IN Page 9. he ſaith, [The Law is not written in the Seed of Faiths Nature at all, but in the Seed of Reaſons Nature only. (Reaſon, or the Spirit of Reaſon, he ſaith, is the Devil, p. 15.)]

Obſerv. The Sum of the Law is Love: Even to love God above all, and ones Neighbour as ones ſelf. And this Love, which is the Sum of the Law, and fulfils the Law, God writeth in the hearts of his ſpiritual Seed.

In p. 15. he affirmeth, [That that ſaying of the Devil was true which he laid to Chriſt, All the Kingdoms of the Earth are mine.]

Obſerv. The Earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof. The Devil hath no right to it. God never gave it him: but God himſelf is Judge, who throweth down one and ſetteth up another, diſpoſing of the Kingdoms of men according to his pleaſure, Pſal. 75. 7. Dan. 4. 25.

In p. 19. he ſaith, [There never was no Enmity between the Perſon of the Serpent and the Perſon of the Woman: but the Enmity which lay between them was in the two Seeds.]

Obſerv. Is not the Enmity as expeſsly placed by God between the Serpent and the Woman, as between their Seeds? I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed, Gen. 3. 15.

In p. 21. he ſaith, [So that now God himſelf is not capable to diſſolve himſelf into Seed or Nature, as he was before.]

Obſerv. Is God changable? Is he one thing to day, and another thing tomorrow? and can he never be any more what he was yeſterday? His god may be ſo: but the true God is not ſo. (I the Lord change not.) his Nature, his Seed, his Life, his Spirit, his Power is the ſame for ever.

Further in p. 21. he ſaith, [Theſe two Seeds were thoſe two ſpiritual bodies which are called by the revelation of Moſes two Trees. Yet they were in forms of men, and was capable as they were ſpiritual bodies to diſſolve into Seed or Nature, and ſo become capable to ſuffer the paine of death.]

Obſerv. O the depth of imagination from that Spirit, which giveth imaginations to them that will receive them! He that is taught of God never learned thus; but learneth much otherwiſe: and in the feeling ſenſe and experience knoweth the two Seeds, and is born of the one and ſeparated from the other from the very womb, I mean, from his birth of the Jeruſalem which is above, which is free (from the ſpirit of deceit and all its imaginary knowledge) which is the Mother of all that are born of the Spirit.

In p. 22. he ſaith, [Knowledge proceedeth from life that hath wiſdom in it.]

Obſerv. Living knowledge doth. But there is a knowledge which comes not from the true Wiſdom; nor doth convey Life but Death. And ſuch is the knowledge which he hath from his god, and holdeth forth to others: it poyſons and corrup • the mind, and leads out of the capacity of receiving and obeying the Truth, as it is in Jeſus.

In p. 27. he ſaith, [Reaſon can feed on nothing but what it can ſee with this viſible eye.]

Obſerv. That is not Reaſons food only, which is ſeen with this viſible eye: but Reaſon is in the mind, and feeds chiefly on thing which the mind gathers and comprehends inwardly.

In p. 29. he ſaith, [I declare by revelation from the holy Spirit, that out of theſe two ſpiritual trees came forth theſe two Commiſſions, namely the Commiſſion of Moſes and the Prophets, and the Commiſſion of Jeſus and the Apoſtles.]

Obſerv. He had ſaid before, p. 11. One of theſe trees was the tree of knowledge of good and evil (in the form of a man, p. 14.) that tempted Adam. Was that which tempted Adam, the tree out of which Moſes his Commiſſion came? Doth not he call this tree the Serpent? (p. 30.) Had Moſes his Commiſſion from the Serpent? Surely every one that is of God will ſay, no.

In p. 30. he ſaith, [Theſe two Olive-trees and Candleſticks here ſpoken of, I declare are thoſe two Commiſſions which came forth of theſe two ſpiritual trees.]

Obſerv. One of theſe trees he ſaid was the very Perſon of God himſelf, p. 10. That the other was the tree that tempted Adam: whereas the Tree did not tempt Adam, but the Serpent tempted Eve to eat of the Fruit of the Tree.

Again p. 30. he ſaith, [Moſes acted as a God in the perſon of the Angel or Tree of knowledge of good and evil.]

Obſerv. Moſes was faithfull in all his houſe as a Servant. Nor did he act in the perſon of the Serpent; for the Serpent was the Devil, and was out of Truth long before Moſes time, and ſpake of his own: but Moſes ſpake and miniſtred from the pure holy Spirit of Life. Was not the Devil defiled, a corrupt tree, an Angel fallen from his habitation, before he tempted Eve and Adam to ſin and fall? And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? or an holy Commiſſion out of the Devil?

In p. 31. he ſaith, [The Law (ſpeaking of Moſes Law) which is juſt and good, doth enlighten Reaſon to do as he is done unto, not as he would be done unto.]

Obſerv. If Chriſt may be believed, he ſaith otherwiſe: for he ſaith, All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets, Matth. 7. 12. So that the Law and the Prophets did teach and require this, not only for a man to do as he is done unto, but as he would be done to.

In p. 32. he ſaith, [The Law of Reaſon is called a law of ſin and death, it being given unto reaſon, becauſe reaſon is ſin; for there is nothing doth break the Law but Reaſon]

Obſerv. Thoſe that are delivered by the powerfull appearance of Chriſt from the law of ſin and death, knows it to be another Law then the Law of Reaſon, even a law contrary not only to the Life of Chriſt, but to the reaſon and underſtanding of a man, bringing him below the ſtate of Reaſon, even into bruitiſh captivity and ſenſuality. Doth Reaſon teach a man to mannage his body deſtructively and unreaſonably, as the corrupt and unreaſonable law of ſin and death teacheth many men? Reaſon is not ſin: but a deviating from that from which Reaſon came, is ſin. God did not create man in ſin; or make a ſinful Creature: but he gave him Reaſon, and thereby made him reaſonable.

In p. 34. he ſaith, [The Moon (Rev. 12.) did ſignifie the Law of Moſes, which muſt now be trod underfoot by the Sun-ſhine Light of the Goſpel.]

Obſerv. No not ſo: the Law is not trod underfoot by the Light and Power of Life, when it appeareth; but its righteouſneſs is fulfilled in them that walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8. 4. Chriſt did not teach men to tread Moſes and his Law underfoot; but brings forth that Life and beſtows that Spirit, which leads through and beyond the Law, even to the righteouſneſs of Faith, (which the Apoſtle Paul ſaid) they did not make the Law void by, Rom. 3. 31. Therefore not trod underfoot through Faith in the Goſpel.

In p. 37. he ſaith, [There was none of the Prophets that were commiſſionated to write Scripture.]

Obſerv. They ſpake and wrot as they were moved by the holy Spirit, and is not that a ſufficient Commiſſion? In his Book called The neck of the Quakers broken, he had ſcoffingly caſt away the Writings of Solomon from being Scripture; and now he caſts away the Writings of all the Prophets too, as being written without Commiſſion?

In p. 42. he argueth againſt Gods being an infinite, incomprehenſible Spirit, ſaying, [Such a great vaſt Spirit doth not know it ſelf, neither can this vaſt Spirit tell where to find or ſee it ſelf: and if it cannot know or ſee it ſelf, how ſhould his Creature be able to know or ſee his Maker, when as he cannot know or ſee himſelf? Then alſo that would be a vain thing which is ſpoken of in holy writ, where it is ſaid, It is Life Eternal to know the true God.]

Obſerv. Here is dark imaginations indeed. He that cannot read in the Spirit, let him read that place, Iſa. 40. 12. according to the plainneſs of the Letter, and ſee if God can be leſs then infinite and incomprehenſible. He that knoweth the Nature and Spirit of God, knoweth God, though he be not able to meaſure or diſcern the utmoſt extent of his Beeing, which who can? For he is a Sea of Life, a Sea of Love, a Sea of Purity and Righteouſneſs, a Sea of Power and Wiſdom, &c. but in a meaſure of the ſame Life, received from him, we know him ſo to be; and worſhip him in the Spirit and Life which is of him; not making likeneſſes of him in our minds, but bowing to him and worſhipping him in his own appearances.

In p. 77. he ſaith, [The holy Ghoſt ſate upon none like as of fire, but the Twelve Apoſtles; neither could any other ſpeak with tongues by inſpiration, but the Twelve Apoſtles.]

Obſerv. This is directly contrary to the Teſtimony held forth in Scripture. For, ſaid Peter, the holy Ghoſt fell on them, as on in at the beginning, Acts 11. 15. And they of the Circumciſion which believed were aſtoniſhed, becauſe that on the Gentiles alſo was poured out the gift of the holy Ghoſt. For they heard them ſpeak with tongues and magnifie God, Chap. 10. 45, 46.

In p. 52. he ſaith, [Chriſt's Apoſtles could do no miracles, neither could they caſt out Devils until he was aſcended.]

Obſerv. Did they not caſt out Devils and do miracles, while he was on Earth? Did not he give them power ſo to do? See Mat. 10. 8.

In p. 59. and 60. he ſpeaking of the wild Olive-tree, and the good Olive-tree. [The wild Olive-tree, he ſaith, is the ſtate of nature or reaſon, the Devil which is wild by nature. The good Olive-tree, he ſaith, was the very Perſon of Chriſt, which the Gentiles were ingrafted into by Faith. But the Commiſſion of Miſes and the Prophets proceeded from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, he acting his part in that Seed, &c.] which he afore ſaid was the Serpent.

Obſerv. Is the wild Olive-tree (the Devil which is wild by nature) one of Gods Witneſſes, or the head or root from whence any of the Commiſſions of Gods Spirit came? Did the Law of God, which was againſt Sin and the Devil, come from the Devil? Is not the Law holy, juſt and good? and did it come from an unholy root? What was the Olive-tree the Jews were broken off from? Read their ſtate, Rom. 9. 4, 5. and 11. 16, 17. Was this holy Root they were broken from a wild Olive-tree? What interpretation of Scripture is here? Surely from a Spirit quite contrary to that which wrot it.

In p. 63. he ſaith, [The great and high wall about the new Jeruſalem, was all that viſible and external worſhip, which was ſet up by Moſes, which did belong to that Tabernacle, &c.]

Obſerv. Is this the defence about the glory of the new Jeruſalem? is this the Wall and Bulwark? Nay, nay: the Power of Gods Salvation is the Wall and Bulwark, Iſa. 26. 1. which is a ſure defence upon all the glory of this Building, Iſa. 4. 5.

In p. 66. he ſaith, [The Apoſtles ſhould be equal in the Kingdom of Glory, as they were equal here in the Kingdom of Grace. And again, p. 67. As there ſhould be no preheminence with the Apoſtles here in the Kingdom of Grace, neither ſhould there be any preheminence in the Kingdom of Glory. Yet p. 102. he ſaith, Peter was the head of the Apoſtles.]

Obſerv. Hath the Head no preheminence in the Body? Are the reſt of the Members equal with the Head? is not this an abſolute contradiction?

In p 78. he ſaith, [The Commiſſion of the Apoſtles was not the Commiſſion of the Spirit.]

Obſerv. Paul ſaith, they were made able Miniſters of the new Teſtament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 6. What is to be deſired more then the new Covenant? wherein Life, Spirit and Power is received. Now the Apoſtles were made by God able Miniſters thereof: and the glory of this Covenant and Miniſtration remaineth, verſe 11.

In p. 93. he ſaith, [Death being the Firſt-born of the Law, it went forth as a Conqueror of all Life both in God and man.]

Obſerv. The Law is holy juſt and good, and bringeth forth only that which is holy. Sin is not of the Law, but againſt the Law; and the wages of ſin is death. Yet neither ſin nor death could ever conquer the Life of God, but the unconquerable Life and Power have ever reigned over them. Gods Kingdom is an everlaſting Kingdom, and his Dominion endureth throughout all Ages, which Sin, nor Death, nor Hell could ever conquer. That life which Chriſt did give up, none took from him as a Conqueror, but he laid it down freely, at the requiring of the Father, knowing his glorious Power was able to reſtore and raiſe it up again.

In p. 105. he ſaith, [The body of man is that Tophet that was ordained of old, and the ſpirit of Reaſon is that King, which muſt abide in this Tophet.]

Obſerv. The body of man was Gods Temple before it was defiled with ſin; and is Gods Temple again, when it is purified and purged from ſin. Now him that defileth this Temple of God, him will God deſtroy. And Chriſt ſaid, Fear him who after he hath killed, hath power to caſt into Hell, Luk. 12. 5. What is he able to caſt into Hell? why, both body and ſoul, Mat. 10. 28. Then the body of man is not the Tophet or Hell: but Tophet is that whereinto the ſouls and bodies of the wicked are to be caſt.

In p. 116. he ſaith, [Eternity did become Time, and Time ſhall become Eternity again.]

Obſerv. Eternity did never become time, but is unchangable in its Nature, Spirit, Life and Beeing for evermore: but it brought forth natural and changable things in time, which time ſhall have an end.

IN Page 5. he ſaith, [I marvel what ſatisfaction any man can have in his mind in believing in a Quakers God, to tell a man that God abides in himſelf and is what he is.]

Obſerv. Doth not God ſay to Moſes concerning himſelf, I am that I am. When Moſes deſired to know how he ſhould anſwer the Iſraelites, when they ſhould enquire who ſent him to them, God bid him tell them that I am had ſent him, Exod. 3. 14. How could the Iſraelites underſtand what God was by this? what ſatisfaction could they find in this anſwer of Moſes, would this ſpirit ſay? But God is not to be known by the deſcription of words of the earthly wiſdom, but in his own feeling Spirit and Life.

In p. 11. he ſaith, concerning the Quakers, [That which purifies your hearts is the Law written in your ſeed or nature, even the ſame as was written in the Angel-ſerpents nature before his fall, which is no other but the nature of Reaſon.]

Obſerv. This is not a true Teſtimony: for the Light wherewith Chriſt enlightneth the Soul (to redeem and bring it back out of the Fall) is not of the nature of Reaſon, but confounds corrupt Reaſon and brings it into the duſt, begetting the Soul into the Divine Wiſdom and giving it to pertake of the Divine Nature. Yea that which we are born of and purified by (as we ſenſible feel and truly underſtand) is not the nature of the Serpents reaſon, but the immortal Word of Gods eternal Power, which doth that in us and for us, which the nature of reaſon never did nor can do in any.

Again in p. 11. he ſaith very ſlightingly and as untruly concerning the Quakers, thus. [As for the ſins your hearts are clenſed from, they are no other but ſuch like as theſe, that is to ſay, to keep the hat on the head before a Magiſtrate, and to find fault with gold-lace and a piece of ribbon, a bandſtring and a gold button, and to rend and tear gold-lace, and other lace off their clothes and burn it, and to uſe the Language of thee and thou. He or ſhe that gets thee or thou perfectly, is a very good Quaker, they are gotten half way to the Quakers Heaven. Theſe and ſuch like righteouſneſs is the Quakers perfection, and all the cleanſing of heart they have &c.]

Obſerv. O thou deſpiſer, reproacher and belyar of the Work of God in the hearts of his children. Nay, nay, there are thouſands, who in Gods Preſence can teſtifie againſt thee, that they have waited for and received the inward clenſing from the filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, from the inward luſts and motions of ſin in the mind, having felt the Ax of the Lord and the two-edged Sword, which cutteth up ſin at the very roots. But thou art ſo far from having thy heart cleanſed, that thou art not yet clenſed from lying lips, but bringeſt forth thy falſe reproachfull, ſlanderous teſtimony againſt the Heritage of God in the ſight of the Sun.

In p. 13. he ſaith further of the Quakers, [That they own no other death of Chriſt, but what is within them, what ever they pretend by uſing the words of Scripture &c.]

Obſerv. They ſincerely and in plainneſs of heart, own and acknowledge the death of that Body which the Father prepared for his Son, in which he did the Fathers Will in his ſuffering without the Gate of Jeruſalem. Therefore in this, he is a very falſe Witneſs, and therein hath groſly belyed the Quakers.

In p. 15. he ſaith, [You Quakers are the darkeſt pieces to interpret Scripture, of any other Opinions in the World, for you will name places of Scripture, but never interpret any &c.]

Obſerv. It is better to bring men to that, which opens the mind to underſtand the Scriptures, then to give men interpretations of words or things beyond their capacity. Yet the Spirit of the Lord, in and through many called Quakers, doth often open many Scriptures in clearneſs and demonſtration to others. (Read the Book, called Goſpel-Liberty or the Royal Law of Love, and ſee if many Scriptures be not therein opened to the loweſt capacity.) But the Lord hath given them the true skill and underſtanding, and they are not to open to and feed that in men, which the Lord hath appointto be famiſhed. Yet if they did not open Scriptures, the Scriptures are plain to him that hath an underſtanding.

Now for a cloſe, I ſhall add ſomewhat of the Teſtimony which is written in my heart, by the finger of Gods Spirit, concerning the People called Quakers.

Indeed they have met with many reproaches, and ſore oppoſitions many wayes, ſince they were a People: but notwithſtanding all, their bow abides in ſtrength, and the hands of their arms have been made ſtrong againſt the wicked one, with all his devices in his ſeveral kinds of inſtruments: and their Light is ſtill the ſame and their God the ſame, who bleſſeth them from day to day, even in the midſt of all the revilings, ſlanders, perſecutions and curſes, which they have met with from men without, and in the midſt of all the temptations, inward trials and afflictions alſo, which are often met with inwardly. Yea we know him to be our God and cannot but truſt him, having found him to be faithfull to us hitherto, and knowing his nature to be ſuch, that he cannot but continue his loving-kindneſs and faithfulneſs, to all who are gathered by him into his holy inward, ſpiritual Covenant of Life and Peace, and who dwells with him therein. And truly we are fully ſatisfied and at reſt in him, and cannot deſire another, then he who hath redeemed our Souls from death, given us Life, brought us out of the pit wherein was no water, into a large place, ſet our feet upon a rock (a rock indeed) and eſtabliſheth our goings in the path of holineſs, working all our works in us and for us, by his Spirit and Power. Yea, we have the Witneſs in our hearts, even the Witneſs which never erred nor can deceive, which teſtifieth to and with our ſpirits our Sonſhip: ſo that we do not imagine our ſelves ſons from apprehenſions upon Scriptures, but we feel our ſelves ſons in the true ſenſibleneſs, and know who David is, and reap and inherit the ſure mercies of David daily, O bleſſed be our Father, O bleſſed for ever be the Father of Life, who feeds, who nouriſhes, who waters, who refreſhes (with the Bread of Life and with the pure living Water) his Lambs, his babes, his plants, his tender ones, of whom he is daily tender, and who are daily tender of his Name and Honour. And if any man preach another God, then he who creates anew in the true Light, and therein puts forth his arm of Salvation, death and deſtruction and the curſe are his portion from the hand of the Lord.

Now, O people, any of you that reads this mans writings and admire them; what ſpirit are ye of! what is it in you that reliſheth them? what do they feed in you? Not the true Birth, I am ſure: but that in you which muſt periſh, and come into death and deſtruction, if ever your Souls be ſaved. I ſpeak ſenſibly, and from the true underſtanding and experience which God hath given me: yea I certainly know, that the knowledge and notions which he holds forth are not pure nor able to cleanſe the heart of any that receives them

And all people, that truly love your Souls and deſire the Salvation thereof, O wait on God that ye may be enabled by him rightly to diſtinguiſh, between receiving notions concerning God and Chriſt, and feeling and receiving the Power which effectually redeems from ſin and death: for deceit may enter in at the one, but cannot at the other. The Enemy hath all deceivableneſs of unrighteouſneſs, to paint as if it were righteouſneſs and appear in, and to enter and poſſeſs the mind by: but he is excluded the redeeming power. He that feels that which renews his heart to God, and breaks the power and ſtrength of luſts and temptations in him, and brings him into ſubjection to the Truth, which from God lives in the hearts of thoſe that receive it in the vertue, life and power of it: here his devices and deceits are at an end, and here the elect Sheep feel the hand of the Father, which is ſtronger then all, which none can pluck out of. Here is the Fold, here is the ſafe dwelling place, whither the Lord leadeth and where he preſerveth his Lambs and Children, and there is not another.

Now as for him (notwithſtanding all that he hath done againſt the Lord and againſt his dear people) ſo far am I from wiſhing any harm unto him, that I could wiſh with all my heart, that it were poſſible for him to come to a true ſenſe of the true Light of Gods holy Spirit, that by it he might examine, wherein he hath provoked and ſinned againſt the Lord, that the Lord ſhould thus leave him, not only to be deceived himſelf, but to become an head or root of deceit to others, and ſo to bring the blood of many Souls upon him, which will be his bitter burthen and miſery in the day of the Lord upon him, when the Lord ſhall rebuke him for blaſpheming his Name, his Light, his Spirit, and ſhall juſtifie (in the ſight of men and Angels) thoſe to be his Heritage and everlaſtingly dear unto him, whom he hath reproached, miſrepreſented and curſed unto eternity: but they are gathered by God into the bleſſed Seed (which he knoweth not, nor in this ſpirit nor by this Commiſſion ſhall ever know) where he cannot curſe, nor can his curſe reach or touch them, but they therein are bleſſed for evermore,

MY Heart from my childhood, was pointed towards the Lord, whom I feared and longed after from my tender years; wherein I felt, that I could not be ſatisfied with (nor indeed ſeek after) the things of this periſhing World, which naturally paſs away; but I deſired true ſenſe of and unity with that which abideth for ever. There was ſomewhat indeed then ſtill with me (even the Seed of Eternity) which leavened and ballanced my ſpirit almoſt continually: but I knew it un •• diſtinctly, ſo as to turn to it and give up to it, entirely and underſtandingly. In this temper of mind I earneſtly ſought after the Lord applying my ſelf to hear Sermons and read the beſt Books I could meet with, but eſpecially the Scriptures, which were very ſweet and ſavory to me: yea I very earneſtly deſired and preſſed after the knowledge of the Scriptures, but was much afraid of receiving mens interpretations of them, or of faſtning any interpretation upon them my ſelf; but waited much and prayed much, that from the Spirit of the Lord I might receive the true underſtanding of them and that he would chiefly endue me with that Knowledge, which I might feel ſanctifying and ſaving. And indeed I did ſenſibly receive of his Love, of his Mercy and of his Grace, which I felt ſtill freely to move towards me, and at ſeaſons when I was moſt filled with the ſenſe of my own unworthineſs, and had leaſt expectations of the manifeſtation of them. But I was exceedingly entangled about Election and Reprobation (having drunk in that doctrine, according as it was then held forth by the ſtricteſt of thoſe that were termed Puritans, and as then ſeemed to me very manifeſt and poſitive from Rom. 9. &c.) fearing, leſt notwithſtanding all my deſires and ſeekings after the Lord, he might in his decree have paſſed me by: and I felt it would be bitter to me to bear his Wrath and be ſeparated from his Love for evermore; yet, if he had ſo decreed, it would be, and I ſhould (notwithſtanding theſe fair beginnings and hopes) fall away and periſh at the laſt. In this great trouble and grief (which was much added to by not finding the Spirit of God ſo in me and with me, as I had read and believed the former Chriſtians had it) and in mourning over and grapling with ſecret corruptions and temptations, I ſpent many years, and fell into great weakneſs of body; and often caſting my ſelf upon my bed, did wring my hands and weep bitterly, begging earneſtly of the Lord, daily, that I might be pitied by him and helped againſt my enemies, and be made conformable to the image of his Son, by his own renewing Power. And indeed at laſt (when my nature was almoſt ſpent, and the pit of diſpair was even cloſing its mouth upon me) mercy ſprang and deliverance came, and the Lord my God owned me and ſealed his Love unto me, and light ſprang within me, which made not only the Scriptures, but the very outward creatures glorious in my eye, ſo that every thing was ſweet and pleaſant and lightſom round about me. But I ſoon felt, that this eſtate was too high and glorious for me, and I was not able to abide in it, it ſo overcame my natural ſpirits: wherefore, bleſſing the Name of the Lord for his great goodneſs to me, I prayed unto him to take that from me which I was not able to bear, and to give me ſuch a proportion of his light and preſence, as was ſutable to my preſent ſtate, and might fit me for his ſervice. Whereupon this was preſently removed from me, yet a ſavour remained with me, wherein I had ſweetneſs and comfort and refreſhment for a long ſeaſon. But my mind did not then know, how to turn to and dwell with that which gave me the ſavour, nor rightly to read what God did daily write in my heart, which ſufficiently manifeſted it ſelf to be of him, by its living vertue and pure opperation upon me: but I looked upon the Scriptures to be my rule, and ſo would weigh the inward appearances of God to me, by what was outwardly written, and durſt not receive any thing from God immediately, as it ſprang from the Fountain, but only in that mediate way. Herein did I limit the holy One of Iſrael, and exceedingly hurt my own Soul, and I afterwards felt and came to underſtand. Yet the Lord was tender to me and condeſcended exceedingly, opening Scriptures to me freſhly every day, teaching and inſtructing, warming and comforting my heart thereby: and truly he did help me to pray, and to believe, and to love him and his appearances in any, yea to love all the ſons of men and all his creatures, with a true love. But that in me which knew not the appearances of the Lord in my ſpirit, but would limit him to words of Scripture formerly written, that proceeded yet further, and would be raiſing a fabrick of knowledge out of the Scriptures, and gathering a perfect rule (as I thought) concerning my heart, my words, my ways, my worſhip: and according to what I thus drank in (after this manner, from the Scriptures) I practiſed, and with much ſeriouſneſs of ſpirit and prayer to God fell a helping to build up an Independent Congregation, wherein the ſavour of Life and the Preſence of God was freſh with me, as (I believe) there are yet ſome alive of that Congregation can teſtifie.

This was my ſtate, when I was ſmitten, broken and diſtreſſed by the Lord, confounded in my worſhip, confounded in my knowledge, ſtripped of all in one day, (which it is hard to utter) and was matter of amazement to all that beheld me. I lay open and naked to all that would enquire of me and ſtrive to ſearch out, what might be the cauſe the Lord ſhould deal ſo with me. They would at firſt be jealous that I had ſinned and provoked him ſo to do: but when they had ſcanned things throughly, and I had opened my heart nakedly to them, I do not remember any one that ever retained that ſence concerning me. My Soul remembreth the Woomwood and Gall, the exceeding bitterneſs of that ſtate, and is ſtill humbled in me in the remembrance of it before the Lord. O how did I wiſh with Job, that I might come before him and bowingly plead with him: for indeed I had no ſenſe of any guilt upon me, but was ſick of love towards him, and as one violently rent from the boſom of his Beloved! O how gladly would I have met with death! for I was weary all the day long and afraid of the night, and weary alſo of the night-ſeaſon and afraid of the enſuing day. I remember my grievous and bitter mournings to the Lord; how often did I ſay, O Lord, why haſt thou forſaken me? why haſt thou broken me to pieces? I had no delight but thee, no deſire after any but thee. My heart was bent wholly to ſerve thee, and thou hadſt even fitted me (as appeared to my ſenſe) by many deep exerciſes and experiences, for thy ſervice, why doſt thou make me thus miſerable! Sometimes I would caſt mine eye upon a Scripture, and my heart would even mel • within me: at other times I would deſire to pray to my God, as I had formerly done; but I found I knew him not, and I could not tell how to pray or in any wiſe to come neer him, as I had formerly done. In this condition I wandered up and down from mountain to hill, from one ſort to another, with a cry in my ſpirit, Can ye tell news of my Beloved? where doth he dwell? where doth he appear? but their voices were ſtill ſtrange to me, and I ſhould retire ſad and oppreſſed and bowed down in ſpirit from them.

Now ſurely all ſerious, ſober, ſenſible people will be ready to enquire, how I came ſatisfyingly to know the Lord at length: or whether I do yet certainly know him, and am yet truly ſatisfied?

Yes indeed, I am ſatisfied at my very heart. Truly my heart is united to him whom I longed after, in an everlaſting Covenant of pure Life and Peace.

Well then, how came this about? will ſome ſay.

Why thus, The Lord opened my ſpirit, the Lord gave me the certain and ſenſible feeling of the pure Seed, which had been with me from the beginning; the Lord cauſed his holy Power to fall upon me, and gave me ſuch an inward demonſtration and feeling of the Seed of Life, that I cried out in my ſpirit, This is he, This is he; there is not another, there never was another. He was always near me, though I knew him not (not ſo ſenſibly, not ſo diſtinctly, as now he was revealed in me and to me by the Father) O that I might now be joyned to him, and he alone might live in me. And ſo in the willingneſs, which God had wrought in me (in this day of his Power to my Soul) I gave up to be inſtructed, exerciſed and led by him, in the waiting for and feeling of his holy Seed, that all might be wrought out of me which could not live with the Seed, but would be hindring the dwelling and reigning of the feed in me, while it remained and had power. And ſo I have gone through a fore travel, and fight of afflictions and temptations, of many kinds; wherein the Lord hath been merciful to me, in helping me and preſerving the ſpark of Life in me, in the midſt of many things which have befallen me, whoſe nature tended to quench and extinguiſh it.

Now thus having met with the true Way, and walked with the Lord therein, wherein daily-certainty, yea and full aſſurance of Faith and of underſtanding is at length obtained; I cannot be ſilent (true Love and pure Life ſtirring in me and moving me) but am neceſſitated to teſtifie of it to others: and this is it, To retire inwardly and wait to feel ſomewhat of the Lord, ſomewhat of his holy Spirit and Power, diſcovering and drawing from that which is contrary to him, and into his holy Nature and Heavenly Image. And then, as that mind is joyned to this, ſomewhat is received; ſome true Life, ſome true Light, ſome true Diſcerning; which the Creature not exceeding (but abiding in the meaſure of) is ſafe: but it is eaſie erring from this, but hard abiding with it and not going before its leadings But he that feels Life and begins in Life, doth he not begin ſafely? and he that waits, and fears, and goes on no further then his Captain goes before him, doth he not proceed ſafely? yea very ſafely, even till he cometh to be ſo ſetled and eſtabliſhed in the Vertue, Demonſtration and Power of Truth, as nothing can prevail to make him. Now, bleſſed be the Lord, there are many at this day, who can truly and faithfully witneſs, that they have been brought by the Lord to this ſtate. And thus have we learned of the Lord, to wit, not by the high ſtriving, aſpiring mind: but by lying low and being contented with a little. If but a crum of Bread (yet if bread) if but a drop of Water (yet if water) we have been contented with it, and alſo thankfull to the Lord for it. Nor by thoughtfulneſs, and wiſe ſearching and deep conſidering with our own wiſdom and reaſon have we obtained but in the ſtill meek and humble waiting, have we found that brought into the death, which is not to know the myſteries of Gods Kingdom, and that which is to live, made alive and increaſe in Life.

Therefore he that would truly know the Lord, let him take heed of his own reaſon and underſtanding I tried this way very far: for I conſidered moſt ſeriouſly and uprightly, I prayed, I read the Scriptures, I earneſtly deſired to underſtand and find out, whether that which this people (called Quakers) teſtified of, was the only Way and Truth of God (as they ſeemed to me but to pretend:) but for all this, prejudices multiplied upon me and ſtrong reaſonings againſt them, which appeared to me as unanſwerable. But when the Lord revealed his Seed in me and touched my heart therewith, which adminiſtred true Life and Vertue to me, I preſently felt them there the children of the Moſt High, and ſo grown up in his Life, Power and holy Dominion (as the inward eye being opened by the Lord, ſees) as drew forth from me great reverence of heart and praiſes to the Lord, who had ſo appeared among men in theſe latter dayes. And as God draweth, in any reſpect, O give up in faithfulneſs to him. Deſpiſe the Shame, take up the Croſs: for indeed it is a Way which is very croſs to man, and which his wiſdom will exceedingly be aſhamed of; but that muſt be denied and turned from, & the ſecret ſenſible drawings of Gods Spirit waited for and given up to. Mind people; He that will come into the new Covenant, muſt come into the obedience of it. The Light of Life, which God hath hid in the Heart, is the Covenant: and from this Covenant God doth not give knowledg to ſatisfie the vaſt aſpiring, comprehending wiſdom of man; but living Knowledge to feed that which is quickned by him: which Knowledge is given in the obedience, and is very ſweet and precious to the taſte of him, that knows how to feed upon it. Yea truly, this is a very excellent, pure, precious nature, and a little of it weighs down that great, vaſt knowledge in the comprehending part, which the mans ſpirit and nature ſo much prizeth and preſſeth after. And truly, Friends, I witneſs at this day, a great difference between the ſweetneſs of comprehending the knowledge of things as expreſſed in the Scriptures (this I ſed much on formerly) and taſting the hidden Life, the hidden Manna in the heart (which is my food now, bleſſed for ever be the Lord my God and Saviour.) O that others had a true, certain, and ſenſible taſte of the Life, Vertue and Goodneſs of the Lord, as it is revealed there: ſurely it could not but kindle the true hunger and enflame the true thirſt, which can never be ſatisfied but by the True Bread and by Water from the Living Fountain. This the Lord (in the tenderneſs of his Love and in the Riches of his Grace and Mercy) hath brought us to, and this we earneſtly and uprightly deſire and endeavour that others may be brought to alſo, that they may rightly (in the true ſilence of Fleſh, and in the pure ſtilneſs of Spirit) wait for, and in the Lords due time receive that, which anſwers the deſire of the awakened Mind and Soul, and ſatisfies it with the true precious Subſtance for evermore.