1. Letter.

I Have received your loving Letter, and therewith Mrs. M. kind token, which be­fore my opening, I had thought had beene some Book: Her remembrance of me doth much refresh me, and she is made therein an instrument of making me partaker of much of the love and goodnesse of God. I had beene in some sad (but yet withall sweet) thoughts but just before they came o me; when they came, I said, these are to [Page 4] wipe away teares from mine eyes, and that love that sent them assuredly will. Sir I pray you remember me to her, and thanke her, and if I may come with good company to her, I shall be glad to give her a visit when I come to London, that is, with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, for there is our fellowship, without whom 'tis a dry feast and a fruitlesse visit; neverthelesse I shall (I trust) be willing to be seen of her barren, or as I am, bee it howe­ver; for wee neither stand nor fall to our pre­sent abillities or actings.

Sir, For your desire of something to bee written touching the first and second appea­rance of Christ, I wish I were but fresh to give you my thoughts I had thereof this morning; but after twice preaching this day, and now after supper I am more disposed to sleep then write: Your inquiry is after two things, the difference between them, and the trasition or passing over of Christians from the one to the other; For the first, It shall only acquaint you with some places of scripture which to me doe seeme to hold forth the difference be­tween these two, and they are 1 Pet. 1. 5, 11, 13. Rom. 6. 5. Heb. 9. 28. by which scriptures it may appeare, that the first appearance of Christ is, unto Faith; The second is, unto Salvation; [Page 5] In the first he is made our sinne; his second is without sin; our fellowship with him in the first is called, Planting in the likenesse of his death; our fellowship with him in the latter is called, Planting in the likenesse of his resurrection. The first is called sufferings, the sufferings of Christ, ver. 11. of that place in Peter; as if it conteined and were made up of nothing else; The other is called, the glory that should follow. And in that chapter it may appeare (at least it doth so to me at present) that the Christians then were cheifly acquainted with the promise and expectation of it to come, when Peter wrote this; and indeed the glory of the first appearance of Christ was yet very bright, for it was to have its time and season; as it hath, through all ages since and in this present age even with those on whom his second appea­rance is dawned: But if you say. All these are but externall carracters and distinctions of those two appearrnces, but what is the formall and intrinsecall difference between them? I shall give you my apprehension thereof in brief thus.

The first appearance of Christ, is his ap­pearance in flesh, without us, bearing our sinne, and fulfilling all legall righteousnesse, and thereby becomming the object and meanes of [Page 6] faith to us, whereby to draw neere to God unto reconciliation; And faith acting upon this discovery of God in Christ, apprehen­ding his love through that ministration, was (I conceive) that that brought in the supplies of all our hope and comfort from time to time, and nourished all grace and holinesse in our hearts, till the arising of this day Starre in us, becomming our spirituall righteousnesse, and sufficiencie for all things, the end of our faith, and our salvation it selfe in the spi­rit.

That which makes this the lesse knowne, and the more hard to be knowne, is because there are degrees in it, and that which is affir­med of one degree of it (suppose a higher de­gree) is not found in a lower degree, and so we know it not when it is in us and among us, because we find it not in such an eminent de­gree; As for example, we see not yet all ene­mies put under us; and that glorious redemption of the body, we yet understand not, &c. for all these things are but parts and appendices to the second appearance of Christ; but all these waite onely for the acknowledgement of this day, this second appearance, Christ in us, the day Starre risen in our hearts; for as the power and priviledge of becomming sonnes, [Page 7] followed upon the receiving and acknow­ledging of his first appearance; so shall all the priviledges annexed to his second appearance, bee made good to us upon the acknowledge­ment thereof, when it shall bee proclaimed within us, and when it shall discover it selfe upon us; and as Christ sayes to the woman of Samaria, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me water to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water: So when wee shall bee acquainted what a mighty one dwels in us, we shall finde our selves to be at the end of our faith, and in the possession of all salvation: For He is the resurrection and the life; Hee is redemption; and the King­dome of God lyes not in, nor is brought on, by any outward circumstances; The kingdom of God is within you; It comes not with observation; so that from the premises I am bold to pronounce, that Christ being revealed in spirit, in many, The second appearance of Christ is dawned upon the world, and 'tis amongst us though we know it not, or scarcely know it; The redemption of the body is a­mongst us, and all things beginne to bee new, and to have a new face and appearance to us, so far forth as we are changed and spiritualli­zed; [Page 8] Nor need this be strange, That the se­cond appearance should lurke and bee a stran­ger in the world, a while, any more then his first appearance, which was concealed for thir­ty yeares and scarce taken notice off, save by Herod, when he murdered the Infants; Only you may say, that this is more in glory! but consider, the glory is inward, and so is the ap­pearance, and therefore the lesse subject to the notice of others, and yet it is proclaimed through the world, under the voyce of Here­sie, Blasphemy, Antichrist, the great Anti­christ, &c. Doth not the spirit say. The day of the Lord shall so come as a Theifi in the night? and is it not so come on most Profes­sors? insomuch that they on whom it is come, scarce know it, or receive it; And shall that which is prophesied of, as a signe of it, become a siumbling block in its way? Behol a I come as a Theife, sayes Christ; Christ is come as a theife, and we say 'tis not He; He would be known of his comming if it were, Yee fooles and blind, yee know not the Scriptures, &c. This comming of his, the primitive times had it (and especially some among them as Paul who was called extraordinarily by Christ re­vealed in him; and John that was ravisht in spirit, and saw the Lords day) as Abraham, [Page 9] Isaack and Jacob had the promised land they were sojourners in; but there, was a long bon­dage in Aegypt to be undergone by their seed ere they came to it, whereunto answers our long captivity under Antichrist; but the time draws near, wee shall shortly heare that voyce, Arise, shine, for thy light is come, the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; and this second appearance, this day starre will make the stars of the night to disappeare, or the glo­ry of the first appearance to goe down, which is all that I shall say now to the second part of your inquiry; As this increases, the other will decrease; no other period of it doe I know; for we are all brought forth first under the law, and so come to know Christ after the flesh, and reape the fruit and comfort of his first appea­rance, ere we know him in us as salvation and glory; but whether the Lord will alwayes observe this method, I cannot say, rather I think he will not, for 'tis said, we shall not all dye, but shall be changed; wee shall not all passe under forms, be trained up under the law, but shall immediately be changed. Christs appearance to us is the rule of all walking and conversati­on; His appearance being known to us onely in the flesh, as a Reconciler, a Minister of cir­cumcision, is the reason of our walking in [Page 10] forms; when hee appeares to us nakedly in spirit, as being all to us and in us himselfe immediately, and alone, then he delivers us into a glorious liberty above all outward forms.

In that place in Peter that speakes of the fuflerings of Christ, and that glory that should follow, I may seeme strange to you to under­stand that following glory of the body as I doe, but beare with me therein, I doe so under­stand it of the glorious appearances of Christ in his in spirit; nor can I give you my reasons for it now.

What you write of the difficulty of getting out of the flesh of Christ, and the letter of Scri­pture: I wonder not at, seeing we never have gotten in, without a divine power and life; and therefore to get through unto the holiest, with­out the same Almighty power, is impossible.

It is no little advance after we are brought in, to look out further and higher; till which time, the witnesses lie dead in us in the streets, and then that voyce hath been heard, Come up hither; and we are ascending or ascended, whilest we are making up in the Lord; There is the Lord in us ascending, who came down, and none else can ascend but hee.

As for that I wrote concerning the appea­rance [Page 11] of Christ and his comming spoken off in Scripture, that I know no other comming of Christ to judgement, but his spirituall ap­pearance, or appearance in spirit (for as for the flesh, that hath done its work) and there­fore is he said, to come in the glory of his Fa­ther, and of his holy Angels; also in flaming fire with his mighty Angels, which is spiritu­all. That his comming is nothing but his ap­pearing; and that all flesh is a vaile upon him, from under which he is comming, and casting it off, making his arme bare; That the bo­dyes of all raised, shall be spirituall, like unto his; which is also held forth in that expressi­on of the Apostle, 2 Thess [...] [...].The Spirit of his mouth, and the brightnesse of his comming, which amounts to a spirituall appearance and manifestation. That this comming, and judge­ment is graduall, and hath beenon foot from the beginning of the world, and still goes on, and will be compleated in due time. That the judgement Day which we expect, is nothing else, but the perfect and universall Declara­tion of his righteousnes; his generall and full manifestation unto all by his rising up in all, who is the head and root of all, and making all spirituall; for the Kingdom of God is with­in you: there riseth up this judgement sudden­ly [Page 12] upon the world, by which you might under­stand, how I take that place in the Corinths Till he come; namely in spirit, when as said, I know no other appearance of his to be but in spirit: That hee is entred into spirit, and therefore we cannot think he will be perfected in the flesh (for his Kingdome commeth not by observation): So I think, and speak, and write still: Though I have known Christ after the flesh, yet hence forth know I him no more. God hath manifested his love and power in that man Christ, and in that flesh which he took, and shewed what he will doe in all the Elect, by a spirit of power and love, Redeem, Save, Kill, Quicken, Raise, Glori­fie; and this spirit and power of God ap­pearing in the Elect, is the appearing of Je­sus Christ in them, both in his weaknes and in his power,; in his Cradle, Crosse, Grave, and in heavenly places, at the right hand of the Father in his full glory. This is the Kingdom of God that comes not by observation: This is, Christ is us, the hops of glory; who shall come by degrees & appear to be (the) glory: He is our life hid, and he is dead in us, and we in him, who shall appear and bring us forth with him in glory, being our Head, Root, the quickning Spirit, and which doth not de­ny [Page 13] a personall appearance of Jesus Christ the Son of man, consisting of soule and body, to and with the Saints, when he is perfectly formed in them; and what can this appea­rance be but spirituall, in the glory of the Fa­ther, and of the holy Angels, according as the hodyes, the vile bodies of all the Saints shall be in the resurrection, where it riseth a spiri­tuall body, though sown a naturall body; and then an end of flesh, and blood, and corrupti­on; so farre the Scripture leads us, and wee must not be intruders into these things, whilest God openeth not the doore unto us: Wee are the Sonnes of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be; In that appearance shall be seen, the sutablenesse of the Saints unto him: Loe I and the children whom God hath given me! and then shall be eternall union betwixt God and Christ, and Christ and the Saints, yet with distinction and subordination: The head, the body, the root, and the branches, the hus­band and the wife: Christ in God, and the Saints in Christ, and so in the Father; one in another, and perfect in one. Thus I have gi­ven you the brief, yet full coppy of what is written in mee, so farre as I can read, in way of answer to your queries; and if you shall put me to read it over again, and shew me any [Page 14] mistakes; you shall doe mee no displeasure. As God openeth himself in us, so we disco­ver these things, and I shall be ready to di­scover what is discovered, though I disco­ver my mistakes with all: for we are very un­learned in reading what the spirit hath written in us, till it come in a large letter, as it will doe, that we may read it running.

Salute from me all our friends, with you.

2. Letter.

IN whom I have rejoyced; I hold my selfe bound to acquaint you with the wonderfull dealings of my God with me: It is so, that I am called into judgement, and the Books are opened, and the booke of life is opened, and I am judged according to all things which are written in the books: Yet neither of these books is that Bible-book which we have hug'd so long, as our onely happinesse; I would not hore now be mistaken: for I doe not, say this; judgement is not spoken off in the Bible, nei­ther those bo [...]ks out of which I am judged; for that they are, both of them: and yet I say, that the Bible in the letter of it, as it is bound up there, is not the book: I would not for a world take away any thing from the Bible, or any of the excellency of that which is therein written; but I would have it set in the right place: I would not have it taken for God himselfe, and yet God is in it, and the letter [Page 16] of it is a very sweet manifestation of God, but it is not God; though God (I say) be mani­fested in this flesh: But though wee have knowne things after the flesh; yet henceforth we will know them so no more: for indeed, except wee come through the flesh, which is the vail, we cannot enter into the holiest: for the outward Court is given to the Gentiles, and it shall not bee measured: wee all desire and strive to enter into rest, the Lord give us hearts therefore, that we faile not, because of unbeliefe: But indeed our lives and also our spirits, are so full of prejudicate opinions, that wee are apt to think the worst of every thing; whereas if we were the children of God, and like our Father; we then should live in God, which is love: yea, we should then be made one with this love. Certainly, we may feare, that those Children are basely begotten, that doe not in any way resemble their Father. Deare friend, such a like generation have we begotten amongst us, for if we were like our Father, we then should hope all things, beleeve all things; think no evill, not be lifted up in our selves, but thinke of every one better then of our selves: But though the seed of the Ser­pent be sowen amongst us, yet I say againe, I would not bee mistaken by you, for I am not [Page 17] against the use of the Bible, for I see a true sweet, lovely spirit in the writings of it: though yet I would have you know, that I dare not justifie all things as they lye in the letter of it; not because the truth is not in it, but be­cause of the abuse of that truth by the fals tran­slation of it: for every one when he translates a Coppy, writes it as he thinks fit, and so puts in and leaves out according to his concepti­ons; and we all are not ignorant what hands these coppies have come thorow; I beseech you therefore to wait upon that one spirit which is in you, he it is that shall lead you in­to all truth, and I am sure that when God hath written his own truth within you; then you will be able (as well as the Apostles) to write a Bible or any book else without you; I am very confident, did the Apostles live in our dayes, they would be exceedingly grieved to see us appropriate the spirit onely to them, when indeed the spirit cannot be confined, for it is God himself; and this God is in you, and with you, though you know it not so well as I could wish you did; Let us therefore leave off all our appropriations and distinctions, and then doe you tell me, what you finde but God; we have been apt indeed to say, Lo, hear he is, and there he is; but this is a lye, for [Page 18] he is every where, and he is not any where, as confin'd or distinct from himself: I beseech you therefore in the bowels of mercy, that you be carefull what you doe.

I have one thing to acquaint you with, which indeed was the cause of my present writing, and its this: That seeing (as I have told you) the great day of the Lord is come upon me; and every thing is brought into judge­ment. I cannot but minde you of one thing which past betwixt us, and it was this; you told me once of your visiting a maid, which said, that she lived in heaven, and above the Bible, even in God, and by the Revelations of his own spirit, which much stumbled both you and me: Now I am come to tell you that this maid is risen in me, and that I know now what she meant, being by the wonderful goodnes of my God, taken in to the same life my self, and it is but lately accomplished upon my soule: Shee meant therefore above the letter of that word in the Bible; that indeed, was dead too her, but she lived, in the spirit and life of it, which was, and is, in God himself: and this is the life which we all have groaned after; and yet (when God comes to take us out of those graves of sin, and self apropriati­ons; and to loose those Chains and Bonds [Page 19] which we have (in our darknesse and igno­rance) been brought into by distinctions) we are afraid of him; and not onely, like Mary, take him for the Gardner; but wee are even afraid, that it is Satan himself: trans­formed (as we call it) into an Angel of light, when indeed, that is the very Satan that tels us so: though he sets before us a seeming good; but we are not ignorant of his wiles: This was the Apple which he deceived our Mother Eve withall, even this seeming good, and hath ever since caused us to surfeit with it: even to take things that are not, for what they are in truth: therefore take notice by the way, that those things are not, that seem to be; or visibly doe appear to our sight, but the things that are invisible, and cannot appear to our fleshly sight, those are the things in truth: and therefore take notice of this, that all this outward frame of things which doth appeare to our fleshly sight, is but a resemblance, or a figure of him which is invisible, and cannot be seen but with a pure spirituall sight; I speak all this, for your and others sakes; which yet stick in the flesh of Christ: For I blesse my God, I am got through it, even within the vaile; and I see him who is invisible with the eyes of my spirit; and certainly, I had these [Page 20] visible eys given me as a signe or a shadow of the substance: Blessed therefore be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath not suf­fered me to stick in any thing below himself; but hath brought me through all the wiles and cunning deceits of Satan, and hath at length centured me in himself, and hath caused me to sit down and rest in his own bosome: Let there­fore our heavenly Father bee glorified, for this his great goodnes towards the Sonnes of men

But I have here digressed, I come againe therefore to tell you concerning this thing, that when the great day of judgement was upon me; this was one thing and a very great thing, for which I was judged of by the Lord, even that I had judged or past sentence upon this pretious soule before the time, for the Lord of all men was at hand, and I should have left all judgment unto him, but I was base and unworthy, and I judged those things which I knew not: Blessed bee the Lord which hath not everlastingly cut me off for it; but hath accepted a ransome in his beloved Jesus; in Emanuel, God with us: that is, in himselfe, even in the bowels of his owne love, manifested through flesh: Now because it hath been (as I have told you, so heavy a thing [Page 21] upon me, I could not but acquaint you) as a forewarning, least you also should come into the same condition of torment by the like oc­casion; and also that I might take shame to my selfe for my basenesse and envy at Gods peo­ple: Now that which I say, is the same with what I have already said; that this Saint with many others, are risen and come into my soule, accompanying my Saviour, and therefore if you see her, I should desire you to acquaint her with it, and shew her this paper that shee may see, how I have suffered for my persecuting of her: but let her know, that now I am one in the body, with her; though I confesse I have beene exceeding vile and base: and when any have been speaking of move light, or move spi­rituall injoyments then I had, I would bid them be carefull and consider what they did, and I would bring that mayd for an example to them, that they might see whereto shee was come, even, said I, to destroy all; when indeed and in truth (as farre as I can see now) shee was come to the injoyment of all; this was the persecuting spirit I was then of: nay deare friend I have not wondered since at her expressions, which I heard you say shee used; that was, why are you (saith she) come to persecute mee; you know that wee both [Page 22] laughed at her and said, was this the spirit that was upon her; but since I have considered it, and it was true enough; for flesh must needs persecute the spirit, and wee being flesh came indeed to persecure her; therefore, it was a true spirit of revelation that was upon her; though she could not but beleeve our words, when we professe to the contrary; but I confesse, I did not see you so apt to judge her as my selfe; and therefore it is just that I should suffer in it, and you bee forewarned from it, for I did as much as in me lay, strive to behead her, and lay her dead in the affections of my freinds, and all this was even for the testimony that shee bare of her Saviour; and therefore I can­not thinke that the sword must depart from my house, but that I must bee slaine in others affectiors, even as others have beene slaine in mine: I cannot passe by one thing considera­ble in it, and that was this, I doe well remem­ber that even whilst I spake against her, I was warned from within, that I should take heed what I did; and I could never speake of her, but I should be smitten for it, and yet I hear­kened not, but rushed into sinne, as the Horse into the battell; & therefore I am willing now to take shame to my selfe, and have thus large­ly written this to you, that you might com­municate [Page 23] it to whom you please, for indeed the goodnesse of the Lord hath so overcome me, and the glory of my God is so risen upon mee, that I care not, if all the world know my miscarriages, I did not thinke to write so large to you, but my God so fils me, as I cannot tell how to leave; if you understand not my lan­guage, I pray let Mr. G. C. helpe you, I que­stion not but hee may give you a sight in it, to whom present my deare respects; also to all the rest of my dear friends, tell them I am one in the spirit with them, and that I would have them carefull of judging; the good Lord re­ward you spirituall consolations, for all your labour of love to me in [...].

3. Letter.

OUr loving Father hath comforted me by your Letter; I exceedingly rejoyce in your condition, I see his very great power magnified in you, to make you thus willing to be at his dispose: Its no smal matter for a soule to de­ny it selfe. We have been a long time talking of self-deniall, because the letter of the Scri­ture hath sweetly spoken of it; but truly we have not known what it is, from the indwel­ling of truth in us: I am sure, thus much I finde, that it must be the death of the whol first man, that so the second man may be establish­ed in righteousnes; and truly, 'tis the mighty power of God must passe upon us, to raise us up to live thus in himself. I could willingly open to you, how I was brought (in that mea­sure that I am) into this life: It was by the sight or vision of God himself. For as I was one day carried forth by him to speake some thing to another, as he spake in me; I had this [Page 25] wonderfull Vision that confounded me, and threw me to the ground before it, for it was no lesse then infinitenesse it self that beheld me, and at last made mee to behold it: but this sight of God did so astonish me, it destroyed and wrought such an utter death to my selfe, and to every thing below or besides him, (I mean things that appear to be;) that truly I may say, I had no spirit of a man left in me; but I sat before him as a meer passive appea­rance. Then I felt the spirit of life from above enter into me again, and carried me forth to act where, when, and how it pleased; Now came I to be what he would have me, and never be­fore.

It was not long since, that I should have been much troubled, to be called hither and thither, and to act the part of such or such a one; No, the reasonable man indeed was not dead yet in me, but now the Lord so slew it, that I cryed out; Here am I Lord, send me, for I am no more my self now, nor to act for my self, but for the Lord: And I wondred still, why the flesh in the ordinary appearnce of it, did remain? I mean, this outward form or vessel, that held the treasure; for indeed, I thought when the Apostle spake of a change, that it had been the changing of the outward [Page 26] forme; but this day came upon me unawars: However, I doe not say, the outward form shal not be changed: let it be as it pleaseth him, my glory lies within the Vaile; I am not called so much to talk or judge of things without, I am to judge of things within me. Those things that I have tasted, seen and handled, I declare unto you; for the dispensation of truth is upon me: and I would not now speak any thing, or doe any thing, but as he speaks in me, and does in me; for its no more I now, but the Lord: I, indeed have been something in mans day, and I desired to be and to speak; but that day is past, its come into judgement, weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary, and found too light. The day of the Lord onely is now upon me; and here I desire to be perfected.

But I will yet goe a little further, and shew you the workings of God upon me, and in me: It was so, that before God so wonderfully ap­peared to me; I had exceeding working in my spirit, and drawing to come up and serve the Lord in a more spirituall administration; and scriptures were still opened to me, in a new and strange way; still tending to that spiritu­all enjoyment of God, which then was in mine eye, and now have. At last there was an extraordinary expectation begotten in me; [Page 27] and I waited for my establishment in the spirit; though I did yet appear in the flesh: but against this, there were great fightings between the two powers, both from within me, and also from friends without: yet there was in mee, even in the darkest time, a secret hope; even beyond hope, that I should enjoy it, and my eye was unto him who hath now saved me: but here I was brought to lye down in his will, even without it; and though I never should have felt it, yet in this beliefe, could I have laid down my life, and have dyed. That there was such a time appointed for the people of God; and that they should surely have such a glory, though they appeared and lived upon earth; for the Lord hath said, The taberna­cle of God should be with men; and he would raigne for ever and ever. But the day before this glory came unto me; I had this word ve­ry strongly set home upon me, Wee shall not all sleep, but be changed: And truly as the time drew neer, I had such strong workings of spirit, that I could expect no other indeed; and I did expect it, and withall look't with what body I should come; for I was thinking (as I told you before) that this outward form must be done away, when God came to change us; but when I saw it still remain, and [Page 28] I so wonderfully beheld God, I was taken with admiration; yet did I still expect, that sure it would anone goe a way, for I thought it impossible, that I should look constantly up­on this glory, and yet remain upon the earth; for indeed though I expected much, yet this sight was farre beyond my expectation. Now I felt the fleshly part within me flie a way at his presence, and Death and Hell were de­stroyed; I heard sentence given against the enemy of all our peace, and he ran a way; I felt him cast out, and in the morning I could sing a song over him: For his head I found, was turned into the waters, yet still this outward body did not moulder a way. At last it was given mee from him that shewed me these things to aske, (for indeed, I was not able till it was given me) and I asked and said; O Lord God, why have I flesh upon me, and see thee in this glorious manner? (for Infinitenesse it self looked upon me, and I looked upon it:) Can any man see thee (I said) and live? It was answered me againe: Thou art not alive; I have slain thee: No man indeed can see mee and live; but as a man thou art dead, and ne­ver shalt live more, as a man; but the sonne of God can see mee: Thou shall live as the son of God, and so thou shalt see me: But I said; [Page 29] O Lord, Why am I not presently dissolved by this Infinite glory that now so openly beholds me? Why have I flesh upon me in the appea­rance of it? It was answered; Thou hast brethren in the flesh, therefore hast thou flesh upon thee, because thou must carry them a testimony of what thou hast seen of me: but look for no glory in the flesh, but sufferings and perseeutions for thy glory lyes within all flesh, and accordingly I accepted of it, because it was the fathers will, and for no other cause. It was also manifested to me, that while they were persecuting me, I should be inwardly filled with the glory of God, and triumph o­ver all their cruelty, though I might for this testimony suffer as Jesus Christ did upon the Cross. I should bee willing, in the will of God, to see your face; however this I am sure, that when the Lord brings forth his own righteousnes upon you, you cannot be silent to your own bowels, and that indeed I am; for I am not as to my own particular any lon­ger, but am fallen into the Church, and there I see my self to have a most glorious resurre­ction: I was afraid once indeed to loose my life; but I never had so much glory as now I finde in the body: Oh, how true is that word; Every one that will save his life shall loose it, [Page 30] but he that looseth his life for my name sake shall find it: The Lord of heaven and earth give men to see their glory in union, and then they will never stand so much as they doe upon di­stinctions; did they see their resurrection in the body, (and knew what this body is, they could not so account of any particular appea­rances; but they should see themselves al­wayes alive: and because he lives, therefore they should live also; for if they would cease to live in their own life, they should be per­fected and live in the life of God: But the truth is, the word (Body) stumbles them, be­cause they are not wholly yet brought off from looking upon things as they appear; for, hence hath flowen all our imaginary worship: but when Christ is again formed in us, then he and we by him, shall not judge according to the hearing of the ear, nor the sight of the eye; but righteous judgement: Therefore the filth of the daughter of Sion (or all those evils and mistakes which now possesse us) is said to be purged away by a spirit of judgment, as well as by a spirit of burning: For it must be first judg­ed before it can be burned; and truly I doe in som measure see what that Scripture speaks off.

After death comes judgement; for I am sure that since I had this death, and since my [Page 31] soule was separated from my body, I have been judged for things done in the body; that is, while I lived in the body; for I knew a time when I lived in this body, and I know now what it is to live out of the body, and yet appear in the body; for that is the great mistake: the body that appears to be, is not the body: The scripture saith, Its sown a natu­rall, but raised a spirituall body: and men not knowing what to make of this spirituall body, conceive it to be so many distinct per­sonall appearances as have deceased since the world first began: but the Lord in his time will shew them what this spirituall body is, and then they will better judge of it: but I am sure we without them, or they without us are not perfect; for though I have seen all these things accomplished upon me, in this parti­cular body; yet I see that it is but as in a fi­gure, which hath reference to the whole; therefore am I weak with them that are weak, and stong with those that are strong, and my glory lyes still in the body. Never do I look for perfection more in one particular appea­rance but to be perfect in the whole: I am no more my own, but every ones, and every one is mine.

Dear Soul, the Lord of all our mercy sup­ply [Page 32] and keep you safe, under all those storms which are now breaking in upon us; I hum­bly and heartily thank you for your sweet counsell in looking for tryall: it is that which my heavenly father hath warned me to look for. I leave you to his bowels and bosome, in whom I rest;

4. Letter.

MY heart salutes thee, and every budding forth of God in the di­vine mystery: Oh, my spirit sits inthron'd, and glories in the top of every being, and though all the buildings in the world shake, I shal not come down to save any of the furniture of this darke Fabrick. All images are with me (my dearest) though set in a frame of weaknesse, &c. The eye of e­ternity [Page 33] hath enclos'd them all, and though its twinklings fold them up in night: and though the back-parts of God obscures this earth, and is a veile between it and the high-noone of the God-head; yet this is but a shadow wherein Divinity hides it selfe, which shall fly away, and disappeare, with the outward dresse of this Creation: When all deformed Shapes, Vizards and Pictures shall suffer losse; then the present blacknesse (which is the habitation of Dogs and Devils) shall bee chas'd into outward darknesse, but the comli­nesse (which all this while hath lyen disguised under that beggerly appearance and loathsome outwardnesse) shall spring forth in a glorious ray of that bright morning Starre which shall visit us from on high, bringing glad tydings upon its Angel-wing of life and immortal lity.

That the sweet Emmanuel born in the vil­lage of our own natures. I am commanded to speake thus much unto thee (my Dear breath­ing) though my spirit rejoyceth to finde-thee already reeling with new wine; bathing in that brimfull unction which yet cannot runne over its boundlesse circle, and shall overflow all the world besides; They shall all know God, and all be cloathed with the divine person [Page 34] of Christ: The water of life shall spring up in you all, and every Creature heald of its dis­ease, when righteousnesse shall spring forth of the earth, and the heavens shall hear the voyce of the earth, and drop down fatnesse upon them. The Tree of Life shall have its root within us, sprouting forth through its quiet Sap into its glorious figure and life; a Branch, a Leafe thereof reducing every parcell of Corruption and cloathing that upon with spirit and im­mortallity which before was muffled up in sinne and wrath, in paine and darknesse.

My dearest, I am taken off in haste and have onely leysure to blesse thee for thy last, which administred so much glory to my spirit; live still happily my dear selfe in the ripe Navell of Divinity and let me see thee every moment in the divine Principle of glory whither the Lord Jesus is risen before and hath call'd up himselfe out of the flesh of,

5. Letter.

THE present disposings of God towards me are very sweet and precious, my soule being subdu­ed daily to the Lords will in all things: I see daily, that the Fa­thers designes is to sweeten all conditions to me by the beames of his owne presence.

Truly in the Lord theirs nothing comes a­misse to me, but I am able to welcome every dispose of providence; death, sorrow and misery in the Lord, are so familiar to me, that I know not how to bee without them; my soule longs after affliction, because now the sting of misery is gone, and it is my delight to play with it; I thinke I should starve with hunger, but that my own wants daily supply me; sweet soule, God is teaching me to see light in darknesse, good in evill, to eat upon the eater, and receive sweetnesse from the strong, to behold a happy harmony in all contrarie­ties.

[Page 36] I shall shortly bee with you, now I am not from you; but rest in thy bosome.

The Lord that spirit, in the flesh.

6. Letter.

IN divine progresse, I continually meet thee, with a heart drawn out: I alwayes salute thee, I can be no where, doe nothing, but thou art still with mee; In thy life I live, in thy light I see, by thy power I stand; I am nothing but in thee, and thou the same without mee; my fulnesse is thy treasure, and thy treasure is my fulnesse; all that I have, I receive from thee, and yet what thou givest me is nothing but my own, and so was from eternity. I was with thee from the beginning, and thy begin­ning was in my eternity; I was with thee when thou didst inhabite darknesse, thy darknesse was my secret place, my secret [Page 37] place was thy darknes; when the curs & enmi­ty of the old creation lay upon me, thy power upheld me, this power was mine own, for it was no robbery for me to be equall with thee, my form vailed thy glory, yet it was my glory and thy form. Thus thou for me, and I in thee have borne the sinne and curse of of the old world; (born it I say) into a land of forgetfulnesse, which have forgotten and forgiven all transgression: and thus in a re­conciled and sweet union, thou remainest my fulnesse, and I rest thy happinesse: Though in the flesh, I subscribe my selfe distant by the name of—

From the Head-quarters of Divine Majesty, this last Lords-day, in the year of Jubile.

7. Letter.

SOme glimmerings presented, to the children of love, clothed with darknesse, bewildernessed in their spirits, passing through the fiery tryall, or crucifyings of flesh, or things of the first Creation, unto the the Ca­naan of rest, or to a more higher, fuller, and excellent glory.

First considering the severall dispensations of the eternall God: how hee hath severall wayes and in divers manners, made out him­selfe to a creature, as Genesis Chap. I. and 2. the law, or righteousnesse of the first creation, in which God had communion with man, and man with God, yet rather with a Creator, then with a Father, and that in the outward court, or first creation, not in the inmost, or holiest; and Paradice it selfe being but an image, of the excellency, of this first Creation.

Man being fallen, or deprived of this per­fection, which was accomplished through the [Page 39] temptation of the Serpent, or fleshly wisdome, or the espousals of the woman, or weaknesse of this creation, there was the first law of righteousnesse, presented in a new ministra­tion of letter by Moses in tables of stone from God; in which the first glory or perfection and excellency, was ministred to man in his fallen and apostated condition, and because the law, or first righteousnesse, was weake through the flesh, after the departing of the power sup­porting, or unanswerablenesse, of the aposta­tised state, to the first uprightnesse there was given (or God appearing to the refreshing and comforting of the creature) an administratiou of Angels, by visions and dreams, as also a Priest-hood with Ʋrim and Thummim, Sa­crifices, Ceremonies, Tabernacle, Temple, and Prophets, speaking forth immediate revelati­ons, &c. by which man might have accesse to God and speake with him, but in the out­ward court, or through the flesh, or of this creation, though he filled these with another glory, a higher and more excellenter discovery of his love in the promised seed: the substance and excellency of that, with all the former were but shadowes.

There was another ministration added of war, and peace, and tryals, crucifyings, or [Page 40] baptismes in the flesh as flying before Phara­oh and following a cloud of fire and black­nesse, through or betwixt the wales of b [...]l­lowing waves, in terror and feare, the long marching through a wildernesse, by the waters of Meriba, and rock of strife, skirmishing with Amalekites, by the terrour of Mount Sinai, cutting their way through Ogg King of Ba­shan, and passing through the dividings of Jordan into Canaan, another ministration was given of Canaanites in the land, warre with the Nations, captivity, destruction of the Temple, Gods departing, the apostacy over­spreading, or God gathering up that glory which appeared in the Tabernacle and Tem­ple, and that of Priest and Prophet, ceasing; there then followed a night of darknesse or an apostasie upon all that administration, and when God no longer filled the Tabernacle with a cloud, and the Temple with glory, they became a place of solitarynesse or desolation, as all other ministrations [...], and places for the Satire and the Scrich-Owle to dwell, and sing in, that is, for the Spirit of Apostasie or Antichrist, or of Iniquity to possesse, and act in.

Another ministration somewhat clearer and briter then that of the Law; and that was of [Page 41] John, as in Matthew, A greater had not rissen, he was a burning and shining light, as Luke 1. the Law and Prophets were till John, he was the Prophet of the highest, in respect of what went before, and was sent to make Christ ma­nifest to Saints, by word and water, and this was a ministration in order to one more spi­rituall, the one ministration was to decrease, the other to increase, and that of fire or of spi­rit, was to burne up that of water or of flesh, or that which consisted of things of this Cre­ation.

Another and more glorious ministration was that appearance of Christ, or the Gospel in flesh, or glad tydings manifested to sinners, or the apostatised creation, Heb. 1. or God ap­pearing in the [...] and familiarest rela­tion of this creation to man, even in flesh in which hee taught, and did miracles, and was circumcised, and baptized, and acted to fulfill all righteousnesse, in which there was a cleare draught of that ministration of gifts and ordi­nances, which was as perfect as the first crea­tion in its glory, and [...] higher and nearer to God comming forth in nearer relation of an Emmanuel or God with us. Another Administration also of Christ in the flesh of Saints, Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of [Page 42] glory, and that by graces, and operations, and fruits of spirit, as of faith, repentance, love, selfe-denyall, humiliation, meeknesse, also in­fallible gifts of spirit, viz. to speake with tongues, workmiracles and act infallibly & ad­ministration, even the height of the glorious Gospel, or God shining in the face of Jesus Christ: Now the spirit of God foreseeing Gods purpose, to leave this ministration of Gospel glory to the world, (or flesh, or Anti­christ) and to bring a night of darknesse upon all the day and brightnesse of his Sunne; pro­phesied of a departing first before the man of sinne, fleshly wisdome, or Antichrist, could be revealed, or Gods departing from that Admi­nistration as hee did from the Tabernacle and Temple, and whilst Antichrist, or the power of the flesh, or the spirt of iniquity reigns in the christian world, or amongst such as pro­fesse a Christ, all this while the Lord of glory or Jesus Christ in spirit is crucified in spiritu­all Sodom, Aegypt, or Babylon, or the King­domes of the flesh, and the powers of dark­nesse; so that there is no mention of any re­storation of the first ministry of gifts and ordi­nances which was in the Apostles dayes: but is the state and persecution of the Lord [Page 43] Jesus in spirit, and all those appearances of the Lord Jesus in many glorious Saints in perticular ages, was but the appearance of him who is that faithfull and true witnesse, or the prophesings of spirit in sack-cloath, against the power of the man of sinne, and were but drops of the Vials, sounding of the Trumpet, open­ing of the Seales before the battell of the great day, when God shall appeare in flames of spirit and glory against and to confound Antichrist, or fleshly powers, or things of this creation. So that there is not (as I know of at present) any word in all the Scriptures, that the first ministry by gifts and ordinances, shall in any measure be continued or restored, in whole or in part. As if that were the great worke the Lord intended, viz. to set up the former mi­nistry, or the restoring some legall ordinances, &c. as if all the glory of the last times should be the bringing these, or recovering them out of the hands of Antichrist, that is, not my pre­sent apprehensions: but that the next ministra­tion wil be the fiery tryal, or a state and power of God, put forth upon the severall admini­strations that Christians are under, in order to higher discoveries of God, which will pro­duce torment in the flesh (with blacknesse, and darknesse, and tempest) or upon fleshly [Page 44] wisdome, and powers, or things of this crea­tion. viz. in some, in passing from legall mini­strations to a more evangelicall, of grace and love; there will bee torment and tempest up­on that administration or selfe righteousnesse in the consumption thereof.

In that more Gospel state of a Christian, whereby he injoyes God in graces, gifts and contemplations, with sweet tastes and imbra­ces of divine glory; there will bee a fiery try­all, or the clouds of fire and darknesse, or cru­cifyings in the flesh and upon that ministrati­on of gifts and graces, insomuch that there will bee a scorching up of the streames, or of Euphrates, & the pleasant vallies turned into a parched wildernesse, and all in order to a more higher, fuller and excellenter glory; this is prophesied of in the Scripture, The Sunne shall bee turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come; that is not onely the Lord Jesus will be darknesse unto the world (which I deny not) but all that which was the glory, and light of a Christian, and high-way of com­munion with God, his Sunne, Moone, and Starres shall be darkned, &c. before that no­table day or that more excellent revelation of God in glory, and 1 Pet. 3. 10. The heavens [Page 45] shall passe away with a great noise; and the Element shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up: which is not onely at the last judge­ment, but upon perticular administration, which is figured out in the heavens, earth and elements; or those more, or lesse glorious ad­ministrations: and the fire shall try every mans work, of what sort it is; 1 Cor. 3. 13. 15. And as Christ crucified all that glorious administration in the flesh, in which he was, and it all dyed to a more glorious life: so eve­ry Christian, is to take up his crosse, or to bring his highest and cheifest administrations to this crosse, and to leave them all crucified, to more higher, & excellenter discoveries: and this is the knowledge of Christ crucified: now many Christians who are sadded, darkned, and in much tribulation, as to the administration they are under; and in looking into the wil­dernesse, seeing nothing but mount Sinai, with blacknesse, and darknes, and tempest: they take it for desertions, and withdrawings of God, when as indeed, it is the presence of God, darkning, withering, and consuming such administrations and the bringing in a more fuller and transcendent glory.

The next ministration will be the appearing [Page 46] of Christ in brightnesse and glory of Spirit, destroying Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth, and brightnes of his comming; this shall be a glory without Sun, or Moon, or Star, or any such low appearance, as gift or ordinance: but the Lord shall be there everla­sting light, and God the glory, and light shall cover the earth, as waters cover the Sea, that is it shall not sparkle, or be in bright beams, as in a Gift or Ordinance; but it shall slow out from the Lord swallowing up and overflowing all earthly administrations, that expectation of him in externall admini­strations as Gifts or Ordinances, &c. is but to expect Christ in a fleshly way or appea­rance, and not as he is in his own height, spirit, and glory in himselfe, in his Saints, their ful­nesse and hope of glory, Col. 1. 27. And there­fore this is that which is to be expected, an estate of spirit, love, meeknes, self-denyall, overcoming evill with good, conquering by receiving in the wrath and enmity of the world, into which estate God will gather up his people by times and degrees, from all worldy and fleshly interests and ingagements, wherein they shall be carried up into a more full injoy­ment of God, and conformity to Christ in all his sufferings, death, and resurrection, where [Page 47] God will be to all his, s [...] glorified, as broad ri­vers and streams, where shall goe no Ship with sailes, nor Gally with Ores.

And then it shall be, as much apostacy, in the Saints to go back, to the first ministery of the Gospel times, or first patterne which was the first discovery of that mystery, hid from ages, as would have been in them in the A­postles dayes to have gone back to the Jewish Tabernacle, Temple, and Priest-hood, &c. out of which God had departed, as he also hath, out of these late administrations.

8. Letter.

DEarly and much beloved, there is some content in nature, that you a­bide in the flesh with me, and are yet an appearance of God upon the Earth, for I confesse I have none so neere my [Page 48] heart as you, of a fleshly beeing in the world; therefore, I have been affected with the kind­nesse of the Lord, that hath spared you, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow; my si­ster being removed, yet have I more sweet joy and content in understanding that you are in the fellowship of the Spirit, growing forward through al the dark shadows of seeming glory, into the substance which is reall glory; for in that you say, you see God is all, and doth all: I question not, but you understand that all things below him are but shaddows of him; yea, Christ himself in his fleshly appearance was but a form of God which appeared to an­swer our distance from God; for wee being departed from him by experiencing the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Evill, of which food, I hope, we have our fill now, God con­descending to redeem us from this, by the way of Christ, who was appointed of God to bring us unto God, not to himself as he was Christ, beeing but an appearance of God, not the Father himself: Therefore if we should sit down with Christ (being come to him) and proceed no further, we are not brought by him to the Father; And the will of God is that we be co-heires and joint heires together with him, till we know that the Father and [Page 49] the Son are in one, and we one with the Father as the Son. For I believe that God, even the Son of God, doth dwell in us, even the same that dwelt in Christ Jesus: and I am waiting when that heavenly Image shall as plainly ap­pear, as the Image of the earthly hath appea­red, for we shal see his face, and his name shall be upon our foreheads.

Deere Cozen, since I received your letter, I have seen you in a Vision, and so was it re­presented to me, that I understand, that you have or shall bring forth the man Childe even Christ to open veiw; for which you must die and be buried: I mean you shall appear to some as one dead to truth and God, and alive to errour: and so you shall be as one dead and put into a grave of darknes and silence; yet fear not, for I have proved that the day of death is better then the day of Birth; And that by death, Christ brought to light life and immor­tality: Remember also Christ was put to death in the flesh, and was alive to God, his flesh was as pure and honourable as even ours was: yet by the eternall Spirit within, it was offered a Spirituall Sacrifice to God, whilest the dark apprehensions of men conclude that he suffered as a blasphemer: therefore arm your self with the same minde always expecting we shall sure­ly [Page 50] rise with him, as we suffer together with him; for indeed we are but one in life and death, And he is the resurrection and the life, even Christ in us, who is rising in me, and either is or will rise in you. And when he doth appear we shall appear with him. I pray you, deare Cozen, as often as conveniently you may, let me hear from you (I would not burden you.)

9. Letter.

WITH the rest of my fellow heires in the Son-ship, in this unity of Truth and Love I salute you; I thanke you for appointing a freind to relate to mee your estate in the things of God, of whom I received information to much content, having for a long time before had great desire to understand your condition, and am now fully satisfied in it, as for the dealings of the Lord with me, I am free to give you some account; I am indeed in the judgement of those to whom the day of judgement is not [Page 51] yet come, accounted and termed an Heretique, but in the light and truth of God, a Co-heire with Christ, being annointed with the same oyle of gladnesse, which is indeed joy to the spirit and as marrow to the bones; and a perpetual light of truth in certainty and pow­er, and in such fulnesse already that he beares witnesse to himselfe in others that it is hee; and fulnesse of wisdome and might to answer all the occasions; that he is pleased to present himselfe to me and magnify himselfe in mee: as for the Scripture it is much unsealed, and I have sweet sellow [...]sip in that one spirit that throdgbout all ages declared the Father & the Son; as for the ministry of Angels I know it, having for a long time beene under it, but of late have had knowing, understanding of it, and fellowship with understanding among them; truly my deare companions, our God that saveth us is perfect and so is his salvation, which when we shall be by him circumcised in heart which is the taking away the fleshly vaile and the face of the covering that is spread over all Nations, Isaiah 25. then shall wee see and with joy possesse together that it is the same strong one that prepareth us and júdgeth darknesse; I speake not this as if dark­nesse were contrary to this mighty God, for in [Page 52] his light it is that hee is at unity with all the workes of wonder which hee brings forth; darknesse is not so to him, for the darknesse lo him is as cleare as the noon-day; that is, hee seeth as fully and posseth as contentedly his will in the darknesse as in the light, and when wee are taken into that eternall light, we shall see our God is as rich and wonderfull in the deeps of darknesse as in the clearest light, for in the unity of the spirit it is easily discerned, that God is one in all, though different in com­ming forth; for as in a garden, the severall colours of flowers make the most glorious appearance, even so light and darknesse are the two generall treasures of the Almighty, in both which hee is infinite and wonderfull; and as hee pleaseth to take us into either of these, so it is to make himselfe known in his unsearchable greatnesse, as in Isay he sayth, Hee will give unto us the hidden treasures of darknesse, and Malachi sayth, that the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall arise upon us. Both which Scriptures import to me, that God himselfe in his apperance to us is both the treasures of darknesse, and the Sunne of Righ­teousnesse; and it is all one to me whether hee take me with him into the heights above or in­to the depths beneath, for wee are ever toge­ther, [Page 53] and I possesse the fulfilling of that Scrip­ture, which sayth, where I am there shall my Servant bee; so that when God my excellency will appeare in the externall creation, which is a thick vail, and the invisible one much hid in it, yet I have sweet discerning of him and fel­lowship with him there; and when hee takes me into the deeps of darknes, God my glory is with me, and we either see us one or lie down in one: and when hee will ascend into the highest Heavens, he carrieth me up along with him. What is all this? but the manifestation that his dwelling place is large and deepe, and that hee himselfe is the one infinitenesse. The fulnesse that filleth all in all things.

10. Letter.

I Received yours, which brings mee the state of affaires then in agitation, between the Parliament and Army; you send mee what they best approve of, and what they dare not owne: No wonder if some good men are up­on this dilemma; many I know are almost broken betweene those principles (they call) of Reason and those of God: the first (ac­knowledging man to be compounded of two natures, earth and heaven, light and dark­nesse:) breake the actions into severall streames, as if of two and not one person. It is our misery and the sadnesse of our spirits that we are held in these chaines of earth and dark­nesse, that wee are fetterd in these prisons of mortality and are not free in all things to act like our selves, as sprung from a divine Princi­ple, as born of a nobler seed, and putting forth the strength and power of the divine nature, in actions purely and simply spirituall: But if [Page 55] this light shine [...] not upon our spirits in its Meridian-glory, let us wait till the Sunne ri­seth, let us not walke in the paths of darknesse, according to the principle and spirit of this world: There is glorious light in the east al­ready, the Mountaine tops beginne to disco­ver it. When I looke upon the world and survay the actions of men; when I consider the interests and principles of the most, the fleshly toylings and struglings of the spirits of the worlds reformers; I cannot but see much weaknesse and darknesse, generating poore and spiritlesse designes, which rend, and teare, and never bind up the breaches of a Kingdome. 'Tis true, the body politicke (as you write) was desperately sicke, and a desperate disease must have a desperate cure; but consider the nature of the disease, and then judge of the meanes to cure it: All the properties of hell and darknes, all the superfluities of folly and vanity, all the mists of errour and superstition had formd themselves into a body of corrupti­on, and so assaulted and possessed the vitall parts both of Church and State, seizing the heart and spirits of government and religion; the soule of both were fled, there remained little but a poore carkass, a painted image, a spiritless form, without any motion, but artifi­ciall [Page 56] and violent: But tell me what is the Phy­sick to cure this Lethargy? Parliament and People, Church and State, Soul and Body were languishing with this sickness: A spirit of re­formation begins to worke: The faint breath­ings of the spirit of life, puts some upon indea­vours to undertake the cure: some (according to the spirit that acted them) mixt ingredients, earthly and carnall (ignorant Empiricks, who knew not the nature of the disease or cure) others ransacke the bowels of nature and rea­son, study the practises and prescriptions of the old Heroe's of the world, the Heathen Conquerers and reformers of Nations; and yet never rise so high, either in magnanimity or greatnesse of spirit, to doe good in their ge­nerations, and command themselves and o­thers: Some search deeper and throw into this composition, some graines of spirit, and quintessences, of a higher extract, purified and sublimd into a nobler essence. But tell mee is this mixture like to restore life to a dying and languishing Nation, to a darke and formall Church? Could wee get the rarest drugs the world affords? Could we search the earth to its center, and discover the occult qualities of all its minerals and wonders? Can this reach the some and spirit of one man, much lesse a [Page 57] whole kingdome? What though some grains of spirit are in one composition, is it not load­ed with thick clay, overcome by the predomi­nancy of contrary qualities? The distemper of this Nation springs from our living in ano­ther world, then our own, in a corrupted aire: a contagious climate; in vassalage and slavery to these bodies of flesh, to this lower element of the world, to the Prince of darknesse: Men created in the Image of God, have uncloath'd themselves of that glory, and now wander in the shapes of Wolves and Beasts of prey; ha­ving their soules and spirits sprung from Hea­ven, they transforme themselves into the simi­litude of the elementary-creatures: What are warres, confusions, and disorders, but the act­ings forth this brutish spirit in tearing and de­vouring our fellow creatures? Fightings and divisions spring from the jarring, discordant qualities in the mindes of men, who have lost the spirit of sweetness, union and peace, which breaths forth nothing but love & joy, and keeps the whole body in an harmonious unity. Is this unity to be recovered by divisions? Tis true, by such a division as this it is, by seperating truth from errour, light from darkness, the purer from the grosser parts: This is by a spirit of burning and by a power above the [Page 58] strength of man. Who must be the reformers of the world? who must build the Lord a Temple, a glorious Temple both in Church and State? Not those who are staind with bloud, and act by a spirit of wrath and vio­lence: The Lord tels David, 1 Chron. 22. 8. Thou hast shed blood aboundantly, and hast made great wars, thou shalt not build an house to my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. Is there no spirit and life in these words? Was not David per­mitted to build the materiall Temple, a darke shadow and type of the spirituall? Was not he suffered in that age, under those darke flesh­ly administrations, which held forth no greater light and put no greater glory upon their spi­rits to subdue the world, but by Sword and Bow, by force and violence: and is it pro­bable that the sweet, mild and gentle spirit of the Gospel, should need the force and strength of men These doe well that it is in their hearts to reforme the world, but they mistake the way; they act in the strength of the wrath of God, in the spirit of this world; their poor earth will not conquer Hell and Devils, their Sword and Gunnes will never change the na­tures of men: No, Solomon must build this Temple, the Lord Jesus; it must bee another [Page 59] spirit, another generation, another way: These with David may fell the Cedars and hew the Stones of this earthly building. Those ordain'd for this glorious worke, their Swords must bee of another mettall to wound and heale againe, to destroy the flesh and transforme it into spi­rit; their spirits shall breath forth nothing but love and sweetnesse; their Language shall be glory to God on high, on earth, peace, good­will towards men; they call not for fire from Heaven, they cast not into Prisons and Dun­geons, they Plunder not nor destroy, they are of other spirits, more sweet, more amiable, forcing the world by a divine power of love to confesse they are overcome and vanquish'd: All the Kingdomes of the Earth, all the Glory of the Creatures, all the Splendour, Magnifi­cence and Pompe of the world shall vanish as Smoake, and acknowledge it selfe a poore sha­dow, an empty nothing. All that act in this spirit of violence and fury, are a rod in the hand of God, the Executioners of vengeance: These are the Hornes of the Beasts that shall hate the Whore, and make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire, in the cup shee hath filled, these shall fill to her double; these powre out the Vials of wrath upon the seat of the Beasts, they are the Fowles [Page 60] of Heaven to eat the flesh of Kings, and the flesh of Captaines, and Great-ones of the earth; they are to rend and teare the outward gar­ment of the worlds glory; they are an admini­stration wherein God cloaths himself with fury & indignation. By this spirit of vengeance and wrath, al the worlds tormētors have bin acted; this hath bin a work of Assir [...]ans and Babyloni­ans, Romans, Turks and Sarazens; they have overcōe the whole face of the earth with their Armies, they have trampled the Nations under their feet, and trod their God in the mire of the streets. How doe many in this age, glory in these triumphs, set up their poor trophees, their triumphant Pillars, as if the strength were their owne, and the glory their owne? Had they the spirits of Christians, they needed not the swords of men; they are weake in the Spirit of the Gospell, therefore they cloath themselves with the power of flesh, and will enter into Canaan in the wrath of the Lord, destroying and devouring, not converting: They glory in fleshly Conquests and Victo [...]ies, having not power in the Spirit to conquer in the way of love, union and peace: with these Weapons the Apostles bid defiance to the whole world, to Hell and Devils, they advan­ced their Standards upon the proud wals of [Page 61] Rome it selfe. This fleshly strength will prove weaknesse in this worke; it will dye and va­nish into ayre, when it hath done the work the Lord hath appointed: God makes one spirit and property, of darknesse, afflict and torment another; the Nations of the world will de­stroy themselves, every one by the Sword of his Brother: The flesh of the Saints engag'd in these contests and worldly quarrels, shall rend it selfe and helpe to rend the world: But how are they Saints? Such who have some glim­merings of the bright and morning-Starre, who by throwing of the externall vaile of Antichristian darknesse, fleshly forms servile dependency on the darke spirits of blind men; I say, having throwne of these fetters they have some liberty, and having remov [...]d these mists they see a light, the faint reflections of a rising Sunne, being let out of their cage of darknesse, they fly and flutter, and catch at eve­ry thing, but apprehend little as it is in God; but in the light of their own spirits, mov'd by the call and drawing of the spirit of God, and the concurrence of those beams of light scat­tered themselves every where; these receive but glances and flashes, and cover it with much darknesse, confusion and ignorance: yet being rais'd above their former state they think God [Page 62] speaks in them, and their knowledge is the knowledge of the spirit. The good seem to give God the glory, and to make him their strength in Battle; and considering how glo­riously they have conquered, are strongly per­swaded, that the mighty power of God ac­companied them; and where God assists and gives victory, it must bee for good, for the good of mankinde and the world; and there­fore they will improve their victories, to attain that high end. Thus they make their progresse; if God assists in acts of blood by force and figh­tings, he doth the same in acts of force and violence upon the corrupt Governours of the World, who are running back into Aegypt, leaning upon the Pillars of the World; setting up their empty, guilded Idols, corrupt forms, and dark administrations, as the utmost end of all their endeavours, as the price of all the blood shed in the Kingdomes.

Thus being perswaded of the presence of the Lord; and have in their own spirits some height and strength to good, some will and de­sire to doe good to the world, they continue their begun motion, measuring the whole by themselves, the spirits of others by their own, and so think their whole body of assi­stants, fitly qualified for the government of a [Page 63] Kingdome: Never considering what a spirit of darknesse, pride, vain-glory, Ambition, dwels and acts amongst them, and how weak meer naturall spirits are, being raised from the dust to sit upon a throne, and to bear the temptations of Power, Honour, and worldly glory. Consider actions purely and simply, according to their nature, and the dispensations of the Gospel: This is a violent unnaturall fleshly way▪ for the reforming of the world; the small stone must bee hewen out without hands. This is the winde rending and tearing the rocks, before the soft and still voice was heard: This is the fire and Earth-quake to burn and shake this earthly fabrick, the corrupt world and its glory. Thus the Parliament have been executioners of vengeance upon the Kings party; who for judgement, a fire of wrath kindled in the bowels of the Kingdom, setting the properities of darknesse at enmity amongst themselves: A darke and formall Clergie, against a more dark and formall; for­mality and hypocisie against loosenesse and profanesse; restrained civilty against riot and luxury: The Ministers preach war, and the sword, and fire from heaven; discovering their own weaknesse unable to act in the strength of God; therefore they cry up the Cause of [Page 64] Religion, the Covenant, the Ordinances: these (though under more light then the other) yet they stir up the spirits of men, to afflict and torment their persecutors, King, Prelats, Ma­lignants, and to take away their revenues and honours. Far be it from me, to blast the least appearance of God amongst them, or to spread a cloud upon those faint glimmerings which shin'd in their spirits: It was their darknesse, their flesh, that made them thus excentrick; they acted in the spirit of the world, and of nature; their light was lightnings from Mount Sinai, not the glorious light of the Spirit. In this way, they will be like the billowes and waves of the Sea, one tossing and driving forward; the other, till they dash themselves against the rocks.

The Parliament and their Armies have bro­ken the Cavaliers; the Presbytery, Episcopa­cy; the Independents have restrained the po­wer of Presbytery, for their pride and cove­teousnes; giving them of the Cup, they gave others to drink. If the Independents corrupt, there are those sprung out of their own bo­wels, prepared for their executioners: these, if they aspire too high, will be Levell'd them­selves, by their great Idoll the People; or their principles will raise a spirit dwelling in [Page 65] the confused rabble and multitude, to break and tear all to pieces, to bring all into a hud­dle and confusion, without order, law, or go­vernment. Thus the fury of the Lord breaks forth, like a burning fire, against all corruption in the powers of the world, against tyranny and oppression in all its formes and shapes; though its Woolvish spirit is cloathed with in­nocency and gentlenesse, the outward form will not change the nature; Monarchy, Ari­stocracie, Democracie, will be much at one, unlesse the breath of life from heaven quicken their dead & liveless carkasses. I fear in our con­tests we have too much mixed earth with hea­ven; we have gone a dark n [...]trodden obscure path; therefore the Lord may justly withdraw that spirit of justice and righteousnes; which hath accompanied and acted even more world­ly States and Republikes. They acted in the flesh; we pretend to a higher principle, we speak of spirit, and power, and divine light; their motions were naturall according to their natures, being of the earth, earthly: ours ir­regular excentrick, unnaturall, being we think our selves heavenly, live in the aire of the Go­spel, in the light of the Spirit; which points us out a more glorious way: therefore it is but just with God, if when we sow the winde, we [Page 66] reap the whirl-winde. But what will be the end of all? when wee have prov'd our own strength to be weaknesse; when our overturn­ing shall succeed another, that glorious power shall manifest it, whose right it is alone to reign: when we have passed through a wilder­nesse, the Lord will bring us into the Land of rest, so long breathed after and desired; the Lord will bring order out of confusion, light out of darknesse, peace out of war and troubles: This will as surely be, as the spring now suc­ceeds the winter, the day the night: who the Lord may make most glorious, in this work, known alone to himselfe: It magnifies his power and goodnesse, if he breaths life in those dead bones, which we trample upon: if he quickens those which we have reproba­ted and rejected, as wither'd branches, and vile excrements. He can make the first last, and the last first; he can bring down the proud spirit of a Nebuchadnezzar, and force him to glorifie the God of Heaven. In the mean time, let every man keep his own station; let the people of God shine like themselves, that it may appear they are sent into the world to do good to the world, & to reflect the image and glory of God. Those that are magistrates, let them put forth the spirits of Christians, let [Page 67] their actions bee convincing, let not the world justly brand them for corrupt, unjust, self-advancers, and raisers their families, rather then restorers of the ruines of a kingdome: if the floods of darknesse roars against them, and a deluge of confusion overflows; if the flames of division breake out again, let them be confident, they are above the danger in, an­other Region, where no cloud can reach them, no confusion disturb them: and if their earthlyes here, their bodies of dust; yet they shall dwell securely in these burnings, and be at peace in the middest of these flames. Thus Sir, I have given you my thoughts of the times; My earnest desire is, that things may prove otherwise then I write in relation to those now in power; the Lord if it be his will make their actions glorious, and overule that spirit of perversenesse and darknes, mingling it self with their counsels: but if they faile, the Lord will doe the work; let us build upon this, as upon a rock, it is fixed and immove­able. Sir, excuse me, I have been too tedious, impute it to the subject I write, which affords matter for a volume; I have this confidence in you, that nothing will be unwelcome to [Page 68] you, from a friend, or a Christian, or him who really is,

Letter 11. An Answer of a Letter written by a friend.

SOme two nights agoe, I saw a Bible, and found a desire to look into it; but presently my spirit checked me, saying, with­in me; What shouldest thou be peeping into that which thou canst not under­stand? Stay till the light of the Lord shall lead thee, and then go whither it shall lead thee, till then every motion, and desire cannot but be bitter, and the more it is hearkened unto, the more bitter: Yet my spirit said again, within me; Why should I refuse this motion, though [Page 69] griefe and bitternesse may attend it? may it not be good to see how dark and ignorant I am become? In the middest of such reasonings, I opened the Book; the first place I looked on, was very strange to me; thence I turned from place to place, but thick darknes covered eve­ry place; even those which formerly seemed very clear to me. At last, I lighted on a place, which did somewhat affect me, then I took up the Book into a Chamber, thinking to suck a little sweetnes, or at least to vent a little of that load which had lain exceeding heavy on me all the day; so I read some six Chapters at least, together (though with much adoe) they were the last Chapt. of Esay: so soon as I had done, I fell into a very grievous passion, to be­hold into what a state I was cast, for I under­stood not one tittle, but confusion and darknes covered and hid every thing from me: faine would I have fastened on somewhat to have supported my spirit, to hope and wait for bet­ter dayes; but it would not bee: I could not conceive concerning whom those things were spoken, or what that Zion is to whom they seem to be spoken. Indeed, I could not but weep outwardly, and mourn inwardly to think on my present darknes, which is so thick, that on [Page 70] no manner of light comes in at any crevis. The Book of the creatures, the book of providence (as I was wont to call it) this book of the scriptures, which was once unutterably sweet, and bright, and living; they are all become now dead, dark; but yet powerfull and peir­cing tormentors.

In the middest of these workings of minde, I fell (I know not how) to think of your let­ter, and your desire to hear from me, wondring at both; both, why you should write so to me, and why you should desire to hear from me, as if either I could apprehend what you wrote, or tell how to speak, or write any thing to you, in this state of darknes, and ma­ny particular passages of your letter came into my minde, more increasing this my amaze­ment. The first clause of your letter did kin­dle in me a great desire to expostulate with you about it: I must break off, I can proceed no further now.

Letter 12.

I am heart-sick, what shall I doe? I am sick unto death, and yet am miserable, because [Page 71] I cannot dye; I finde death as farre removed from me as life. I thought I had been dead and buried long agoe, and had nothing to do for the future, but to wait for a resurrection from death, and out of the grave; but I feele my self much alive to torment; and yet why may I not be dead for all that? spirituall death and a spirituall grave may have a kind of life in them, for ought I know. I cannot go on with the relation about thy letter; shall I try if I can open my breast, and give the a little glance of the misery and oppression that it lyes burde­ned with: I finde three tormentors within me, and they are continually ravening upon me, rending and tearing my head, my heart, my bowels. The names that I best know them by are Love, Griefe, fury: They commonly all rush forth upon me at once, though some one of them still more predominantly then the rest, feeding upon every object that is pre­sented to me, and heightning the disease and sicknesse of my spirit thereby.

Sometimes Love tyrannizes, and makes me pant immeasurably after some glimpse of that my spirit is in love with; but what it is, or where it is, I know not; when I hear the [Page 72] birds, or see any other creature in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath: Oh think I, that I were behind thee, that I might discern thy substance, and see whether that be my love or no: When I see their tendernes towards their young ones, the employment they are busied with, the delight they can suck in▪: Oh where am I, what am I, how farr laid below the whole creation? who finde no employ­ment, no delight, none to look after me, no bowels to answer the sounding of my bowels. Some what I love, but I know not what, nor where to seek after, nor what name to enquire for it by. Shall I go to the woods, among the wilde Hindes? Alas, they are as unable to heare, as I am to speak: shall I ask the com­mon sort of men? They, poore creatures ne­ver think of any such thing. Shall I ask Chri­stians? Ah! they as insensible of my condi­tion, as any of the rest; and all the news I can heare of them is of melancholy, and giving way to temptation, and wish me to use the means which is as impossible to me; as to finde out my love without them: Oh miserie, mi­serie! to love one knows not what, or where; to have love kindled, and the beloved quite lost; to have love flaming, and nothing for its [Page 73] flames to go forth upon, but still to feed with­in upon the bosome wherein it breeds: I finde this sometimes make these earthly bow­wels so yearn, as if they would immediately melt and drop out of the body; wherein they are as yet contained.

When Love hath wearied it self, then Grief (though it was not absent before) supplies its place, in panting, in sighing, in mourning, in complaining, if it can: Oh God! oh my God! oh living God! oh my beloved! (these ex­pressions it uses for forms sake, though it un­derstands them not) What are thou? Where art thou? Verily, thou art a God that hidest thy self; what no news of thec? Why dost thou open my bowels, when thou meanest to shut up thine own? What is become of thee? Hast not thou a discovering art, as well as an hiding art? When wilt thou open thy self? I cannot finde thee out, I cannot visit thee; wilt thou never bestow a visit on me, shall I never be remembred? Shall I never know what God means more? A [...]ust I alwayes be tormented among shadows, longing and wand­ring after the substance, and never meet with it?

All this while it is pretty well, in compa­rison [Page 74] of what it is, when fury [...] [...] my spirit boils within me, and rages; [...] is that maketh my spirit so violent and [...] ous, I can in no wise imagine, nor vent [...] cannot, it is too big to come forth: ther [...] no object without capacious enough to r [...] ceive it; but within it lyes, and feeds, and [...] presses so vehemently, that my spirit is [...] forced to cry out day and night; there is [...] subsisting, no, there is no subsisting und [...] it.

12. Letter.

I Can cheerefully serve pro­vidence in writing to you, though I had rather doe it in silence, for I know that God does most when man does least. Yet since God is pleased in some measure to come in with them, and the Spirit is drawn out to desire them, I am the more willing to correspond with you in this kind, you doe well in eying God more then me in them, yet God [Page 85] will bee most glorious, when his dispensations will bee so naked, as wee can eye him in no­thing but himselfe. God will ere long let us see that meanes are but vailes, though in a com­pliance with our weaknesse hee hath made use of them; while he appeared by candle-light, and in darker discoveries hee made use of Can­dlesticks, he gave as Paul saith, Ephes. 4. Some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors and Teachers, till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Sonne of God to a perfect man, &c. And when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall bee done away. God hath hi­therto (as Joseph did by his brethren) spoken to us by an interpreter, because hee would act at more distance, but when grace and love can contain no longer, God will (as Joseph did) command all to goe forth, and cry out I am hee, and show himselfe in uncovered clear­nesse; this administration God hath entred upon already in some of his people, and they beginne to get a glimpse of the face of God, and are acquainted with immediate actings in their owne hearts. I thinke the last meanes that God will make use of, will be such as the creature will be glad to be free from, I meane persecution, reproach, poverty, &c, and pos­sibly [Page 86] somewhat more terrible and contrary to wise and proud flesh, then all this; for as for these means of preaching, praying, gathe­ring, wherein the creature can be active and hououred, and serve God and it selfe, and goe halfe with him (as I may say) in point of ho­nour, the creature will with a great deale of reluctancy bee drawne from them, for truly there's much credit comes into us by such things, and usually those who openly hate us, doe inwardly honour us for them, besides the secret confidence and comfort that our selves and friends have in them: But when God shall administer under such meanes as we shall be more passive in, and such as will sift us to the very soule and spirit, and let us know all that is in our hearts, such as will cause [...]s to be suspected of our selves, sleighted by others, forsaken of our freinds, and such too as have not onely beene one flesh, but one spirit with us; when religion shall come to that passe, that he that will professe Christ, must professe poverty, disgrace, &c. then we shall be glad to be freed from the meanes, and to have God be all in all, for in this way that Saints are in for present, they are so rich and abounding, as I doe not wonder, they are offended that God will strip the creature naked, and bee all [Page 87] himselfe. Verily its a terrible thing for one that hath thriven in the things of God, and grown rich in reputation, to be administred in such a way as Professors themselves will thinke him an Apostate, an Atheist, and those that are more charitable, a deluded or a mad man; well, God in himself will make amends for God in the severest dispensations. And there is that man-child ere long to be brought forth in us in spirit and truth; (which wee have hitherto been delivered of in flesh and darke appearances) and when he comes, the wildernesse and solitary place shall be glad for him, or as Esay in another place, Wee shall re­turne to Sion with Songs and everlasting joy upon our heads, and John carries it further yet, 1 John 3. 2. When hee shall appeare wee shall be like him, for wee shall know him as hee is.

13. Letter.

I Lately received three Letters from you and some Books for which I thank you: As for Mr. Sedge­wicks book I am not to tell you at present what I think of it; God will doe great things by himself: the Army and all that they settle, must be destroyed without hands; the Spirit will blow upon all flesh, and yet they are to settle, because drawn out so to do; and their setting up is Gods work, as well as his throwing down; he doth the one by the creature, the other by himself. I think the in­tentions of the Army are in their kinde so righteous, as man will not be able to dissolve them; but because all flesh is gr [...]sse, it must wither, God will be great to the ends of the earth, and every thing shall be restored into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God; the heavens shall no longer con [...] him: The earth shall be fild with knowledge of God: the [Page 89] earth shall bee sanctified by the Word, by the manifestation of God upon it; things shall not be morally but spiritually restored; the Serpent shall be shut out of Paradise; the Tree of Life shall grow on both sides the Ri­ver: Publicans and Sinners shall rejoyce, the wise and prudent shall mourn, all the beasts of the field shall rejoyce and feed on the Tree of Life; the Serpent shall be glutted with dust, judgement shall dwell in the wildernesse; the high-way shall be holinesse; there shall bee no more sin, for there shall bee no more self, and no more curse, but the fruit of the earth shall be beautifull and comely, for death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire: Thou art righteous oh Lord which art, which wast, and shall bee, because thou hast judged thus: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoyce; Let the Sea roare, and the fulnes thereof; for he commeth, for he commeth to judge the earth, he shall judge the world with righteousnes, and the people with truth.

14. Letter.

YOURS came to my hands, when your friends were with mee, who all of them in much free­dome injoy your bondage, till he that hath the Keyes of the bottomlesse Pit shall release you. Its good be­ing in Hell sometimes for variety, and to be in the Sea, to see the wonders of God in the deep, I have beene lately my selfe in the bottome of it, where I found a Pearle, that's richer then the earth, and I doubt not but provi­dence will prepare you a table in the wilder­nesse too. It hath been the Lot of all of us to be where you are, and I thinke some of us stay behinde on purpose to beare you company. The bright day must bee brought in by the darkest night, and the voyce at midnight will be, the Bridegroome is come. Since the flesh must dye, it were well it were killed at once, yet since the execution is so terrible, its mercy we dye by degrees, dye daily, and if we did not [Page 91] dye too, so as to perceive that we dye, it would doe us no good; however it is best you should be dispensed as you are, because God will have it as it is, whose will is the rule of goodnesse, and not our understanding.

I conceive the reason why you have not heard from those your friends all this time, is, because they were not at home; they were absent from the Lord, sure it will not be al­wayes thus; but so long as there is any thing of earth in us, there will bee Eclipses and ab­sence: when wee are caught up into the ayre we shall be ever with the Lord.

15. Letter.

MY Love remembred to you, and to the rest of my Sisters, hoping that you are in good health, as I am at this present; These lines are for to certifie you concerning the present dealings of God with me: He hath been pleased to make known much of himself, and doth make me claim my ownes with himself, saying; That all things are of himself, and that he hath made out himself into so many beeings as there are visible creatures; and that God is compleat in all things unto visible apprehension; but it is the great wisdome of God, for to com­pleat himself in that being, that the wisdome of the world cannot comprehend him, for God now is accomplishing that great mystery which he hath spoken off in the Letter; I will work a worke in your dayes, that yee would not believe, although it be told unto you; for this is that great mystery of God which he is now accomplishing; that none but himself, can [Page 93] know himself in his being; and this is the dealings of God, to beget of himself, and when he hath begotten at the fulnesse of time, he doth bring forth, and when he hath brought forth then doth he make known himself, to himself; for there is none but himself, doth know him­self in his beeing: I have much more to say, but not being acquainted with your Spirit at present, I shall let it rest; leaving you unto him, who doth order all things of himself: I am for the present a prisoner, in the accompt of reason, yet at libertie; and did never enjoy more of the fulnesse of God, then I have since I came into that place; for I see that it is not prison doores, that will keep God out from himself; but he will shine in with so much glory, as will cause so much excellency to the apprehension of a creature, that will make him to say, I am not onely willing to be bound, but to die in the enjoyment of my God; Thus de­siring you to remember mee to my loving friends, I rest

Letter 16.

AT present, I have no free­dome to answer the Letter, but am glad to hear from you: the main ground of my shattering, lyes here: I am disappointed of that which I had as certain an e­vidence of in my spirit, as any thing that ever passed through me at any time, which sits so neere me, as I think, it will hasten my death; it was the onely thing in the world my heart was set on; and I used to say, there was no­thing betwixt God and me, but it; in that, I am happy, and at a great deal of ease, that I have lost every thing that my heart was inor­dinate on, but the disappointment of that which came with so much certainty into my soule, is the onely thing that so much unset­tles me. I have no thoughts of going in a pri­vate or more plausible way to heaven; nei­ther was I over much under that temptation. [Page 95] I have no thoughts of carrying my reputation whol to heaven; 'tis too much torn already, & I am glad it is so. I think no temptation but one of this nature I mention, could possibly shake me as it doth: what you say, concerning the burning of the drosse, that did accompany these actings, I close with, and haply there's no more in it: I like well your living in the light, and will of God; its a sweet beeing, and which for the present, I am debarred of: I pray you let me hear as aft as you can; I love your letters, not onely for your sake, but their own; besides it will somewhat diminish my solitude. I have no freedome to go to,—though oft sent for; but to sit still and enjoy my own unquietnes,

Letter 17.

I Use not after a free propo­sall of truth, to prosecute it in a carnall way, either by answering the argument of others, or enforcing it with my own; truth will doe better without our tampering with it; and we cannot force our passage to spiritual things by dint of discourse; but must wait for pow­er from on high: where as you are scrupled, that Christ was not often mentioned in my letter; you know there may bee much of Christ in effect, where there is but little in ap­pearance; and that hath bin the great unhappi­nes of the world, that we have had so much of Christ in sound, and so little in substance.

For your jealousie; that what I said con­cerning the departure of Heaven and earth, might be a delusion: I refer you to that proof in Esay that accompanied it; and if you think the scripture to be rather pretended, then re­ally [Page 97] made use of, in favour of what was writ: I confesse I give so much to the dictates of God in my heart, as to entertain them upon their own authority, and know God so well, as I dare take his word without his hand: Neither doe I think that onely to be the word of God which is written; the Apostle seems to extend it further, Ephes. 6. 17. where, the article ( [...]) in the originall refers to spirit, as if he had said, which spirit is the word of God. See Jo. 6. 63. it is onely the word that is Spi­rit, that can doe us good; for the letter of the word, can onely produce a literal evidence, and for that purpose I cited scripture in a condescension to your weaknes, til God would be pleased to set it on with the inward as well as the outward word: whereas you think Sa­tan will be exceedingly advantaged by the de­nyall of scripture, I think so too; but it will be by a denyall of the Spirit, and not the li­terall scripture; for we know 'tis the bright appearances of Spirit in the Saints, that will make an end of him: And in relation to this brightnes of the comming of Christ, and this day star arising in the heart; the scripture is cal'd, a light shining in a dark place: and soken of there as a letter light, that must give place to a greater: 2 Pet. 1. 19. For your re­solution [Page 98] of waiting upon God in that light you have, you doe well; he that believeth makes not hast, and (as you say) its vision that must convince you, and nothing else: Be of good comfort, the vision is for an appoin­ted time, but at the end it shall speak and not lye; though it tarry wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry, Hab. 2. 3.

18. Letter.

I DOE a little depart from my selfe, in the indeavouring the satisfaction in such a carnall way as this; my writing will not doe that in a long time which your waiting may doe shortly; that which must doe you good is not discourse but vision, and that is for an appointed time; our seasons of refreshing are in the hand of God, and silence is the earnest of comfort, and the [Page 99] satisfaction is then neerest, when you are con­tent it should be as farre of as God would have it. For your desire of being with mee, I looke on it not onely as a signification of the love, but as a smoaking of the flax which will blaze ere long notwithstanding all that water which I perceive hath beene cast upon it. For the jealousie of your friends in returning to me, so farre as it may relate to your present exercise, I am well content you should be where you are, if that work be of God, which (I hope) is begunne in you, they cannot frustrate it, and if it be not, I cannot further it; besides I rather desire you should be set in such circumstances as the worke of God in you may have lesse de­pendance on man and more upon God; and if in the midst of all oppositions, truth shall make good its being in you, you must then needes cry out, that this was the finger of God. Con­cerning that which scruples you about Christ and the Scriptures, I shall only say this, if God will take them away in flesh and restore them in Spirit, we have not lost but improved them, we have hitherto had a very low and fleshly use of both. Your temptation herein seemes to be the same with the Disciples, who in that low and literall administration, could not en­dure to heare of Christs departure, when as [Page 100] by that meanes his presence was improved, they who had him with them before, had him in them afterward, as we have had likewise in our measure, in a dispensation of gifts and gra­ces; out of which if Christ shall withdraw, and returne in a more immediate and naked administration of himselfe upon us, as (I be­leeve) hee is now beginning in the spirits of many of his people; we have more of Christ then ever. I could draw out this at large, in reference to your present scruple, but the car­rier hastens me, and I can but satisfie the flesh or reason, its the inward annointing that must satisfie the Spirit, and lead you into all truth.

19. Letter.

I Received thy Letter, and am very sensible of thy condition being called of God every moment in­to his worke-house, where I met with such imployment, as hath drunke the well of peace and joy for ever, and I have no hope ever to see those streames flow again but would be glad to be in the bot­tomlesse pit for ever. If Gods presence did not alwayes kindle such a fire, before which I cannot stand; and I must say, Who can stand when he appeares to famish all the Gods of the earth, and to hide himselfe from himselfe, which condition makes mee reell to and frow like a drunken man, and oft cry out in the bitternesse of spirit, I would I had never beene borne, but whilest I am pouring of my complaints into thy bosome, a noyse of peace beganne to ap­peare and sayd, affliction is the Saints for a moment, but the worlds for ever; the Saints to refine them, but the worlds consume them for [Page 102] ever: O how could I mourne over the ungod­like men and women of the world, for who is so God-like as they that can tell what a crucified Christ is in their owne spirits that can shew his wounds, and say, he is dead in me, which the world cannot I am sure: but I shall not long mourne for them, and for oft I know the last groane is gone forth of my breast that ever I must groane for them; but I must goe forth in judgement with my Father, and praise him for the victory which hee will have over them.

Son farewell, for a little season, while our all will bring us together againe in himselfe and place us in the still fountaine of peace and, joy for ever. Farewell.

20. Letter.

I Must needs write, though haply 'twere better for you I did not, I am sensible of your condition and cannot but in this fleshly way of counsell and comfort corre­spond with you, when as if my mouth were shut, God would open his, and speake that peace in a moment, which I know better how to darken then declare, for I am clearer in no­thing then this, that our tampering with the meanes doth vaile God, though I confesse while Saints were under an inferior admini­stration: our use of meanes might be of some service to us. I see now God in his most glo­rious flowings upon our hearts, either uses no meanes, or such as proud flesh would thinke fitter, to hinder then promote such an end; you little thinke that the persecution (for 'tis no other) that you have undergone of late, hath done you much more service, then either [Page 104] my presence or Letters, and it were best for you that persecution had had its perfect work and that I had stood still, and not seconded you at all: I knew well, that when you were at the lowest ebb, and confessing the worke of God in you, to be nothing but a delusion, that you were then travelling with a more excellent discovery, which would arise with so much glory and evidence upon your Spirit, as it would swallow up all opposition, and turn into such a disappointment of flesh & blood, as would cōfound all that sought to captivate the appearances of God in you, and to glory in the flesh: How unanswerable are the discoveries of God in you, which when both your freinds and selfe had disowned, you should yet vindi­cate their owne being, in the soule. For your desire of comming to me, if it proceed from a wearinesse of your condition at Norwich, or a carnall confidence in my presence, you will certainly bee frustrated in the end, you are best where God hath set you, Read Esay 28. 16. and 2 Cor. 12. 9, 10. and let me add with­all, if you desire to runne that course that I thinke providence will direct me in, you must resolve upon reproach, poverty, persecution, what not, for I am perswaded that I shall un­dergoe all this, therefore be well advised and [Page 105] consider before hand what a compliance with me will cost. Truly whiles Saints were in a mixt condition, though the world hated the Spirit in them, yet they could close with what was flesh, and both met in that medium: But when flesh shall bee wholly swallowed up in Spirit the whole world almost will hate us, there being nothing left that their approba­tion will take hold of; when there shall bee nothing but God within, there will bee no­thing but enmity without: 'Tis enough that the love of God will make amends for the ha­tred of all the world; and the lesse we have of God in the creature, the more we have of God in himselfe. Those times make haste upon the world, wherein that terrible Prophesie in the 21. of Luke will bee fulfilled, though I conceive it will bee in spirit and not in flesh, and such a way as our reason hath imagined. I am astonished at the glory that will bee re­vealed in the Saints, when God hath so shat­tered us out of all inferior actings, as the world will count us Atheists, and not one­ly the world, but even the Saints them­selves so farre as they judge according to the outward appearance; the Sonne him­selfe must deliver up the Kingdome to his Father, which is an administration of gifts [Page 106] and graces, before God can bee all in all.

Bee of good comfort, there is that mystery of godlinesse and glory to bee manifested in us, with which all the sufferings of this life, and whatever else can betide us in our way to it, are not worthy to bee compared; in the very expectation whereof I am seised with more joy then my poore heart can hold.

Letter 21.

I Purposed the last week to have saluted my friends, and see now the reason why providence disappointed me, which I shall keep se­cret to my self. For your Letter I should have been troubled at it, had not I learned to see God in every thing, and [Page 107] been acquainted with those traverses of car­nall reason and unbelief in my own Spirit; you have done no more then what I have done my self, concluding both with my self, and in the company of my friends, the same things to be no better then delusions, and under that temptation of blasphemy against the Spirit, have rested till a brighter appearance of God hath broke through all, and swallowed up that veile of death and darknes in so much victory; as I must needs confesse my self to have been more then a conquerer, though it hath cost me dear first. For the present I shall advise no­thing, you are where providence hath dispo­sed you, and 'twill be best for you to follow the tract of God in your own Spirit, and stay here till an act of confidence and assurance shall release you; for if you struggle or make hast, you intend your bondage: be you assured that the substance of what I said to you, will bear down heaven and earth before it, and truly till then this old administration which God hath worn so long, he is now uncloathing himself of, be removed the presence of Saints, and that glorious manifestation of the Sons of God, which hath entertained the expecta­tion of the creature so long, cannot bee as wee have plainly in Esay 13. 12. 13. I will [Page 108] make a man more precious then fine gold yea, a man then the golden wedge of Ophir; there­fore I will shake the heavens and the earth, &c. And in the 14. It shall be as a chased Roe, and as a Sheep, that no man takes up, &c. one thing I will add more, because I see your tem­ptation grows with some confidence upon yon, since you seem to have extinguished the smoaking flax by powering water upon it, and repenting of what you have done; let me thus farre advise, poure on more water, doe it the second time, doe it the third time; and observe if the smoaking flax prevaile not upon it; and that spark lick it up; and the God that answereth by fire, let him bee God. I could attempt such satisfaction in a carnall way; but truth is a more immediate and naked thing, and works best without the activity and contribution of the creature; neither will I humble God so far, as to prosti­tute truths of that nature; its the patience of God they may yet be proposed to the world: I doubt there will a quick providence passe upon it, and the word is like to be; He that hath ears to hear, let him hear; and he that is unjust let him be unjust still; and he that, &c. Revel. 22. 11, 12. For behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to give, &c. Eve­ry [Page 109] mans work shall be manifested by fire, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be re­vealed by fire, and as Paul hath it, 1 Cor. 3. in a settled expectation, of which I possesse my own Spirit, and your present temptation in a great deale of patience and rest,

Letter 22.

MY good friend, I wish my oc­casions had been such, as would have given me leave to have seen you suddenly, and to have come over as I pro­mised. I desire you would dispence with me till Michaelmass, and then I hope to have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come to you, both to refresh and be refreshed by you; I hope the Lord is a working that in England which will e're long give his people solid cause of refreshment: we have already the experience of that which [Page 106] [...] [Page 107] [...] [Page 108] [...] [Page 109] [...] [Page 110] a few dayes ago we did but expect, and scarce expected. I hope, as the Lord removes impe­diments from without, and paves the way of out peace with the pride and projects of our e­nemies; so he will take away all impediments within: our enemies being not onely those of our own kingdome, but of our own hearts, there being the same principles of fleshly wisdome and carnall reasoning against the kingdome of Christ within us, as there is in the world without us. Doubtlesse the day of the Lord will be upon every thing that exalts it self a­gainst the government of Jesus Christ in Spi­rit: shaddows of all sorts, begin to flye, and day already discloses, and the openings of hea­ven upon the Soule are very glorious; and that spirituall prediction of the Prophet begins to receive its accomplishment. Esa. 25. 7. The Lord will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over al people. It concerns us quietly to expect the out-goings of the Spirit in us, and the leadings forth from faith to faith, from glory to glory, from flesh and form, and letter, to spirit, and so to more spirit, at last into all spirit, till we have our selves in Jesus Christ, and our God be all in all. I am sorry, Sir, I am cast into such a strieght of time, as I must necessarily break off; otherwise I could [Page 111] with some delight have entertained my selfe with this argument: I mean Gods admini­string of us immediately in himself; but of this more when I see you,

Letter 23.

THe Fathers love hath of late been much manifested toward me, exceeding hath that glory been in which I have dwelt since last I saw you; my joy unspeakable, my rest unutter­able, my peace unconceiveable:

Having therefore received such large and plenteous fillings flowing from the heart of the most High; I can do no lesse than acquaint you with some few tastes and relishes of my late enjoyments, as in manner followeth:

On Munday the 24^th of this instant; I was in the Evening at a friends house in Cam­bridge-shire, where, (being in a familiar con­ference [Page 112] with some of my acquaintance) it pleased the Father so freely to unbosome him­self in me by such clear demonstrations of his presence as I never before beheld; insomuch that I appeared to my selfe as one out of my selfe translated into the substantiall and pure enjoyment of that love and peace which I have usually before, either but onely heard, or at least darkly seen and beheld through the vails of outward administrations.

That which was spoken by me under these workings, was faced with such an eivdent appearance of spirit and power, as that it struck astonishment in the hearts of those present; some thereat gushing out into teares, others possessed with shaking and trembling; and one there was, who was so filled with joy, as that he could not refrain singing and leaping; my heart was so overcharged with the pre­sence of the most High, that I desired a more retyred being; and to that end, withdrew to my Bed, where I thought, I might in my more singular addresses expend my desires up­on my received glory: I lay down in my Bed with unexpressible comfort, being overcome with the beauty of holy delights; I endea­voured to cover this fire with silence; but it grew so hot within me, that no longer I could [Page 113] retain it; but was forced to declare to my Bed-fellow (a friend of mine) how it was with me; I told him, I was over-come with love; I was so replenished with divine rest and consolation, that I could not contain my self: I began to sing and rejoyce, being every minute apt to be carried out of my Bed to daunce and leap about the room; but this noise soonvanished away by the power of that voice which commanded silence; saying, Rest and be still in thine own Love: Hereat a deep si­lence possessed me, yet not a jot of my glory diminished, but onely brought under the po­wer of a heavenly silence; yea, there was si­lence in heaven.

My friend lying by me, was suddenly sur­prized with a miraculous power from above, his body did shake and tremble in such a man­ner, as I never saw; who declared the com­ming of the day of God in a language divine and powerfull, sometimes singing and rejoy­cing, in so much, that the people of the house being thereat awakened, wondred what the matter should be.

All this while, my lovely silence constrain­ed me, yet under unspeakable enjoyments; my breath was by fits taken from me, and the divine life did so overpower the naturall, as [Page 110] [...] [Page 113] [...] [Page 114] that I expected a daily motion out of this form or body: nay how willing was I to commit my body to the power of an eternall sleepe, and to enter into that immensity which was able to comprehend me?

We spent almost the whole night, under the power of these raptures, while at last to­wards morning I felt a timely withdrawing of the rigour and vehemency of this power, which I was made freely willing to part with at the Fathers pleasure; for I have learned both how to want, and how to a­bound.

Yet notwithstanding to this day there re­maines a virulent and powerfull impression of the same upon my heart, which I hope shall never be raced out: I then saw, and doe still behold a perfect reconciliation brought forth in me, to all that heretofore I have beene at enmity with; Hell, Sinne, Death, Divell, are all in a league with mee; I have fellowship with God in all these, I care not who knowes it: Sinne hath lost its strength, Hell its tor­ment, Death its victory, the Divell his enmity, we are all friends, Hallelujah, God omnipotent reignes in all these. Good Lord! What a poor, low life is that which subsists onely in those things, that bring forth our advantage? I have [Page 115] now learned to live upon the highest disadvan­tages that may be; I can fetch life out of death, good out of evill, yea, enjoy light in dark­nesse, peace in torment, Heaven in Hell; I know nothing can hurt, nothing can destroy in this Mountain where I live; Shall Sinne? alas that's to weake, the Law which was its strength is departed: it shall no more have dominion o­ver me, for I am not under the Law, I can passe through all imaginable evill in the light of divine righteousnesse, and receive not the least dammage; Shall Hell? O its a lake of com­fortable torment, I live in it joyfully, I love it dearly. I know the breath of God as rivers of brimstone kindles hell in me, it burnes, it scor­ches, and so let it till the will of God be fulfil­led; I can passe through these flames, yea lye down amongst them, and not one haire of my head shall perish by them; I glorifie and re­joyce in the very fires.

I shall now desire you to acquaint my Fre [...]nds with these dealings of God towards me, if happily any thing may be given in upon their spirits about it. All that I have (at pre­sent) is this: I looke upon it as an evident signe of some dreadfull appearance of the Sonne of man; for these two things were given in with much power upon my heart.

[Page 116]First, That the God of peace shall tread Satan under feet shortly.

Secondly, Lift up your head, your redem­ption drawes nigh.

Read, Ʋnderstand, Rejoyce.

24. Letter.
A Letter written by a young man about 19. yeares of age, the Eve­ning before he dyed, being Satur­day-night; hee was well as was sup­posed about 11. of the clock, and about 2. the next morning dyed, and left a Letter, of which this is a Coppy, with this Superscrip­tion.
To his dear Sisters, Mrs. Hester Langham Mrs. Sarah Brewer, Mrs. Thomason, Fison, and others, the Saints of God, when deceased.

YEE Saints and Spouse of the King of loves, the Lord Jesus, the delight of delights himselfe, the Lord Jesus from everlasting with the Sonnes of men, Love, our fountaine with those lovely streames of divine and superna [...]urall glory, [Page 118] who now dwels in us and we in him. Our Saviour saith, Yet a little, and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me (pretious) for a small season, a little while hath this world seene mee, but low they see me no more, but ye shall see me, for I am gone to our fathers house, to lye in the everlasting armos of eternall love, in the infinite embraces of eternall sweetnesse, to bee there where yee shall bee all together with mee, and all Saints to all eternity. Rejoyce now together for me, and if you love mee you will rejoyce, because I goe to the Father; for me indeed to live is Christ, but to dye is gaine. And sure I am, that Saint Pauls desire for a long time by a flame of love, hath beene kin­dled in my soule, even to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is best of all: I now live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me; Loe the the time comes when I dye, yet not I, but this old man which I carry about with me: Oh pretious Saints! How sweet? how pleasant are the thoughts of death to mee? Surely sorrow may be for a night, but joy comes in the morning: Love is that bond of union, be­tweene mee and my beloved, union is that perfection of love, love throughly desir [...]s per­fect communion: What now hinders this but death? surely this must needs be pleasing un­to [Page 119] me, being the meanes to so lovely an end; I am here but as a wayfaring man which tar­ries but for a night; and surely what are the pleasures of this night at the best? They are but darknesse in themselves, and in their great­est light but resemblances of another which is farre greater; But behold the night is past, the day appeares, and I am gone to my beloved, he that should come, is come, and hath not tarri­ed, and oh blessed, yea thrice blessed is his com­ming to me, where I can see him face to face, whom my soule so much longed for: The vaile is rent, and I now no longer see him, as in a glasse, but in his owne native beauty, and su­pernaturall glory: Blessed Saints, I leave you and goe to my Father, surely whether I goe you know, and the way you know; think it not strange cone rning this my fiery tryall, by death and sep [...]ation from you, for loe the time commeth, in which we shall be no more seperated, but as we are one, so shall we ever be, inseperable from our own beloved. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Sabbath, a holy rest, a Sabbath of eternall rest, am I gone to celebrate; Oh yee holy Saints, the voyce of my Beloved, behold he comes leaping upon the Hils, and skipping upon the Mountaines, Loe he comes and that quickly, he comes, and [Page 120] now quickly am I gone, of all Beloveds, none is like to mine, the melodious voyce sings sweetly in mine eare, even of Angels them­selves, but that new Song of love, the sweet lovely Song of Saints, gloriously glorified with their Beloved, is harmonious indeed: What shall I now say of these things, I cannot now fully apprehend them as it is, but am now comprehended of them, therefore lye I downe and rest with this perswasion and full conclu­sion, sealed by the witnesse of the Spirit unto my Soule, that what my Beloved is, so shall I be, and where bee is, thither am I gone: Then deare Sisters and precious Saints, make haste and tarry not, that are here on earth in imper­fection, so that now in heaven in perfection we may live and for ever enjoy Joyes unspeak­able and full of glory. Farewell deare Saints, farewell, farewell, though I now leave you and goe away from you, yet I shall see you againe, and when I see you, so I rejoyce eternally to­gether with you; in this life I have beene yours, and here together with you; and surely death disjoynts not our Spirits, though our Bodies; therefore in another life shall we be as members, so Saints glorified in our glori­ous Jesus, and with him who is our delight, in whom you are, to whom you are, to whom [Page 121] I goe, and with whom wee shall remaine, Priests and Kings to our God.

Deare Saints I rest, and the God of rest be with your spirits for ever, and when you see this, think on him, who was here your fellow Disciple, but now,

25. Letter.
The Coppy of a Letter, as it was sent from Mrs. T. P. in behalfe of Mrs. E. P. To a Congregation of Saints in London, under the forme of Baptisme.

DEAR brethren in the bowels of love and meeknesse, I kindly salute you, wishing you an encrease of all faithfulnesse and true knowledge in the mystery of Christ: The cause of my pre­sent writing is to acquaint you, that provi­dence [Page 122] hath lately brought a letter to my hand, directed to my husband, concerning one Mrs. P. once a member with you; which wo­man, say you, for scandalous evils, was cast out: Now it being some yeares since it was done, I humbly desire a little to reason with you about the grounds, why this still remains up­on your spirits, seeing Christ saith, forgive yee one another, as I forgive you; and God is said to remember our sinnes no more; this therefore is a note of forgivenesse, not to re­member; and sure we should shew our selves children of our heavenly father; But further I desire before the Lord, that you examine your owne hearts in this thing, what your end is in it; if it be that you thinke, she is not worthy to have a livelihood amongst men; then why doe you not either by the Civill Law (if that will take hold of the offence) or by some other way (if nothing will satisfie you but her blood) take some present course that may put an end to this great difference? but if you thinke this bee too grosse, or more then the offence requires; then I beseech you, for the Lords sake, to consider your owne actings in this thing, whether you doe not as much as in you lies, carry on the same designe (though more closly from the eyes of the [Page 123] world) which sure before the Lord, can appear no other, but the hunting after her life; nay, is it not more, then to take off one single life at once? for which is greater cruelty, for a Ty­rant to take a mans life at once? or by de­grees? and then your selves be judges, whe­ther your proceedings towards her be not a killing all the day long: for you cannot bee ignorant that she hath no livelihood amongst men, but what she earnes by her hands: and your defaming her in this manner cannot, in an ordinary way, but deprive her of that, and so at last bring her blood upon you: If you say, you acquaint none but the Saints with it, it is evident to the contrary; for your open publishing it in the Counsell of Warre, caused the world to take notice of it, and yet your spirits rest not here; truly deare friends, as the evill spirit wrought in her one way, when she was with you; so consider whether the fame spirit, doe not highly worke in you at this time another way; the Lord give you understanding in all things: But if her life be not that which you aim at, then is it those di­vine discoveries of life and light, which God makes out to the world by her? if it be so, then you are to know, that hee is too strong you strive withall; but about this I would a [Page 124] little quere: first, whether doe you think, that because such evils were manifest in her, when with you; therefore it is impossible now that any good should bee brought forth by her? doe you not hope to grow better and better? But secondly, is it not Gods u­suall way to manifest himselfe there highest, where in time past he was by the evill spirit kept lowest? yea, doth hee not suffer himselfe for this very end many times, thus to die in appearance, and to leave a soule to it selfe, that it may see what it is in it selfe, and learne to die to it selfe, that so hee may have the more glorious resurrection in that soule? I beseech you for the Lords sake to consider these things: As for her outward person, I conceive she cares as little for it as you can; therefore you may take your fill of trampling on it; but I beseech you bee carefull how you medle with the spirit that breaths in her; for surely bre­thren, I know not what spirit manifested it selfe in her while with you; I am sure (and I speake nothing but the truth) that I have found a most divine spirit in her, as farre as I could discerne, and that which comes to the spirit and life of things; and in this me thinks you should rejoyce, for truly, I have heard many professors, and seene many professions, [Page 125] but to my knowledge, I never heard one come so neare the power as shee does: I doe not speake this as being affected with any person, party, or opinion; I blesse my God I am now (in his strength) delivered from that, though some have falsly affirmed my being deluded by her; but I am confident I can say with Paul, and that not onely repeating the letter, but in truth; that those things which I have received, have not beene from man, nor woman, nor any other thing, but by the meere revelation of Jesus Christ in mee, God mani­festing himselfe in my owne flesh: and there­fore they much wrong both her, and me, that affirme it; but especially they wrong or speake a lye of that God that did it for me: and because I heare it so reported amongst you, I thought good to write one word to cleare it, that so whether you will heare, or whether you will forbeare, the word of truth might judge you; give not eare therefore to all you heare, though from brethren, least you be brought into a snare; for since the defection of the Churches, men, yea good men, have been such lovers of themselves and their own opinions, that they will speake largely, upon little ground, to keepe up their owne glory, God having not yet undone them; for were [Page 126] they once undone men, they would willingly be what God would have them, however the world accounts of them.

There is another thing which came to my care, that it should be given into the Counsell by your two witnesses, that the said Mrs P. should say, that you cast her out for difference in judgement; and when Collonell Rich and Collonell Harison asked to whom shee spake it, they said to some of Abington: Now in­deed my husband said to you, that he thought such a thing; but when hee came home and saw so little ground for his thoughts, I thinke he had but little comfort in telling you so; and then, brethren, if you upon such slender grounds should act in this strange manner a­gainst her, affirming this thing so publikely, I thinke you have cause to bee humbled for it, and justly to repent of your evill; I desire you to beare a little with mee, for truly it ap­peares to mee, rather to bee your rage of spirit, then your true love, either to her, or truth; for mee thinkes it would savour more of a true Christian spirit, if you had first spoken with her, and have seene what change the Lord hath wrought in her, as knowing that Mary out of whom seuen Divels had beene for­merly cast, was made the first messenger of [Page 127] Christs Resurrection; yea, and she must bring it to the Apostles, and not the Apostles to her: You say, in your letter, that you left her to the judgement of the great day; and I beseech you, brethren, doe you not, againe take her into your owne daie? for truly I be­leeve that daie in a measure hath come upon her, and the Lord himselfe is at worke with her; therefore doe not feare but the worke will be well done; onely we, as well as shee, must have patience in it, and surely this is the confidence that I have concerning her, that she hath seen evill in that estate she walked in with you; and certainly, God is good to her in this, shewing her what an abominable spirit of wickednesse may bee hid under the greatest practises and professions of externals; not that these are the cause of it; no, the gold and the silver is mine, saith the Lord; but wee bestowing it upon our lovers, and making our selves great with his ornaments, he is fain, in love to us, to take us from them, or they from us, and so finde out a more sprirituall ad­ministration to perfect us in: Oh the infinite riches of our God! where doth his bounty [...]nd? sure his waies of love are unsearchable, e [...]d his paths of mercy, in which he followes anore fallen man: and poor backsliding soules, [Page 128] are past finding out; how narrow are our ca­pacities? we judge as men; We may think as some did of David, that there is no help for such things in God; but all things in truth will be found possible with him, even where they are altogether past our thoughts and con­ceptions, and become to us impossible; I be­seech you therefore be perswaded to bow down to him; I know you are conscious, that all judgement is not committed unto you, and therefore it is possible you may not judge right in this thing; for truly, brethren, we may con­ceive many things even by the letter it self, & yet not living in that spirit that writ the letter, we may erre; I pray do not mistake me, as if I would any way speak slightly of the letter, farther than it speaks of it self; no, I blesse the Father for it, and by sweet experience can say, that I was never so confirmed in it, now the Lord hath drawn me to him out of it, even in that spirit that wrote it; I am for the con­scionable use of it, but I would not abuse it; I am sure, those men that would set it above the spirit, can hardly free themselves from that thing; I hope, therefore you will not count it your excellency to walk in the letter, but rather desire the Lord to perfect you in that spirit that writes the letter, for then and never [Page 129] till then, shall we be able to walk by it aright, and speak of the letter truly.

I have not yet acquainted my husband with your letter, I shall wait upon God what an­swer to receive from you: for truly, dear bre­thren, upon serious deliberation, I know not how to approve my self faithfull in the eyes of God, to my brethren here, if I should deliver it; for God having put it into my hand, I must also see clearnes from him before I part with it: for though, blessed be the father, we have a sweet hopefull people amongst us that wait upon God, and have fellowship one with an­other; yet whether they may digest such things as you write of, I really question; therefore it would be unfaithfulnes in me, if I appre­hending an evill to them, or any other, should not as much as in me lies, prevent it; and this I shall doe, by detaining the Letter, till fur­ther manifestation from God what to do with it; Doe not judge me in this thing, I beseech you; I have one Judge, even the Lord, and he that put it into my hand, will a [...] length clear my integrity in it; I have nothing to doe for my self in it, the Lord knows, only to find out (if it may be) how I may approve my self [...]aithfull to men in the Lord and for the Lords [...]ake.

[Page 130]Your desire I exceedingly like, that we may be kept from errours, and the Lord keep us all from errours, but who must shew us what errour is, but the God of truth himself? we have lived in errour, and have suckt them in from our cradles; and yet who will speak so much against error as we, stating our selves still in the truth: My sweet friends, the day of truth is but now dawning upon us, and how is it opposed, even by those that are children of truth, in their measure? yet wee have all looked for it, and prayed together for it a long time; but truly now, we will not own our prayers, but turn away our face from our Sa­viour, because he comes not in such a garb as we imagined he would, when we know its his prerogative to cloath himself with what flesh or garment he pleases: brethren, what would you have? doe you not know that a glorious day hath been spoken of ever since the Prophets, and the Apostles? Though the day was dawned upon them, yet they bid their hearers not to be terrified, as if that day were near; for saith he, there must be a falling a­way first; and that wicked one be revealed; notwithstanding Peter could them that he was a partaker or that glory, that should be af­terwards revealed; However (saith he, you [Page 131] have a more sure word of Prophesie, to which yee doe w [...]ll to take heed; as if he had said: Brethren, we have been with the Lord in the mount, and have beheld that excellent glory, but yet to you that have not so seen Christ, there is a more sure word of Prophesie; for visions and revelations doe most especially con­firme and strengthen those that have them; but here is a word that is spoken to all, and is as a light shining in a dark place, therefore you do well to take heed to it till the day dawn, and the day star arise in you own hearts, and you be swallowed up with that glory, that now you expect and wait for; onely know this, that no private spirit can understand these Scriptures that speak of that day, it must be the spirit of God alone; let us cease from our own spirits therefore, for they are selfish and private, bound up to this and that, and so would confine God also; but his Spirit is as large as himself; its without bounds; its neither here nor there distinct, but it is individually every where. But that which I desire you to consider from these Scriptures is, that this day of falling a­way hath been; and all the world hath won­dred after the beast, since the Apostles time; therefore how near may we expect our glory; we should not be troubling our selves there­fore [Page 132] still with falling away, but now look for a rising, for sure man hath had his day, and now the Lord will have his day: now seeing this day of the Lord must have a dawning, and some Disciples may be taken up into the Mount, before other some; it should teach us not to judge our brethren, that spcak of higher injoyments then we have, for we being behinde should rather judge our selves, seeing we are more in the day of man, and acknow­ledge our selves so to be, still looking for, and hastening to the day of God, in which we may act self, or selfishly, no longer, but our God may bring forth his own righteousnesse in us: and truly, brethren, you may be satisfied in this, that we are very industrious to keep our selves from errour, but we know that in his strength we shall be perfected, and when him­self comes and speaks, then shall we know that it is he; and truly brethren, I would not have you infidels but believing; this day hath taken some unawares, and though many may have it in notion, yet I am sure, that some have it in power.

I have one thing more to you concerning your letter, and truly I cannot but wonder at it, that is, how you durst so peremptorily to judge the woman that she brought a delusion [Page 133] for a vision of God, I beseech you consid er seriously before the Lord, whether it was so or no, before you make it so publike, and send it forth with the authority of a Church: surely friends, you will much abuse the autho­rity of your Church, in affirming meer suppo­sition for truth; the Lord be pleased to open your eyes in this thing; it may be your father in mercy desires, a little to plead with you by a weak instrument, and therefore put the letter into my hand, that so he might put some stop to your furious driving; and truly I can look upon it no other wayes; therefore willingly meet your God in this mercifull act towards you; for if you doe not, the dumb Asse next time may reprove you; I confesse, soules, I am the weakest of all, a poore undone soule in my self; the Lord alone take all the glory, yet if I may be usefull, as being one of the body, in keeping you from doing greater evils, I shall be willing and rejoyce, though I go under ne­ver so great an odium my self; for sure friends, account of me how you will, I am one of you & tenderly affect you, and in this thing would have God truly exalted: For this grace is gi­ven me to love truth under any appearance, though indeed, that may sometimes appear to men to be truth which I cannot close with; [Page 136] but I mean any appearance that my God comes in, and I hope shall be more and per­fected in it; and indeed it is sweet to me that he hath given me, through mercy, to know his voyce from a stranger; It may be the world may judge me for it, because it comes not in their form, but I shall rest in the Lord: well brethren, if you see mercy to you in that which the Lord hath spoken by me, receive it and re­joyce in him; it may be, I may prove to you as Abigail did to David, keep you from shed­ding blood, and from avenging your selves with your own hand, the Lord shew us therefore what that scripture meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice: there be many things in the letter of the scripture, which we through weaknes may think to be sacrifice as the Pharisees did, when God abhors it, and will have none of it, in such a time as he cals for mercy; therefore he bids us learn what that meaneth: we may have it, & read it & speak it, but to learn the inside of it, learn what it mea­neth, will be our comfort, and our Crown; and truly my dear friends, I am perswaded, that this is a time, in which, mercy is required of us towards our Sister, and not such sacrifice: If you please to send me a word of answer, leave it with Mr. C. I doe not think it fit as [Page 371] yet, that you acquaint my husband with it, not for unlawfulnesse sake, but inconveniency; for surely brethren, I am not willingly carry­ed, to give you or him, or any one offence; onely as the Lord manifests it to be his will, and then I must leave Father, and mother, and all, and cleave to him. Let me have your an­swer as soon as you can: but I beseech you, do not answer me, but the Lord, and then see how you can justifie your selves; in him there­fore shall I wait for it, and dear souls, though I am nothing, and can doe nothing in my self; yet I beseech you doe not reject any word of truth, love and sincerity that God sends by my hand. Job saith, He did not reject the cause of his Maid servant, when it came before him, though the word saith, they contended with him: I can give you more satisfaction, if you please, how I came by the letter; I am sure it was unexpected by me, onely the Lord would have it so; and therfore all your care must serve the Lords designes, to bring it to my hand when my husband was not in town: doe not therefore look upon me, but look to the Lord, & use me as kindly as Job did his servant, reject not my cause, for surely it is not mine: I leave [Page 136] you to the Lord, whom I desire rightly to guide you in this thing, and am

26. Letter.

ENgagements from a true principle are not easily dislolved, and while we hold the head, we cannot let goe the members. I have con­sidered you in the union of life and truth; from whence flow my unfeigned respects to you, and wherein consists the true enjoyment of your self: Vanity of vanity in­terposeth between God and us, while we are below, and vexeth our unquiet spirits; seek­ing contentment in earthly relations, we wan­der [Page 137] too and fro, and return empty; but when we close with the divine will, our distractions are composed, the commotions of our distem­pred hearts are all sweetly silenced. Friend, when you have (in the spirit) ascended farre above all heavens, when you are above all, e­ven that God hath made and (for a time) also ordained you to use, then may you, and then will you be able to descend into the lowest parts of the earth, and from thence again rise to the highest glory; Then will you have a true sweet and comfortable use of the meanest condition in the world, out of which you shall mount to the clearest enjoyment of the greatest happinesse, and by a continuall intercourse be­tween heaven and earth, you will at last come to inherit the utmost, large and full extent of the Lords dominions. If you were confined to that heaven onely, as it hath been recei­ved in the generall notion you would be streightned in your borders, and be deprived of part of your portion and possession; for the earth as well as the heaven is filled with the glory of God: from which if you were ex­cluded, you must necessarily want that peice of your right, whereof you were made an heir­esse. When the ladder of our eternall union is set between Heaven and Earth, between the [Page 140] divine and humane nature, then may we both ascend and descend, one as freely as the other: our heavenly state will not disdain our earthly, nor our earthly hinder our heavenly; the true Angelicall life hath sweet communion with God in both. Trouble, afflictions, and crosses in the world will administer consolation, and be all your servants, helpers of your joy. God will be all, Union unto him cannot be divided; the wings of the morning are not swift enough to outflie him; the utmost parts of the earth, the farthest distance of sense, the broad Sea, the greatest confusion of minde, the wide wilder­nesse, the most solitary sadnesse of heart can­not hide from his presence; Nay, if you goe downe into the Hell of horrour, your Ioule shall not be left there; his right hand of pow­er, and spirit of holinesse, will raise you up a­gaine. I have endeavoured to discharge my re­spects to you, in these short and sudden lines, being now hindred from enlarging by the courtesie and visites of my friends. My re­spects of love presented—

27. Letter.
To I. I.

DEARE and loving Friend; whom I desire to own and to be one with & in the fellow­ship of the Father, and the Son, in one eternall invisible and ever-ruling Spirit, in and with which Spirit we are to walk, live & abide in, after we are made one with it, which is and must bee an inward, true and invisible walk­ing, and according to an inward, true and in­visible rule, and not after an outward and worldly manner, as the worldlings doe; For my Kingdome is not of this world, saith Christ, my Kingdome is not of observation, and world­ly rudiments, for it is within you that consists not in any outward rule or practise, all the true rules and directions of the Spirit is within, it is visible, the truth of all things is within, the outward is not the truth, but an Image of the truth, therefore to walke in outward forms, or ordinances, is but to walke in an Image and [Page 140] not in the truth it selfe, but to walke in the truth is to walke in the spirit, and if in the spi­rit then in God, for God is a spirit, and hee is the truth of the spirit and he that will be one with God must bee one with him in the spirit and in truth, as it is essentiall in God, or else there can be no perfection, and then no true walking with God, to be one with God, is to be nothing ones selfe, and to walk with God, is to walke out of ones selfe: Enoch walked with God and was not, for God tooke him, he was not; that is, hee was not himselfe: No man can walke with God while he is himselfe, a man as man cannot be said to walke with God; he may walke with man, but not with God, nothing can be said to walke with God, but what is one, in and with God, and there­fore must bee as God; for none can walke with God, but God; No man hath seen the Father, but the Sonne; hee that ascended is the same that descended, no man hath nor never shall see the Father, but the Sonne: Then none can be said to walke with God, but Jesus Christ who is God. And this walking is invisible, that is, a communion of spirit in man; one man may have communion with another as man, but none can have communi­on with God, but God; light cannot have [Page 141] communion with darknesse, nor darknesse with light, but light hath communion with it selfe: Therefore that we are in the light, let us walk as Children of the light, and not as the Chil­dren of darknesse. But you will say, Doe wee not walke with God in Ordinances? I answer, that ordinances are not light, truth nor spirit, and therefore wee cannot walke with God in them; wee cannot walke with God in any thing but in the light, in the truth, and in the spirit, nor none can walke with God in these things, but the divine spirit, or inward man, which is of God, and one with God; to walke with and in God, is to walke in the truth and ordinances you cannot say are the truth, no more then you can say the scripture is the truth, but if you will make it truth, you must make it God, for there is but one truth, and that is God: One God and Father of all, one Lord, one Faith and one Baptisme, and all but one God and one truth. God as he is in the word Christ Jesus, is the truth, and if we have heard of him, and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus; then shall wee say, that the scripture is not truth, but it tels us what is the truth; it saith, It is life eternall to know God, the true God, then to walke in the truth, is to know the truth, and to know the truth is [...] [Page 144] know God onely, and having knowne God, w [...] know how to walke with God, and no man can know God, but God, no man can know the Fa­ther, but the Sonne, and hee to whom the Sonne will reveale him. And the Sonne hath not truly revealed the Father to man, till man through Christ is become the Sonne of God, and being the Sonne of God, hee knowes God, and is knowne of God, and so is one with God, whereby he hath acceptance to walk with God. We should take it ill of them that tell us wee know not God, but when we come to know him indeed as God in his owne eternall and essentiall being, wee shall then confesse that we never knew him before, we have had ma­ny thoughts we have known God, when alas we have known nothing of him, as he ought to be known; to know God in any forme, or ordinance, nay in any created excellency, even the highest manifestation that ever wee had of him among the creatures, is but as an imagined or formall knowledge, which can be no perfect knowledge, it is no true know­ledge of God, to know him in any thing be­low himselfe, below the divine and essentiall being of God; all things below himselfe are imperfect and can give no true testimony of him, we receive tokens from men, and letters [Page 145] from men by which we come to have some kind of knowledge of them, but if we never see the person, wee can have no true know­ledge of him: the greatest manifestation that ever we have of God, or the greatest know­ledge we can have of him, though it boby Angels if it be not by himselfe, it is not a true knowledge, and can produce no true happines, for they are all but as messengers sent from him and is not himselfe, and till he comes him­selfe in his owne substance that wee see him as he is in himselfe, a God above and beyond all gifts and graces which but as messengers were sent from him, wee see him not and then cannot know him as we ought. I am not the Christ, saith John, I am but sent before him, to prepare the way for him, and as be increaseth, I must decrease, I must be nothing, that he may be all. Therefore while wee see ordinances any thing, gifts, graces, manifestations or any thing below God himselfe to be any thing, so long we see not God to be all, and then know him not as God, wee may know him in all things after a manner, but it is an outward externall knowledge, and not a spirituall in­ward knowledge, and therefore no true knowledge; yet this is the knowledge wee have of him in ordinances, even an eternall [Page 144] litterall knowledge, and according to this so we walke, and not according to truth and perfection. But you will then say, Is it not the will of God, that we should walke in ordi­nances. I answer that in way of permission, it may be for a time, yet not for ever; but the will of God goes further▪ for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that all that are his should bee as himselfe, for bee yee perfect, as he is perfect; perfection consists not in ordinances, nor in any created excellence, but in God onely, which is an uncreated glory; therefore be ye perfect, as he is perfect, for that is the will of your God, and ought to be the desire of all his, to be perfect, as he is perfect, to walke as he walks, and to know as he knowes, and in this we shall be like unto God, that wee may have fellowship with him, as the Apostle sayth, walke in the light, as he is in the light; and then you shall have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and the Sonne, and this is a fellowship above all ordinances, and above all revealed things; a man cannot have fellowship with God, and converse with him as God, till hee is seperated from all relation. It is said in Prov. 18. 1. that through desire a man hauing sepe­rated himselfe, seeketh and entermidleth with [Page 145] all wisdome. That is with God, a man cannot seek or intermeddle with the Creator till he is seperated from the creature. But you will say, are we not then to make use of the creature, nor any created thing? I answer, in a temporall way you may; but all that while, you will have but a temporall union with them, nor in them; there can be no true union with God in the creature, no not in any created glory whatsoever. For all is as grasse, and as grasse it withereth, because the spirit of the Lord blows upon it; and all the joy and comforts, that I have thought, I have found in them, is but as a blast before the Almighty God, the creature, nay, the excellencyes of creatures, or creature comforts were made only for the bo­dy, and not for the soule, not as to finde com­fort in them; no, nothing can be food to a soule, but the eternall invisible being of God; for invisible things must be fed from invi­sible powers; and the soule is as invisible as God; for it is God: it is and must be that dependence which we have upon God, and this would fall if not fed by God and from God; therefore it is one with God. The Ri­vers and streams, which is one with the Seas, would soon faile, if not fed from the Sea. So would the soule of man, if it were not conti­nually▪ [Page 146] fed from its own natural principle from God, who is the sea and fountain of Soules; and now an Ordinance or any other thing but God cannot bring comfort to a soule: a man may take some delight in them, but it is but a fancy or some naturall or outward affection that he hath to them, and not for any spiritu­all comfort he findeth in them: he may per­haps count it spirituall, but the spirit cannot count so of it; the spirit cannot delight to be in any thing, but in its own element, which is an element above all created things, flesh and spirit cannot dwel together without interrup­ting one of another: therefore to tie the spi­rit to have communion with God in an Ordi­nance, is to keep him in bondage: the Church which is below, is in bondage with her chil­dren; but the Church which is above in the spirit is sure, which is the mother of us all; therefore to binde the spirit, to an Ordinance, or to any thing below it self, which is below God, is to keep him in bondage: Men may walk in Ordinances, or in Forms, or in the I­mage of things. But all this while their com­munion is but an Image, an outward form or Image to the communion of spirits, it is but a naturall communion which typifies a Church in the spirit. So that it is not our perfection [Page 147] to walk in Ordinances; because by them God is vailed from us, and we see him not in his o­pen manifest glory, and so are not changed into the likenesse of him, but remain still as stran­gers and Pilgrims. Therefore let us with the Apostle, forget that which is behinde, and presse forward to that which is before, which is to see God in his open manifest glory, and not in the glory of an Ordinance, or any crea­ted thing for they are but vailes which doe e­clipse and hide the glory of God from us, that we see him not as we ought; whereby we might have communion with him: and there­fore God doth rend that vaile, and cast that a­way as moth eaten, as vain helplesse things; and now he shews himself with a new gar­ment, with the robes of righteousnesse and glo­ry, with salvation in the middest of them; with a full manifestation of all his attributes in one essentiall, invissible and eternall glory for his Saints: and he that will now see God, to have sweet fellowship and communion with him, must see him in all, in all this glo­ry, without the help of any Ordinance or crea­ted thing whatsoever; for that hath been and is still the cause of our ignorance of God, be­cause we never look for him to come in this open glory. But we lye still expecting of [Page 148] him to come in old apparell, and not in new; in an ordinance, and not without, and so de­ceive our selves. That when the Bridegroom comes, like foolish Virgins are found unprepa­red, with our lamps neither oyled nor lighted, but barren and fruitlesse; and so are left hope­lesse and comfortlesse: And with this, I shall take my leave at this time, and shall with all commit you and the rest of our fellow mem­bers in Christ, to the onely fellowship of the Father and the Son together in one eternall and invisible glory, in which fellowship I desire to own you, and to walk with you, and to heare from you, and so fare you well.

28. Letter.

I Received yours of an old date; you are constant in loving, slow in expressing and declaring; in which, though yet you are full; I doe own your love in all, both letter and token, and wish I had to make you a sutable return

Your trouble, is about Ordinances; You want them, and yet cannot use them, you think you want them at least; but it is the annoint­ing you want, not John, much lesse his water; you have the annointing, and need not that any man teach you, 1 John 2. 21. It abideth in you, it will appear, the box in which it is, will be broken, and perfume the whole honse: The box is your heart, whilest you are looking without: In that condition you are, the Poets Tantalus is your picture and your motto. The Woolf by the ears, you neither dare hold nor let go; stay a while, and your Candle wil be [Page 150] lighted; The Lord is your light, the annoint­ing which you have received of him, abideth in you, and the same teacheth you all things.

You say, Why you dare not use Ordinances, because you finde them not in their exactnes, according to the Primitive pattern. Do you think to be perfect in the flesh? I know you doe not: Why then doe you expect exactnes here? All externall things will be matter of doubtfull disputation, 1 Rom. 14. and we shall not come into rest, and out of dispute, till we come into the spirit, where is both unity and rest; till circumcision and uncircumcision be nothing; and the new creature and faith wor­king by love, all, we shall not be established: He that doth it is God, who hath also annointed us, and sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts. 2 Cor. 1. Till we see and acknowledge God not limitted to make out himself by ordinance, if not to be gone out of them, as to any manifestation of life, and pow­er by them, we cannot be at rest.

God will take us out of all our childish work, before we have made any thing of it; and are these better things then rudiments and elements in our childish state? a bondage that the father is pleased his children (that are heires of all) should be in, till the time ap­pointed [Page 151] by him; whilest we are Babes, we have no trouble in them, onely about our un­worthinesse; as we grow up, doubts grow, and trouble and disputes about them, about their pure institution, and at last we come to look into their worth, and set the signe and the spirit distinct before us; and so come by de­grees to be crucified to them, and they to us; and are sensible of a bondage, and are making into the liberty of the Spirit.

And whereas you mention, the Primitive pattern, as to these ordinances: There is gran­ted a pattern to Babes, or those that have to doe with them; for these outward things are the milk, and not the strong meat; and if the Apostles and those anointed with the spi­rit, then, could have spoken to their converts, other wise then as unto carnall, they would not have spoken earthly things; nor dealt with them in those principles, from whence they are calling them, to make forward to per­fection, and blame them for their dullnesse, Hebr. 6.

The old administration, was weak, weari­some, and tyring, and therefore God went out of it, Heb. 10. & so wil he hence, when he hath brought us to see the weaknes & feel wearines; he is calling such into the spirit, Come unto [...] [Page 154] riod to ordinances, gospell as well as legall. Hee will once more shake Heaven and Earth.

And is not hee doing that in you? and till that comes that remaines, surely we are to worship at the doore of the Tabernacle, and then will his remove appeare plainly; which by want of enjoyment in Ordinances is onely suspected, or conjectured. I consent unto you fully, that the want of enjoyments there, are no rule safe enough to walke by.

You say, You have sound communion with God in Ordinances, and without; The last more immediate and the sweetest: To this God cals you by some tastes, and will settle you there in due time, the time appointed of the Father, the time of the acknowledgement of the Son of God in you.

You say, that your thoughts worke about Gods silence in Ordinances, as upon this reason to humble us, as in the Isralites hunger, I con­sent to you, and so to prepare us for bread from heaven that needs no sowing, threshing, winnowing, nor shall be gathered by Homer, or measure.

You observe with trouble, the declining of some, who leave ordinances, to the deniall of Scripture.

[Page 155]Wonder not that when God cals some to himself in a more immediate enjoyment with­out ordinances, that the Devill should bee playing his part there, in Jann [...]s and Jam­bres.

Your dislike of the common pleading for or­dinances, I wonder not at, because it is done in opposition to the spirit, which they onely serve to, and is the life of them, and that tels me that that Heaven is foulding up as a gar­ment, and hee comming forth that changes it not.

You say, there hath beene a glory in that administration, I grant it, and that it yet is to some, yea many, and they doe well to waite for glory there where they finde it appearing to them; I call off none fr [...]m ordinances, I judge not those that professe themselves cal­led off; I know not where abouts I am, sure­not in vision, but sometimes I hope in dreames, the old mans state, and so under the spirit.

The last thing you mention, is your seruples about Ordinances, which are tor [...], as an hedge of thornes set by the Lord in your way; to turn you backe again from those things which we have more or lesse idollized and set up in his place.

[Page 156]I have performed your desire, and you may looke upon me as Lazarus quickened, but bound hand and foot with grave cloaths: what life and liberty I have, it must be to serve the Saints, and therefore account me ever ready to serve you.

August 18. 1649.

Letter 29.

MY Father hath unbosomed such a glory to me, since I saw you last; that I can­not but admire at it; it was as I was walking alone, the power of my Father was seen in an exceeding glory, so that I could not tell how to contain it, my veile was too nar­row to receive it; I have had many discove­ries of glory since, and have been in many fires, and burnt very sweetly, and consum'd [Page 157] very joyfull: I desire to live as well in Hell as in Heaven; and the greater Hell, the greater Heaven: I rejoyce exceedingly in the everlast­ing burnings: one breath of my Father makes both Heaven and Hell; but this is that my Father hath written in my heart, that e­verlasting deliverance is at hand; but first, the Lord will cover the Earth with darknesse, and with grosse darknesse the people, and such black clouds of darknes will our Father cloath him­self with: that none but those that see with the eye of the Lord, shall be able to see him in the thick darknes: The smoak of the Beast ascends out of the bottomlesse pit, and wrath from the Almighty is upon her; and I cannot but rejoyce and sing Hallelujah, Hallelujah, all praise be given to him that sits on the thron for ever; and when you see these things done, then lift up your heads, the day of your re­demption is at hand; I see them performed, I see them finished and brought forth into power, and I rejoyce in the work of the Lord. I see the restored estate of our bringing forth with mighty power; that wee shall see all things good, that the Saints shall know no evill; for my part I know no evill, I see all things good; I know nothing but good in all the world; the Lord doth all things well, [Page 158] whether in Earth or in Heaven, and that that hath swallowed us up, we are now swallow­ing it up; I am swallowing Death, Hell, and the Grave up; that now I am able to play with Satan; He is but a Reed in my hands. I have been really cloathed upon, and morta­lity swallowed up into life; and when this glory comes forth, it will judge the world, and silence them; our glory is their torment, and our Heaven is their Hell: Thus I have given you an account of the present discoveries of my Father, and rest in your heart,