this Testimony I give of him unto all people upon the face of the whole Earth CHAP. II. Concerning the Son of God this testimony I give unto all the world THe Son of God who is called Christ the Prince of peace and righteousness he is one with the Father in power and dominion and was with him before the World was and by him the Father created all things and without him was not any thing made that was made he is Heir of all things and is the Prince of the Kingdom of Righteousness of Peace and Truth and he is the word and power by which all things doth subsist and is the Salvation of mankind and the very life of the word he inherits life and immortality and is the Redeemer Saviour Deliverer and Restorer of the Children of men he is the very Wisdom and Power of the Creator and the Father doth nothing without the Son and by him and through him the Father brings all things to pass by him the Father will judge the whole Earth and all the Children of Adam therein and this Christ Jesus the Son of God is the Life and Light of the world and hath enlightened all mankind every one that cometh into the world is lighted by him with the true light of life or condemnation and what the same doth the Father doth also and he is at his right hand exalted and is the very express Image of the Father and is the Fathers gift into the world and is given to all mankind that they may have life by him and all that receives him hath life and salvation but many receives him not and they that receive him not perisheth even because they do not receive him whom the Father hath given into the world for he is the arm alone of Gods salvation and he is the Leader of his people CHAP. III. Concerning the Spirit of God this testimony I give unto the whole world THe spirit is with the Father and with the Sonne and is present every where and filleth all places and is for ever and ever and trieth all things and revealeth the things of the Father and of the Sonne unto all that doth believe in the Sonne and makes manifest add searcheth into the deep things of God and it witnesseth the salvation of the Just and the condemnation of the unjust it is not absent from any place nor contained in any one place the Father and the Son works all things through it and brings all things in heaven and earth to pass by it and it works in the hearts of the Children of men and in every one it witnesseth of the Father and of the Sonne to the Justness Greatness Righteousness and to the power of the eternal Creator that made all things by the Sonne through his eternal Spirit which is one with the Father and with the Sonne and is the worker of their will and mind in all things it worketh in the wicked to reprove them and to witness against them and that God is angry with them it sheweth and it worketh in the Righteous and witnesseth the love and mercy and peace of the Father unto them he that can receive it let him this is the testimony of the Spirit of God and it leadeth into all truth and out of all evill all that are guided by it and it is given to be the guide and rule of life to the Children of God CHAP. IV. Concerning man and all mankind this testimony I give unto all Nations and Peoples MAn was created and brought forth in the Image of God and was without sin or evil brought forth to do the will of him that created him and was Lord over all creatures to use them to the glory of the Creator and all creatures was to serve him but man transgresseth against his Maker and offended him and dishonoured him and became degenerate and grieved his Maker continually and was drove out from the presence of the Lord and he is now a child of disobedience and of wrath and an enemy in his mind against the Lord that made him and he is doing and fulfilling daily the will of the Devill and grieveth the Spirit of God and vexeth his righteous soul and is subject unto the curse of woe and destruction being ignorant of the life and power and wisdome of the Creator to lead him to guide him and to preserve him but follows the counsell of his own heart which is evill altogether though he was made upright yet hath he sought out many inventions which are continually abominable unto the Lord the ground in which he stands is corrupted and all his fruit is unpleasant even bitter and evill unto the Lords tast Man is fallen into the pit of misery and sorrow compassed about with desolation and is left without a helper from himself or from any other creature and this in short is the state of all mankind upon the face of the earth who was planted a noble Vine wholly a right seed to bring forth good fruit unto his Maker but he is turned into a degenerate plant bringing forth cursed fruits which the Creator hath not pleasure in his best works are not accepted and his evill deeds are condemned because the ground in which he stands is accursed because of disobedience CHAP. V. Concerning the World in generall and the state of things as they have been and as now they are this testimony I give to the whole World DArkness hath been over the face of the earth and thick darkness hath covered the people for many ages the Beast hath reigned upon the face of the whole earth and all Nations have been subject to his power and dominion even the Kings and Princes of the earth have given their power unto him all the world hath wondred after him as t is written and the whole world hath worshipped the beast and his image he hath power to kill all that would not worship him both small and great rich and poor even all hath been subject to his government and he hath had power to warre against the Saints and to make war with them and to overcome them even all that would not worship him he hath had power to kill the Rule and Government of the Son of God hath not been witnessed among men for ages nor the true God known nor manifestly worshipped in spirit and truth but he hath been as a stranger among men and they have been ignorant of his waies and judgements and all people have been doing that which is right in the sight of their own eyes and God hath been forgotten daies without number the living Fountain hath been forsaken and many broken cisterns have been hewen out which hath not holden pure water great evills and continuall abominations have been acted in the sight of God and the measure of iniquity hath been fulfilling through many generations and it is grown nigh to the full the Law of God hath been made void and his grace hath turned into wantonnesse
A standard lifted up and AN ENSIGNE held forth to all NATIONS Shewing unto the whole world and to all people to whom it shall come by open proclamation what the Testimony of God is and of his people which they hold which they have received from him through the eternal Spirit of which they are not ashamed before men but are called to witness it forth in the Nations in the same Spirit and power as they have received it from the Lord Also shewing of his great work which he is about to do in the earth and this Testimony is true and no lie for it is of God and witnessed by Thousands of his people at this day who are in scorn called QUAKERS And given forth by a Servant of the Lord Edward Burrough LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1658. A Table of the CONTENTS CHAP. 1. A Testimony concerning the true God Ch. 2. A Testimony concerning the Son of God Chap. 3. A Testimony concerning the Spirit of God Chap. 4. A Testimony concerning all mankind Chap. 5. A Testimony concerning the world in general Chap. 6. A Testimony concerning mans restauration redemption salvation what they are and by whom they are wrought Chap. 7 A Testimony concerning true Religion and the true worship of the true God Chap. 8. A Testimony concerning Iustification and Sanctification Chap. 9. A Testimony concerning the Kingdom of Christ and how it is to be set up Chap. 10. A Testimony concerning Governours and Governments and subjection to them Chap. 11. A Testimony concerning the true Ministry of Christ and the false Ministry and the difference betwixt them Ch. 12. A Testimony concerning the Gospel of Christ Chap. 13. A Testimony concerning the word of God and concerning the Scriptures Chap. 14. A Testimony concerning the Devil and damnation Chap. 15. A Testimony concerning all creatures that God made Chap. 16. A Testimony concerning the new Covenant and how man comes to the knowledge of God Chap. 17. A Testimony concerning Faith Chap. 18. A Testimony concerning what works are accepted of God and what works are not accepted brought forth by the Creature Chap. 19. A Testimony concerning mans state in the first Adam before the conversion and his state after conversion and what conversion is Also a Testimony of the seed of God Also a Testimony that the way of life the way of death is set before every man Also a Testimony to all Kings and Princes and People that we are not enemies against but friends unto all Civil Government and wholsom Laws and Customs of any Commonwealth which is according to God c Also a Testimony what Government we declare our selves to be enemies against Also a Testimony that we do not disanul and make void the Covenant or bond of relations c. Also a Testimony that we do maintain and hold the very same truth as all the Generations of the Iust did in all Ages Also a Testimony of our Government and a testimony of Quaking and Trembling Also a declaration of the full purpose of our hearts c. A Standard lifted up And an Ensign held forth to all NATIONS IN the name and power of the eternall God that made Heaven and Earth and all things therein who is the life of all things and the power by which they stand in his counsell and fear I do hereby declare my self unto the whole world and unto all people upon earth that ye may all know the very certainty of those things which is reported abroad through many Nations and that ye may be informed truly concerning us from our own mouth of many things which cometh to you by false reports and lying informations concerning a people appear'd in these late years and raised up going under the name of QVAKERS Know ye assuredly that we are of God and are raised up by him and called by his Name and his dreadful presence goes before us and his righteousness is our reward We are such as doth fear and worship the true God that made Heaven and Earth in the Spirit and in the truth he hath placed his Name amongst us and made his everlasting Covenant with us and established it that it cannot be moved he hath given us his Spirit and poured it upon us and we are taught of him according to his promise and are established in his holy Mountain where none can make us afraid for he hath armed us with his power and strength to defend us from all our enemies that we should bear witnesse of his Name in all the world and declare unto all Nations of his power and Dominion of his Salvation and Redemption that is in Him and in his Son of which we are made partakers and witnesses and by him have we received the heirship of the everlasting inheritance and we are of God and he that is of God heareth us whom the Father hath chosen and redeemed out of kindreds tongues and peoples to stand before the Throne of God and the Lamb and we have sought and do find a City whose builder and maker is God and we are known to the Lord God Almighty and approved in his sight Our light is the light of the Lamb and our government the government of Jesus and our Law the Law of the most high and our way is the way of peace and truth he that can receive it let him This is the Testimony which the Spirit of the everlasting Father witnesseth in us and witnesseth of us unto the whole world CHAP. I. Concerning the true God this testimony I give to all people upon earth THe true God he is a Spirit and is infinite eternall and everlasting the Creator of all things and the life and being of all things and the power by which all things stand all creatures have a being in him and by him and without him no creature is or doth move upon the face of the earth this is he whom we worship and fear and doth obey and he brings to pass by his counsel whatsoever he will and nothing can prevent the purpose of his mind but his counsell stands for ever and he is the righteous Judge of all things and before him must all mankind come to judgment and the living and the dead by him must be judged he is a rewarder of every one according to their deeds whether they be good or whether they be evill His Greatnesse Power Majesty and Dominion is over all and beyond all ruling above all in the power of his own will and who may say what doth he his eye seeth all and his presence filleth all and no creature can be hid from his sight he is near at hand and afar off he searcheth mans heart and tryeth the reins and shews unto man his own thoughts he justifieth the righteous and condemneth the wicked he is light it self and in him is no darknesse at all This is the true God whom we worship and
and all things have been out of good order Kings Princes Rulers Governments Laws and Decrees have been corrupt and not right in the sight of the Lord oppressions tyranny and vain-glory hath abounded in the Nations and justice and true judgement have been neglected and mercy and truth have been strangers and the world hath been filled with violence and the whole earth stained and polluted with oppressions unjustice and cruelties and the cry of poor hath not been heard every one hath sought themselves and not the Lord not the good one of another the Kings and Princes of the earth have not been perfect nor upright before the Lord but vain-glory hath abounded and superstitions and idolatries have reigned over them and unrighteousnesse hath abounded and self-seeking and they have risen up one against another in quarrelling and destroying one another and to gain one anothers dominions by craft and Policy and strong hand and the poor hath been oppressed and troden down and thousands of thousands destroyed to fulfill their wills and lusts and the pride of their hearts all this hath been evill in the sight of the Lord and his soul hath been weary with it by the destruction of his creatures one by another even Rulers Teachers and people have all been out of the way and subverted from that wherein God hath pleasure and the Prince of darknesse hath ruled in his dominion swaying all under his Government and even all things both of civill and spirituall concernment hath been on t of the counsell of the Lord Oh what cruel injustice and tyranny in civill Government Oh what abominable superstitions and idolatries hath been in supposed Church-Governments it s a vexation to the Spirit of the Lord to consider it and the righteous soul hath long cried out and mourned under it and because of this is the Lord of Heaven and Earth now arisen to overturn to overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws and he will confound and break down all tyranny and oppression under which the poor hath groaned and he will change times and laws and governments there shall be no King ruling but Jesus nor no government of force but the government of the Lamb nor no law of effect but the law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to powder the Kingdom of the most high shall rule amongst men and the Kingdoms of this world shall be changed and shal become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and the Lord shall be known in the earth to be the God of truth of righteousness justice and mercy and truth shall be exalted and true judgement shall be set up in the Nations and the worship in spirit and in truth shall be established for the Lord is gathering his numberlesse number to stand before his throne without guile in their mouth and without fault before him CHAP. VI Concerning mans Restauration Redemption and Salvation what they are and by whom they are wrought this testimony I give unto all people MAns Restauration is a repairing and giving again that which he hath lost by transgression and Redemption is a recovering and a winning again and setting free from that wherein man hath been held even all the Sonnes of Adam because of disobedience and Salvation is a saving keeping and preserving from sin and death and disobedience and all the waies thereof and also a saving from wrath and misery and condemnation which are the effects thereof and by the Son of God Christ Jesus is all this wrought manifested and witnessed and Restauration Redemption and Salvation is onely in Christ Jesus the second Adam and not in any other and it is wrought by him and by no other and they are the free gift of the Father unto the sons of men no way purchased by the works of the creature or desert of him but are freely given unto the creature through the power and wisdom of the Creator and only by Jesus Christ the Son of the eternal God and by the eternal Spirit are they witnessed in all that believe and through the word of life are they handled tasted seen and felt near at hand in power and not in words onely Many professes them in words and what others enjoyed of these things but hath not felt in themselves the working of the eternall Spirit neither hath the witnesse in themselves of being restored to God again and of being redeemed by him from under the devils power neither are saved by Christ from sin and transgression and so are not nor cannot be saved from condemnation and wrath for who abide in their sins and in the state unreconciled to God hath not any part or portion in these things which belongs to their peace and without the knowledge of which by the working of the eternall Spirit all mankind is everlastingly miserable CHAP. VII Concerning true Religion and the true worship of the true God this testimony I give unto the whole world THis is true Religion to be kept pure and clean from all evil and from all that which would defile in the sight of the Lord and to walk in his fear in all things this is Religion to do good and to do no evill and to speak the truth and to do the truth in all things and to do unto all men as a man would be done unto and to love God withal the heart and the neighbour as self and not to love the world and waies and pleasures of it nor to use deceit in words or actions this is true Religion and the true worship of God to be led with his Spirit in all things and to be guided in the truth at all times on all occasions this is acceptable and well pleasing unto God above all words and outward conformity and set times and daies and observances for the worship of God is not in these things but is without respect of daies places or things this Religion and worship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam who hath lighted every man that comes into the world that all men through him might believe and by him have their consciences purely exercised towards God and towards man in all things whatsoever and this is our Religion and worship of the true God he that can receive it let him CHAP. VIII Concerning Iustification and Sanctification this testimony I give unto all people JUstification is freely by Jesus Christ in the sight of the Father and not by the works of mans own righteousness and such as are taught by Christ and guided by him in all the waies of truth and righteousness are justified by him and none else not in any word or work whatsoever but in what they are led to fulfill by him and it is the new man that is justified and not the old he that is born of God and none that are born of the flesh such cannot please God neither can such be justified by him for they are not taught of him nor saved nor restored nor
no circumcision but the circumcision of the heart which is the putting away of all the uncleanness of the flesh nor in it there is no means of salvation but Christ the onely way the truth and the life and none comes to the Father but by him he declares of the Father and there is no light but the light of the Lamb all that are saved shall walk in the light of the Lamb and there shall be no need of any other light no need of the light of the Sun nor of the Moon nor of a candle but the Lord is unto them an everlasting light and God alone is their glory and this Covenant is for ever and cannot alter nor change but is sure unto the seed of his own inheritance but he that is born of the flesh hath no part in it who is shut out from the knowledge of God who is not known to the wisdom of this World which is foolishnesse with God and the knowledge of God is received no other way but only by the revelation of Jesus Christ and by the working of the Spirit of the Father in the heart he opens the blind eye and unstops the deaf ear and changeth the heart and causeth it to understand and he removes that which hath stood in the way betwixt God and the creature which hath caused ignorance in the creature that the Lord could not be seen nor perceived Christ Jesus the second Adam lighteth every man and all mankind that cometh into the world with the true light but some hates the light and they will not come to the light least their deeds should be reproved and their deeds are evill and they are in a condemned estate and such cannot receive Christ nor the knowledge of God but such who love the light with which Christ hath enlightened them they bring all their deeds to the light and walks in the light and their deeds are wrought in God never to be condemned and such as loves the light receives Christ and the knowledge of God which is eternall life and none comes to the knowledge of God and of Christ any other way but through the light of Christ and by the operation of the Spirit of God and evill is condemned out of the heart and the heart is made clean by the word of God and the knowledge of God is received into the clean heart and nor into the impure for without holinesse none shall see God nor ever come to the knowledge of him neither can the knowledge of God be received by the traditions of men or any outward observance in the will of man but only by the teachings of the eternal Spirit is the living God known in the creature CHAP. XVII Concerning Faith this testimony I give unto the World FAith is the gift of God and by it Christ is received and enjoyed it is the substance of things hoped for and the very evidence of things not seen gives the creature to believe God in all what he hath promised all that which is acted and spoken in it is well pleasing unto God and that which is done without sinne it is the strength of the creature to act for God in all things it is that whereby the world is overcome and all the powers of hell and death it is the armour against the Devill and the defence of all the children of God by it they overcome all their enemies and through it they reign over all the world it carries through all sufferings and tribulations with joy and patience Faith is an act of God in the creature through it peace and righteousnesse and the crown of life is received from God by Faith all things are received that are received of God by any of his children He that hath Faith sees and feels the Lords presence at all times and through Faith we do and suffer gladly for the name of Christ in all things and this is thus far our testimony given by the Spirit of the Father of these things of which we have received the knowledge from God who hath given us his treasure and we have this treasure in earthen vessells even the knowledge of these things which are eternall which is not our own but the Lords to give forth according to his movings and of those rhings have we handled tasted and felt CHAP. XVIII Concerning what works are accepted of God and what works are not accepted brought forth by the Creature WHatsoever work man is moved and led unto by the Spirit of God and guided and ruled in the practice of to speak or act whatsoever by the same Spirit which moveth and leadeth into all the works of righteousnesse and not into any evill this is acceptable in the sight of the Lord and these works are well pleasing to him where the Lord goes before and is the leader in all things and this man and his works who is led with the Spirit of the Father is justified and accepted of God and not for the creatures sake who respects not the person of any but for his own Name sake because they are wrought in him through faith and is moved unto and guided in by his own Spirit and they arise from Gods righteousness revealed in the creature and not from the righteousness of the creature for man being changed and replanted into the living Vine and the root being good every work which springeth forth from it is good also and accepted of God because the root is so But whatsoever works are brought forth by any creature though the same in appearance which are accepted of God from another yet not being moved unto nor guided in by the Spirit of the Father but brought forth in the will and wisdom of the creature which is from below and acted in imitation from the Saints words these works are not accepted and well pleasing unto God but is offence unto him and sin against him even the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto him and if a man come before the Lord with thousands of Rams and ten thousand of Rivers of Oyl and if he give the fruit of his body for the sin of the soul and cover the Altar with tears and is not led with a measure of Gods Spirit none of all these works are accepted nor his preaching praying baptism nor breaking of bread nor any other observances towards God whatsoever are not good in his sight but evill and to be contemnted and the root from whence they spring because man is in the enmity against him and not changed out of the old root nor in that state is not led with the holy Spirit of the Father and the root being bad the branches are evill and none are accepted of God in any thing which they perform towards him but such as are in Christ Jesus the second Adam and such are new creatures so that it is not for the creatures sake that any work is accepted of or offence against God but onely for his Name