The resurrection of John Lilburne, now a prisoner in Dover-Castle, declared and manifested in these following lines penned by himself, and now at his desire published in print in these words.

THE RESURRECTION OF John Lilburne, &c.

HAving many and ſtrong compulſions, from the meaſure of the light of the Lord now ſhining clearly within me, and raiſed up now to a good degree of life and power in my ſoul, to make a publike declaration in print, of my reall owning, and now living in, (in my preſent attained to meaſure) the life and power of thoſe divine and heavenly principles, profeſſed by thoſe spirituallized people called Quakers; at my owning of which, all my old and familliar friends (in a manner) are ſo much troubled and offended with me for, and my great adverſaries ſo jealous of the reall intentions of my heart within me, at my ſo doing, and by that meaſure of the Light of JESUS thining in my ſoul, I am now directed and guided to intitle it as aforeſaid, and here at this place (as an introduction, before I come to the main thing of that which through the ſtrength of God I have now to ſay) to inſert here the copies of the very two firſt Letters, that ever I writ of note, after the great and glorious power of God had ſeized upon my ſoul, to let in the real beginnings of convincement into my ſoul, of my ſpiritual blindneſs, deadneſs and emptineſs, and by which I came to ſee a clear glimps of that ſpiritual fulneſs that was, and really is, in the divine and heavenly declared principles of the aforeſaid precious people: The firſt Letter being to my wife, take in theſe following words.

Dover-Caſtle the fourth day of the tenth moneth, 1655. For my deer and loving wife Elizabeth Lilburn, at her friend George Wades (houſe) a Cook, at the Sign of the Sun neer Guild-Hall, and Lawrence Lanes end in London, theſe with ſpeed deliver. My dear heart,

WHat in a great meaſure my temper of ſpirit was before thy coming to me, I in its meaſure communicated unto thee, by the copy of my letter to Luke Howard, which I have here incloſed thee at thy leiſure to peruſe: And what diſtemperedneſs my earthly ſpirit was in, at, and towards thee, at thy and my laſt meeting upon Saturday, the tenth of November laſt, I need not to repeat unto thee, being (I beleeve) it is freſh enough in thy own memory.

And the frame of my heart, after thy reconciliation and mine (ſo far as God hath given me the ſpirit of diſcerning, and ſearching it) I in no ſmall proportion in reallity diſcovered to thee.

And ſince my departue (upon VVedneſday the 21. of November laſt) ſetting my ſelf ſeriouſly to a deep and weighty conſideration of that work that my ſoul longed for a new to be a travelling in; And giving fulneſs of ſcope to that divine and heavenly voice of God ſpeaking plainly in my heart, unto which I am truly able to ſe • my ſeal • o, that it is that ſpirit, or power of the Holy Ghoſt, or true Comforter, ſpoken of Joh. 16. 7 8. that convinceth, or reproveth the world, or the carnal, or firſt, or fallen nature in me, of ſin, and of righteouſneſs, and of judgement, and is that eternal and everlaſting ſpirit of truth, that (imbraced and cloſed with) leads my ſoul by its divine and ſtrong power, or attractive drawings, ſtep by ſtep in its meaſure and degree into truth, and in my heavenly fathers good time, I doubt not but it will eſtabliſh and build me up in truth, Ioh. 16.13. and mould me into a real conformity in life and power (in real and ſubſtantial injoyment) to the wayes of truth, of light, and life, be they never ſo difficult to the fl • ſh, carnal man, or fallen, or firſt nature in me, or never ſo full of the croſs, or ſelf-denyall, or giving up my own reaſon, underſtanding, will, wiſdom, and affections, to be croſſed and crucified by the Will and Wiſdom of JESUS, the annoynted above meaſure of the Father, and to be guided or led on by him the living life, light, or power in all the ſons of men, that have the greateſt degree, or leaſt of ſparks of divine or heavenly light, ſhining within their dark, (in their ſmall degree or meaſure) or inlightned, inlivened ſouls, in their larger degree or meaſure.

I have, ſince I ſee thee, read extraordinary much of thoſe two volumes which I ſhewed thee, containing both almoſt ſeventeen hundred pages, of the writings of thoſe preciouſeſt (though moſt contemptible) people called quakers; the-truly beloved objects of my ſoul. And this at preſent, (becauſe I rather now heartily deſire to live in the poſſeſſion, power, or life of truth in my ſoul, then in the bare profeſſion, notion, or talk of it) I ſhall, and can in ſincerity ſay to thee, that my ſoul hath been amazed, and even confounded by them; not as Herod by Iohn Baptiſt preachings was, for fear of eternal wrath (or loſs of his Tetrarch-ſhip by, or) for his ſins, which to avoid made him reform, and amend many things, Mark 6.20. but of real breakings, or ſhame of ſoul, that ſo glorious a Talent, as my Lord and Maſter (by the clear, lively, and powerfull breakings in of his divine and heavenly light into my heart) long, and many yeers ago beſtowed upon me, ſhould by me (or my firſt, and carnal wiſdom) be moſt ungratefully, and unfaithfully, like a lighted candle put under a buſhel, or hid, or buried in the earth in me, in obſcurity and darkneſs: Or, that my ſoul ſhould by the will and wiſdom of the firſt nature, ambitiouſly (Adam-like) eat a new upon the tree of Knowledge of good and evill, and thereby covet to be eſteemed ſomething amongſt the ſons of men, (more then the Divine Wiſdom would have me) with that meaſure or degree I had attained to; and therewith be with it (like the unbelieving Jews, the type in the fleſh) or the firſt (or mean in its degree or meaſure, to what I ought to have thirſted after) out-goings of the divine and heavenly teaching, and inſtructing ſpirit, or voice of God in, or unto my ſoul, willing and content to ſit down in the wilderneſs, or journeying way to Canaan; and not with precious Ieſhua and Caleb (the ſpiritual anti-types in that particular, or in another particular, the outward types, of the ſpiritual travelling anti-types, the ſeed of God under the Goſpel, into Gods ſpiritual reſt in himſelf) be willing, longing, and deſirous, by faith in the ſtrength of God, (reſting as the old Iſraelites after the fleſh ought to have done, in his faithfull and powerfull promiſe of carrying me on) through all difficulties, ſelf-denyals, croſſes, and hardſhips whatſoever; to travell into the ſpiritual Kingdom, or heavenly Land of Reſt, that God in the naked injoyment of himſelf hath prepared for (and at this very day I beleeve hath experimentally and really beſtowed the clear injoyment of, upon many of) his Ranſomed ones, contemptibly and ſcornfully called quakers.

I ſay unto thee, the real (and cloſe applyed home unto my ſoul by the ſpirit and power of life from God, that now aloud again ſpeaks within me) conſideration of the premiſes, or that which is foregoing, and that people afar off, (yea, ignorant ideots, fools and prophane As is clearly proved by the printed ſpeeches of ſeverall of the priſoners in Northhampton and Everſham Goals. ones) in compariſon of my being ſo nigh at hand ſo many years ago, to the clear and full poſſeſſion of the ſpiritual Land of Canaan, ſhould enter into the glorious Kingdom of God, or that clearneſs of Reſt, Peace and Union in, and with him, that now clearly to my ſpiritual underſtanding they injoy, and there bring forth the ripe fruits of ſpiritual old age in compariſon of me, of Praiſes, Honor, and Glory to the Lamb: and to the ancient of Dayes, that clearly ſits upon the Throne in their hearts, as having judged down, conquered, and overcome, within them, all their ſinns or ſpiritual enemies, and cauſed them to triumph over them, as in his ſtrength, divine and heavenly power, reigning and ruling as King and Lord over them.

O, I ſay unto thee again, the real ſight (in its meaſure and degree) and ſpiritual conſideration of theſe things, ſince I laſt ſee thee, for divers hours in ſeveral nights, one after another, when my God denyed ſleep unto my outward eyes, and cauſed my ſoul to be awake with himſelfe, and to be really exerciſed in an interchange of Divine conference, contemplation or parley with him, hath even cauſed my ſoul to weep, ſigh, and mourn within me before him, and in his ſtrength and almighty power to indent with him, and now in good earneſt to ingage in my ſoul, or ſpiritual man, to be obedient to his heavenly and divine voyce, ſpeaking clearly in me, and to follow him (leaſt I ſhould now, by any longer reſiſtance, totally quench his divine drawings, through the denyall of my own (or naturall reaſon) will, wit, wiſdom, deſires and affections; with a real weanedneſs from worldly or fleſhly honor, applauſe, glory, riches, or creature-fulneſs, yea, even to a final denyal of father, kindred, friends, my ſweet and dearly beloved (by me) babes, or thy own ſelf, who viz. thy ſelf, for many yeers by paſt, I muſt avow it before the Almighty in ſincerity and truth, hath been to me the greateſt and deareſt of all earthly delights and joyes.

And now therefore look about thee in good earneſt, and ſee what thou haſt got to thy ſelf, as to the fleſh, by thy eager deſires, and ſtrong indeavours to bring me back again into England; for the day of thy real, ſtrong, and full temptation and triall, never came upon thee till now, if God give thee not by degrees the fulneſs and compleatneſs of ſpiritual and heavenly ſtrength and ability to bear it and go through it. For my part I am now in reallity and truth, in the clearly, lively, or evident ſeeing of the wiſdom, and loving hand of a tender and indeared eternal Father, in ſtripping me naked of all earthly and created excellencies, and taking my outward eſtate and profitable imployments, and all my worldly glory from me, and graciouſly, and ſupportingly leading me through the valley of Baca, Pſal. 84 6. or Tears, outward Dangers, and Death, for now almoſt four yeers together, and ſeparating from me for a long time, that wonted delight that uſed to be betwixt thee (my old and real Idoll) and me; and at my coming to this place, clearly unto being me of all and every one of my old Friends, and familiar Acquaintance, that were any way fit, or able to do any thing for me; and therby hedging up my way, that I muſt, whether I wil or no, in ſpite of my teeth, once again give ear to the ſerious and plain voice, call, or counſel of the Moſt High, ſpeaking in, and unto my ſoul.

And ſo in much mercy and indeared loving kindneſs, as he did in my great ſtraits in the Biſhops time, provided and ſent unto me a poor diſſpiſed (yet underſtanding) Priſcilla, to inſtruct me in, or expound unto m •• h way of God more fully, or perfectly; (whom I am compell'd now to tell thee, I ſhall love and reſpect therefore, the longeſt day I live upon the earth, let her continue by whomſoever to be judged never ſo rigid or contemptible) ſo here at this place he hath alſo provided for me an 〈◊〉 (being a contemp • ible yet underſtanding, ſpiritually, knowing, & ſingle hearted Shoomaker) to do the ſame now to my ſpiritual, & no ſmall advantage, refreſhment, & benefit, by means of all which I am a preſent becom dead to my former buſling actings in the world, & now ſtand ready with the devout C • n • u • ion, or Captain, ſpoken of Act. 10. to hear and obey all things that the lively voice of God ſpeaking in my ſoul ſhal r • quire of me, upon the further manifeſtation of whoſe glorius preſence, my heart with a watching fear and care deſires to wait, & to walk faithfully, and tenderly, and humbly in that meaſure of Light already received; and out of the ſtrength of indearedneſs of love, and tenderneſs of affection, that hath long in times by-paſt, dwelt in me towards thee and of late in much ſincerity is renewed unto thee again; I have with the ſame eternal, wel-wiſhing of thy ſpiritual happineſs, as I do my own-ordered Giles Calvert to ſend unto thee ſeveral of thoſe printed pieces of the quakers, that in the ſerious reading of which have been moſt convincingly, inſtructive unto my ſoul; amongſt which I have judged in the firſt place Iames Naylor (that ſtrong, or tall man in Chriſt) his Something in anſwer unto (thy and my indeared friend) John Jackſon (that tall Cedar in great profeſſion of Religion) his book called, Strength in weakneſs, (which book the laſt Poſt I received from thee) in the reading of which piece of Iames Naylors, I muſt ſet my ſeal to it, that there goes along in the breathings out of it a great deal of the quickning life & power of the ſpirit of God, & unto it are annexed ſeveral pieces of that precious and divine ſoul, VVilliam Deusbury, the Lords now, or late glorious priſoner, in Northampton common goal, (to whoſe precious and heavenly ſpirit, although I never ſee his face, mine indearedneſs of love is glued unto) whoſe book is called, The diſcovery of the great enmity of the Serpent againſt the Seed of the woman, and his diſcovery of mans return, have been pieces in my reading of them ſeriouſly, that by the power of the Almighty hath ſpoken home to my ſoul I have ordered to be annexed unto them (as I remember) as many as makes them ten in number; and then twelve more in another volume principally for anſwering Objections, I have ordered to be ſent unto thee, which I hope thou wilt receive (before this come to thee) bound up in that method that J have directed.

And now my dear love, for whom my ſoul travells with God for thy eternal good, with the ſame ſincere heartedneſs as for my own, hoping that thy late out-fall and mine was but for a ſet ſeaſon, that ſo as divine Paul in another ſenſe ſpeaks, Phil. 15. thy reconciliation and mine again might now remain firm in love for ever.

I therefore earneſtly intreat thee, not to much cumber thy ſelf in thy many toilings and journeyings for my outward liberty, but ſit down a little, and behold the great ſalvation of the Lord; and if by any means poſſible thy ſpirit can be made free to it, retire thy ſelf but for one week, or the like, into thy own chamber (as being ſequeſtred from all thy friends & acquaintance) and with as much ſeriouſneſs and deliberation read this, and the forementioned precious books, with the letter that thy & my indeared, ſp • ritual, & faithful friend, Luke Howard, yeſterday ſent unto thee (as the real out-goings of the meaſure of the ſpirit of God in his heart towards thee) as I have often and deliberately read thy laſt Poſt-letter to me, Dated at VVhite-Hall, upon Wedneſeday the 28. of November laſt, and often wept for joy and gladneſs of heart, at that thy honeſt exhortation to me, at the laſt end of it in theſe words, viz. My Dear, Retain a ſober patient ſpirit within thee, which I am confident thou ſhalt ſee ſhall be of more force to recover thee, then all thy keen mettal hath been; I hope God is a doing a work upon thee and me too, as ſhall make us ſtudy our ſelves more then we have done.

O my dear Love, I am deeply already entred into my part of it: The mighty power of God inable thee to get in too, and alſo to go through thine, and effectually to go cheerfully & willingly a long hand in hand with me, which abundantly would render thee more amiable, lovely, and pleaſant in mine eyes, although thou wert then clothed in rags, then thou couldſt be to me in thy drawings back, or ſtanding ſtill where thou waſt when I laſt ſee thee, though therein thou wert clothed all over with rich, and outwardly gliſtering earthly Diamonds, and in the greateſt of earthly proſperities.

I am ſorry for that hard portion thou tell'ſt me thou hadſt in going from me, in thy dangerous travelling upon the Thames, and I deſire to bleſs God for thy deliverance from ſo nigh a death.

I am alſo ſorry thou art ſo ſtraightly put to it for money, but to live upon God by faith in the depth of ſtraights, is the lively condition of a Chriſtian: O that thy spirit could attain unto it!

According to thy deſire in thy Letter, and my own preſent genius or frame of Spirit (which now can contentedly feed ſavourily upon bread and cheeſe, and Small-Beer alone) for ſaving of money. I have diſcharged my old Nurſe, and borrowed 20. s. to give her to carry her towards her husband, and by her have I ſent theſe lines to deliver to thine own hands.

Of which, poor ignorant ſoul, I muſt ſay this to thee in truth, that although the woman, in my clear underſtanding, be but wholly in the firſt nature of fallen man-kinde, yet ſhe hath been in the hand of God, an inſtrument of much ſervice, (honeſty performed) faithfulneſs, and tender compaſſion to me, in the day of the greateſt and unparalelled extremity of my outward deſires in the Iſle of Jerſey, for which, in her ſtation, I muſt value her as long as I live, and if ever outward proſperity in any competent degree be my portion, really requite her; therefore I expect from thee, if ſhe have occaſion to uſe thee, that thou beeſt tender and respectful to her for my ſake.

And for my Liberty, about which thou ſo wearieſt and ſpendeſt thy ſelf and earthly ſtrength, as thy Letter acquaints me with thou doſt, I can ſay no more to thee then what was contained in my Letter, directed to thee, and Dated Nov. 21. laſt, (which I gave here to thy own hands) but that I am in my preſent temper of ſpirit, ready really with Peter at the ſight of the glorlous tranſfiguration of Chriſt, to ſay, its good being here (for me) for here in Dover Caſtle, through the loving kindneſs of God, I have met with a more clear, plain, and evident knowledge of God, and my ſelf, and his gracious out-goings to my ſoul, then ever I had in all my life time, not excepting my glorying and rejoycing condition under the Biſhops, and now the pangs and travelling throes of God are powerfully a freſh upon my very heart, and therefore now in my own will, I could rather wiſh thee and my ſweet Lambs to be with me here, then I at preſent with thee and them where thou art, yet ſubmiſſively and heartily I ſay, and can ſay, the Will of my heavenly Father be done in me, by me, and for me; in whoſe Will I leave thee and thine, with all thy and my friends, and reſt,

From Dover-Caſtle, the place of the preſent injoyed delightfull diſpenſations of the eternal, everlaſting love of God unto my ſoul, the 4th. day of the 10th. moneth, 1655. Thine in the ſtrength of renewedneſs of true love, John Lilburn

The forementioned ſecond Letter, take in theſe following words.

Dover-Caſtle, the fifth day of the tenth month, 1655. For my indeared Friend, William Harding (commonly called Mayor) at Weymouth in Dorcetſhire, theſe deliver. Kinde Friend,

SInce my arrival here, I have often been deſirous in my own ſpirit, at large to have writ to thee, but hitherto by a power above me, I have been hindered, and yet am, as to the particular aforeſaid, onely now I thought it not only convenient to acquaint thee, but am thereunto compelled to tell thee, that meeting here with one of thoſe precious people called quakers, (of which people thee and I at the Iſle of Ierſey had much talk of) and getting into my hands two volumes of their printed papers, amounting to about ſeventeen hundred pages, I have with ſerious of diſcourſe, and ſeriouſneſs reading therein, been knock'd down off, or from my former legs, or ſtanding; and giving ſcope to my true teacher and guide, the light of God ſpeaking in my ſoul, I am become at preſent, dead to my fallen, or firſt natures reaſon, wit, wiſdom and deſires; and alſo totally become dead to my old buſling wayes in the fleſh, and now in a great degree or meaſure, am ſtruct down dead to the very earth within me, and by that Light which gloriouſly within my ſoul hath ſhined round about my firſt, or corrupt nature within me, I am like Paul, with aſtoniſhment and mazement, Act. 9. fallen down flat at the feet of Jeſus, and hearing a voice ſpeaking within me, to perſwade me for my good and benefit, to become willing to be guided and directed by the heavenly wiſdom of Jeſus my annointed; I have thereupon given up my ſelf wholly to be guided by his Divine teachings ſhining within me, before which I now ſtand ready to give ear to what by it ſhall be told me, being willing and deſirous to have the ſeales fall further from the blinde eyes of my ſoul, that they may be further opened, and that a power therewith may come in to my ſoul from the Holy Ghoſt, which may inable me in the ſtrength thereof, to redeem my loſt, and miſspent by-paſt precious time, and not now to conſult with fleſh and blood in my daily taking up the Croſs of Chriſt, and following him whitherſoever he ſhall by his call, or heavenly Divine voice within me, lead me.

I ſay, I am compelled from a power within me, at this preſent time, in brief to tell thee theſe things, and to require thee from God, to give ear to that true convincing light, that clearly ſpeaks in thy conſcience, and by the aſſiſtance thereof to ſtrive with the firſt, or fallen nature yet ruling in thy ſoul, and lay aſide that greatneſs of wit and earthly wiſdom that thou haſt attained to, and in that meaſure of Light that long ſince thou haſt received, withdraw into thy private Cloſet, and ſeriouſly meditate upon theſe brief lines. And being thou in my late converſing with thee, told me, thou hadſt read, or hadſt ſent me down from London moſt of the Quakers Books; Let me in love to thy ſoul, earneſtly intreat thee, with ſeriouſneſs to read over (ſtrong and tall in Chriſt) Iames Nayler, his ſheet of paper, intitled, Something further in anſwer to John Jackſons book, called, Strength in weakneſs; (which Iohn Iackſon is my indeared friend, and old and long acquaintance, and a greater profeſſor of Religion now, then ever thou thy ſelf in all thy zeal once was; therefore in him thou mayeſt plainly read thy own condition) and that precious priſoner of the Lords in Northampton Goal, VVilliam Dewsbury, his two books, the firſt and excellenteſt of which is called, The diſcovery of the great enmity of the ſerpent againſt the ſeed of the woman: & his other book is intituled, The diſcovery of mans Return: and the Lord by his almighty power ſet them home to thy ſoul. I heartily deſire to return thee my hearty thanks for all thy kindneſs and tenderneſs manifeſted to me at Jerſey, in our paſſage from thence, and at thy own houſe: ſo with my hearty ſalutations preſented to thee, and all thy friends that were with me at thy houſe at Weymouth. I deſire to let thee know, that by my moral, honeſt, carefull, and induſtrious old Nurſe Elizabeth Crome (who by reaſon of ſhortneſs of money with me, I am forced and compelled to part with) I have writ thee a few lines in her behalf, intreating thy countenance and favourable reſpect to the old (and real ſerviceable to me in my great diſtreſs in Jerſey) woman; in caſe in things that are juſt and righteous before God, ſhe deſire thy favour, and what thee, or thy friend and mine, Edward (commonly called Lievtenant) Tucker, in that particular doth for her, I ſhal thankfully look upon as actions done to thy ſouls

Faithful, hearty, and real wel-wiſhing friend, Iohn Lilburn. From Dover-Caſtle, being a place wherein God hath more clearly then ever before, opened the eyes of my underſtanding, the 4. day of the 10. moneth, 1655.

With which fore-mentioned main or principal thing that I have now to ſay, I thus proceed, and go on with it; & here in the eſpecial preſence of the Lord declare, that by that preſent meaſure of light now born up in my underſtanding, and moving in my ſoul at this very time, I am here compelled to let the Reader (whoſoever he be) to know, that as I have long underſtood from my wife the original of my fore-going Letter to her, ſhe conveyed to the hands of Oliver Cromwelhimſelf, and at his Sonin Law's deſire, Charls Fleetwood (my old, and ſomtimes much familiar greatly obliged friend) gave him a copy of it, and notwithſtanding the clear declarations of a ſincere (changed in meaſure) heart in the ſaid Letter, at the penning of which, I had then loſt all manner of ability to conſult with one grain of Machivel, or humane deceitful policy, having then the very dreadful, and aweful, immediate, convincing, judging, and burning up power of God upon my ſoul; yet upon my ſaid writing, and my wifes diſpoſing, as aforeſaid, of my ſaid Letter, many and great jealouſies ariſe upon me at VVhite-hall, at the ſtrange politick contrivance of my (largely reputed by them) politique heart in my turning quaker, (of which I had ſeveral wayes exact information) which it ſeems out of humane fear, took that powerful impreſſion upon my poor weak wife, as that, as I judged by her Letters to me, troubled the poor afflicted Woman at the very heart, and compelled her by writing in a vehement manner, to preſs me to ſign ſuch an ingagement as George Fox did, (the Copy of which I have ſeen and read) and ſent it up to Oliver Cromwel to ſecure him from his pretended fears of my politick indeavouring to draw the temporal ſword againſt him; unto which for many reaſons having then no manner of freedom in the earth to do it (George Fox though even then a precious man in my eyes, his particular actions being no rules for me to walk by, unleſs I lived in the very ſame life and power of Spiritual injoyments that he did, and had the very ſelf-ſame motions in ſpirit from God, that led him to a freedom and ability to do ſuch, and the like particular actions) I therefore then ceaſed it, and did it not; and if I had then done it for my own particular human ends, as to avoid further perſecution, and the like, I had in ſo doing been an outſide phariſaical imitator, and the greateſt and baſeſt of hypocrites, which ſin alone is the height of Gods Mat. 24.51. Rev. 3.15, 16. See Mat. 6.5. & 33.13, 14 abhorrance, for although I muſt before the Lord now truly avow, that the ſaid Letter was a true and faithful (without fraud or guile) declaration of as real and ſpirituall a power of God in its meaſure, ſeiſing upon my ſoul, for my conviction of my ſpiritual blindneſs and ſinfnlneſs, as ever ſeized upon Paul, declared in the 9 of the Acts, or any mans that ever breathed upon earth, yet betwixt the Winter-ſtorms and fierce tempeſts of conviction, (or rather the beginning of it) and the pleaſant Sunſhine, dews, and ſpringing days of growth into a meaſure of refreſhment, there is a vaſt difference; and therefore then the true occaſion, or real ground of all outward war and humanc buſling conteſt being not taken away, or abſolutely crucified or ſubdued at the very Root in my ſoul, if then I had ſigned ſuch an engagement, I had clearly gone beyond my ſouls then living and real attainments, and there by ran preſumptuouſly and wickedly beyond my meaſure, and ſo had tempted the Lord my then preſent Leader, and ſpiritual guide, and abominably ſinned againſt him.

But now in my already attained growing up meaſure, having the experimental witneſs of God within my 1 Joh. 5. 10. ſelf, that I am already truly and really attained, in ſubſtantial, and witneſſed within me, real truth, with the young men in Chriſt, ſpoken of by the Apoſtle 1 Joh. 2. 13. John, to a good meaſure or degree, in overcoming the wicked one within me, ſo that now I am able to witneſs in truth and righteouſnes, that the true grounds or reall occaſions of all outward wars, and all carnal buſlings, and all fleſhly ſtrivings within me, is in a very large meaſure, or degree, become dead or crucified within me: wch true grounds & real occaſions, of all the outward iron and ſteel ſword war in the world, and all the wicked and fleſhly fore-runners of it and dependants upon it, truly riſeth from its fountain, the raging power of ſin, or luſt within, in carnal, and unregenerated, unſanctified, and unjuſtied (before God) mens hearts, as is plainly & truly witneſſed by the apoſtle Jam. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. James in theſe words, From whence comes wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your luſts, that war in your members? ye luſt, and have not; ye kill, and deſire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, becauſe ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, becauſe ye ask amiſs that you may conſume it upon your luſts. Ye Adulterers and Adultereſſes, know you not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God: whoſoever therefore will be a friend to the world (that ſpiritual Kingdom of Satan in unſanctified mens ſouls) is the enemy of God.

And therefore Chriſt, the true Lord of the ſoul, and the true Head-Maſter, and King of that heavenly ſpiritual kingdome (as the Devil or Prince of the air, is the Head-Maſter, King, or God of the Kingdom of this world, in the hearts of the children of unſanctified, and unjuſtified, diſobedient Eph. 2.2.3.5, & 6. ii. & 2 Cor. 4.4. Jam. 1.13,14,15. Joh. 12. 3. & 16. 11. Rom. 6.16.20. & 2 Tim. 2.26. & 2 Pet. 2.19. & 1 Joh. 3.8.10. men) that he hath provided for all redeemed, ſanctified, juſtified and righteous Rom. 6. 20, 22, 23. & g, 1, 2, 3, 4. Rom. 14. 17. & 15. 13, 14. & 1 Cor. 4. 20. & 2 Cor. 46. Gal. 5. 22, 23, 24. Eph. 57, 3, 9. Heb. 12. 22, 23. & 1 Joh. 1. 5, 6, 7. Rev. 6. 14, 15, 16, 17. & 21. 3, 4. 22, 23. & 22. 1, 2, 3, 4. Iſa. 60. 19, 20, 21. ſouls, declares at his very anſwer before Pilate for his life, and ſaith, My Kingdome is not of this world, if my kingdom were of this world, then would my ſervants fight that I ſhould not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from Joh. 18. 36. hence; and therefore it was when Judas betrayed this ſpiritual King, Chriſt, into the hands of his murdering enemies; and that his ſervant Simon Joh. 18. 10. Peter ſtretched out his hand, and drew his ſword, and ſtroke a ſervant of the High Prieſts, and ſmote off his ear; that this ſpiritual King, Lord and Maſter, cured the wounded man, although he was his Luke 22. 50 51. enemy, & commanded his ſervant Peter to put up his ſword again in his place, further ſaying to him, For all they that take the Sword [mark it well] ſhall periſh with the Mat. 26. 51, 52, 53. ſee Gen. 9.6. Rev. 13.10. Sword: Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he ſhall preſently give me more then twelve A conſtituted full Roman Legion of ſouldiers, at this time as I remember the Roman Hiſtories, was reputed to be commonly about 7 or 8000. men. Legions of Angells. And therefore all the whole Laws of his inward and ſpiritual Kingdome, are made in quite oppoſition againſt the Laws of the meer glorious out-ſide kingdoms of the God and Paince of this world; unto which two Maſters, or Kings, or Law-givers, it is impoſſible for any man in the world, or upon this globy earth, to be a ſervant to them both, at one and the ſame Mat. 6.24. Luke 16.13. time, but he that commits ſin is the ſervant of ſin, and ſo the ſervant of the Joh. 8.34.4i, 42, 44. Rom. 6. 16. & 2 Pet. 2. 19. & 1 John 3. 8. 10. devil; and he that is the ſervant of ſin, is free from Righteouſneſs, and ſo from being a ſervant or ſubject unto Rom. 6. 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23 1 Joh. 1. 6. & cap. 3. 3, 4, 5, 6, 9. & 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 19. Joh. 7. 17. & 8. 31, 32. & 9.31. & 12.26. & 14.15.21, 23, 24. & 15▪ 4.7.10.14. Chriſt: And therefore the Spirit of Chriſt, this ſpiritual inſide King, dwelling in the Apoſtle Paul, declares, that there is no fellowſhip betwixt righteouſneſs and unrighteouſneſs, nor no communion betwixt light and darkneſs, nor no concord betwixt Chriſt and Belial, nor no harmony betwixt the true believer (that knows Joh. 17. 3. God) and the infidel, (and ſuch are all they that truly knows not 1 Theſſ. 4, 5. See Tit. 16. Ex. 5.2. Pſal. 79.6. Jer. 10. 25. Ro. 1.19.21. Eph. 4. 17, 8, 19. God) and there he further demands, what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? for ye are (ſaith he to the true knowers of God in Corinth) the temple of the living God, as God hath Levit. 26.12. ſaid, I will dwel in them, and walk in them, and I wil be their God, and they ſhall be my people; wherefore come out from among them, and be ye Iſa. 52.11. ſeparate ſaith the Lord, and touch not (mark it well) the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto Jer. 31. 1. you, and ye ſhall be my Sons and Daughters ſaith the Lord 2 Cor. 6. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Almighty. And therefore it is, that the very ſame Divine Spirit that dwells in this Spirituall King Jeſus, ſpeaking in the Apoſtle Iohn, requires all his Spirituall and true Subjects, not to love the world, neither the things that are in the world, for, if any man love the world, (that Kingdom of Satan the Prince of Darkneſs, as) the luſts of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world; and the world (and the vanities and empty pleaſures of it) paſſeth away, and the luſts thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth for 1 Joh. 2. 15, 16, 17. ever.

Yea, the contrariety is ſo great betwixt the foreſaid two Kings and Maſters, that whatſoever in the King, or Ruler in the Kingdom of the world, (or falne, or unrenewed man) and the Subjects thereof, is eſteemed highly or excellent, is an abomination in the ſight of Luke 16. 15. See chap. 6.24, 25, 26. Mar. 13. 13. Job. 5. 41. 44. & 7. 17, 18. & 8. 50. 54. & 10. 42, 43. & 15. 19. & 16. 35. God: And therefore this ſpiriual King having purchaſed all his Subjects and Servants with a glorious price, (as the greateſt demonſtration of love) of his own blood, by his ſpiritual Command requires them not to be the ſervants of 1 Cor. 7▪ 23. men, but to glorifie him both in body and 1 Cor. 6. 20. ſee chap. 3. 16, 17 & 2 Cor. 2. 5. 15.17. &c. Pſal. 1.10. ſee 4. 3.9, 10.11. & 5. 1 Col. 2. 8. 20. 22. ſoul; and therefore his grown up ſervant Paul, declares himſelf to be no man-pleaſer, avowing himſelf, that if he were a man-pleaſer, he ſhould, nor could not be the ſervant of Chriſt.

And therefore the ſame apoſtle, by the infallible ſpirit of the Lord, requires the ſpiritual Subjects of this ſpiritual King Jeſus, to preſent their bodies a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which (ſaith he) is your reaſonable ſervice; and be not conformed to this world (the kingdome of the Prince of darkneſs) but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect wil of Rom. 22. 1, 2. God; & therefore when any man once becomes a ſpiritual ſubject of this ſpiritual King Chriſt, and dwells in him, he becomes a new creature, & old things in him are paſt away, & all things in him are become 2 Cor. 5.17. new, ſpiritual & ſavory, yea even his very thoughts & his words are found few and divine, his behaviour righteous and ſolid, his deeds upright, and free like God from all reſpect of perſons: Mat. 3.34.37, 39, 40, 41, 45, 46, 48. & 6.25 31,32, 33. and 7.12, 13. and 23, 3.5, 6, 7. and 9. 10. Mark 12. 14. Luk. 20, 21. Act 10. 34, 35. Deu. 10 17. Eſth. 3.2 5, 6. Job 32.21, 22. Prov. 10. 20. & 28.21. Rom. 2.11. and 1 Cor. 2.16. and 15.33 Gal. 2.6. Eph. 4 29. and 5.4. and 6.9. Phil. 2. 5. Col. 3.15.8, 5. 16. 3.4.6. 1 Tim. 1.10. & 6.3, 4, 5, 6. & 2 Tim. 1 7.13. and 4.3. Tit. 1. 19. 17. and 2.1, 2.8. Jam. 2. 1. to 10. and 5. 12. and 1 Pet. 1.15, 16, 17. and 4. 12. and 2 John 9, 10, 11. and although there be ſuch a perfect and abſolute contrariety betwixt all the laws & conſtitutions of theſe two Kings or Maſters, and a continuall and perpetuall war betwixt the Subjects thereof, yet the weapons of the warfare of Chriſts Spiritual, Heavenly, and glorious Kingdom, handled and uſed by his Servants and true Subjects, who although they do walk in the fleſh, yet do they not war after the fleſh, and therefore their weapons of warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, caſting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of 2 Cor. 10. 3, 4, 5. Chriſt: The Armour of Proof of theſe Spiritual war • ing Subjects and Souldiers of this ſpiritual glorious King, is to have their loynes girt about with truth, & having on them the Breſt-plate of righteouſneſs, and their feet ſhod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, taking the Shield of Faith, wherewith they ſhall be able to quench the fiery-darts of the wicked, and taking the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Eph 6.13, 14, 15, 16.17. God; which Spiritual Sword, or Word of God, is quick and powerful, and ſharper then any two edged Sword, piercing, even to the dividing aſunder of ſoul and ſpirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; neither is there any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight, who is this Spiritual ſharp Sword, or eternall and everlaſting Word of God that indures for ever; but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to Heb. 14.12, 13. do. With which Spirituall Sword this ſpiritual conquering Lord and King, pricked and wounded to the very heart three thouſand of his enemies at once, by the Miniſtration of his ſingle Spiritual Souldier, the Apoſtle Peter, which made them bitterly to cry out for a Plaiſter, and a Phyſician to heal and cure Act. 2. 37. 4i. them: which ſpiritual Sword is the only and alone weapon that this glorious, conquering, ſpiritual King uſeth to ſight withall againſt all enemies, the powers of the Prince of Darkneſs of this world; and with which only and alone he conquereth and Rev. 1. 16. and 2. 12. 16. and 19.15.21. Hoſ. 6.7. overcometh carnal Weapons of any kinde whatſoever, having no place, nor being of no uſe at all in his ſpiritual Kingdom, for his Subjects are to love their enemies, to do good unto their haters, and to reſiſt or requite their evill with Matt. 5. 39, 40, 44, 45, 56. good, and to dwell in love towards all men, as the God of love himſelf dwells in Gal. 6.10. and 1 Theſ. 3 12 • & 5.14, 15.1 Joh. 4.16, 17. love, and to be holy as God is 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. holy, and perfect as he is Matt. 5.48. perfect, and therefore not in the leaſt to draw temporal weapons againſt their enemies; for among the true and real Saints of the Lord in the mountain of the Lord, where the Lord himſelf is the inward and ſoul-teacher and inſtructer of his people and Subjects in his own waies; there all the temporal ſwords are to be beat into plowſhares, and their earthly ſpears into pruning-hooks, & no more uſing of carnal ſwords, or ſo much as learning of earthly war, is to be exerciſed amongſt Ila. 2. 2, 3, 4, 5. them, but they are to walk in the pure, holy, & peaceable light of the Lord, which ſhal & wil lead the ſanctified, juſtified and redeemed ſoul to advancement, or ſet up the innocent, harmleſs, peaceable lamb-like nature, or ſeed of Chriſt, to become Lord and King in the heart, of, and over the Lyon like warring; devouring, and deſtroying wicked nature of the ſerpent, the devil, & ſatan, within man, yea in the Goſpel-mount of God, or the ſpiritual kingdom of Chriſt (under the Goſpel-diſpenſation) the habitation of the true Saint of God; The wolf ſhal dwel with the lamb, and the leopard ſhal ly down with the kid, & the calf, & the young lyon, & the fatling together, & a little child ſhal lead them. And the cow and the bear ſhal feed, their young ones ſhall lye down together. And the lyon ſhall eat ſtraw like the oxe. And the ſucking child ſhall play on the hole of the aſp, and the weaned child ſhall put his hand on the Cockatrice Den. They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy Eſa. ii.6, 7, 8, 9. & 65. 25. mountain, ſaith God; For the earth ſhall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea. Yea, they ſhall be far from Eſa. 54. 14. & 66. 11, 12. Oppreſſion: Yea, and violence ſhall no more be heard in the Land; (or the ſpirituall Kingdom, inhabited by the ſpirituall ſubjects, or true Saints of Chriſt, nor) waſting, nor deſtruction within their borders; but they ſhall call their wall ſalvation, and their Gates Praiſe. The Sun (or borrowed humane Lights, or Rudimentall Ordinances) ſhall be no more thy Light (ſaith God) by day, neither fo • brightneſs ſhall the Mooa give Light unto thee: but the Lord ſhall be unto thee an everlaſting Light, and thy God thy glory. Thy Sun ſhall no more go downe, neither ſhall thy Moon withdraw it ſelf, for the Lord ſhall be thine everlaſting Light, and the dayes of thy mourning ſhall be ended. Thy people ſhall be all Righteous, they ſhall inherit the Land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one ſhall become a thouſand, & a ſmall one a ſtrong nation; I the Lord wil haſten it in his Eſa. 60. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. See ch. 40. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26. Rev. 7. 14, 15, 16, 17. & 21. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 10. 11. 22, 23, 24, & 22. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. time.

In all which conſideration, I ſay, I have now the faithfull and true witneſs in my own ſoul, that the Lord himſelf is become within me, the Teacher of my ſoul, and inabler of me to walk in a meaſure of his pure wayes and paths; yea, and ſo clear a teacher within me, is he already become unto me, as that I with confidence beleeve my inward Teacher ſhal never now more be removed into a corner; but is, and ſhall be as a continual voice ſpeaking in my ears; This is the way, walk in Eſa. 30. 20, 21. ſee ch. 24. 18, 19. & 35.7, 8. & 42.2, 3, 4. 7. & 44 3. & 51. 7. & 54. 13. Prov. 6. 22, 23. Pſ. 37.31. Deu. 18.15, 16.18, 19. & 34. 6. Jer. 24.7. & 31.31, 32, 33, 34. and 32. 14, 15. Eze. 11.19. & 34.22, 23.24, 25, 26. 27 & 36.2 • , 25, 26, 27. and 37. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. Joel 2.28, 29. Matt. 11. • 7. Luk. 10. 22. Joh. 1.5 9 12 & 3.21. & 6.41. 45. & 7.37, 8, 39. and 9.5.39. & 10.7.9, 16. & 11.9, 10.25. 22. 12. 35, 36, 46.48. and 14. 16, 17, 18, 19.23 26. and 15.5.15. and 16, 17, 18.13, 14.26, 27, 28. Act. 1.4. and 2.4. 16, 17, 18. Rom. 10.7, 8, 9, 10. Gal. 1.15, 16. Heb. 8.7, 8, 9 10, 11. and 10.16.19, 20. and 1 Joh. 2.2. 20.27, and 3. 24. and 4.13. and 5. 10. ſee Act. 17.27, 28.31. and 26. 16. 18. Rom. 1.19.21. and 2.15.26, 27, 28, 29, and 1 Cor. 7.19. and 2 Cor. 2.3. & 4.6. Gal. 3.3. & 5.5,6. & 6.15. Phil. 3.3. Col. 2.11. & 3.11. & 3.11. & 1 Tim. 4.10. Tit. 2. 11, 12. & 1 Joh, 1.5, 6, 7. it: By which divine teaching I am now daily taught to dye to ſin, and led up by it into living power, to be raiſed up, and inabled to live in a pure meaſure of Righteouſneſs; and by which inward ſpiritual teachings, I am, I ſay again, led up into power in Chriſt, by which I particularly can, and do hereby witneſs, that I am already dead, or crucified, to the very occaſions, and real grounds of all outward wars, and carnal-ſword-fightings & fleſhly buſlings and conteſts; and that therefore I confidently now believe, I ſhall never hereafter be an uſer of a temporal ſword more, nor a joyner with thoſe that ſo do. And this I do here ſolemnly declare, not in the leaſt to avoid perſecution, or for any politick ends of my own, or in the leaſt, for the ſatisfaction of the fleſhly wils of any of my great adverſaries, or for ſatisfying the carnal will of my poor weak, afflicted wife; but by the ſpecial movings and compulſions of God now upon my ſoul, am I in truth and righteouſneſs compelled thus to declare, that ſo I may take away from my adverſaries all their fig-leaf-covers, or pretences of their continuing of my every way unjuſt bonds; And thereby, if yet I muſt be an impriſoned ſufferer, it may from this day forward, be for the truth, as it is in Jeſus: Which truth I witneſs to be truly profeſſed and practiſed by the ſavourieſt of people called quakers: And to this my preſent declaration, which I exceedingly long and earneſtly deſire to have in print, and for which I know that I can chearfully and aſſuredly lay down my life, if I be called to witneſs the truth of it, I ſubſcribe my outward name

From my innocent, and every way cauſeleſs captivity in Dover-Caſtle, the place of my ſouls delightful and contentful abode, where I have really and ſubſtantially found that which my ſoul many yeers hath ſought diligently after, and with unſatisfied longingneſs, thirſted to injoy, this preſent firſt day of the week, being the 4th of the 3d. month, 1655. IOHN LILBVRN, the new, or inward ſpiritual name, no man knowes but he that hath it. The End.