Holy Men without us would have given us a Right to his Holiness though the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh the Pride of Life and Friendship of the World had never been wholely subdued in us but in such a part as might he consistent with our Gain and Profit in the World But Alas Alas Our Coverings be too narrow they will no longer hide us God's Righteous Works are abroad in the Earth who is inspiring his People with True Light of Vnderstanding and Mordecai sits in the Gate and will not bow to Wickedness Haman Alas Alas We have twined and twisted about through many Crafts and Inventions some of our best Arts-Men having called the Light a Devil some others a Natural Light and others a Bewildering Light and likewise many False Accusations have we raised with Evil Reports Scornings and Reproachings of the People called Quakers for Confessing to the Works of the Light of God's Holy Spirit yet all our Shifts do not at all help us but those Works prosper and they are generally a Faithful People to their Testimony Alas Alas Who would have thought our Mother had been such a Harlot What delicate Inchantments and Sorceries hath she used and trained us up in that we have been thus deceived and thereby have been Instruments of deceiving the whole Nations Alas Alas We can flee into no Corner nor Hole but we are found out and pursued Alas Alas can't all the Wisdom of the VVorld and Arts therein help to hide our Sins and Iniquities from the Light of the Lamb Is every Creature so clearly manifest in his Sight that made all things good in the beginning And is he now as work again And must all yield to his VVorks or be accounted his Enemies and be cast out of his Presence who is Lord of all whose is the Earth and the Fulness thereof Alas Alas VVords of Repentance of Sin will not serve now there must be a true Repentance and Forsaking Sin and Evil or else we perish forever Even so it must be done to you Workers of Iniquity who have been and are as Props and Pillars strengthening the Old World of Transgression in Sin and Iniquity the Devil's works and therein withstood the Sufficiency of God's Love manifested to the World in his Son to destroy the Devil's works which works of Transgression the old subtil Serpent the Deceiver of the Nations in and through his Instruments is striving and labouring to maintain under several and very large and specious Pretences of crying out Lord Lord But come Workers of Iniquity these Good Words will not give you Admittance into the Kingdom of God it s not they that say Lord Lord shall enter therein but they that do the Will of God And was not his Will manifested to the World in his Son that they that believed and followed him in doing his Father's Will might not Perish but have everlasting Life And do not many of you confess to this in words who say in your set Prayers That we may follow the Example of Christ's great Humiliation and Patience that we may attain to his Resurrection c. VVhat brave VVords have you VVorkers of Iniquity got in your Old Bottle that can hold none of the New VVine And so in your corrupt VVills what will the using good VVords do you good but thereby add to your Condemnation who by Good VVords and corrupt and Bad Actions are withstanding and have withstood the Good-will Pleasure and Love of God in his Son to the VVorld So your works of Darkness and Falshood are clearly manifested and you can't hide them from the Light But the Light of the Effectual and Powerful VVorks of God's holy Spirit wherein his VVill is manifest is rising more and more to a more perfect Day of his VVill being done upon Earth to the Praise and Honour of his blessed and holy Name whose VVorks are Pure Holy Just and Perfect in every degree thereof and tend to the true Reformation Peace Prosperity and Establishment of all Mankind in God's Love and Mercy therein forever So worshipped be God that made Heaven and Earth and the Fountains of VVaters and all things therein who fills the hearts of the Upright with Joy and Gladness through the Shinings forth of the Light of his Countenance who sits upon his Throne and saith Behold I make all things New Amen AND now unto such who are in Doubt Whether God's Holy Spirit doth so effectually work now adayes as in the Primitive Times Unto you I say What Flesh could ever have indured such grievous and continued Punishments in Tryals of divers sorts by Imprisouments and Banishments and Hangings and Killings as in New-England and Imprisonments to Death and Spoiling of Goods in Old England and Cruel Mockings and Scoffings and Bloodshed by Unmerciful Men Indeed some in a Voluntary Humility have somewhat appeared in Sufferings but being in their own Willillings and Runnings and VVorks therein how have they been overcome their Strength being an Arm of Flesh as well as others and so Fleshly VVorks have been overcome by Fleshly VVorks But it s not so with them who are in Scorn and Derision called Quakers because they have bowed to God's VVay the which is quite different to Man's wayes was that Name given but in God's VVay hath his Arm been revealed and its Strength made manifest in our VVeakness So that to the Praise of him that lives forever the Operation of his Blessed Spirit is felt as in the Primitive Dayes and the Glory and Comfort of it hath ministred Strength and Refreshment in the time of Tryals though this Way of God's Proceeding hath been hid from the vulterous evil Eye So to the Praise and Glory of God is Confession made through the Operation of his holy Spirit through which Thousands have been preserved and kept from bowing to the seed of Cain Haman and the Beast which hath made the World as a Wilderness where wild Fruits and wild Actions spring So we can truly say to the Praise of God Let not the Wise Men in the Wisdom of this World glory in their Wisdom nor the Strong Men in their Strength nor the Mighty Men in their Might but let all wait in that pure Measure of the Light of God's Spirit in their Consciences that by it they may draw near unto God that they may know his Blessed Works of Mercy and Love and Judgment in the Earth wherein that true Glory and Honour of God is ANd further Concerning Ministry this I say As the Blessed Works of the Light of God's holy Spirit has place in Hearts and so opens Understandings a Discovery will be made from thence of the False Corrupt and Wicked Ministers who open their Mouthes for Gifts and Rewards from whose Works in fair and deceitful Speeches Prophaneness is gone out into the World where the Revelations of God's holy Spirit is denyed and set at nought they telling People Revelations are ceased they are not to be known now adayes
of Knowledge is therein a Minister of the Universal Love of God in his Eternal Spirit unto the VVorld So here lies the Difference between True Teaching and Teachers and False The True Teaching being the Anointing of God's Holy Spirit and Power wherewith Mankind being anointed and taught of God and according to God's Blessed VVill therein in a Cross to his own Carnal VVill and Affections speaking forth and delivering the Truth unto people as it is in Jesus Lord of all in whom the Peace is and from whom Peace is proclaimed under those Conditions and Quallifications as it pleases him to make and tender who is Lord of all The False Teaching is that Spirit of Iniquity the Old Deceiver of the VVorld the Serpent that worked and wrought under a Mystery subjecting Mankind unto his VVill under a Vain Hope through which he beguiled him at first drawing out a Compliance of his VVill unto his Delusions and so to transgress the blessed Commands of his Maker through which yielding of Mankind unto the Serpent's Counsel they became Transgressors of God's Holy Law and Covenant and for that Cause was drove from God's Presence and then Fear entered and Trouble and Sorrow entered by Man's yielding to the Traytor by which means he partook of the Nature of his Cursed VVorks and being thus drove out of the Garden of Eden the Lord placed a Flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the VVay of the Tree of Life And now the same Mystery of VVickedness by which Mankind was drawn into Transgression the same spiritual VVickedness being got in a High Place above the pure holy Seed of God in Man there keeps Mankind in Bondage to his Will under many fair specious Hopes That though Sin and Transgression the Cause of Death be not finished in them yet Deliverance shall be had by the Manifestation and Works of the Seed without them So here Mankind being Imbondaged by these Corruptible VVorks under the Dark Power of the Enemy from whence arises all Corruptible VVays Man being gone from the Uprightness in which he was created goes now abroad hunting about in his Inventions and Conceivings being led about by this Thievish Spirit which first drew his Mind from the VVill of God and so in this is climing up and down every way but the right Door and so being in this Earthly VVisdom from below by Arts and Trades set a teaching of their Imaginations and Conceivings concerning the Holy VVorks without and so here lay down Foundations under Confessions and Professions of Good VVorks and Gratious VVords without and thereby keep the Serpent's works of Transgression and Sin alive within and here the false Teachers under several Covers of Confessions and Professions in the spirit of Antichrist set up And so here being tossed up and down with Floods of Inventions from thence their Shameful VVorks are cast up in the Old VVorld of Transgression and Sin where these False Teachers are so rivited the works of the Enemy being become so natural unto them by reason of the Continuance of Time in Transgression and Sin that thereby they are now become impudent and bold even to dare to plead for the Serpent's works Sin for term of Life taking it for Delusion and high Presumption for any to speak to the contrary And so here False Teachers being raised from the works of the Enemy moving in the Earthly VVisdom for Earthly Things being propt and bolstered up through Vain Glory Praise of Men and weighty Pounds many Nobles and special Marks with abundance of Crowns and frequent Appearances of Angels in and by which they are so oyled that their Tongues run at their own VVills and Lusts by fair Speeches of other Men's Lines and VVorks with which ignorant Simple People being taken have so fed and oyled the VVheeles of these Trades-men the which hath set them up so strong that they make all the Defence they can to strengthen themselves and their Clients in the old VVorld of Sin and Iniquity And so these False Teachers having put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness what strong Pillars and Props they are grown under the Devil's Kingdom and Power of Darkness under several Heads more that might be mentioned being derived from one Beastly Power from whence is risen several Heads and so branched out into several Horns the which are pushing every way against the Horn of God's Anointing the Power and Strength of the Effectual and Blessed Teachings of his Holy and Blessed Spirit the Door and VVay by which all must enter that come to be truly satisfied with God's Righteousness Christ the same Seed promised in the beginning to bruise the Serpent's Head the effectual VVorks and Power of which according to God's good Pleasure was and is manifest in the VVorld So to the Praise and Honour of God's Holy VVorks many can say Peace from him that is and was and is to come Jesus Lord of all who delivers his People from their Sins the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World through which Powerful and Blessed VVorks Mercy and Peace is extended to all Mankind without Respect of Persons upon Earth So Blessed are they that Fear God and are found out of their own VVillings and Runnings in their perverse and crooked Nature in a true Submission and Obedience to the Righteous VVorks of God's Righteous Holy Spirit the true Christian Spirit that Christianity may flourish again and that Heathenism and Paganism under that Name Christian may be subdued and vanish away and Jesus Lord of all exalted in the Hearts and Minds of people over all his Enemies Then shall the Nations flourish and yield Fruit in Season to the Praise and Honour of God forever ANd now all you Merchants of Babylon Howl and cry Alas alas What! all these pretious Trades whereby we have gotten so much Gain must they all Down Where be all our Mountains and Rocks that have been so long a making up by all our Fellow-Trades-Men by Arts and Inventions in Professions and Confessions of Good Works and Works without through Ages and Generations past Will none of these Mountains and Rocks cover and hide us from the great Wrath of the Lamb What must we now bow to his Righteous Works who takes away the Sins of the World or else will he grant us No Peace Alas Alas What Clothing in Scarlet and Purple and Fine Linnen of Egypt with pretious Stones will these no longer hide our Sins and Iniquities Must all our Works herein wherein we thought to have established our own Righteousness must they now all be put off as Dung and Dross Alas Alas Though we have lived so far from the Knowledge of the Operation and Works of God's Holy Spirit as utterly to deny its Revelations now adayes and so have been Dark and void of the Knowledge of God's Righteous Chastisments and Rebukes therein yet we have presumed that by Custom of Confessions and Professions of God's Good Works done in and through
THE Blessed Works OF THE Light of God's Holy and BLESSED SPIRIT Exalted above the Works of Darkness With some Informations how to escape out of Sin and Iniquity and a clear Way discovered into the Truth With a short Testimony of the Cry of Babylons's Merchants by reason of the Day that is coming upon them Stephen Smith 2 Peter 3.12 13. Looking for and hasting unto the Coming of the Day of God wherein the Heavens being on Fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat nevertheless according to his Promise we look for new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwells Righteousness Printed in the Year 1673. THE Blessed Works OF THE Light of God's Holy and BLESSED SPIRIT Exalted above the Works of Darkness COme sit down together in a deep Silence out of all Fleshly Wisdom forgiving all Trespasses that he that sits upon his Throne who said behold I make all things new that he may forgive all your Trespasses and then wait for Acception into God's Pure Holy Covenant his Holy Law in the Mind that it may be writ in the Heart and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest for I will be merciful to their Unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more a blessed day magnified be the Lord whose Works praise him forever and not good Words out of wicked Workers Mouthes so these mighty Works of the mighty God the which he is working and bringing to pass through his mighty Power are appointed that Mankind should live in the Enjoyment of them to the Praise and Honour of his Maker forever And that it may be distinguished between Evil Workers who have got the good Words and the good Works from whence all true and good and gratious Words came observe In one of the Collects appointed in the Book of Common Prayer it is thus written Almighty and Everlasting God which of thy tender Love towards Man hath sent our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our Flesh and to suffer Death upon the Cross that all Man-kind should follow the Example of his great Humility mercifully grant that we both follow the Example of his Patience and be made Partakers of his Resurrection c. Now mind To pray for this that is common and used in the old World of Transgression where Iniquity and Sin is which separates from God and are out of his Blessed Works But to be in the Humility and Patience this is God's Work where his Will is done on Earth as it is in Heaven So that if People would but so far condiscend to the Will of God as to sit down in Coolness in a true Silence of all the Works of the fleshly Wisdom would they not agree with us who are in Scorn called Quakers in Judgment at least though it may be not in Practice viz. That Words without Effects are as Dreams and Chaff to the Wheat the Substance So he that hath a Dream let him tell his Dream but he that hath God's Word let him speak it What is the Chaff to the Wheat Is not my Word like a Fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rock in pieces Jer. 23. I am against the Prophet saith the Lord that steals my Word from his Neighbour who use their Tongues say he saith and prophesie false Dreams and tell them and cause people to Err by their Lyes and Lightness And so now in Coolness when the Works of the Enemy are down viz. Prejudice and Passion c. then by a little Work of God in its least Appearance by which Mankind is made sensible they may see by this small Distinction what it is that we who are in Scorn called Quakers stand for and against And when the Eye of your Understanding is opened to behold his Glorious Works whom you have pierced then will you love us whom so many have hated because of our Testimony of God's Works Do but see how you first hated the Light of God in your selves before that great Darkness came over you to hate us who are called Quakers because we are bowed unto Christ's Spirit the true Christians Spirit and therein have in some measure partaken of his Cup out of which some indeed have drunk very deep even to the following of his great Humility and Patience even to Death as in New-England Sufferings may be seen by those cruel imaginary Christians whose wicked Hands have been deep in the shedding of Innocent Blood And though through Ignorance the Sufferings of God's People hath been much in Old England yet they have not been in that desperate kind as there where out of doubt they are more drunk with the Whore's Cup of Sorceries Witchcraft then those of that kind are here in old England whose spirit is felt but that their Wings are cut so cannot fly at that rate which otherwise they would be at for now their Hands are tied how wonderfully do their Tongues go by which its plain they have no Bridle but are set on Fire of Hell Wondering Despising and Fretting against the Work of the Lord in this the Day of his Power though Thousands are raised by it to declare and publish the same in Words in Life and Conversation c. And now you Vain and Empty Professors and Notionists who are saying in your Dark and Imaginary Conceivings of things That if you had been in the Scribes and Pharisees dayes those learned Rabbies you would not have done so wickedly as to Crucifie the Just and call for his Blood to be upon your Heads But come hearken in the Cool Did not those Scribes and Pharisees say the like of their Fathers who Stoned and Killed the Prophets whom God sent in Love to them And were not they in a worse Practice though they spoak otherwayes And was not the Cause of their Blindness from resisting God's Works in his Spirit by which means they had no Revelation there of the things of God notwithstanding they had the Scriptures without which testified of him yet they being so Wicked to put out the Candle that should have lighted them in it they saw not the Substance spoken of in the Scriptures were more darkned judging by that Law that Christ was a Devil and a Deceiver and so ought to dye without any regard to his Innocent Holy Life and his great Humility and Patience But though they crucified him yet they could not so bury him but that he rise again and appeared in divers manners and after he was risen opened the Scriptures to his Followers who loved Him Therefore Professors of Works without who are not Possessors of God's Blessed Holy Works within What though you do say If you had been in your Fathers the Scribes and Pharisees dayes you would not have done as they did But come be patient a little the Works of Truth have a good Tendency though
in Thousands who are Witnesses of the Works of God's holy Spirit in some Degree or Measure viz. That it is in Christ God's Covenant in which we hope for Salvation and in no Covenant nor Work of Man's and in this Covenant we are made a good Savour unto God and one unto another And Acceptance with God is obtained no other way but by the one pure Offering without Spot or Blemish by the effectual Workings of the Eternal Spirit where the Blood of Christ is witnessed to be sufficient to purge Consciences of dead Works and so to serve God in the New and Living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail his Flesh And therefore all who are thus Partakers of God's Works by the Revelation of God's Spirit being true Witnesses of the Blessing of God in this one Unspotted Offering we cannot but confess him before Men denying all imaginary Offerings in mens wills where their Garments are filled with Spots and Blemishes and their Consciences are defiled with dead Works of their own Inventions and Works the which having some outward Shew of Holiness may Recommend unto Man who lives in the same but not unto God and therefore Experience in the Works of God's blessed Spirit hath taught us to deny them And by this Christ of God the Mediator of the New Covenant we have Acceptance with God from whence the Knowledge of Salvation comes by the Remission of Offences and Sins and therefore we deny all false and vain Mediatorship of vain man in his vain VVorks of Conceivings Imaginations concerning this Mediator the which is really to be enjoyed and known by the effectual VVorkings of God's Eternal Spirit to the Consolation and Peace of Souls who partake thereof And through the blessed VVorks of this blessed Spirit of God the Deaf Ear comes to be opened to hear the Voice of the one true powerful Shepherd who alone doth feed the Sheep of his Pasture with that convenient and wholsome Food the which causeth Soundness of Heart and Mind and therein doth he take Care to preserve and keep his Sheep in a living Sense of his Love Fatherly Care who calls to his Sheep when the Lion the VVolf and the Bear appears and strengtheneth them who take Pleasure in hearkening and obeying his Voice So to the one Shepherd and one Fold Testimony is given unto whom all that are erred and strayed must return if ever they witness Deliverance from Evil and Preservation from Danger So we deny all false Shepherds whose VVorks of Darkness tend to the scattering people in their Minds and Understandings from the Sense of God's VVorks in Christ in reconciling lost Mankind and bringing them home unto himself the Substance of all of which the Law outward was but a Shadow of good things the which are injoyed in this one Shepherd and Bishop who takes Care and Oversight of Souls magnified and praised be his holy and glorious VVorks of Redemprion forever and ever And so to the Honour of this one blessed Physitian of Souls whose Works are certain and effectual the which has been tryed by many wounded Souls who could find no Cure without by the foolish and vain Physitians without who are meer Deceivers and Daubers up of people through their Inchantments and Sorceries by which they have made a long Prey of people through their fair Speeches getting their Money through meer Deceit and Flattery intruding into things they have no Knowledge of in which VVorks they are pufft up above the pure holy VVorks of God's blessed Spirit the Revelation of which they have denyed they in lew thereof have set up their own Imaginations and Conceivings in the Revelation of their Singular exalted Spirit the Flattery and Deceit of which having taken with people how are Nations corrupted by it and what Misery have these wicked VVorks brought into this Nation God having given signal Testimonies of Dislike unto them by Sword Plague Fire and Sword and by many Messengers whom he hath drawn near unto himself by his VVorks by the hands of them Messengers hath he sent VVarning upon VVarning and Exhortation upon Exhortation with tenders of his Blessed VVorks of Reconciliation upon just and equal terms of his Enemies repenting and turning unto him by turning from their Wickedness But what Entertainment these Servants of the Living God have found by these foolish Physitians who are meer Time-Servers for their own Ends whose Refuge is an Arm of Flesh to defend their wicked corrupt Works which have filled the Nations with their Defilements who by their Flatteries have drawn a Compliance from Magistrates to punish the Messengers and Servants of the Most High God for telling the Truth from a certain Knowledge of the Works of God's Spirit of Truth and therein testifying against the Works of Error and Darkness But the Sufferings that have been for this Love of God in and through them who have been Instruments in his hands may through search be known so Testimony is given against them who are in the Exaltation of Works without and denying the immediate blessed Works of God's holy Spirit in its Operations and Revelations of the Mind and Will of God unto wounded Souls within And further concerning these Blessed Works of God's Righteous Holy Spirit the which are attended with Peace unto which Way many have been turned and because some loiter and are sloathful and yet remain unconverted of the Old Man's corrupt Words and Deeds and therefore not fit to put on the New Man Christ Jesus and some who were in the Way do turn out of it again and some fall head-long down to Perdition Oh! what Occasion hath the Watchers for Evil taken at this and thereby set at nought God's Works in his Holy Righteous Spirit and them that abide therein making Conclusions in their dark imaginary Conceivings of the Works of God That he hath no such perfect Works now adayes but that all are fallible and changeable and so measure and weigh the things of God in their corrupt false Measure and Ballance which things are Abomination in the Sight of God So Testimony is given to God's blessed Works though many are so brittle that they will not abide them yet notwithstanding God's Works in and through his holy Spirit of Truth are Righteous Holy Perfect in every Degree and Measure and remains firm in Goodness and unchangeable there being no Spot nor Blemish in them the which praises him forever out of which none shall ever find Acceptance of him Mutter Peep Whine and Scold as long as you will your Works of Darkness must down which have corrupted the Nations which is the Cause of the great Judgments past in this Nation and the greater yet to come For the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God is gone out against wicked Workers and works and thus saith the Lord No Peace to the Wicked their Prayers are Abomination in my Sight So whatsoever your Professions and Coverings therein be of your Talkings and Imaginations
And is not this Christ of God the Way out of Transgression who was obedient and subject to the Will of his Father in all things And must not they all that are saved be brought into this blessed Covenant of Life the End of God's great Love in his Son manifested to the World that through him they might not abide and perish in Darkness but through believing and obeying that Second Coming and Appearance of the Light of him they might have the Light and Understanding of the Life of him the one blessed Offering that perfects forever them that are sanctified And now all you blind Leaders of the Blind under all your Imaginary Lifeless Confessions and Professions of God and Christ what strength of Arguments do you use in your perverse Wills and Affections to strengthen the Old World of Transgression in Sin and Iniquity whereby you go about with all your Might to make void the Second Covenant which is without Fault and so you shut up the Way to God's Kingdom and the Knowledge of his Righteousness by labouring and moiling in your vain Service and Works to establish your own Righteousness and dark Works therein And by this Fruitless Labour and Travel what Darkness and Blindness have you brought over the Nations through your ignorant Conceivings of those gratious Words which were spoken by the effectual working and moving of God's Holy Spirit in and through Holy Men the which was for a blessed End spoken even to turn people from the Darkness which was over them by reason of Transgression unto the true Witness in them the Light that makes manifest all that is reprovable and wicked in Mankind the which being turned from and the Light obeyed that they may be led to the Knowledge of God that they may not be without God in the World whom to know is Life Eternal And so Light is sown for the Righteous that through this blessed Seed the Serpent's Head may be bruised and kept under in all and so is way made to put on the Heavenly Image again by being led and guided out of Darkness by the Light of the Emanuel in and through every blessed and glorious Degree of his Works to the Mark of that Price the Measure and Stature of the Fulness of Christ Jesus the Heavenly Man the Heavenly Image as many as are baptized into Christ put on Christ Now I say unto you blind Leaders of the Blind who have got some few of the Gratious Words and Works of the Righteous Men of God therefore I say but few of them because there is but little upon record of those mighty Works which did then shew forth the Wonderful Power of God in and by the effectual Workings of his holy blessed Spirit the which if all had been written the World could not have contained the Books and of that which was written you have but a part with which you blind Leaders of the Blind have made a long Trade in Wresting Perverting and Corrupting to your own Destruction making them look every way but the right in your Imaginary Conceivings thereof So wrong you are in your Judgments who have denyed the effectual Workings of God's Holy Spirit that what in you lies by your Works of Darkness you are making void God's Holy Law and Covenant as to any true Understanding or Knowledge of it in the Mind and Heart And so building your selves up in Imaginations and Conceivings what Strangers are you to God's Holy Works in and by the effectual Working of his holy Spirit within Man How brutish are you in your Understandings to stand and wonder and some to despise till they perish at the News of these Works though God hath raised many faithful Witnesses who have declared and given Testimony to them even to the laying down their Lives and many their Liberties and in great measure their Estates whereby it hath plainly shewed That this is the Time and Season wherein God is making known his Mighty Power for the subduing and bringing under the Power of Darkness that the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of God and that the Kingdom of his Son which is in Righteousness Peace and Joy of his blessed holy Spirit may be set over all And is not this according to that Prayer Thy Kingdom come thy Will be done on Earth c Now consider Are not all those Wayes destructive to Mankind that are made up in the dark Conceivings of Man without the Light of understanding the Will of God herein And by your Works of Darkness in opposing the Blessed and Effectual Works of God's holy Spirit what Misery and Confusion have you brought your selves and the Nations into where you lie in Heaps in Controversies about the Works and Words without till the Enemy's works of Darkness be over-grown in you by which you are so droven from the Presence of God and the Light of his Countenance that you are greatly confounded kicking and stumbling at the pretious Stone the which in your Fleshly Worldly Wisdom you think too mean to be in your Buildings by reason of which how many Fashions are your Buildings of reeling and staggering from one Fashion to another soaring aloft in your airy Imaginations of the things of God in using your Wits and Arts to bend the Holy Men's Testimonies to your corrupt Wills and Affections And so much more as you strive in these Works so much more you are and must be confounded What a sad Work have you herein taken in hand and what vast Sums of Money have you exacted out of Nations to maintain the Pride and Arrogancy of your hearts herein Oh! that there were such a Heart in people to sit down before the Lord that they may partake so much of his blessed Works as to open the Eye of their Understandings that they may see over these Works of Darkness where nothing is good nor pleasant to the truly Hungering and Thirsting Souls after God's Righteousness How miserably have these Nations been cheated by these blind Guides who have exacted abundance of Wages under Pretence of being Healers and Curers of the Nations but are now found by the Effectual Workings of the Light of God's holy Spirit to be the chief Instruments of the letting in of Darkness Corruption and Abominations that raign on the Earth Through that Adulterated Spirit the Mother of all Harlots who are departed from the true Spouse and so running and hunting after others Blessed Works and Experiences have set up Trades in their Arts of telling and boasting of others Lines and Works where that Adulterated Spirit hath covered them who are corrupted with her Sorceries and VVitchcraft under various Fashions of Confessions and Professions of God and his Christ But underneath these Coverings are the same wicked hands by which the Just hath suffered and been rejected and set at nought in all Ages And through the blessed VVorks of the Light of God's holy Spirit these Corrupt Workers and Works of Darkness being discovered and a
Righteous Testimony in Thousands that stand against them what a sad work do these blind Leaders make to hide themselves from the VVrath of the Lamb that is coming upon them looking back to the several Traditions Customs and Commands of Men from whence they derive several Establishments upon many Fleshly rotten Foundations as Covenant and Directory of Man's none of God's Foundation Christ God's Foundation is a Pure Holy Unspotted Foundation where God's Wisdom and Counsel directs in and through the Works of his Holy Spirit the which are perfect and good in every degree thereof by which people are built up a Spiritual House to the Honour and Praise in and through God's blessed Works forever So to God's Covenant and Works must all Mankind be brought under that are redeemed and made alive to God therefore we deny the Presbyterian's Covenant and Directory as being but a meer Parcel of Conceivings and Imaginations which tends to hide the Holy Covenant and Foundation of the Righteous People in Generations past and now present in being who were and are built upon the sure Foundation which God hath laid and thereon in Covenant with his Righteous Holy Works And concerning your Foundation who are built upon a Church-Faith made up by an Assembly of Diviners out of their own Brain in their fleshly Comprehensions its man's Works full of Blemishes and Spots and not God's God's Foundation and Works thereon are Pure and Holy without Spot Wrinkles or Blemish And forasmuch as your made up Faith and Works tend to the making void the pretious Faith of God's Elect which is the Gift of God the which purifies the Heart and works by Love and giveth Victory over the Old World of Transgression and Sin without which Faith there is no pleasing God And so to this One Faith One Baptism and One Lord Testimony is given and against all feigned Faiths the Works of Men's Hands the which are in Wickedness by which the Just was slain And concerning that Head of the Beast which is branched out into several Horns in Feigned Humility and Will-Worship intruding into things which they are not led into by the Light of God's holy Spirit and therefore their Foundation being not from a certain Knowledge of the immediate Works of God's holy blessed Spirit in them But are in their own Willings and Runnings into Imaginations and Conceivings about the Practices of the holy Men of God but being out of their Spirit and Works therein what dark Works of Plungings and Dippings in outward Water and imaginary Fellowships in outward Elements but being out of a true Sense of the Works of God's Spirit and its Inspiration to enlighten them and give them an Understanding of the Times and Seasons of the Dispensations and Works of the Mighty God what Strangers are they to the New Birth and the One Baptism of Christ with Fire and the Holy Spirit to burn and consume Lusts and so to bring down every high Thought and vain Imaginations under his Feet who is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World And so by that One Pure Holy Spirit of God are many baptized into one Body where God's Will is done on Earth by him that abides forever So not by the Works of Man's Righteousness is any saved but by the Merciful Works of God in his Son by the VVashing of Regeneration and Renewing of the holy Spirit So into this pure holy Name must all be Baptized Dipped Plunged the which tends to the bringing out of all False Fellowships into that One and Only Pure Fellowship to walk in the Light of the Lord where the Blood of Christ cleanses from all Sin A pure Baptism indeed a pure Washing in a pure Fountain where Filthiness that is within man comes to be washed away and thereby way is made for the Comfortable Fresh Springs that rise from the Fountain of Love and Mercies the Substance of which many outward things are Shadows but the Good Thing it self is come Glory to God on high Hebr. 9.9 10. So to his blessed Works who must increase is Testimony given and against all the Works of Men's Hands the which tend to the making void thereof So the Fountain of God stands sure and must do forever and all False Foundations whereon People have built must be swept away for evermore THE blessed and unspotted Foundation the Mighty God of Heaven and Earth hath laid which is Christ or Vnction from the holy God by the Light and Teaching of which Mankind comes to be inspired with a right Understanding concerning things that differ even that which is pretious and wholsome so good for Food for every Soul and that which is vile and filthy which tends to the defiling and bringing Souls into Bondage And so John in his 1 Epist 2.20 saith unto the then Believers who had received this heavenly Gift But ye have an Vnction from the Holy One and ye know all things Herein was and is God's Love in his Son manifested to the World to destroy his Works who hath led Mankind into Darkness and so through Man's Obedience in following and believing in these blessed and unspotted Works of God in his Son the Enmity comes to be slain that separates Mankind from God and so the blessed Works of God in his Son reconciling and bringing back them who have been lost by wandering and roving in their own Willings and Runnings in this cloudy and dark Night they come to be seen felt and enjoyed by them who were and are Partakers thereof even of God's Works in his Son by which the Eye of the Understanding comes to be opened and so the Offensive Eye that is offended at God's Works comes to be put out And thus the Light and Understanding of that pure Life comes to be known the which hath been as a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World of Wickedness by the Subtilty of the Serpent in Man's Heart And now to the Praise and Honour of God Almighty who hath drawn Thousands by the Strivings of the Grace of his Holy Spirit to the Knowledge of his Way Christ the Truth Way and Life the which is without Spot and Blemish the same Pure Holy and Unchangeable Way and Foundation on which the holy Men of God were built in Ages and Generations past Ephes 2.20 and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-Stone So here was the Primitive Christians Foundation from whence proceeded and proceeds Heavenly Blessed and Gratious Words from the true Sense and Feeling of the Operation and powerful Works of God's holy and blessed Spirit And from this Holy Uncorruptible Pure Foundation and Way of God were all True Ministers and Teachers of others raised from the Blessed Operation of the Spirit of Truth in themselves whereby they had and have the Will and Mind of God unto People though not all in the same Measure or Degree But every one being faithful to his own Measure