CHAP. XI.

WEll, in the next place, I must declare to you, that all that which you call the history, and have doted upon it, and made it your idol, is all to be seen and felt witin you, before you cast oft true peace.

Adam and Christ you have heard are both to be seen within the heart,*Cain and Abel is to be seen within: Abraham (a power that prefers the honour of Righteousnesse, before a beloved Isaac) is to be seen within Meek spirited Moses, that rules your bo∣dies by an outward Law of Righteousnesse, is to be seen within you; killing of Sacrifices, and offering them up, is to be seen within you. Israel, or one that is a wrestler is to be seen within you. And this is Christ the elect one that fights against your lusts.

The Canaanites, Amalekites, Philistines, and all those armies of the Nations, even troops of untigh∣teous powers, one following another, are to be seen within you, making war with Israel, Christ within you.

The Land of Canaan, the habitation of rest, is to be seen within you, travelling and drudging in the wildernesse, and then comming to rest upon the se∣venth day, is to be seen within you.

Judas, a treacherous self-loving and covetous spirit. The Commanders of the Jews (the chief powers that are within the flesh) first condemning, Page  82 then killing, then buying Christ, is to be seen with∣in you.

Christ lieing in the grave, like a corn of wheat buried under the clods of the earth for a time, and Christ rising up from the powers of your flesh, above that corruption and above those clouds, treading the curse under his feet, is to be seen within.

The stone that lies at the mouth of the sepulcher, your unbelief, the removing of that stone, setting you at libertie, is to be seen withing you.

Heaven and hell, light and darknesse, sorrow and comforts is all to be seen within, the power of darknesse, and the power of light and life is to be seen within you. Good Angels (which are di∣vine discoveries or sparks of that glory) And bad Angels (which are the powers of the flesh let loose out of the bottomlesse pit•selfishnesse, and so work∣ing its own miserie) are to be seen within.

For man-kind is that Creation, in which the great Creatour of all things wil declare and mani∣fest himself; Therefore it was said, That God was in Christ. That one anointed humane body, reconciling or drawing all things into himself, and so making peace.

For while al things are out of that one power of Righteousnesse, jarring and flashing against him; there is no peace in the Creation, but sorrow, tears and vexation; but when all things are made to lie down quiet in him, and acknowledge him in all, and are subject to him, the alone King of Righte∣ousnesse, now there is rest and peace every where.

Therefore if you look for heaven, or for mani∣festation the Fathers love in you in any place, but within your selves, you are deceived; for what glory soever you shal be capable of to see with your eyes or hear with your ears, it is but the breakings forth of that glorious power that is seated within for Page  83 the glory of the Father is not without him, but it is all within himself, or rises up from within, & is mani∣fested abroad; The Kings daughter is all glorious within: All that glory which declares heaven, is seen within that spirit, that rules within the Crea∣tion man-kind.

And further, if you look for any other hell or sor∣rows in any other place, then what shall be made manifest within the bottomlesse pit, your very flesh∣ly self, you are deceived, and you shall find that when this bottomlesse pit is opened to your view, it will be a torment sufficient, for from hence, doth the curse spread, and all that misery you are or may be capable of, it is but the breakings forth of that stinking dunghill, that is seated within you, & is that power of darkness, that rules within the Creation, your body.

If the power of Righteousnesse & peace take pos∣session and rule in you,* then you shall live in rest, and be free from hell and sorrow, death and bond∣age, If the Lamb be the light of your heart, all tears shall be wiped away, and you shall be in peace.

But if the selfish power rule your heart; then as you live now upon uncertainties, in confusion and vexation: so this manifestation of hell, darknesse and sorrows, shall multiply within you; and when your body goes to the Earth, you multiply the curse upon the Creation, and so you enter into the body of the Serpent, that must be burned and consumed by the power of the Lord.

Hell and the curse doth rule within c•eated flesh in every family of the earth, and will rule till the feed of Abraham (the blessing of the Lord come) and burn up that serpent, and deliver the Creation from that burden.

And let me tell you, That this seed, This blessing of the Lord is rising up in every family that lives af∣ter Page  84 the flesh; Whether Parents, brethren or sisters, they do hate, grudge and persecute those in whom the blessing begins to rise up, and tramples upon them like dust; but out of that dust of the earth (man-kind) shall the deliverer come that shall turn ungodlinesse from Jacob. A few years now will dis∣cover more, and then that prophecy shall be mate∣rially fulfilled, Then ten men shall take hold of him that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you, Zech. 8. 23.

The heart of man is the place wherein heaven and hell, for nature and kind are both to be seen, that is, when the Law of Righteousnesse rules, there is Christ or the Kingdom of heaven within, even the manife∣stations of the Father appears in glory to the sweet rest and peace of that soul.

But when the power of unrighteousnesse rules in the heart, which is the Serpent, Dragon or God of this world; this is hell or kingdom of darknesse; for first the man sees and feels himself in bondage to his lusts, and to the powers of his flesh. This is death, and the curse that he lies under.

And then secondly, The man sees himself under bondage of sorrows and torment, and the increase of this sensiblenesse, is & will be an intolerable misery.

As it is said, That the King of Righteousnes takes delight in nothing, but what is within himself, and what proceeds out of himself: So the Heaven of an enlivened heart is not a local place of glory at a di∣stance from him, but the seeing and feeling the Fa∣ther within, dwelling and ruling there; and to be∣hold the glory of that power proceeding forth of himself, to which he is made subject, through which he walks righteously in the Creation, and in which he rests in peace.

Even so, the souls that are lost and ashamed in their work, are not tormented by any terrour with∣out Page  85 them in any local place, but their hell or place of torment is within themselves, seeing and feeling themselves chained up in bondage, to fears, terrours: ••rrows, afrightments, intolerable vexations, and powers of lust, and under all that cursed darknesse, ••till the judgement of the great day.

And what misery or torment doth or shall appear •••m outward objects, it is but the breakings forth of their own cursednesse, that creates misery to him∣self, and so goes forth to fetch in torment from with∣out.

For he that hath a troubled conscience, turns every thing into gall and worm-wood to terrifie himself, thinking every bush to be a devil to torment him, he saies, he sees fearfull shapes without; but they arise from the anguish of his tormenting conscience with∣in, for they be the shapes and apparitions of his own caused flesh that is presented to him, which comes not from any other but out of the bottomlesse pit, the Serpents powr, but rules and dwels within him, and the sight of this is like the misery of tender flesh burning in the fire.

Let a man lie upon his sick bed, and to the view or others the chamber is quiet, yet he saith, he seeth devils, and flames, and misery, and torments. Well, this is but the rising up of his own unrighteous heart, the flames of the bottomlesse it that appear to himself.

For certainly unrighteous flesh is hell, the ap∣pearance or risings up of un•ighteous flesh to its own view, is the torments of hell, Pride, lust, envy, covetousnesse, hypocrisie, self-love, and the like, being crossed by the spirit of Light, are the particu∣lar devils that torment the soul in hell, or in that dark condition.

Or if so be a man be tormented by visible bodies of f•ry, and ugly shapes, as he apprehends, they be Page  86 all the creatures of his own making, and rods which the flesh hath made to whip and punish himself with∣all; for a man suffers by no other but by the work of his own hands.

And as he hath acted envy, venome and poison in strange wayes of oppression, walking unrighteously in the Creation: Even so, when his soul comes to be judged, he shall apprehend snakes, scorpions, toads, devils in bodily shapes, and flames of fire and dire∣full noises, and pits of darknesse, which are creatures of his own making, or the shapes and fashion of those unrighteous turnings, and windings, and a∣ctings of his unrigh•eous soul, that now appear in their own colours to his own torment, and this is •ell.

For if the flesh be righteous within, there is no∣thing without can trouble it When the bodies of men are laid in the grave, we have a word, That he is either in heaven or hell: Now the senses of the bo∣dy are not sensible of either such. But now the power that ruled in that body righteously or unrighteously, is fully manifested to it felt, if the power of Righte∣ousnesse did rule. Now it enters into the Spirit, the great Ocean of glory, the Father himself: If the power of unrighteousnesse did rule, now it enters into the curse, & encreases the body of death, corruption and enmity, and becomes the bondage and Burden of the Creation, that •••st be purged out by fire.

If there be a local place of hell, as the Preachers say there is, besides this I speak of, time will make it manifest but as yet none ever came from the dead to tell men on earth, and till then, men ought to speak no more then they know; whe• I speak, I speak from what I have in some measure seen within me, and as I have received from the Lord in clear light within my self.

But is not hell the execution of Justice? And is Page  87 not God the Authour of that wrath? As 〈◊〉 is said, Is there any evil in the Citie, and the Lord hath not done it?

I answer, This is warily to be understood, left we dishonour the Lord, in making him the Authour of the creatures misery, as one of late in his Pulpit, an U∣niversitie man in my hearing did relate, and by his multitude of words, darkned knowledge mightily; therefore I shall deliver what I have received con∣cerning this.

First know, that there is mention of three Gods in the Scriptures.

1. The Magistrate, I said ye are gods.

2. The Devil, The god of this world hath blinded your eyes.

3. The King of Righteousnesse is called God, The Lord God omnipotent reigns.

Now the Magistracie is ruling power, called God, by their righteous Government a Kingdom may be kept in peace, but by their unrighteous Government, they trouble every body, and the people may say, Thou, O our God, hast destroyed us.

Secondly, The devil or the powers of the flesh in every man and woman is a ruling power, called god, that brings misery to every body, and corrupts the whole Creation, fire, water, earth and air.

1. By drawing the Creature into unreasonable wayes: which wayes and works.

2. Becomes the creatures own tormentours, when by the light of the Sun of Righteousnesse, man is made to see himself; for all mens sorrows are but the risings up of their own works against themselves. Therefore people may say to the devil, or their un∣righteous flesh. O thou, our God, thou hast destroyed 〈◊〉, thou hast deceived us, O god, thou promisedst peace, and afterwards writest bitter things against us. Our own works are our tormenting devils.

Page  88 Then thirdly, The King of Righteousnesse is the ruling power, called God; but he is not the Authour of the creatures misery, for his dealing with un∣righteous flesh, is two-fold, which is the righteous Justice and Judgement of the King.

First, he suffers man to take his own course and to act his own will, and to follow his own l•sts, letting him alone, and permitting him a time to do what he will, for wise, proud and covetous flesh thinks him∣self to be a god, or an Angel of light, and that his wisdom and power is the onely power. And now if the righteous King should not give him this liber∣tie, he would say he had wrong done him, therefore Reason lets him have his will to act his principles, that when the time comes that he shall be made to see himself and his works, he may be left without excuse.

This declares the Almighty power of patience, love and meekness in the King towards his creature, that he can suffer himself to be a servant to that cursed power in the flesh to this end, that he may take that fleshly wisdom in his craft, destroy that curse, and save his creature, man, from that bondage; That after that man hath had trial of his own wisdom and power of his flesh and finds it a devil, and that there is no blessing in it; he may then come to lie down in the wisdom and power of the King of Righteousnesse in rest and peace.

Secondly, In the solnesse of time; that is, when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes; then the King or Sun of Righteousnesse arises up, and lets man in his light to see himself to be a devil. The King layes no hand upon him, but lets him see himself; and the mans own works become the devils that torment him. If a man have sore eyes, and look in the Sun, his eyes smart; now that smart comes not from the Sun, but the venome of the eyes rises up & torments Page  89 it self, when the Sun cause it to see or feel it self.

This declares the wisdom, power, Justice and holi∣nesse of the King, that when he rises he can make flesh to see it self, and needs do no more, but shine forth and burn in his brightnesse, by whom that curse or drosse in the flesh is consumed and cannot stand; therefore if flesh were righteous it would stand be∣fore the righteous Law; but seeing it cannot stand, it appears unrighteous, to be a devil and no Angel of light. And this method of the Father brings glo∣ry to his own name, that he alone is the one almighty power and wisdom.

This is Justice in the righteous Judge, and shews, him to be the pure Law, and flesh kils and torments it self.

I but when the waters drowned the world, and the fire burned Sodom, this was a Judgement more then letting flesh see his own unrighteousnesse.

I answer, The overflowings of the water in that man∣ner to drown, and the breakings forth of the fire in that manner to burn waste and consume, were the ri∣sing up of the curse that was in the water and fire, to destroy the unrighteous flesh of man, that caused it.

For when the Father made the Creation, he made all Elements to uphold one another in Righteous∣nesse, and one creature to preserve another; there∣fore it was all very good. But this rising up of crea∣tures to destroy one another, is the curse; which un∣righteous man, that is, the Lord of the creatures hath brought upon the Creation.

I but how comes the fire and water to break forth to destroy at some times more then another?

I answer, When the fulnesse of time comes, that earth begins to stink with the abominations of man, then the Father arises up and shews himself with∣in the Creation of fire, water, earth and air. And Page  90 the curse that is brought upon this by man cannot abide the presence of the Lord, but rises up and runs together into a head to oppose the Lord; but in∣deed it destroyes man that was the cause of it. So that the risings up of waters, and the breakings forth of fire to waste and destroy, are but that curse, or the works of mans own hands, that rise up and run to∣gether to destroy their Maker, and torment him that brought the curse sorth.

While water and fire are useful, the blessing of the Creation lies in them, and comes from them to pre∣serve the Creation for the glory of the Maker.

But when they break forth to waste and destroy, this is the curse, the burden of the Creation, that breaks forth to destroy unrighteous man that caused it.

And it doth break forth when the Lord appears in the Creation; as I said, when the Sun shines the venome in sore eyes rises up and smarts: So when righteous power begins to move in the fire, and up∣on the water, the curse that is in these Elements a∣rises up and disturbs the Creation, to the destruction of man whose work it is.

I but one man kils another by wars, and such like, Is not this the wrath of God upon them?

I answer in the same manner as I did before; for as the cursed flesh in one body torments it self, when he sees himself a devil.

So multitudes of bodies of men, are still but one flesh, or one earth: And when the Sun of Righte∣ousnesse begins to shine into this earth, the veni∣mous parts rise up to kill and destroy light, but in the end the flesh destroyes it self.

Let the power of humility and Righteousnesse ap∣pear to a proud, unrighteous, covetous man, and shew him his evil, as in these dayes it doth, he swels Page  91 presently, and rises up to make war to maintain him∣self to be an Angel of light; and pride being dispersed into divers bodies, cannot yield one to another, to preserve one another, but rise up to destroy each other in the light of the Sun: The Sun shines, and the dunghill casts up his stinking smell: The Lord he shines, and proud flesh kils one ano∣ther; flesh kils but it self.

And truly I must tell you, That all these wars, and killing one another, are but the rising up of the curse: destroying Armies of men, are but the curse, the burden which the Creation groans under: For in the beginning, all was very good, and the Creation at first was made to preserve it self; and this rising up to destroy the Creation, is the curse.

And the Spirit of the Father, that dwels in any humane body that is killed, doth run into the O∣cean of life, and purifies the Creation from the curse.

But did not God send the Chaldeans and Sabeans to punish Job? Yes, the god Devil did; but not the God or Righteousnesse: For the Devil desired a libertie to try Iob, and the righteous power, Rea∣son, gave him leave; onely told him, he should not touch his life; and then the Devil sends these ene∣mies, and burns his house, and kils his children; give but libertie to the curse, and he doth much mis∣chief.

Who was it that the god Devil did afflict? Not an enemy to the King of Righteousnesse, but a body in whom he dwelt: Yea, the Father did but suffer himself to be persecuted by the Devil, in that hu∣mane body Iob: That at last, that power of dark∣nesse, which is the Accuser of the Brethren, and the bondage of the Creation, might be made manifest in the light of the Sun, and so be cast out justly.

Now the end of all is this, that unrighteous flesh that thinks himself an Angel of light, and the onely Page  92 power, may be proved to be a Devil, and so be cast out of the Creation and perish: That Jacob, the King of Righteousnesse, the blessing of peace, might arise up and reign for ever in the Creation, when all enemies are subdued under his seet.

There is a time appointed of the righteous Judge, that all flesh shall see it self in its own colours; and when the flesh doth see it self in his own beastly shapes, he will appear so deformed, so piteous a confused Chaos of miserie and shame, that the sight thereof shall be a great torment to himself.

Therefore take notice of this, you proud, envious, covetous, bitter-spirited, and unrighteous men and women; this self-satisfying glory in which you live, and seem to have rest, shall become your hell-tor∣ment, when you are made to see your unrighteous, treacherous self, as you must when the Judge sits up∣on the Throne.

You that are now ashamed to own the righteous spirit, and fear to offend men, lest they should either reproch you, or injure you: And so will do any thing, tho•gh unrighteous, to preserve the good words of devilish men; you shall then see you are not men, not Saints, but Devils and cursed enemies, even the Serpents power, that must be burned.