to the fear of the Lord placed in their hearts that thereby they might be preserved out of evil and doing always that that is just and right and to be sure to be courteous and kind to all loving the good in all and bearing their Testimony against the evil in all wheresoever it doth appear And whensoever said he you go about that which is weighty take counsel of good and sound Friends so that all things may be done to the honour and glory of the Lord and his blessed Truth in which your blessings are all yea and Amen And advised them not to run into the Cumbers of the World but to wait upon the Lord and he will find out a way for them in his time For the Lord said he is a calling and taking me out and from all Troubles and Cumbers from the evil that is a coming upon this wicked World in a good time wherein I am assured of that sound and perfect peaee wherein my Soul resteth with the Lord for evermore so that I have no more to do now but desire the Lord to make my passage easie to his Heavenly Rest William Lickfold He was born the 19th of the 7th Month 1623. He departed this Life the 22d day of the 7th Month 1678. A TESTIMONY FOR THE TRUTH And against DECEIT DECEIVERS WITH A Reproof unto those who are not Faithful to the Truth which they are convinced of By Stephen Smith Isaiah 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their Envy at the People Verse 12. Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou host wrought all our works in us Printed in the Year 1679. A Testimony for the TRUTH and against Deceit and Deceivers with a Reproof unto those who are not faithful to the Truth which they are Convinced of FOr as much as it hath pleased the Lord in his great love and tender mercy to visit many who have been long covered with Darkness and drawn by the Subtilty of the Serpent working in a Mystery within and without in his Instruments from enjoying that Love and great Riches which is declared of in the Scriptures of Truth which should be revealed in the latter dayes in his Everlasting and Unchangeable Covenant which Promise of the Lord many who had true breathing after him and could not be satisfied with feeding with Swine upon Husks but truly breathed after Living Refreshment and after that Bread which nourisheth that Birth which is Eternal and have delighted in the righteous Judgments of the Lord over the Enemy and Oppressor of mans Soul through which Judgments the Love of God hath greatly been manifest having thereby brought to the knowledge of his Everlasting and Unchangable Truth to the exceeding great refreshment and satisfaction of the Souls of many thousands who have earnestly desired the same before the World and all its glory and having received the same in the Love of it and known Freedom by it in the Injoyment of the same do meet together as the manner and practice was of those who lived in the Fear and Dread of the Lord in the Primitive times so now in the pure Fear and Obedience to the just and equal requirings of this Creator whose Wayes are Equal Right and Just meets together to wait on him to the end they may be refreshed and fed with the same Bread of Life that so the Plant which the Lord hath planted may grow that so they may be changed from glory to glory till at length they may come to bear the Image of the Heavenly whereas formerly they have born the Image of the Earthly and those who so meet the Spirit of Truth can truely say they never waited on the Lord in vain but do witness true refreshment from the God of Love whether a word be spoken in their Meetings or no so that they can truly sing in their Spirits of Mercy with Judgments and hath not executed Judgment without Mercy in which hath greatly appeared his wonderful Love to lost Mankind of which great and unspeakable Love there are to this day to the Glory and Praise of his great Name even from his own Works thousands of Living Witnesses and hundreds have laid down their Lives in Nasty Holes and Stinking Prisons and many have been Banished and many have suffered cruel Mockings and many thousands the Spoiling of their Goods whose Righteous Testimony through the Eternal Spirit of Love and Truth they have gladly born in this Day of Gods Power to the exceeding Comfort and Refreshment of all that are faithful Followers of the Lamb but is and shall be to the astonishment of all who persist in their Disobedience against the Spirit of Truth and continue in their Rebellion against it and this righteous Testimony through all who are true Worshippers in the Spirit and Truth who are led and guided in all their ways by the Spirit of Truth being Sons and Daughters of the Living God so greatly beloved by him so those that touch them in a wrongful manner do touch the Apple of his Eye who created all things for his Glory and though his Mercy is great in not executing Judgment speedily but gives space and time of Repentance yet if they mind it not but let the Day of Gods Love pass over their heads that Terrible Voice they shall hear My Spirit shall strive no more let Flesh know that it 's but Grass and when the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it it shall fade as a Flower and that in a moment when his Anger is kindled which may be when the Worker of Iniquity is in the height of his vain glory and greatest boasting so as that righteous Testimony through all who are in the true Innocent Seed unto which all the Blessings and the Promises of the Lord are doth stand as a true Witness of the Lords great Love in this day wherein he is making known his great Power against all Workers of Iniquity and unrighteous Actions and deceitful Workers who can feign and flatter with all sorts of debauched Persons and all dissembling Hypocrites Persons of unstable minds joyning with the cunning twisting twining Serpent in all its appearances in their earthly sensual and devillish wisdom being in the Adultrous whorish spirit degenerated from the Spirit of Truth holding a Profession of the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of Persons receiving honour and giving honour according to the Customs and vain Traditions of the World by which means they have no knowledge of that Honour which is from Above Yet notwithstanding these great Abominations which they commit in the sight of the Lord and all them which live in their faithful Testimony against them yet they lean upon the Lord and think there shall come no evil upon them but except such do speedily repent and turn from their Abominations and bow to the righteous Testimony of God in them which shews them the deceitfulness of
make it manifest by the light of his Spirit within so man being convinced of and reproved for evil if he heeds not reproofs but perishes in his evil then his destruction is of himself but if through this love of God shed abroad in the hearts of people they be awaken'd thereby and so cleave to the good and follow and obey it then will that which was a Reprover for Evil be an Instructer in a Blessed Life where sin nor evil can't enter nor be neither is there any agreement with darkness in that life in which there 's no evil but the soul being in this liberty then Come I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soul and my soul and all that 's in me praises the Lord. So here 's the Blessed Fountain opened where the streams of God's love are felt to run which drive back the streams of malice uncleanness and abominations which have corrupt mankind So Blessed are they whose Eyes are to the Living Fountain and wait for the rising of the springs thereof in their hearts from whence the truly thirsting soul comes to be satisfied refreshed and strengthened through a true sense of the springing up of this Well of Water which he gives who hath all power in Heaven and Earth the which Well of Water springing unto everlasting life all being dipped or plunged under this the soul comes to be washed from corruption and so made white as Snow the which is an everlasting ordinance ordain'd of God for a perpetual Covenant the which all that would know Salvation through the remission of sins they must wait to be confirmed in this Blessed Covenant where the Blessed Unity stands out of sin for there 's no evil in this Covenant So all that come to be concerned here must first agree in their hearts to cease from sin and evil and then to wait for the rising of the Pure and so to watch in the Pure against all appearances of that which is corrupt and so to grow up in the Pure to a Blessed Dominion over the corruptible and so in the pure measure of God's Spirit to receive and use the Creatures of God with Thanksgiving where every Creature is good when they are so received so to the Pure all things are Pure but to the Defiled and Unbelieving there is nothing Pure So the way of God that is Pure and Undefiled and Blessed are they who are Undefiled and keep and are kept in that Blessed way to finish their dayes where the Soul rests in Peace with God the which is the will of God according to which is this writ So to him be glory and honour from the rising of the Pure of himself forever and for ever Amen By a Servant of the Lord Stephen Smith THE BLESSED WORKS OF THE Light of God's Holy and BLESSED SPIRIT Exalted above the works of Darkness COme sit down together in a deep Silence out of all fleshly Wisdom forgiving all Trespasses that he that sits upon his Throne who said behold I make all things new that he may forgive all your Trespasses and then wait for acceptance into Gods pure holy Covenant his holy Law in the Mind that it may be writ in the Heart and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and inibuities will I remember no more A blessed day magnified be the Lord whose Works praise him for ever and not good works out of wicked workers mouths to these mighty works of the mighty God the which he is working and bringing to pass through his mighty power are appointed that mankind should live in the enjoyment of them to the praise and honour of his Maker for ever And that it may be distinguished between evil workers who have got the good words and the good works from whence all true and good and gracious words came observe In one of the Collects appointed in the Book of Common Prayer it is thus written Almighty and everlasting God which of thy tender love towards man hath sent our Saviour Christ Jesus to take upon him our Flesh and to suffer Death upon the Cross that all mankind should follow the example of his great Eumility mercifully grant that we both follow the example of his Patience and be made partakers of his Resurrection c. Now mind To pray for this that is common and used in the old World of Transgression where iniquity and sin is which separates from God and are out of his Blessed Work But to be in the Humility and Patience this is God's Work where his Will is done on Earth as it is in Heaven So that if people would but so far condescend to the Will of God as to sit down in coolness in a true Silence of all the works of the fleshly wisdom would they not agree with us who are in Scorn called Quakers in Judgment at least though it may be not in Practice viz. That Words without Effects are as Dreams and Chass to the Wheat the Substance So he that hath a Dream let him tell his Dream but he that hath Gods Word let him speak it What is the Chaff to the Wheat Is not my Word like a Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces Jer. 23. I am against the Prophet saith the Lord that steals my Word from his Neighbour who use their Tongues and say he saith and Prophesie false Dreams and tell them and cause people to err by their Lyes and Lightness And so now in Coolness when the works of the enemy are down viz. Prejudice and Passion c. Then by a little work of God in its least appearance by which mankind is made sensible they may see by this small distinction what it is that we who are in Scorn called Quakers stand for and against And when the Eye of your Understanding is opened to behold his glorious works whom you have pierced then will you love us whom so many have hated because of our Testimony of God's Works Do but see how you first hated the Light of God in your selves before that great Darkness came over you to hate us who are called Quakers because we are bowed unto Christ's Spirit the true Christians Spirit and therein have in some measure partaken of his Cup out of which some indeed have drunk very deep even to the following of his great Humility and Patience even to Death as in the New-England Sufferings may be seen by those cruel imaginary Christians whose wicked hands have been deep in the shedding of Innocent Blood And though through Ignorance the Sufferings of God's people hath been much in Old-England yet they have not been in that desperate kind as there where doubtless they are more drunk with the Whores Cup of Sorceries and Witchcraft then those of that kind are here in
fall with it Page 4. He proceeds thus viz. You know it was said by our blessed Saviour that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it And I little doubt but that an appearance at first of a greater strictness and narrowness in your way then in theirs that differs from you was a temptation to some injudicious persons c. Answer If we were not in the same strait and narrow way that Christ did speak of where we are partakers of Gods great love in that rest and peace which he hath prepared for them that believe fear and love him it were an easie matter to go back again into the broad way there be opportunities enough given besides this great one given by this Author of that Book in his gross abominable Insinuations But such is the manner of such dark Spirits to pretend great love to the Souls of others and are not in a capacity to pity and love their own But he saith That might have been escaped had we considered that the strictness and narrowness consisting in outward austerities and incivilities c. Answer whither may a rambler go when he is turned into the way of mischief and pursues his journey without care of what will be the end of it But I perceive this is his great trouble as it was Hamans Mordicai would not bow to him we not going out of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ into the respect of persons but faithfully keeping his commands and abiding in his Doctrine the which is true whatsoever he wickedly suggests to the contrary This he accounts Incivilities and a piece of Superstition of our own devising and that several orders among the Papists have been built upon the same bottom but mind all this while his name is concealed shewing that he is not willing others should know what bottom he is built upon but who that are wise can expect any better fruit of such a corrupt tree that grows upon the root of Imaginations he hath nothing else for his bottom of all that he hath said And he goes on in page 6 7. in these words Ye have taken liberty to walk loosly and cast off this yoak and that is in not governing your spirits passions and tongues according to the Laws of his Kingdom c. And this he infers from some words he hath taken out of Edward Burroughs's Book as thou cursed thou beast to whom the Plagues of God are due a reprobate a Child of darkness thou art thou disobedient one c. Answer By this it is manifest that if that Author had been in the false Prophets dayes he would have been as much offended with the true Prophets for calling the false Prophets greedy dogs and dumb dogs and many such like words and as David said Psal 49.12 Man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish or if he had been in that day of Christ who indeed was very humble and meek but in his reproofs of Hypocrisie he was very sharp as appears in these words Wo to you Hypocrites likening them to whited Walls painted Sepulchres and he said to them who supposed themselves to be the Children of Abraham and that they had one Father even God But Christ said unto them ye are of your Father the Devil And he said unto the Scribes and Pharisees ye Serpents ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of Hell And the Apostle Paul saith whatsoever he be that preacheth any other Gospel then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Here is but a hint of much that might be said what the Language of the Spirit of Truth was in those days against those dark opposite Spirits to the way of Truth and there is no question but Edward Borroughs knew what Spirit of opposition he had to encounter with that by the Light of Christ Jesus he knew what was the portion of that Spirit But let the Author of that Book or any for him prove if they can that ever Edward Borroughs did do any wrong either to Man Woman or Child And he saith speaking of Christ he hath strictly injoyned his followers to be humble and lowly in heart to esteem others better then themselves to speak evil of no man c. and not to judge c. Answer But all this while this man that doth thus prescribe from what is written what others should do he himself doth not so it appears by concealing of his name he is not willing to be known But sure when he bethinks himself he cannot suppose that the spirit of Truth doth lead its followers to esteem Hypocrites and those that oppose the way thereof above them that are led and guided by it And sure the Author by disesteeming of the Light of Christ that lighteneth every man that comes into the World rendering it a natural Light as he hath done in many places is become very blind indeed if he thinks the Spirit of Truth did forbid the judgment of Truth by these words of Christ Mat. 7. Judge not that ye be not judged this he spoke to Hypocrites that went about to pull out a mote out of others eyes and the beam remained in their own saying Thou Hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy Brothers eye But such gross darkness hath happened to many that do not believe in the Light and not knowing the way of the Spirit of Truth yet for sinister ends in great presumption undertakes to correct them who are born of the same and are in measure acquainted with the way thereof as that dear and faithful Servant of the Lord Edward Burroughs was as may be seen by his works which stand a witness against deceitful flattering Tongues But this is the old way of the enemy and adversary of the peace and happiness of Souls to cover his hatred and malice with smooth flattery in words As saith David in another case Psal 55.21 The words of his mouth were smoother then Butter but war was in his heart his words were softer then Oyl yet were they as drawn Swords But to speak the Truth by the leading and guiding of the Spirit of Truth as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did though in very sharp reproofs to gainsayers is not against true humility nor a speaking evil of any man In Page 11. The Author saith Neither you are not guilty of rejecting Gods way and method of converting men to and keeping them in the way of saving Faith Repentance and Evangelical obedience and of inventing and chusing one of your own c. Which method he instances out of two Authors Edward Burroughs's Book and one of William Pens The which is as followeth word for word In the works of Edward Burrough who you are pleased to stile that true Prophet in the Title page which are published
Viol c. And are at ease wo to them Amos 6. And concerning comparisons in the sound of Instruments being certain or uncertain this makes not at all for your purpose who extol that Musick by which the Lord is dishonoured and the seed of life grieved and burdened so for shame leave off your lightness and vanity least you be left as them who are filthy to be filthy still and you seek repentance as Esau did with tears and cannot find acceptance And see the effects of wicked Dancing Mat. 14.6 7. But when Herod 's birth-day was kept the Daughter of Herodias danced before them Now read and see what effects her brave Dancing procured weigh these things you that have Children that are Light and Airy and restrain them from that wicked practice least they add sin unto sin and bring woe upon them as you may see Herodias Daughter who added one wickedness unto another Stephen Smith To all Bishops and Priests and all concerned with them in a Book Intituled A form of Common Prayer for Gods blessing upon His Majesty and His Dominions and for the averting Gods Judgments Printed this year 1678. ANswer The Lord God hath signally shewen his great displeasure by Sword by Plague and by Fire against that opposite spirit that hath led into all rebellion against the motions of his holy spirit wherein he is making known his way of blessing and his saving health among the people Yet for his great name sake and in his love mercy and pity he did put a stop to those Judgements and hath given space and time of repentance and through many faithful Servants hath the Lord manifested his good pleasure that all who are erred from the way of blessing in life and peace that they might return unto him and wait upon him who is Lord of Heaven and Earth for his teachings and instructions in his holy Covenant of Life and Peace But how regardless have you been of the many and frequent Testimonies that have been faithfully in the moving of Gods holy spirit of Truth given forth against the swelling and groaning abominations of the times So that instead of hearkning and obeying the motions of Gods holy spirit you have proceeded in vexing and grieving the same in a most high degree you have abused the Servants of the Lord God And through your pride and presumption you have drawn the heavy displeasure of the Lord upon you whose dreadful judgments do hang over you and will not be averted or turned from you by any feigned shew of fasting made up in the will of man contrary to the good will mind and pleasure of God In that which is called the order for Morning Prayer are these words Rent your hearts and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful c. Answer To them that do in Truth and in unfeigned repentance open their hearts unto him with a faithful resignation of heart soul and body unto the pure manifestation of his holy Law of his pure spirit of life unto such he hath shewn himself very gracious and merciful in setting them free from the Law of sin and death But how often do you repeat those words and yet keep your hearts whole in the friendship of the World in the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and pride of life you have been so far from renting your hearts that you have not so much as rent your garments are not the garments of your own righteousness which is no better then filthy rags whole upon you and in that loathsom garment you appearing before the Lord who seeing your loathsomness and hypocrisie in imputing the righteousness of Christ unto you whilst you are really and truly whole in your loathsome garments of your own righteousness where the righteous judge both of the quick and the dead beholding you as you are in your loathsome garments he will never agree with you in your accounts whilst you account so falsly of your Interest in the righteousness of Christ and yet whole in the garments of sin and iniquity doing the things you should not do and leaving undone the things you should do would you when you reckon with your Servants agree with them in such account and allow of their doing so all their life and leave them to account of your riches and that you are bound to give it them sure its time to be awakened from this misery of ignorance And take notice of your following words Though we have rebelled against him neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God to walk in his Laws which he set before us Now mind was ever your hearts rent from this condition do not you persist in your rebellion and so grieve Gods holy spirit in keeping your heart whole in persecuting them who are led by it Are not the Priests whole in their sin of preaching for Hire and for filthy lucre sake they tell lyes in Hypocrisie promising that to people which neither they nor the people have right unto whilst they are Servants to sin Come down from these barren mountains of imaginations and rent off these filthy garments and rent your hearts from these evils and follow the example of them who are really in this work and from the Lords acceptance have found him gracious and merciful and in the righteous government of his holy spirit of Truth the knowledge of his way of Truth is known in this World and in walking therein there is that hope manifest by Christs righteousness in us of having Eternal life with him in that World which is without end And you say Dearly beloved Brethren the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness and that we should not dissemble and cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father but confess them with an humble lowly penitent and obedient heart c. Answer Here you acknowledge yourselves to be fallen from the Primitive Christians guide and moreover in the service and work of the Lord they did speak as they were moved by Gods holy spirit and did declare the pleasure and will of God as that gave utterance and by his holy spirit they were made Ministers not coveting any mans Silver or Gold or Apparel nor they did not move for any filthy lucre sake but how have you erred and strayed from this way being lost as to a true and saving knowledge of the motions of Gods holy spirit And in this lost Estate every private spirit is set a work and imaginations dreams do tell their several conceivings of what was given forth by the moving of Gods holy spirit but having erred from the way of the spirit of God and being strangers thereunto they are also strangers to what was given forth by the Spirit of God thus being in error they don't know the Scriptures nor the power of God And thus being become strangers to the motion
avail them any thing who call upon Christ yet persecute so near Relations as his Brethren And since those that visited them not in their necessities received such condemnation what will become of you And you Generation of wicked Doers who have been the cause of the Imprisoning so many of Christs Relations where several hundreds have laid down their lives for their faithful Testimony against you because of your Adultery from the Lord and his Worship which is to be performed in Spirit and Truth and have set up worships according to your own hearts Lust and because of the Lords Patience and Long-suffering and great Mercy how do you harden your hearts against Reproofs and for good return evil and so go on scoffing and mocking well though the Lord hath exercised a great deal of patience it 's my belief it will not last long but he will execute Righteous Judgment and plead the cause of the Innocent who hath committed all to him with Praises and Glory from his own works for ever Stephen Smith The 21th day of the 11th Month 1667. A PROCLAMATION By way of EXHORTATION Unto all the Inhabitants of England Concerning Fasting and Prayer And that they may come to a certain Discerning and Knowledge of the Will of God therein who is King of the whole EARTH First by way of Preparation unto a True FAST COme all you who expect to be Heard and Accepted of the Living God Fasting and Prayer in the Spirit of Holiness is required as Necessary thereunto but the want of a certain Knowledge Discerning how and in what manner the same ought to be Performed therefore it is that people are rejected being all Vain Service and Lost Labour where no Reward is received or when they ask amiss what answer shall such have judge ye And therefore be Admonished I beseech you to mind that which gives you a Discerning and certain Knowledge in this weighty Work You may read what the Lord said by his Servant Isaiah chap. 8. concerning Fasting and what Christ Jesus said Mat. 6. but how long may people read these Sayings as well as others and yet have no certain knowledge of the Will of God therein I speak of such who are out of the way of a True Understanding which all are who are in a bare Confession with their Mouths that God ought to be feared but the Heart that not being right in his sight Infidelity that taking place there from whence a Conclusion is drawn That Sin which is Evil can't be parted with this is a great Evil indeed set up in the Heart by the spirit of Antichrist where a Form of Words and large Confessions concerning God and Christ are made but the Blessed and Effectual Workings of God's Spirit in Flesh for the Destroying of Sin that being denyed the Enemy's works which is Sin and Evil they continue in the Heart contrary to the Blessed Will of God by which means the Nobility of Man's Understanding that is Clouded and Darken'd through Error and Falshood by which means the Minds of Mankind are exercised in a Brutish Understanding concerning Spiritual Matters imagining a Performing of Service to God by confessing That he ought to be feared and yet live out of what they confess in a Talk that all good Success and Blessing comes from him c. So then let such be judged by their own words who confess he ought to be feared and yet live in Sin and Evil under a strange Delusion That those Works can never be so destroyed as to know Dominion and Freedom from them on this side the laying down the Body or at least till about that time of separation from all outward visible things So here Sin the Continuance of that hath been pleaded for by them who would be called Christians and would be accounted such who fear God and that they are in his Service though never expect to be free from sin What Service is that in Evil And what Reward shall Evil Works have Is not sin an Evil work of the Evil One And must not the Works of the Evil One if continued in have a Bad Reward Oh that people would Fear God in Deed and in Truth for they that fear him will do no Evil So the way of a Right Understanding that leads quite contrary to Sin and Evil So its strong Delusion indeed to expect a Right Understanding in an Evil Way and Presumption indeed it is to hope for Good out of Evil. Oh be Awakened to Righteousness in which there 's no sin and then will the Eye of the Understanding be opened to see the Man of sin who hath exalted himself above that of God in Man under Confessions and Professions of the Name of God and Christ whilst that signified by the Name which is Power manifested in Flesh for the revealing the Man of sin and destroying his works that hath been denyed by the Exaltation of the Man of sin in man by whom Mankind hath been exalted above the Pure Principle of God in man even above the Light of that Blessed and Unerring Spirit of Christ by which that which is reproveable is made manifest But through Unbelief of God's Love therein Mankind in a great part being held under strong Delusions of Satan their minds being exercised in a Brutish Understanding some have called that Blessed Principle of God in man a Devilish Light and others a Bewildering Light or a Natural Light so that all that is of God in man that hath been denyed whose Work do you think this is But if it were so as the Wicked One in the wicked hath concluded may it not be said now as it was in the dayes of old after God had created Mankind upon the Earth and they had corrupted their Wayes which displeased God who in his Displeasure said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive c. Then was not Destruction nigh but in that there was a time in which God's Holy Spirit did strive with flesh it plainly appears the good will of God was therein to have had it otherwise but Mankind resisting his Way of bringing it to pass the Way of Salvation that was removed and a Way of Destruction let in so the Way of Salvation then that was by the moving and working of God's Good Spirit the which had place in Noah who was a perfect man in his day who being moved in a True Fear of God had a Right Understanding in which he was a Preacher according to the Will of God So that Blessed Spirit of God by which Noah had regard and was acted by though it was rejected by Mankind in their corrupt Wayes yet it was not Devilish nor Natural as Mankind in their Brutish Understanding in great measure have concluded but the least measure of that pure Principle of God in Mankind of his Blessed Spirit is Unerring the which in measure in all Ages in God's Time and Season did strive in Mankind and for the good of Mankind that through it they might
in and through his holy Spirit of Truth are righteous holy perfect in every degree and measure and remains firm in goodness and unchangeable there being no spot nor blemish in them the which praises them for ever out of which none shall ever find acceptance of him Mutter peep whine and scold as long as you will your works of darkness must down which have corrupted the Nations which is cause of the great Judgments past in this Nation and the greater yet to come For the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God is gone out against wicked workers and works and thus saith the Lord No Peace to the wicked their prayers are abomination in my sight So whatsoever your professions and coverings therein be of your talkings and imaginations concerning the gift of God which is Life Eternal you being really out of it in your own imaginary parts and gifts in comprehending the works done without you and so not sensible of any real perfect pure work of God's holy Spirit in you the which is the cause you are so dark and wickedly blinded to plead for sin the which is accompanied with the wages of death the cause of death being sin the which remaining the effects cannot cease even death and corruption from that venomous sting over all flesh that is corrupted with it So for shame leave your false Accusations against an innocent people called by the Name of Quakers for testifying of the works of God's holy Spirit the which are perfect in every degree and therefore there is not the least sin nor evil in them So all you who say You are not without sin in your best duties I say they are all works of your own which blind and hide God's works from you And as you may read of the works of God's Spirit in Mordicai how they could not bow to the Pride and Arrogance of Haman and also the works of God's Spirit in Daniel how they could not bow to them that would have restrained and limited them and also the works of Gods Spirit in Shadrach Meshech and Abednego how they could not bow to the Golden Image set up by Nebuchadnezar though Laws under Penalties of Death in a Cruel manner was before them and also the works of God's holy Spirit in the Primitive Christians through the strength of which they under-went hard and grievous things under the spirit of Antichrist which got up in a form of good words in the pleasures and vanities of the works of the fleshly wisdom the which have been kept up by the same wisdom by the Arm of flesh under which the Innocent people who are true witnesses of the works of God's Spirit have suffered very deeply in this Age the which cannot be hid though the cause for which they have thus suffered is so far hid that it cannot be believed though they have been wonderfully declared of But it is Mordecai Daniel Shadrach Meshâ—ch and Abednego's God which we who are in scorn called Quakers do worship in and by the effects and blessed Operation of his own blessed Spirit wherein stands our confidence and not in Flesh and our Faith Belief and Hope is in him that he will turn the Hearts of our enemies unto us though many will perish in their gain-saying So over all the works and powers of darkness in our Faith and Belief that the holy righteous works of God's blessed Spirit shall be exalted and the God of Truth in and through his blessed works in preparing and fitting the hearts of people the knowledge of him shall increase till it spread over all And for this purpose hath God raised many contrary to the wisdom of the World in whom he hath made known his Righteous Works who have unity and fellowship therein who are true labourers therein purely out of love to God and his blessed works in good-will and true-love to all men that all may taste of the goodness of God the experience of which will bring mankind to be of one mind and heart and therein to agree to praise and magnifie God who shows man his Thoughts to whom belongs honour and glory for ever And now all you Leaders of the People in all forms and fashions who are denying the works of the Divine Power of God in its blessed operation and powerful workings in setting free them who are heavy laden and weary through the enemies works of sin and iniquity the which you say cannot be overcome therefore you are denyers of the sufficiency of God's works and his kingdom wherein dwells righteousness peace and joy in and through effectual workings of God's holy Spirit the which though you say in words Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done c. But being sayers and not doers you are so darkened that with all your own wills and mights you are strengthening the old Kingdom of transgression where sin and iniquity aboundeth the Devil's works Was it not by reason of transgression that the first Law the first Covenant was added which was written in Tables of Stone And was not this in force till the Seed of Life and Power the coming of the Messiah to finish Transgression and to put an end to Sin and so bring in everlasting Righteousness God's Kingdom Now all you blind Leaders of the blind is not here God's second Covenant writ in the heart into which all must come that come unto God where his Light is to shine who is the True Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World And if this righteous Law be taken heed unto will it not judge Lust when it rises in the heart And will it not judge Anger when it rises in the heart And will it not judge every desire of breaking Promise when it arises in the heart And will it not judge every hasty and froward Action and Lightness when they appear in the heart And is not all that proceeds from this righteous Law and Covenant of God in the heart Pure Truth Yea and Nay And what is more then plain Truth Yea and Nay is it not judged by this pure Law in the heart And are not all fotbidden to Swear by this one Law-giver who is able to Save or to Destroy And must not his righteous Law and Decree take place though many Laws through darkness and Ignorance may be made against it And must not all that come to Sion the City of the Living God be redeemed through these righteous judgments And all that will not come under this righteous Law and Government where Mercy and Peace kisses and Truth and Righteousness is set over all is it not just that they be left to Judgment without Mercy So is not Destruction from Self-willing and running of people out of the counsel and knowledge of the will and mind of the living God And is not the Salvation of every Soul in and through the righteous Decrees and just and holy Laws of God which is Light in every Conscience And must not all come to Salvation
and so worship in vain and by their Traditions and vain Customs they have excluded that Worship in Spirit and Truth the which Christ Jesus set up therefore we do deny them XI Whereas the man-made Ministers now adayes do make that their Plea for their Persecution and wickedness they have a Law so said their fore-Fathers the Scribes Pharisees and Chief Priests who Crucified Christ they said they had a Law and what Persecutors about Religion since Cain had not some seeming pretence and covering though indeed these in this generation do excel in rare Arts and Coverings to hide their wicked bloody Spirit of Persecution under but he is risen and come that sees through them and teaches his Followers of them and therefore we do deny them XII And we do commend the Reader for his full and compleat satisfaction about the ground and setting â—p of Tythes since the Gospel-dayes unto a Book Entituled The Great Case of Tythes Revived by Francis Howgil who dyed a Prisoner for the Testimony of Jesus in that Book are all Reasonable Objections clearly answered and there is clearly shewen what a dark night of Apostacy was over people when Tythes were set up by a Law and how many hundred years it was after Christ before that gross Ignorance was ushered in in making Laws to Prosecute and compel about Tythes And unto all we do signifie That we have hopes in our Lord and Master Christ Jesus our Saviour that he will maintain us by his Grace and supply us out of his fulness of Wisdom and Power to live godly soberly and righteously in this present life giving no just Gause of Offence to any but in all things to live an innocent harmless life keeping our Conscience void of Offence both before God and all men And if any that may be among us and profess to own our Principle should do otherwise then right and just let none be so rish as to condemn our just Principle or those that live in it because of the unfaithfulness of some that may make some Profession of it and not live up to it And we do pray for all in Authority that the Lord of Heaven and Earth man pour out his Spirit of Judgment and Wisdom upon them that they may be opened and that the Nobility of their Vnderstandings may be cleared from Darkness and Error that they may discern between the Precious and the Vile and that they may be for the Punishment of them that do Evil and for the Praise of them that do well The 6th of the 1st Month 1676 Wholsome Advice AND INFORMATION In TRUE LOVE to all called CHRISTIANS To provoke them to the Royal Law of Love as it is in Jesus and to the Blessed and Effectual WORKS therein THe Lord of Heaven and Earth who by his great power and wisdom did Create all things good who in the beginning gave unto mankind Dominion over the Earth and God blessed them and said unto them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth and subdue it and have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the Air and every Living thing that moveth upon the Earth And the works of the Lord were all good and are all good savoury pleasant being ordered by his universal power and wisdom by which they were created But mankind being fallen from the sense thereof they have formed and fashioned many Inventions in their minds being captivated under the enemy's power of Darkness wherein they are become corrupt and unsavoury having lost their Dominion instead of subduing the Earth they have let the Earth over them and being become Earthly-minded the things that move upon the Earth have Dominion over them and thus being captivated under the enemy's dark power set the enemy's dark power above the power and wisdom of God Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever by whom all things were created who is Heir of all by whose Power Life and Immortality is brought to Light glory be to him for ever But people being imbondaged and corrupted they are become such slaves thereunto and in such a ground of Infidelity that they cannot so much as believe in God's power and wisdom which is manifested to create again into its own primitive savoury holy Life in Dominion over the Earth but in the State of Infidelity mankind being plunged with their narrow spirits they go about to measure the things of God and in their fallen Earthly wisdom to weigh things of Eternity and being confounded in their works what variety of coverings do people get to cover their shame in all parts of the World as well as in Christendom so call'd where indeed they do greatly excel other Nations in curious Arts to make coverings to hide their great shame a miserable Trade but very costly in in this Nation And forasmuch as the love of God hath been and is largely manifested through which many have been and are redeemed from that great folly and madness in that vain travail and labour in joyning with those Arts-men of the Times who spend their dayes and consume abundance of Treasure in making false coverings to cover their shame out of which confusion many being redeemed who are baptized into Christ and have put on Christ's beautiful Garment and are comely in his sight who is Lord of Heaven and Earth before whom every Creature is manifest and because such cannot run with them in the same Excess of Riot and pay towards the Maintenance of those Sottish Arts-men what a wonder they make of it and cry to the Magistrates for help to punish the Innocent people for keeping their Consciences void of offence both towards God and man What Imprisoning even many to Death and Spoiling Tearing and Rending of Goods seeking thereby the destruction and ruin of many thousands of industrious laborious Families A practice not so common amongst the very Turks among whom I having lived I did observe something of their Behaviours to the Christians and Jews that live amongst them and one unto another and in many common Civilities which are called moral in which they seemed to exceed many who are called Christians in Christendom the Christians that live amongst them of several Opinions agreeing together in outward concerns do enjoy the Liberty of their Consciences in their several ways of Worship and the Jews have the same freedom the Jews observing the Seventh day and are quiet and the Christians the First day and are not disturbed and the Turks observe the Sixth day and I did not perceive any Penalties inflicted either on Christians or Jews for worshipping of God as they suppose they should but they do live quietly and peaceably one with another in these Concerns And concerning the Turks Moderation in permitting the Christians so quietly to enjoy their several perswasion in Religious matters I made some Inquiry What reason they could give for the same and thus answer was returned me thus saith Turk In case we should go about to
power of God The goodness and mercies of God both in the holy Testimonies as recorded in the Scriptures of Truth and otherwayes manifested should lead unto true repentance of every evil way and work whereby God's righteous Spirit is grieved and quenched Assuredly the more God's holy and righteous Spirit doth strive many wayes with a people or Nation and they go on not regarding the operation of the hand of the Lord therein but do continue to grieve and quench the blessed motions thereof it will be more tolerable in the day of Judgment unto that People or Nation which profess less but do more So it 's not a bare Profession and Confession what people do that is acceptable but it 's in doing the Will of God through the movings of his holy Spirit in every Nation they that fear God and work righteousness are accepted and for that end that people might fear God and work righteousness his universal Love in his universal Spirit and power doth inlighten all mankind whereby they may see the evil and the good and to them that receive him in his tenders of love he gives them power to eschew the evil and to love the good of what Nation Language or Country they be of In the time I lived among the Turks it appeared to me that they had more Charity and true Love one unto another then may be found amongst many who are called Christians who live in Error out of God's way Surely such Christians are driven farther from true Love one to another and Mercy and Patience and Self-denyal then the very Turks They may be ashamed when they look back into those malicious works manifested upon an Innocent People in this Nation I suppose they are not to be parallel'd amongst the very Turks And for Christendom so called in general who are apostatized from the Truth how many Religions and high Professions there are made of God and Christ but how little of the blessed example and humiliation of Christ is followed Let the wise in heart take but a view of the greatest part of Christendom so called this day and see what works of Envy Malice and Hatred Evil Fruit is shewn forth where they seek the ruin and destruction one of another such wilde Fruit doth not proceed from Christ the Vine no no such Fruit proceeds from a corrupt root which Ax of the Lord must be laid to and it must be cut down the word of the Lord must come over it which must be felt a Hammer to beat down corruption and a Fire to consume it this Cross that Christians must take up if they arrive at that blessed Haven of rest which the Lord of Heaven and Earth has appointed for them that love him thus Christians bowing under the Cross the power of God and Crucifying their corrupt Wills and Affections and Lusts with that exalted proud arrogant spirit that carryes people above the Fear of God and the blessed example and humiliation of Christ Christians so called coming under this Cross then will you be a good example to all Turks and Infidels in the World and your good Conversations and true Love one unto another will convince the Turk that the Lord is with you of a Truth there being no other way to true happiness and peace with the Living God but by Christ the Way the Truth the Life which people being converted to and living in therein shewing forth the great Love of God to the World in his Son this will preach forth the righteousness of God unto them who are strangers thereunto and the people thus gathered to the Lord the Lord will be with them and plead their Cause whilst you observe that great and chief Commandment in loving God above all and your Neighbours as your selves in doing this you will please God and reach to the witness in them that do not know God But if you continue meer Talkers and high Professors of what you should do and leave that undone which should be done therein you will be a bad example and an ill savour to other Nations and a stink which the Lord of Heaven and Earth will never be pleased with though you may cry Lord Lord in your deep Distress he will not hear if you regard Iniquity the Prayers of the wicked are abomination to the Lord I speak the Truth in the love of God unto you in dealing plainly according to his blessed Will You that say you are Christians examine your selves will the name Christian avail you if you be out of the Christian-Life and Nature What will it avail you to retain a Name of being Christ's Followers and if you be found in the way of the Scribes and Pharisees by whom he was Crucified What will it avail you to talk of the Truth in the inward parts that which is lovely in the sight of the Lord if you be found in a Spirit of Deceit and Falshood in the Friendship of the World resisting the Just and he doth you no harm What will it avail you to cry Lord Lord and not wait to know his Will and do it What is it the near for you to talk of God's great Love to the World in the Son of his Love who invited all to him who was and is meek and lowly where the Rest and Peace is in the joy of the Lord to Immortal Souls if you be found in froward peevish exalted imaginary proud ambitious spirits What will it avail you to read and talk of the holy mens Lives and blessed Practices if you be found in the Life and Practice of Cain Nabal and Hamman The Followers of Christ Jesus the Heavenly man they were and are to deny themselves and take up a dayly Cross to Cain 's Nature to Nabal 's Nature to Haman 's Nature The blessed and effectual Cross that slayes the Enmity and makes a reconciliation by the blessed Cross the Power of the Lord and Saviour Christians being plung'd dipped baptized and brought under Christ the power and wisdom of God And in the blessed Gospel-order established and therein shining forth to the Praise and Honour of God this will preach and reach to the Turks and Infidels in the World and overcome them and make them confess That Christ Jesus is a blessed Leader and all that follow him are blessed and happy forever and that there is no other way to true Peace and Happiness but by following Christ's blessed example and great humiliation by all that ever come to attain to his Resurrection he must lead them in the way So away with all your Wooden Brazen Iron Golden Crosses with all your Trumpery thereunto belonging The very Turk sees over it with all Images and Religions which are turned into Trades and Merchandize whereby spiritual wickedness and the Mystery of Iniquity is upholden away with it all it stinks Now the great Mystery Christ in us the Hope of Glory is opened a blessed Fountain to wash in which makes clean the inside and fits and
is and may be received through Faith and Comfort of the holy Scriptures by them who do truly take heed to the manifestation of God's holy Spirit in them which convinceth the World of sin and therefore universal and take that for a rule and guide to walk by out of darkness and to guide and lead into all Truth Oh it 's the carnal mind which is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be It 's that mind that would make void this love of God in the manifestation of his Spirit to every man to profit with as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Therefore it is of necessity for all to take heed to the Revelation and Manifestation of Gods holy Spirit in them if ever they come to a true knowledge of the love and mercy of God testified unto in old time And therefore it 's good for all to consider what state they are in whether in a natural or spiritual whether in a capacity to receive an understanding in the things of God testified of in the Scriptures or whether in a natural estate wresting them to their own destructions In that state what false conceptions about the things of God are brought forth the which genders to bondage and corruption And in this Worldly wisdom what diversity of Inventions do people get make and find out to keep them from the Cross which Christ exhorted his followers to take up dayly and follow him Though this may be accounted as foolishness to them that perish yet as said the Apostle But unto us that are saved it 's the power of God It was not the intent in the moving of God's holy Spirit in holy men in giving forth those blessed Testimonies of God's righteousness and love therein unto the world that people in their carnal minds and natural estates should cover their unrighteousness therein and deck and trim themselves therewith for some selfish advantage the which are very presumptuous sins that have gotten dominion in the hearts of those who do account themselves Leaders of the people And indeed if the people did not love to have it so they would bow to the manifestation of God's love and mercy in them But being contrary minded then to yeild to the good will and pleasure of God in the moving of his good Spirit how greatly do they provoke the Lord of Heaven and Earth in grieving and vexing of his holy Spirit as said the Prophet Isaiah in another Case 63.10 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them In that state it 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living I do therefore beseech all to be considerate in this weighty concern wherein the Souls Immortal are so deeply concerned and let not the day of God's Visitation in and by the striving of his good Spirit pass over your heads least you be left mourning and grieving without God in the World and so without any certain hope of all the Saints and Sanctified in the Truth And through the blessed operation and revelation of the holy Spirit of Truth he is now the hope of all them who are real denyers of that which hath a tendency of grieving and quenching his holy Spirit and in this is Christs Doctrine obeyed in denying that which is contrary to the will of God whose blessed will is the satisfaction of all and for that end hath he given of his good Spirit unto all the which ought to be taken unto by all The gain-saying of the striving thereof was the cause of the Worlds overthrow of old in that they grieved his good Spirit and therein provoked the Lord of Glory till in his hot displeasure he said his Spirit should not alwayes strive with them And the cause of the Scribes and Pharisees Crucifying the Lord of Glory by their wicked hands was by their doing despite unto Gods holy Spirit they being stiff Necked did resist the moving and striving of Gods holy Spirit as their Fathers did before them which brought those sad and miserable Calamities which may be read of upon them And that which was the cause of Ignorance in Dayes Ages and Generations past is now the cause of great ignorance in which the people living in error know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and for want of the knowledge thereof people do perish Thus plain and evident it is to all who have the Eyes of their understandings opened that they who are true owners of the Scriptures their sense and knowledge thereof comes by the moving of the Spirit of Christ who lighteth every man that comes into the world unto which the true Gospel Ministers turned people even from darkness that was in them unto the Light that was in them which Light that shineth in Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not In this principle of the Light of Gods holy Spirit which makes manifest the Deeds of Darkness must all believe and obey that come to find Life and Peace And read John 1.1 what is there said concerning the word of God by which all things were made the which the Devil is out of though he may get the words and talk and preach of the word But being out of the word of God he cannot preach that He that can receive it let him for in him the word by which all things were made is Life and the Life is the Light of men And for the inshining and breathing forth of this Light out of Darkness must all wait in the Self-denyal of all dark works taking up the Cross dayly thereunto that Life and Immortality may be brought to Light through the Gospel And if this be hid It is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not 2 Cor. 3.3 4. least the light of his glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine upon them And whilst this love of God testified unto through the Scriptures remains hid what true benefit can such be supposed to have of the Scriptures though they may be never such high Talkers and Professors thereof Oh that people would consider what they are doing that they may not labour and travail all their days in vain and lye down in sorrow at last Come be sober be wise you Professors of the Scriptures and remember that it is witten For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 that every one may receive the things done in the body whether they be good or bad What then will a bare Profession of holy mens words and works wrought without you avail you if you be found in uncleanness in unsavoury words and works
quarter And he did not rail in saying so he spoke the Truth Read what wicked motions there was in the flesh and the motion of the true Prophet against them said he They were as fed Horses every one neighed after his neighbours Wife Jer. 5. The Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof Read the true Prophets motion in the word of Truth against the false fleshly Prophets motion Who moved for handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread Ezek. 13. Read how wicked they were The wicked false Teachers in this Age have a larger and richer Trade they move for Thousands of Pounds The true Prophet moving in the Truth cryed out against the horrible wicked fleshly motions of the Priests and said As troops of Robbers wait for a man Hosea 6. so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent for they commit lewdness Observe they were agreed in their motion Read the wicked motions of a wicked spirit in the Presidents Princes Governours Counsellers who moved the King to make an unalteralterable Decree to insnare Daniel Dan. 7. because he was Honest and Just And though Daniel was acquainted therewith and knew the penalty yet he was moved in a good Spirit to open his Windows and pray as before And read what became of the motions of the wicked and also of the blessed motions The good Spirit in the Prophet moved him to testify against the false Spirits motions both in head and tail Said he The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for Hire Mic. 3.1 and the Prophets thereof Divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Oh the presumption and confidence of wicked motions and observe how hireling Priests were cryed out against in former dayes as well as in these last dayes Christ in his Doctrine gave people warning To beware of the Scribes which love to go in long Clothing and love Salutations in the Market places Mark 12. and the chief Seats in the Synagogues and the uppermost Rooms at Feasts Which devour Widows houses and for a pretence make long Prayers But they are worse that make Widows and devour Estates examine the Jailers Calenders for near 30 years last past Acts the 20. The Apostle was moved by a good Spirit to declare what should come after him saying For I know this that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock And what a wonderful motion this wicked generation have had for near this 30 years let all them that have heard and seen and are more moderate and wise in heart judge 1 Joh. 2. There you may read that there was then many Antichrists and the evil motions of that wicked Spirit the which was then in the World Chap. 4.3 was to deny Christ's coming in flesh And John being in the Spirit on the Lords day had wonderful things revealed unto him both of the Beasts rising out of the Sea and out of the Earth Revelation and with what swelling Pride he exalted himself over the Saints and Servants of the Lord God And how that Kings agreed to give their strength and power unto the Beast with one mind to make War with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them For he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are blessed and chosen and faithful And he saw the downfall of Babylon and the End of the Beast and false Prophet Read chap. 19. And this is coming to pass and must be fulfilled glory praises and honour be given to the Lord God forever And thus unprejudiced Reader who hath some Breathings after the knowledge of the Lord and canst not take up a rest in a sinful state but desires that true Judgment may go forth Here is plain Truth and also some brief instances therein which is but few to what might be given from Genesis to the Revelations of the wicked Spirits motions and their Effects and of the blessed motions of Gods good Spirit and their Effects by which thou mayest see by the fruits and practices who are of that brood and generation of Cain and his followers and who are of the generation of Abel and his followers And what a wicked proud arrogant Spirit that is which dares presume to limit the moving of Gods holy Spirit in its Revelation Operation and Divine Inspiration And by which wicked and presumptuous works that proud ambitious and aspiring Spirit hath turned the very end and tendency of the love and mercy of God in the moving of this holy Spirit through holy Men in giving forth those blessed Testimonies and Prophesies in Scriptures even quite to another use then intended And how the Antichristian Spirit which was in the World in the Apostles dayes wrought in a Mistery of Iniquity and in Confessions and Professions from the true witnesses Testimony that Christ was come into the World and how he was Born and how he Suffered and was Ascended and will come again which is all true But under this fair covering the Merchants of Babylon set up their Trades and fraighted their Vessels with the Whores Trumpery and with fair Speeches and good Words out of the Life out of the Power they have deluded poor Souls making Merchandize of them setting up that which is profitable in the way of righteousness for the way of righteousness and so excluded the second coming of Christ in Spirit to them that look and wait for him without sin unto Salvation This great mistery the which is Christ in us the hope of Glory the way of Truth and Life the way of Righteousness unto the Father out of which none can come unto him this by their Arts they have wholly excluded And thus having set the Scripture for a chief rule and only rule of Life they have excluded the Spirit of Truths guide and leadings the which the Scripture directs unto and so set the Scriptures above the Spirit by the moving of which they were given forth And the Words and Writings of the Scripture they have set up for the word it self And this Spirit having put the Declaration and Writings of Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel here the Gospel the power of God that is excluded and Christ the word of God in the heart and mouth that is excluded And thus having turned the Scripture upside down The man of sin the Son of Perdition 2 Thes 2.3 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And now saying in effect that the day of Christ is past as touching his appearance and coming in the flesh he is at a remoteness or distance from his people Now Revelations are ceased say they and the best
it with that loathsome conceited marriage Revel 19. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine Linnen clean and White for the Linnen is the Righteousness of Saints c. Alleluja for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth here is a Heavenly melody Had the Author of that Paper been so Ingenious to have come to that Marriage Supper he might have partaken of the Heavenly joy and comfort and not have been left to that great confusion manifested in that Paper For the Invitation unto it hath gone throughout the Nation that they that would come might come for the Fountain to wash and prepare for it hath been and is open glory to God for ever But further see the confusion of the Author of that Paper in these words And the Covenant which I have ratified on Earth let it be ratified in Heaven What after the Marriag is concluded to be made What work is this he hath ratified it on Earth and would have it done so in Heaven but whether he will or no it seems he doth not know so all is left in doubt and fear again What a sad bargain you have made all this while who spent your Money and time after such Idle Immaginary doings Now all you who have seen and read the Authors supposed Covenant be so Ingenious to read how God was pleased to give forth his Law and Covenants the which he ratified in Heaven and compare them with the Authors pretended Covenant which he ratified on Earth without any knowledge of the parties consent he pretends to be concerned let any prove the contrary if they can and let him shew if he can in all the Scriptures of Truth where God ever left it to vain man to make a Covenant to be binding to all others in that manner c. That many did vow obedience and were incouraged in the Covenant of the Lord that is true and manifest through the Testimonies of the Prophets but where did any presume to bind God in that manner Oh gross Idolatry But the blessed holy God at all times and seasons according to his blessed pleasure and good will to mankind did give forth his Law and Commands and so Covenanted to be the God of his people to keep them in Peace c. On condition of their living in obedience to his will and pleasure manifest in his time and season as you may read Deut. 5. and Exod. 19. The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb The Lord talked with them face to face in the Mount in the midst of the fire which caused a fear and trembling These words the Lord spake unto all your Assembly c. and he wrote them in two tables of stone Wherein the Lord shewed his glory and greatness and they said we have seen this day that God doth talk with man and he liveth So the Law was added because of transgressions till the Seed should come Gal. 3.19 So Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness for every one that believeth Rom. 10.3 But concerning the first Covenant which God made with his people when he shewed favour and love In taking them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt Heb. 8. Because they continued not in my Covenant I regarded them not saith the Lord But now mark that second Covenant which is without fault After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Oh for ever blessed is this Covenant there is no fault in it and that it is a bad nature indeed by which Imaginary Covenants are made which hath a tendency of drawing peoples minds out from waiting to know this blessed Covenant in the mind and heart So to the sober and wise in heart I write that they may weigh these weighty things in a true ballance and from thence give forth true judgment And mind further the Authors words This Covenant you are advised to make not only in heart but in word not only in word but in writing Sure he thinks all 's done but if that must be made or written in the heart then there will be no room for Gods Covenant for that doth not at all agree with that confused stuff and what pity it is that any should be deprived of Gods righteous Covenant since Gods love is universally tendered therein and inviteth all unto it that they may partake of its pure holy nature to convert sinners and make wise simple and Ignorant people who are ready to perish for want of knowledge the which is communicated to them that fear God and wait to feel his blessed promise to extend his mercy and goodness therein to overcome and give victory over that which is evil and corrupt But further he adviseth To spread the writing before the Lord as if you would present it to him as your act and deed So here is an act and no act sometimes presumed to be done and ratified then again in doubtful terms as if you would do so c. And saith the Author when you have done this set your hand to it Answer so you may stand to it beloved whilst he that exhorts you runs away Fox-like creeping into his hole c. why is not his hand to it Note further Keep it saith he as a memorial of the solemn transactions that have passed between God and you Answer Since God here is made party concerned you that concern your selves therein had need know when and how God appeared unto you sure else if you be not wilfully blind you will see all that stuff to be meer Imaginations if you cannot see them to be Devilish Inventions the which indeed they are Now take this last advice in these words That you may have recourse unto it in Doubts and Temptations what think you now either the Paper must be an Idol or Christ It is not Christ therefore it must be an Idol then the Author must be an Idolater let them that concern themselves with it deny it if they can Hath not this a tendency of making void the love God through Christ Jesus who is the way to God out of doubt and through his power and wisdom all doubts are resolved who also is the succourer of them that are tempted and the deliverer of them who are guided by him out of temptations into his holy Name all are to be Baptized Dipped Plunged that Sin and Iniquity may be brought under and consumed by Fire and his holy
to what outwardly hath been taught or written from the blessed motions thereof or that may be taught or written by the motion of the same But we do oppose the true Teachings thereof to the false Teaching of all immaginary deceitful Spirits who under a pretence of love to Souls do make Merchandize of them And that being the great hinge on which his work depends in concluding the Scriptures to be the rule of Faith and Practice excluding the immediate Teaching of the Spirit and the all-sufficiency thereof I do ask whether Faith be a fruit of the Spirit or of the Scripture or whether a true Christians practice in living peaceably lovingly justly and holy and mercifully and in a clean life and conversation in long sufference patience goodness brotherly kindness c. be a fruit of the blessed Spirit of God or of the Scripture And since it cannot be denyed but that Faith and practice in a true Christian holy Conversation is a fruit of the blessed Spirit and that the Scriptures say the same Then are not all the gain-sayers of the immediate Teaching Opperation Revelation and Divine Inspiration of Gods holy Spirit of Truth a grand cause that there is so little fruit of the Spirit brought forth in Christendom And whether that be not the cause of so many heaps of Sects Notionists and Opinions among them and of so much Pride Lust Hypocrisie Fraud Deceit Wrath Malice Murders Witchcrafts Sorceries and all other abominations that might be mentioned committed in all the World the Lord gives the humble in heart true Judgment but the proud he doth resist But in Page 42. the Author saith Christ indeed or God Creator as he is described in the beginning of that Chap. Joh. 1.9 Doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World with the faculty of reason and understanding by which he may know that there is a God and that he is to be worshipped and that he is peaceable and the difference between moral good and evil in many things But however this may possibly be a light sufficient to direct the Heathen to as much as God expects from them if they live up to it to whom he affords no other Light yet this Natural Light is not sufficient to direct those that live under the Gospel to believe and do what they are bound to believe and do upon pain of Damnation c. Answer He hath clearly manifested his ignorance of the Gospel and what men are to be brought under that are made true Christians as if the Light of Christ within had not Gospel in it or could not minister Gospel But by hating of the Light how blind are they who have such low thoughts of thy way thereof accounting the Light of Christ natural yet sufficient to direct the Heathen as much as God expects of them Such is the esteem of them whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds taking the Jew outward for the Jew inward and the Christian in shew for the Christian in Truth And the wild Heathenish life and conversation of the Christian in shew for Christianity if they do but only in words own the Scriptures to be their rule of faith and practice And the true Christian that brings forth the fruits of Gods holy Spirit in life and conversation and is not ashamed to confess to the immediate motions of it in its blessed leadings and teaching to love of God above all and their neighbours as themselves and lives in true fear and watchfulness that they may not grieve nor quench the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit in them but are careful to live up to the reason and understanding that Christ hath illuminated or inspired them with and to eshew the evil and to love the good being shewed it by the Light of Christ and that God ought to be worshiped in Spirit and Truth and is in the performance thereof according to Gods will confessing to the blessed holy Spirit of God to be the rule of Life Faith practice Such a faithful and true Christian as this having such an account to give as is given by Edward Burrough and William Pen of the sufficiency of the pure Spirit of God to be the Judge of all matters of life and conversation Such true Christians are very slightly esteemed by such private immaginary Spirits as the Author of that Book is manifest to be of in all his works of darkness in that Book But I had rather be a Christian and though I am called Heathen then to be a Heathen and yet to be called and accounted a Christian In Page 61. the Author saith Another place misunderstood and misapplyed by you is Joh. 16.13 When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth which is not a promise of sending the Spirit to guide all Christians by its immediate motions But a promise to his Apostles for they only were then present with Christ at his passover c. Ans Indeed the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit is the great trouble of them who follow the motions of their own Spirit and lives out of the way of the knowledge of the holy Spirit of God which is Light and Life But I ask in case people are not to follow Christ and his Apostles into the true Faith and practice of Christianity by the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit of Truth by the motions of what Spirit are they to be led and guided since there is such variety of Sects and Opinions in the motions of their private Spirits which of them is to be followed But since the Author hath limited the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit only unto the Apostles I do ask into what Spirits motions were people Baptized and led into the body of Christianity or are they now to be led into the same and how can Christians have the Crown of Immortal Life as Paul had in finishing his course of life well and he said that was not laid up for him alone but also for all them that love the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ And who can be a follower of him in the way if they do not take heed to the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit as he did according to the measure and manifestation thereof in every one And again What can set people free from the spirit of bondage or from the spirit of error or corruption and deceit and hypocrisie but the immediate motions of Gods pure holy spirit in them But such is the dark work of the Author of that Book even to gainsay and limit the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit and to set up the private selfish imaginary Spirit which is not in unity with the Light and Spirit of Truth But if the promise of Christ was only to give that gift of the immediate motion of Gods holy Spirit unto the Apostles then to what end did he counsel the Churches to Pray in the Spirit to Sing in the Spirit and to
persevere and go on in the Spirit and not to quench and grieve the Spirit and abundance more to this purpose in Exhortations to the Churches to follow the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Had not Christians need to have the immediate motions and help of Gods blessed spirit in this work and to be their rule of life and guide in judgment that all wicked malitious spirits under the cover of the Prophets Christs and the Apostles words may be judged down let all the wise in heart consider this and lay it to heart What a sad tendency such unprofitable talkers and teaching hath in opposing the immediate motion and teaching and guiding of Gods holy spirit and whether such Agents and props in the Divels kingdom and power of darkness be not a lett to the blessed works of the Lord who sits upon his Throne and saith behold I make all things new And whether such dark works as are manifest in that Book be not the cause that there are so many mockers now adays at the immediate motions of Gods holy spirit in and through his servants according to their several measures and services therein But such is the work of all dark spirits to pretend love to peoples souls But in the dark to work against the great love and mercy of God in the immediate motions of his holy and blessed spirit for the bringing of souls to peace and happiness and everlasting rest in his heavenly gift the which is life Eternal But by what hath been written as before the whole drift scope and tendency of the Authors spirit in that Book may be seen where several particulars might be answered with the same sharp reproof as that which is answered hath Such works have been answered over and over again as may be seen at large in abundance of Books but one more especially I refer the Reader to And that is a Book Intitled The Christian Quaker and his Divine Testimony vindicated c. By George Whitehead and William Pen And though the Author of that Book hath concealed his Name and covered his spirit of Error with smooth words stolen out of the Scriptures yet by the light of Christ Jesus he is seen clearly though he calls that Light Natural and like a foolish builder hath built without the Corner-stone By the Light of Christ his building is seen to be raised from no other foundation and ground but meer imaginations And that it must be cast down into the pit of darkness out of which it was raised So though he may complain as he doth in the beginning of his Book of the entertainment others have had in the like endeavours Yet unto the Truth and wisdom of God in all who have not lost the sense of his holy spirit from them I do appeal whether this be not an entertainment according to Truth And though he hath pretended his work to be in love to souls yet it is manifest in the Light of Christ to have this tendency even to deprive souls of the infinite benefit of the sense and injoyment of the immediate motions of Gods holy spirit and to make void their Testimonies who are planted into the same But to prevent the Enemies works is this written in love to Truth and Righteousness and all people who desire after the same Stephen Smith Worplesdon in Surrey the latter end of the 5th Month 1677. A Testimony against the Worlds vain Mirth and Pastimes c. BLessed are they who feel the Inspiration of the Almighty giving them understanding that in reading the Scriptures of Truth the Holy-mens Testimonies they may be understood and deliverance witnessed from them who wrest them to their own destruction There is indeed a time for all things as said Solomon who in that wisdom given him knew that God created man upright but man found out many Inventions And all that Mirth whereby Gods righteous spirit is grieved they who live in it they increase their own sorrow The Rejoycing and Melody which David had in his heart to the Lord who gave him power over his foes Psal 30. And girded him with gladness But what is this to them who are overcome with their foes the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and pride of life All such have not a true knowledge of that joy and melody which David witnessed as being girded with gladness by the Lord who said My soul and all that is in me praise the Lord and let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord And figuratively he makes mention of outward Instruments all which are but Types in comparison of that heart that is prepared and put into a right frame even as a well Tuned Instrument to make Melody to the praise and honour of God this is the substance shewed forth by holy peoples praises to the Lord for his work of deliverance as is recorded in the Scriptures of Truth When the Children of Israel were delivered and their foes destroyed Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel and this was the substance the Lord shall reign for ever and ever And Miriam with the women went out with Timbrels and Dances in a Heavenly Melody unto the Lord who had delivered them But the wicked and proud who hate to be reformed they have nothing to do to take the name of the Lord in their mouths And none but wicked Instruments dare bring those Scriptures to stir youth up to be Prodigals and to spend their Portion of precious time in riotous living in keeping company with some who wallow in pride and idleness Sodoms sins and except such Prodigals do turn whilst the door of mercy doth open and they find a reception into the Fathers house by a true unfeigned repentance they shall never witness that Melody or Musick whereby the Soul is made to leap for joy which the Prodigal obtained through a true repentance and returned to his Fathers house he had not that Musick and Melody among the Harlots nor when he kept Swine mind that see the generation of the wicked Job 21.11 They send forth their little ones like a flock and their Children Dance They take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce in the sound of the Organ They spend their dayes in Wealth and in a moment go down to the grave Therefore they say unto God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him c. See here you wicked generation of proud prophane persons who stir up the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and the pride of life one in another by your light frothy behaviours in your wicked Inventions Oh for shame do not go about to cover your evil works by the instigation of wicked Instruments who wrest the holy mens words which if persisted in will be to their destructions and of all them that follow them therein See what the Prophet Amos pronounced to them that chant to the
you can think to have and reward at the hand of the Lord. And you say these words The Communion Service the Priest standing at the Lords Table shall say Our Father c. Answer Here you manifest your selves as deep in the appostasie from the Communion and the 〈◊〉 Table as they were in who put Ligâ—◠〈◊〉 Darkness and Darkness for Light You here plainly shew from whence you had your Ordination and Learning the least in the School of Christ that hath learned of him neither Shepherds or Fishermen sees over the dark works It 's but in vain for you to think to make this service pass no that Darkness is much vanquished by the the breaking forth of the Light of Christ out of Darkness by which the Table of God and the Table of Devils is known and the Cup of God and the Cup of the Devil and at the Table of God and with the Cup of God many thirsting Souls are satisfied and do truly bless and praise the Lord knowing that we cannot partake of the Table of God and the Table of Devils or of the Cup of God and of the Cup of Devils and therefore are fully satisfied at the Table of God and with the blessing and herein do bless the Lord who hath led many from the North South East and West by his good Spirit hereunto And thus being led by his holy Spirit we can truly say our Father who doth feed us in all our tryals and afflictions with his bread of Life and nourish us with his Cup of Blessing to him be praise and honour for ever Oh Nation of England how wonderful kind hath the Lord been unto thee in sending his Servants with warning after warning even warning thee to break off thy sins by a true repentance And in that Fast that is acceptable unto him that thee mightest have been found in turning from the evil of thy doings and in answering the Lords just requirings in doing justly and walking humbly and shewing mercy in remembring the meek and them who fear the Lord in whom the Lord takes pleasure and in renting of your false coverings and have put off your loathfome clothing the which you confess you are under and to have rent your hearts in deed and in truth and to have abstained from the appearance of Evil and to have let the oppressed go free Had you chosen this Fast and truly turned to the Lord and in simplicity to have waited upon him to have known his mind and pleasure in his sore and grievous and never to be forgotten Judgments with which he did visit you by Sword by Plague and by Fire Oh how can you easily pass over the remembrance thereof If I say you had considered your ways and by abstaining from the appearances of evil you had truly turned unto the Lord you might then have expected to have found favour of him and in his counsel and wisdom you might have been directed to have been establisht in the fear of the Lord and in his righteous way to have been confirmed and under the covering of the work of his righteous Spirit you might have been preserved as you pray in these words From all evil and mischief from sin from the crafts and assaults of the Devil and from thy wrath and from everlasting damnation good Lord deliver us But turn unto your confession and take a view of it and see how short you have come of this Fast the which is well pleasing unto the Lord and how instead of waiting upon the Lord to know his way made known in the Earth you have gone on in your way of grieving and vexing his good Spirit and provoking the Lord God against you But what will be the end thereof Stephen Smith The 4th day of the 3d. Month 1678. THE END