A generall epistle, and greeting of the Fathers love, to all the saints called and chosen to faithfulness in Christ Iesus ... : and this is to all such as are found worthy to suffer, and is an exhortation to the strengthning of their faith ... : and this is a true testimony of the Father and of the Son ...

AN EPISTLE To all the SAINTS whom God hath called.

TO all the Children of Light every where, who feareth and loveth the Lord, who are begotten of God, and unto whom he is known in the spirit and in the truth; this is a testimony of the Fathers love unto you, Grace, Mercy, and Peace from him that lives for ever, the God of Light and Life be multiplyed in you all, that you may daylie be re∣newed in strength, and girded with truth, and armed with the whole Armour of God, and may be kept by his Power until the day of Salvation, to walk in the Government and subjection to Jesus Christ, witnessing the power and pre∣sence of God in you, and amongst you, giving you power to fulfil his will in all things, and that in all righteousness, and out of all evil you may be led, and preserved unto the end, and in the end, to shew forth the praises

of God in this generation, as a people called of him, and redeemed by him for his glories sake; even so Amen, and Amen. Dearly beloved, be not ignorant, but this know, This is the Message which came unto you, which is true and faithful, and everlasting, That the true God is light, and in him is no darkness at all; and this is the Message of Peace and Reconciliation, and of glad tydings unto all that have sought the Lord, which we received of him, and you have heard, and there is not another to be declared; and all that have received it, are gathered up to God, and are in Covenant with him, and one with another, and are in that which reconcileth and joyneth unto Christ Jesus (the Husband) and second Adam, who is the Lord from Heaven, the Prince of Peace, the Saviour and the deliverer, who is made manifest in Power, and condemneth the Transgressor, and slayeth the En∣mity, and raiseth the life out of death; and this is he who kills and makes alive, even the God who is light, who brings down one, and sets up ano∣ther; who makes war against the mighty, and gives Peace to the poor; and besides him there is none; he searcheth mans heart, and tryeth the reins, and knows the thoughts, and every creature is manifest in his sight, who gives to every one according to his doings; and this is he who standeth in the Congregation of the righteous, even in the midst of us, & sitteth Judge among the gods, unto him must all the gods of the earth bow, and the In∣habitants of the earth must tremble before him, and unto him every Tongue shall confess, and the light in every man shall answer when he ari∣seth to judgement, who is a swift witness to condemn or justifie all the chil∣dren of men upon the face of the earth.

This is the God of truth whom we worship, and who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, who is the God of Abraham and his seed for ever; and with him there is no change, nor shadow of turning; and he hath made known his Name, and his Power, and his wonderful works in this his day, and hath caused his voice to be heard in the earth, and the dead hath heard and now liveth.

And his Name is exalted on high amongst all that fear him and obey his voice; and he hath given his Son a Covenant of Light, who lighteth eve∣ry man that cometh into the world with the true Light of Life, or Con∣demnation, that all who receive him may come to the knowledge of the Father, whom to know is life eternal.

And this is the Christ, the Saviour, in which we have believed, and which we preach, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the Foundation of God which cannot be moved, the Word of God is his Name, and there is no o∣ther Name given for salvation. This is he that was dead, and is alive, and lives for evermore; and there is no other to be looked for; if any preach any other, let him be accursed; and if any bring any other Message, let them not be received.

And all you who have believed in this Christ Jesus, who is the Light of the world, and who have received the knowledge of this God, who is light himself, and that searcheth your hearts, I exhort you, and warn you all in his presence that lives for ever, to wait upon him, and to fear before him, and to walk with him for ever in uprightness of heart, which is of great price in his sight, and forget not his righteous Judgements which he hath made known, least you wax fat through mercies, and rebel against him, and become disobedient and gainsaying, and so be destroyed from being a people; but be stayed upon the Lord, and let your hearts be established with grace, and be not tossed nor shaken with any wind of Doctrines of men, which is not from the life of God, nor reaches to the life in you, but begets into Idolatry, to worship other Gods then he who is light; and be not troubled at temptations, nor at sufferings, nor at reproaches, nor any o∣ther thing, but stand in the Counsel of God, and in his long-suffering, and wait patiently upon him in your own measure of the grace of God received, which is sufficient for you to preserve you, that victory over death and over him that hath the power over it, you may receive, to trample up∣on all that which is contrary to the life of God within you, and without you; neither be you troubled nor offended in Christ if any among you de∣ny the Lord, and backslide from his pure way through an evil heart of un∣belief, and so become disobedient children, and vex the righteous soul; such shall bear their own burthen and condemnation in the day of the Lord; and know, that truth changes not, but is the same for ever, though the deceitful hearted, through unbelief, depart from it, and choose their own wayes, and despise the Counsel of the Lord to their own destruction; but be ye more watchful, and faithful, and valiant for the truth upon earth unto the end, that you may be found faithful witnesses unto the Name of the Lord in this crooked Generation, and may receive the fulfilling of the Promise of God, and may witness God with you, the Emanuel, the Saviour, God with us; and this is the whole salvation, and there is no other to be expected or witnessed then this, That God dwells in us, and walks in us, according to his Promise; and all that know this, needs not go forth to the right hand or to the left; but salvation is come unto us, he that takes away sin, and saves from it, and from condemation; and who witnesseth this, are begotten by the Word of God, and born of the immortal Seed, and are new creatures; and there is now no condemnation, but the reward of righteousness and peace to us, who are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit; and here we witness the Lord is our God, and we are his people, and he sees no sin in us who are born of him, nor remembers iniquity; but his Covenant is with us, and the Kingdome is become the Lords, and his Dominion is set up, where God is all in all, where the Prince of Darkness is cast out; and this is the end and substance of all Ministrations, which we bare witness of, and I do exhort all you that are called of God every where, patiently to wait in the way of the Lord, and in his Judgements to receive this, and to possess it

within you, that you may be worshippers of God, and doers of his will, and may have the witness that you are accepted of him, and may know your calling and election sure, where nothing that defileth can enter, but that may be taken away and removed, and him you may feel and witness, which Satan hath nothing in, who is the second Adam, and cannot be over∣come, but is greater then the first Adam who was overcome (though inno∣cent) and is lost from the presence of God; but he in whom there is no sin, & who cannot transgresse, comes to seek & to save that which was lost in sin, and to bring back that which was driven away by sin; and he is greater then innocency, and overcometh the Devil, and is called the Son of God; and to him that overcometh, who is the Light of the world, is all Power given of the Father: And know him in you all to be the greatest, who is not of the world, nor cannot bow to the Devil, to give you dominion and authori∣ty over all the world, and the powers of Hell and Death, even he who sea∣leth up the old Dragon in Perdition never more to deceive: And who wit∣nesseth this, knoweth the Election which it is not possible to deceive, or be deceived; and as every one of you hath received him who is the Lord from Heaven, so let your faith stand in him, and walk in him; and let all your conversations be ordered by him, in all pure and blameless walking in the sight of your Enemies, that it may be manifest that you are branches in him, and that you have received power to become the sons of God, and that you are heirs of the Inheritance which shall not fade away. And all you that witness this, your eye is opened to see God, and you are cleansed from sin by the Word of God, and you have received the peace with God, and glad tydings from him in your own souls; and this is salvation by the second Adam; herein be established and setled, and look not for another; for there is not any besides this Saviour and this salvation, but if any preach another, believe them not; and if any cry, Lo here, and lo there is Christ without you, go not after them, nor follow them, but know him within you, which is greater then all; yea, If we our selves, or an Angel from heaven, preach any other Jesus then he which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, or any other salvation then God with us, let us be accursed; for this is the Gospel of our salvation, Christ Jesus within us the hope of glory, the Power and Wisdom of God to rule and reign in us, by which we are changed from death to life, and translated from the power of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son.

And now all Friends and Elect of God, who are called and faithful, you that have received this Testimony which God hath given of the Son, and which the Son hath given of the Father, which in faithfulness hath been testified in this generation, I exhort you all in the fear and counsel of the Lord, take heed to that which you have believed, and heard, and learned of the Father, which is the truth as it is in Jesus, and shall abide for ever; and be not removed from your hope, nor given to change, but minde the

life of God in you all, which is immortal, and is but one, and it answer∣eth to the Lord in Judgements, and in mercies one to another in that which is righteous and just, and witnesseth against all the works of the world, which are evil, and not wrought in God.

Ye that know this which is of the Father in you, dwell in it, and walk in it, and be not shaken out of it, nor removed from it, for it is the way of peace unto everlasting rest, where there is no sorrow but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and every one in particular have salt in your selves to savour withal, that you may resist the wicked one in all his temptations, and may not joyne to any thing which is out of union, and contrary to the life of God, & to the truth which you have received, that you may never be betrayed of your hope, nor of the simplicity which is in Christ Jesus, in which the Father is well pleased; and let the Light of the world guide you in all things, that your works may be wrought in God, never to be condem∣ned, nor you to suffer loss, knowing this first, That none are justified by him but them that are led and guided by him; and to whom he is a Saviour, he is also a Teacher, and he is given to teach in all the wayes of Truth.

And now let your fellowship be in the power and life of God, and know not one another in words onely, and in shews, and in outward appearance, but witness one another in the spirit and in the truth, and have communi∣on there in breaking the bread of life, that Christ Jesus may be seen to be the head in you, and you Members to serve him and one another, all receiving wisdom from the head and vertue, and vertue from the Vine (Christ Jesus) that you may abound in love, mercy, and peace, and all the fruits of righteousness unto the Father, and dwell in the fear and counsel of God, and be subject to his will, not despising the cross which is the pow∣er of God, which slayes the birth that is born of the flesh, which is not heir of the Promise; but walk in the Cross dayly, that your understanding may be kept open to try and discern all spirits, whether they be of God, and believe not every spirit, for lying spirits may arise a∣mong your selves, and go forth from the light, who is not in the truth, but in the feignedness and hypocrisie, with false visions, and lying imaginati∣ons, handling the word of God deceitfully, and corrupting and perverting the pure way of God, having the form, but not the power, having left the power, and gone from the light, and such utters the words of truth without the life, and is but as the chaff to the wheat, and they are to be denyed and resisted, and not joyned to, least innocency and simplicity be betrayed, and your faith made void, and so you be destroyed from the life of God, and death surprize you, and darknesse enter into your dwellings, and so unbe∣lief, and doubtings, and murmurings, and lustings after evil arise in you, and you be perverted from the Worship of the true God, and grieve his righteous spirit by bowing to Idols, and following of other Lovers, and so the true God, which hath brought you out of Egypt, and made manifest his power in you; be forgotten, and the faith of his Son made shipwrack of

and your later end be worse then the beginning, and the Name of the Lord be dishonoured by you; and then wo unto you, his wrath shall suddenly break out against you; wherefore hear, and fear, and hearken unto the Word of the Lo••d, he hath caused his Light to shine forth, and his voice to be heard; he hath proclaimed his Name amongst you, and hath caused his marvelous light to approach when you set in darness in the Land of the shadow of death, when you were lost he sought you, and when you were dri∣ven away and scattered, he found you, and brought you home; when you were in your blood, and no eye pittyed you, he had mercy upon you, and bound you up, and healed you; when you were dead, he said unto you, Live, and it was so; when you were led captive by the devil, under the power of death, he break the chains, and set you free; and when there was none to help & to save, his own arm brought deliverance and salvation, and the way of life and peace he set before you.

And now all this hath his own Arm accomplished, that you should be a praise unto him for evermore; now if you walk in the way which he hath set before you, and keep his Covenant which he hath made with you, and fulfil his will, and walk in righteousness, in love and unity, in meekness, lowliness, humbleness, and in soberness, and watchfulness, and in fear of his Name; then shall his presence never forsake you, nor his outstretched arm cease to defend and preserve you, but he shall go before you, and be your reward; and he shall be your God, and you shall he his people; and you shall dwell in him, and he shall be your hiding-place; and he will be to you a Father, and you shall be his children, and his blessing and peace shall remain in your habitations for ever and ever; but if any of you turn aside for a thing of naught after vanity, and deny the way of righteousness, and forget the Lord, and kick against him, and fol∣low the way and counsels of your own hearts, and worship other Gods, and joyne your selves to strangers, and commit adultery with other Lovers, and make the cross of Christ of non-effect, and turn from the Light of Christ within you, and fulfil your own wills, and the desire of your own minds, and go out of the fear of the Lord into the liberty of the flesh (which is not the liberty in Christ Jesus) and so seek your selves, and strive for ma∣stery to be one above another, and so surmize evil one against another, and the bond of Peace be broken, and vain contention and strife appear; then shall the Rod of God smite you, and his wrath be suddenly kindled against you, and you shall not prosper, but his countenance shall be hid, and the terrors of the Lord, and lamentations shall possess you, and peace shall flee far from you; and such shall be cast out of the Camp of the Lord, and shall have no part in the Inheritance, but the blessing shall depart, and the curse shall enter till utter destruction; yea, and if any of you deny the Lord unto whom his way is made manifest, he will deny you, and you shall have no part in him, but vengeance in flames of fire will he render upon the disobedient, manifold more then if his love and way of peace had not

been made manifest to you, and the Light of the world is your condemna∣tion for evermore if you turn from it.

And in the presence of the living God I warn you all, Believe not that Spirit, neither follow it which brings any other Message then what hath been declared from the beginning; believe not him which cryes, Lo here, or lo there is Christ without you, or that draweth from the measure of Christ within you, to hearken to, or to be taught by any other thing, for that Spirit is not of the Father which preacheth any other Christ then he that is the Light of the world, and lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and which bringeth any other Message then that God is light in himself, and hath given his Son a light into the world; and this is the true Testimony of the Father and of the Son, and he that testifieth any other Message, is to be judged and denyed; he is not a worshipper of the true God, but out of the truth, and in the error, and a deceiver, and being decei∣ved.

Again, Believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which Ministers to o∣thers that which it hath not learned of the Father, but hath the words without the Power, and lives not in the Power of what it Ministers forth in words, nor is not what it declares, but is in the outward shews, in the hypocrisie and feignedness, and reacheth not the life of God, but vails and covers it, and that spirit is not of the Father, but is to be denyed and judg∣ed, and not received nor believed.

Again, believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which is at liberty in the flesh, and makes the offence of the cross to cease, which is exalted out of the fear of the Lord in the liberty of the earthly, which crucifies the life, and darkens the eye; and that spirit will boast of joy, and peace, and experience, and knowledge, and speak high words in the airy mind, and that would lead you out of your conditions to glory above the cross, till you be past feeling of the life; and that spirit begets into feignedness and hypocri∣sie, and into the love of the world which passes away; and beware of that spirit, for it is not of the Father, but to be condemned.

Again, Believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which is hasty, and for∣ward, and rash, for that goeth out of Gods counsel, and betrayes the Just, and strives to be greatest, and to be above the weak, and despises him, and would be Master, and not a servant, and would rule, and not be ruled in the meek & lowly government of Christ, and that spirit will judge out of thoughts rashly and unfavourily, and condemn another in secret in what it self is guilty of; beware of that spirit, for it is not of God, but to be judged with the life of God.

Again, Believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which seeks it self to have praise of men, and to be accounted, and would beget into divisi∣ons, and would have parties to it self, and respects persons, and glories in gifts, and knowledge, and parts, more then in the Giver, and admires men more then he that gives the encrease, and feeds of the knowledge in that

nature which is to be famished, and glories in what hath been done by it as though it had not received power from the Lord, and is exalted as though it bare the root, not knowing that it is born of the root; and that spirit spends its Treasure which it received in the Fathers house, amongst Har∣lots, and despises the poor, and seeks occasion to glory over the weak, that it may be renowned; beware of that spirit I charge you all, for it is not of the Father, nor to be followed, but to be condemned, and resisted unto death.

Again, Believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which preaches not from the measure of God received, and to be manifest to it in you, and ap∣proved by it only, but speaks above the measure, and reaches not to the measure of the grace of God; that spirit leads after words and outward shews, and cryes peace to the rich, and judgement to the poor; & the word of God is not divided aright, but heals up falsly, and daubs with untem∣pered morter, and cryes peace where Gods speaks war; and cryes war where God speaks peace; and that spirit is a deceiver and a betrayer, and feeds but the ear, and not the life, and darkens the counsel of God by words without knowledge, and is not of the Father, but of the world, & to be denyed and condemned.

Again, Believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which is not subject to rule and order, and is not meek, and diligent, and long suffering, but hea∣dy, and high, and untoward, seeking occasions against the Just, and watch∣es for evil; that spirit will not bear reproof, but is idle, sloathful, and care∣less, and surmising evil, and backbiting, and conforms in appearance, ma∣king a fair shew, but is not unto God, as appearing unto man; and that would go, and is not called; and will not go when it is called; and seeks for the praise of men more then God, and that is fruitless ground, and brings forth bryars and thorns in secret, which choaks the seed of God; beware of that spirit, it is a lover of this world; have no fellowship with it, for it is not of the Father, but a deceiver, and is to be denyed.

Again, Believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which is tossed and un∣setled, and is given to change, and is not established with grace, that is an Adulterer, and hunts for the precious life, and seeks by flattery to beguile the innocent; that spirit is zealous for a moment, but is soon overcome, and is stony ground, and brings not forth fruit to perfection, but withers, and its later end is worse then the beginning. That spirit is exalted into presumption, and in peace, and cast into desparation and trouble, and the double mind lodgeth in it, and it is unstable in all its wayes, & is a ground for the seed of Satan, and to it there is no peace from God; and beware of that spirit, for it is not of the Father, but to be condemned.

Again, Believe not that spirit, neither follow it, which is more zealous then knowing, whose zeal is without true knowledge, and stands in that which is corrupted, that flourisheth for a moment; but cannot endure for ever; it hath no root in it self, but is furious and passionate, and not long-suffering,

that spirit knows not it self, but would devour its adversary with bitterness, and not gain'd by long suffering; that is not the Spirit of the Father, but must be denyed in all.

Again, Believe not that spirit which draws back into the world, into its lusts, and liberty, and fashions which passeth away; that spirit forgets God, and draws back, for his soul hath no pleasure in it, but is vexed with it, where the cross is made of non-effect, and the false Liberty is walked in, which murders the life; that spirit is of the Devil, and is to be condem∣ned.

And now all friends of God every where, who knows him, and are known of him whom he hath gathered out of this untoward generation; be dili∣gent in your Callings, and keep your meetings in faithfulness, waiting upon the Lord, that you all may receive of his fulness to be filled with it, and may be nourished up unto himself, as Trees of righteousness, the planting of his own right hand, to spread forth his name and glory, as a people sa∣ved by him, and to whom there is none like besides. And this know and understand, that spirit is not of the Father which confesseth not the Son to be come in the flesh, who destroys the works of the Devil, and takes away sin; and that spirit it believe and follow which condemns sin, and destroys it, and takes it away, and so gives peace with God in your own consciences, and leads you into all truth, and keeps you from all evil; & you that witness this, the Son you know, and the Father you know to dwell with you, and in you; and this is the first and the last; believe in him, and follow him, and look not for any other; and in this the Father of Life and Glory, whose Dominion is without beginning and end, establish you, and preserve you, Amen, and Amen.

I a beloved Brother, and a Companion unto all the Saints in suffering, and in rejoycing, who have received this Testimony from the Father, doth with it in this Epistle salute the whole Church in the love of the Father, as moved of him by his Eternal Spirit, who beareth witness to me that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness, and that all that are of God heareth us. And this Testimony I give of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Truth, and of the Salvation of which I am made a witness, and against all that ever shall deny it, or turn from it: And this is thus far the words of my Testimony by the Spirit of the Father, not knowing when the time comes it may be finished, and the night may come when no man can work.

EDVVARD BURROUGH: