The Babe of Glory, Letter 4
From Scotland.
Dear Sir,
ALthough I cannot hear from you, yet I cannot but write unto you, though you need it not; but ſo it is, that that which is great can converſe with the meaneſt adminiſtration. That which I am to tell you, is this, That our joy is full, but what it is, is not to be ſpoken of here to any, but to that which lives in it (though it needs not) and that cannot ſpeak it out, becauſe the world cannot bear it as yet. For ſo ſaid Chriſt, there was a ſtriving, the one to ſit at the right hand, the other at the left, but the greateſt muſt be the leaſt, this they could not bear; and the leaſt is the greateſt with God, this men will not hear. Further, I finde our work done to our hand, our labour is paſt, yet we know it not; our Sabbath goes on daily, and is approaching, to put an end to all our labour, yet we muſt travel for a time till our Reſt be brought forth, and our rejoycing finiſhed. Yea further, our repentance to ſin no more, is come to our ſelves, whilſt others may judge us in our liberty; that is no evil to us; ſo that we may ſay, our lot is fain into a good ground, for the Kingdome that we waited for hath appeared, and is full, and nothing can add any thing to it (by way of ſacrifice) let men ſay or do what they will: and if we appear not what others would have us to be to them yet our kingdom maintaines us. For who can ſeparate the Lord from himſelf? Dear Sir, By this you may perceive how far I am gone, and where I reſt everyday; and let me tell you, if the Kingdome do inlarge it ſelf, you ſhall hear more from me; but it is ſo great with me, that for the preſent my pen is made dry, and I cannot deliver that which is now upon my ſpirit; for no fleſh is able to bear it, and I am fain to converſe with mean things, for fear it will be too hard for me. I confeſs I could ſpeak it to that which hath not an ear to hear, nor an eye to ſee, for that cannot be troubled, and that is ſatisfied already and made ſilent; and is it, or would be changed into that reſt, that being one, it might take its reſt, and live in it ſelf, as it was from everlaſting. O how great and happy is that which ſpake to Moſes when he was ſent of God in an errand to Pharaoh, telling him, I Am hath ſent thee, &c. In that very hour I dyed being ſatisfied in what was ſpoken to Moſes, for Moſes was made ſilent, and Pharaoh muſt dye for it, yet his ſeed lives in perſecuting, but knows it not, becauſe they go by the name of Iſrael, yet do Pharaohs work in perſecuting they know not what.
And becauſe the Lord is bringing forth himſelf in a way that he brought not forth himſelf in Iſrael; Iſrael alſo ſaith, It is not my father, but Iſrael is a child, and as yet does not know the Father, nor all the wayes and ſeveral diſpenſations of the Father. For the wind bloweth where it liſteth, and Iſrael knows it not, but the Lord is ſatisfied in the thing, and lives in his own will, whilſt Iſrael is a judging of what men act for God: the ſtory you have in Iſrael and Pharaoh; and little did Iſrael think whilſt it ſuffered under Pharaoh, that Pharaoh acted for God in puniſhing Iſrael; Pharaoh did the work of God in it to purpoſe, and yet Pharaoh knew it not, that it was the deſigne of God to deliver Iſrael, becauſe Pharaoh thought there was none but he that was greater; inſomuch as he inquired of Moſes who was the Lord, and thought by that to deſtroy Iſrael; but as Pharaohs daughter was made on purpoſe to ſave Moſes, ſo Iſrael was made to be the deſtruction of Pharaoh. Yet further Pharaoh is ſicke of Iſrael, and for that purpoſe beſpeaks the Midwifes, that when the women are upon the ſtool, and they finde it a male, that they deſtroy it: but had Pharaoh known that the Midwifes were the Lords, and that he had firſt beſpoken them, he would never have been ſo ſimple as to have medled with Iſrael: what ſhall I ſay? Pharaoh is ſick of Iſrael, Iſrael judging the father, but did Pharaoh or Iſrael know where our reſt was, and what it is unto us in all conditions, they would be quiet, for that the Lord is too hard for every thing that is formed againſt him: and if it be ſo that no weapon formed againſt the Almighty can proſper, doubtleſs then it is good to be in him alone, and nowhere elſe. To bed then now, for 'tis Night, lets lye down both in his boſome, and ſleep till the morning, when we ſhall riſe together; in mean time I reſt,
Yours E. W.