THE PRINCIPLES OF TRUTH Being A DECLARATION OF OUR FAITH Who are call'd QUAKERS Whereby all that want PEACE with GOD may Return into their First Estate through the Operation of the LIGHT and Power of God in the great Work of REGENERATION Written by E.B. J.C. W.D. H.S. I.P. and A.P. Truth's Principles OR Those things about Doctrine and Worship which are most Surely Believed and Received among the People of God called QUAKERS MAny are the Reports that are abroad concerning this People not only as to their Practices and Deportments but also as to other Doctrines and Beliefs The former time having in a great measure resolv'd and worn out as being the Refuge of Lyes for the Ignorant Unrighteous to flee unto but that stormy and wintry Appearance is well nigh over and gone because the Sun is so far risen and the true Light so shineth that most begin to see that those Reports were but Lyes and Scandals raised as Fig leaves to cover the Nakedness of other Professions that begun so manifestly to appear through the Light that shined in these Peoples Lives and Conversations But though the first be gone yet the later sticks with many as not knowing what they hold as to Doctrine some saying They deny the Scripture and the Resurrection of the Body and all Ordinances with the Man Christ and his Death Sufferings and Imputation of his Righteousness and Faith in his Blood c. Wherefore for the Satisfaction of all that would willingly be resolv'd and know the Truth as it is in Jesus I have written this short Account of their Faith Belief and if it were possible to stop the Mouthes of the clamorous Tongues before the Sentence be given against them by some signal Stroke of the Lord from Heaven which he will undoubtedly in his appointed Time reveal and make manifest to the trembling of all hearts concerned therein and tinglong of all Ears that shall hear thereof when it shall be said to them The holy shall be holy still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still Rev. 22. 11. We believe That the God of all Grace has given a measure of Grace or some Manifestation of his Spirit and Light thereof unto all men according unto these Scriptures Jo. 1. 9. Tit. 2. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Neh. 9. 20. and Experiences of all men who at some time or other do feel something in their Hearts and Consciences that doth lust against the Flesh and the Flesh against it and that these two are contrary the one to the other one lasting after Evil which is Evil and the other after Good which is Good the one Carnal the other Spiritual the one from Earth the other from Heaven Gal. 5. 16 17. We believe By this Gift Grace and Inspiration of the Almighty man only can come to know the true God truly what he is how he works in the Hearts and Consciences of People to regnerate them and make them bear his Image according to 1 Cor. 3. 19 20. 21. Luke 10. 21. and Experiences of all that ever were regenerated and born again We believe That all the Errors and Mistakes about God and the things relating to his Kingdom sprang and arose from men's wandring from this gift of God into their own Imaginations whereby though they thought themselves wise yet they became Fools err'd their foolish hearts being darkned according to Rom. 1. 21. not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God as it is written Mat. 22. 29. We believe and know That this Gift and Grace of God appears in and unto all men that all may be without Excuse accusing for the Evil and excusing for the Good according to Rom. 2. 15 16. shewing unto man what is good and reproving of him in his own Conscience for the evil whether Thoughts Words or Deeds and that this Reproof of Instruction is the Way of Life Prov. 6. 23. We believe That as the true God and eternal Life is known only by the Light of this Gift and Grace according unto the Scriptures from which Light and Spirit of God came the Scriptures both from the old new Testament as it is written 2 Pet. 1. 21. so can they only be read as truly to be believ'd fulfill'd and practised in the Light and Power of the same all that are out of this Spirit must needs be ignorant and unlearn'd in the Apostle's Sense who wrest the Scriptures to their own Destruction as it is written for Peter and John were unlearn'd men outwardly not knowing Letters but inwardly read in the knowledge of this Light and Spirit of God and wrestâ—…d not the Scriptures Acts 4. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 16. We believe according to the Scripture 2 Cor. 4. 3. That wheresoever the Power of God is not known within there the Gospel is hid and unknown unto them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them and God should heal them because it is only by the Light of Christ the Power of God that the Creature comes truly to see himself in his lost and undone Estate from which Sight ariseth the true Sence in the Heart of the Creature that makes him cry out of his Wretchedness by reason of the Body of Sin and Death which necessitates him to look out for a Saviour whom God manifests in and by the same Light that shines in the heart on purpose to give the sight of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ God's Image whereby God heals the Soul and therefore doth the Devil the God of the World strive so much by the Gift of the Pleasures Profits Vanities and Lusts that are in the World which he presents to men and women now as he did to Christ in the days of his Flesh when he shewed to him all the World with its Glory which Glory is the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of the Life whatever may make this Life happy as it were in the things that may pride it or lift it up to sit as a Queen And as Man and Woman take and receive the Gifts from the God of this World their Minds are blinded because they believe not in the Light which shews thee the Vanities of all the Gifts of the God of this World which Gifts the Devil knows if they be received will so blind the Minds of them that receive them that they will not come to be sensible in the true Light of their lost conditions so as to cry unto God from the deep true Senceâ—… for then God out of the Depths of his Love and Mercy could not but Heal them And therefore lest the true Light should shine into them to give them the sensible Knowledge of themselves and God should Heal them the Devil as God of
to come and that they might not run to teach others as many do now before they had received the Spirit of Truth in themselves by and with that to be led into all Truth but might receive the Power of truth in themselves from the Life thereof to convert others unto the same therefore said he further after he was risen again But tarry ye in the City of Jerusa em until you be endued with power from on high Mark 24. 4. so that though they had seen his body before and had now seen him after his Resurrection yet that and all the rest was not enough without the Power and the Spirit which was to come which they were to wait for And so now men should tarry wait and stand still to see the Salvation of God and until they receive the Spirit for it is the Spirit not the body which searcheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father And by this before written in short I have a little endeavoured to shew unto the â—…cek and single-hearted that Moses when he was upon Earth directed unto Christ as in these words The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midest of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Dcâ—…t 18. 15. And Christ when he was upon Earth directed unto the Spirit which was to come in like words saying These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you but the comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14. 25 26. And then what if I did write after the manner of men and fay If Moses were now upon the Earth and Christ in his own body upon the Earth and Moses with all his Pâ—…iests Tythes Offerings and Religion which discovers Sin but makes nothing perfect which Paul profited much in If he I say should command and exhort all People under his Ministry to go to Christ and hear him And if Christ were now upon Earth and notwithstanding his outward Miracles Circumcision Baptism Supper and Death yet he should command and exhort all that â—…ome through the Law or Ministration of Moses unto him to look and tarry and wait for another Comforter that they might receive the Spirit in them and say unto them that that should teach them all things and lead them intâ—… all Truth Then whether or no people were to continue following Moses's Priests with their Tythes and long Prayers and still be seeking the Law at their mouthes or to come to Christ to seek the Gospel for Moses himself did not fay that they should seek the Gospel at the Priests mouth And then when did the Priests ever preach the Gospel And then whether those obey not Moses who leave the Priests and come to Christ the Light and whether such when they are come to Christ should alwayes be looking and following after his Body Miracles Baptism or Supper without them or tarry and wait to receive the Spirit within them And then which of these now should all people that profess Christ be led by in these dayes either Moses or the Person of Christ or the Spirit of Truth And whether such as have received and are truly indeed led by this Spirit of Truth and know that to be their Teacher and follow it and are ruled governed and guided by it according to the Command of Moses and Christ do not hereby obey the command of Moses and Christ and fulfil their Doctrine And whether any other People or Professors whatever do obey the Command of Moses and Christ but only such And whether this be not a thing of great concernment to be known and learned by all who Profess Christianity But why then do People follow these Priests of England any longer which are contrary to Moses and also to Christ who have no Store-houses but suffer the poor to want within and without and the Widdow and the Stranger ready to perish and moreover devour and can never have enough of the Spoil of other mens goods And why do others dispute about and talk of the Body so much which they never saw nor knew And is it not better to be silent and know God who dwells in his People and the Spirit of Truth which he requires in the inward parts and to feel after God even the Life in themselves because the Apostle said they were saved by his Life being before reconcited by his Death Rom. 5. 10 And until the Life came there were many things which they were not saved from by the Body for the Body was before the Death and the Death which reconciles was passed through before the Life was received again to save and Justifie And why then are people so much busied about that which was before the Reconciliation and so therein much short of the Life and for outward Bread Wine and Water Are not these things which are seen And are not the things that are seen Temporal But Christ the true Prophet being come of whom Moses did write who is the end of the Law and so the end of that Ministry whereby that is done away for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof and Christ coming after John of whom John bore witness that he was before and greater and came after him and Christ also having finished that which he himself came to do and likewise so largely and often Exhorted to wait for another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth Then what Ministration is it that now standeth and remaineth which is according both to Moses Christ and the holy Scriptures and what Ministration is to be expected or waited for but the Ministration of the Spirit And whether all they be not compassed about with a cloud of error who are upholding that Ministry of the Law or a worse which Christ is the end of and the Apostles said was done away and likewise such as are upholding and keeping up that which Christ said he had finished And whether the upholding of such things now be not quite opposite both to Moses Christ and Scriptures And being that Moses nor indeed his true Ministers of the Law are not upon Earth neither that Body of Christ which by the Professors was murthered at Jerusalem visibly to be seen upon Earth then what is it those have to follow who have not received the Spirit to be led by and if they will say they have the Writings of Moses and the Words of Christ I say if that be all then they that forsook and denyed Christ had more then them for they had the words from his own mouth which were Spirit and Life and yet they understood not and then what do those understand who have not so much as they had therefore after he had suffered and rose again he opened their understandings And so what is all their Religion worth who are not come to the Spirit And whether Moses's Ministration being ended by Christ and Christ also having
abounds and makest the coming of Christ who came to fulfill the Law to destroy it through the evil of thy heart that when the righteous Law cryes in thee for Purity and condemns thee for thy unrighteous walking then thou fleest to the free Grace in Christ to save thee from the power of the Law but thou shalt find the Law hath Power over the fleshly man as long as he lives and the fleshly man that now guides thee is under the Law until it be destroyed through Faith in Jesu Christ For he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and the Saints witness it though thou wrest the words of Paul when he declared his condition before he came to the fulness of stature in Christ to thy own destruction I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind bringing me into captivity to the Law of Sin which is in my members but he gave not up himself to be a Servant of â—…in as thou dost it was his Burthen that made him to cry O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death And he waited in the Faith until he was freed Rom. 8. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit He witnessed Christ come in him to fulfill the Law and so do all the Saints now according to their growth Some witness the Law fulfilled in them and others are waiting in the Faith patiently following the Lord daily through the Cross until the Law be fulfilled But thou art departed from the Counsel of the Lord thy God and causest his Name to be evil spoken of and hast made the Hearts of his people sad as they did that the Apostle speaks of For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ whose End is Destruction whose God is their Belly whose Glory is their Shame who mind Earthly things These Scriptures are fulfilled in thee which the Apostle mentions And while they promise them Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into Bondage For if after they have escaped the Polution of the World through the Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the later End of them is worse with them than the Beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them But it happened unto â—…hem according to the true Proverb the Dog is turned to his own vomit again the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire And thou mayest read what will be manifest to thee from the Lord For if we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin but a fearful looking for of Judgment and fâ—…erce Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries He that despised Moses Law dyed without Mercy how much sorer Punishment supposest thou shalt thou be thought worthy of who hast troden under foot the Son of God and hast counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith thou wast Sanctified an unholy thing and hast done despight to the Spirit of Grace and we know him that hath said vengeance belongetâ—… unto me I will recoâ—…pence saith the Lord It is a feareful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and do thy first work in minding that Light of Jesus Christ in thee before whom thou once stoodst condemned for that thou now livest in Prize the time and give up to be guided by the Counsel of the Lord in thee the Light of thy Conscience that discovers every vain thought wait on the Power that is present with the Light and it will dash Babylons childern against the Stones which is Sin in its conception so will thy carnal mind be brought to the Cross daily and thy heart will be purged with the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning Kiss the Son in obeying his Counsel the Light in thee lest thou perish in the way for if his Anger be kindled a little blessed are they that trust in him The Discovery of Mystery Babylon To all enslaved Captives in Babylons's Kingdom who are made drunk with the Wine of â—…he Wâ—…ath of her Fornications and bewitched through the multitude of her Inchantments FRiends Babylon is within you the Mother of Harlots is within you and she bewitcheth you through the abundance of her Sorceries and the Beast is within you that ariseth out of the bottomless Pit of the deceived heart which is deceitful and desperately wicked and the Beast which all the World wonders after is your wills that make war against the Lamb of God in you which is the Light that makes manifest the evil of your hearts and your wisdom is the great Whore that sits upon the Beast that ariseth out of the bottomless Pit of the deceitful heart and she finds out many deceitful inventions to preserve the beastly will alive having a golden Cup in her hand full of the abominations of the Earth and this Golden Cup is your outward professions glorious comprehensions and conceivements of God and Christ imitating what the Saints did in power according as they were moved by the operation of the Spirit of the Most High God and you imitate the Saints practice by your wisdom There is nothing but confusion in the Kingdom of Babylon So come you to be divided into so many particular Forms as Presbyterians Imdependants Anabaptists and divers others that are in outward worships painted over with glorious words and yet you whose wills guide you are painted Beasts bewitched with the Mother of Harlots notwithstanding all your outward professions and glorious observations they are but the golden Cup and within you are full of the Abominations of the Earth as Self-Love Covetousness â—…usts Uncleanness Frowardness Backbiting Slandering Hard-heartedness Cruelty and Oppression Grinding the Faces of the Poor Impatiency and Unbelief and the fear of the Lord is not before your eyes and thus you lie enslaved Captives in the Kingdom of Babylon refreshing your hearts in the Creature enjoyments which will perish some in Father and Mother some in Wife and Children some in House and Land some in Gold and Silver some in the Self Wisdom delighting in themselves some in Honour and Preferment in this World and when there is enjoyment of these visible creatures then there is content and when they are taken away there is trouble the mind alwayes Plotting Contriving and Acting every way to get of the creatures what the heart lusteth after and he that gets the
Spirit in him quickning his mortal Body as well as to believe that it was in Christ and raised up him from the Dead Rom. 8. 11. And this man whoever he be Bound or Fâ—…ee that thus believes the Death of Christ and itâ—… Satisfaction to God as well as its Usefulness to man cannot make it void nor divide it and its Virtue upon the Soul that thus knows it but will say Here is a dying man witnessing the Death of Christ and nevertheless the same man living with Christ and concluding if Christ had not dyed man must have perished in his Sin This being the Way found out by God to recover him whereby he knows Christ and him crucified and what the preaching of the Cross of Christ is which is Foolishness to them that perish but to them that are saved the Wisdom of God and the Power of God 1 Cor. 1. 81. By this Gift of God in our Hearts we further believe That Christ Jesus rose again froâ—… the Dead according to the Scriptures and sits at God's Right Hand in a Glorious Body And we believe that our low Estates and humble Bodies shall be made like unto his glorious Body through the Working of his Mighty Power whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself and that this Mortality shall put on Immortality For though we believe that Christ Jesus hath lighted every man with his Light whereby man may come to know himself lost and undone as before is said yet therefore is not every man saved though the Grace that appears to all men is sufficient in it self but some have the Grace of God bestowed upon them in vain not likeing to retain God in their Knowledge though something within them shews them what is good But they reject the Counsel of God within or against themselves to their own Destruction Luke 7. 30. see the Mergant and yet it doth not follow that the Grace is insufficient of it self no more then it follows that Christ's Death is insufficient because he tasted Death for every man and yet every man is not saved Neither doth Regeneration or the believing in the Light of Christ within make void the Death and Sufferings of Christ without at Jerusalem no more then believing the Scripture testimony without concerning Christ's Death makes void the Work of Regenertaion and Mortification within but as the Apostle saith in another Case so I say in this For as the Man is not without the Woman neither is the Woman without the Man in the Lord even so is not the Death Sufferings of Christ without at Jerusalem to be made void and of none effect by any thing within neither doth the Light within make that of none effect without but both in the Lord answers his Will For though there is and may be a Knowledge and Belief of what Christ did and Suffered without the Gates in his own Body upon the Tree and yet Sin alive in the Heart and the Work of Regeneration not known yet it can't be so where the Light within is believed on and obeyed so as to have its perfect Work in the Heart to regenerate and make all things new and to be of God this man can never make void what Christ hath done and suffered without And yet this New Birth or Christ formed within and dwelling in the Heart by Faith doth not limit or confine Christ to be only within and not without also but both within and without according to the Good Pleasure of the Father to reveal and make him known for he fills all things and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him and yet is he at God's Right Hand far above all Heavens in a glorious Body And we also believe the Resurrection of the Just Unjust the One to Salvation and the Other to Condemnation according unto the Judgment of the great Day and then shall every Seed have its own Body according to 1 Cor. 15. 36 37. which we verily believe For if the Dead rise not we are of all men most miserable But because we dare not be so foolishly inquisitive as to say With what Bodies shall they arise therefore do some say We deny both the Resurrection of the Body of Christ and of all that are or shall be dead But this also is false for every man shall be raised in his own Order but Christ the First Fruits 1 Cor. 15. 23. And we believe they shall be raised with the same Bodies so far as a Natural Spiritual Corruptible and Incorruptible Terrestrial and Celestial can be the same We further believe according unto the Sâ—…riptures concerning Faith That this Faith is only true which is God's Gift and has Christ Jesus the Power of God for its Author and Object and is distinguished from the Dead Faith by its Fruits For though in Description and Definition they may carry a Resemblance yet in Nature are as different as a Living Man is from a Dead which wants not Form or Shape but Life Power So saith the Apostle James As the Body without a Spirit is dead so is Faith without Works even so is that Faith which stands in the Wisdom of Words and not in the Power of God by the one man is kept in Captivity to the World and the things of it but by the other he hath Victory over the World 1 Joh. 5 4. and the Seal and Witness thereof in his own Heart whereby it is purified and God is seen for the Pure in Heart see God Mat. 5. 8. This Faith differs men now and their Worships as it did Cain and Abel For By Faith Abel offered up a more excellent Sacrifice then Cain Hebr. 11. By this Living Faith Abel saw beyond the Sacrifice unto Christ the First Born of God beyond the Firstling of the Flock which he offered and therefore God had Respect unto Abâ—…l and his Offering but God rejected Cain and his Offering though he had Faith to believe it to be his Duty yet sticking in the Form and not flying on the Wing of Faith unto Christ the One Offering he missed the Mark as all have done ever since that have gone in Cain's Way of Worshipping as well as Killing men about Worship But we believe that Faith to be only true and saving that flyes over Self Righteousness as well as Filthiness unto the Fountain of Life in Christ which Faith hath nothing of man in it but is as the Breath of Life by which the Soul lives nor a bare Assent of the Truth of a Proposition in â—…he natural Understanding but the Soul's cleaving unto God out of a Naturalness between Christ and the Soul and so live rather by Relation then bare Cerdit or desperate Adventure and Hazard not looking at its doing to commend it but God's Love and Bounty in Christ the Light to receive it and yet Holiness is its Delight he can no more live out of it then the Fish upon the dry Land We believe That this Faith
imposed on them until the time of Reformation but Christ the Substance being come the Shadows flee away And yet where-ever any are commanded now by the same Spirit that commanded the Believers to be Baptized in the days past either for the furtherance of the Gospel or tryal of their Faith we judge them not But this obedience is very rare to be found and we could heartily desire that all would consider seriously whether literal sayings observed only by outward reading hearing by the â—…ar or inward impluses upon the heart by the Divine Power are the motives unto Obedience in this kind And if honesty and uprightness of heart may be heard we believe and know the many dead souls every where notwithstanding their Baptisms will be as so many witnesses against them by their groveling upon the Earth as so many slain and killed men by the Letter while the Spirit's quicknings have not been known in the true Baptism into death For we find by daily experiences that most men and women live like Pharaoh's lean Kine only to eat up the fat and to envy those that are not so lean-soul'd as themselves We believe also That as there is one true saving Baptism so there is one Bread or Body of Christ which all the Saints do feed upon and though they be many as to persons yet their Bread is but one and they all in it but one Bread And this we believe is the flesh that came down from Heaven John 6. 33. Though the outward Jews now as then murmur at him because he said I am the Bread which came down from Heaven ver. 41 42. But Christ ver. 45. to stop their murmuring tells them that the knowledge of this Mystery was only revealed unto them whom God and not man teacheth and no more then are taught of God can set seal and subscribe unto this Truth in Jesus though we believe also that Jesus took outward bread and break it and gave it to the Dâ—…sciples as the Scripture saith and this was a figure of his Body that was to be pierced and broken upon the Tree and a shew to shew forth his Death until he came And we believe he did arise again and appear unto his Disciples and all that believed were together and had All things Common c. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God and having favour with all the People Acts 2. 44 45 46 47. And we believe that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11. 20. said true where he said When ye come together therefore in one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper And all that he speaks in that chapâ—…er is not to perpetuate that outward breaking of Bread otherwise then as the Belivers did that were filled with the holy Ghost in singleness of heart as before is said and yet we judge not those who break outward Bread and drink outward Wine being commanded so to do and put in remembrance thereby of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ by the Remember ancer the Spirit of Truth which is appointed by the Father to lead into all Truth But to do it by imitation or tradition only as most do it if not all at this day we know it is not an Offering unto God in Righteousness neither do we believe this to be the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and yet the eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Christ we believe man must know and witness or he hath no life in him Joh. 6. 53 54 55. And we believe that many are striving now in their Spirits as the Jews did verse 52. saying How can this man give us his Flesh to eat And not only the Jews but many of his Disciples said This is a hard saying who can hear it Vers. 60. And in vers. 63. he tells them It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing Thâ—… words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And he that hears and understands these words that are Spirit and Life will not be offended at what I have spoken of the Flesh and Blood of Christ By the same Spirit and Grace we believe That Prayer is an Ordinance of God when performed by his Spirit in its words and not those which man's wisdom teacheth or without words by sighs and groans which cannot bâ—… uttered and these so often as the Spirit it self pleaseth But the Form without the Spirit whether it be by words of other mens framing or words of man's own Spirit according to his will time and manner this is not the Prayer that prevails with God And we believe that there is none so weak and infirm but this spirit proffers his help at some time or other though man regardeth it not And the more man's mind is gathered within from all visibles the more he comes to be sensible of the Movings and Stirring of this Spirit in its secret cryes unto God answerable to the wants of that man or woman in whom it moves and cryes And by the due watching thereunto we believe and know the Spirit of Prayer and of Adoption that cries unto God comes to be discerned and distinguished from a man 's own spirit and will We believe by the same gift of Grace that there are several Minstrations and several Operations according to 1 Câ—…r 12. and all by the same Spirit as before and after the Law by Moses and after by John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles and in all these the ministration had acceptance with God through the mannagment of the Spirit and its rejection and dislike of God for the want thereof And by this Spirit were the Scriptures given forth and the Holy men of God did speak prophesie preach and pray as they were moved and for want of it the letter did and doth kill And for the further appearance and pouring out of this Spirit answerable unto the work service that God had for them to do they weâ—…e to wait as Christ commanded his 〈◊〉 to do at Jerusalem to receive the Promise of the Father For by this spirit he that speaks speaks as the Oracle of God And therefore as it was the practice of the People of God in old time to wait for the moving and stirring of this Spirit that they might speak 〈◊〉 it gave them utterance in the evidence and demonstration thereof so do this People called Quakers now and according to its moving in their hearts they minister according to the signification of the Spirit whereby they understand both what and when to speak and when to be silent as also who are they that minister and speak in their own wills above the Cross of Christ which the Apostle was careful always to be in subjection to lest he should make it void by speaking the words which man's wisdom teacheth and therefore as the Saints did
so we do believe and therefore we speak And such Preaching and Speaking in Faith as well as Praying in Faith is acceptable unto God as his worship and not otherwise And we further believe by the same Spirit that the sum of all Religion according to the Truth and signification of the word Religion is Man not at liberty in his will but bound again unto God by his having given to him by the Light of Christ within the true sight and knowledge of himself as in himself as lost and undone forever and from this Sight a true sense to arise upon and remain with him from whence spring unutterable groans and cryes unto God under the weight of the burthen and wretchedness by reason of the body of Sin and Death and then when there was none to help or pitty in this state then is Mercy shewed in Christ the Arm of God which is revealed as an help neither seen nor known where how or when to come at it or meet with it And this begets in the heart of that man or woman in and unto whom it is thus revealed thanks and praises unto God for this Gift and Revelation of his Son in this needful time whom the Soul sees to be the Gist of Eternal Love And we believe and know upon this Love and Faithfulness of God is founded built and established the Everlasting Covenant whereby not only all men may be saved for its ability but some shall be saved because for its Prevalency which is not like to the Covenant hâ—… made with our Fathers And although all mankind is not saved yet it is not because either of in sufficiency in this Covenant or because of the weakness of the Grace that appears in and unto all men but because of mans will loving death and chusing his own delusions whereby his destruction is of himself and God clear of his Blood in the free tender of his Grace Gift and striving of the Spirit within him For we know assuredly according to the Scriptures of Truth and experience of all souls that ever were truly converted to God that though by Grace man is saved not of himself but by the free Gift yet as the old world did and those rebellious Jews spoken of Acts 7. who as did their Fathers so did they always resist the Holy Ghost so do men now And yet in the tender of this Grace and striving of his spirit the Lord is a God so hiding himself in the mannagement of this striving and Ministration of his Spirit as if it wholly depended upon mans choice and consenting that mans will as to him is as it were free in rejecting or accepting Life and Death being set before him whereby in the wisdom of God the propensity of his Name as it came out of the hands of his Maker hath an advantage by this dealing of God to put forth it self so that man is as free in the choice as he is in the refusal of the tender of Mercy and Help and that with an equal indifferency as it appears to him in this state notwithstanding afterwards in the further growth in this Grace and knowledge of Christ he sees clearly and convincingly that the Grace that wrought hiddenly from his sight and knowledge in the first working tender and ministration of God towards him gained his consent through its own prevalency in the Love of God by which sight and sence self comes to be abhorred and the free Love so admired that he knows from first to last all was of Grace and that free that self is not able to challenge any thing as due from what it had done but all of gift and yet as before with such an equal indifferency on mans account so that God may and will appear to be just both in condemning and saving and the Justifier freely of all that believe in Jesus the Light of the world Therefore let all take heed how they dislike this Ministration of God and striving of his Spirit in their Hearts Consciences under colour and pretence of its in sufficiency and therefore they will not come to him because his drivings and strivings are not so strong as they would have them to be looking for such an overpowering and irresistibleness as they are not able to withstand and gainsay left such perish through a willful neglect and for want of stretching out their hand when the Lord holds out his and so they perish in the ditch with a vain expectation of further Power or cry in their mouthes Lord have mercy upon us and so with the Sluggard while they cry Yet a little more slumber and folding of the hands to sleep their Garden is over-grown with weeds and their backs cloathed with rags and they beg in harvest whilst others that have sown in tears not fainting do in due time reap in joy and not despising the crums that fell from the table nor the day of small things Witness the presence of their Beloved come down into his Garden and walking among the Liâ—…ies Let these thing be truly considered pondered and weighed in the true Ballance of Light and Righteousness lest any Soul perish through the false weight and measure so shall my soul rejoyce that any have escaped the Net of the Fowler through the discovery of the true Light and God have all the Glory unto whom alone it belongs and man ashamed confounded his â—…th stopped and he laid in the dust forever and then shall my end be answered in writting these things John Crook Concerning Perswasions in Matters of Religion THere is the Natural man and the Spiritual man and there are the Perswasions of each in and about matter of Religion There is the perswasion of Reason and the perswasion of Faith The perswasion of Reason is that Belief which man receives into his mind or heart from the exercise of the Reasoning Faculty this perswasion in maters of Religion is but mans Opinion or Judgment which how certain or infallible soever it appears to him yet may be shaken by a demonstration or evidence of a higher kind of nature The perswasion of Faith is that Belief which the new Creature receives into the renewing Mind from the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit which openeth and manifesteth the things of the Spirit unto that mind which is begotten and renewed by it And this perswasion is certain and infallible however it may be struck at and battered by the reasonings of the wise Earthly part even in that very man whose heart is thus perswaded by the Light of the Spirit of God concerning the things of Gods Kingdom Now the lowest perswasion of Faith is higher and of a more noble nature then the highest perswasion of Reason because Faith is of an higher Principle and of a deeper nature and ground then mans Reason is But this because it appears not in mans sphear but rather out of it and is contrary to the line and reach of his wisdom is accounted by
him foolishness and madness This is the Wiâ—…dom of God and the children thereof judged and condemned by man in his day And how can it be otherwise How can the wisdom of men but judge that as foolishness whose beauty and excellency is hid from its eye But this is because the wisdom of man is out of its place not subjected to the Wisdom of God but exalted above it therefore as a Curse unto it is it suffered to lift up it self in its conceitfulness against and so to persecute the pure Wisdom of God and the birth thereof that it might fall and be broken and snared and taken and its day deservedly come to an end and be shut up in the shadows and chambers of eternal darkness But what Ear of Man can hear this Surely none that is whole in the line of Man's wisdom reason and understanding but that alone which is bruised broken and in some measure dashed to pieces by the inroads of a divine Life and Nature This iâ—… the leading of that Life which hath broken it and in the shinings of the Light eternal upon it and into it may be enabled to take up the Cross to the natural part and to die that Death with Christ which preserves from the second Death with the misery thereof Happy is he who knows and hearkens to the Perswasions of God's Spirit who is born of God and taught to wait upon him and worship him in Spirit who receives his Religion from the Ligâ—… of Faith into the renewed Nature and Mind and not from the Reason of Man into the natural understanding which is easily corrupted and cannot be kept pure but alone by the indwelling of the Principle of Eternal Life in it For though such may suffer very deeply in this World from the men of this world as the Subjects and Servants to the Principle of Life have done in all Ages and Generations yet their Principle will bear them out in which God will appear to strengthen and refresh their spirits and carry them up above all their Sufferings in the Patience Meekness and Faith of the Lamb And keeping to their Principle they cannot be overcome but must either live or die Conquerors according to the will and good pleasure of Him who ordereth and disposeth of all things well and bringeth good out of every evil in despite of all the Powers of Darkness And he that overcometh whether by life or death in the Lamb's Spirit shall wear the Lambs Crown sit down in that perfect Rest in the Kingdom of the Father which will give the hearts of all his Children full Satisfaction In which assured hope Life stirring in our bosoms and quickning our hearts with Love unto our God and Zeal for his Truth we can freely give up all that is near and dear unto us in this World and lay down our heads in inward Peace â—…n the midst of the greatest outward Persecution and Trouble Even so O Lord thy Will be done concerning this Generation of thy People whom thou hast begotten to thy Self and brought forth by thy mighty Power to testifie to thy Truth in this present day Dispose of them as it pleaseth Thee and let not their Faith in thee nor thy Faithfulness to them fail but let them be a Praise to thy Name throughout all Generations and tendered by Thee as the First fruits of thine Appearance in the Glorious Light of the Everlasting Day after this great long thick and dark Night of Apostacy from the Life and Spirit of the Apostles hath so long ecclipsed and covered the brightness of thy Beauty from the fight of the Earth Isaac Pennington A Declaration to all the World of our Faith and what we Believe who are called QUAKERS Also what Ministers and Magistrates we own and what and whom we deny Concerning God Christ and the Spirit FIrst That there is only one true God who is a Spirit and his Presence filleth Heaven and Earth he is Eternal and Everlasting the Creator Preserver of all things that Heaven and Earth and all things therein by him were framed and brought forth and all things remain unto this day by his Power and whatsoeveâ—… he willeth in Heaven and Earth he brings to pass by his Word and Power And we believe That this God only is and ought to be feared loved obeyed and worshipped by all Creatures and no other thing besides him in Heaven and Earth and we believe that his Worship and Obedience and Care and Love is to be given in Spirit even iâ—… what his own Spirit moveth and leadeth his people unto And we believe his True Worship required and accepted of him is not by the tradition of men in outward observances or set days or places but he is worshipped only in Spirit and Truth without respect of times places or things and that none can worship him in righteousness but his Children who are born of his Spirit and are led and guided thereby And we believe that this God hath given his Son Christ Jesus into the World a free Gift unto the whole World and that every man that cometh into the World is lighted by him that every man may believe and be saved And we believe That he is given into the World and no Nation Country or People excepted but to all mankind he is given of God and hath enlightened them And every man through the world that believeth in and receiveth Christ who is the Wisdom and Power of the Father shall be saved with eternal Salvation And every one that believes not in him shall be damned and shall possess everlasting misery And we believe That Salvation Justification and Sanctification is only in Him wrought by him and no other for there is no other Name given under Heaven but him alone by which Salvation is and we believe all that receive him and believe in him are reconciled to God and are made alive to God to live to him in all things and do receive the forgiveness of Sins and are set free from all unrighteousness and from the body of Sin and Death and have the witness of the Spirit in them and the Spirit of the Father they have received and it witnesseth in them of the Father and of the Son and of the things that belong to their peace and it is the Earnest of the Inheritance and the Seal of the Promise of Eternal Life and by it are the deep things of God revealed to mankind and by it the Father and the Son dwell in the Saints and by it they have fellowship one with another and the Father Son and Spirit are one And this we faithfully believe Again concerning Christ we believe Thaâ—… he is one with the Father and was with the Father before the World was and what the Father worketh is by the Son for he is the Arm of Gods Salvation and the very Power and Wisdom of the Creator and was is and is to come without beginning or end And we
believe That all the Prophets gave Testimony of him and that he was made manifest in Judea and Jerusalem and did the Work of the Father and was persecuted of the Jews and was crucified by his Enemies and that he was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures And we believe He is now ascended on high exalted at the right hand of the Father for evâ—… and that he is gloâ—…ified with the same gloâ—…y that he had before the world was and that even the same that came down from Heaven is ascended up to Heaven and the same that descended is he that ascended And we believe Even he that was dead is alive and lives for evermore and that he cometh and shall come again to judge the whole world with righteousness and all people with equity and shall give to every man according to his deeds at the day of Judgment when all shall arise to condemnation or justification he that hath done good shall receive Life and he that hath done evil everlasting Condemnation And we believe He is to be waited for in Spirit to be known after the Spirit as he was before the World was and that is the knowledge unto Eternal Life which all that believe in him do receive he subdues death destroys him that hath the power of it restoreth from Death to Life and quickeneth by his Spirit all that the Father hath given him and we believe such he justifieth and sanctifiâ—…th and such are taught of him but he condemns all that believe not and continue in unbelief and are not taught of him And this we faithfully believe And we believe That unto all People upon the face of the whole Earth is a time and day of Visitation given that they may return and be saved by Jesus Christ who is given of the Father to call the worst of men to repentance and the most ungodly of sinners are convinced by him of their ungodly deeds that they may believe and be converted and saved And we believe Herein is the love of God manifested to all mankind and that none wert shut out by him before they were born into the world but unto all men is a visitation given and they that perish it is because they do not believe in Christ and Destruction is of a mans self but Salvation is of God through believing in his Son who takes away sin and reneweth into his ownImage that they may become Heirs with him And we believe That there is a Crown of eternal Glory and an Inheritance of eternal Life to be enjoy'd for evermore by all that believe are chosen of God and that there is an everlasting Misery and Destruction to be possessed by all that believe not but continue in the state of Reprobation and are not changed from the ways of sin and death but walk after the ways of their own hearts lusts fulfilling the will of the flesh in the evil of this world and follow not Christ the Light of the world that they may be saved and we believe upon all such the Wrath of God abides and that they have no part in the Inheritance of God And we believe That it is only he that is born again of the Spirit and that walks after the Spirit who is changed from Death unto Life and who is redeemed out of the world and all its ways such only must inherit the Kingdom of God and they only have right thereunto and none besides even they that are washed and cleans'd from all unrighteousness by the Blood of Jesus by which their sins are remitted for his Blood cleanseth them from all Unrighteousness and Sin yea all such that walk and abide in the Light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned the World withal And we believe That the Saints upon Earth may receive forgiveness of Sins and may be perfectly freed from the body of sin death and in Christ may be perfect and without Sin and may have Victory over all Temptations by Faith in Jesus Christ And we believe Every Saint that is call'd of God ought to press after Perfection and to overcome the Devil and all his Temptations upon Earth and we believe they that faithfully wait for it shall obtain it and shall be presented without sin in the Image of the Father and such walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and are in Covenant with God and their Sins are blotted out and remembred no more for they cease to commit sin being born of the Seed of God And we believe the Goâ—…pel of Christ is the Power of God unto Salvation and that it ought to be preached freely unto all People Christ to be held forth to all Mankind by the Ministry sent of him And we believe this Ministry is receiv'd by the gift of the holy Ghost and all they that receive it are lawfully called to the Ministry and they may preach the Gospel of Christ freely as they have received it freely and this Ministry is not of man but of God and is made powerful to the converting of sinners and to the bringing of People to God and to the knowledge of his ways And we do not believe that any man is a Minister of Christ without the gift of the holy Ghost or that the Gospel can be received by natural Larning or Education And we believe such as preach for hire and have hire for preaching are not the lawfully called Ministers of the Gospel of Christ such as are proud and high-minded and covetous men who do not profit the people at all such as have run and never were sent of Christ who calls by his Spirit into the Work of the Ministry and as every one hath received the Gift of that Spirit so he may administer to others Concerning Rulers and Governors we believe That there ought to be Rulers and Governors in every Nation City Country or Town and they ought to be such men as fear God and hate every evil way who will judge for God and not for man and will judge Righteously Equally and Justly and will give true and sound Judgment unto all men without bribery or respect of Persons not regarding the Rich above the Poor but being a Praise unto all that do well a terror to all evil doers having knowledge in the pure Law of God and themselves continually exercised therein And we believe That every Law of man ought to be grounded upon the Law of God pure Reason and Equity being the Foundation thereof that Gods witness in every man may answer to it and the Law ought to be known unto all People before Transgression be charged or punished in any man And we believe That every Transgression ought to be punished according to its nature that the punishment exceed not the greatness of the Transgression neither ought Transgressors to escape unpunished neither ought any upon false suspicion or jealousies be caused to suffer without the Testiâ—…ony of true men or the
Confession of the Party And we believe That the Executors of the Law ought to be just men and not given to Pride Drunkenness or any other Evil And thus true Judgment and Justice will be brought forth in the Earth and all that do well will have Praise and live in Rest and Peace that all Evil-doers may stand in a we and be afraid of God and Just men and the Execution of good Laws Concerning Religion we believe That it is the Spirit the of Lord that makes men truly Religious and no man ought to be compelled to or from any exercise or practise in Religion by any outward Law or Power but every man ought to be left free as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or the other practice in Religion and every man of what Profession in Religion soever ought to be protected in Peace provided himself be a man of Peace not seeking the wrong of any mans Person or Estate And we believe That to reprove false Opinions and unsound Doctrines and Principles seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by Exâ—…rtation or sharp Reproof by word or writing ought not to be counted a breach of the Peace or to strive about the things of the Kingdom of God by men of contrary Minds or Judgments this ought not to be punished by the Magistrates and their Laws for we believe that the outward Laws Powers of the Earth are only to preserve mens Persons Estates and not to preserve men in Opinions neither ought the Laws of the Nation to be laid upon mens Consciences to bind them to or from such a Judgment or Practice in Religion And we believe That Christ is and ought only to be Lord and Exerciser of mens Consciences and his Spirit must only lead into all Truth And we believe That Obedience and Subjection in the Lord belongs to Superiors that Subjects ought to obey them in the Lord that have rule over them and that Children ought to obey their Parents and Wives their Husbands and Servants their Masters in all things which is according to God which stands in the exercise of a pure Conscience towards God But where Rulers Parents or Masters or any other command or require Subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him in such cases all People are free and ought to obey God rather than man And we believe that herein God will justifie them being guided and led by his Spirit in all that which is good and out of all that which is evil Again We believe concerning Election and Reprobation That there is a State of Election and a State of Reprobation a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God and that all Mankind are in one of these states All that are elected are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the state Reprobate bringing forth fruits of death and darkness being Children of Wrath and Disoebdience in the Alienation and Separation from God in the Transgression unreconciled to God the Enmity ruling in the heart being in the fall and not restored to God again but ignorant of his Power and Wisdom having the Understanding darkened that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are Eternal And in this condition his best Works are Sin and whatsoever he doth he cannot be accepted of God for he is dead to God and alive to all Evil bringing forth all his Works out of that ground which is cursed This is the condition of all Mankind upon the face of the Earth in the first Adam and this is the state of Reprobation and all that abide herein are rejected of God and shall never enherit eternal Life but go into Perdition yet have all such a day of Visitation that they may return out of the state of Reprobation but hating Knowledge and despâ—…fing the Love of God they continue in the state Reprobate and the Wrath of God abides upon them but they that are chosen of God are delivered from Wâ—… for they believe in the Light and become Children of the Light and are renewed in mind and heart and receive the love of the Father and become planted into Christ the second Adam are chosen in him to bring forth fruit uâ—…to the Father and all their fruâ—…t â—…pringeth from that ground which is blessed for they are led by the Spirit of the Father and such are in the state of Election who are made Heirs with Christ of the Everlasting Inheritance that never fades away And this we faithfully believe that Mercy is not shewed to the Reprobate nor Judgment to them that are chosen of God And this is to go abroad into the World that all People may understand what we believe and what we have received of God And they that believe this and walk therein by the Spirit of the Father shall be saved but they that believe not but are disobedient to the Truth shall be condemned because they do not believe Much more might be written but in short this is given forth by one that hath believed and received the knowledge of these things from God A Friend unto all People Edward Burroughs To all that say we whom the World do in scorn call Quakers do deny Ministers and Magistrates These things I write unto you to give you in short an understanding what Ministers and Magistrates we own and what and whom we deny 1. SUch Ministers as are made by God who are sanctified by his Word and Power who have freely received perfect Gifts from God and so by the Spirit and Power of God are sent forth into the World to turn the People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God who freely Minister unto others without coveting any mans Gold or Silver or Apparel not seeking theirs but them Warning every man and teaching every man in all Wisdom that they might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Such as minister from the Spirit and have the Word of God abiding in them who are never unprovided but at all times and seasons and in all places do speak and declare the Truth as they are moved and instructed and as the Spirit of Truth doth give them utterance such Ministers we own and have in great esteem for their works sake Gal. 1. 1 12. Joh. 15. 3. Ephes. 4. 7 8 11 12 13. Acts 26. 15 16 17 18. Mat. 10 8. Acts 20. 33. 2 Cor. 12. 14. Col. 1. 27 28 29. 2 Corinth 3. 6. John 15. 3 4 5 6 7. John 4. 10 14. and 7. 38 39. 2 Tim. 4. 2 3. Acts 2. 4. But such as are brought up at Schools Colledges so made Ministers by the will of man who have not freely receiv'd perfect gifts from God for perfecting of the Saints but deny Perfection and so deny the Ministers work neither do ministr freely but seek for gain from their Quarters and will not
of his Love immortal whosoever truely desireth and is willing to receive the Power of his Life and come into Covenant with the Lord Such may lend me an ear a little and you are them who may receive some benefit hereby for behold I write in plainness of the things of God my heart being enlarged with abundance of his Peace in which ther 's good-will towards men that you might come to draw near to the Witness the Testimony whereof is within the Vail which Vail is over the heart 2 Cor. 3. 15. and is not done away but as you come to be in him who is given for a Witness Isaiah 55. 4. by believing in the Light John 12. 36. and so to have the Witness in you 1 John 5. 10 and you to be in it and that you may come to participate of God's indwellings and feel the Oyl which will last forever threrefore I proceed thus How can I but look back a little with an eye of pitty over those who yet are where once I was when the Darkness was over the Earth and the cloud of Errorscompassed me as well as others surely I cannot now be unmindful of them that are yet lost as not to have compassion upon the Out-Casts of Israel or to conceal from them these things of so great concernment but rather as the Lord of my Life hath opened to me I will reach forth my hand towards the weak and utter my voice to the Prisoner of hope and shew unto the Meek in the Earth how the invisible God hath led his Seed and is leading his Remnant through and out of the variety of things unto the One thing it self from whence the various Things Gifts and Ministrations do come Now that which is chiefly in my heart to writ for the Seeds sake is First Something Concerning the Ministration of Moses when he was upon the Earth Secondly Concerning the Ministration of Christ whilst he was upon Earth Thirdly and chiefly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit First Concerning Moses's Ministration when he was upon Earth which was to last till Shilo same or until the time of Reformation As concerning Moses's Ministration to wit the Law Condemnation or Death with the Priests Offering and worldly Sanctuary and an outward Tabernacle and daily Offerings for Sin and Store-houses for the Levites Strangers Fatherless Widdows having the Ark of the Testimony within the Vail and the Mercy Seat cóvered and the Golden Pot and the People to seek the Law at the Priests mouth whereby their knowledge is preserved and many profit much thereby and come day by day and year by year unto that which they esteem a place of Holy Worship and Ordinances of God And notwithstanding the Priests of Moses'â—… Law were made by the Law of God yet that Pâ—…iesthood changeth and the Law changeth and the very glory of all this passeth away for this did once seem glorious unto me and many more which only disâ—…overed sin though it made nothing perfect and with much delight was the reading of the Law and the Prophets hearkened unto and the daily Confession of Sin but the Vail is over the heart whilst Moses is Preached and Sacrifices Morning and Evening with the long Prayers which the Comers thereunto were not at all thereby made perfect as pertaining to the Conscience though it had a Shadow of good things to come yet the glory thereof comes to be done away Then how much more will the very glory of the most glorious appearance of that Ministry perish and be done away which cometh short of this and hath not so much as the image of this which was a Shadow O weak beggarly things that are found among those Priest now and their Followers who come short of Moses's Ministry for he directed them to Christ the Substance so his Ministration come to be done away as Christ comes to be received for Moses did not seek to uphold his Priests or Law or Tythes or any thing else when Christ should come who is the end of the Law but did write of him and notwithstanding his Ministry Priests he said He that would not hearken unto him should be cut off and said The Lord will raise up mark the Words raise up The Lord shall raise up a Prophet and when the Prophet was come he said I am the Light and I am meek and low in heart and this is to be raised up which is meek for to them that sate in Darkness Light hath sprung up And the Soul that hearkneth not to the Prophet which springs up shall be cut off for Truth springeth up out of the Earth and Christ is the Truth and he said I am the Light which is the Horn of Salvation that God raised up to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and is the Salvation of Israel and so the soul is to hearken to that which God raised up and that it is which condemns Sin under it who is like unto Moses whose Ministry discovers Sin and so Moses directed unto Christ who puts away the Sin Paul said of the glory of Moses's Ministration that it was no glory in respect of the glory of the Ministration of the Spirit and the gloriouâ—… Ministry of the Spirit was received after he who had a body prepared had suffered the crucifying of his body and the Prophets searched diligently to see the glory that was to be after the Sufferings of Christ 1 Pâ—…t 1. 10 11. But the thing intended that Moses when he was upon the Earth directed unto Christ and gave commandment that they should hearken unto him who said I am the Light and this is one Tittle of the Law that the Light be hearkened unto who is the end of the Law and the Substance and he that offendeth herein is guilty of all and this is that in which all the large Ministrations of Moses are included that Christ the Light the true Prophet be hearkened unto and obeyed that by hearing and obeying his voice or the word in the heart they might come from under the Law and the Priests and that which waxeth old unto the Life and Obedience of him who abideth a Priest forever even the Lord of that glory which lasteth for evermore Secondly Concerning CHRIST and his Ministration when he was upon Earth and his Work which he finished And when he cometh which Moses commandeth to hearken unto even Christ the true Prophet the Light of the World the Living Minister the end of the Law who had a body prepared to do the Will of the Father which was in him the Man CHRIST JESUS he saith Follow me and he took up his Cross and passed through the Death and the Vail and so being made perfect through Sufferings attained that glory which he had with the Father before he had a body which body was prepared to do the Father's Will whose Will was that all men should be saved therefore Christ tasted death for every man and