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
A CALL TO Christendom In an Earnest Expostulation with Her to prepare for the Great and Notable DAY of the LORD That is at the Door By William Penn. LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle near the Meeting-house in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street and at the Crooked-Billet in Holywell-lane near Shoreditch 1694. A CALL TO Christendom AWake O Christendom Awake and come to Judgment for the Great and Notable Day of the Lord is drawing apace upon thee prepare to meet him thou and thy Children for the Hour of his Judgement hasteneth upon you as Travail on a Woman with Child in which all your Works shall be tried and that by Fire For the Day of the Lord shall burn as an Oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble Yea by fire and by sword will the Lord God Almighty plead with all flesh with all fleshly Worshippers and Workers who live after the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof And with the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning that is with Spiritual Judgment and Burning will he visit all Ranks and Regions upon the Earth Yea his holy Terrors shall take hold of the Rebellious and Anguish and Distress shall fill the Souls of the Guilty The Faces of Nations shall gather paleness and their Knees smite together because of the Anger of God that is kindling against them and his fierce Wrath that is revealing from Heaven against all the ungodly but more especially against the Children of the Mystery of Iniquity 'T is in this day that the Kindreds of the Earth shall mourn with a great Lamentation O Christendom Thou hast long sate as a Queen that should never know sorrow Great have been thy Pretences and large thy Profession of God Christ Spirit and Scriptures come let me Expostulate with thee and thy Children in the fear and presence of him that shall bring every word and work to Judgment God is pure and the pure in heart only see him Now are you pure Do you see him God is a Spirit and none can worship him aright but such as come to his Spirit and obey it Do you so Christ is the Gift of God have you received him into your Hearts Does he rule there Then have you Eternal Life abiding in you If not you are not true Christians The Spirit of Truth leadeth into all Truth and the Children of God are born of it and led by it But are you led into all the holy ways of Truth born of this Eternal Spirit Then you follow not the Spirit of this World nor do your own wills but the Will of God You profess the holy Scriptures but what do you witness and experience What Interest have you in them Can you set to your Seal they are true by the work of the same Spirit in you that gave them forth in the holy Antients What 's David's Roarings and Praises to thee that livest in the Lust of this World What 's Paul's and Peter's Experiences to thee that walkest after the Flesh O you that are called Christians givâ— ear a little unto me for I am prest in Spâ—rit to write to you Read with patiencâ— and consider my words for behold what I have to say unto you concerneth your Eternal Good GOD hath so loved the World that he hath sent his only Begotten Son into the World that those that believe in him should have Eternal Life And this Son is Christ Jesus the true Light that lighteth every one coming into the World and they that abide not in him the Light dwell in Darkness in Sin and are under the Region and Shadow of Death Yea dead in Sin and see not their own states neither perceive the sad Conditions of their own Souls They are blind to the things of God's Kingdom and unsensible of true and spiritual Life and Motion what it is to live to God And in that state are alienated from God without true Judgment and living Knowledge and under the Curse For in Jesus Christ the Light of the World are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Redemption and Glory they are hid from the wordly Christian from all that are captivated by the Spirit and Lusts of the World And whoever would see them for therein consist the things that belong to their Eternal Peace must come to Christ Jesus the true Light in their Consciences bring their Deeds to him love him and obey him whom God hath ordained a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for his Salvation to the ends of the Earth Light and Salvation are joined together and none can come to Salvation but as they come first to the Light and submit to the manifestation of it which leadeth to Salvation For the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Lamb Christ Jesus Light and Sanctification are also joined together If we walk in the Light as God is in the Light the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son shall cleanse us from all sin And Light and Life Eternal are joined together For in the Word that was with God in the beginning and was God by whom all things were made that were made was life and that life the light of men And this is the Testimony of Jesus I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not abide in darkness but have the light of life Yea it is Eternal Life to believe in him in Christ the Light to receive embrace and to follow him And this is that true Light saith the same beloved Disciple that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Now this Light shineth in Darkness in the Children of Darkness in their dark Hearts in their black Souls and defiled Consciences but in this Darkness they comprehend it not Neither can man know the Nature and Benefit of it whilst he rebelleth against it for the Virtue and Excellency of it is shut up and hid from the Children of Disobedience To as many as received him of old gave he power to become the Children of God and they that did his Will knew his Doctrine to be of God and of Power and Efficacy to their Salvation But this is the great Condemnation of the World at this day that though God hath sent his Son a Light into the Hearts of all Men and Women to manifest and reprove their evil deeds and to save them yet they love Darkness they love the Lusts and Imaginations of their vain Hearts better than this holy Light that is given unto them for Salvation They chuse Barrabas rather than Jesus Yea they have set up other Lights than Christ Jesus God's great Light and other Prophets than Christ God's great Prophet and other Priests than Jesus the High-Priest of the New Covenant But they are dark Lights false Prophets and blind Priests All that came before me saith Christ are Thieves and Robbers And all that Pray Preach Sing Worship c. and not by the Light and Spirit of
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