false Teachers amongst you saith the Apostle who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and many shall follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth should be evil spoken of And that perillous times should come that men should be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unholy without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Timothy 3. Now all those before mentioned were and are erred from the Spirit of truth which was in the Saints the holy-men of God who spake forth the Scriptures which declares of these things that there was such then and that there should be such Therefore now behold all People and see whether the things which the Apostles prophecyed of concerning the false Teachers which should come be not come to passe abundantly in the Generations since their dayes and also in this our age insomuch as the whole world hath been deceived by them and led after them and they have drawn them into many Religions Sects and Opinions and set them to kill and murther one another about Religion and about the Scriptures and about their worships and Laws to compel men to them being all erred from the Spirit and from the Truth and now know not the Truth nor the Spirit which was in the Apostles and Saints in which Spirit they worshipped God in their dayes and those then that got Christs words and the Prophets words and had not his Spirit but were arred from it and were out of the Life and out of the Truth which they did professe in words These I say the Saints and true Christians who were followers of Christ and had his Spirit with it they tryed the spirits of the other who had it not and found them not to be of God nor to be beleeved nor received but turned from for they were false Spirits and false Prophets which were gone out into the world from Christ and from the Saints that had the Spirit of God in them by which they tryed the other and found them to be of the world and Antichrists in the spirit of this world and by it led which cometh from him who is called The god of this world who had blinded their minds And so they were not true Prophets or Seers or true Ministers of Christ nor true Teachers but false Teachers false Ministers false Prophets and Antichrists and blind guids gone out into the world in the worlds Spirit and so with that spirit they could not confesse Christ come in the flesh though in words they might say he was come in the flesh as all the Priests and Professors who are called Christians do now at this day in words confesse him but not with the Spirit confesse him as their fruits make it manifest Now saith the Apostle hereby know ye the Spirit of God Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ as come in the flesh is not of God and this is the spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already is in the world Ye are of God little children and have over come them because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us Hereby know me the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of Error John 1.4 1 2 3 4 5 6. verses Now if those had not had Christs words and confessed him in words to be come in the flesh while they were out of his life and of another spirit then the Apostle would not have called them Antichrists and Prophets and Teachers but he would have called them Jews or Gentiles or Heathers but this was it which did differ them from the Jews and unbelieving Gentiles and Heathers then Namely They had the words of Christ and the Saints and the Prophets and did professe them as the Priests and Teachers and Professors do now the Scriptures but are erred from the life of Christ and from the Spirit that was in the Saints who gave forth the Scriptures as they were then whom John speakes of erred from the life and Spirit of Christ and the Saints and so were Antichrists and false Prophets and false Teachers and Deceivers which were gone out into the World from the Saints life and Spirit and so the World heard them as they doe now the Priests and false Teachers and they drew people after them then from the Saints the true Church and so set up false Churches and Religions in the World and false worships in imitation of the true Church and true Religion and true worship of God which is in the Spirit and so by this means deceived people then at the first and scattered them from God and led them into confusion and darknesse and disorder and errour and so they broke out into many Sects and Opinions and Religions and wayes of Worship being once gone from the true Worship which is in the Spirit of God alone in which the unity is where this is wanting there cannot be unity nor gathering unto God nor true worship of God And so after the Apostles decease they being erred from the true Spirit who did professe themselves to be gatherers could not gather unto God but did draw people more and more from God and so the whole world went after the false Prophets and false Teachers And these were the grievous Wolves which entered and scattered the Flock which the Apostle spoke of before which should come and Christs words were fulfilled who said He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth So he that is not with Christ but is against him the same is Antichrist he that gathereth not with him but scattereth there is the grievous Wolfe that scattereth the Flock and spoyles the Sheep of the Lords pasture and makes havock of them And such are all they now at this day who are called Ministers and have been accounted gatherers and Divines and are called Orthodox men but are found to be Wolves in Sheeps cloathing who doe scatter the Flock and make havock of the Sheep of Christ and spoyle their goods and cast into Prison and whip and stock and cut off eares and wound and hang and banish c. and cause people to hayle them before Magistrates and stone and beat them knock them downe in streets for dead and haile out of the Synagogues and Steeple-houses and reproach and scoffe and scome and speake all manner of evill falsely against them who are true Christians that not only confesse Christ come in flesh in words but also in works and walke in that
find the dore and to find the true way and yet they have not found it For the Door is Christ who saith I am the Door of the Sheep all that ever went before me are Theeves and Robbers John 10.7 And againe I am the Light of the World c. So Friends and people all know this assuredly that there is none ever comes to the Door to find the Door but who cometh to the Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned them withall and every one that cometh into the World to waite in it and beleeve in it and be obedient to it For Christ saith While ye have the Light beleeve in the Light that ye may be children of the Light So who are children of the Light they see and are not blind as the Sodomites were and as the Professors now are who beleeve not in the Light of Christ I say they see the Door which is Christ from whence the Light comes and enter in and are his Sheep who know the true Shepheards voyce But all who deny the Light and turn from it and hate it and speake against it they are the children of darknesse who are unbeleevers that are without the Door is shut against them and the Light is their condemnation So they are all walking in darknesse and wearying themselves and groping and cannot find the Door and so never come to enter in by it nor to find rest for their soules but are still without where the Sodomites are shut out of Lots Door and without where the Dogs and Unbeleevers are and where the Whoremongers and Murtherers and Lyars are and the Unclean and Sorcerers and the Idolaters are 22 Rev. 15. And so people do weary themselves there and spend their money for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfies not But never comes to hearken diligently to the Light of Christ Jesus in them which reproves them for sin that by it they might be led out of sin and out of Sodome and Egypt that their souls might live and find rest for the Light leads to Christ who gives rest to the soul And till ye come to hearken diligently to the Light ye cannot know your souls to live but still are the people that are dead while ye live and that have eares and hear not eyes and see not and hearts and understand not and so are all as dead men and blind men and deafe men and lame men that cannot walke and say none can keep Christs commands and dumbe men and foolish men without understanding in the things of God which are spiritually discerned and without tasting and feeling and smelling that cannot savour the things of God And here are all the Professions of the World and their Priests and Teachers even the highest of them all who denyes that Christ Jesus hath inlightened every one with his true Light and tell people its a naturall Light and a delusion of Sathan to draw them from it and seduce them and tells them it s not sufficient to lead to salvation c. I say they are all blind leaders who say so And now People Let me tell you who comes to the true Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned every one with that are come into the world John 1.9 and beleeve in it and wait in it which is true and spiritual it brings people to spiritual seeing and lets them see and discerne the thoughts and intents of their hearts and who comes to believe in this Light and hearken diligently to it they come to hear the voyce of the Son of God and they that hear shall live So these are they that come out of death and come to be made alive unto God then they are not dead men nor deaf men as the Scripture saith You hath he quickned who were dead in your siâ—ts and trespasses And who comes to have their minds turned into the light of Christ Jesus in them it will let them see the vanity of their minds this will unblind their minds which the god of this world hath blinded see 2 Cor. 4.3 And bring them to see the Light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ then will they not be blind men who have eyes and see not and ears and hear not as the Scripture saith I will give him for a Covenant for a Light unto the Gentiles to open the blind eyes c. And again saith Christ Buy of me eye salve that ye may see and gold that ye may be rich and white rayment that ye may be cloathed then ye will not be blind men nor naked And who believes in the Light of Christ which is spiritual which Christ hath enlightned them withall it will bring them to understand the things of God and gives to discern them and to know God And this is it which reprooves and judgeth the deceit and pride and hypocrisie and errour in the heart and the desperate wickednesse in the heart and the foolishnesse in the heart and that which is contrary to God in the heart and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart and so brings people to be of an understanding heart and to discern the spiritual things of God and not allwayes to be of those that have hearts and understand not who are erred in their hearts and know not the way of God and are become vaine in their imaginations and by their foolish hearts are deceived And again who come to the Light and wait in it they come to taste and savor the things of God and come to taste of the Heavenly gist and to tast of the word of God and the power of the world to come see Heb. 6.3.5 And they come to discerne the things of God from the things of the world and come to discern between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world and come to have Salt in themselves to savour withall that which will season the heart which is not to be trodden under mens feet for it is good to judge out that which hath corrupted the heart and desiled it The Light which shines in the heart which hath no fellowship with darknesse nor with the works of darknesse And so this will season it and keep it cleah from corrupting as every one minds it and keeps to it to love in and beleeve in it and obey it For there is nothing that is corrupt brought forth but first is in the heart for saith Christ Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts thefts murthers adulter yes uncleannesse for that which goeth into the man doth not defile the man but that which cometh out So every one whose minds be turned into the Light of Christ this will bring you to taste and savour and discern between the good and the evil the Light and the darknesse the precious and the vile the holy and the prophane the clean and the unclean
the things of God for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he receive them because they are spiritually discerned And so with this Spirit which we have receiv'd of God the Father the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ doe-we speaks of the things of God which we have seen with him by which Spirit the Saints are now led to declare forth the Truth to the world as it is revealed in them from the Father of spirits as the Children of God did formerly by the same Spirit who said As many as are the Sons of God the same are led by the Spirit of God And so now it is as every one hath received the Gift of the Father so to minister to others and according to the abillity which God hath given from whence every good and perfect Gift doth come from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning And this we know and declare that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his which is the gift of the Fathers love and he that hath it hath received it freely from the Father from whence every good and perfect gift doth come Mark Who receives a gift from God they receive that which is perfect that which is heavenly that which is free and that which comes from the Father of Lights and so with that they see and know and can freely declare of the things of God of the heavenly things of that which is perfect of that which is holy of that which is true of that which sins not of that which is born of God which overcomes the World as the Saints did of old who said hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 4.13 No otherwise can any one know him now truly but by his Spirit which quickens and makes alive unto God For it is life eternall to know thes the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent saith the Saints and herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of the Lord for as he is so are we in this present World And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding and we know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternall life and this we have not of our selves but this we have freely received from God as the Saints had and this we freely declare and testifie to the world as they did that so others might come to receive of the same from him in whom the fullriesse of the God-head dwells of whose fullnesse have we all recelved and grace for grace And so we have nothing to boast of or glory in of our selves for it is by grace which is the free Gift of God that we are what we are that no flesh might glory in his sight but that all the Honour and the Praise and the Glory might be given unto God alone from whence every good and perfect gift cometh And now Oh all ye Priests and Teachers and Professors unto whom these things seemes strange which we declare of so that ye cannot beleeve them but get up into rage and envy against us to persecute and reproach us and speak all manner of evill falsely against us as your forefathers did the Scribes and Pharisees who were Hypocrites against Christ and the Saints in former times who did declare of those things then which the blind guides did not know nor could beleeve and therefore did they persecute them and haile them before Magistrates and cast them into Prisons and put them to death though the things which the Saints did declare were true and the same which Moses and the Prophets the holy men of God had declared of which should come to passe and so did come to passe according to their words yet now the Scribes and Pharisees and Jewes who had the words of Moses and the Prophets and were the greatest Professors of Religion then that were in the World they having the words but being out of the power out of the Life of Abraham and Moses and the Prophets that declared those things by the Spirit of God these I say being erred from the Spirit did not know the things which the holy men of God did foretell of to come The holy thing which was to be borne which is called the Son of the living God and when he was come they did unto him as they listed crucified the Lord of Life because they knew him not Though they said they were Abraham's children and knew God and were Moses Disciples and were called Jewes and rested in the Law and made their boasts of God and that they knew his Will and did approve of the things that are more excellent and were confident that they themselves were guides to the blind and a light to them that are in darknesse and Instructers of the foolish and Teachers of babes which had the forme of knowledge and of the truth in the Law Thou therefore saith the Apostle that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe c. All these were untaught themselves though they were teachers of the Law they were Transgressors of the Law and when Christ Jesus came who was the substance the holy Seed the end of the Law who fullfilled it and brought in everlasting righteousness who was the Way to God the Truth and the Life they knew him not but slew him And so it is at this day the Professors of the World who only have the name of Christians persecute them that are in the true Christians life and nature for they were blind Leaders of the blind as Christ told them and that they were of their father the Devill who was a lyar and a Murderer from the beginning for whom God hath sent him ye beleeve not but seeke to kill him And so though they had the true mens words and the righteous mens words and the just mens words yet they were erred from their Spirit and therefore they knew not the just and righteous One and Holy one of Israel but were in the murtherous spirit and in the lying spirit which is of the Devill who did not abide in the truth and in the envious spirit and in the persecuting spirit which is not of God as all ye Priests and Professors are found in at this day which spirit I say is not of God nor received of God For the fruits of Gods Spirit is Love Meeknesse Gentlenesse Patience Long-suffering Charity c. But the fruits of your spirit is the contrary as the fruits of theirs was coutrary who persecuted the Saints in former times as the Scriptures declares and plainly makes manifest And so now ye come to be tryed and seen and manifest and declared against by the same Spirit as was in
And this we can declare forth freely unto the Nations round about which we have freely received of him even of his Spirit of truth which was the promise of the Father To lead us into all truth whereby we are come to know the Leadings of the Spirit and know that we are the Children of God and taught of God and led by his Spirit and this is it which doth comfort our hearts and assure us that we are his Children And as many as are the Sons of God the same are led by the Spirit of God as the Children of this world are led by the spirin that is of the world which is of him who is called the God of the world whose work it is to blinde the mindes of people as we were also at well as others while we were in the vaine conversation and walked according to the course of this world even the Prince of the power of the ayre that spirit which now worketh in all the Children of disobedience And they may be easily known for they are full of ayre and talke of that which they possesse not of others conditions and not their own and so have been in travell as it were but have brought forth nothing but wind have a form of godlinesse but want the power and are talking of the Spirit of God but are led by the spirit of this world and are disobedient to the manifestation of the Spirit of God which reproveth them for sin and checks them secretly when they doe evill But all who receives it and are obedient to it they know the movings of the Spirit and the teachings and leadings of the Spitit and what it is to be borne of the Spirir and what it is to live in the Spirit and to walke in the Spirit and to mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit and so to be quickned by the Spirit and what it is to be raysed up from the Dead with Christ by his Spirit dwelling in them Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Therefore how can any of the Priests and Teachers and professors in the world confesse Christ come in the flesh and know not the Spirit which is of God c. Who say they have not the same Spirit that was in Christ the Apostles and Saints and say none have the same Spirit now which they had Therefore I say truly they are not like to know that Spirit who are erred from it nor confesse Christ come in the flesh who are of another spirit which not being the same must needs be the spirit of this world which is the spirit of Antichrist by which they cannot know the things of God for none knowes the things of God saving the Spirit of God neither were they like to discerne them or demonstrate them by the Spirit which they have not but are erred from it nor know the Scriptures which were given forth by the Spirit of God in the Prophets Christ and the Apostles but give their private interpretation of them and meaning which they add to them which is of no private Interpretation for the Spirit of the Lord was but one in all them that spoke them forth and them who are in the same Spirit and Life now reads them and knows them again as they were spoken and knows the Interpretation of them which is not private but publique and plaine and manifest But all who are of another spirit they are erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God as Christ sayd and so they neither know that which hath been spoken by the Spirit of God formerly not what the same Spirit speaketh expressely now not what the Scripture meanes where it is spoken plainly and expressely And truly it is no wonder now to see it so for people and their teachers are so farr erred from the Spirit by which the Scriptures were spoken forth that it is become a strange thing which cannot be beleeved even amongst all forts of professors who are called Christians For one to say he is moved by the Spirit of the Lord to speake or to pray or to doe any thing else as the servants of the Lord were in former times and this is become a scorne and derision amongst them which is a shame to them and doth plainly manisest what spirit they are of Now if they were Children of God or Sons of God who are led by the Spirit of God as some of th one professe themselves to be mark this diligently then must they needs know the meaning of the Spirit of God and the leadings of it otherwise it could not lead them and they not know it And they would be in the spirituall feeling and tasting and savouring and discerning of the things of God in themselves and of the fruits of the Spirit in others brought forth and try all Spirits with that and know them and love the good and not mocke and scoffe at them And so I say then it would not be a strange thing unto them if they themselves were come to know a motion or leading by the Spirit of God in themselves which would manifest that they were the Children of God and Sons of God that they were of Christ who have his Spirit and are led by it and so were true Christians and followers of Christ and this would be a true restimony to themselves and to others And then surely they neither any of you would mocke or scoffe or scorne at any who can witnesse the same But now the want of this hath caused your nakednesse appear to your shame and to the shame of all your blinde guides whom ye have so long been following for teaching who have caused you to erre by their lyes otherwise they might have brought you to have known the truth before now and to have raught you better manners then to have scoffed at it and at those who have declared it amongst you and walke in it whom you in scorne call Quakers and utter forth evill words which corrupts the good manners howsoever if it were so that we were not in the truth but in the errour and not moved by the Spirit of the Lord as ye say but erred from it then we were but where ye are Now Friends this I say and testifie in the Lord and know assuredly that my testimony is true and Gods witnesse in all your Consciences shall beare witnesse to it to be true and the Scriptures of truth will beare witnesse to the same That ye cannot say in truth whom any of you doe scoffe or scorne or mocke or reproach any of us or others that ye are moved thereunto by the Spirit of God or led unto it by the Spirit of God or taught by the Spirit of God to doe so or taught by the Scriptures to doe so which the holy men of God spoke forth which ye call your rule Neither can ye say
that scoffing and scorning and repsoaching and persecuting is the fruits of the Spirit of God But on the contrary it is the fruits of that spirit in you which lusteth to envy which is of the Envious one the enemy of all mankinde the Devill who was a lyar a murtherer from the beginning out of the truth And so it is he that moves some to murther now and some to accuse falsly for he is the accuser of the Brethron and he moves some to persecute and to hate and to cast into prisons now those that live in the truth and bear witnessetoit and he moves others to scoffe and scorn and speak all manner of evill of them that are good now in these dayes as he did of old He it was that led Cain to murther his Brother Abell who was a righteous man and it was he who moved Ishmaell to mock at Isaac who was the Son of promise and it was he the Devill that moved the Scribes and Pharisees to say that Christ had a Devill and that he cast out Devills through Belzebub c. and led them to persecute Christ and put him to death and Judas to betray him and the High Priests and the rest to spit upon him and smite him and Crown him with thornes and mock at him and to say haile King of the Jewes and to cry to have him crucified and Barrabas to be released who was a Robber Now here are some of the fruits of that spirit which is not of God nor of Christ Jesus but is against God and against Christ Jesus And the Scripture saith Be not ye mockers lest your bonds be made strong and the Scriptures speaks of some who mocked the Messengers of God and despised those whom he sent to warn them till his wrath broke out upon them to destroy them now they that did so were not mov'd led by the Spirit of God but by the evill spirit which is of the Devil Therefore now all people try and examine your selves and see what Spirit ye are of and what Spirit ye are led by by the fruites which ye bring forth For this I say and know and testifie that there is no people upon the face of the earth but they are either of the good Spirit or of the evill Spirit that is they are either led by the Spirit of God or by the Spirit of the Devill and this is that which doth nearly concern all people to know which of these they are led by which they may know by the fruits which they bring forth for that is it which doth and will make it manifest plainly even as a Tree doth manifest it selfe what it is whether good or evill by the fruit it brings forth for the fruit doth come from the sap and vertue or as I may say the spirit and life that is in the Tree which comes from the Root of it and ground in which it stands Now the Scripture saith A good Tree bringeth forth good fruit and again If the Root be holy so are the Branches then the fruit is good there is the good Tree but now if the root be rotten or corrupt which stands in the cursed ground then the branches will be rotten and corrupt the fruit will be evill or none at all and there is the corrupt Tree which is to be hewen down and cast into the fire and burned for it is good for nothing else And there is the plant which must be plucked up which Christ saith the Father hath not planted for its a degenerate plant Now people these Parables are true therefore learn to read them and understand them with the Light that Christ Jesus hath enlightned you withall who spake them forth unto the World who is the Gift of the Fathers love unto the World whom he hath sent a Light into the World that all men through the Light may beleeve which they that did beleeve in him who is the Light he said unto them it was given to know the Mistery of the Kingdoms of God but unto the World who did not then beleeve in him they were Parables and are so still to this day Now the Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned you withall is the Gift of God to you and the manifestation of his Spirit which is given to you and his grace which hath appeared unto you all which brings salvation therefore receive it and beleeve in it and be obedient to it and so you will come to know the Misteries of the Kingdome and to understand all the Parables which Christ spake to the World know the Key of David which opens and none shuts and shuts and noman opens otherwise ye will all remame in the dark World still which loves not the Light but doth choose darkness rather and they will remaine Parables to you still and ye will be shut up in the unbelief and in the darkness the Light will be your Condemnation for ever Therefore in true love I exhort you all to consider in time oh all ye People Professors and Prophane that ye may escape that eternall condemnation and Judgment which will come upon all the World of Unbeleevers and ungodly men who doe not beleeve in the Light of Christ Jesus who is come a Light into the World but slight it and hate it and say it is not sufficient to lead to Christ and to lead to salvation which reproves you for sin and for your evill deeds that ye might be turned from sin and from the power of Sathan to God otherwise your sins and your evill deeds which now ye love rather then the Light which reproves them will be sufficient to sinke ye downe into hell and into the pit of perdition I say now is the day of the Lords visitation of his grace and mercy and love to your souls that he would not have any of you to perish but all to come to the knowledge of his truth which would surely save you and set you free Every one therefore seriously to sit downe and consider where ye have been and what ye have been doing and what ye are doing and what ye have gotten and what ye doe possesse of all that which ye have made profession of and what assurance ye have of the health and welfare and salvarion of your soules and what certain Evidence and testimony ye have thereof in your selves and to your selves For that alone will stand you in stead and be your comfort and stay in time of trouble and in the houre of tempration and when ye come to lye upon your death-beds when all things else will fayle you and yeeld ye no comfort nor helpe nay your teachers whom ye have so long been following cannot helpe you nor comfort you if ye have not the witnesse in your selves and testimony of Gods Spirit to beare witnesse with your spirits that ye are the Children of God all your profession will be nothing