concerning the Gift of God which is Life Eternal you being really out of it in your own imaginary Parts Gifts in comprehending the VVorks done without you and so not sensible of any Real Perfect Pure VVork 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 VVages of Death the Cause of Death being Sin the which remaining the Effects cannot cease even Death and Corruption from that venemous 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 VVorks 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 VVorks 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 Mordecai 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 God's Spirit in Shadrach Meshach and Abednego how they could not bow to the Golden Image set up by Nebuchadnezer 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 the 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 an 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 Meshach 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 many of our Enemies unto us though many will perish in their Gain-saying So over all the VVorks and Powers of Darkness is our Faith and Belief that the Holy Righteous VVorks of God's blessed Spirit shall be exalted and the God of Truth in and through his blessed VVorks in preparing and fitting the Hearts of people the Knowledge of him shall encrease till it spread over all And for this Purpose hath God raised many contrary to the VVisdom of the VVorld 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 VVorks 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 forever 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 Working 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 the 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 Manifestation of 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 forbidden 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 are not the great Mercies of God witnessed in and 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 that come to Salvation come first to the Way and Means that God hath ordained And is not the Second Coming of Christ in the Light of his Holy Spirit the Way by which all must come unto God the which is without Sin without Spot without Guile And must not all that come unto God come unto him in this one Blessed Savoury Offering And is not this Christ of God the same yesterday to day and forever as he was before Abraham was and so the same in the beginning of all things And must not all that come to God come out of Transgression the Cause why Mankind was drove from the Presence of God
of Knowledge is therein a Minister of the Universal Love of God in his Eternal Spirit unto the VVorld So here lies the Difference between True Teaching and Teachers and False The True Teaching being the Anointing of God's Holy Spirit and Power wherewith Mankind being anointed and taught of God and according to God's Blessed VVill therein in a Cross to his own Carnal VVill and Affections speaking forth and delivering the Truth unto people as it is in Jesus Lord of all in whom the Peace is and from whom Peace is proclaimed under those Conditions and Quallifications as it pleases him to make and tender who is Lord of all The False Teaching is that Spirit of Iniquity the Old Deceiver of the VVorld the Serpent that worked and wrought under a Mystery subjecting Mankind unto his VVill under a Vain Hope through which he beguiled him at first drawing out a Compliance of his VVill unto his Delusions and so to transgress the blessed Commands of his Maker through which yielding of Mankind unto the Serpent's Counsel they became Transgressors of God's Holy Law and Covenant and for that Cause was drove from God's Presence and then Fear entered and Trouble and Sorrow entered by Man's yielding to the Traytor by which means he partook of the Nature of his Cursed VVorks and being thus drove out of the Garden of Eden the Lord placed a Flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the VVay of the Tree of Life And now the same Mystery of VVickedness by which Mankind was drawn into Transgression the same spiritual VVickedness being got in a High Place above the pure holy Seed of God in Man there keeps Mankind in Bondage to his Will under many fair specious Hopes That though Sin and Transgression the Cause of Death be not finished in them yet Deliverance shall be had by the Manifestation and Works of the Seed without them So here Mankind being Imbondaged by these Corruptible VVorks under the Dark Power of the Enemy from whence arises all Corruptible VVays Man being gone from the Uprightness in which he was created goes now abroad hunting about in his Inventions and Conceivings being led about by this Thievish Spirit which first drew his Mind from the VVill of God and so in this is climing up and down every way but the right Door and so being in this Earthly VVisdom from below by Arts and Trades set a teaching of their Imaginations and Conceivings concerning the Holy VVorks without and so here lay down Foundations under Confessions and Professions of Good VVorks and Gratious VVords without and thereby keep the Serpent's works of Transgression and Sin alive within and here the false Teachers under several Covers of Confessions and Professions in the spirit of Antichrist set up And so here being tossed up and down with Floods of Inventions from thence their Shameful VVorks are cast up in the Old VVorld of Transgression and Sin where these False Teachers are so rivited the works of the Enemy being become so natural unto them by reason of the Continuance of Time in Transgression and Sin that thereby they are now become impudent and bold even to dare to plead for the Serpent's works Sin for term of Life taking it for Delusion and high Presumption for any to speak to the contrary And so here False Teachers being raised from the works of the Enemy moving in the Earthly VVisdom for Earthly Things being propt and bolstered up through Vain Glory Praise of Men and weighty Pounds many Nobles and special Marks with abundance of Crowns and frequent Appearances of Angels in and by which they are so oyled that their Tongues run at their own VVills and Lusts by fair Speeches of other Men's Lines and VVorks with which ignorant Simple People being taken have so fed and oyled the VVheeles of these Trades-men the which hath set them up so strong that they make all the Defence they can to strengthen themselves and their Clients in the old VVorld of Sin and Iniquity And so these False Teachers having put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness what strong Pillars and Props they are grown under the Devil's Kingdom and Power of Darkness under several Heads more that might be mentioned being derived from one Beastly Power from whence is risen several Heads and so branched out into several Horns the which are pushing every way against the Horn of God's Anointing the Power and Strength of the Effectual and Blessed Teachings of his Holy and Blessed Spirit the Door and VVay by which all must enter that come to be truly satisfied with God's Righteousness Christ the same Seed promised in the beginning to bruise the Serpent's Head the effectual VVorks and Power of which according to God's good Pleasure was and is manifest in the VVorld So to the Praise and Honour of God's Holy VVorks many can say Peace from him that is and was and is to come Jesus Lord of all who delivers his People from their Sins the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World through which Powerful and Blessed VVorks Mercy and Peace is extended to all Mankind without Respect of Persons upon Earth So Blessed are they that Fear God and are found out of their own VVillings and Runnings in their perverse and crooked Nature in a true Submission and Obedience to the Righteous VVorks of God's Righteous Holy Spirit the true Christian Spirit that Christianity may flourish again and that Heathenism and Paganism under that Name Christian may be subdued and vanish away and Jesus Lord of all exalted in the Hearts and Minds of people over all his Enemies Then shall the Nations flourish and yield Fruit in Season to the Praise and Honour of God forever ANd now all you Merchants of Babylon Howl and cry Alas alas What! all these pretious Trades whereby we have gotten so much Gain must they all Down Where be all our Mountains and Rocks that have been so long a making up by all our Fellow-Trades-Men by Arts and Inventions in Professions and Confessions of Good Works and Works without through Ages and Generations past Will none of these Mountains and Rocks cover and hide us from the great Wrath of the Lamb What must we now bow to his Righteous Works who takes away the Sins of the World or else will he grant us No Peace Alas Alas What Clothing in Scarlet and Purple and Fine Linnen of Egypt with pretious Stones will these no longer hide our Sins and Iniquities Must all our Works herein wherein we thought to have established our own Righteousness must they now all be put off as Dung and Dross Alas Alas Though we have lived so far from the Knowledge of the Operation and Works of God's Holy Spirit as utterly to deny its Revelations now adayes and so have been Dark and void of the Knowledge of God's Righteous Chastisments and Rebukes therein yet we have presumed that by Custom of Confessions and Professions of God's Good Works done in and through
THE Blessed Works OF THE Light of God's Holy and BLESSED SPIRIT Exalted above the Works of Darkness With some Informations how to escape out of Sin and Iniquity and a clear Way discovered into the Truth With a short Testimony of the Cry of Babylons's Merchants by reason of the Day that is coming upon them Stephen Smith 2 Peter 3.12 13. Looking for and hasting unto the Coming of the Day of God wherein the Heavens being on Fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat nevertheless according to his Promise we look for new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness Printed in the Year 1673. THE Blessed Works OF THE Light of God's Holy and BLESSED SPIRIT Exalted above the Works of Darkness COme sit down together in a deep Silence out of all Fleshly Wisdom forgiving all Trespasses that he that sits upon his Throne who said behold I make all things new that he may forgive all your Trespasses and then wait for Acception into God's Pure Holy Covenant his Holy Law in the Mind that it may be writ in the Heart and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest for I will be merciful to their Unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more a blessed day magnified be the Lord whose Works praise him forever and not good Words out of wicked Workers Mouthes so these mighty Works of the mighty God the which he is working and bringing to pass through his mighty Power are appointed that Mankind should live in the Enjoyment of them to the Praise and Honour of his Maker forever And that it may be distinguished between Evil Workers who have got the good Words and the good Works from whence all true and good and gratious Words came observe In one of the Collects appointed in the Book of Common Prayer it is thus written Almighty and Everlasting God which of thy tender Love towards Man hath sent our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our Flesh and to suffer Death upon the Cross that all Man-kind should follow the Example of his great Humility mercifully grant that we both follow the Example of his Patience and be made Partakers of his Resurrection c. Now mind To pray for this that is common and used in the old World of Transgression where Iniquity and Sin is which separates from God and are out of his Blessed Works But to be in the Humility and Patience this is God's Work where his Will is done on Earth as it is in Heaven So that if People would but so far condiscend to the Will of God as to sit down in Coolness in a true Silence of all the Works of the fleshly Wisdom would they not agree with us who are in Scorn called Quakers in Judgment at least though it may be not in Practice viz. That Words without Effects are as Dreams and Chaff to the Wheat the Substance So he that hath a Dream let him tell his Dream but he that hath God's Word let him speak it What is the Chaff to the Wheat Is not my Word like a Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces Jer. 23. I am against the Prophet saith the Lord that steals my Word from his Neighbour who use their Tongues say he saith and prophesie false Dreams and tell them and cause people to Err by their Lyes and Lightness And so now in Coolness when the Works of the Enemy are down viz. Prejudice and Passion c. then by a little Work of God in its least Appearance by which Mankind is made sensible they may see by this small Distinction what it is that we who are in Scorn called Quakers stand for and against And when the Eye of your Understanding is opened to behold his Glorious Works whom you have pierced then will you love us whom so many have hated because of our Testimony of God's Works Do but see how you first hated the Light of God in your selves before that great Darkness came over you to hate us who are called Quakers because we are bowed unto Christ's Spirit the true Christians Spirit and therein have in some measure partaken of his Cup out of which some indeed have drunk very deep even to the following of his great Humility and Patience even to Death as in New-England Sufferings may be seen by those cruel imaginary Christians whose wicked Hands have been deep in the shedding of Innocent Blood And though through Ignorance the Sufferings of God's People hath been much in Old England yet they have not been in that desperate kind as there where out of doubt they are more drunk with the Whore's Cup of Sorceries Witchcraft then those of that kind are here 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 tied 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 in Words in Life and Conversation c. And now you Vain and Empty Professors and Notionists who are saying in your Dark and Imaginary Conceivings of things That if you had been in the Scribes and Pharisees dayes those learned Rabbies you would not have done so wickedly as to Crucifie the Just and call for his Blood to be upon your Heads But come hearken in the Cool Did not those Scribes and Pharisees say the like of their Fathers who Stoned and Killed the Prophets whom God sent in Love to them And were not they in a worse Practice though they spoak otherwayes And was not the Cause of their Blindness from resisting God's Works in his Spirit by which means they had no Revelation there of the things of God notwithstanding they had the Scriptures without which testified of him yet they being so Wicked to put out the Candle that should have lighted them in it they saw not the Substance spoken of in the Scriptures were more darkned judging by that Law that Christ was a Devil and a Deceiver and so ought to dye without any regard to his Innocent Holy Life and his great Humility and Patience But though they crucified him yet they could not so bury him but that he rise again and appeared in divers manners and after he was risen opened the Scriptures to his Followers who loved Him Therefore Professors of Works without who are not Possessors of God's Blessed Holy Works within What though you do say If you had been in your Fathers 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