1. O Ye children of Adam in all the corners and habitations of the Earth, upon whom the end of this World, and the Day of God is dawning, and hastening to discover and judge all Natures and Nations, Hearken, and awake, and look a­bout you; yea look into your self, that you may behold God in your self, and your self in God and in his Son and Word, who is his Love [Page 49] and his all how long must the chil­dren of men run on as beasts, they know not where, nor yet whence, nor yet in what they move, and breath, and subsist! Lord God Almighty, put a stop to their minds by the flaming sword of Truth in the hand of thy Cove­nant-Angel, whom the Asse seeth, and the Oxe knoweth: O that the thousands of Israel, and milli­ons of the Gentils, might now all at length under thy fifth, sixth, and seventh Seal, Trumpet, and Vial, know and understand thy own Per­sonal Being and appearance in the glasse-windows of their own spi­rits; for thou art not far from any of them: But many are far from thee, so as that they neither see thee, nor hear thee, nor feel thee, nor smell thee, nor taste thee the Only God who fillest all. And I poor [Page 50] worm am naturally as senselesse as any man living, and as dark, as black, as unworthy as any child of Adam, according to this out­ward Man: But the new Adam within (which is thy new crea­ture and thy child) waiteth on thee daily and silently, to heare what thou (Lord) sayst and com­mandest to be spoken or written.

2. My heart is boiling in sor­row and fear, yea in indignation and love, when I am made to see my brethren and sisters, according to nature, sunk into the deep pit of corruption: And there is scarce above water as much as the crown of the head & the haire, yea their breath is stopped: The spirit of crying to God is gone, and but a form of prayer left for a carcasse of Religion; and a wave of some filthy worldly lust or another [Page 51] comes one in the neck of another, over the head of the conscience, and over the crown of the lear­ning of the souls of the people. My spirit within me is baked and parched in the furnace of my se­cret sorrows and fears, crying out, Woe is me, I cannot help any. I my self want help of God as much as any. I am scarce above water, yet I am swimming towards the shore, by believing in Jesus, to the obedience of the eternal will. But O how gastly is it to see (all a­bout) so many hairy scalps floa­ting on the top of the great deep, as so many sure symptomes of dead souls, dead hearts toward God, and yet immortal spirits; All such are the men, women, or children, drowned in selfe and flesh. O ye friends that are per­fect in Christ Jesus, pity, pity and [Page 52] help both them and me; I am al­most arrived and landed, and sometimes allowed to stand on a bank in Sion.

3. Now when in spirit I am helped to stand on Mount Sion (above) out of the waters and de­luge of Babylon, I see the dead world generally, and the people of divers opinions particularly, burying themselves in blood, and warring one with another, and persecuting their brethren, and yet making truce and peace with sin it self in their own closets. E­very one in the common rode of nature crying out, Here is Truth, follow me and my judgement, for it is solid, it is according to the rule, the word of God, the Scri­ptures, the Orthodox best Inter­pretation; My Ware is the best Ware. Buy it of me, or else it is [Page 53] just with God to leave you to er­rours, and then it is also fit that men should make war upon you. O my fellow-friend, say not so; not so; the treasures of Truth are won­derfull: God is good. There is but love in him, though there be wrath eternal by him. Do not kin­dle up a fiery flame by working up a whirlwind in thy own spirit to­wards any. Look about. How many millions of lives perished in a blinde War? How few follow Peace, and pursue it in God? Where be Gods children (like Him) that requite good for evill, love for hatred, peace for war? How easily mast thou slip into this malicious or passionate pit? But when thou art once in, and hel-fire is kindled into flames, canst thou tell when thou shalt come out of this wickednesse, cruelty, and evill [Page 54] surmisings of heart? Also O ye stern austere people, that are so zealously hot, and rigidly censori­ous, be warned, lest ye be swal­lowed up in this gulfe, this dark womb & principle of wrath. John the Baptist (the morning star) must give way to the pleasant Sun: Ter­ror, trembling, & shaking is indeed the end of flesh, but not of Godli­nesse. But while ye are afraid of the invisible one, ye know not fully of what spirit ye are. Howbeit o­thers (in the interim) live in boa­stings, mockings, and scoldings, and scufflings about outward things. They project, and under­mine, and deceive, and war, to to gain a name, to get Scepters and Nations, gold and silver, plea­sures and preferments, and care not who they kill that stand in their way.

[Page 55]4. Man setteth up his own mind and judgement. And when he saith the Scripture is the word of God, he himselfe takes upon him to judge the sense of that word, and so he will needs judge his own Judge. And if any other mans conscience strikes not saile to his opinion, he passionately gives him a broad side, and desireth to have him sunk as an heretick or forma­list, and so send him quick to hell. And all that while the children of Adam thus violently act and di­spute, they are as divers sorts of birds fighting on the top of the same tree, and not under­stand nor revere that one root of this tree which bears them all up. O ye opinionists, goe up to this Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; The false Prophets in your hearts have deceived you: But they that [Page 56] feed onely on the true bread and water, and are meek in heart, have told you the truth; but ye will not hear them, till the arrow from God strike through your harnesse; and the end will be this, The dogs shall lick up your blood that was shed amongst you by one another. Yet we say, God is one, Truth is one, Love is the chief grace, there should be but one Church. The holy Scriptures are venerable, and to be admired. But who shall in­terpret the Scriptures, and say, This is the meaning? You will say, the Church, or rather the ho­ly spirit in the true holy Church. But your neighbours ask you, what Church doe you mean? Is it the Baptised, or Independent, or Pros­byterial, or Shaken, or Episcopal, or Lutheran, or Popish, or Eastern, or Western Church? The answer [Page 57] from God in ye is, There is none of these righteous, there is none of these perfect, no not one. The Baptised are narrow thoughted; The Independent is corrupted, the Presbyter and Episcopal are dead and swollen up; the shaken too much, mistaken in their censures and justifications; the Lutheran too sparing in the Doctrine of the New Birth; the Papal people Jewish, looking out too much through the spectacles of corrupt Reason, to dote on vain glosses in Divine worship; the Eastern and Western (both named Christian) not yielding to one another the time of the day, devoured the one the other, and were caught and swallowed by the spirit and appe­tite of Antichrist. The Seekers also are unstable, and the prating Ranters sensual and beastly. All [Page 58] these are judged as far as the light of God doth convince, or may re­prove them: And let every one of them attend to it as far as they know. Not that these all are dead, but death striveth to prevaile in all. The same spirit of Deceit and Errour worketh in some more visibly and fully, and would be in others privily, and is in or with all these in measure.

5. Where then dwelleth know­ledge? And how shall the diggers meet with understanding? Cer­tainly, there is a vein for the sil­ver, and a place for the hidden treasures of gold. Ye must turne your swords into plowshares, and first cease from your false Mines; ye must no more dig with your weapons into the bowels of one a­nother. The golden Mine is not there. Nor must ye goal and gore one another with bitter words and [Page 59] envenom'd expressions, lofty loud words heard in the streets: what profiteth thee, or any, to speak e­vill of any mans whole person? (but rather strike at the evill na­ture now predominant in him.) Neither mayst thou wisely com­mend any mortal changeable man in his whole bulk (for man, whose breath is in his nostrils, is deceit­ful) but magnifie God onely as far as to thee he appeares in every one. For as there is but one day and night, darknesse and light, good and evill, and no further or other distinctions that shall long stand (And this difference is visible in every man that is enlightned, and not perfected by the light in him:) So untill ye come to this dividing of waters, and see both natures striving hard one with another in all the Crea­tion of God, and in every crea­ture [Page 60] in its kind. Ye may talk much of Religion, Grace, or of Sin and Scriptures also; but ye shall be scorched with the fire of your own mouth: Ye may write out your volumnious Controver­sies, but to the fire of God ye shall be a Sacrifice (as the Ram was in the bush to Abraham.) Ye may make Parties and Factions upon grounds religious and judicious, (as ye baptize them) but your Fa­ctions will be broken to pieces a­mong themselves, as sure and as far as they have broken themselves off from the One God of Truth. Ye read books, and know many things: Ye may read this with the rest with a frothy carelesse heart (if such you be) but you shall sure­ly call to mind the sheep and goats for ever. Now some are so wise as to say that these sheep and goats are [Page 61] not the persons of people, but the qualities and properties that ope­rate in all mankind. But such may know that one of the two quali­ties of light and darknesse shall swallow up every person, and so the persons & natures are eternally in­corporated in one. Each one in his own nature shall lie down or sit up for ever. For where the tree of mans nature inclineth in this world, there it falleth at death; and where the tree falleth, there it must be. Now I beseech you consider, that while one language continued with Hebers seed, they went on and prospered, but the pride of Babels tower scattered them all abroad. And when man cuts and divides where God would not, God will divide where man is loth to see a breach. Gods division is but one in all, but mans divisions [Page 62] are many in one (in almost every one) yet he himselfe is naturally none that would be thus torn in pieces in himselfe. Howbeit he himselfe must be thus rent asunder in his own spirit, to be a broken contrite heart to God; otherwise he will seek to rend and teare all things (if it were possible) the di­vine nature, rather then his owne base disposition. And all this while he lives in himselfe, but is still looking out of himselfe to o­thers. He dwells in a chamber of his own opinion, and paints it with words of holy Scriptures, and with his owne deceits; but he considereth and reverenceth not that one true light that shineth more or lesse upon all the inhabi­tants of the Earth.

6. The Turke is established in a Religion patched with his owne [Page 63] Reason, and passeth the time of ignorance in pleasures, peace, and oppressions. As the whale is lord of the fish of the Sea, so is he among his fellow-creatures. This Levia­than hath scarce been awakened, but kept in the deeps of the multitudes of his hosts & treasures; His night hath been a long, dark, and strong night, in the spirit of this world, the Reason and fair goddesse of the first creation whom the unlear­ned despise & utterly reject, because they know it not; for the ignorant contemneth the knowing, and thinks him a foole; but the learned pittieth the ignorant and knowes him to be out of the way; for that without knowledge the heart cannot be good, saith a wiser man then many. Now this science is not the heavenly, as the Moone is not the Sun. The Turke learn­ed [Page 64] in reason rationally mocketh a them called Christians and high­est professors of the good, that kill murther and devour one another, for want of reason. Yet deeply blinded is he him selfe, and that justly, for that he hath limitted God himself to his Moonish reason; as if he that made the Sun (and is Infinitely brighter) should have the use of no light, but that of the lowest planet, in which the Ma­homettan tricks & deceits are cove­red, but by the day are made mani­fest. Now we easily find that spiri­tuall learning & true Philosophy is the apprehension of the invisible naturall world, and of the origine primitive instrumentall cause of all things, (which is prudence) If any enjoy her, shee is the daughter of God, and the Philosopher said well and right, we are his off-spring, [Page 65] and live, move and have our beeing in his own essence, or in him. But they knew not, or consider not the Primogenite, The Eternall word of the Infinite God, even his heart and Son, who was Eternally before ever nature was made, or created or begotten. That infinite word (besides whom there is no true God, and that word was come into our flesh) The greatest part of the world acknowledge him not to this day.

Howbeit he made the house of this world (and feeds it by his Virtue invisible) and he will short­ly make all his family heare his voice in this pallace of his owne building, even that thundring voice that soundeth in all parts the earth. And no other prea­cher wiil convince the Turke, or any other, but he that is the first [Page 66] and last preacher, who is this Word of God. Their Alcaron is an imagi­nation of their own braines; (as others have formed directories in all nations to themselves, out of their own heads, and hearts) but God is pleased only with the worship of his owne will & heart, viz. when mans will lives in his only; That, and that solely plea­seth him. But wo is to the will of man; and to the flesh of the chil­dren of men. Woe is the world. The world in Turky, The world in Christendome; for there is but one world, under Satan in all, & in all hearts opinions Churches & a­gitations. The same body of sinne and mystery of iniquity works in them called Christians; for with God there is not a jot (not a whit) of difference, nor respect of persons. He delights not in a Chri­stian [Page 67] more then a Turke, if that Chrian be not more like Christ Jesus (his love) then the Turke is; for if the Turke be as honest, as just, as diligent in the use of his talent as the nominall Christian is, he is as acceptable as he with that God that rewardeth every one according to his deeds. And the Almighty hateth the sins of all equally, and is a lover of all soules as they are spirits branched forth out of him. All soules are mine, saith the Lord; yet by the fall all soules are not his as he is love; but many are children of his wrath, and thereun to appointed.

7. But as the Sodomites sought Lots door, so the Christians sought for the sepulchre in the holy land (so called) and their retreat is shamefull, and much noted by the major part of this habitable world. [Page 68] Howbeit, the Papists generally remain very presumptuous of their cause, and confident of their way. And as they did in Sodome, it is e­ven so now in the universall Sodome of depraved flesh. Mens fleshly minds seek for Lots doore, to at­taine to the angelicall seed, and beauty for their own self ends. And God in his Just power strikes them blind, so that they never so enter through his gate into his City, but fume and quarrell, and babble and divide about opinions and texts of Scriptures and Churches, Sacraments and doctrines and du­ties right, governmen and head­ships (and in many vanities and vexations of the Holy Spirit, who all the while waiteth within; for the resignation of their own wills unto him) But thus they will still certainly certainly continue what­ever [Page 69] shall be written; and this I see beforehand, nothing shall a­vaile untill the fire of God devour, divide or convince them in their bold blind and filthy contentions. Man would fain finde God any where but in his own heart, and walk about in all streets professing to enter to Lots doore, but he wil­fully or carefully shuts the doore of his own heart within him, and barrs and bolts it fast with his own wilfull conceited corrupt principles; opinions and self inte­rests. He would goe into Paradise, but not out of himselfe. He thinks to bring his beasts into God, and the flesh of his minde into the spiri­tuall Kingdome. And so the self­ish praying, preaching and dispu­tings become meer pratings, bab­lings and scoldings, before the Spirit of God. He that witnesseth [Page 70] this hath had a tast of most religi­ons or opinions in the habitable world, & a prospect of the lamenta­ble diversities among men called Christians, Jews & Turks; and cer­tainly knoweth that this approach­ing Generall or Catholique Day of God shall swallow up and rule so a­mongst all, that the combustible pieces of all religions shall be con­sumed by the Lord, the spirit, and by the breath of his mouth, with his impartiall over-flowing to the very neck. He shall divide and cut asunder the light from the dark­nesse at the last, as he did the day and the night at the first. And God will sharply reprove and con­demne that of man, which would have others to follow his light and his judgement, when he himself in many other things walketh con­trary to his own conscience and [Page 71] Vnderstanding. He will have o­thers be of his opinion, contrary to their owne conscience, and best knowledge, when he himselfe im­prisoneth the Truth in his know­ledge from practice. God will fire that Beame which the hypo­crite will not see in himselfe, and so his whole building must fall up­on him, and the weight of his own thoughts he shall not be able to beare; with himselfe he could have patience, but others he rashly cen­sured. And the only True Judge will have pitty on the weeping eye, that had the moate in it, and put an end to his long-suffering to­wards the censorious hypocrite.

8. What a noise doth Magistra­cy and Ministry make in the Chri­stened world, and how have they hitherto kissed and clasped hands in blood and blindnesse together? [Page 72] The clergy must preach up Magi­stracy, and the sword of Authori­ty must seem heathenish, if hee doth not only protect, but also forcibly use his Authority for the defence of his own opinion in Christian Religion; what­soever that be, he must be judge himself. I may not, (I do not) denie the one nor the other (Ma­gistracy or Ministry) but I must proclaime that there is a Bill of di­vorce written by the Lord Jesus his owne hand which he himselfe will shortly explain. Among the children of Adam there hath been but two lawes of God in all since the beginning; though men have coyned many, or at least would mixe these two into one. The law of nature for to rule men (as the Moone by night) and the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to [Page 73] Saints (as the Sun by day) The in­terest of Antichrist hath been to marry these to one another, that they might engender an impure seed, of doubts difficulties and wars; bloodsheds and hellfires, and all under pretence of religi­on by the Magistrate and of covercive Church-discipline by the Ministers of the Gospel (so called.) For saith the Magi­strate, My sword shall force dif­fering consciences to that forme of form of knowledge or Church-government which I judge most agreeable to the rule of Christ. And the clergy also solicited the Magistrate to strike them with the fist of punishment, whom they thought erroneous, in their judgement. Moreover when these two concurred in opinion, then were alwaies the best peo­ple [Page 74] the world had persecuted, as Hereticks, as Schismaticks, and unsound. But when these diffe­red and varied upon humoursome and ambitious grounds, thence also came forth treasons, wars, Jealousies, combinations and evill concussions in States and Common-wealths. And just it was with God, to let them both (Magistracy and Ministery) thus to wrangle to much blood in the dark, when both mistooke their own bounds, or neglected their proper respective charge. Now when I say that a Magistrate (as he is a Magistrate) hath nothing at all to doe with the regulating of mens opinions and consci­ences, I finde him allowed and stinted to his owne statute-booke, which is the law of nature. And I challenge that Magistrate or [Page 75] officer of State to answer that hath learned the measure of the cir­cumference of the law of nature, though he should as man attain to know his own nature in par­ticular. And yet where is the man that hath known himselfe in all naturals? Now the great law of nature is but in part expressed in the Judiciall law of Moses, and not fashioned in all particulars to all nations. But let the Magistrates study this law that takes notice even of mans long hair (as Paul saith) and he shall finde that drun­kennesse, fornications, idlenesse, turbulences, oppressions, wrongs, slanders, thefts, Murthers, riots, Rantismes, Prophane-oaths, Cur­sings, Tiplings, yea and propha­nations of the first day, and imposing peremptorily a worship upon others, and blasphemy also [Page 76] are all judged and condemned by the light of the very law of nature. And a Magistrate need not, yea he may not take cognisance (qua Magistrate) of any other law to judge and punish by. Hereby he becomes all things to all men for good, but convicts them of evils out of their own mouths, out of their owne consciences, if he himselfe be ingenious, compre­hensive and blamelesse. But where can be found a Magistrate as yet that doth not himselfe transgresse in many things, even the law of nature? Now when Ministers (as spirituall men) take this naturall law into their hands, they are truely Antichrist, and deale with wrong weapons, (for the spirituall armour on the right and left hand is sufficient for them in God) so when the Ma­gistrate [Page 77] so presumes on spiritual to drive on and impose as a Ma­gistrate his judgement of religi­on upon others consciences (though as a Christian he may do it and ought to the uttermost) he also fights against Christ and inter­meddles in that which belongs not to him (as Magistrate) to his danger or ruine.

9. Now though there be six sorts of Magistrates (according to Isaiah the Prophet) in the world. The golden Magistrate, the silver, the brazen, the iron, the wooden, and the stony Magistrate, (and also lawful for a man sent of God to tell the Magistrate his condition, as also for him to deale with such a man againe in love with serious­nesse, and as men and brethren not incroaching, but speaking to the mans conscience) so let both en­deavour [Page 78] in the faith and love of Christ, to get out of the iron, or wooden, or stony state, to that which is more excellent in their generation. But still bear in mind, that untill both these act distinctly and apart in their proper sphears, & well acknowledge that each hath taske enough imposed on him by his owne proper law, there shall (I say againe there may) be no true lasting settlement in any nation of the world. For while the State boweth to the Church (so called) or the Church (representative) to curry favour with the state in flattery and much hypocrisie, the family of the whole earth will be tossed as a ship in a tempest. Not that the one is to be superiour to the other, but both are good in the sight of God as far as they keep their place, and well use their [Page 79] talents. Wherefore O ye Magi­strates, Ministers and people (as yee love your soules, and peace with truth and righteousnesse) lay this one distinction to heart, that you may no further feel yoaks of miseries upon your necks, nor confusions, differences, desolations & calamities; for no peace everla­sting is there, til yee come to the bot­tome of peace in God the root of all. Study therefore your selves, and how that Christ is in you, unlesse ye be reprobates; a light of Heaven that sheweth man what is good. Hee doth not say that a Magi­strate should forbeare to take his liberty (as a knowing Christian man, as before asserted) to con­vince mens consciences, to promote and zealously promulgate the truth as far as he knowes it by the force of the spirit of the holy Scriptures, [Page 80] and by that only. This he must doe if he be a Sanctified one (as a Saint) but as a Magistrate he must act only by that law that accuseth man of his evill, and commendeth him for good, or may and should convince him in his owne cogi­tations. Again therefore I say, let Magistrates, as men, study the law of men, and fulfill it too, and they shall be blessed in their work.

10. Also beyond and besides this, many thousands cry out that the Christians are divided among themselves more then the Turks, Indians or Jewes. The Christe­ned Papists are almost in three hundred pieces in their opinions amongst their learned; The com­mon Catholique Protestant (whose Religion is to run far enough from Papistry in some par­ticular Articles) is all to shivers in [Page 81] his own Episcopal reformed do­ctrine (as he calls it) government and discipline (as abundantly it appears in the Nations.) Also the Reformers of these Reforma­does are scorned and laughed at by men that are called learned, as meer fools both in naturals and spirituals. Enquire and finde where is there any sort of people that are not more or lesse to flitters among themselves; if their secret discourses and lives were manife­sted? I could mention many names, persons, opinions, Churches, interests, parties, engagements, and particular books, treatises and con­templations of men mixed in self; but I forbear. I feel and find al­most every one hath bad thoughts of some evil in his Neighbour, and is gnawing some bone or o­ther in his reserved thoughts. None [Page 82] of all these Sects and factions in Christendome doth good, all, and alwaies, no not one. Therefore should all their mouths be stopped before the face of the Throne of God, and their lips also stayed from uttering words against o­thers. But every man (excepting a few) forgets the great mountain of his own fins that is alwaies be­fore the door as the dunghil of his own house, and (as before is said) almost every childling of Adam would be pulling out either the mote or eye of his brother; many wise men are yet to learn to reconcile these differences, nei­ther know they much of the deep ground, nor yet the end; for many study the middles in the Alpha­bet, but the Alpha and Omega is hid from their eyes.

[Page 83]11. Many of them also that are called Preachers of the Gos­pel, and Ministers of Christ, that should be peace makers, (men comprehending all things in Christ) and in the true wisedome should come to the people, as the woman at Abel came to Joab Captain of Davids Hoast, and so end all the matter of stir and strife, (and nor be behind a woman that composod all differences at Abel) Many (I say) of these Preachers rather kindle a blind and an evill fire; they speak evil of what they know not, busie their brains to build high Towers in Babel, envenome and exasperate one par­ty against another under pretence of zeale for Christ, and bring up­on themselves a swift witnesse, a heavy judgement at the day of God, when all the blood of such [Page 84] as they packed on to wars and slaughters, or evill-speakings, shall stare them in the face, and make them then starers also. Their ex­cuse then (which will not serve) will be, Lord, I thought I con­tended for thy truth, and for a right Religion, as much as against Errours, Heresies, and Atheism and oppressions of Adams chil­dren. But what will the Judge say? O thou blind guide, thou hast led the poor eternal people in the dark, and hast made them leap out of this world they knew not whither. Thou mightest have known that I loved peace, pati­ence and overcoming all evill by love; but when the Bible and my Spirit commanded love, peace, si­lence, and consideration; ye were all for war, noise, turbulency, and humoursome contrivances; ye cal­led [Page 85] light darknesse and darknesse light. Now therefore friends be ye all muzled by your own con­sciences before ye be cast into ou­ter darknesse, for ye have not on the wedding garment of special fellowship with the true Bride­groom in love unto him, and to his pure Spouse, to an abhorring of selfe. And thus when they are first thrust out of the Bridegrooms inner chamber (where the light and warmth is) they shall be bound hand and foot, and sit without at the threshold in the outward form of the house, where will be weeping for things past (past beyond remedy) and gna­shing of teeth for very anger and coldnesse in Religion. Wherefore O ye Preachers (or Priests that know not the anointing, the Christ) be warned, be convinced that ye [Page 86] are very unlike the Bishops men­tion'd in Timothy; take not upon you the trade of hypocrisie, nor the burden of the soules of others. The guilt of your owne secret pranks and publick sins is burden enough, and more then ye can bear. See to the saving of your own poor souls first before the face of the burning and living spirit of God, and leave off a while stu­dying of Brain-sermons for others, when as your selves are to be cast away.

12. Few clear visions are there in the Countries and Nations, but Teachings and Preachments seem mixed and disturbed for the present, so that few can say (if a­ny aright) Lo here, or lo there, in publique or in private, in this o­pinion, or in that, in this Parish, or in that Church. And the lear­ned [Page 87] (as they esteem themselves) as also the unlearned, cannot (to this hour) attain to the unclasp­ing and reading of the Book of the invisible God. What shall poor soules doe before their can­dles be quite out, they being in great streights, divisions, and dif­ficulties? O ye precious immor­tal soules, do not sleep any longer; let not your minds grow dull and heavy as ye look upon eternity. Whatsoever darkeneth you, is of the Devil and self; examine your hearts often. Dwell not abroad. Be not as the harlot, whose feet cannot be kept within her owne doores (being she is a stranger at home, and overmuch acquainted abroad in the streets of deceit;) a wandring mind every one hath in heart by nature. Make haste to gather quickly together all the [Page 88] thoughts that are to goe with you out of this life (for when a body falls as a leafe to the grave, the thoughts of the heart are the in­timate fruits thereof.) Notice take of your light and of your practice. Compare both together, how much knowledge thou hast, or what light hast thou within thee? How far followest thou thy conscience? Wherein murderest thou the true light of the righteous One within thee? How often dost thou any thing doubtingly, thy inward principles grumbling at thy allowance of evill thoughts, and also at thy sloathful perfor­mance of good? How oft dost thou condemn, and sharply judge in others, that which thou dost se­cretly and silkenly allow in pri­vate practice thy selfe? What canst thou say thou hast done [Page 89] wherof thou needest not to repent before the Throne of Christ, and the face of the seven Spirits of the immortal impartial God? How oft hast thou with thy owne thoughts made thy selfe drunk, not knowing the sobriety of God, and so hast been passionate, and in thy vain mind been censuring things and persons, opinions and Churches, when at that instant the assembly of thy own wicked thoughts, and the Church within thy own breast, and multitudes of imaginations were all out of or­der? How oft also hast thou li­mitted the eternal and holy one of Israel to thy own thoughts and at­tainments of a light? How fre­quently hast thou done, spoken, or thought that which thou know­est was not for good to thy spirit, nor others, but probably for hurt [Page 90] and slaughter to thy poore soul? How much time dost thou spend in vaine, which thou mightest bestow on other things? How many affe­ctions dost thou scatter upon the creatures, which to gather up a­gain will be a great taske at the houre of death? There is no hea­ven or happinesse but God; no way to God but Christ; no fel­lowship with Christ but what is spiritual; no enjoying his spirit but within (in the heart within) no comfort within thee but of what within thee is within God also. Therefore thou poor wandring wailing soule, keep within, but believe not thy imaginations with­in. Try the spirits; first try thy own thoughts; what is of love, lowlinesse, peace and purity is of God. Mock not thy soul, and be not deceived by others.

[Page 91]13. There must appear now in this last Nunc of dayes unheard-of motions, with words, works, & won­ders beyond all former Presidents. The Antiquaries, and all that look back only to former Ages, wil say of these, This is new to us, away with it, not understanding that it is the old renewed with advan­tage. Let such remember in their day, that as the great natural Cor­poration of this whole world growes old, that it may be changed as a garment by the Creator that wore it (as his vesture of time) so also towards the end of dayes, the se­cond Creation (which alwayes is within this world) shall appeare from within, and be furbished and made brighter. Then shall the Son of Man (who is the Son of God by the eternal nature) bring to death of a Consumption [Page 92] the first Adam (that now is) who indeed was by a secondary nature, or kind of propagation, the Son of God. Consider and under­stand, There are two Natures; the eternal, and after that the tempo­ral; which temporary nature is again swallowed up by the Eter­nal. In the Eternal, Christ was (and is) begotten as the first-born of every thing. In the temporal, was Adam made a center and com­pendium of all Heaven and Earth. In the first is Election and Reje­ction laid in the depths of God. In the second both doe appeare to the creatures sight, and therein he is active. Now when Eternity is brought forth in the fountain-heart of any child of Adam, then is time (as to that birth) swal­lowed up. But divers boast here­of in vain, who mind earthly or [Page 93] firmamentall things; yea they are worse then mortal beasts, because they live below their created na­ture, though they were made to rule over it. O ye off-spring of Adam, open your eyes, and see where you are: Ye marry Time, and trifle with Everlastingnesse; ye study to be somwhat for a time, and cannot stoop to be nothing, that ye may comfortably lodge in Eternity. But turne about and see how all under the Sun is vani­ty and vexation, and how life is seated only in the Sun of Righte­ousnesse. In his light we may find all old things passe away, and all things become new. And if ye are, or will indeed be in him (as Angels standing in the Sun) you will find the substance of your selves renewed in glory in this life. And then ye will clearly discerne [Page 94] what Adam was, how he fell, and we in him, and what Christ was, is, and will be, and what the Saints were, are, and will be in him also.

14. The first Adam sinned, in him all fell; but all are not eter­nally lost. The second Adam suf­fered, in him all were raised, or made alive, as Paul saith, but all are not saved therefore. God elected some in the first, and reje­cted others in the second. O the depth of the immense opera­tions, or rather looks of the na­ture of eternity! The Eagles of the heavenly rock are allowed to see more in the Sun of Righteous­nesse then they may lawfully utter among men (as long as men con­tinue dogs and swine.) But this is is safe and common, that God made Adam an upright man, [Page 95] (changeable if himselfe pleased) but man found out innumerable inventions; the flame of Adams candle was wholly put out in Pa­radise by the Fall, but some fire of that same candle still remain­eth in the wick unextinguished, capable of flaming again by a new birth in this life (and such the devils and damned souls have not, for they are passed out of time and life) yet such is that fire in a natural man, that it cannot re-kindle (nor the spirit of the mind (and understanding which is darkened) be renewed, with­out the inspiration of the Al­mighty upon that spirit or candle in Man (which Elihu and Solo­mon mention.) And that spirit of life (in his sevenfold breathings) floweth with force on what spirits he listeth; and yet its gale from [Page 96] heaven is upon all spirits more or lesse in this life. He that yield­eth to Gods wind, is renewed; the other shuts it out of himselfe by his own wilfulnesse or negli­gence. O ye Freewillers, and ye Anti-freewillers (so called) look into that glasse, cease from end­lesse disputes and vain janglings. Use to the uttermost the will and power God giveth you in time; for mans spirit or will in this life remaineth so proxime and neighbouring to the essence and nature of God (as Princes before the Monarch) that a free choice is left him, but such a one as is worse then nothing, if the eter­nal spirit of grace overshadow him not▪ for it is not of him that willeth or runneth, but of God that holdeth the scales and ballance in his mighty hand, and [Page 67] weigheth the spirits, and in man preponderateth as he pleaseth. The soules eternal estate is at his beck: Feare him therefore, and please him, as far as by him thou art enabled (which as yet thou mayst see thou hast neglected;) but in so doing thou shalt know the mystery of his Will in thy own selfe; otherwise thou shalt reprobate, reject, or neglect thy own soul and life for ever.

15. The only way to inward order, is to follow the uttermost light God hath given man of his will; and he that will doe his Will, shall know of the Doctrine. This spiritual regularity shall al­so lead to the outward, and set Adams posterity in their due pla­ces. Now as I have spoken for a righteous impartial Magistrate (who is the image of God the fa­ther) [Page 98] so I plead in God for a right Minister of the Gospel (who is also the image of Christ the Son) loving, knowing, condiscending, pure, wise, deep, diligent, wea­ned, trained, tryed, tempted, and watered every moment, and such as have by Christs order the van­guard in knowledge, humblenesse, and power. Such Ministers, Pa­stors, Elders, and Teachers as these are such as the Son of God and his Apostles owned, and will confesse before the father, as co-workers (not against Christ, but for him, at least as willing Nethi­nims, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water, and the true Preacher is well content with the lowest office in Christ.) Such as turne many to righteousnesse and obedience of the just in their hearts (not to a private lane of [Page 99] mans opinion) they shall shine for ever and ever, as the stars of God in the invisible world. Now ye may know such Teachers as these by this; they are like Christ, they doe what they teach, and teach what Christ doth in them. They are Innocents, they hurt none by word, by example, or by mental influence. They seat not them­selves in this world in Palaces, Gardens, Pleasures, Sports, Pre­ferments, and such vanitie of va­nities; for the true Preacher fin­deth no time to be trifled away in this life, because he beholdeth and eyeth the pleasures at Gods right hand, and so forgetteth these delights of goats on his left hand. Such Shepherds of the sheep overlook great livings on earth, and are ravished with the living immortal in God. Now such as [Page 100] approve themselves thus the ser­vants of the living God, receive them, and scorn them not, though they use not your tone, words, and gesture; for who art thou that wilt bear but with one branch on one tree? Thou spirit, proud spirit, ignorantly boasting of thy light, must one tree eternally bear but one branch, one leaf one ap­ple? Silence thou proud flesh, that wouldst silence all flesh but thy own, and seek not to stop the mouth of truth, though an Asse speak it. But for the Scribes and Pharisees, that love in their hearts the highest seats (which are not alwayes counted the pul­pits) in the Synagogues, they love to judge all, and be judged of none, that's the high Pew. In that judgement the spirit of truth fitteth as Judge, but not any o­ther [Page 101] forerunner; nor did John Baptist, nor John Evangelist dare sit in that high seat in the Chri­stian Synagogue, yet in them he that sits on the circle of the earth is sternman there. Now all such Priests, all such Ministers, Bishops, Pastors, Rulers, and Administra­tors, as are proud covetous, dor­mous, lustful men pleasers, false accusers, living-lovers, belly-grooms, time vain spenders, idle loytering recreators, State-contri­ving Foxes, unjust wrangling, suing neighbours, and the like; such as these (whoever they be) are all dogs barking, and swine tumbling themselves in the dirt; how then can they save them that hear them? A whip of Gods ma­king shall drive all these dogs out of the Church. They are the sons of Eli, and of Balaam; of Aaron, [Page 102] and of Levi in their wickedness: These follow not the good, but the evill of their Predecessors, therefore shall they wither and suddenly come to nothing. Note also, that so long as any conti­nueth and abideth in that most excellent spirit of God, so long he is a Minister of Christ in God, and no longer; for who is he that is a Minister of Christ to day, may not speak for Antichrist to mor­row? As Peter spake from heaven and from hell too in the same houre, saying, Lord, thou art the Son of the living God, but Ma­ster spare thy selfe. Now so long as the two natures are competi­tors within man, so long he shall and must necessarily be in doubts. But when the new nature is aloft and uppermost, and as long as it keeps under the vain spirit, so long [Page 103] he hath joy and assurance, and no longer; for to be spiritually min­ded is life and peace. Therefore the Lord Christ doth call and cry to all Preachers and hearers, Give me to drink that which is pure, without the mixture of your spi­rits with it, even such as hath no selfe in it, such will doe good. I will blesse it to others. That is the true Physick to poore soules. Give them that, and they shall be well. But if ye administer to them mixed teachings, and their soules die upon it, who shall an­swer think ye? O ye publick Speakers, look to your mixtures; for a pure River of God is come out of Sion; in it shall all the beasts of the field of God drink up the water of life, and leave off the broken cisternes and disturbed pooles that have much mud and [Page 104] mire in them. The true Ministers are followers of Christ (that is, they are like him) and the false are enemies to the crosse of Christ that destroyeth all sin and vani­ty. Down with all that nourish wickednesse, and up with Christ in the rest: I say up with Christ in them, rather then with them to honours in this life, lest pride blossome again, and self-conceit bud forth. These last daies will not long suffer any proud sprigs on the trees; for now the Tem­ple of God in Heaven is about to open, and there are voices, thun­drings, earthquakes, lightnings, and great haile upon that evil ge­neration of self-seeking Christi­ans. O that we had hearts to stand out of the way of Gods ar­rowes, out of the way of sin and hypocrisie! then should not the [Page 105] soul feel within it that plague here mention'd without it.

16. The time runneth out, and is great and marveilous; the grave gapeth for man, let not man then gape also after the dunghill of this world. Hunger after Heaven, and that is to say, long after the Lord Jesus. If thou didst expect to find in this Chapter matters of know­ledge, eloquence with acutenesse, thou hast deceived thy selfe. But here is mourning, warning, and woe to the world, and also dire­ctions to them that understand; and they that seek the Lord shall understand all things. None of the wicked perceive it, but the wise shall understand, saith Da­niel and Solomon. This Genera­tion is under the sixth Trumpet of God, and the fire, smoke, and [Page 106] brimstone are felt & smelt in souls and Nations eminently. Now the se­ven Thunders utters their voices in some, and make mortal men trem­ble at the thoughts of the Great day. The next Trumpet must sound, and then will be the finishing of the mystery of Gods Being and Will. Now is the houre, the day, the moneth, and the yeare for thee to beg of God, and to eat the little little book which was in Gods hand, and is in the hand of his Angel. The knowledge thereof shall be as honey in the mouth of thy mind; but when that Lords candle shall search the inward parts of thy belly, and discover thy great corruption, it shall put thee in bitter paine (as of a wo­man in travaile) And that voice of the Lord shall make thy kind [Page 107] to calve, and cause thee to cast off thy lust as an untimely fruit. Howbeit, cease not O man to beg of God that thou mayst swallow down that book; for untill then thy soule shall not rest indeed, nor shall the Nations and Chur­ches be quiet untill that Book be known. That Book is in and through the Bible, the Creation, and the heart of man, and yet properly it is either of the three. It is the Hidden word, and yet revealed counsel of God in him­selfe, and in his spirit in the chil­dren of the new birth. The name of this Book is Nothingnesse be­fore the creature, and All things before the Throne of God. When thou art nothing to thy self, then shalt thou read it, and not before. No wit or learning of man are sufficient spectacles; they are lof­ting [Page 108] up over the lines of this Book. But in selfe denial and yielding to Gods will in thee, thou shalt become a Scribe and Schollar of the Kingdome of Heaven, and no other way. Forget not this verse of the Chapter sent to thee and to the world.

17. One Verse more, and then no more of this present Testimo­ny. The houre is in sight, when time shall expire and be no more; when day and night, heat and cold, summer and winter, seed­time and harvest, shall no more for ever take their Turnes. And whereas now day and night, joy and sorrow passe over us (grief in the evening, comfort in the morning) goe on friend a little, and it will become with thee all [Page 109] day for ever, or all night, with­out mixture of the comforts of nature (as the eternal day or night prevaileth in the spirit.) Therefore be entreated againe to strive to spend thy short time a­right, and one quarter of an hour in four and twenty at least to be­gin to mind Eternity whither thou goest. If thou sayest, That is a small time (as indeed it is) see first whether in that quarter of an houre thy thoughts will not steal away to some creature or other, and to the things of time, of va­nity, and of vexation. And know, that while thou livest in the sieve of vanity (which is the course of nature in thy own will) it is im­possible for thee to have a steady mind to look on Eternity. And miserable art thou whilst thou li­vest [Page 110] a cripple at Bethesda in the five gates of the sensual life, till Jesus bid thee take up thy bed and walk. And this he doth when he makes thy will to cease, thy thoughts to stop, thy working fan­cy to sink, thy apprehensions to be darkened in dimnesse of an­guish, thy pleasures to wither, thy righteousnesse to putrive, and thy self-hood to stoop, and yield, and die, as Christ Jesus did. This is best effected by the power of his love in thy heart, which love is light and life to thy spirit, but death to thy flesh. When I speak to thee (honest Reader) I speak to my selfe also herein; for I have learnt that sharp expressions to o­thers, are as weights of lead to our selves, if we be guilty of the same evils: But when we testifie [Page 111] with truth, mildnesse, and earnest­nesse, we shall be accepted of the Lord, however men censure us as they please. This I leave with thee in perfect love, and thee also with that God who will shortly speak forth his own mind with Power, Authority, and great Glory to the whole World. Peace be unto thee. Amen.