THE True Light Discovered to all who desire to Walk in the Day In several little TREATISES Written by that faithful Member of the true Church of Christ Jesus lately deceased STEPHEN SMITH Then spake Jesus again unto them saying I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life John 8.12 LONDON Printed in the Year 1679. To the Friends of Truth in the Counties of Surrey Sussex and Hampshire Friends HOw greatly hath the Lord appeared in this day in raising up many Instruments to sound forth his glorious Truth yet many are not sensible of it nor of the great Work he is a doing who is a setting up his Spiritual Kingdom and is establishing Righteousness in the Earth and all those that oppose this Work shall in â—im be ashamed and the Lord will go on with his Work who is come to restore Man into the primitive purity he was first created in Man that hath been drove from him into the Earth by reason of Transgressions and been a Servant to sin and under the power of Satan and been ignorant of the Life of God and of the sweet refreshments of his living presence not knowing the motions and leadings of the Father neither hath his ear been open to hear the voice of God but hath been without any sensible feeling of the Life and Power of God and had no savour of the things of God In this condition is Man that is drove from God in the Fall But now is the Lord come to restore him again by his beloved Son Christ Jesus who redeems Man again from his lost estate and brings him out of the Earth and out of all such things which had separated him from God to delight in the Lord his Maker again and from being a Servant of sin to be a Servant of God and of Righteousness and Holiness and to bring him again into Innocency in which he was first created And this hath been the Work of the second Adam the Lord from Heaven in all that did receive him and it is his Work at this day The Father of Mercy and great Compassion he hath considered Mankind who had corrupted his way and he sent his Messengers to foretell the coming of the acceptable day of the Lord and the day of Salvation of God who invited all the hungry and thirsty to come and drink at the Fountain of Life And this was the free Love of God to help Man out of the Pit wherein there was no Water and to offer him the Wells of Salvation to drink at that so he might be washed from sin and from pollution into which he was fallen and could see no deliverer till the Lord was pleased to open a door of Hope and to set him free by his Son Christ Jesus and to save that which was lost and to bring Peace and Salvation whose power is indeed as able to cleanse from sin as ever the Devils was to defile and corrupt This is true and witnessed by some though many cannot believe that ever any can be free from sin in this life Now he that is in the first birth and sees no further but is overcome with sin daily and his mind is earthly and corrupt and has never known the power of God to work in him the New birth and a change from his sinful Estate he judges he can be no otherwise while he is here and so is like a blind man who though the Sun shines because he cannot see it he will not believe that it shines or that others see it But this must not make the Faith of some void who have known the second Adam to be a quickning Spirit and have found him able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him and the bloud of Christ is to them of full effect and they witness him to be a perfect Saviour and indeed for this end was Christ given of the Father and for this end came he into the World and was made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil and to save his People from their sins and until Christ hath brought Man out of the Transgression he hath fallen into he hath not finished the Work that the Father hath given him to do for as sin hath reigned unto death so must Righteousness reign unto Life Eternal and as through the power of Lust man hath been defiled throughout in Body Soul and Spirit so by the power of Christ is man to be sanctified throughout in Body Soul and Spirit and being once cleansed by his power to be saved from those sins which formerly have defiled him and by this Man doth witness the Restoration by Christ and the renewing by the Holy Ghost into the Image of God again which he had lost whilst in the Transgression and so Man comes again into unity with God and to know his voice his motions and the leadings of his Holy Spirit which while he was in darkness and served sin he was wholly ignorant of This makes Man fruitful again unto God who before was as a barren Wilderness and whereas he was before filled with Darkness he now comes to be filled with Light and Life and now he hath Visions and Revelations of Heavenly things before he was crying There was no Revelation nor Vision they are ceased whilst night was upon him he saw no Vision and because he saw no Vision nor had no answer from God therefore he thought it was so with all others and that Revelation and Vision was ceased and he measured all men by his dark rule darkness being over him and his eye blinded Whilst he was in the first birth he was Earthly his mind Earthly delighting in Earthly things he could not then believe there was any immediate Teachings of the Father by his Holy Spirit nor any enjoyment of Heavenly things neither was his eye inward but to an outward Teacher and outward Books and Writings but when the inward ear came to be opened and the day of the Lord appeared unto him then he heard the words of God and saw the Visions of the Almighty and then he began to praise the Lord for his goodness and for his mercies which endure for ever And now being come to taste of the loving kindness of the Lord and his heart being filled with Heavenly blessings he ministers forth the same to others and these are the true Ministers indeed who are moved by this blessed power of God to seek the Salvation of Souls And of this number was our dear Brother Stephen Smith now deceased a man who laboured in faithfulness and constancy according to the ability God had given him to beget others to the Truth and was constant in Sufferings in Travels and Labours and had a good esteem in the hearts of many for his faithfulness to the Lord as you well know and therefore I need not write much concerning him especially since some others have written so
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
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
their hearts to the end they may above and before all desire a clean heart and a right Spirit that so they may be single hearted toward their Creator and all men which except that be known the Lord will send a day upon them wherein shall be weeping and howling and bitter Lamentation and their Torment shall be so great that in the Morning they shall wish it were Night and at Night they shall wish for Morning and many shall desire Death rather then Life So I greatly desire that all People would mind in coolness how it stands between them and their Creator and deal impartially with themselves for of a certain Cod will not be mocked but such as they sow such they must reap So all mind the Fear of the Lord is to depart from Evil that so the Curse of the Lord may be done away and his Blessing known and received And those that come amongst the Possessors of the Truth who have heard the sound of it and so a belief is raised in their hearts that God is found by them that diligently seek him in the Way of Truth many there be that are thus perswaded and so frequent Meetings together with them that are in the work of Truth in a bare Profession of Truth never throughly given up to the end that Truth may be their Guide in all their wayes but come and sits down with some reserve in their Hearts which they covet to keep as Achan did the goodly Babylonish Garment which was appointed for the Fire but for so doing the Curse of the Lord followed him though his covetousness was a trouble to the Children of Israel for a time yet at length God made it manifest and so will the Lord do those who comes amongst Friends with a reserve in their hearts that which is appointed for the Fire they that covet to keep notwithstanding the many Precious Meetings they come to and hear their conditions plainly laid open to them yet still consulting with Flesh and Blood which will never yield that true obedience should be given to the Lord so cannot amend but continue in the same course of Life for not taking heed to the Councel of the Lord nor giving wholly up to be guided by the Spirit of Truth such are not in the the Way of Truth but sit down as Branches by those of the Vine but their Fruit doth manifest them for those that deals so deceitfully with their own Hearts how can it be expected they should be true to others so such becomes an ill savour to Truth as long as they continue so and a burthen and a trouble to them that are in the way of growing in the Truth but let them know who harden their hearts against Reproof and though they do come amongst them that live in the Fear and Dread of the Lord and so meet together that they may receive a continual supply of the Bread of Life and enjoy the presence of the Lord yet their so coming with a reserve in their heart they cannot profit by it So at length seeing they cannot bring the Way of the Lord to their way they begin to grow cold in meeting and so by degrees the Enemy draws out the mind and then gets room for his consultations and so perswades them to wait no longer but that all Places are alike and so at length some get into the Mass-House with other silly People laden with sins ever learning and never able to come to the Truth and begin to perswade themselves or the Enemy of their Souls perswades them that there is a little difrence in the Declaration of the Ministers of Christ and Antichrist their words say they are all good and so begin to build Babel again having rejected that Love which did appear for their Everlasting good having chosen to please themselves in some small thing which they could not part with though no better then a Mess of Pottage for which many have sold an Eternal Inheritance so with Cain they are in the Curse wandering up and down in that which is cursed of the Lord and not beloved of good men so the Lord hath dealt justly in making them manifest They went out from us because they were not of us but their reward will follow them And many others there be that come to Meetings and hear Truth declared often and confesseth its the Truth but when they see if they come to obey they must take up a Cross to Flesh either in denying to fear man or else hazard of losing Goods and some their Companions and Acquaintance though it may be in iniquity and such like Baits the Enemy of mans Soul hath ready for that mind which is willing ro catch at them to save that alive which is in the Curse so sometimes they come and sometimes they stay away and then come again and the Enemy of their Souls gets a wound now and then but for want of giving up at length the Enemy begins to be whole again and so the Spirit of the Lord is grieved and quenched by degrees and the Enemy grows stronger and stronger and at length he gets these Reasons in the Creature because the Enemy knows many will not be satisfied without some plausible Reason so he tells many why thou art but a poor Creature or you are but poor Creatures and what can you do without power so here the willing mind readily catches at this bait and then when they are asked why they give not up O say they we want power O that I had but power to do so and so how joyful should I be and such like stuff the Enemy furnisheth them withall who are willing to receive it and in the mean time slight the appearance of Christ the Light in whom Power is received by grieving and quenching his Holy Spirit of Truth in which is the greatest manifestation of Love that God could bestow on lost Mankind in making manifest his Son in their hearts for the redeeming them up unto himself out of their lost condition in the nature of Adam in the fall up into the Nature of the Second Adam which never fell but how is this Love of God slighted by those who thus wilfully yield to the Enemy of their Souls and rejecting the Lord who searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and then say they want power and its true when people have given themselves up to the power of the Enemy whose nature is to do all the hurt he can they may well say then they want power to do good that being disesteemed and accounted of as a thing of nought having cast behind them the great Love of God in his Son and embraced something which the Enemy hath set before them as some glory in the World and the like but as he was alwayes a Lyar the Devil so will he be found in this for instead of giving them the glory of the World he is fitting them for Gods Wrath and Indignation that so
the Ministers of Christ should be qualified as is before mentioned the Ministers of Antichrist may be easily known but for the sakes of such afore-mentioned I shall lay down some marks of them First They are such who never knew the Son of God in the Everlasting and Unchangable Covenant manifested in them so not learned men in the Book of Life but are alienated from the Life of God through the ignorance that is in them knowing him manifested in them who is Infallible but in their fallible wisdom by the Art of Tongues gets the Prophets Christs and the Apostles words and something out of Heathen Authors and so in their vain imaginations patches up anothers Discourse and so for the love they have for their god which is their Belly they sell their Art at as dear a price as they can for several hundreds by the year some for more and some for less but all as dear as possible as I heard a Priest say once if it were not for Tythes who as would should preach for him but this being so well known to all that its alone for their god which is their Belly that their Mouths is opened there is little need to speak of that these being Sayers but not Doers so not accepted of God these are they which run and are not sent which speaks a divination of their own Brain so not like to profit the people you may read of them at large Ezekiel the thirteenth read the Chapter from such Priests and Prophets as these is Profaneness gone forth in all the Land read Jeremiah the twenty third so they are sufficiently markt out in the Scriptures of Truth But some say we know all the Priests now adays are bad enough and the smoothest of them preach for filthy lucre sake but they speak good words so we may do as they say and as they do O foolish people is it not because you love such easie Prophets who speak peace to you in your Sins that you thus speak have you not heard what the Scriptures of Truth sayes Do men gather Grapes of thorns or Figs of Thistles By their Fruits you may know them Should we not count him a very Fool that should go look for Figs on Thistles or sweet water out of a bitter Fountain What if they should say the Lord lives that is a true saying to them which know it in themselves but it s a Lye to them who say it and know the contrary in them but these Priests which Preach for Hire cry peace to men whilst they put into their Mouths to the end their god may be supplyed which causes and constrains their Mouths to be open but in case you deny to put into their Mouths then Demetrius like prepares War crying out we have a Law and if you won't pay we will make you pay But by the way what compulsive Law of men doth Christs Ministers use or were they to use prove any such thing in the Scriptures of Truth that they were to compel any man to give to them Now if God hath appointed no such Maintenance by his Righteous Covenant and Law Is it not stealth in his sight to compel and take that by mans Law which God hath not appointed in his Law Look about you Priests for the Righteous Judge will sit in Judgment and to the Lambs Bar to give an account you must come and then the twisting Serpent will stand you in no stead but all things will be laid bare before you what esteem you have of your god which is your Belly for the serving of which how have you yielded unto the lying Spirit and so like Ahabs Prophets perswaded and instigated many to go on in the Persecution though to their destruction Have you not told the Magistrates that the Quakers are Ring-Leaders of Faction though you never come to their Meetings nor never examined the cause why they dissented from you nor never heard that they went about to disturb or molest any of their outward enjoyments but barely because they bore a faithful Testimony against the twisting twining Serpent the great Enemy of mans Soul which Spirit of Error your god cannot be served without so a great stir and ado you make in being Instruments of casting into Prison haling and tearing away the Goods and the like from those who lives in the Fear and Dread of the God Almighty and in peace with men though in enmity with the Serpent the Enemy of mans Soul so in the Innocent Blood which hath been shed in Nasty Holes and Stinkiug Prisons cries aloud unto the Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth who is Lord of all who created all at his pleasure and can destroy all in the same those that be innocent out of the revengeful spirit have committed themselves and so cannot use any compulsive way with Weapons that are Carnal but in plain Demonstration and Power of the Spirit of Truth and their innocent Cause to the Judge of all they have committed to be cleared in his will and time who will assuredly do it But further to clear that you are the Ministers of Antichrist if notwithstanding what is declared any yet be in doubt Hearken what Christ saith to the Wicked I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sick and in prison and visited me not Then shall they also answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or thirsty or a stranger or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee Then shall he answer them saying Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me and these shall go away into everlasting punishment Matth. 25. In the same Chapter he shews the Righteous mans love and his reward and how did they express their love to Christ Did they do it in speaking great words of his Name No as you may read they visited his Brethren in their necessities so mark by the way there were Righteous men and now are though the Ministers of Antichrist for the gods sake would have all erre and stray again from the Lords way but the Pearl for which they have sold all and bought is of more value then so but since Christ hath Brethren are not they them which are led by the Spirit of Truth and if people be given up to obey it will it not lead them out of the Spirit of Error If so then must they not depart from your wayes who are in the Revengeful Spirit Well then since those that are led by the Spirit are Sons of God as the Scriptures of Truth declare Rom. 8. and Heirs with Christ for he that sanctifieth and them that are sanctified are all of one wherefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren now since there is such an unity between Christ and his Followers Shall it
and let that which is wrong be rejected and that which is right received and in that which is Right will be â—â—â—n what Fast is Pleasing and Acceptable in God's sight and that Prayer which will be Effectual and Prevalent for the good of the Soul in a Right Understanding will be seen So now begin a Fast come pitty the Oppressed let the Prisoner go free have Compassion on the Poor break off Imquities by a True Repentance in turning from Evil the Cause of Anguish and Trouble upon the Soul that the Soul may be set at Liberty to praise the Lord and so let hard hearts be melted and broken down and the seat of Unbelief by reason of which the Love of God in the Light of his Son 〈◊〉 rejected and by that means pâ—â—â— souls are kept in Bondage conâ—â—â—â—â—â—o the Will of God let that seat 〈◊〉 Unbelief be thrown down for God 〈◊〉 greatly displeased at the Presumption of Mankind who have exalted themselves in their own wills where Self exerciseth Will-worship in a feigned Humility whereby the Cross is counted Foolishness So Christ's Exhortation To take up the Cross daily and deny Self God's Love therein that is slighted the Cross that being without Fasting that being without Prayers that being without all being done without a Right Understanding for want of which Ptetended Fasting is vain Prayer is vain and the Conversation of Mankind is vain and unprofitable where the will of man is set in Opposition against the Will of God in his Heavenly Guift even the Light of his Unerring Spirit by which the World is reproved of Evil and this is and will be the World's Condemnation their sleighting the many Visitations of God's Love in that he doth manifest unto them what is reprovable in his sight but they being unmindful of God's Love therein by which means their Souls are in great Bondage under Sin and Corruption subjected there under a vain Hope by the Subtilty of the Serpent That though they live unseparated from Sin yet they shall obtain Justification through Christ and see a good End or good brought forth through Sin be never finished this kind of Perswasion is through strong Delusions of Satan whose workings are in a deep Mystery of Iniquity in pretended Godliness but his End therein is to make void that Blessed coming of Lord and Saviour to finish Sin and to put an End to Unrighteousness and thereby to make way for the bringing in Everlasting Righteousness that souls in that Blessed Principle of God may rest in Peace Now where this is not known be Awakened I beseech you unto Righteousness which is God's and no otherwayes man's but as he becomes stript of his own Eyes and so comes before the Lord with a Broken and Contrite Spirit and Heart humbled at his sight who seacheth it by his Light and shews to man in the Cool of the Day what beastly Imaginations are lodging therein to the end that man might lye down at the Feet of his Appearance in a True Fast in abstaining from Evil and Praying in the Spirit that by the Exercise of God's Love in his striving therewith Evil may be overcome and so the soul set at liberty from Evil the cause of Trouble and Anguish which is upon every soul that 's in Evil. So let every one that names the Name of the Lord depart from Evil. Come Curser and Swearer be perswaded to be awakened and see what a sad Condition thy soul is in but if thou wilt not but hardenest thy heart what will the taking the Name of the Lord into thy Mouth avail thee Or Unclean Person who art defiled and endeavouring to defile others remember That none in Vnclaanness can enter into Heaven so except thou leavest thy Evil therein thy Expectations of God's Kingdom will fail thee Come Idolaters who are making Gods of Gold and Silver and Wood and Stone and so are bowing down to the works of your own hands that is a great Abomination and Evil greatly to be lamented who are so far blinded from the Appearance of the Light of God's Spirit in your own Hearts which being taken heed unto and obeyed brings to the Knowledge of God but that Love of God being rejected what strangers are you to God and the Saints of Life and so are become Beastly and Bruitish in your Understandings your Bands of Corruption through sin and iniquity being made strong and so under strong delusions are bowing to Pictures to put you in mind of God and the Saints though they cannot hear nor see nor smell what savour think you to get out of them Stocks and Stones Be Awakened I beseech you to Consideration and know that it 's some measure of that Grace and Truth which Jesus of Nazareth was filled with by Vertue of that all the Saints savour to God and one unto another which Grace hath appeared unto all but the Saints or Believers were and are taught by it so that which convinces of Evil is to them that believe in it and obey it an Instructer in the way of Life So leave your Folly in Bowing and Cringing to the East and to you know not what and answer the Love of God in his Principle of Light in you which makes manifest that which is Evil and then will the Eye of your Understaning be opened to the beholding of him who fills Heaven and Earth with his Presence so that no Darkness can cover man from him who is God of the North South East and West who will spoil your glorying who are boasting your selves of the Antiquity of your Religion who first went from the Cross which is the Power of God and so got up in a form of words and then set the Cross upon the House of Stone c. Alas your Religion is seen through and all who hang upon your Skirts they must have a share of the shame which is coming upon that Adulterated whorish Spirit which hath led the minds of the people out from a sense of the Royal Law of God within man so that the stream of God's Love therein to Mankind that hath been stopt and in the Night of Apostacy the stream of Malice and Envy and Hatred that hath run in your Streets where the Innocent Bloodshed lyes at your doors So it 's time you were awakened to a true Repentance that you may come to the knowledge of Salvation through the Remission of your sins for it 's the saving of your souls I seek and not the destruction of your bodies so Truth is my weapon which I desire may reach to that of God which is Truth in you that so the pure Language which is Truth may be restored in all and the Royal Law of Love therein may shew it self which gives an Understanding To love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves and to do to all men as we would they should do unto us Come all you who conceive mischief on your Beds in your hearts and cannot rest
till you bring it forth into action now consider what manner of evil this is which though it may be covered for a time if continued in ruin and destruction is in the way thereof Come you who live in Pride and Idleness following the lust of the Eye the lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life who live in fulness of Bread and Wantonness Feasting and making Merry over the pure Principle of God in you this is a great Evil therefore be admonished to mind that God in you and Watch and Pray in the same that so by that which is good of God the Evil may be overcome and the root and ground judged from whence all evil springs Come all you Drunkards and Gluttenous Persons who waste and spoil the good Creatures which are appointed for the necessary use of Mankind read what is written in Isa 5.11 12. What a miserable life are you in who are attended with Wo and Misery who are so far separated from the love of God in his Son and the Dominion that is therein to use and order all things aright according to the will of God For want of this knowledge how are many overcome with Strong Drink the which having Dominion how are many there unmanned of that natural ability of a man and so lye lyable to other Temptations whereby the soul lyes in bondage Come now be perswaded to mind that love of God which in the Cool when the Drink is out shews you what a great evil this is which if not departed from ruin is in that way both of Soul Body and Estate Come you Gamesters of all sorts who spend your time in Gaming and Sports who are coveting an Increase by such unequal and unjust wayes and many spending their time in such Practices How many Families are ruined by such a Course of Life and what an evil example Parents thereby shew to their Children and Families This is a great evil such being an ill savour who are living therein both to God and man who fears God Therefore be admonished to break off these evils by a true Repentance and learn to redeem time that a Change may be witnessed before you go from hence by vertue of the Power of Christ which often moves against evil so let not the just alwayes be resisted by the unjust but if the just principle of God be minded and joyned unto then will the unjust be overcome and the just set up in which all that dwell will be good savour in their day and a good example to all Come all you who are exalting a false Birth where your Ears are stopt and your Eyes are closed so that you have neither heard nor seen nor handled that which was from the beginning even that word of Life which everlasting Life was with the Father and was and is manifested to Believers from whence Testimony is given of Gods love therein where the true fellowship is witnessed in the Blessed Light of God which all you who are exalting a false Birth do despise and speak very evilly of or at least very slightly So the true Heir hath been rejected and not thought fit to raign having been called by you who are exalting the false and untimely Birth either a Devil which some have called him and others Natural or a Fool by which it may be seen how the Serpent's Wisdom hath been set by by the Adulteress who would fain have her Bastard to be Heir for which end how seemingly fair hath the Harlot Trimmed and Decked her self being arrayed in Purple and Scarlet and decked with Gold and Pretious Stones and Pearls her Religion being in her head from whence Abominations are let into the Heart where if the Light appear to search it it is mocked and sleighted by Ishmael So that false Prophet he is set up who cryes out No Revelation now so the deceitful heart being after the false Prophet gross darkness that covers so the love of God in the Blessed appearance of the Light of his unerring Spirit that is not comprehended so the Eye hath not seen nor the Ear heard neither hath it entred into their hearts the Mercies and Goodness of God which is to them that fear him and love his appearance in the Heart where the Light of his Blessed Spirit doth shew forth his goodness from whence is Ministred forth life and strength to the poor soul strengthning it against the appearance of evil so the soul being made sensible of the Peace of God and rest through the Revelation of his Holy Spirit which causes joy and gladness to the Soul having found a friend in its adversity it sets a high value and esteem of him and is willing to be guided and directed by him So the Harlot is seen and the false Birth is seen and the false Prophet which steals the true Prophets words is seen so the Adulteress may Cry long enough and Scold long enough and Peep and Mutter all her Whineings in seeming Prayers and Teaching Doctrines all end in filthiness and sin in her best duties and yet this Impudent Harlot concludes There is none like her and her Birth is the true Birth and all the rest are false But her deceit is manifest and her Sorceries and Witchcraft is seen and a Bed of Torment is prepared for her so they are Blessed that fear the Living God and sanctifie him in their Hearts who do not commit Leudness with the Harlot nor add any thing to the maintaining of her Gallantry Come all you Ranters who have gotten some words of Truth but do use them in an exalted spirit in which you are swimming up and down above the pure stream which flows from the pure meek principle of God the nature of the Water of Life which comes from the Fountain of all good that being to drive away all filthiness of Flesh where that hath passage it refreshes and keeps green and fresh in a good savour to God and man But you Ranters having lost its savour are exalted above that which is lowly and good being under a great Imagination of a knowledge of good and evil on which through the subtilty of the Serpent feeding you are become dead to any true sense of the Vertue that flows from the living Power from whence through disobedience you being shut out What a do you are making some crying out against Meeting as formal and that you feel not the Power that was amongst them which indeed is no wonder when you are past feeling and so being tossed up and down in your minds in an exalted state some appearing in a singular pretended Zeal under a voluntary humility as if you were Wiser and Holier then others the Serpent here having puft up sets a judging the Body and feeds his members who waits for hurt as by the slipping of some through weakness or the like and so gets all occasions of making Parties and Rents still the Serpent being covered under a pretence of a higher Attainment but at length after
Old-England whose spirit is felt but that their Wings are cut so cannot fly at that rate which otherwise they would be at for now their Hands are tyed how wonderfully do their Tongues go by which its plain they have no Bridle but are set on Fire of Hell wondering despising and fretting against the work of the Lord in this the day of his power though thousands are raised by it to declare and publish the same words in life and conversation c. And now you vain and empty Professors and Notion its who are saying in your dark and imaginary conceivings of things that if you had been in the Scribes and Pharisees dayes you would not have done as they did But come be patient a little the works of Truth have a good tendency though they be bitter to the guilty for the present come I say look where you are by the Light you may see you must see by it at last it were better for you if you would let your Eye be opened now and see that offensive Eye pulled out which hath been offended at God's works all this while So do not harden your hearts in this day of God's power being manifest least you be cut off from his rest for ever Come therefore you that are judging others that did wickedly in their Generation by resisting God's holy Spirit so had none of the works of Revelation come see now what Latitude your works are under If you be in the same liberty in the flesh as you were in it s no matter what you say Come now to the Tryal what experience have you of the operation of God's Spirit How much of the mind and will of God hath it revealed to you Can you say Thus saith the Lord by the certain knowledge of the Revelation of God's holy Spirit Or have you only talkt of it as the Jews did who said we have God for our Father when they were doing the Devil's works Come do not stop your Ears Have you heard the voice of God or seen his shape or are you ignorant of it as they were who accused Christ as if he was bearing false witness Nay come further Have you not said That Revelations are ceased and thereby shut up the way of the Kingdom of God and from the knowledge of his Righteousness by your wicked works in going about to establish your own Righteousness and works therein for term of life Come you that have set up the Law and Covenant without above the Law and Covenant within are not these your own works and have not they made you as blind as your Fathers the Scribes and Pharisees that you can neither see nor hear but in your blind zeal are persecuting Christ's near Relations who follow him in their Generation even by the drawings of his Father's Spirit unto Humility and Patience who is the way in whom God's Will was done And did not Christ give Testimony of Relations his Mother his Brothers and Sisters who did his Father's Will And is not this to be done on Earth And is it not the will of God that we should speak the Truth at all times and that we should be led and guided by the Spirit of Truth into all Truth is there any sin in the guide And is not this Christ of God the same Anointing or Teacher as he was in the beginning of the World Was not he before Abraham was And is not he the same yesterday to day and for ever as he was in the beginning who was David's Lord and the Holy mens Lord in all Ages And is not he the Covenant by which all must come unto God Was he not given for a Covenant and a Light to enlighten people and to be their Salvation to lead and command his people And must not his sheep hear his voice And is not he the same that he was in the beginning And is not this the Precious tryed Stone which the Wise Builders building without are confounded and stumble at even the highest Notionists in the fleshly Wisdom in their highest conceivings about the holy mens words Come examine your selves and see whether Christ be not in you except you be Reprobates You unbelievers how hath the God of the World led you about and blinded you that you cannot see the Light of his Glorious Gospel Come see the cause have you not been making Provision for the flesh in the first place and answering the Lusts thereof after the glory of the old World of sin and iniquity Hath not respect of persons been in your Eye and filthy lucre and praise of men and greeting in Market-places Have you not preacht and prayed in your own wills and run for gifts and rewards in your own wills and is not all this Honour to be had below And have you not sought it before the Honour of God's work in your hearts And is not this the cause of your Ignorance of God's Kingdom and his Righteousness Christ and his Relations his Mother Sisters and Brethren who are sanctified and blest through the will of God where it is done in Truth and Righteousness and where that it is done do not such confirm in truth and reality all God's Blessed and holy works without in all generations So do not envy and hate the people called Quakers for maintaing the works of God's holy Spirit within them for there are many of them have been as high Talkers of the works of God in holy men without as you are but found not such Salvation as to venture souls and bodies and estates till we came to cease from our own labours in our own willings and runnings and so our hearts were bowed unto God's holy will in the deep silence of all fleshly reasonings and consultations So by the works of God's holy and blessed Spirit the way of God came to be made manifest in us the which is a pure Holy undefiled way Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever as he was in the beginning without guile without sin no iniquity is in him he that is the hope of Glory the great Mystery made manifest in us Gentiles who in former times when without knowledge of him in the World had Lords many and Masters many and feigned Faiths and Beliefs concerning him many and divers But when we were given up clearly to seek the Kingdom of God without any reserve of making provision for the flesh then the New Jerusalem God's building came down from above the Mother of all the Faithful where no evil can be conceived whose Children in her are made free from the Law of sin and death and this blessed City hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof This blessed habitation is prepared for God's people who love the Light of his appearance and delight to do his will So away with all false Accusations from all you false Accusers of the people
called Quakers who say we expect to be Saved by a righteousness of our own and by works of our own If it were so as you falsly and vainly do say then might we not keep in the broad way with you Hypocrites who are gotten above the dayly Cross and so led about by the Thief above the door where you Foxes who are cunning in hunting about after others works have holes enough to creep and cringe into to keep you in the glory of the World of sin and iniquity where you have had a long Trade in your imaginations conceiving God's works in his blessed Instruments without you whose Lines you have long made your boast of so your Lyes are upon your own heads For this I testifie and the Testimony is the same in thousands who are witnesses of the works of God's holy Spirit in some degree or measure viz. That it is in Christ God's Covenant in which we hope for Salvation and in no Covenant or Work of man's and in this Covenant we are made a good savour unto God and one unto another And acceptance with God is obtained no other way but by the one pure offering without spot or blemish by the effectual workings of the Eternal Spirit where the Blood of Christ is witnessed to be sufficient to purge Consciences of dead works and so to serve God in the New and Living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail his flesh And therefore all who are thus partakers of God's works by the Revelation of God's Spirit being true witnesses of the Blessing of God in this one unspotted offering we cannot but confess him before men denying all imaginary offerings in mens wills where their Garments are filled with spots and blemishes and their Consciences are defiled with dead works of their own Inventions and Works the which having some outward shew of Holiness may recommend unto man who lives in the same but not unto God and therefore experience in the works of God's blessed Spirit hath taught us to deny them And by this Christ of God the Mediator of the New Covenant we have Acceptance with God from whence the knowledge of Salvation comes by the Remission of offences and sins and therefore we deny all false and vain Mediatorship of vain man in his works of Conceivings and Imaginations concerning this Mediator the which is really to be enjoyed and known by the effectual workings of God's Eternal Spirit to the Consolation and Peace of Souls who partake thereof And through the blessed Works of this blessed Spirit of God the deaf Ear comes to be opened to hear the voice of the one true powerful Shepherd who alone doth feed the Sheep of his Pasture with that convenient and wholesome Food the which causeth soundness of Heart and Mind and therein doth he take care to preserve and keep his Sheep in a living sense of his Love and Fatherly care who calls to his Sheep when the Lion the Woolf and the Bear appears and strengtheneth them who take pleasure in hearkening and obeying his voice So to the one Shepherd and one Fold Testimony is given unto whom all that are erred and strayed must return if ever they witness deliverance from evil and preservation from danger So we deny all false Shepherds whose works of darkness tend to the scattering people in their minds and understandings from the sense of God's Works in Christ in reconciling lost mankind and bringing them home unto himself the substance of all of which the Law outward was but a shadow of good things the which are enjoyed in this one Shepherd and Bishop who takes care and oversight of Souls magnified and praised be his holy and glorious works of Redemption for ever and ever And so to the Honour of this one blessed Physitian of Souls whose Works are certain and effectual the which has been tryed by many wounded Souls who could find no Cure without by the foolish and vain Physitians without who are meer Deceivers and Daubers up of people through their Inchantments and Sorceries by which they have made a long Prey of people through their fair Speeches getting their Money through meer Deceit and Flattery intruding into things they have no knowledge of in which Works they are puft up above the pure holy Works of God's blessed Spirit the Revelation of which they have denyed they in lew thereof have set up their own Imaginations and Conceivings in the Revelation of their Singular exalted Spirit the Flattery and Deceit of which having taken with people how are Nations corrupted by it and what Misery have these wicked Works brought into this Nation God having given signal Testimonies of dislike unto them by Plague Fire and Sword and by many Messengers whom he hath drawn near unto himself by his works by the hands of them Messengers hath he sent warning upon warning and exhortation upon exhortation with tenders of his blessed works of reconciliation upon just and equal terms of his enemies repenting and turning unto him by turning from their wickedness But what Entertainment these Servants of the Living God have found by these foolish Physitians who are meer Time-servers for their own ends whose refuge is an Arm of Flesh to defend their wicked corrupt works which have filled the Nations with their Defilements who by their Flatteries have drawn a Compliance from Magistrates to punish the Messengers and Servants of the most high God for telling the Truth from a certain knowledge of the works of God's Spirit of Truth and therein testifying against the works of error and darkness But the sufferings that have been for this love of God in and through them who have been Instruments in his hands may through search be known so Testimony is given against them who are in the exaltation of works without and denying the immediate blessed works of God's holy Spirit in its Operations and Revelations of the Mind and Will of God unto wounded Souls within And further concerning these blessed works of God's righteous holy Spirit the which are attended with Peace unto which way many have been turned and becanse some loiter and are sloathful and yet remain unconverted of the old man's corrupt words and deeds and therefore not fit to put on the new man Christ Jesus and some who were in the way do turn out of it again and some fall head-long down to Perdition Oh! what occasion have the watchers for evil taken at this and thereby set at nought God's works in his holy righteous Spirit and them that abide therein making conclusions in their dark imaginary conceivings of the works of God That he hath no such perfect works now adayes but that all are fallible and changeable And so measure and weigh the things of God in their corrupt false measure and ballance which things are Abomination in the sight of God So Testimony is given to God's blessed works though many are so brittle that they will not abide them yet notwithstanding God's works
come first to the way and means that God hath ordained And is not the second coming of Christ in the Light of his Holy Spirit the way by which all must come unto God the which is without spot without guile And must not all that come unto God come unto him in this one blessed savoury offering And is not this Christ of God the same yesterday to day and for ever as he was before Abraham was and so the same in the beginning of all things And must not all that come to God come out of Transgression the cause why mankind was drove from the presence of God And is not this Christ of God the way out of Transgression who was obedient and subject to the will of his Father in all things And must not they all that are saved be brought into this blessed Covenant of Life the end God's great love in his Son manifested to the World that through him they might not abide and perish in Darkness but through believing and obeying that second coming and appearance of the Light of him they might have the Light and Understanding of the Life of him the one blessed Offering that perfects for ever them that are sanctified And now all you blind Leaders of the blind under all your imaginary lifeless Confessions and Professions of God and Christ what strength of Arguments do you use in your perverse Wills and Affections to strengthen the old World of Transgression in sin and iniquity whereby you go about with all your might to make void the second Covenant which is without fault and so you shut up the way to God's Kingdom and the knowledge of his Righteousness by labouring and moiling in your vain service and works to establish your own Righteousness and dark works therein And by this fruitless labour and travel what darkness and blindness have you brought over the Nations through your ignorant Concâ—â—vings of those gracious words which were spoken by the effectual working and moving of God's holy Spirit in and through holy men the which was for a blessed end spoken even to turn people from the darkness which was over them by reason of their transgression unto the true witness in them the Light makes manifest all that is reprovable and wicked in mankind the which being turned from and the Light obeyed that they may be led to the knowledge of God that they may not be without God in the World whom to know is Life Eternal And so Light is sown for the Righteous that through this blessed Seed the Serpenâ—'s head may be bruised and kept under in all and so is way made to put on the Heavenly Image again by being led and guided out of Darkness by the Light of the Emanuel in and through every blessed and glorious degree of his works to the mark of that price the measure and stature of the fulness of Christ Jesus the Heavenly Man the Heavenly Image as many as are baptized into Christ put on Christ Now I say unto you blind Leaders of the blind who have got some few of the gracious words and works of the righteous mâ—n of God therefore I say but few of them because there is but little upon record of those mighty works which did then shew forth the wonderful power of God in and by the effectual workings of his holy blessed Spirit the which if all had been written the World could not have contained the Books and of that which was written you have but a part with which you blind Leaders of the blind have made a long Trade in Wresting Perverting and Corrupting to your own destruction making them look every way but the right in your imaginary Conceivings thereof So wrong you are in your Judgments who have denyed the effectual workings of God's holy Spirit that what in you lyes by your works of darkness you are making void God's holy Law and Covenant as to any true understanding or knowledge of it in the mind and heart And so building your selves up in Imaginations and Conceivings what strangers are you to God's holy work in and by the effectual working of his holy Spirit within man How bruitish are you in your understandings to stand and wonder and some to despise till they perish at the news of these works though God hath raised many faithful Witnesses who have declared and given Testimony to them even to the laying down their Lives and many their Liberties and in great measure their Estates whereby it hath plainly shewed that this is the time and season wherein God is making known his mighty power for the subduing and bringing under the power of darkness that the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of God and that the Kingdom of his Son which is in Righteousness Peace and Joy of his blessed holy Spirit may be set over all And is not this according to that Prayer Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done on Earth c. Now consider are not all those wayes destructive to mankind that are made up in the dark Conceivings of man without the Light of understanding the will of God herein And by your works of darkness in opposing the blessed effectual works of God's holy Spirit what misery and consusion have you brought your selves and the Nations into where you lye in heaps in Controversies about the works and words without till the enemy's works of darkness be overgrown in you by which you are so droven from the presence of God and the Light of his Countenance that you are greatly confounded kicking and stumbling at the precious stone the which in your fleshly worldly wisdom you think too mean to be in your Buildings by reason of which how many fashions are your Building of reeling and staggering from one fashion to another soaring alost in your airy imaginations of the things of God in using your Wits and Arts to bend the holy men's Testimonies to your corrupt Wills and Affections And so much more as you strive in these works so much more you are and must be confounded What a sad work have you herein taken in hand and what vast Sums of Money have you exacted out of Nations to maintain the Pride and Arrogancy of your hearts herein Oh! that there were such a heart in people to sit down before the Lord that they may partake so much of his works as to open the Eye of their understandings that they see over these works of darkness where nothing is good nor pleasant to the truly hungering and thirsting Souls after God's Righteousness How miserably have these Nations been cheated by these blind Guides who have exacted abundance of Wages under pretence of being Healers and Curers of the Nations but are now found by the Effectual Workings of the Light of God's holy Spirit to be the chief Instruments of the letting in of Darkness Corruption and Abominations that raign on the Earth through that adulterated Spirit the Mother of all Harlots who are departed from
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
cover with a covering but not of my Spirit that they may add sin to sin And as Peter said of the salse Teachers Having eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.14 beguiling unstable Souls an heart they have exercised with covetous Practices cursed Children And as Jude in his Epistle said of them who was then departed from the Faith and blessed works of the holy Spirit so it may be as truly said of these These be they who seperate themselves sensual having not the Spirit But these speak evil of those things which they know not but what they know naturally as bruit beasts And being thus corrupted and exalted live above the pure fear of the Lord they in this exaltedness pervert and wrest the Scriptures to bend them to their corrupt wills and imaginations They do in the dark works of the man of sin give their private Interpretations of the Prophesies in Scripture and in a mystery of iniquity they speak evil of the motions of Gods holy spirit in which blessed motions those blessed Prophesies were given forth and cannot be understood but by the blessed operation and moving of the same blessed spirit but the moving of this blessed spirit being mocked at by Hagar's brood that Birth after the flesh which gendereth to bondage this brood in their several Sects do exalt the mystery of iniquity and spiritual wickedness in high places and under this mystery conclusions are made that Christ who suffered by wicked hands hath done all for them and that their sins are forgiven in what he did and suffered without them and their Confessions and Professions to this purpose they look upon to be sound and good Religion though sin and iniquity they live in and plead for it for term of Life But let all the wise in heart who have not so far betrayed their reason and understanding in the things of God but that some little glimmering and descerning they have thereof Consider and judge whether the man of sin be not the Author of that Religion and whether such dark works have not a tendancy of overthrowing the true purpose and intent of all the holy mens Testimonies given forth by the moving of Gods holy spirit as recorded in the Scriptures Much might be written concerning these workers in the works of darkness but I give but some brief hints thereof and leave the wise in heart to Judge And I do ask this question whether in case the Motions Operations Revelations and Inspirations of Gods holy spirit of Truth have not the leading and guiding of peoples hearts and minds in their conversations and all their ways and works where this is denyed Whether then doth not a spirit of error and falshood deceit and hypocrisie lead instead thereof Indeed misery and miserable will be the end of all those who do persist and go on under the cover of the Antichristian spirit to oppose the great love of God in the manifestation of the Son of his love who both was and is manifest to destroy the Devils works And in this glorious manifestation of Gods spirit of grace light power and wisdom is the Lord of Heaven and Earth at work this time and season to create again and redeem mankind out of the fall death and curse and is pouring out of his blessed spirit upon all flesh as was Prophesied of through the moving of Gods holy spirit in old time by the Prophet Joel 2.28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see Visions and also upon the Servants and upon the Handmaids in those dayes will I pour out my Spirit Now Hagars brood do object and say that this was fulfilled in the primitive Christians days but now it is ceased c. Answer That the spirit of the Lord was poured out upon the primitive Christians who believed and waited in the manifestation thereof that is evident to all who read what blessed Lives they lived and boly examples they were in their day and generation And they were built upon the foundation of the holy Prophets and Apostles and this was the spirit of Christ as you may read 1 Pet. 1.10 11. The Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the suffering of Christ and the glory that should follow It was by the moving of the spirit of Christ in the Prophets who prophesied of the grace that should come This spirit of Christ in them was their foundation on which they built and from whence they had those blessed Revelations and Visions of that great salvation the which through the pouring out of the same blessed spirit of Christ upon all flesh should come And those who denyed themselves and took up the Cross and followed Christs blessed example even in his great humiliation and patience they were witnesses of the fulfilling of those blessed Prophesies And the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans saith plainly Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. Let all take notice that it is alone by the spirit of Christ that any can be truly said to be followers of Christ and so true Christians as being baptized by this one spirit into one body out of the many Sects And all them who were possessers and injoyers of Christs Spirit In them was fulfilled the Prophesy so far as they were partakers of the spirit thereof But unto what a degree of gross darkness are people plunged into through a great night of Apostasie where conclusions are made that the Operation Revelation and Inspiration of this Spirit of Christ is ceased now adays They may as well say Christ hath now adays no followers therefore none are true Christians the many Sects and Opinions have gotten varieties of Baptisms but all out of the Spirit of Christ That is ceast they say now adays the operation and work thereof was fulfill'd in the primitive dayes Now every one to his private Interpretations and build some Babel the Nations are now become as waters and the Whore with her Golden Cup of Sorceries rids over all and the Nations have drunk of her Cup of Fornications and are made so drunk therewith that they see no need of the Revelation of Christ's Spirit now adays Their Mother Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots she instructs her brood of Children to kindle fires of Confession and Profession without true Faith and Obedience of what blessed Testimonies are left upon record and to warm themselves by the sparks of their fire and to cover themselves with the Harlots Attire even their own self-righteousness in seigned Faiths and feigned Humilities in feigned Worships and feigned Beliefs having denyed the sufficiency of the Arm and Power of God now adays and the Sanctification Wisdom Righteousness and Redemption of Christ Jesus now adays contenting themselves
with Profession and Confession of Christ Jesus that he was made Righteousness Wisdom and Sanctification and Redemption to them that believed in the Primitive time by the pouring out of his blessed Spirit then the Arm of the Lord was revealed and the power of the Lord did redeem people from under the enemies power and the Faith of Gods Elect was then very precious And the power of Christ Jesus who hath power over all flesh that then was the higher power and people did then bow under it and confessed him before men then indeed Christs Doctrine and Commands taught and received and his precious blood confessed unto by them that were witnesses thereunto who through the vertue and sufficiency were redeemed from under the man of sin's power and so cleansed from the filthy Garments of sin Then indeed the Lord had a people the which were his purchased possession being sanctified throughout in Soul Body and Spirit by the pouring out and renewings of Christs holy Spirit They were not their own being purchased and bought with a price they all confessed unto the Lord that had bought them and all the true Preachers of righteousness they preacht up then the sufficiency of the Blood of the Lamb and the uncorruptable word of life and laboured and travelled for the forming of Christ in the Believers that they might present them perfect in Christ Jesus All this saith the Seed of the bond-woman where Mistery Babylon hath her brood we cannot deny but that the state and condition of the Primitive Christians were as aforesaid But they may say if they will speak the Truth our Mother Mistery Babylon hath taught us another Lesson now adays Alas for you our fore-Fathers Demas and the Antichristian Spirit that led abundance from among the true Christians many in the Antichristian Spirit went out and imbraced this World and in the Wisdom thereof the God of the World blinded our our Fore-fathers Minds and then the Gospel was hid and in the Apostacy we grew being inwardly ravened from the Spirit of Christ we lost the sense of the sufficiency of the power thereof Then the Spirit of Antichrist that led and became head and the Beast and false Prophet with many Heads and Horns some like a Lamb having received power from the Dragon became in time such a great head and mountain that they made War with the true Woman and her Seed and cast out floods of ungodliness against that Birth and Seed that was conceived by the free Woman and in such a degree the Beast prevailed that he proclaimed open War saying who is able to make War with the Beast Thus the Seed of the bond Woman who are conceived and brought forth out of the Womb of Mistery Babylon may truly say the Arm of flesh is now accounted for the higher power and we teach for Doctrine the Commands of Men our Mother hath trained us up and taught us to deny the power of the Lord to be the higher power and to deny the infallible teachings of the Grace of Gods Spirit and to deny the Operation and Revelation and Inspiration of Gods holy Spirit now a dayes and to say that is ceased now adayes And now we can live bravely in the Lusts of our own eyes and in the Lust of our own flesh and in the Pride of Life under many Fair Coverings that our Mother hath made us having cast off Christs Yoak we are now at liberty in the flesh to use our Tongues in our own wills and pleasures the Beast and false Prophet hath purchased this liberty for us and our Mother sits as Queen and saith we shall see no sorrow It is service good enough now adayes to be high talkers of the holy mens words and works and to set them up for Teachers who have an Art and subtilty to please men best with their good Words and fair Speeches As for the universal Spirit and power of the Lord Jesus and his blessed Office to fit and prepare for the blessed Ministery Our Mother Mistery Babylon hath taught us to deny the sufficiency thereof and to set up Universities and Schools to make Ministers by and let them be as graceless as they will so they be Witty and Learned and can talk Learnedly of the good words and Testimonies that proceeded from the moving of Gods Spirit through Fisher-men Shepheards and Herds-men and the like If they can by their floods of Eloquence and high flown Doctrines and Speeches under fair shews of Confession and Profession of some things that have been done and of some things that should be done and yet leave all undone and stop the very motions of the Spirit of Truth by and in which alone every thing that is good is done and without it we can do nothing that 's good and acceptable and well pleasing to God We the Children of Mistery Babylon may say if our Preachers and Teachers do so well apply themselves to Learning and get such curious Arts and Eloquence as to stop the motions of the Spirit of Truth now adays they do our Mothers work well and deserves good Incouragement some long Coats some short Coats some Shop-keepers and Trades a vast Revenew by the year some more some less according as we and our Merchants can agree And for this Trade and Merchandize we are beholding to the Beast and false Prophet who hath purchased this liberty for us to deny the Revelation Operation and Divine Inspiration of the Spirit of Truth now adayes And so to give our private Interpretations of the holy Prophesies in Scripture and to make void the very end and tendency of the moving of Gods holy Spirit through holy men in giving forth the same Thus you may see the Fruit of your Doctrine you Seed of the bond Woman who are nourished and trained up by your Mother Mistery Babylon in whose Womb all the Treachery in Cruel Butchery hath been conceived and brought forth who have been so drunk with the Whores Cup of Sorceries that you have not spared to drink the Blood of the holy Prophets A postles and Saints and Martyrs of the living God and this is and hath been the fruits and effects of the motions of your own proud arrogant exalted spirits whereby you have disdained and mocked the very appearance of Gods holy Spirit of Truth and the Light thereof You have contemned and spoke slightly and evil of and all this have you done under a Mistery wherein in your drunken fits you have killed and spoiled the Servants of the living God and then wip't your Mouths like Sheep-biting Dogs and made the World believe that Worshipped the Beast that you had done some service for the Lord You are the Generation whom Christ spoke of Mat. 23.33 Ye Serpents ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of Hell Fill up your measure that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth For of a Truth the good Husbandman the Lord of Heaven and Earth
power and hath quickened and revived many hungry Souls and he hath made known his sufficiency and help in the needful time And all them who have in Truth laid hold of him cannot part with him for it 's by him that we can do all things well pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God and man And all that have begun in this Spirit and are faithful and obedient thereunto have Hope Faith and Confidence to grow up and be made perfect thereby and so attain to the mark and prize that is before us Though many may and do turn aside through unfaithfulness and disobedience and the many and great tryals that may be met withall through the Oppression and Cruelty of the Worlds Spirit yet over all that hath been and may be met withall we have Hope and Faith that in and through the assistance of the Spirit and Power of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus we shall persevere and go on bearing the blessed fruits of his spirit which is in all Goodness Righteousness and Truth Patience Meekness and Innocency to the finishing our Testimony and laying down our heads in Patience and Joy in Life Everlasting And further concerning the out-goings of this blessed spirit I do testifie my Faith therein that the Lord of Heaven and Earth will by the Majesty and power thereof overturn overturn overturn the power of darkness and destroy all the cursed fruits that have sprung from the corrupt root and ground thereof And by the light of the spirit of Christ Jesus a sight is given to many faithful witnesses that the Ax of the Lord is laid to the root thereof And the Lord of Heaven and Earth that hath begun the work will carry it on and perfect it to his own praise honour and glory and to the establishment of his purchased possession where he Tabernacles and Delights to dwell forever And now this root and off-spring of David this bright and moving Star hath taken deep rooting in many hearts and minds from whence fruits spring and grow to the praise and honour of the Lord of the Harvest and to the joy and comfort of all the faithful and true labourers therein whose out-goings being in the movings leadings and guidings of his holy spirit the which having taken deep root downwards now yields fruits upward in some an hundred in some sixty and in some thirty fold As you may read of the Parable of the Sower and the seed that fell into the good ground Mat. 15. And from the Lord of the Vineyard whose is the Vineyard he having planted many Heavenly Branches into the Vine his good Husbandry and Care is seen to be over them And all whom he hath or may ordain to be Instruments and Servants in this blessed work he ever did and doth maintain them never suffering them to lack Food and Rayment things necessary both for this Life and that which is to come But none that keep within the bounds of the leadings and guidings of his blessed spirit did ever covet Silver or Gold or Preach for filthy Lucre-sake And now the Lord of Heaven and Earth having prepared by his Eternal spirit and power such a Ministry again and sent forth into the Nations who have no such thing in their Eye to draw them out of filthy Lucre but purely and clearly do seek the honour and glory of God and the good and well-being of people This makes the corrupt and false Teachers of the Nation who are made so by man in the Worlds spirit and wisdom being drawn out for filthy Lucre sake and in more then ordinary manner coveting after Silver and Gold this makes these Diviners mad The day of Christ being so clearly come and the man of sin their Master so clearly revealed and a Testimony so clearly goes out against them that their Master the man of sin in all his Transformations though he appear in them and they in him as Ministers of righteousness and by all the best arts and cunning in perverting and wresting the holy mens Testimonies by private Interpretations adding to and deminishing from the Prophesies thereof And seemingly by casting mists and fogs before peoples Eyes they turn the very end and tendency of the holy mens Testimonies and Prophesies left upon record to another use then what they were intended and given forth by the moving of Gods holy Spirit for And this they do partly through Ignorance being so wilfully to hide their Corrupt Proud Arrogant Covetous and Idolatrous practices under And let all whose desires are after the knowledge of the Lord and the peace and rest of their Souls in that unspeakable comfort and joy in that life which is everlasting take but a view of the blessed motions of Gods holy Spirit through holy men in old time as is left upon record And compare the Covetous Idolatrous practices of the false Teachers of the Nation and see how unlike the good they are and how just like the wicked they are Gen. 4. Cain who was of that wicked one he offered but unto his Offering the Lord had no respect Abel offered in Faith 1 Joh. 3.12 and the Lord had respect unto Abel and his Offering And Cain was Wrath and envyed him and Murdered him because his own works wereevil and his Brothers righteous See your Father all you Persecutors about Religion and the ground of his wickedness And the Lord said my Spirit shall not always strive with man for that he also is flesh and God shortned his dayes Gen. 6. and said every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually for all flesh had corrupted his way and the Earth is filled with violence through them These were the effects of fleshly motions But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and read what blessed effects his moving therein had The false Prophets moving in a flattering lying Spirit inticed Ahab to go on to his Destruction Micah the true Prophet moving in the Spirit 2 Chron. 18. of Truth and for speaking the Truth was Imprisoned and Fed with Bread and Water The lying Prophets for lying flattering and dissembling are at Liberty Mordicai being one of the Lords people he could not be moved to bow to Haman nor do him reverence Esther 3. though he was told by the Kings Servants often that he transgressed the Kings command This filled Haman with wrath and in his wicked motion he sought the destruction of Mordicai and all his people but read what became of him and his motion Read what dreadful effects the wicked fleshly motions of the Sodomites had Gen. 19. and the blessed effects of Lot's righteous motions against their wickedness Read what the false Prophets moved for and how the true Prophet was moved to cry against them Isaiah 56.10 11. and said They are all dumb dogs yea they are greedy dogs which can never have enough They all look to their own way every one for his gain from his
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
things to the value as is supposed of near 50 l. for a Silent Meeting at his House At Kingston on Thames Friends have had abundance taken from them and they kept out of their Meeting place and not suffered to stand quietly in the Streets but some were taken and sent to Prison and others drove about by Souldiers in a barbarous manner and several other Fines have been levyed too long to mention And Meetings being disturbed Friends being haled out c. all which works for good to them that truly fear and obey the voice of the Living God The more they strive the more doth Power and Life appear which keeps Friends Clear Sweet and Innocent even to love God above all and their Neighbours as themselves greatly desiring that they may see a necessity of building upon the same Rock even Christ Jesus who is the power of God and wisdom of God who feeds all that truly hunger with spiritual Meat and all them that truly thirst with spiritual Drink him who was glorified with the Father in the beginning by whom all things were made who continues the same yesterday to day and for ever Through whom Friends Meetings in these parts are fresh lively and constant But the great Boasters as Presbyterians Independants and Baptists who have kicked against the Everlasting Covenant of Late in their own hearts yet in their Imaginations have said they would follow Christ c. But they now as in days past when the storm was up are drove into their holes But they would not believe it in days past before the storm was seen when it was testified unto them But they are Foxes they can cover themselves no more if they turn not to the Truth now they stand in danger of being swallowed up in darkness for ever So Dear Friends that which concerns us is to be thankful and to meet often together that so we may grow up together even from one degree to another of an Heavenly appearnce of him in whom is all glory that so we may bear his Heavenly Image for ever So in true watchfulness keep over all the appearanâ—es of the Enemy And in true love and tenderness keep watchful over one another seeking one anothers good and the strong bearing with the weak that so all may be preserved in the way of the upright out of all evil that so we may be sanctified throughout in Soul Body and Spirit even to the glory and praise of the great God who made all things at his pleasure who hath appointed times and seasons and bounds to all Whose work is great which he is bringing to pass and in vain do the â—â—â—herds strive againâ—t it of a certain he will dash them to pieces So in the Everlasting Seed is my Dear Love unto all who loves and obeys the appearance of him who brings Salvation who is over all blessed for ever and ever Stephen Smith Pirbright the 8th day of the 5th Month 1670. An Answer to a Paper called The Christians Vow in Baptism A Paper coming to my hands Intituled The Christians Vow in Baptism Explicated and Renewed given forth by an unknown Author who is crept into his hole again from whence he brought that bundle which upon due consideration he will have cause to be ashamed of being works of Darkness where many words are used out of the wisdom of God the which hath a tendency of darkning and hiding Gods Counsel from mankind and therefore that I may be clear in this matter in giving check to that high presumption manifestly shown in the said Paper as above is this given forth First He calls it The Christians Solemn Vow afterwards he saith let the remembrance of the Vow of God in Baptism Something he would have it but he knows not what and so he colours it over with many Scriptures wherein Gods Covenant with man is expressed where he tumbles new and old together as one ignorant of him from whence both came and therefore unlike to have the knowledge of either So now as one high flown in Imaginations undertakes to make a Covenant for others But the better to colour over and usher in his Babel he takes many of the true Prophets words and therewith decks himself over that he may appear the more beautiful in the sight of his good Masters A thing highly esteemed of by man but was and is an abomination in the sight of the Lord. But to begin with some of his words Oh wonderful grace when thou hadst forfeited all and wert no more his by nature then the Devils and damned in Hell Answer In this Confession what a humble man doth he appear to be see where he sets you who are concerned with him even equal with the Devils nature and damned in Hell What a rare Arts-man this would be if he could make the Devils nature good by saying over so many words as he hath ordered in his Paper But in the dark where he is foaming and tumbling about in an endless work seeking to make the Devils nature good which alwayes was and is bad and envious against good There he is left bound till he repent of his presumption Now to Esau's Pottage which is ushered in as a Prayer after his manner the which he would have all to follow either in that Image or as like it as he can But let all wise people consider and compare the true Prophets Prayers with his The true Prophet taught his followers to Pray Our Father c. as you may read every word being of great weight But all you who are followers of this Imaginary man in his works of Darkness see what a broad way your leader hath found to tell over a pennyworth of Prayers and then you are fit for his invented marriage and in case you should lose that Paper you may buy a pennyworth of another sort somewhat like it So passing by much of his supposed goodly stuff come to the Marriage Bond in his words And do here solemnly joyn my self in a Marriage Covenant unto him Oh blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked a most loathsom poluted Wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the Feet of the Servants of my Lord much more to be married to the King of Glory But such is thine unparalleled love I do here with all my power accept thee and take thee for my Head and Husband Did you ever hear of a more Loathsom Impudent Harlot who in all her filthiness and abominations presumes to say that God is her Husband Oh high presumption which arises from the nature of the Devil this is made indeed in the Earthly wisdom and there ratified the which I leave all you to judge who do return in some degree or measure the Divine Pure Holy nature of the Son of Righteousness into which all do grow and so take a view of the Heavenly Marriage of the Heavenly man and compare
Spirit which is the one true Baptism through and by him who is to increase in all his Blessed Office as Priest to Minister according to the necessities of all that come unto him as proper to open the Mysteries that are hid from the Wise and Prudent a Bishop to oversee what is lacking in the Church a Shepherd to lead his Flock in an out and to Feed them in Green Pastures of Life and Peace a Physitian to heal the Wounded a Prince to give forth his Righteous Laws and Decrees in his Church where his Righteous Holy Laws are written in the Heart is to be read and spread before all that all who are met in his holy Name may partake of his Divine Nature and so become Heirs of his everlasting Kingdom which never shall have end So Blessed are they who believe in God and do not make haste but wait patiently for the fulfilling of his promise that you may be delivered and kept from Worshipping the Inventions of men So in good will to all who have a desire to Truth is this given forth by Stephen Smith The 27th day of the 8th Month 1673. An Answer to a Paper called The Gospels Glory A Paper Intituled The Gospels Glory or the Covenant of Grace and Grace of the Covenant Vnfolded And for the better understanding of them who Impartially desire to know the Truth as it is in Jesus is this brief Answer given The Blessed Gospel of Christ glad Tydings of Christ The Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 17. therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith This was preached unto Abraham which was hundreds of years before Moses and therefore so long before his Writings And the same blessed Gospel they which are of the same faith with blessed Abraham Gal. 2.8 are blessed with him in the knowledge of this is invisibly to be felt and seen to expel the Clouds of darkness and error and to rent the vail thereof and to break down the Partition wall which is made up through sin and iniquity and thus to finish sin and put an end to transgression and to bring in everlasting righteousness and herein is the righteousness of the law fulfilled in them that believe through the Gospel of Christ he being the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe And in this invisible glorious work in opening the understandings of them that believe is the glory of the Gospel manifestly shewed 2 Cor. 4.3 4. But if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of the World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them so unbelief is the cause why people have not the knowledge of the Gospel which the Apostle was not ashamed of it being the power of God unto salvation the power of a Saviour the wisdom of a Saviour Christ Jesus the Heavenly man In his blessed spiritual appearance for the refreshing of every truly hungering and thirsting soul after his righteousness Paul to the Galatians saith the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man Gal. 1.11 12. for I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ so that the blessed Gospel is an inward glorious work wrought by the Spirit and power of Christ Jesus the foundation of all the Prophets and Apostles on which the true believers were and are built to the praise and honour of God for ever And whereas he saith the grace of the Covenant unfolded therein he shows what birth he is of which might fitter be imployed in its Poetry in making of Balads then to be found so presumptuous in affirming the grace of the Covenant unfolded in that dark imaginary stuff in that Paper The grace of God being an invisible appearance of Gods holy Spirit unto all mankind which is testified to Paul and Titus For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us c. So here was and is the universal love of God to all mankind not willing that any should perish but that all might know the Truth and be saved So in that the grace of God appears unto all the renders of his love is therein shewed to all without respect of persons That in every Nation they that fear God and work righteousness through the blessed operation of the grace of his holy Spirit such are accepted of him So than they are in the way of a blessing who believe in God and wait in a full assurance And trust in him for the knowledge of the infallible teachings of grace whereby way is ministred unto a growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus And thus far the Apostle did unfold the love of God from what he had handled felt seen of the mercies and riches of Gods great love to all mankind therein being a true witness of the love of God through the grace of his holy Spirit by and in which the good of all was and is sought but indeed there be but few that doth regard it though his hand of love be stretcht out all the day long There be so many false Teachers who by good Words and fair Speeches deceives poor simple ignorant people through their great flourishing words about the grace of God out of the sensible feeling of its blessed vertue and power in its infallible Teachings and thereby bringing Salvation And though this love of God hath appeared to all all have not the knowledge thereof as they had and have who are true believers in God As said the Apostle to Titus Teaching us so true believers Baptized by one blessed Spirit into one body and therein being received into Gods holy Covenant of grace cannot but cry out Oh the vertue of Christ Jesus by whom comes grace and truth which is of a healing nature glad tydings indeed unto wounded Souls and none can be further truly sensible of the unfolding of this love of God to the refreshing and comforting of their immortal Souls but by the feeling of its vertue and power to quicken revive and raise up out of sin and iniquity the cause of death And in his Poetry he saith Gods works preach not redemption from Hell the name of Christ there is not legible Ans And in and by all Gods powerful and glorious works both within man and without is the blessed and powerful name of Christ to be read and understood So its Gods works alone that preach redemption from the power of Hell and death 2 Cor. 5.19 and therein is Christs holy name legible But as it is written that which is born of flesh is flesh and so a heap of fleshly works are in that Paper to the shame of the Author in giving them that Title c. And as that which
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
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
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
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