lest you partake 〈◊〉 of the Plagues that God hath prepared for Babylon she that calleth her self the Lamb's Bride and is an Harlot committing Fornication throughout all Nations and Sects that is those that by a lying Spirit have had their Hearts seduced from God and his holy Fear yet in Words profess'd to be his People who call themselves Jews but are not Christians and are not but of the Synagogue of Satan being Strangers to the Circumcision in Spirit and the Baptism that is with Fire and with the Holy Ghost With Fire to consume the fleshly Nature and with the Holy Ghost to beget the heavenly Nature in Man O the Downfal of this great City and the Desolation of this false Church through all the Sects in Christendom is come and coming yea in one day shall it be accomplisht even in the day of the Appearance of Christ who is the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven who by the Brightness of his Coming and by the Breath of his Mouth in the Hearts of Nations shall reveal and destroy this great Antichrist this Man of Sin in Man that sitteth in the Place of God yea exalted above all that is called God requiring Conformity to all his Inventions and Injunctions upon pain of Life Liberty and Estate Nor are any suffered to Buy or Sell in this great City but such as will receive his Mark. Wo to you all in the Name of the Lord that call God your Father and are not Born of him that name his Name and hate to be Reformed That call Jesus Lord and not by the Holy Ghost who take his pure Name into your Mouths and depart not from Iniquity I say to you on God's behalf as God said to the Jews of old your Prayers your Sacrifices and your solemn Assemblies c. in an unconverted state are Abomination to the Lord. No matter for your Names your Pretences your Creeds if you live without God in the World that is without his holy Awe in your Hearts without a Divine Sense of his Presence in your Souls and know not that Godly Sorrow that worketh unfeigned Repentance the only way to Eternal Life Your Worship God loatheth A Dog's neck Swines-blood yea to Bless an Idol or kill a Man is altogether as acceptable with the Lord. O! God is wroth with the feigned Worships as well as common Ungodliness of the World Come to Christ's Spirit be led of it and do not your own Wills but the Will of Christ Jesus and then you shall know the true Worship For the true Ministry and Worship of God stand not in the Will Wisdom or Appointment of Men nor can they be performed by unregenerated Men but in the leadings of his Eternal Spirit by whom all the faithful offer up themselves an acceptable Sacrifice to God not to live unto themselves but to him that hath purchased them 'T is true Christ Jesus died for the ungodly but not that they should continue ungodly but take up his daily Cross and follow him Christ saith Peter hath offered up himself once for all leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps as he was in this World so we should be saith John not conformable to the Rudiments Fashions and Customs of this World that pass away but transformed and renew'd in our minds by the Grace that he hath given us which Grace bringeth Salvation to all that obey it teaching such to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godlikely in this present evil World Because without Holiness none shall ever see the Lord That is God's Decree Wherefore be you not deceived O you Formal and Titular Christians God will not be mocked Such as you sow such shall you reap at the Hand of the Lord Yea for every idle word shall you give an Accompt in the Day of Judgment Think not with your selves you have Christ to your Saviour and you are reconciled to God through Christ and that God looketh not upon you as you are in your selves but as in Christ whilst you walk not after the Spirit but after the Flesh for the Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord To whom Not to them that despise his Light in their Hearts that grieve his Spirit and by a worldly Conversation go on to Crucifie him and who follow not Jesus in the way of Tribulation and Regeneration God is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity and he looketh upon Men and Women to be what they really are and not what they imagine themselves to be Behold he cometh and his Reward is with him and he will reward all according to their Works Sinners while such can no more come into Christ than into God for God is in Christ and Christ is in God Christ is holy harmless pure and undefiled and separate from Sinners And if ever you would have God look upon you to be in Christ you must come into Christ And you can never come into Christ the new and heavenly Man that is undefiled and separated from Sinners till you come out of Sin and the Author of it the Devil the old Man of Sin and leave your wicked Deeds of darkness Therefore be ye separate from every evil Way Christ the Immaculate Lamb of God came not only to save Men from Wrath but from Sin which is the cause of Wrath. Behold the Lamb of God saith John which taketh away the sin of the World Not their Sin that will not believe in him but the Sins of those that are weary and heavy laden that wait hunger thirst and cry for his Salvation whom God hath given for a light to lighten the Gentiles and for his Salvation to the ends of the Earth O you that are called by his Sacred Name Repent Repent Prepare Prepare to meet the Lord who is coming in the way of his Judgments to visit the Inhabitants of the Earth and put away the evil of your doings and turn to him that he may receive you But Wo in the Name of the Lord to all that Rebel against the Light of Christ Jesus who serve another Master and follow another Captain and obey the Prince of the Power of the Air who reigneth in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience Yea Wo unto all who are covered with a Covering and not of my Spirit that take counsel and not of me saith the Lord Who gather sticks and kindle a Fire of their own and compass themselves about in the Sparks which they have kindled for this shall they have at my Hand They shall lye down in Sorrow Wo from God to all the Will-worshippers who Worship but not in the Spirit and in the Truth their Worship is not available He that Worships God aright is turned to the Spirit and is taught and led by the Spirit And such as have received the Spirit of Christ are not led by their own Spirits nor by the Spirit of this
Jesus they go before Christ before Christ cometh before he prepareth their Hearts and toucheth their Lips with a Coal from his Heavenly Altar and perform Worship in their own Will Time and Power and stay not for his Leadings And therefore all such rob Christ of his Office who is the Leader of the true Christians their Heavenly High-Priest to anoint them and offer up their Sacrifice to God for them and Prophet to let them see and know by his Light in their Hearts what they ought to do according to the New and Everlasting Covenant I will write my Law in their hearts and put my Spirit in their inward parts and they shall be all taught of me saith the Lord. Now this is the Question to the whole World called Christian Do you see with this Divine Light Have you searcht your Hearts with it And are you anointed by this High-Priest with his holy Vnction that leadeth into all Truth Doth this Heavenly Prophet give you Vision and reveal the Father to you Is he your Eye your Head your Wisdom Do you live move and have your life and being in him in Praying Preaching and Singing yea in your whole Conversation Are you renewed into this Life and Image And have you heard his Voice and seen his Shape Are you Witnesses of his holy Rebukes his pure Judgments the Shame and Death of his Cross Is he the Fountain of your Knowledge The Author of your Faith O consider Are you of those that have spoke with Jesus That have been taught in the School of his holy Cross Students in his Heavenly Academy O have you drunk of his Cup and been baptized with his Baptism Tell me in the Fear of the Lord God you that call your selves Christians doth he go before you and lead you as a Master teacheth his Disciples and a Captain leadeth his Souldiers And do you follow him in all the weighty things of this Life And doth he order your Minds and rule your Affections If not you are Thieves and Robbers for you rob Christ of his Office For God hath appointed him to be the Leader and Ruler of all People yea 't is God's Decree and those that he leadeth not in their Thoughts Words and Works shall never come to God for all must come to God by him that is by his Light and Spirit ruling in their Hearts which sanctifieth regenerateth and converteth the Soul to God And the Cause of the Confusion and Contention that is about Religion in Europe at this day is That Men have deserted this true Light and holy Spirit and so are degenerated from the life and power of pure and unspotted Religion and have attempted to comprehend Christ's Doctrines without Christ's Light and to know the Things of God without the Spirit of God And being thus miserably erred by wicked Works from the one Spirit of Truth they have wandred into the fallible Conceits and Opinions of Men. And in this State one Party hath contended against another From Words they have fallen to Blows and the strongest hath opprest the weakest And not knowing what Spirit they were of have called light darkness and darkness light putting the Sheep's-skin upon the Wolf and the Wolf's-skin upon the poor Sheep of Christ endeavouring by carnal Weapons to enforce their Opinions and to extort Conformity by worldly Laws and Punishments to their Perswasions All this is out of the Light Life and Doctrine of Christ Jesus and in the Spirit of Darkness Confusion Strife and Blood-shed which is the Devil All which Babel must and shall come down by the Light Power and Spirit of Jesus now rising in the World and Hell Death and the Grave shall not be able to hinder it For the set time the appointed time of the Father is come and the Judgment is begun O ye that are called Roman-Catholicks tell me are you truly Catholick that is of an Vniversal Spirit Then you will not persecute but love all and be tender to all Are you truly Roman and Successors of that Antient Apostolical Church Then you walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit yea the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in you and you are led by the Spirit of God and can call him Father in Truth and Righteousness and the Word of God in the Heart is your Teacher and not the Traditions of Men for so the Romans of old time were instructed O consider if you are true Successors you must follow them in the same Nature Spirit and Life for in that only standeth the Christian Succession to wit in Christ And every Branch Person or Church that abideth not in this great Vine is rejected for the Fire Therefore deceive not your selves as the Jews of old did with crying The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord and saying We have Abraham to our Father and to us belong the Fathers Covenants Law Priesthood and Chair of Moses For as the Apostle said of old so say I to you His servants you are whom you obey and he that worketh Wickedness is of the Devil So that Christ's Successors are they that take up his Cross follow him and that abide in his holy Doctrine that keep his Commandments and themselves unspotted from the World And those that follow the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life are not of Christ nor of the Father but of the World Subjects to the Prince of the Power of the Air and Successors of Sodom Gomorrah Egypt Tyro Sidon and persecuting Jerusalem and not of the harmless self-denying holy Suffering Spouse of Christ Jesus that is ruled in all things by her Husband her Head her Lord. O search and try with the Light of Jesus if you are not degenerated from Primitive Simplicity and Purity For great are the Abominations of all Sects that flow like a Deluge throughout your Countries Repent and Turn to the Ancient Apostolical Spirit and Life that you may enter into the Rest of God O you that call your selves Evangelicks or Gospellers are you Evangelical Are you saved from the Lusts and Pleasures and dead Worships of the World by the mighty Power of God which is the Gospel and led by an Evangelical Spirit If not you are not yet Redeemed you are not yet under Grace which is the Gospel-state For you are not taught by it but rebel against it how then are you true Gospellers Men of Gospel-liberty Men of Deliverance and Redemption to whom Immortality is brought to light as it is to all that truly know and receive the Blessed Gospel that are yet Subjects and Servants to Sin How can you sing the Song of the Lamb that are not delivered by the Lamb but by your vain Conversations Crucifie the Lamb and do despite to the Spirit of Grace and that every day The true Gospellers are those that receive the Angel's Message who is the great Preacher of the Everlasting Gospel viz. Fear God Give glory to his Name for the hour of his
spend their Days Vanity and their Life in Earthly Pleasures Wo to the proud Pharisee and disdainful Scribe Wo to the fearful and unbelieving Wo to Idolaters and Lyars Yea and Wo from God to all the Cruel Persecutors of the Innocent Lambs and Sheep of Jesus for their pure Conscience to him For they shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstones which is the Second Death O that you might escape this great Damnation And I testifie to you in the Word of the Lord that God giveth unto you all a Day of Visitation in which you may escape the Wrath to come For this end God hath sent his Son a Light into your Hearts 't is He which manifesteth all your Thoughts Words and Deeds unto you 't is he which checks and reproveth you yea 't is he which expostulateth and striveth with you 't is he that knocketh at your Doors and awakeneth you to Judgment Who condemneth every unfruitful Thought Word and Work in you Repent I exhort you Turn to him hear his Voice and harden not your Hearts but while it is to day and the light shineth and the Spirit striveth O humble your selves bear his Judgments love his Reproofs And though his Word be as a Fire in your Hearts and though you are even scorched within you because of the Heat thereof yet bear the Indignation of the Lord in that you have sinned against him Wait Watch and Walk in the Light of the Lord Jesus that in his Blood you may feel Remission of Sins and Sanctification unto Life Eternal That you may no more walk after the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof but in the Spirit of Holiness that you may be Sealed unto the Day of Redemption O the Peace the Joy the Pleasure and the undeclarable Comfort that is daily met with in the holy and righteous Way of the Lord O this riseth powerfully in my Soul that his Form hath no Comeliness in it that will please Flesh his Way and Worship is most remote from it Flesh and Blood have no share in his Worship the Will and Runnings of Man have no part in his Way 'T is neither at the Mountain where one sort runneth nor at Jerusalem whither another sort goethâ— but in Spirit within the Vale hid from Flesh and Blood Yea there it is that his Worship is known and performed Any Form is more pleasant than this His Visage is more Marr'd than any Man's All Will-worship all Human Invention findeth Acceptance where he cannot find a place to lay his Head on O this is a bitter Cup to the Creature few will drink it They are hard to be perswaded to Sit still and patiently to Wait for the Salvation of God to let him Work all their Works in them and for them They know not what it is to have the Mouth in the Dust to have all Flesh silent before the Lord that the Voice of God may be heard that he may prepare them and that the Will of God may be brought forth in them O this Mystery of Iniquity how hath it wrought and how doth it yet Work It claimeth a right to the Living Child but she hath no Right to it She is the Womb of Death and can bring forth no Living Fruit to God All Nations have drunk her Cup But the Hour of her Judgment is come She is seen disvailed and condemned by the Living Spirit of God that is felt and received and obeyed by a Remnant who are gathered from the Mouths of Idol-Shepherds and all the Errings and Strayings of false Prophets that have no Vision and are come to the Lord to know his Law in their hearts and Fear and Spirit to be in their inward parts and are taught and led by him And these follow the Lamb and are his Host this day that fight under his Banner with his holy Testimony against the Whore false Prophet and Beast And behold they shall prevail For greater is he that is in them than he that is in the World O this is a great Mystery but a greater Truth Moses the Servant is externally more Comely than he Yea the Prophets were as pleasant Singers and as delightful Instruments of Musick their Visions Sights and glorious Prophecies of the last Days and New-Covenant-times were says one of them of old as a pleasant Song But the Son the Substance when he came no Beauty no Excellency no Comeliness What 's the matter The Way is Narrow for Flesh and Blood there is a Cross must be taken up a bitter Cup drunk and a Baptism yea of Blood gone through Man must die to his own Will Affections Imaginations and Carnal Conceptions he must wait and watch yea continually His own Religion and Righteousness is as odious as his Sin and Iniquity yea in a sense more dangerous 'T is no Outside will do not that which pleaseth the busie active Will and Mind of the Creature that gratifieth the External Senses that have prevailed against the Soul O no 't is an hidden Life an hidden Temple an hidden Worship and that in God's time yea an hidden Manna an hidden Supper not discernable by the vain Sects in this World Of this Tabernacle is Jesus Builder of this Covenant and Worship is he Author of this Altar is he Priest To this did he gather his of old and to this is he gathering the Nations And the Bride saith Come and the Spirit saith Come and he saith Come And blessed are they that Come and See how good he is But Such who like Sodom of Old go on to grieve the Spirit of the Lord to rebel against his Light and vex God's just Lot that liveth in the midst of them persisting in their Lusts and Abominations God's Angel shall smite them with blindness The day of their Visitation shall pass away and the forbearance of God shall be at an end and Fire from Heaven shall devour them Which with my Soul I fervently and tenderly desire you may all escape whom God hath taught to hate your Sin deny your Glory and separate from all your false Worships by his own Light Spirit and Truth and to follow his Dear Son in the Way of Regeneration whose Love to me hath taught me to Love all Mankind and to seek their Salvation Amsterdam the 20 th of the 8 th Month 1677. William Penn. The END