. And are not they in darkness that are stumbling at this Light now( as it was in the dayes of the Pharisees) which Lighteth every man which cometh into the World, yea or nay? Query IX. And did not Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, bear witness to the Light Christ Jesus? And is this a New Light to you? Do not you here show that you be in darkness, out of the Old way? And how can you say, That you are Ministers of Christ, when you are stumbling at the Light, which is Christ? Qu. X. What do they differ from the Devils speaking Scripture that stumble at the Light? And how can they be in the Truth that stumble at the Light? And do not they that stumble at the Light stumble at the Truth, and is not the Light the Truth? Qu. XI. Is there any other way to the Father but the Truth, who is the Light, which is Christ? Qu. XII. What, and where is it that gives the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ? Qu. XIII. What is it that is mans condemnation, that doth not believe in the Light. Qu. XIV. What is it that manifesteth mans deeds to be evil, who loves darkness. Qu. XV. What is the armor of the Saints? Qu. XVI. What brought the Saints to be Children of Light? Qu. XVII. What were the Apostles sent to turn People from& to? Qu. XVIII. Whether People who believe not in the Light, be not in that state the Apostles were sent to turn people from and to? Qu. XIX. What is that which the god of this word hath blinded? Qu. XX. What is that which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not? Qu. XXI. Whether this Church, Teachers, Orthodox men and Fathers, which stumble at the Light, be not a false Church, Teachers, Fathers, and in the Fall which begets not to God. Qu. XXII. What do you differ from the Pharisees which stumble at the Light? And whether all the Idolatrous wisdom, self-Righteousness, and holiness is not among them who stumble at the Light? Qu. XXII. Whether the Light is not Gods Righteousness? Qu. XXIV. Whether any come to the true Church, but such as believe in the true Light? Qu. XXV. What was that which deceived Eve, which she did eat of? With what, and whether it may be seen in this day, yea or nay? Qu. XXVI. What Child is that which shall be saved by bearing, she continuing; seeing the Apostle gave advice to the unmarried, that could, so to abide, for, he did better that gave not in marriage than he that did? Query XXVII. And what is the Seed of the Serpent, and whether those were not the false Teachers, Apostles, and Ministers, of Satan, which do not believe in the Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, yea or nay? Query XXVIII. And whether those Teachers which do not believe in the Light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the World, are not received of the World before those that witness the true Light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the World? Query XXIX. And where had any of the Apostles, and Ministers of Christ a set Maintenance of any? Query XXX. Was not the Ministers of Christ freely to give, as they had freely received, and was not the Apostles an Example to them which shall follow him? Query XXXI. And are the Ministers of Christ first to seek, what they shall Eat, and what they shall Drink, and what they put on? Or are they to go unto a Village, Town, or City, and Eat what is set before them? And whether this doth not agree with the Apostles words who said, If we Minister Spiritual things, is it not the least to Reap your Carnal things? Query XXXII. And are such Shepherds which seek for the Fleece and the wool to be held up, and can they open the Scriptures which do not believe in the Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World? Query XXXIII. And doth not God say he will gather, the Sheep from their mouths, and Feed them himself, on the Top of the Mountains, and they shall not be a Prey to them no longer? Query XXXIV. And such Shepherds will seek for their gain, from their quarters, which Esay spake against, are not such to be spoken against now? Query XXXV. And do they which spake a Divination from their own Hearts, and follow the counsel of it, not go from the Spirit of the Lord? Query XXXVI. Have you that call yourselves Pastors, and Teachers, ever heard Gods voice, and Christ voice Immediately from Heaven, yea or nay? Query XXXVII. Have you that be Pastors, and Teachers, which are to open the Scriptures to People, that Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures which were before they were given forth? Query XXXVIII. And do you own Revelations, and Tremblings and Quaking yea or nay? Query XXXIX. And are not such that the Scripture witnessed, to be turned from, as goes in Caines way, and Balaams way, for Gifts and Rewards, and such as are covetous witnessed against, by Peter, and judas? Query XL. And are such as stand Praying in the Synagogues, and have the Chiefest Places in the Assembly, and called of men Master which Christ cried wo against, to be holden up now, and are not those that are in those steps in the Pharisees steps, and was not the Pharisees, out of Christs Commands? Query XLI. And such as Divine for money, and prophecy, for money, which Micah cried out against, are they not held up now, yea or nay? Query XLII. And whether such Priests as bear Rule by their means, which is an horrible, and filthy thing committed in the Land, and the People do love to have it so, which Jeremiah witnessed against in his Age, be not to be witnessed against now in this Age, yea or nay? Query XLIII. And whether you who call yourselves Pastors, and Teachers, would be Proved, and tried, by the Prophets, Christ, and the Apostles, or whether you be in their steps, or in the steps of those whom they witness against? For upon the Prophets, Christ, and Apostles, are those whom the World in Scorn call Quakers Built, and stands a witness against those whom they witnessed against? Query XLIIII. And what Scripture have you, for Sprinkling Infants, and for the Word Sacrament, and if no Scripture, whether it be not the commands of men taught for Doctrine? Query XLV. Whether your Ministry is for the Perfecting of the Saints, or whether any may be made Perfect, and made free from sin while they are upon the earth, yea or nay? Query XLVI. Whether did the Apostles give the World Davids Trembling, Quakings, Prayings, Prayers, Prophesyings, to be Sung in metre in the Synagogues or Temples, yea or nay? And call God to Witness they were not puffed in Mind, nor had they a Scornful Eye, whether this be to Sing with the Understanding? Query LXVII. What is the first Principle of pure Religion, and what is the Gospel, and the Original, and the soul which the Minister is to watch for? Query LXVIII. Whether any shall come to that state under your Teaching that they shal not need say, Know the Lord? Let these QUERIES be Answered to the thing in Writing. To all that STUMBLE at the COMMANDS of GOD. ALL you who stumble at the Commands of God, you are not guided by the Light, which leads into the Covenant of God;( Obeying it, and Loving it) if you love the Light which doth not Change, but is Eternal, which brings to see before the World was, all the deceits which are acted in that nature, which hates the Light; with the Light in thy Particular if thou love it, they are all Judged and condemned. Then the pure Commands of God are walked in, and the pure Eternal Light, which Judgeth in the Particular all the deceits( within) that nothing may Rain, but what is Pure, Clean, Holy, Just, Good, Perfect, and Upright, from it Joy proceeds; and these are the fruits that flow from that which is Pure and Holy, and no deceit of the flesh, nor motions of it is followed, who dwells in the Light, but with the Light they are Judged and Condemned. And the affections Crucified, which be Earthly; no Jew in the flesh here shall Rain, nor in the Letter: but with the Pure all that which is changeable is Judged, with that which guides to God which Changes not. Here is the way of pleasantness, and here you shall all know the Movings of the Lord are Pure, and Holy when it Moves; being Obedient you receive strength, dwelling in the Pure; walking in the Commands of God, and standing still in the patience where the will is kept out, with the Light; but to those whose minds are turned from the Pure Light, yet thou art convinced, but thy Love is in the World, in the flesh, and deceit is strong; something moves thee to turn within, but thou resistest and so disobeyest the pure and then thou hast no peace then motions arise in the flesh, and then thou wilt go and obey, some thing in thy own will, to make thy peace; when thou hast done thou hast no Peace, and when thou dost not, thou hast no peace, then thou questionest all, for this to thee is not Justifiable in the sight of God, but with the Light, which is Pure, which doth not change, thou art to be Condemned; and all thy forming obedience( as thou mayst call it) and all thy desires which is acted in that nature, which is turned from the Light, which is pure, with the Light is to be Condemned; and here the Eye is single, the other is not, the moving of the Spirit of the Lord is pure, but the deceit is not so, with the pure it is all to be Condemned; The word of the Lord is pure, where the Burden is upon it; it is for the Seeds sake in others tell it be cast of, that which Burdens is that which must be cast off: here learn judgement and Understanding to crush down that which vailes, that that which Burdens may be thrown out with the pure Eternal which leads out of time; Love from that which is pure is not feigned, but is Everlasting, as God is Love, God is Light, Love flows from the Light: so all you that Love the Light, dwell in the Light, and walk in the Light, the Love flows from the Light, this is not feigned; but all you whose mind, are turned from the Light, a liberty there gets up, a fleshly joy, a feigned Love, speaking high swelling things, but this shall whither, and with the Light all this is to be condemned, and for judgement; and the jars, and the strife is without, and you all who are turned from the pure Light, which is Eternal and doth not change, you are in your own wills, and what you do is in your own wills, and when you do not you have no peace, and when you have done you have no peace, and all your motions are from the fleshly mind, which with the Light all is to be condemned; which loving and walking in it, it keeps single and pure and following it there is no stumbling, it shows the way of Life; and waiting in it, power is given and strength, and being obedient to it, and faithful in a little, you will grow up to be Ruler over much. And this is the Word of the Lord to all you who are turned from the Light in your Consciences, and acts contrary to it, whose minds are gone into the Earth, who are compassing Sea and Land to make a profession in that nature that is gone from the Light, and acts contrary to it; with the Light you are condemned, and seen, wo from the Lord doth proceed: that's your portion. I have heard a voice of wo and terror to come on all the Inhabitants of the Earth; repent all ye Inhabitants of the Earth; the Sword of the Lord is furbished against you, to make a grievous slaughter. He is come that confounds the Wisdom of the Wise and brings to nought the understanding of the Prudent, that turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish; that frustrates the tokens of the liars, and makes Diviners mad, Isa. 44.25. To all the Ignorant People; the Word of the Lord, who are under the dominion of the Blind Guides the Priests. WHo have told you the Steeple-house hath been the Temple, and the holy place, and saith, did not Christ go into the Temple; my answer is, yea, to whip out the byers and sellers, and if you count this the Temple in England, which is called a Steeple-house, it is all most full of byers and sellers. Again there is the Priest market day to sell his wears, which he labours for in the week, for many Ten shillings a day, or a Noble a day, or more, or less as they can get, and is not here byers and sellers in the Temple, as you call it, and Money-changers, and is not it a Den of thieves, a Den of Dragons, such as sell the Word of the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles( Steals.) The Priests which confess they have not the Spirit that gave forth the Scripture, as you may red, Jeremiah 23.30. But we deny this Steeple-house to be the Temple, which God commanded, neither is it holier then any other ground, for though Christ went into the Temple, to whip out such aforementioned, as you may red, Matth. 21.12. And again you may red, Matth. 14. He Prophesied to his disciples of the destruction of the Temple; and you that have builded another in your own name, and are the devouerers, spoken off in that Chapter, and so are against prophecy, and so he that is against Christs prophecy, is Anti-Christ; and so, if it were possible, to deceive the very Elect; but it is not possible, for Christ hath given them a Light and he saith, Go not forth, and so with the Light Christ is seen, and you Idolatrous generation. When Israel forgot his Maker, they builded Temples; Judah hath builded Temples, and Judah hath multiplied fenced Cities, and it shall devour the Palaces thereof, as you may red, Hos. 8.14. So as a Troop of Robbers lie in wait for a man, so doth a company of Priests murder in the way by consent, Hosea 6.9. which the Covenant of God declares against. And after Christs resurrection, Stephen which was a man full of the Holy Ghost, when the Priests examinded him in the 7th. of the Acts, he said in his Examination, That the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, as saith the Prophet, Heaven is my Throne, and Earth is my Footstool: what House will ye build me, saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? And saith God, hath not my hand made all these things? and called them, stiff-necked uncircumcised in heart and ears, that hold up a Temple; and they said, He had spoken Blasphemy, against that holy place. Such as were stubborn men, and false witnesses; and after Stephen had spoken a long in his Examination, and came there in particular and said, He saw Christ who had prophesied of the destruction of the Temple, when he was Examined before the Priests and People, then they ran upon him, and stoned him to death. So are Priests and People ready to do the same now, he denies the Temple which God had commanded to be built, and witnessed Christ Jesus the Substance, and for that they stoned him to death, for denying the Figure, and denying that which they call a Temple, which God never commanded, and witnessed Christ Jesus the Substance; and for that cause are you ready to murder us, a company of Priests by consent, as a troop wait for their prey, but our deliverance is by the Lord, from the seed of evil doers: and after the Apostles, which went into the Temple, and witnessed Christ Jesus the second Priest-hood, and denied the first Priest-hood; and then the cheif-Priest was in a rage against the Apostles which witnessed Christ Jesus, the second Priest-hood, and they were brought out of the Temple, and brought before their counsel, and the high Priests Examined them, and then the Priest and the Officers commanded them to Preach no more in the Name of Jesus the second Priesthood; and the Apostles which denied the first Priest-hood, and the Temple said, Whether is it better to obey God or man, judge ye? And the Apostle which denied the first Priest-hood, went daily into the Temple, and houses, and ceased not to Preach the Name of Christ Jesus, as you may red in the 4th. of the Acts, and in the 17th. of the Acts. The Apostle Paul said, That God that made the World, and all things therein, dwelled not in Temples made with hards neither was he worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing; seeing he gives to all Life and Breath and all things, and hath made of one blood all Nations of the Earth to dwell upon the face of the Earth; and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitations, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. Here the Apostle saw the times, and declared it to the People which held up the Temple, they did not know God; and he denied the Temple which God had commanded; and some of them mocked when they heard him Preach Christ Jesus and his Resurrection, as they mock now which hold up the Temple, which God never commanded, which judas spake of, Vers. 18. And the People said unto the Apostles in the 17th, of the Acts, when he preached Christ, That he seemed to be a setter up of some strange Gods; and called him a babbler, and said, Let us hear what the babbler will say; for he denied the Temple which God had commanded, and said, God did not dwell in Temples made with hands, as you may red, Acts 19.17. What uproars there was then among the Trades-men against the Apostle, and they said so, That not only this our Craft is set at nought, but also our great Goddess Diana like to be set at nought and despised, and their magnificence, whom all the World Worshipped: And when they heard that, they were full of wrath; they that held up the Temple of their great Goddess Diana for the space of two houres. As you may red, Acts 19.21. The People made a shout for their great Goddess Diana. The Apostle Paul goes into the Temple, and when they saw him in the Temple, they stirred up all the People and laid hands on him; crying out, Men of Israel help: This is the man that teacheth all men every where and hath brought also these Greekes, into this Temple, and polluted this holy place. And all the City was moved, and they ran together and laid hold on him, and drew him out of the Temple, and the doors were shut; and they went about to kill Paul, and they beat him and when some Souldiers and the chief Captain came, and they saw them, they left beatìng Paul. And here the men of Israel were crying to, which held up the Temple, to help out with Paul. And here let all the wise in heart see what was Paul, and in going into the Temple to witness forth the second Priest-hood, Christ Jesus; and the Apostle when he wrote his Epistle to them which witnesed the second Priest-hood, Christ Jesus, and denied the Temple, he called it, the Idol-Temple, as you may red, Cor. 8. to the tenth. Solomon built a Temple. The Lord spake to David, and said, Thy Son shall build a Temple whom I will set up in thy Throne, in my Name. Then Solomon began to set to work the Hewers of Ceaders and Timber, and the Lord gave Solomon Wisdom, which he did promise him. Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that did bear burdens, forescore thousand Hewer in the Mountaines, besides the chief of Solomons Officers that were over the Work, three thousand and three hundred, which were over them that wrought the work, and many there were at the Building of this Temple; and Solomon had a command, which the Lord said Solomon should do, as you may red in the 5th: of the first of Kings, the Lord said he should build him a House; and when it was built, and Christ a greater then Solomon was come, which was the Substance, yet he went into the Temple to whip out; though it was in their time to be a House of Prayer: After Christ Prophesied to his Disciples, and shewed unto them in the 24th: of Mat. The destruction of it; and Christ which was greater then Solomon Prophesied the destruction of Solomons building, for Stephen denied it who witnessed Christ; and the Prophets denied it, who saw Christs Acts; and the Apostle denied it which was witness of Christ, Acts 17. And the people halled him out of it, and said, He polluteth the Holy Place, Acts 21. And the Apostle called it, The Idols Temple, and said, What, know ye not that your Bodies are the Temples of Holy Ghost, which is in you; you are not your own, for you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your Spirits, which are Gods. So such as can witness this price, and this Christ, and are bought, doth deny the outward Temple, and their Bodies the Temple of God, 1 Cor. ●6. 19, 20. And such do witness a greater then Solomon, Christ Jesus which built the Temple; so the Temple which God had commanded was denied, by them which witnesed a greater then Solomon. And whereas you call your superstitious Place which was built for Popery a Church, which is all false and a lie, these are no true Church nor Temple, for they are teachers of lies, and cause you to err by their lies, and their lightness, as you may see, Jer. 23.32. And saith the Scripture, Thes. 1.1. The true Church is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: So here, let all the honest in heart see how all these false Prophets have deceived you. And Christ prophesied and said unto his Disciples, he sent them forth in the midst of Wolves; and, he bad then be harmless and wise; and he told them, They would scourge them in their Synagogues: And this he prophesied to them, which we find true, as you may red, Matth. 10.16, 17. And, they would hale them before Rulers,( and as it is said) yea, and think they do God good service. Paul, when he was in the first Priest-hood, he beat in the Synagogues, and Imprisoned them that believed in Christ Jesus, the second Priest-hood, and here Paul fulfilled Christs words, as you may red, Acts 22. Paul was called Saul in vers. 13 While Paul was in the first Priest-hood he held up the Temple and the Synagogues, but after he was haled out of the Temple he denied the Temple, as we may red in the Scripture before mentioned. And Christ being the true Light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, as you may red John 1.( who prophesied the destruction of the Temple) the Apostle was sent to turn them from darkness to this Light, to believe in Christ Jesus, the second Priest-hood, as you may red, Acts 26. how he was sent to turn them from Darkness to Light, and from the power of the Devil to God; that they might receive the forgiveness of sins, and the inheritance among them that were sanctified by Faith in me. And the Apostles, which went into the Synagogues of the Jews, stirred up the people, and there was a great assault made by the Jews, and Gentiles, and Rulers to use despitefully and ston them, as you may red, Acts 14. And of the Apostle that preached Christ in the Jews Synagogues the People said, Is not this he that destroyed once all them that called on his Name? And after many dayes they took counsel to kill him. And they of the Synagogues when they heard Jesus, were filled with wrath, and thrust him out of the City, and brought him to the brow of the Hill, that they might throw him down headlong; as you may red in Luke. Here you may see the cruelty of them in the Synagogue against Christ, and so likewise against his Apostles, and against his Servants now, as their fruits makes manifest. For now we be unto them, who are Painted with Christ and the Apostles words, and are out of their Life found, as you may red, Mat. 23. And all you that take tithes of the People, and bring the first Priest-hood, and say, they took tithes, and say Levy took tithes, who came out of the loins of Abraham: And say, the Scribes and Pharisees took tithes; and Christ said, those things you ought to have done. But he cried, Woe unto you blind guides, which strain at a Gnat, and did not discern the secod Priesthood, Christ Jesus. And he said, You ought to have done these things. The Prophets or the Lord said, They robbed God of the tithes who brought them not to the Store-house; and that was in the first Priest-hood. For you that say Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedeck, yea, I say, he did out of the Spoil, but not out of his Substance. The Apostle in the 7th. of the Hebrews speaks of Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedeck like unto the Son of God. Levy receiving tithes is the Levitical Priest-hood, and they had a Command to take tithes according to the Law, yea, of their Brethren; and said, The Law made High Priests. Paul said, The Priesthood was changed, and that there was a necessity of the change of the Law; and there was a dissannulling of the Command going before, by which the Priest-hood took tithes, Heb. 7.8. And when the Apostle had spoken of tithes in the dayes of Abraham, and tithes in the Levitical Priest-hood, he said, The Priest-hood was changed, and the Law also, as you may red, Heb. 7.11, 12. when the Apostle had spoken of those things before mentioned, Melchizedeck like unto the Son of God. Now of those things that were here spoken, this is the Sum: The High Priest and tithes was one thing, and the Priest-hood was another thing the Apostle spoken of. And now if you speak of tithes after the Law, Christ Jesus is the Sum of things. A Word from the Lord to all you yet in the first Birth, slaying and persecuting the Righteous, whose ways are righteous, and accepted of God; therefore now repent and turn unto the Lord, for now is he coming to render Vengeance on all who know him not, and disobey the Gospel of the Lord Jesus, which is now preached forth by his Spirit, which is poured forth upon his Sons and Daughters. Praises to the Lord for ever. Cain was the first Birth and Cain is the first Birth, in the Fall; and God hath no respect to Cains sacrifice. Cain was envious, and slay his Brother, and Cain was a Vagabond, and feared where there was no fear; feared of being slain, when he had slain his Brother, the second Birth: And all you who are in envy, God hath no respect unto your sacrifice, to your prayers, to your humilliation-dayes, in your assemblys he is not among you; and all you who are wicked are in the first Birth, and your prayers, and praises, are abomination to God: And all you who are workers of iniquity are cursed, and your profession is in the Everlasting burning, where the fire is not quenched, and the worm dieth not. You may say, you are redeemed by Christ; but he that is redeemed, is redeemed from all iniquity, and all his vain conversation. Thou that art envious, and a murderer, old Cain, the devil, is thy Father; and no murderer hath Eternal Life abiding in him. And thou that art a Scoffer and wild, art wild Ishmael, who is turned out from Abraham and his family, into the wilderness, an Archer, whose hand is against every man, whom God commanded Abraham to cast forth. So who are of Abraham, now see all the Scoffing Ishmaelits turned out from God. And you that are Scorners and sit in the seat of the Scornful, and have them in derision which are Annoynted of God, and live in the Truth of God, and Tremble at the Word of God; he that sits in Heaven Scorns you, the Scornful, and will mock when your callamity cometh, and have you in derision in the time of your callamity and misery: Then will you witness these things, that these are the words of Life. To all you Scoffers and Scorners I speak; you are Liars, and the devil is your Father; who lye to get gain, and lye to cousin your Neighbours, to make yourselves Rich, and so dissemble, and defraud, that you may overreach your Brother in bargainings, and so you are for your own ends; you cheat, cousin and lye, who are in the Kingdom of your Father, whose Kingdom is the devils, and he hath dominion over thee, and thou art his Son, acting for him, for he was a Liar from the beginning, and so are all his Children: and all you who are Liars, are begotten of him; and thou that speaks of thyself from the Letter, applying all the Promises to thee, and living in thy first Nature and Birth, applying the Prophets words, and Christs words, and the Apostles words; thou art a painted Serpent, which is of the devil, and speakest of thyself, that which is not thy own, but art in envy, and a liar, without God are all liars, and no liar shall ever inherit the Kingdom of God, nor no covetous one for thou art an Idolater and a Fornicator, and a Blasphemer, and a Whormonger, and the God of this World is thy God, Ephs. 5.5, 7. which Rules in all the Children of disobedience, and thy Treasure is here in the Earth: Thy cattle, thy Corn, and thy fine Apparel, and beautiful Attire; there thou worshipest the Host of Heaven: and it reigns over thee, and thou fallest down under it: so thy Treasure is the Earth, and if the thief steal it, thou art undone; and then thou criest out on wants, and all thy want is for the Earth, and then thou hangest thy fellow-creature, contrary to the Law of God; for the Law of God saith, they were to make Restitution, or else to be sold for their theft: which goods thou hast gotten by cozening and cheating, by lying and defrauding, who art the greatest thief; all this is without God, Rev. 22.15. and without are thieves and Robbers without God, who shall never inherit the Kingdom of God; Whoremongers and Idolaters are without, and shall never inherit liars and Slanderers are without God, and shall never inherit the Kingdom; Drunkards, railers, and cursed speakers are without, and shall never inherit the Kingdom of God. And all you who are in the first Birth, are the Old bottles, so what is within you pours out Corruption, Blasphemy, Wickedness, Mat. 9.17. Cursing, speaking all manner of ungodlyness, and unrighteousness, taking Gods Name in vain, all you who are in the first Birth, are the corrupt three which cannot bring forth good fruit; perverseness crokedness, all manner of ungodliness, this is gathered of the corrupt three which cannot bring forth good fruit; and all you who are in the first Birth, are the Fountain which sends forth the bitter Waters, bitrerness, passion, evny, wrath, venom, and all ungodliness; and are Dogs, and Swine, wallowing in the mire; so he that is born of the flesh persecutes him that is born after the Spirit, and ever did: You may apply the Scriptures, and say you are Redeemed by Christ, but he will say, and saith, Go you workers of iniquity, into everlasting punishment; howl and weep, misery is coming upon you enemies of God, adversaries of righteousness. Thou that art in the first Birth, thou grindest the face of the poor, and oppressest them, and liftest thyself up in thy pride, and setest thy nest on high, and gatherest Riches together, to make thyself great in the Earth, thy gold and silver rusteth, the love of it is within thee, which shall eat thee out as a fire thy coals: moths eat through thy abundance( and the poor starve) and all thy dainty dishes; and thou that art Dives must be turned into Hell and this shall you find who are in that nature, the first Birth; thou that art proud and a Taskmaster of Egypt, which is this great City, Sodom and Gomorrah, thou oppressest the pure Seed of God, where it is rising to go out of Egypt, thou that art proud, and a Taskmaster, and Oppressor, thou must look for no other portion, but all the Plagues of God to be poured upon thee, that was upon pharaoh, even he who was Proud, and an Oppressor, and a Taskmaster; put it not from thee, Plagues and woe is thy Portion; and The proud in heart are abomination to God; and the proud will not be taught of God, for it is the humble that he teacheth, and the meek he exalteth. You that are proud, which live in the conceivings of the Scriptures you conceive what the Prophets spake, and so give meanings and senses, and sets up some things in your minds, being lead away by temptations: for when you are tempted, you are jed away by your conceivings: All the Worlds Religion stands there, and the promises is That God will scatter the proud in their vain imaginations and conceivings: and thou hast set up an image in thy mind, what thou conceivest of the Saints conditions, and so worships an idol, and worshipest the works of thy own hand, and art in the generation that persecutes the Righteous, who worship the Living God; and all you who are in the first Birth, profane hunters, cunning and swallowing up the Earth, are Esau which God hates, all you who are the first Birth which are but one Children in Esau, hated of God; thou that art profane, look for no other portion: thou mayest apply the mercy, but thou art hated of God eternally, and hast no portion with Jacob nor Joseph, but shalt be a ( barren wilderness) and a place for Dragons and devouerers; this is thy portion, God hates thee, and thou shalt be as stubble, Priest and people; all who are proud, liars, covetous, railers, thieves and idolaters, speaking your own words, and your own imaginations, in pleasuers and wantonness, sporting in the day time, following your wicked imaginations, and are the cursed children from God, workers of iniquity, under the dominion of Satan, who worship the Devil: the Saints shall and do judge the World: and all you Priests, you blind guides dissembling hypocrites, without the Kingdom of God, Plagues and wo is coming to be poured upon you, woe, woe, woe, the third woe is coming, which shall come upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth: dreadful is the Lord, he hath spoken it, and is terrible to the wicked: all you that are here in the first Birth, are in the generation of Vipers, full of Venom; a generation that are wise in their own Eyes, and conceits, an untoward generation, a generation of Vipers, who blaspheme the worthy Name of the Lord, by which all the Saints are called, who paint themselves with the Prophets words, and Christs words, and the Apostles words, that appear Beautiful outwardly to men, but are full of poison in the heart, and all who are workers of iniquity, profess what you will, apply what Scripture, or promise you will Priests and People, Prophets and Teachers, who are workers of iniquity, are cursed, and must go into Everlasting punishment: and all you Teachers, that teach People they shall never overcome their sins as long as they are here, which keeps them under the dominion of satan, who are the divels servants and instruments, acting in his Kingdom, keeping People in iniquity, under the dominnion of Satan, in his Kingdom, for there is no liar, covetous profane person, striker, fighter, wrangler, quarreler, scornful, unrighteous, nor wicked person, shall ever inherit the Kingdom of God: but all workers of iniquity must depart, and are accursed from Christ, from the presence of all his Angels: and all you who bite and devouer one another in the first Birth, are without in this first City Sodom and Gomorrah, and are Dogs without God, and all you who live in the lust of uncleanness, wallowing in the mire, are Swine: and all you who are in vain contentions with your corrupt minds, are in the first Birth, and in the swinish nature, fighting about the husk, which is a declaration of their condition which had the Life of it, who was in the second Birth: and all the uncleanness, pollutions, filthiness, lusts, begetting the lust, and the living in it, and the thief, murderer, cozener, cheater, and adulterous thoughts, the idolater, whoremonger, liar, railer, drunkard, are in the great city Sodom and Gomorrah, are all carnal, natural, in the first state, and have got a colour and Profession which is carnal and natural, feeding upon the Letter, which is death, which feeds you Serpents, Dogs, and Swine: For if any come among you with the Life of the Letter, who are in the second Birth, you will bite them, and tare them to pieces, you will stook, ston, whip, mock, jeer, and seek to tare them in pieces: and as the Horses of pharaoh, who would trample upon them, and devour them, and run over them even to your fellows, which are drunkards, and swarers. So were all the Prophets stoned, persecuted and slain in this great city, in your generation, in the first Birth, the Lord Jesus Christ, and so do you now ston the Prophets Sons and Daughters: Nay Christ himself is risen, and your Church is a Steeple-house, which is carnal: and your Teacher is carnal, made by the will of man, and your Original is carnal Hebrew, Greck, and latin: and your Word is carnal, the Letter: and the Light is carnal, the Letter: and your baptism is carnal Sprinkling Infants, which God never commanded: and they are wicked who act these things, which God never commanded, and tell People they are commanded of God: and ye are bewitched, and fools that follow them: for the Galatians were bewitched Gal. 3.1. which followed the Circumcision, which God had commanded, when the Substance was come: and their Sacraments, as they call them, are carnal, and there is not a word in the Scripture that speaks of a Sacrament; and their Communion is carnal, a little Bread and Wine: and so drunkards, railers, and cursed speakers, all meet together in this fellowship, which is the Table of devils, and Cup of devils, which is in the generation of Serpents, in this great City Sodom and Gomorrah. So dust is the Serpents meat, their Original is but dust, which is but the Letter, which is death: their Church is dust, a heap of Lime and Stones gathered together: so these Serpents feed upon dust, and all this is in the first birth, and the carnal mind cannot please God, which feed upon all these carnal things: and their gospel is dust, matthew, mark, Luke and John, which is the Letter: and all this is in the carnal mind feeding it which is the enemy against God, which is without God, in the generation of Cain, and the wicked whose prayers are abomination, and whose Sacrifice God hath no respect to, in Priest and People: Put it not far from you who Live in envy and are wicked workers of Iniquity, accursed from God and Christ, and all his Angels. Depart ye workers of Iniquity into everlasting burnings and torment, for there is your portion: all your application of the Scripture is nothing, and to all you who are under the dominion of Satan and the devil, Nahum 3.1. who is the King of Pride and the Glory of the World, and the Worlds Glory and Honour, and the Father of liars, Swarers, and Cursed speakers, Children of wrath, Living in wrath, lust, envy and murder, whose Father is the Devil and ye are his Children, and his works you do, and are obedient to him, and say, none can do the commands of God: who are doing the works of the Devil, and his works ye do, and Worship him, and Live in all uncleanness, lusting after the creatures. Now to all you who have the Light of God, and can see who are coming from under the Prince of the Air, and out of the Kingdom of the World, and towards God, out of the generation from God, into the generation towards God, the same Seed that all the promises of God is to, passing after Christ, in the same way that He passed, under the Law, and through the Law; and was in Egypt and passed out of egypt the House of darkness, and He was in the Wilderness, and there He was Tempted to make himself away; He was tempted to Worship the devil, which is the Worship of the World, to bow down and Worship him; He is the captain of our Salvation; He is the fore-runner, gone before; He endured the across, He despised the shane; He suffered the contradiction of sinners for the Glory that was set before him; He hath won the Crown, He hath over come egypt; and He hath fulfilled the Law; He hath overcome the World; He hath over-come the temptation; He is able to succour all that are Tempted; it is no sin to be Tempted, but to enter into the Temptation: He is the Head of the Body; He is the Head of the Church, who hath Blotted out all the Ordinances and Tradditions of men, who is the end of the daily Sacrifice who is the end of the Priests; who is the end of all outward Temples who is the end of the Prophets for they all witnessed of him; He is ascended above all Principalities and Powers. Now to all dear ones and dear hearts I speak, the same Seed, which is Christ, the same Spirit takes upon it now as ever; yea the same Temptations, the same Devils, and the same Worship of the World is winding into another Form and Colour; but Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life; he is the Door that all must pass through, and he is the Porter that opens it. I am the same Door that ever was, the same Christ; to day, yesterday, and for ever: the Light is the eye that sees it, which Light is Christ, and that Seed passing after Christ out of Egypt, the house of darkness, from under the Law, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit, as the Apostle saith, which we do witness, and the same Seed passing into the Wilderness, and there is tempted to lust after the Creature: You that are in the Wilderness witness this with me, and the same temptations even to despair, and make themselves away; for the devil before he would go out of his Kingdom he would destroy all: But look at the Captain, Jesus Christ, who hath passed before, who was tempted,( the Captain of our Salvation) and the same temptations to worship the devil, and if thou wilt worship the devil, thou shalt have the glory of the World, but if thou wilt not bow down and worship the Devil, thou shalt have none of the worlds glory, but be called a Devil as Christ was, and a mad man as he was, and none follow him but a cursed people; Them that worship the Devil gave these Titles unto them: And thou shalt lose thy good Name, and be a laughing stock to them that worship the Devil, and a derision among them, and a mark for every one to shoot at, and the drunkards to make Songs of thee; this is the portion of them that deny the worship of the world, and the glory, favour, and fashions thereof; and cannot fashion themselves to it, who are tempted to all these things; but it is no sin to be tempted: For standing in the power of Almighty God, you stand against and above all the wil●ss of Satan: So dwelling in the power of Almighty God, which carries through the Wilderness, and through temptations, and to the end, and gets the victory over all the Ordinances, Commandments and Traditions of men, and he that overcomes comes ascends above them all, And he that overcomes shall sit with me in my Throne, saith Christ. So every one must witness the same Christ born in you, passing through Death, through the World, the Law, Temptations, the Wilderness, and Ordinances; for out of the World, and out of the depth the Son of God ariseth: He it is that doth overcome, that is born of God; and the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ, the same Spirit raiseth up the same Seed in you, and quickens your mortal Bodies, and he that hath not the same is none of his, so all people examine yourselves, and see if you have fellowship with Christ in his Sufferings, are conformable to him in his Death, and have fellowship with him in his Temptations, Reproaches, Scornings, Contradiction of Sinners, and to be Spit upon as he was, and he that hath fellowship with him in his Sufferings, shall have fellowship with him in his Glory; and he that doth confess him in this dark World, him will he confess before his Father and his Angels; and he that doth deny him in this World, him will he deny before his Father and his Angels in the Light World. To the Blind People that ask, What is become of their Fore-fathers. TO you that are crying, What is Become of our Fore-fathers, if the Light be the Way which you be in; and what is Become of the Martyrs that suffered? Answer. Many of the Jews suffered death by the Heathen, because they could not Transgress the Commands and Law of God, and suffered because they could not eat Swines flesh; and the Prophets of God. again, many of them suffered( by the Jews) who witnessed Christ was to come: there was one slain between the Temple and the Alter by the Jews, which had the Words but not the Life; now many of the Jews which had the Words caused others to suffer which had the Life: but the Prophets they suffered for the Life, and the Apostles they suffered for denying of the Jews Commandments and their Ordinances: and said, Whatsoever they sold in the shambles that they might eat. And the Jews formerly suffered for holding up these things, before the Substance was come, by them that were out of the Law of God: for the Prophets suffered for many of these outward things, by them who had not the Life, who saw and declared the Substance; and these were for Signs and for Wonders to both the Houses of Israel: and while the Jews many of them suffered, their was something stirring in them that carried them into obedience to the Command of God; and when the Jews went only into the Word from the Life, they persecuted the Prophets, and killed the Just One and persecuted the Apostles who witnessed the Just One. Now these Jews may say, What is become of our Forefathers that suffered death for obeying the Commands of God, these that persecuted the Prophets and put the Son to death, and persecuted the Apostles, these might complain and say, What is become of all our Fore-fathers? For that which was in their Fore-fathers, the Life of the Law, which brought them to know the Law, and keep the Commandiments, those lived, and that suffering was excepted: but those that were from the Life, though they held the outward Commandments, Statutes, and Ordinances, yet they persecuted the Life, Christ Jesus, the Prophets and the Apostles: and here is no talk of their Fore-fathers, or of them that suffered, for here is a distinction between them, for Abraham, David and Moses saw the end of the pattern, which they that had got their words, which might pled, What is become of our Forefathers, or them that had suffered of the Heathen? Those that were Transgressors, was another state from them which saw through, and saw the end; so they stood not against the Substance, nor the Life, but they did that had the Words and wanted the Life: Those were with the Life of the Prophets, Christ and Apostles Judged as People having Eyes and see not, ears and hear not; Now say you that call yourselves Christians, but be out of the Life of Christ and the Apostles, What is become of our Fore-fathers, and what is become of the Martyrs that suffered? Alas for you, you are not to be compared to them, that have gotten the Martyrs Words, and Christ and the Apostles Words: as the Jews were not( that suffered death) to be compared to them, they persecuted to death; so you differ from the Martyrs that suffered death, as those that caused death. Neither are you to be numbered with those that suffered for the Righteous Law of God, with those Jews which persecuted Christ to death, and the Apostles and the Prophets; so here now you be in a wrong measure, which is to be short in comparing yourselves, and making yourselves of that number that suffered; but the true measure makes you of that number that persecuted, and then see what is become of all them, how should they escape Hels Damnation; for the least degree that is Pure, that brings to suffer, is accepted; but that which getteth the Words and causeth to suffer, is for judgement. So you having gotten the Apostles Words, and Christ Words, and Command; Now the Apostles suffered, and some of them that Lived in the Life, the Believers after them, as the Record of the Scripture doth make manifest; but that being come which the Apostles spoken of, the Substance, you that have the outward Command and Letter, and not the Life, but are standing up prateing of the Words, you are persecuting them, rising up against them that witness the Substance, and the end of the Apostles Words. So you are not to be measured with them that suffered, the Apostles and Martyrs, that are now persecuting them that are Believers. So it is now as it was then, in this Age as it was in that Age, for formerly there did some suffer, for bearing Testimony to Gods Commandments, Ordinances and Statues, and the Shadows: and when the Substance was come among the Jews that had the Shadows and outward Commands, and the lordships, them that had thus persecuted the Substance, would not have the Substance to Rule: measurable with you that be called Christians, which now stand against the Substance itself, who hath the outward Form and Command, but will not have Christ in Spirit to Reign as they would not have Him in flesh to Reign, neither would they have Him in flash to Reign, as they would not; but the Substance is come whereby the end of all things is seen, and Heaven and Earth shaken, and a new Heaven and a new Earth is witnessed, wherein dwelleth Righteousness. To all People in CHRISTENDOM. Concerning perfect Love, pure Wisdom and the holy Faith, and who they are that banisheth them, and who they are that entertains them; and how christendom hath not received this Love and this Faith to edify and build them; but hath received envy, and wrath, which sets them on heaps one against another, so not receiving Love, they cannot edify, nor revceiing Faith they cannot build. Also concerning Christs flesh which was offered, and Adams flesh which was defiled, and concerning the outward Offerings and Sacrifices, and in what they were held, and concerning the belief in the outward Offerings, and concerning the belief in Christ the Offering, and concerning Adam in the fall, and concerning Adam before he fell, and concerning Christ that doth never fall, and concerning the eating of Christs flesh, and drinking his blood, and who hath Life, and who hath not. ALL christendom, with all its sects and opinions, and judgements, that edify not one another, because they are out of the love and out of the true faith that works by love, so fast they cannot build being out of that faith that works by love, for the building is in the holy faith so they lie like confused Babel, and cannot build up one another in the holy faith, being out of this holy faith that works by love; so this worker is not entertained amongst them for in that is the building which faith works by love, so if they come to build they must come to love, and if they come to love they must come to the light and life and spirit of Christ within them; and this faith also must be felt within purifying and giving victory over that which separates from God, if they come to this worker, and in that is the love and the unity in the faith, and there is building up in the holy faith, so they must come to that which is holy if they build, yea in themselves, that gives them victory over the unholy; so all the sects in christendom cannot edify one another, together with all her Teachers, Bishops and Pastors, and the cause is they are not in the love, so not being in the love they are not in the life, nor in the power, nor in the edification, but in the perverseness; and so not being in the love, not in that which should edify one another, nor in that which doth fulfil the Law, which is love: but they are executing the Law and revenging themselves one upon another by their own inventions; and this is the cause of all the Sects among the professions, who have the words of the Apostles, but out of the power, and the life, and the love: So being out of this power, life and love, they are all in Sects, and out of edification and the holy faith; many heads, many bodies from the spirit, and this is now while they are from the Spirit of God in themselves, and so from the one baptism which should plunge down all the corruptions that is got up in the transgression, which is the cause of all Sects and Opinions and divisions one against another, and many bodies and heads. So now the wisdom that is pure from above and gentle, and easy to be entreated, is banished out of christendom, who are turned into Sects, and one devouring another with the devilish wisdom.( wisdom cries in your streets) the pure wisdom and gentle, but who entertains this gentle and peaceable wisdom, this may cry up and down in the streets all christendom over, and have no entertainment but frowardness and vanity, and folly, and perverseness, this is entertained in the house, but wisdom that is gentle and peaceable and pure may cry up and down the streets, and( get neither lodging nor entertainment) amongst you, who saith while ye be upon earth you must not be pure, so there is no place for the wisdom that is pure, nor entertainment, and to love enemies likewise, which love doth edify and baild up together, where is this edifier entertained? who entertains it? for if you all entertained this edifier, it would build you up together, then you must entertain the light that condemns you for sin, and brings you out of darkness, you must entertain the life that brings you from death, and the Power of God which brings from the Power of Satan: and doth not the Sects in christendom say, there is no perfection here, and how can they then entertain the perfect love, and give it lodging? for if they did so they would entertain that which would edify them in love, and bring them into one body that which would overcome, entertain that which would heap coals of fire on their heads, but the world will not entertain this edifier that will heap coals of fire on their heads, it is too hot for them, it is not like they should entertain this edifier that doth not entertain and love the light within, for that is its chamber which is the best room; and therefore not entertaining this love which should edify, they do not entertain the Gospel nor the fellowship of it, which Gospel the Power of God was before any Sects or Opinion was. Secondly, The worship of God which is in the spirit and the truth, was before Sects and Opinions and all other Worships was, which spirit and truth will remain when all other worships are gone; which spirit entertains the love that edifies and the wisdom that is pure from above in its best room, love that is perfect comes to edify, and all the Sects cry out no perfection here; and so they live in strife one amongst another, and entertains strife amongst them; and they are in that which is impure and not the pure wisdom, and so perfect love that edifies hath no place nor entertainment, and that wisdom that is pure from above which cries in the streets and knocks at their doors, amongst the unpure and the ungentle that shuts the door and cries no perfection here, no purity, we have no lodging for thee here: so the world and the professors cries no purity upon the earth, no entertainment for thee, nor the gentle spirit, but the froward and preverse hath its lodging there, and so perfect love which edifies hath no place nor entertainment amongst all that denies perfection, and such are devouring one another entering into strife, and not the love which should edify one another, such be the Wolves in sheeps clothing, who have gotten the words out of the life, and are erred from the Spirit of God and the Power of God in themselves, in which you would all have unity, and life, and peace, if you did obey it, in which power the love of God is received, and the enmity is put out that hath made men imperfect, and so come to receive perfection and edification; but the pure love hath been banished, and so edification hath not been amongst the banishers of it; and this holy faith that works by love, this holy worker hath been banished, christendom hath banished him out from amongst them, and so the evil worker hath had the place and hath ruled, and not the holy faith that worker that works by love; and likewise wisdom hath been banished that is pure from above, and gentle and the wisdom that is below, that is earthly, sensual and devilish, of the divils nature, this is entertained in christendom, their fruits declares it: So then let all christendom consider what their houses are full of, and who are their companions, and who are their guests, and seeing holy faith, and perfect love, and pure wisdom from above is not entertained amongst them, and would not give it place, though it hath long cried in their streets and knocked at their doors, who hath given it no entertainment, so hath not entertained love but wrath, and envy, and strife, and hath not entertained truth but error, now that which is impure and unholy hath not entertained that which is holy and pure; this is manifest by their fruits what all entertains and what all banisheth, that which would do them good and edify them, and build them, that which should preserve them pure, and sweet, and savoury to God. Concerning CHRISTS FLESH which was Offered, &c. CHRIST, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World when it began its foundation, then the Lamb was slain, then the World was set up in Mans heart, that he did not see the beginning nor the ending of the works of God, and then Adam and Eves clean flesh was defiled and clean bodies, and clean minds, when they transgressed and transgressions entred, so came sin into Adam and Eve, and then came death, and then the body of death made up in the sin and transgression in Adams flesh and Eves, then were their mindes defiled and their spirits and their souls came into death and their flesh defiled, then came their understanding to be darkened, and Christ according to the flesh Crucified, the Lamb slain, that flesh of his which is a mystery, when the first Adams and Eves flesh was defiled, and so death reigned from Adam to Moses; sin was and had its being in the world, which made deaths authority, and set up its reign, so death reigned from Adam to Moses, then Moses which had the Law, by whom the Law came, who was a great Prophet, which saw the Garden of God that man was in, and woman before they fell, and their good, and pure and blessed state, and their high spirit, and dignity, and power, through which they had dominion, from which power, spirit, and dominion, and righteousness, and holiness, they fell from, and so into a low spirit like a beast, therefore they have the names of beasts given unto them, man and woman, after process of time, so the Law coming by Moses which was the higher power that went over all the transgressors, and he saw the first transgression upon earth, the Law that was just and righteous, and equal, an even balance and a just weight which brought every one to do to others as they would have them do unto them; this limited people from sin and kept them from sin, and so from death and that which brought death, and so the people was to hear Moses and hear the Law, to whom God gave wisdom and a pattern to make and to set up the Typs and Figures and shadows, and the Priesthood, and the Offerings which was held up by the pure, and the holy, and the just Law, and was set up and established with offerings, sacrifices, figures, shadows variables, changeable things which was set up by the pure Law, was held by the pure part of man and woman, who was to eat of the clean beasts, to whom several things was unclean, though in themselves they might be clean, and in these shadows, variables, changables set up by the Law and in the Law those offerings was the belief of all those people placed, centred and grounded which was in these outward things, which belief stood in the clean part of them which was made clean by the pure Law, and in this stood the righteousness of the Law, and in this lies the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, from the clean part, in which the belief lies in the offerings, and that clean part held the offerings, an offering for a defilement, yet still the clean to be offered; and in this stands the belief settled, framed, and firm, in which part God shewed his wonders: now to this part Christ spake his Parables, and when the Jews did transgress the Law of God, the Prophets told them they oppressed the seed as a cart with sheaves, and likewise the Prophets did see Christ which had been slain from the foundation of the world and bruised, which Moses, David, Abraham and the rest of the Prophets saw that he was to rise, that God would raise him up, who should come in the end of the book, that is in the end of the words, in the end of the Prophets, in the end of the typs, figures and shadows, in the end of all variable things, now the death reigning from Adam to Moses then the Law came with its typs, figures, and shadows, so the state of death reigning from Adam to Moses, there the flesh is defiled; then as Moses the Law that limits sin that brings death, here the flesh is purified and made clean by the offering, and there is the belief in that which makes clean, which is for the cleansing of the flesh, so as the Seed is raised up, Christ Jesus, which comes to destroy the Devil the power of death, which hath lain under and been slain from the foundation of the world; that man and woman transgressed, through which death entered, so as the seed, Christ, comes over all that destroys death and the Devil the power of it, the author of all envy and wrath and all transgression, who is the offering which comes to end all the offerings and that belief that stood in them which stood in the pure part in the offering, so the belief was to be turned into the seed, that put down the offering and the offerer, and destroyed the cause of the offering to wit the Devil, and the sin, so the belief lay in this one offering, Christ, which was the offering once for all; so the belief comes into this righteousness, Christ the seed, for the other righteousness was held in the clean part in which was the offering, so he ends and puts down that righteousness who is the righteousness, and that part and mind and eye that stands in it, that they may come to a thing that is lower and under, and higher, and over all and before all, that is the righteousness itself, so in this lies the belief, so then in the life and in the substance, and is the end of all typs, figures, and shadows, and so the seed puts down that part that doth pertain to all typs, figures, and shadows, in which seed there is no shadow: Now there is Adam and Eves flesh before they fell, pure: and there is Adam and Eves flesh in the fall, defiled: and the Law was held in the pure part, with its typs figures and shadows that cleansed, so Adams, Eves flesh was defiled, but the flesh of Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, yet his flesh never corrupted, which flesh is the offering, for as he was God he did not die and this flesh is a mystery, and in this flesh is the belief that takes away the sin that never corrupted that is the offering for sin, and the blood of this flesh cleanseth from sin, and not the offering of Bulls and Goats for that is yearly cleansing, but this is once for all, this offering who is found in the shape of a man, and the form of a servant, the great mystery, God made manifest in the flesh, seen of Angels, justified in the Spirit, and where this belief is entered into his flesh, it knows Adams flesh that corrupted, it knows the clean flesh that was cleansed by the outward offerings which held the Law and Commandments, in which flesh stood its belief and righteousness, but that flesh with its Typs must all have an end, and its Law and Righteousness in the Seed and by the flesh of Christ ends all those fleshly things so the belief in Christs flesh his body the offering, the belief in the offering that puts down all the offering and the offerer, and the part that doth pertain to the outward offerings the belief brings over the outward offerings and the part that doth pertain to them, the seed, which is Christ the offering itself in which is the belief, in him who was with the Father before the World began. Secondly, the seed the offering, Christ, destroys the Devil and his works, all the false offerings which God never commanded never set up, the seed destroys them, and the darkness that is in people, and that part in them that doth pertain to their inventions and outward offerings and so through his flesh he doth reconcile, and by the offering up his body, his flesh, that which hath been slain from the foundation of the world, and yet never corrupted, through the offering up of his flesh, his body, he breaks down the partition wall betwixt Jews and Gentiles, and makes a plain, and puts down Jews offerings and the Law and Commandements that held them up, and likewise puts down the Gentiles offerings which God never commanded, and destroys the Devil the Author of Inventions, and the author of the sin, for which cause there was the offering of the bullock, which offering and offerer and the part that doth pertain to the offering, Christ offering once for all put all the other down; and destroys the Devil who is the Author of sin, through which sin came the offering of the bullock, which Christ ends by offering up himself, and destroys the Devil, the seed Christ who is the offering itself, in whom there is no shadow nor variableness, nor changing, who reconciles in one, things in heaven, and things in earth, who destroys the Devil through death who hath the power of death, so the seed reigns, his flesh the offering is believed in and fed upon, it must be eaten if people have life, which is a mystery as ever to all them that stops their ears, and closes their eyes to the eternal principle of God in them, Christ flesh is a mystery to them as it was to the Jews, for they that stop their ears they hold up outward sacrifices, and slay Christ in themselves, and press him as a cart with sheaves, and such were they that Crucified him without them when he was manifest and appeared in flesh God was in this flesh, he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham, not the nature of Angels, for he came lower, so all must be of this flesh and bone of Christ if they be of his Church, which he is head of,( mark) of his flesh which shall never corrupt, which neither death nor bonds can hold, but in the determinate and appointed time of God was raised up, now they that are in the belief of this flesh and offering sees over all offerings to the beginning into the glory which was with the Father before the World began; for all outward offerings and sacrifices was given to man after he fell, and the Lamb slain, which offering is a figure of Christ the seed to be brought forth and offered up, and he the top-stone over all laid, to end and finish all the outward offerings and typs and shadows, and in him there is none; and also to bring man to the state that he was in before he fell, and not only thither but to himself, the seed; a state that shall never fall, and so in this stands the true belief, so all they that do and doth crucify Christ within them, and without them are such as stop their ears to the eternal principle of God in themselves, and close their eyes to it: and secondly all they that to themselves crucify Christ afresh, are such as stops their ears and closes their eyes to the eternal principle of God in them; so grieves and quenches, and vexes the Spirit of God in them, and so they form a belief in themselves in the tossed part, and their belief is not in the eternal God, nor in the flesh of Christ the offering, for whose belief is in the flesh of Christ it is in the offering, through which they can see Eternity, and so this belief is born of God, and this is a belief that shall never die, and this is a belief that shall never be condemned, which comes from death to life, and this is a belief in the onely true God, and in Jesus Christ whom he hath sent which is eternal life,( mark) this belief is in the eternal life, and in this belief here is no shaking, no variableness, no changing, no fading nor altering, but it is that which overcomes; and here is the new and living way, Christ is known to be the light and the life and the truth, and he that believes hath the witness in himself, and hath the Seal, and can set to his seal that God is true who fulfils all his promises, and types, by the seed, the offering in whom there is no shadow, nor variableness nor turning, nor twining, so through this offering is the reconciliation, through the offering of his flesh, that never corrupted, but takes away corruptions, and his blood cleanseth from corruptions, the life red. And so this pure flesh this offering is set over all, which never corrupted, which must be your meat if you live, though there is more in all these things which is hard to be uttered and cannot be uttered yet,( mark) there is Adams flesh defiled, whom Christ sanctifies and cleanseth, and perfecteth by his offering, and cleanseth by his blood, for as much as children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also took part of the same; so all christendom hath talked long enough of Christ flesh and blood, now had they all eaten his flesh and drunken his blood, then they had all had life in the Son of God, and then had they been feeding in the pasture of life, and then they had had all peace in him; but christendom hath talked about the flesh and blood of Christ so long, that now they can hardly hear one another talk of it, they are so envious: But this is the word of the Lord to them all, they must eat his flesh and drink his blood if they live and have life in Christ, and had they done all so they had been quiet in Christ, from whence they have life, so now the belief lies in the offering Christ Jesus, and there is a passing through Christs flesh, and a eating of his flesh, and a becoming of his flesh and his bone, and so through him they have life eternal, and through him they believe in God. Object. But if any should hold the seed only within them, and that Christ is not come in the flesh, and hath not appeared in the shape of a man, to end all the offerings and sacrifices and typical things, and the offerer, and the part that doth pertain to them. Ans. They must that holds that, that he is not come but onely is within them the seed, then see if that they speak of doth or hath brought them out of Adam in the fall, and put down all Adam and Eves sons and daughters inventions which they have invented in their Idol minds and other outward offerings and services: for they that own that Christ, that was offered, that was slain from the foundation of the world the Lamb, they own that, and their belief stands in that which doth bring down the inventions of the sons of Adam, and daughters in the fall, and bring them up to the state that their Father Adam and their Mother Eve was in before they fell, and so ends all the offerings and typs, and figures and shadows that was given to man in the fall, and destroys the inventions and the inventor, and so they that acts in Christ, they act in righteousness and their works are wrought in God, and Christ, who brings them in the state of Adam and Eve before they fell, and to a state higher, to himself that shall never fall, who sees Adam and Eve before they fell, sees Adam and Eve in the fall, sons and daughters, and sees Christ that fetches out of the fall, that never fell, and in him is the life, and the peace and the sitting down that never falls. A LETTER to all FRIENDS. FRiends to you all, this is the Word of the Lord: Take heed of Judging one another; Judge not one another. I command you in the presence of the Lord, Judge not with that which must be Judged; and Judge not one another behind one anothers back, I command you in the presence of the Lord. This is the Word of the Lord unto you; neither lay open one anothers nakedness, and weakness behind one anothers backs, for thou that dost, art one of Hams family, which is under the Curse; but every one in particular, with the Light of Christ, which he hath enlightened you withall, to see yourselves with it, every one see with the Light, every one Judge self, that self may be Judged out with the Light in every one; and so to you all, this is the Word of the Lord. And that there be no backbiting behind one anothers backs, but in love. You that dwell in the Light, and see clear, spake to the other, whose minds are gone from the Light; if you, as I said before, spake behind their backs there will be the evil Eye and filthy mind, which dares not spake to the face, and so the same that doth condemn behind the back, is for condemnation with the Light, so self shall be Judged first. So here you may be pure in the fear and love of God and watchful, and all self Judged out from among you, which would be Judging in secret, which is a work of darkness; and take heed, I charge you in the presence of the Lord, of a feigned humility, a feigned love which is out of the Light, and then that to use as a customary salvation or a form of gesture, which is all for condemnation, with the Light to be kept, which is of the covenant. So see that all your actings be from the Light, and in the Light; here you are all kept pure and clean and will come to be seal d in the Everlasting Covenant of God, with the Light which is from Christ; and again, I charge you in the presence of the Living God, not to suffer thy mind to go out, to contend with them that be not of the true h, which are out of the Truth, which both are to be condemned with the Truth; for the same mind will boast and get up, which is out of the Truth: which sees things in the comprehension, but that is excluded out of the Truth, and shall not enter, but is for condemnation. And so to you all this is the Word of the Lord God of Power and of Beauty; that in the peace you may be preserved to wait for the Spirit of Grace and Wisdom and the Spirit of Understanding. And Friends all, every where met together, waiting upon the Lord, that your minds may be guided by the Light of God, up to God and know the Life of God in one another, which all those minds which are abroad are strangers from the Life of God, so you are strangers to the Covenant of Promise; for the Covenant and Promise of Life is with the seed and there is no sin, nor iniquity, nor transgression in the Covenant, for it is all Judged without the Covenant of God, and the Covenant of Life, and so wait I charge you all in the presence of the Living Holy God of Life, that you may witness the Everlasting Covenant of Life, dwelling with your souls; and find the witness and find the Seal that you are Sealed to God with; his Seal. That you may all witness sin and transgression finished, and it bloted out; and the new Covenant of God witnesed, with which you may all come to know the Lord, to love the Light, which Christ hath given you, and it to teach you; you will witness the Covenant Christ Jesus; for as the Lord said, I will give Him for a Covenant; a Light to the Gentiles to open the Eyes of the blind. And so this Light doth open the Eye of the blind, all you that were blind as the Gentiles or the Jews which knoweth the Light, your Eyes are opened, and you do see the new Covenant, the unchangeable Priest, the unchangeable Covenant; so in that which changeth not, dwell: I charge you all in the presence of the Living God who changeth not, that that which is changeable, and changeth, may be Judged, and condemned, with that which changeth not, though the ministration of condemnation be glorious in its time, which is for condemnation, with that which changeth not, the ministration of the Spirit exceeds in glory, which changeth not and there is no condemnation to them who are here and walketh in the Spirit, and are in Christ Jesus the new Covenant: I say there is no condemnation to such, but freedom. But who are in that which changeth, runs in the changeable works without in that nature which hates the Light, and is all for condemnation with the Light that is eternal and never changeth: And all beggarly Lusts, Traditions and Rudiments of men, which is acted in that nature contrary to the Light, is for condemnation with the Light. So dwelling all in the Light, which is not changeable, nor changeth, you come to Judge all changeable things that can alter and change, and that which comes from God, which changeth not, and with his Light all things is Judged which changeth: with his Light, which he hath given. So dwelling here, in the Light, to Judge all changeable things, and keep them out of house and mind. So dwelling in the judgement, you will be filled full of mercy: first judgement, and then mercy. To you all, this is the Word of the Lord to spread over all, that the Just may spread over all, and grow up to be King. I charge you in the presence of the Lord God, to sand this among all Friends and Brethren every where, to be red in all meetings: to you all this is the Word of God, and to that of God in you all I spake. Friends, I charge you all in the presence of the Living God, evil communication, and evil words, let none proceed out of your mouths, for though you do find the Root in you, not taken away, that would act, dwell in the Light, which lets you see evil communication, and with the Light to give judgement upon it in the particular, first to Judge it all: therfore that is it that corrupts the good manners, and there is no good manners, but all is corrupted whilst there is evil communications: and all your Profession is Abomination to the Lord whilst that stands. So put away all filthy communication out of your mouths, and all wrath, and all unrighteousness, and all ungodlyness: With the Light you see it, all walking in the Light, and loving it, you may Judge all with the Light, that you may know the good manners. I charge you all in the presence of the Living God, in the Light to walk, to keep out all the evil communication from among you; for the corrupt manners is there, and proceeds from that; and all the profession which is acted in that nature, while the evil communication is standing, is abomination, and is for condemnation; and all their profession is for the fire. So walk all in the Light with which you are enlighted: I charge you all in the presence of the Living God. It will teach you all the good manners, and pure communication, and condem all corrupt manners and corrupt communication: so to have the mind cleansed of all such, all walking in the Light have the besom in their hands, and sweep the Land of all corrupt manners: and vain communication; and with the Light all come to be Judged down. So the Light is the Judge and the condemnation, and in the Light walk, and ye will shine. My dear Brethren in the Covenant of Life, keep to yea and nay, and first day, second day, third day, fourth day, and fifth day, as they were given forth. And dear Brethren in the Covenant of Life, the endless Riches you are made partakers of, and the endless Inheritance you are come to have share of, Heirs with Christ of the Kingdom that never fadeth away, you that suffer with Christ shall rejoice with Christ. And to you all Friends which are not come up to the Covenant, and cannot witness you are come into it, and Sealed, follow no image makers without the Life guiding, which is Eternal, which will hue down all imaginations and likenesis, and images, and image makers; that the Glorious God the Father of Life may be revealed, the ground of all Truth And Friends, none speak abroad but as you are Eternally moved of God with the Spirit of the Lord, and to that be obedient as faithful servants, that you may enter into the joy of your Lord. And Friends all I warn you and charge you all, in the presence of the Living God of Heaven and Earth, that there be no keeping of old things in store, in the mind or memory, or heartrising or backbiting among you, speaking evil one of another behind your backs, but Judge that out with the Life of God, and dwell in the Life of God, I charge you all in the presence of the Living God, then you all in this Life of God will have unity: and again I charge you all, in the presence of the Living God, to beware and not to suffer that to contend in you, which goeth out of the Truth, but let the Truth Judge it out. And I charge you all in the presence of the Living God, to meet altogether everywhere, knowing one another in the Spirit, and not in the flesh, and with the Spirit of God wait upon God, the Father of Spirits. And again Friends, I charge you in the presence of the Living God, love not that which is out of the Truth, but all be kept low in that which is pure of God, and comes from God, you may feed upon. And again all Friends every where, dwell in Truth which never changeth, that you may trample on the flesh; that there be no feeding of love but what is pure, which is Eternal, without any mixture or slain: and that all others may be hewn down, and the rest trampled and trodden down, earth to earth, dust to dust. And now that ye may be kept pure in joy, waiting for the Eternal Riches, from the Eternal God: so all to know the Ministry which is from the Spirit, and in it all are one, and with it, all are Judged. I charge you all in the presence of the Living God, take heed of Pride, but with the Just which is Eternal, keep all that down, and Judge it. Phe Prayers of the Wicked, are Abomination unto the Lord, and he hears not hypocrites, this is for the service of this day: but the Prayers of the Righteous is heard. And this is to go abroad in the World. GEORGE FOX. THE END.