unto us in all things which he commands and requires of us for to do And this great Work which the Lord hath already wrought in our hearts and the great things which he hath done for us and in us by his Power and Spirit he hath not done it for any goodness or worthiness or any deserts which he saw in us nor for any Works of Righteousness which we have done whereby to move or to ingage the Lord for to do these great things either for us or in us but he hath done all these things for his own Name sake and in love to our immortal Souls and out of his free Love and Mercy and Kindness to us for which we are bound in duty and are ingaged to return unto the Lord all Honour Glory Praise Thanks Love Fear Reverence and Obedience for unto him alone it doth belong both from me and from all that know how good and gracious he is and hath been unto them who is God over and above all blessed and praised be his great holy and heavenly Name both now henceforth for ever and for evermore Amen And now I would have all People to take notice where this may come that all Persons and People that despise and reject the Light and Spirit of Christ in them which shews them their Sins and reproves them in secret when they do evil and say It is but a natural Light and that it is not sufficient nor hath power to save people from their sins nor to keep and preserve them out of sin all such are Unbelievers and hate Christ and love their evil Deeds for Christ is that Light and good Spirit in them and he hath given a measure of it freely to every one to profit withal and all them that truly love and believe in this Light and good Spirit in them and is willing for to obey and follow it all such will come to know Salvation and Redemption by Christ from their Sins and Iniquities but all those that hate and despise and reject the Counsel and Teaching of this Light and good Spirit in them and so slight and undervalue it and count it a thing of nought it will be the Condemnation of all such and the Lord will be found just when he comes to judge them and this Light and good Spirit in them will bear witness against them when they come to Judgment which will be more than a hundred Witnesses outwardly read these Scriptures John 1. 9 10 11 12. chap. 8. 12. chap. 12. 46. chap. 3. 19 20 21. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 3. 11. Chap. 1. 27 28. And I do verily believe that there is and shall be a Resurrection both of the Just and Unjust without respect of Persons w 〈…〉 just God of Heaven and Earth for to give 〈…〉 all their Deeds and Actions which they have 〈…〉 time and every one shall receive a Reward from God 〈…〉 their Deeds which they have done in their Bodies whether they be good or evil And now it concerns both me and every one for to prise our time which the Lord is pleased to give to us to live upon the Earth that we may walk circumspectly and wisely in the wisdom of God before the Evil day come which will certainly come upon the Wicked and Ungodly that live and dye in their Sins and Iniquities And it is the true desire of my Heart and Soul that we may all spend our time which the Lord gives us to live upon the Earth to Gods honour and glory by bringing forth good Works and Actions in our holy Lives and godly Conversations to the praise and honour of his great and worthy Name that so we may answer the end for which God hath made and created us which is to love him with all our Hearts and to fear serve honour and obey him in Truth and Righteousness whereby God Almighty may be honoured and glorified both in us and by us who is worthy to have all the Honour Glory Praise Thanks Fear and true Obedience for unto him alone it doth belong both from me and from all that know the Lord how good he is to them both now and for ever and for evermore Amen Read these Scriptures Rom. 14. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 22. 12. And now I shall come to mention something of the Cruelties and Persecutions of the Episcopal Clergy who are Teachers of the People of the Church of England so called and some of their Hearers and Members of their Church that assisted them in their Cruelties first they Imprisoned many Hundreds of the People of the Lord called in scorn Quakers and by their means we were put into nasty Holes and Dungeons amongst Thieves and Murderer and some of us were Fettered and Chained with Irons on both Legs as they do to the worst of Malefactors and our Friends and Acquaintance were not suffered for to come to see us although some of our Friends did come a Hundred Miles or more for to see us and neither they nor we could be suffered to see one another and they have gone away without seeing of us nor there was not any suffered to come to relieve us nor to help us to such things for our Money as we stood in great need of nor we were not suffered to have any manner of Bedding brought in not so much as a little Straw to lie upon to keep us off the cold Ground although we would have paid for it and this was worse Cruelty than many use to their Dogs and Swine And so the Goalers would force us to buy Victuals of them at their own rate or else we must have none which was dearer by half then we might have had it of other People if we could have been suffered to buy it at best hand and there many were kept in Prisons until they dyed by reason of such Cruel Usage as aforesaid And these Clergy-Men caused many of our Houses to be rifled and they went into the Grounds and took and carried away out of our Houses and Grounds much Goods and Chattels several times which they sold at an undervalue less by half than they were worth And they took away Goods and Chattels from many of us which were worth above five times more than they could prove to be their due and they distrained all the Goods in some Houses and left them not a Bed to lie upon neither for the Man of the House nor his Wife Children nor Servants although some of the men's Wives which had their Houses so rifled and plundred was but newly delivered of a Child or Children and so they took no Pitty nor shewed no Mercy neither to Men Women or Children that were in such a state and condition as aforesaid And thus they have Ruinated several Persons and their Families by taking away their Goods and Chattels which they and their Families should have lived upon They did live very well comfortably before these wicked ungodly Clergy-Men and the Upholders of them
of the Devil who was a Lyar and a Murderer from the beginning And now I shall mention and lay before you some of the Cruelties and great Persecutions of the Presbyterian Clergy and some of their Hearers and Members of their Church both in Old England and in New-England which they have acted and done against the People of God who are in scorn called by the World Quakers first they have cast many of us into Prisons and there they have kept several until they dyed and by their means and doings they have taken away the Goods and Chattels of many of our Friends both Rich and Poor to the value of many Thousands of Pounds and this they did in Oliver Cromwell's time and they proceeded against us for not paying of them Tythes and Money for Preaching by a Law which gave them trebble Damage and they caused evil men for to come into our Houses and Grounds for to distrain our Goods and Chattels which they did several times and sold our Goods and Chattels and gave the Money to those Tything Hireling-Priests and they sold our Goods Chattels at an undervalue and they took many times Goods and Chattels from us which were worth above five times more than they call'd their due thus they have done to many of us And they have cast several into Prisons for less than eighteen Pence a piece at their own valuation which they said was their due and thus they have ruinated several of our Friends and their Families aforesaid in their Estates besides the Cruelties which they have Inflicted upon our Bodies in casting many of us into Prisons and there they kept many until they dyed and thus Cruelly with much more Cruelties which are here too tedious to mention have they acted and done against us because we could not for good Conscience sake uphold them in their ungodly Ways and Practices as to pay them Tythes and Money for their Preaching as Ministers of Christ as they and the people that hear them call and account them to be but Christ came to put an end to that Law and Priest-hood and Covenant by which Tythes were paid in the time of the Law and first Covenant and hath abolished it read Heb. 7. 8 9 10. And where do ye find or read in all the Scriptures of Truth that any of the true Ministers of Christ took Tythes or Money for their preaching Or did ever any of the true Believers and Followers of Christ pay Tythes And whosoever they be that either take Tythes or pay Tythes denys Christ to be come and the end of his coming so as to yield obedience unto him by doing that which he requires of them And now I have something more to mention of the Wickedness and Cruelties and Murders of the Presbyterian Clergy and the Professors and Members of their Church in New-England against the people of God called in scorn Quakers first they cast many in Prison and they Whipped many in a cruel manner both Men and Women 〈◊〉 their naked Bodies and they took away the Goods and 〈◊〉 of many of the people aforesaid and they Branded and Burnt them with Hot â—â—ons and they Cut off the Ears of some and Bâ—nished them And all these Cruelties with much more which are not here mentioned which they acted and did against the people aforesaid would not satiâ—fie their blood-thirsty Spirit And now I desire all true Christians who are true Believers and Lovers of Christ to consider and take notice of all these Cruelties and Murders aforesaid and see if these Clergy-Men and People aforesaid be not acted and guided by the same Spirit now that the High-Priests and Chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees were when Christ was upon the Earth and they had a form of Godliness and professed Scriptures and they made long Prayers and made clean the outside and appeared righteous in the sight of men but their hearts were deceitful and full of Hypocrisie and Iniquity as many of the Priests and Professors of Religion are found to be now by their evil Lives and Conversations in this world And was there any greater Enemies to Christ Jesus when he was upon the Earth then those High-Priests and Chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees were then And they sought every way they could for to destroy Christ and his Ministers and sought false Witness against them for to have them put to Death and Christ and some of his Ministers were put to death by means of such wicked ungodly Priests and Professors of Religion as aforesaid which had a form of Godliness but they were absolute Enemies to thse that lived in the Life and Power of Godliness as these Priests and Professors and People are now many of these now are absolute Enemies to the Children of Light and all that do truly believe and own the Spiritual Appearance of Christ in their hearts as to obey and follow it who was and is the true Light and Life of all true Christians and true Believers in him in all Ages Generations that are past gone and all such Christians and true Believers in him who do obey follow the Light Spirit of Christ in their hearts they do and will receive power daily for to forsake their Sins and Iniquities and the same Light and Spirit will beget a perfect hatred in their Hearts against all Sin and every appearance of it both in themselves and in all others where they see Sin acted or done And whosoever doth truly love and 〈…〉 Light and Spirit of Christ in themselves which shews them Sin and reproves them for it in secret when they either think speak or act any thing that is Evil it will teach and help them to forsake Sin and every appearance of Sin according as the Lord doth manifest Sin unto them And whosoever doth truly believe in this Light and good Spirit of Christ which shews people their Sins and reproves them in their own Hearts and Consciences when they do sin against God if they do truly love and obey and follow this Light and good Spirit in them it is sufficient in its self without the help of vain sinful men which preach against Perfection from Sin in this Life I say again it is sufficient and there is help and power enough in it for to lead and guide all people out of their Sins and to give them power to forsake all their Sins and Iniquities by degrees all that are willing to deny themselves of all their sinful Ways and Pleasures and so become obedient to this Light and Spirit of Christ in them and this Light and Spirit the Lord hath given a measure of it freely to every one for to profit withal and it is sufficient for to teach all People that truly believe in it and obey it and is willing to be taught by it it will teach them to deny all ungodly Thoughts Words and Actions and it will teach them to live soberly justly godly and righteously
A Plain TESTIMONY TO THE Antient Truth AND Work of God AND Against the CORRUPTION of the CLERGY And their Upholders By T. G. Jer. 5. 30 31. A Wonderful and Horrible Thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bear Rule by their Means and my People love to have it so And what will ye do in the End thereof Printed and Sold by T. Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holywell-Lane in Shoreditch 1691. A Plain Testimony to the Antient Truth and Work of God and against the Corruption of the Clergy c. FRiends and People every where in all Places where this may come this is to let you know there is something in my Heart and Mind for to publish and to make manifest unto all People that profess Christianity and Salvation by Christ what the Clergy-Men of the World hold forth both the Popish Clergy and the Protestant Clergy both in Doctrine Principles and Practices and also their manner of Doings and Practices as touching the Worship and Service of God and also their Persecutions and Cruelties which they and their Hearers and Members of their Churches have acted and done against the People of God who are in scorn called Quakers and will undertake by the help and assistance of the Lord to prove these things to be true which is or may be herein and hereafter expressed and declared against them which are as followeth First I do affirm that neither the Popish Clergy nor the Protestant Clergy nor their Hearers that are Members of their Churches neither can nor never shall know Jesus Christ experimentally to be their Saviour and Redeemer from their Sins and Iniquities as the true Ministers and People of God did know him formerly and as the true Ministers and People of God know him now in this our Age and Generation to their and our Souls true peace joy comfort and satisfaction in God neither can they ever know the Mystery of Godliness by experience revealed in them nor they cannot have a true belief in Christ as the Ministers and People of God had and have now so long as they live and act in Sin and take pleasure and delight therein and plead for a continuance in Sin so long as they live upon the Earth And it is the Doctrine and Belief of the Clergy-Men before mentioned and the People that are their Hearers and Members of their Churches That none can be set free from Sin nor be made perfect from it in this Life and so they preach against Perfection from Sin which God and Christ commanded that People should be perfect and holy and are God and Christ such hard Masters as to command that of People for them to do which cannot be done nor attained unto in this Life But the Ministers of Christ never preached any such Doctrine but on the contrary they preached Perfection from Sin and exhorted the People to press after Perfection and the Lord gave Gifts unto men and he made some Apostles and some Evangelists and some Pâ—â—phâ—â—â— and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and for the Work of the Ministry and for the Edifying of the Body of Christ until they all came into the unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature â—f the fulness of Christ And many of the People of God did attain to Perfection from Sin in this Life and they did know an Overcoming of their Sins and Iniquities in this Life by the help and assistance of the Power and Spirit of Christ working in them And no Man nor Woman can be perfect from Sin of themselves nor by any Works of Righteousness which they can do of themselves nor by their own Wills but by the help and assistance of the Power and Spirit of Christ working in them and so all things are possible with God which may seem impossible to men and the Lord is the same that he was then and he is as able and sufficient willing to do the like for us to work the same Works in our Hearts by his holy Spirit as he did in the Hearts of his People formerly if we do but truly believe in him and be willing for to obey and follow him by taking up a daily Cross to our own Wills and Thoughts and Desires and Inclinations of nature and so thereby we must deny our selves from doing any thing that will please our selves if it do offend the Lord and displease him we must not do it for the gaining of the love and friendship of any people nor for the gaining of any outward Thing or Treasure that is in the World And we are required and commanded by the Lord for to put our whole trust and confidence in him who hath promised that he will never leave nor forsake them that puts their whole trust confidence in him And these things the Lord commanded and required â—is people for to do formerly which they did in Love and in Obedience to him and the Lord was with them and in them by his holy Spirit and he did help and 〈…〉 Spirit for to do and perform those things 〈…〉 required of them for to do and this he 〈…〉 d truly believe and follow him and for all them 〈…〉 fear and love him with all their Hearts above all 〈…〉 gs And now the Lord commands and requires us for to do the 〈◊〉 things and if we be willing and obedient to him and fear and love him with all our Hearts above all visible things I do verily believe and I am confident in the Lord that he will help and assist us by his holy Spirit for to do and perform all things which he commands and requires of us for to do and perform now in this our Age and Generation but all them that do not truly believe in Christ nor is not willing for to obey and follow him nor to deny themselves as aforesaid and counts God a hard Master by commanding and requiring more of them then they are able to do or can be attained unto in this Life as they say it is manifest unto the Lord and his People that all such are slothful Servants and hide their Talents in their earthly Hearts and are disobedient to him such neither fear nor love the Lord as they ought to do nor as â—e commands them for to do and no such slothful idle careless people can believe that Perfection from Sin is to be attained unto in this Life neither are they willing to press after such a good State and Condition and so he who they love and serve which is the Enemy of their Souls in them prevails against them and teacheth them for to preach and speak against Perfection from Sin in this Life read the Scriptures following Gen. 6. 9. 17. 1. Job 1. 1. Luke 1. 5 6. Mark 6. 20. Mat. 1. 19. Acts 10. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 King 20. 1
neither will any such plead for Sin nor for a continuance in it as long as they live but all such Persons and People that are born of God as aforesaid they hate Sin and every appearance of it in Thoughts Words and Actions both in themselves and in all other people where they see Sin committed acted or done and those that are born of God by his Spirit they are in Christ and he is in them spiritually and they are made new Creatures by the working of Christ's spirit in their hearts and souls and all old things that are evil which is Sin and Iniquity comes to be taken away and destroyed and all things are made new by the workings of the Power and Spirit of Christ in the hearts of all the Children of Light who are true Believers and Followers of Christ through the Spiritual Warfare and through great Tribulations and Tryals and Exercises which the People of the Lord come to know and to pass through before they attain to Perfection from all their Sins and it is said That many are the Troubles of the Righteous and through many Tribulations must they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but the Lord is all-sufficient for to help his People out of all their Troubles and Tryals both inward and outward those that puts their whole trust and confidence in him And he hath done great things for many of his people now in our Age and Generation which have been under great Troubles Sufferings and Tryals both inward and outward for which we have just cause and we are bound in duty to bless and praise the Name of the Lord and to return unto him all Honour Glory Praise Thanks Fear Reverence and true Obedience for unto the Lord alone it doth belong both from me and from all that knows him who have tasted of his Love and Mercies blessed and praised be his great and glorious and heavenly Name both now henceforth for ever and for evermore Read these Scriptures John 3. 1. to vers 11. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Acts 14. 22. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 44. Chap. 10. 3. 4. 1. 45. And so the true Way that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven is a strait and narrow way for it is a way of Holiness Righteousness and Purity and a way wherein all people must deny themselves of doing any evil thing that will offend the Lord or displease him and therefore there are but a few that find it and walk in it and Christ's Flock is but a little Flock in comparison of the multitude of people that are in the World but the way that leads to Hell and Destruction and so into everlasting Torment and Misery which shall never come to an end this is a broad and wide way and it is easie and delightful and pleasant to all fleshly carnal minded people for to walk in And all those people that live and act in Sin and Evil and take pleasure and delight therein and deny Perfection from Sin in this Life all such persons and people are going on in the broad and wide way that will lead them into everlasting Wo and Misery unless they repent And therefore it is my Advice and Counsel unto all people that now live and delight in Sin and Evil as you tender the glory of God and the good and well-being of your Immortal Souls come out of all your ungodly ways and doings and Repent and forsake the Evil of your ways and doings and desire the Lord to pardon you for all your Sins and Transgressions which yon have acted and done against him and turn unto the Lord and fear and love him with all your hearts and hate Sin and Evil and every appearance of it both in your selves and in all others that thereby you may come to know a Change and a Reformation to be wrought in your hearts by the Power and Spirit of Christ in you and this is the only way and means for you to find Forgiveness and Mercy and Acceptance with the Lord for your poor Souls which if you so do and find it will be of more worth and value to you that find it then all the outward injoyments of Honour or Riches or Pleasures that are in the World And now I shall mention and lay before you some of the Cruelties and bloody Persecutions of these Clergy-men before mentioned and some of their Hearers and Members of their Churches which have joyned with them in their Cruelties and bloody Persecutions and shall begin with the Popish Clergy and some of the Members of their Church first It is well known to many People what their Doctrine and Principles and Practices are and what it leads and guides them for to do and act in those Places and Countries where they have the Rule and Power in outward things as for instance They do believet at all people which are not of their Faith and Religion are Sectaries and Hereticks though they be called Christians as I can make appear by their own Books which they have set forth and then this hath followed by their practices that the more Hereticks they kill and destroy many of them think they do God more service and count it a Meritorious Work although the people which they have killed and murthered were no Hereticks but good Christians many of them and were faithful to God in what he manifested and made known unto them in their Age and Time As for instance How many of these good people aforesaid have these Popish bloody Clergy-Men and the Members of their Church caused for to be but and destroyed in Queen Mary's Reign because they could not for good Conscience-sake submit and conform to their Idolatrous Ways and Worships which were never ordained by the Lord nor never such a Doctrine nor Practice was ever preached nor practised by any of the Ministers of Christ And so this Doctrine and Practice which was and is preached and practised by the Popish Clergy and the Members of their Church was ordained and set up by the Devil and his Ministers and not by Christ nor his Ministers as appears plainly by their Wicked Actions and Practices aforesaid And I shall mention more of their Cruelties and Murders as for instance How many Thousands of Protestants did they kill and murder in Ireland even at such a time when the Protestants were peaceable and quiet and did not lift up a hand against them and the Devil in those Murderers did invent such Cruel Tortures and Punishments to put them to Death as scarce hath been heard of amongst the Heathens which are no Christians and yet notwithstanding they have the boldness and confidence for to call themselves Christians and say Christ is their Saviour but Christ hates and abhors all such Murders and Cruelties as are found acted and done amongst them And Christ came not to destroy men's Lives but to save them And here people may see that these aforesaid are not acted nor guided by the Spirit of Christ but by the spirit
meditate and ponder the things of God in our own Hearts and Souls that every one may come to see and to know what assurance they have of the Love of God to their Immortal Souls and of their Eternal and Everlasting Inheritance with the Lord in his heavenly Kingdom for evermore when Time here in this World shall come to an End with us all For it is not a bare outward Profession of any Religion whatsoever that will avail any of us as to our own Souls true Peace and Happiness with the Lord for ever but it must be a real Possession and an Enjoyment of the Love of God in our own Hearts that doth avail and satisfie our Souls which no Man nor Woman upon the face of the Earth can come to enjoy the Love of God and true Peace and Comfort in him which is of more worth and value than all the outward Enjoyments that are in the whole World so long as they live in Sin and take pleasure and delight therein for God is pure holy and righteous and he is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity as to allow of it in any one and without Holiness no Man nor Woman can enjoy the Love and Presence of God to his Soul's Comfort and true Satisfaction in him For it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but it is he and they that do the Will of God that shall enter into his Kingdom And it is not the Hearers nor the fair Sayers nor them that have but an outward knowledge of God that shall be Justified by the Lord but it is the Doers of the Will of God and them only that the Lord will Justifio and speak Peace unto their Immortal Souls And so I desire that none would deceive their own Souls in thinking better of themselves then they are for the Apostle Paul saith Be not deceived for God will not be mocked for such as every one soweth such must they reap whether it be Good or Evil And now I appeal to the Witness of God in every Heart and Conscience of what Name or Religion soever you are of Whether you are come so far into the true Christian Life as to believe and obey the first Principle of the true Christian Religion And whether you are come so far into the Life of Truth and into the practice of the holy Scriptures as to let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay and do not alter nor change your Minds and Thoughts after you have said it but let Yea and Nay stand after you have spoken it and do and perform what you have said And so every one ought-to be watchful and careful how to speak and act before they either speak or act lâ—st they offend the Lord by so doing for the Apostle James saith If any man among you seem to be Religious and bridâ—eth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own Heart this man's Religion is vain And whosoever they be that promise for to do such and such things which are just and lawful to be done and ought to be performed then if they that promise for to do such things do not mind nor regard to perform their Words and Promises which they have spoken and promised their Religion is vain let them profess what they will For such Men and Women that make Promises one to another and do not mind nor regard to perform them no such persons ought to be believed nor trusted nor to be confided in and such have not a true Bridle for their Tongues and so their Religion is vain and naught and it is not the true Christian Religion read these Scriptures James 1. 26 27. Gal. 6. 7 8. Matth. 5. 37. And now I desire all Civil Sober-minded people that profess Christianity and the Scriptures to be your Rule that you would be so moderate as to read these Scriptures herein set down and compare these Scriptures and the holy Lives and Conversations of Christ and his Ministers and them that were true Believers and Followers of Christ with the Unholy Lives and Conversations of these Clergy-Men aforesaid and also their Cruelties and Persecutions against those that truly fear the Lord and also their Selfish Covetous Actions and Practices which they do and practice for Tythes and Money under pretence of being Ministers of Christ and Preachers of the Gospel And if you do understand those Scriptures in Truth as they are and be not partial in your Judgment then you may see that there it as much difference betwixt the Doctrine and Principles and Practices of Christ and his Ministers and the Doctrine and Principles and Practices of the Clergy-Men aforesaid as there is betwixt Light and Darkness And therefore I would not have you for to speak any Evil against that Way which you know not what it is But I would have you first for to try all things and hold fast that which is good Selby in Yorkshire the 4th Day of the third Month 1691. Thomas Goodaire THE END