prayed and was heard in that he feared as the Author to the Hebrews writes Heb. 5. 7. but in this State of Watchfulness and the holy Fear of God they continually abiding stedfast in to such it is become Natural to dwell and abide there being rooted and settled in the Godly or Divine Nature of which they are made partakers as the Apostle writ see 1 Pet. 1. 4. See how Fulks renders this place in his Confutation of the Popish Translation at Rhâ—mes he renders the words Divine Nature Godly Nature Eternal Glory to him for the preservation of his People who daily wait upon him he gives them Wisdom Strength and Preservation he who keeps them never â—luâ—bâ—rs nor sleeps holy and mighâ—y is his Wisdom and Strength by which he redeems preserves and upâ—â—â—â— his People in doing that which is well pleasing in his sight Blessed are all those who diligently wait to be made partakers of the same they shall be upheld thereby through all Temptations Trials and the Buffetings and Winnowings of Satan out of his snares and over him in Christ the Elect Seed which bruiseth his Head and over all his several sorts of Agents for as the Apostle saith Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the World by whom we overcome the World O my dear Friends All diligently wait on God in the Divine Light and Spirit of his Son that you may grow in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ more and more that you may be all firmly rooted and grounded in him as Trees or Branches of Righteousness the planting of the Lord God that you may bring forth much Fruit to the Praise and Glory of his name Christ the living true Vine said unto his Disciples of old I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman every Branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away and every Branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Abide in me and I in you As the branch cannot bring forth of itself except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered Joh. 15. 1 2 4 5. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you See John 15. 5 c. O my Friends These are the sweet and comfortable Sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ our Prince of Life Love and Peace Let them be duly weighed faithfully regarded and followed by you all who profess to be his Disciples that is Learners of him for as he saith Without him we can do nothing except we be joined to his gracious Spirit of Light Life and Peace we cannot please God but being joined to it it worketh in us to will and to do that which is well pleasing in the sight of the Lord God So we become his workmanship in Christ created in him unto those good Works which God hath ordained we should walk in that our Light may shine before men that they may behold our good Conversation in Christ constantly coupled with that godly fear wherein there is not only a hating of but also a coming out of and preservation from Pride Arrogancy and every evil way O my Friends This is that which is to be desired sought of God and diligently waited for this is the durable Riches that far excels all that can be mentioned besides it this is the Treasure that is to be laid up in Heaven according to Christs Command where neither Moth can corrupt nor Thief break through and steal Blessed are all they who diligently wait for the Increase and Security of this Treasure they shall never be forsaken of the Lord he whose the Earth is and the fulness of it who feeds the Ravens cloaths the Grass and takes care for Sparrows will take care and provide for them So all wait that your Faith and Confidence may be preserved confirmed and increased to his eternal honour and your enduring Peace and Comfort even so be it Amen Concerning good Conscience MY dear Friends something lies upon me to write to you in the tender Bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of our Christian Peace Fellowship and Unity The matter before me is this I find that there are some persons professing Truth amongst us who not being faithful to the gracious Spirit and Light of our Lord Jesus Christ which they make profession of that are offended with the Method Manner and Form in which Friends Care of Gods Glory and the good one of another is manifest these persons talk much of Liberty of Conscience To which I say Liberty of Conscience rightly understood hath ever since we were a People been and still is owned amongst us but for any who profess to be followers of the Light Members of the Church which is in God to plead Liberty of Conscience for themselves without putting a difference betwixt good Conscience and evil this is an Unsound and Unchristian Plea for the Apostles of Christ distinguisheth betwixt good and evil Conscience yea shews that they are separated and divided the one from the other for they proceed from contrary Causes The Apostle said My Conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Ghost Rom. 9. 1. And again I have lived in all good Conscience unto this day For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World and more abundantly to you-wards See 2 Cor. 1. 12. He who had believed and received the Holy Ghost was made of a good Understanding by it his Will and Affections also being purified from Corruption thereby so that he did not only understand what was right and wrong but he also willed and took pleasure to act and do that which was and is well pleasing in the sight of the Lord And this he was enabled to do by the Power of the Holy Ghost or Spirit of Truth which according to the Promise of Christ leads his faithful Subjects by Degrees from Glory to Glory from one degree of Grace to another into all Truth And so are the faithful followers of Christ Jesus led in this our day Paul writing to Timothy saith Now the end of the Commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned from which some having swerved have turned aside
unto vain jangling 1 Tim. 1. 5 6. Again ver 18 19. he chargeth Timothy to hold Faith and a good Conscience which sâ—me having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack Again Chap. 3. ver 9. The Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience The Apostle Peter writes to the Believers thus viz. Having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of Evil-doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 16. Concerning evil Conscience THE Apostle writes thus Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to the seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. Now the Prince that begets and upholds this evil Conscience hardened and seared is the Devil who abode not in the truth in whom there is no truth he is that Prince of the power of the Air who works in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience as the Apostle saith This is he who leads into the fleshly Liberty from the Cross of Christ into the fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul and drowns such men in predition who become Enemies to the Cross of Christ This Liberty is not to be given way unto nor to be pleaded for by any true Christian this is not the Liberty of the Sons of God which he hath promised to restore them into who believe in Jesus Christ and take up their daily Cross and follow him giving and taking Liberty to this evil Conscience brings into corruptible Bondage yea it vassalizeth the Creature Soul and Body to Satan and if this Liberty be continued in it brings everlasting destruction both upon Man and Woman Paul writ to Titus saying Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their Mind and Consciences defiled they profess that they know God but in Works they deny him See Tit. 1. 15 16. Again the Apostle writing to the Hebrews saith Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience c. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised and let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works not forsaking the Assembling our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another c. See Heb. 10. 22 23 24 25. Oh my dear Friends All tenderly consider that the great work of God in and through Christ is to put away this evil Conscience and to work in man a good one yea to redeem out of all corrupt sinful fleshly Liberty which Liberty embondageth the Creature under Satans power as I said before Now Christ the patient and innocent Lamb of God was sent by the Father to take away the Sins of the World which John Baptist in his Eternal Light saw and testified of and in the same Divine Spirit and Light of Christ Daniel the Prophet saw and testified of saying He shall finish Sin and Transgression and shall bring in everlasting Righteousness Blessed are all they who in Faith and Patience wait to see this great Work carried on and finished in the appointed season of the Father O my Friends Seriously consider how enclinabâ—e apt and prone Men and Women are after they are come to some degree of the knowledge of God and of Christ and of the daily Cross to hearken to the Serpents voice who deceived Eve who leads into this ungodly Liberty who by his Transformations hath deceived some in our Age after they knew God and Christ as aforesaid and he has promised them Liberty and great things as he did Eve and has brought them into misery as he did her and through this his accursed work a Root of Bitterness is sprung up in some which is in danger to defile many which God through his tender Mercy put a stop unto confound and drive backward This is the earnest desire of my Soul The Apostle Peter writes against the fleshly Libertines with which the Church was exercised in his day which became matter of much Travel and Grief to the faithful Apostles of them he thus writes viz. These are Wells without Water Clouds that are carried with a Tempest to whom the mist of Darkness is reserved for ever for when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the Lusts of the Flesh through much Wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in errour While they promise them Liberty they themselves are the servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought into Bondage c. See 2 Pet. 2. 16. to the end Dear Friends Something more is upon me to write concerning Conscience The Apostle writing to the Church at Corinth speaketh of the Idolatry of the Gentiles viz. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto Idols we know that an Idol is nothing in the World for though there be that are called Gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there be gods many and lords many But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with Conscience of the Idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol and their Consciences being weak are defiled But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse But take heed lest by any means this Liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak for if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are sacrificed to Idols c. Read 1 Cor. 8. 4. to the end of the chap. Observe here that some with Conscience of the Idol did eat things sacrificed unto it and their Consciences therein and thereby were defiled The Christians who knew there was no other God but one were warned by the Apostle that they should not sit in the Idols Temple at Meat with those who eat their meat unto the Idol lest their so doing should embolden those ignorant Idolaters to persist in their Ignorance and Idolatry for though some might say they did not eat it to the Idol as the Idolaters did but for strength and sustenance to the outward man yet this would not answer the Counsel of the Lord in the Apostle nor the Light of Christ in their own Souls but they were to abstain from eating with them at such Sacrifices thereby to prevent emboldening them therein And in chap. 10. ver 20. take his Testimony against this sort of Idolatry in these
Fourthly Observe Christ calls those that were to be fed Lambs and Sheep which signifies they were not of a Woolfish or Dogish Nature or Spirit that is Bitter Cruel and Ravenous but as Lambs and Sheep they were meek and â—uâ—et Oh that all the professors of the Light of Christ within were such then would not some of them cause such dishonour to the Lord as they do neither would they cause such grief and travel to the faithful Labourers in the Gospel of Peace as they do Again Paul writ to Timothy thus viz. take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doeing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim. 16. read the Chapter throughout The same Apostle to the Church of the Thessalonians writ thus viz. Now we Command you Bretheren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which ye received of us c. 2 Thess 3. 6. Again he writ thus viz. We Exhort you Brethren warn them that are unruly or disorderly Comfort the feeble minded support the weak be patient towards all men I Charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy Brethren the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 1 Thess 5. 14 to the end And to the Thessalonians again he saith in his second Epistle viz. for we hear that there are some among you which walk Disorderly working not at all but are busi-bodies Now them that are such we Command and Exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with Quietness they Work and Eat their own Bread but ye Brethren be not Weary in well Doing and if any man obey not our word by this Epistle Note that man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an Enemy but Admonish him as a Brother Now the Lord of Peace himself give you peace always by all meanes the Lord be with you all 2 Thess 3. 11 to the End Observe here if any of these to whom Paul wrote and to whom he Charges his Epistle to be Read should have called his Epistle his rotten Orders his Edicts mans Prescriptions Imposition upon Conscience Innovations or Apostacy and such like could he or any other of the faithful in Christ Jesus have owned such therein to be Brethren in the Unity and fellowship of the Gospel or could he or they have owned such words and sayings aâ— these to be the fruit of the Divine Light and Spirit of Christ within as applyed tâ— the faithful in Christ Jesus Oh Certainly Nay Concerning the form of the Apostles Doctrine c. The Apostle writ thus to the beleiving Obedient Romans viz. But God be thanked ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine which was delivered unto you Note here that it was the Apostles Joy that they obeyed that forme of sound Doctrine which was delivered to them for this he thanked God he was not of the mind of some who formerly as also some of late were and have been who under the profession of the Light within and its teaching have spoken preached or written that the way of Gods People must or ought or may be as the way of a Serpent upon a rock or as the way of a ship on the Sea which leaves noe formâ— or Impression behind them this neither was nor is the way of Gods People either under his Law or Gospel but the way of an Adulterous woman as it is written Prov. 30. 19 20. And further observe Stedfastness of the true Christians in the Apostles Doctrine viz. And they Continued Stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship Acts 2. 42. Moses the man of God and the holy Prophets Christ and his holy Apostles left good forms of Doctrine in sound words behind them under the several Dispensations of God in which they Lived which is contained in the holy Scriptures of Truth which form of sound Words and Doctrines are both Comfortable and Profitable to the man of God in this day and will be to the People of God in Ages to come and it is gross Darkness and Spiritual Blindness that is come upon them who have spoken Preach or believe that the way of Gods People must be as the way of a Serpent on a Rock or as the way of a Ship in the Sea which leaves now Impresion or form behind it It were to be desired ineed that the Devil and Wicked men might leave â—â— form or Impression of their wickedness behind them seeing their wicked formes others are Apt to follow them in to their own hurt and danger of Eternal Ruine God Almighty in his own Appointed time will root out and destroy all the wicked formes of Imaging speaking and Acting wickedly which the Devil in whom there is no Truth hath led men and women into by which he hath led them to destroy themselves and each other Concerning the Commands of the Apostles of Christ whiâ—h they gave not of Themselves or by their own Power but by and in His Power Wisdom Strength and Authority for they were His Ambassadors over them He Reigned in them He spake and gave Commands who is Head of His Church and One in the Male and Female THe Apostle Paul writing to the Church at Corinth concerning the Things that were Not in good Order amongst them writing of many things in his First Epistle to them in the 14 Chapter concludes thus If any Man thinks himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual let him know that the things That I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. Let all Things be done Honestly Desently and in Order vers â—7 and 40. Again the Apostle writing to the Church of the Thessalonians writ thus viz. We beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as you have Received of us how you ought to walk and please God so you would abound more and more for you know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus for this is the Will of God even your Sanctification That every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honour Not in the Lusts of Concupiscence as other Gentiles that know not God that No Man go beyond and defraud his Brother in any matter because the Lord is the Avenger of such as we have forewarned and testified for God hath not called us unto Vncleanness but unto Holiness He therefore who despiseth despiseth not Man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Thess 4. 1. to the 9th Again the Apostle Paul writes thus to the Thessalonians viz. We have Confidence in the Lord touching you that you both do and will do the things which we Command you Now we Command you Brethren that you withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh Disorderly and not after the Traditions or Ordinances which ye