were such but that they might be so shewing how his true Disciples and Followers should forsake all to embrace him and they believed he was the Son of God Yet then he being with them in his Flesh they were ignorant of many things as the Rising from the Dead Mark 9. 10. and Understanding of the Scriptures Luke 24. 45. and of Christ's Kingdom thinking it should bee temporal in Israel Acts 1. 6. and of his Sufferings before he entred into his glory after his fleshly manifestation Luke 24. 21 26. Yea John Baptist testified of Christ yet afterwards sent to know if it was he Mat. 11. 3. Neither doth Christ say that then in flesh he told his Disciples all things or lead them into all things but left that work unto his coming in Spirit Joh. 16. 13 John 14. 16 26. John 15. 26. For although in himself he had the Spirits fulness yet to Believers it should not come untill he was gone away in flesh the vessel of his body being broken and the Unction therefore to fill many therewith where Note As Moses Ministry was now at an end so also Christ in Flesh should depart and Christ in Spirit would come to set up a Ministry and abide with Believers for ever John 14. 16. Heb. 13. 8. Thirdly Consider Christ's work in Spirit which is to abide for ever But at this the Jewes stumbled thinking it was in flesh he should continue alwaies and so they looked for a temporal Kingdom and outward glory as many aim at in these daies whereas his Kingdom is not of this world John 18. 36. neither are his Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. Called New Testament or New Covenant Ministers having that written in their hearts before promised Jerem. 31. 33. Isaiah 54. 13. John 6. 45. Who should not search Authors Commentaries and Manuscripts as a Shop-book for a Sermon but speak from the power of Christ within as Paul did and the Apostles did having the Word in the Mouth and in the Heart Rom. 10. 8. For the Scriptures must be preached by the same Spirit that gave them forth and not onely by Humane Learning for Flesh is not able to comprehend the things of God and who hath not this Spirit is none of his Rom. 8. 9. From whence we may speak boldly That those which have not this Spirit to preach from it and by it they are none of Christ's and by this Spirit they knew the things of God who had received it 1 Cor. 2. 10. 12. and this searcheth the deep things of God So it is plain That True Ministers must have Christ in Spirit who speaks in Spirit Mat. 10. 20 40. And who heareth or despiseth them is said to do it unto Christ Luke 10. 16. Therefore we must pray God to send us such for men cannot do it by calling one another Batchelors and Masters and Doctors upon humane Arts and Acts which is like that of the Jews John 5. 44. wherein one man took honour of another And take heed least it be with you as it was with Jerusalem of whom it is not said ye could not but ye would not Luke 13. 34. A sad condition And now this 22 day of the 7th Month the Word of the Lord came unto me to warn all you in power and you National Priests or Ministers called Bishops Deans Doctors or Inferior and you that are Hearers Know ye that the Lord is pleading his own Cause and hath a strong Controversie with you Therefore take heed what ministry you plead for and remember what I answered William Prynne That there is no Gospel Plea for Tythes nor forced Maintenance c. To you that was and this is from the Lords Spirit by me his Messenger Now as the Apostles Silent Meeting was in expectation of the Spirit before promised so God in Scriptures having engaged himself that in these latter dayes there should be flowings forth thereof we silently wait for it and whoso looks now for this promised Spirit being a frequenter of Silent Meetings must in the power of Jesus Christ sincerely strive to have these Three things in themselves 1. A Spiritual Watch 2. A Spiritual Touchstone 3. The Spiritual Scales I say unto all Watch For ye know not when the time of Tryal is or when the coming of the Spirit shall be it being as the Winde which bloweth where it listeth For flesh loves to break out and have it's will and the lusts thereof therefore the spiritual Watch must be truly kept within to see and note what works are in hand and what words are issuing forth and what thoughts are in thee But those which keep not this Watch do run hastily upon action and their tongues speake unadvisedly in hasty Questions and Answers oftentimes proceeding to Passion and Rage like short fits of madness with their hearts wandering out after folly and carnal objects by which means many Professors break forth into filth yet say They are Souldiers of Christ but keep not a Spiritual Watch under him so their tongues are not bridled nor have they learned to take heed unto their wayes Therefore if thou seekest to reap the pure Benefit of Silent Meetings learne first to come unto a pure Silence in thine own self which is to silence all in thee that is evil by that Eternal Power of God so thy tongue heart and hands shall be under the Faithful Watch and the Actions without in the body with thy Actions within of thy mind as Love Joy Desire c. will by degrees be all brought into true Obedience which Watch keeping according to thy measure or Talents received sin shall not have dominion over thee but thou wilt grow in Grace and become a Conqueror in him that hath loved thee Therefore remember what Christ spake to his Disciples was also to thee and me Watch Secondly When the work word or thought is thus slaid by the Watch then bring it to the spiritual Touch-stone for tryal whether it be good or no for oftentimes Satan and Flesh covers Vices under the names of Virtues and will either extenuate or lessen a Sin or else flourish it over with some zeal or pretence of holiness therefore we must prove and try them in the Light of Christ which the Apostle sets forth by Examination and Proof of a man 's own work 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 6. 4. and thereby is seen what is acceptable to the Lord For God by his spiritual work cometh into a man as a Refiner to purifie and unto what strength and heat the spiritual fire in thee is come so is the melting trying and refining within upon proof of thy actions and taking away of dross and filth Yea note in words themselves how sometimes they are too many sometimes unsound and untrue sometimes too short in telling but half a truth c. Therefore let them first be tried by the Spiritual Touchstone before they
Silent Meeting A WONDER to the WORLD Yet Practised by the APOSTLES And Owned by the People of God Scornfully called QUAKERS LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson at the Signe of the Black-Spread-Eagle and Wind-Mill in Martins l'Grand 1660. Silent Meeting A WONDER to the WORLD Yet practised by the Apostles and owned by the People of God scornfully called QUAKERS Reader HAving formerly passed through a two-fold Ministry First As a Gifted-Man in the National Secondly as a Baptist And now brought to wait on God in Silence it is a wonder to many upon which the Lord hath led me forth to publish this Paper and make it a Free-gift unto those who desire some satisfaction concerning Silent Meeting in which I wait on God for a Purer Ministry if he please to bring me unto it or if I fall short like Moses to dye on Mount Nebo and onely see it afar off his blessed will be done I preaching first in the National Ministry for hire selling my Sermons at my best Market and afterwards being took off from that merchandizing becoming a Baptist and preaching freely without selling did not think my spiritual condition to be very good but the Eternal God who Empties from Vessel to Vessel to take away all the Carnal Taste did not suffer me many years in this Estate who by a further discovery of himself brought me back to Silence that I should wait with the despised Remnant called Quakers And as one alone from the Tumult or outside of a Wood can easiest hear the Clamours and Outcries within so I being come forth of the Forms and Forrest of the World unto a holy Silence by the power of Jesus Christ within me could the better discern to see and view the various Sects and Forms in their Congregations how unlike the most part were unto the true Spouse of Christ which with a heavy burthen on my spirit I beheld their Parochial Assemblies to appear something like Nebuchadnezzar's Image in the Golden head but upon a through observation in the Life Fruits and Conversation as the Iron and Clay Barren Fruitless and Empty having the Imitations and Forms of Godliness but denying the Power of Christ in leading forth the Creature When thus like the returning Prodigal I came to look on my self within I saw how I had fed on husks but God my Father had Bread enough And although Arts Sciences Teaching for Hire getting of money with such Carnal Delights quieted flesh a while as a Rattle or Pipe doth a Child for a time without the Breast Yet now the Immortal part seeing its Emptiness and coming to the true Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness nothing but an Eternal God would Satisfie to give that Bread Flesh and Drink of Life whereby a poor Soul may grow in Grace and in the knowledge of God but those that live and depend onely upon outward Forms and visible Things the same deceive thousands who thereby fall short of what they imagine I now see that he is no true Minister of Jesus Christ but who is led forth by his Spirit and such we rejoyce to hear declaring the things of God otherwise upon Meeting we sit silent in the Tongue yet having a heart full of praises where we Worship God in Spirit and Truth who makes our bodies Temples for the same Spirit not speaking by hear-say and humane Arts but lay all that down when earthly thoughts earthly words and earthly works are all laid aside and the Temple within us is ready the Light of Christ shining in it and the Lord with a further Manifestation of his Love enters it by his Eternal Power whereupon we can truly say that the Lord's presence is amongst us feeding of his Flock and making us feel the power of an endless life As one must come forth of the house which intends to see it round about so we in obedience to God being separate and come forth from the world can the better see how the major part of people come to their Worship as to a Market dressed up in their Fashions with their Tongues in Carnal Discourse both going thither and returning back the Eye gazing upon Vanity and Filth the Ear ready to receive such stuff as defiles and the Heart as an Anvil to Forge within whereby they come not enquiring like the Spouse of Christ Cant. 1. 7. or as a people to do the Work of God as a true Wife to rejoice in her Husband but as an Harlot that wantons and sports her selfe yea if they stay a while for their coming together what Scoffing Playing Quarrelling Carnal Talk Unseemly Behaviour and Sinful Actions are taken up amongst them woful experience can testifie And among such people I poor wretch did once spend some time selling them words which they paid for but did not keep them using pleasing expressions and speaking by hear-say as others did and not upon experience from Christ within me but by imitation as Players on a Stage assume the Names and act the person of Princes Nobles c. but being come off and unmasked they are no such men yea I was perswaded then that flesh must sin and have its lusts fulfilled while I was in the body not seeing that all filthiness of flesh and spirit must be cleansed or else Holiness cannot be perfected in the fear of God And with comfort I write this Truth That I have found and felt more of the Lords presence in one Silent Meeting then I have done in a hundred Sermons preached by me in times past and though then I did deliver them with much zeal But this is A Wonder to the World who have given their Money for that which is not Bread buying the Letter of their Priests that chide them for sinning yet say they must continue sinners while they are in this body telling the people that God must do all for them and in them yet bid the same people to get Faith get Repentance c. So that the new Creation in making a new Creature is a Mystery unto them that are thus ignorant 1 Cor. 5. 17. which affirm that people must live in sin until they die as if God had laid a necessity upon the Creature to offend him therefore they own no Light within nor power of Christ within whereby to bring each thought in obedience but rather like the Athenians they mock at what they understand not Acts 17. 18. Take heed therefore both you that sel Scripture-Letter for money and you Hearers which think you buy it for thus Simon the Sorcerer thought with his money to purchase the gift of God but his deceit deceived himself and he went without it Act. 8. 20. And do not think that speaking hearing and reading the Scriptures sufficeth to make you wise unto Salvation but consider how it must be by faith in Christ Jesus So except Christ in Spirit be within to work Faith and Obedience the seeing hearing or reading the Letter
proceed out of thy mouth whether they are pure or impure Thirdly Use the Spiritual Scales to weigh ponder or consider all things to bee spoken or done before they pass from thee For man durst not let so many filthy words drop from his tongue if first they were weighed or considered within at the heart Yea and Nay Yes and No must bee the same as they are spoken and so speak the same thing intended and pretended for otherwise you are Lyars and Lyars are for the Lake to bee amongst Doggs and Whoremongers without yet with many lying is common who have not learned to speak the same thing intended as if you ask them to eat to drink to tarry c. they will say No yet desire them again and they will accept it so here they are Lyars Some in scoffs and mocks think it is witty to speake a Lye in a Jest others being asked the truth of a thing will sometimes flourish and enlarge it making the same too much or too little as in praising or disprasing in buying or selling and account themselves expert dealers and cunning Chapmen because they can use their Tongues for advantage whereas they are but Lyars in it and such know not what a Spiritual Watch meaneth Therefore know That in all such Estates ye are quite out of the Good Old Way or Way of Truth and remember If any such seem Religious yet they are not so seeing their tongues are unbridled not brought to the Truth and their Religion is vain or empty Yet because you are such I do not say you are damn'd but declare your being captive in fleshly Babylon shewing from the Spirit of God what must be done by you if ye are saved If any are in Christ they are new Creatures and there is a New Heaven and a New Earth in them For all their Parts Members Faculties and Abilities are put to a New Use the New Heart and New Spirit is in them so they Speake and Act New Things from that Law of God written in their inward Parts and such dare not Vent their Frothy Words as Flesh did formerly but now there is a killing of that as Paul dyed daily so the new Creature Dyes daily to Sin he is Dead as to Act in Sin but Lively to Righteousness whereas the Sinner is quick to Sin but Dead and Dull in the things of God So thou shalt see the difference of these Two Estates betwixt Darkness and Light when thou comest to use the Spiritual Watch Spiritual Touchstone and Spiritual Scales according to thy measure in the growth of Grace to know the power of an endless life within thee working and effecting these things and then thou mayest say I now see what pure silence is yea then thou shalt benefit by Silent Meetings And those that are come to the pure silencing of flesh to bridle the tongue to wrestle with the spiritual Wickedness in the high place of the heart that each Tongue may be brought into Obedience unto Christ and whatsoever they Act do all to the Glory of God such can witness the Power of Christ in them and when he please to call them by his Eternal Spirit to go forth as Ministers they can best Declare what God hath Revealed unto them As the Man having the Devil 's cast forth published in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him Whereas they that preach by hear-say and humane study shew they speak not as the Spirit gives them utterance but with the Tongues of flesh from Carnal Apprehensions So that when they preach unto the people it might be objected Jesus I know hath the Spirit and Paul I know had it but who are ye Upon what account would you conjure forth sin out of others who have not the true Spirit your selves Therefore let none Assume or Own any other Gospel Ministers then those called forth by the Spirit of God as Christ in Spirit after his Resurrection and Ascention confirmed the same to lead them into all Truth and bring all things to their Remembrance as able Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter as Carnal men do who teach one another Humane Learning and then sell it for Divinity forcing many to pay for it a dear rate even to spoyling of Goods Imprisonment and Cruelty But some will object Their Non-Scripture Distinctions of Mediate and Immediate Ordinary and Extraordinary c. saying That although the Apostles were so called of God yet they ordained others not so called and so out of their Carnal Inventions they undertake to consecrate or make Steeple-houses Mass-Houses High-Places or the Tower-houses to be Churches and to be Holy-places and fit men by their Arts and Degrees to preach in such places c. Ans. All their pretences can no more make such places holy then a heap of stones nor add any vertue thereby into the Pulpit then into a Tub For God is worshipped in Spirit and Truth Nor are true Teachers to deliver any other Doctrine than what the Apostles did Therefore see what Qualifications they were to have 1 Tim. 3. 2. c. Tit. 1. 6. c. Now it is not flesh and blood that Reveals this unto them nor the Tongues of Humane Learning which qualifies men thus for the Ministry but the same Spirit of God Therefore it is common to see those having much Humane Learning to be Great Persecutors and will not take up the Cross to follow Christ and so cross their own Lusts Pride Covetousness Envie and Filth but give way unto it by which means we find so many cruel Priests For there is scarce any Persecution of Saints but the Priests are chief Actors therein either by Instigating or Acting Now consider Friends it was that charged on Thyatira for suffering Jezebel who call'd her self a Prophetess to teach and seduce the people So these National Ministers call themselves Divines and Gospel-Ministers yet lead the People in Error which we now seeing by the Light of Christ if we do not Discover Reprove and Oppose them therein God will lay the same thing to our charge as he did unto Thyatira For now Jesus Christ will set up his own Ministry And although he forbade not his Disciples to hear the Scribes and Pharisees when the Law-Ministry was not ended yet now having finished that work in his flesh his Spiritual Ministry he hath set up to continue unto the end and no other are we to hear And this is the Testimony which the Lord hath called me to hold forth Therefore hearken unto it The 23d Day of the 8th Month 1660. William Britten THE END Deut. 32. 49. 〈…〉 48. 1 〈…〉 Dan. 2. Lu. 15. 17 Iohn 6 51 53. Iohn 4. 23. 2 cor. 6. 16 2 Cor. 6. 17 2 Cor. 7. 1 Isa. 55. 2. ◠Cor. 10. 5 2 Tim. 3. 15. Ioh 5. 39. Rom. 6. 13 16. Luk 17. 21 Mat. 10. 5 Act. 1. 14. Eph. 1. 13. Joh. 4. 2. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Eccles. 2. 1 Iohn 2. 15. Rom. 8. 23 Deut. 18. 15 19. Iohn 1. 9. Ioh. 16 17. Iohn 12 34 Gal. 1. 16. Acts 2. Luke 10. 2 Mar. 13. 37. Iohn 3. 8. Psal. 39. 1. Mar. 13. 37. Eph. 5 10. Mal. 3. 3. Rev. 21. 8. Rev. 22. 15 Iam. 1. 26. 1 Cor. 15. 31. Eph. 6. 12 2 Cor. 10. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Mar. 5 20 Acts 19 15 2 Cor. 3. 6 Gal. 1. 8. Iohn 4. 23 24. ◠Tim. 1 3 Mat. 16. 17 Rev. 2. 20. Mat. 23. 3