To All That Would Know The Way To The Kingdom
A warning to all sorts of people who live in sin and uncleanness, For the wicked must be turned into hell, and all that forget God: And who are workers of iniquity are accused from Christ: for saith he, Go ye cursed, ye workers of iniquity into utter darkness.
I Am the light of the world, and enlightens every one that comes into the world: Christ hath enlightened every one that comes into the world; thou that lovest that light, which Christ hath enlightened thee withall, thou brings thy works to the light, that thy deeds may be proved that they are wrought in God; and he that walks in the light, there is no occasion of stumbling in him, it teacheth righteousness and holiness, it will keep thee from lying, and not let thee lye, and keep thee in tenderness of conscience towards God and man, and never let thee swear, it will check thee if thou dost; the light will not let thee take Gods name in vain, it will let thee see if thou dost, whom must not go unpunished; And will never let thee follow drunkenness, nor vain company, for who lives in that nature, are without God, and shall never inherit the Kingdom of God; therefore beware, this light will keep thee from adultery and whoredom for such will God Judge; and the light will keep thee from theft, quarrelling and fighting, and abusing thy self with {Page 2} mankind, and envy, and will keep thee in fear of God, this light which is of God, and let thee see all the works of the world, and draw thee out of the worships of the world, and keep thee in the fear of God, where the true wisdom is made manifest, the pure wisdom is made manifest to the pure, and put into the pure heart, and then thy own wisdom thou wilt see with the light, arising out of the earthly part in thee; which wisdom is sensual, and devilish, and earthly; for while there is enviousness in thee, there lodgeth the manslayer, and all the wisdom is from below, while that nature stands: there’s Sects, and there’s Opinions, and theres conceivings ariseth out of earthly part, where Lodgeth this wisdom, and self-conceit, and pride, and by this wisdom the living God is not known, and so all who dwells in this wisdom put the Letter for the word, and give meanings and expositions upon it, and so gathers together with the outward Letter, not having the power and life that gave it forth; so there’s castles builded, and strong holds, and fenced cities, and high walls, as the Jews, who had the outward form of that which was given forth from the power, the form of the Prophets, and Moses, and David, and Abraham, who saw Christ, who lived in the power, but the Pharisees and the Priests getting their words, knew not Christ: so it is now with this generation of the world: for you say, ye know Christ: the Jews said, they were of Abraham, the same, so they had gotten the letter, and other words which had the power, and all these are but imitations, and likenesses which are above, lifted up above the pure, and here lodgeth the serpent in this earthly part: but as the eternal light which Christ hath enlightened you withall is loved, minded, and taken heed unto, this earthly part is wrought out, the daily cross is taken up, the fear of the Lord grows, the true wisdom increaseth, the errors of the wicked are discovered and made manifest, the unjust comes to suffer, the just comes to reign, the wisdom of the world comes to be confounded, then the heathen begin to rage, then tumult’s arise. And dwelling in the light, all Sects, and all Opinions, and Religions are discovered, and stand naked before the Lord, and before all who are of God, and seen with the eternal eye, which all ariseth out of the earthly part, and the earth is but one, and all they do raise their {Page 3} ground from the Letter,, which is given forth from the power. Now the power dwelling in it, in the eternal light, all Sects and Opinions come to be judged and overturned, and seen to be chaff, and is to be burned with that which cannot be quenched, for the light is but one, which is Christ, who enlightened every one, and all are enlightened with one light, every one taking heed to that light which Christ hath enlightned you withall, it leads you out of Sects, out of form, out of the beauty of the World, to live in life and power: and waiting in the light which Christ hath enlightned you withal, you come to be Disciples of Jesus Christ, and servants to the truth, and not to serve the lusts, nor the desires, nor pleasures, but the light it judgeth them, for serving the desires and the lust thou turns into the beastly nature in the world, and into the flesh, and come to be darkened, and vailed, then thy throat is an open Sepulchre, that thou drinkest up iniquity as it were water: but dwelling in the light, it judgeth all that; and all thy works, and action come to be judged by that light, and all walking in this light which Christ hath enlightened your with, you all walking in unity and oneness of mind and lay away all guile, sin, and uncleanness, and all thought to fear the Lord God; and it will lead you to the Church of God, from the Church in the world, and from your Teachers , to cease from men, to be taught alone of God, who teacheth eternal things eternally; and leads the mind up out of external things: and dwelling in the light, there’s no occasion at all of stumbling, for all things are discovered with the light: thou that lovest it, here’s thy teacher, when thou art walking abroad, its present with thee in thy bosom, thou need not say, Lo here, or Lo there: and as thou lies in thy bed its present to teach thee, and judge thy wandring mind; which would wander abroad, and thy high thoughts and imaginations, and makes them subject; for following thy thoughts thou art quickly lost: dwelling in this light, it will discover to thee the body of sin, and thy corruptions, and fallen estate, where thou art, and multitude of thoughts: in that light which shews thee all this, stand, neither go the right hand, nor to the left: here’s patience exercised, here’s thy will subjected, here thou wilt see the mercies of God made manifest in death: here thou wilt see the drinking of the Water of Shiloah, which run softly, and the {Page 4} promises of God fulfilled, which are to the seed, which seed is Christ: there thou wilt find a Saviour, & the election thou wilt come to know & the reprobation and what is cast from God, and what enters: he that can own me here, and receive me into his heart , the immortal seed is born up, and thy own will thrust forth, for it is not him that willeth, nor him that ruineth, but the first step of peace is to stand still in the light, which discovers things contrary to it, for power and strength to stand against that nature which the light discovers: here grace grows, here’s God alone glorified and exalted, and the unknown truth, unknown to the world, made manifest, which draws up that which lie in the Prison, and refresheth it in time, up to God, out of time, through time.
Whom God loves he loves to the end, where the eternal unity is, where is all peace, all clean, no jatre, who all of one mind, hid from the worlds wisdom, knowledge, and comprehension, and thoughts can never enter, as it is written, The world by wisdom knows not God, and he is coming to confound the wisdom of the wise. And the Church in God, is not in imitation, gathered from the Letter, and a high flown people in their imaginations, but are them who are born again of the Immortal Seed, by the word of God, which lives and endures for ever, which the world knows not; for the Word cuts asunder, hews down all wickedness, corruption, pride, and honour of man, that all the honour and glory may be given alone to God; he hews down the first, that he may establish the second, and raise up the second; and the Word of the Lord is a fire, burns up all the corruptions, burns up all that it has hewn down, and as a hammer to beat down that nothing can stand it; and this is the Word by which the Saints are born again; you are born again by the immortal Word, which lives and endures for ever, and feeding upon the milk of the Word, which Word is God, which Word became flesh and dwelt among us, so he is the Head of the Church, and they are lively stones, but all you now, who put the Letter for the Word, and have gotten it in your minds, and gather Assemblies by it; this you cannot witness and it is blasphemy for you to say, the Letter is the Word, when the {Page 5} Letter saith, God is the Word; and it is a lie to speak and say, the Steeple-house is the Church; or to say, them that are gathered by the form of the Letter, is the Church of God: for the Church is the Pillar and Ground of Truth, gathered by the Eternal Power before Letter was; and all who are in this Church, as it is called of the world, and live in the comprehension of the Letter, and the earthly part yet standing, there is devilishness in your minds, and earthliness, and pride, and filth; and do but hearken to that in thy conscience, and it will let thee see so: and while that is standing, such sacrifice God accepts not; and praises, while the nature is standing, God accepts not, which is Cains, which God has no respect, but to Abels: and God is coming to judge the great Whore, all manner of Opinions, and all manner of Sects, and Fellowships; as you call them, all manner of Forms, several, as every one livs in, God is coming to overturn and overthrow, for they alle lodge in her; all the Foundation of them is in the Earth, and earthly wisdom, gathered in the Earthly nature; he will overturn them, that he may establish his own truth, his own truth in righteousness, his own Kingdom. Now the stone cut out of the Mountain without hands; begins to strike at the feet of the Image, that the head of Gold begins to fall: and the Breast of Silver, and Thighs of Brass, and Feet part Iron, and part Clay, & his Dominion is a Dominion for ever over all. And all who dwells not in this light, which Christ hath enlightned you withal, you will be found too light, for he is coming to weigh all thing in this balance; & before him the Hills shall move & the mountains shall melt, & the rocks shall cleave, who measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, and his thunders begin to utter their voices, that the mysteries of God may be opened, and the carnal hearts rent; great earth quakes shall be; the terrible day of the Lord draws neer, the Beast shall be taken, and the false Prophet into the fire they must go, for the Beast and the false Prophet hath gone together, the one has Holden up the other. Now is the Lord coming to sit as Judge, and reign as King, who is the Law-giver which shall go forth of Zion. Now shall Zion rise and thresh to beat the hills, & thresh the mountains, now is the Sword drawn, which glitters and is fourbushed, the Sword of the Almighty, {Page 6} to hew down Baals Priests, corrupt Judges, corrupt Justices, corrupt Lawyers, fruitless Trees which cumber the ground. Drunkard, thou canst not hide thy self, cursed speaker, thou canst not hide they self. Awake awake all people every where who live in Forms, see what ye possess: not having that eternal spirit that gave forth the Scriptures; all your formal Prayers, formal Preaching, formal Singing, will be found as the chaff, which is for the unquenchable fire; for Christ is risen, the true light shines, the glory of the Lord appears, and you are discovered to him, to be empty of that eternal spirit to be born up in your understandings, which gave forth the Scriptures, I am the light which enlighteneth every one, that light you hate, and all who hate this light, set up teachers without them, but all who love this light, it is of God, and teacheth to God, which is a cross to all the world, and this light it is in every one, waiting in it to receive Christ; and as may as receive Christ, to them he gives power to become sons of God, which are not born of the will of man, nor by the will of man, but by the will of God: but these are them who are out of imitations, and have no Images, nor no likeness of truth, but are in it, and possess it: Glory, glory to the Lord God for ever, who governs his people, and is the head of the Church, Christ is the head of the man, God is the head of Christ, he that can receive this, if he had not known the Letter let him, he is come before the Letter was written, In the beginning was the word.
To all you that hate the light, your deeds are evil, Christ saith, He is the light of the world, and enlighteneth every one that comes into the world: The one he loves the light, and brings his works to the light, and walk in it, there is no occasion of stumbling in him: The other he hates the light, and will not bring his works to the light to be made manifest, because his deeds are evil, and the light will reproved him. Thou that saith, this light is natural, thou art a blasphemer; and thou that saith Christ doth not enlighten every one that come into the world, thou art a lyar, and denier of Christs words, and laies waste the Scripture, and thou that saith this light is naturall, thou puts the Letter for the light, which {Page 7} is natural; true it is, darkness cannot comprehend this light, but the light makes manifest darkness, and this is the condemnation of the world, the light, thou hatest this light, thou hast it. Christ saith, Swear not at all, the light will say the same to thee, in thee, Christ saith He that lustest after a Woman committeth adultery with her in his heart: This light will tell thee the same, bringing thy works to it, and loving it. Christ cried woe against the Pharisee, the Hypocrite; this light will let thee see the same. Christ will say, Go ye cursed workers of iniquity, this light will say the same to thee, in thee, who art a worker of iniquity; here shalt thou be condemned with the light, and judged with the light out of thy mouth; this light will let thee see all thy hard speeches, thy venomous thoughts, thy evil intentions, and covetous desires, which is Idolatry, and dissembling and deceit, to be works of the darkness, and let thee see that all those things are evil; there thou hast learned thy condemenation, there is thy teacher, that would teach thee to know God, there is thy condemnation, hating that light it will condemn thee from him: Thou wilt say, thou knowest in the conscience that drunkenness is sin, here thou lovest darkness rather than the light that shews it thee, and lying, and swearing, and cursed speaking is sin, and yet thou followeth it, and pleasures, there thou lovest darkness rather than the light that shews thee them, because thy deeds are evil, and there thou hast learned thy condemnation, when Gods righteousness shall be revealed in flames of fire, thou shalt witness I speak truth. Thou knowest theft is sin, and all unrighteousness God forbids, thou wilt see something in thy conscience tells thee so; if thou hearken to that, it will exercise thy conscience, and bring thee to repentance. Christ saith, I call sinners to repentance, that in thee calls thee to repentance, and if thou hearken to that, thou hearkens to Christ, and if thou hate that, thou hates Christ, and God, then thou turns into the sorcery, into all uncleaness, and then God is not in thy thoughts, and then thou art the disobedient one, which disobeys the light which God hath enlightned thee with, and there the wrath of God abides on thee, and the Prince of Air rules in thee, as he doth in all the children of {Page 8} disobedience, who hates this light. Now do not think that I hold free-will here, mans free-will, I speak of that which is contrary to mans will, and loving the light it will keep your wills from running, and your wills from willing any thing, and keeps it in subjection; but that hates the light, and makes a profession of God, and Christ and saith, the letter is the work, and the four Books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, is the Gospel, thou knowest not Christ, which is glad tidings, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world; for the letter takes not away sin; and thou that sayest thou had not come to repentance, if thou had not known the letter, thou deniest Christ, who comes to call sinners to repentance before the letter was, but it is he that calls to repentance sinners, and not the letter, but the letter is a declaration of the word, the book, God is the word; and it is a declaration of the light, Christ is the light, and a declaration of Spirit, but the Spirit is not in it; a declaration of power, the power is not in it; the power, and the life, and the light, was in them that spoke it forth, which ever the world hated; therefore waiting in the light, which Christ hath enlightned you with, that’s Scripture within you, and that will open the Scriptures according as you grow in the light, the Saints conditions, as you are sanctified, and as you are cleansed and made free with the Son of God; and Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath raised him from the dead, and by him raised us up from the dead.
And to you that tempt God, and say, the Lord give us a sight of our sins, Priests and people, does not the light, which Christ hath enlightned you with, let you see your sin, that lying, and swearing , cursed speaking, theft, murder, and whoredom, and covetousness, and pride, and lust, and pleasure, all these to be the works of flesh, and fruits of darkness? This light within you lets you see it, so you need not tempt God to give you a sight of your sins, for you know enough, and waiting in the light, power and strength will be given to you; they that wait upon the Lord their strength, shall be renewed and living in the light, and walking up to God, it will bring you to {Page 9} true hunger and thirst after righteousness, that you may receive the Blessing from God, and give over tempting of God, to give you a sight of your sins. And to all ye that say, God give us grace, and we shall refrain from our sin, there ye have got a tempting customary word, for the free grace of God hath appeared to all men, and this is the grace of God, which shews thee ungodliness and worldly lusts. Now thou that livest in ungodliness, lying, and swearing, and theft, and murther, and drunkenness, and filthy pleasures, and lusting after the world, thou art he that turns the free grace of God into wantonness, and casts his laws behind thy back & walkest despightfully against the spirit of grace; here the Scriptures is fulfilled upon thee Oh vain man! yet thou canst say, God is merciful; yet lives in thy wickedness, passing on thy time without fear of God, sporting thy self in thy wickedness. Oh ye covetous proud Priests! which deceives the Nations, who mind earthly things, whose God is your belly, who glory in your shame, enemies of the Cross of Christ, your destruction is coming, that ye shall not make a prey upon the people any longer; the Lord hath spoken it.
Oh ye great men, rich men of the earth! weep and howl, for your misery is coming, who heaps up treasure for the last day, your gold and silver shall eat you up as the rust and the canker, the fire is kindled, the day of the Lord is appearing, a day of howling will be amongst your fat Bulls of Bashan, that all the tall Cedars and strong Oaks must be Hewen down, and all the loftiness of men must be laid low, then shall the Lord alone be exalted.
The free grace of God is the Saints teacher, which teacheth them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live righteously and godly, like God, in this evil present world, denying all the worlds lusts, and worlds waies, and worlds teachers, and works of darkness, which grace is turned in wantoness, by those who follow the course of the world, and the works of darkness, drunkenness, and uncleannesss, and such are they who cannot abide sound doctrine, which heaps up teachers, having itching ears. And all who turn this grace of God into wantonness, {Page 10} deny it to teach them, and they live in their worldly lusts and ungodliness. Oh how doth the Land mourn because of Oaths? Oaths are heard in the streets openly belched forth. Oh how doth the pride and haughtiness of Men and Women abound, scarce know how to walk in the streets? Oh how doth Oppression and Tyranny rule, that the cries of the poor are entered into the Ear of the Lord of Sabboths? Oh how doth drunkenness and drunkards walk abroad in the streets, which devoures the creatures? The Lord is rising and surely he will be avenged of all his Adversaries. He is come to sweep the Land of evil doers, that the earth shall yield her increase, and the Land enjoy the Sabbaths: And he will sit a Judge, and righteousness shall run down our streets, and God alone be magnified and glorified, to whom it alone belongs for ever, Oh how doth all the creation groan under this bondage of corruption? the Lord is pouring out his Spirit upon all flesh, that his sons and daughters may Prophesie up and down this great City, and none shall make them afraid, crying for Justice, crying for Righteousness, crying for Equity: for the cry of the great Whore is come up before the Lord, who is adulterated from the truth, they who hate this light hate Christ which is the husband, and goes from him: they who love the light, have the Husband which is Christ, but the Judgement of the great Whore is come, who made all Nations to drink of the cup of her Fornication, who must drink of the cup of the indignation of the wrath of God poured out without mixture, who must have it filled double, Rejoyce, rejoyce all ye Prophets and holy men of God, triumph in glory: sing aloud praise to the Lord God almighty and Omnipotent, who is come to reign: rejoyce over the world, over the false Prophets, over the Beast, over the Whore, which is adulterated from the light, and tells all her lovers that the light is natural, and so denies the husband Christ Jesus, and lives in Fornication: but all who loves the light, and walks in the light, witness Jesus Christ to be the husband, and this light to be spiritual: Now she is convinced of her adultery, of her witchcraft, of her sorcery, and that which doth convince her is the light which Christ hath enlightened her with, and this is her condemnation. And now the Judgement of the great Whore is {Page 11} come, God will be avenged on her, who had drunk the blood of all his Saints, who dwelt in the light, and loved the light.
All who hate this light, they set up to be their light, such as are called Men Masters; have the chief places in the Assemblies, stand making long Prayer, lay heavy burthens upon the people, which devour widows houses, the widow has not a husband, all are widows who are devoured of such; but who loves the light which Christ hath enlightned them with, it joyns them to Christ, and then they witness him to be their husband, and such are not devoured of them. And who hate this light, hold up them who bear rule by their means, which Jeremy, who dwelt in the light, was sent to cry out against. And they that hate this light, hold up them that cry for their gain from their quarter, and never have enough; which Isaiah who dwelt in the light was sent to cry out against. And they that hate the light go after the error of Balaam,and hold up such who love the wages of unrighteousness; and all who hate this light have the spirit error, and what that spirit of error follows, And all who hate this light, hold up the Hirelings that Micha cryed against, and such as call for the Fleece, and cloath themselves with the wool, that Ezekial cryed against, who was the light, and full of the spirit. Now where the same light is made manifest, as was in the Prophets which saw Christ in the light; and the Apostles in the same light, which gave forth the Scripture, all the Scripture is witnessed; and here we are grounded upon the Prophets, upon the Apostles and Christ the Corner-stone, in the eternal light, by which we see the Priests bear rule by their means now, and seek for their gain, form their Quarter now, and are greedy dumb Dogs now, nay worse than Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but durst not take it; but these sue men at the Law for it; worse than Simon Magos, who would have bought the spirit, but these sell the letter: this corrupt doctrine hath long reigned, but now is made manifest, and in this light we see the Hirelings that Preach peace, but he that puts not in their mouths, they prepare war against him, and by which light, we see teachers who profess they are sent of Christ to be in the seat of the Scribes and Pharisee, and are called of {Page 12} men Masters, and have the chiefest places, going in their long robes, love salutations in the Markets, have the uppermost seats at Feasts, and under pretence making long Prayers, devouring widows houses, which Christ cryed woe against, and such we cannot own as sent of Christ, nor hold up, for if we should, we should deny the Scriptures, and hold up that which Christ forbids; and if we should hold up them who rule by their means, we should deny Jeremiah to be a true Prophet, who cryed against such; and if we should hold up such as go for gifts and rewards, who love the wages of unrighteousness, we should deny the Apostle, who cried against such; for the same light is manifest, praised be the Lord God, by which they are seen and cannot be owned, but must be denied, as they were by the Prophets, by Christ, by the Apostles; and if we should hold up such that say, Revelations are ceased, we should deny the Son, as they do, for none knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son reveals him, and so we deny those to know any thing of Christ, which deny the Son, and deny Revelations: for the Apostle, which was a Minister of God, he was not a Minister of Christ, til the Son was revealed in him, and then he Preached him, and Preached the Kingdom of God, so all who deny Revelations deny the Son and the Father both, and live in their imaginations of the Letter: And the Apostle exhorts the Saints to have the loins of their mind girded up, and hope to the end, for the grace that was to be brought to them at the Revelation of Jesus Christ; now he was a Minister, and did exhort to wait for the Revelation of Jesus Christ: but now thou that denies Revelations, dost declare thy self openly, to be no Minister, and raceth thy self out from among the Ministers of Christ, and thou goest in the waies of Cain, thou art raced out from Abel, for in thy heart lodgeth Persecution, and thy mouth utters it, and thy hands Acts it. And you that speak of Divination of your own heart, are raced out from them who speak from the mouth of the Lord: for the Prophets of the lord cried out ever against such, and so they do now: and ye that seek for gain {Page 13} from your quarter, are they that are raced out from the true Prophets of God; they cryed against you, and the same light cries out against you now, otherwise the Prophets should be made of none effect, for they spoke forth freely and so they do now that speak forth the same light; the light is free, which hath enlightned every one that comes into the world; thou that hates it, has learned thy condemnation; it lets thee see all the evil deeds of thy heart: And the Gopel is free to every creature, not to be bought and sold for money: Oh shameless men, that tell People the Letter is the Word, and buy and sell it for money, which is but a Declaration of the Word, and the Grace is free, which hath appeared to all men, which is the Saints teacher, and you need not have any teacher if you own the Grace, which shews your ungodliness and worldly lusts; this Grace will teach you to deny it, and the Light which hath enlightned every one that comes into the world, there’s every one of your condemnation in particular that hates it, and there every one of your teachers that loves it: which is but one, and will open all the Figures, and the Parables and Types to you: and waiting in it, it will guide you to God, there is your teacher: there is your condemnation: every one of you shall eternally witness me, to that which exerciseth your conscience do I speak, for now the mighty day of the Lord is coming, meet him, by putting off your works of darkness. God that made the world and all things in it, dwels not in Temples made with hands, neither will be worshipped with men’s inventions: but Israel, when he had forgotten his Maker, builded Temples; and Judah builded fenced Cities: but the Lord will send fire to devour them, and all your Songs shall be turned into Mourning, the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Oh then, all ye that profess, see that you profess no more than you are.
All who stumbles at the light are without, and are not come to repentance, and so all who stumbles at the light, stumbles at repentance: All who stumbles at the light, stumbles at the door, the door is known by the light which comes from Christ: And all who stumbles at the light, stumbles at the way; {Page 14} for Christ hath enlightned every one, that with the light he might see the way, (which is Christ) to the Father. So all who stumbles at the light, stumble at the Scriptures, and not know the meaning of them; for that eye that is turned from the light, is the blind, and leads into the ditch, and is to be condemned with the light from Christ: And all who stumbles at the light never knew Hope which purifies, nor Faith which purifies, nor the belief which overcomes the world; but he walks in darkness, and doth not know whether he goes, and the Children of light which dwels in the light, to him their condition is unknown, for he hates that which they walk in: So with that he is condemned, and to you all this is the word of God; And all who stumbles at the Prophets words, and cannot understand the words of them, spoken from the light which in them was; And all who stumbles at the light, stumbles at the Apostles words, which were declared from the light which was made manifest in all Consciences which ministred to the Spirit in Prison: So all who stumbles at the light, they are to be condemned with the light from the life of the Prophets and Apostles, which dwelt in the light with the rude wicked world. And here every one shall witness his condemnation just, and see it Just, with the light which shews him his evil deeds, and Christs words true, and to own his condemnation.
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