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
same Spirit that the sum of all Religion according to the Truth and the signification of the word Religion is Man not at liberty in his will but bound again unto God by his having given to him by the Light of Christ within the true sight and knowledge of himself as in himself as lost and undone foâ— ever and from this sight a true sence to ariâ—â— upon and remain with him from wherâ— spring unutterably groans and cryes untâ— God under the weight of the burthen anâ— wretchedness by reason of the body oâ— Sin and Death and then when there waâ— none to help or pitty in this state then 〈◊〉 Mercy shewed in Christ the Arm of Goâ— which is revealed as an help neither seeâ— nor known where how or when to coâ—â— at it or meet with it And this begets iâ— the heart of that man or woman in anâ— unto whom it is thus revealed thanks anâ— praises unto God for this Gift and Revâ—lation of his Son in this needfull timâ— whom the Soul sees to be the Gift of Eteâ—nal Love And we believe and know upon thâ— Love and Faithfulness of God is foundeâ— built and established the Everlasting Covâ—nant whereby not only all men may bâ— saved for its ability but some shall be sâ—ved because for its prevalency which is 〈◊〉 like to the Covenant he made with our Fâ—thers And although all mankind is not sâ—ved yet it is not because either of insuâ—ficiency in this Covenant or because of tâ—â— weakness of the Grace that appears in and unto all men but because of mans will loving death and chusing his own delusions whereby his destruction is of himself and God clear of his blood in the free tender of his Grace Gift and striving of the Spirit within him For we know assuredly according to the Scriptures of Truth and Experience of all souls that ever were truly converted to God that though by Grace man is saved not of himself but by the Free Fift yet as the old World did and those rebellious Jews spoken of Acts 7. who as did their Fathers so did they alwayes resist the holy Ghost so do men now And yet in the tender of this Grace and striving of his Spirit the Lord is a God so hiding himself in the management of this Striving and Ministration of his Spirit as if it wholly depended upon mans choice and consenting that mans will as to him is as it were free in rejecting or accepting Life and Death being set before him whereby in the Wisdom of God the propensity of his Nature as it came out of the hands of his Maker hath an advantage by this dealing of God to put forth it self so that man is as free in the choice as he is in the refusal of the tender of Mercy and help and that with an equal indifferency as it appears to him in this state notwithstanding afterwards in the furtheâ— growth in this Grace and Knowledge oâ— Christ he sees clearly and convincingly that the Grace that wrought hiddenlâ— from his sight and knowledge in the firâ—â— working tender and ministration of Goâ— towards him gained his consent througâ— its own prevalency in the Love of God bâ— which sight and sence self comes to be abhorred and the free Love so admired thaâ— he knows from first to last all was of Grace and that free that self is not able to challenge any thing as due from what it haâ— done but all of gift and yet as before with such an equal indifferency on manâ—… account so that God may and will appeaâ— to be just both in condemning and saving and the Justifier freely of all that believe iâ— Jesus the Light of the World Therefore let all take heed how they dislike this Ministration of God and striving of his Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences under colour and pretence of its insufficiency and therefore they will not come to him because his drawings and strivings are not so strong as they would have them to be looking for such an overpowring and irresistibleness as they are not able to withstand and gainsay lest such perish through a wilfull neglect and for want of stretching out their hand when the Lord holds out his and so they perish in the ditch with a vain expectation of further power or cry in their mouthes Lord have mercy upon us and so with the Sluggard while they cry Yet a little more slumber and folding of the hands to sleep their Garden is overgrown with weeds and their backs cloathed with rags and they beg in harvest whilst others that have sown in tears not fainting do in due time reap in joy and not despising the crums that fell from the table nor the day of small things witness the presence of their Beloved come down into his Garden and walking among the Lillies Let these things be truly considered pondred and weighed in the true Ballance of Light and Righteousness lest any Soul perish through the false weight and measure so shall my soul rejoyce that any have escaped the Net of the Fowler through the discovery of the true Light and God have all the Glory unto whom alone it belongs and man ashamed confounded his moutâ— stopped and he laid in the dust forever anâ— then shall my end be answered in writinâ— these things John Crook Concerning Perswasions in Matters of Religion THere is the Natural man and the Spiritual man and there are the Perswasions of each in and about Matters of Religion There is the Perswasion of Reason and the Perswasion of Faith The Perswasion of Reason is that Belief which man receives into his mind or heart from the exercise of the Reasoning Faculty and this Perswasion in Matters of Religion is but mans Opinion or Judgement which how certain or infallible so ever it appears to him yet may be shaken by a demonstration or evidence of a higher kind of nature The Perswasion of Faith is that Belief which the New-Creature receives into the renewing-Mind from the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit which openeth and manifesteth the things of the Spirit unto that mind which is begotten and renewed by it And this Perswasion is certain and infallible however it may be struck at and battered by the reasonings of the wise earthly part even in that very man whose heart is thus perswaded by the Light of the Spirit of God concerning the things of Gods Kingdom Now the lowest Perswasion of Faith is higher and of a more noble nature then the highest Perswasion of Reason because Faith is of an higher Principle and of a deeper nature and ground then Mans Reason is But this because it appears not in mans sphear but rather out of it and is contrary to the line and reach of his wisdom is accounted by him foolishness and madness Thus is the Wisdom of God and the Children thereof judged and condemned by man in his day And how can it be otherwise How can the wisdom of man but judge that as
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 professing Moses Writings and Christ's Words and the rest of the holy Scriptures though they were given by the inspiration of God until the Lord take of that Spirit which was upon and in Christ who is like unto Moses and give unto and pour it upon and minister it in unto them And this is done in Gods way which is secret and time which is in his own hand to those whom he accounteth worthy thus to honour and who truly wait for it as a wayfering man for a resting place and as a Captive for deliverance And though Christ after his Resurrection said All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me Go ye therefore and teach yet they were to tarry until they had the power in themselves and when that was come which they were to tarry and wait for then with that they went and so taught the Nations from the sensible feeling of that which taught them how to teach and all things else when the same Spirit and Power was upon them which was before committed unto him and so the coming forth of it from him into them and filling them therewith was to them in that work of the Ministry most effectual like as the Vertue going forth of Christ healed the woman so the Power and Vertue of the holy Spirit coming forth from Christ being sent of the Father and received by the Disciples who with much desire waited for that impowered them to do that which before they were commanded to do after they were endued with Power or had the Power in them and so what they were comcommanded to do they were to wait to receive Power in themselves from God to perform and Christ did intend to give them power to do that which he commanded And as he commanded them to go and teach he also required them to tarry and so not to go until they had received power so to do and so it was the Power of the holy Ghost in them which made them Ministers and these were and such are truly Ordained Ministers And after they had received Power from on high even the Spirit or Life of Truth and were filled therewith and so had it in them then they went to do that which was commanded them then they went to teach the Nations and converted thoâ—sands and turned sinners and brought souls to God and then they were called Christians and then were People brought to be of the True Church which Christ buildeth upon that which flesh and blood revealeth not And this is the entrance into the Church in God 2 Thes 1.1 the receiving of the Spirit and in this God is worshiped and not else for this hath excluded all other Worship and these only are the true Worshippers who come in thus by the door which is Christ the Light and Spirit oâ— Truth sent into the heart from God And if all the prudent learned Divineâ— so called in Europe or all or any oâ— the wisest Orthodox men so called iâ— any other quarter of the whole World can prove by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament any other true Worship of God who is a Spirit now extaâ—â— among men and to be performed especially among them called Christians with acceptance to God but only that which the Spirit of Truth leadeth such unto as receive it then let them bring it forth thâ—â— we may see it and prove it by plain uâ—deniable truth of Scripture or otherwise I shall look upon their proofs words wayes actions practises performances duties and several Worships as things of no value Or if there be any other entrance into the true Worship of God then this Spirit that God sendeth or the Light which leadeth to it or if there be any other Worship which God doth or will accept to be after this spoken or prophesied of in the Scriptures of Truth whereby this shall ever be done away or ended from being the true only and alone Worship of God whilst men have a being upon Earth then let the wisest of the sons of men bring it forth and produce their strong Reasons therein that we may plead together and that the entrance into and the true Worship it self of the onely true invisible God may be declared over all the World for the satisfaction of every tender heart concerning this For this I am satisfied in that Christ Jesus who is the end of the Law and who finished his work when he was upon the Earth is made a quickning Spirit and is the Way and Truth of Life which bringeth into the Worship of God and he is the beginning and the end and he leadeth to the beginning of Gods Worship and he is the end and the Rest of all the Faithfull in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen and without him all is as nothing and all that comes before him are Thieves and Robbers and he it is that abideth a Priest for ever and his Spirit of Truth is it which all People and Professors whatsoever should first wait to receive thereby to be led into that true spiritual Worship which alone God accepteth lest they and their worship and building fall together in a day when there is none to deliver And then thus I query If Christs own dear Disciples who had forsook all and followed him not Priests or Baptists did not come to receive this Spirit by hearing all the words which he spoke unto them but by waiting after the words were ended Then whether those that have not forsaken all nor so much as the Worlds fashions do now come to receive the Spirit by reading hearing or professing the same words of Christ now written or any other part of the Scriptures Or whether a Proud man hath received this Spirit or a Lyar or Prophane Person or any Wise or Prudent man whatsoever by any means or way of his And whether any such ever did have or can or may by any industry or other way or means attain to this Spirit which leadeth in the true worship of God but as it is freely given forth from God and then whether all people are not to be led by that Spirit which God freely giveth into the Worship of God because Christ said the Spirit should lead which indeed doth lead into all Truth and nothing else doth so And they that have not received this from God to lead them are not yet come to be led by that which the Sons and Children of God were and are led by And the Ministration of the Spirit which all are now to be taught by is inwardly to be known in the nearest secret invisible manner and is more out of the sight comprehension and reach of mans wisdom then any other Ministration and it is given forth from the clear Fountain it self unto the soul-satisfaction of man when he is come to the end of words or having heard much or all the words that can be spoken of it remaineth unsatisfied in a restless longing desire to find receive
feel and enjoy the thing it self which the words declare of and that which satisfieth the true thirsting-soul comes clearly from God to the refreshing of the inward parts of man and filling of the empty barren hungry spirit which cannot be satisfied without Gods in-dwellings and thus the Disciples were led along and at last in a foolish way to the great Professors they waited among them in Jerusalem and the Lord had regard unto them and senâ— his own Spirit unto them and then they were filled with the Holy Ghost And the secret invisible hand of God whose Power was and is felt in my heart having out of the sight of flesh and blood in the hidden counsel of his secret Wilâ— led me by the vertue of the operation anâ— drawings thereof through those thing which thereby I come to leave behinde and to receive and feel that which noâ— goeth before and is my Leader in whosâ— Covenant of Life Eternal my soul is noâ— satisfied and so by good experience oâ— the Lords leadings and from an experimental knowledge sensible feeling anâ— present enjoyment of the incomes of thâ— Spirit of Truth and Life which filled the inward parts with the Holiness of iâ— self and giveth power to do the thing required before of God even from thâ— right and good understanding thereof iâ— this written That where it meets with the like condition in a weary Traveller iâ— may answer its own and be helpfull to thâ— weak and feeble that such may not givâ— over pressing forwards nor faint in their long travel though many Mountains on which they did nourish themselves for a time will not yeeld them Bread now yet that they may with me and the rest of the Followers and Friends of Christ past and present always continue following the Spirit as it leads until the inward man be filled therewith and so power and strength from God come to be known and received in every particular For thus it is with Christs Followers now they are not satisfied until they are filled with that which they have heard of and their souls thirsted after and so it was with them then and they were filled with what they wanted before and then from that which they were filled with they spoke forth and so they did teach the Nations and brought People under the Power of God and baptized them into that and dipt them into the Name of the Father and brought them under that which saveth from Sin and plunged them into the holy Spirit and as they teach'd they did this baptizing as they did teach and plunging them as their doctrine went forth into that which washeth and purifieth the Conscience from the filth and guilt of Sin of which the outward Baptism waâ— a figure of this which saveth and so their Doctrine was from an inward Life and proceeded from that which was invisible and so reached to that which wanted life in the Hearers and so brought up the Power of God over them and them under it and into it for the Word is Into and they were to bring people into the Name not Water and they were to bring or baptize them into the Name as they did teach Go ye and teach baptizing into Baptizing is in the Present Tense when they did teach and so here the spiritual and inward Baptism goes along with the Preaching of the Word of Life which is inward and brings man into an inward enjoyment of God being baptized into his Name which is a Strong Tower which preserveth from the power of the Devil and we all who are brought into this and are come in here are all by one Spirit baptized into one Body and so worship God in the Spirit having the heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience by the washing of Regeneration in the Ministration of the Gospel of Peace whereby there is a drawing nigh to God being brought into his Name and a free access to the Throne of â—hat Grace which saveth from and out of â—ll filthiness of flesh and spirit Humphrey Smith The Discovery of Mans return to his first Estate by the Operation of the Power of God in the great work of Regeneration ALL Men and Women behold and see in what estate you were created And God said Let us make Man in our Image God created Man in his own Image and in the Image of God created he him male and female created he them And the Lord took Man and put him in the Garden of Eden to dress and keep it And the Lord God commanded the Man saying Of every Tree in the Garden thou mayst freely eat but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for iâ— the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surâ— dye the death The Serpent was more subtile than 〈◊〉 beast of the field which the Lord God bâ— made he said unto the Woman Ye shall nâ—â— surely dye for God doth know that in the dâ—â— you eat thereof your eyes shall be opened aâ— ye shall be as God knowing good and evil And when the Woman saw the Tree wâ—â— good for food and that it was pleasant unâ—â— the eyes and a tree to be desired to make 〈◊〉 wise she took the fruit thereof and did eaâ— and gave also to her husband with her 〈◊〉 he did eat And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig-leaves together and made thâ—â— Aprons And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his Wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the Trees of the Garden and the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou And he said I heard thy Voice in the Garden and was afraid and because I was naked I hid my self and he said Who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the Tree wherof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat And the Man said The Woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Woman What is this that thou hast done The Woman said The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the dayes of thy life And I will put enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and betwixt thy seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel And the Lord God said Behold this Man is become as one of us to know good and evil and now lest he put forth his hand take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken and he drove out
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
endeavours to blind the mind not the brain-knowledge but the hearty-feeling sence within in the mind lest the Light within should so shine as God should heal them and all the buslings of Satan with his gifts are but to blind the mind within lest God should heal the soul that complains to him from the true sight and sence of his Misery as in himself By this Grace and Gift within we believe That to Vs though in the world there be Lords many and Gods many there is but ONE GOD the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ witnessed within man only by the Spirit of Truth that manifests both the Father and the Son and yet these three are one and agree in one and he that honours the Father honours the Son that proceeds from him and he that denies the Spirit denies both the Father and the Son and is Anti-Christ but he that believes in the Spirit and is led by it is the Son of God Rom. 8.14 As many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God We believe The Scriptures bare witness unto and testifie of Christ but they say The Witness of God is greater than them The Spirit it self bearing witness with our spirits that we are the Sons of God for it is not the Scriptures without the Spirit nor the Spirit contrary to the Scriptures but the Spirits discovering the Will of God in the heart or opening of the Scriptures in its own time and way and not in or by the will of man but as it self pleaseth who searcheth all even the deep things of God and manifests them unto the Soul which giveth the perfect sound and saving knowledge for said Christ The Spirit shall take of mine and shew them unto you And as holy men gave forth the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.21 so holy men and they only come truly to understand them and not proud and ungodly men because their hearts and lives do not answer the hearts and lives of those that gave them forth aâ— face answereth face in a Glass And this we believe to be the reason why so long preaching by men of corrupt minds who have and do handle the words deceitfully for selfish ends and filthy lucre sake hath brought forth so little fruit and been to so little purpose except to their Purses and Bellies for had they believed and thereforâ— spoken and stood in Gods Counsel they shoulâ— have profited their Hearers Jer. 23.21 22 23 to the end Through this Gift we believe Thaâ— Christ Iesus the Son of God was manifest in the flesh in the fulness of time And this we know by the same Spirit by which our Fathers believed he should come and Abraham saw his day by the same we do believe he is come and do see his day as also by the Prophets and Apostles Writing which twofold Cord is not easily broken We believe also according to the Scriptures of Truth That this same Jesus hath God highly exalted and given him a Name above every name that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have Everlasting Life and that there is not another name whereby man can be saved than this Name of Jesus Christ nor is Remission of Sins to be preached by any other name But as we do not believe that the outward Letters and Syllables are that Name that is to be bowed to by the outward knee no more than the Letters or Syllables in the words God or Spirit seeing the Scripture saith Vnto God who is a Spirit every knee shall bow Isa 45.23 but the Name which saves is the Power and Arm of God that brings Salvation from Sin and makes every Soul that names it to depart from Iniquity This is that Name which was preached and which is preached through Faith in which Name Remission of Sin is obtained Therefore was the outward word Jesus given him as his outward name Thou shalt call his Name JESVS for he shall save his People from their Sins Mark for he shall save c. So that which saves is the Name which is to be believed in which is that Arm of God that brings Salvation when no eye pitties neither is there any to help the Power of God that then saves is that Grace that comes from the fulness of Christ the Saviour And without this virtue Christ and Jesus are but empty names 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can say that Jesus is the LORD but by the holy Ghost We believe also That this Jesus died for or because of Sin and rose again for the Justification of those that believe in him as well as to manifest to all the world that he was the Son of God and that he thereby spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed over them openly and led Captivity captive in his own person yet we believe and know by his Grace in our hearts that as his Name Jesus without Vertue and Power is but an empty word so his Dying without man's Conformity to his Death or being planted into the likeness thereof or being crucified with Christ as saith the Scripture Rom. 6.2 3 4 5 6. Gal. 2.20 will not profit man as to the Salvation of his Soul no more than the naming of his outward name Jesus doth at this day make people to depart from Iniquity For we believe and are sure that man must dye inwardly as well as Christ died outwardly and must be put to death in his flesh as Christ was in his for he that is in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 neither cease from sin but he that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 And yet mans dying unto Sin and the Root and Principle of it in himself is so far from making void Christ's Death in his own person that it establlsheth it to all those ends and purposes for which it was intended of the Father As the Cures which the Physitian doth manifest and establish his skill and ability so doth mans dying unto Sin and Self and living unto God manifest and establish the Vertue and Power of Christ's Death for as man manifests his being risen with Christ by his seeking the things that are above Col. 3.1 2. so doth he manifest his knowledge of the Death of Christ by his being crucified with Christ and bearing about in his body the dyings of the Lord Jesus for as it is not an outward belief gathered from the Letter that will change the heart and life though the Judgment and Opinion it may so it is not a belief from the History or Letter only that can give man a saving-knowledge of the Death of Christ but he must have the same Glory and Power of the Father in measure working in him there to beget Faith in his heart that he may believe unto Salvation from his own filthiness and righteousness as well as confess with his mouth Rom. 10. and must have that Spirit in him quickning his mortal body as well as to believe that it was in Christ and raised
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
of what thou comprehendest to be Truth from the Letter of the Scripture under what form name or title soever thou be thou art a dead man and a dead woman and the wrath of God abides on thee though thou see it not Rom. 7.9 there Paul witnesseth saying I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed Friends every one in particular deal justly with your hearts see what you can witness of your death with Christ by the powerfull Word of Truth which enlightens the Conscience and condems sin in the flesh for every one would ascend with Christ to be partakers of the Life and Glory with him but he becomes a stumbling-stone to be baptized with him into his Sufferings and Death to descend with him into Hell and this thou must witness before ever thou come to sit with him in heavenly places for it is they and they alone that shall reign with him who suffer with him and they that are dead with him shall live with him It is the dead that hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Arise thou that sleepest in the dust of the Earth securely in thy serpentine wisdom thy mind feeding upon the dust of the Earth created objects which will perish Arise stand up to Judgment that Christ may give thee Life This is required of thee O man To do Justly love Mercy and to walk Humbly with thy God Examine thy heart and deal justly with thy own Soul There is a Light in thy Conscience which Light is of Christ minding it will let thee see the Mystery of Iniquity that lodgeth in thy heart which is deceitfull and desperately wicked and this Light in thy Conscience which discovers unto thee the evil of thy heart is of the eternal Word of God and was from the beginning according as it is written in the outward Testimony of the Truth In thâ— beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word is God and the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made in him was Life and the Life was the Light of men And the Light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not Every one arise out of your earthly wisdom and mind the Light in thy Conscience and wait on the Power of the Lord in it and it will bring thee to judgment before the Throne of the Lamb where the righteous Law will be opened in thy heart that will cry through thy earthly heart for Righteousness and Judgment and the Book will be opened in thee where thou shalt see all written that thou hast done in the body and shalt give an account for every idle word and receive thy reward for what thou hast done and thy reward is Wrath and Condemnation which will pass upon thee from the presence of the Lamb for thy disobedience and breaking of the righteous Law which must be fulfilled and what way soever thou turnest to get life in outward forms and observations the flaming Sword which is the righteous Law that goes out of the mouth of the Lamb 't will turn every way and meet thee and cut thee down and cast thee into Hell where there is weeping and wailing for want of the presence of God and thou canst do nothing to pacify the Wrath of God which is gone out against thee Now wouldst thou hide thy self as Adam did when he appears in thy heart thy fig-leav'd garment of prayers tears forms outward observations according to thy comprehension of the Letter will not cover thy nakedness it served to cover thy nakedness from the sight of men but now when the Lord appears in thy heart thou canst not stand before him Now comes Cain in thee to be driven from the face of God to be a Fugitive and a Vagabond in the Earth notwithstanding all his Sacrifices and Esau in thee reprobated never to have the blessing though he seek it with tears and the Bond-woman and her son cast out and the first Adam now slain with the sharp Sword that goeth out of the mouth of the Lamb and art made to give up thy soul to God whose it is to do with thee what he will if he destroy thee for ever he may and if he save thee from eternal death it is his free Love Now art thou baptized with Christ into his Sufferings and Death where thou liest sealed down under the Eternal Judgment of God and there perishest for ever for any power or help thou hast in thy self and this is the Administration of Moses where thou liest condemned for ever under the righteous Law without any help or hope until the Administration of the Prophets that prophesie of a Christ that hath satisfied the righteous Law of God for thee who art lost and condemned under the power of the Law of Moses And now there is a secret hope raised up in thy soul and thou lookest up from under the condemning power of Moses for a Saviour And the Prophets are until John and of all that were born of women there was not one greater then John for he is a burning and shining Light that lets thee see the filthiness of thy heart and the Law shines in its purity to condemn the earthly man in thee but he strengthens the hope in thee that was raised up by the Prophets to see the beauty and excellency of Jesus Christ which ravisheth thy lost condemned soul that thou art willing to sell all for him the Scripture now being fulfilled in thee who witnesseth this from the dayes of John even until now The Kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent take it by force now is every Mountain and Hill laid low in thee and crooked wayes made straight and the rough way in thee made smooth and thou waitest in the Wilderness and lost condition of thy self for the Salvation of God to be manifest to thee in Jesus Christ and in the appointed time of the Father the Son of man comes to thy soul as a thief in the night as the Lightning from the East to the West so is his appearance in thee and causeth thy dead soul to hear his voice which witnesseth to it eternal Life freely through his own blood and thy soul hears his voice and by the word of his Power is made to live and is sealed up by the holy Spirit of Promise the Spirit of God bearing witness with thy spirit that thou art his child Now comest thou to witness the second Adam to be a quickening Spirit and Isaac the promised Seed to be Heir for ever And that the wages of Sin is death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life And that by Grace thou art saved through Faith in the Lord Jesus not of works lest any should boast and he that hath Hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure and the love of Christ
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
faces thitherwards FEar not ye Mourners in Sion the Lord waits on you to be gracious unto you and though he give you the Bread of Adversity now and the Water of Affliction yet shall not your Teachers be removed into Corners any more but your eyes shall see your Teachers and your ears shall hear a voice behind you saying This is the Way walk in it when you turn to the right hand or the left Therefore every one of you mind the Light which is of Jesus Christ in you that judgeth the unrighteousness of your hearts give up to be guided by the pure Light in you which is your Teacher the Counsel of Jesus Christ and it will bring Judgement forth unto Victory and whatever he makes manifest to you to be his Will Wait on the Lord in his Counsel and he will give you power to obey and when you have obeyed his Will take heed of departing from the Counsel of the Lord which is the Light within you to hearken to the counsel of your own hearts which will draw your minds to look back at your obedience and the experiences you have passed through so will the Beast which received a deadly wound with the Sword the Righteous Law that goeth out of the mouth of the Lamb in you his deadly wound will be healed and sits a painted Beast above the Cross of Christ working lying wonders in your hearts and imitating the operation of the Power of God who is purifying his Sons and Daughters with the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of Burning and the Beast in you that tasted of the Power of God when he received his deadly wound under the Justice of God now can imitate the same in deceit and cause fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of men intimating the operation of the Spirit of Burning and so deceives himself and all that dwell upon the Earth he is made manifest to all that dwell in the heavenly Light in their hearts All Friends mind your Watch for the Adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour abide in the Counsel of the Lord which is the Light in you and you will discern between the Beast which is Antichrist in his lying Wonders and the Lamb Jesus Christ in the opperation of his Power so you will come to try the spirits whether they be of God yea or no all that are guided by the Beast have their life in speaking and acting in outward opperations what they once experienced and what they comprehended to be truth speaking that they enjoy not and is exalted in pride the heart returned into the Earth But thou that art guided by the Lamb the Light in thy Conscience the righteous Law cries through thy earthly heart and brings it to Judgment and thou canst find no life in the opperation of the Power of God nor in thy obedience but whilst the Presence of the Lord is with thee in it and when thou hast done the Will of God in obeying what he hath made known unto thee thou seest thy self to be an unprofitable Servant and hast need of Patience that thou mayest receive the Promise where thy Life is hid with Christ in God to save thee freely for his Name sake or else thou perishest and to carry thee on by his Mighty Power or else thou fallest so thou hast nothing to glory in but in the Lord. And as they that are guided by the Beast which is Antichrist speaks of the Truth a riddle to their own hearts not knowing the Power and Life of what they speak adding to the Word of the Lord and the plagues and curse of God will be added unto them But thou art guided by the Lamb Jesus Christ thou knowest when the Word of the Lord is committed to thee If any have my Word saith the Lord let him speak my Word faithfully Is not my Word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces Thou canst witness the Word of the Lord to be as a fire and as a hammer to break the Rocks in pieces in thee and bring down all in thee in subjection to it self and it alones rules in thee and thou that canst witness the Word of the Lord thus manifest in thee thou art a true Messenger of the Lord let not the deceit stop thy mouth for the Word of the Lord that calls thee to speak shall perfect his Work for which he is sent All Friends stand fast in the Counsel and Will of God be faithfull in following the Lamb daily through the Cross and none be discouraged in temptations be content look up to the Lord to keep you in the hour of temptations for it is no sin to be tempted but to yeeld to the Tempter and when the Lord delivers you from the power of the Tempter watch that your will get not from under the Cross but sink down into the Love of God and every one be content in what the Lord hath made manifest to you and be faithfull according to your Talents and more will be communicated to you and none look forth at others conditions for if you do the Enemy will cause you to stumble and you will come to a loss in your own condition wait patiently in the Counsel of the Lord the Light in you for he is making a short work in the Earth that you that come into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour shall receive as much as they that came in at the third hour and have laboured in the heat of the day All ye children of the Lord lift up your heads behold your King riding in Majesty and Power upon the wild Ass Colt which is your wild nature subjecting it to himself that you may enter with him through the Gates of the City into the New Jerusalem where there enters nothing that worketh abomination and maketh a lie but what is written in the Lambs Book of Life and there you shall dwell in the Banqueting-house of the Lord for ever seeding upon the feast of fat things rejoycing in the Eternal Love and Mercy of your Souls in the free Covenant of Life in the Blood of Christ who is the Lord of lords and King of kings God blessed forever who is riding on in majesty and in power conquering and to conquer all the powers of darkness in the hearts of his Saints that they may reign as people upon the Earth to the praise and glory of our God who is taking unto him his Great Power to reign in his Saints for evermore To whom alone be all honour glory power and eternal praises for ever W. D. A Word of Consolation unto the Child of Light that yet sits in Darkness being deeply afflicted and wounded in spirit through ignorance of Salvation in the New Covenant in Christ Jesus the Light DEar Child of the Birth of the Immortal Seed which cries over all the World and beyond all the Pleasures Pomp and