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B02902 The declaration of the Philadelphian Society of England, Easter-day, 1699. Addressed to the Catholick Church representative and diffusive. Philadelphian Society (London, England) 1699 (1699) Wing D737A; ESTC R174633 8,454 8

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THE DECLARATION OF THE Philadelphian Society OF ENGLAND EASTER-DAY 1699. Addressed to the Catholick Church Representative and Diffusive § 1. TO the Bishops and Presbyters of the Catholick Church and to all Orders Ranks and Degrees of the same elected by God the Father and called out of the World being sanctified by his Spirit And in particular to the Churches whether Established or Dispersed within these three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and yet more peculiarly to that of this Kingdom and to all Religious Societies therein however they may be nominated and distinguished either separated from it or holding Communion with it But in a most special manner to as many as either here or abroad do truly believe and wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Majesty of his Father The Philadelphian Society founded for the Propagation of Apostolical Faith and Love wisheth the increase of Grace Peace and Truth Fathers Brethren and Friends § 2. GOD having appeared in these latter Days to excite and raise up many Persons in all Nations both Secretly and Publickly after diverse and sundry manners to prepare the Way of his dear Son unto whom he hath given by an Oath the utmost ends of the Earth for his Inheritance Be it known unto you that he hath Excited and Commanded us by his Spirit which is the Testimony of his Son to bear an open and publick Witness at this time for his Kingdom Which Kingdom is not of this World nor after the manner of the Nations But is of Heaven and from Heaven and after the manner of the Saints in Bliss who are ever doing their Father's Will and following the LAMB who is their Light whithersoever he goeth And that this Kingdom may come quickly according to the Oath and Covenant of the Everlasting Father and that the Will of our God and Lord be obeyed with the same Universality Perpetuity and Alacrity even here upon the Earth as it is in Heaven to the Sanctification of his Name The LORD our Righteousness and even to a visible Inscription of it on all his Disciples So that it may indeed be Exalted above every Name under Heaven and every Knee made to bow down to it we think it our bounden Duty by all Ways and Mediums by all Methods Expedients and Enterprises according to the Pattern of the Holy Ancients with continued Labours Watchings and Supplications to promote advance and carry on the Interest of the same § 3. And therefore we cannot but exhort and encourage one another and as many as with us do look for such things to walk in all Holy Conversation and Godliness to keep the Works of the Son of GOD unto the end and to hold fast the Word of his Patience until he come Being diligent that we may be found of him in Peace and in Love without Spot and blameless as was the Primitive Church of PHILADELPHIA Wherefore being mindful of the Words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandment of the Lord and Saviour blessed for ever As often as we do meet together for this end we do after this manner And as at all Times and in all Places we account it our highest Duty thus to do without any Partiality or Acceptance of Persons So especially when we are assembled in the Spirit of the LORD that our Loyns may not he at any time ungirt or our Lamps extinct and without Oil For when the Bridegroom cometh it will then be too late to go to buy it and the little Door which is already begun to be opened will then be shut up Fathers and Brethren § 4. Marvel not that this is a little Door and that there is but a little visible Strength as yet Since God even our God hath chosen the small things of this World to confound the great and the foolish things to confound the wise and that not once only but always As for our selves we could have been very well contented had it been the Will of our Father in Heaven not to have appeared as we have done but to have enjoyed rather in private as some of You do the Satisfaction of those great and august Truths which we now confess before the whole World It would have been far more easie for us and would not have exposed us to so many Evils but our Wills which are in themselves most contrary we have learn'd by his Spirit assisting us to submit to his Holy and most Adorable Will § 5. But notwithstanding this our more publick appearance at present we do not hereby intend to recede from what we have formerly declared in the Reasons for the Foundation and Promotion of this Society but do earnestly desire to keep still and maintain the Communion of Saints inviolable in the Band of the Holy Catholick Church § 6. And for as much as it is found necessary in order to such a near and intimate Communication with one another as is required for the effectual Prosecuting the Great and Holy Design before us the Interest of Christendom and the Good of all Mankind to initiate and admit Persons into our Society for that otherwise we could not be said to be a Society we would not herein that ye should misunderstand us as if we were by this setting up for a new Sect and a divided Church our solemn Protestations to the contrary notwithstanding For we have acted in this matter and shall continue to act according 〈◊〉 those most Catholick Principles which all the Churches of Christ that ever were or are may justifie us in We think it not our proper Business to meddle with the Controversies that are at this day in Christendom but to pray and wait for that Holy Spirit which alone can determine them and lead into all divine Truth The Principles of the Christian Religion we believe to be plain and easie familiar and obvious to that degree that he that runneth may read them in the sacred Writings of the New Testament But the Mysteries of the same we believe none can truly understand as they ought nor even put in Practice thoroughly the Principles themselves but such as are Spiritual that is Initiated by the Spirit of JESUS into the Knowledge of them Experimentally Essentially and Fundamentally All wrangling therefore about these from the Spirit only of Reason or the natural Man we cannot approve as a means for the Establishing the Unity of Faith in the deep and recondite things of God but do think this method most incongruous and ineffectual as it hath hitherto shewed it self to be § 7. All the Precepts and Institutions of our Blessed Master we according to their very fullest and utmost Latitude accept and intirely submit to The House of our Society we have founded upon his Sermon on the Mount Whence though the Rain hath indeed descended and the Floods came and the Winds have blown and beat upon this our House and Establishment yet it falleth not Neither can it fall for