1st and 2nd Message to the Philadelphian Society

vi

Poor, and will cause
their Spiritual Merchants original: "Spiritual Merchants"; likely referring to those who profit from organized religious systems or "Babylon."
to cry out, Alas!
alas! in one hour so great
Riches are come to
nothing. And then shall
the Poor-Spirited Philadelphians original: "Philadelphians"; a reference to the faithful Church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3, often used by 17th-century mystics to describe a pure, brotherly congregation of believers.,
who are now
a despised handful com-
pared to the rest, who
have indeed but a little
Strength, and confess it,
be known to be the
Children of the Kingdom,
having stood out