tlety, doth often get the managing of them, and turn the very zeal and earnestness of the mind (through prejudices and misapprehensions) against the Lord and his truth. Now, this is a very dangerous state, and there are some (who little think so) in this state, doing that against the Lord, and against his Christ, his truth, his people, which, if ever their eyes be opened, they will mourn bitterly over; and if their eyes be not opened, but they walk on by a wrong light (even by a light of their own gathering, imagining, and conceiving), whither will it lead them, and what will their end be? Oh that ye could hear! Oh that ye could fear aright! Oh that ye could rightly consider! Oh that ye could feel the life and power of the Lord near you, the Word of life near you, even as near as ye have felt the enemy and his temptations, that ye might partake of, and witness with joy, the virtue and redemption of it! Oh that ye could once aright look upon him whom ye have pierced, and yet daily pierce, and cannot but pierce, until the righteous judgments of the Lord be poured out on the head.of the transgressor in you, and the Lord waited upon, feared, and subjected to, in the way of his judgments, that ye may feel the refining work finished, the dross burned up, the temple prepared, the vessel brought out of the furnace! What then? Why, when the Lord hath built up Zion, prepared his temple, cleansed his house, will he not appear there in his glory? Shall it not become a house of prayer? of pure prayer, and of pure praises? Shall there be any lame or blind sacrifices offered up there? Shall it not be the beauty of holiness indeed? Shall not the appearance of the Lord be more glorious than ever it was in the temple and ordinances under the law? Shall not every living stone in this building feel the God of life and power present of a truth, and feel not only the earth, but the very heavens melt before him and pass away, and nothing remain but the pure light and life of the Lamb?, Words and promises spoken concerning things to be brought forth in the gospel state do not go beyond the things spoken; but the things brought forth excel and go beyond the words, being so felt and enjoyed by that which is fitted and prepared by the Lord, as words cannot utter. The Lord God lead all that rightly desire after him into the right way (and preserve them therein) of meeting with and enjoying what their hearts rightly desire, and beat back. the enemy in all his devices of entangling, perplexing, and drawing them aside; that they may receive the covenant, the new covenant, walk with God in the light thereof, live in the life thereof, obey through the power thereof; and may know what kind of meat and drink, what joy, delight, and pleasure it is to the soul to do the will, in the principle, and by the power, of the new life. So the Lord God Almighty, the Creator, Guider, and Preserver of his Israel, lead you out of the darkness, bring you through the wilderness, reveal the hope in you, and stay your minds thereon, and give you to feel the true travel and faithful walking with him in the footsteps of the flock, which he hath led and is leading his in, and unto some of whom (in the tender mercy which from on high hath visited them) he hath given full rest and satisfaction in his truth. A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE GROUND OF CERTAINTY AND SATIS- THINGS OF HIS KINGDOM. I HAVE been afflicted from my childhood, mourning and seeking after the Lord, and feeling very much grief and pain of spirit, through my sense of the want of him. I have not been contented with the way of religion I was educated in, but (through that of God which stirred in me) found great defects in it, and was drawn and led by his Spirit to travel through it, and seek further. That which I still sought after was the resting-place, the life of my soul, and power and presence of the Lord, that demonstration of his Spirit (as touching truth and the way of God) which was witnessed in the days of the apostles. Now, breathing af ter this, but not meeting with it, caused unutterable anguish, misery, and distress in my heart, so that my condition could not be hid within mine own breast, but my sorrow also brake forth in the sight of others. But at length the eternal bowels have pitied me, and have showed me the place of the soul's rest, and I have felt the eternal arm gathering me into, and giving me some possession of, a measure thereof; so that my heart is satisfied about religion and the things of God's kingdom, being taught of God how to know the Pearl, and the way also how to come to inherit and enjoy it; and in that way I have had great experience of the love, mercy, wisdom, goodness, power, and righteousness of the Lord; and notwithstanding all my soul's enemies, I still feel his presence, life, and power, to his praise, which doth the work in me, and which giveth me to hope in him, and wait upon him. And now in love and tenderness of bowels to others, it is in my heart to answer a question or two about the ground of the assurance and satisfaction which God hath given my soul; it being in my heart not to grieve or trouble any, but only to be helpful in holding forth what the Lord hath demonstrated to and written in my heart, as he shall draw, move, and enable my spirit thereunto; to whom my soul boweth, and giveth the praise of all that he hath done in me, and pleaseth by his Spirit and power to work through me. Quest. 1. It may be inquired by some, how I come to know the Spirit of God, and his church, and the scriptures of the holy men to be written by the inspiration and leading of his Holy Spirit; and how I know the motions and drawings of his Spirit in me, from the motions, suggestions, and temptations of the evil spirit; and how I am satisfied that I am in the way of truth and life eternal, and do not wander out of it, and err from it. Ans. Thus I know: By receiving, joining to, abiding and growing up in, that holy seed, which the Father of spirits hath sown in me. There is an elect seed which cannot possibly be deceived, which seed the Father soweth, and causeth to grow in the hearts of them that receive it; whose earth is by him digged and prepared for it. Now, I have felt this seed from God, this holy, pure thing, which there is nothing like for virtue and excellency. Nothing hath its nature besides it, nothing manifests the Father but it; the heart is changed, renewed, restored into the holy image by this alone. In this seed there is no deceit; no deceit ever came from it, no deceit ever entered into it, nor can; and from the day that I have known it, I have always felt preservation by it, while my heart hath been kept to it. Mine eye never missaw in it, mine ear never misheard in it, my heart never misunderstood in it; but here I have felt given to me, and maintained in me by God, the eye which sees, the ear which hears, the heart which understands the things of his kingdom; and here the entrance hath been ministered into the everlasting kingdom, where God reveals by his Spirit the mysteries of his kingdom, which all else are shut out of, but this seed and the birth which is of it. And when the enemy hath at any time in my travels, by any temptation or device, got in any degree between my soul and this seed; then a darkness, a loss, doubts, fears, troubles, &c. have so far come over my soul. Quest. 2. But how know I this seed? may some inquire. Ans. By its nature, by its properties, by its manifesting of itself in my heart. It hath that light, that life, that power in it, which I never met with anywhere else. It bruiseth the head of the serpent at its pleasure, whereby I know it to be the seed of the woman. It dasheth in pieces (through subjection to it) whatever is contrary to God, and bringeth up his holy nature in me. It so bringeth me into the very image of his Son, that what I read in the Scriptures concerning the nature, righteousness, and work of salvation by Christ, I find formed and springing up in mine own heart, as I am gathered into, and brought forth in, this seed. Yea, I really feel that I am born of God's Spirit, so far as I am born of this. Here I feel, know, understand, and am acquainted with, the substance, the thing itself, that which all the types and figures of the law shadowed out. Here I meet with the circumcision which is without outward hands; the baptism which is without outward water; the supper of the Lord which is without outward bread or wine; and here I know the true Jew, whose nature, spirit, works, and ways are all of God, in and through his Son, Jesus Christ. and here I must profess, I cannot doubt concerning the things of God: but in the light and anointing of this seed, see both the mystery of iniquity, and the mystery of godliness, and the ways and workings of each spirit, both inwardly and outwardly; and my unity with the one (through the tender mercy, goodness, love, and power of the Lord, all which are herein revealed), and my separation from the other. And this is the true way of certainty and satisfaction, which is of God, and will stand, when all the several ways of men's inventions will fail of what they promise to men, and fall in the sight of men. For this seed and birth of God are to be acknowledged, and reign in the day of his power, and not another. And it is the day of his power in some, and shall be the day of his power in others; for darkness or death shall not prevail to bring the life of the risen Son into the sepulchre or grave again; but he shall ride on conquering and to conquer, subduing and to subdue, reigning and to reign, until he hath brought all things under the dominion of the Father's power. A QUESTION ANSWERED ABOUT THE WAY OF KNOWING THE Quest. How may a man know the motions, doctrines, and teachings of Christ's Spirit inwardly, from the deceivable movings, appearings, and workings of a contrary spirit? And how may a man know concerning the doctrines that others teach, whether they speak from Christ, or whether they speak of themselves? Ans. This is a great matter indeed, and he must first re |