John Perrot Follower of the Lamb

J.P. Follower of the Lamb

J. P. The follower of the Lamb, to the Shepheards Flock Salutation, Grace and Peace is with you in the Spirit of Power and Life, and be Infinitely multiplyed unto you. Amen.

HEare O HEAVENS, and learn O EARTH, For O third Heavens in thy Antient Records it was enrolled thy Elevation from the lowest deepes, and Exaltation unto the glory of the Supernall Dominion, to be made the most Glorious Throne of the most Glorious of Glorious, which in this the Day of the mighty power of God is come to pass, ac­cording to the predestination of Time, by Eternall Councell from of old; and now manifestly reveal'd (in the Resplendent year, which is the one Day without Night, and as a thousand years with God, and more than ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousand of thousands of years with the Sonne of man) through generation of the Word of the Power of Creation, through the fullfilling of the naturall Course of time untill the Travell, and through her Pangs to the Birth, and after it through Temptations and Tryalls, through Sorrows, Per­secutions, Combats and Battles, through Fire and Water, through over-whelming floods, and exceeding strong ascending flames, whereby the Ample advantage hath accrued; in all which may be possibly conceived, yea more in the superabundance of the Immor­tall vertue, then can be spread upon the longest and largest Land of the Kingdom of Comprehension; but this is undoubtedly under­stood, the man-child hereby (which you know to be the fruit of the womb of the woman, which the Dragon drove into the Wilderness) is grown unto the Stature of a man, full of the Power, of Wisdom, Life and Light. And as Deborah was a famous and Renowned Judge in Israel; even so also is become the Virgin-Daughter of Sion, excel­ling all of her Sex that ever were before her; This is shee which was born of the Virgins womb; in which also was conceived the Man-child, Behold, I speak a Riddle, for these three are the Twins, and the Twins suck at one Breast, and the Breast is the man's mouth, and the milk is the Fathers voyce, and the man's strength is the Fathers might, and the Man, the Son and the Father, is one; and the Father hath married the Son to the Virgin, and the Virgin Daughter; And so all souls in the sweetness your maker is become your husband, for you have given the Virgin your impolluted and undefiled Souls, to the Spirit your Brother and Husband, and so call him Lord, and give him the Reverence as Sarah did unto Abraham; and hereby the King­dome is known to be In you, and the Lord in the Kingdome, as the Lord, and you in the Kingdome with the Lord, not as your owne, but as the Lords, and so the whole substance is consecrated unto him who is the Lord of the whole Earth. And thus whether your body Lives or Dyes, whether you in the Body or out of the Body, the Soul is the same with the Lord in the Kingdom, though the Last you will finde to be Best.

Ah Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou art my Sister, the glorious work man­ship of thy Maker; yea, thou art my Lifes love, prepared for thy Spouse in the bed of the Bride-Chamber.

Thy Beauty hath enamoured me in Vertues lodg of Rest,

A flaming Torch thine eye may see of love burns in my breast;

Thou art the Stone which doth my spirit whet,

Like as the Razor which is newly set:

Ah feel my edge that's ground exceeding sharp,

To sing thy Vertues praise to Davids Harp.

For as an Host in Sions Coast, Of much more strength than Nations;

Thou dost Arise before mine Eyes, In all my Contemplations.

Ah Clear Christall City of God, come down from above thou bles­sed womb of Princes, and renowned habitation of holy Iudges, thy SPOUSE hath endowed thee with Infinite Riches, and adorned thee with the rarities of farr Countreys, and Costliness of Lands and Kingdomes; thy LINNEN is as white as the snow of Heaven, and is a Lanthorne of light to a great Nation; thy ROBE is of the Die of the Bloud of Life, as precious as the Ransome of Kings: thy CROWN is an Innumerable trayn of starrs, which shall follow thee to the end of Time; blessed is the fruite of thy fruitfull Womb, for thy Daughters are the fairest of thousands, their face is as the Chri­stall glass, which shews every Soule its shape; they are as the Gold of Ophir in Judah's Land, and as Pearls in the City streets; they hang as Iewels at thy Breast, and Bracelets upon thy Right-arme; they are the Beautifullest Princesses in the whole Earth, the glory of God is their Dowry. I am Over-flowne Over-whelmed and swallowed with the floods of their Love which pursue me; Thy Vertue O JERƲSA­LEM is as an Impress of ten Thousands upon my little Cottage-Walls; I am surprized by the Bow of thy battle, made Captive to love Everlasting; for the hand of thy Husband did break a Chayn, and truth lincked me to the love of Life, and her. I am full of thy weight which is augmented in the Ballance of the Sanctuary, and weigheth the world as wind; I kiss the cheeks of thy Daughter, I wooe her as a Spouse for my bed, shee is mine in the Covenant of Conjunction, as the Coupled Dove to her Mate; I am Bowels of her true Body and shee is Bloud of my heart-bloud.

Ah surpassing sweet SHILOH, thou art the Husband of Jerusalem my Mother and my Brother; Sion is the only Son, JƲDAH my Sister is a faithfull Daughter; Treachery is no more lodged in her Land; I am plentifully filled with the sweetest refreshment in the solace of end­less Life. Beholding the order of thy house, What Gravity? What Mo­desty? What Chastity? What Wisdome? What fear and trembling? What Faith-undoubted? What Patience and Content? What Chari­ty and Unity? Yea, What Bowels of Love and Life? Ah! how plentifull doth the glorious vertue of the Lord God abound in the mantion of thy dwelling among all thy dearest pure-born seed and Children? And thou O GOD art Rest to the wearisomness of the Weary, and Bread to the hunger of the Hungry, thou art Strength to the weakness of the Weak, and a Support of the feeble knees; thou visitest the Sick with the medicine of mercy, and raisest the lan­guishing with love; thou droppest thy dews upon the Heaths of the Mountaines, as on the green herbs of the valleys; thou hast made Rocks in mountaines, and Stones in dry walls to sweat with moysture, though they changed not from the nature of their hardness; great hath thy Grace been to all Generations, though the Rebellious have kicked against thee: my soule is a fire of praise, and a sacrifice of thanksgiving before thee, my spirit saith in this behalf, Glory, Glory, Glory to God my God for ever and ever, Amen.

Speak ye Barren-Mountaines, and Answer ye Dry-hills, Where, Where are the parched Heaths which say, Or the Rocky places which can Avouch, that alwayes they were dry without the Distilling drops of the Heavens?

Stand up ye Brooks, and Surmount ye Rivers, and speak to the Bar­ren Mountaines; And declare O ye fruitfull valleys unto the dryest hills, though you be dry, yet we were as you are, when both the Sun shined, and the Heavens showred upon the just and the unjust, upon the Corn and the weed, upon the Lilly and the Thorn, the Rose and the Briar; And we knew it not. Wherefore Weep your part O ye Wildernesses, and Lament your part O ye parched places, and fall down ye craggy Rocks, and come and drink of our waters in the val­leys; and loe you shall be such streames as are our streames, and you shall be a Vineyard of sweet grapes, as we are a fruitfullness to the Lord of the whole Earth, and there shall be no difference betwixt you and us, for we were as you are; and in all things like unto your unfruitfulness in the parching times when the earth did Cleave and Chap, and Gape for water, before that we found the Way to the fountain.

And O ye sweet Waters of the Consolation of Jacobs Well, Speak, speak unto the Waters of Meribah, which once was a hard Rock, but now are the streams of the waters of Bitterness, why runneth thy streames as a brook of such great Bitterness? O Waters remove the Rock which is in the bottome of thy Waters, and then let a drop of our Waters fall into thy Waters, and behold they shall be no more a bitterness, but as our Waters, like the Milk of the breast to the babe; and so our Consolation shall be thy Consolation, and thou shalt be an habitation of joy in the Land.

And O ye Branches of the Olive tree,

Your leaves are shades, and fruit is life to mee;

God's wisdom which surpasseth mans devices,

Hath built you as a Bowre of fragrant Spices.

Your Walks are Joyfullness and peace, your Seat,

Your Life is Bread and Wine, and Love is meat;

My soule is planted in your holy ground,

And here your flames of love doe me surround;

And on your substance which distills as drops

Of heavenly dew, I feed like honey sops.

Partaker with you in Community.

Of good in Gods house in the Ʋnity;

And in the stem my branch with you reposes,

Which bears the bud and all the Damask-roses;

You are the bed compos'd of heavenly pleasure

Ʋnto my soule, yea, Gods peculiar Treasure.

How purely runs these most refreshing streames,

In dayly Visions and Nocturnal dreames;

The fulness verily is in the Father,

Who doth our Minds into his bosome gather,

Like tender Chickens by the Clucking-hen,

Whose Name be prais'd by Life, by Voyce and Pen.

Let me descend from Sions glorious Mountain,

To shew a Seed the Vale wherein's the Fountain;

For surely I could freely lay down life,

With bloud, to buy a stranger for my wife;

For what's so purchased by Joynt-consent,

Is as the Seed of Judah's saved Tent;

What? Forreigner would'st thou walk in the Way

Of Life and Peace in this God's saving Day?

Thy whole Affection must in substance bend,

To that which brings to Flesh a final end;

And that from Darkness thou the Day mayst know,

The Proud must bow down to the poore and low;

For loe the Sun which gives the Day her light,

Remaines below the Horizon all night;

Such is the Principle and Spark in thee,

Vail'd by Sins cloud, whereby thou canst not see

To know the Poore, the Oppressed, and his cryes,

Within thy Selfe which in a Dungeon lyes.

Wherefore draw near unto the Earth's short end,

To see the Day-Star and the Sun ascend;

For know thou whil'st that thou dost there remaine,

Assuredly art bound in Death's black-chaine;

And whil'st thou dost from Mountain run to Hill,

Seeking a Stream to drink thy lustfull fill,

Arive thou canst not unto Jacobs Well,

For so thou run'st to ring a broken bell:

Stand still I'le touch a Stone and thou shalt know,

That Waters in thee out of it shall flow;

In Conscience there's a secret Light within,

Which doth distinguish Truth from every sin;

That is of God which Judgeth works of Evill,

And thoughts in man mov'd of the tempting Devill;

The Soul which faithfully it's Judgment keepes,

Shall know Salvation from the Darkness deepes;

Then follows Faith and, Hope which God alone,

Th' internall knowledge of the vertuous Stone;

Out of which waters pure of life do gush,

And in the same's conceal'd the Burning bush;

Then will his River run, and Flames ascend

Of Heavenly Vertue, which shall never end:

Remember man, the light within's the Way,

From darkness dwelling to the door of Day;

Which leads to fullnesse, free from every doubt,

Obey'd Within, possest, but lost without:

And therefore Wanderer at home retire,

Least that thou sink and perish in the mire.

For that which leads man from the light within,

Spurs on the ear to end the life in sin.

And then of sin in which he Lives and Dyes,

Shall have his Wage, for as he Falls he Lyes.

Yet still my Heart doth in my body burn,

Towards the Doves, to whose door I return

With Corn in hand to spread before their eye,

Ʋpon the Stage whereto they dayly flye:

Which is the place whereon they allwayes feed,

Amidst the house wherein their young they breed.

To all the Hungry and the Thirsty Lambs,

I'm Broken-bread, and Wine drawn out in drams.

And of a truth it is my souls sweet care,

That every babe may eat and drink a share;

My life in Sion would be allwayes found

Among the Seed, a Salve to every wound;

And perfect Medicine to every grief,

And to th'Opprest an Arm of good reliefe.

Let not my Love's heart languish under sorrow,

For lo thy Joy approacheth with the Morrow.

The YOKE to selfe, and CROSSE to flesh fly never,

That DEATH may Dye, and LIFE may live for ever,

For, suffering Sword contentedly to slay

The Mortal, thou in battle wins the day;

Then thin's the Standard and the Ensign spread,

And thou in Sion knowest the Ruling head;

Then peace, then joy, then pleasures pure abound,

And solace sweet as Walls do thee surround:

Then Sobs and Grief God from thy Land doth banish,

And Sighs and Sorrowes as a shade do vanish;

Yea of thy Trouble whilest thou wert forlorn,

Remains not thought, for joy a Son is born.

Wherefore O Plants wait in the Spirit-Meeke,

And in the drouth from God the showers seeke;

In which sweet state you shall me witnesse bear,

God's fullnesse feeds each low heart full of fear:

Who doth Exalt the spirit of the Humble,

But the Exalted from his seat doth Tumble.

When as the Woods in Summer time are green,

The Thrustles tune is heard though she not seen

By any Mortall, yet there is an eye,

Which sees how she from Tree to Tree doth fly,

And doth perceive whence her sweet notes Aspire,

And what's the thing her life doth most desire,

Which is the Book wherein I read your Race,

Beyond wide-Lands, Sea's, Time and utmost Space.

And here with you I rest, I live and dwell,

Like Silk-worms hid, in one wrought Case and Shell;

Yea lodged in a secret Suckling Breast,

Like as the young ones in the Turtles nest.

Dear Lambs true number of the Shepheards tale,

As one by one I hugg and kiss you all:

Remembring you I drop like molten marrow,

Yea rent like fallow torn with the barrow.

Ah! feel my Bowels which like Rain distils,

And runs like Rivers down the steepest hills:

Yea, touch my panting heart and thereby learn,

My soul most frequent after you doth yearn.

I'm Ravished beholding Virtues graces,

Of Heavens glory to o're spread your faces;

And cannot utter how my deeps abound,

Of love to you, which in the life are found.

You're at the Fountain pure, I plainly see,

And so am I, yet still remember me:

There in the Spirit of Life, Joy, and Peace,

Pray for your Brother, pray and never cease;

For I am God's, and Yours in every Tryall,

The which you know full well without denyall:

So read me, You, We One, through life's infusion,

In the first principle and last conclusion.

All dear seed and Plants of the Lord God, from the Crown of the head to the sole of the foot of the entire perfect body, every member which stands Purely, Firmely, and Sollidly knit Joint by Joint, Bone to Bone, by the strength of the Sinews which hold [...] all in the sound­nesse, free from maimes, or haltings: My dear soul sealed in Spirit, greets, salutes, and kisses you as Gods dearest Children, pitched as Torches, Lanthorns, and shining Lamps of his praise (in your respective Places and Callings) and everlasting glory which shall never have end. And so all Saints dwell in the holy City, and there I am with you all, known to you a brother in the life of the brother-hood. John

The 20th of the 5th Month. 1660.

To the Brethren in the Unity and Fellow­ship of the Life of the Virginity of Inno­cency called Quakers, in ENGLAND, and else-where.

YE the Born of God of the Incorruptible and Immortal-Seed of the Covenant, which is AMEN for ever and ever. In the substance which ministreth you Dayly-Bread, and the fresh and new wine of the kingdom, mine endless Love reacheth you, and with the sweet Armes of the Grace and Peace of my Heavenly Father I Embrace you; I Greet, Salute, and kiss you, one by one, yea, all as one (in the one only, in whom is no Variation or Changing) with the undefiled lips of Sincerity, which never uttered Uncleanness, Lewdness, Deceit, or a Lye; Feel and know mee as near you as the Flesh which cleaveth to your Bones, as purely and perfectly in you as the bloud of Life in your hearts.

Ah Sion! if thee I forget, let my Bowels burst in my body, and let my Carcase quickly become meat for hungry Eagles, and let the Vul­tures also tear my flesh from my bones.

I cease not Night nor Day in every Watch to present you as a li­ving Sacrifice upon the Altar in the Holiest of Holiests: And I full well know that when fire is kindled in your proper habitations (which is the Seat of God's Rest) I am as a writt of Remembrance before you.

God Almighty Augment your portion as faithfull Stewards, and continually of his fulness give you all fulness: Though I am as the Least, and as a Door keeper in the house of God, yet of a truth the Vertue of the Lord God is with mee.

The which I have to say, that you all in my behalf be full of the praise of my Heavenly Father in your hearts, and that your Thanks­giving in Spirit may abound before him, Amen

The God of peace possess your soules to the utmost in his everlasting peace, And the most Dreadfull Lord of Holiness preserve you to pass the time of your Pilgrimage in Feare and Trembling. Againe I say unto you Feare, Dread, and Tremble yee before the ever living God.

LONDON; Printed, for Robert Wilson, at the Sign of the Black Spread-Eagle and Wind-mill, in Martins near Aldersgate.

1660.