the true Spouse and so running and hunting after others blessed works and experiences have set up Trades in their Arts of telling and boasting of others Lives and Works where that adulterated Spirit hath covered them who are corrupted with her Sorceries and Witchcraft under various fashions of Confessions and Professions of God and his Christ But underneath these coverings are the same wicked hands by which the Just hath suffered and been rejected and set at nought in all Ages And through the blessed works of the Light of God's holy Spirit these corrupt workers and works of darkness being discovered and a Righteous Testimony in Thousands that stand against them what a sad work do these blind Leaders make to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb that is coming upon them looking back to the several Traditions Customs and Commands of men from whence they drive several establishments upon fleshly rotten Foundations as Covenant and Directory of man's none of God's Foundation Christ God's Foundation is a pure holy unspotted Foundation where God's Wisdom and Counsel directs in and through the works of his holy Spirit the which are perfect and good in every degree thereof by which people are built up a Spiritual house to the honour and praise in and through God's blessed works forever So to God's Covenant and Works must all mankind be brought under that are redeemed and made alive to God therefore we deny the Presbyterians Covenant and Directory as being but a meer Parcel of Conceivings and Imaginations which tends to hide the holy Covenant and Foundation of the Righteous people in Generations past and now present in being who were and are built upon the sure Foundation which God hath laid and thereon in Covenant with his righteous holy works And concerning your Foundation who are built upon a Church-Faith made up by an Assembly of Diviners out of their own Brain in the fleshly Comprehensions its man's work full of blemishes and spots and not God's God's Foundations and Works thereon are pure and holy without spot wrinkles or blemish And forasmuch as your made up Faith and Works tend to the making void the pretious Faith of God's Elect which is the gift of God the which purifies the heart and works by love and giveth victory over the old World of Transgression and sin without which there is no pleasing God And so to this one Faith one Baptism and one Lord Testimony is given and against all feigned Faiths the works of men's hands the which are in wickedness by which the Just was slain And concerning that head of the Beast which is branched out into several Horns in feigned Humility and Will-worship intruding into things which they are not led into by the Light of God's holy Spirit and therefore their Foundation being not from a certain knowledge of the immediate works of God's holy and blessed Spirit in them But are in their own willings and running into Imaginations and Conceivings about the Practices of the holy men of God but being out of their Spirit and Works therein what dark works of plungings and dippings in outward Water and imaginary fellowships in outward Elements but being out of a true sense of the works of God's Spirit and its inspiration to enlighten them and give them an understanding of the Times and Seasons of the Dispensations and Works of the mighty God what strangers are they to the New Birth and the one Baptism of Christ with Fire and the holy Spirit to burn and consume Lusts and so to bring down every high Thought and vain Imagination under his Feet who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World And so by that one pure holy Spirit of God are many baptized into one Body where God's will is done on Earth by him that abides forever So not by the works of man is any saved but by the merciful works of God in his Son by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Spirit So into this pure holy Name must all be baptized dipped plunged the which tends to the bringing out of all false Fellowships into that one and only Pure Fellowship to walk in the Light of the Lord where the Blood of Christ cleanses from all sin A pure Baptism indeed a pure Washing in a pure Fountain where filthiness that is within man comes to be washed away and thereby way is made for the comfortable fresh springs that rise from the Fountain of Love and Mercies the Substance of which many outward things are shadows but the good thing it self is come glory to God on high Heb. 9.9 10. So to this blessed work who must increase his Testimony is given and against all the works of men's hands the which tend to the making void thereof So the Fountain of God stands sure and must do forever and all false foundations whereon people have built must be swept away for evermore THe blessed and unspotted Foundation the mighty God of Heaven and Earth hath laid which is Christ or Vnction from the holy God by the Light and Teaching of which mankind comes to be inspired with an understanding concerning things that disser even that which is precious and wholsome so good for Food for every Soul and that which is vile and filthy which tends to the defiling and bringing Souls into bondage And so John in his 1 Epist 2.20 saith unto the then Believers who had received this Heavenly Gift But ye have an Vnction from the holy One and ye know all things Herein was and is God's Love in his Son manifested to the World to destroy his works who hath led mankind into Darkness and so through man's obedience in following and believing in these blessed and unspotted works of God in his Son the enmity comes to be slain that separates mankind from God and so the blessed works of God in his Son reconciling and bringing back them who have been lost by wandering and roving in their own willings and runnings in this cloudy and dark night they come to be seen felt and enjoyed by them who were and are partakers thereof even of God's works in his Son by which the eye of the understanding comes to be opened and so the offensive eye that is offended at God's works comes to be put out And thus the Light and Understanding of that pure Life comes to be known the which hath been as a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the world of wickedness by the subtilty of the Serpent in mans heart And now to the praise and honour of God Almighty who hath drawn thousands by the strivings of the grace of his holy Spirit to the knowledge of his way Christ the Truth Way and Life the which is without spot and blemish the same pure holy and unchangeable Way and Foundation on which the holy men of God were built in Ages and Generations past Ephes 2.20 and are built upon the Foundation of Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being
have been Preserved out of Corrupt Wayes and Works which Corrupt Wayes and Works was and is the Cause of all Heavy and Grievous Judgments in Ages past and to come upon Mankind So its plain and evident how Gracious Merciful and Long-suffering God hath been throughout all Ages through some measure of the shining of the Light of his Unerring Spirit notwithstanding the Great and Grievous Provocations of Mankind in their Corrupt Wayes by which their Understandings were and are darkened that they could not come to a clear Discerning what manner of Love of God that was unto them as it is written How often is the Candle of the Wicked put out Job 21. So its plain that was and is the Love of God in the Light of his Unerring Spirit by which the Wicked were shewn their Wickedness in all Ages and the putting that Love from them was and is the Cause that the Wicked perish in their Wickedness through the Hardness of their Hearts and Unbelief of the Love of God in his Blessed Principle of Light which shines sometimes even unto the Wicked though they cry Depart I desire not the Knowledge of thy Wayes And though this Wickedness of the Wicked under many fair pretences of Confessions and Professions of God have labour'd to put away the way of the Lord and through many Devices hath the Wicked One in his Agents in their Wickedness set up many Corrupt Wayes yet the Way of the Lord remains Pure forever and can never be Corrupted but it remains a True Witness against all Evil and Corrupt Wayes whatsoever And this Perfect Way of God was the Way of the Upright in Heart in all Ages by which they were led out of Evil though under more Servitude before the fulness of time when it pleased God so to cause his Light to shine forth in Flesh in an absolute perfect Dominion over all the Lusts of the Flesh where Satan could get no Enterance though Forty Dayes Christ Jesus was Tempted by him so herein was the Son who is the Heir of all manifested So all the true Prophets in all Ages they had their Testimony from a measure of the Light of that Spirit and there their Testimony ended who were Faithful and the Law written in Tables of Stone that was by the Light of that Blessed Spirit by which all might see and learn to come to Christ in whom the Law is fulfilled So here is the Prophet whom Moses spoke of that God would raise up whom all is to hear and every Soul that will not hear that Prophet Destruction attend it So let none say in their Hearts Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring this Prophet Christ from above or Who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead For the Word is nigh even in the Heart and Mouth which Word of Faith the Ministers which were True did Preach and them which are True do Preach and herein is the Labour of them whose Abiding is in the Word that others may be turned to the Word in the Heart and Mouth that by it they may be reconciled unto God And this Blessed Word was in the beginning before words were All things being made by him in whom is Life and the Life was and is the Light of Men who believe therein And though the World did not nor doth not know the Love of God herein yet he was and is in the World and though his Appearance was and is rejected by most yet some did and do receive him who felt and feel his Power to overcome the Lusts of the Flesh which is Sin and Evil which Unspeakable Love of God shed abroad in the Hearts of the Primitive Christians by this Free Gift of his Holy Spirit which made them who received the same who were truly sensible of God's Love therein undergo great and grievous things some things of which may be read in the Scriptures of Truth So their Fasting and Prayers being performed by the Movings and Guidings of that Blessed Principle of God how were such preserved by the Power of God in the Peace of God wherein their Souls rested in God So the Blessed Name of the Lord was unto them a strong Tower which was the same to the Righteous in all Ages but never was a more clearer Discerning thereof then in this Age there being a Cloud of Witnesses of the Everlasting Love of the Everlasting God herein and so they are Blessed who live up to that Blessed Principle of God in them and continue Faithful to the End in the Testimony thereof O the Remembrance of them will be had in great Esteem in Ages and Generations to come So now that which is Chiefest of all and of greatest Value let that be first minded that all things may be done according to the Will of God in order to which a Right Understanding is necessary the which is better then Gold and Silver for the Wicked may possess Gold and Silver and things visible to their Hurt where a Right Understanding is wanting for if Knowledge and Understanding be wanting people perish Therefore be advised to wait in the Way of Understanding the Fear of the Lord God who made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things else according to his good Pleasure here is the beginning of Knowledge and to attain to a Right Understanding for in the Fear of the Lord there 's no Evil in that Way So away with Invention and Imaginations of Fearing God whilst Conclusions are made That Sin can't be parted with all Wayes made up by men in Sin are from a Corrupt Understanding So come to the Fear of God and he will teach us his Wayes and all that come there come out of Evil for there 's no Evil in God's Wayes so that they that are in God's Way are out of Evil by which it plainly appears that all Wayes where Conclusions are made That Sin is in them or that they can't live out of Sin or that they know not a Way out of Sin all such where such Conclusions are made are out of a Right Understanding and their Wayes are Destructive and their Works in them Wayes are Destructive so that all who endeavour to save their Lives there do want a Right Understanding for Transgression which is Sin is the Cause of Death so all that are raised from Death are raised from Sin the Cause of it so then all that keep their Lives there shall lose Life and all that lose their lives there shall find Life So Blessed are they who serve the Living God they do as they should do so that 's no Evil but Good so let none think in their Perverse Wayes that they shall be fed with Knowledge and Understanding there No no they will Starve and Perish there for want of Understanding so let all deal clearly with themselves in coolness and stillness in the silence of fleshly wisdom in a true Examination concerning the wayes they live in
in and through his holy Spirit of Truth are righteous holy perfect in every degree and measure and remains firm in goodness and unchangeable there being no spot nor blemish in them the which praises them for ever out of which none shall ever find acceptance of him Mutter peep whine and scold as long as you will your works of darkness must down which have corrupted the Nations which is cause of the great Judgments past in this Nation and the greater yet to come For the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God is gone out against wicked workers and works and thus saith the Lord No Peace to the wicked their prayers are abomination in my sight So whatsoever your professions and coverings therein be of your talkings and imaginations concerning the gift of God which is Life Eternal you being really out of it in your own imaginary parts and gifts in comprehending the works done without you and so not sensible of any real perfect pure work of God's holy Spirit in you the which is the cause you are so dark and wickedly blinded to plead for sin the which is accompanied with the wages of death the cause of death being sin the which remaining the effects cannot cease even death and corruption from that venomous sting over all flesh that is corrupted with it So for shame leave your false Accusations against an innocent people called by the Name of Quakers for testifying of the works of God's holy Spirit the which are perfect in every degree and therefore there is not the least sin nor evil in them So all you who say You are not without sin in your best duties I say they are all works of your own which blind and hide God's works from you And as you may read of the works of God's Spirit in Mordicai how they could not bow to the Pride and Arrogance of Haman and also the works of God's Spirit in Daniel how they could not bow to them that would have restrained and limited them and also the works of Gods Spirit in Shadrach Meshech and Abednego how they could not bow to the Golden Image set up by Nebuchadnezar though Laws under Penalties of Death in a Cruel manner was before them and also the works of God's holy Spirit in the Primitive Christians through the strength of which they under-went hard and grievous things under the spirit of Antichrist which got up in a form of good words in the pleasures and vanities of the works of the fleshly wisdom the which have been kept up by the same wisdom by the Arm of flesh under which the Innocent people who are true witnesses of the works of God's Spirit have suffered very deeply in this Age the which cannot be hid though the cause for which they have thus suffered is so far hid that it cannot be believed though they have been wonderfully declared of But it is Mordecai Daniel Shadrach Meshâ—ch and Abednego's God which we who are in scorn called Quakers do worship in and by the effects and blessed Operation of his own blessed Spirit wherein stands our confidence and not in Flesh and our Faith Belief and Hope is in him that he will turn the Hearts of our enemies unto us though many will perish in their gain-saying So over all the works and powers of darkness in our Faith and Belief that the holy righteous works of God's blessed Spirit shall be exalted and the God of Truth in and through his blessed works in preparing and fitting the hearts of people the knowledge of him shall increase till it spread over all And for this purpose hath God raised many contrary to the wisdom of the World in whom he hath made known his Righteous Works who have unity and fellowship therein who are true labourers therein purely out of love to God and his blessed works in good-will and true-love to all men that all may taste of the goodness of God the experience of which will bring mankind to be of one mind and heart and therein to agree to praise and magnifie God who shows man his Thoughts to whom belongs honour and glory for ever And now all you Leaders of the People in all forms and fashions who are denying the works of the Divine Power of God in its blessed operation and powerful workings in setting free them who are heavy laden and weary through the enemies works of sin and iniquity the which you say cannot be overcome therefore you are denyers of the sufficiency of God's works and his kingdom wherein dwells righteousness peace and joy in and through effectual workings of God's holy Spirit the which though you say in words Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done c. But being sayers and not doers you are so darkened that with all your own wills and mights you are strengthening the old Kingdom of transgression where sin and iniquity aboundeth the Devil's works Was it not by reason of transgression that the first Law the first Covenant was added which was written in Tables of Stone And was not this in force till the Seed of Life and Power the coming of the Messiah to finish Transgression and to put an end to Sin and so bring in everlasting Righteousness God's Kingdom Now all you blind Leaders of the blind is not here God's second Covenant writ in the heart into which all must come that come unto God where his Light is to shine who is the True Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World And if this righteous Law be taken heed unto will it not judge Lust when it rises in the heart And will it not judge Anger when it rises in the heart And will it not judge every desire of breaking Promise when it arises in the heart And will it not judge every hasty and froward Action and Lightness when they appear in the heart And is not all that proceeds from this righteous Law and Covenant of God in the heart Pure Truth Yea and Nay And what is more then plain Truth Yea and Nay is it not judged by this pure Law in the heart And are not all fotbidden to Swear by this one Law-giver who is able to Save or to Destroy And must not his righteous Law and Decree take place though many Laws through darkness and Ignorance may be made against it And must not all that come to Sion the City of the Living God be redeemed through these righteous judgments And all that will not come under this righteous Law and Government where Mercy and Peace kisses and Truth and Righteousness is set over all is it not just that they be left to Judgment without Mercy So is not Destruction from Self-willing and running of people out of the counsel and knowledge of the will and mind of the living God And is not the Salvation of every Soul in and through the righteous Decrees and just and holy Laws of God which is Light in every Conscience And must not all come to Salvation
What will it avail you to have read what blessed and holy Lives the Saints and Servants of the most High God led and possessed if you be found in an unsavoury Life and in an unholy Conversation in an unclean Possession If so will you not be found denyers of the scope and tendency of Scriptures where it is written to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace and all that possess this are in a clean and holy possession The Scriptures saith to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace So to the blessed motions of Gods holy Spirit you must turn your minds and eye its leadings and guidings this is the way the Saints and Servants of the most high God were directed to and guided in by the true Preachers of the everlasting Gospel And therefore unto that of God which he manifests and shews you must bring your hearts and minds before you can know the law of the Spirit of Life to set you free from the law of sin and death Oh consider will a talk of freedom avail one in Captivity whilst he sees no way but that he must remain so all his Life time Awake awake out of your Dream unto righteouâ—ness and sin not that you may â—now â—he Lord and his way the which is above mans ways as the Heaven is above the Earth The Lord of Heaven and Earth hath ordained a means and way to everlasting Peace and Happinâ—ss and the Scriptures testifie the same Even of Christs spiritual appearance who is the Way Truth and Life so to that of God which is holy must every one come that is made holy unto that which is righteous must every one come that is truly made righteous and meet for the Kingdom of God the which the unrighteous cannot inherit Oh hat people would consider their wayes wherein they walk and not go on in evil wayes and satisfie themselves with a â—alk what they have heard of the righteous way and live out of it for the great love of God in his Heavenly gift to the World was and is that people should be led by it to that repentance never to be repented of even to forsake that which is manifest to be wrong false and evil by the faithful and true witness the Spirit of Truth in every one As it is written Behold I have given him for a witness to the people Isaiah 55.4 a Leader and Commander to the people And it is also written 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself Blessed are they who are in the way of the knowledge of reconciliation unto this faithful and true witness and live up unto it This will be to their joy and comfort in that life and peace which is everlasting And to them that do not believe he is a witness of their unbelief and hard heartedness to their shame and confusion as you may read And I will come near to you to Judgment Malachi 3.5 and I will be a swift witness against Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers and against those that oppress the Hireling in his Wages the Widow and the Fatherless and that turn away the stranger from his right and fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts read Rom 8.16 Joh. 1.5 By this you may see how plentifully the Scriptures testifie of the Spirit of Truth witness And now try in your selves come to the examination if any be unclean in Thought or Action is there not that within that shews it and witnesseth against it If any be unmerciful this witness will witness against it if any back-bite or defraud or murmur or lye or steal or bear false witness or contemn the counsel of the Lord and proud and high minded in contemning his holy Law and Commandment this faithful and true witness will ever be a witness against all such and against all that is bad and hath a tendency of defiling and corrupting any And therefore all they that deny this are real denyers of the love and mercy of God testified unto through the Scriptures And further concerning this faithful and true wirness Christ the word of God observe what the Scripture saith Bom. 10.6 7. Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Feaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach Now mind are not you opposers of the love and mercy of God in the moving of his holy Spirit in those holy men which gave forth the Scripture whilst you remain gain-sayers of that more sure word so nigh the heart and mouth and in your exaltedness of Spirit in a fleshly worldly wisdom being puft up above what is written what a vain travail and labour they live in In imagining and creating to your selves a contrary way to what the Lord hath ordained to salvation Come to the witness in you and by that if you conrinue your subjection thereunto you will be sensible that it is the love of God unto you and in this love be admonisht to give private Interpretations of the Prophesies in the Scripture least thereby you provoke the Lord till swift destruction comes upon you And for your further Information observe what the Sripture saith 1 Joh. That was the true light which lighteth every man that comes into the World as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God The Scripture doth not say as many as profess him he gives power but it saith as many as receive him who lighteth every man that comes into the World to them he gives power c. Indeed he is to be received in his spiritual appearance and for that end he stâ—nds at the door and knocks in gentle reproofs and convincement whereby the hard heart must be broken and set open unto him and receive him before the remission from evil be witnessed and the great horrible clouds of darkness be expelled and the vail over the heart rent and power received to overcome the wicked one as it is written Behold I stand at the door and knock If any man hear my voice Revel 3.20 and open the door I will come into him and will Sup with him and he with me This is a great tender of love and mercy be they not very hard hearted that saith unto him depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways these are they that oppose the Scriptures Testimony and shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men Mat. 23.13 for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in This was the sad and deplorable condition of those high professors of the Law and the Prophets whom Christ pronounced dreadful wo against And all that are refisting the Spirits Testimony in themselves