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
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
which People are Children of Wrath and it is the old Leaven the Apostle commanded to be purged out that in the room thereof Righteousness may dwell which is of the New Nature and they that come to this in all things become New Men and have New Thoughts New Words and New Works being begotten and born again by the Spirit of God all things become New and all Old Things be done away to wit Swearing Cursing Lying Quarreling Fighting Stealing Whoreing Drunkenness Pride Envy Murther Cozening Cheating Covetousness and Idolatry Dissimulation and Hypocrisie all that is Old and all False Religions must be roled together as a Scrole John 4. and a New Worship must be known even in Spirit and Truth And this was that which John was shewed in the time of his Banishment by him that said to him Behold I create all things New Mark the end of the Old John said He saw a New Heaven and a New Earth in which dwelt Righteousness and there was no Sea but the Old Heaven was roled together as a Scrole with a great Noise and the Earth was burnt up with every green Tree and every Island and every Bonds-man and every Free-man fled away and the Elements were melted with fervent Heat But these things are a Mystery hid from the Wisdom of this World for the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are hid in Christ Jesus who only and alone opens and reveals the Mysteries and secrets of God's Kingdom and also of the Devil's Kingdom and without this Revelation of Jesus none can know the Right way from the Wrong nor the True Worship from the False because it is spiritually discerned They therefore that are not led and guided by the Spirit of God cannot know these things for the true Knowledge the right Understanding of it is foolishness to them therefore they are putting Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and calling Good Evil and Evil Good and the Wrong Way the Right and the Right Way the Wrong And in this Blindfold Condition are all the Worshippers in the World that are not led by the Spirit of God to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth for there is no Worship accepted of God but that which People are led into by the Spirit of God and for want of keeping to the Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth which in the Heart and Conscience Reproves for Sin and Justifies men in doing of Good People run into all manner of Errors as well in Judgment Discipline and Worship as in the other things for though there be a Spirit in man Yet it is the Inspiration of the Almighty that gives a man Understanding how to Worship God and of the Way to Heaven and what to believe and what not to believe and what to do and what to leave undone and what will please God and what will not please him But that there is such an immediate Inspiration whereby God doth teach and reveal his Mind to his Children in this Age is opposed vilified and denyed by the Generality and no marvel for needs must it be so while they are beside the Truth and will not come to the Spirit of Truth to be led by it but oppose it that should lead into all Truth and give a man to understand that which no man can un derstand by the Wisdom of this World 1 Cor. 1.12 ch 2.14 for the Scripture saith The World by Wisdom knew not God but as People come to be made wise by God so they come to have an Experience of these fore mentioned things to know the old Heaven to be dissolved and the Elements melted with fervent heat this is not an outward thing but an inward Work of God and it was never done by any Power but the Power of God And blessed be the Name of the Lord he hath begun this Work in many which is to the Salvation of them that are faithful and use victoriously the spiritual Weapons of their Warfare in Righteousness against Sin and Wickedness in the Heart and as they of old said so can many say now adayes The Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual and mighty through God for the pulling down the Strong Holds of Satan in man Principalities and Powers of Darkness and for the bringing into the Obedience to Christ our Evil Thoughts 2 Cor. 10.4 that in the room of Sin Everlasting Righteousness may reign then that Peace will be known which passeth all Understandings of this World And as People give way to the Spirit of God it wars against the Devil and against his strong Holds which is Sin in the Heart for that is the chiefest Place in Man the Heart therefore God expecteth the Heart And the Wise Man said My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23.26 So when Christ cometh to rule in the Heart then all things become new the Old Nature by him cometh to be purged out and a New Nature cometh to be known which is of the Nature of Christ and here Man comes to be born again by putting off the Old World's Worships Delights and Pleasures which are the old Heaven and Earth in the Heart for Heaven is as False Worship so Pleasures Delights c. for whatsoever a man sets his Heart Mind and Affections upon more than upon Christ that he makes his Heaven and his God too some made their Bellies their God and some make Covetousness their Heaven and some make Pride their Heaven whose chiefest Delight is to deck their Bodies up in foolish Toyes and cannot tell what New Thing many times to invent to put on or spend their Money upon Little do such remember what the Prophet cryed Isa 40.6 All Flesh is but as Grass and the Beauty of it but as the Flower of the Field the Grass withereth and the Flower fadeth away in like manner doth the Bodies of Men and Women with the Beauty thereof but the Word of the Lord endureth for evermore but this holy Word is little minded little loved or regarded by many although it strive with People in them to save them from the Wrath to come and will be with them forever a Joy to those that are faithful to it and a torment to the Wicked But the God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of many and they are willing to be blinded by him alwayes delighting themselves in the things of this Life till Death seizeth upon them and then their Delights here become their Burden then they begin to cry out Lord Lord but what doth the Scripture say of such Matt. 7.21 22. mark Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter the Kingdom of God but he that doth the will of God and the Will of God is that people should cease to do Evil and learn to do well Isa 1.16 17. and cleanse their Hands and their Hearts by putting away the Evil of their Doings whilst they are on this side the Grave For the Scripture saith There is
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
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
I let Israel go This Sturdy Oak did God visit with Judgment by pouring out of his Plagues upon him and his Land and he brought down his Pride in the Red Sea and he Humbled him by a perpetual Overthrow in the Deep but this Israel whom Pharaoh would not let go that they might hold a Feast unto the Lord in the Wilderness and Sacrifice unto their God them did God deliver out of his hand by a strong Arm and led thorow the Red Sea as upon dry Land making the Waters stand as Walls on the Right hand and on the Left And thus God made Pharach an Example to all that after should be Hard-hearted and refuse to Obey the Lord. And let it never be forgotten that in all these Overthrows God took care for the Righteous for them that loved God and obeyed his Voice and rebelled not against his good Spirit but turned at the Reproofs thereof who sinned not but stood in Awe as Namely Noah that Righteous man him God saved from the Destruction of the old World and delivered just Lot out of the Overthrow of Sodom and Israel his People he redeemed out of the Iron-Furnace and delivered them from Pharaoh that opprest them and pleaded their Cause with the Kings of the Earth and avenged their Wrongs upon them Yet here 's one President more that part of Israel which sinned and obeyed not God's Voice but day by day provoked him to Anger by their Rebellion and Unbelief even them for whom God had wrought such great Salvation God overthrew in the Wilderness and cut them off in his Anger by the Sword the Plague or other Destruction and twenty three thousand fell in one day and God made their Children to wander in the Wilderness Forty Years to bear the Whoredoms of their Fathers till the Carcases of their Fathers were consumed in the Wilderness These God was grieved and displeased with because they rebelled against his Good Spirit which he gave them to instruct and lead them in the Way they should go and this was not all but he sware in his Wrath They should not enter into his Rest So may we well conclude with the Apostle That if God spared not the Angels that sinned nor the Old World that sinned nor the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that sinned nor Pharaoh and his Host that sinned nor that part of Israel that sinned whom God so dearly loved and wrought so great Salvation for but made them Examples for all that after should live Ungodly oh what shall be the End of those that tread under foot the Son of God and count the Blood of the Covenant an Unholy Thing and do despight to the Spirit of Grace and daily crucifie the Son of God afresh spiritually by their Ungodly Lives and Ungodly Conversations For as Sin was the Transgression of the Law so whosoever sinneth rebels against God and Christ and doth do despight to the Spirit of Grace and as he that despised the Law that came by Moses dyed without Mercy so God hath reserved a greater Punishment for him that sins wilfully and turns not at God's Reproof but rebels against his Spirit sets at nought his Counsel and despises his Reproof and hates Knowledge and doth not chuse the Fear of the Lord nor that Light and Grace that inwardly strives with men to turn them from Sin by inwardly checking and reproving them for sin in their Hearts and Consciences and inward Parts and counsels them in their inward Parts to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World such I say must inherit everlasting Flames and have their Portion in the Lake that burns where shall be weeping and wailing and Gnashing of Teeth and that for evermore And let it be observed how God loved the Righteous and preserved them in all Ages who feared God and stood in his Counsel and loved God above all who feared God because they loved him and sinned not but stood in Awe oh how attentive was God's Ear to hear them and how did God open their Hearts to intercede for the Ungodly for their Enemies for them that hated them without a Cause and grudged them their natural Lives that God had given them Oh how was the Lord intreated by them insomuch that the Wicked speeded the better for the Righteous for in the Overthrow of Sodom if there could have been Ten Righteous found God would have spared the whole City for the sakes of Ten Righteous Persons and Zoar was spared for Lot's sake that Just Man It is good and blessed for all to be Righteous for without Righteousness and Holiness none shall see God and without seeing of God there is no enjoying that Kingdom which is not of this World wherein there is Joy and Peace forever Now there is no man of himself can come to be righteous and pure in Heart but Christ must cleanse and purge the Heart and wash it by the inward Washing of Regeneration by sprinkling the Heart from an Evil Conscience by his own Blood and the Heart being thus made pure the Saying of Christ in the fifth of Matthew comes to be fulfilled to all such viz. Blessed is the pure in Heart for they shall see God And in order to bring to this Blessedness God hath laid Help upon one that is mighty to save to take off the Burthen of Sin from the Soul and to give Rest to the Soul that is weary Now most people will confess to this because it is Scripture but it is one thing to confess to it and another thing to know it experimentally and to come truly to Christ It may be an Objection may be in some concerning the Manner of Coming to Christ Unto this I Answer The Manner of coming to Christ is to come to his Light and Grace in the Heart and so to be made new Creatures man must leave Sin and come to a godly Sorrow which worketh a true Repentance never to be repented of to come to know Sin to be a Burden and to feel the weight of it upon the Soul if he will come aright to Christ for these be they that Christ called to come to him saying Come to me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you Rest I will ease you Matt. 11.28 And as thou comest to him he will make thee righteous and pure in Heart that thou mayest see God and be blessed This is that a man cannot do for himself nor no man for him but Christ only So it is those that mourn and groan under the Burden of Sin that are fit to come to Christ not them that take Pleasure in Sin nor them that love Sin and plead they must live in it term of Life that is till they Dye But them that travail as Paul did to be delivered from the Body of Sin c. Rom. 7.24 this is the Way to become New Creatures and these be they that hear the Voice of the Son of God and live as he said My
Sheep hear my Voice and the Voice of a Stranger they will not hear John 10.27 these were good Sheep Now to come to hear Christ's Voice is to obey his Spirit that striveth in the Heart to reclaim the Wicked and the Willing and Obedient shall dwell in the Land in the Kingdom of God and shall eat of the Good of the Land the Bread of Life and their Souls shall partake of the Honey and the Milk that floweth therein Isaeah 1.19 Some may say If I had been in the dayes of his Flesh I would have heard him and have come to him but he is asoended up on high and sitteth at the Right Hand of God and how can I hear him now Well it is true he is ascended into Heaven and is with the Father But mark this he is not confined to one place but as thou mayst read in the Scriptures Rom. 9.5 He is God over all blessed forever and his Presence filleth Heaven and Earth he is every where and there is a measure or manifestation of his Light and good Spirit given to thee 1 Cor. 12.7 and to every man and woman upon the Earth that thou and they may profit by it upon the count of Salvation and the knowledge of this is made known in thee or that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and the Scripture saith Rom. 1.19 The Word is near even in the Heart and in the Mouth c. there thou mayst hear it and as thou obeyest the Voice of it it will give thee Power to do that which it doth require of thee and by doing this it is that thou mayst hear his Voice by keeping to that of God in thee and thy mind exercised in it Here the Voice of the Spirit of Christ is known as well as in days past and in Generations gone So let none deceive themselves for the Spirit of Christ is near to all whether they will hear him or not and true it is that they must one day give an account to him whether they will or no therfore let none deceive you with lying Vanities or unprofitable Words for this is he that searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and sheweth unto man what his Thoughts are the Lord of Hosts is his Name and he is not far from any Acts 17.27 28. so that no man need say Who shall ascend to fetch Christ or who shall descend to fetch Christ up or who shall go beyond the Sea For saith the Apostle The Word of Faith which we Preach is nigh but how nigh in the Heart Rom. 10.6 7 8. and that Christ was that Word of Faith which they preacht and so we say that People may hear it and do it And Christ said to John as may be read in the third Chapter of the Revelations Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3.20 It is at the Door of the Heart the Lord knocketh and they that hear obey the Spirit of Jesus that there knocketh such come to be born of the Spirit and by this come to sup with the Lord which is not an outward Supper but an inward enjoyment of spiritual Food the Bread of Life that which came down from Heaven which Christ said He that eateth thereof should never dye should live forever John 6.33 34 35 50 52 53 63. and that Bread that a man eating of it never dyes Christ said was the true Bread that his Father gave from Heaven then the Priests did not give it And when the People murmured because Christ said Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you did not Christ for their further satisfaction make them this Answer The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life it is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profitteth nothing Now they that can believe Christ let them who said The Flesh profitteth nothing but the quickening Spirit and Power of God that raiseth the Soul from Death to Life And this is that we labour to bring People to that all might come to know that they have a part in him who said I am the Resurrection and the Life John 5.25 and so to feed at the Table of the Lord that they may never hunger more And for this we have been and yet are hated of the World both of Professors and Prophane but more especially of some angry and envious Professors and no marvel for none hated Christ and the Apostles more than they that made Profession of Religion in those dayes who were themselves out of the Life of Righteousness and in Hatred Strife and Envy as too many Professors are now adayes who stick in the outward Observations and Ceremonies one crying Lo here is Christ and another Lo there he is and all in their own Inventions or in the Inventions of their Fore-Fathers or at least in the Imitation of Elementary Things often Persecuting and Destroying one another about Opinions And these are they that are led by a false spirit for all people are led by the true or false Spirit for there is but two the Good and the Bad which all People upon the Earth are led by that is the Spirit of God or the Spirit of the Devil and to which of these a man gives his Mind to serve his Servant he is and his Conversation is managed by that Spirit and it may be that both lead to profess Religion for even the Devil in some sense is not against Peoples making a Profession of Religion but he makes them so blindly Zealous that they shall Hate Persecuto or Murder those that will not believe what they believe and worship as they worship and be of their Religion The Devil cares not how much People talk of God and Christ and Religion provided they do not deny him to lead them and so become New Creatures For they that are not led by the Spirit of Christ are none of his Rom. 8.9 And to be led by the Spirit of Christ is to become a New Creature for all have been in the old Nature Children of Wrath as the Apostle said Ephes 2.3 we as well as others till we come to put off the Old Man with his Deeds and to put on the New Man which is created after the Image of him that created him in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes 4.24 the image of Christ who said Behold I make all things New And herein cometh the New Birth to be known by which People come to be Heirs to God's Kingdom which none ever come to but they that are born again which is to live a Life answerable to the Truth and to put off the old Man's Deeds is to put off Sin for all Sin and Wickedness is of the Devil the old Man and this is the old Nature by
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
People this is one of the chief Articles of the Church to Promise and Vow that the Child shall forsake the Devil and all his Works and live so all its Life long this is the first thing they injoyn a Member of their Church in the receiving a Member into their Church as part of their form of Worship and in their Pulpits Preach against it that is against the principal part of their Articles of belief in Baptism inasmuch as they say there is no Perfection here O the Darkness gross Darkness that is over this people the blindness and ignorance they are in concerning their Salvation it is hard to express how they are misled the blind Leaders of the Blind till many a thousand fall into the Ditch But blessed be the Name of the Lord who hath drawn me and many more out of it and hath set our Feet upon a Rock as David said Out of the Miery Clay For all these Performances and their best Duties are but as Mire and Clay in the sight of God and we that were in it as well as others hath the Lord raised up to bear a Living Testimony against this Idolatrous Worship and false Imaginations that others may come to see where they are and come out from amongst them before they fall together into the Pit of Hell where there is never coming out more For the Priests and all other Sect-Masters are blind Leaders of the Blind for do but consider the manner of their proceeding in this matter of Sprinkling of Children and what it doth produce the Priest he sprinkleth Water in the Face of the Child and saith I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost And that they reckon maketh a Christian of the Child to wit a Child of God a Member of Christ and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of God an absolute Delusion and then there they must have some other People good or bad to stand bound for the Child and these they call God-Fathers and God-Mothers as if the God of Heaven and Earth had Fathers and Mothers made of wicked Men and Women for do but mind these people take the Work of God upon them inasmuch as they take upon them to Promise and Vow that the Child shall forsake the Devil and all his Works which is to live without Sin and no less then all the dayes of his Life which is a thing all the World can never do for inasmuch as they promise that the Child shall forsake the Devil and all his Works this doth include all Sin whatsoever for there is no Sin nor never was but is of the Devils work and herein they take that upon them which none can do but God and Christ and therefore Christ is come to destroy Sin to put an End to Sin to finish Transgression and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness for all man's Righteousness is but as filthy Rags and when he hath done all that he can while he is in the old Nature it is all unprofitable And further consider both Priests and People how the Priests Err in compelling people to do that in this case which they are ignorant of and cannot give Answer for what they do and here the Blind are Leaders of the Blind For neither Priests nor People know in this matter what they do for if they did some of them would not do it for when some in obedience to the Lord have asked them why they did do these things which there is no Scripture for they could not well tell what to say some have said The Law of the Nation is for it Others in a blind manner will say That if they should not do it their Children would be Damned because they think that maketh them Christians when few of them know what a Christian is for a Christian is one that walketh like Christ or as Christ would have him and so to be United to Christ Some will Answer and say That it was used in our Fore-Fathers dayes and therefore we will use it It was said In the time of Ignorance the Lord winked but now he hath removed the Clouds of Ignorance and made these things known and hath cleared up the understandings of a Remnant more in this Age than in some Ages past and hath manifested the emptiness barrenness unfruitfulness and unprofitableness of the Traditions of the Ignorant and is calling to Repentance and the People of this Age have as much need of Repenting of this thing of Sprinkling as any one thing for in the manner as it is now used and hath been for some time past it is very wicked and abominable in the sight of God and why may not people as well plead for their Fore-Fathers Drunkenness Swearing Lying and Whoreing as for this For note this one thing when they go to make a Christian as they suppose do but mark them in the Action when they are met together they behave themselves more like People of making Heathens than Christians for it is common for them they take occasion at such times to Feast Play Dance Revel and be drunk at the time when they practise such things And this is their manner of making Christians who make use of those opportunities of their so meeting to commit such Abominations but I would leave to the serious consideration of any sober People whether these Actions and Practices be the way to make Christians O! the horrid Abominations and Pollutions that People do commit in this and almost in all their Duties when they meet together as they say to worship God! the Lord is weary of bearing with it and his Indignation is against them that run into any thing and call it Service and Duty to God when God hath not commanded it nor required it nor his Spirit led them to do it These things are an Abomination to the Lord and Christ is come to judge the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment for people that are got into any Judgment or Righteousness as to Religion and Worship which they are not led and guided into by the Spirit of God although it were a likeness of the true Worship which the People of God in Ages past did do in obedience to the Spirit of God and where things that were accepted of God being done and acted by the holy men of God as they were moved by his holy Spirit were well-pleasing to God in their Day and Time they being but Shadows and Figures of the Substance Christ Jesus which is come and hath put an end to them outward things now is calling of People to worship in the Spirit and in the Truth for Christ said Such the Father seeketh to worship him So now though People may run into these things which were good in their Time and Day as Circumcision was in its day so were other things in their day and time as John's Baptism breaking of Bread and many other things before as the Passover the Brazen Serpent which
Moses set up was good till it was Idolized and in the time of the Law there were many things used as Sacrifice and Burnt Offerings Sin Offerings and Peace Offerings the Blood of Bulls and Goats the Ashes of a Heifer with many outward things but as to the Sprinkling of Children we never read of which made not the comers thereunto Perfect as to the cleansing of the Conscience for that was a Work alwayes done by the Spirit and Power of God though it pleased God to condescend to mans low and weak Capacity in these outward things till the fulness of time was come in which he would send Christ the Substance of all those Types and Figures and Shadowy outward things and the Substance being come to wit the Messiah Christ Jesus the Shadows end in him and the Righteousness thereof comes to be fulfilled in them that believe and obey the Truth to wit the followers of Christ Jesus and John he spoke concerning his Commission or Ministration that he was to Decrease but Christ was to Increase For if you observe John was sent a fore-runner of Christ to prepare the Way of the Lord and make his Pathes straight and to Baptize in Water them that did believe the Testimony of John concerning Christ and this was in order to a further Work which Christ would come to do as John said which was to Baptize with Fire and with the holy Ghost So them that are come to be baptized with the holy Ghost and with Fire they are come to the Substance Christ Jesus and to them the Shadows are ended And as for the Word Sacrament there is no such Word in the Scriptures that I know but as concerning Christ breaking of Bread with his Disciples that was not spoken of as in relation for all men to use it but to his Disciples alone for he thus spoke and said unto them As often as ye do this do it in remembrance of me and in so doing said he to them not to the World you shew the Lord's Death till he come For he had promised to them He that was with them should be in them So they were to stay at Jerusalem till they were indued with Power from on High which was to know his Second Coming spiritually without Sin unto Salvation which accordingly he performed to them and then there was no need for to do any thing without to bring them to Remembrance of Christ the Hope of Glory within them he was then come to guide their Minds and Hearts into all Truth So when his Disciples were endewed with Power from on High then in Authority they went into all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost He doth not say with Outward Water but into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower and the Righteous flee to it and are saved from the Devouring Adversary we have cause to praise the Lord for this for this is known in our dayes as it was in dayes past But now for People to run into the Imitation of these things and not by Motion from the Lord because it hath been used in times past by the People of God I say for others to run into it that never came to witness a being in that state which the People of God were in this is that Worship which is built upon the Sand which when the Storms come and the Winds of Persecution blow then that Building falls and great is the Fall of it and this Righteousness Christ is come to judge as well as Sin So whatsoever is set up although it may be seemingly Righteous in the Eyes of People which they have been seeking to themselves it must all down as well as their Sins for it is all alike in the sight of God for People have been seeking out easie Wayes to serve God in for this worshipping of God in Spirit and Truth they do not like the Gate that leadeth to it is so strait that they must so much deny themselves that they cannot get in at it with their Body of Sin and this is such a Cross to their own Wills that they that delight in the Pleasures of Sin cannot abide to think on it but get up what they can against it and would fain have an easier Way than Christ and reckon him an hard Master because he would have them leave the Pleasures of Sin that they may be saved in the Day of Account which will suddenly come upon all the World to give an Account of their Deeds done in the Body whether they are Good or Evil. Therefore 't is good for all People to see that their Deeds are Good before it be too late and lay aside that which hindereth that they may enter in at the strait Gate before it be shut never more to be opened for it is God that openeth and it is him that shutteth and if he shut again all the World shall never open more and though they may then seek they cannot find and many times when it pleases God to open the blind Eye so that they come to see they see there is so much to deny and to do away that they are willing to be blind again and so begin to hate that which shewed it them and even them also that are obedient to it for the sake of him who in Good Will would save them from Hell There are many things that hinder People from entring in at the strait Gate for strait is the Gate narrow is the Way which leads unto eternal Life few there be that find it because they are seeking the Wrong Way most People are seeking every one his own Way and the Way of the Lord is neglected for in that Way they cannot walk in their old course of Life for I will render many Instances why many are striving and cannot enter in at the strait Gate This is strait to the Carnal Man but to the Spiritual Man it is easie or it is made easie to them by the Spirit of God but to the Sinner 't is hard the Drunkard because of his Drunkenness cannot enter into the Kingdom of God the Swearer because of his Swearing the Lyar because of his Lying the Covetous Man because of his Covetousness the Cozening Deceitful Envious and Malicious-minded Men cannot enter because of these things the Proud and Lofty or them that spend their time in Playing Sporting in Vanity and Jesting cannot enter these and all such things have and do hinder from coming into the Kingdom of Heaven the Whoremonger Thief and Murderer the Hypocrite or Blasphemer cannot enter and they that be got under a Cover of Religion which is not true but false cannot enter though it make a great shew it being not right this hindreth many from coming to God and is one of the greatest Snares the Devil hath to deceive with among men and doth in this kind deceive Millions of People
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
true I have found it so by good Experience And this is the Devils end to keep Peoples Minds upon Earthly things that they may never mind Heavenly things but to spend away their precious time in this world till there be no more time that thereby they may lose the Treasure in Heaven that is laid up in Heaven for all those that will come to God upon his Terms which Terms are for People to Repent deny themselves to take up a Cross to their own Wills to love and fear God and to worship him in Spirit and Truth and I am sure that none can do this without the Spirit if it must be as the Scripture saith in the Spirit and in the Truth and I believe the Scripture is true and that Christ spoke true when he spoke these words and all priests and Professors are in Error and Blindness that deny these things but all them that love the Appearance of the Spirit of Christ Jesus which is the chief Terms of Salvation come to know Benefit thereby the manner of his appearing is in Peoples Minds against Sin and they that love that which the Spirit of God appeareth against and judgeth in their Minds they are yet hating of God let them profess what they will it is in vain but they that love those things which the Spirit of God in themselves appeareth for these be they that love his Appearance But in all Ages they that had got on a Covering which was not of God's Spirit these were ever the work for all Religions are false except that in Spirit and Truth and all these false Colours of Religion were ever invented by the Devil and this is one way that he in all Generations did work when he could no longer keep People in open Prophaneness then he invents new wayes for them to walk in and he will plead Scripture for it too and speak much of the holy men of God's Works too That in Ages past they were commanded to do which were good in their Day and Time to them that were obedient to it which were to last till Christ the Substance came or till the time of Reformation being but Shadows and Figures of the Substance which blessed be the Lord he is come and hath put an end to these things and hath set up a Worship in Spirit and Truth But the Spirit of the Devil he is alwayes a keeping busied about outward things and Lip-service that he may keep the Heart upon some visible thing and off from the inward and spiritual Worship and this is one way that he worketh in the Mystery of Iniquity alwayes when he can keep People no longer in open Prophaneness then to turn them into outward Duties as he calls them when God required no such thing at their Hands for it is first the Heart the Lord requireth saying My Son Prov. 23.26 give me thy Heart that is to set their Hearts on the Lord and to be led by his good Spirit in them then Family-Duties and other Duties are by God accepted they being done by the Guidance of Gods good Spirit for thou mayst read in the Scriptures of Truth which we own and have more esteem of them than any other Book in the World and they speak after this manner saying The Prayers of the Wicked are Abomination to the Lord but the Prayers of the Righteous avail much But the Manner of the Spirit of the Devil is to keep People from being Righteous that their Prayers may not be accepted and keeping in outward things that they may never know the inward Work of God which is to work out Sin and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness But he is keeping of them ever hearing and ever learning that they may never be able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth for he knows while they are hear kening to the Teaching of the blind Guides they can never come to the Knowledge of the Truth for the Devil knows till People come to be led and guided by the Spirit of Truth it is impossible that they can ever come to the Knowledge of the Truth here he keeps People seeking of the Living amongst the Dead and Life where no Life is And this is the manner of the working of the Enemy And this is the greatest Cheat that the Devil hath to cheat People of their Souls to turn People into one Outside Painted Religion or another and then perswade them all is well and most of them are willing to believe him it being in the Delightsome Tract of the World only differing in some Geremonies but the Religion in Spirit and Truth Light and Grace this the Professors cannot abide because it calls into a Narrow Way and to enter in at a strait Gate For the Enemy had rather or as lieve People got into some Tract or Form of Religion as not for then he can perswade them it is well with them and perswades them that they need not seek after any thing else and all this he doth that he may keep them from the true Worship in Spirit and Truth But those that are in open Prophaneness he cannot blind after this Manner for they know whosoever is Right they are Wrong and have no Cover for what they do therefore Christ said Publicans and Harlots should enter the Kingdom of Heaven before such as Profess Service to God and serve him not acceptably for no Service is acceptable but that in Spirit and Truth We unto them that are Covered and not with the Spirit of the Lord. And many more Wayes the Devil hath to keep People from answering the Requirings of God's Spirit but no Snare like to a False Cover of Religion Many there be that he hath other Baits for that matter nothing of any Religion some he keeps all their dayes their Minds and Hearts in Covetousness some in Pride some in Drunkenness some in Cozening and Cheating and many more Baits and Snares he hath to betray People of their Happiness with the Lord some the Devil perswades they shall never give an Account to God for what they do and so live like Ranters all their dayes And he tells them There is neither God nor Devil Hell nor Heaven and many are willing to believe it But have a care of this Perswasion for thou shalt know these things to be Lyes one day to the Sorrow of thy Soul when it will be too late for thee to consider if thou dost not Repent in time Others the Devil perswadeth that God hath created some to Salvation others to Damnation which is as great an Untruth as the other and a great many are willing to believe it supposing they are of those that are ordain'd to Salvation some others there be of that mind that are perswaded that if it be so they are of that Number which are born to Damnation and upon this Perswasion many grow Careless in their Conversations and run into all manner of Evil. This Perswasion is a just Road to