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VVAtchmen, where are you? What, asleep? Where's your Flock? Awake, and heare the Lords controver∣sie
with you: You have fed your selves, and not the Flock; you have sought your selves, and not them: You have been cruell, in rejecting, and scattering them. And now behold, the Lord is, and will be cruell, scattering, and rejecting you: You howl and cry already, because no man will buy your wares. Yee Merchants of Babylon, did you thinke it possible, so great judgments should have come upon you in so little time? Alas for you, you blind guids, how doe you travaile up and downe in sorrow, and yet more is your portion still? How will you live? The Lord will take of his Saints which you have despi∣sed, for Priests, and Levites. Do not you see how they are in∣creased already? They were but as a cloud of a hand breadth, and now they are almost spread over the Land. Are they not as a great Army? Not of Locusts, as you thinke; but the Ser∣vants of the most High God, in whom he will so appeare, that you shall be fill'd with madnesse, and vexation of Spirit, by rea∣son of the brightnesse of the Lords comming in them, which Glory, unlesse you returne unto the Lord, you shall not taste of. You think you are rich, and wise, and see more than they. Well,
Watchmen, what doe you see? Doe you see men like trees? Does the light appeare to you to be neither cleare nor darke? Are you brought into a Wilderness, not in temporall, but spirituall things? You will say, no, this is new light, and he∣resie. Therefore, hearken, and know, you wicked Pastors, your light is darknesse, and you retaine it, in opposition to further breakings forth of the Lord Jesus. Woe unto you, woe unto you, that call light darknesse, and darknesse light. Watchmen, The morning is come, and yet commeth, and also the night, if you will enquire, enquire. Returne, come, its night, and Watchmen, what thinke you of it? You are ignorant. Therefore, consider Micah 3. 5. 6. Where the Lord declares against false Prophets. You are their Brethren, their judgments yours. Night shall be unto you, that you shall not have a Vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that you shall not devine. And the Sun shall goe down over the Prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Then shall the Seers be ashamed, and the Deviners confounded: Yea, they shall cover their lips, for there is no answer of God. This is your plague from the Lord at this day you carelesse Shep∣herds, the Sunne is set upon you; this glorious and bright day
of the Lord is darke over you; the breakings forth of the Sunne of Righteousness is upon the Saints, it will break forth to a perfect day. Light, Life, and Glory, is among the Israel of God; but darkness and obscurity among you. But you'l say, you are Ministers of the Gospel, and light is amongst you: So were the Scribes and Pharisees Teachers in Israel, as well as you in England. They could declare to Herod, the place where Christ should be borne. But when he was born, and chose poor despised, and ignorant persons, to proclaime his Glory in the World, who greater Enemies to him than they. Hearken, you that have, and would pretend to be our Leaders, have not many of you acknowledged, and preacht something of glorious times which were to come, even the comming of the Lord Jesus in Spirit. Why, behold, he is come, and still comming in his Spiri∣tuall Glorie; but the persons he hath appeared to, are so mean, and poore; so sinfull, and unworthy; that you, (O ignorant Watchmen) and thousands more in the Kingdome, are offended, and stumble, even to the ruine of your poore soules, unless you repent.
Hearken, you know who could tell where Christ was borne in the Flesh, the Shepheards: The place where he was laid, in the Manger. Watchmen, would you know the place, or the persons, in whom the Lord Jesus will be born, or bring forth himselfe gloriously in, its possible, in the vilest, and unworthiest of men, that you should stumble; and the riches of his mercy exalted towards them: They will love much, because much was forgiven them. But take notice, the breakings forth of this Glo∣ry, gives no liberty, but destroyes, and consumes the filthiness of their natures, who are partakers of it. Would you hear of the Spirituall Glorie, and Excellencie of the Lord Jesus? Goe to the Plough-men, to the Shops, to the Souldiery, and many other places, and there you may find those that can declare much of it to you: But you will goe neer to perish before you will doe so, therefore you lie down in darkness.
You careless Guides, the Lord is angry with you: How ma∣ny poor souls has been lost, whom you pretended to be Watch∣men to, and you never gave them warning of their danger, but even luld them asleep: You walk in lies: You have, and doe, strengthen the hands of evill doers, that they returne not from
their wickedness. You deserve to perish for them; the Cry of the poore oppressed Husbandman is against you, whom you have defrauded, by requiring part of their increase, not minding their precious soules for it, like greedy and cruell dogs as you are, read Isa. 56. 11. and Phil. 3. 2. You may say, the State gives it you, let them looke it be not laid to their charge. The true Ministers of Christ, in former time, never required the Ma∣gistrate to enact Lawes to constrain people to maintaine them; nor did they make such a trade of Preaching as you doe, to sell the word of God as men sell beasts. You ignorant and beastly Watchmen, those whom you have sheltred your selves so much under, might as lawfully make a Law, to drive you from the Pul∣pit, to the plough, or dig the ground, and as just it would be.
Watchmen, come, are you for Peace? You'l say, with all your hearts, never good daies since we have had such divisions. But Hypocrites, hearken, they that put not into your mouthes, you prepared Warre against them. But remember, how ma∣ny yeares is it since Israels troubles were? How did you help them forward? How did you rejoice in their afflictions? Now is, and shall be the time of your woe and calamitie; they shall help forward, and rejoyce in yours; yea, they shall give you a double portion of sorrow.
Hearken still: You wait for a day to Reigne as you have done: You'l pay these Preachers their wags then, will you not? But stay, you may be deceiv'd, the Lord does not bring forth children for the Slaughter: Know it, ye ravenous wolves; if you wait for it, you may starve before that day come: I know you are hungrie, and thirstie, after the bodies and bloud of the Saints, like your Fore-runner, Bonner, of whose Tribe you are: Would you be content to satisfie your hungry appetites on him that is writing to you; if my Father thinks fit, and gives me life and strength, you shall. But hearken,
Watchmen, be instructed, be wise in time, meedle no more with the Saints, you will but trouble and molest your selves, and yet not conquer them. Behold what you have pul'd upon your heads, by medling with them in former yeares, the same you shall meet with still. Read Zech. 12. I will make Jerusa∣lem a Cap of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the Siege against it: The Lord will make his
people like a harth of fire among the Wood, like a torch of fire in the Sheafe, and they shall devoure all the people round about. But againe; In that day will I make Jerusalem a burthensome stone for all people, all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the Earth were gathered together against it. Therefore, be you quiet, and be content, if the Lord of Hoasts think fit, and be their servants, though it be to hew their wood, and draw their water; and if you will yet preach, preach this, that the Kingdome is to be given to the Saints of the most High God, and that the Lord has, and will, reprove, and destroy, the great ones of the Kingdome for their sakes, if they will yet oppose, and labour to destroy the break∣ings forth of God in them.
Watchmen, heare yet, the day of the Lord hastens greatly up∣on us, to staine, and bring downe all fleshly and worldly wise∣dome, and, out of its ruine, bring forth a pure and spirituall Glo∣ry in his Saints. There is a fountaine open for sinne, and for un∣cleannesse; If you will repent of your abominations, and turne to the Lord, you may be washt, and made cleane; If you will not, you are in hazard of perishing. Its the Counsell of God con∣cerning you, O false and deceiving Prophets.
Jer. 23. 15. Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drinke the water of gall: for, from the Prophets (of England, it may be read) is prophanenesse gone forth into all the Land.
Zach. 13. And it shall come to passe, that when any shall yet Prophesie, then his Father that begot him, shall say unto him, thoushalt not live, for thouspeakest lies in the name of the Lord. And it shall come to passe, that the Prophets shall be ashamed e∣very one of his Vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive.
Isa. 26. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise; their m••mory is, and shall perish.
Psal. 120. Then said they among the Heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them, the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Zech. 11. 3. That is, A voice of howl∣ing of the Shepherds, for their glory is spoiled.
If the Lord had not been of our side, may Israel say, they had swallowed us up.
Deare Friends.
I Hope you will not startle, or be offended at those harsh words spoken to those lazie Pastors, or punishments denoun∣ced against them: They are words of Scripture, or according to it; the punishments, such as are threatned by the Lord against such a Generation of men as they are; my desire is not to cast contempt upon you, but to incourage the lowest appearance of God in you, though you be but one of a hundred to those false Pastors. It has been so, what a company of false Prophets were there to one Elijah, 1 Kings 22. 6. And surely, our Land may parallel Jerusalem, wherein is many false Teachers, for one that is true and faithfull: But the Lord knowes who are his, though men know not one from another.
Friends, The Lord Jesus most certainly is hasting with a glo∣rious manifestation of himself, in, and for his Saints. My desire is not so much to teach you, but, as a friend, desire you to take heed you act nothing against him, which (its possible) you may doe, by reason of that darknesse that remaines in you unsubdued, and destroyed by light of God. The way he comes in, is, and will be contrary to the wisedome of flesh; its possible, you shall not have the first sight, or discovery of this Glory. The Resurrecti∣on of Jesus Christ out of the Grave, was made known to Ma∣ry Magdalen, out of whom Christ had cast many Devils, before the Disciples, and to two others unexpectedly in their journey: they declared, but the Disciples beleeved them not, their words seemed as tales: The Lord Jesus will have his Resurrection in the hearts of the Saints, and that such a one, as will cause a great Earth-quake in them, even to the destroying those powers of darknesse that shall striv to keep him down; and what if he shall thus so appear, and raise up himself, first in those that wereas great sinners as Mary Magdalen was, avd they shall declare this glad tidings, and proclaime this glory, that the Lord is risen, and will rise more and more in his Temple. Why should this offend you? May not he doe with his owne what he will? Give as much to a poore Prodigall, or more, than to you that have continued in your Fathers house? What if the unworthiest of men, yea, the last be first in this discoverie of Jesus; be not troubled, or offend∣ed at it, the Vision may speak in you, though it tarrie: wait for
it, and with Abraham, see this day, and rejoice. You will aske what day doe we speake of: Why, the day of Israels delive∣rance from the Spirituall bondage and captivitie wherein they lie, whose oppressors shall be destroyed by the brightness of his appearing, a Glorie to be manifested in these last claies to the Saints. Read those Scriptures which say, Sorrow and sighing shal fly away, all teares shall be wip't from their eyes: There shall be no more a Canaanite in the House of the Lord. And those Pro∣phesies that concerne these last daies, and you shall see glori∣ous things spoken of Sion, the Citie of the Lord of Hosts, which some have a glimse of, and are earnestly longing for their break∣ing forth to a perfect day.
My Friends, I would not have you think, that I conceive the various transformations of the Devill, as an Angel of light, to be these glorious discoveries of Jesus: But its certaine, the Lords discoveries are amongst us, the Devill is so busie in acting like him. Take this as a rule from one that waits for clearer light, what ever Principle gives way to the Principles, Filthiness, or Excellencie of our natures, is contrary to the pure light and na∣ture of God. But our God will teach us to avoid their slights; they may come near, but shall not deceive the Elect.
Friends, Let me intreat you, not to be so much offended at Lay-mens Preaching, (as you call them) I have travail'd up and down formerly, and have seene you much against them; I am a∣fraid there is a remainder of that Spirit still. Moses was not an∣gry (though a great Prophet) when some would prophesie in the Camp, but honestlie said, I would all the Lords people were Pro∣phets. When the Disciples saw some casting out Devils, and fol∣lowed not them, they forbad them: Christ hearing it, very meek∣ly replies, forbid them not; of a truth, there is a more clear sight and enjoyment of spirituall things among them, than with you. But I spare you, chusing rather to go backward, covering your infirmities, than forward, to lay them open. Yet, my Friends, if it be possible, let me beg one thing at your hands, even for the Lord Jesus Christ sake: Consider the poore husbandmen, who suffer much by your way of maintenance. What if you should Preach the Gospel, and trust God for a living? The Aposties did so, the people wereas cruell to them, as these can be to you, yet they lived in the world, should not you? Mistake me not, I think you ought to live on the Ministrie, if you be truly called
thereto by God, But your barganing with people, so much you will have, or not preach, is a practise I understand not, if you do by the pure light of God, it is well.
Friends, the Bridegroom is coming, mind his beloved ones you meet withall of it: he comes as a thief in the night, Blessed are they that wait for him. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly: and let those that love his appearing say Amen. Finis.
Cant. 2. ver. 8. The voice of my beloved, behold, he cometh leap∣ing over the mountaines, skipping upon the hills: I sate under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my tast.
Be thou like a young Roe, or young Hart upon the mountains of Bether, or of Division, as you may read it.
Cant. 8. Who is this that cometh up from the Wildernesse lean∣ing upon her Beloved? Psal. 8. What is man that thou art mind∣full of him, and the sonne of man that thou visitest him.
MY dear Friends, you have been very precious in my sight, formerly, though I, a poore weak creature, have wanted power so to walk as to adornthe glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, which hath caused me where I have loved, scarce to own God or you, for sear of bringing contempt, and despising to both; no injoyment satisfying me, but even to be declared the Son of God with power, as Christ was, which yet I wait for more, and more, God hath disposed of me now a little to bring my self forth by writing: the words used to great ones, to idle Shepherds, to many in the gathered Churches, may seem harsh to you, and grieve your spirits, thinking them to be contrary to the meeknesse & gentle∣nesse of Iesus Christ, and so be grieved and made sad; but shall I adde Sorrow to you, now my bowells are most yearning over you, and not able to speak any thing against you, but all I can for you, In blessings spirituall and temporall, to prevent your grief if it be possible; consider first, what is judged here of such a Generation, as have been, and are enemies to God, its in the wombe with you, its here brought forth: you had by the light of Christ spelt it, heres onely the pronounciation of the word.
Secondly, consider Iesus Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Iu∣dah, as well as the Lamb slain from the beginning, both these he used on earth, he was meek, gentle, not quenching smoak∣ing Flax, nor breaking broken Reeds, yet was able to appeare otherwise, if need were, as you may see at large Mat. 23. which life he doth, and will bring forth in his Saints.
Thirdly, those raised expressions, and actions the Saints used, and shall act, did not, nor shall arise from a power or principall of darknesse, but from the power and puritie of God in them, read 2. Kings 3. 4. Acts 13. 10. Psal. 149. 6, 7, 8, 9. 1 Cor. 6. 23. Rev. 18. 6. 7.
Israel, I believe the Saints shall be more terrible to the world then ever they have been, and reward them according to their works, not in, or by a base power, but a pure one, rule, judge, inflict punishments, they shall, but in righteousnesse and judge∣ment, whereas the world hath ruled over, judged, and inflicted punishments on Israel by a beastly, and fleshly power, and princi∣ple, which the time is coming, and who knows how soon, but such a power then, shall not be found in Israel, but destroyed by the exaltation of Iesus in them.
Fourthly consider, hath not this generation of men spoken so too, been as Goliah, despisers of the host of Israel, not beccause they were filthy, but for the breaking forth of some Beams of the glory of God, and thereby defied God himself, most certain∣ly he hath and will defie them more and more, and that the breaking forth of himself in his people, in this I have endevoured to remove that sight of trouble I saw might befall your spirits. And Israel, through the goodnesse of God, you may in this book see a glimpse of a feast prepared for Israel, some have had a taste of it, how soon you may, I know not, see it, long for it, and re∣joyce as Abraham, youl say I may do it, and not taste of it my self, well you have been, and still are precious in my sight, the Lord doe with me as seemeth good in his sight, let me have your prayers who am unworthy of mercie,
Edward Ellis.