of Life but all such people do believe that Freedom from Sin is to be attained unto in this Life and all such People that are truly saved and redeemed and justified by Christ as aforesaid they hate Sin and every appearance of it in Thoughts Words end Actions both in themselves and in all others where they see Sin 〈…〉 ed acted and done against the Lord But mark what followes That before any can come to know experimentally that Christ hath saved and redeemed and justified them they must first come to know Sin to be mortified killed and destroyed in their Heaâ—â— by the working of the Power and Spirit of Christ in them and also they must come to know Sanctification to be wrought in their Hearts by the power of the Lord in them before that they can come to know or to witness Justification by Christ and his Righteousness For all that are or shall be truly saved and redeemed and justified by Christ they are and shall be saved and redeemed and justified by Christ from their Sins and from their Iniquities but not in their Sins nor in their Iniquities for Christ Jesus neither saves nor redeems nor justifieth any Man or Woman is their Sins but from their sins and whosoever he she or they are that live and act in Sin and Evil and takes pleasure and delight therein and pleads for a continuance in Sin term of Life and believes that there is none that can be set free from Sin in this Life their is no such persons nor people that are already say 〈◊〉 nor redeemed not justified by Christ and his Righteousness But some may object and say Did not Christ come to save Sinners and to justifie 〈…〉 It is true that he did so but he came not to save Sinners in their sins nor to justifie the Ungodly in their Ungodliness but from their Sins and from their Ungodliness as they in love and obedience to God came to forsake their Sins and their Ungodliness And there is no Man nor Woman upon the Earth that can know Christ in Truth and experimentally to be their Saviour and Redeemer and Justifier any further than he doth save and redeem and justifie them from their Sins and from their Ungodliness so as to mortifie and destroy Sin in them But some may say That the Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us It is true it is so unto his people but the Righteousness of Christ is not imputed to any one that lives and walks in Unrighteousness and takes pleasure and delight therein read these Scriptures Mat. 1. 21. Tit. 2. 14. 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Gal. 2. 17. Psal 143. 2. Exod. 23. 7. And now whereas I have heard many People say That the Quakers Religion is but a new upstart Religion and is but of a few Years standing c. To which I Answer That I can make it appear by sufficient Grounds and Reasons that our Religion and Principles and Doctrine which we preach and hold forth unto all people where we come it is of above sixteen Hundred Years standing and we are in the same Faith Hope and Belief of God and Christ and walk in the same Light Life and Spirit of Christ and in the same Way and Practice as to the Worship of God and Christ and his Ministers and Disciples did Preach and Teach and Practice and hold forth unto all people where they came above sixteen Hundred Years ago And now all you Clergy-Men aforesaid that say you are Ministers of Christ and the Scriptures are your Rule to walk by Answer all these Things which are here laid to your Charge by plain Scriptures without wresting or perverting any of them to a wrong sence and answer in plainness without your Logick or Syllogisms or without using any of your Hebrew Greek or Latin which any carnal earthly-minded Men may have that are brought up Schollars at your Schools which are in capacity to learn humane Learning which may be bought for Money And so it appears plainly both in the sight of God and his People by your wicked ungodly Actions and Practices which you have done and acted both against the Lord his Truth and People that you have received nothing from God as the true Ministers of Christ did and doth row neither were you brought up at Christ's School nor never were taught of him as the true Ministers of Christ were and are now and so what you have you and your Friends have bought with Money and so you sell it again for Money to those that are willing to be taught by you which knows no better teaching and so you are a means to bring up people that are your Hearers in Darkness Blindness and Ignorance as you your selves are in and so you all live without the true Knowledge and Injoyment of God in this world And so the People of the Lord that are taught of him by his Holy Spirit cannot for good Conscience-sake buy any of your deceitful Wares nor cannot give you any Tythes nor Money for preaching which speak and preach against Perfection from Sin in this Life and say that None can be set free from Sin in this Life and so you deny the sufficiency of Christ and his Commands and your Faith and Belief stands in him who is the author of all Sin and Evil which is the Devil and so your speaking and preaching as aforesaid doth incourage and strengthen the Wicked in their Wickedness and you are a means to beget them into Unbelief that they may believe as you do that their is no Perfection from Sin in this Life And so neither you nor they that are your Hearers do press after Perfection because you do not believe that such a good state and condition can be attained unto in this Life and so your Doctrine and Principles and Practices are all quite contrary to the Doctrines and Principles and Practices of Christ and his Ministers and all true Believers and Followers of Christ and also quite contrary to the Scriptures of Truth in every thing that you do and practice concerning the Worship of God and therefore you are to be disowned and denyed by all good Christians that truly fear the Lord and loves him in Truth and in Sincerity of heart and all your Preaching and Praying is abomination in the sight of the Lord and he will not hear nor answer the Prayers of the Wicked that live and delight in Sin and Wickedness and walk and act in such wicked Wayes and Practices as these Clergy-Men do now which is all quite contrary to the 〈◊〉 Way of God And now I have something to mention and lay before you all that are called Christians of all sorts of Professions and Religions whether they be called Quakers or any other sort of Professions or Religions whatsoever that do say and believe that God is your Father and Christ is your Saviour I desire that every one would seriously weigh and consider their own Ways and Doings and
in this present world and it will teach them for to do unto all People as they would be done unto themselves and it will teach them for to deal and to do justly to all men and to love and shew mercy unto all People and to walk in Lowliness and in true Humility before the Lord and these things the Lord requires of every one and it is the duty of every one so to do And now if this good Spirit of Christ did bear rule in every ones Heart it would lead and guide them in all Truth and Righteousness and it would lead and bring them out of all the wicked and ungodly Ways and Worships and evil Practices which are acted and done amongst all the Sons and Daughters of men which are now in the fall and live in Sin and Transgression against God and so are found to be in the unregenerate state and such are dead in their Sins and Trespasses tho' their Bodies be alive in this World and if this good Spirit aforesaid did bear rule in every Heart there would not be that Killing nor Destroying one another neither about Religion nor no earthly thing whatsoever and therefore I would have all People to take notice that there are two Spirits a good Spirit and an evil Spirit and the good Spirit comes from God and the evil Spirit comes from the Devil and the good Spirit leads People up to God to have fellowship communion with him in spirit in their hearts souls and this is the only Communion which is spiritual that is alone necessary and needful for every one to know in truth as to their Everlasting Happiness with the Lord when time here in this World shall be no more to them And the evil Spirit draws and leads people from God into all manner of Sin and Wickedness some into one kind of Sin and some into other kind of Sin so that all People upon the Earth are Sinners and live in Sin so long as this evil Spirit guides and bears rule in their hearts and every one is a Servant to whether of these two Spirits he doth obey and to whether of these two Spirits be yields his Members servants unto his Servants they are to whom they do obey whether it be unto that spirit which leads them into Sin and Evil which is the wicked Spirit or it be that they do obey the good Spirit which leads and guides all them that are led and guided by it into all Truth and Righteousness and out of all Sin and Iniquiry And whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his let them profess what they will or be of what Judgment or Religion soever if they have not the Spirit of Christ in them for to teach and instruct and counsel them they are none of Christ's Servants nor Ministers read these Scriptures Rom. 8. 6. to vers 15. Rom. 6. 12. to the end 1 John 3. 4. to vers 11. Tit. 2. 11. to the end John 1. 1. to vers 13. 1 Cor. 12. 7. And all them that do love and believe in the Light and Spirit of Christ in them which shews them Sin and reproves them in their own Hearts and Consciences many times when they do sin insomuch that I have heard several people say when they have sinned I pray God forgive me when as at that time no Person outwardly did speak to them but it was the Light and Spirit of Christ in them that shewed them that they had sinned against the Lord at that time and whosoever minds and takes heed to that Light and Spirit of Christ in them and believes in it so as to obey and follow it it will not only shew them their Sins and evil Deeds which they have done and committed against the Lord but it will beget a perfect hatred against all Sin in them that do truly love and believe in this Light and good Spirit aforesaid and it will beget secret crys and breathings unto the Lord in their hearts and souls that he would be pleased to pardon them and to give them power for the time to come to forsake the evil of their Ways and Doings that they might never sin against the Lord any more and this hath been my state and conâ—â—â—ion and many more of the People of God and now we can say in truth to the praise and glory of the Lord it is spoken that we that were Sinners and Unbelievers and were dead in Sins Trespasses in days years that are past and gone as well as others and then at that time when we were in that sad and miserable state and condition as aforesaid the Lord was pleased out of his infinite love mercy goodness for to reveal and make known himself unto us even at that time when we were Enemies Aliens and Strangers unto him by wicked Works which we had done against the Lord notwithstanding all our Profession of Religion and fair pretences which we made that we did love the Lord and believe in him and did worship and serve him as we thought then but it pleased the Lord of his great love and kindness to us to appear in our hearts by his Light and good Spirit which he manifested and revealed in us at that time and the Lord was pleased by his Light and Spirit for to search our hearts and to let us see the deceit and the evil that was in our hearts by reason of Sin and Iniquity which the Enemy of our Souls which is the wicked spirit had wrought in our hearts and we knew it not when we lived in our sins and took pleasure and delight therein and so instead of denying our selves from doing those things which did offend and displease the Lord we did those things which did offend him and grieve his holy Spirit as too many do now and when we did those things which grieved the Lord we did not then walk in the strait and narrow way that leads to Life and Peace with the Lord but we were then walking in the broad and wide way that leads to Hell and Destruction which many Thousands are now walking in that live in their sins and take pleasure and delight therein but now the Lord out of his free love and grace and mercy hath called us out of the evil of the World and the vain Conversation that people live and walk in both Professors and Prophane and he hath revealed and made known his Mind and Will unto us what he would have us for to do and what he requires of us which is to live the Lord with all our Hearts above all visible things that are in the World and also to fear serve honour and obey him in Truth and Righteousness and to do justly with all men and to love Mercy and walk Humbly with God and now we find that the Lord hath made a Remnant of us freely willing for to serve and obey him and to do his Will in what he makes known
they would deceive the very Elect c. To which I Answer That there is not any Person or People that live and walk in Sin and take pleasure and delight therein and plead for a continuance in it 〈◊〉 term of Life and say That there is none can be set free from Sin in this Life that can witness any thing of their Election by the working of Christ's Spirit in them and all such are deceived already by the deceitfulness of Sin which bears rule in the Hearts of all the Children of Disobedience who are disobedient to the Light and Spirit of Christ in them and suell are in the broad way that leads to Destruction and are in the state of Reprobation and Condemnation But the true Prophets which the Lord sent prophesied freely without either taking Tythes or Money and they prophesied truly that which came to pass and they bore witness against the false Prophets and false Shepherds that prophesied for Money and Hire as for instance read Isa 55. 1. 2 3. Chap. 56. 10 11. And Isaiah was a true Prophet and sent of God and he did as I may say comparatively make as it were a Proclamation and saith Ho every â—re that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price And he saith unto the People Wherefore do ye spend Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me saith the Lord by that true Prophet and eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Here People may see how the Lord by his true Prophet invites every one for to come to the Waters and buy and eat freely that which is good for their Souls without Money and without Price and he exhorts them that they should not spend their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which would not satisfie their thirsty Souls And now the generality of people are spending and giving their Money for that which is not the Bread of Life neither will it satisfie any hungry thirsty Soul that truly hungers and thirsts after the Lord and his Righteousness And this true Prophet called the false Prophets and false Shepherds which spoke and prophesied for Money dumb Dogs greedy Dogs which can never have enough and they all look to their own way every one for his Gain from his Quarter And he told them that they were blind and ignorant and so they did not understand the things of God And now if people be not wilfully blind and ignorant you may see that there is as much difference between the true Prophets of God and the true Ministers of Christ and the false Prophets and false Minstors that either preach or prophesie for Tythes or Money or both as there is betwixt Light and Darkness And now I have something to propound unto all you Clergy-Men before mentioned which do profess and say that you are true Believers and Ministers of Christ and that you follow Christ and his Ministers for your Example and that the Scriptures are your Rule and Guide for to walk by first Where do ye find or read in all the holy Scriptures of Truth that any of the Ministers of Christ ever went to any Schools of outward Learning and staid several Years there and did commence from one degree of Learning unto another for to be made Ministers of Christ as you Clergy-Men did and do now And when you have been several Years at such Schools or Colledges until you think that you are Artists and are sufficient for to preach to People then you get an Order to Preach And so you come from those Schools into the Country and inquire where there is a vacant place where there is no Ministers and then you endeavour to get that place for to Preach at if you like their Wages but if not then you inquire for to get a better place where there is most Tythes or Money which is worth so much by the Year and this is your Call to your Ministry But the true Ministers of Christ were never called nor made Ministers after such a way and manner as yours is And is not this way of yours in being made Ministers like unto a man that binds his Son to be an Apprentice with a Trades-man for several Years to learn him his Trade and gives him so much Money for so doing when his time is expiered his Master gives him his Indentures and then he becomes a free man to set up his Trade and to trade for himself without any opposition But these Clergy-Men before mentioned exceed all the Trades-men in the World that have any Principle of Honesty ruling in them for when an honest Trades-man sells his Commodity he delivers it to them or some for them that buys it and pays for it But these Covetous Clergy-Men aforesaid sell their Sermons for Tythes or Money or both and keeps them still and do not deliver them to those that pay for them And when they have a mind to go to another Town to Preach they may have some of their old Sermons still for to preach to that people and if that people do not give them any Money for that Sermon yet notwithstanding they are paid for it by their own Hearers which pay them so much every Year for their Preaching which may amount to ten Shillings or more for every Sermon they preach throughout the whole year Did ever the Ministers of Christ do any such things as these And further where do you find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ took either Tythes or Money for their Preaching or went to Law with any sort of People and took away their Goods and Chattels and cast them into Prisons for not paying of them Tythes or Money for their Preaching as these ungodly covetous Clergy-Men have done unto as these many Years and still continues and goes on in these wicked ungodly Practices against us as is before mentioned And further where do ye find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ when they went to preach took a Text of other Mens Words and from those words raised Doctrines Reasons Motives Uses and Applications as you Clergy-Men do now And further where do you find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ baptized Infants and had Sureties to stand up for them and to promise that they shall forsake the Devil and all his Works the vain Pomp and Glory of the World with all Covetous Desires of the same the Carnal Desires of the Flesh so that they will not follow nor be led by them And all this the Witnesses promise in the behalf of that Child or Children that they stand up for and when the Priest asketh those Witnesses whether they do forsake the Devil and all
neither will any such plead for Sin nor for a continuance in it as long as they live but all such Persons and People that are born of God as aforesaid they hate Sin and every appearance of it in Thoughts Words and Actions both in themselves and in all other people where they see Sin committed acted or done and those that are born of God by his Spirit they are in Christ and he is in them spiritually and they are made new Creatures by the working of Christ's spirit in their hearts and souls and all old things that are evil which is Sin and Iniquity comes to be taken away and destroyed and all things are made new by the workings of the Power and Spirit of Christ in the hearts of all the Children of Light who are true Believers and Followers of Christ through the Spiritual Warfare and through great Tribulations and Tryals and Exercises which the People of the Lord come to know and to pass through before they attain to Perfection from all their Sins and it is said That many are the Troubles of the Righteous and through many Tribulations must they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but the Lord is all-sufficient for to help his People out of all their Troubles and Tryals both inward and outward those that puts their whole trust and confidence in him And he hath done great things for many of his people now in our Age and Generation which have been under great Troubles Sufferings and Tryals both inward and outward for which we have just cause and we are bound in duty to bless and praise the Name of the Lord and to return unto him all Honour Glory Praise Thanks Fear Reverence and true Obedience for unto the Lord alone it doth belong both from me and from all that knows him who have tasted of his Love and Mercies blessed and praised be his great and glorious and heavenly Name both now henceforth for ever and for evermore Read these Scriptures John 3. 1. to vers 11. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Acts 14. 22. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 44. Chap. 10. 3. 4. 1. 45. And so the true Way that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven is a strait and narrow way for it is a way of Holiness Righteousness and Purity and a way wherein all people must deny themselves of doing any evil thing that will offend the Lord or displease him and therefore there are but a few that find it and walk in it and Christ's Flock is but a little Flock in comparison of the multitude of people that are in the World but the way that leads to Hell and Destruction and so into everlasting Torment and Misery which shall never come to an end this is a broad and wide way and it is easie and delightful and pleasant to all fleshly carnal minded people for to walk in And all those people that live and act in Sin and Evil and take pleasure and delight therein and deny Perfection from Sin in this Life all such persons and people are going on in the broad and wide way that will lead them into everlasting Wo and Misery unless they repent And therefore it is my Advice and Counsel unto all people that now live and delight in Sin and Evil as you tender the glory of God and the good and well-being of your Immortal Souls come out of all your ungodly ways and doings and Repent and forsake the Evil of your ways and doings and desire the Lord to pardon you for all your Sins and Transgressions which yon have acted and done against him and turn unto the Lord and fear and love him with all your hearts and hate Sin and Evil and every appearance of it both in your selves and in all others that thereby you may come to know a Change and a Reformation to be wrought in your hearts by the Power and Spirit of Christ in you and this is the only way and means for you to find Forgiveness and Mercy and Acceptance with the Lord for your poor Souls which if you so do and find it will be of more worth and value to you that find it then all the outward injoyments of Honour or Riches or Pleasures that are in the World And now I shall mention and lay before you some of the Cruelties and bloody Persecutions of these Clergy-men before mentioned and some of their Hearers and Members of their Churches which have joyned with them in their Cruelties and bloody Persecutions and shall begin with the Popish Clergy and some of the Members of their Church first It is well known to many People what their Doctrine and Principles and Practices are and what it leads and guides them for to do and act in those Places and Countries where they have the Rule and Power in outward things as for instance They do believet at all people which are not of their Faith and Religion are Sectaries and Hereticks though they be called Christians as I can make appear by their own Books which they have set forth and then this hath followed by their practices that the more Hereticks they kill and destroy many of them think they do God more service and count it a Meritorious Work although the people which they have killed and murthered were no Hereticks but good Christians many of them and were faithful to God in what he manifested and made known unto them in their Age and Time As for instance How many of these good people aforesaid have these Popish bloody Clergy-Men and the Members of their Church caused for to be but and destroyed in Queen Mary's Reign because they could not for good Conscience-sake submit and conform to their Idolatrous Ways and Worships which were never ordained by the Lord nor never such a Doctrine nor Practice was ever preached nor practised by any of the Ministers of Christ And so this Doctrine and Practice which was and is preached and practised by the Popish Clergy and the Members of their Church was ordained and set up by the Devil and his Ministers and not by Christ nor his Ministers as appears plainly by their Wicked Actions and Practices aforesaid And I shall mention more of their Cruelties and Murders as for instance How many Thousands of Protestants did they kill and murder in Ireland even at such a time when the Protestants were peaceable and quiet and did not lift up a hand against them and the Devil in those Murderers did invent such Cruel Tortures and Punishments to put them to Death as scarce hath been heard of amongst the Heathens which are no Christians and yet notwithstanding they have the boldness and confidence for to call themselves Christians and say Christ is their Saviour but Christ hates and abhors all such Murders and Cruelties as are found acted and done amongst them And Christ came not to destroy men's Lives but to save them And here people may see that these aforesaid are not acted nor guided by the Spirit of Christ but by the spirit
unto us in all things which he commands and requires of us for to do And this great Work which the Lord hath already wrought in our hearts and the great things which he hath done for us and in us by his Power and Spirit he hath not done it for any goodness or worthiness or any deserts which he saw in us nor for any Works of Righteousness which we have done whereby to move or to ingage the Lord for to do these great things either for us or in us but he hath done all these things for his own Name sake and in love to our immortal Souls and out of his free Love and Mercy and Kindness to us for which we are bound in duty and are ingaged to return unto the Lord all Honour Glory Praise Thanks Love Fear Reverence and Obedience for unto him alone it doth belong both from me and from all that know how good and gracious he is and hath been unto them who is God over and above all blessed and praised be his great holy and heavenly Name both now henceforth for ever and for evermore Amen And now I would have all People to take notice where this may come that all Persons and People that despise and reject the Light and Spirit of Christ in them which shews them their Sins and reproves them in secret when they do evil and say It is but a natural Light and that it is not sufficient nor hath power to save people from their sins nor to keep and preserve them out of sin all such are Unbelievers and hate Christ and love their evil Deeds for Christ is that Light and good Spirit in them and he hath given a measure of it freely to every one to profit withal and all them that truly love and believe in this Light and good Spirit in them and is willing for to obey and follow it all such will come to know Salvation and Redemption by Christ from their Sins and Iniquities but all those that hate and despise and reject the Counsel and Teaching of this Light and good Spirit in them and so slight and undervalue it and count it a thing of nought it will be the Condemnation of all such and the Lord will be found just when he comes to judge them and this Light and good Spirit in them will bear witness against them when they come to Judgment which will be more than a hundred Witnesses outwardly read these Scriptures John 1. 9 10 11 12. chap. 8. 12. chap. 12. 46. chap. 3. 19 20 21. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 3. 11. Chap. 1. 27 28. And I do verily believe that there is and shall be a Resurrection both of the Just and Unjust without respect of Persons w 〈…〉 just God of Heaven and Earth for to give 〈…〉 all their Deeds and Actions which they have 〈…〉 time and every one shall receive a Reward from God 〈…〉 their Deeds which they have done in their Bodies whether they be good or evil And now it concerns both me and every one for to prise our time which the Lord is pleased to give to us to live upon the Earth that we may walk circumspectly and wisely in the wisdom of God before the Evil day come which will certainly come upon the Wicked and Ungodly that live and dye in their Sins and Iniquities And it is the true desire of my Heart and Soul that we may all spend our time which the Lord gives us to live upon the Earth to Gods honour and glory by bringing forth good Works and Actions in our holy Lives and godly Conversations to the praise and honour of his great and worthy Name that so we may answer the end for which God hath made and created us which is to love him with all our Hearts and to fear serve honour and obey him in Truth and Righteousness whereby God Almighty may be honoured and glorified both in us and by us who is worthy to have all the Honour Glory Praise Thanks Fear and true Obedience for unto him alone it doth belong both from me and from all that know the Lord how good he is to them both now and for ever and for evermore Amen Read these Scriptures Rom. 14. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 22. 12. And now I shall come to mention something of the Cruelties and Persecutions of the Episcopal Clergy who are Teachers of the People of the Church of England so called and some of their Hearers and Members of their Church that assisted them in their Cruelties first they Imprisoned many Hundreds of the People of the Lord called in scorn Quakers and by their means we were put into nasty Holes and Dungeons amongst Thieves and Murderer and some of us were Fettered and Chained with Irons on both Legs as they do to the worst of Malefactors and our Friends and Acquaintance were not suffered for to come to see us although some of our Friends did come a Hundred Miles or more for to see us and neither they nor we could be suffered to see one another and they have gone away without seeing of us nor there was not any suffered to come to relieve us nor to help us to such things for our Money as we stood in great need of nor we were not suffered to have any manner of Bedding brought in not so much as a little Straw to lie upon to keep us off the cold Ground although we would have paid for it and this was worse Cruelty than many use to their Dogs and Swine And so the Goalers would force us to buy Victuals of them at their own rate or else we must have none which was dearer by half then we might have had it of other People if we could have been suffered to buy it at best hand and there many were kept in Prisons until they dyed by reason of such Cruel Usage as aforesaid And these Clergy-Men caused many of our Houses to be rifled and they went into the Grounds and took and carried away out of our Houses and Grounds much Goods and Chattels several times which they sold at an undervalue less by half than they were worth And they took away Goods and Chattels from many of us which were worth above five times more than they could prove to be their due and they distrained all the Goods in some Houses and left them not a Bed to lie upon neither for the Man of the House nor his Wife Children nor Servants although some of the men's Wives which had their Houses so rifled and plundred was but newly delivered of a Child or Children and so they took no Pitty nor shewed no Mercy neither to Men Women or Children that were in such a state and condition as aforesaid And thus they have Ruinated several Persons and their Families by taking away their Goods and Chattels which they and their Families should have lived upon They did live very well comfortably before these wicked ungodly Clergy-Men and the Upholders of them
came upon them thus to destroy them And they have taken away Goods and Chattels from us worth many Thousands of Pounds And all these Cruelties and Wickedness they have done and acted against us is only because we could not for good Conscience-sake pay them Tythes and Money for their Preaching as Ministers of Christ which we know in our own Hearts and Consciences and also by the Scriptures of Truth that neither Christ nor his true Ministers never ordained any such wages nor they never practiced any such things nor never took Tythes nor Money for their Preaching nor never preached such a Doctrine as these Tything Hireling-Priests do now But on the contrary they denyed all such ungodly ways and practices and spoke against them and said That Covetousness is Idolatry and the love of Money is the Root of all Evil And that these things ought not to be done nor practiced amongst the Ministers of Christ and as the Apostle Paul said so say we If any one Preach any other Gospel or any other Doctrine than that which the Ministers of Christ preached unto the People formerly let him be accursed And the Ministers of Christ were endued with Power fâ—â—â— on High and they were taught of Christ and the Gospel which they preached they neither received is of man neither were they taught it of man neither did they learn it at any outward Schools of humane Learning neither did they buy it for Money but the Lord did reveal it unto them by his holy Spirit which He gave unto them freely and so they Preached freely without any Tythes or Money neither did they go to Law nor compel nor cast any sort of People into Prison because they gave them not Tythes nor Money for their preaching And therefore I do affirm that all the Priests and Clergy-Men that are in the whole World that either preach or teach to any sort of People for either Tythes or Money or both they are all guilty before the Lord of that great Sin of Covetousness and the love of Money which is the Root of all Evil besides many other great Sins which they are guilty of in the sight of God And the Wicked and the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God nor any Covetous Man who is an Idolater hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ or of God Read these Scriptures 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Eph. 5. 3 4 5 6. Col. 3. 5. 6. Heb. 13. 5. Luke 12. 15. And whereas many of you Clergy-Men and others have falsly accused us in saying That we deny Authority and will not be subject nor obedient to Authority c. To which I Answer not only for my self but in the behalf of my Friends who are in scorn called Quakers And this I can certainly say and declare unto all sorts of People that we do really own and honour Authority in our Hearts such who are Men of Truth and hate Covetousness and all such as punish Evil-Doors and incourage them that do Well and all such Magistrates as these I do believe are ordained and appointed of God to be a Terror to the Wicked and them that do Evil and such are a means to hinder the Wicked form acting such gross Wickedness as many of them would do if it were not for fear of an outward Law and of such Magistrates as they know will punish them for their Offences and such Magistrates as those that are a means for to incourage and strengthen people in doing that which is good and to suppress Vice We are willing for to be subject and obedient to them in all things that are Temporal which is lawful and expedient to be done And all those Magistrates which now bear Rule or may hereafter come to bear Rule amongst us we can promise and ingage unto them That we will never Plot nor Contrive any Evil thing against them nor any of them whereby to hurt or wrong them any manner of way We shall never rise up in Rebellion against any Governour or Government whatsoever as to sight against them with any Carnal Weapon and if they should be suâ—fered to make Laws against us as many have done formerly and command us to dâ—â— at which we know is a Sin against the Lord if we do it or if they should require any thing of us which we cannot do for Conscience sake yet notwithstanding we shall not resist them by force of Arms but by the help of the Lord I hope we shall be made willing by him for to give up our Bodies and Estates to suffer for Christ's sake whatsoever the Lord may suffer them to do against us And this the People of God did in all Ages that were and are faithful and obedient to him in what he manifested unto them as for instance Did not the Rulers Imprison Peter and John and afterwards they threatened to punish them and commanded them That they should not speak nor teach to any man in the Name of Jesus And they answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye And they said further We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard And they departed from the presence of the Council rejoycing that they were worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ and daily in the Temple and in every House where they came they ceased not to Teach and Preach Jesus Christ And the Rulers and Chief Priests and Pharisees and such like wicked People persecuted many of the Ministers of Christ and did imprison and abuse them exceedingly and some they killed only for preaching the Gospel and speaking against their ungodly Ways and evil Practices which they lived and walked in yet notwithstanding they could not put them to silence by all their Cruelties and Persecutions which they inflicted upon them neither could they hinder them that were living from preaching the Gospel And so it is good for every one of us to be faithful unto the Lord in what he makes known unto us and trust him and be willing to give up to suffer for his sake if he calls us thereunto and he will appear in his own good time for our deliverance out of all our Troubles and Tryals both inward and outward wherein we shall have cause to bless and praise the Name of the Lord for his great love and kindness to us who is worthy to have all the Honour Glory Praise and Thanks for unto him alone it doth belong both from me and from all that know him experimentally both now and for evermore Read these Scriptures 〈…〉 and Chap. 〈…〉 Acts 4. Chap. 6. 8. vers to the end Acâ— 7. 5â— vers to the end And now I shall menâ—ion something concerning false Prophets who they are anâ— now they may be known because such things have been cast upon 〈◊〉 that have spoken in our Meetings that They were false Prophets and if it were possible
meditate and ponder the things of God in our own Hearts and Souls that every one may come to see and to know what assurance they have of the Love of God to their Immortal Souls and of their Eternal and Everlasting Inheritance with the Lord in his heavenly Kingdom for evermore when Time here in this World shall come to an End with us all For it is not a bare outward Profession of any Religion whatsoever that will avail any of us as to our own Souls true Peace and Happiness with the Lord for ever but it must be a real Possession and an Enjoyment of the Love of God in our own Hearts that doth avail and satisfie our Souls which no Man nor Woman upon the face of the Earth can come to enjoy the Love of God and true Peace and Comfort in him which is of more worth and value than all the outward Enjoyments that are in the whole World so long as they live in Sin and take pleasure and delight therein for God is pure holy and righteous and he is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity as to allow of it in any one and without Holiness no Man nor Woman can enjoy the Love and Presence of God to his Soul's Comfort and true Satisfaction in him For it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but it is he and they that do the Will of God that shall enter into his Kingdom And it is not the Hearers nor the fair Sayers nor them that have but an outward knowledge of God that shall be Justified by the Lord but it is the Doers of the Will of God and them only that the Lord will Justifio and speak Peace unto their Immortal Souls And so I desire that none would deceive their own Souls in thinking better of themselves then they are for the Apostle Paul saith Be not deceived for God will not be mocked for such as every one soweth such must they reap whether it be Good or Evil And now I appeal to the Witness of God in every Heart and Conscience of what Name or Religion soever you are of Whether you are come so far into the true Christian Life as to believe and obey the first Principle of the true Christian Religion And whether you are come so far into the Life of Truth and into the practice of the holy Scriptures as to let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay and do not alter nor change your Minds and Thoughts after you have said it but let Yea and Nay stand after you have spoken it and do and perform what you have said And so every one ought-to be watchful and careful how to speak and act before they either speak or act lâ—st they offend the Lord by so doing for the Apostle James saith If any man among you seem to be Religious and bridâ—eth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own Heart this man's Religion is vain And whosoever they be that promise for to do such and such things which are just and lawful to be done and ought to be performed then if they that promise for to do such things do not mind nor regard to perform their Words and Promises which they have spoken and promised their Religion is vain let them profess what they will For such Men and Women that make Promises one to another and do not mind nor regard to perform them no such persons ought to be believed nor trusted nor to be confided in and such have not a true Bridle for their Tongues and so their Religion is vain and naught and it is not the true Christian Religion read these Scriptures James 1. 26 27. Gal. 6. 7 8. Matth. 5. 37. And now I desire all Civil Sober-minded people that profess Christianity and the Scriptures to be your Rule that you would be so moderate as to read these Scriptures herein set down and compare these Scriptures and the holy Lives and Conversations of Christ and his Ministers and them that were true Believers and Followers of Christ with the Unholy Lives and Conversations of these Clergy-Men aforesaid and also their Cruelties and Persecutions against those that truly fear the Lord and also their Selfish Covetous Actions and Practices which they do and practice for Tythes and Money under pretence of being Ministers of Christ and Preachers of the Gospel And if you do understand those Scriptures in Truth as they are and be not partial in your Judgment then you may see that there it as much difference betwixt the Doctrine and Principles and Practices of Christ and his Ministers and the Doctrine and Principles and Practices of the Clergy-Men aforesaid as there is betwixt Light and Darkness And therefore I would not have you for to speak any Evil against that Way which you know not what it is But I would have you first for to try all things and hold fast that which is good Selby in Yorkshire the 4th Day of the third Month 1691. Thomas Goodaire THE END