A DEFENCE OF THE True Church Called QUAKERS Come and coming out of the Wildernesse Babylon and the dark Night of the Apostacy of Antichrist into their own Land which is Sion the Mountain of Holinesse there to Worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth against the several Sects and sorts of people called Independants Separatists or Brownists Baptists Fift Monarchy-men Seekers and High Notionists of all sorts who by the True Light are found and discovered to be out of the same Written by J. C. According to the measure of Wisdom given unto him from God who is the giver of every good gift LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. WHen the Jewes outward Returned from the Captivity of Babylon which was the true figure of the Saints coming out of the long and dark night of Apostacy from the Doctrine and Life of the Apostles in the Primitive Times which was the Captivity of the spiritual Seed so great and many were their Enemies who endeavoured to cause their Work in repairing the desolate and ruined places of Jerusalem to cease that those who were imployed in that Work with one hand wrought and with the other held the Weapon even so is it and must it be now at the Return of the spiritual Seed not only within by exercising Faith and Prayer upon and to him that is able to save to the uttermost and in his strength wrestling against the Dragon and his Angels Principalities Powers and Spiritual Wickednesses in High Places and sundry temptations so quenching by the Armour of Light all the fiery Darts of the wicked one but also without both by holding forth the Word of their testimony and sealing it with their bloud and sufferings for the conviction and conversion of sinners so fitting stones for Gods spiritual building and also by stopping the mouths of gain-sayers who shall not be able to resist the Spirit by which they speak So standing in the gap and quitting themselves like Spiritual-men against the Beast and false Prophet and all the Armies of the Aliens Hear now therefore all ye that are called Independants Separatists or Brownists Baptists Fift Monarchy-men Seekers high Notionists of all sorts the Apologie or Defence that I in the wisdom and strength of my God for without him I can do nothing do make against you and for the true Church called Quakers against whom and whose standing Profession ye variously have prejudice and do contend And First for you called Independants ye assume a great Name but ye are not found in the Independant nature and so are not the true Church for although ye professe your selves as to the visible Administration of Church-power not to have dependance upon other Congregations or Churches as an inferiour on a superiour yet are there many things apparently seen amongst you which do un-Church you and remove your Candlestick far off for the true golden Candlesticks among whom Christ the Son of God walketh do hold up and hold forth the true light that it may shine before men but ye as do the common multitude reject it sleight it and Dispute against it as invalid and insufficient to lead in the way everlasting and so ye would have it kept under the bushel yea quite extinguished in the hearts of men and would have the Scriptures or Writings to be a light to it and not it an enlightener and opener of them whereby ye stumble at the Scriptures themselves and cannot discern of the times and seasons or of the Saints several states and conditions to God-ward who because they sometime witnessed a war and striving against the body of sin therefore say you they must alway while they live carry it about them as though the Saints fought as those that beat the Air or as though their labour were in vain in the Lord Oh! foolish people and unwise when will ye come to the true Teacher in your selves that ye may believe and know the Promise made unto the seed That there shall be no more a pricking Bryar unto the House of Israel nor a grieving Thorn of all that are round about them that despise them and they shall know that I am the Lord Also that their Enemies which they have seen to day they shall see them again no more for ever And that ye may see their interest in Christs Prayer whom the Father heard alwayes because he did alwayes the things that pleased him who said Neither Pray I for these alone to wit for the Apostles and Saints then in the world that they might be sanctified through the Truth but for them also who shall believe in me through their words that they all may be one c. I in them and thou in me that hey may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Mark This was a state of Saints Perfection in this world that worldly Spirits might be convinced thereby but ye being in the unbelief are even as the multitude alwayes hanging upon the lips of men whose tongues are not touched as the Prophets was with a Coal from Gods Altar who witnessed his sin purged and so are ever learning and never come to the true knowledge for the Pastors and Teachers of your Congregations have not yet witnessed the Vrim of the Sanctuary I mean the true spiritual Gift by believing and waiting on the true light which shineth in their dark hearts that should give them power from on high to minister in but are either men learned with the learning of this world or such who through strength of Brain and often reading of the Letter of the Scriptures can compose a Form of Words and deliver it unto you after a Priestly manner so that ye as still unsatisfied heap to your selves National Priests also for Teachers sometimes hearing the one and sometimes the other Yea some of your Pastors so called are National Priests also Oh! Friends it might shame you and make you blush for shame if ye could rightly consider to call your selves the Churches of Christ and Independants and be thus so dependant on mans Teachings Yea joyning with the National Priests about the way of sending out a Ministrie and bearing the Beasts very Mark in your Foreheads while ye are so called owning your Baptism in your Infancie to be true though ministred to a blank and by those who sprang from a Popish stock and sprinkling your own Infants now from a false apprehension of the Promise made to you and your seed after the flesh so calling that the seed whereas the true Churches of Christ knew no such seed nor owned any but that which sprang out of Christs womb in the Regeneration who is a quickning Spirit So Christ the Corner-stone and Head of the Church even the true and universal Light is come to fight against you with the sword of his mouth and to testifie to your faces That though ye call
with the whole heart and saith David in another place Let all those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee and it is Prophesied by the Prophet Jeremy that when the Jews had been in the captivity of Babylon they should go and seek the Lord their God asking their way to Sion from which they had been captivated with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten Mark when they were weary of their captivity they should go and seek not stand still and enquire onely but aske with their faces thitherward saying Come let us joyn to the Lord c. actually to set about the work Therefore saith the Lord by the Prophet in the 8th vers of the 50th Chapter Remove out of the midst of Babylon and go forth out of the Land of the Chaldeans c. which the Prophet Zachary also secondeth saying Deliver thy self oh Sion that dwelleth with the Daughter of Babylon So here is a lively representation of the Lords bringing his spiritual Seed out of spiritual captivity after the long night of Apostacy Babylon or Confusion was the state they were to depart from Sion or the Mountain of Holiness was the State they were to come to and in order hereunto they were to move and set forward neither was there any station by the way where they were to set down or continue This I speak for your sakes who for divers years have seemed to turn your backs upon the Whore of Babylon as seeing and disliking the false doctrines wayes and worships of Antichrist whereby you have been deceived and captivated but as though the Passage to Sion or Jerusalem was stopped up ye have sit down by the way saying The Church is yet in the Wilderness where she must abide till God makes way for her coming forth which is by raising up his witnesses who must appear with Miracles and such signs as the Apostles did to confirm their Ministry by till which time there is no true Gospel Ministry nor Administration of Baptism or any Ordinances of a visible Church This seems indeed to carry a face of truth with it and hath stumbled many but consider first whether ye are not some of those false prophets which Christ said should come and say Lo here and lo there whether ye are not those that say Christ is in the Desart as yet retired as to his visible appearance in the world whom to go forth after the Saints must not but must keep their own Habitations in the light to which they have been turned for saith he As the lightning riseth in the East and shineth even unto the West so shall the coming of the Son of man be and Luke addeth in his day So then here is a plain token of the Day of the Son of man or the sign of the Son of man in Heaven to wit in the true Church visible at his coming when he cometh as a Universal light that hath enlightned every man that cometh into the world by whose guidance and direction they believing in it all may come out of the false wayes and worships and deceits of the Whore of Babylon or of the whole world and out of all sin into the way of Truth Purity Peace and true Worship to serve the Lord in Spirit and Truth with one consent and those who have believed in this true light themselves which makes manifest all sin and deceit and having waited therein have felt it to be the light of life unto them quickning their Souls up to God and Baptizing them with its Holy Fire so making his living Word to be as fire in their bones and putting words into their mouths to testifie and declare against the Beast and false prophet and against the world that their deeds are evil and to call them to Repentance by believing in the same light in themselves which is Christ the true Prophet Gods faithful witness and are true and living witnesses for his Name and such as preach the Everlasting Gospel or glad Tidings although they speak in no Language but their Mother Tongue do no outward Miracles as to heal the sick cleanse the Lepers or the like nor do at all practise Baptizing with water laying on of hands or breaking of bread And thus I plainly demonstrate it to any that are not wilfully blind The Jewish state of old was the true figure of the Gospel Church after the Son of God his being manifested in the flesh who was the end of all figures and shadows look then in what manner the Lord brought forth and led the Jew outward then so doth he bring forth and lead the Jew inward afterwards Now when the Children of Israel came first out of Aegypt they were brought out of that house of bondage with a high hand and stretched-out arm as to the outward Moses was loath to go as thinking they would not believe him therefore the Lord gave him a signe of turning the Rod into a Serpent which he did also before hard-hearted Pharaoh upon whom were ten visible Plagues also sent the Sea was divided the Aegyptians drowned the Rock gushed out water Jericho fell by the blowing of Rams Horns and the like in this high manner came they to Canaan but when they for their iniquity were led into captivity by the King of Babylon at their coming out the second time there was no such outward sign shewen or any such visible work wrought in order to their deliverance but as those who had a right to a restauration of that which once they gained by such hardships and mighty works this was Gods way of proceeding towards them he raised up Cyrus to make a Proclamation of liberty and to restore the treasure and vessels of the Temple which was a lively figure of Christ the spiritual King Proclaming in the hearts of his People by the true light which is his word that they should now leave all false and wicked and deceitful wayes of the Whore of Babylon and bring back the vessels of the spiritual Temple to serve and worship God in his holy mountain Jerusalem that they be no longer defiled and profaned by Idol wayes and worships then upon this Proclamation of Cyrus those whose hearts were touched and whose spirits were stirred up as Zerubbabel Joshuah and others stood not still but set about the work leading many Jewes to Jerusalem without any more ado as Nehemiah did also afterwards by the permission of Artaxerxes and when they came thither they went to build the Temple although the enemies made them cease a while by force then the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied but did no miracle unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the Name of the Lord God of Israel Ezra 5. vers 1. whereupon Zerubbabel and Joshua arose up and began to build the house of God for it is said Hag. 1. the Lord stirred up their spirits so to do and
acknowledge Christ and the Scriptures in words but oppose and betray his pure Life wherefore he commandeth his wiâ—nesses now to fight with her with the sword of his mouth in the Power of Wisdom which is better then outward strength and so they act and speak as he moveth and enableth them keeping to their own gift measure and work as the Apostles and Saints formerly did to theirs and not regarding how they acted or spake so as to be moved or troubled at it as to question their call to the work of the Ministry for they know if they receive the witness of man the witness of God is greater which witness is his light within them which plainly sheweth them and sealeth in them though the whole world gain-say it that they have felt in themselves the Baptism of the spirit and fire whose effects I before declared and so the operation of his living Word which hath brought thousands of others to believe in the same light and many to feel also the same living Word and spiritual Baptism which hath shaken the Earthly part within like a cottage and also the outward body of some putting words in their mouths to declare his righteousness in the great Assembly and magnifie his Holy Name in the Congregations of his Saints this was that greater work that Christ said his Disciples should do then he had done because he went to his Father for the Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified this is really witnessed among us the Spirit sealing it in our hearts so that we witnesing the one Lord one Faith and one Baptism we are thereby baptized into the one body and being many are one bread and so the true Church that is come and coming out of Babylon and out of the wilderness Glory be to the Lord for ever who hath thus visited and Redeemed his People for this living Power is the gift it self tongues miracles prophesie c. are but the gifts flowing as streams from this fountain now if the Lord do keep back some streams and give us more of the fountain in this his day we are not loosers but gainers by that and so the more to be owned as the Church of Christ But ye will say when the Church was brought out of mystical Babylon John declareth there was an Angel who flow thorow the midst of heaven with an everlasting Gospel to Preach to them that dwell on the Earth and to all Nations kindreds tongues and People which since we see not how that could be without the gift of tongues sheweth us that the true Ministry must have the very same visible gifts now as the Apostles had before they undertake to go forth That People were never truely called out of Babylon before the Preaching of this everlasting Gospel is certainly true and that it is to be Preached to all sorts of People upon the Earth is as cerâ—â—in but that this Gospel must not be Preached to some till the gift of tongues be given where by it might be declared to all is false for the Wisdom of God teacheth his People in what manner and order he will proceed in the publishing his truth throughout the world it must begin first in Sodom and Egypt where our Lord Christ the light and life hath been crucified I mean the Anti-christian State which under pretence of professing Christ opposeth him this Beast indeed is many headed and consists of divers Nations but they must not all be cut off at once but by degrees we know by experience what ever ye believe that he hath begun his work in this Isle of the North wherein we live and that there have been wayes made somewhat to awaken other Nations also the pure Language being known a tongue hath not been wanting to speak to them in and in this one thing do I behold Gods great Wisdom that he hath taken the wise in their own craftiness that whereas the Antichristian Priests have as the Hebrew and Greek so especially idolized the Latine or Romane tongue all over Europe whereby it s become a general Language hereby a good occasion is given to spread the truth throughout all these Nations of Christendome so called also so much hath been the mutuall commerce betwixt these Antichristian People for many years as counting each other to be Christians that in any of these Nations it may be either spoken in their own Language or by an Interpreter which last way is not to be despised for the mighty God brings and will bring to pass great things in these last times by weak beginnings and none is to despise the Day of small things yea the voice hath been hard in Turkie already and if any of you shall say But what had they to do to go thither without the gift of the Tongue I answer you must ask him that moved them thereto even by turning in to Gods witness which is his true light within every one of you and waiting there for Counsel ye shall know the Lords secrets and feel his Power to arise which shall bring you into Unity with their Spirits who knew their Call which ye will not then dispute but in the mean time him that is ignorant let him be ignorant but however know that your unbelief cannot make the truth of God of none effect But is it not Prophesied by Isaiah concerning the Church that he will turn his hand upon her and pâ—rely purge away her dross and take away all her tin and will restore all her Judges as at the first and her Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards she shall be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City Zion shall be Redeemed with Judgement and her converts with Righteousness whereby it appeareth that at the Restauration of the Church the second time which is a very refining time and of Redemption through Judgement and Righteousness which ye talk so much of the Ministry of the Church shall be as they were at the first gathering of it by the Apostles and so gifted just as they were The endowing of the witnesses at their Resurrection shall be with the Spirit of life from God entring into them and so they shall be as at the first for that is the gift it self which brings into Unity of Spirit all the Prophets Apostles and Saints in all ages and into Unity in Ministry as declaring one Everlasting Truth for substance and from one Eternal Root but in respect of the gifts and operations of that one Spirit or Gift it may be different at sundry times and seasons according to the work that is to be done and the various workings of the Spirit it self So God who at sundry times and divers manners spake to the Jews by the Prophets spake in the last times by his Son by whom also he speaketh sundry wayes at sundry times though not a sundry truth for the Apostles bare witness to the true light that lightneth every man and to the Word nigh in the
believed being also I deny not then baptized with water they prayed and laid their hands on them which was an outward sign of the blessing and they received the holy Spirit now if any one shall say how could the Apostles who were but men baptize with the Spirit I answer no otherwise then they could at first beget faith and repentance in those so baptized it was the Lords work but they ministerially did it that is they having felt the power in themselves the raised life in them Ministred to the life that lay low in others and so brought it up therefore that the Lord might shew he was not tied up to time or manner in the bestowing of his gift while Peter spake those words to Cornelius and the rest the holy Spirit fell on them that heard the word so that this was the Baptism here meant by Christ which was so Essential to the conversion of the world and building up of the Saints in so much that Paul joyns it with faith as a necessary companion saying there is One Lord one Faith and one Baptisme for by one Spirit are the Saints baptized into one body Christ the baptizer being the head who moreover told the Apostles that he would be with them all the dayes that is of their Ministry even to the finishing of the age mark there was an age or certain space of time wherein the truth of the Gospel should grow and the Baptism of the Spirit or the comforters presence be witnessed through Christs Power accompanying their Ministry and then should the Mystery of iniquity in false Apostles get such a head by stealing and bringing in false Doctrines Traditions and inventions that it should God so permitting it overtop the life and so the true Ministry should cease and his living presence not be felt and enjoyed as before which most certainly came to passe as we see whose eyes the Lord hath opened in the many hundred years Apostacy and reign of Antichrist now if Christ meant that He would be alway with them to the end of the world as it s falsely rendred in English Bibles how could his words be true since we see by experience that the Glory of God which shined in his Temple in the Apostles dayes departed over the threshold the Church went into the wilderness the Seed of God was captivated by the Whore of Babylon and the man-Child Christ in his strength taken up to God and his Throne wherefore in the second restauration of the spiritual Temple and re-edifying of the holy City new Jerusalem people must first come to the true faith by believing in Christ the true light and witness repentance from all false worships and and dead works of the world as those that are wearie of Babylons captivity and that set their faces towards Sion in truth and so must wait with the Lords people in silence and humility for the Fathers promise which is the Comforter even the Spirit of truth which in his due time baptizeth such with fire and so by degrees leads them into all truth and out of all sins and errour and so the Church cometh out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved that is staying her mind upon the light within and being content with her portion be it much or little be it judgement or mercy be it in a day of blackness or gloominess or in a day wherein it is neither dark nor light or in the evening time wherein it shall be light as saith the Prophet or in the sun-shine of the day it self so not despising the day of small things or overlifted up with great things neither must they all this while set upon or practice any outward thing in the worship of God in their own wils or by imitation of others or meerly from a precept without but onely as Christ the light shall lay that precept upon them for if they do they are will-worshippers and so Idolaters for as the Son of God was once personally present in a body of flesh commanding the Apostles to teach the People at the first raising of the Gospel Church to observe all things whatsover he had before commanded them and said unto them while so present with them which the Comforter afterwards brought to their remembrance so in the reâ—toring thereof the second time none are to observe any thing or teach any thing to be observed but what Christ manifested in their bodies of flesh doth command them for saith he I go away to wit as to his Personal body and the world shall see me no more but ye shall see me that is in their own bodies manifested Now by this oh all ye Baptists may ye try your selves and present practice of water Baptism and all other Administrations and performances in your Congregations have ye witnessed this true faith or are ye yet disputing against it have ye repented of all dead works or are ye still wallowing in the pollutions of the world have ye waited or do ye wait in silence for the Fathers Promise or do ye set your selves on work in a formal Preaching and dead praying and hanging on the lips of such Preachers and Pray-ers Do ye or others keep an outward Sabbath whether on the seventh or first day from mens Precepts or a Mosaical Rule or from a Command of life within Do ye Baptize and are Baptized and break Bread from a particular Command in your selves or because the Saints formerly so practised Do ye exercise the power of the Keyes from the true spiritual discerning judgement and power or because the Churches before the Apostacy did so bind and loose Ye must know that there hath been a wide step between the Apostles and our dayes and that the gathering of the Church at first out of Egypt and the bringing it out of Babylon are two several things and are not brought to pass after one and the self-same manner as to the outward administration of things Also consider that Johns Revelation was a Prophesie of what things came and must come to pass after the Apostles and not a Relation of what was done in their dayes so that in the coming out of mystical Babylon the Lambs followers wait on him for the opening of that mystical Book as that which concerns their present condition Now when the Angel came down from Heaven and lightned the earth with his Glory whereby the everlasting Gospel came to be Preachâ—d saying Fear God and give G ory to him for the hour of his Judgement is come and come out oâ— Babylon my pâ—ople and partake not of her sins lest ye receive of her plagues Then as people came out of her by the guidance of the light the Temple of God or his holy Habitation in the Spirit was opened in Heaven they had a sight in themselves into what state they should be brought even to have a habitation in God and he in them but then was this Temple filled with smoak from the Glory of God and from
holdeth forth so ye may if ye are not wilful see your mistake in separating Nature from the God of Nature and that that which naturally sheweth man what is good and what is evil is the pure principle of God or the word by which all things were made which is Christ the light for saith the Apostle whatsoever may be known of God is made manifest in them to wit by nature or from their birth for God hath shewen it unto them which he hath not shewen unto a beast because of the lower Region he was created in so that men are not in this sence by nature Children of Wrath but Children of the Day to wit as man was at first brought forth into that which shewed him what was good and what was evil for so he was in the Image of God but as going from the good and chusing the evil so acting in self in distinction from the power or pure Principle of God which inclination is since become natural or is in him from his birth and so by nature is a Child of Wrath as the inclination to evil acts it self forth and whereas Jude speaketh of some who in whatsoever things they know naturally as living Creatures void of reason for so it is in the Greek in those things they corrupt themselves that is not in those things which they know onely from the Eternal light manifested in them which is Gods faithful Witnesse which none but a Creature that hath reason is capable of but in things pertaining to the five Senses of Seeing Feeling Tasteing Smelling and Hearing for the Sensitive Beast knows by the instinct of Nature or from his birth which is also the Principle of his Creator in him in his kind that he is to eat and drink to satisfie himself as feeling when he hath enough meat and drink to give off and chew the cud or lie down to sleep c. whereas these men as many do now feasted and fed without fear inordinately or drunk inordinately and so corrupted themselves in such things wherein the Beast was more moderate and this is the Natural man that perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God the light being obstructed by sense and sensuality in him and in this sense whatsoever a man doth by nature or in his own sensual will distinct from the feeling of the Life and Power of God all that he doth is rejected and accursed though the works may be good in themselves and shewen by the Eternal Light yet he that is charitable to the poor which the light sheweth to be good if he give his Alms from a wrong ground or to a wrong end though he cannot witnesse acceptation in his Work with the Lord yet he shall judge another who is Rich and yet so covetous that he shutteth up his bowels from the Poor and Needy and so might the Gentiles also condemn the Jews though themselves sensually performing some good actions were not accepted because not reconciled to the light in themselves which shewed the action to be good But notwithstanding this is a real and infalible Truth that it is no other than the pure Principle of God or his Word in the heart which is the true light that sheweth man by nature or from his birth what what is good and evil which Principle it self was never born or had a beginning any other-wise than was in manifestation in man whose Soul came out from the breath of the Almighty who is out of time in time But some may say what great hurt or inconvenience can come unto us though we do not own or believe that which is nigh every man to shew him sin and evil and which convinceth in his Conscience to be Christ the true light since we believe Christ to be the true light in himself and to be tbe Judge Saviour Teacher and Comforter of his People according to the Scriptures I Answer as Paul in another case much every way for first thou shalt never come aright to know what is good and what is evil what is sin and what is righteousness but wilt be ready to call good evil and evil good and wilt be still in an uncertainty concerning what the good and perfect will of God is and how then shouldest thou do it for thy mind being abroad thou art in the wandring state and although thou searchest the Scriptures never so narrowly and diligently yet therein will appear thwarting 's and contradictions scruples not through default of the scriptures but by reason that thou art not staid in that which should reconcile them Hence have arose for many years past those which they call Casuites who have under-took to Answer Cases of Conscience for people from the Scriptures when as those very Resolvers being themselves from that which should Resolve all doubts and difficulties have like unskilâ—â—d Physitians left tender Consciences half quieted yea and oftentimes made the scruple and trouble greater than before and so the leaders of the people have this way caused them to err Neither wilt thou so see the odiousnesse of sin as it is in it self and as thou oughtest to see it for that which searcheth and pricketh to the heart makes men cry out What shall they do they seeing sin staring them in the face with a dismal Countenance and how it hath separated them from God the fountain of all good they are even at their wits end and so their stony and stubborn heart comes to be broken and they are willing to deny their wills lusts and pleasures for the enjoyment of his favour whom they have transgressed against but men may and do hear the plagues and judgements of God declared against sin and sinners in the Scriptures a long time as God shall wound the hairie scalp of him that goes on in his wickedness the wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God how that their worm shall never die nor fire never be quenched that they shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death and such like and yet they never be moved at it but either are apt not to believe it or to put the day of evil far from them for all outward Declarations or threatnings without that which rips man open and set him naked and bare before the Lord are but as shot that flies over the head but never toucheth the body and so do no execution upon the transgressour So neither can man if at any time he be wounded for sin be truely healed and comforted because that which smites must heal and that onely Now if any one see his sickness as Ephraim did and go not to the true Physitian but go to Egypt how should he have a true and thorow cure Now at such a time one may fetch and gather in all the promises in the Scriptures and endeavour to apply them or have them applied to himself and strive to believe that they do belong to
faithful though ye never speak with any other Tongue than your Mother Tongue or do any outward Miracle yet speaking and declaring of all his wonderful works Now come I to stand up in defence of the Truth and true Church of the first born against all you of what sort soever you be or under what name soever ye go who being out of all those aforenamed Sects lift your heads on high snuffing up the wind and think it too low a condition for you to believe in the true light within you which secretly reproveth for all sin and evil and so to wait humbly and silently therein with the People of God called Quakers in derision because they tremble at the Word of the Lord and are afraid to offend in the least thing that of God in them for so must you much deny your selves both in wisdom talking and behaviour amongst men with whom ye converse which Cross would to them seem a ridiculous and foolish thing in you Ye will say perhaps ye are above Ordinances or shadows and can live satisfied of your selves by that which ye know and are taught of God without joyning to or walking with any But consider Friends there is one great Ordinance which ye must never get above but be in subjection to if ever ye will have true Peace with the living God and that is Christ the true light who shines in every ones heart either as a Justifier or Condemner who is the great gift of the Father to the Sons of men and him whom he hath ordained to save or destroy for ever Now whatever men may talk or tattle or boast of themselves this is a more certain truth sealed in me by the Spirit of the Lord God that whosoever he be that truly believeth in Christ the light doth whatsoever the light leadeth unto and that one special thing which it leads unto is to bring the Creature Soul Body and Spirit into a right frame and order out of its own will into the Will of its guide which is the light so as that man shall not walk at random speak or do as it pleaseth him but shall freely and naturally love the Society and joyn visibly in the bond of Amity with those that believe and walk in the light knowing a time of silence as they do and a bridle for the tongue so as to keep his mouth as with a bit and this is to walk in the foot-stâ—ps of the Flock for in this manner doth the good shepherd put his sheep forth go before them in this his day the states and conditions of all those who have been in spiritual captivity so requiring it nor is it enough for any of you to say is God tied up to a Form For we know this is no form or frame of mans devising but what the light naturally and mans condition necessarily calls him into for if his delight be with the Saints and those that excel in vertue as Davids was who had a sincere heart he cannot but come amongst them in love and if they there wait on the Lord he to wait with them if they seek the Lord he to seek him with them if they love the Lords Judgements and Reproofs he to love them also and if they rejoyce in the Lord he to rejoyce also this is to be like minded and affectionate one to another hereby doth the pure and unfeigned love appear the Unity or the Onety in the Spirit is witnessed here is a Church visible in a sweet and spiritual order and yet out of any invented or humane form for although we know and say that mans order is confusion yet we also know and say that God is a God of order not of confusion Now what is more comely than for Friends and Brethren in the truth to live together in Unity and in what way can this Unity be more shewen than by meeting and assembling together to wait upon the Lord to know his Counsel to feel his Teachings to speak when he speaketh to move when he moveth and to rest when he resteth Is not this Gods way of leading his People to Canaan yea and in Canaan is not this one part of walking in the light of the Lamb is not this a part of that one heart and one way that the Lord hath promised to lead his People in is not here a spiritual Harmony and hereby doth not the Saints in a great measure appear to be a City set on 〈◊〉 Hill that cannot be hid Let that of God answer in every one of you and not your own high conceivings But ye will be ready to say What difference is there betwixt you and other Sects in this they meet together as you do in an appointed place and at a set hour they pray sit and hear one speak to them c. and you do the like Doth not right reason unless any be past reason tell you that if Persons meet they must have a Place to meet at or in and that they must also know the time of their so assembling why then do you argue against necessity it self But if the end of your so objecting be to destroy all general Assemblings of the Saints together then I say you speak not in Gods Wisdom nor know not the thoughts of his heart for the Apostle who was in the Wisdom of God and had received the Spirit of Truth to guide him saith Exhort ye one another daily least any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin and whereas perhaps ye may think such Meetings are needless because of this day of the Lord that is risen and arising the same Apostle argues quite contrary saying Not forsaking the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Oh! People consider that the perfect day of the Lord is most exceeding desirable of all the Children of light therefore the more they espy it the more they seek after it Now Exhortations or other Declarations that come from the light of life raiseth the light of life in others and so brings on the day for it is like fire begetting fire or like face answering to face in a glass not like the dead and dry words of other Assemblies where there is no waiting in the light first to feel the life but a continual trading and going on in self-strength but ye cannot nor dare not deny but that we do so wait and all words spoken out of that are judged by the same and if any one among us look out after words and is not as well satisfied without them as with them if the Lord will have all flesh keep silence before him that dissatisfaction is Judged also Besides if ye were in that which giveth a right discerning ye would see that words spoken from the life are altogether â—eedful for the conjviction and conversion of the world 〈◊〉 directing their minds to the true light
their guide and would also see that most words that are spoken are for their sakes as taking compassion on the multitude who are wandring like sheep without a shepherd and the Lord God will have all this so to be for Jerusalems sake which he will make the praise of the whole earth therefore shall not his Watch-men keep silence night nor day till her brightness go forth as the light and her Righteousness as the Lamp that burneth Wherefore if ye knew what this meaneth ye would not condemn the guiltless yea the faithful for doing their duty for which they so suffer by the hands of wicked men but it is no wonder that ye do so for ye being in a too loose liberty under pretence of Christian Liberty despise and shun the Cross as foolishness which to us is the Power of God But perhaps ye will further say Although words may be useful to the world as also to build up those who are weak or that are not come to perfection yet to those who have attained they are useless according to thy own Doctrine who hast said before that the Holy City had no need of the Sun Moon or light of a Candle c. 'T is one thing to hear words that come from the life out of necessity and another thing to hear them in the Unity now the Saints who walk in the Lambs immediate light alone may hear the Bride-grooms voice in others and have great joy therein though they are not spoken to their particular conditions or have no need at all of any outward Declaration to build them up so John his joy was fulfilled in hearing what Christ preached to others Therefore the Assembly of all Saints is still needful both to rejoyce together in the Truth and to witness the same in the sight of others But some of you may say Though we are not of the number of any of those Sects thou hast mentioned nor walk with you yet we do meet together at certain times and pray and preach yea and sing also and are therefore called the singing People and professing the Virgin life as those who live in the highest Region of Light and Truth Friends consider seriously with your selves what you do least ye deceive your own Souls for it is not in words no nor the highest words that can be uttered nor those in the highest manner that Gods Kingdom doth consist therefore examine your selves whether ye are yet come to the first Principle of God in your selves which is the true light within that searcheth the heart judgeth the deceit thereof makes humble and meek pulls down pride within and without roots out the covetousness denies respect of or from persons brings to the Cross every way into the true silence before the mouth is opened by the Power for who shall take his Word or Covenant into his mouth that is not Reformed Or how can the dead praise the living Now those marks of Non-reformation by the light are too visible upon you Wherefore stop your mouths ye Preaching Praying lumenaries that are found in the pollutions of the world that flee the Cross and love not to come to the light that ye may be Judged but will be ready to be angry or touchy at such words as these saying We are too censorious or the like when as they are but the words of truth and soberness for truth and sobriety consists in plain dealing which ye all will confess is a Jewel and yet do not desire to be plainly dealt withal ye are they that cause divisions rents professing to be taught of God yet stand at a distance from those who by his true Teachings take up the Cross and stand in it Wherefore sink down I charge you all such and come to the light believing and waiting in it with us and let not the glory of this world or any other interest pleasure or lust hinder you from so doing so shall ye be called the Repairers of the breaches and those that follow Love and Peace aright which is shewen in nothing more than by having one heart and one way with Gods People who ye will not deny many of us to be to serve him with them with one consent for we know that ye ought to return to us and that we must not return to you And as for you Singers consider whether ye have not rather cause to mourn and lament since those things which are the proper causes of sorrow are found in and among you Will ye be covetous proud and lofty self-seeking dissemble for advantage sake respect and court persons and the like and come before the Lord with a Song Can such sing the New Song as Redeemed from the earth Nay they that live in pleasure are dead while they live and so are in the grave of sin in which there is no true remembrance of the Lord God of Life and Power and far from the undefiled Virginity of the Lambs Wife Wherefore be not deceived God is not mocked for this is but a mockery and except ye come first to the house of mourning and bid Adieu to all your lovers and pass under the Rod ye cannot be brought into the bond of the Covenant of Light Life and Peace but your Harps must needs be ere long hanged upon the Willowes For how should ye sing the Song of the Lord in a strange Land But I hear some of you retorting and saying Thou hast judged all but your selves as living in sin and divers lusts and idolatry c. but we see the same things among you that thou chargest us with and deniest us for Is not covetousness idolatry and unmercifulness a fruit of unrighteousness are not some of you also in the pride in your house and in the fulnesse of bread when some are pinched are ye not too partial in looking upon one more than another doth not anger and emulation and judging one another wrongfully and rash speaking appear among you do we not see these things and why then should ye be accounted more the Church of Christ than any other People for the Kingdom of God stands not in yea and nay pulling or not pulling off a hat saying thou to any one or wearing of apparel or taking by the hand but in Righteousnesse and all the fruits thereof as thou thy self hast said If I speak of my self my witness is not true I judge you not out of that light which judgeth all things which ye either call natural and insufficient or sleight as a little low and weak thing and so are out of that which should make all works acceptable to the Lord and which should discover and destroy all unriâ—â—â—â—ousness so that ye are not only denied because of your bâ—â—â— fruits but as being out from that which would make you bring forth good fruits for make the tree good and the fruit shall be good saith Christ the light in whom the tree is made good as acting from a living