The new law of righteousnes budding forth, in restoring the whole creation from the bondage of the curse. Or A glimpse of the new heaven, and new earth, wherein dwels righteousnes. Giving an alarm to silence all that preach or speak from hear-say, or imagination. By Gerrard Winstanley

CHAP. VI.

THe man of the flesh, judges it a righteous thing, That some men that are cloathed with the ob∣jects of the earth, and so called rich men, whether it be got by right or wrong, should be Magistrates to rule over the poor; and that the poor should be servants nay rather slaves to the rich.

But the spiritual man, which is Christ, doth judge according to the light of equity and reason, That al man-kinde ought to have a quiet substance and freedome, to live upon earth; and that there shal be no bond-man nor begger in all his holy mountaine.

Man-kinde was made to live in the freedome of the spirit,* 1.1 not under the bondage of the flesh, though the lordly flesh hath got a power for a time, as I said before; for every one was made to be a Lord over the Creation of the Earth, Cattle, Fish, Fowl, Grasse, Trees, not any one to be a bond-slave and a beggar under the Creation of his own, kinde.

That so every one living in freedome and love in the strength of the Law of Righteousnesse in him; not under straits of poverty, nor bondage of tyranny one to another, might al rejoyce to∣gether in Righteousnesse, and so glorifiie their Ma∣ker; for suerly this much dishnoured the Maker of all men, that some men should be oppressing tyrants, imprisoning, whipping, hanging thier fellow crea∣tures, men, for those very things which those very men themselves are giulty of; let mens eyes be o∣pened, and it appears clear enough, That the pu∣nishers have and doe break the law of equity and reason, more, or as much as those that are punish∣ed by them.

None will be offended at this, but the children of Lord Esau, the first man flesh, which must pe∣rish for his unrighteous government, for thereby he hath lost himself, sold or passed over his birth-right and blessing unto Iacob, the King of Righte∣ousnesse that is now rising up, to urle according to the pure law of equity and reason.

And when this King raigns, the city that is, the heart of every one in whom truth dwels, wil re∣joyce; but while the man of unrighteosunesse raigns in and over man-kinde, truly every body wee see is filled with sorrow and complainings, and it is not without cause.

As the powers and wisdome of the flesh hath fil∣led the earth with injustice, oppression and com∣plainings, by mowing the earth into the hands of a few covetous, unrighteous men, who assumes a lordship over others,* 1.2 declaring themselves thereby to be men of the basest spirits.

Even so, when the spreading power of wisdome and truth, fils the earth man-kinde, hee wil take off that bondage, and gives a universall liberty, and there shal be no more complainings against oppre∣ssion, poverty, or injustice.

When every son and daughter shall be made com∣fortable to that one body,* 1.3 of Jesus the anointed, and the same power rules in them, as in him, every one according to their measure, the oppression, shall cease, and the rising up of this universal pow∣er, shal destroy and subdue the selfish power.

But this is not done by the hands of a few, or by unrighteous men, that would pul the tyrannical government out of other mens hands, and keep it in their own heart, as we feel this to be a burden of our age. But it is done by the universall spread∣ing of the divine power, which is Christ in mankind making them all to act in one spirit, and in and af∣ter

one law of reason and equity.

And when this universall power of Righteousnesse is spread in the earth,* 1.4 it shall destroy Babylon the great City of fleshy confusion in one hour; that is he will pull the Kingdome and Government of the world out of the hands of tyrannicall, unseasonable acting flesh, and give the lands and riches that covetous, unrighteous men hath hoarded up within their own selfish power,* 1.5 into the hands of spirituall Israel; that so there may be no complainings, no burdens, nor no poor in Canaan, but that it may be a Land flowing with milke and honey, plenty of all things, every one walking righteously in the Crea∣tion one to another, according to the law of equity and reason, as it was in the beginning, And as Babylon measured out to others, so that it shall be, measured to him again.

And suerly as the Scriptures threaten misery to rich men, bidding them Howl and weep, for their gold and silver is cankered, and the rust thereof cries unto heaven for vengeance against them, and the like. Suerly all those threatnings shal be materially full∣filed, for they shall be turned out of all, and their riches given to a people that wil bring forth better f••uit, and such as they have oppressed shall inherit the Land.

The rich man tels the poor, that they ofend Rea∣sons law, if they take forth the rich; I am sure it is a breach in that Law in the rich to have plenty by them, and yet wil see their fellow creatures men and women to strave for want; Reason requires that every man should live upon the increase of the earth comfortably, though covetousnesse ••ights against Reasons law.

The rich doth lock up the treasures of the earth, and hardens their hearts against the poor. The poor are those in whom the blessing lies, for they first re∣ceive

the Gospel, and their gifts of love and tender∣nesse one to preserve another, shall be the condem∣nation of the rich: And secondly, the inheritances of the rich shall be given to those poor, and there shall be no beggar in Israel.

And there is equity and Reason in it, for the King of Righteousnesse, did not make some men to be ty∣rants, and others to be slaves, at the beginning, for this burden riseth up afterwards, Esau stepped into the birth-right before Iacob, till the time come that he shall be taken away again.

In the first enterance into the Creation,* 1.6 every man had an equall freedom given him of his Maker to till the earth, and to have dominion over the beasts of the field,* 1.7 the ••owls of heaven, and fish in the Seas. But this freedom is broke to pieces by the power of covetousnesse, and pride, and self-love, not by the law of Righteousnesse. And this free∣dom will not be restored, till the spreading power of Righteousnesse and peace rise up in the earth, making all men and women to be of one heart, and one mind, which must come to passe, for that Scri∣pture was never fulfilled yet.

The powers of flesh shall never partake of this priviledge, for he is the curse that must be removed; Selfish Councellours, Selfish Governours, Selfish Souldiers, shall never be honoured in setling this restoration; The Lord himself will do this great work, without either sword or weapon; weapons and swords shall destroy, and cut the powers of the earth asunder, but they shall never build up.

For the Law-giver in righteousnesse shall come out of Sion, that shall turn covetous oppressing ungodliness from Jacob.

For surely the Father will give as large a liberty to his children to inherit the earth, as he gives to the beast of the field; though they break over hedges,

and eat in any pasture, they do not imprison and hang one another, the earth is a common livelyhood for them, the restraint ariseth from selfish covetous∣nesse, and lordly proud flesh, that hath got the go∣vernment, and saith, The spirit hath given it him. In∣deed thou hast it for a time, not by right of blessing, but by permission, that through thy unrighteousness thou maist fall and never rise again: And that righte∣ous Jacob may arise, who hath been thy servant, and never fall again; and then the elder shall serve the younger.

I do not speak that any particular men shall go and take their neighbours goods by violence, or rob∣bery (I abhor it) as the condition of the men of the Nations are ready to do in this fleshly setled govern∣ment of the world, but every one is to wait, till the Lord Christ do spread himself in multiplicities of bodies, making them all of one heart and one mind, acting in the righteousnesse one to another. It must be one power in all, making all to give their con∣sent to confirm this law of righteousnesse and reason.

For when the work is made manifest,* 1.8 it shall be a universall Power that shall rise up in the earth (man-kind) to pull the Kingdom and outward government of the world out of the hands of the tenant Esau, king-flesh; and this shall be made manifest in all the Nations of the earth; For the Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord Christ.

And this universall power of a righteous law, shall be so plainly writ in every ones heart, that none shall desire to have more then another,* 1.9 or to be Lord over other,* 1.10 or to lay claim to any thing as his; this phrase of Mine and Thine shall be swallowed up in the law of righteous actions one to another,* 1.11 for they shall all live as brethren,* 1.12 every one doing as they would be done by; and he that sees his brother in wants, and doth not help, shall smart for his iniquity,

from the hand of the Lord, the righteous Judge that will fit upon the throne in every mans heart. There shall be no need of Lawyers, prisons, or engines of pun••shment one over another, for all shall walk and act righteously in the Creation, and there shall be no beggar,* 1.13 nor cause of complaining in all this holy Mountain.

Therefere I say to all,* 1.14 wait, be patient in your present bondage, till our brethren be brought in likewise; Forsake the way of Babylon, and commit your cause to him that judgeth righteously; The work of freedom is in the hand of Christ, and he is the righteous freedom; he hath begun to spread him∣self, and he goes on mightily, and will go on. The poor receives the Gospel daily; Christ is drawing all men after him, he is calling in the Isles and Nations of the world, to come to this great Battell, even to deliver the oppressed, and ••o destroy the oppressour, to spoil him that spoiled, and yet was never spoiled himself; And so to lead captivity captive, and let the prisoners of hope go free.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 1. 28.
• * 1.2

  Dan. 4. 17
• * 1.3

  Phil. 3. 2••
• * 1.4

  Rev. 18. 8
• * 1.5

  Ps. 105. 45
• * 1.6

  Gen. 1. 28.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 8. 22 &c.
• * 1.8

  Revel. 11. 15.
• * 1.9

  Heb. 8. 10.
• * 1.10

  Act. 4. 32.
• * 1.11

  Jam. 2. 13
• * 1.12

  1 Ioh. 3. 17
• * 1.13

  Hos. 3. 18.
• * 1.14

  Rev 6. 11