of your Fathers ye Serpents ye Generation of Vipers how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell Wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets Wise men and Scribes and some of them you shall Kill and Crucifie and some of them you shall Scourge in your Synagogues and shall Persecute from City to City that upon you may come all the righteous Blood shed upon the Earth from the Blood of Righteous Abel unto the Blood of Zacharias whom ye slew between the Temple and the Altar And now Oh all ye Professors of all sorts who will not believe Christs words which he hath left upon record in the Holy Scriptures and yet say you do believe in him you are judging and condemning the Jews for slaying Christ and his Apostles and you imagine and say if you had lived in the dayes of the Jews who slew Christ and his Apostles you would not have been partakers with them in the Blood of Christ and of his Apostles Oh consider if Christ were now walking up and down in these Nations called Christendom in such a low and mean Appearance as he appeared among the Jews in that Age in which he suffered death among the Jews and should pronounce Woes against those who calls themselves Christians and say they do believe in him and love him would not they be angry at him and fret at him and cry away with him Oh consider it if he should tell the Proud and Covetous and Envious Priest and Professors who calls him Lord and calls God their Father that they were of their Father the Devil who was a Lyar and a Murtherer and if he should call them Serpents and a Generations of Vipers would they not chase and fret at him and would they not cry Away with him and would they not desire to have him shut out of their Countrey Oh consider of these things and lay them to heart ye persecuting Priests People and Professors of all sorts if you are Christians you are Christ-like now Christ is meek and he saith Learn of me I am meek and lowly in the heart and you shall find rest unto your Souls so all you persecuting Priests People and Professors of all sorts come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you all and believe in it and obey it and it will open your Hearts and Understandings to know and understand that Christ is the Light of the World and hath enlightened every one that is come into the World and that all that believeth in that Light wherewith he hath enlightened them shall not die and perish in their Sins but by Christ the Light within they will come to be led out of their Sins and so to have Everlasting Life in him the Light For it is written In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men and the Light will let you see that Christ spiritually within men and women is unto them the way to God the Father and the Truth and the Life and the Door of the Sheepfold and if you believe in the Light it will open your hearts to understand that no man or woman upon the Earth can come to get any entrance into Gods Everlasting Kingdom but by Christ spiritually within for he saith I am the Light I am the Way I am the Truth I am the Life I am the Door of the Sheepfold he that enters by me the Door shall go in and find Pasture but he that climeth up another way is a Thief and must be cast down and none can ever enter into Gods Kingdom but by Christ spiritually within even the same Christ which the Jews cried away withal who was Crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem yea I say the same Christ and not another I say if ye believe in this Light it will open your hearts to understand these things to your own everlasting comfort and satisfaction and it will give you an entrance into Gods Everlasting Kingdom and if you do not believe in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you then you will continue in blindness of mind and hardness of heart and will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived and you will continue fighting against the Lord God who Created you and you will continue fighting against the Lord Jesus Christ in his Members persecuting his tender and dear Servants who are as dear unto him as the Aple of his Eye and if you do it had been better for you that you had not been born for said he Whosoever shall offend one of these my little ones that believe in me Mat 18.5 6 7. it were better for him that a Misstone were hanged about his Neck and he were cast into the Sea 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 13. and if you continue in so doing then these are the words of Truth unto you all you are of the same Seed and Spirit that they were of who slew the Prophets and Christ and the Apostles and if you be found in the same work the Holy and Just God will give you the same Reward So remember you are warned now in your life time Mat. 25. from vers 32 c. to the end so prize your time and all of you labour to amend your doings which are evil in the sight of the Lord God And believe in the Light that you may be the Children of God who is Light and in whom is no Darkness at all And now unto all people in all Forms who profess the Scriptures of Truth to be your Rule to walk by and denieth the Light Grace and Spirit of God which is but one wherewith he hath enlightened you to be a sufficient Rule or Guide for you to walk by and calleth it a new Way and calleth it False Doctrine to direct people to the Light within them I say in Coolness and true Moderation in the Fear of the Lord God consider and take diligent notice of Peter's Doctrine to the Saints Know this said he that the Scriptures came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God gave them forth as they were moved by the Holy Spirit or Ghost So I say in the Fear of the Lord God take notice there were Holy men before there were Holy Scriptures and it was the Holy Spirit or Light of God and Christ in men that made men holy and was their Guide and their Rule by which they were led and guided to do those things which did please the Lord God before there was any outward Writing or Printing Abel was a Righteous man and was beloved of God and was Guided and Ruled by the Spirit of God within him before any part of the Bible was written and Abel offered unto the Lord and the Lord accepted of his Offering but Cain was a wicked man and a Vagabond for he was wandered and ravened from the Spirit of God within him and when he was ravened and wandered from the Spirit of God within him and his Soul had
at all for the Tythes were ordained for the Tribe of Levi Neh. 10.38 who were to serve in the Outward Temple who were the Outward Priesthood who had not any part in the division of the Land for the other Tribes had the Land divided amongst them Num. 18.20 22 c. to the end Chapter but the Tribe of Levi had no part of the Land but as I said before the Tythes was for to relieve them and not only them but the Strangers and Fatherless also that there might not be a Begger in Israel but this was before Christ the Everlasting High-Priest was made manifest as to the outward but when he was come and was offered up then Stephen a man full of Faith and full of the Power of God he lift up his voice in the Power of the Everlasting High-Priest and said God that made the World dwels not in Temples made with hands but the Temple-worshippers they were filled with wrath against him for his true Testimony and they stoned him to death And Paul in the Power of the Everlasting High-Priest he said unto the Saints Heb. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. That their Bodies were the Temple of the Living God and when Paul writ unto the Hebrews he told them that the Priesthood being changed Heb. 7.12 to the end of the chapter there was also a necessity of the change of the Law So the Ministers of Christ in the Power of him the Everlasting High-Priest they preached down the outward Temple and its Worship and its Priests and all their Sacrifices which made nothing perfect Heb. 10 11 20 21 22. as pertaining to the Conscience and so the Priests and Temple and Tythes was but to continue till Christ was offered up and though they did uphold the outward Temple worship and its Priests and Tythes for some time after Christ was offered up and so slew Stephen and others for crying against it yet the Arm of the Lord God was against them and it brought them down and the Foundation of their Temple was pulled up and they were scattered up and down in many Nations and are so scattered unto this day according unto the Prophesie of Christ Jesus the Everlasting High-Priest Acts 7.47 48 49 50 59 60. And now unto all people I say 2 Sam. 7.5 6 12 13. 1 Kings 6.1 2. there was never any outward House or Temple that Gods Worship was limitted to but only that at Jerusalem which David prepared for and Solomon builded neither was there ever any command from God to pay Tythes unto any other Priests but only those who belonged to that Worship under the Law and the Command was but in force until Christ was Crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem Joh. 4.20 c. to ver 27. and that was many hundred years ago and the Scriptures of Truth which the Priests of England do call their Rule do prove what I have written concerning this thing And O ye Priests of England you have no command from God to take Tythes and therefore you have no right to Tythes and there is a People of a tender Conscience in this Nation whom you in scorn call Quakers God hath opened their Eyes and they see and know you have no right to Tythes and therefore in obedience unto Christ Jesus the Everlasting High-Priest 1 Cor. 3.16 17. who hath ended the outward Temple and outward Priests and Law and Tythes they have with-holden their own from you 2 Cor. 6.16 and durst not give you any Tythes for if they had then they had provoked the Lord God unto wrath against them and for this their tender obedience unto their God you have persecuted several of them your Neighbours unto death and thus you have brought innocent blood upon your selves for which you must drink deep of the Cup of Gods fierce Indignation Isa 49.25 26. and you do still continue your Cruelty in imprisoning the Bodies and spoiling the Goods of those your Neighbours and you have not yet repented of those your grievous Sins neither do you seek Repentance for those your grievous Sins for if you were sorrowfull for what you have done in those things which you have done then you would give over so doing but the most of you who have power given you by men you continue in your wicked works Phil. 3 18 19. and as the Apostle said Your Consciences are Seared as with a hot Iron and you have sold your selves Slaves unto Satan to do his work with greediness for his Servants your are to whom you obey and in those things you obey Satan for he was a Lyar and a Murtherer from the beginning and his Children and Servants are like him and these your wicked works which you have done it hath been for your Bellies which you make your god and though you have been professing the true God in words yet you have not known him for your hearts have been far from him and though you have talked of him with your Mouthes for Money yet in works you have denied him and so you have not loved the Lord God with all your hearts and so you could not love your Neighbours the People you call Quakers as you have loved your selves for if you had loved the Lord God with all your hearts then you would have loved your Neighbors as your selves for before any man or woman can come to love their Neighbours as themselves they must come to love the Lord God with all their hearts but you have loved your Bellies more then you have done either God or your Neigbours your Fruits do make it plainly manifest many thousands of Englands Inhabitants seeth it to be so therefore you are not Ruled by the holy Scriptures without you nor by the holy Spirit which is the Original of the Scriptures within you but you are unruly and the holy Spirit of God in your own Consciences and the holy Scriptures without you do bear witness against you and you stand judged and condemned before the Lord God and all just and holy men And Christ Jesus spake words which was written and is upon Record in the Holy Scriptures which you call your Rule he said unto the people Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do you even so unto them this is Christs Command and he saith If you love me keep my Commandments and if you did love him you would keep this his Command He that saith he knoweth or loveth God and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar 1 John 2.4 If any man say he loveth God and hateth his Brother he is a Lyar for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And this Commandment have we from him that he that loveth God loveth his Brother also 1 John 4.20.21 By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments For this is the love of
and the excellency of it is of him and not of us and to him we give the glory and honour for to him it is due for ever who by his Light which he hath caused to shine in our hearts hath given us to see them and their false Doctrines and false Worships and Wayes and now he hath given unto us Christ his Son his Covenant of Light to be our Teacher and this is that Way which once we did not know And God said unto man Thy Teacher shall no more be removed into a Corner but thine eye shall see thy Teacher thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it And we can say Experimentally through Gods mercy that that which in times past came behind us to call us out of Evil when we were gone into Evil even than same hath led us out of Evil and so that which formerly we were turned from we are now turned to again so that which followed us and condemned us when we did Evil that is come before us and leads us into those things which is well-pleasing to the Lord our God and so Christ Jesus the Light in us is become our Shepherd and we do hear his Voice in us and we do follow him and he doth give us Peace in our inward parts which neither the Devil nor Wicked men can take from us if we abide faithful unto him And so we are set down under him who is the true Vine and we are Branches in him and so we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in the Son of God Christ Jesus and this is the true God and Life Eternal and he is our Teacher Bishop and High-priest and Lord and King and we do believe that he shall no more be removed out of our sight nor hearing but we shall for ever see him and he shall Live and Reign for evermore and he said Because I live ye shall live also and we know what he said is true and he said I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth shall never die and these things we do stedfastly believe And as for those Priests and Professors who say Revelation is ceased and there is no immediate teaching to be received in this Age and those that say they have not an infallible Spirit as the Apostle had as for those that hate the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightned them and loveth darkness which is of the Devil that cannot reveal the things of God and his Kingdom unto them and we know that those who hate the Light and will not hearken to the Light nor obey the Light they can have no immediate testimony to bear for God unto others and we know that there is no infallible Spirit but the Spirit of God and Christ and so they who do not believe in that measure of the Spirit of God and Christ which he hath placed in them to instruct them they have no infallibility but they fail of their Duty toward God and one towards another and so they are unprofitable Servants and wholy useless in the worship of God For if any man have nor the Spirit of Christ he is none of his now it is certain that the Spirit of Christ is infallible it did never fail to fulfil the Will of his Father and the Apostle said God had sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby they called him Father and we do confess to the Glory of God that he hath sent the same Spirit of his Son into our hearts by which we can experimentally call him Father and in and by this we have the things of God and his Kingdom revealed unto us and are immediatly taught by this and this is infallible and doth not fail to lead us into all truth if we do in Faithfulness follow it and so it is our Comforter who love it and obey it but it is and will be the Torment and Condemnation of all those that hate it So the way of the Wicked is Darkness they know not at what they stumble Destruction and Misery is in their way and the way of Peace they know not The Priests and Professors who cry Revelation is Ceased and there is no immediate Teaching to be received in this Age and say that they have no Infallible Spirit These People say that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the Revealed Will of God unto them I say the Scriptures was given forth by the Inspiration of God which gives understanding and they do not stand and remain Open and Revealed unto any man or woman but unto such who comes into the Spirit of God and Christ which is infallible for when the Son of God opened his mouth and spake unto the World he spoke in Parables and they could not understand his words because their minds was out from that of God in them for Christ told the unbelieving Jewes that they did neither know the Scriptures nor the Power of God And now all People whose minds are out from that of God in them they can no more know the Scriptures then the unbelieving Jewes could for it is that from which they were at first given forth which must give People the true understanding of them for Christ said unto his Disciples unto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but unto others who were in the unbelief he did speak in Parables even the same words which to unbelievers seemed Lyes and madness even those words was made plain unto them And their hearts did burn within them when he opened unto them the Scriptures after his Resurrection and I say the Scriptures is a book sealed from all People who hath the Light and will not own it to be their Teacher and they are jangling and quarrelling about the meaning of the Scriptures and so are fighting and striving one with another about the Shaddow and Outside of things and never comes to Christ the Substance for said Christ to the unbelieving Jewes Search the Scriptures for in them ye think you have Eternal Life But ye will not come unto me that you might have Life He did not say you cannot come unto me but he said you will not come unto me that you might have Life so Reader thou mayst see they had a Stubborn will who would not come unto Christ God said unto man in the daies of old I have set Life and Good before thee and Death and Evil and God did not nor doth not say unto man Choose Death that thou mayest dye but he did say and doth say choose Life that thou mayest live Paul said I will that Prayers and Supplications be put up for all men in as much as God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge
of the Truth and Christ said How often would I have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chicken under her wings but ye would not and God said O Jerusalem thy destruction is of thy selfe but thy Salvation is of me I delight not in the death of him that dyeth but rather that every one would turn from his wickedness and Live turn you turn you O house of Israel why will you die The Priests and the Professors call the Scriptures the Word of God and the Gospel now the Scriptures is words and they were not in the beginning but was given forth by holy men many generations after God had created the Earth and all things in it and upon it and God spake words unto Moses Read Exodus the 20 and the Apostles spake words in the Word and Power of the Lord which was in the beginning before man was or words either and whosoever shall add unto the words of this Prophesic said John in his Revelations c. So the Scriptures is words and not the Word In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God By him was all things made in him was Life and that Life was the Light of men And this is that Eternal and Ingraffted Word which is able to save the souls of all that do believe in it The Prophet hid it in his heart lest he should sin against God and it was as a Fire shut up in the Prophets bones and it was and is as a Fire Hammer and Sword and Ax to cut down the Devil and his Works in the heart of man where it is received and no man or woman need say who shall ascend into Heaven to fetch Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep to fetch Christ up from vexeath or who shall go beyond the Sea to fetch Christ unto us for behold the Word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou may hear it and do it and the four Books of Matthew Mark Luke and John which the Priests and Professors calls the Gospel is not the Gospel for it is but about Sixteen hundred years ago since those Books were written But the Gospel was Preached unto Abraham many Generations before those Books were written and the Gospel is Everlasting an Angel did flee thorough the midst of Heaven having the Everlasting Gospel to Preach That which is Everlasting is without beginning and without end now the Apostle said that the Gospel which he did Preach it was the Power of God now the Power of God is Everlasting without beginning and without end but books and words and writings had a beginning and may have an end so is not the Everlasting Gospel and there is no Gospel of God but one and that one Gospel Paul Preached and he received it not from man neither was he taught it by man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and he said If any man Preach unto you any other Gospel let him be accursed So Reader that Gospel which we Preach we have not received it from man nor from books nor from writings but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in us and what we have felt and seen and tasted and handled of the Word of Life Spiritually Inwardly these things declare we unto People that they might believe in God the Father who is Light and in Christ his Son who is Light and that they in the Father and the Son might have Fellowship with us and so Reader we have Revelation among us and immediate Teaching by the infallible Spirit of Christ Jesus in us and as many as walk according to this Rule Peace be unto them for those are the Children of God even those who are led by the Spirit of God which never did fail to bring forth Righteousness in those that did Obey it And so Reader the Priests and Professors who deny Revelation and immediate Teaching and an infallible Spirit they can speak nothing of certainty concerning God and his Kingdom and things pertaining to the Salvation of Mankind but what they do speak is their imaginations and dreams so it is not for People to trust unto them for Teaching for their mouths must be stopped which was never yet opened by the Revelation of Jesus Christ the Power of God from Heaven and they are to come and learn in Silence of the Light in their own Consciences untill it hath taught them the Knowledg of God and until they come to know the Light to be infallible and the onely true Teacher And now Reader I say keep low in thy mind in the Reading of this following Testimony and if thou do find something spoken that thou cannot yet wholy joyn withall labour to keep in the Patience and keep out of Fretting and be not Rash for thou wilt find things that are evil sharply reproved in Persons of all sorts without respect of persons and it was the manner of the true Prophets and Ministers and Apostles of Christ and of Christ himself to reprove the false Prophets sharply and also to Reprove Wicked Prophane Ungodly Men and Women sharply to the end that they might Repent and forsake the evil of their waies But it hath been the manner of the false Prophets whom God never sent to Daub and flatter and Prophesie Lyes unto People and to speak Peace unto People in their sins and Wo from the Lord God is coming upon those Teachers who is making it their Business to Preach up sin for term of life and to Promise unto People Peace in their sins Your Sins hath seperated between you and me saith the Lord Your sins hath withholden good things from you and no man or woman can be joyned to God in their sins and no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of God and as the Tree falleth so it lyeth there is no Repentance in the Grave So People must either witness Clensing and Freedom from sin before they go out of the Body or else they will never be made clean God did give the Apostles Gifts for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Church which was Christs Body until all come unto the measure of the Stature of Christ unto a Perfect man in Christ Jesus and the Apostle did bid People cast off every weight and burden and the sin that did so easily beset them that so they might run the Race that was set before them and they laboured that they might present every man Perfect in Christ Jesus and the Ministers which Christ doth send forth in this Age their Labour is to bring People into Christ Gods Power that they may sit down in Him in the heavenly Peace in him to Reign over sin and him that is the Author of sin which is the Devil and this the Lord hath already done for a little Remnant and he will certainly do it for many Thousands more To him be all Honour Glory Dominion and Praises both now and for
pomp and dignity outwardly but when he came Mark 6.3 he came much contrary to their thoughts and expectations and imaginations for he was supposed by them to be Joseph the Carpenters son a man of low esteem amongst them and so they dispised him because of his low Appearance which was so far contrary to what they had imagined concerning his coming and so they would not have him to rule over them but they slew him so they lost the benefit of his coming and so died in their sins and so was shut out of the Kingdom of God because of their unbelief so here was their Misery they would not receive him because he came not according as they had imagined he should come Now Friends to come nearer to your condition I shall write as the Spirit of the Lord shall move me which dwelleth in my heart Friends consider What is the reason that you will not own the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you and all people to be a sufficient Teacher and Ordinance for Salvation unto you and all people and to bring you and all people unto God out of sin if you and they did believe in it and obey it I say consider Is it not because you have read the Prophets Christ and the Apostles Writings with the same dark minds in unbelief that the Jews did read the Prophets Writings and in the Darkness which you have loved a great deal more then the Light you have imagined that Christ would shew himself unto you some other way then by his Light in your Consciences It hath been a very hatefull thing unto many of you Professors to hear us exhort you to turn unto the Light within and because we told you that was the Ordinance of God for Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth according to the words of the Prophet who prophesied in the Power of his coming Isa 49.5.6 7 8 22. who said I will give him for a Light unto the Gentiles and Leader to his People to be his Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth and when we have born our Testimony amongst you concerning this Light according to the plain words of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles laid down in the holy Scriptures and in the brokenness of our hearts have in much love unto you declared our own experience of the vertuous opperation of this Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned us and what Christ the Light had done for our Souls since we in his Light believed and when we thus laboured in the Love of God to do you good in perswading you to believe in the Light wherewith he hath enlightened you that so you might have come to have felt the vertue and power of it in your own hearts for your own everlasting good then many of you have rejected our Testimony and hath shamefully entreated us and hath rewarded us evil for good and you have hated this Light and cried Away with this Light and also with those that have been moved of the Lord God to bear witness unto this Light Which is the Trve Light which hath Enlightened every one that is come into the World as the Jews cried away with Christ when they imagined he had been Joseph the Carpenters son 1 Cor. 2.4 5 c. to 16. and so the Light is judged by your Carnal Wisdom and Reason to be too low a thing to stoop unto and the Jews in their Carnal Wisdom and Reason judged Christ when he was come not to be worthy or fit to be a King over them because they looked upon him to be a Carpenters son a man inferiour unto many of them as they imagined and so they hated him and slew him And so now all you Professors who have been and yet are haters of the Light and cryeth away with it and accounts it too low a thing for you to stoop unto you are deceived Christ will not shew himself unto you any other way but by the measure of his Spirit wherewith he hath Enlightened you it is written No man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God but many of you Professors will not believe that the Light wherewith Christ hath Enlightened you is of power and sufficiency to bring you to God out of sin and so to this day you have not the Benefit of Christs coming but you are still in your sins committing them and pleading that you must do so while you are in the Earthly Tabernacle And so are you not Rebellious Children who Rebel against the Light Grace and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ which he hath placed in you to Instruct you And do not you as plainly Crucifie and do Dispite unto the Opperation of the Spirit Light and Grace of Christ in your Inwards Parts as the Jews did unto the Vessel which they imagined to be Joseph the Carpenters son So consider of these things soberly in meekness in the fear of the Lord God and be not angry at me for writing thus in plainness unto you for know you all assuredly that it is the Love of God in my heart unto you that constrains me to write thus in plainness unto you so while you have a little time prize it and while you have a sence and feeling of the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ in your inward parts checking and condemning you when you do Evil believe you all in it and in obedience unto it give up and when it condemns you for Evil which you have already done then own its Judgments for its Judgments are just and true and when it letteth you see Temptations unto Sin before you have consented unto the Tempter or done the Evil he tempteth you unto then love it and let your minds be closely joyned unto it and then it will preserve you from doing the Evil that you are tempted unto and then it will be no sin for you to be tempted unto Evil if you do it not nor give your consent at all unto the Tempter Mat. 4.1 2 to 13. but love the Light which lets you see his Temptation and in it you will have Dominion over the Tempter and you will be kept out of his Snare for Christ was tempted but sinned not and Christ the Light will not condemn you for being tempted unto Evil if you do it not and if you believe in and love and obey the Light of the Son of God wherewith he hath Enlightened you Though you may have done much Evil God will forgive you for Christ the Light his sake in whom you do believe and though you may feel great and strong workings in you to do Evil yet if you love the Light within you that gives you the sence thereof it will work mightily in you against that nature which would lead you to do Evil and if you keep your minds unto the Light then you will feel that nature to die daily in you which hath led you into Evil and so that which hath led you into
Evil will be daily weaker and weaker but that which will lead you into Good will grow daily stronger and stronger until it hath wholy overcome that nature which hath led you into Evil but mark as I said before it is no sin to be tempted to do Evil but the sin is to do the Evil that one is tempted unto so when Christ the Light shall give any one Dominion over the Tempter so that he cannot make them do any thing that is Evil yet he will tempt them to do Evil at sometimes so all who cometh to be preserved out of sin they must keep their minds unto the Light within them daily Luk 9.23 24 25. yea hourly For said Christ he that will be my Disciple must deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me mark he must deny himself and take up that which crosseth his own selfish will and selfish wisdom for it is Self in man and woman which leads unto the Tempter and so commits sin and this made Christ say unto his Disciples Without me ye can do nothing he said unto them Joh. 15. from verse 1 to 11. I am the Vine ye are the Branches as the Branches cannot bring forth Fruit except they abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me so read the thing in the Spirit inwardly If a man believe in the Light of Christ within him and loveth and obeyeth it then he cometh to be ingrafted into Christ the true Vine then the Light in which he hath believed is a daily cross unto self in him which if it had its way in him and were not crossed and kept down by the Light then it would obey the Tempter and so commit sin but when the Light is believed in loved and obeyed self is judged and denied and kept under the yoke and cross and then it is no more Self that Reigneth in Man which while it Reigneth will answer the Tempter and so commit sin but then it is the Seed of the Woman which Reigneth and Remaineth in Male and Female which hath in them bruised the wise and cunning and crooked Gen. 3.15 and wilful Serpents head and so the Seed Christ the Light comes to Reign over Man and Woman in their own hearts and such are come to be born of God and so hath overcome the Wicked one and such doth not commit sin because the Seed Christ Reigneth and Remaineth in them and then though the Prince of the World come and tempt such to do evil they do not obey him because they have denied Self which did commit sin and now Christ the true Seed and in whom the Tempter the Prince of the World hath no part Reigneth and he is the Lamb of God who hath taken away the sins of as many as have believed in and in faithfulness followed the Light within them wherewith he hath enlightened them and in such he hath fulfilled in the Substance that which he did in the Figure in the outward Temple at Jerusalem For it is written That he made a Whip of small Cords Joh. 2.15 and whipped out of the outward Temple the Buyers and Sellers And he said My Fathers House hath been Called a House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Theeves this I say was but a Type or Figure of his coming inwardly in Spirit to cleanse the Temple of mans Heart and Body which was defiled with Idolatry Covetousness Pride Envy Lying Swearing Cheating Dissembling vain Talking foolish Jesting Whoredoms Murthers Roberies and divers other Abominations which men and women have been defiled withal And so Glory to the Lord God for evermore he hath sent his Son a Light into our hearts and since we have believed in the Light of Christ in our hearts he hath clensed our hearts from such of the beforementioned evils as we were in the practice of and so we have felt and known a sharp Spiritual Scourge inwardly in our own hearts scourging and afflicting our Souls inwardly for our sins and iniquities which we did commit in Rebellion against the Light in our own hearts and so we have born the indignation of God inwardly Micah 7.7 8 9. in our own hearts and consciences and he ha h sitten as Refiners Fire and as Fullers Sope in our inward parts purifying our hearts which was sull of uncleanness and we have known great pain inwardly and we have wept and mourned over the Right Heir the Seed Zech. 12.10 11. the Light which we had Rebelled against and done dispite unto but since we learned obedience unto the Light the Lord our God hath forgiven us our trespasses which we had trespassed against him and now he guides us by his Spirit and Light which dwelleth in us yea now are we become the workmanship of our God Created by him in Christ Jesus the Light within us unto good works Ephes 2.1 2 c. to the end I hil 2.13 which he before ordained that we should walk in them and so it is our God who worketh all our works for us and in us and so it is by the Grace Light and Spirit of our God in our own hearts which did convince us of our sins and did trouble and condemn us for our sins Isa 26.12 that we are saved from our sins I mean Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. we are led out of the Action and Practice of that which formerly we lived in the practice of for which the Light Spirit and Grace Isa 1.16 17 18 19. which is but one in its Nature though its Names be divers did condemn us And so as the Apostle Paul said unto the Saints in his time By Grace are ye saved through Faith and not of our selves for it is the Gift of God Mark by the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared unto all men were they taught to deny and forsake the practice of Evil doing and Evil speaking and to judge and deny the Tempter when he brought an evil thought into their hearts to do speak or give their consents unto any evil and thus did they resist the Devil in the Grace that let them see the Temptation and then when he could not get them to yeeld unto him then he fled from them as it is written Draw near unto the Lord and he will draw near unto you Jam. 4.7 8 9 10. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you So when they did believe in the Grace and Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God had enlightened them and did joyn their minds unto it and loved it then it began to lead them out of Ungodliness Worldly Lusts and all wicked Words and Works which before they bad lived in and did commit with greediness as many do now in this our Age and Generation and then when they followed the Teachings of the Grace of God in their own hearts and was by it led out of their sins which made them unlike
sinned and died who have been ravined from the Spirit within them as he did from the Spirit within him and so have faln and sinned and died as he did but now all who cometh to witness Redemption from that Estate they must come into the Spirit and Light within them from which they have ravined and if they do not come to believe in and obey that they will never come to be made alive in and by Christ the Second Adam though they may talk of and profess never so much of God and Christ without them at a distance from them and though they may have a perswasion in their hearts and may really believe all that is written in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Birth of Christ and of his Death and of his Resurrection yet this believing will not bring them into acceptation with God if they do not come to believe in the Light and Spirit of Christ within them For I say in the fear of the Lord God consider Doth not all the prophane people in all those Nations ealled Christendom generally believe that he was the Son of God who was crucified without the Gates at Jerusalem and was born of the Virgin Mary and rose again the third day as they read the Scriptures of Truth which beareth witness of those things and yet though they have given credit unto those words which are written of him many of them are Proud and Covetous Drunkards and Swearers and Lyers Persecutors Murtherers and Theeves and Cheaters and Dissemblers Now I say in the Fear of the Lord God consider Is this true Saving Faith which they are in and though they have been taught by Tradition to believe as aforesaid yet their hearts are very corrupt and full of wickedness and so are far from the Lord God and they are far from being accepted with the pure God in that Estate now the Apostle saith Faith purifieth the heart and the Mystery of the Saints Faith in the Apostles dayes was held in their Pure Consciences which was Christ in them the Hope of Glory 1 Tim. 3.9 so they were in the True Saving and Living Faith their Faith stood in the Power Spirit and Light of Christ within them and the Power Light and Spirit of Christ within them did purifie their hearts and it made them of a Right Spirit and so that which purified their hearts dwelt in them for it is written The Tabernacle of God is with men Rev. 21.3 Ezek. 37.27 I will walk in them and dwell in them said God I will be their God and they shall be my people and Christ said unto the Saints I and my Father we will come and make our abode with you and Christ said unto his Disciples before he was offered up He that is with you shall be in you and he said Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing and though the Apostle had known Christ once after the Flesh yet benceforth I know him so no more 2 Cor. 4.16 said he and he said I bear in my Body the Dyings of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus may be made manifest in my mortal Flesh Joh. 14.11 c. to 25. and he said I am crucified unto the World and the world unto me and the Life that I now live is by Faith in the Son of God I Live said he yet not I but Christ in me and so he witnessed Christ in him the Hope of Glory and the Apostle said unto the Saints Try your selves prove your selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates Now I say the people of God who are in scorn called Quakers do believe and certainly know that he who was born of the Virgin Mary was the Son of God who was hated by the Jews and sentenced to die by Pilate though he could find no fault in him we do believe that he was crucified without the Gate of Jerusalem and was raised again the third day by the mighty Power of his Father in whose will he suffered though there was no fault in him and we believe and are sure that God was greatly honoured in his Faithfulness Obedience and Humiliation who though he was without fault humbled himself unto the death upon the Cross and we do believe and are sure that all that did believe in him in that Age in which he suffered outwardly and did confess him boldly before his Enemies and suffered death for his Name sake or imprisonment they are everlastingly well who continued in faithfulness unto the end But consider O all ye professors in that called Christendom it was a hard and mighty thing in that Age in which he suffered to confess before his Enemies that he was the Messiah the Christ the Son of God for to confess before his Enemies that he was the Son of God was cause enough for his Enemies by their unjust Law by which they had put him to death to put those to death that should so confess him So that in that Age there durst none confess him before his Enemies to be the Son of God but those who were come to feel and know the Measure of the Spirit of God which he had given them to instruct them for that gave them to know that he was the Son of God and it filled their hearts with zeal and boldness to confess him to be the Son of God though they were put to death for their Confession for Christ said No man can come unto me except my Father draw him Joh. 6.44 45 46. so God drew them by the Measure of his Spirit in them to know that Jesus was the Son of God and by the same he drew them to confess him boldly before his Enemies And Christ said unto his Disciples Whom do men say that I am some said he was John Baptist and some Elias But he said unto his Disciples Mat. 16.13 14 15 16 17. whom do ye say I am Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Jesus answered and said unto him Flesh and Blood hath not revealed that unto thee but my Father only But oh you Professors in what Form soever consider It is many Ages past since Christ suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem and people have been ravened from the Life and Power and Spirit in which the ancient Christians lived for you may read that the Saints were called Christians fiest at Antioch Act. 11.26 and it is very like at that time the name Christian was as hatefull a name both with the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles as the name Heathen is hatefull here in England and other Nations who calls themselves Christians but Christ and his Apostles wrought many great and wondrous Works in and by the mighty Power of God Acts 20.29 30. while they were walking upon the Earth among the Sons and Daughters of men and they wrot in the Spirit and Power
and Wisdom of God words which they left behind them and after their decease Grievous Wolves did arise who was ravened from the Spirit and was gone out from the Apostles in the Apostle John's dayes saith he 1 Joh. 2.18 19 20 26 27. They went from us that they might be made manifest they were not of us For said he if they had been of us no doubt they would have continued with us and Paul when he wrote unto Timothy he said I know that after my decease grievous Wolves shall arise who will not spare the Flock so before the true Apostles of the Lamb laid down their heads there was False Apostles and Deceitfull Workers crept in among the Saints who spoke perverse things and did draw disciples after them but while the true Apostles remained in the body they watched diligently over the Flock over which the holy Spirit had made them Overseers and they were a terror to deceit and kept back the work of the Devil in the false Apostles and deceitfull Workers for then they were already entred into the World and then it was the Last Time as John said Fifteen or sixteen hundred years ago Brethren 1 Joh. 4.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. as you have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists and false Prophets in the World whereby we know that it is the Last Time So all People take notice that Antichrist and the false Prophets were entred into the world before the Apostles decease and they have remained in the world ever since and this was before the name Quaker was given unto us by the Scorners yea this was before we were born so that it is plain that the Priests and Professors in all that called Christendom who have said that the false Prophets and Antichrists and Deceivers and Seducers came but when those people they called Quakers came have all erred in their Judgments and so have judged with evil thoughts and so they must all bear the Judgments of the Lord God for their false and unjust Judgment upon those they in scorn call Quakers for Antichrist and the false Prophets were entred into the World in the Apostles dayes Rev. 17.2 6. and after the true Apostles were put to death and were taken away from amongst men then the false Apostles work went more swiftly on Rev. 18.3 and they being ravened from the Life and Power and Spirit within they took the words of Christ and the Apostles which they had written in the motion of the Spirit of God in them and had left upon Record and they professed them and they being ravened from that measure of the Spirit of God from which the Scriptures was given forth then they wrested the Scriptures and gave meanings unto them they having lost the Key of Knowledg and then they went into the Liberty of the Flesh and so drew people after them and then the Night of Apostacy grew in fast and the Beast and the false Prophets made war against the Lamb and the Saints and they slew the Lamb and slew many of the Saints and so overcame them and then Antichrists Kingdom did increase fast and then the false Church which was not in God but in the Dragons power who had slain the Lamb and the Saints it grew great and then began the false Christians to be increased and the number of them to be many and so the false Christians who have taken upon themselves the bare name but are out of the Life and Nature of Christ they are spread over many Nations and are become a great and large people And so it is easie for people now to take the name Christian upon them in England and other Nations for now the whole Nation of England doth profess Christ in words and several other Nations so that if a man will profess Christ without him as they do and live in deceit and ungodliness as they do and turn and conform unto one Invention and Tradition of man after another as they do then they will not persecute him for professing of Christ without him as they do but if he be one who hath believed in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened him and so is come to know Christ in him to destroy Sin in him and that Christ hath already led him out of the Sin which they live in then they will persecute him and as it was in the Apostles dayes so is it now He that is born after the Flesh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit and they that do live godly in Christ Jesus do suffer persecution It is evident that the Apostles and Saints in the Ages past witnessed Christ in them and so were made new Creatures by the working of his mighty Power if them for it is written If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a New Creature Now consider the thing in the fear of the Lord God who searcheth all Hearts Rev. 21.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. and tryeth all Reins who will assuredly reward every one according to their deeds done in the Body If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Old things are passed away behold all things are become New Mark Old things are passed away Now in the Fear of the Lord God 2 Cor. 5.17 I say consider the thing well for it is weighty What was the old things which were passed away from the Saints Eph. 4.22 23 24. in that Age in which they lived upon the Earth was it not Sin yea assuredly it was Sin for Sin was and is the Deeds of the first Adam and all who are in his state are dead in Trespasses and Sins Joh. 1.29 but said the Apostle to the Saints You have put off the Old man with his deeds which is corrupt Joh. 8.34 and you have put on the New man Christ Jesus and Paul said That as many as were Baptised into Christ Jam. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. they had put on Christ and so they were in him and he in them had destroyed the Works of the Devil and so had led them out of Sin and so had saved them from their Sins Gal. 3.27 28. for that is the work which God hath given him to do for the Sons and Daughters of men and all who comes to believe in his Light in their Consciences and obeys it they come to feel these things wrought within them and not without them for it is a plain Truth and cannot be denied by any sober wise and truly understanding man or woman the pure and holy God of Life and Power of Heaven and Earth he will not be reconciled to any people under what Name or Profession of Religion soever upon the Face of the whole Earth while they are in their Sins that is while they are in the practice of Evil-doing rebelling against the good Spirit of God in them Isa 63.10 which he hath placed in them to instruct them
no habitation in God but was a Vagabond and his Soul delighted in Evil Gen. 4. from vers 5 to 17. then in that state he offered unto the Lord God but the Lord God did not accept of his Offering no God took no pleasure at all in it because he was ravened from the Spirit or Light of God within him and was wicked and then when Cain and his Offering was rejected then Cain was wroth and his countenance fell and the Lord said unto Cain Why art thou Wroth and why is thy Countenance faln if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou doest evil sin lieth at thy door But Cain who was full of wrath because he was reproved and his Offering not accepted he in his wrath rose up against his righteous Brother whom God loved and whose Offering God accepted and he slew his righteous Brother because his Brothers works were righteous and his own were wicked and the Lord God cursed Cain for shedding innocent blood and Cain when he was ravined from the Spirit of God within him and had shed innocent blood he became great in the Earth and builded a City and although he had a City upon Earth yet he was a Vagabond because he was wandered and ravened from the Spirit of God within him for his Soul had no habitation in God but the Wrath of God did abide upon him And now all ye Priests and People and Professors of all sorts who have been or are or desire to be Persecutors of those whom the Lord God loveth and taketh pleasure in take notice of Cain's Reward that great and first Persecutor about Religion and all of you repent and give over persecuting people for the exercise of their Consciences towards God Or else you will undo your selves The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it for whosoever persecutes any man for the exercise of his Conscience towards God they are of the same Spirit with Cain and their Reward will be the same with his if they do not give over persecuting and speedily repent for there ought none to exercise Authority over the Consciences of men and women but the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ who are one for it is Gods Right only to Rule in and over the Consciences of people and what man or men soever upon the Face of the whole Earth who doth take upon him or them to lay a yoke upon the Consciences of people to limit people from a Worship into which they are already led by the Spirit of the Lord God such who so doth they do and will provoke the Lord God of Heaven and Earth against them and he will bring his Wrath upon them and it will fall heavy upon them 1 Cor. 12.7 and he will bring them down For God is a Spirit and he hath given the manifestation of his Spirit to every one to profit withal and every one that believeth in the measure of the Spirit of God which he hath given them to profit withal they come by that to be led into a pure Spiritual Worship in which the Lord God takes pleasure and whosoever striveth against them the Lord God will visit them with Judgment and he will deliver his oppressed people out of their hands And so all Persecutors come to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened you and that will let you see that all this while you have been perfecting a people whom God hath made harmless for the exercise of their Conscitnces unto him in a pure Spiritual Worship you have been fighting against God who oreased you as Soul was who was as zealous for his Form of Religion as you are for yours and in his blind zeal he persecuted the Church of God and he thought he had been doing God service as many of you zealous Professors have done in your bitter angry zeal but both his thoughts and yours have been vain in this particular and so you have fulfilled the words of Christ who said unto the Saints The time will come that they will think they do God service that shall kill you Joh. 16.2 3. but Saul was an Enemy of God and a Fighter against God and a Voice came unto him from the Lord God and the Voice said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.5 and Saul being strucken down answered the Voice which spake unto him and said Who art thou Lord Acts 22.8 19 20. and the Voice answered unto his question and said I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks take notice that Saul who after his Conversion was called Paul his Conversion to the Christian Faith was after Christ had suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem for Saul was going to Damascus with Letters from the high Priests to bring the Saints which was at Damascus to Jerusalem to be persecuted for Jesus Christ the Light and Life of men he had suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem in that Body which his Enemies called Joseph the Carpenters Son before the Voice told him I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest So all Persecutors take notice that it was Jesus in those Saints which was at Damascus and in other Saints that Saul persecuted I say it was Jesus the Spirit Life and Power in those and other Saints that Saul persecuted for as for the Vessel which was supposed by his Enemies to be Joseph the Carpenters Son that was offered up before so Jesus Christ was in the Saints and he was their Comforter the Spirit of Truth and he did lead them into all Truth and the Saints were hated and persecuted both by Jews and Gentiles who did not believe in the Spirit and Light of Christ within them and as it was in their dayes so it is in our dayes Joh. 14.16 17 18 26. He that is born of the Flesh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit and they that will live Godlike in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Mark they that will live in the likeness of God in which state man was created they must suffer persecution but if they will continue in the likeness or Image of the Devil in Pride Drunkenness and Hypocrisie and only profess God and Christ without them and winde and turn about unto every new Invention which is invented in the thick and dark Night of Apostacy which yet remains in and over the hearts of many thousands of those that calls themselves Christians then they may not be persecuted but if they be Proud men then they may find some friendship amongst the Proud Joh. 15 18 89 20 21. and if they be Drunkards they may find some friendship amongst the Drunkards and if they be Hypocrites Time-servers and Men-pleasers and Dissemblers then they may find some friendship amongst the children of the same nature for the World loves its own but if a man be redeemed from these things by Christ the Light within him