THE Bird which ſate mute under the ſhadows in the Deſart, moſt melodiouſly is become a chirping, chanting Song of Harmony in the Woods of the Pomgranate-Trees, whoſe Boughs hang ſeven-fold laden with increaſe in the ſeventh year, wherein there is neither reaping nor gathering, but all is offered in fulneſs to the Lord God of the whole earth.

Her Wings are as Orions beams, and her golden Feathers as the Rayes of the Pleiades; her Hight is as the courſe of the Sun, which from the Heavens giveth light to the whole earth; ſhe lifts up her head at the Horizon of the Eaſt, and her breathings have reached the ſhutting deeps of the Weſt; Shiloes Brooks run equal with her foot-ſteps, her path is in the green Valleys. Who hath born up her Train in the way, and is not an Angel of God? Her young are the Snow-white Turtle-doves, perfect, without party-colour, they yoke but to one peculiar Mate, and in the life of love do lye down in his Breaſt, buried at the laſt gaſpe.

Ah my Soul! Where doſt thou dwell? Yea, Where is the Bed of thy repoſes? Kindled ſpices are a fervour about me, invironed with their Fames and Flames; Wherefore I ſtep and bow the head, and proceeding do bend the knee, and in the nigh approach am fallen flat on the ground before the Altar of the Holieſt of Holieſt; for the glory of God is too wonderful for my view, who rideth upon the wings of Cherubims.

Oh! Eternal, touch my tongue, that my voice may ſound thy praiſe, that the Feaſt of thy Sons, and the Banquets of thy Daughters may be mingled with the melody of my mouth; thou haſt ſtrained my Strings with the twiſts of Tryal, and woond up my Keyes to the Higheſt; Wherefore inſtruct my hand to quaver upon the Vial, that thy Virgins may dance at the Tune; thy ſtrength hath ſqueezed my Vine-preſs, let thy ſtrong men taſte of my Cup, for the Wine is as liquor of Life; Ah! my God, Thou haſt filled me with the heavenly good, I will ponder thy Power and praiſe thy Name, for thou haſt covered mine innocency with the immenſity of the deeps of mercy; it is thou, Oh Lord God, who art my onely ſure hope and ſtrength of Salvation.

Remembring the Hoſt, remembring the Angels, having thoughts of the Saints of God, and calling to mind the Lambs of the Flock, my life is as the fume of burning incenſe, aſcending from the glowing Coals; for the voice of the Turtle hath exaſperated my Spirit, whereby my life is as an Hymn in the amiableneſs of my Loves Breaſt; How ſhall I break open deeps to Remonſtrate my Love? The profundity of that Love which floweth in the Sea of ſimplicity, and aſcendeth in flight with the Wings of enamouredneſs, to the heavenly Hoſt of the Moſt Pure God, whom his own right hand hath planted in the Power of the Coeleſtial Grace of Election, and therein are to him Prieſts, Prophets and Kings, inhabiting the holy Mountain, which hath its ſcituation on the top of all Mountains, and in the ſame do ſit on Thrones in the regal and imperious Power over all the twelve Provinces of the old Earth and old Heavens, which you have found as diſſolving Snow, under the trampling of your burning and flaming feet, which God hath made (to his own Glory) the foundation of the Pillars of the new Heavens, and firm ſupport of the new Earth alſo. Oh! how gloriouſly beautiful are your feet which bring the glad Tidings of the everlaſting Goſpel of perpetual Peace.

Oh! oh! my Beloved, my Beloved, to explicate a little, I may make entrance with the Wiſdom of Solomon, yea, and after, having exceeded his Phraſes, yet the vaſtneſs of my Love to remain the ſame, which I never found Arts moſt excelling Stage of Narration, ſufficient to fathom out unto you.

That wiſe man wrote of the three earthly powers, Armies, Wine and Women, and concluded Women to be the forceableſt; Have not all theſe in my Pilgrimage battled with me? Yea, although the leaſt indeed within me, yet even as face to face with me in ſuch meaſure as to Remonſtrate would fill up many long lines, with the like Characters as theſe of Ink; Nevertheleſs, All, yea and ſeven times more then all theſe in full force coming as floods of impreſs upon my little City Walls, never did equal nor parallel the ſtrength, vigour and vertue which is in the leaſt Lamb of the Sheep-fold.

Moreover I declare, though the ſaid three might yet attempt my Tower (to wit) an Army, as the force of ſeven Armies; and Wine with ſeventy times ſeven, the ſtrength of the ſtrongeſt Wine; and Women, with ſeventy times ſeven hundred times their ſtrength in the excellency of beauty, luſtre and love, yet I am perſwaded in the pure fear, dread and power of God Almighty, that they all would not touch my life, or make me defile the bed of my Marriage; But I teſtifie, the thoughts of the countenance of one Lamb overcome me in the Ocean of Eternal Love, which of a truth I feel and find in me, granted by the good hand of God, ſtronger then the firſt and laſt Enemy which is Death, or Lord and power of darkneſs, upon the which my Love, which is very life, trampleth as Cells in the infernal places in the utmoſt obſcurity, in which Love (through perfect fear) I find my Soul eſtabliſhed and life compleated.

Furthermore, my dearly beloved Siſters and Brethren, You know the natural influences of the old Courſes, (viz.) the love of the Child to the Parents, and the Mothers bowels to the fruit of her Womb; yea, and the love of her who forſaketh Father and Mother and cleaves to her Husband, whoſe deſire is after her own fleſh, concerning and ſuper-aſcending wch, I teſtifie (as one who hath ample knowledge of the Principal & Rareſt part of the firſt affection) unto you my infinitely beloved in the Eternal vertue; that, as the bright Heavens in height are exceedingly above the dark face of the low earth, ſo is my Love to you, (Oh! my Love, my Love, oh! to you Gods own everlaſting inheritance and treaſure exceeding all which is of, or hath relation to the firſt birth of the fleſh, fleſhly in its moſt endeared natural ſtreams and flouds of the fulneſſe of that love and affection. And although I have thus far made an entrance of oration, yet am ſtill as far from emptying my ſelf of the incomprehenſibility of his treaſure, as is the entrance of the Eaſt-wind, (which no man knowes from whence it comes) to the utmoſt paſſage of the Weſt, whither it flyeth, the which no man knoweth whither it goeth.

Caſually therefore in righteouſneſſe, (foraſmuch as this Love ſhall proſper, the other pine and wither; This ſhall live, the other dye; This in God is infinite and endleſſe, the other with the Fabricks fall fully finiſhed) I recommend your living Spirits in one word, which is your drink, food, raiment and life to feel me, and reach the pure openings of my innocent boſome to you all, without reſpect to any mans perſon, from him who ſits on the throne, even to him who is a door-keeper of the houſe of the Lord, or a Sweeper of the entrance of his holy habitation, whereof this is the ſum; Lambs, your life is my love, and my life to the uttermoſt hour of the Ciſterns death; and thenceforth a Crown of life for ever, Amen. Of which, this is the ſure earneſt, The Croſſe on my back, and Crown of Thorns on my head.

And whereas I have a continuall Cloud of witneſſes in my view; and an immoveable Pillar of Teſtimony, ſolidly pitcht in my moſt internal habitation and dwelling; that you the Quakers and Tremblers, (who do purely dread and tremble at the Word of the Lord God) are his choſen Generation, his Royal Prieſt-hood, and moſt peculiar and everlaſting inheritance. Furthermore, having the ample aſſurance (in the glorious light of the Supream Councel) that the holieſt preceding ages never ſaw dayes exceeding the glory of your bleſſed day, which wonderfully in one hath ſprung up from on high, and viſited you with ſuch a portion of the vertue of God, which although ſignes and miracles are plentifully written of and believed, and the gift of Tongues and languages given to divers in the primitive dayes; Nevertheleſs, I John, do bear herein a true record and witneſſe of God, teſtifying, That Abraham who talked with God in the Tent door, And Lot who entertained the Angels in Sodom. Noah who built the Ark with Gopher wood, And Moſes, who through the Red Sea, led Iſrael out of Egypt, they ſaw not ſuch a glory as now is revealed among you.

There were alſo among the Holy Apoſtles, who propheſied of you and of your time; They at a diſtance ſaw your day and rejoyced, who witneſſed to the Brethren, ſaying, He that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry: and again, He ſhall come the ſecond time without ſin unto Salvation. And thus, unto you he is come, in whom the promiſe (by his coming) is compleatly perfected.

If you therefore I ſhould forget, and bury the thoughts of the Sanctity and celeſtial excellency of your life and vertue, in the dark grave of the black belly of Oblivion; Then would my freſh green lawrell leaf become as a fire-ſcorched-skin of a wild beaſt, and the ſcent thereof as the ſmoak of Sulphur unto me: my Palm branch would be as a burning Torch conſuming my Reins within me, and my Pſalm and Song of Hoſanna be as the girdings of howlings about me. Alas! ſhould I defile the bed of my Spouſes Virginity, with the Daughters of Jeſabels attire and beauty, then would the curtains of my Love be as the flame of the Lake, and her bed fall as vengeance upon me. Wherefore, Oh! my wholly Beloved, my Love ſhall run in the Cannel of fear, and her courſes as the ſtreams of carefulneſſe towards thee; of which current and conduit I wait under ſeale of Salvation, that the perfection of all vertue is onely and alone retained in the life of the perfect fear of the Lord God, in which there is no unbelief or Spirit of doubt; for the perfect Love, held in the perfect fear, caſteth all that fear out which ariſeth of the ſpirit of diſtruſt.

YOung begotten by the Immortal ſeed, wait for the day of your Travaile, and in the pangs thereof, look to your Deliverer, doubt not, that you dye not, for the Salvation of the Woman is in Child-birth. Be patient, and of a pure contented Spirit, and lo, the ſudden moment will ſhew thee the Travaile of thy ſoule, and thy pain ſhall paſſe ſwiftly from thee; beholding a Man-child, thou ſhalt remember thy ſorrowes no more.

DOſt thou ſpeak of Canaan, & dwelleſt joyned to Egypts fleſh-pots? there is a Sea and a Wilderneſſe ſeparates thee. Doſt thou ſpeak of Jeruſalem in the City of Sodom? the walls of her Luſts do bind thee. Doſt thou ſpeak of Sion in Myſtery-Babylon? her excelling magnanimity, merchandize, muſick and ſorceries have enchanted thee: Thou art the invaſſal'd work of her witch-craft. Why preacheſt thou the pleaſures of Paradice, dwelling in the Dungeon of darkneſs? Read thy nature, and read thy Father, of the Lyar, the old Serpent; of the envious Cain, of the proud Lucifer, of the earthly Eſau, of the mocker Iſhmael, of the treacherous Judas, of the perſecuter Pilate, of the Glutton Dives, of the falſe Prophet Baal, of the hireling Balaam, beſides more then are now utterable. Each actor read thy diſcent from thy own Fathers Loines. Oh! Profeſſor, haſt thou ſeen the ſlaughter of thy fleſhly deſires? remaines there nothing which would be ſomething? If thou haſt but forſaken all things, to be reckoned ſomething, what is thy advance otherwiſe but a vain Vapour? Know thy ſeat in the ſecret paths, for the Lord ſearcheth the heart Anſwer the Light, and thou anſwereſt God, and the queſtions of his ſincere Servants. No Zoar, but by forſaking Sodom; No Canaan, but through coming out of Egypt; No Sion, but by burning of Babylon; No Paradice, but through the flaming ſword; No Crown but through the Croſs; No Heir, but through travell and pangs. The Conſecration of Bread is not for Dogs food, nor Manna for ſwines meat. Balaam hath his hire to day, and the morrow gives his full wage; Woe, Woe to all his mercenary Members.

BABES, Feel your hunger, and moderately ſuck the Breaſts of your Mother, not bruiſing the Paps with the young ſharp teeth of the mouth of greedy deſire; Repoſe in her Boſome all the night long, and ſhe will ariſe and deck thee at the dawning of the day; ſhe will hold thee in the armes of her Love, and hug thee in the boſome of her joy.

WEANED CHILDREN, Eat your Pap and glut not; Fear, leſt you loath the nouriſhment of your life; hate not the Breaſt becauſe of the wormwood, for the bitter herb was put to wean you; ſtill the breaſt is unchangeably the ſame.

And you of the Number that learn to Tattle with the Tongue, hearken to the Inſtruction of your Teacher within, that you may quickly attain to the diſtinct and perfect ſound of Syllables; and by his Doctrinal precepts in ſhort progreſſe, become as Orators of the Councel of God: then will thy voice be a delight to thy Mother; thou wilt hang as a Jewell on her neck.

YOƲNG MEN, Drink Wine & refreſh you, but be not drunk; Fear leſt your nakedneſſe be ſeen in a dead ſleep, where there is none to caſt a Garment over you; grow in prudence, and a double portion ſhall endow thee in the Mariage: Thy youth not being prodigal, but provident, will acquire the mantle of Praiſe ſpread on the ſhoulders of Wiſdoms beloved-Son, and in his houſe of antiquity, ſhall have the ſeat of a hoary head.

DAMOSELS and VIRGINS, watch in the Chaſtity to keep it; Fear leſt the product of a moment reduce you to that which is the grief of an old age; For then feebleneſs joyns to Joynts, and weakneſſe ſeizes on Sinews, and well-ſet hair drops down on the ground, and baldneſſe ſhews the ſhame of thy youth: but Garlands ſhall be the glory of thy virginity; thy bloud ſhall be as the bluſh of a Roſe, and thy face as the white Lilly; thy Mother will deck thee as a Damoſel Bride, for the Prince of the Scepter of Judah; he will make thy breaſts the bed of his pleaſure, and will give thee the ſtrength of his might; thou ſhalt conceive the ſeed of his Loins, and bear Children like Angels of God; thou ſhalt ſee thy Travel and live, thy countenance ſhall be the compaſſe of life; thou ſhalt ſee the iſſue of the day which ſhall never waſte nor decay.

LABOƲRERS, Labour, not ſtraining your ſtrength beyond the meaſure of fear, leſt you ſhould return from the ſtage as maimed members; Labouring in the equall proportion, thy work ſhall proceed as proſperous, and waiting for the early and later rain, through the paſſages of winter and ſummer ſeaſons, thou ſhalt reap a full harveſt, and gather thy Corn into thy Barn; Thou ſhalt eat the bread of thy Labours, and thy Soule ſhall be ſatisfied with the good; The Vertue ſhall cover thy Kidnyes with fatneſſe, and make thy Belly as an Oyl-brook.

And oh! ye MINISTERS at the Altar, in the Temple of the holy God, who are as continual fuel to the fire, and as a Sacrifice in the midſt of the flames; my living eternally beloved Brethren and Siſters in the Almighty power of the moſt high, I JOHN a low & tender Diſciple of the Spirit of life, in Commiſſion of the Supream; to you all, do tranſmit the fruit of the ſeed of the holy word of acceptation, praying God and exhorting, Perſevere in the race; Let every thorn which pricketh in the ſide be as a heavenly Spur, provoking you to a ſwift courſe. Though I am as the leaſt of Gods thouſands, yet ſurely the vertue of life is ready at my hand. I am full, I am full, even as the laden-ſhip, even full to the upper deck; but the hand of wiſedom doth lock up my hatches; the ſubſtance is yours in the ſafe hold. Oh! ye deep Wells, filled with the waters of the fountain, diſperſe ye as ſhowres, and ſpread as the rainy clouds. Oh! water, water the plants, be ye as overflowing ſtreams to the tender Vines in the ſmooth Valleys. Let the voyce of reſurrection deſcend from your Sphere in the unchangeable Courſes of life; Let the breath of your Noſtrils be as the Winds of the Heavens, diſperſing the night clouds; and let the vertue of Reſtoration, as naturally drop from your mouths, as the diſcenſion of the early dew, and as the ſalt Seas do flow with their conſtant ſavour, that the weak may be ſtrong with the vigour of your vertue, and the ſtrong as him that hath received a ſeven-fold meaſure of valour. God Almighty cloath you with the robe of honour, and lead you as Lambs in the life of Jeſus, in the power of his Miniſtry, to the end of your race, and Angels ſhall follow your footſteps, and bear up your train after you; Diadems, Garlands, and Crowns ſhall ſettle on your heads for ever.

TRIBƲLATED, The beloved Brethren in Priſons and Dens for your pure conſciences towards God, Dwell in the patience under the ſweet chaſtizements of your Peace; Pure Lambs and perſecuted ones for Gods Truth and ſeeds ſake, reſt in your innocency, yeilded to the ſlaughter according to the example of your fore-runner, alwaies loving your Enemies, praying for your perſecutors, let content be your Crown for ever, ſo live, and ſo dye, and your bloud of life will laſtly give you the Dominion over all, and the innocency thereof ſpeak to the face of God in Judgement, of the earth which drank it; your ſouls ſhall not miſſe of their expectation in the boſome of God, for his Breaſt ſhall be your Bed of repoſe, for whoſe righteouſneſſe ſake, you love not your liberties, nay nor lives unto the death.

Moſt dear ones, I am your Brother in the ſame bleſſed Kingdom of the Tribulation, Patience, and Content, inſtantly miniſtring my Spirits everlaſting love to you. Oh! ye made worthy in the heavenly Calling of the acceptance of ſo bleſſed a Service; Peace be unto you, and all Gods flock, Amen.

ABRAHAM believed, and his faith was imputed to him for Righteouſneſſe; And Moſes in the ſame ſteps marched through the Red Sea, and the Children of Iſrael followed him and were ſaved; but the preſumption of the enemy God drowned in the deeps thereof; Ah! how many were his works of power to a murmuring people in the wilderneſſe? and how wonderfully alſo did he alwayes ſave Iſrael, in the extream deep times of tryall?

Oh ſeed of the holy one, all moſt dear and precious plants of the heavenly Kings renown, I have alwayes in Spirit been among you, and frequently have tranſmitted my exhortations in the fulneſſe of the bowels of Love and life unto you, ſaying, wait for the Triall to ſtand it, and bear it, for the Lord God will have Gold and no Tin. He will have Turtle-Doves perfect white, and no party-coloured birds. And therefore again I ſay, O ye bones, be joyned with the Sinnews; O ye veins, looſe not your bloud, for that is the life of all Creatures; But Lambs, be ye patient and content, and look up and wait a while and you ſhall ſee, and ſtand in the power, and the power will ſtand in you, and in it pray the Father, and the Father will hear you.

And grieve not if a Thiſtle or Thorn ſhould bloſſom, for lo the North wind can blaſt it, and then it will fall to the Grave of forgetfulneſſe: Conſider my Brethren, who made the Roſe, a Roſe? and cannot he alſo make the Bryar a Lilly? and hath not our God made that of good, which the Son of man thought would never be for a ſervice of good? however tryals ſhall be for your everlaſting good, as you abide to the day.

I teſtifie to you, that all Nations is but as one man, and him as the duſt of the ground before the Lord God; And who can ſay, of what God Almighty made the duſt? yea, or the Globe of the whole earth: Ah Lambs, am not I your Brother in the heat of a hot day? The Lord our Righteouſneſs keep you, as his mercy preſerveth me an object for your pure eye to look on; but look ye not out, but dwell within, for, from the preſence of the Eternal power, I ſpeak, The earth ſhall rowle as a ſmooth iron ball caſt down a ſteep hill, which finds no lett untill it's fallen to the bottom thereof; untill that the King reign whoſe right of due it is; and therefore, under the Scepter of his Government, dwell ye in the peace, and in the pure content, and his favour will countenance you beyond your hearts expectation; And this is the Word of the Lord God, which changeth times, unto all Gods people upon the face of the earth, to whom my whole Soul and Spirit is knit, and united in the perfect life of the living body.