<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2007-09-03</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Elspeth Healey</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B070814.apex.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A89559">
<STC T="W">M740A</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">45789358</BIBNO>
<VID>172669</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="letter"><!-- PDF PAGE 1 -->
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>A General EPISTLE to Friends, and Profe&s;&s;ors of the Truth.</HEAD>
<LETTER>
<OPENER><SALUTE>DEAR FRIENDS,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P><HI>WHo with the</HI> morning light <HI>of the</HI> eternal day <HI>have been vi&s;ited, and by the</HI> Heavenly Voice of Christ Je&s;us <HI>called out of the world: I am to &s;ay unto You in my Fathers Councel,</HI> &s;ee that all your minds be gather'd down unto the feeling of, and cleaving unto the Immortal, Incorruptible Seed which brui&s;eth the <HI>Serpents head;</HI> of which Seed all mu&s;t be born, or they cannot &s;ee the <HI>Kingdom of God,</HI> which is excellent in <HI>Cele&s;tial brightne&s;s</HI> and <HI>&s;weetne&s;s,</HI> full of <HI>Glory, Immortality, Peace, Joy</HI> and <HI>eternal life.</HI></P>
<P>Oh Friends, <HI>every where in the</HI> Bowels of Chri&s;t Je&s;us, <HI>even in the</HI> earning of the Fathers love: <HI>I be&s;eech you</HI> read <HI>and</HI> feel <HI>in the</HI> deep <HI>what you do know of this</HI> Ble&s;&s;ed Work <HI>in which the</HI> happine&s;s <HI>of the</HI> Immortal Soul <HI>comes; For there may be a coming out of</HI> Aegypt, <HI>and to the</HI> Law <HI>which was added becau&s;e of</HI> Tran&s; gre&s;sion <HI>until the</HI> &s;eed <HI>&s;hould come, yea, to the</HI> Prophets, <HI>who</HI> &s;aw, <HI>and</HI> Prophecy'd <HI>of his</HI> coming, <HI>in which &s;tates there may be</HI> openings, <HI>and</HI> heavenly ta&s;ts, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>But the</HI> earne&s;t welfare <HI>of the</HI> Soul <HI>is inwardly to</HI> experience <HI>through the</HI> working <HI>of the</HI> Divine hand <HI>of</HI> Him <HI>who is the</HI> good Husband-man, <HI>a</HI> cutting off <HI>from the</HI> wild Olive, <HI>and</HI> planting <HI>into the</HI> Vine of life, <HI>tran|&s;lating out of the</HI> nature <HI>and</HI> Kingdom of darkne&s;s, <HI>into the</HI> divine nature <HI>and</HI> kingdom: <HI>All that come here are born of the</HI> quickning &s;pirit <HI>of the</HI> &s;econd man <HI>ADAM, the</HI> Lord from Heaven; <HI>here's the &s;tate which</HI> truly avails, <HI>even a</HI> new creature <HI>which in</HI> Chri&s;t Je&s;us <HI>hath</HI> right to enjoy <HI>the</HI> favour <HI>and</HI> pre&s;ence of God the Father <HI>for ever, and for evermore.</HI></P>
<P>Now Friends, <HI>all</HI> Profe&s;sions <HI>of</HI> Religion <HI>under Heaven, under what</HI> name <HI>or</HI> denomination <HI>&s;oever, without</HI> this work <HI>in &s;ome mea&s;ure</HI> experienced, <HI>will do the Souls of</HI> man-kind <HI>no good.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Wherefore, all</HI> Friends, <HI>and</HI> Profe&s;&s;ors of Truth <HI>every where in the</HI> fear, dread <HI>and</HI> awe <HI>of the</HI> mo&s;t high God, <HI>lie low before him, that &s;o where this</HI> inexpre&s;sible precious work <HI>is not experienc'd, there might be a</HI> true waiting, <HI>and</HI> travailing in <HI>Spirit, in which a</HI> living cry <HI>and</HI> &s;upplication <HI>will ari&s;e to the</HI> living God <HI>to ac|compli&s;h it. And now unto all &s;uch that feel</HI> true longings, living breathings, <HI>and</HI> ardent de&s;ires <HI>in their Souls</HI> this ble&s;&s;ed work <HI>to</HI> know; <HI>I &s;ay unto You in the</HI> name <HI>and</HI> power of the Lord <HI>in</HI> earning bowels of love, <HI>bow down in</HI> true tenderne&s;s of heart, <HI>and</HI> &s;incerity of Spirit <HI>to this</HI> &s;eed of the Kingdom; <HI>if but little in appearance, even as a</HI> grain of Mustard-&s;eed, <HI>be in love with it, and love its</HI> inward di&s;coveries <HI>of the</HI> &s;eed of the Serpent, <HI>its</HI> workings, <HI>and</HI> bringings forth; &s;uffer with it, &s;orrow and mourn with it, <HI>give up not only to</HI> its di&s;coveries, <HI>but al&s;o to it</HI> Judgement, <HI>that both the</HI> nature <HI>and</HI> works <HI>of the</HI> &s;eed of the &s;erpent <HI>may be de&s;troy'd, and the</HI> heart &s;anctified, <HI>for the Soul can never come into</HI> onene&s;s <HI>with the</HI> &s;eed Immortal <HI>(nor be born of it) in which all the</HI> Promi&s;es <HI>are</HI> Yea, <HI>and</HI> Amen; <HI>but through the</HI> wa&s;ting, working under, <HI>and</HI> dectroying <HI>of the</HI> nature <HI>and</HI> work <HI>of the</HI> &s;eed of the &s;erpent <HI>which have been as a</HI> &s;eparating <HI>or</HI> partition-wall <HI>between the</HI> Soul <HI>and</HI> Chri&s;t Je|&s;us; <HI>So, through becoming</HI> pa&s;sive, <HI>and</HI> &s;ubject to the power of the working of this Immortal &s;eed <HI>in the lea&s;t and lowe&s;t appearance, it will bring evere one that is acquainted therewith, very</HI> low <HI>and</HI> tender <HI>in Spirit,</HI> po&s;&s;e&s;sing the heart and &s;oul <HI>with the</HI> fear, dread <HI>and</HI> awe of the mo&s;t high, <HI>and</HI> truly careful, <HI>and</HI> inwardly diligent <HI>to attend its</HI> tender &s;ecret motions, <HI>and</HI> &s;weet powerful workings in the Soul. <HI>Now tender People that come here,</HI> diligently <HI>and</HI> con&s;tantly cleave with your &s;ouls unto it, <HI>and you &s;hall</HI> &s;ee <HI>and</HI> feel <HI>(as your Faith &s;tands in it,) the</HI> working <HI>of it as</HI> leaven <HI>to</HI> leaven <HI>you into the</HI> divine nature; <HI>So be not weary of</HI> bearing the Cro&s;s, <HI>or continuing here in the</HI> deep expre&s;sion of &s;pirit, <HI>but</HI> per&s;evere daily <HI>in the</HI> love of this immortal &s;eed; <HI>&s;o then coming to be</HI> born again, <HI>and brought forth by the</HI> power of its workings in the Soul, <HI>ye &s;hall be tenderly nur&s;ed by the</HI> &s;incere milk of the word, <HI>which lives and abides for ever, of which you were</HI> begotten, <HI>and &s;o</HI> grow up <HI>thereby to the day of E&s;pou&s;als in the</HI> Marriage-chamber <HI>of</HI> divine love <HI>and</HI> life, <HI>where the Soul is &s;afe in the</HI> enjoyment <HI>of the</HI> unutterable Joy of the Lord God, <HI>and the</HI> lamb <HI>for ever.</HI></P>
<P><HI>God Almighty ari&s;e in in his great Power and bright Glory every where for the</HI> bringing forth <HI>the</HI> Birth of the morning <HI>of his &s;weet day, and</HI> laying wa&s;te <HI>every</HI> fal&s;e Birth, <HI>and the</HI> works <HI>of it, to the</HI> magnifying <HI>and</HI> renowning <HI>his</HI> Ble&s;&s;ed Name <HI>for ever, which is the</HI> breathing <HI>and</HI> travail <HI>of</HI> Your Tribulated Brother,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>CH. MARSHALL.</SIGNED>
<POSTSCRIPT>
<HEAD>POSTSCRIPT.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Dear Friends;</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>Every where, feel that <HI>Divine Hand,</HI> and <HI>Mighty Arm</HI> and your Subjection thereunto, that gathers out of the <HI>rollings</HI> and <HI>to&s;&s;ings</HI> of the Nations and People into the goodly Tents of <HI>Jacob,</HI> and <HI>&s;weet &s;afe</HI> Habitation of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> where you may dwell alone out of the <HI>Defilements of the Nations,</HI> wbere the <HI>hiding|place</HI> will be known, until the word of the <HI>Lord</HI> be fulfilled, and his <HI>Indignation</HI> pa&s;s over to accompli&s;h his own determination in the Earth, which he will ha&s;ten for his <HI>Elects</HI> &s;ake, and for the Honour of his Great and Mighty Name, who is over all Heaven and Earth, God Almighty, Ble&s;&s;ed for ever. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><HI>Tetherton</HI> in the County of <HI>Wilts,</HI> <DATE>the 9th. of the 6th. Month, <HI>1680.</HI></DATE></DATELINE>
<HI>Let this be</HI> carefully <HI>Read in the</HI> Meetings <HI>and</HI> Families <HI>of the Lords People in the</HI> Feeling Sen&s;e <HI>of Gods Pre&s;ence and Tendering Powers.</HI></CLOSER>
</POSTSCRIPT></CLOSER>
</LETTER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
