prepares for his glorious and everlasting Kingdom the desire of all Nations is come and coming blessed are all they that wait for him and receive him where there is neither Greek nor Jew Col. 3.11 Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and all And this Love of God to the World in his Son Christ Jesus the Lord of Heaven and Earth by his universal Power and Wisdom hath raised thousands of Living Witnesses who cannot deny him before men knowing assuredly that the Cause is the Lord's and he will plead it with all flesh and to all faithful and true witnesses that continue to the end they shall have a Crown Immortal Life the which Life and Immortality is brought to Light through the Gospel praises be to his holy Name forever So it s for True Christianity that many who are call'd Quakers have so deeply suffered to this day and in this true Self-denyal and dayly Cross following our blessed Leader and Commander Christ Jesus we have sought the good of all mankind testifying against Infidelity and Corruption where-ever it appears Take but a view of this Nation and see what abundance of poor distressed Families are begging up and down and many are ready to perish for want of Conveniencies and do but view how others do swell in Pride and Luxury and cover themselves over with a Name of Christian whatever esteem this may have in the sight of fallen men I am sure it hath none with God nor those who are raised unto some degree of knowledge of his divine power and wisdom by which all things were created good in the beginning and by which alone that which is out of order must be put into order again The Lord God prosper his blessed work of Reformation which he hath begun in the Earth saith my Soul and the Souls of all who are truly sensible of his Righteousness therein By one that did Live several years amongst them Stephen Smith The 8th day of the 12th Month 1673 THE END A Faithful Testimony Concerning the SCRIPTURES And Dangerous Estate that they are in who through their private Interpretations do add unto and diminish from the Holy Prophesies therein Contained And do thereby make void the End and Tendency of Gods great Love through the Moving of his Holy Spirit in Holy Men in giving forth those Blessed Testimonies plainly shewn And the Blessed Motion Operation Revelation and Divine Inspiration of Gods Holy Spirit in its Blessed Works and Manifestation in this day time and season Asserted And an Exhortation unto all to Bow to the Light and Manifestation of Gods Holy Spirit in them least the things which concern their Everlasting Rest and Peace be hid from them With some brief Instances of Wicked motions and their Effects and Blessed motions and their Effects taken out of the Scriptures Revel 22.18 For I Testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book Printed in the Year 1679. A Faithful Testimony Concerning the SCRIPTURES COme all Professors of the holy Scriptures to the tryal whether there may not be great and high talking of by those who are real opposers of the very end and tendency of that love and mercy of God which through the Scriptures is testified unto Come to plain dealing and weigh things in a true ballance and let that which is light and vain which is a lett that the Noble Seed cannot come forth Let that be cast off that the Nobility of your Understandings may be opened and cleared from darkness and error that the things which concerns your everlasting peace may be witnessed before you go from hence and shall be seen no more The 2 Pet. 1.20 21. Knowing this first that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation For the Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of man But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Now mind since the Prophesies in Scripture is of no private interpretation let all who would not be supposed to be of that number who are giving their private Interpretation of those weighty and high concerns consider what Spirit they are led and acted by therein For as much as those weighty concerns cannot be understood but by the universal love and mercy of God in and through the manifestation of the Light of his holy Spirit given to every man to profit withall Therefore all had need to consider whether they feel and understand the mind and will of God through the manifestation of his blessed Spirit leading and guiding them into the knowledge of those Prophesies aforesaid And if this love of God in the manifestation of his Spirit be not taken heed unto and received and used for that end it is given all they who neglect it can give no other Interpretation of the Prophesies but what they conceive in their private Conceptions the which is a dangerous Estate the Prophesies being deep things wherein the great Salvation of the Lord unto mankind is signified and this goodness and mercy of the Lord is only revealed by his Spirit as said the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for he searcheth all things yea the deep things of God So it s by taking heed unto the manifestation of the blessed gift of God by which the love and mercy of God were witnessed unto by the holy men of God that the Scriptures of Truth come to be clearly understood And this Spirit of God giving to man kind light and understanding in the things of God this also pure and holy in man the which must be taken heed unto by all that comes to a clear understanding in those weighty concerns of life and peace under that penalty least they be hid from them Therefore there is a necessity even for all to take heed to that love of God in the blessed operation and inshining of his holy Spirit in them as saith the holy Apostle Rom. 1.19 Because that which may be knâ—â—â— of God is manifest in them for God hath 〈…〉 unto them And therefore aâ—â— that deny this universal love of God the moving of his holy Spirit and do nor the heed to the manifestation of it in themselves they are they who are the opposers of the love and mercy of God signified through the Scriptures And thus in the works of darkness being found opposers of the 〈◊〉 intent and meaning of the will of God through the blessed operation of his good Spirit how are people giving private Interpretations of the Prophesies in the Scriptures according to their own private Imaginary conceivings adding and diminishing to bring them to their corrupt minds and wills In which works of darkness they make void the great love of God testified of by holy men throughout the Scriptures and so are without the real benefit which
with Profession and Confession of Christ Jesus that he was made Righteousness Wisdom and Sanctification and Redemption to them that believed in the Primitive time by the pouring out of his blessed Spirit then the Arm of the Lord was revealed and the power of the Lord did redeem people from under the enemies power and the Faith of Gods Elect was then very precious And the power of Christ Jesus who hath power over all flesh that then was the higher power and people did then bow under it and confessed him before men then indeed Christs Doctrine and Commands taught and received and his precious blood confessed unto by them that were witnesses thereunto who through the vertue and sufficiency were redeemed from under the man of sin's power and so cleansed from the filthy Garments of sin Then indeed the Lord had a people the which were his purchased possession being sanctified throughout in Soul Body and Spirit by the pouring out and renewings of Christs holy Spirit They were not their own being purchased and bought with a price they all confessed unto the Lord that had bought them and all the true Preachers of righteousness they preacht up then the sufficiency of the Blood of the Lamb and the uncorruptable word of life and laboured and travelled for the forming of Christ in the Believers that they might present them perfect in Christ Jesus All this saith the Seed of the bond-woman where Mistery Babylon hath her brood we cannot deny but that the state and condition of the Primitive Christians were as aforesaid But they may say if they will speak the Truth our Mother Mistery Babylon hath taught us another Lesson now adays Alas for you our fore-Fathers Demas and the Antichristian Spirit that led abundance from among the true Christians many in the Antichristian Spirit went out and imbraced this World and in the Wisdom thereof the God of the World blinded our our Fore-fathers Minds and then the Gospel was hid and in the Apostacy we grew being inwardly ravened from the Spirit of Christ we lost the sense of the sufficiency of the power thereof Then the Spirit of Antichrist that led and became head and the Beast and false Prophet with many Heads and Horns some like a Lamb having received power from the Dragon became in time such a great head and mountain that they made War with the true Woman and her Seed and cast out floods of ungodliness against that Birth and Seed that was conceived by the free Woman and in such a degree the Beast prevailed that he proclaimed open War saying who is able to make War with the Beast Thus the Seed of the bond Woman who are conceived and brought forth out of the Womb of Mistery Babylon may truly say the Arm of flesh is now accounted for the higher power and we teach for Doctrine the Commands of Men our Mother hath trained us up and taught us to deny the power of the Lord to be the higher power and to deny the infallible teachings of the Grace of Gods Spirit and to deny the Operation and Revelation and Inspiration of Gods holy Spirit now a dayes and to say that is ceased now adayes And now we can live bravely in the Lusts of our own eyes and in the Lust of our own flesh and in the Pride of Life under many Fair Coverings that our Mother hath made us having cast off Christs Yoak we are now at liberty in the flesh to use our Tongues in our own wills and pleasures the Beast and false Prophet hath purchased this liberty for us and our Mother sits as Queen and saith we shall see no sorrow It is service good enough now adayes to be high talkers of the holy mens words and works and to set them up for Teachers who have an Art and subtilty to please men best with their good Words and fair Speeches As for the universal Spirit and power of the Lord Jesus and his blessed Office to fit and prepare for the blessed Ministery Our Mother Mistery Babylon hath taught us to deny the sufficiency thereof and to set up Universities and Schools to make Ministers by and let them be as graceless as they will so they be Witty and Learned and can talk Learnedly of the good words and Testimonies that proceeded from the moving of Gods Spirit through Fisher-men Shepheards and Herds-men and the like If they can by their floods of Eloquence and high flown Doctrines and Speeches under fair shews of Confession and Profession of some things that have been done and of some things that should be done and yet leave all undone and stop the very motions of the Spirit of Truth by and in which alone every thing that is good is done and without it we can do nothing that 's good and acceptable and well pleasing to God We the Children of Mistery Babylon may say if our Preachers and Teachers do so well apply themselves to Learning and get such curious Arts and Eloquence as to stop the motions of the Spirit of Truth now adays they do our Mothers work well and deserves good Incouragement some long Coats some short Coats some Shop-keepers and Trades a vast Revenew by the year some more some less according as we and our Merchants can agree And for this Trade and Merchandize we are beholding to the Beast and false Prophet who hath purchased this liberty for us to deny the Revelation Operation and Divine Inspiration of the Spirit of Truth now adayes And so to give our private Interpretations of the holy Prophesies in Scripture and to make void the very end and tendency of the moving of Gods holy Spirit through holy men in giving forth the same Thus you may see the Fruit of your Doctrine you Seed of the bond Woman who are nourished and trained up by your Mother Mistery Babylon in whose Womb all the Treachery in Cruel Butchery hath been conceived and brought forth who have been so drunk with the Whores Cup of Sorceries that you have not spared to drink the Blood of the holy Prophets A postles and Saints and Martyrs of the living God and this is and hath been the fruits and effects of the motions of your own proud arrogant exalted spirits whereby you have disdained and mocked the very appearance of Gods holy Spirit of Truth and the Light thereof You have contemned and spoke slightly and evil of and all this have you done under a Mistery wherein in your drunken fits you have killed and spoiled the Servants of the living God and then wip't your Mouths like Sheep-biting Dogs and made the World believe that Worshipped the Beast that you had done some service for the Lord You are the Generation whom Christ spoke of Mat. 23.33 Ye Serpents ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of Hell Fill up your measure that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth For of a Truth the good Husbandman the Lord of Heaven and Earth
hath all this while reserved a Seed as it is written And as Esaias said before Rom. 9.29 except the Lord of Sabbath had left us a Seed we had been as Sodoma and been made like unto Gomorrha And in this is the Lord replenishing the Earth and making of it fruitful in vertue in life in praises to his holy name even by the same spirit of Truth that moved in the holy men of God that gave forth those holy Prophesies and blessed Testimonies in the Scriptures of Truth And this is the time and season wherein the Lord is pouring out his spirit even the same spirit as he did pour out upon his Sons and Daughters in the Primitive time And it s by the Operation Revelation and Divine Inspiration of the same spirit of Christ Jesus in and by which the Holy Prophesies and Testimonies in the Scripture comes to be understood And in this spirit the Lord hath and is ordaining Ministers that they may go and bring forth fruit and that their fruit may remain And by the power and efficasie thereof are thousands of living witnesses raised now in these dayes unto whom the goodness mercy and loving kindness of the Lord is revealed even by the Operation Divine Inspiration and blessed effects of the same spirit of Christ Jesus which the holy men of God were witnesses of in the Primitive dayes And in and by this spirit of power and wisdom is the Lord made Righteousness Wisdom Sanctification and Redemption unto his people who are believers this day as he was in the Primitive days unto his people who did believe in him And by the power and effectual works of this spirit of Christ Jesus in these days time and season The Blind receive their Sight Mat. 11.5 6. and the Lame Walk the Lepers are Cleansed and the Deaf Hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel Preached to them And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me This spirit of Christ Jesus was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles on which the true Believers which were the Church of Christ was built and it s on this Foundation that the true Believers which is the Body of Christ which is his Church is built this day time and season where Christ is Head Leader Law-giver and Commander and by his spirit is the blessed Worship set up now in the Church of Christ the which Christ set up in opposition to all false Worships in the Primitive time as you may read But the hour cometh when the true Worshipers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth John 4.23 24. for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth Therefore yours is the false Worship now where the Revelation Operation and Divine Inspiration of this blessed spirit of Truth is denyed now adays Your Worship is false imaginary and conceited for none can truly call Jesus Lord but by the leading and guiding of the same holy spirit of Truth and all that makes mention of his holy Name let them depart from Iniquity And all you who do not but do continue in the Mistery thereof in subjection to the man of sin your Prayers are the Prayers of the wicked the which is abomination to the Lord And your patcht up Sermons the which you Study and Frame up in your Brain from the works of others They are all alike abomination and how costly these works of abomination are let the Wise in Heart judge And in all where this blessed spirit of Truth is rejected and stoped in its motions and so grieved and quenched and another spirit leads all their labour and travel is vain and your Consultations are vain and whatsoever you form up be it an Instrument never so cunningly and wisely wrought in the deepest of your Skill and Councel in the highest degree of the Worlds Wisdom to oppose the out-goings of this blessed Spirit of Christ Jesus it shall never prosper neither shall the Contrivers ever prosper in their works Look back 20 or 30 years past where great undertakings have been even if it had been possible to have ruined and spoiled all those who gave Testimony to this Spirit of Truth And see what sad effects those works of Opposition have produced what hath your turning of things upside down availed you Alas for you your worth is the product of ruine and misery that which you intend to your peaceable Neighbours will come upon your selves your own works in your singular exalted spirits is the purchaser thereof Oh you Ignorant Fools who are blinded by the God of this Wold and are so high flown that you go about to limit the holy God in the goings out of his holy Spirit you may as well undertake to alter the course of the Sun and stop up the course of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea Your sins of Presumption would be much alike and your Folly will end in as great shame Indeed your presumption arises from an Arm of Flesh and long continuance in vain Customs Traditions and Inventions And because you can clap up in Prisons and make Havock and Ruine and Spoile of People and their Goods your spirit that leads you in these works being an envious Malicious Cruel Abominable Wicked spirit therefore proceeds this wrong Judgment from you even that Gods holy Spirit in Revelation Operation and Divine Inspiration as moving through holy Men in the Primitive time is now ceased But if it were so as you vainly Imagine then shew where the difference lyes between you who call your selves Christians and the Heathens if the Spirit of Christ Jesus the Spirit which people were brought under in the Primitive time and thereby to be Baptized into one Body the which was to be ruled and governed by that Spirit of Christ Now if the Revelation Operation and Divine Inspiration thereof be ceased then tell me by what spirit Christians so called are Baptized into so many Bodyes and Fellowships and what Spirit rules and governs And what difference there is between them called Heathen in their Fellowships and them called Christians in their Fellowships where the Authority Rule and Government of Christs Spirit is denyed Come to plain dealing and don't Shuffl you have been long enough in that work already and the more you persist therein the more you will be confounded and the deeper plunged into the horrible pit and your Feet will be faster stuck in the Mire Therefore be admonished to deal plainly least you be your own Executioners through your high presumptuous mindedness in bringing swift destruction upon you for of a Truth thousands have been bowed before the Lord under a sense of their own insufficiency to perform that which is good and acceptable of themselves and have truly waited upon the Lord in a deep silence of the flesh And indeed Christ hath appeared the second time in his blessed Spirit and
quarter And he did not rail in saying so he spoke the Truth Read what wicked motions there was in the flesh and the motion of the true Prophet against them said he They were as fed Horses every one neighed after his neighbours Wife Jer. 5. 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 Read the true Prophets motion in the word of Truth against the false fleshly Prophets motion Who moved for handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread Ezek. 13. Read how wicked they were The wicked false Teachers in this Age have a larger and richer Trade they move for Thousands of Pounds The true Prophet moving in the Truth cryed out against the horrible wicked fleshly motions of the Priests and said As troops of Robbers wait for a man Hosea 6. so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent for they commit lewdness Observe they were agreed in their motion Read the wicked motions of a wicked spirit in the Presidents Princes Governours Counsellers who moved the King to make an unalteralterable Decree to insnare Daniel Dan. 7. because he was Honest and Just And though Daniel was acquainted therewith and knew the penalty yet he was moved in a good Spirit to open his Windows and pray as before And read what became of the motions of the wicked and also of the blessed motions The good Spirit in the Prophet moved him to testify against the false Spirits motions both in head and tail Said he The heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for Hire Mic. 3.1 and the Prophets thereof Divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Oh the presumption and confidence of wicked motions and observe how hireling Priests were cryed out against in former dayes as well as in these last dayes Christ in his Doctrine gave people warning To beware of the Scribes which love to go in long Clothing and love Salutations in the Market places Mark 12. and the chief Seats in the Synagogues and the uppermost Rooms at Feasts Which devour Widows houses and for a pretence make long Prayers But they are worse that make Widows and devour Estates examine the Jailers Calenders for near 30 years last past Acts the 20. The Apostle was moved by a good Spirit to declare what should come after him saying For I know this that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock And what a wonderful motion this wicked generation have had for near this 30 years let all them that have heard and seen and are more moderate and wise in heart judge 1 Joh. 2. There you may read that there was then many Antichrists and the evil motions of that wicked Spirit the which was then in the World Chap. 4.3 was to deny Christ's coming in flesh And John being in the Spirit on the Lords day had wonderful things revealed unto him both of the Beasts rising out of the Sea and out of the Earth Revelation and with what swelling Pride he exalted himself over the Saints and Servants of the Lord God And how that Kings agreed to give their strength and power unto the Beast with one mind to make War with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them For he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are blessed and chosen and faithful And he saw the downfall of Babylon and the End of the Beast and false Prophet Read chap. 19. And this is coming to pass and must be fulfilled glory praises and honour be given to the Lord God forever And thus unprejudiced Reader who hath some Breathings after the knowledge of the Lord and canst not take up a rest in a sinful state but desires that true Judgment may go forth Here is plain Truth and also some brief instances therein which is but few to what might be given from Genesis to the Revelations of the wicked Spirits motions and their Effects and of the blessed motions of Gods good Spirit and their Effects by which thou mayest see by the fruits and practices who are of that brood and generation of Cain and his followers and who are of the generation of Abel and his followers And what a wicked proud arrogant Spirit that is which dares presume to limit the moving of Gods holy Spirit in its Revelation Operation and Divine Inspiration And by which wicked and presumptuous works that proud ambitious and aspiring Spirit hath turned the very end and tendency of the love and mercy of God in the moving of this holy Spirit through holy Men in giving forth those blessed Testimonies and Prophesies in Scriptures even quite to another use then intended And how the Antichristian Spirit which was in the World in the Apostles dayes wrought in a Mistery of Iniquity and in Confessions and Professions from the true witnesses Testimony that Christ was come into the World and how he was Born and how he Suffered and was Ascended and will come again which is all true But under this fair covering the Merchants of Babylon set up their Trades and fraighted their Vessels with the Whores Trumpery and with fair Speeches and good Words out of the Life out of the Power they have deluded poor Souls making Merchandize of them setting up that which is profitable in the way of righteousness for the way of righteousness and so excluded the second coming of Christ in Spirit to them that look and wait for him without sin unto Salvation This great mistery the which is Christ in us the hope of Glory the way of Truth and Life the way of Righteousness unto the Father out of which none can come unto him this by their Arts they have wholly excluded And thus having set the Scripture for a chief rule and only rule of Life they have excluded the Spirit of Truths guide and leadings the which the Scripture directs unto and so set the Scriptures above the Spirit by the moving of which they were given forth And the Words and Writings of the Scripture they have set up for the word it self And this Spirit having put the Declaration and Writings of Matthew Mark Luke and John for the Gospel here the Gospel the power of God that is excluded and Christ the word of God in the heart and mouth that is excluded And thus having turned the Scripture upside down The man of sin the Son of Perdition 2 Thes 2.3 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And now saying in effect that the day of Christ is past as touching his appearance and coming in the flesh he is at a remoteness or distance from his people Now Revelations are ceased say they and the best
Spirit which is the one true Baptism through and by him who is to increase in all his Blessed Office as Priest to Minister according to the necessities of all that come unto him as proper to open the Mysteries that are hid from the Wise and Prudent a Bishop to oversee what is lacking in the Church a Shepherd to lead his Flock in an out and to Feed them in Green Pastures of Life and Peace a Physitian to heal the Wounded a Prince to give forth his Righteous Laws and Decrees in his Church where his Righteous Holy Laws are written in the Heart is to be read and spread before all that all who are met in his holy Name may partake of his Divine Nature and so become Heirs of his everlasting Kingdom which never shall have end So Blessed are they who believe in God and do not make haste but wait patiently for the fulfilling of his promise that you may be delivered and kept from Worshipping the Inventions of men So in good will to all who have a desire to Truth is this given forth by Stephen Smith The 27th day of the 8th Month 1673. An Answer to a Paper called The Gospels Glory A Paper Intituled The Gospels Glory or the Covenant of Grace and Grace of the Covenant Vnfolded And for the better understanding of them who Impartially desire to know the Truth as it is in Jesus is this brief Answer given The Blessed Gospel of Christ glad Tydings of Christ The Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth Rom. 1.16 17. therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith This was preached unto Abraham which was hundreds of years before Moses and therefore so long before his Writings And the same blessed Gospel they which are of the same faith with blessed Abraham Gal. 2.8 are blessed with him in the knowledge of this is invisibly to be felt and seen to expel the Clouds of darkness and error and to rent the vail thereof and to break down the Partition wall which is made up through sin and iniquity and thus to finish sin and put an end to transgression and to bring in everlasting righteousness and herein is the righteousness of the law fulfilled in them that believe through the Gospel of Christ he being the end of the law for righteousness to them that believe And in this invisible glorious work in opening the understandings of them that believe is the glory of the Gospel manifestly shewed 2 Cor. 4.3 4. But if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of the World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them so unbelief is the cause why people have not the knowledge of the Gospel which the Apostle was not ashamed of it being the power of God unto salvation the power of a Saviour the wisdom of a Saviour Christ Jesus the Heavenly man In his blessed spiritual appearance for the refreshing of every truly hungering and thirsting soul after his righteousness Paul to the Galatians saith the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man Gal. 1.11 12. for I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ so that the blessed Gospel is an inward glorious work wrought by the Spirit and power of Christ Jesus the foundation of all the Prophets and Apostles on which the true believers were and are built to the praise and honour of God for ever And whereas he saith the grace of the Covenant unfolded therein he shows what birth he is of which might fitter be imployed in its Poetry in making of Balads then to be found so presumptuous in affirming the grace of the Covenant unfolded in that dark imaginary stuff in that Paper The grace of God being an invisible appearance of Gods holy Spirit unto all mankind which is testified to Paul and Titus For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us c. So here was and is the universal love of God to all mankind not willing that any should perish but that all might know the Truth and be saved So in that the grace of God appears unto all the renders of his love is therein shewed to all without respect of persons That in every Nation they that fear God and work righteousness through the blessed operation of the grace of his holy Spirit such are accepted of him So than they are in the way of a blessing who believe in God and wait in a full assurance And trust in him for the knowledge of the infallible teachings of grace whereby way is ministred unto a growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus And thus far the Apostle did unfold the love of God from what he had handled felt seen of the mercies and riches of Gods great love to all mankind therein being a true witness of the love of God through the grace of his holy Spirit by and in which the good of all was and is sought but indeed there be but few that doth regard it though his hand of love be stretcht out all the day long There be so many false Teachers who by good Words and fair Speeches deceives poor simple ignorant people through their great flourishing words about the grace of God out of the sensible feeling of its blessed vertue and power in its infallible Teachings and thereby bringing Salvation And though this love of God hath appeared to all all have not the knowledge thereof as they had and have who are true believers in God As said the Apostle to Titus Teaching us so true believers Baptized by one blessed Spirit into one body and therein being received into Gods holy Covenant of grace cannot but cry out Oh the vertue of Christ Jesus by whom comes grace and truth which is of a healing nature glad tydings indeed unto wounded Souls and none can be further truly sensible of the unfolding of this love of God to the refreshing and comforting of their immortal Souls but by the feeling of its vertue and power to quicken revive and raise up out of sin and iniquity the cause of death And in his Poetry he saith Gods works preach not redemption from Hell the name of Christ there is not legible Ans And in and by all Gods powerful and glorious works both within man and without is the blessed and powerful name of Christ to be read and understood So its Gods works alone that preach redemption from the power of Hell and death 2 Cor. 5.19 and therein is Christs holy name legible But as it is written that which is born of flesh is flesh and so a heap of fleshly works are in that Paper to the shame of the Author in giving them that Title c. And as that which
outward written Law since they must be judged without any such Law for transgressing of what Law must they be judged it cannot be denyed but that God hath given them a Law to walk by and that it is for the transgression thereof that they come under condemnation and must be judged Before this question be answered in Truth that Gospel must be known that is preached in every creature which is under Heaven Page 37. The Author saith we that have the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles brought down to us in the Scriptures may according to Scripture Dialect be said to have Christ and his Apostles as truly as it was said of the Jews in our Saviours days on Earth that they had Moses and the Prophets for it was by having in the Scriptures what they said and did that they were said to have them and by hearing and believing the Scriptures of the New Testament we may as well be said to hear and believe Christ and his Apostles c. Answer That ever such a stranger to Christianity should be so impudent as to say I will shew you the method and way of God that doth not know himself one step therein as appears by his dark arguing The Jews had the writing of Moses and the Prophets and no question but they did believe them to be so but what did they profit by them when out of that Faith and Spirit through which they are profitable they did testifie of Christ and were a witness to the righteousness of God as saith the Apostle when by them they judged Christ ought to die Christ did send the hard-hearted Jews who went about to kill him to Moses and the Prophets saying Joh. 5.39 40. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me and ye will not come to me that ye may have life And mind what the Apostle saith Rom. 3.12 But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets which righteousness the said Jews did not know though they had heard what Moses and the Prophets said of it But mind the cause of their not hearing so as to understand Neh. 9.20 Thougavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them but the cause of their blindness was even their rebellion against Gods Spirit And Stephen said to the Jews Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye So it 's very clear though the Jews had Moses and the Prophets writings yet by not taking heed to the Instruction of Gods Spirit in them they were without the knowledge of them and thus it is with the generality of those called Christians they have some of the writhings which gives a relation of Gods great love to the World in his heavenly and powerful gift of his holy Spirit manifest in the flesh to bruise the Serpents head and to destroy the Devils works But by disesteeming the blessed appearance of the Light of the Spirit of Christ in man as the Author of that Book doth in calling it a natural Light being thus in unblief their foolish hearts are darkned So though they have the New Testament as it is called by many that do not know the Law and the Testimony though they have some part of what was writ concerning Christ the Way Truth and Life of Christianity Yet by their quenching and grieving the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit in them they are as clearly void of the knowledge of the end and tendency of Gods great love in and by the motion of his holy Spirit that gave forth those writings with the several blessed Testimonies therein even as the hard-hearted Jews were of the Law and the Prophets when they were in the gainsaying and rebellion against Gods holy Spirit But such kind of smooth teaching as the Author of that Book who is unlearned in the blessed Teaching of the Spirit of Truth is very pleasant to unlearned people in the things of God but the Scripture is fulfilled in many of them Acts 13.41 Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days a work which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you So it 's very clear and that in a true sense that people may have the writings and not have Christ nor his Apostles neither be in their Doctrine but in lieu thereof they may have the Spirit of Antichrist and Doctrine of Antichrist and the ravening Woolves nature though they may have the Sheeps clothing First The Scriptures we must needs highly own in that they refer us to and exalt Christ and his immediate teaching of his Divine Light and Spirit within as being subservient thereto where they are received therein But since a great part of the work of the Author of that Book is to maintain the Scriptures being a rule of Faith and Practice and to gainsay the sufficiency of the Spirits teaching without the Scriptures or its immediate teaching now adays without some outward teaching I do ask whether the Authority be in the Spirit that spoke the words or in the words when spoken or written if none can deny but the Authority both was and is in the Spirit And Isaiah by the same Authority of Gods blessed Spirit he can work a saving change in people either with or without what is written therefore it is a high degree of presumption in going about to limit the blessed holy Spirit of God as the Author of that Book doth But what Authority or effect had the true Prophets words in the false Prophets mouths this sad effect they stole away the hearts of people from the living fountain and put them upon a vain labour in making broken Cisterns that could hold no water And what Authority profit or advantage have the true Ministers and Apostles of Christs words now in the false Teachers mouths with their meaning upon them Even this sad and lamentable effect they thereby steal away the hearts of people from the sense of the immediate motion of Gods holy Spirit in them and to gainsay its powerful teachings and the universal love of God in the moving of his universal holy Spirit through all the World in its convincing and reproving the World of sin c. And then to set them upon vain and unprofitable service First having turned their hearts and minds out of the way that the holy Spirit of Truth leads in and then set them upon a vain labour and travail in seeking but never finding till at length they conclude with the Devils Doctrine that there is no way out of a body of sin and death on this side the grave And such flattering and deceitful Teachers are in a high esteem and account among a flattering deceitful people So all may mind that we do not oppose the in ward Teaching of the Spirit of Truth
to what outwardly hath been taught or written from the blessed motions thereof or that may be taught or written by the motion of the same But we do oppose the true Teachings thereof to the false Teaching of all immaginary deceitful Spirits who under a pretence of love to Souls do make Merchandize of them And that being the great hinge on which his work depends in concluding the Scriptures to be the rule of Faith and Practice excluding the immediate Teaching of the Spirit and the all-sufficiency thereof I do ask whether Faith be a fruit of the Spirit or of the Scripture or whether a true Christians practice in living peaceably lovingly justly and holy and mercifully and in a clean life and conversation in long sufference patience goodness brotherly kindness c. be a fruit of the blessed Spirit of God or of the Scripture And since it cannot be denyed but that Faith and practice in a true Christian holy Conversation is a fruit of the blessed Spirit and that the Scriptures say the same Then are not all the gain-sayers of the immediate Teaching Opperation Revelation and Divine Inspiration of Gods holy Spirit of Truth a grand cause that there is so little fruit of the Spirit brought forth in Christendom And whether that be not the cause of so many heaps of Sects Notionists and Opinions among them and of so much Pride Lust Hypocrisie Fraud Deceit Wrath Malice Murders Witchcrafts Sorceries and all other abominations that might be mentioned committed in all the World the Lord gives the humble in heart true Judgment but the proud he doth resist But in Page 42. the Author saith Christ indeed or God Creator as he is described in the beginning of that Chap. Joh. 1.9 Doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World with the faculty of reason and understanding by which he may know that there is a God and that he is to be worshipped and that he is peaceable and the difference between moral good and evil in many things But however this may possibly be a light sufficient to direct the Heathen to as much as God expects from them if they live up to it to whom he affords no other Light yet this Natural Light is not sufficient to direct those that live under the Gospel to believe and do what they are bound to believe and do upon pain of Damnation c. Answer He hath clearly manifested his ignorance of the Gospel and what men are to be brought under that are made true Christians as if the Light of Christ within had not Gospel in it or could not minister Gospel But by hating of the Light how blind are they who have such low thoughts of thy way thereof accounting the Light of Christ natural yet sufficient to direct the Heathen as much as God expects of them Such is the esteem of them whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds taking the Jew outward for the Jew inward and the Christian in shew for the Christian in Truth And the wild Heathenish life and conversation of the Christian in shew for Christianity if they do but only in words own the Scriptures to be their rule of faith and practice And the true Christian that brings forth the fruits of Gods holy Spirit in life and conversation and is not ashamed to confess to the immediate motions of it in its blessed leadings and teaching to love of God above all and their neighbours as themselves and lives in true fear and watchfulness that they may not grieve nor quench the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit in them but are careful to live up to the reason and understanding that Christ hath illuminated or inspired them with and to eshew the evil and to love the good being shewed it by the Light of Christ and that God ought to be worshiped in Spirit and Truth and is in the performance thereof according to Gods will confessing to the blessed holy Spirit of God to be the rule of Life Faith practice Such a faithful and true Christian as this having such an account to give as is given by Edward Burrough and William Pen of the sufficiency of the pure Spirit of God to be the Judge of all matters of life and conversation Such true Christians are very slightly esteemed by such private immaginary Spirits as the Author of that Book is manifest to be of in all his works of darkness in that Book But I had rather be a Christian and though I am called Heathen then to be a Heathen and yet to be called and accounted a Christian In Page 61. the Author saith Another place misunderstood and misapplyed by you is Joh. 16.13 When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth which is not a promise of sending the Spirit to guide all Christians by its immediate motions But a promise to his Apostles for they only were then present with Christ at his passover c. Ans Indeed the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit is the great trouble of them who follow the motions of their own Spirit and lives out of the way of the knowledge of the holy Spirit of God which is Light and Life But I ask in case people are not to follow Christ and his Apostles into the true Faith and practice of Christianity by the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit of Truth by the motions of what Spirit are they to be led and guided since there is such variety of Sects and Opinions in the motions of their private Spirits which of them is to be followed But since the Author hath limited the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit only unto the Apostles I do ask into what Spirits motions were people Baptized and led into the body of Christianity or are they now to be led into the same and how can Christians have the Crown of Immortal Life as Paul had in finishing his course of life well and he said that was not laid up for him alone but also for all them that love the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ And who can be a follower of him in the way if they do not take heed to the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit as he did according to the measure and manifestation thereof in every one And again What can set people free from the spirit of bondage or from the spirit of error or corruption and deceit and hypocrisie but the immediate motions of Gods pure holy spirit in them But such is the dark work of the Author of that Book even to gainsay and limit the immediate motions of Gods holy Spirit and to set up the private selfish imaginary Spirit which is not in unity with the Light and Spirit of Truth But if the promise of Christ was only to give that gift of the immediate motion of Gods holy Spirit unto the Apostles then to what end did he counsel the Churches to Pray in the Spirit to Sing in the Spirit and to
largely of him but shall remain Your Friend and Brother in the Everlasting Truth Ellis Hookes London 28th day 3 mo 1679. A Testimony of the Work and Mercy of God particularly in relation to our dear Friend Stephen Smith lately deceased THe most holy and wise God who hath been pleased to make choice of foolish weak and contemptible things to coâ—â—â—â—nd the wise and the things that are mighty to the intent that no flesh with its wisdom and strength might glory in his presence but that his Power might appear in what way manner or Instrument soever he pleaseth how mean and despicable soever they may seem to that fleshly eye and mind that takes its measures from outward appearances and not from an inward solid principle of sound Judgment I certifie from a living experience that this most holy God hath appeared and raised up many Witnesses of his blessed Power and Work in our day even persons of various degrees qualities and capacities not only some few endowed with Learning natural acquirements and parts but more especially many of the plain simple and unlearned to the end that not only his Power might the more appear and shine in its glory over all flesh and the glory of man but also that God in his wisdom is graciously pleased to condescend to the lowest and meanest capacities in most familiar ways to direct his speech and Testimony of Life for the reaching peoples several capacities and consciences so as to turn them to that principle of Light and Truth which through Christ Jesus he has placed in them God hath in our day as in former ages raised up Plowmen Herdsmen Fishermen Husbandmen and such like to be experimental and more effectual Preachers to men of such capacities then Academical or Schoolmen with all their Learning acquired parts and School craft and with a plain Testimony in the simplicity of the Gospel condescended to accommodate and answer low and mean capacities with that truth and simplicity that is in Christ Jesus which has been to the confounding of the wisdom of the wise so that it may be truly said where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this World hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this World and not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise And although the following Writings and Discourses of this our dear and honest-hearted Friend Stephen Smith now deceased and at rest with the Lord do not bespeak him a man educated in artificial Learning Oratory and Eloquence yet he was a simple plain-hearted and sincere man to what the Lord made manifest in him and one that eyed the power and presence of God in his Life and Testimony since the God of all our mercies was graciously pleased to open his understanding with the knowledge of his Divine Light and Truth as it is in Christ Jesus our Lord he prized it as his great mercy from the most gracious God that after his long and wearisom travels in many Countries and exercises in the troublesom and tossing Sea of the World he at length arrived at his desired Haven of safety being brought to know a true stay to his mind and a quiet habitation of repose in the Sanctuary and holy Tabernacle of him who dwells in the Light and hath Immortality dwelling in the Light I knew this man from the first time of his being convinced and receiving Gods holy Truth which was in the year 1665. who in mercy to him made me instrumental therein and when his understanding and heart was opened through the plain evidence and Testimony of the Spirit of Life concurring with the witness manifestation and operation thereof in his own conscience as it always doth he received the Truth in the Love of it and gave up to obey and walk in the same and truly loved Gods faithful Messengers and People how despised and suffering soever they were and freely gave up to partake with them of their sufferings and did likewise suffer with them both in Person and Estate by Imprisonments and spoil of Goods for his tender Conscience and Testimony on the behalf of Christ Jesus who as he gave him a Testimony to bear against all Hireling oppressing Teachers and Priests who preach for hire and impose that great oppression and Antichristian yoke of Tithes according as he signifies in some of his Writings so he gave up to suffer and endure Spoil rather then in the least he could pay them or gratifie the covetous mind or greedy appetite of such Shepherds as feed themselves and not the Flock and make a prey upon people and with force and cruelty rule over them And lastly as he was a man fearing God and of good report in his Country being an exemplary Preacher of Righteousness in his Conversation and one truly kind and ready to do good in his day so God was pleased in some measure to endue him with a living Ministry and experimental and innocent Testimony to tell of his goodness and speak forth his praise to others from an inward sence thereof in himself and to the comfort and encouragement of many that heard him I speak what I know herein he having at sundry times travelled with me in the work and service of God in the Gospel of his Son Christ Jesus and we travelled together more particularly at one time to visit Friends in Surrey Sussex and Kent in which Journey we were much and often comforted together in the Lords work and in the Assemblies of Friends which was near upon a year before his decease Well I am satisfied in my very Soul that as he is taken away from the Evil to come so he is entred into his Rest and has his portion with the Blessed that dye in the Lord. From a Living Remembrance of this my dear Friend Stephen Smith and a real sence of his Innocent Life Spirit and Conversation and in honour and due respect to that Divine power and work of God in him I was really concerned in my Spirit to give this precedent Testimony truly desiring and praying to God that all Friends professing the same Truth may concur in the same Spirit and example of Faithfulness to the end even so as to obtain the same blessed end of the Righteous that will crown all our Labours Travels and Sufferings which in this World we partake of and endure for the Testimony of Jesus and of a good Conscience I am a Friend to the Truth and the Souls of all men G. Whitehead Enfield the 20th day of the 1st month 1671 9. Susanna Smiths Testimony concerning her Husband MY Testimony for my dear Husband is That he was a man of an upright heart towards God and man and hated deceit he was diligent and faithful in the service of the Lord he did spend and was spent for the Everlasting Gospel and is entred into Rest and Peace
their hearts to the end they may above and before all desire a clean heart and a right Spirit that so they may be single hearted toward their Creator and all men which except that be known the Lord will send a day upon them wherein shall be weeping and howling and bitter Lamentation and their Torment shall be so great that in the Morning they shall wish it were Night and at Night they shall wish for Morning and many shall desire Death rather then Life So I greatly desire that all People would mind in coolness how it stands between them and their Creator and deal impartially with themselves for of a certain Cod will not be mocked but such as they sow such they must reap So all mind the Fear of the Lord is to depart from Evil that so the Curse of the Lord may be done away and his Blessing known and received And those that come amongst the Possessors of the Truth who have heard the sound of it and so a belief is raised in their hearts that God is found by them that diligently seek him in the Way of Truth many there be that are thus perswaded and so frequent Meetings together with them that are in the work of Truth in a bare Profession of Truth never throughly given up to the end that Truth may be their Guide in all their wayes but come and sits down with some reserve in their Hearts which they covet to keep as Achan did the goodly Babylonish Garment which was appointed for the Fire but for so doing the Curse of the Lord followed him though his covetousness was a trouble to the Children of Israel for a time yet at length God made it manifest and so will the Lord do those who comes amongst Friends with a reserve in their hearts that which is appointed for the Fire they that covet to keep notwithstanding the many Precious Meetings they come to and hear their conditions plainly laid open to them yet still consulting with Flesh and Blood which will never yield that true obedience should be given to the Lord so cannot amend but continue in the same course of Life for not taking heed to the Councel of the Lord nor giving wholly up to be guided by the Spirit of Truth such are not in the the Way of Truth but sit down as Branches by those of the Vine but their Fruit doth manifest them for those that deals so deceitfully with their own Hearts how can it be expected they should be true to others so such becomes an ill savour to Truth as long as they continue so and a burthen and a trouble to them that are in the way of growing in the Truth but let them know who harden their hearts against Reproof and though they do come amongst them that live in the Fear and Dread of the Lord and so meet together that they may receive a continual supply of the Bread of Life and enjoy the presence of the Lord yet their so coming with a reserve in their heart they cannot profit by it So at length seeing they cannot bring the Way of the Lord to their way they begin to grow cold in meeting and so by degrees the Enemy draws out the mind and then gets room for his consultations and so perswades them to wait no longer but that all Places are alike and so at length some get into the Mass-House with other silly People laden with sins ever learning and never able to come to the Truth and begin to perswade themselves or the Enemy of their Souls perswades them that there is a little difrence in the Declaration of the Ministers of Christ and Antichrist their words say they are all good and so begin to build Babel again having rejected that Love which did appear for their Everlasting good having chosen to please themselves in some small thing which they could not part with though no better then a Mess of Pottage for which many have sold an Eternal Inheritance so with Cain they are in the Curse wandering up and down in that which is cursed of the Lord and not beloved of good men so the Lord hath dealt justly in making them manifest They went out from us because they were not of us but their reward will follow them And many others there be that come to Meetings and hear Truth declared often and confesseth its the Truth but when they see if they come to obey they must take up a Cross to Flesh either in denying to fear man or else hazard of losing Goods and some their Companions and Acquaintance though it may be in iniquity and such like Baits the Enemy of mans Soul hath ready for that mind which is willing ro catch at them to save that alive which is in the Curse so sometimes they come and sometimes they stay away and then come again and the Enemy of their Souls gets a wound now and then but for want of giving up at length the Enemy begins to be whole again and so the Spirit of the Lord is grieved and quenched by degrees and the Enemy grows stronger and stronger and at length he gets these Reasons in the Creature because the Enemy knows many will not be satisfied without some plausible Reason so he tells many why thou art but a poor Creature or you are but poor Creatures and what can you do without power so here the willing mind readily catches at this bait and then when they are asked why they give not up O say they we want power O that I had but power to do so and so how joyful should I be and such like stuff the Enemy furnisheth them withall who are willing to receive it and in the mean time slight the appearance of Christ the Light in whom Power is received by grieving and quenching his Holy Spirit of Truth in which is the greatest manifestation of Love that God could bestow on lost Mankind in making manifest his Son in their hearts for the redeeming them up unto himself out of their lost condition in the nature of Adam in the fall up into the Nature of the Second Adam which never fell but how is this Love of God slighted by those who thus wilfully yield to the Enemy of their Souls and rejecting the Lord who searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and then say they want power and its true when people have given themselves up to the power of the Enemy whose nature is to do all the hurt he can they may well say then they want power to do good that being disesteemed and accounted of as a thing of nought having cast behind them the great Love of God in his Son and embraced something which the Enemy hath set before them as some glory in the World and the like but as he was alwayes a Lyar the Devil so will he be found in this for instead of giving them the glory of the World he is fitting them for Gods Wrath and Indignation that so
when he is cast out of those more upright hearts and more thankful that he may possess those Swinish natures and so throw them headlong into a Sea of Destruction whith others of the like bad natures of whom I shall say something Those are they which have heard and seen something of Truth by reading Books or speaking with some in the Truth whose words being accompanied with power proceeding from the Spirit of Truth they not having been able to resist but standing over them questionings and reasoning have been raised in them concerning their buildings whether or no they be upon the right Foundation but that being catch'd too which shews them their conditions so plain that they have no assurance of their well-being but in doubting and reasonings and fears through which secretly torment doth arise but their minds being from him that shews them their conditions which though it be the greatest Love that God could bestow on lost Mankind yet in that it brings a Cross to flesh seeing plainly that if they hearken to it they must forsake all their vain Customs and Traditions of the World with all its Lusts and Vanities these things not agreeing with Flesh and Blood which they are consulting the mind being drawn from the Witness for God in their hearts by their wilful yielding to the Enemy of their Souls who is alwayes ready with his Baits to betray them who desire ease in the Flesh and whose minds are out in studying Arguments to keep them in the same the subtle Serpent being here at work to the end that the Creature may partake of his Table for he knows that then they cannot partake of Gods Table as the Scriptures of Truth declares so at his Table he hands out curious words in Prayers and hanging down the head like a Bullrush and with feigning and flattering words to all sorts of Deceitful Workers and doth help to turn and wind all sorts of Worship which the Beastly Nature sets up and so tells them there is Flesh as well as Spirit to be satisfied and that they must live in sin as long as they have a being here and to others whose natures be inclined to Lust he provides plentiful Dishes for them and others who are disposed to Drunkenness he directs them to Companions and opportunity and at his Table are variety of Dishes for the Covetous man or Proud High Heady Boaster Curser Ranter for all sorts that will come to his Table he hath curious Dishes in a plenteous manner and in all these he promises content and satisfaction but as he ever was so he is and ever will be a Lyar for let those speak who hath fed most plentiful at his Table if ever they were satisfied but that the more they fed the more hungry they were let all these forementioned and Gamsters speak for themselves and Thieves and Murtherers and the like But in some he works more in a Mystery and furnisheth his Table with curious words and so feeds them and decks them but alwayes at his Table he hath this Dish for all sorts of Professors and Prophane that they must live in Sin in this Life this is as it were a Chain by which he holds all that will believe so fast to his Table and then let them be as rich as they will in comprehending and getting into the Brain-knowledge the Scriptures and outward Learning so though the work grows so high in the Mystery of Iniquity that the Enemy of the Soul hath exalted himself above all that is called God and so makes a shew in fine words and in long Prayers and in curious Arts yet whilst he can keep them in his Chain to his Table if they cannot have ease in professing in one Sect he will give them leave to profess in another Sect and if that will not serve he will give them leave to go into the profession of Truth it self and further to meet together with them in the Truth any thing but hearing the Voice of the Son of God and obeying which brings to the Table of God and so overthrows his Table to any thing but this his Chain will reach Now as to what is before those that have seen something of Truth and some trouble hath by reason thereof risen in them but for love of a little ease to the flesh such their minds being out willingly goes into the Devils Chain and so feeds at his Table where they are furnished with Arguments against the Spirit of Truth manifested to lead and to guide into all truth and so out of Sin which is the Devils Chain but being thus furnished according to their hearts lust being in the Adulterous Spirit takes all occasion to speak evil of Truth and them that are in it who are true Worshippers of the Lord according to his Will in Spirit and Truth so the god of the World having blinded their minds an evil eye gets out and this watches for the halting of them who are in Truth and when the just hand of God is gone out in making manifest some who have been in the profession of Truth who have hardned their hearts against reproof till at length their hypocrisie and guile is made manifest on which they hereby take occasion to speak evil of the Way of the Lord and them that are in it the Enemy of their Souls giving them thereby some ease for the present but it lasts not long but the Fame of Truth is sounded in their ears again by the Witness of God within or else from those in whom it dwells without them then the Lamb riseth and gives torment again and their Coverings be too narrow and will not serve them neither shall they Wo to the Rebellious Children saith the Lord that take Counsel but not of me and that cover with a covering but not with my Spirit So all unrighteous Coverings which people of unstable minds are under the Wo of the Lord is against so what will become of them that are under them O that men would in coolness consider whose day of Gods Visitation in Love is not past least by their often provocations he visits in his great displeasure and says My Spirit is weary with striving it shall strive no more now for the sakes of many who have yet true Breathings after Living Refreshment and are willing to take up Christs Yoke and Burthen and to follow him that is meek and lowly in heart that so they may rest for their Souls for their sakes I shall give a brief Relation of the Ministers of Christ and of the Ministers of Antichrist First The Ministers of Christ must know Christ and see him and believe on him Joh. 6.40 But some will say Who is there that knows not Christ Doth not all that can read see what is writ of him in the Scriptures of Truth And is not the Christ which you mean who suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem and the like Yes we do own the same Christ and that which the
till you bring it forth into action now consider what manner of evil this is which though it may be covered for a time if continued in ruin and destruction is in the way thereof Come you who live in Pride and Idleness following the lust of the Eye the lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life who live in fulness of Bread and Wantonness Feasting and making Merry over the pure Principle of God in you this is a great Evil therefore be admonished to mind that God in you and Watch and Pray in the same that so by that which is good of God the Evil may be overcome and the root and ground judged from whence all evil springs Come all you Drunkards and Gluttenous Persons who waste and spoil the good Creatures which are appointed for the necessary use of Mankind read what is written in Isa 5.11 12. What a miserable life are you in who are attended with Wo and Misery who are so far separated from the love of God in his Son and the Dominion that is therein to use and order all things aright according to the will of God For want of this knowledge how are many overcome with Strong Drink the which having Dominion how are many there unmanned of that natural ability of a man and so lye lyable to other Temptations whereby the soul lyes in bondage Come now be perswaded to mind that love of God which in the Cool when the Drink is out shews you what a great evil this is which if not departed from ruin is in that way both of Soul Body and Estate Come you Gamesters of all sorts who spend your time in Gaming and Sports who are coveting an Increase by such unequal and unjust wayes and many spending their time in such Practices How many Families are ruined by such a Course of Life and what an evil example Parents thereby shew to their Children and Families This is a great evil such being an ill savour who are living therein both to God and man who fears God Therefore be admonished to break off these evils by a true Repentance and learn to redeem time that a Change may be witnessed before you go from hence by vertue of the Power of Christ which often moves against evil so let not the just alwayes be resisted by the unjust but if the just principle of God be minded and joyned unto then will the unjust be overcome and the just set up in which all that dwell will be good savour in their day and a good example to all Come all you who are exalting a false Birth where your Ears are stopt and your Eyes are closed so that you have neither heard nor seen nor handled that which was from the beginning even that word of Life which everlasting Life was with the Father and was and is manifested to Believers from whence Testimony is given of Gods love therein where the true fellowship is witnessed in the Blessed Light of God which all you who are exalting a false Birth do despise and speak very evilly of or at least very slightly So the true Heir hath been rejected and not thought fit to raign having been called by you who are exalting the false and untimely Birth either a Devil which some have called him and others Natural or a Fool by which it may be seen how the Serpent's Wisdom hath been set by by the Adulteress who would fain have her Bastard to be Heir for which end how seemingly fair hath the Harlot Trimmed and Decked her self being arrayed in Purple and Scarlet and decked with Gold and Pretious Stones and Pearls her Religion being in her head from whence Abominations are let into the Heart where if the Light appear to search it it is mocked and sleighted by Ishmael So that false Prophet he is set up who cryes out No Revelation now so the deceitful heart being after the false Prophet gross darkness that covers so the love of God in the Blessed appearance of the Light of his unerring Spirit that is not comprehended so the Eye hath not seen nor the Ear heard neither hath it entred into their hearts the Mercies and Goodness of God which is to them that fear him and love his appearance in the Heart where the Light of his Blessed Spirit doth shew forth his goodness from whence is Ministred forth life and strength to the poor soul strengthning it against the appearance of evil so the soul being made sensible of the Peace of God and rest through the Revelation of his Holy Spirit which causes joy and gladness to the Soul having found a friend in its adversity it sets a high value and esteem of him and is willing to be guided and directed by him So the Harlot is seen and the false Birth is seen and the false Prophet which steals the true Prophets words is seen so the Adulteress may Cry long enough and Scold long enough and Peep and Mutter all her Whineings in seeming Prayers and Teaching Doctrines all end in filthiness and sin in her best duties and yet this Impudent Harlot concludes There is none like her and her Birth is the true Birth and all the rest are false But her deceit is manifest and her Sorceries and Witchcraft is seen and a Bed of Torment is prepared for her so they are Blessed that fear the Living God and sanctifie him in their Hearts who do not commit Leudness with the Harlot nor add any thing to the maintaining of her Gallantry Come all you Ranters who have gotten some words of Truth but do use them in an exalted spirit in which you are swimming up and down above the pure stream which flows from the pure meek principle of God the nature of the Water of Life which comes from the Fountain of all good that being to drive away all filthiness of Flesh where that hath passage it refreshes and keeps green and fresh in a good savour to God and man But you Ranters having lost its savour are exalted above that which is lowly and good being under a great Imagination of a knowledge of good and evil on which through the subtilty of the Serpent feeding you are become dead to any true sense of the Vertue that flows from the living Power from whence through disobedience you being shut out What a do you are making some crying out against Meeting as formal and that you feel not the Power that was amongst them which indeed is no wonder when you are past feeling and so being tossed up and down in your minds in an exalted state some appearing in a singular pretended Zeal under a voluntary humility as if you were Wiser and Holier then others the Serpent here having puft up sets a judging the Body and feeds his members who waits for hurt as by the slipping of some through weakness or the like and so gets all occasions of making Parties and Rents still the Serpent being covered under a pretence of a higher Attainment but at length after
honour of God is ANd further concerning Ministry this I say as the blessed works of the Light of God's holy Spirit has place in hearts and so opens understandings a discovery will be made from thence of the false corrupt and and wicked Ministers who open their Mouths for Gifts and Rewards from whose works in fair and deceitful Speeches Prophaneness is gone out into the World where the Revelations of God's holy Spirit is denyed and set at nought they telling people Revelations are ceased they are not to be known now adayes c. So the sight of all the good and blessed works of God's good and holy Spirit are become as a Sealed Book so that they who have exalted their parts and knowledge in Hebrew Greek and Latin above the pure Life of Jesus they can't read in it because it is sealed and these Learned men unlearned in the things of God can't read in it because they draw near to God with their Mouths and seem to honour him with their Lips but their Hearts not being right in his sight therefore are the wisdoms confounded and understanding in the Things of God kept from them So it s such who have nothing to Minister from but a divination of their own Brain in conceivings and imaginations concerning the works of God in others but from no knowledge of his works in themselves so they run and Divine for Money and Gifts and Rewards in that adulterated whorish Spirit which hath sate a long time and reigned over people who have been as unstable and unsettled as Waters reeling and staggering to and fro through the Sorceries and Witchcraft of that whorish wicked spirit into which Cup the Kings of the Earth have drunk and been made drunk with Envy Malice and Hatred one against another and from Lusts which have been conceived in that wicked and untimely womb have proceeded Wars and Fighting and Hatred one against another and also hatred against the appearance of God's good works in others So it s against that bad and wicked spirit which is not to speak in the Church that I am moved to give Testimony in and through the operation of God's good and holy spirit the which is mightily at work this Day wherein his power is made manifest to destroy the Devil's works and so a way making for the pouring forth of God's holy and blessed spirit more and more upon all flesh from whence I believe there are at present hundreds of Able and Gifted Ministers in this Nation in some degree or measure or other of God's holy spirit who can speak experimentally of what they have felt handled tasted and seen of his works thererein who is the beginning and ending of every good and perfect work and gift in and for them who wait to know his will and do it And through these blessed works must the wounded and distracted Nations be healed and set to rights and all that hinder these blessed works of God's holy and unlimited spirit they are enemies to God and to their own souls and to the Nation and Country where they live So to that of God in every ones Conscience I appeal in these weighty and high concerns wherein I have done the will of God I rest The 9th day of the 4th Month 1673 A Lover of the Truth wherein I seek the good of all Mankind Stephen Smith NOw unto you who say I write out of Enmity Therein you say true for in the true Enmity which God hath put between the two Seeds viz. The blessed Seed of the woman and the Cursed Seed of the Serpent So that in that which is truly good that blessed Seed by which evil is overcome according to the good-will of God in that I give Testimony against that which is corruptible and bad by which mankind is led away into darkness and there captivated under the enemy's power But if any shall say I wish herein any ill to any one's person I do say in the Truth and Uprightness of my heart that such do falsly accuse me For I know in the blessed Seed Intercession is made through me and many thousands that Light may rise in them who sit in darkness that mankind who are dead in trespasses and sins may be quickened and raised into the glorious freedom and liberty in the Son of God where we may live together in Peace with God and one with another to the praise and glory of his holy Name forever Stephen Smith A Trumpet sounding in the Ears of all Persecutors to awaken them out of their dead sleep in which they have taken Prey from the Innocent who have made themselves drunken with Malice and Envy and so Nabal-like are saying What are these that we should regard them c. COme Persecutors Awake Awake hearken how the Cows and the Oxen Low in your Ears when you lye down to sleep doth not their Lowing trouble you And when you rise are not you tormented at the noise of their Lowing sleep as secure as you can you will be awakened at last and then the noise of the Lowing of Cows and Oxen will sound in your Ears In your lying down in your rising up in your Eating and Drinking in your going about your business it will be a dreadful noise when the cause of the Innocent whom you have wronged comes to be laid before you Come Persecutors Awake Awake hearken do you not hear the Bleating of Sheep which have been taken from Innocent people for keeping the Commands of Jesus stop your Ears as hard as you can they will be opened at last and heir Bleating will be so loud sounded in your Ears that you cannot avoid the terrible noise thereof Come Persecutors Awake Awake hearken what a dreadful noise is amongst the Pots Kettles Skillets Frying-pans Dripping-pans Pewter-dishes Flaggons Chamber-pots c. the which have been taken from an Innocent people for keeping their Conscience void of offence towards God and man that men take offence against the Innocent when no proof can be made thereof that is the steps of the wicked in all Ages But hearken Persecutors sure you are not so fast a sleep but that you may hear the ratling of these things in your Ears well they will make a fearful noise at last Come Persecutors Awake awake open your Eyes they will be opened at last and then the Beds Cloths Corn Hoggs Horses Butter Cheese Bacon and all sorts of Commodies taken from Tradesmen out of their Shops and working Instruments from poor people Shoe-Leather and abundance of other things too long to name all taken from an Innocent harmless people who seek the good and well-being of all men At last all these things shall be laid before your Eyes you shall not be able to shut them against them nor to stop your Ears from the several dreadful noises but they must sound in your Ears and you must know that all these doings proceed from a corrupt rotten heart and mind which is abhorred by the living
God And now after all the spoil that hath been made on the Goods and Persons of an innocent people many of whose bloods have been shed in your Streets witness Horsly-down meeting After all this the matter of Fact which the Innocent people called Quakers have been accused of it hath not at all been prov'd against them neither hath there been any cause of a ground given to suspect their Meetings to be any wayes tending to Sedition c. They have been alwayes peaceable on their parts and therein the peace and well-being of all hath been sought When you are awakered and the Book opened wherein your wickedness is recorded then will the Meetings of the People called Quakers appear unto you as aforesaid And so all you who are wondering at a peoples standing still in Silence to wait upon the Living God to receive Counsel of him that by the same they may be guided in the way and path of Life would it not be good if all would do the same And not run forward in Satans Counsels in envy hatred and malice till you come to be bitten and devoured one of and by another What is it the near to have the names of Christians when there is none of Christs Spirit or Nature in you Be not deceived the Living God will not be mocked though in his tender mercy he hath yet spared many Vials of wrath and hath not poured them forth but instead thereof he hath caused many to go out in dread and fear to testifie of his good will upon repentance and amendment of life but that love having been slighted the contrary will come heavy at last and then your courage and valour which you have exercised against an innocent people that will fail you and fear and trembling and amzement that will seize upon you Brambles and Thornes whose nature is to Tear and Rend cannot stand against a consuming Fire Come hearken all that have a Finger in this Dish have you not betrayed your Master are you not called Christians and should not Christians have all one Master Did not the name of Christian come by him who is Master of all and hath all power in Heaven and Earth and was it not given to them who came out of the Heathenish nature who came under the power which was manifest to destroy the works of the Devil and the nature of the Devil's power which is to Rend Tear and Devour coming in Troops as he did upon Jobs Goods in Troops of Caldeans and Bands and Troops of Sabeans So have not you who are in the same works now as the Sabeans and Caldeans were then in spoiling the Goods of Innocent men who love that which is Evil have you not betrayed your Lord and Master having given your selves up to serve a wicked Ruler he that is Prince of the power of darkness who hath his rule in his Servants who are departed from their obedience to him who is Lord and Master of all and ought to be served and feared by all since there is no blessing nor any thing that is good but what is of him and from him who created all and upholds all who is Lord of all blessed for ever Come be awakened and hearken where do you find by the example or Doctrine of Christ Jesus who is Lord of all and hath all power in Heaven and Earth or do you read of any such works afore-mentioned done by him or his Followers No no you have betrayed him who call him Lord and yet live in such works of malice and revenge he taught and teaches quite contrary even to learn of him who is meek and lowly in heart admonishing all to love one another and to do good for evil and to love enemies who dwell with them that are of a contrite and humble spirit who teaches the humble and meek and who washeth and cleanseth his Followers from their filth as in dayes past so to day and for ever Oh you betrayers of him who have rendred him a hard Master in that you deny him for he is righteous just and true and gives power to them that receive him and obey him patiently to bear the reproaches of the wicked and to undergo their cruel mockings and scoffings and spoilings till his pleasure is to plead the cause of the Innocent who have no Arm of Flesh nor Carnal weapon but their trust is in him who is Lord of all unto whom all Tongues must confess and every Knee must bow though for a while the wicked with their Ruler the Devil may be loose he must be chained at last and cast into the Lake of Fire where their part and portion will be who continue serving him a sad Bargain So all you betrayers of the just holy principle of Light and Life in your hearts be awakened come see what a Dream you have been in and what Dreamers you have followed who are out of the way of the Lord and yet for lucre sake by art and policy keep people confessing they are out of the way of the Lord perswading it s not to be found or as if there were no such thing Oh be awakened and see what a Dream you are in and what silly Dreamers these are who have put from them Christ the way of Truth and the Life by which all that ever come to God it must be by him whom many have found so cannot but confess him before men there being no other way out of Evil and which brings and leads to peace this is a perfect way and tryed way into which no unclean person nor envious person can come into he must forsake his Envy and uncleanness and all the Devils works if ever he comes there Come don't stop your Ears and shut your Eyes it will be all in vain for he that is Lord Master and Creator of all sees and beholds all you can hide nothing from him and he will call you to an account then what can the betrayers say Oh you whose dayes are not quite over consider what you are a doing and what you are a treasuring up malice envy and hatred are from a rupt root and ground which is cursing Come be awakened cease to do evil then learn to do well if happily you may obtain mercy restore the pledge and repent Keep nothing back that hath been taken by violence Be awakened and see how filthy your hands are through Malice and Cruelty which hath brought a filthy smell and curse upon your Estates a sad portion for your Children for their Fathers to die with their Estates entailed in the Curse the which can never be removed from Father or Child till the cause of the Curse be repented of and done away and so the hands wasted in innocency until which time every one shall bear his own iniquity because of the accursed thing that is in their hands So out of love to Truth and good will to all is this written whatever construction you may make thereof into whose hands
term they can give the Light in man is to call it a Natural Light So Natural and Brutish is mankind become through the works of the enemy and in this Natural State reading the Scriptures having put the moving of Gods Spirit a far off from them by which alone the things of Cod therein are understood They in that Natural Estate doth not understand what they read neither can they receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto them Oh people be admonished to come down to the Light of Christ in you that makes manifest the deeds of Darkness and as the man of sin comes to be revealed in you by the Light of Christs Spirit you thereby will come to the knowledge of Christs day and coming in righteousness to make War against all unrighteousness and to put an end to transgression and finish sin and bring in everlasting righteousness So away with all private Interpretations and vain Imaginations and come to the universal love of God that Spirit or Light the which makes manifest that which is reproveable and turn at his reproof and he will pour out his Spirit upon you And thus by the coming of the day of Christ the day of the wicked will be seen and the Bed of Torment they must lye down in who go on in wickedness opposing the Spiritual appearance of Christ Jesus Oh sad will their day be who persist in their presumption of mocking and scoffing at the moving of Gods holy Spirit now adayes that is a proud arrogant Spirit which will lead all that follow it to the end to misery contempt and shame and at length to everlasting destruction Blessed are they that are not defiled with it And therefore be admonished to put your whole trust in God and wait for the appearance of his grace that you may have Salt and Savour in your selves or else notwithstanding you may talk high things of what you read in Scriptures yet if you be not regenerated and born of the Spirit you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And thus in the Leading Guiding Operation Revelation and Divine Inspiration of the Blessed Spirit of Truth am I moved to give Testimony to the Truth and way of Life and Peace in true love to all the Creation of God for the undeceiving of deceived and deluded Souls that their understandings may be cleared of Darkness and Error and that they may know the Truth as it is in Jesus and be saved Stephen Smith The 11th Month 1676. A Tender Greeting to the Flock of Christ in Bedfordshire and Huntingtonshire Dear Friends IN the everlasting Seed Power and Life keep the substance of all signified in Ages past under many Types Figures and Shadows now known and dwelt in by them who have believed the good report of the holy men of God which is left upon record who was redeemed from the Earthly part even that they might be Gods witnesses of his Heavenly gift wherein is all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge hid which Treasure hath been freely opened unto us who through faithfulness and diligent waiting have expected the same as a sure reward of the bounty and goodness of our Creator for ever So that all the obedient and upright hearted can truly say for ever be the day had in remembrance when we were awakned out of Carnal Security we had in vain Customs and Traditions of men in the Fall who have sought out many Inventions through which comes blindness hardness of heart and unbelief from whence proceeds envying hatred malice uncleanness and all other evils whatsoever He who is Prince of Darkness having his Power and Authority there in blindness and darkness carries the Creature into bondage at his will he being ruler in the Children of disobedience But glory and praises be to the Lord our God who is the great God and besides him there is none It 's he alone that opens the understandings of them that fear him who hath discovered unto us the Mistery of the workings of Satan and the bredth and length of his rule and dominion and the end thereof for ever is he who thus opens unto them that fear him greatly to be admired by all his Sons and Daughters who are redeemed by his great power out of Adam in the Fall up into him that never fell through whom we have access into his presence the which sweetens all to us and carries all that truly trust in him through all Tempests and Storms whatsoever Even by his Arm and Power who will and can appease and lay all Tempests and Storms when they have accomplished that for which they were suffered to be raised he being seen and known who walkes upon a troubled Sea as in dayes past so yesterday and to day and for ever So Dear Friends keep out his appearance who would work questionings and reasonings concerning the Rod of the wicked with which the Righteous are threatned It 's for the Fire It 's for the Fire that 's Gods Word So all to abide faithful in his power by whom all appearances of the wicked one may be resisted in his many wills who is a Murderer and a Thief who walkes about in the Earthly mind compassing there and betraying there and draws back into the Earth there And then when tryals come the Earth is in the way and then the false ballance is set up in the heart and the precious Jewel being weighed therein the Earth that appears heaviest and so carries the sway in the mind and so comes to be set up in the heart So thereby many come to lose the everlasting reward of peace and joy and comfort which is in that Life which lives and abides for ever So Dear Friends have an Eye to the reward of well doing even that Pearl of great Price and let it have dominion in the heart and the Earth set under all that so we may continue to the end in all well-doing and patient and meek running in that race which is set before us unto whom belongs the Crown of Immortal Life When the Lord pleases to shew me a clear way unto you I shall be willing to see your Faces to the end that we may be refresht together even from that everlasting Fountain from whence comes all our fresh springs which glads the Souls of the upright for ever But at present I find my Testimony required where I have had the greatest time of my Conversation in the everlasting Covenant of Truth Light and Life That wicked ruler who rules in the Children of disobedience hath many Agents here abouts as well as in other places who have been at work amongst us They took from me six Cows for a Fine of 20 l. for speaking the things of God according to his will but they had great trouble with them From my Brother John nine Cowes for a Silent Meeting at his house and from another all his Beds Cloaths two Geldings Pewter Brass Leather and abundance of other
the everlasting and unchangeable Truth the Lord hath raised up William Pen with a Testimony And in his continuance therein unto the end of his days he will receive the same Crown of Immortal Life and their Testimonies which the Author calls their method taken out of their Books is faithful and true and doth and will appear so to all that are in the least learned by the Spirit of Truth But in contradiction of those faithful and true Testimonies of Edward Burrough's and William Pen's the Author of that Book undertakes to prescribe a method and way the which he calls Gods method and way this being a long ramble too tedious to transcribe I shall draw up the scope and tendency thereof That Page 15. after Christs ascension into Heaven he sent the holy Spirit upon his Apostles and immediatly inspired them with a clear knowledge and understanding of it And again page 24. Although the first promulgator of the Gospel were enabled by immediate Revelation from Christ to teach it unto others yet afterward Gods ordinary way and method of transmitting the knowledge and faith of the Gospel downwards to others successively was by such mens teaching it to others as had themselves learned it of the Apostles or others that taught the same Doctrine as they did Again page 28. And there is great reason why the same regard should be given to what the Apostles and Evangelists wrote as to what they spoke as long as they either wrote the same Doctrine or History upon the same evidence for the Doctrine is the same after it is written as it was before for its being written doth not alter the nature of it And therefore men must needs be as much concerned in their belief or disbelief obedience or disobedience to it when it is communicated to them by writing as when it is so by preaching yea I had almost said or by immediate Revelation And again page 33. I shall conclude what I have said in this proposition to shew that the same regard is due to the Doctrine of the Apostles when written as now it is as when it was preached by them by remembring you of this great Truth that every man shall be tryed or judged at the last day by the Law he hath been under The Gentiles that are or have been without a written Law shall be judged without any such Law and the Jews which are under a written Law they shall be judged by it Rom. 2.12 Even so those that are under the Gospel written will be judged by that c. Thus then I take the substance of his method to be that the Apostles were immediatly Inspired and from immediate Revelation the New Testament was written and since that immemediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Spirit hath ceased and those writings now are become the rule of faith and practice And that this Gospel written as he calls it hath been successively transmitted to others as they have learnt it and that this written Gospel as he calls it must be the rule and judge in all matters of faith and practice without immediate Teaching or Inspiration This then being the method of the Author of that Book to exclude immediate Revelation and set up Tradition in the room But this he hath manifested by his writing that he is not in the line of succession in the holy Spirit of Truth and righteousness if he had been there he would never have opposed the Truth of what was spoken by William Pen and Edward Burroughs But who can expect any better fruit from a Plant that hath so little sap and life from the root and spring of Light Truth and Holiness to nourish it Page 41. he saith That Christ doth inlighten all whom he doth inlighten in one or more of these three wayes 1. Either by Natural Light Or 2. by Supernatural Revelation Or 3. by outward speech or writing or example c. Would not all that are in their wits judge that this Author of the Book had better to have been quiet then so presumptuously in his high flown proud arrogant Spirit So positively to condemn the sufficiency of the Lights leading within into Christianity without outward Teaching Since he is at such a loss not knowing what Light it is that Christ doth inlighten people with But in page 43. there he saith That though Christ do inlighten all men with natural light a little before it is them whom he doth inlighten it is some way even what he imagines wherein he contradicts himself but what way he knows not The Vulture's eye hath not seen the way thereof neither can the natural man receive the things of the Spirit of God To be sure the Author of that Book hath not attained to A.B.C. in the way of Christianity as is manifest by his dark conclusion that Christ the Light within men is a natural Light Let all the wise in heart judge how unlikely the Author of that Book is to shew the way of God who is so far out of it not knowing the out-goings of the Lord God who is Light whose outgoings were from everlasting to everlasting nor so much as the first principle of the Oracle of God which is Light and therefore he hath not spoken as the Oracle of God And therefore in saying he would shew the method and way of God he hath manifestly declared his Ignorance and presumption But such unlearned men as he is undertake to judge the Quakers foundation for error and after they have done they are to seek what it is But let him or any who are of his mind prove if they can that ever any Quakers in their Writings have said That it was by the leading of a natural Light without or with outward Teaching by which ever any one true Christian was made No no we do know that Christ the true Light that Lighteneth man that comes into the World doth it with a supernatural and Divine Light wherein they that believe and wait upon God receive Spirit Life and Power to become Sons of God And that he both hath and can by the powerful drawings thereof bring them who wait in the manifestation thereof in themselves into the true Christianity And that the outward Testimony or declaration that was or is given forth unto the Sons and Daughters of men from the immediate motion and flowings forth of the Spirit of Truth had and hath this effect even to bring into this name the Light of Christ within and from Satans power unto God that the teaching of God within as well as without by them who speak as his Oracle might be effectual to guide into Christianity And that the powerful drawings of the blessed Light of Christ within hath been the only motive to move many to consider their ways and to turn at the reproofs thereof into the straight and narrow way that leads into the life of Christianity But I do ask a question concerning the Gentiles that both were and are without an
persevere and go on in the Spirit and not to quench and grieve the Spirit and abundance more to this purpose in Exhortations to the Churches to follow the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit Had not Christians need to have the immediate motions and help of Gods blessed spirit in this work and to be their rule of life and guide in judgment that all wicked malitious spirits under the cover of the Prophets Christs and the Apostles words may be judged down let all the wise in heart consider this and lay it to heart What a sad tendency such unprofitable talkers and teaching hath in opposing the immediate motion and teaching and guiding of Gods holy spirit and whether such Agents and props in the Divels kingdom and power of darkness be not a lett to the blessed works of the Lord who sits upon his Throne and saith behold I make all things new And whether such dark works as are manifest in that Book be not the cause that there are so many mockers now adays at the immediate motions of Gods holy spirit in and through his servants according to their several measures and services therein But such is the work of all dark spirits to pretend love to peoples souls But in the dark to work against the great love and mercy of God in the immediate motions of his holy and blessed spirit for the bringing of souls to peace and happiness and everlasting rest in his heavenly gift the which is life Eternal But by what hath been written as before the whole drift scope and tendency of the Authors spirit in that Book may be seen where several particulars might be answered with the same sharp reproof as that which is answered hath Such works have been answered over and over again as may be seen at large in abundance of Books but one more especially I refer the Reader to And that is a Book Intitled The Christian Quaker and his Divine Testimony vindicated c. By George Whitehead and William Pen And though the Author of that Book hath concealed his Name and covered his spirit of Error with smooth words stolen out of the Scriptures yet by the light of Christ Jesus he is seen clearly though he calls that Light Natural and like a foolish builder hath built without the Corner-stone By the Light of Christ his building is seen to be raised from no other foundation and ground but meer imaginations And that it must be cast down into the pit of darkness out of which it was raised So though he may complain as he doth in the beginning of his Book of the entertainment others have had in the like endeavours Yet unto the Truth and wisdom of God in all who have not lost the sense of his holy spirit from them I do appeal whether this be not an entertainment according to Truth And though he hath pretended his work to be in love to souls yet it is manifest in the Light of Christ to have this tendency even to deprive souls of the infinite benefit of the sense and injoyment of the immediate motions of Gods holy spirit and to make void their Testimonies who are planted into the same But to prevent the Enemies works is this written in love to Truth and Righteousness and all people who desire after the same Stephen Smith Worplesdon in Surrey the latter end of the 5th Month 1677. A Testimony against the Worlds vain Mirth and Pastimes c. BLessed are they who feel the Inspiration of the Almighty giving them understanding that in reading the Scriptures of Truth the Holy-mens Testimonies they may be understood and deliverance witnessed from them who wrest them to their own destruction There is indeed a time for all things as said Solomon who in that wisdom given him knew that God created man upright but man found out many Inventions And all that Mirth whereby Gods righteous spirit is grieved they who live in it they increase their own sorrow The Rejoycing and Melody which David had in his heart to the Lord who gave him power over his foes Psal 30. And girded him with gladness But what is this to them who are overcome with their foes the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and pride of life All such have not a true knowledge of that joy and melody which David witnessed as being girded with gladness by the Lord who said My soul and all that is in me praise the Lord and let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord And figuratively he makes mention of outward Instruments all which are but Types in comparison of that heart that is prepared and put into a right frame even as a well Tuned Instrument to make Melody to the praise and honour of God this is the substance shewed forth by holy peoples praises to the Lord for his work of deliverance as is recorded in the Scriptures of Truth When the Children of Israel were delivered and their foes destroyed Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel and this was the substance the Lord shall reign for ever and ever And Miriam with the women went out with Timbrels and Dances in a Heavenly Melody unto the Lord who had delivered them But the wicked and proud who hate to be reformed they have nothing to do to take the name of the Lord in their mouths And none but wicked Instruments dare bring those Scriptures to stir youth up to be Prodigals and to spend their Portion of precious time in riotous living in keeping company with some who wallow in pride and idleness Sodoms sins and except such Prodigals do turn whilst the door of mercy doth open and they find a reception into the Fathers house by a true unfeigned repentance they shall never witness that Melody or Musick whereby the Soul is made to leap for joy which the Prodigal obtained through a true repentance and returned to his Fathers house he had not that Musick and Melody among the Harlots nor when he kept Swine mind that see the generation of the wicked Job 21.11 They send forth their little ones like a flock and their Children Dance They take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce in the sound of the Organ They spend their dayes in Wealth and in a moment go down to the grave Therefore they say unto God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him c. See here you wicked generation of proud prophane persons who stir up the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and the pride of life one in another by your light frothy behaviours in your wicked Inventions Oh for shame do not go about to cover your evil works by the instigation of wicked Instruments who wrest the holy mens words which if persisted in will be to their destructions and of all them that follow them therein See what the Prophet Amos pronounced to them that chant to the