is born of flesh is flesh so that which is born of the spirit is spirit and these two births are contrary for the birth of the flesh though it may speak great swelling words and tell of the victory of Christ and triumph in swelling words of his fame as in that Paper yet it being a worker of iniquity it must have that Sentence depart from me it can in no wise inherit the Kingdom of God though it may glory and say I have preached and done many things yet its product is but spiritual wickedness got in a high place which the indignation of the Lord is against so it must be cast out he that can receive it let him And thus much might be said as to the words in that Paper but to all Impartial readers this is sufficient to convince them that that Paper is none of the Gospels glory nor none of the Covenant of grace neither is the Covenant of grace at all there unfolded But it is a meer parcel of conceivings from the same imaginary spirit that uses to be Imployed about making of Ballads And so in true love to all unto whom this may come I counsel you to mind the fear of offending God that you may be made sensible of the blessed appearance of the grace of Gods holy Spirit that you may be received into the blessed Covenant thereof and therein be witness of its sufficiency in teaching what to deny and what to do this being the means ordained of God for the good of all and all that becomes sensible of the infallible teachings of the grace of God such will not wonder at Silent Meetings as many do who are out of the sense of Gods love therein many such grow despisers and wonder and cannot believe the effectual works of the grace of Gods holy Spirit though in the demonstration and power thereof they be declared and published from time to time And I wish all to take heed of being exalted through vain glory in fleshly works the which are attended with sorrow and misery and will bring all them that rest there to the end but in the Lord is everlasting glory And mind the saying of the Apostle to the Ephesians But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath he quickned us together with Christ by grace yea are saved So mind the blessed teachings of the grace of God which is pure holy and perfect in every degree and this the mark which all should set before them as they expect to run well in their Heavenly race and obtain the blessed peace of God to their Souls which is the will of God and in the knowledge thereof I give this Testimony who am what I am by Cods Grace and therein a well wisher to all who are truly seeking after the knowledge of Cod in which love I rest Stephen Smith The 11th day of the 11th Month 1674. A Testimony to the way of Truth and Life with seasonable Exhortations thereunto THat which hath been of low degree and little esteem with mankind now is the Lord God exalting and will exalt and set over all the blessed Way Truth and Life Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever the blessed way of the Lord opened unto the wise in heat but ever was and is a mistery shut and hid from the wicked the Vultures eye hath not seen it nor the unclean cannot enter into it but a Fountain is opened praise to the Lord for ever to wash and to cleanse from sin and iniquity and so to sift and prepare for the way of Truth and Life Blessed are they who trust in the Lord and keep their minds stayed upon the blessed manifestation of his light and love and mercy unto them therein with their eye single unto the Lord whose blessed springs of life and true refreshment will in the Lords time and season rise in the hearts of such to the great consolation and peace and rest of their Souls whom the Spirit of the Lord will guide unto the knowledge and understanding the pure and unchangable Religion which comes from above where the true Worship which Christ did and doth set up in the Spirit and Truth will be witnessed And this being possessed and enjoyed all the false Religions and Worships which are out of the way of Truth and Life will be discovered and keeping low in the silence of the earthly and sensual wisdom wisdom which is pure from above will be manifest and herein the works of the blessed day of the Lord will be seen who is working a reformation in the Earth in restoring the blessed language of Truth and setting up Truth and Righteousness and Mercy and Peace and bringing a people to a pure language to speak the Truth from the guidings and leadings of the Spirit of Truth which was Prophesied of That the Lord would power out of his Spirit upon all flesh Sons and Daughters And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together Blessed are they who believe and trust in the Lord and patiently wait for the fulfilling of his promise for the Lord will assuredly stain the glorying of all the fleshly births and create and bring forth a spiritual birth unto which all his blessed promises are And the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Lords and his Christs and he shall reign for ever and he will exalt his everlasting Kingdom and of the increase of his Government there shall be no end This peaceable Kingdom of the Son of his love is in righteousness peace and joy in his holy Spirit whose Tabernacle is with men and the Ark and the Testimony and the Mercy Seat over all his works where he doth commune with them he takes pleasure in and makes known his good will and pleasure unto mankind who receiving freely communicates freely the good will and pleasure of the Lord here is the Wine and Milk without Money or Price And the Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come and he that heareth saith come and he that will come let him come and take of the water of life freely for a fountain is open where life manifests it self freely and the streams of Babylon are drying up where the Whore with her guilded Cup of Sorceries and Witchcraft hath sat a Cup of Wormwood and Gaul is filling to her and a Bed of Torment will be the portion of her Merchants and all that receive her mark and wear it on their forehead or in the hand So blessed are they who do escape out of Babylon and set their faces towards Zion the holy City where the substance is injoyed and that which was figured and typified in the Law and Covenant given forth in Mount Sinai in the Gospel in Mount Sion is possessed the blessed Law and Covenant in the Mind and in the Heart Christ in us the hope of Glory the Substance and herein that which
largely of him but shall remain Your Friend and Brother in the Everlasting Truth Ellis Hookes London 28th day 3 mo 1679. A Testimony of the Work and Mercy of God particularly in relation to our dear Friend Stephen Smith lately deceased THe most holy and wise God who hath been pleased to make choice of foolish weak and contemptible things to coâ—â—â—â—nd the wise and the things that are mighty to the intent that no flesh with its wisdom and strength might glory in his presence but that his Power might appear in what way manner or Instrument soever he pleaseth how mean and despicable soever they may seem to that fleshly eye and mind that takes its measures from outward appearances and not from an inward solid principle of sound Judgment I certifie from a living experience that this most holy God hath appeared and raised up many Witnesses of his blessed Power and Work in our day even persons of various degrees qualities and capacities not only some few endowed with Learning natural acquirements and parts but more especially many of the plain simple and unlearned to the end that not only his Power might the more appear and shine in its glory over all flesh and the glory of man but also that God in his wisdom is graciously pleased to condescend to the lowest and meanest capacities in most familiar ways to direct his speech and Testimony of Life for the reaching peoples several capacities and consciences so as to turn them to that principle of Light and Truth which through Christ Jesus he has placed in them God hath in our day as in former ages raised up Plowmen Herdsmen Fishermen Husbandmen and such like to be experimental and more effectual Preachers to men of such capacities then Academical or Schoolmen with all their Learning acquired parts and School craft and with a plain Testimony in the simplicity of the Gospel condescended to accommodate and answer low and mean capacities with that truth and simplicity that is in Christ Jesus which has been to the confounding of the wisdom of the wise so that it may be truly said where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this World hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this World and not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise And although the following Writings and Discourses of this our dear and honest-hearted Friend Stephen Smith now deceased and at rest with the Lord do not bespeak him a man educated in artificial Learning Oratory and Eloquence yet he was a simple plain-hearted and sincere man to what the Lord made manifest in him and one that eyed the power and presence of God in his Life and Testimony since the God of all our mercies was graciously pleased to open his understanding with the knowledge of his Divine Light and Truth as it is in Christ Jesus our Lord he prized it as his great mercy from the most gracious God that after his long and wearisom travels in many Countries and exercises in the troublesom and tossing Sea of the World he at length arrived at his desired Haven of safety being brought to know a true stay to his mind and a quiet habitation of repose in the Sanctuary and holy Tabernacle of him who dwells in the Light and hath Immortality dwelling in the Light I knew this man from the first time of his being convinced and receiving Gods holy Truth which was in the year 1665. who in mercy to him made me instrumental therein and when his understanding and heart was opened through the plain evidence and Testimony of the Spirit of Life concurring with the witness manifestation and operation thereof in his own conscience as it always doth he received the Truth in the Love of it and gave up to obey and walk in the same and truly loved Gods faithful Messengers and People how despised and suffering soever they were and freely gave up to partake with them of their sufferings and did likewise suffer with them both in Person and Estate by Imprisonments and spoil of Goods for his tender Conscience and Testimony on the behalf of Christ Jesus who as he gave him a Testimony to bear against all Hireling oppressing Teachers and Priests who preach for hire and impose that great oppression and Antichristian yoke of Tithes according as he signifies in some of his Writings so he gave up to suffer and endure Spoil rather then in the least he could pay them or gratifie the covetous mind or greedy appetite of such Shepherds as feed themselves and not the Flock and make a prey upon people and with force and cruelty rule over them And lastly as he was a man fearing God and of good report in his Country being an exemplary Preacher of Righteousness in his Conversation and one truly kind and ready to do good in his day so God was pleased in some measure to endue him with a living Ministry and experimental and innocent Testimony to tell of his goodness and speak forth his praise to others from an inward sence thereof in himself and to the comfort and encouragement of many that heard him I speak what I know herein he having at sundry times travelled with me in the work and service of God in the Gospel of his Son Christ Jesus and we travelled together more particularly at one time to visit Friends in Surrey Sussex and Kent in which Journey we were much and often comforted together in the Lords work and in the Assemblies of Friends which was near upon a year before his decease Well I am satisfied in my very Soul that as he is taken away from the Evil to come so he is entred into his Rest and has his portion with the Blessed that dye in the Lord. From a Living Remembrance of this my dear Friend Stephen Smith and a real sence of his Innocent Life Spirit and Conversation and in honour and due respect to that Divine power and work of God in him I was really concerned in my Spirit to give this precedent Testimony truly desiring and praying to God that all Friends professing the same Truth may concur in the same Spirit and example of Faithfulness to the end even so as to obtain the same blessed end of the Righteous that will crown all our Labours Travels and Sufferings which in this World we partake of and endure for the Testimony of Jesus and of a good Conscience I am a Friend to the Truth and the Souls of all men G. Whitehead Enfield the 20th day of the 1st month 1671 9. Susanna Smiths Testimony concerning her Husband MY Testimony for my dear Husband is That he was a man of an upright heart towards God and man and hated deceit he was diligent and faithful in the service of the Lord he did spend and was spent for the Everlasting Gospel and is entred into Rest and Peace
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
some time of exercise in this work and through the everlasting love of God in the Body in preserving it sound and intire where his will is done and a fight given of the Enemy's working therein and so not able to prevail At length many go out in Distraction to Meetings and there make sad noises to prevent if possible the going forth of the Declaration of Truth as much as in them lyes keeping people from a Reception thereof by their Babbling and Squalling to Disturb Meetings it having plainly appeared But their Nourishment being from the Vine of Sodom disobedience to that which they might be convinced of being the cause from whence the first going out was so the Root being corrupt the Fruit is corrupt so all in time grow dry and withered being an ill savour therein and a stink whilst they live herein upon Earth so that both the way and end in that way is destructive The which may serve for a warning to all who are convinced of the Truth to take heed how they slight Gods love therein in disobeying that Principle of God in them which is meek and lowly and all that live in true Obedience to it they live in safety where evil in uncleanness cannot enter nor haughtiness hath no place there but they that answer that Blessed Principle they rise in its nature to hate uncleanness and haughtiness so in its nature of meekness and lowliness all who grow here bring forth good Fruit which is a Blessed savour in his sight who is Creator of all and all who are grafted into this root and abiding therein do feel sap and nourishment from the same whereby they spring grow and flourish in a green lively sensible life of the exercise of God's love to mankind and so dare not appear otherwise in the sight of men then they stand approved in his sight who sees all things and so meeting together to wait upon him who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth all gathering together in his Blessed Name feeling true Refreshment in his Presence strength there by is renewed to love God above all and to love one another and to watch for the good in one another and to testifie against the evil which may be an occasion of defiling or hurting any still waiting in meekness and love to the end the good may be preserved and that which is evil resisted And though this love by many may be rejected yet it is that which will carry them who are exercised therein above the head of all opposition and preserve them who keep their Habitation therein out of all extreams even to finish their course with Joy and Peace in that Crown of Life which is everlasting Come all you who live in Envy Hatred Malice Strife and Contention Masters and Dames of Familes who are in Branglings and evil and rash Speakings and Discontents these Fruits proceed from a corrupt and cursed ground and so is an ill savour and bad example to your Families This is a great evil And all Children who are Stubborn and Heady who do not obey your Parents as it is meet in the Lord This is a great evil And all Servants who are not Subject and Obedient in your several places but are high-minded and cannot bear Reproofs but are ready to Answer again and to be Disquiet and Murmur and Whisper and to tell Tales to stir up Anger and Strife This is a great evil NOw to the good in every particular is this writ even that good Principle of God by which if taken heed to its nature is to make manifest that which is evil and it will not in the least agree with any thing that is evil That is a Pearl indeed which the Earthly mind and wisdom hath kept people from the knowledge of but the way of the upright which was and is out of evil And so the fear of offending God by obeying his good gift that is good and out of evil which is a true and right way to a clear understanding what to abstain and Fast from and what to Pray in and for according to the will of God So a Testimony of the everlasting love of God in his way which is perfect many have received where the Eye of Understanding hath been opened from which that is seen which was from the beginning even the word of life in which there 's no Evil so its good and just that this be confessed to before men and great evil to deny it so it s the good which is of God by which all evil is overcome so Blessed are they who overcome the evil by the good and so are built and established through the good word of God by which the soul being freed from bondage and corruption in sin and evil from which the soul being set at liberty on the unspeakable love of God herein in his Son manifested to destroy the Devil's works which is sin and evil here is freedom through the the Son of God's love in Deed and Truth so that Scripture is fulfilled If the Son sets you free then are you free indeed whose Blessed freedom is out of sin and evil So the Blessed end of the everlasting love of God in his coming in the Light of his unerring Spirit of life and power to finish sin and put an end to transgression this is seen and known to be the richest and choicest of his many mercies to mankind the which mercy of God being rejected or obstructed through the vain imaginations and evil ways set up by man's wisdom in the fallen estate from a right understanding where conclusions are made That sin cannot be overcome I say to all such who are at ease under that conclusion they are fled to lying vanities where being from a sense of God's mercies in his Son and there dwelling and abiding their habitation is in Darkness their Fasting is in Darkness their Prayers are in Darkness their Fellowship is in Darkness and their Professions and Confessions of God and Christ are in Darkness where they know not what they say or what they do being in Darkness and there reading the Testimony of the holy men of God they are quite blind to what the Will of God is therein so through Darkness the way of God that being hid how many ways have been set up in the dark the Eye that should see that being shut and the Ear that should hear that being stopt the Vultures eye that being open which could never see the way of God so people under gross darkness being led about there by the Vulterous eye an evil eye how are they on heaps about the words being on heaps in Parties so heaps in Parties being up one Party cryes out Lo here another Lo there and so many Parties with their Lo here and Lo there are set up one Party crying out Stand further off my way of building and fashioning in Professions and Confessions of God and Christ is better and more righteous then thine Another Party
as they did are in the same state of Hypocrisie and under the same sentence of dreadful wo and misery Therefore I beseech you to consider what state or condition you are in and don 't go about to exalt your selves in wisdom above what is written but take notice what Christ said Luke 17. For behold the Kingdom of God is within you These are plain and true words a wiser then he that spoke them never was nor ever shall be Indeed it 's very great presumption for any to exalt a wisdom above his and to set at naught his blessed counsel in so great and weighty a concern And for further proof of the necessity of bowing to that of God in you observe also further what Christ said But whosoever drinketh of the water I shall give him Joh. 4.14 shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life See how plain and evident are the Testimonies in Scripture unto that which is pure and holy of God within It must needs also be as plain and evident that those who do oppose the way to the knowledge thereof are real opposers of that love and mercy of God testified unto by the moving of Gods holy spirit as recorded in the Scriptures Indeed that is a very sad state and miserable will be the end of 〈◊〉 who live and dye in it Therefore be admonished to take heed to the Light of Christ within thee â—â—â—ch is a blessed leader proved 〈…〉 thousandâ— who are living 〈…〉 of it s blessed leading them that are led â—nd guided by it out of that which would harm them anâ— a blessed Commander he is who gives power to them that receive him tâ—â—k up his Commandments the which are no way grievous and in the doing thereof there is great peace as said David Psal 119.165 Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them The Law is pure holy and good and to be taken heed unto in the heart Jâ—r 31.33 Come come to the pure principle of God within or else you can never know the Truth and its freedom not the will of God signified through the Truth under what denomination soever the end and tondency of Gods love thereby being that all should come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved to which end none can come but as they take heed to the blessed motions of Gods holy Spirit in them Cease therefore your vain labour and hard travail under that slavish servitude where the prince of the power of the Air ruleth them who doth despite unto the Spirit of Truth and he blinds and darkens the minds of people so that unto them he makes darkness seem as light and light seem as darkness and so he instructs his Vassells and Slaves to call light darkness Isa 5.20 and darkness light evil he calls good and good evil and thus in and through his dark works he brings people and keeps them under wo and misery Oh that people would fear the Lord and depart from evil and wait upon the Lord in the leadings and guidings of his good Spirit in them the which will draw them unto the knowledge of Christ in them the hope of Glory even unto Christ the way truth and life the same yesterday to day and for ever the resurrection and the life the first born of every creature who said Search or ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life John 5. and they are they that testifie of me And ye will not come to me that ye might have life of me It is very plain and evident by what hath been said and may be said That except people come unto Christ the power and wisdom of God to all that believe they cannot see life but the wrath of God abide on them and being dead in trespasses and sins under condemnation and the wages of sin which is death In this state what ever high talk and profession may be made from what may be read in the Scriptures of Truth of the Heavenly gift which is Life Eternal this will but add to their condemnation who do put Christ at a distance far from them and will not receive him in his spiritual appearance but do despite to his Spirit of Grace in quenching and grieving the motions thereof Such prophane unprofitable talkers are real opposers of the Spirits Testimony the which testifies of Christ Vnto whom all must come that do receive Eternal Life even unto his quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven And wait to feel his power to raise out of the ways of death and destruction and to translate them by the blessed work of regeneration and conversion into the way of life and peace This is the work of the Spirit and not of the Letter For the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Mind It is not the Letter and Testimony of the Law written which effects this blessed work in giving life â—â—â—ut that holy and blessed Spirit of â—â—â—e in Christ Jesus which sets free from sin and death The which Law of the Spirit is testified of and born witness unto by the Letter and Testimony of the Law and Prophets and the Apostles and Disciples of Christ Jesus Therefore I do in the moving of the Spirit of Truth according to my measure therein exhort and perswade all to take heed unto the manifestation of Gods holy Spirit in them for the opening the eye of your understanding in those weighty coâ—â—â—â—ns of everlasting life as testified of through the Scriptures of Truth And that the Scriptures may Be set in their right places and the honour which is due unto the Lord of Heavâ—n 〈◊〉 earth may be given unto him who hath powerover all flesh and gives Eternal Life to all that are freely given up to him and with whom he is well pleased and doth accept As it is written My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me John 10.27 28. and I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Oh be admonished to leave oâ—â— giving private Interpretations of the Prophesies the Seriptures and bow to the universal love and mercy of God in the moving of his Spirit of Truto that thereby you may be led and guided into all Truth And for your sakes who desire that Truth and Righteousness may 〈◊〉 place in the Earth again for your clearer Information take notice it is written He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning Joh. 3.8 for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Now observe what a sad condition they are in who through unbelief and hard heartedness in resisting the spiritual appearance of the quickening Spirit the Lord from Heaven in which works of darkness do draw such
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
the Lord hath ordained for peace is witnessed and in and by this great Ordinance are all Ordinances necessary to Salvation clearly understood So blessed are they who cease from their own vain labour and works and believe and wait upon the Lord to partake of his glorious works to expel the clouds of darkness and to command his Light to shine out of it in the heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ here 's the pure powerful foundation which God hath laid for all mankind to believe in and build upon and all that labour in darkness to comprehend what the Light is it s all vain labour though Light doth shine in darkness yet darkness cannot comprehend it and Christ knew what he said when he said I am the Light of the World though the World through malice envy and prejudice are so corrupted and darkened that he is become unto them a stumbling stone and a rock of offence yet he is the Light of the World and doth light the Candle of the wicked but when the wicked are lighted and their wickedness manifest they often hate Light that makes manifest their wickedness and puts out the Candle and so adds sin to sin in getting covers to hide their transgression And to such the hands of the Lord is stretched out in the love and mercy to them but all gain-sayers of it do turn into vanity calling good evil and evil good light darkness and darkness they call light and herein they reject love and mercy and imbrace hatred and lay other foundations which the Lord hath not laid and so labour in vain and build in vain which are all for the fire and must be destroyed the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Oh that people would consider and be wise and not go on to provoke the Lord to shut them out into utter darkness for out of darkness people are invited to turn to the Light and from Satans power unto God that they may have a sense and knowledge of his love and mercy who gives remission of sins to them who truly and unfeignedly repent of them and forsake them approving themselves before him in so doing and imbraceth that love and mercy and good will therein and so watching and walking in his light there will be more light and understanding given of his way truth and life the which he is making known in the Earth and his Salvation among his people Therefore be admonished not to provoke him and harden your hearts against his reproofs for in so doing you will be more and more confounded and your bonds of corruption in darkness will be made stronger and when his good Spirit hath done striving and the light and councel thereof be taken from you then will you be left in utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of Teeth For of a Truth the Lord is risen in great power to break down all the pleasant pictures and likenesses which mankind in their corrupt wills and affection have made of Religions and Worships and through their dark immaginary works therein they have opposed the Lords making known the true Religion and the true Worship which Christ did and doth set up in his Spirit of Truth and is standing and remains firm and unchangeable And therefore in the bowels of love I admonish all you who are not come to a true sense and experience of the Lords good will and pleasure in making known his way Truth and Life but are in some tenderness in panting after the Lord for the knowledge of his good will and pleasure therein I desire you to be perswaded to consider whether you have believed in the Light that comes from him and leads to him and if you were true believers in God and in his Christ then you cannot deny the manifestation of love and light that comes from him for what is known of God is manifest in us he shews it unto Oh it s a good thing to wait upon the Lord in Truth with a single eye unto him who sits with light and understanding of his blessed way Truth and Life Christ that was before Abraham and was in the body which was prepared for him to do the will of his Father in which he suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem by wicked hands and rose again and shewed himself unto many hundreds of witnesses and hath many thousand witnesses this day of his sufferings and resurrection who is the same yesterday to day and forever a mistery which is hid from the worldly wise and prudent who live in an exaltation above the pure holy manifestation of the Light of Gods holy Spirit and so neglecting the one thing necessary do live in the many things where offence to the just is given dayly and the movings of Gods good Spirit is grieved and quenched and then comparing themselves with themselves and measuring themselves by themselves they are not wise in heart and therefore are they shut out from the knowledge of the way of Truth and Life Therefore I do perswade all to wait low at wisdoms gate for the opening thereof that your hearts may be seasoned with grace and then that which hath been of low degree as to the esteem mankind hath had of it by the savour of Gods grace it will be beloved and esteemed and exalted and those dark immaginary works which hath been lets and hindrances of the knowledge of the Truth Way and Life they will be hated and disesteemed And things will be put in order by the true wisdom to the praise and honour of God and to the great peace and comfort of all the truly humble in heart And thus in a few plain words is this Testimony of Truth given forth for the Information of the truly breathing and thirsting Souls after the Way Truth and Life and the righteousness therein The which the Lord God Almighty exalt more and more unto the breaking forth of the day of his perfect love unto all them that seek him in Truth and with an upright heart Stephen Smith The 27th day of the 9th Month 1675. The LIFE OF CHRIST Which is the LIGHT of MEN Exalted above the WORKS of DARKNESS Being an Answer to a BOOK Intituled The Fundamental Error of the Quakers Detected By an Author who hath concealed his Name Herein is proved That men may not become Christians by following the Light within Rom. 1.18 19. For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them Printed in the Year 1678. An Answer to a Book Intituled The Foundamental Error of the Quakers detected Or That men do not become Christians by following the Light within without Outward Teaching c. THese are the works of the power of Darkness to render the Light of Christ Jesus of it self insufficient
of the true Christian Spirit in the Worlds earthly sensual Spirit they move and say the Scripture moveth and under this cover you can dissemble and cloak your sins cloaking your selves under the failings of the holy men of God as they are recorded in the Scriptures of Truth but are far enough off their sorrow and repentance by which they obtained favour with God again And thus you go on cloaking your sins and opposing the motions of Gods holy Spirit under a pretence of the Scripture moveth us and under this cover you can dissemble your sins in persecuting and spoiling the Goods of them who have truly testified of the motions of Gods holy Spirit in them against all the evil motions of the enemy in all his flattering deceitful works and wayes And to this motion of Gods holy Spirit you must bow if ever you come to know the way of Truth you must come to the moving of the Spirit of Truth in you even that Spirit which reproves the World of sin the which Christ Jesus set up to be a leader and a guide into all Truth In this Spirit the Lord God is to be worshipped it 's this Spirit that convinceth of sin that is the way out of sin that is it which moves in the heart against sin and so to confess and acknowledge sin and so to repent and forsake sin and this is the way to obtain mercy and forgiveness of sin And by its leading and guiding to abstain from the appearance of evil unto this Spirit of Truth you must bow and take it for your leader if ever you come truly to call God Father and he owns you to be his Sons In your Confession you say Almighty and most merciful Father we have erred and strayed from thy wayes like lost sheep we have followed too wuch the devices and desires of our own hearts we have offended against thy holy Laws we have left undone those things which we ought to have done and there is no health in us c. Answer And when do you intend to do otherwise since you have appointed this form of words to be always said Oh turn for shame unto the true Spepherd and Bishop of your Soul and don't come still with this sad unprofitable story before the Lord. Mind if a man offend against the Laws of the Nation if it be but once he is lyable to the punishment that is prescribed by that Law or if a Servant should but once do the thing he should not do and leave undone the things he should do this would incurr his Masters displeasure but if he should continue doing so he would turn him out of his service and account of him as he is an unprofitable Servant How then can you expect to be heard and received of the Lord who are alwayes doing that you should not do and leaving undone that you should do you may well say you have no health in you neither are you like to have so long as you continue in these sad practices And in that you do offend Gods righteous Law how can you expect but to be punished by the righteous Judge Indeed you have done that which you ought not to have done in that you have caused to suffer so many innocent people both by long Imprisonment and spoiling of their Goods in that you have shewn no more mercy to them how can you expect to receive mercy at the hand of God seeing those sufferers have been a people fearing God and hoping for his mercy in whom the Lord takes pleasure and in his pleasure he hath sustained them wherein many have been faithful and true witnesses whereof many have departed this World under their several confinements in peace and many remains living to this day confessing and testifying to the mercies and favour of God in the manifestation of the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which sets free them who walk up to it from the Law of sin and death And that there is great peace in keeping this holy Law this hath been and is the Testimony of them who are and have been led by the Spirit of Truth witnessing unto the Way Truth and Life the way of peace and happiness And thus in the good will of God in good will to all mankind in patient suffering under your wills who have followed too much the devices and desires of your own hearts and thereby having rejected the councel of the Spirit of Truth you have provoked the Lord as you say in these words We have provoked thine anger thy wrath is waxed hot and thy heavy displeasure is sore kindled against us You have confessed to the Truth and when you come to feel the weight of your many transgressions against Gods holy Law then you will wish you had been serious in what you have said and that you had broken off your sins by a true and unfeigned repentance And for this end hath Gods holy Spirit strove with you many wayes but see by your own confession how evilly you have required this love Your words are We sinful people of this land do acknowledge before thee to thy glory and our own shame and confusion that never any Nation under Heaven had more experience of all the instances of thy goodness and the methods of our amendment nor yet did ever any more shamfully abuse them when thou gavest us great and long prosperities we sed our selves to the full waxed fat and wanton and kicked against thee when thou threwest us into horrid confusions from which we saw then little hope of arising even in the time of that distress did we trespass yet more against thee when by miracles of mercy thou hadst turned our captivities we soon returned to folly to our vomit and to our wallowing in our former or greater filthiness c. Answer This is a very sad miserable condition indeed much to be lamented you had need consider it and be in Truth humbled for it and to forsake that evil Spirit that hath been your leader in those horrid practices and to wait upon the Lord for the leading and guiding of you out of those evils that you may have a better account to give unto the Lord in the day of account as Hezekiah had when the Prophet Isaiah was sent unto him with this Message from the Lord Saying Thus saith the Lord set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto the Lord and said remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before in Truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore And the Lord heard his prayers and seeing his tears he was very gratious and merciful unto him as you may read Now compare his confession with your confession and seeing you have no better account to give you may well be ashamed and confounded at the thoughts of what acceptance