the nature which Cain was in who slew his Brother he that denies the light is in that nature which Corah was in who gain-said the truth and was swallowed up of the Earth and he that receives the VVages of unrighteousness is in the error which Balaam was in who erred after it Therefore all who desire to know the truth and live therein and the VVorship which God accepts who is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth look not for any other thing but take heed to the Light which lets you see your evil deeds that you may be guided thereby loving it this is the way which leads to life but hating it it will be your condemnation and said Christ who is the same for ever This is the condemnation That Light is come into the world men love darkness rather then the light because their deeds are evil Therefore to the Light take heed and follow the same and you shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life And now you who are my Companions in tribulation who are hated and reproached and persecuted for the Truths sake whether by imprisonment or otherwise be faithful to the Lord in your several measures and clear your consciences to such who live without the fear of God and are found out of the Saints practices as by the Lord you are required and sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and let him be your fear and let him be your dread and fear not the power of the Enemy but be bold and valiant for the truth upon Earth and follow Christ who is our Leader and the Captain of our Salvation and lift up your Heads for the day of your Redemption draweth nigh and blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for the sake of Christ rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven And to the Lord God be glory and honor and thanksgiving in the Church of Christ for ever who is appeared in the riches of his love and is become the Teacher of his people himself and let all Disputers and all flesh be silent for ever for he is found who could never be known by worldly wisdom who hath preserved me in tumults in bonds and imprisonments and is become my support and comforter whose love I cannot express O that I may never forget the same Concerning the passages about my imprisonment BEing moved by the Lord I went to the Idols Temple and continued there about an hour before the Priest had ended and that I might give them no occasion to say that what I did was done maliciously or of purpose or wilfully I forbore till all was ended by the Priest for I was taught to be wise as a Serpent and harmless as a Dove and though I stood there peaceably yet suffered I violence from some who struck off my Hat and pluck't it off from my head and threatned me with words but I bore these things and was willing to be eased of the burden that lay upon me and when the Priest had done I offered to get upon a Form and being much pressed in my Spirit thereunto I said I had something from God to say or speal to them and I was willing that all might hear me that I might be clear before the Lord God concerning them I spake as to all people to fear the Lord God and repent but the violence of some against me was such that I could not clear my conscience to them as I would have done but as I had opportunity I spoke to them in the fear of the Lord that I might be clear before him and being thrust by the violence of the people into the Grave-yard where they compassed me about I spoke to them again and as I remember the people were still and quiet about me and I look't to see how I might get from them but Richard Moore and William Collins who is a Parliament-Man laid hands on me and William Collins said they would take an order with me for making a tumult to which I answered It was not me that made it but it was them who offered violence to me but he haled me away by violence from the people I have not written this out of any envy that I bear to him for it the Lord who knows my heart is my Witness in this thing I being come before Gervase Buck who is in Authority to do justice but what justice he did me let the Witness of God in his conscience which is just and in the consciences of all who shall hear thereof judge for I desire no other Witness but that He questioned me about my coming unto the Colledge as it is called I answered I came in obedience unto the Lord to warn the people to fear the Lord God and repent He said If I had a good exhortation I should take a better opportunity to speak to them but could I take a better opportunity to speak to people then when they were assembled together And could the opportunity be at a better time then when the Lord required it Let the truth judge herein But upon the Oath of one vvhose Name is Vrban Eyre vvhich Oath vvas but seemingly vvas I sent to prison vvhere I have continued near eleven Weeks as by the Copy of the Mittimus vvill appear This is as near as I do remember in part the truth of the passages about my imprisonment VVorcester-Gaol the 24th of the 10th Month 1657. Where I suffer for the Testimony of the Truth Edw. Bourne THE END
THE TRUTH OF GOD CLEARED And above the DECEITE ADVANCED Which is proved to be the same that ever was in all Genetions By one of that number who in scorn are called Quakers Edw. Bourne London Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth neer Aldersgate 1657. TO THE READERS Readers VVHoso shall read this same ' let meekness and moderation guide you and do not reject nor disregard that which you have not proved and tryed lest you speak evil of the the things you know not but try it by that which will render every thing as it is which leads to equity and to do as you would be done unto such whose hearts are honest and do desire to live to God if they did but know the truth whose breathing is after righteousness such may receive satisfaction who shall receive the truth in the love thereof but for scoffers and scorners I take little notice of whose folly is manifest to the sober-minded That which my soul longeth for is To see righteousness established in the Earth that Justice and Equity might stream forth as a River I having been pressed in spirit thereunto have written this that I might have the answer of a good conscience with the Lord unto whom all must give an account vvho will reward every one according to their works and herein is my love reached forth to others that they may turn to the light that from the Lord God they may receive refreshment and find satisfaction as I have done To whom be praise and Dominion for ever who hath counted me worthy to suffer for the testimony of his glorious Truth E. B. THE TRVTH of GOD CLEARED And above the DECEIT Advanced c. LET all flesh be silent before the Lord God for ever who is appeared in the Riches of his love and is become the Teacher of his people himself who hath given his Son for a Covenant of Light and for Salvation to the ends of the Earth who is the Light of the world and lighteth every man that cometh into the world the end is that all men through him might believe And know this of a truth all that shall read the same that there is no other way that leads to God but by taking heed to the Light which Christ hath enlightned ye withall to be guided by it alone this is that which Paul testified of who speaking of them which held the truth in unrighteousness said Rom. 1.18 29. Tit. 3.11 12. 2 Pet. 1.18 19 20. That which may be knowne of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them and this is that Grace of God which hath appeared unto all men which taught the Saints to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world and the sure VVord of Prophesie which Peter declared of is the same unto which you do well to take heed until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts and by this the sure Foundation may be known and not by any other way even the Rock upon which Christ said he would build his Church against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail and no other Foundation can any man lay but that which is laid already The Lord said I will lay in Sion for a Fonndation Isa 28.16 a tryed Stone a precious Corner-Stone a sure Foundation This is the Stone which is set at naught by you builders said the Apostle which is become the head of the Corner Christ the Light of the World was set at naught by the builders in the Apostles time and so is he set at naught by the builders in this age who stumble at the Light and say it is not sufficient to lead to God and call it a natural Light and so shew that they are in the same ignorance and darkness and blindness as others were in before who stumbled at the Light This is him which the Scriptures declare of Joh. 1.10 11 12. Who came into the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not he came unto his own and his own received him not but to as many as received him to them he gave Power to become the sons of God Read and understand every one with the Light which Christ hath enlightned you withall and consider in the fear of the Lord for it is an earnest thing Who can say that there is not something in them which calls to purity and holiness and to walk blamelesly before the Lord which never consented to your evil deeds but always did witness against them and let you see that you should not do so Therefore all that shall read this be satisfied herein that this is the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withall and the not taking heed to it is the cause of condemnation Therefore hear this and know ye assuredly all ye that breath after the living God that the Way which leads ro him is nigh you and the Way is the same now as ever was in all generations and Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever vvho hath inlightned every man that cometh into the World vvith the true Light this vvas the Rock that followed the children of Israel in the Wilderness and the Spirit of Christ was in the Prophets who testified before-hand of the sufferings of Christ and of the glory that should follow Moses the Servant of the Lord said to the children of Israel This Commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off but saith he the Word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maist do it Deut. 30.11 12 13 14 15 16. And the Apostle said The Word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Rom. 10.5 6 7 8. Christ said The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation neither shall they say Lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you and John said The Anncinting abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same Annointing teacheth you and is truth and is no lye Therefore all people high and low of all Degrees take heed and hearken diligently to the Light vvhich Christ hath enlightned you withall that your souls may live and learn of Christ to be meek and lowly in heart that in him your peace may be though in the World you may have tribulation and be ye Followers of him who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Father and regard not the reproaches that the World may cast upon you for the sake of Christ but account it greater Riches then the Treasures of Aegypt Moses chose rather to suffer affliction vvith the people of God then to be counted the Son of Pharaohs
it hated you if you were of the world the world would love his own but because you are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you The Servant said He is not greater then his Lord if they have persecuted me they will also persecute you if they have kept my sayings they will keep yours also But in him have we peace who said Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you And others had tryals of cruel mockings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment wherefore as the Apostle said Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a Cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross dispiseing the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Come you Professors Teachers and People may we reason with you and try you further whether you be Possessors what do you believe of them who put Christ to death and yet builded up the Tombs of the Prophets and garnished the Sepulchers of the righteous and said if they had been in the dayes of their Fathers they would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets Mat. 23.29.30 31 32 33. would not you have joyned with them in puting Christ to death had you been in those dayes If you say you would not who shall believe you while envy and hatred and persecution attends you who persecute him in his members now where he is made manifest therefore as Christ said Fill up then the measure of your Fathers ye Serpents ye generation of Vipers how can ye escape the Damnation of Hell what ever you professe though you may talk of the Scriptures and Christs words and the Prophets and Apostles words yet being found out of his Doctrine and in the same nature as they were in who put Christ and the Prophets to death it is a sure testimony that you doe not possess him You that are wise and have an understanding beyond many so that by your own naturall wisdom and reason you may dive deeper into the knowledge of things then others yet stumble at the truth and stumble at the light by all your wisdom you cannot find out the things of God the reason is because you are not turned to that which gives the knowledge thereof which is the light which Christ hath eulightned you withall this is foolishnesse to your wisdom but indeed this is it which leads to the true Heavenly wisdom he that hath an eare to hear let him hear it and he that can receive it let him all that ever yet knew the Lord ever since the world began it was by taking heed to that which God had made manifest of himself in them this is the light which shines in darknesse and God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ while you seek to know the Truth by Books and Authors who were not come to that of God in them your labour is in vain it will profit you nothing the Prophets and Apostles being come to this the end of their Writing and Speaking was to bring others to the same that is The manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withall hear what the Apostle said He that will be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise and said he We are fools for Christ sake Therefore to the light which Christ hath enlightned you withall turn your minds and receive the kingdom of God as a little child and be willing to learn of him else you cannot enter therein therefore to it incline your minds that you may be made wise indeed the Wisdom of this World is foolishness with God and they who are wise therein their Wisdom will fail them the understanding of the prudent shall come to nought the Lord will bring it to pass Therefore be content to be stript of that and to part with that knowledge which you have not come rightly by and wait at Wisdoms Gate to be instructed there for whose findeth it findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against the Light wrongeth his own soul and all they who hate it love death You Lawyers take heed of self-ends in all you do and do nothing contrary to the righteous Law of God which is just and equal but speak the truth from your hearts and do to others as you would be done unto now if you act otherwise he which searches the heart and tryes the reins knows it who hath a Witness in you which is pure which is the light of Christ in your consciences which will be your condemnation And all you who are in power to judge and determine of causes and controversies between man and man have no respect to any mans person but let that which is just take place and judge as you would be judged of the Lord the righteous judge of Heaven and Earth before whom all must appear to receive according to the deeds done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil Therefore take heed to the Light which Christ the Son of God hath enlightned you withall that you may know the Law of God written in your hearts and the Lord God to be your Law-giver you being subject to him alone in every thing doing that which is just and equal and as you would be done unto and herein will be your peace and the light of Christ in your consciences will justifie you but if you do otherwise the light which lets you see it will be your condemnation Hear this you Professors Priests and People The Fruits of the Spirit is love joy long-suffering forbearance meekness gentleness and the like and when I see these fruits proceed from you I may have some ground to believe that you do possess what you profess but while I find it otherwise you being in envy persecution and strife it is a sure evidence to me that you are out of the life of him whom you profess though you may have the Prophets Words and Christs Words to talk of yet being found out of their practices and in the same nature as they were which put the Prophets and Christ to death it is a sure testimony that you are out of the life which they were in he that lives in envy is in