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
have been Preserved out of Corrupt Wayes and Works which Corrupt Wayes and Works was and is the Cause of all Heavy and Grievous Judgments in Ages past and to come upon Mankind So its plain and evident how Gracious Merciful and Long-suffering God hath been throughout all Ages through some measure of the shining of the Light of his Unerring Spirit notwithstanding the Great and Grievous Provocations of Mankind in their Corrupt Wayes by which their Understandings were and are darkened that they could not come to a clear Discerning what manner of Love of God that was unto them as it is written How often is the Candle of the Wicked put out Job 21. So its plain that was and is the Love of God in the Light of his Unerring Spirit by which the Wicked were shewn their Wickedness in all Ages and the putting that Love from them was and is the Cause that the Wicked perish in their Wickedness through the Hardness of their Hearts and Unbelief of the Love of God in his Blessed Principle of Light which shines sometimes even unto the Wicked though they cry Depart I desire not the Knowledge of thy Wayes And though this Wickedness of the Wicked under many fair pretences of Confessions and Professions of God have labour'd to put away the way of the Lord and through many Devices hath the Wicked One in his Agents in their Wickedness set up many Corrupt Wayes yet the Way of the Lord remains Pure forever and can never be Corrupted but it remains a True Witness against all Evil and Corrupt Wayes whatsoever And this Perfect Way of God was the Way of the Upright in Heart in all Ages by which they were led out of Evil though under more Servitude before the fulness of time when it pleased God so to cause his Light to shine forth in Flesh in an absolute perfect Dominion over all the Lusts of the Flesh where Satan could get no Enterance though Forty Dayes Christ Jesus was Tempted by him so herein was the Son who is the Heir of all manifested So all the true Prophets in all Ages they had their Testimony from a measure of the Light of that Spirit and there their Testimony ended who were Faithful and the Law written in Tables of Stone that was by the Light of that Blessed Spirit by which all might see and learn to come to Christ in whom the Law is fulfilled So here is the Prophet whom Moses spoke of that God would raise up whom all is to hear and every Soul that will not hear that Prophet Destruction attend it So let none say in their Hearts Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring this Prophet Christ from above or Who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead For the Word is nigh even in the Heart and Mouth which Word of Faith the Ministers which were True did Preach and them which are True do Preach and herein is the Labour of them whose Abiding is in the Word that others may be turned to the Word in the Heart and Mouth that by it they may be reconciled unto God And this Blessed Word was in the beginning before words were All things being made by him in whom is Life and the Life was and is the Light of Men who believe therein And though the World did not nor doth not know the Love of God herein yet he was and is in the World and though his Appearance was and is rejected by most yet some did and do receive him who felt and feel his Power to overcome the Lusts of the Flesh which is Sin and Evil which Unspeakable Love of God shed abroad in the Hearts of the Primitive Christians by this Free Gift of his Holy Spirit which made them who received the same who were truly sensible of God's Love therein undergo great and grievous things some things of which may be read in the Scriptures of Truth So their Fasting and Prayers being performed by the Movings and Guidings of that Blessed Principle of God how were such preserved by the Power of God in the Peace of God wherein their Souls rested in God So the Blessed Name of the Lord was unto them a strong Tower which was the same to the Righteous in all Ages but never was a more clearer Discerning thereof then in this Age there being a Cloud of Witnesses of the Everlasting Love of the Everlasting God herein and so they are Blessed who live up to that Blessed Principle of God in them and continue Faithful to the End in the Testimony thereof O the Remembrance of them will be had in great Esteem in Ages and Generations to come So now that which is Chiefest of all and of greatest Value let that be first minded that all things may be done according to the Will of God in order to which a Right Understanding is necessary the which is better then Gold and Silver for the Wicked may possess Gold and Silver and things visible to their Hurt where a Right Understanding is wanting for if Knowledge and Understanding be wanting people perish Therefore be advised to wait in the Way of Understanding the Fear of the Lord God who made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things else according to his good Pleasure here is the beginning of Knowledge and to attain to a Right Understanding for in the Fear of the Lord there 's no Evil in that Way So away with Invention and Imaginations of Fearing God whilst Conclusions are made That Sin can't be parted with all Wayes made up by men in Sin are from a Corrupt Understanding So come to the Fear of God and he will teach us his Wayes and all that come there come out of Evil for there 's no Evil in God's Wayes so that they that are in God's Way are out of Evil by which it plainly appears that all Wayes where Conclusions are made That Sin is in them or that they can't live out of Sin or that they know not a Way out of Sin all such where such Conclusions are made are out of a Right Understanding and their Wayes are Destructive and their Works in them Wayes are Destructive so that all who endeavour to save their Lives there do want a Right Understanding for Transgression which is Sin is the Cause of Death so all that are raised from Death are raised from Sin the Cause of it so then all that keep their Lives there shall lose Life and all that lose their lives there shall find Life So Blessed are they who serve the Living God they do as they should do so that 's no Evil but Good so let none think in their Perverse Wayes that they shall be fed with Knowledge and Understanding there No no they will Starve and Perish there for want of Understanding so let all deal clearly with themselves in coolness and stillness in the silence of fleshly wisdom in a true Examination concerning the wayes they live in
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
it may come in his sight who sees all things I am cleared that herein I wish the good of all Stephen Smith The 10th of the 8th Month 1670 SOME REASONS AGAINST Paying Tythes AND Upholding that Ministry that doth Receive the same Written in Love to the Truth and for the sake thereof and in Love to my Neighbours Stephen Smith I. CHrist Jesus he is Lord of Heaven and Earth and hath power over all flesh by whom the World was made who is Heir of all things and hath right of government in the Hearts and Consciences of all people and over all the Kingdoms of men the right of ordaining and appointing Ministers being in him and also in giving forth his Righteous Law and Commands in their Hearts where he ought to reign where his Ministers so ordained of him are to wait with their Minds staid in his Light to receive of him freely a supply of wisdom and power and to communicate from the same freely and to be contented with what provision the Lord is pleased to make for them and by him there being a change of the Priesthood under that Covenant given unto Moses and the people of Israel there is made of necessity a change also of the Law and forasmuch as the Priests in this Age who are not ordained of Christ do uphold that which the Lord hath changed therefore we do deny them and that which they claim for their Maintenance II. These Priests being not ordained of Christ nor appointed to that Office by him they therefore do usurp that Authority the which doth of Right belong to Christ Jesus the which are presumptious sins and therefore we do deny them III. These Priests having denyed the Revelation of Christ's Spirit now adayes and set up the Letter and Law without above the Spirit and Law within by which its plain and evident that they are Strangers to the great Love of God in his New Covenant and being void of the knowledge of the gift of God to the World they have nothing but Imaginations and Inventions of their own Brain-study and out of others Works and Labours therefore we do deny them IV. They not being ordained of Christ they bring forth no pleasant Fruit as is evident but being ordained of man being man-made Ministers they are men-pleasers so no Servants of Christ Jesus but of their own Bellies and for the sake thereof they are abominable greedy of filthy Lucre and therefore we do deny them V. They being out of the way of the Lord and strangers thereunto therefore they can be no guides therein having set up Imaginations and Devices in their own Hearts they follow them in defrauding people therefore we deny them VI. Forasmuch as Christ hath said John 10. All that ever came before me are Thieves and Robbers or as it may be rendred All that go before him Now mind before Abraham was he was and before the Prophets were he was so the true Prophets they did not go before him they waited for the Signification of Christ's Spirit which was in them the which was their Foundation and this was the Apostles Foundation and the Believers in the Primitive time were built upon the same but the Thieves and Robbers were the false Prophets and Priests that came before him who steal the true Prophets words and use them in their Divination for Money and Rewards and Preaching for Hire the which were wicked practices testified against and cryed out against by the true Prophets among which wicked practices we finding the man-made Ministers in this Age and Generation who go before Christ and being of that number Christ Jesus spoke against therefore we deny them VII All take notice that the Testimony against Priests that preach for Hire is no new thing of twenty or thirty years standing as some do vainly imagine those abominable practices were testified against by the true Prophets read Micah 3. Isaiah 66. Jer. 5. Ezek. 13. Hosea 6. and read Christ's Testimony against Hirelings John 10. and mind all the holy men of God were and are of the same mind And for Priests and People now adayes to pretend to Cospel-order and Gospel-dayes and to live in the same and if not worse practices then the false Prophets Priests Teachers and People who were before the more powerful manifestation of Christ to flesh the everlasting Gospel who is the end of the Law for Righteousness to all that believe this is a very great shame even to the name of Christianity and the false Teachers the Priests being the Leaders into these Abominations therefore we do deny them VIII Paul an Apostle of Jesus he did exhort the then Believers to follow him as he was a follower of Christ who ever was and is a blessed Leader out of Transgression out of sin and therefore out of Strife and Contention he taught and teaches to love enemies for this Cause was and is the love of God in his Son manifest in flesh even to condemn sin in the flesh and to destroy the Devil's works of Malice Envy Lust Pride Excess Covetousness Lying Guile Hypocrisie Deceit Fraud Vain Worships Vain Services Persecution and all other Abominations that may be mentioned the true and faithful witness even the Light of his holy Spirit in mankind never did nor will assent unto to any thing that is evil And forasmuch as the Priests are led by another Spirit and acted by another Spirit as by their Fruits and Practices they are manifested even to be led by the spirit of Cain he being the first Persecutor about Religion and the Priests being in the same steps of Persecution they may say if they speak truly Beloved be you followers of us as we are followers of our fore-Fathers Cain the false Prophets and Teachers in Ages past they bringing forth the same Fruits therefore of necessity they must spring from the same corrupt ground and root and therefore let all the wise in heart judge whether we have not good cause to deny them IX It hath been so from the beginning that he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now and when we turned our backs upon ungodliness and waited in the grace of God that we might live godly and righteously in this present evil World we did believe we might suffer by unreasonable reasonable ungodly men who live exalted above the Grace of God of which number the Priests are chief and therefore we deny them X. And whereas Christ Jesus who is Lord of the Sabbath did above sixteen hundred years ago set up the everlasting Worship in the Spirit and Truth and directed all to take that for their Leader into all Truth and the Truth and blessed effects whereof being witnessed to the praise of God this day as it was in the Primitive time And whereas the man-made Ministers of this Age and Generation who are not ordained nor sent of Christ Jesus do teach for Doctrine the Commands of men