and the Life But now here is one thing to be considered that I would have all People well to mind that is Christ being the Way the Truth and the Life to know what Way he is and how he is the Truth and the Life Now to confess to this is one thing and to come to be a Witness of it is another thing for mind Christ his mind in this thing is that he is man and womans Way to Heaven and the Truth that they must come to and be guided by and the Life that they must live in which is by Faith in the Son of God Now here lieth the matter to be considered whether or no thou art come to that state and condition that is to come to know Christ to be thy Way and whether thou art come to know the Truth as it is in Jesus and to live that Life which pleases God yea or nay which Life is in Christ Jesus this every one is to consider for till People come to be Witnesses of this in themselves 't is not a confessing to it or talking of it will do or stand them in any stead in the Day of Account when God comes to reckon with them For this the holy men of God did witness and said The Life which we now live is by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 And John said that came to witness the work of God begun and carrying on in himself on this manner That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life this declare we unto you 1 John 1.1 And further the Apostle saith Christ wrought all their Works in them and for them which work was to root out Sin Now this they came to know and witness in themselves and not by report and hear-say of others this state the People of God came to in all Ages and Generations in a measure while they were here in this Life and did not think to have the work of Redemption done for them when they were dead as some now adayes think to have thinking to serve the Devil while they are here and that God will save them when they can sin no longer but mark this such as People sow such shall they reap and they that sow Sin and Wickedness must of the same Wages reap Corruption which Wages the Scripture saith is Death saying The Wages of Sin is Death and that to them for evermore but the Gift of God is Eternal Life Rom. 6.23 For this is a strange thing that a man should be a Servant to one man many Years and at last come to another for Wages for the same time this is Confusion and Madness and with this Cheat a great part of the World is cheated by both Priests and Professors in telling People that they cannot live without Sin and so they serve the Devil all their days and that God would accept with the reward of Peace of them when they can serve him no longer For inasmuch as they tell People they cannot leave off Sinning but must sin as long as they live it is the same thing as if they tell People they must serve the Devil all their dayes for there is no sin committed or brought forth in any but it is of the Devil 's begetting and bringing forth in People for he is the Father of all Sin in all people wheresoever or in whomsoever it is brought forth and therefore this unavoidably must follow that they that live and dye in Sin must live and dye Servants to the Devil if so every man must expect his Wages according to his Works Therefore I would have none deceive themselves for if the Devil must be served all your dayes him you must go to at last unavoidably whether you will believe it or no. And further take notice of this Christ is not the Way of the Wicked nor of Sinners neither are Sinners or they that plead for Sin come to the Truth nor to know it nor to live the Life of it which Life is out of Sin and not in Sin for that is a Life of the Devil for he is the Founder of all Sin and the Wages of Sin is Death and Damnation to all that live and dye in Sin These things are worthy to be considered before it be too late which will be when God's Spirit hath done striving with thee for without coming to know the Devil's Works destroyed in thee or that work begun by the Lord till thou comest to know this thou shalt never know the Truth making Free from Sin and that which makes Free from sin is Christ and till People come to know this Freedom from Sin begun they can never know Righteousness and without Righteousness none shall see God and without coming to see God none can go to Heaven till they come to be Freed from Sin none can be fitted for Heaven And the Scripture saith The Truth makes Free and the Truth is Christ Jesus and if this be to make Free it is to make Free from something and if it be not from Sin what is it that People must be Freed from I would know I do believe it is from Sin for I never heard of any thing that any was in Bondage to but Sin that hindereth People of Salvation and therefore Christ the Truth is come to make an end of it that Righteousness may reign in the room of Sin and these two things were never known to dwell together but one must be known to be pulling down before the other can be set up therefore it was said Light hath no fellowship with Darkness nor a Believer with an Infidel Here Christ is meant the Light and the Devil the Power of Darkness and these two War one against the other in People striving which shall rule and bear sway in Peoples Minds Hearts and Affections one of these two Spirits striveth to lead into all manner of Sin and Evil and the other striveth to lead into all manner of Righteousness and true Holiness both in things Spiritual and Temporal And here I will make a difference betwixt the manner of their working and striving in People and that in all People at one time or another and that all may be sensible of it if they will but if they will not in the day when God's good Spirit striveth with them they shall be brought one day to a Remembrance of it when they shall be unwilling and before they are aware when nothing but Death and Sorrow shall meet together and none to help them will be found Now to the matter and manner of these two Spirits striving the bad Spirit he in all People strives to keep their Minds altogether in Carnal and in Earthly things which is Death to the Soul The Scripture saith To be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace and this I do believe is
A TESTIMONY OF LOVE AND GOOD VVILL Unto all them who Desire to come to Enjoy an Everlasting BEING with the Lord of Life when Dayes in this World will have an End Given forth by one that desireth the Good of all and that none may Perish in Sin John Songhurst 1 Thes 5.12 Prove all Things and hold fast that which is Good Printed in the Year 1680. A few Words to all People who desire to come to enjoy an Everlasting Beeing with the Lord of Life when Dayes in this World will have an End TIME in this World is very short and it is very Uncertain when the End of it will come and yet nothing more Certain than the End of it to come but the World that is to come is for evermore which is called A Long Home because it will never have an End Eccles 12.5 and it will be to all People either Joy or Torments forever and ever Now the World to come consists of two Inheritances unto which all must go the Righteous to the Inheritance of Eternal Life Glory Endless Felicity with God and the Wicked into the Lake that burns prepared for the Devil his Angels the one an Endless Joy the other an Endless Misery and Disconsolation with Weeping Wailling and Gnashing of Teeth Though true it is That the God of Heaven never Created Man nor Woman and left them without Remedy with intent that they should go into the Place of Torment of which there is no End No But he Created them for a Purpose of his own Glory intending that they should have continued with himself in Paradise where they should never have had Pain Trouble or Sorrow but Joy without End This was God's Love to Mankind in the Beginning when he Created Man in his own Image in which Image man stood Single Pure Holy without Sin or Fault in the Sight of God and in that Condition the Lord made a Covenant with Man and gave him Liberty to eat of every Tree of the Garden Gen. 2.9 except one to wit The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil but the Lord told Adam Gen. 3.3 If he did eat of that Tree he should surely Dye Now here came in the Flood of Misery upon all the World that is Man and Woman not keeping to God's Command nor believing what God had said to them for if they had kept in the Faith then had they been preserved from him that ensnared them for the Devil had an Intent to Ensnare Adam and Eve and came to them with a Lye Gen. 3.6 and told them They should not Dye if they did eat of the Fruit of the Tree that God had told them they should not eat of but That they should be as Gods which was another Lye And believing more what the Serpent said than what God had said unto them they ventured to brake Covenant with God for if they had not believed what the Serpent said more than what God had said but had kept the Faith of God they had not been ensnared by the Serpent and thus the Serpent having disputed the Woman out of Faith in God destroyed that in her he created a false Faith of his own which before could not have been done And here came in the first believing of Lyes and so to this day wo be to that Soul that doth not believe that God Means as he Speaks Thus looking more at the Present Enjoyment of the Thing presented than at the sad Effect it would produce and letting go the Belief of what God had said to them to believe a Lying Promise from the Serpent they became not contented with God's Allowance but hearkned to the Serpent Proudly hoping to come to an Higher Attainment than the Lord had placed them in so the Woman looking upon the Fruit to be pleasant and beautiful to the Eye and good for Food did eat of it though the Lord had warned them before-hand and told them That in the Day they did eat thereof Gen. 3.3 they should Dye which the Woman did remember Thus they let go the Faith closed with the Serpent and broke Covenant with God here they came to lose that Glorious Image in which they were Created and that Liberty Soul-peace Fellowship and Unity with God and spiritual Blessings and Benefits which they enjoyed before And so by Disobedience to God Sin entered into Mankind and Man was taken Bond-slave by the Devil and Captive to his Will And so according to God's Unalterable Word and Unchangeable Decree who said unto Man In the Day thou eats thereof Gen. 3.3 thou shalt surely Dye Man dyed to Righteousness which will be mans Misery forever if not deeply Repented of before he go hence and through Repentance come to dye to Sin and live to God And God hath also decreed That in that Condition man fell into by that Act of Disobedience by which Sin entred and man became separated from God his Maker and shut out of his Kingdom that no Man nor Woman in that Sinful Estate shall again ever enter into his Kingdom till they come to know themselves Freed from Sin again and so to be separated from the Evil of the World For inasmuch as our first Parents Adam and Eve did commit Sin and so Sin entred and by Sin they came to shame and to be rejected of God and from that day to this day Sin reigned over all Men and Women by Corrupt Nature and Death by Sin from Adam to Moses and from Moses to this Day and so all by this Nature Children of wrath as the Apostle said We as well as others So is it certain that in this State all are undone forever Now seeing it is concluded That Sin hath entred all men and all have sinned and that all are at a loss concerning the Knowledge of God his Way and the Salvation of their Souls and that none shall be Heirs of God's Kingdom while they remain in the Sinful Nature because while men live in that Nature there is no Salvation and if no Salvation then Damnation Then the Question that remains is this Seeing these Things are so how shall People be Freed from Sin and from Condemnation and the Wrath to come and be made Heirs of God's Kingdom and Injoyers of his Salvation and Inheriters with them that are Sanctified The Lord seeing this hath provided a Means to wit John 1.1 Christ the true Light being much grieved for Man in that lost Condition he was plunged into for he was become a Bond-slave to the Devil and an Enemy to his own Soul and no way capable of Salvation without God though the Fault was in Man For God created him a Noble Vine wholly of the right Seed Jer. 2.21 but he became a degenerate Plant of a strange Vine and Rebelled against God his Maker Yet I say the Lord in the riches of Mercy and great Pity towards the Sons of Men did bear with them and did not cut
them off in their Sin neither desired he their Death or Destruction but rather that they should turn from their Wickedness and live And so the Lord considering the Misery man was fallen into and what was become of man looking down upon them with an Eye of Pity and Compassion remembred his former Love to man in the Beginning when he first created him how that he had more regard to man than to all he had created upon the Earth besides insomuch that he made him in his own Likeness in pure Holiness without any Spot of Sin and set him above the Ox the Ass and above all other Creatures in Wisdom Power and Glory but man losing that Dominion God gave him fell under the Ox and the Ass that is became more degenerated than the Beast of the Field and hath not Power of himself over Sin that holy Nature being lost which he was created in that Wisdom that Glory that Power in which he was created are also lost and Man disabled to glorifie God but the Beast of the Field kept their places as they in the first were created and praise the Lord in their kind and he findeth no Fault in them And as man at the first was set above them so now in God's Account he is set above man in his Fallen State for instance If one have an Ox or an Horse to a Pond to drink and beat him till one kill him he will drink no more but to do him good but man is worse than a Beast in drinking to Excess and so drinks up Iniquity as an Ox drinks Water and many times men destroy their Bodies as well as their Souls in Excess of Drunkenness and as we are in this Condition the Beasts of the Field are set before us and herein Complaint was taken up against Man The Lord by the Mouth of his Prophet said Isaiah 1.2 He had nourished and brought up Children and they had Rebelled against him and had for saken him Dayes without Number Him the Fountain of living Mercyes to their Souls and had been seeking and inventing to themselves other Fountains which would stand them in no stead Jer. 2.13 broken Cisterns that would hold no water And in this Condition the Beast of the Field is set before man and the Lord said The Ox knows his Owner Isaiah 1.3 and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know the Lord. Oh the Sad and Deplorable State of Man Oh the depth of Misery that men are fallen into whom God so highly honoured that now the poor Ox and Ass is set before them Oh! what Misery Wo Dread Sorrow and perpetual Destruction never to have End doth attend Man and Woman in this Condition and that without Remedy of fallen man had not the Lord in Mercy towards man provided a Remedy we had been all Undone as on the account of Salvation and that forever But the Lord of yearning Bowels and tender Mercy to our Souls hath prescribed a way how Man may come again into favour with God and to escape all those fore-mentioned Dangers which by reason of Sin they are like to be plunged into and become more Miserable than any other Creature upon Earth for there is nothing else that God hath Created upon the Earth but Man and Woman that hath sinned therefore in this Condition they are of all other Creatures most miserable in the sight of God And the Lord looking down upon People in this Condition seeing them all gone astray and that there was none in this state did good no not one but all were running Head-long to Hell being gone from the Wisdom of God and the good Spirit of God in themselves therefore there was none found doing good and then came they to be led by a bad Spirit And to this day the bad Spirit rules and bears sway more or less in all People that are not come to obey Christ's Spirit and to be led and guided by it For all People upon the Earth are led and guided by one of these two Spirits Sinners by the Spirit that begetteth Sin in them and carrieth it on in Thoughts in Words and in Actions and Righteous men by the Spirit of Righteousness that begetteth Righteousness in them and carrieth it on in them in Thoughts Words and Actions and thus all men and Women come to be known that is by their Words and Actions what Spirit it is they are led by Mat. 12.33 For the Tree is known by his Fruit as Christ said of old Now here was the Lord's Love wonderfully manisested again to Mankind after he had rebelled against God and had lost that glorious Habitation which the Lord had placed him in in that the Lord was not willing to reject man forever and to take the Kingdom from him forever but upon Terms the Lord offered it to man again and hath sent his good Spirit into the Wilderness of deep Distress Nehem. 9.20 whither Man and Woman was driven from the Presence of God by reason of Sin to visit man in his fallen state and bring him back again to God Now this is the Terms that God hath proffered his Kingdom to man again upon Luke 13.3 Acts 3.19 Repent ye and Believe the Gospel And this Jesus proclaimed in his Message from the Father when he sent him into the World to preach the Glad-tidings of the Kingdom So all that turn again to God believe him and hear him and obey his Voice as the true Shepherd and Repent of the Evil they have done Isa 1 17. and cease to do Evil and turn from their Evil Wayes and learn to do well and lead a new Life and keep God's holy Laws and Commands the residue of their Lives Now to all without Respect to Persons Rich or Poor Old or Young High or Low Bond or Free Master or Servant White or Black All that will receive God's Kingdom upon these Terms behold it stands offered to them and to help man in this Work seeing no man can do it of himself without God's help God hath so loved the World that he hath sent his Son Christ Jesus the true Light John 3.16 that Enlightens every man that cometh into the World to visit man and hath given a Measure or Manifestation of his good Spirit to every Man and to every Woman to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 according to the Sayings of the Scriptures of Truth which we that are called Quakers do own to be A True Declaration of the Holy men of God and of those things that ought to be Believed and Practised And this profiting which they are to profit by the Measure of his holy Spirit is upon the Account of Salvation which nothing else can do but God's Light and Spirit and therefore he hath freely given it to all People to awaken them out of Sin and Wickedness saying Arise and go hence for this is not your Rest He also makes Proclamation of Liberty to
False Worships which are but Elementary to be melted with fervent heat the Zeal of God is kindled against them and the old Earth by this cometh to be burnt up then cometh the New Earth which John saw wherein dwelleth Righteousness and in such there is known no more Sea for all people being from the Spirit of Truth are in their Minds as unstable as the Waters of the Sea tossed to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine and with every Tempest of the Enemy before they come to be setled by the Power of God but this stability being once known then people come to know a Stay to their Minds and come as the Scripture saith Isa 26.3 Phil. 4.7 to be kept in perfect Peace and to know that Peace which passeth the Understanding of this World which the Wisdom of this World comprehendeth not for they whose Minds are thus preserved the Wicked One toucheth them not 1 John 5.18 although he may come with many Snares and Temptations to insnare and draw aside yet while people are kept by the Spirit of God they are delivered from them all for it is no Sin to be tempted but to enter into the Temptation that is sin then People come to break their Peace with God when the Devil tempts them to do any Wickedness and they give way to it this is making shipwrack of Faith and a Good Conscience as by sad Experience some have done see the 1st Epistle to Timothy the 1st Chapter and the 19th Verse But the way to prevent this is to give way to Christ that he may bear Rule in thy Heart and Mind and that he may order thy Affections and Conversation and bear sway in thee then thou wilt come to know m that said John 14.17 He that is with you shall be in you And they that he spoke to knew his words fulfilled and so spoke by experience that which they were Eye-witnesses of and said that he wrought all their Works in them and for them And I hope there is none that are so mis-led in their Understandings as to say that Work was Sin but altogether to work out Sin for that is the Work which Christ came to do To put an end to Sin in People Dan. 9.24 and to finish Transgression in People and in the room of Sin to bring in Everlasting Righteousness in People for Sin is in People for there is none in the Beasts of the Field but in mankind for the Beasts of the Field keep their places as God created them and do no way displease God but mankind knows not his Owner as the poor Ox and Ass doth as the Prophet said The Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but the People know not the Lord Isa 1.3 In the old Nature no Man nor Woman ever knew God but as they came to be changed and Born again and so to put on the New Man Christ Jesus the Old man being put off with his Deeds which is Sin then Christ is known as he said Lo said he 2 Cor. ch 6. ver 16. I will dwell in man and walk in man I will be their God and they shall be my People To know this is Eternal Life but God dwelleth not in Sinners but in them that are pure in Heart for 't is the pure in Heart that see God and so come to be acquainted with God here all People that are acquainted with God by this acquaintance come to know how it s with them as to their inward condition and how it stands with their inward man in the sight of God and by the guiding of Gods Spirit all things in man and woman are kept in good order and by this come to have Power over Sin and in such there is no need to cry out for want of Power for God gives Power to them that come to him by Jesus Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth in his Hand and God's love is Universal to all People and desires not the Destruction of any but rather they would turn from their Wickedness and live Here you may see according to the Scripture of Truth that it is Sin and Wickedness that is the cause of Death to the Soul for you may read in the holy Scriptures that God hath promised that whosoever will turn from their Wickedness and from their Abominations which they had committed and come to him In quity shall not be their Ruin such shall not Perish but have Life Everlasting these are terms of Salvation that God hath promised the Kingdom of Heaven upon that People may lay down their Heads in Peace when they are to go hence never to be seen more in this World And man must know Wickedness done away in this Life For as the Tree falleth to the North or to the South so it lieth and as Death leaveth People so Judgment will find them and there is no Repentance in the Grave nor calling the time once spent back again nor no Remission of Sin after this Life For no unclean thing shall enter the Kingdom of God And all Sin is Unclean in the sight of God and this is that which Christ is come to destroy that People may be Heirs to a Kingdom which is not of this World And this Paul witnessed when he said He had fought a good Fight he had finished his Course and had kept the Faith and henceforth there was laid up for him a Crown of Glory and not for him only but for all them that feared God and loved his Appearance 2 Tim. 7.8 And this appearance was and is against Sin in the Heart and Paul's fighting was against Sin and Wickedness with Spiritual Weapons which was the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which was not with Carnal weapons but Spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong Holds of Sin and this was not known only by Paul and of the Apostles but by the Righteous in all Ages and Righteous Abel and Enoch and all the Righteous all along to this day they that were made Righteous it was by that Power by which the Apostles witnessed Righteousness which was the Power and Spirit of God and this is near to all that all may be led by it But some have said that It is not now as it was in the Apostles dayes Why is it not now as it was in the Apostles dayes what is changed that it is not now as it was then O say they we cannot do as they did and have Power as they had to live and to stand against Sin and to come to that Perfect State as they did To which I Query thus What was it that made them Righteous or gave them Power over Sin and Death And by what did they War against Sin was it not God that gave them Power over Sin and delivered them from the Evil of this World and what was it by which they did this if not by the Spiritual
Law of God that is written in the Heart and if so then whether the Lords Power Law and Spirit be not the same as it was and whether the Lords Love be not as it was and whether he hath not the same Power to help man as he had I hope all this will be granted and that it was only and alone by the Power and Spirit of God they came to be Righteous and to witness an Overcoming of Sin and by no Self righteousness nor by any other Power and that the Lord's Law Power and Spirit is the same as it was and his Love the same as it was and that God has the same Power to help men as he had And if this be granted that it is so then it seems the Fault is not in God that it is not now as it was in the Apostles dayes and if the Fault be not in God then it is in Man But 't is my Belief and Experienced Knowledge that there be some that are come to witness the same Power over Sin as the Apostles witnessed in their day and I believe that it is with Men and Women that are faithful to God as it was in the Apostles dayes as concerning having Power over Sin and to come to a Perfect State in Christ Jesus But to them that are wallowing in Sin as a Sow in the Mire and to them that are pleading for Sin for term of Life although they may be got under a high Notion of Religion and out of the open Prophaneness of the gross Abominations which are practised in the World yet notwithstanding this while they plead for Sin and live in Sin herein they are striving to uphold the Devil's Kingdom and live in that which Pleaseth the Devil and Displeaseth God for Sin is of the Devil's Kingdom and they that plead for it to wit for Sin are pleading for the Devil's Kingdom and with such I must needs confess it was never with them as with the Apostles in their day and them that followed Christ in the Apostles dayes nor in our dayes and such there were in the Apostles dayes that would not believe and follow Christ and they knew no Power over Sin because they came not to him that gives Power and so came not to be Sons of God because they did not receive him that was come to give Power to become the Sons of God as the Scripture saith which we that are in Scorn called Quakers do believe to be a true Declaration of those things that ought to be believed and have a reverent Esteem of them and they say Christ came to his own but his own received him not but as many as did receive him unto them he gave Power to become the Sons of God John 1.10 11 12. Receiving of him is to yield to the Motions of his good Spirit in them and these be they which come to know that God is not changed nor his Power lessened nor his Love abated but he is the same to Mankind to day as yesterday and forever and as there were some in the Apostles times that would not believe the Doctrine of Christ nor the Apostles so now in our dayes there are many Professors and Prophane that will not believe Christ nor his Doctrine because his Doctrine is against Sin but they cannot abide it and are crying out No Perfection Here neither will they believe that Christ is able to do the Work that the Father sent him to do for he came to put an End to Sin to finish Transgression and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness This is that which they cannot believe and especially they that are got under a Colour of Religion as the Scribes and Pharisees were they ever were the worst against Christ and the Apostles and so they are now adayes For all Religions and Worships are False and Vain except that which Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years ago which is in the Spirit and Truth which is the Light of Christ Jesus and the Power of God to Salvation made known to Mankind in the Heart and Conscience as the Scripture saith Rom. 1.19 That which may be known of God is manifest within for God hath shewed it to man that Sin by this may be made known and Righteousness made known the Way of Life and the Way of Death made known that lost Man may not be to seek concerning Salvation this hath the Lord done in Mercy for us that none may miss of that Kingdom which is not of this World and if any miss that it is because of Sin and this must be known to be taken away in this Life if it could have been done away after this Life then Christ needed not have come and suffered for Sin as he did nor the Apostles and Ministers of Christ have prest People so much to Perfection as they did and to make their Calling and Election sure in this Life But this is certain If ever people come to be Heirs to God's Kingdom they must come to have Assurance of it before they go hence else they will miss of their Expectation of having a Rest with God when this Life will End And to know Assurance is to know Sin destroyed and Righteousness set up in the Heart Some may be ready to say How is this possible to be seeing our Mortal Bodies are frail and full of Infirmities and Weakness doth attend us and when we have done all we are Unprofitable Servants It is true all the Service that Man can do it is unprofitable in the sight of God if God lead not unto it all Worship Service and Duty that is done set up and offered to the Lord it being done in Man's Will this is all unprofitable and unaccepted of God it being Man's Will and not the Will of God for while People live in Sin and plead for it and while the Old Nature is standing their Preaching Praying Baptizing and Breaking of Bread Singing and Family Duties it is all vain if Christ move not to it and lead into it the Scripture saith The Prayers of the Wicked are Abomination to the Lord and if their best Service be Abomination to the Lord needs must the rest for all Sin is Abomination at the best and therefore while people live in Sin and plead for the continuation of it they must needs be Wicked and herein I say all is unprofitable as people live in this Condition But there is a State and Condition which is profitable perfect and that Job came to and many more of the People of God in all Ages Generations that knew the Spirit of God to lead and guide them into all Truth this is that Spirit which a Manifestation of is given to every Man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 and they that came to be led by that Spirit their Prayers avail much and their Works are the Works of Righteousness and this is that which God doth accept of and I hope there is none that will dare to
for here he makes them believe All is well and so being under a Profession they are willing to believe it but he cannot so easily perswade them that are in open Prophaneness that it is well with them for they have no such Cover for their Sins and therefore Christ said Publicans and Harlots should enter the Kingdom before such Matth. 21.31 And for them that profess the Truth and do not walk in it they shall never enter the Kingdom of God All these fore mentioned things and many more that might be mentioned do hinder many from entering in at the Strait Gate these be the Weights and Burdens which were and are to be laid aside which do easily beset People and it is not applying of Promises as they call it will do it in that Way which Carnal-minded Men do apply them for there is no Promise of coming to the Kingdom of God which Kingdom is not of this World but upon such terms of being born again and so becoming new Creatures and then such come to know the In-side cleansed of Sin by him that hath regenerated them which is the Lord from Heaven the Second Adam the Quickening Spirit for 't is not making clean the Out-side will do and still the In-side to be full of Sin and here many People have been cheated of their Souls in believing of them that have smoothed them up in Sin for when it hath pleased the Lord many times to awaken people out of Sin that have been asleep in Sin and when they are a little awakened and by that Light which then shineth in them come to see Sin appear as it is exceeding sinful and he that shews unto man his Thoughts he it is that sets all in order before them and so people come to see that it is not as it should be with them as concerning their Peace with God and then not knowing what it is that sheweth them how it is with them and that God is so near them neither do they know that that which sheweth them their Sin is able to deliver out of it and to give them Power over it because it is so slighted by their Teachers therefore they sleight it also and under this Trouble of Mind many a poor Creature is under great Distress seeing his Sin is remaining and that the Wages thereof is Death finding no Helper on Earth but wandering in dry places seeking Rest but finding none because they are still reasoning with Flesh and Blood not joyning to that which sheweth them their Sin here they are at a Loss concerning Salvation and in this State and Condition many are going from one Profession to another there inquiring of one Teacher or another What they must do to be eased of their Troubled Mind and come to some Satisfaction concerning their poor Souls then these blind Teachers begin to turn them to Wrong Wayes herein cometh Destruction upon many a poor Soul being led by the blind Leaders of the Blind into many Crooked and By Wayes which lead to Destruction and here one he bids them apply the Promises another he cryes out Go into the Water another turning them to the Bread and Wine and another to worship Images which can neither hear speak or see So here they are turning People to Outward Things when the chief cause lies within and cannot be purged out by these outward things but only by the Power of God Man may make clean the Out-side but the In side must be cleansed by God and if the In-side be clean then the Out-side also will be clean the Out-side may be clean and painted and the In-side full of Rottenness and in this State and Condition the Dawbers with Untempered Morter dawb over peoples Wounds but could never cure them I am not speaking against those Outward Means which the Lord calleth any into but for People to run into any thing which they are not called to though it may be in Pretence of Service and Worship to God this never did not will ease any of their Burden of Sin which they groan under but it is Christ alone that must do it it must be upon his own Terms and not as Man would have it but there are many Lo Heres turning people to Outward Things and not to Christ's Appearance within one crying Lo here is Christ and another Lo there he is in this or the other Outward Observation But what said Christ of such that spoke after this manner Go not after them said he that shall say Lo here is Christ or Lo there he is go not forth believe them not for that which may be known of God is near which is called the Word which is in the Heart and in the Mouth and this is that which shews unto Man his Sin and also able to take it away for he is come to put an End to Sin and to finish Transgression so to bring in Everlasting Righteousness this is the Work which he came to do which all the blind Guides can never do and this is he which bringeth that Peace and Wisdom which passeth all Understandings of Men. And further Christ said to the Jews The Kingdom of Heaven is within you But observe instead of turning People to this inward Principle which Christ told People of the Blind Guides are altogether turning People unto outward things and so here setting them to make clean the Out-side of the Cup and Platter and People are cheated of their Souls for one is crying The Mass-Book is the Way to come to Heaven and Praying to dead Saints and Worshipping of Images others crying Dipping and Bread and Wine is the Way and another crying The Church-Faith is the Way another steps up and saith His Directory is the Way and there is another saying The Common Prayer-Book is the Way so here are many Wayes set up by the Invention of Man in the fallen state so leading many Thousands of poor People into these outward things and not keeping to that or being turned to that which searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and for want of this come to lose their Souls Rest and Happiness with God for 't is not the making clean the Out-side will do but them that are cleansed within these are them which God delights in it is the Pure in Heart that see God here every one cometh to know how it is with them for God is with the Pure in Heart and by him people come to know the Way which leadeth to Everlasting Life and this is he that we say is the Way to come to that Kingdom which is not of this World where no Mortal Man ever came to and the Scripture directeth people to him and bears Testimony of him which we whom the World in Scorn calls Quakers do faithfully believe is true and though we have been belyed and falsly accused in that matter we desire the Lord may forgive them that have been guilty of that thing in saying we Deny the Scriptures for there are no
put in by the spirit of the Devil and whatsoever is put into any Man or Woman's Mind that is good right and just is done by the Spirit of the Lord for take notice of this all peoples Minds and Affections are swayed by one or the other of these two Spirits one turning into Wickedness the other into Righteousness this is true whether thou wilt believe it or no thou shalt be made to know it when it will be too late if thou art not aware A few words in answer to the fore-mentioned Reasonings and Objections against the Truth and Spiritual Worship As to the Strait Gate and Narrow Way it is strait to the Wicked it is pleasant to the Righteous and as to the many Wayes there are not many Wayes to Heaven but to Heaven there is but one Way and that is to come to answer God's Spirit in thee and to worship God in Spirit and in Truth And as to the being hated of all people this is no new thing for Christ and all the holy Men of God were ever Hated as thou mayst read in the Scriptures and Moses said He did esteem of the Repreaches that be under-went for Christ's sake to be greater Riches to him than all the Treasures in Egypt and though they were hated of Men yet they were beloved of God and all this while it is well enough And as to the Danger of Losing any thing for Christ's sake this was counted by the Righteous all Joy that they were not counted only worthy to Rain with Christ but also to Suffer with him and the Lord hath promised That whatsoever any Suffer for him they shall have Recompensed in this Life a hundred fold and in the World to come Life Everlasting without End And the Scripture saith They that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecutions And Christ told his Disciples The Servant was not greater than his Master if they persecuted him it was certain they would perseoute them And as to the Displeasing of Men it is impossible that people can please God and Ungodly Men and Peter and John bad people judge whether they had best Please God or Man And as concerning a Livelihood believe the Scripture First seek God's Kingdom and the Righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added to thee Matth. 6.33 And as for our Religion which is in Spirit and in Truth to be a New Upstart Religion this is a downright Slander for it was set up by Christ above sixteen hundred years ago and there is no other Way to Heaven but this though some there be that do profess it that do not walk in it this doth not alter the Case or make the thing not to be the same as it is professed for Judas did not alter the Case in that matter neither do any Traitors to the Truth now adayes And as to the False Religion it is true it hath been long standing the more is the Pity yet that doth not make because False Religions have been long standing that therefore it must ever remain this will not hold It is true ever since Wickedness hath been covered under a Cloak of Religion this hath been standing And as to the Church which some say cannot Err I answer that there is no Church or People but do Err except them that are led and guided by the Spirit of God and such are the only true Church and they that are led by this are led by that Spirit that never did nor can Err and till people come to this all go astray let them profess what they will And as to our Fore-Fathers how it was with them that I will leave to the Lord I will not judge of them that I never knew but this I do believe of them That some of them were Faithful to what they knew and that is it the Lord requires and doth accept of and as to them they are gone and I do believe some of them dyed in the true Faith which we do believe in and I do believe they are at Rest with the Lord and were of our Mind and Belief though not called by this new Nick-Name which the Devil in our Age hath invented for his Servants to put upon us as in all Ages the Devil had New Nick-Names for to disguise and deride Christ and his Followers and so he hath now And for your Ministers to know the Way there are none that know the Truth nor no true Ministers but them that come to be endewed with Power from on High which is known by Revelation and Inspiration which your Priests and Professors do deny therefore they cannot know the Truth while they are denying that which bringeth to the Knowledge of the Truth for the Scripture saith and I do believe they are true and they say though there is a Spirit in Man yet it is the Inspiration of the Almighty that gives an Understanding And as concerning Great Learning this is good in its place as men come to the true Understanding of it given to them by the Spirit of God for the Scripture is as a Mystery hid from the Wisdom of this World and it was never known that Outward Learning or Education of Men nor Great Learning did ever bring any man to the Knowledge of the Truth nor never was able to unsold the Mystery of Godliness to any man as for Instance there was Paul he was a great Learned Man and had great Parts and Education and counted himself beyond many of the Jews yet for all this he was ignorant of the true Knowledge of God till he came to it by the Revelation of the Son of God for that was and now is the thing alone that brought People to the Knowledge of that which is hid from the Wisdom of this World And as concerning Tradesmen and Plowmen knowing the Way read the Scriptures and there thou wilt find in all Ages it was such chiefly that came to the true Knowledge of the right Way of God for there were Peter and John that were Unlearned Men and many more beside them which were able Ministers of the Lord and where are there any great Learned Men now adayes that can compare with them but there are many now adayes that are come to the Knowledge of the Truth as they came to it by the Learning which they have learned of the Lord so do they preach whether they have outward Learning or not this makes not much matter in the things of God though Learning be very good in its place to them that make good use of it but if you observe the greatest Learned Men are commonly most ignorant of Christ's Kingdom therefore that is not the thing that makes people Righteous nor is it enough barely reading the Prophets Words and Works and Christ's Words and what he did and the Apostles Conditions how it was with them it is not enough to read these things unless people come to live the same Life that they did but it must be done by the Power of God and this is the Reason that there are so many ever reading and hearing and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth thinking by running into outward things they shall do well and never come to Christ that they may know Life Eternal which is to know God as the Scripture saith whom to know is Life Eternal A Day and a Time hath God given to all people that if they will in that Day and Time they may come to know God and by him to be cleansed of Sin which is the Cause of Death to their Souls And in this Day Christ would gather all People to himself as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her Wings but if people will not come to him in that Day and Time when he calleth to them they shall never know Freedom from the Bondage of Hell and Death A Lamentation may be taken up concerning all such that sin out their Day and the Night comes on them at unawares and there be none to help as Christ took up concerning Jerusalem when their Day was over he went and beheld it with much Sorrow and wept over it with much Pity saying on this wise O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee how often would I have gathered thee even as a Hen would have gathered her Chickens under her Wings and ye would not and further said he O that thou hadst known in this thy Day the things belonging to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes So it is with all people that sin out their Day as they did for the Lord striveth with all People as well as he strove with them to bring them to the Knowledge of the Things that belong to their Peace but still here they lie in Ignorance not yielding to the Motions of the Spirit of Christ although there be things laid up in store for them which do belong to their Peace yet in this Condition they are never worthy to know it because they believe not and they that are not faithful in a little never come to know much Thus will it be with all those that sin out their Day and will not answer God in the Time when he striveth with them So 't is good for all people to consider these things before it be too late that they may get Assurance of that which will stand by them and make choice of that which Mary did that Good Part which shall never be taken from them and herein people will come to finish their course with Joy and lay down their Heads in Peace when Dayes and Time shall be no more Thus far have I cleared my Conscience of that which lay upon me from the Lord to write in Love to all who desire to be in Favour with God that they may have Assurance of Acceptance with him for their Souls when their Bodies must be laid in their Graves So I rest with Love and Good Will towards all People desiring the Good and Prosperity of all in that Way which leadeth to that Kingdom which is not of this World who am known to many to be of that Mind and of that Desire by the Name of John Songhurst West Chiltington in Sussex in the 2d Moneth 1680. THE END