THE PRINCIPLES OF TRUTH BEING A Declaration of our FAITH who are called QUAKERS WHEREBY All that wants Peace with God may return into their first state through the Operation of the LIGHT and Power of God in the great Work of REGENERATION Written by E. B. J. C. W. D. H. S. Printed in the Year 1668. Truths Principles OR Those things about Doctrine and Worship which are most surely believed and received among the People of God called Quakers MAny are the Reports that are abroad concerning this People not only as to their Practices and Deportments but also as to other Doctrines and Beliefs The former time having in a great measure resolved and worn out as being the Refuge of Lyes for the ignorant and unrighteous to flee unto but that stormy and wintry appearance is well nigh over and gone because the Sun is so far risen and the true Light so shineth that most begin to see that those Reports were but Lyes and Scandals raised as Fig-leaves to cover the nakedness of other Professions that begun so manifestly to appear through the Light that shined in these Peoples Lives and Conversations But though the first be gone yet the the latter sticks with many as not knowing what they hold as to Doctrine some saying they deny the Scripture and the Resurrection of the Body and all Ordinances with the man Christ and his Death and Sufferings and imputation of his Righteousness and faith in his Blood c. Wherefore for the satisfaction of all that would willingly be resolved and know the Truth as it is in Jesus I have written this short account of their Faith and Belief and if it were possible to stop the mouthes of the clamorous tongues before Sentence be given against them by some signal stroke of the Lord from Heaven which he will undoubtedly in his appointed time reveal and make manifest to the trembling of all hearts concerned therein and tingling of all ears that shall hear thereof when it shall be said to them The holy shall be holy still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still Rev. 22.11 We believe that the God of all Grace have given a measure of Grace or some manifestation of his Spirit and Light thereof unto all men according unto these Scriptures John 1.9 Tit. 2.11 1 Cor. 12.7 Nehem. 9.20 and experiences of all men who at some time or other do feel something in their Hearts and Consciences that doth lust against the Flesh and the Flesh against it and that these two are contrary the one to the other one lusting after evil which is evil and the other after good which is good the one Carnal the other Spiritual the one from Earth the other from Heaven Gal. 5.16 17. We believe By this Gift Grace and Inspiration of the Almighty man only can come to know the true God truly what he is and how he works in the Hearts and Consciences of people to regenerate them and make them bear his Image according to 1 Cor. 1.19 20 21. Luke 10.21 and experiences of all that ever were regenerated and born again We believe That all the Errors and Mistakes about God and the things relating to his Kingdom sprang and arose from mens wandring from this Gift of God into their own Imaginations whereby though they thought themselves wise yet they became fools and erred their foolish hearts being darkened according to Rom. 1.21 not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God as it is written Mat. 22.29 We believe and know That this Gift and Grace of God appears in and unto all men that all may be without excuse accusing for the evil and excusing for the good according to Rom. 2.15 16. shewing unto man what is good and reproving of him in his own Conscience for the evil whether thoughts words or deeds and that this reproof of instruction is the way of life Prov. 6.23 We believe That as the true God and Eternal Life is known only by the light of this Gift and Grace according unto the Scriptures from which Light and Spirit of God came the Scriptures both from the Old and New-Testament as it is written 2 Pet. 1.21 so can they only be read as truly to be believed fulfilled and practised in the Light and power of the same and all that are out of this Spirit must needs be ignorant and unlearned in the Apostles sense who wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction as it is written for Peter and John were unlearned men outwardly not knowing Letters but inwardly read in the knowledge of this Light and Spirit of God and wrested not the Scriptures Acts 4.13 2 Pet. 3.16 We believe according to the Scripture 2 Cor 4.3 That wheresoever the Power of God is not known within there the Gospel is hid and unknown unto them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them and God should heal them because it is only by the Light of Christ the Power of God that the Creature comes truly to see himself in his lost and undone estate from which sight ariseth the true sense in the heart of the Creature that makes him cry out of his wretchedness by reason of the body of Sin and Death which necessitates him to look out for a Saviour whom God manifesteth in and by the same Light that shines in the heart on purpose to give the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ God's Image whereby God healeth the Soul And therefore doth the Devil the god of the world strive so much by the gifts of the pleasures profits vanities and lusts that are in the World which he presenteth to men and women now as he did to Christ in the dayes of his flesh when he shewed to him all the world with its glory which glory is the Lust of the flesh the Lust of the eye and the Pride of life whatever may make this Life happy as it were in the things that may pride it or lift it up to sit as a Queen And as men and women take and receive these gifts from the god of this world their minds are blinded because they believe not in the Light which sheweth them the vanities of all the gifts of the god of this world which gifts the Devil knows if they be received will so blind the minds of them that receive them that they will not come to be sensible in the true Light of their lost conditions so as to cry unto God from the deep and true sense for then God out of the depths of his Love and Mercy could not but heal them And therefore lest the true Light should shine into them to give them the sensible knowledge of themselves and God should heal them the Devil as god of the World by the things of the world
foolishness whose beauty and excellency is hid from its eye But this is because the wisdom of man is out of its place not subjected to the Wisdom of God but exalted above it therefore as a curse unto it is it suffered to lift up it self in its conceitfulness against and so to persecute the pure Wisdom of God and the birth thereof that it might fall and be broken and snared and taken and its day deservedly come to an end and be shut up in the shadows and chambers of eternal darkness But what ear of Man can hear this Surely none that is whole in the line of Man's wisdom reason and understanding but that alone which is bruised broken and in some measure dashed to pieces by the inroads of a diviner Life and Nature This in the Leading of that Life which hath broken it and in the shinings of the Light eternal upon it and into it may be enabled to take up the Cross to the natural part and to die that Death with Christ which preserves from the second Death with the misery thereof Happy is he who knows and hearkens to the Perswasions of Gods Spirit who is born of God and taught to wait upon him and worship him in Spirit who receives his Religion from the Light of Faith into the renewed Nature and Mind and not from the Reason of Man into the natural understanding which is easily corrupted and cannot be kept pure but alone by the indwelling of the Principle of Eternal Life in it For though such may suffer very deeply in this World from the men of this World as the Subjects and Servants to the Principle of Life have done in all Ages and Generations yet their Principle will bear them out in which God will appear to strengthen and refresh their spirits and carry them up above all their Sufferings in the Patience Meekness and Faith of the Lamb And keeping to their Principle they cannot be overcome but must either live or die Conquerors according to the will and good pleasure of Him who ordereth and disposeth of all things well and bringeth good out of every evil in despite of all the Powers of Darkness And he that overcometh whether by life or death in the Lamb's Spirit shall wear the Lamb's Crown and sit down in that perfect Rest in the Kingdom of the Father which will give the hearts of all his Children full Satisfaction In which assured hope Life stirring in our bosoms and quickning our hearts with Love unto our God and Zeal for his Truth we can freely give up all that is near and dear unto uâ— in this World and lay down our heads iâ— inward Peace in the midst of the greatesâ— outward Persecution and Trouble Eveâ— so O Lord thy Will be done concerning theâ— Generation of thy People whom thou hast begotten to thy Self and brought forth by thy mighty Power to testifie to thy Truth in thiâ— present day Dispose of them as it pleaseth Thee and let not their Faith in thee nor thy Faithfulness to them fail but let them be 〈◊〉 Praise to thy Name throughout all Generations and tendered by Thee as the First-fruits of thine Appearance in the Glorious Light of the Everlasting Day after this great long thick and dark Night of Apostacy from the Life and Spirit of the Apostles which hath so long eclipsed and covered the brightness of thy Beauty from the sight of the Earth Isaac Pennington A Declaration to all the World of our Faith and what we believe who are called Quakers ALSO What Ministers and Magistrates we own and what and whom we deny Concerning God Christ and the Spirit thus we believe FIrst That there is only one true God who is a Spirit and his Presence filleth Heaven and Earth he is Eternal and Everlasting the Creator and Preserver of all things That Heaven and Earth and all things therein by him were framed and brought forth and all things remain unto this day by his Power and whatsoever hâ— willeth in Heaven and Earth he brings to pass by his Word and Power And we believe That this God onely is and ought to be feared loved obeyed and worshipped by all Creatures and no other thing besides him in Heaven and Earth and we believe that his Worship and Obedience and Fear and Love is to be given in Spirit even in what his own Spirit moveth and leadeth his people unto And we believe his True Worship required and accepted of him is not by the tradition of men in outward observances or set dayes or places but he is worshippeâ— only in Spirit and Truth without respect oâ— times places or things and that none caâ— worship him in Righteousness but his Children who are born of his Spirit and are leâ— and guided thereby And we believe That this God hath given his Son Christ Jesus into the World a free Gift unto the whole World and thaâ— every man that cometh into the World iâ— lighted by him that every man may believâ— and be saved And we believe That he is given intâ— the World and no Nation Country oâ— People excepted but to all mankind he is given of God and hath enlightened them And every man through the world that beâ—ieveth in and receiveth Christ who is â—he Wisdom and Power of the Father shall be saved with eternal Salvation And eveâ—y one that believeth not in him shall be damned and shall possess everlasting misery And we believe That Salvation Justification and Sanctification is onely in Him wrought by him and no other for there is no other Name given under Heaven but Him alone by which Salvation is and we beâ—ieve all that receive him and believe â—n him are reconciled to God and are made alive to God to live to him in all things and do receive the forgiveness of Sins and are set free from all unrighteousness and from the body of Sin and Death and have the witness of the Spirit â—n them and the Spirit of the Father they have received and it witnesseth in them of the Father and of the Son and of the things that belong to their peace and it is the Earnest of the Inheritance and the Seal of the Promise of Eternal Life and by it are the deep things of God revealed to mankind and by it the Father and the Son dwell in the Saints and by it they have fellowship one with another and thâ— Father Son and Spirit are one And thiâ— we faithfully believe Again concerning Christ we believe That he is one with the Father and waâ— with the Father before the World was and what the Father worketh is by the Son for he is the Arm of Gods Salvation and the very Power and Wisdom of the Creator and was is and is to come without beginning or end And we believe That all the Prophetâ— gave Testimony of him and that he waâ— made manifest in Judea and Jerusalem anâ— did the Work of the Father and was persecuted of the Jews and was crucified by
hiâ— Enemies and that he was buried and rosâ— again according to the Scriptures And we believe He is now ascendeâ— on high and exalted at the right hand oâ— the Father for evermore and that he iâ— glorified with the same Glory that he haâ— before the World was and that even thâ— same that came down from Heaven is ascendeâ— up to Heaven and the same that descended iâ— he that ascended And we believe Even he that was dead is alive and lives for evermore and that he cometh and shall come again to judge the whole World with Righteousness and all People with Equity and shall give to every man according to his deeds at the Day of Judgment when all shall arise to Condemnation or Justification he that hath done good shall receive Life and he that hath done evil everlasting Condemnation And we believe He is to be waited for in Spirit to be known after the Spirit as he was before the world was and that is the knowledge unto Eternal Life which all that believe in him do receive and he subdues Death and destroys him that hath â—he power of it and restoreth from Death â—o Life and quickneth by his Spirit all that the Father hath given him and we believe such he justifieth and sanctifieth and such â—re taught of him but he condemns all â—hat believes not and continue in unbelief â—nd are not taught of him And this we â—aithfully believe And we believe That unto all People â—pon the face of the whole Earth is a time â—nd day of Visitation given that they may â—eturn and be saved by Jesus Christ who is given of the Father to call the worst oâ— men to repentance and the most ungodâ—â— of Sinners are convinced by him of theâ— ungodly deeds that they might believe anâ— be converted and saved And we believe Herein is the Love oâ— God manifested to all mankind and thâ—â— none are shut out by him before they were boâ—â— into the World but unto all men is a Visitâ—tion given and they that perish it is becauâ—â— they do not believe in Christ and Destructâ—on is of a mans self but Salvation is of Goâ— through believing in his Son who takâ—â—… away Sin and reneweth into his own Imagâ— that they may become Heirs with him And we believe That there is a Crowâ— of Eternal Glory and an Inheritance 〈◊〉 Eternal Life to be injoyed for evermore bâ— all that believe and are chosen of God And that there is an Everlasting Miseâ—â— and Destruction to be possessed by all thâ—â— believe not but continues in the state 〈◊〉 Reprobation and are not changed from tâ— Wayes of Sin and Death but walk after tâ—â— ways of their own hearts lusts fulfillinâ— the will of the Flesh in the evil of thâ— world and follows not Christ the Lighâ— of the world that they may be saved anâ— we believe upon all such the wrath of God abideth and that they have no part in the Inheritance of God And we believe that it is only he that is born again of the Spirit and that walks after the Spirit who is changed from Death to Life and who is redeemed out of the World and all its wayes such only must inherit the Kingdom of God and they onely have right thereunto and none besides even they that are washed and cleansed from all unrighteousness by the Blood of Jesus by which their Sins are remitted For his Blood cleanseth them from all Vnrighteousness and Sin yea all such that walk and abide in the Light which Jesus Christ hath enlightned the World withal And we believe that the Saints upon Earth may receive forgiveness of Sins and may be perfectly freed from the body of Sin and Death and in Christ may be perfect and without Sin and may have Victory over all Temptations by Faith in Jesus Christ And we believe every Saint that is called of God ought to press after Perfection and to overcome the Devil and all his Temptations upon Earth and we believe they that faithfully wait for it shall obtaiâ— it and shall be presented without sin in the Image of the Father and such walâ— not after the Flesh but after the Spirit anâ— are in Covenant with God and their Sinâ— are blotted out and remembred no more for they cease to commit Sin being born oâ— the Seed of God And we believe the Gospel of Christ 〈◊〉 the Power of God unto Salvation and that iâ— ought to be preached freely unto all Peoplâ— and Christ to be held forth to all Mankinâ— by the Ministry sent of him And we believe this Ministry is receiveâ— by the Gift of the Holy Ghost and all theâ— that receive it are lawfully called to thâ— Ministry and they may preach the Gospâ—â— of Christ freely as they have received 〈◊〉 freely and this Ministry is not of Maâ— but of God and is made powerfull to thâ— converting of Sinners and to the bringinâ— of People to God and to the knowledgâ— of his Wayes And we do not believâ— that any man is a Minister of Christ witâ—out the Gift of the Holy Ghost or that thâ— Gospel can be received by natural learninâ— or education And we believe such as preach for hire and hath hire for Preaching are not the lawfully called Ministers of the Gospel of Christ such as are proud and high-minded and covetous men who do not profit the People at all such as have run and never were sent of Christ who calleth by his Spirit into the Work of the Ministry and as every one hath received the Gift of that Spirit so he may administer to others Concerning Rulers and Governours we believe That there ought to be Rulers and Governours in every Nation City Country or Town and they ought to be such men as fear God and hate every evil way who will judge for God and not for man and will judge Righteously Equally and Justly and will give true and sound Judgement unto all men without bribery or respect of persons not regarding the Rich above the Poor but being a praise unto all that do well and a terror to all Evil-doers whatsoever having knowledge in the pure Law of God and themselves continually exercised therein And we believe That every Law of man ought to be grounded upon the Law of God pure Reason and Equity being thâ— Foundation thereof that Gods Witness iâ— every man may answer to it and the Law ought to be known unto all People beforâ— Transgression be charged or punished iâ— any man And we believe That every Transgreâ—sion ought to be punished according to itâ— nature and that the punishment exceeâ— not the greatness of the Transgression neâ—ther ought any Transgressor to escape uâ—punished neither ought any upon falâ—â— suspition or jealousies be caused to suffeâ— without the Testimony of true men or thâ— Confession of the Party And we believe That the Executors oâ— the Law ought to be Just men and not gâ—ven to Pride Drunkenness or any otheâ— Evil whatsoever And we believe
God As O Lord I am not puft in mind I have no scornfull eye I do not exercise my self in things that be to high When they never knew any change wrought in their minds and so causeth the People to lye And causing them to sing David's Prayers as O Lord rebuke me not in thy Wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure for thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore for my iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me to bear my wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long And may be none of you in all that place can witness the condition and so blasphemes the Name of God who will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and this is the rule given out from him If any be afflicted let him pray if any be merry let him sing Psalms And there is none merry but the Ransomed of the Lord who returns to Sion with joy and singing and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away All people may search the Scriptures and see how you have been deceived by your Teachers who have caused you to seek your lost God in carnal and dead observations which they have not any Scripture for all cease from them for the Lord complains of them The Leaders of my People cause them to err saith the Lord of Hosts and now are these Scriptures fulfilled in these men which the Apostle prophesied of This know also That in the last dayes perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous proud boasters blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy All people see are not your Teachers so self-lovers before they come at you they must know what they must have covetous griping for much and if you will not give them so much as they can have in another place they will not come at you here is self-love and covetousness manifested without natural affection Truce-breakers false-Accusers Traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof from such the Apostle exhorts to turn away All People behold and see all these Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers they speak against Pride and live in it against covetousness and live in it they teach by words to be naturally-affectionated one towards another and they walk contrary causing poor people to pay to maintain them in pride and high ranks in the Earth who can scarce get bread for their bellies and clothes for their backs yet they force them to pay to them being void of all natural affections and they are Truce-breakers breaking all Bonds and Covenants if they can get more money in another place Thus they shew forth to all the world that they are lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God and have a form of Godliness in words but deny the power thereof from such turn away for of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sin and divers lusts These Scriptures are fulfilled in your Teachers every one hath his particular house to creep into where none must come but themselves or whom they please which is contrary to the practise of Christ or any that he sent forth they went through the Countries Towns Cities Villages according as they were guided by the Spirit of God to declare what he gave them to speak and your Teachers lead silly women captive laden with sin and led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth Do not they tell you to look for Christ's coming in such Observations as they set up which is nothing but the inventions of their brains for Christ tells you The Kingdom of God comes not with observations but is within you But many of them deny that the Light in your Conscience which makes manifest the evil of your hearts is the Kingdom of God calling it the light of a corrupt conscience so shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men and will neither enter in themselves to be guided by the pure Light of the Kingdom of Christ within them nor suffer them that are entring in to enter as the Scribes and Pharisees did Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these men resist the Truth men of corrupt minds Reprobates concerning the Faith but they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be made manifest to all men as theirs also was and no man shall buy their Merchandize any more All you enslaved Captives in the Kingdom of Babylon why will you lay out your Money for that which is not Bread and your labour for that which satisfies not hearken diligently unto Jesus Christ the Light that lets you see the evil of your hearts to be guided by it and you shall eat that which is good Encline your ears saith Christ and come unto me hear and your souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David Mind the call of a powerful and tender Father in the Lord Jesus who calls Come forth of Babylon my People and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a Fath r unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Friends prize your times slight not the day of the Lords Mercy for he waits to be gracious and saith I stretch forth my arm all the day long to a backsliding and gainsaying People Every one mind your conditions deal justly with your own hearts see what your hearts have fellowship with and guide your minds for the Kingdom of Christ is within you it is not in observations as your Teachers tell you for they deceive you therefore Christ forewarned us for looking forth at those which would come in the latter dayes that would say Lo here is Christ lo there is Christ as it is in these our dayes some say Lo here is Christ in the Presbyterian practise the Independants say He is there and the Anabaptists say Lo he is here But Friends mind what Christ saith unto you believe them not look not forth the Kingdom of Christ is not in any of those nor in any other outward observations but be warned the Kingdom of Christ is in you and that is the Light that lets you see the evil of your hearts and Christ compares it to a grain of Mustard-seed the least of all Seeds and it grows up above all other herbs and becomes a Tree that the Fowls of the Air lodge therein and he compares it to a little Leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of Meal and it leavened the whole Lump These are earthly parables and figures which Christ layes down speaking to the
and justifies the Soul through thâ— virtue of this Blood received into the hearâ— by this living Faith which receives all itâ— power and virtue from Christ in whom 〈◊〉 abides as its root and object whereby Justification is witnessed from Sin not in Sin Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from Sin and become servants unto God you havâ— your fruits unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life We believe That Justification and Sanctification are distinguished but not divided for as he that sanctifieth and justifieth iâ— one so do these go together and wheâ— the Soul hath the greatest sence of Justification upon it through the vertue of thâ— Blood of Jesus by the Living Faith theâ— is it most in love with Holiness and at thâ— greatest distance from Sin and Evil and whenever there is a failing in Sanctification there is also some eclipse of Justification in the eye of the Soul until Faith hath recovered its strength again which iâ— lost by sins prevailing For as the farthest and clearest sight is in the brightest day so is it with the Soul when it is most in the brightness and beauty of Holiness its Justification appears most glorious and its Union and Communion most sweet and lasting and so like two Twins as they are much of an age so they are like one to the other And what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder We also by this Light believe That Acceptance with the Father is only in Christ and by his Righteousness made ours or imputed unto us not by the creaturely skill but by the applicatory act of Gods gift of Grace whereby the Soul feels the difference between self-applying by its own Faith and God applying by its Spirit and so making Christ unto the Soul Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption So that we believe and are sure that there is a great difference between Imputation as it is the act of mans spirit and as it is the act of Free Grace without mans forcing And so we distinguish between Imagination and Imputation between reckoning or imputing that is real and reckoning or imputation that is not real but a fiction and imagination in the creaturely will and power And because we are against the latter we are clamoured upon as if we denied the Imputation oâ— Christ's Righteousness when it is only unto those that are not made righteous by it to walk as he also walked For as the Scripture saith It is not he that saith he is righteous by the imputation of Christ's Righteousness but he that doth Righteousness iâ— righteous even as Christ is Righteous 1 Joh 3.7 he that believes otherwise is deceived And yet it is not Acts of Righteousness as done by us nor as inherent in us as acts by which we are accepted of God and justified before him but by Christ the Author and Worker of those acts in us and for us whereby we know that we are in him and he in us and we hold him as our Head into whom alâ— things are gathered together into one even in him We further believe That God is only to be worshipped and not any likeness that man makes unto himself of God from any view sight and knowledge that he hath had of him but in every act and service man is to know what substantially as well as whom speculatively or notionally he worshippeth as is is written John 4.22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews And he that thus worships the Father honours the Son by the same Spirit which is one with the Father and the Son in which Spirit only God is worshipped according to the form of its own chusing and manifesting of himself in and by according unto the good pleasure of the Father who is a Spirit and limits man unto the Spirit 's Form but allows not man to limit the Spirit unto his form though it be not of his inventing originally but of the Father yet man must no more limit God unto it then he could command God to appear in it at first For as he chose it himself so he hath reserved liberty to leave it at his pleasure who works all things after the counsel of his own Will which he hath purposed in himself that the Gift of the knowledge of the Mystery of his Will might for ever be acknowledged to be of his Grace and for the riches of the glory thereof according to Ephes 1. and man be bound but God free Man bound to wait in the Light for Gods Movings but God free to move in whom to what and when he pleaseth then man is to go when he saith Go and come when he saith Come and such Servants do serve him And then there is no more Curse as in the dayes of Will-worship and voluntary Humility but the Throne of God and of the Lamb Col. 2.18 23. Rev. 22.3 4. And they shall see his Face and his Name shall be on their foreheads We believe also That this Worship is spiritual and not carnal in all its Parts and Ordinances and not to be imposed by any outward force but performed by the inward leading of Gods holy Spirit according as the holy men of God were led and guided in the days past who gave forth the Scriptures all impositions of Worship outward being only enjoyned under the first Covenant that made nothing perfect until the time of Reformation spoken of Hebr. 9.10 But Christ being come there is an end as well of such Impositions as of the Meats and Drinks and divers Baptisms and carnal Ordinances they being all but temporary and in order unto an end but all to vail to Christ the sum and substance of all the first pointed at by all and the last ending of all the Amen And he that thus worships God in Christ his Ordinances are spiritual and not carnal and his Faith carries him beyond his Works with righteous Abel and preserves him that he is not drowned in the Form like Cain neither falls he short of the glory of God nor of his assurance of Acceptance with him We believe There is one Baptism necessary to Salvation Ephes 4.5 One Lord one Faith one Baptism And this Baptism is Spiritual of which John's Water was but a figure John 1.31 That he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with Water saith John and 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the Reâ—urrection of Jesus Christ This one Spiriâ—ual Baptism into the Name of Jesus Christ â—s that which saves the Water being but a figure that Christ might be manifest to Israel who had divers Baptisms imposed on them untill the time of Reformation but Christ the Substance being come the Shadows flee away And yet where-ever any are commanded now by the same Spirit that commanded the Believers to
bâ— baptized in the dayes past either for thâ— furtherance of the Gospel or tryal of theâ—… Faith we judge them not But this obedience is very rare to be found and wâ— could heartily desire that all would consider seriously whether literal sayings observed only by outward reading hearinâ— by the ear or inward impulses upon thâ— heart by the Divine Power are the motives unto Obedience in this kind And 〈◊〉 honesty and uprightness of heart may bâ— heard we believe and know the manâ— dead souls every-where notwithstandinâ— their Baptisms will be as so many witneâ—ses against them by their grovling upoâ— the earth as so many slain and killed meâ— by the Letter while the Spirits quickning have not been known in the true Baptism into death For we find by daily experiences that most men and women live likâ— Pharoah's lean Kine only to eat up the fat and to envy those that are not so lean soul'd as themselves We believe also That as there is onâ— true saving Baptism so there is one Bread or Body of Christ which all the Saints dâ— feed upon and though they be many aâ— to persons yet their Bread is but one and they all in it but one Bread And this we believe is the flesh that came down from Heaven John 6.33 Though the outward Jews now as then murmur at him because he said I am the Bread which came down from Heaven ver 41 42. But Christ ver 45. to stop their murmuring tells them that the knowledge of this Mystery was only revealed unto them whom God and not man teacheth and no more than are taught of God can set seal and subscribe unto this Truth in Jesus though we believe also that Jesus took outward bread and brake it and gave it to the Disciples as the Scriptures saith and this was a figure of his Body that was to be pierced and broken upon the Tree and a shew to shew forth his Death until he came And we believe he did arise again and appear unto his Disciples And all that believed were together and had All things Common c. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God and having favour with all the people Acts 2.44 45 46 47. And we believe that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.20 saith true where he saith When ye come together therefore in one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper And all that he speaks in that chapter is not to perpetuate that outward breaking of Bread otherwise than as the Believers did that were filed with the holy Ghost in singleness of heart as before is said and yet we judge not those who break outward Bread and drink outward Wine being commanded so to do and put in remembrance thereby of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ by the Remembrancer the Spirit of Truth which is appointed by the Father to lead into all Truth But to do it by imitation or tradition only as most do it if not all at this day we know it is not an Offering unto God in Righteousness neither do we believe this to be the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and yet the eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Christ we believe man must know and witness or he hath no life in him Joh. 6.53 54 55. And we believe that many are striving now in their spirits as the Jews did verse 52 saying How can this man give us his Flesh to eat And not only the Jews but many of his Disciples said This is a hard saying who can bear it ver 60. and at verse 63. he tells them It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And he that hears and understands these words that are Spirit and Life will not be offended at what I have spoken of the Flesh and Blood of Christ By the same Spirit and Grace we believe That Prayer is an Ordinance of God when performed by his Spirit in its words and not those which mans wisdom teacheth or without words by sighs and groanes which cannot be uttered and these so often as the Spirit it self pleaseth But the Form without the Spirit whether it be by words of other mens framing or words of man's own spirit according to his will time and manner this is not the Prayer that prevails with God And we believe that there is none so weak and infirm but this Spirit proffers his help at some time or other though man regardeth it not And the more mans mind is gathered within from all visibles the more he comes to be sensible of the Movings and Stirrings of this Spirit in its secret cryes unto God answerable to the wants of thaâ— man or woman in whom it moves and cryes And by the due watching thereunto we believe and know the Spirit of Prayer and 〈◊〉 Adoption that cries unto God comes to bâ— discerned and distinguished from a man'â— own spirit and will We believe by the same gift of Grace that there are several Ministrations and several Operations according to 1 Cor. 12. and all by the same Spirit as before and after thâ— Law by Moses and after by John the Baptisâ— and Christ and his Apostles and in all thesâ— the Ministration had acceptance with God through the management of the Spirit anâ— its rejection and dislike of God for thâ— want thereof And by this Spirit were thâ— Scriptures give forth and the holy meâ— of God did speak prophesie preach and praâ— as they were moved and for want of it thâ— letter did and doth kill And for the further appearance and pouring out of thiâ— Spirit answerable unto the work and service that God had for them to do theâ— were to wait as Christ commanded hiâ— Disciples to do at Jerusalem to receive thâ— Promise of the Father For by this Spiriâ— he that speaks speaks as the Oracle of God And therefore as it was the practice of the People of God in old time to wait for the moving and stirring of this Spirit that they might speak as it gave them utterance in the evidence and demonstration thereof so do this People called Quakers now and according to its moving in their hearts they minister according to the signification of the Spirit whereby they understand both what and when to speak and when to be silent as also who are they that minister and speak in their own wills above the Cross of Christ which the Apostle was carefull alwayes to be in subjection to lest he should make it void by speaking the words which mans wisdom teacheth and therefore as the Saints did so we do believe and therefore we speak And such Preaching and Speaking in Faith as well as Praying in Faith is acceptable unto God as his Worship and not otherwise And we further believe by the
That all Governouâ—â— and Rulers ought to be accountable to thâ— People and to the next succeeding Ruler for all their actions which may be enquireâ— into upon occasion and that the chiefe of the Rulers be subject under the Law and punishable by it if they be transgreâ—sors as well as the poorest of the Peoplâ— And thus true Judgment and Justice wiâ—â— be brought forth in the Earth and all that do well will have praise and live in Rest and Peace that all Evil-doers whatsoever my stand in awe and be afraid of God and Just men and the execution of good Laws Concerning Religion we believe That it is only the Spirit of the Lord that makes men truly Religious and no man ought to be compelled to or from any exercise or practise in Religion by any outward Law or Power but every man ought to be left free as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or the other practice in Religion and every man of what profession in Religion soever ought to be protected in peace provided himself be a man of peace not seeking the wrong of any mans Person or Estate And we believe That to reprove false Opinions and unsound Doctrines and Principles seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by Exhortation or sharp Reproof by word or writing ought not to be counted a breach of the Peace or to strive about the things of the Kingdom of God by men of contrary minds or judgments this ought not to be punished by the Magistrates and their Laws for we believe that the outward Laws and Powers of the Earth are only to preserve mens Persons and Estates and not to preserve men in Opinions neither ought the Laws of the Nation to be laid upon mens Consciences to bind them to or from such a Judgment or Practice in Religion And we believe That Christ is and ought only to be Lord and Exerciser of mens Consciences and his Spirit must only lead into alâ— Truth And we believe That Obedience and Subjection in the Lord belongs to Superiors and that Subjects ought to obey them in the Lord that have rule over them and that Children ought to obey their Parents and Wives their Husbands and Servants their Masters in all things which is according to God which stand in the exercise of a pure Conscience towards God But where Rulers Parents or Masters or any other command or require Subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him in such cases all People are free and ought to obey God rather then man and we believe that herein God will justifie them being guided and led by his Spirt in all that which is good and out of all that which is evil Again We believe concerning Election and Reprobation That there is a state of Election and a state of Reprobation a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God and that all mankind are in one of these states all that are elected are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the state Reprobate bringing forth fruits of Death and Darkness being Children of Wrath and Disobedience in the Alienation and Separation from God in the Transgression unreconciled to God the Enmity ruling in the heart being in the Fall and not restored to God again but ignorant of his Power and Wisdom having the understanding darkened that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are Eternal And in this condition his best Works are Sin and whatsoever he doth he cannot be accepted with God for he is dead to God and alive to all Evil bringing forth all his Works out of that ground which is cursed This is the condition of all mankind upon the face of the Earth in the first Adam and this is the state of Reprobation and all that abide herein are rejected of God and shall never inherit eternal Life but go into Perdition yet have all such a day of Visitation that they may return out of the state of Reprobation but hating knowledge and despising the Love of God they continue in the state Reprobate and the Wrath of God abides upon them but they that are chosen of God are delivered â—rom Wrath for they believe in the Light and become Children of the Light and are renewed in mind and heart and receive the love of the Father and become planted into Christ the second Adam and are chosen in him to bring forth fruit unto the Father and all their Fruit springeth from that ground which is blessed for they are led by the Spirit of the Father and such are in the state of Election who are made Heirs with Christ of the everlasting Inheritance that never fades away And this we faithfully believe that Mercy is not shewed to the Reprobate nor Judgment to them that are chosen of God And this is to go abroad into the World that all People may understand what we believe and what we have received of God And they that believe this and walk therein by the Spirit of the Father shall be saved but they that believe not but are disobedient to the Truth shall be condemned because they do not believe Much more might be written but in short this is given forth by one that hath believed and received the knowledge of these things from God A Friend unto all People Edward Burrough To all that say we whom the World do in scorn call Quakers do deny Ministers and Magistrates These things I write unto you to give you in short an understanding what Ministers and Magistrates we own and what and whom we deny 1. SUch Ministers as are made by God who are sanctified by his Word and Power who have freely received perfect Gifts from God and so by the Spirit and Power of God are sent forth into the world to turn the People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God who freely ministeâ— unto others without coveting any manâ— Gold or Silver or Apparel not seeking theirs but them Warning every maâ— and teaching every man in all Wisdom that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Such as minister from thâ— Spirit and have the Word of God abiding in them who are never unprovided buâ— at all times and seasons and in all places do speak and declare the Truth as they are moved and instructed and as the Spirit of Truth doth give them utterance Such Ministers we own and have in great esteem for their works sake Gal. 1.1 12. Joh. 15.3 Eph. 4.7 8 11 12 13. Acts 26.15 16 17 18. Matth 10.8 Acts 20.33 2 Corinth 12.14 Collos 1.27 28 29. 2 Corinth 3.6 John 15.3 4 5 6 7. John 4.10 14. and 7.38 39. 2 Tim 4.2 3. Acts 2.4 But such as are brought up at Schools and Colledges and so made Ministers by the will of man who have not freely received perfect gifts from God for perfecting of the Saints but denies
believe in him who said I am the Light and is sate down at the right hand of God who is a Spirit eternally in the Heavens ascended up out of the sight of them which gazed after that body which is gone out of their sight even he Christ the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations now made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil being meek and low in heart he saith Learn of me Then not of the Priests nor any longer of Moses for the Law is the Schoolmaster to Christ who being come calleth one from the Custom another from going to bury the Dead another from questioning and reasoning what this man or another should do that he might not stand looking out at others but himself to follow the Light saying Follow thou me And those that followed him when he was upon Earth saw his Miracles and heard his Parables and eat of the outward Bread and were filled though many now eat and are not filled and they had his Body among them and they came to the Baptism and the Supper but Christ himself baptized not and when he was upon the Earth he said I go to the Father and I go to prepare a place for you and he said Whither I go ye know and he said before Follow me and except a man deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me he cannot be my Disciple and he said My Sheep hear my Voice and they followed me and he entred within the vail and the vail is over the heart and was made perfect through sufferings and is sate down in the Majesty on high glorified with God the Father and the Father was in him even the fulness of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and he said he had finished the work the Father gave him to do and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done for which the body was prepared he said Now glorifie me Father with the same glory which I had with thee from the beginning and he that spake in the body abideth for ever who said A Body hast thou prepared me which Body being crucified he took up his Life again and then those that did know him three dayes before knew him not and he ascended and a cloud received him out of the sight of certain men who never found him unto this day for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him and as Lightning in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again and every eye shall see him that condemneth sin and the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and yet the blind cannot see nor the deaf hear And this was he that Moses commanded to hear who said He that is with you shalâ— be in you and he that was with or without was to go away and that which was to bâ— received within he said should abide witâ— them for ever and the Spirit of Truth waâ— to lead into all Truth for though the body wâ—s prepared to do Gods Will yet they by it were not led into all Truth but some times understood it not though he spake Spirit and Life and moreover they wenâ— away and some fled from the Truth anâ— Peter denied him that was the Truth anâ— so such as have got a profession of the Truth without them and not the Spirit within to lead into all Truth such fly in the day oâ— Tryal from that Truth they profess anâ— some deny it rather then suffer with or foâ— it and herein them called Baptists also have not come short and some of them have bowed to the Beast and so it is with many who profess Christ and Truth with out them even as with those who understood not the Parables neither could cast out the unclean Spirits so that Christ was and is grieved when he hath been so long with and professed and followed without and yet not come to that Faith which purifies the heart whereby to cast out the unclean within as thou mayst read in thy self And therefore Christ when he was upon Earth did often speak unto them of what was yet to come and I do seldom read or take notice that he did so often preach and repeat any one thing unto them as that of the Spirit to come saying that it mark the Spirit would lead into all Truth and seeing their weakness and unbelief Mark 16.14 he by the often repetition thereof did as it were the more chiefly to engage their hearts to wait for and seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them and abide with them when his Body was gone from them whither they could not come and to this one thing doth he direct them in various expressions as of his going to the Father and coming again and saith he I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive John 14.16 And many things Jesus did which if they should be all written the World might not contain the Books John 21.25 and many things he spake unto them Acts 2. â—0 and yet there was somenthing to come to be waited for and after to be received which was more then all this for saith he These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter c. Mark the work but intimateth something greater or more then what was spoken to them whilst he was with them for saith he He that is with you shall be in you John 14.17 and said but the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will senâ— in my Name he will teach you all things mark what that is that teacheth all things and brings all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said and so that is within which bringeth the words of Spirit and Life to remembrance John 14.25 26. and having spoken of other things he saith again But when the Comforter comes even the Spirit of Truth John 15.26 and if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you Joh. 16.7 And I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth John 16.12.13 here it may be seen that they who followed Christ without and not received the Spirit within could not bear what he had to speak unto them and also it may be seen that when the Spirit was come it would be better with them And much more might be mentioned how Christ foretold what was to come and be received and revealed in that day John 16.23 when the Spirit should be poured forth according to the Propheâ—s all which plainly declareth and most evidently sets forth how Christ in his Ministry when he was upon Earth did most chiefly direct unto the Ministration of the Spirit of Truth which was then yet to come and that they might not run to teach others as many do
and takest liberty to sin because Grace abounds and makest the coming of Christ who came to fulfil the Law to destroy it through the evil of thy heart that when the righteous Law cryes in thee for purity and condemns thee for thy unrighteous walking then thou fliest to the Free Grace in Christ to save thee from the power of the Law but thou shalt find the Law hath power over the fleshly man as long as he lives and the fleshly man that now guides thee is under the Law until it be destroyed through Faith in Jesus Christ For he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and the Saints witness it though thou wrest the words of Paul when he declared his condition before he came to the fulness of stature in Christ to thy own destruction I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members but he gave not up himself to be a servant of sin as thou dost it was his burthen that made him to cry Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death and he waited in the Faith until he was freed Rom. 8 2. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flâ—sh but after the Spirit He witnessed Christ came in him to fulfil the Law and so do all the Saints now according to their growth some witness the Law fulfilled in them and others are waiting in the Faith patiently following the Lord daily through the Cross until the Law be fulfilled But thou art departed from the Counsel of the Lord thy God and causest his Name to be evil spoken of and hast made the hearts of his People sad as they did that the Apostle speaks of For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things These Scriptures are fulfilled in thee which the Apostle mentions And while they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the latter end of them is worse with them than the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them But it happened unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire And thou mayst read what will be manifest to thee from the Lord. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remains no more Sacrifice for sin but a fearfull looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy how much sorer punishment supposest thou shalt thou be thought worthy of who hast trodden under foot the Son of God and hast counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith thou wast sanctified an unholy thing and hast done despight to the Spirit of Grace and we know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto Me I will recompence saith the Lord It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and do thy first work in minding that Light of Jesus Christ in thee before whom thou once stoodest condemned for that thou now livest in Prize the time and give up to be guided by the Counsel of the Lord in thee the Light of thy Conscience that discovers every vain thought wait on the power that is present with the Light and it will dash Babylons children against the stones which is sin in its conception so will thy carnal mind be brought to the Cross daily and thy heart will be purged with the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning Kiss the Son in obeying his Counsel the Light in thee lest thou perish in the way for if his Anger be kindled a little blessed are they that trust in him The Discovery of Mystery Babylon To all enslaved Captives in Babylon's Kingdom who are made drunk with the wine of the Wrath of her Fornications and bewitched through the multitude of her Inchantments FRiends Babylon is within you the Mother of Harlots is within you and she bewitcheth you through the abundance of her Sorceries and the Beast is within you that ariseth out of the bottomless Pit of the deceived heart which is deceitfull and desperately wicked and the Beast which all the world wanders after is your wills that makes war against the Lamb of God in you which is the Light that makes manifest the evil of your hearts and your wisdom is the great Whore that sits upon the Beast that ariseth out of the bottomless Pit of the deceitfull heart and she finds out many deceitfull inventions to preserve the beastly will alive having a golden Cup in her hand full of the Abominations of the Earth and this Golden Cup is your outward professions glorious comprehensions and conceivements of God and Christ imtiating what the Saints did impower according as they were moved by the operation of the Spirit of the Most High God and you imitate the Saints practice by your wisdom There is nothing but confusion in the Kingdom of Babylon So come you to be divided into so many particular Forms as Presbyterians Independants Anabaptists and divers others that are in outward worships painted over with glorious words and yet you whose wills guide you are painted Beasts bewitched with the Mother of Harlots notwithstanding all your outward professions and glorious observations they are but the golden Cup and within you are full of the Abominations of the Earth as Self-Love Covetousness Lust Vncleanness Frowardness Backbiting Slandering Hard-heartedness Cruelty and Oppression grinding the faces of the Poor Impatiency and Vnbelief and the fear of the Lord is not before your eyes and thus you lie enslaved Captives in the Kingdom of Babylon refreshing your hearts in the Creature enjoyments which will perish some in Father and Mother some in Wife and Children some in House and Land some in Gold and Silver some in Self wisdom delighting in themselves some in Honour and Preferment in this World and when there is enjoyment of these visible creatures then there is content and when they are taken away there is trouble the mind alwayes plodding contriving and acting every way to get of the creatures what the heart lusteth