in this present world and it will teach them for to do unto all People as they would be done unto themselves and it will teach them for to deal and to do justly to all men and to love and shew mercy unto all People and to walk in Lowliness and in true Humility before the Lord and these things the Lord requires of every one and it is the duty of every one so to do And now if this good Spirit of Christ did bear rule in every ones Heart it would lead and guide them in all Truth and Righteousness and it would lead and bring them out of all the wicked and ungodly Ways and Worships and evil Practices which are acted and done amongst all the Sons and Daughters of men which are now in the fall and live in Sin and Transgression against God and so are found to be in the unregenerate state and such are dead in their Sins and Trespasses tho' their Bodies be alive in this World and if this good Spirit aforesaid did bear rule in every Heart there would not be that Killing nor Destroying one another neither about Religion nor no earthly thing whatsoever and therefore I would have all People to take notice that there are two Spirits a good Spirit and an evil Spirit and the good Spirit comes from God and the evil Spirit comes from the Devil and the good Spirit leads People up to God to have fellowship communion with him in spirit in their hearts souls and this is the only Communion which is spiritual that is alone necessary and needful for every one to know in truth as to their Everlasting Happiness with the Lord when time here in this World shall be no more to them And the evil Spirit draws and leads people from God into all manner of Sin and Wickedness some into one kind of Sin and some into other kind of Sin so that all People upon the Earth are Sinners and live in Sin so long as this evil Spirit guides and bears rule in their hearts and every one is a Servant to whether of these two Spirits he doth obey and to whether of these two Spirits be yields his Members servants unto his Servants they are to whom they do obey whether it be unto that spirit which leads them into Sin and Evil which is the wicked Spirit or it be that they do obey the good Spirit which leads and guides all them that are led and guided by it into all Truth and Righteousness and out of all Sin and Iniquiry And whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his let them profess what they will or be of what Judgment or Religion soever if they have not the Spirit of Christ in them for to teach and instruct and counsel them they are none of Christ's Servants nor Ministers read these Scriptures Rom. 8. 6. to vers 15. Rom. 6. 12. to the end 1 John 3. 4. to vers 11. Tit. 2. 11. to the end John 1. 1. to vers 13. 1 Cor. 12. 7. And all them that do love and believe in the Light and Spirit of Christ in them which shews them Sin and reproves them in their own Hearts and Consciences many times when they do sin insomuch that I have heard several people say when they have sinned I pray God forgive me when as at that time no Person outwardly did speak to them but it was the Light and Spirit of Christ in them that shewed them that they had sinned against the Lord at that time and whosoever minds and takes heed to that Light and Spirit of Christ in them and believes in it so as to obey and follow it it will not only shew them their Sins and evil Deeds which they have done and committed against the Lord but it will beget a perfect hatred against all Sin in them that do truly love and believe in this Light and good Spirit aforesaid and it will beget secret crys and breathings unto the Lord in their hearts and souls that he would be pleased to pardon them and to give them power for the time to come to forsake the evil of their Ways and Doings that they might never sin against the Lord any more and this hath been my state and conâ—â—â—ion and many more of the People of God and now we can say in truth to the praise and glory of the Lord it is spoken that we that were Sinners and Unbelievers and were dead in Sins Trespasses in days years that are past and gone as well as others and then at that time when we were in that sad and miserable state and condition as aforesaid the Lord was pleased out of his infinite love mercy goodness for to reveal and make known himself unto us even at that time when we were Enemies Aliens and Strangers unto him by wicked Works which we had done against the Lord notwithstanding all our Profession of Religion and fair pretences which we made that we did love the Lord and believe in him and did worship and serve him as we thought then but it pleased the Lord of his great love and kindness to us to appear in our hearts by his Light and good Spirit which he manifested and revealed in us at that time and the Lord was pleased by his Light and Spirit for to search our hearts and to let us see the deceit and the evil that was in our hearts by reason of Sin and Iniquity which the Enemy of our Souls which is the wicked spirit had wrought in our hearts and we knew it not when we lived in our sins and took pleasure and delight therein and so instead of denying our selves from doing those things which did offend and displease the Lord we did those things which did offend him and grieve his holy Spirit as too many do now and when we did those things which grieved the Lord we did not then walk in the strait and narrow way that leads to Life and Peace with the Lord but we were then walking in the broad and wide way that leads to Hell and Destruction which many Thousands are now walking in that live in their sins and take pleasure and delight therein but now the Lord out of his free love and grace and mercy hath called us out of the evil of the World and the vain Conversation that people live and walk in both Professors and Prophane and he hath revealed and made known his Mind and Will unto us what he would have us for to do and what he requires of us which is to live the Lord with all our Hearts above all visible things that are in the World and also to fear serve honour and obey him in Truth and Righteousness and to do justly with all men and to love Mercy and walk Humbly with God and now we find that the Lord hath made a Remnant of us freely willing for to serve and obey him and to do his Will in what he makes known
A Plain TESTIMONY TO THE Antient Truth AND Work of God AND Against the CORRUPTION of the CLERGY And their Upholders By T. G. Jer. 5. 30 31. A Wonderful and Horrible Thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bear Rule by their Means and my People love to have it so And what will ye do in the End thereof Printed and Sold by T. Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holywell-Lane in Shoreditch 1691. A Plain Testimony to the Antient Truth and Work of God and against the Corruption of the Clergy c. FRiends and People every where in all Places where this may come this is to let you know there is something in my Heart and Mind for to publish and to make manifest unto all People that profess Christianity and Salvation by Christ what the Clergy-Men of the World hold forth both the Popish Clergy and the Protestant Clergy both in Doctrine Principles and Practices and also their manner of Doings and Practices as touching the Worship and Service of God and also their Persecutions and Cruelties which they and their Hearers and Members of their Churches have acted and done against the People of God who are in scorn called Quakers and will undertake by the help and assistance of the Lord to prove these things to be true which is or may be herein and hereafter expressed and declared against them which are as followeth First I do affirm that neither the Popish Clergy nor the Protestant Clergy nor their Hearers that are Members of their Churches neither can nor never shall know Jesus Christ experimentally to be their Saviour and Redeemer from their Sins and Iniquities as the true Ministers and People of God did know him formerly and as the true Ministers and People of God know him now in this our Age and Generation to their and our Souls true peace joy comfort and satisfaction in God neither can they ever know the Mystery of Godliness by experience revealed in them nor they cannot have a true belief in Christ as the Ministers and People of God had and have now so long as they live and act in Sin and take pleasure and delight therein and plead for a continuance in Sin so long as they live upon the Earth And it is the Doctrine and Belief of the Clergy-Men before mentioned and the People that are their Hearers and Members of their Churches That none can be set free from Sin nor be made perfect from it in this Life and so they preach against Perfection from Sin which God and Christ commanded that People should be perfect and holy and are God and Christ such hard Masters as to command that of People for them to do which cannot be done nor attained unto in this Life But the Ministers of Christ never preached any such Doctrine but on the contrary they preached Perfection from Sin and exhorted the People to press after Perfection and the Lord gave Gifts unto men and he made some Apostles and some Evangelists and some Pâ—â—phâ—â—â— and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints and for the Work of the Ministry and for the Edifying of the Body of Christ until they all came into the unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature â—f the fulness of Christ And many of the People of God did attain to Perfection from Sin in this Life and they did know an Overcoming of their Sins and Iniquities in this Life by the help and assistance of the Power and Spirit of Christ working in them And no Man nor Woman can be perfect from Sin of themselves nor by any Works of Righteousness which they can do of themselves nor by their own Wills but by the help and assistance of the Power and Spirit of Christ working in them and so all things are possible with God which may seem impossible to men and the Lord is the same that he was then and he is as able and sufficient willing to do the like for us to work the same Works in our Hearts by his holy Spirit as he did in the Hearts of his People formerly if we do but truly believe in him and be willing for to obey and follow him by taking up a daily Cross to our own Wills and Thoughts and Desires and Inclinations of nature and so thereby we must deny our selves from doing any thing that will please our selves if it do offend the Lord and displease him we must not do it for the gaining of the love and friendship of any people nor for the gaining of any outward Thing or Treasure that is in the World And we are required and commanded by the Lord for to put our whole trust and confidence in him who hath promised that he will never leave nor forsake them that puts their whole trust confidence in him And these things the Lord commanded and required â—is people for to do formerly which they did in Love and in Obedience to him and the Lord was with them and in them by his holy Spirit and he did help and 〈…〉 Spirit for to do and perform those things 〈…〉 required of them for to do and this he 〈…〉 d truly believe and follow him and for all them 〈…〉 fear and love him with all their Hearts above all 〈…〉 gs And now the Lord commands and requires us for to do the 〈◊〉 things and if we be willing and obedient to him and fear and love him with all our Hearts above all visible things I do verily believe and I am confident in the Lord that he will help and assist us by his holy Spirit for to do and perform all things which he commands and requires of us for to do and perform now in this our Age and Generation but all them that do not truly believe in Christ nor is not willing for to obey and follow him nor to deny themselves as aforesaid and counts God a hard Master by commanding and requiring more of them then they are able to do or can be attained unto in this Life as they say it is manifest unto the Lord and his People that all such are slothful Servants and hide their Talents in their earthly Hearts and are disobedient to him such neither fear nor love the Lord as they ought to do nor as â—e commands them for to do and no such slothful idle careless people can believe that Perfection from Sin is to be attained unto in this Life neither are they willing to press after such a good State and Condition and so he who they love and serve which is the Enemy of their Souls in them prevails against them and teacheth them for to preach and speak against Perfection from Sin in this Life read the Scriptures following Gen. 6. 9. 17. 1. Job 1. 1. Luke 1. 5 6. Mark 6. 20. Mat. 1. 19. Acts 10. 22. 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 King 20. 1
2 3. Mat. 5. 48. Ephes 4. 11 12 13. Heb. 6. 1. Heb. 13. 20 2â— Rev. 14. 2 3 4 5. 1 John 2. 14. Chap 3. 4. to vers 11. And further I do affirm that all that preach and speak against Perfection from Sin and say That there is no Perfection from Sin can be attained unto in this Life all such Persons and People do encourage People for to live in Sin and they do discourage people from pressing after perfection and they are a means to beget people into Unbelief that they may not believe that such a good state and condition is to be attained unto in this Life and all such deny the sufficiency of Christ and the end of his coming in Spirit into the Hearts and Souls of all true Christians and true Believers in him which end was and is for to mortifie and to kill and crucifie Sin and to destroy the Works of the Devil which is Sin and Iniquity in people and every evil Plant which the Lord hath not planted which hath taken deep Root in people's hearts the Lord will pluck up by the working of his own Power and Spirit in the hearts of all true Christians and true Believers and Followers of Christ who truly love and obey him and this great Work of Christ must be known and witnessed for to be done and wrought by him in every true Christian before Christ can be known experimentally for to reign and rule in the hearts and souls of people And these things are a mystery unto all that live in Sin and take pleasure and delight therein and unto all the proud and covetous Clergy that are in the whole World that preach for Tythes or Money and are hired by people to preach for so much Money by the Year which the true Apostle Paul said That the love of Money was the Root of all Evil And the true Ministers of Christ hated all such covetous Practices and declared against them and Paul said I have coveted no man's Silver or Gold or Apparel ye your selves know said he that these Hands have ministred unto my Necessities and to them that were with me Who was a Tent-maker he was not brought up at any Schools of Learning for to be made a Minister of Christ nor none of the Ministers of Christ were brought up at any Schools of Learning to be made Ministers of Christ but several of them were ignorant and unlearned men as to outward Learning and Scholarship which people do so much boast of but they were brought up at Christ's School and they were taught of him by his holy Spirit and they were endued with Power from on High and they were led and guided by Christ's Spirit into all Truth and out of all the wicked ungodly Ways and Practices which many of the Clergy-Men and of their Hearers before mentioned live and walk in now And the Apostle Paul said That the Gospel which he preached be neither received of Man neither was he taught it of Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and he preached not unto any people with inticing Words of man's Wisdom nor of man's Learning but he preached and spoke unto the people in the Demonstration of the Spirit with Power that their Faith should not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God and Christ made them able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life unto the Soul And so the Ministers of Christ never preached such a Doctrine as these covetous Clergy-Men do now Read these Scriptures Galatians 1. 11 12. Acts 2â— 33 34. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. 1 Tim. 6. 6 7 8 9 10 11. And you that preach and speak against Perfectiâ—n 〈…〉 Sin and say none can be set free from Sin in this Life can you not believe that Christ Jesus is as able and sufficient and willing to save people from their Sins and to bring them to a perfect state from Sin according as God created Man and Woman in the beginning as the Devil who is the author of all Sin and Evil who makes his Children and Servants perfect in Sin and Wickedness who continue to the end of their days to obey and follow him and are led and guided by his spirit into Sin and Evil and his evil Fruits are brought forth and acted and done daily by his Children and Servants to the great dishonour of God who made Man and Woman for to love fear serve and honour and obey him in Truth and Righteousness and to live and walk before the Lord in a holy godly righteous Life in all manner of Holiness and Righteousness in our holy Lives and godly Conversations so long as the Lord is pleased that we shall live upon the Earth that so God Almighty may be honoured and glorified in us and by us that so we may answer the end for which he hath made and created us which is to fear and love him with all our Hearts which if we do so in Truth then we shall be made willing by the Lord for to obey him and keep his commands which is the duty of every one so to do And now all you that do not believe that Perfection from Sin can be attained unto and that not any can be set free from Sin in this Life doth not your Faith and Belief stand in him who is the author of all Sin and Evil which is the wicked Spirit And your faith and belief stands not in Christ who is the Author of Perfection from Sin who is the good Spirit and saves his People from their Sins but not in their Sins and Christ said Whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin And the Apostle Paul said Know ye not to whom ye yield your selves Servants to obey his Servants ye are to whom ye do obey whether of Sin that leads to Death and Destruction or of Obedience unto Righteousness which leads to Life and Peace with the Lord. And so long as People live in Sin and are Servants to it they are free from Righteousness and the Apostle John said He that commiteth Sin is of the Devil and he said He that is born of God sinneth not Read these Scriptures John 8. 34. Rom. 6. 16 17. to the end 1 John 3. 4. to vers 11. And all that believe that they cannot be set free from Sin so long as they live in this World they know nothing of the New Birth experimentally no more than Nicodemus did which was a Ruler of the Jews nor no such persons nor people that plead for living in Sin term of Life they know nothing by expeâ—â—ence what it is for to be Regenerated and Born again of Water and the Spirit without which inward spiritual knowledge they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and they that are born of God by the Water and Spirit of Life they are not Servants to Sin
neither will any such plead for Sin nor for a continuance in it as long as they live but all such Persons and People that are born of God as aforesaid they hate Sin and every appearance of it in Thoughts Words and Actions both in themselves and in all other people where they see Sin committed acted or done and those that are born of God by his Spirit they are in Christ and he is in them spiritually and they are made new Creatures by the working of Christ's spirit in their hearts and souls and all old things that are evil which is Sin and Iniquity comes to be taken away and destroyed and all things are made new by the workings of the Power and Spirit of Christ in the hearts of all the Children of Light who are true Believers and Followers of Christ through the Spiritual Warfare and through great Tribulations and Tryals and Exercises which the People of the Lord come to know and to pass through before they attain to Perfection from all their Sins and it is said That many are the Troubles of the Righteous and through many Tribulations must they enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but the Lord is all-sufficient for to help his People out of all their Troubles and Tryals both inward and outward those that puts their whole trust and confidence in him And he hath done great things for many of his people now in our Age and Generation which have been under great Troubles Sufferings and Tryals both inward and outward for which we have just cause and we are bound in duty to bless and praise the Name of the Lord and to return unto him all Honour Glory Praise Thanks Fear Reverence and true Obedience for unto the Lord alone it doth belong both from me and from all that knows him who have tasted of his Love and Mercies blessed and praised be his great and glorious and heavenly Name both now henceforth for ever and for evermore Read these Scriptures John 3. 1. to vers 11. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Acts 14. 22. 2 Cor. 1. 3. 44. Chap. 10. 3. 4. 1. 45. And so the true Way that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven is a strait and narrow way for it is a way of Holiness Righteousness and Purity and a way wherein all people must deny themselves of doing any evil thing that will offend the Lord or displease him and therefore there are but a few that find it and walk in it and Christ's Flock is but a little Flock in comparison of the multitude of people that are in the World but the way that leads to Hell and Destruction and so into everlasting Torment and Misery which shall never come to an end this is a broad and wide way and it is easie and delightful and pleasant to all fleshly carnal minded people for to walk in And all those people that live and act in Sin and Evil and take pleasure and delight therein and deny Perfection from Sin in this Life all such persons and people are going on in the broad and wide way that will lead them into everlasting Wo and Misery unless they repent And therefore it is my Advice and Counsel unto all people that now live and delight in Sin and Evil as you tender the glory of God and the good and well-being of your Immortal Souls come out of all your ungodly ways and doings and Repent and forsake the Evil of your ways and doings and desire the Lord to pardon you for all your Sins and Transgressions which yon have acted and done against him and turn unto the Lord and fear and love him with all your hearts and hate Sin and Evil and every appearance of it both in your selves and in all others that thereby you may come to know a Change and a Reformation to be wrought in your hearts by the Power and Spirit of Christ in you and this is the only way and means for you to find Forgiveness and Mercy and Acceptance with the Lord for your poor Souls which if you so do and find it will be of more worth and value to you that find it then all the outward injoyments of Honour or Riches or Pleasures that are in the World And now I shall mention and lay before you some of the Cruelties and bloody Persecutions of these Clergy-men before mentioned and some of their Hearers and Members of their Churches which have joyned with them in their Cruelties and bloody Persecutions and shall begin with the Popish Clergy and some of the Members of their Church first It is well known to many People what their Doctrine and Principles and Practices are and what it leads and guides them for to do and act in those Places and Countries where they have the Rule and Power in outward things as for instance They do believet at all people which are not of their Faith and Religion are Sectaries and Hereticks though they be called Christians as I can make appear by their own Books which they have set forth and then this hath followed by their practices that the more Hereticks they kill and destroy many of them think they do God more service and count it a Meritorious Work although the people which they have killed and murthered were no Hereticks but good Christians many of them and were faithful to God in what he manifested and made known unto them in their Age and Time As for instance How many of these good people aforesaid have these Popish bloody Clergy-Men and the Members of their Church caused for to be but and destroyed in Queen Mary's Reign because they could not for good Conscience-sake submit and conform to their Idolatrous Ways and Worships which were never ordained by the Lord nor never such a Doctrine nor Practice was ever preached nor practised by any of the Ministers of Christ And so this Doctrine and Practice which was and is preached and practised by the Popish Clergy and the Members of their Church was ordained and set up by the Devil and his Ministers and not by Christ nor his Ministers as appears plainly by their Wicked Actions and Practices aforesaid And I shall mention more of their Cruelties and Murders as for instance How many Thousands of Protestants did they kill and murder in Ireland even at such a time when the Protestants were peaceable and quiet and did not lift up a hand against them and the Devil in those Murderers did invent such Cruel Tortures and Punishments to put them to Death as scarce hath been heard of amongst the Heathens which are no Christians and yet notwithstanding they have the boldness and confidence for to call themselves Christians and say Christ is their Saviour but Christ hates and abhors all such Murders and Cruelties as are found acted and done amongst them And Christ came not to destroy men's Lives but to save them And here people may see that these aforesaid are not acted nor guided by the Spirit of Christ but by the spirit
of the Devil who was a Lyar and a Murderer from the beginning And now I shall mention and lay before you some of the Cruelties and great Persecutions of the Presbyterian Clergy and some of their Hearers and Members of their Church both in Old England and in New-England which they have acted and done against the People of God who are in scorn called by the World Quakers first they have cast many of us into Prisons and there they have kept several until they dyed and by their means and doings they have taken away the Goods and Chattels of many of our Friends both Rich and Poor to the value of many Thousands of Pounds and this they did in Oliver Cromwell's time and they proceeded against us for not paying of them Tythes and Money for Preaching by a Law which gave them trebble Damage and they caused evil men for to come into our Houses and Grounds for to distrain our Goods and Chattels which they did several times and sold our Goods and Chattels and gave the Money to those Tything Hireling-Priests and they sold our Goods Chattels at an undervalue and they took many times Goods and Chattels from us which were worth above five times more than they call'd their due thus they have done to many of us And they have cast several into Prisons for less than eighteen Pence a piece at their own valuation which they said was their due and thus they have ruinated several of our Friends and their Families aforesaid in their Estates besides the Cruelties which they have Inflicted upon our Bodies in casting many of us into Prisons and there they kept many until they dyed and thus Cruelly with much more Cruelties which are here too tedious to mention have they acted and done against us because we could not for good Conscience sake uphold them in their ungodly Ways and Practices as to pay them Tythes and Money for their Preaching as Ministers of Christ as they and the people that hear them call and account them to be but Christ came to put an end to that Law and Priest-hood and Covenant by which Tythes were paid in the time of the Law and first Covenant and hath abolished it read Heb. 7. 8 9 10. And where do ye find or read in all the Scriptures of Truth that any of the true Ministers of Christ took Tythes or Money for their preaching Or did ever any of the true Believers and Followers of Christ pay Tythes And whosoever they be that either take Tythes or pay Tythes denys Christ to be come and the end of his coming so as to yield obedience unto him by doing that which he requires of them And now I have something more to mention of the Wickedness and Cruelties and Murders of the Presbyterian Clergy and the Professors and Members of their Church in New-England against the people of God called in scorn Quakers first they cast many in Prison and they Whipped many in a cruel manner both Men and Women 〈◊〉 their naked Bodies and they took away the Goods and 〈◊〉 of many of the people aforesaid and they Branded and Burnt them with Hot â—â—ons and they Cut off the Ears of some and Bâ—nished them And all these Cruelties with much more which are not here mentioned which they acted and did against the people aforesaid would not satiâ—fie their blood-thirsty Spirit And now I desire all true Christians who are true Believers and Lovers of Christ to consider and take notice of all these Cruelties and Murders aforesaid and see if these Clergy-Men and People aforesaid be not acted and guided by the same Spirit now that the High-Priests and Chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees were when Christ was upon the Earth and they had a form of Godliness and professed Scriptures and they made long Prayers and made clean the outside and appeared righteous in the sight of men but their hearts were deceitful and full of Hypocrisie and Iniquity as many of the Priests and Professors of Religion are found to be now by their evil Lives and Conversations in this world And was there any greater Enemies to Christ Jesus when he was upon the Earth then those High-Priests and Chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees were then And they sought every way they could for to destroy Christ and his Ministers and sought false Witness against them for to have them put to Death and Christ and some of his Ministers were put to death by means of such wicked ungodly Priests and Professors of Religion as aforesaid which had a form of Godliness but they were absolute Enemies to thse that lived in the Life and Power of Godliness as these Priests and Professors and People are now many of these now are absolute Enemies to the Children of Light and all that do truly believe and own the Spiritual Appearance of Christ in their hearts as to obey and follow it who was and is the true Light and Life of all true Christians and true Believers in him in all Ages Generations that are past gone and all such Christians and true Believers in him who do obey follow the Light Spirit of Christ in their hearts they do and will receive power daily for to forsake their Sins and Iniquities and the same Light and Spirit will beget a perfect hatred in their Hearts against all Sin and every appearance of it both in themselves and in all others where they see Sin acted or done And whosoever doth truly love and 〈…〉 Light and Spirit of Christ in themselves which shews them Sin and reproves them for it in secret when they either think speak or act any thing that is Evil it will teach and help them to forsake Sin and every appearance of Sin according as the Lord doth manifest Sin unto them And whosoever doth truly believe in this Light and good Spirit of Christ which shews people their Sins and reproves them in their own Hearts and Consciences when they do sin against God if they do truly love and obey and follow this Light and good Spirit in them it is sufficient in its self without the help of vain sinful men which preach against Perfection from Sin in this Life I say again it is sufficient and there is help and power enough in it for to lead and guide all people out of their Sins and to give them power to forsake all their Sins and Iniquities by degrees all that are willing to deny themselves of all their sinful Ways and Pleasures and so become obedient to this Light and Spirit of Christ in them and this Light and Spirit the Lord hath given a measure of it freely to every one for to profit withal and it is sufficient for to teach all People that truly believe in it and obey it and is willing to be taught by it it will teach them to deny all ungodly Thoughts Words and Actions and it will teach them to live soberly justly godly and righteously
unto us in all things which he commands and requires of us for to do And this great Work which the Lord hath already wrought in our hearts and the great things which he hath done for us and in us by his Power and Spirit he hath not done it for any goodness or worthiness or any deserts which he saw in us nor for any Works of Righteousness which we have done whereby to move or to ingage the Lord for to do these great things either for us or in us but he hath done all these things for his own Name sake and in love to our immortal Souls and out of his free Love and Mercy and Kindness to us for which we are bound in duty and are ingaged to return unto the Lord all Honour Glory Praise Thanks Love Fear Reverence and Obedience for unto him alone it doth belong both from me and from all that know how good and gracious he is and hath been unto them who is God over and above all blessed and praised be his great holy and heavenly Name both now henceforth for ever and for evermore Amen And now I would have all People to take notice where this may come that all Persons and People that despise and reject the Light and Spirit of Christ in them which shews them their Sins and reproves them in secret when they do evil and say It is but a natural Light and that it is not sufficient nor hath power to save people from their sins nor to keep and preserve them out of sin all such are Unbelievers and hate Christ and love their evil Deeds for Christ is that Light and good Spirit in them and he hath given a measure of it freely to every one to profit withal and all them that truly love and believe in this Light and good Spirit in them and is willing for to obey and follow it all such will come to know Salvation and Redemption by Christ from their Sins and Iniquities but all those that hate and despise and reject the Counsel and Teaching of this Light and good Spirit in them and so slight and undervalue it and count it a thing of nought it will be the Condemnation of all such and the Lord will be found just when he comes to judge them and this Light and good Spirit in them will bear witness against them when they come to Judgment which will be more than a hundred Witnesses outwardly read these Scriptures John 1. 9 10 11 12. chap. 8. 12. chap. 12. 46. chap. 3. 19 20 21. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 3. 11. Chap. 1. 27 28. And I do verily believe that there is and shall be a Resurrection both of the Just and Unjust without respect of Persons w 〈…〉 just God of Heaven and Earth for to give 〈…〉 all their Deeds and Actions which they have 〈…〉 time and every one shall receive a Reward from God 〈…〉 their Deeds which they have done in their Bodies whether they be good or evil And now it concerns both me and every one for to prise our time which the Lord is pleased to give to us to live upon the Earth that we may walk circumspectly and wisely in the wisdom of God before the Evil day come which will certainly come upon the Wicked and Ungodly that live and dye in their Sins and Iniquities And it is the true desire of my Heart and Soul that we may all spend our time which the Lord gives us to live upon the Earth to Gods honour and glory by bringing forth good Works and Actions in our holy Lives and godly Conversations to the praise and honour of his great and worthy Name that so we may answer the end for which God hath made and created us which is to love him with all our Hearts and to fear serve honour and obey him in Truth and Righteousness whereby God Almighty may be honoured and glorified both in us and by us who is worthy to have all the Honour Glory Praise Thanks Fear and true Obedience for unto him alone it doth belong both from me and from all that know the Lord how good he is to them both now and for ever and for evermore Amen Read these Scriptures Rom. 14. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 22. 12. And now I shall come to mention something of the Cruelties and Persecutions of the Episcopal Clergy who are Teachers of the People of the Church of England so called and some of their Hearers and Members of their Church that assisted them in their Cruelties first they Imprisoned many Hundreds of the People of the Lord called in scorn Quakers and by their means we were put into nasty Holes and Dungeons amongst Thieves and Murderer and some of us were Fettered and Chained with Irons on both Legs as they do to the worst of Malefactors and our Friends and Acquaintance were not suffered for to come to see us although some of our Friends did come a Hundred Miles or more for to see us and neither they nor we could be suffered to see one another and they have gone away without seeing of us nor there was not any suffered to come to relieve us nor to help us to such things for our Money as we stood in great need of nor we were not suffered to have any manner of Bedding brought in not so much as a little Straw to lie upon to keep us off the cold Ground although we would have paid for it and this was worse Cruelty than many use to their Dogs and Swine And so the Goalers would force us to buy Victuals of them at their own rate or else we must have none which was dearer by half then we might have had it of other People if we could have been suffered to buy it at best hand and there many were kept in Prisons until they dyed by reason of such Cruel Usage as aforesaid And these Clergy-Men caused many of our Houses to be rifled and they went into the Grounds and took and carried away out of our Houses and Grounds much Goods and Chattels several times which they sold at an undervalue less by half than they were worth And they took away Goods and Chattels from many of us which were worth above five times more than they could prove to be their due and they distrained all the Goods in some Houses and left them not a Bed to lie upon neither for the Man of the House nor his Wife Children nor Servants although some of the men's Wives which had their Houses so rifled and plundred was but newly delivered of a Child or Children and so they took no Pitty nor shewed no Mercy neither to Men Women or Children that were in such a state and condition as aforesaid And thus they have Ruinated several Persons and their Families by taking away their Goods and Chattels which they and their Families should have lived upon They did live very well comfortably before these wicked ungodly Clergy-Men and the Upholders of them
they would deceive the very Elect c. To which I Answer That there is not any Person or People that live and walk in Sin and take pleasure and delight therein and plead for a continuance in it 〈◊〉 term of Life and say That there is none can be set free from Sin in this Life that can witness any thing of their Election by the working of Christ's Spirit in them and all such are deceived already by the deceitfulness of Sin which bears rule in the Hearts of all the Children of Disobedience who are disobedient to the Light and Spirit of Christ in them and suell are in the broad way that leads to Destruction and are in the state of Reprobation and Condemnation But the true Prophets which the Lord sent prophesied freely without either taking Tythes or Money and they prophesied truly that which came to pass and they bore witness against the false Prophets and false Shepherds that prophesied for Money and Hire as for instance read Isa 55. 1. 2 3. Chap. 56. 10 11. And Isaiah was a true Prophet and sent of God and he did as I may say comparatively make as it were a Proclamation and saith Ho every â—re that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price And he saith unto the People Wherefore do ye spend Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me saith the Lord by that true Prophet and eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Here People may see how the Lord by his true Prophet invites every one for to come to the Waters and buy and eat freely that which is good for their Souls without Money and without Price and he exhorts them that they should not spend their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which would not satisfie their thirsty Souls And now the generality of people are spending and giving their Money for that which is not the Bread of Life neither will it satisfie any hungry thirsty Soul that truly hungers and thirsts after the Lord and his Righteousness And this true Prophet called the false Prophets and false Shepherds which spoke and prophesied for Money dumb Dogs greedy Dogs which can never have enough and they all look to their own way every one for his Gain from his Quarter And he told them that they were blind and ignorant and so they did not understand the things of God And now if people be not wilfully blind and ignorant you may see that there is as much difference between the true Prophets of God and the true Ministers of Christ and the false Prophets and false Minstors that either preach or prophesie for Tythes or Money or both as there is betwixt Light and Darkness And now I have something to propound unto all you Clergy-Men before mentioned which do profess and say that you are true Believers and Ministers of Christ and that you follow Christ and his Ministers for your Example and that the Scriptures are your Rule and Guide for to walk by first Where do ye find or read in all the holy Scriptures of Truth that any of the Ministers of Christ ever went to any Schools of outward Learning and staid several Years there and did commence from one degree of Learning unto another for to be made Ministers of Christ as you Clergy-Men did and do now And when you have been several Years at such Schools or Colledges until you think that you are Artists and are sufficient for to preach to People then you get an Order to Preach And so you come from those Schools into the Country and inquire where there is a vacant place where there is no Ministers and then you endeavour to get that place for to Preach at if you like their Wages but if not then you inquire for to get a better place where there is most Tythes or Money which is worth so much by the Year and this is your Call to your Ministry But the true Ministers of Christ were never called nor made Ministers after such a way and manner as yours is And is not this way of yours in being made Ministers like unto a man that binds his Son to be an Apprentice with a Trades-man for several Years to learn him his Trade and gives him so much Money for so doing when his time is expiered his Master gives him his Indentures and then he becomes a free man to set up his Trade and to trade for himself without any opposition But these Clergy-Men before mentioned exceed all the Trades-men in the World that have any Principle of Honesty ruling in them for when an honest Trades-man sells his Commodity he delivers it to them or some for them that buys it and pays for it But these Covetous Clergy-Men aforesaid sell their Sermons for Tythes or Money or both and keeps them still and do not deliver them to those that pay for them And when they have a mind to go to another Town to Preach they may have some of their old Sermons still for to preach to that people and if that people do not give them any Money for that Sermon yet notwithstanding they are paid for it by their own Hearers which pay them so much every Year for their Preaching which may amount to ten Shillings or more for every Sermon they preach throughout the whole year Did ever the Ministers of Christ do any such things as these And further where do you find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ took either Tythes or Money for their Preaching or went to Law with any sort of People and took away their Goods and Chattels and cast them into Prisons for not paying of them Tythes or Money for their Preaching as these ungodly covetous Clergy-Men have done unto as these many Years and still continues and goes on in these wicked ungodly Practices against us as is before mentioned And further where do ye find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ when they went to preach took a Text of other Mens Words and from those words raised Doctrines Reasons Motives Uses and Applications as you Clergy-Men do now And further where do you find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ baptized Infants and had Sureties to stand up for them and to promise that they shall forsake the Devil and all his Works the vain Pomp and Glory of the World with all Covetous Desires of the same the Carnal Desires of the Flesh so that they will not follow nor be led by them And all this the Witnesses promise in the behalf of that Child or Children that they stand up for and when the Priest asketh those Witnesses whether they do forsake the Devil and all
his Works and all things above expressed they say that They do forsake them all which is a Lye in the sight of God and his People And these Persons and People which do so promise and say as aforesaid they are such as live and act in sin and evil which is of the Devil who is the author of all sin and evil that is committed against God by all the Sons and Daughters of men in the fall who are unregenerated and not born again of the Water and Spirit of Life and these people which do thus say and promise as aforesaid they are such as do not believe that Perfection from Sin can be attained unto in this Life and that none shall be set free from Sin so long as they live in this World such as these take upon them to be called Godfathers and Godmothers and the Children which these people stand up for and promise so on their behalf are taught to ask them Blessing and to call them Godfathers and Godmothers which thing is unwarrantable in the fight of God the Maker and Creator of all mankind and of all other Creatures whatsoever And how dare any People be so bold and wicked as to take upon them for to be so called as aforesaid And further where do you find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ did Marry any People or did say Prayers over the Dead or Churched any Women as it is called and all these things the Clergy-Men aforesaid do and practice for Money besides their Tithes and Money for Preaching And further where do ye find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the true Bishops and Ministers of Christ that were ordained and appointed by him did assume to themselves and did take upon them such high Names and Titles as to be called Lord and Masters as these Bishops and Clergy-Men do â—ow And where do ye find or read in all the Scriptures â—â—at Timothy and Titus were called Lord Bishops which were true Bishops and ordained of God And where had they any Bishopricks and many hundreds of Pounds by the Year as these Bishops have now And are not these great Names and Titles and these rich Bishopricks which they own and have gotten to themselves contrary to the mind and will of God and contrary to the practice of the true Bishops which were ordained of the Lord and contrary to the Scriptures be not a means to beget them into Pride and Highmindedness and Self-exaltation and not into Humility and Lowliness of Heart so as to be gifted and qualified as the true Bishops were that were ordain'd of God And where do you find or read in all the Scriptures that ever any of the true Prophets or Ministers of Christ were called Master as a Name or Title to set up Self above the common sort of People And did not Christ cry Wo against all such that went in long Robes and had the uppermost Room at Feasts and love Greetings in the Markets and the Chief Seats in the Synagogues and are called of men Rabbi which is Master And Christ said unto his Ministers Be not ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ and ye are Brethren and be that is the greatest among you shall be your Servant And the Apostle Paul who was a true Minister of Christ said That though I be free from all Men yet I have made my self Servant unto all that I might gain the more And so he was not called Lord nor Master as a flattering Title amongst men which upholds Pride and Highmindedness as these Bishops and Clergy-Men are now And did ever the Ministers of Christ demand ten Shillings for a Mortuary and take it as these Clergy-Men do now And further where do you find or read in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ set People to sing David's Psalms which are put into Rhime and Meter by Hopkins and Sâ—erhould and others And whether they that sing David's Psalms now and are not in his state and condition that he was in when he spoke those Words which are recorded in the Book of Psalms do not such sing Lyes in Hypocrisie yea or nay For though those Sayings were true in David because he was in that condition which he spoke of at that time when he spoke those Words but those Sayings are not true in them that know nothing of his condition for he was in several conditions as may be seen in the Book of Psalms And how can people sing so long as their Souls are in Captivity and they themselves in bondage to Sin and so people must come to know Salvation and Redemption wrought by Christ in them from their Sins and Iniquities before they can sing in Truth And further where do you find or read that the Ministers of Christ had a Book of Common-Prayer or a Mass-Book provided for them for to read to people for Money as these Clergy-Men do now Or where do ye find in all the Scriptures that any of the Ministers of Christ or any other People that were true Believers and Followers of Christ did ever read and say their Prayers in a Book when the Lord moved them by his holy Spirit to pray unto him but they waited upon the Lord until they were endued with Power from on High and then they preached and prayed according as the Lord by his Spirit in them did help and assist them and gave them utterance for to do and perform what the Lord did require of them as appertaining to the Worship and Service of God And now I shall propound one thing more which is of great Concernment Where do ye find or read in all the Scriptures that ever any of the Ministers of Christ or any true Christians or Saints who were true Believers and Followers of Christ that any of them did compel or demand any Money of any sort of People for mending and repairing those Houses and Places where the true Ministers and People of God meet for to worship him in And now I have something more to declare unto all that profess Christianity and Salvation by Christ which do say and believe that they are already Saved and Redeemed and Justified by Christ and his Righteousness without them although they be of that Faith and Perswasion that They must live in Sin as long as they live upon the Earth and that none can be set free from Sin in this Life c. To which I Answer That all that are of that Faith and Perswasion are deceived by the Deceiver and that Faith and Perswasion was never begotten by the Lord but by the evil one who is the author of all Sin and Evil For I do affirm that all People that know Christ spiritually and experimentally to be their Saviour and Redeemer and that he hath already saved and redeemed and justified them then no such persons nor 〈◊〉 will any more plead for Sin nor a continuance in 〈◊〉 term
of Life but all such people do believe that Freedom from Sin is to be attained unto in this Life and all such People that are truly saved and redeemed and justified by Christ as aforesaid they hate Sin and every appearance of it in Thoughts Words end Actions both in themselves and in all others where they see Sin 〈…〉 ed acted and done against the Lord But mark what followes That before any can come to know experimentally that Christ hath saved and redeemed and justified them they must first come to know Sin to be mortified killed and destroyed in their Heaâ—â— by the working of the Power and Spirit of Christ in them and also they must come to know Sanctification to be wrought in their Hearts by the power of the Lord in them before that they can come to know or to witness Justification by Christ and his Righteousness For all that are or shall be truly saved and redeemed and justified by Christ they are and shall be saved and redeemed and justified by Christ from their Sins and from their Iniquities but not in their Sins nor in their Iniquities for Christ Jesus neither saves nor redeems nor justifieth any Man or Woman is their Sins but from their sins and whosoever he she or they are that live and act in Sin and Evil and takes pleasure and delight therein and pleads for a continuance in Sin term of Life and believes that there is none that can be set free from Sin in this Life their is no such persons nor people that are already say 〈◊〉 nor redeemed not justified by Christ and his Righteousness But some may object and say Did not Christ come to save Sinners and to justifie 〈…〉 It is true that he did so but he came not to save Sinners in their sins nor to justifie the Ungodly in their Ungodliness but from their Sins and from their Ungodliness as they in love and obedience to God came to forsake their Sins and their Ungodliness And there is no Man nor Woman upon the Earth that can know Christ in Truth and experimentally to be their Saviour and Redeemer and Justifier any further than he doth save and redeem and justifie them from their Sins and from their Ungodliness so as to mortifie and destroy Sin in them But some may say That the Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us It is true it is so unto his people but the Righteousness of Christ is not imputed to any one that lives and walks in Unrighteousness and takes pleasure and delight therein read these Scriptures Mat. 1. 21. Tit. 2. 14. 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Gal. 2. 17. Psal 143. 2. Exod. 23. 7. And now whereas I have heard many People say That the Quakers Religion is but a new upstart Religion and is but of a few Years standing c. To which I Answer That I can make it appear by sufficient Grounds and Reasons that our Religion and Principles and Doctrine which we preach and hold forth unto all people where we come it is of above sixteen Hundred Years standing and we are in the same Faith Hope and Belief of God and Christ and walk in the same Light Life and Spirit of Christ and in the same Way and Practice as to the Worship of God and Christ and his Ministers and Disciples did Preach and Teach and Practice and hold forth unto all people where they came above sixteen Hundred Years ago And now all you Clergy-Men aforesaid that say you are Ministers of Christ and the Scriptures are your Rule to walk by Answer all these Things which are here laid to your Charge by plain Scriptures without wresting or perverting any of them to a wrong sence and answer in plainness without your Logick or Syllogisms or without using any of your Hebrew Greek or Latin which any carnal earthly-minded Men may have that are brought up Schollars at your Schools which are in capacity to learn humane Learning which may be bought for Money And so it appears plainly both in the sight of God and his People by your wicked ungodly Actions and Practices which you have done and acted both against the Lord his Truth and People that you have received nothing from God as the true Ministers of Christ did and doth row neither were you brought up at Christ's School nor never were taught of him as the true Ministers of Christ were and are now and so what you have you and your Friends have bought with Money and so you sell it again for Money to those that are willing to be taught by you which knows no better teaching and so you are a means to bring up people that are your Hearers in Darkness Blindness and Ignorance as you your selves are in and so you all live without the true Knowledge and Injoyment of God in this world And so the People of the Lord that are taught of him by his Holy Spirit cannot for good Conscience-sake buy any of your deceitful Wares nor cannot give you any Tythes nor Money for preaching which speak and preach against Perfection from Sin in this Life and say that None can be set free from Sin in this Life and so you deny the sufficiency of Christ and his Commands and your Faith and Belief stands in him who is the author of all Sin and Evil which is the Devil and so your speaking and preaching as aforesaid doth incourage and strengthen the Wicked in their Wickedness and you are a means to beget them into Unbelief that they may believe as you do that their is no Perfection from Sin in this Life And so neither you nor they that are your Hearers do press after Perfection because you do not believe that such a good state and condition can be attained unto in this Life and so your Doctrine and Principles and Practices are all quite contrary to the Doctrines and Principles and Practices of Christ and his Ministers and all true Believers and Followers of Christ and also quite contrary to the Scriptures of Truth in every thing that you do and practice concerning the Worship of God and therefore you are to be disowned and denyed by all good Christians that truly fear the Lord and loves him in Truth and in Sincerity of heart and all your Preaching and Praying is abomination in the sight of the Lord and he will not hear nor answer the Prayers of the Wicked that live and delight in Sin and Wickedness and walk and act in such wicked Wayes and Practices as these Clergy-Men do now which is all quite contrary to the 〈◊〉 Way of God And now I have something to mention and lay before you all that are called Christians of all sorts of Professions and Religions whether they be called Quakers or any other sort of Professions or Religions whatsoever that do say and believe that God is your Father and Christ is your Saviour I desire that every one would seriously weigh and consider their own Ways and Doings and