The Redemption of the Seed of God at Hand, Treatise · Part 2

The Redemption of the Seed of God at Hand · Treatise · Part 2

p. 26The Man of Sin & Death ſeparated from the Man of Righteouſneſs and Life, wherein the firſt m…n Adam is manifeſted to be of the Earth earthly, and the ſecond Man Adam to be from Heaven heavenly.

THou that haſt any Longings or Breathings after the Lord God that made thee, and formed thee in the Womb, who ſtretched forth the Heavens as a Curtain, and by whom the Foundations of the Earth were laid; and thou that haſt any Thing in thee that is oppreſſed by the unrighteous Power, and groans under the Burden of Oppreſſion, and deſires p. 27to be ſet at Liberty, even into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God; ariſe out of thy dark Slumbers, for the Night is far ſpent, and the dawning of the Day of the Lord God of Power is come, and the everlaſting Son of Righteouſneſs is riſen and ariſing, even Chriſt Jeſus, the eternal Son of God, the Son of the everlaſting Day, who is the true Light of the World, and hath enlightned every Man and Woman that cometh into the World with a Meaſure of his true Light, which Light ſhineth in the Conſciences of all the Sons and Daughters of Men, and this is the Light that lets thee to ſee the Thoughts of thy own Heart; For he that formed the Mountains, and created the Winds, he declareth unto Man his Thoughts, and the ſecret Intents of his Heart, whether they be good or evil; and this the Lord hath placed in thee to bear a true and faithful Teſtimony for him againſt every Appearance of Evil, & p. 28is God's Gift unto thee, which Gift is perfect and without Sin; for it is a true Meaſure of his Son Chriſt Jeſus, which hath enlightned every Man and Woman; this did never at any Time conſent to the ſpeaking of any evil Word, or the acting of any unrighteous Action by thee, or any other of the Sons or Daughters of Man, but hath and doth at all Times ſtand a Witneſs for the Lord God of Life, and hath at all Times been the Condemner of the Tranſgreſſor and the Worker of Iniquity in thee and them: Now fallen Man being Darkneſs it ſelf, having no Means whereby to diſcern his own Thoughts, yet this Light hath ſhined in the Darkneſs, but the Darkneſs could not comprehend it; therefore haſt thou and all Mankind for a long time walked in Darkneſs, and thy Deeds have been the Deeds of Darkneſs, and thou art become a Stranger to God and to his Wayes of Light and p. 29Life, by Reaſon whereof thou loveſt Darkneſs rather then Light, becauſe thou loveſt thy own Will & thy evil Deeds, which proceed from thence, whereby the Heritage of God in thee hath beenlaid waſte, & his Righteous Seed oppreſſed and trampled under Foot in thee by the Power of Unrighteouſneſs through thee; but now after his long Forbearance, and after many gentle Admonitions which he hath held forth to the Rebellious Sons and Daughters of Men; after all this is he appearing to make himſelf known, and now are the Cries of the Oppreſſed entred into the Ears of the Lord God of Sabbath, and he is now jealous for his Seed's ſake, which hath long ſuffered under the Burden of Oppreſſion, and he is now manifeſting himſelf in this his great Day, to plead with all Fleſh in the Valley of Judgment; and he will Overturn, Overturn, Overturn, till he comes to reign, whoſe p. 30Right it is; for long hath the Powers of Darkneſs reigned in all Mankind, whoſe Right it was not; but now Chriſt Jeſus making himſelf known, who is the true Light of the World, and he is ariſing to reign, whoſe Right it is.

Therefore come into the Moderation, and ſeriouſly conſider in thy own Heart how thy Condition ſtandeth before the Lord thy God, if thou were immediately called to an Account before him for thy Deeds done in the Body, whether good or evil; and come but with an honeſt Heart to the Light of Chriſt Jeſus in thy own Conſcience, and that will let thee, and all the Sons and Daughters of men ſee how your Condition ſtandeth in the Preſence of your God; for be thou aſſured, that if the VVitneſs of God in thy own Conſcience condemns thee for thy evil Words and Actions, God from whence the Witneſs came is p. 31greater, and will not any wayes juſtifie thee therein, but if thou give up to be guided by his Light in the Singleneſs of thy Heart, then thou wilt come into the Beginning of the Creation of God▪ and ſee his Work dayly manifeſted in thee; and thou wilt come to ſee the Sword of the Lord God of Jacob to cut down & to deſtroy the Tranſgreſſor at all times in thee, and thou wilt come to ſee that nature in thee that would ſtand up to take the Sword to kill or deſtroy thy Fellow-creatures, or oppreſs or defraud any by the Unrighteous Power, thou wilt come to ſee that Nature to periſh by the Sword of the Lord in thee, which Sword is the Word of the Lord, which is a Diſcerner of the Thoughts of the Heart, and divides between the precious Thoughts and the vile, therefore as thou tenders thy own Soul, come to that Sword, and bring all thy Thoughts unto it, and in the Light thou wilt come to p. 32ſee a nature in thee that hath a long time led thy Soul captive under the Captivity of Sin and Satan; and thou wilt come to ſee that nature carried away captive by the power of Chriſt Jeſus, even into the Land of Forgetfulneſs; for he is now riſen in this his Day to lead Captivity captive, and to ſet free from all Oppreſſion, and now is the Day of his plenteous Redemption come, and his Salvation will he make known unto the Ends of the Earth, and will redeem all them that come to walk in his Light and that obey and follow it in all his motions, and that contentedly come to take up the Croſs daily to their own wills, and ſo in Singleneſs follow Chriſt the Light, them will he redeem from under the Power of Sin and the Devil who is the Author thereof; and from the World and all its inticing Luſts; and as they give up wholely to be guided by the Light, and to take up their Croſs p. 33daily, which croſſeth the carnal will, and ſo come to deny themſelves, and to follow Chriſt, who ſaith, I am the Light of the World, whoſoever followeth me, ſhall not abide in Darkneſs, but ſhall have the Light of Life; and he that comes into this, comes into the true Faith, which purifies the Heart, and they come to receive Chriſt, and to as many as receive him, to them Power is given to be the Sons of God, and ſo ſuch come to know what the Seed in them is, and what it is to have the tender Babe of Grace formed in them, and what it is to be born of God, and ſo ſuch do not commit Sin; for they have the Seed of God remaining in them; for that which is born of God cannot commit Sin; for the Prince of this VVorld hath no part in this new Creature, who is created in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs.

Now thou that art born after the Fleſh, and art in the firſt Nature, thou art a Stranger to this new Birth, which is born of God, and thou art p. 34ready with Nicodemus to cry out, Can a man ente, rnto his Mother's Womb again when he is old? or ſhall there any thing be brought forth by God whilſt man liveth upon Earth, to be made manifeſt to be without Sin? So thou art altogether ignorant of the wonderful works of the Lord; for the God of the world having blinded the Eyes, and darkned the Minds of all that live in the old nature, ſo that they therein cannot pleaſe the Lord their God, but their delight is in the works of Darkneſs, whereof the Devil is the Prince; and they love the world and the Glory thereof, and ſo the Love of the Father is not in them, but now if thou doſt but come to believe in the Light, and into true Obedience to it in tender Simplicity, thou wilt come into the ſpiritual warfare, and to march under the Banner of CHRIST, who is the eternal CAPTAIN of our Salvation, and thou wilt come to ſee the Battle fought in Heaven between the p. 35Lamb and the Dragon; even in God's Kingdom, which comes not by obſervations, to ſay, lo here it is, or lo there it is; for his Kingdom is within thee, and there the Battle of the great God is to be fought, between Chriſt the Prince of Peace, and the old Dragon the Prince of darkneſs. Now as Chriſt the Lamb of God comes to take away the Sins of the World, and to lead his Souldiers forth, he arms them with the whole Armour of Light, in Patience, Meekneſs, Humility, Chaſtity, Soberneſs, and Gentleneſs, Love and Tenderneſs, contented in the Will of God toſuffer all things with Cheerfulneſs, ſo it may tend to his Glory: Now theſe are they which are to make War in Righteouſneſs againſt the Principalities and Powers of Darkneſs in high Places, at whoſe Appearance all fleſh ſhall tremble, and all Hearts ſhall be aſtoniſhed; for Fearfulneſs ſhall ſurpriſe the Hypocrites.

p. 36Now as Chriſt appears prepar'd to battle, and hath armed his Souldiers with thoſe Weapons afore-mentioned, ſo likewiſe the Dragon he arms his Souldiers with his Armour, which is the whole Armour of Darkneſs, which conſiſts in Hatred and Malice, Envy and Perſecution, Pride, Haſtineſs and High-mindedneſs, Oppreſſion, and Tyranny, Covetouſneſs, and Drunkenneſs, Lying and Swearing, Defrauding and Deceit, Wantonneſs and Whoredoms, and many other wicked Weapons, which the Light will make manifeſt to them that abide faithful in it.

Now let every one in particular come to a honeſt ſearch in your own Hearts, and examine your ſelves without Deceit, and ſee whoſe Banner you are marching under, and whoſe Armour you wear; for it is but vain for any man to deceive himſelf any longer; for look whoſe Armour thou beareſt, his Souldier thou p. 37art, and his Wages thou muſt look to receive; for if thou liveſt in Sin and Wickedneſs, thou art a Servant to Sin, and the Wages of Sin thou muſt expect to receive, and the Wages of Sin is Death, therefore it were good for thee to ponder the thing wiſely, leſt thou bring thy Deſtruction upon thy ſelf; therefore am I, out of the Tenderneſs of my Soul, and in bowels of Compaſſion towards thee, moved to warn thee, and to adviſe thee in dear and tender Love to the oppreſſed Seed in thee, which groans to be ſet at Liberty. Now the Deſire of my Heart is, that thou ſhouldſt awake out of death, and come unto CHRIST the LIGHT, that he may give thee Life; and to caſt off every weight and burden, and the Sins that ſo ea…ly beſet thee; and that thou ſhouldſt put off the Armour of darkneſs, and put on the Armour of light; for aſſuredly there is nothing that makes a Separation between thee and p. 38thy God, but Sin; but now, herein ſtands the wonderful Love of God towards the fallen Sons and Daughters of Men, who were dead in Sins and Treſpaſſes, and altogether in Darkneſs, without any Means or Hope of Recovery in themſelves; now the Lord beholding poor diſtreſſed man in this State, whereinto the Prince of Darkneſs hath captivated him, out of the Tenderneſs of his Compaſſion unto the poor diſtreſſed Sons and Daughters of men, he gave his only begotten Son into the World for a Light, and to every man and woman which is born upon the Face of the whole Earth, hath the Lord in mercy given a meaſure of this true Light which hath enlightned every one which cometh into the World, in which Light ſtandeth the Power of God and in this Light man comes to ſee his Sins, and to ſee the Deceit of his own Heart, which otherwiſe he could not have ſeen; and though p. 39thou art unacquainted with it, yet that is it that lets thee ſee the actings of the Prince of Darkneſs in thee; for if he plotteth in thee any miſchievous Intents, whereby to deſtroy any man's Perſon or Eſtate, and ſo endeavours to make thee an Inſtrument whereby he may do it ſecretly in the dark, and although no Eye of man can ſee thee, nor ſee his ſecret acting in thee, yet this Light will follow thee, and diſcover his ſubtil Deluſions unto thee, and make him many times appear odious unto thee, and calls thee and invites thee from following of him, and many times brings Fearfulneſs and Dread upon thee for thy wicked Actions; now this is that that would redeem thee out of Sin, which ſaves all them that believe in and follow the Son of God, the true Light of the World, out of Sin and Death, which is the Wages thereof.

Now it is but vain for thee or any p. 40other to call Chriſt thy Redeemer and thy Saviour, and to ſay, that thou hopeſt to be ſaved by Chriſt after thy Death, becauſe he was crucified at Jeruſalem ſixteen Hundred years ago, and yet thou liveſt in Sin and Wickedneſs, in Pride and Vain-Glory of this world, which paſſeth away as a Vapour of the Night afore the Morning Sun; but for all this, let me tell thee plainly without Deceit, nevertheleſs for all thy high Conceits of thy ſelf, and for all thy vain Hopes and thy feigned Faith, thy Hope is the Hope of the Hypocrite, which will periſh in the time of Trial, and thy feigned Faith cannot give thee victory over the world, therefore if ever thou comeſt to witneſs Redemption to thy Soul, thou muſt witneſs Chriſt's Death to kill Sin in thy mortal Body, and thou muſt witneſs his Reſurrection in thee.

And as for his Sufferings at Jeruſalem p. 41I own according to the Declaration of the Scriptures, but thou muſt witneſs him nearer to thee then at Jeruſalem, if ever thou witneſs him to be thy Redeemer, and the Salvation of thy Soul.

Now let me reaſon with thee a little in Coolneſs and Moderation; if Chriſt be thy Redeemer, what is it that he hath redeemed thee out of, ſeeing thou yet liveſt in Sin, and in the Polutions of the World? And if he be thy Saviour, what hath he ſaved thee from, ſeeing thou art yet in Bondage to Sin and Iniquity? Therefore the ſting of death is not yet taken away while Sin remains, ſo thou canſt not call him thy Redeemer in Truth and Righteouſneſs unleſs thou couldſt witneſs him to have redeemed thee out of ſin and tranſgreſſion, and thou doſt but deceive thy ſelf to call him thy Saviour, unleſs that thou couldſt witneſs that he did ſave thee out of temptations when they ariſe in thee from thy p. 42own Luſts, and ſo from Sin which they bring forth, and from Death which is the Wages thereof.

Now as the firſt Nature hath reigned, which is of the Earth earthly in all mankind, which is the firſt Adam, over whom Sin came to have the Dominion, whereby Death came to reign over all Mankind in that nature; ſo now, as the Children of men come to be begotten into Chriſt the Second Adam, and ſo born of the new Birth of Righteouſneſs, they come to know what the Immortal Seed is, whereunto the Promiſes are Yea and Amen, and come to witneſs Chriſt to be the Redeemer and Saviour in Deed and in Truth, and that his Croſs in them is the Power of God unto Salvation, and they ſee, as they abide faithful in that which croſſes their own fleſhly wills, therein they come to ſee the power of God and as they ſtand ſtedfaſtly faithful in it they come to ſee the Power of p. 43Light in them, which is far ſtronger then the Powers of Darkneſs; for they come to ſee Victory in it over the Devil & all his ſubtil Deluſions, and over the Fleſh and all its Luſts, and over the World and all the Vanities thereof, and as they abide in this Power, which is CHRIST, the Light of the World, and the Power of God unto Salvation, and as they follow him faithfully through all Sufferings, and all the Hatred and Malice which ariſes againſt them in the Children of Darkneſs, they will come to ſee him to trample down all his Enemies in them, and make them his Footſtool; but as any man or woman goes out of the Croſs, wherein ſtandeth God's Power, and let their own wills rule in them, then they go into the Power of the Prince of the Air, which ruleth in the Children of Diſobedience, whoſe Dominion wholely ſtandeth in man's corrupt and carnal will, and then he p. 44leads them captive at his own Pleaſure, and ſo as they ſtand in his Dominion Sin comes to have Power over ſuch in all his Motions, and then comes in Complainings and Murmurings againſt the Lord, who made them; and ſo they come to cry out for want of Power, and becauſe they cannot have power and victory over Sin in their own wills, and in their own time, which is the very Ground wherein the Power of Sin ſtandeth; then when they ſee they cannot have Power over Sin there, which is impoſſible for any to attain to unleſs they come out of the Power of their own will into that Power which croſſeth it; then they come to plead for Sin in themſelves, then they not having Power over it there, they inform all others that they can never have Power over Sin, nor be ſet free from it whileſt they remain in this earthly Tabernacle; and then if the Lord raiſe up any to witneſs that he p. 45hath redeemed them from under the Power of Sin, and ſo by his Power in them which is a Croſs to the carnal will of man, freed them from the Power of ſin and Death, then cry out thoſe that live in all manner of ſin and polutions, theſe are Deluders, take heed of being deceived, when, alas! there is nothing reigning in them that they can be deceived of but ſin and wickedneſs, and ſo they cannot bear the hearing that they ſhould be free from ſin until the Lord cut off them and their ſins together; but they never conſider that, as the Tree falleth, ſo it lieth, and as Death leaves them, ſo aſſuredly ſhall Judgment find them; for in the Grave there is no Repentance, neither can any unclean thing enter into God's Kingdom, which conſiſts of Purity, Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs.

Now the ſcriptures they declare that God is Light, and if we walk in the Light, and a…ide in the Light, as he is p. 46in the Light, then we have Fellowſhip one with another, and the Blood of Chr…ſt cleanſeth us from all Sin. Now if thou comeſt into this LIGHT, this will let thee ſee that there is ſomething in thee that doth check, reprove and croſs thy own natural will, and this is the Power of God in thee, and would be unto Salvation if thou wouldſt but obey it; for it will crucifie thy old Nature, and ſtand a Croſs over thy own will, and ſo keep it down, that it might not rule in thee, and ſo thy Soul will come to ſtand in the Power which is above the Power of ſin, and ſo come to be ſaved out of ſin, and out of Death, which is the ſting thereof: And ſo as thou comeſt into the Light, and therein ſtandeſt with an Upright Heart, the Light will make ſin and the Power thereof manifeſt unto thee in all its Motions, and will crucifie all that is of the firſt Nature, and all that which ariſeth from thy p. 47ſelf, and will judge out that Power daily which hath moved in thee, and hath carried thee forth at all times to act contrary to the Mind and Will of God, and hath cauſed thee to oppreſs the Seed which God hath placed in thee; and ſo SION with the pure Seed of God in thee cometh to be redeemed through Judgment, and her Converts come to bring forth a righteous Life and Converſation.

Now thou that readeſt underſtand, The Life is more then Meat, and the Body is more then Rayment, and the pure Life is more then Knowledge; for old Adam, or the firſt Nature may eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and ſo by th…t may come to talk much of the Truth, and what the Saints enjoyed in former Ages, but cannot come into the Life thereof; for he is driven out from the tree of Life into the earthly Imaginations without him▪ and the ANGEL of the Lord with his flaming Sword, even the p. 48Righteous Law is placed to keep the Way of the Tree of Life leſt he put forth his Hand and take of the Fruit there of and eat, and ſo live forever: Now the firſt Nature is not to live forever, but for an appointed time; for that is the firſt Adam and his Life which ſtandeth in ſin, and he hath tranſgreſſed the Righteous Law of God, and ſo hath ſinned, and that Soul that ſinneth muſt dye the Death, and ſo death cometh to reign over all Mankind from Adam till Moſes, from the firſt Nature till the Seed of God in the creature moveth under the burden of Iniquity, whereby it hath been preſſed down, as a Cart is preſſed with ſheaves, and comes to ſtir up the Creature, and draws him into ſome Conſideration, and brings him to underſtand his Condition, that he is even a Captive under ſin in the Land of Darkneſs, even in ſpiritual Egypt, and under many Luſts which are as ſo many hard Task-maſters to p. 49him, and that he is but a ſtranger and a ſojourner there, and that the Lord hath promiſed him a land of reſt and freedom, but he knows not how to find it out until the Lord God ſhall raiſe up the great Prophet like unto Moſes to lead him out of this Land of Darkneſs through the red Sea, by his LIGHT, or PILLAR of Fire, which Light is Darkneſs unto the Egyptians even in their Day, which Pillar of Fire is to guide the Creature through the long deſert Wilderneſs into the land of reſt; and Moſes is till the Prophets, and the Prophets they declare that there ſhall a REDEEMER come out of Zion, or the Seed of God within, who ſhall reign in Peace and Righteouſneſs over his own Houſe, which ſhall be raiſed up; for he will make them a willing People, and he will turn unto them the pure Language, and they ſhall all call upon the Name of the Lord with one Conſent, and he will bring back again p. 50their Captivity, and ſettle them in perfect Peace, ſo that they may every man ſit under his own Vine, and under his own Fig-Tree, and none ſhall make them afraid: And the Prophets they are till John, who is as the Voice of one crying in the Wilderneſs; now the VOICE ſaid, Cry, the Prophet anſwered, what ſhall I cry? That all Fleſh is Graſs, and the Clory of man as the Flowers of the Field, therefore prepare the Way of the Lord, and make ſtreight the crooked Paths, and let the high lofty Mountains of Man's proud Will be laid low, and let every Valley, and low deſpiſed Place be raiſed, that ſo the ranſomed of the Lord may paſs▪ and John he baptizeth to Repentance, and bringeth the Creature into a Sorrow and a Trouble, becauſe it cannot bring forth Fruit worthy of Repentance, and he declares that he is not the Meſſias that is to come after him, which is to be preferred before him, whoſe Shoe-latchet he p. 51was not worthy to unlooſe, but that he is ſent to bear his Teſtimony of him, and John he is till Chriſt, and when he comes which is the true Meſſias, and the true Redeemer of the promiſed Seed of Iſrael after the Spirit, who is the ſecond Adam, and the true Prophet like unto Moſes, whom the Lord hath promiſed ſince the Dayes of old, even this is he that ſhall come out of Sion, and ſhall bring Deliverance unto that Seed in all the Sons and Daughters of Men that hath long groaned, and that which Sion hath long travailed with, and been in Pain to be delivered from under the Burden of Oppreſſion; and he will crucifie the old Nature, even the firſt Adam, who hath been the Oppreſſor, and nail him to the Croſs, and ſo by the Croſs to him …nd to his corrupt Will will mortifie or kill his Deeds, even by the Power of the Spirit, which Power ſtandeth in that which croſſes the old Nature; now p. 52the firſt Adam's Life, that ſtandeth in Sin, and in Tranſgreſſion, and in Deceit and Guile, which are all the Fruits of Death, whereon he feeds, and is in ſome ſort ſatisfied, for he dares not approach unto the Tree of Life, becauſe the Angel of the Lord's Preſence ſtandeth with the flaming ſword ready lifted up, even the righteous Law, which ſtill layes hold on him when at any time he approaches near unto the Tree of Life, this cuts him down, ſo that he at all Times remains in Death, and feeds upon the Fruits thereof; this is the true State and Condition of the firſt Adam who hath loſt himſelf, and is fallen from God his Maker: But now the ſecond Adam, whom the Lord is creating, and whom he hath created, even after his own Image, in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs, who was and is the firſt born among many Brethren, even Chriſt the Son of the living God, who puts an End to p. 53Tranſgreſſion, and deſtroyes Sin, and ſayes, O Death I will be thy Death, and fulfills the Royal Law in all things, and paſſeth through the flaming ſword, for the Fire cannot touch him, but he has free Acceſs to the Tree of Life, and feeds plentifully upon the Fruit thereof, and ſo lives forever, and nothing will ſatisfie him but the very Life it ſelf: And this is the true Condition of the ſecond Adam, who is the true Heir of all things: Now he that comes to have this Babe begotten in him, that which hath begot him will bring him forth; for ſhall I bring to the Birth, and not bring forth? ſaith the Lord; now he that comes to be born of this Birth, and to have his Life to ſtand in this, he ſhall with this come to eat of the Tree of Life; for this is he that ſhall enter in at the ſtreight Gate into the City whoſe Builder is God: Therefore if thou feeleſt any thing in thee which ſtirs p. 54and moves in thee againſt ſin, and againſt the very Appearance of Evil, there lies the ſeed out of which this Babe is formed; and therefore as it is as yet but weak, as in Appearance to thee, thou oughteſt to be tender over it, even more tender then the Mother that is newly conceived is over the tender Fruit of her Womb, and beware of bruiſing of it, and of ſmothering of it, for a ſmall thing will offend it and choak it; but as thou art tender over it, and with Carefulneſs doſt cheriſh it, and come to take Delight in it, thou wilt find it to grow daily, and encreaſe in thee from ſtrength to ſtrength; but thou muſt beware that thou doſt not at any time lay any Burden upon it, whereby it may be offended, for if thou doſt, thou wilt come into Condemnation for the ſame, and thou wilt come to ſuffer Loſs in thy ſelf, which Loſs will not eaſily be regained, for thou wilt find Deadneſs and p. 55Barrenneſs to ariſe up in thee, and the Dread and Terror of the Lord will take hold daily upon thee; until the Lord hath executed his Vengeance upon that which hath oppreſſed his ſeed; for thou muſt aſſuredly come to know a day of Vengeance in thee to light upon the Head of the Tranſgreſſor, and a Night of ſ…rrow, before thou canſt know the day of Joy and Gladneſs.

Therefore if thou wilt give up freely to let the Seed of God go free to ſerve the Lord its God in Truth and Righteouſneſs, and wait in Patience to ſee the Oppreſſor judged and condemned in thee, and to ſee the Vengeance of the Lord to be laid upon the Head of the Tranſgreſſor, and ſo to become one with that which judgeth, and executes the fierce Wrath and Indignation of the Lord upon that which oppreſſeth the righteous Seed in thee: Now if thou become one with the Lord in this, and p. 56give up thy ſelf willingly in Obedience to him, then a ſhort Work will the Lord make in the Earth, and thou ſhalt come to ſee him whom thy Soul loveth, who now doth but ſpring up in thee, as a Lilly among Thorns, but when he comes to be brought forth, he will be the faireſt amongſt ten thouſand, and this is Chriſt in thee, the Hope of Glory, and thou wilt come to live in him, and he in thee; and ſo thou wilt come to live in the Life that was before Sin was, and before Tranſgreſſion was, and ſhall be when Sin and Tranſgreſſion is deſtroyed, and ſhall be no more; and then thou wilt come to witneſs old things to be done away, and all things to become new, a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſs; and thou wilt come to witneſs God's Will to be done in thy Body of Earth as it is in Heaven, and his Kingdom in thee to be come and eſtabliſhed, p. 57and his Power made known in thee to the deſtroying of the Power of Sin and Satan, and his Glory to be made known in thee to the ſetting forth of his eternal Praiſe in the midſt of all his Enemies; and this is declared by many who are faithful Witneſſes of it, according to the Meaſure which the Lord hath freely been pleaſed to give and beſtow upon them, and this do they witneſs to be an eternal Truth, according as the Spirit of the Lord God of Truth hath revealed it unto them; for they never received from Man, neither by Man, but by the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, who leads into the Path of Light and Life all that are willing and obedient to follow him; now theſe things are deep and hidden Myſteries to them that yet remain in Darkneſs; but if thou canſt but read the Scriptures ſingly without adding thereunto thy own or any other Mans Imaginations, they teſtifie of p. 58him that hath the Life in him, and they declare how the two Births have been brought forth in all Ages, which Births came from the two Seeds, even the Seed of the Promiſe and the Seed of the Serpent, and between theſe two Seeds there is an everlaſting Enmity placed, ſo that they can never be reconciled one to the other, but ſtill ariſe one to deſtroy the other; but at laſt the Seed of the Woman muſt and will get the Victory, for that muſt come to bruiſe the Seed of the Serpent's head, although the other bruiſe his Heel for a ſhort Space; now ſee the Seed of the Serpent brought forth by the firſt Birth in Cain, how the Enmity comes to work in him, ſo that he came as it were to murder Abel, the ſecond Birth, which was brought forth of the Seed of the Promiſe, and wherefore was it, but becauſe the Sacrifice that was offered up by the promiſed Seed was accepted, and his, the Seed p. 59of the Serpent was not; therefore Cain, the firſt Birth, who as in Reference to his outward Birth after the Fleſh was therein his Brother; but yet he being ruled by the contray Seed to Abel, the Enmity cauſed him to riſe up and to murder innocent Abel, and then he became a Fugitive and a Vagabond upon Earth all his Dayes, not having an Habitation in God, although he builded a City, and call'd it by his Son's Name; ſo here the Seed of the Serpent bruiſed the Seed of the Woman's Heel, and yet the Serpent's Head was bruiſed in this thing: See the Declaration of Jacob and Eſau, and there thou ſhalt ſee it more nearly and clearly made manifeſt unto thee; for there thou may'ſt ſee the two Seeds Placed together in one fleſhly Womb, and there they ſtrove which ſhould firſt come forth to the Birth; I know thou canſt not but with me witneſs theſe two Seeds in thee, ſtriving p. 60which ſhall be brought forth; now rough Eſau came firſt forth in the Birth, who became a Hunter, and hunted up and down after Veniſon, and became a rough hairy Man, of whom it was ſaid, The Elder ſhall ſerve the Younger before they had been inſtrumental to do Good or Evil; then after him Jacob was brought forth, who by true Interpetation is a Supplanter, who ſtayed at home with his Father, who in Proceſs of Time came to get both the Birthright and the Bleſſing, for the Bleſſing of Right belongeth to him, for he was bleſſed in the Womb, for in him the promiſed Seed ſprung up, who at laſt became a great People; yet was he by Eſau long kept out of the Birth▪right, although that Eſau had ſold it to him, and counted it a ſmall thing, even a thing of nought, and ſold it for a thing of ſmall Value, even for a Meſs of Pottage, which p. 61afterwards he would have ſought the Bleſſing with Tears, but could not attain it; but the Power of Jacob daily increaſed, ſo that he became a mighty people, and the Dread and the Terror of the Lord was with him, which cauſed the Heathen, even the Stock of Eſau, even many times to fear, and tremble, and ſtand aſtoniſhed at their Preſence: Yet nevertheleſs this fleſhly Seed of Jacob, which came out of his fleſhly Loins, came to be corrupted, and the Seed of the Serpent came to bear Rule in many of them, ſo that the Seed of God came to be oppreſſed in them, which ſhould have born Rule over the Seed of the Serpent in their earthly Bodies, ſo that many times there was hardly one to be found in an Age, or one in a Generation which came to witneſs the Serpent's Head to be bruiſed in him, or that the Seed of God ruled in him in ſingleneſs p. 62and ſimplicity; ſo that the Lord came as it were to be forgotten amongſt the Sons and Daughters of Men; but yet there was the Seed within, which ſtill breathed and groaned after God, for which ſeed's ſake the Lord hath long waited, that he may be gracious unto the Sons and Daughters of Men, otherwiſe he had long ago conſumed them in his Fury, and his fierce Wrath had broke forth upon them, as it did upon SODOM and GOMORRAH, and all the Cities of the Plains.

But he hath at all times raiſed up his own ſeed in ſome, ſo that they have born their faithful Teſtimonies for him againſt the ſeed of the ſerpent, and ſo by them came to give forth Laws and Statutes, whereby the Children of Men may come to know his Mind and Will, ſo that in the Performance of them they ſhould li…e, but they that diſobey the ſame ſhould dye the Death, then all p. 63they which were of the Seed of Jacob after the Fleſh ſaid, that whatſoever the Lord ſhould command them, they would perform; but the Lord full well knew that there was not ſuch an Heart in them, which cauſed him to cry out, Oh that there was ſuch an Heart in this People to obey me, then ſhould their Peace break forth as the Morning, and their Righteouſneſs as the Sun at Noon-day; but the Lord's all-ſeeing Eye ſaw that there was the Seed of the Serpent ſtill lodging amongſt them and in them, which ſoon afterwards ſhewed it ſelf forth, which cauſed the Lord's Wrath to break forth upon many of them, even to their Deſtruction: And although the Lord had wrought great Deliverances for them, even in carrying them down into the Land of Egypt, and cauſing them there to endure a hard time of Servitude and Bondage under the Hand of Pharaoh's hard Task-maſters; and raiſing up p. 64his own Seed to ſhew it ſelf amongſt them, even to the redeeming them out of the Land of Bondage, and from under their Egyptian Captivity, even by many grievous Plagues and mighty Wonders, which he ſhewed forth upon Pharaoh and his Egyptian Hoſt; and carried them through the Depths of the Red Sea, as upon dry Land, and deſtroyed Pharaoh and h…s Multitude, who purſued after them, and led them through the Deſart Wilderneſs, and cauſed Water to guſh cut of the Rock to ſatisfie their thirſty Souls, and fed them many Years with Manna in the Wilderneſs; yet nevertheleſs for all this his large Love towards them▪ this pure Seed of God was ſtill oppreſſed in many of them by this Seed of the Serpent, which cauſed the Lord to deſtroy many Thouſands of them in the Wilderneſs, before they came into the promiſed Land; ſo that there was but a very ſmall Number of them that p. 65came out of Egypt, that entred into the Land of Reſt, even but Two Perſons, which were JOSHUA and CALEB; for all the reſt were deſtroyed, becauſe the Seed of God was oppreſſed In them, even by the Seed of the Serpent, which cauſed them To complain, and To murmur, and to depart from his Statutes, and rebel againſt his Righteous Laws; yet ſtill the Seed of God cryed and groaned unto him under all this, and his Ears are continually open unto the Cryes thereof; and for this Seed's Sake he raiſed up a People out of the Stock of JACOB, even in the Wilderneſs, which he cauſed to enter into the Land of Promiſe.

And whenas they ſtood faithful in his Laws and Statutes, he deſtroyed their Enemies before them, even in a wonderful and miraculous manner, ſo that in proceſs of time they came to have victory over all their Enemies, and to ſit down in the Land, in p. 66Reſt and Peace, and the Lord made them a Dread and a Terror to all Nations round about them, and they built ſtrong Holds and great fenced Cities, ſo that they became a mighty People; & as they ſtood faithful unto the Lord, he made them as a Sign, and as a Wonder unto all the Nations of the Earth, ſo that his Fear and Dread fell upon many that had been Strangers to (and alienated from) him; & they were ſet as a City upon a Hill, which could not be hid, but ſtill there was the Seed of the Serpent lodging in many of them; for when they were brought to ſit down in Reſt and Eaſe, the Seed of the Serpent came to riſe in them, and the pure Seed came to be oppreſſed, and the pure Simplicity, that came to be loſt, and they rebelled againſt the Lord, & tranſgreſſed againſt his pure Laws & Statutes; and they committed Whoredom, even with the Heathen, and then the Lord raiſed up his p. 67Seed in his Prophers, and ſent many of them unto them, to fore-warn them of the Deſtruction that would come upon them, if they ſtill went on in their Rebellion againſt the Lord: And as the Lord had ſet the Houſe of Iſrael, whileſt they ſtood in his Statutes, as a Sign, and as a wonder unto the Nations round about them, ſo now likewiſe he hath ſet his Prophets, in whom his Seed is raiſed, as Signs and Wonders to the Houſe of Iſrael, becauſe they were become a rebellious People; but many of the Prophets they murdered, wherein the ſame Seed of the Serpent that was in Cain appeared; and ſome they caſt into Priſon, others they Baniſhed, ſo that they provoked the Holy One of Iſrael to Wrath, ſo that he let looſe the Heathens againſt them, and ſuffered them to deſtroy their Land, and to lay waſte their fenced Cities, and to carry them away Captives into ſtrange Lands, till he had humbled p. 68them, and brought them low; then, when they were in Diſtreſs they called upon him, & cry'd unto him in the time of their Trouble, and his Ears were open to them, and then he many times by his Prophets came to reaſon with them, and to lay open before them the many Deliverances which he at ſundry times had wrought for them, & of the Largeneſs of his Love towards them▪ & yet how they had all along rebelled againſt him, and turned his Righteous Law behind their Backs, and not regarded his Reproofs; but yet, when he by Afflictions had brought down the Seed of the Serpent, ſo that they came low in Heart, and in Mind to be humbled towards him, and to let the oppreſſed Seed in them to ariſe, whoſe Sighs and Groans were to the Lord, for whoſe Sake the Lord brought back again their Captivity, and cauſed them to reſt in their own Land, in Peace, and Safety; and when p. 69he had ruled them many Years by Judges, then they deſired to have a KING, even as all the Nations round about them had, who were Strangers to God, and in this they provoked the Holy One of Iſrael; but yet for his own Seed's Sake he ſuffered all this and much more, And gave them a King in his Wrath, even Saul the Son of Kiſh, and anoynted him with his own Spirit, that he might have Underſtanding and Wiſdom to rule and govern them, that they might walk humbly in the Statutes of the Lord; but he himſelf ſoon diſobeyed the Voice of the Lord, when he was ſent to deſtroy the Amalekites, that he ſhould not ſpare old nor young, but ſlay both Man and Woman, Infant and Suckling, Ox and Sheep, Camel and Aſs; but ſee how the Seed of the Serpent aroſe in Saul, and the Children of Iſrael, and caus'd him to diſobey the Commands of God, by ſparing Agag (the King of p. 70the Amalekites) alive, and the beſt of the Sheep and of the Oxen, and of the Fatlings, and of the …ambs, and all that was Good, and would not utterly deſtroy them, but every thing that was vile and refuſe, that they deſtroyed utterly, and ſo provoked the Spirit of the Lord which anoynted him King; and the Lord repented that he had ſet up Saul King over Iſrael, and he rent the Kingdom from him, becauſe his pure Seed came to be oppreſſed in him; and ſo, as he gave [thoſe People] a King in his Wrath, he took him from them in his Sore Diſpleaſure.

But then he ſent his Servant Samuel, whom he anoynted to be a Prophet unto the Houſe of Iſrael, and ſent him unto Saul, to acquaint him that the Lord had rent the Kingdom from him; and the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and with it his Honour; but yet, behold the Subtilty of the Serpent in him, who p. 71would have tempted the Prophettohave honoured him before the People, when that in him, to which the Honour did duely belong, was departed from him; but herein the Serpent's Head (in ſome Meaſure) came to be bruiſed: Then the Lord ſent his Prophet to anoynt David King over Iſrael, who was the Son of Jeſſe; for ſaid the Lord, Behold, I have found a man after my own Heart to reign over Iſrael; to whom the Lord promiſed, that out of his Loyns, after the Fleſh, ſhould come the MESSIAS, that ſhould rule over the ſpiritual Seed of Abraham, and that there ſhould not want one to ſit upon the Throne of David henceforth, even forever, and that his Kingdom ſhould be an Everlaſting Kingdom, and of his Dominion there ſhould be no End, and the Government ſhould be upon his Shoulders; this is the great Prophet that Moſes foretold of to the Children of Iſrael, that ſhould come, ſaying, p. 72A Prophet ſhall the Lord your God raiſe up from among your Brethren, like unto me, him ſhall you hear in all things, and it ſhall come to paſs, that he that will not obey the Voice of this Prophet ſhall be cut off from amongſt the People.

Now conſider what this Moſes was, who declareth this unto Iſrael, he was one whom the Lord preſerved in the Court of Pharaoh, in Egypt, which was of the ſtock of Iſrael; and by his Hand the Lord brought many Plagues upon the Land of Egypt, and by him delivered the Seed of Iſrael out of their Captivity.

So likewiſe, this Prophet that the Lord hath promiſed to raiſe up, like unto him, from amongſt their Brethren, even from within the midſt of every man, which ſhall bring JUDGMENTS and PLAGUES upon ſpiritual Egypt, even the Land of Darkneſs, & bring Deliverance unto the ſpiritual Seed of Iſrael, which now p. 73groans under the Burden of Oppreſſion. This Meſſiah, even CHRIST, all the Prophets pointed at him, and propheſied of his Coming, even in the one Body of Fleſh; for they propheſied, That a Virgin ſhould conceive and bear a Son, and they ſhould call his Name EMANUEL, which by Interpretation is, GOD WITH US; and he promiſed To give him for a COVENANT unto the People, and for a LIGHT unto the Gentiles, that he might be his Salvation unto the End of the Earth; and that he ſhould put an End unto all Types and Ceremonies, which then the Children of Iſrael obſerved, & were commanded ſo to do, even by the Lord their God, and had their Prieſts, their Levites, their Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifice, their Heave-Offerings, their Peace-Offerings, their Shew-Bread, their Paſſeovers, their New-Moons, their Sabbaths, their Solemn-Aſſemblies, their Temple and Altar, with the Ark of the Teſtament; but p. 74yet all Theſe were but Shadows of things which were to come; for the Subſtance was and is CHRIST; for the Seed of God was yet (for all this) oppreſſed in them; for they ſmote with the Fiſt of Wickedneſs, and many times provoked the Lord to Wrath, ſo that he deſtroyed many of them, and they cauſed him to ſay, that though the number of the Children of Iſrael were in number as the Sands on the Sea Shore, yet ſhould there be but a Remnant of them ſaved, which Remnant was them in whom the pure Seed of God came to be raiſed up to bear Rule, and ſo they came faithfully to believe in the Promiſes of God, and ſo by Faith they came to be ſaved; for they came to witneſs it to give them Victory over Sin, and ſo they believed in Chriſt the Son of God, which was to come, & to be made manifeſt to the World in general, and was manifeſted in them in particular; and of his Coming p. 75all the Houſe of Iſrael believed, in the Notion, and in a Carnal Senſe, but yet in Proceſs of time, when he came they would not receive him; for the Seed of the Serpent raiſed up in them a Heart of Unbelief, ſo that they were hardned againſt the Promiſe when he came unto them.

And although the Wiſe Men & the Aſtrologers could tell Herod, the very Place and time, when and where he ſhould be born, and although the Lord did ſend his Prophet, even John, to bear witneſs of him, and in baptizing o… them into Repentance, and ſo to prepare the Way before him, ſo that many of them believed, that John was ſent of God; and although he declared, that there was one coming after him whoſe Shoe-latchets he was not worthy to unlooſe, yet their Hearts were hardned by the Seed of the Serpent, which ruled in them; ſo that when Chriſt was brought forth amongſt them, who was and is the p. 76true Redeemer of the ſpiritual Seed of Abraham, even the Seed of the Promiſe, for which Seed's ſake the Lord hath all along ſpared them, and his fierce wrath has been withheld from breaking forth upon them, ſo that they were not utterly deſtroy'd from being a People; but yet his Wrath broke forth ſoon after upon them, which burnt in Fury like the Fire, till it had conſumed them, and cut them off from being a People, and ſcattered them up and down the Earth as Vagabonds, becauſe of their Hard-Heartedneſs & Unbelief, which aroſe in them from the Seed of the Serpent, becauſe they rejected him whom the Lord had ſent to bruiſe the Serpent's Head; but before they came to be cut off, do but behold the Seed of the Serpent how it came to work in them in the Enmity againſt the Seed of the woman▪ even CHRIST, and how in ſubtilty, aſſoon as Herod came to hear of his Birth, under a p. 77pretence of worſhipping, him he would have ſlain him, but the Lord delivered him out of his Hands, by ſending him into Egypt, where he remained till after Herod's Death.

But yet, ſee how the Bloody Serpent's ſeed was raiſed up in Herod, which cauſed him to cauſe all the Children in Bethlehem to be ſlain; but yet, after his Death CHRIST JESUS came to be made manifeſt unto Iſrael, even in the Land of Judea, and at Jeruſalem, and in all the Regions round about, even by diſputing with the Scribes and the Diſputers of the Law, in their Synagogues & in their Temple, who confounded them by grounded Reaſons & ſtrong arguments, making it appear to them by Scripture, and by evident Signs, and miraculous Wonders, which he wrought amongſt them, that he was the Meſſias that was to come, whereof the Scripture declared, and many there were that believed in him, and p. 78that forſook all to follow him, even of the poor, fooliſh & deſpiſed by the world; but yet the Seed of the Serpent ſtill ruled in the great, mighty and potents of Iſrael after the Fleſh, and in the wiſe Scribes and Phariſees, and the Rulers of the People, ſo that their hearts were hardened, that they could not believe, becauſe he came not according to their Expectations in their carnal Imaginations; for ſaid they, When Chr…ſt cometh, who ſhall know from whence he comes? but for this Fellow, we know from whence he is: is not this the Carpenter's Son whoſe Father and Mother, Siſters and Brethren are amongſt us daily?

So, becauſe he came not according to their proud Wills, which could not ſtoop to ſo mean a thing as the Carpenter's Son, although the Lord had declared by a Voice from Heaven, that he was his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleaſed, and that they were to hear him; yet ſtill they were p. 79carryed on in Hatred againſt him by the Enmity from the curs'd ſeed that reigned in them; and them in whom the Seed of God came to bear rule, which confeſſed Chriſt to be the Son of God, were hated, deſpiſed and called curſed, becauſe they knew not the Law, and turned out of their Synagogues; and the Enmity encreaſed (daily) in them againſt him, ſo that they (daily) ſought Oportunity to take him, that they might put him to Death; but yet they durſt not lay hands on him, becauſe his appointed time was not yet come: Now the Prieſts and the Chief Leaders of the People cauſed them to err, ſo that the Scriptures (came to be fulfilled) which declared, That he ſhould be a Man of Sorrow, and one acquainted with Grief, and be deſpiſed and rejected of men, and that they ſhould hide as it were their Faces from him, and eſteem him as ſmitten of God and afflicted; ſo p. 80the People then cryed out, That he caſt out Devils by the power of Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils; others they cryed out, He was a Companion to Publicans and Sinners; others, That he was a Sabboth-breaker; others cryed out, He hath a Devil; why hear ye him? So there came many falſe Accuſations to be raiſed up againſt him by the ſeed of the Serpent, and the Enmity which he raiſed up in them, whoſe Head Chriſt came to bruiſe.

But yet, notwithſtanding all this, many were they that believed on (and followed after) him, amongſt whom he declared the Meſſage unto them which the Lord had ſent him to declare, which was, That he was the Light of the World, and that whoſoever follow'd him ſhould not abide in darkneſs, but ſhould have the Light of Life; and that for Judgment he was come into the world; and that the Prince of this world might be judged, which ſhould come after p. 81him, but had no part in him; and that he that had formerly had his Sight might be blind, and that he that had been blind might receive his Sight. And he did many Miracles amongſt them, even Raiſing the Dead, cauſing the Lame to walk, and the Blind to ſee, and the Deaf to hear, and the Leper to be clenſed; and he exhorted them, To walk in the Light whilſt they had the Light, that they might be the Children of the Light; and that they ſhould work while they had the Day, for the Night ſhould come wherein no man could work. And he told even the Scribes and Phariſees, That the Kingdom of God came not with Obſervations, that is to ſay, Lo here it is at this place, or lo there it is at that place, but that the Kingdom of God was nigh at hand, even within them, and therefore he often exhorted them to Repent, and many times ſpoke to them in Parables, comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to a Grain of Muſtardſeed, p. 82which ſhould be ſown in the Earth, which is the leaſt among many Grains, yet it ſhould ſpring up into a great Tree, wherein the Fowls of the Air might rooſt; and he compared it to a loſt Groat, which could not be found till the Woman had lighted the Candle and ſwept her Houſe; and he compared it to a certain Lord, who went into a far Country, who called his own Servants, and delivered unto them his Goods, and unto one he gave five Talents, and unto another two, and unto another one Talent, to every man according to his ſeveral Ability, and ſtreight-way took his Journey, then he that had received the five Talents went and traded with the ſame, and made them other five Talents, and likewiſe he that had received two gained alſo other two; but he that had received one, went and digged in the Earth, and hid his Lord's Money; after a long time the Lord of thoſe Servants p. 83cometh, and reckoneth with them▪ and ſo he that had received five Talents came, and brought other five Talents, ſaying, Lord, thou deliveredſt unto me five Talents, behold I have gained beſides them five Talents more; his Lord ſaid unto him, Well done thou good and faithful Servant, thou haſt …een faithful over a few things, I will make thee a Ruler over many things, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord; and he alſo that had received two Talents came, and ſaid, Lord, thou deliveredſt unto me two Talents, behold I have gained other two Talents beſides them; and his Lord ſaid unto him, Well done thou good and faithful Servant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many, enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord; then came he which had received the one Talent, and ſaid, Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou haſt not ſown, and gathering where thou haſt not ſtrewed, & I was afraid, and went and hid thy Talent p. 84in the Earth, lo there thou haſt that is thine; his Lord anſwered and ſaid unto him, Thou wicked and ſloathful Servant, thou knoweſt I reaped where I ſowed not, and gathered where I ſtrewed not, thou oughteſt therefore to have put my Money to the Exchangers, and then at my coming, I ſhould have received mine own with Uſury; take therefore the Talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten Talents; for unto every one that hath, ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance; but from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away even that which he hath; and caſt ye the Unprofitable Servant into utter Darkneſs, where ſhall be Weeping, and Wailing and Gnaſhing of Teeth. And he compared the Kingdom unto Ten Virgins▪ and to many other things, which would ſwell into a great Volumn to declare and open the Myſteries thereof.

Now all this was to be found within p. 85man; for there he told them the Kingdom was, whereunto this was likened; and he adviſed them, to ſtrive to enter into the Kingdom; and told them, The Gate was ſtreight, and the Way was narrow, which leads into it; but the Way was broad, & the Gate wide, that leads into Deſtruction: yet nevertheleſs for all this, the god of the World blinded their Eyes, and their Hearts were ſtill hardened, although there were ſome that bore witneſs to their Faces, whom they had ſent unto Chriſt to ſeek to enſnare him by Words, and teſtified, That never man ſpake like unto him, yet for all this the Enmity came to burn the more violently in them againſt him, which Enmity aroſe from the Seed of the Serpent which lodg'd in them, wherby they ſought Oportunity that they might by any Means put him to death which was not unknown to him, who was the expreſs Image of God the Father, in whom the Godhead dweltbodily; p. 86ſo that he was the Searcher and Diſcerner of the Heart, and by his Light he makes manifeſt the Secrets thereof; for he ſaw through the Phariſees, who made large Profeſſion of God the Father, but yet they rebelled againſt the Son of God, whom he had ſent a Light into the World, therefore he pronounced Wo againſt them, calling them, Blind Leaders of the Blind, and Hypocrites, and Whited Walls, and likening them unto Painted Sepulchres, which outwardly made a fair ſhew, but inwardly were full of Rottenneſs, telling them, that they waſhed the Outſide of the Platter, but the Inſide remained full of Filthineſs, and that they paid Tythes of Cummin, Mint and Anniſe, when they omitted the weightier Matters, even Juſtice and Judgment; theſe are they that in outward Appearance did walk as to the Law blameleſs, yet Chriſt warn'd his Diſciples to beware of the Leven of theſe great Profeſſors, who did all p. 87to be ſeen of Men, they made Long Prayers in the Synagogues, and loved the Chiefeſt Place in the Aſſemblies, and Greetings in the Market-place, and would not keep Company with Publicans nor Sinners, but cry'd out againſt Chriſt, becauſe his Diſciples did eat with Publicans and Sinners; yet nevertheleſs, Chriſt told his Diſciples, that unleſs their Righteouſneſs did exceed the Righteouſneſs of theſe High Profeſſing Scribes and Phariſees, they ſhould in no wiſe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: and he many times did diſpute with theſe Profeſſors, who ſate in Moſes's Chair, but they being Carnallyminded could not underſtand him, becauſe he ſpoke unto them in a ſpiritual Senſe, therefore what was ſpoken by him unto them was as Parables, which they could not underſtand; and many times his Sayings were ſo hard amongſt them, that them that believed on him could not p. 88underſtand; for even his Diſciples, whereof he had choſen twelve particularly unto himſelf, many times asked him in private, what might be the Meaning of what he had ſpoke to them in publick: And he ſent forth many of his Diſciples to declare his Name abroad in the World, and that they ſhould publiſh, That CHRIST, the M…ſ…ias, who was the Redeemer of the World, which the Prophets propheſied ſhould come, that now he is come a Light into the World, that whoſoever believes in him ſhould no longer remain in Darkneſs; and he fore-told to them the Deſtruction of their Temple and Temple-worſhips, and that he was come to put an End to it all, and that they ſhould no longer worſhip him at Jeruſalem, nor in the Mount at Samaria, but he that will worſhip the Father, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth, and that ſuch the Father ſeeks to worſhip him; and that God was and is a Spirit, and p. 89thoſe that will worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and in Truth; and he told his Diſciples, that he had choſen them twelve, and yet one of them was a Devil, and he fore-told them, that he ſhould be betrayed by one of them into the Hands of Sinners, and that they ſhould be all offended becauſe of him; but honeſt-hearted Peter, who was one of the 12. told him from the pure Simplicity that lodged in his Heart, that though they all ſhould forſake him, yet he would not; but Chriſt ſaw how ſecretly the Seed of the Serpent lodged in him, & ſo anſwered him, that before the Cock ſhould crow he would deny him thrice; and he told them, that the Shepherd ſhould be ſmitten, and the Sheep ſhould be ſcattered, and that the Chief Prieſts and Elders ſhould take him by Policy & hale him before the Judgment-Seat, that he ſhould (by them) be put to Death, and that the third day he ſhould riſe again, & that he would p. 90go before them into Galilee, and that no Man could take away his Life, but that he laid it down that he might take it up again; for he had Power to lay it down, and Power to take it up again, all which came to paſs according as he had ſaid; for the Enmity ſtill aroſe amongſt the Jews againſt him from the ſeed of the Serpent, which lodged in them, and cauſed them to combine with the Chief Prieſts and Elders, who hired Judas Iſcarriot, even one of the twelve, to betray him into their Hands for thirty Pieces of Silver, and ſo came with a Band of Soldiers, and with a trayterous Kiſs betrayed him into the Hands of Unreaſonable Men, who came forth with Pikes and Staves, as if he had been a Murderer, whenas he daily taught in their Synagogues, and diſputed with them in their Aſſemblies, and no Man laid hands upon him; but now was the Time come wherein the ſeed of the Serpent muſt p. 91bruiſe his Heel, and he muſt bruiſe the Serpent's Head; for he had compared his Life unto a Corn of Wheat, which when it was ſowed in the Ground was but one, but when it ſprung up it came to be many; and he ſaid, that the Son of Man muſt be lifted up, and when he was, he ſhould draw all Men after him; and he told his Diſciples, that he would come again unto them, and be with them unto the End of the World, and that he would not leave them comfortleſs, but he would ſend them the Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth, which ſhould lead them into all truth, and bring all things to their Remembrance, and that he ſhould convince the World of Sin, of Righteouſneſs and of Judgment; and that he was the good Shepherd, that would lay down his Life for the Sheep, and that all the reſt were but Thieves and Robbers, whoſe own the Sheep were not.

But now, thou that readeſt, do but conſider and behold how mightily p. 92the Enmity which is placed betwixt theſe Two Seeds works in each of them one againſt the other, ſee how the Seed of the Serpent ariſeth to bruiſe the Seed of the Woman's Heel in the Diſciples of Chriſt, and them that had believed in him, when he was betrayed, and taken and bound and ſent away to the Judgment Seat, how the Seed of the Serpent raiſed up Doubtings, and Fear, and Queſtionings in them, whether he were the CHRIST yea or nay, whereby the pure Seed of God in them came as it were to have its Heel bruiſed for that preſent time, & they all forſook him, except Peter only, in whom the Seed of God was raiſed up in ſomething a higher Meaſure then the reſt; but yet in the very time of Tryal, when he cane to be queſtioned concerning Chriſt the Seed of the Serpent raiſed up in him a ſlaviſh Fear, which cauſed him to deny Chriſt, even with Oaths; but p. 93then the Cock cr…w, and he remembred Chriſt's Words, and he went forth and wept bitterly: Now ſee alſo the Strivings that were betwixt the Two Seeds in Pilate, how from the honeſt Simplicity of the Seed of God which lodged in him, he conſeſſed, he found no Fault in him whom they called the King of the Jews, but would have looſed him from the Bands of Death; but yet ſee the Workings of the ſubtile Serpent in him, which raiſed up a Fear in him of diſpleaſing the People, whoſe Mouthes were continually opened unto him, crying out, Away with this Fellow, crucifie him, he is not worthy to live upon the Earth: Now behold what a ſtreight Pilate was in between two, even in himſelf; they cryed out, That they would have Chriſt crucified, and Barabas the Murderer delivered to them, and his Wife ſent to him, That he ſhould have no hand in the Death of that juſt man; for She had been much troubled in a Dream p. 94concerning him, and that of God in his own Conſcience teſtified unto him, That he was innocent of the things whereof he ſtood accuſed before him; then the Seed of the Serpent roſe up in him, and cauſed him to work wickedneſs in Hypocriſie, and cauſed him to call out unto the People, and to tell them, that he would not have any Hand in the Death of this man, but that his Blood ſhould be upon them, and upon their Children, and they all cryed out that it might be ſo, ſo Pilate called for Water, and waſhed his Hands, and ſaid, That he was innocent, as concerning the Blood of this Juſt Man; and ſo he delivered him unto them to be crucified, who formerly had great Strivings in his Body of Fleſh, in ſo much that it cauſed him to ſweat Drops of Blood; ſo likewiſe now upon the Croſs the Seed of the Serpent ſo bruiſed his Heel whereat he cryed, MY GOD, MY GOD, why haſt thou for ſaken me? p. 95but at his Departing, when he yielded up the Ghoſt, then the Seed of the Woman began to riſe to bruiſe the Serpent's Head, when the Vail of the Temple rent, and the Rocks clave, and the Graves opened, and many of the Saints that had ſlept came forth, and Darkneſs came over the Earth; then Fear and Dread fell upon the Hearts of many, and the Serpent's Head was bruiſed down in them, ſo that they confeſſed, that they believed, he was the Son of God: And although they buried him in a ſtrong Sepulchre, and rolled a mighty Stone upon the Mouth thereof, & although the chief Prieſts and Elders ſealed it with their own Seal, and ſet Souldiers over it to watch him, leſt any Man ſhould ſteal him away in the Night, yet the third Day he roſe again, according to the Scriptures, in ſuch a Miraculous Manner, that the Sight thereof ſtruck Dread and Amazement upon the Souldiers, which p. 96cauſed them to for ſake the Sepulchre and to go and tell it to the Chief Prieſts and Elders, yet ſee the Subtilty of the Serpent, how it wrought in them to cover the Guilt from the ſight of Men, and how he turned his Head to ſave it from bruiſing, in cauſing them to give the Souldiers Money, that they might go their way and report, That whileſt they were aſleep his Friends came and ſtole him away from them; yet nevertheleſs he appeared unto many after he was riſen from the dead; for the Bands of Death could not hold him: And the firſt which ſaw him after his Reſurrection was Mary, who ſtood weeping without at the Sepulchre, and Jeſus ſaid unto her, Woman, why weepeſt thou? who ſeekeſt thou? She ſuppoſing him to be the Gardener ſaid unto him, Sir, if thou haſt born him hence, tell me where thou haſt laid him, and I will take him aw…y, Jeſus ſaid unto her, Mary, ſhe turned her p. 97ſelf and ſaid unto him, Raboni, which is to ſay, Maſter, Jeſus ſaid unto her, touch me n…t, but go unto my Brethren, and ſay unto them, I aſcend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God & your God; and Mary Magdalen came and told the Diſciples, that ſhe had ſeen the Lord, and that he had ſpoken theſe things unto her; and now the Seed of the Woman was raiſed up mightily to bruiſe the Serpent's Head: He afterwards app…ared unto his Diſciples at ſundry times and Places, bidding them to go and preach the Goſpel to all Nations; & he told them, that he would be with them to the End of the World, and commanded them to go to Jeruſalem, and there to wait till they ſhould receive Power from on high, even the Holy Ghoſt the Comforter, which he had promiſed to them before; and he told them, that after the Holy Ghoſt was come upon them, They ſhould be Witneſſes unto him, both in Jeruſalem p. 98and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoſt Parts of the Earth, which accordingly came to paſs, when they were met together with one accord, on the Day of Pentecoſt; for there ſuddenly came a Sound from Heaven, as of a ruſhing mighty Wind, and it filled all the Houſe, where they were ſitting, and there appeared upon them cloven Tongues as of Fire, and ſate upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and began to ſpeak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them Utterance; and there were dwelling at Jeruſalem Jews, devout men out of every Nation under Heaven, and now when this was noiſed abroad the Multitude came together and were confounded, becauſe that every man heard them ſpeak in his own Language, and they were all amazed, and marvailed ſaying one to another, Behold, are not all theſe that ſpeak Galileans, and how hear we every p. 99man in our own Tongue wherein we were born, we do hear them ſpeak in our own Tongues the Wonderful Works of God; and they were all amazed and in doubt, ſaying one to another, what meaneth this! Now the Seed of the Woman was raiſed up in many of theſe devout men, and the Serpent's Head came to be bruiſed; but yet there were others in whom the Seed of the Serpent ruled, which cauſed them to mock and to ſay, Theſe men are full of New Wine, but Peter was raiſed up amongſt them by the Power of the Almighty to declare unto them the Eternal Truth of God, whereby the Serpent's Head came to be bruiſed in many, and the Seed of God to be raiſed up, even in three thouſand, whoſe Souls were then converted; and the Seed of the Woman ſtill prevailed more and more, and the Apoſtles went on in the Dread and in the Authority of the Lord, declaring unto the Nations what tho Lord had p. 100made manifeſt in them, even by the Operation of his Powerful Spirit; & they turned People from Darkneſs to Light, and from the Power of the Serpent, even Satan, to the Power of God, which was Chriſt in them the Hope of Glory; and they told People, that Chriſt was in them except they were Reprobates; yet they met with ſtrong Oppoſitions, even within them and without them, which aroſe from the Seed of the Serpent, but yet they witneſſed the Croſs of Chriſt to be the Power of God to Salvation. Now do but behold how ſuddenly the Seed of the Serpent came to be deſtroyed in Paul, even by the Seed of the Woman, who bruiſed his Head, who being a violent Perſecuter came ſuddenly to be convinced, even by the Voice of Chriſt Jeſus the Light of the World, which Light ſhined round about him, and he became Blind to what he had formerly ſeen, and that Eye which formerly p. 101was blinded, came to be opened and that Eye which formerly had been opened came to be ſhut, and the Scales fell from off them, and that Tongue that had formerly been drunk came to ſound forth the Praiſes of the Lord in the Declaration of his glorious Goſpel; and not only Paul, but whole Nations, came to be converted unto God, & to be turned from Darkneſs unto the Light of the glorious Goſpel, and the Sound of God's mighty Day went through all the Earth; this was a good Day, wherein Chriſt warn'd his Diſciples, that they ſhould work; but yet this Day was to be darkned; for Chriſt told them, That the Night ſhould come wherein no man could work; for he ſaw, that the Seed of the Serpent yet lodged in many of them, who then profeſſed him, therefore he gave his Diſciples Warning of them, and told them by what Signs they ſhould know them, which were, That they p. 102ſhould come in Sheeps Clothing, a fair outward Shew, but inwardly ravened from the Nature of the Sheep, and the Wolfiſh Nature ſhould lodge in them, which would make a Prey of the Sheep, and continually ſeek to devour them; and this Nature did ariſe from the Seed of the Serpent which lodged in the Hearts of many, and came afterwards to work in a Myſtery, even in the Myſtery of Iniquity, and this was the man of Sin, which ſate in the Temple of God, as God, and exerciſed himſelf above all that is called God, which was then vailed and not known, except unto a few, to whom the Man of Sin came to be revealed, and the Everlaſting Day of the Lord came to be known, and they came to give forth their Teſtimony from the Seed of God which was raiſed up in them, that the Ends of the World were come upon them, and that the latter times were come, whereof Chriſt had fore-warned p. 103them wherein Antichriſt ſhould come, and that he was then in their Dayes come; and that there were many Antichriſts then gone forth into the world, which Antichriſts made up the one great Antichriſt in Proceſs of time, and they declared, that the Myſtery of Iniquity did then in their Dayes begin to work; and that the Form of Godlineſs ſhould come to be followed, and the Power of Godlineſs to be denyed: And the Apoſtle exhorted the Theſſalonians, Not to be troubled, neither by Word, nor by Spirit, nor by Letter, as from us, that the Day of Chriſt is at Hand: So he declared, that there ſhould be a Night; for elſe he had not ſpoken of a Day to be at hand, which Night was then drawing on, therefore he adviſed the afore-ſaid Theſſalonians, Not to let any man deceive them by any Means, as concerning the Day of the Lord; for that Day ſhould not come except there came a Night, or a Falling p. 104away firſt, that the Man of Sin might be revealed, the Son of Perdition, which Man was conceived from the Seed of the Serpent, who oppoſeth and exalteth himſelf above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped; ſo that he as God, ſitteth in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelf that he is God, even the God of the world, who blindeth the eye of the mind of many. And the Apoſtle declared unto the fore-mentioned People, that the Myſtery of Iniquity did already work, only he who now letteth would let until he were taken out of the Way, & then ſhould that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord would conſume with the Spirit of his Mouth, and deſtroy with the Brightneſs of his Coming. And the Apoſtles declared, That Perilous times were at hand, and ſhould come, wherein men ſhould be Lovers of themſelves, more then Lovers of God, and that they ſhould be Proud, Heady, High▪minded p. 105men, and ſhould have a Form of Godlineſs, but ſhould deny the Power; they ſhould be ſuch, who ſeek after filthy Lucre, and through Covetouſneſs ſhould make Merchandize of Souls for diſhoneſt Gain, and they ſhould be Fierce, Deſpiſers of them that are good, and ſhould ſpeak Evil of Things they know not, but what they know, is naturally, as Bruit Beaſts, and in thoſe Things they corrupt themſelves; theſe are Murmurers and Complainers, walking after their own Luſts, and their Mouthes ſpeaking great ſwelling Words, having mens Perſons in Admiration, becauſe of Advantage; theſe are as raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame, Wandering Stars, to whom is reſerved the Blackneſs of Darkneſs forever, therefore the Wo is unto them; for they have gone in the Way of Cain, and run greedily after the Error of Balaam, even for Gifts and Rewards: And Enoch the Seventh from Adam propheſied of theſe, ſaying, Behold, the Lord cometh in Ten Thouſand p. 106of his Saints to execute Judgments upon all, and to convince all that are Ungodly amongſt them, of all their Ungodly Deeds, which they have ungodlily committed; and of all their Hard Speeches, which Ungodly Sinners have ſpoke againſt him. Now theſe were the Miniſters of Darkneſs, therefore they have wrought in the dark, & their Deeds have been the Deeds of Darkneſs; and theſe are they that have kept People in Blindneſs and Ignorance ſome Thirty, ſome Forty and ſome an Hundred Years, even all their Life▪time, ever learning, but they never came to the Knowledge of the Truth by them, and theſe are they which have taught for Doctrine the Precepts of Men, and their Precepts are contrary to the Scriptures, and are as followeth.

Firſt, They tell People, That the Scriptures are the Word of God, when there is no ſuch thing mentioned in the Scriptures; but they declare, p. 107that Chriſt was the Word, which was in the beginning with God, and was God.

2dly, They tell People of a Sacrament, and ſome of them of ſeveral Sacraments, and of Three Perſons in the Trinity; when the Scripture declares no ſuch thing; yet the Father, Son and holy Ghoſt we own, which is but one.

3dly, They Sprinkle Infants with Water, and tell the People, They are adopted into Chriſt, and are thereby become Members of his Body, when there is neither Command nor Example in all the Scriptures for any ſuch thing.

4thly, They tell People, That the Firſt Day of the Week is the Sabbath Day, and ought to be kept more holy then any other Day; when there was no ſuch thing commanded by Chriſt nor any of the Apoſtles.

5thly, They have told the People, p. 108That the Houſe made of Lime and Stone is the Church, and the Temple of God, wherein the Lord dwels; when the Scripture declares no ſuch thing, but the Contrary, that is, that God dwelleth not in Temples made with Hands.

6thly, They taught the People to obſerve Dayes and Set Times, as Chriſt▪mas▪day, and Children▪mas-day, and Lamm…s-d…y, and Candle-masday, and Michael's-mas-day, with Eaſter, and their Good Fryday, and their Whitſuntide, and Shrovetide, and many other Saints Dayes, which are tedious (here) to mention, whereof the Scripture makes no mention.

And they have told the People, That Tythes and Offerings are due to them, and Easter-Reckonings, and Midſummer-Dues, and Smoke-Pennys, and Reek-Pennys, and Money for Eggs and Gardens, with their great fair Houſe and Glebe-Lands, whereby they, their Wives and Families, may live p. 109even in the Sins of Sodom, which were Pride, abundance of Idleneſs and Fulneſs of Bread.

Now this, which they call their Dues, is the very Pillar and Ground upon which their Goſpel and Miniſtry ſtands; for let this be but taken away, and down fall they, with their Goſpel and Miniſtry, which ſome of them have not been aſhamed to declare in publick.

Now the Scripture declares not any ſuch thing, neither is there any mention made of ſuch Maintenance to be Compelled from the People to maintain them that are the True Miniſters, who are Called and Choſen, and ſent abroad from Country to Country, and from City to City, to declare the Glorious Goſpel, that the Sound thereof might reach even to the Ends of the Earth; and as they received freely, ſo they were to give freely; and into what City ſoever p. 110they came, they were to enquire who was worthy, and there to remain eating ſuch things as were ſet before them; for, the Labourer is worthy of his Meat.

Now, thou that readeſt, conſider in thy own Heart; thinkeſt thou that the Lord God of Life hath intruſted his Glorious Goſpel in the Hands of ſuch Hirelings, as beforementioned, who would not declare it to the Poor and Needy, whereunto it is the Glad-Tidings of Salvation, becauſe they have not wherewithal to ſatisfie them for it? Nay, verely nay; the Lord never intended any ſuch thing; but he ſent his Prophets to cry out to every one that thirſts, that they might come unto the Waters, and take Wine and Milk without Money and without Price. And John witneſſes that the Spirit ſaith Come, and the Bride ſaith Come, and whoſoever is athirſt may come, p. 111and take of the Water of Life freely: And Paul affirms, That he did not eat any Man's Bread for nought, but wrought with Labour and Travail, Night and Day, that he might not be Chargeable to any; but he commanded, that if any would not Work, neither ſhould he eat. Therefore their Maintenance was not ſo large, neither did they ſit down in one Place to preach the Goſpel, ſome Ten, ſome Twenty and more years, and ſo ſit at Eaſe in Pride and Idleneſs, compelling their Maintenance from the People, and making Friends to the Rulers & Magiſtrates, having their Perſons in Admiration that they may have the Advantage of the Law againſt the People, that they may have their Goods by Violence, and caſt their Bodies into Priſon, if they Refuſe to put into their Mouthes, to ſatisfie their Luſts, as thoſe which have ruled in this long Night of Apoſtacy have done. But p. 112the True Apoſtles, who laboured with their own Hands, and travailed up and down in Hunger and in Cold, who were counted as Vagabonds, and not worthy to live upon the Earth, by them in whom the ſeed of the Serpent ruled; they fore-told the People, that ſuch Ravening Wolves ſhould come, who ſhould make a Prey upon the Sheep; and as there had been Falſe Prophets in all ages before them, even ſo there ſhould ariſe Falſe Teachers amongſt them, who privily ſhould bring in Damnable Hereſies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bringing upon themſelves ſwift Deſtruction, and many ſhould follow their pernicious Ways, by reaſon of whom the Way of Truth ſhould be evil-ſpoken of; & through covetouſnes they ſhould with Feigned Words make Merchandize of the People: And they likewiſe declared, That in the Latter Times there ſhould come Scoffers, walking p. 113after their own Luſts, & ſaying, Where is the Promiſe of the Lord's Coming? for ſince the Fathers fell aſleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation: And theſe were they who had forſaken the right way, and gone aſtray following the Way of Balaam the Son of Boſer, who loved the Wages of Unrighteouſneſs; theſe are Wells without Water, even broken Ciſterns that can hold no Water, Clouds that are carried with a Tempeſt, to whom the Miſt of Darkneſs is reſerved forever; for, while they promiſe Liberty to others they themſelves are Servants to Corruption.

Now, many Years were not to be expired before theſe ſhould come, who were the Antichriſts and the Falſe Chriſts; for the Apoſtle John declared, that the Latter Times were then, even in his dayes, in theſe words, ſaying, Little Children, it is p. 114the Laſt Time, and as ye have heard, that Antichriſt ſhall come, even now are there many Antichriſts, whereby we know that it is the Last Time; they went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would (no doubt) have continued with us; but theſe went out that they might be made manifeſt that they were not of us.

Now, theſe Antichriſts were they who had been amongſt the Apoſtles, and in Fellowſhip with them, as to Outward Appearance, ſo that thereby they came to get the Form of Godlineſs, but had not the Life nor the Power.

Now, do but behold how ſubtilly the ſeed of the Serpent came to work in them againſt the Seed of the Woman, even ſecretly, as in a Myſtery, whereby it could not ſo eaſily be diſcovered as it had formerly been; for now it had as it were a p. 115Covering to hide it ſelf under, even the Form of Godlineſs, and a Likeneſs of Truth: for thoſe Falſe Apoſtles went forth from the True Apoſtles into the World, and the World received them, and went after them; ſo that in proceſs of time the Form of Godlineſs came to be followed, and to be cryed up in all the Earth, and the Life and Power thereof to be loſt and forgotten.

Now, the Seed of the Serpent lodged under the Form or Likeneſs of Truth, but could not lodge in the Truth it ſelf; for therein lodgeth the Seed of the Woman, which is to bruiſe his Head; ſo that under the Form and Likeneſs of Truth he has made War with the Truth it ſelf; and where-ever the Seed of God hath appeared in any, they have been deſtroyed by them in whom the ſeed of the Serpent ruled; John in his Revelations ſaw it all in a Viſion, he ſaw that which had whored from p. 116God to make War againſt the True Spouſe, and to drink the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jeſus Chriſt, and to cauſe all (to worſhip her) both great and ſmall, rich and Poor, high and low, bond and free, and to receive her Mark, and thoſe that refuſed it came to be ſlain amongſt them, where Satan's Seat is; and now the Glorious Sun was ſet, and the Night was come whereof Chriſt had fore-warned his Diſciples, and Truth was as it were baniſhed from the Earth, ſo that in length of Time that ſeed that had whored from the Life and Power of Godlineſs came likewiſe to depart from the very Form of Godlineſs alſo; for the ſeed of the Serpent hath not any Love to the Form of Godlineſs, but only becauſe it could not ſo well come (as it were) to eat out the Life and the Power any other wayes; but now it even departed from the Form likewiſe, and came p. 117to ſet up Invented Traditions, which is, to worſhip Saints, and Images, and the like, which is not any part of the Form of Godlineſs, but of the old Heatheniſh Worſhip under which the ſeed of the Serpent formerly lodged, which was to worſhip the Sun, Moon and Stars; and ſuch like vain things.

And now, when at any time the Lord raiſed up his Seed in any to bear their Teſtimony againſt the Heatheniſh Wayes and Cuſtoms of Men, and to make manifeſt the Way of Truth, according as the Lord hath revealed it unto them; then the Seed of the Serpent ariſeth in them in whom it rules, and cauſes them even to Murder, Deſtroy or Baniſh them, according as the Lord permits; and thus hath the Prince of Darkneſs ruled in all this long Night of Apoſtacy, ſince the Dayes of the Apoſtles, and caus'd Millions of Thouſands to be Murdered for ſatisfying p. 118of Luſts. Now, this was a Murderer from the Beginning, therefore all that croſs his Kingdom will he Murder and Deſtroy; for, by him the Lamb of God was ſlain, who was Dead and is alive, and liveth forever.

Now, thou that readeſt, do but look into theſe latter Times, even within theſe few Years, and thou ſhalt ſee how the ſeed of the Serpent hath made a Prey of thoſe in whom the Seed of God hath been raiſed; ſee in Queen Mary's dayes, what Burning, what Impriſoning, what Torturing was there exerciſed upon them who had the ſeed of God raiſed up in them, & could not Worſhip the Beaſt, in vvhichwhich the ſeed of the Serpent lodged, nor receive his Mark, they rather chuſed to bear all that could be inflicted upon them; ſo that by their Means the ſeed of the Serpent came again to be diſcovered, ſo that he was feign in ſome meaſure p. 119to creep under the Form of Godlineſs again, whereby to Shelter himſelf, and to ſave his Head from bruiſing.

Now behold the Weapons of theſe two Seeds; for as their Natur…s are Contrary one to the other, ſo likewiſe are their Weapons; for the ſeed of the Serpent's Weapons are Carnal, and therefore he hath exerciſed his Tyranny upon the outward, fleſhly or carnal Bodies of them in whom the Seed of God hath been raiſed: And the Saints, in whom the Seed of the Promiſe hath been raiſed, their Weapons are Spiritual, and Mighty through God, to the throwing down of the ſtrong Holds of Sin; and they War not with Fleſh and Blood, neither do they any harm to mens Perſons, but they war with Principalities and Powers, and ſpiritual Wickedneſs in high Places; ſo that when the ſeed of the Serpent has exerciſed his Cruelty at any time p. 120upon their carnal or fleſhly Bodies, they have not at any time reſiſted in the leaſt, but have born and ſuffered all in Patience, knowing that therein they were to poſſeſs their Souls; ſo that by their Patience the Serpent's head hath (many times) been bruiſed, whereby they have (as it were) obtained victory over their Enemies. Now look but back ſince the Beginning of Charles late King of England his reign, and there thou mayeſt ſee how the ſeed of the Serpent hath been (by the ſeed of God) chaſed out of one Form into another, and how he hath ſhifted to and fro to ſave his Head from bruiſing: See in Charles's time how the ſeed of the Serpent lodged in the Biſhops and Prelates, and how it was drawing out of the Form of Godlineſs again into the heatheniſh Way of Worſhip; but ſee how the Lord hath (then) raiſed up a People, in whom his ſeed was manifeſt, who bore their Teſtimony againſt thoſe p. 121Biſhops and Prelates, in whom the contrary ſeed lodged, who came to be hated, and in ſcorn and deriſion called Puritants, and were rendered by them (as Separates▪ Deceivers & Deluders) in whom the ſeed of the Serpent ruled; for therein lies the ſubtilty of the Serpent, to charge the Truth with that, which he himſelf is guilty of; ſo that at all times the ſeed of God and his eternal Truth hath been perſecuted (by the Serpent and his ſeed) under the Name of Error Hereſie and Blaſphemy. So thoſe People came to be impriſoned, fined, and many of them baniſhed; but yet ſee how the Judgments of the Lord came both upon King, Biſhops, Prelates and Prieſts, and how the Serpent came to have his Head bruiſed in them, who raiſed up a War in the Nation, whereby they came to be cut off from the Face of the Earth, and all ſtood in a tottering Condition, ſo that the ſeed of the Serpent was fain p. 122to endeavour to ſhelter himſelf under a more ſmoother Form of Godlineſs then he had done in many years before, even under the Presbyterian Form: but then the Lord raiſed up his ſeed in a People, who could not be ſatisfied under that Form; for the Light, even Chriſt, ſhined in them, and let them ſee many groſs Errors in it, and cauſed them to with-draw from having Fellowſhip with them; and theſe in ſcorn came to be called (by the rude Multitude) Independants; but they alſo came ſoon after into a Form, ſo that there was a ground in them wherein the ſeed of the Serpent might lodge, therefore it ſoon entered into that Form, and likewiſe corrupted it: but then the Lord raiſed up his ſeed again in ſome of them, and cauſed them to depart from them, out of that Form, and to give their Teſtimony againſt the Errors thereof, which aroſe from the ſeed of the Serpent; and theſe p. 123came by the rude Multitude to be called Anabaptiſts; but theſe ſoon departed from the pure Life, that aroſe in them from the ſeed of God in them, and came into Imitation of what the Saints of God had done in former Ages, and ſo came into a Form of Godlineſs▪ and the Life and Simplicity, which firſt moved in them, came to be loſt, and there came a ground wherein the ſeed of the Serpent could lodge, therefore he ſoon entred into that Form▪ and likewiſe corrupted it, yet the Lord ſtill followed him with his Light, which ſhined in theſe dark Forms, and cauſed many of them to ſee that there is nothing but Emptineſs and Barrenneſs in that Form, and that their Souls (therein) could not be ſatisfied; and then they came into a more purer Way, and Likelineſs of the Truth, then any of the former, and they bore their Teſtimony againſt all the Forms through which they had p. 124come; for they ſaw (by the Light of Chriſt) the Deceit that lodged in them, and ſo they came to a Way of ſeeking, and waiting on the Lord; but yet they likewiſe came (again) into a Form, and there was a kind of a ground amongſt them, wherein the ſeed of the Serpent could remain; for the Serpent can turn himſelf into the likeneſs of any thing, even into the very likeneſs of the Way, the Life, & the Truth; but though he can tranſform himſelf into the Form of an Angel of Light, and into the Likeneſs of Truth, yet he cannot come into the Way, nor into the Life it ſelf, nor into the Truth, therefore now is the Lord raiſing up a People after all this who ſhall worſhip him in Spirit & in Truth, out of all Forms & Likeneſſes, ſo that in them the Lord will deſtroy and judge out all that ground, wherein the ſeed of the Serpent can lodge, ſo that the Serpent's Head is come to be bruiſed in many Thouſands in p. 125their particulars, and as it is begun in the particulars, ſo likewiſe it ſhall at length be bruiſed in the general, & the ſeed that hath long groaned unto God ſhall be delivered from under the Burden of Oppreſſion; for now after all this long dark night of Apoſtacy, which hath been for this 1600. & odd years, wherein the Lord has been as it were a ſtranger unto the Sons & Daughters of Men, and they have lived (as it were) without God in the World, taking pleaſure and delight in the vanities thereof, & their fooliſh Hearts have cauſed them to err; but now is the Day ſprung from on high even the mighty Day of the Lord, therfore the night muſt vaniſh away; for the Darkneſs cannot ſtand before the Brightneſs of his Coming, nor before the Gloriouſneſs of his Appearance, therefore it is time for the Prince of Darkneſs to ariſe & to gather together the uttermoſt of his Strength; for now is his Kingdom p. 126invaded on every Side, even by the Lamb and his Followers, who is riſen to make War in Righteouſneſs, and by patient ſuffering ſhall overcome his Kingdom, and bruiſe the Serpent's Head. Now thou that readeſt, haſt thou not heard of a People, who dare not ſwear, nor dare not tell a Lye, who cannot ſtoop nor bow their Knees, nor put off their Hats in Honour to any man's Perſon in the World, and which cannot give any vain flattering Titles to man, neither can have any Fellowſhip with workers of Iniquity, neither can they enter into any exceſs of Riot with them, neither dare they ſpeak any other Language then that which the Saints in former Ages ſpoke, and ſtand as Witneſſes againſt all vain Talks and fooliſh Jeſting, and cannot reſpect the Perſon of any man becauſe therein they ſhould commit Sin; who dare not to do unto any man, but as they would be done unto p. 127in the like Condition; who bears their Teſtimony againſt all the vain Worſhips of the World, and all deceitful Profeſſors, who profeſs God in Words▪ but deny him in their Lives and Converſations? and haſt thou not at ſometimes heard their very Enemies ſay, that they believed that many of them were honeſt People, and that their dealing towards them hath been honeſt and juſt? and haſt thou not heard, that ſome of them have wiſhed, that they could live as thoſe People do? and haſt thou not heard the People of the World report, of what undaunted Spirits thoſe People are, who fear not the Frowns, nor the lofty looks of the greateſt Potent upon the Face of the Earth? and on the other ſide, haſt thou not heard the rude People of the World, (even Drunkards, Swearers, Lyars and Covetous Perſons, and ſuch as live in all manner of Exceſs of Riot) cry out, that theſe p. 128are Deceivers, Deluders and Blaſphemers, and that they are not worthy to live upon the face of the Earth; and haſt thou not heard what petitioning to the Powers of the Earth there hath been againſt them, and what ſtocking, ſtoning, knocking down in their publick Aſſemblies, haling before Magiſtrates, whipping and ſending to the Bridewels, and what long Impriſonments have been ſuffered by many, and by ſome (even to the Death) who have thereunto been committed by the power of the Earth? and haſt thou not heard of what thoſe People have ſuffered in New-England, by the great red Dragon, who is riſen in thoſe People, who once fled out of Old-England, even for Fear of that which they now exerciſe in a far greater meaſure upon thoſe whom the Lord hath ſent amongſt them, to declare (the Appearance of his mighty Day) unto them, who in their time in Old-England p. 129ſhould have born their Teſtimony againſt the Biſhops, Prelates, and Prieſts, and have ſtood in the Croſs to that (in their own Walls) which cauſed them to flee from the Sufferings, and ſo from the Croſs which ſhould have crucified that Nature, which they carried with them out of Old-England, even that which is now riſen in them, which cauſes them to exerciſe ſuch grievous Tortures upon the Bodies of thoſe whom the Lord hath ſent amongſt them, even impriſoning and whipping, caſting into Dungeons and naſty Holes, beating with Ropes, until their Fleſh became as Gelly, whereby they are given to ſuch a hardneſs of Heart, that they have exceeded all Nations under the Sun in Tyranny, the very Turks themſelves have ſtood more in the Fear and Dread of the Lord then they; for they continually thirſt after Blood, who after they have cut off the Ears of the Lord's People, p. 130which no Nation under the Heavens (except themſelves) did dare to do, yet they not thinking that ſufficient, have ſince drunk two more larger Draughts then (then ever yet was drunk by any in this our Age) of innocent Blood, whoſe Righteous Lives will ſtand as a Brand of Infamy upon them and their Generation to all Eternity, and when the Lord makes Inquiſition for Blood that will not be forgotten. Now haſt thou heard that at any time, theſe People ever plotted or contrived any way or means whereby to defend themſelves by the Arm of fleſh, or that they have riſen, or were defended by the Powers of the Earth at any time? but at all times the Powers of the Earth ſtood againſt them and oppoſed them▪ and yet doſt thou not ſee▪ that theſe People have dayly encreaſed, and how many are dayly gathered unto them, and how they dayly learn to bear the Reproaches p. 131of Moab, and the Revilings of the Children of Ammon. and are contented to bear and ſuffer all with Patience, ſo that in their ſuffering they may glorifie God, and therein become more then Conquerers by the Power of Chriſt, who is riſen in them, and is become the Captain of their Salvation? Now, whoever thou art that readeſt conſider ſeriouſly in thy own Heart; for here thou ſeeſt the Diviſion that is made between them that fear the Lord, & them that fear him not, if thou canſt with a ſingle Eye behold it; but if thou ſtandſt in doubt, as yet, concerning this thing, come but into a true Examination in thy own Heart and Conſcience; for aſſuredly there is ſomething in the Matter, therefore what thinkeſt thou? doſt thou think that it is for nought, that theſe People forſake their Goods and Lands, their Wives and Children, and become, as it were ſtrangers, even unto p. 132their Country and to their Father's Houſe; and to travail from Country to Country, through Perſecutions and Sufferings, through Mockings and Reproaches, through Hunger and Cold, and ſo come to be counted as Vagabonds and Wanderers, having no Habitation in the Earth, that they might have a Habitation in God? for Cain he was a Vagabond, although he builded a City, and called it by his Son's Name, yet he had no Habitation in God, therefore was he a Vagabond; but theſe who have a Habitation in God, they are no Vagabonds, but have ſought, & have found the City whoſe Builder is God, and they are willing and contented to part with all, ſo that they may have a Habitation in that City.

But now herein ſtands the clear Truth of the Difference, the appointed time is now come, and drawing near, even at the very Door wherein p. 133the Lord God is riſen and ariſing to fulfil his Promiſe, which he promiſed unto Adam in the Garden of Eden after his Fall, that is, That the Seed of the Woman ſhould bruiſe the Serpent's Head, and he ſhould bruiſe his Heel: And now is he come and coming, who will cut Rahab, and wound the Dragon, and bruiſe to powder the very Head of the Deceit and the Iniquity, which have long lodged in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men. And now is the Stone, even the Stone which is elect and precious, which is to be laid in Sion, which is the chief Corner-Stone, that the Builders have long refuſed, which Stone hath long lain buried in the Mountain of Sin and Tranſgreſſion; but now is the Stone cutting it ſelf out of the Mountain, which ſhall ſmite at the Feet of the Image, even at the very Ground and Foundation of Iniquity; and this Stone will become a Mountain, p. 134which ſhall cover the whole Earth, which the Mountain of the Houſe of the Lord, which is to be eſtabliſhed atop of all Mountains and above the Hills, and the Nations ſhall flow unt… it. Therefore ſeeing the Treader upon the Serpent's Head is come, and hath made himſelf manifeſt in many, therefore hath Pangs taken hold on many of them in whom the ſeed of the Serpent bears rule, ſo that that Seed ſtrives and ſtruggles in them, even as a Dying Man, on whom the Pangs of Death had taken hold; and this is the Cauſe that them in whom the ſeed of the Serpent ſtill rules in power, are ſo bitter and invitered againſt the Seed of the Woman, in whom its raiſed: but yet, though they raiſe up the uttermoſt of their Forces, and gather together Gog and Magog, and come up even the whole breadth of the Earth to encompaſs the Camp of the Saints about, yet they ſhall not proſper; for this John p. 135ſaw in his Revelation, and he likewiſe ſaw a Fire come out of Heaven, and devoured them; therefore do I in tender Love to thee adviſe thee to conſider of theſe things, and lay them to Heart; for this is the Day of thy Viſitation, therefore trifle it not away for meer Vanity & things of nought; for it paſſes away from thee faſter then thou art aware of; for this is the Time which the Lord hath given thee to make thy Calling and Election ſure: Therefore be not like fooliſh Eſau, ſell not thy Birthright for a Meſs of Pottage, for if thou doſt, thou wilt hereafter come to ſeek it (perhaps) with Tears, when thou mayeſt not attain it; therefore while the Lord is yet ſo tender towards thee, who ſtandeth with his Arm of Mercy ſpread open, ready to receive thee, therefore tarry not, but ariſe and come away; for the Winter is near ſpent, and the Summer draweth on, the p. 136Fig-tree hath put forth her Bud, and the Vine her tender Grape, & the ſinging of Birds and the Voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land; and now after all this Dark Night of Apoſtacy is the Glorious Day dawned and dawning unto many, which many precious Souls have longed and breathed after, deſiring that they might have ſeen it, but they could not attain thereunto, but by Faith; therefore conſider what Age and Generation thou art fallen in, even in a Day that is neither dark nor light, but as the Evening-tide, wherein the Son of Man is come and coming, therefore trim up thy Lamp, and provide Oyl in thy Veſſels; for verely, the Bridegroom is coming, and the Voice of them who rejoyce and ſing Halelujah thereat is heard, therefore prepare and come away, left thou be ſhut out of the Bride-Chamber, and ſo remain in Eternal Darkneſs, even with the Prince thereof, & p. 137his Legions, who is bound up in Everlaſting Chains of Darkneſs, never more to come into the Light; therefore this is the Word of the Lord God unto thee, whoever thou art, Rich or Poor, High or Low, If thou ſleight this the Day of thy Viſitation, which the Lord (out of his tender Mercy) hath freely given to thee, the time will come that thou wilt ſee theſe things to be an Everlaſting Truth, then thou wilt ſee how thou haſt ſpent thy precious Time in Vanity. Therefore come unto the Light; come unto that which makes manifeſt Iniquity in thy own Heart, for that is the Light, and obey it, that thou mayeſt find Eternal Peace and Reſt to thy Soul.

R. M.