we in it and so be put out of all doubts and questions in the reasonings concerning us and receive satisfaction in all things that pertaine unto us in life and godliness in which our Religion is pure holy and undefiled and was before unholiness or unrighteousness was and will remaine in iâ—s purity vvhen years shall pass avvay and be no more and this is the meaning of our doctrin to bring people to the everlasting word of God in themselves that they may come into rest and peace in the pure Religion where God is known in his loves grace and riches of mercy Q. If your Faith give you such assurance of your principle and Religion to be true and right then why cannot you defend it by force and so free your selves from that outward bondage which you suffer for your Religion A. Our Faith doth give us such an assurance but yet we cannot strive with our opposers and oppressours nor any way by force of carnal weapons seek to defend it for we know that it is sufficient to defend it self also to defend us that live in it and our weapons are Spiritual and not carnal we fight the good fight of Faith in the power of the Prince of peace and so we war against sin but followes peace with all men and can be ready in every office of love to doe good to our greatest enemies and herein we have been sufficiently proved to be a peacable people under every power by which we have or doe suffer and we have never resisted nor sought revenge upon any but in all things commits our cause unto God in whose sight we stand approved and he knows that as we are in words or appearance even so we are the same in heart and unto his judgement and tryall we appeale in our innocency and the principle of his life in every one doth bear witness for us and all that hearken unto it will receive a true evidence in themselves concerning our innocent and peaceable life Q. And doe you refer your tryal in all things to your own principle in others which you say is Christ the light and life and witness of God A. Yes We doe so for as we know that all judgement in heaven and earth is committed unto Christ so we know that there is not another that can truly try or judge of us besides him and therefore we have boldness to refer our tryal in all things unto him alone as knowing that his tryal and judgement is according to truth in every man and as our Faith is in him and our love unto him so we know that he will not condemne the works of his own hands but justifie the fruit of his own life power and virtue and his tryal and judgement will clearly evidence for us that we are his and not our own Confession It may now be perceived that you do not hold or maintain the things that you do to be from your selves or in your own wills but from Christ the foundation and principle A. Yes it is plainly so for of our selves we can do nothing but through Christ in whom vve have our strength vve are able to do all things so that our sufficiency is in him alone and by his power in us all our good works are wrought for us and unto him they all return that he in all things may have the preheminence and the glory for ever Resolved It being so there is no good ground why you should be called in question or any way suffer for your Faith and Religion seeing that what you do is from the power of Christ and his works are not to be denyed by any nor you to suffer in any case for the faith you have in him and the love you have to him and seeing that you deny your selves in what you do which many hitherto have thought you did not and that you are willing to be tryed and Judged according to the Judgment of truth in Christ you ought not in any wise to suffer by any other Tryal or Judgment whatsoever and all sober moderate people may be well satisfied with this Demonstration that your principle is of God and that your faith and love is unto God and your good will unto all men and none need not any farther stand in doubt of the truth of it but may be fully perswaded that you have Salvation and Eternal life by Jesus Christ which may overcome all that are yet contrary minded unto you to joyne with your principle that they may be of your Faith and Religion who are a people that loves God so singly and lives amongst men so peaceably which indeed doth clearly manifest your principle and Religion to be of God W. S. THE END A manifestation of Prayer in Formality and Prayer in the Spirit of God IT hath been a common Observation through Ages and Generations to perform something as a duty unto God by way of Prayer this common observation hath descended from one generation to another ever since the Apostacy entred in a customary and formal way still observing the practice in words and continuing the same as a duty unto God in the same manner and form not at all regarding or considering the present want or necessity of the present Age or Generation nor the present states and conditions of particular people but praying in the same Words and in the same Form from time to time and from generation to generation and so it flows as a natural stream in a common and customary practice from one generation to another and hence it is that people continue asking but do not receive because they ask amiss not feeling the Spirit that makes intercession And so the Pharisees made long prayers but received the greater damnation because they prayed not in the Spirit but in the customary formality which by the Spirit was condemned And it is very sad that people should all their life-time be complaining and asking and never come to receive satisfaction And this is the common way of Prayer in this present generation who have many prayers in formed words and with their mouths do often repeat them and in the formality make a practice of them and so at set-times and in set-prayers spend away their dayes but feel not the Lord nor his goodness And this common way of Prayer now used in the common Worship never brings people to obtain but keeps them alwayes asking where in answer to the Commandments they pray no this wise Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law and write all these thy Laws in our hearts we beseech thee Now if they would encline their hearts to the Spirit of God in themselves and obey it then the Spirit would encline their hearts to keep God's Law and the Spirit would write his Law in their hearts and put it into their inward parts and it would keep them that they should not depart from it and there they would feel
Gods mercies and so come to receive an answer of their Prayers For when the heart of man doth not encline to the Spirit of God it is in rebellion against him and God doth not shew mercy to the rebellious and so people pass over their time in words but want the life which should do them good and when they come to finish their dayes their hearts are as far off from Gods Law as the first day when they began to pray That he would encline their hearts to keep it and they have no assurance that God will shew them mercy though they have been praying in words all their life-time And likewise in answer to the Lettany where they pray after this manner Good Lord deliver us And We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. And this is the same in their latter dayes as in the beginning and it is manifest that they are not delivered from those things as in words they pray to be delivered from nor are not heard in those things which they beseech the Lord to hear them in and so they spend their dayes in observing a customary formality and never come to any assurance that they are delivered or that their requests are heard and answered And again in that which they call the Creed they confess they believe in God now they that believe in God their hearts are enclined to keep his Law and he shews them mercy and hears them and delivers them for they that believe in God they do his will and if any man do his will him he heareth And then again they confess That they are miserable sinners and do those things they ought not to do And if so then not Believers for they that believe in Christ are not miserable sinners neither do those things they ought not to do but by believing in Christ they are saved and he takes away their sin that makes them miserable and sets them free from their misery and they do those things that are well-pleasing in his sight for they that truly believe in Christ they do not only confess their sins but also forsake them and so find mercy with the Lord and they are not alwayes complaining that they do those things they ought not to do but know his Will and do it and are blessed in their deed And again in that which they call the Lords Prayer they generally say Our Father Now the Children of God are not miserable sinners nor do not those things they ought not to do for whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin And Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him And there are not any that believe in God or can call God Father in truth but those that are born of him for those that are born of flesh and of blood and of the will of man they do not believe in God neither can truly call God Father for that is the nature in vvhich sin is committed vvhich makes people miserable and that is the nature in which they do those things they ought not to do and that is the nature in which there is no saving health and there is not any prayer accepted of God which in that nature is performed for none in the flesh can please God and whatsoever is offered unto him in that nature he doth not regard it for it is the nature from which all wickedness proceedeth and the prayers of the wicked are an abomination unto God And though there may be many which may deny the common vvay of Prayer as it is used in the common Worship and set up some other way of Prayer as more excellent yet whilst the Flesh and Blood and Will of man conceives it and performs it there is no difference in the ground between that vvhich they deny and that which they set up and practise neither doth God regard it any more than that which they deny And though such Prayers may not appear so formal as those that are commonly used in the common Worship yet they are conceived in the very same womb and do not at all differ in the ground for as the Wisdom of the flesh hath composed so many set-prayers in words and hath prescribed a way to observe and practise the same and that none is either to add or diminish as to vvhat is so composed even so the same Wisdom may deny that prescribed way as being formal and may invent something instead of it in a higher mistery of iniquity and though they may not speak in such formal composed words yet in the same Wisdome their words are formal not at all differing in the ground or conception but only in the expression and observation and in their practise it is as formal as that which they deny for they have a constant observation by way of Prayer in what they practise which in it self is as formal as the set-prayers commonly used in the common Worship for they can set their own time both to begin and to make an end and when they will they can utter vvords and vvhen they will they can be silent and they have their own conceptions at command and can either perform or not perform in their own time and this is the uncleane part vvhich offers unto God which he doth not accept neither is any Prayer regarded or accepted of God but the Prayer which is offered to him by his own birth So that these few things being seriously considered it is manifest that the way of Prayer as it is now commonly used observed and practised in the common Worship is not true prayr but a bare formality and not onely so but also contradictory so is not performed with a right understanding and it is as manifest that all other wayes of praying which are conceived and performed in the wisdom of the flesh is not true Prayer neither doth God regard it more then the other because it is performed in the same nature and differs in nothing but in the manner and however they may differ in the practice yet they meet in the ground and are offered up in the unclean part and so are not performed with an understanding as Prayer in the Spirit of God is Now the Spirit of Life which is manifest from God in every mans conscience doth so enlighten him as to make him sensible that he is a sinner and in himself is miserable and eternally liable to the Wrath of God without the Lord appear for him and work his deliverance and as man takes heed to that Spirit which doth so enlighten him and makes manifest his condition to him then the Spirit begins to quicken and stir up something in him that desires after God and breathes after God and the sighs and groans begin to arise in a true sence of misery and the breathings go forth in the earnest of the Spirit unto God and the cry arises for help and deliverance and though that which is quickened by the Spirit to breath in the Spirit be but
A New Catechism Wherein many Truths are plainly opened by way of Question and Answer which may be a help and furtherance unto all tender hearted people who are breathing after the Lord and waits for Redemption and Salvation by Jesus Christ. ALSO Something concerning the Foundation and Principle of the poor afflicted people of God called Quakers and of their Faith and Love towards God and their good VVill unto Men being also plainly demonstrated by way of Question and Answer Given forth in the labour of Love and put to View for the Service of this present Generation and also Generations to come William Smith Printed in the Year 1665. There is also Re-printed a PRIMMER Wherein is demonstrated The New and Living Way Held forth by way of Question and Answer as from a Child's Enquiry after Truth to be informed by the Father Here being divers particulars Answer'd and plainly opened that may be profitable both in this present Age and Ages to come Published for the benefit of all sorts of people and-may be very serviceable for every Family and of great use for young Children to learn in so soon as they can understand their Language that they in the fear of God may be instructed and remember their Creator in the dayes of their Youth Other Foundations can no man lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ Behold I write unto you both Old and Young that you may know the Truth and that the Truth may make you free For which I Travel enduring Affliction for the Truths sake WILLIAM SMITH The Primer or Catechism may be had either Bound together or a part An Epistle to the Reader Reader THou art to understand that the natural man can neither see nor receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are Spiritually discerned and it is the Spiritual minde that is onely in a capacity to receive and understand those things which by the Spirit is declared and made manifest for the Spirit is the key by which Divine truths are opened and by the intelligence of it they also come to be understood and the testimony which hath been published and held forth unto the precious truth of God in these latter dayes hath been abundantly spread abroad by the Spirits Power and demonstration through the faithfull and chosen witnessess of the New birth unto whom the Lord God everlasting hath revealed his secrets and open the mysteries of glorious kingdome and hath given unto them the tongue of the learned and the power and wisdome of his heavenly life whereby they are able to divide the word aright and to dispence the Gospel of everlasting peace and they have faithfully served the Lord in their generation and have not been negligent to run the way of his commandements but early and late have laboured in their holy calling whereunto the Lord hath called them in the work of the Gospel and their testimony doth stand for God this day and is become a sweet Savour in the hearts of many and that glorious truth which so plentifully hath been poured forth by the holy Spirit of God and so wonderfully is spread abroad through the testimony of his faithfull Servants it doth stand and remaine as a sure record which cannot be raced out though it might be sufficient to clear the Lords faithfull servants on their own behalf as also to leave all people without excuse who hitherto have shut their hearts against it yet such is Gods tender love that he continues his favours and goodness and in the openings of himselfe in the riches of his mercy he fills his children and servants with an overflowing cup of his precious virtue which yet doth constraine them to make known the true and perfect way of peace and to proclaime the word of eternal life unto the Sons and Daughters of men and though many have walked unworthily and have requited the Lord unkindly yet doth his compassion move to his own begotten that sits in desolate and sollitary places as a babe without comfort and in the vertue of his own life he keeps his testimony fresh upon the hearts of his messengers and they run in his power and are not weary and walkes in his love and are not faint but continues in their race of well doing though many faces have ever been set against them therefore whosoever thou art that reads in this booke consider the end of its manifestation for it is not published to be onely seen and read but to manifest the truth as it is in Jesus which thou art to weigh and ponder in the fear of God for the matter in this booke doth lye out of sight to the carnal eye and the matter cannot be understood by reading the words onely but by taking heed to the measure of Gods Spirit in thee for if thou doe not read with the Spirit of God in thee thou cannot understand the matter in the words though thou may read them over and over for whosoever would come to the true knowledge of God they must come to the measure of his Spirit themselves or otherwise they may read but reap no profit and so the Scriptures have been read and heard but the Spirit not being minded in those that read and hear there is not an understanding of the matter of which the words testifie and so the the book is sealed though the words be read and heard marke that for there is not another way to come to the true knowledge of God but through death to that part which would comprehend him and though a faithfull testimony may be published by words and writings yet cannot any thereby come to the knowledg of God for God is not so to be comprehended therefore it concernes every one that comes into the world to minde the light of Christ with which they are enlightened to wait in it for the Revelation of God for there is none knowes the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveales him and whosoever would compass the knowledge of God in any other way or by any other thing they can never come to a true knowledge of him for where the will and desire is let at liberty to the comprehending of God and Christ there the minde overruns the true light in which the secrets of God are opened and revealed and though words and writings may in themselves be true yet none can profit by them but as they joyn to that of God in themselves for the secrets of God cannot be any otherwise known or attained but as there is a patient waiting in that which openeth by it to be gathered into the nature of that which is opened and whosoever increass knowledg by any other way it is the vaile which spreads over their hearts and blinds their mindes for beholding the appearance of God in his light and life and though such as so gather knowledge may seem wise in what they knâ—w and in their knowledge satisfie themselves and esteeme
the first Adam is put to death and so the quickning spirit of the second Adam goes over the sinful flesh of the first Adam and there is the resurrection of the seed and the translation of man into its nature where he receives a new body and a new life in which body and life he bears the image of the heavenly and then he is blameless in Body Soul and Spirit Q. And is that the way by which man must come to inherit life eternal A. Yes for life eternal is only in the Son and man in his own life is alienated from it and therefore he must dye to his own life before he can inherit eternal life in the Son Q. And is there none that pleases God but who are thus regenerated and born again A. None in the flesh can please God and therefore man is to wait in the power for a new birth which is not after the flesh but after the spirit which birth of the spirit is the Fathers beloved Son in whom he is well pleased Q. How doth the power dispose man in the death A. It disposes him in stilness keeping all fleshly motions in silence so as a little child he lyes nakedly and innocently before God and hath no will nor wisdom nor reason left in him but all baptized down into the sufferings of Christ where they are dissolved into nothingness and there the power kils him and gives him life again and so man layes down his own life and takes up life in Christ in which life he comes to be raised in the resurrection of Christ and here is the passing from death to life where man puts on Christ and is made a new creature and in a new life he then serves God and pleaseth God for his thoughts words and works are all changed and with a new tongue he then sings the new songs and gives glory and honour and praise and thanks unto him that sits upon the throne who lives for ever and ever and this is in substance the whole matter Q. But doth not the birth of the seed meet with much opposition in its resurrection A. Yes whilest it is in the travaile it is strongly opposed by a contrary nature and many dangers that lyes near on every hand untill death have passed upon all as is said before but when the power hath crucified the first Adam throughout and that the seed be raised into the glorious liberty of its own life then the seed reigneth and hath dominion and government over all oppositions triumphing in victory Q. But how is oppositions removed and dangers escaped in the travaile A. By Faith in the power and watching to be kept close to the leadings of it and so the power will remove oppositions and defend from dangers for the watch being kept to it and the Faith standing stedfast in it the enemy hath no power to prevaile though he may tempt for the living power is as a wall on the right hand and on the left to preserve from dangers and it goes before as a conquerour to remove oppositions and comes behinde as a safe guard to keep off the Enemy for smiting the hind most part of the Campe and thus Christ by his power is all in all every way to the travailing Babe that cannot rest in any place below the freedome of his own life and therefore let none enter into unbeliefe as if oppositions could never be removed nor dangers clearly escaped for he that quickeneth and giveth life to breath after him he is mighty in his power and he doth assuredly save to the utmost the birth of his own begetting which abides in the simple tender breathings to possess more of his life Q. But may there not be captivity after the power be received and that something be quickened by the power to breath after God A. That present state is captivity for that which by the power is quickened to breath after God it is then in captivity and breathes in the power to be delivered out of captivity and as the power is received and Faith kept in it the power works in order to deliverance Q. But may there not be captivity after there be deliverance in some measure wrought by the power A. Yes there may be so for if the minde erre from the power and unbeliefe enter there may be captivity again in those very places out of which the power hath wrought deliverance and so many may come to taste of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and yet may goe back again and here captivity comes upon many who have had a long travaile out of Egypt and have seen great and wonderfull things wrought by the power Q. But is not the power sufficient to preserve from going a stray and returning again into such a state as to come into captivity after it have wrought deliverance A. The power is as sufficient to preserve as to deliver and is not at al weaker in the one then in the other but where such a state comes to pass there is not Faithfulness to the power but temptations enters and prevailes and so the minde goes from the power into the temptations whereby there is away opened for the darkness to rise again which in the day of tenderness and faithfulness to the power was kept in subjection under the yoak Q. And doth the power follow after such again after they erre from it and doe not abide faithfull in it to recover them and deliver them out of their captivity A. Yes for the Lord waites to be gracious and though there may be a backsliding yet he doth not shut up his compassion but condiscends in bowels of tenderness to follow the wandering sheep which is gone a stray and by the word of his power he calls to return and if there be a yeilding to the word of power and a joyning to it again the Lord heales the backslidings and loves as freely as ever he did and so he brings the erring sheep again into the Fold and gives it pasture amongst his Flock and here he shews his goodness in the Riches of his mercy Q. And doth the power preserve and keep all safe in their travaile that abide in it Faithfully A. Yes for they that abide in the power and are guided by the power they doe not erre but by the power are kept through faith unto Salvation and all the babes that live in the power they receive strength in the power and doe not faint Q. What are the dangers that may befall whilest the seed is in travaile A. There be very many which the light discovers distinctly yet I shall name a few of them 1. To glory in the flesh with that which is manifest from God in the day of tenderness 2. To gather the manifestation of truth into the wisdome below and to enrich the false birth 3. To center in the forme or practice of truth as it stands in appearance onely 4.
To lye down at ease after something of truth be received 5. To live upon the knowledge of what is seen a far off 6. To enter into unbeleife in time of tryal and afflictions 7. To run out of the present measure of truth and to hunt after the knowledg of it through the comprehension 8. To feed upon any thing that flowes not from the immediate openings and springings of the life 9. To draw any conclusion of security and to lye down in it as in a place of rest These with many more which with the light may be seen are all great dangers in the travaile and temptations lyes very near in them which being joyned unto bring the seed into captivity after there may be deliverance out of Egypt Q. How may such dangers be escaped and a safe way walked in through the travaile A. By keeping in the everlasting power and living by Faith in it for the power is the cross unto mans own will and stops Nimrods hunting nature and chains under al the unruly affections and so the minde abiding in the power all dangers are escaped and the innocent babe is safely preserved out of the hands of all its enemies Q. What are the places particularly where the power becomes such a defence as to preserve the birth safe in its travaile A. 1. The loweness and humbleness of minde 2. The poverty and nakedness 3. The nothingness and emptiness 4. The simplicity and innocency 5. The integrity and sincerity 6 The faith and patience 7. The measure of the power received These places with many more which with the light may be understood are places where the power over shaddowes the birth and is a sure defence unto it whereby it is preserved out of all dangers whilest it is in the travaile Q. But when there is a cleare sight through some opening of the life may there not safely be a reaching to it and a compassing of it into possession A. Oh no take heed in that place for if there be a reaching forth to compass that which may clearly be seen through some opening of the life that which openeth will presently shut up by darwing it selfe into its own perfect nature and fullness and then the enemy suddenly presenteth a transformed appearance in the likeness of that which was truly opened and the reaching part being at liberty it catches at the enemies presentation as if it was the same thing which was seen in the openings of the life and so laies hold upon it with an eager desire and compasseth the false likeness into possession but misses of the true substance for when there is such a pure opening in the life and that there be a clear sight that it is the spring or fountain which the innocent thirsteth after then there is to be a silence in the fear that so that which openeth may compass that which thirsteth and bring it into a larger possession of its own fulness and so it is the life which openeth which must gather and compass that which thirsteth into its own opening and that is a true and everlasting possession of endless riches which none can compass to themselves though there may be a clear sight in some openings for the life is jealous of its own glory and will not give it to another and so shuts up it selfe again when there is a reaching to compass it through any opening Q. But doth not some streams flow to the thirsty in such an opening of the life by which it is refreshed and comforted A. If there be silence in the fear the thirsty receives consolation and satisfaction through that which is measured forth from the fulness in the opening and so the streams of virtue doth reach unto it and there is not to be a reaching forth to compass the fountain here strength is renewed through the renewings of the mercy A. Is not that which is tasted and felt to consolation and refreshing at one time good for the same use and service at another time A. As it comes fresh from the fpring and so the same it is but if the same as it hath been once tasted and felt then it is not for the babe must have the brest and the fresh milk from it again for consolation and refreshing when ever it stands in need for that which once hath been tasted and felt and digested is never good for nourishment any more and therefore the babe is ever to depend upon the fountain of its natural generation and in silence and fear waiting all things good for food will be given unto it from time to time according to its need and so the new birth lives by new food which is never corrupted but in the fountain is preserved sweet and savoury the feeling of which as it is ministred in the fresh openings of the life is pure consolation and refreshing Q. And is rest and peace attained in the consolation and refreshing through such a ministration A. Yes the babe hath rest and peace in it for being consolated and refreshed through the ministration it lyes down in rest and peace and so through nourishment and rest it grows up into a more perfect stature of the measure of Christs fulness and becomes strong in the Lord. Q. How is the birth disposed when it comes into such a stature of the measure of Christs fulness A. It is disposed in love mercy gentleness meekness peace justice equity uprightness sincerity innocency and simplicity in which it bears the heavenly Image of Christ in his own perfect nature and in his heavenly wisdom is in all things disposed towards God and Men. Q. And doth the pure Religion consist in the manifestation of such virtues and graces A. The pure Religion consists in the power and wisdome of God and such virtues and graces are manifest from the pure Religion and are the effects of it and so spreads abroad as natural branches of the life Q. And doth all things become new in man after he be so changed through regeneration A. Yes for when all the old is dead and buried by the resurrection of the seed then all things becomes new in man for the new birth hath new thoughts words and works and a new tongue Q. And hath not the new birth any agreement with the old in any place A. Nay that is not possible for they are contrary one to the other in all things and there is no agreement between them in any thing Q. But do those things which are in appearance manifest the natures of the two seeds A. Yes for as they are contrary in nature so they are contrary in manifestation Q. And doth the nature of the evil seed produce a manifestation according to its nature A. Yes for every manifestation hath a conception before it be manifested and the evil seed being in government it sends forth a manifestation according to its nature and so the tree may be known by its fruit Q. What is the manifestations that