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
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
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
and then Christ who is Gods Power speaks in him and judges and reproves the Proud for their Pride the Drunkards for their Drunkenness the Covetous for their Covetousness and the Hypocrites and Dissemblers for their dissembling hypocrisie then their wrath and sury riseth against the man in whom the Spirit of God speaketh and their anger is so great against the Spirit of God which speaketh in and through the man to reprove them for their wickedness that they would even break the Vessel through which the Lord God speaketh to reprove them for Christ said unto his Disciples before he was Crucified as to the outward They shall hale you before Rulers and Magistrates for my Name sake but take you no thought what you shall speak nor what you shall say for it is not you that speaketh but the Spirit of the Father that speaketh in you and the Prophet said Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men I will walk in them and dwell in them said the Lord God I will be their God and they shall be my people and Christ said before he was offered up as to the outward I and my Father we will come and make our abode with you and the Apostle John witnessed this fulfilled when he wrot his first Epistle which was after Christ had suffered without the Gate of Jerusalem John said unto the Saints We know that the Son of God is come 1 Joh. 5.19 20. and he hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and Life Eternal and Christ said unto his Disciples while he was outwardly with them He that is with you shall be in you and you may read in the seventeenth of John how Jesus prayed for the Saints and he said unto the Father I in them and thou in me Righteous Father that they may be one even as we are one O Righteous Father keep them in thine own Name and now Righteous Father I come unto thee and I am no more in the World but these are in the World I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the World but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil they are not of the World even as I am not of the World And now unto all people this we can truly say that it is a great joy and comfort to our Souls that our God by his holy Spirit in our hearts hath redeemed us out of our vain conversation which we for many dayes walked in after our own hearts lusts and that he hath now accounted us worthy to suffer for his Name sake and if you cannot love us so much now as ye could have done-several years ago when many of us were walking in the Broad way that leads unto destruction then this is an evident token unto you that you do not love God who created you for if you do love God who begets people into a holy and righteous life and conversation then you will love those people that are so begotten by him for it is written They that love him that begets they love them also that are begotten of him and we can tell you of a truth that it is God who hath begotten us out of that which is evil into that which is good yea he hath wrought a good change in us Glory to his Name for evermore for he hath created us anew in Christ Jesus the Light in the inner Man unto good works which he before ordained that we should walk in them and as we keep our minds stayed in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened us and walketh in it it is God that worketh all our work in us and for us and we are his Workmanship and his Husbandry and we are his Sheep and he is our Shepherd and we do hear his Voice inwardly in our own hearts and he teacheth and instructs us by his good Spirit which he hath given us and we can tell you of a truth that he is a good Shepherd for he doth not let us want any thing that is good for us And we tell you plainly we cannot forsake our God who is the true Shepherd of Israel who never slumbers nor sleeps Ezek. 34. from vers 2 to 19. to follow a stranger or a Hireling for we have seen it by large experience that when the times of the greatest danger and the most need is then Hireling Shepherds flees from their Flocks Hos 4.9 and if you would have us to leave and forsake the Spirit of God within us to follow a Hireling Priest without us Mat 7. from verse 15 c. to the end this we cannot do for the Lord God hath let us see their deceit and hath led us from them and if we should turn unto them again it had been a great deal better for us that we had never been born Therefore it is in vain for you to strive to bring us to forsake Christ Jesus the true Shepherd who lays down his life for his Sheep Mat. 15.13 14. to follow a Hireling who loveth the Fleece but careth not for the Sheep for we know that they would have our outward things to live upon and would feed and cloath themselves therewith but Physitians of no value we have found and proved them to be and we did adventure our Souls under their Antichristian Ministry for a long time and we did expect help from them and some of us sought it with a great deal of diligence and zeal and we said in our hearts if there be good to be had in these men we shall have it but though we sought diligently in zeal to receive some good and help and comfort from them to have satisfied our poor hungry and starved Souls we could not get it but when we had with great diligence given attention to their Airy Doctrine which they speak in their own will and in their own wisdom and in their own time and thought to get something to have satisfied our longing desires withal behold we were like a man who in his sleep dreameth that he eateth but when he waketh it is not so but he is empty and hungry and unsatisfied and so have we been under the Ministry of the Priests of England we have been seeking Living Bread from them for many years and thought we should have gotten it from them and sometimes we thought we had been eating the true Bread that would have satisfied our longing desires but then we were deceived and it was but with us as it is with a man that dreameth in his sleep that he eateth but when he awaketh he is faint and hungry and the Living Bread we could never get from them for they never had it to give us but that we did not know certainly until we came to believe in the Light wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of God hath enlightened us but now having believed in the Light it
rebelled against it and therefore it was their condemnation though they talked of God and Christ with their mouthes and profess God and Christ in words yet in works they did deny both God and Christ and so doth all in this Age who rebel against the Grace of God in them Peter the Minister of Christ he told the Saints 2 Pet. 1.19 that they had a moro sure Word of Prophesie then that which was heard in the Mount whereunto they did well if they took heed us unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Now People take notice that the dark place where the Light did shine which people was to take heed unto was within people for said he you do well that you take heed unto the Light which shineth in the dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts so when they did believe in the Light and take heed unto the Light then the day did dawn in their hearts but when they did not believe in the Light nor take heed unto it then the thick night of darkness was in and over their hearts For God called the Light Day 1 Thess 5.7 vers 3 4 5 6 8. and the Darkness he called Night so all who do evil they do it in the Night in the Darkness when they are ravined from the Light the free Gift of God within them but Peter the Minister of Christ he brought people to the Light of the free Gift of God in them and so we the Servants and Ministers of Christ we do direct people to the Light and Grace of God in them which is Gods Gift unto them to profit withal and we the Servants of Christ do speak that freely unto people which we have freely and immediately received from the Lord God to speak unto them and it doth not cost us any Money for the Gift of God cannot be bought nor sold for Money for Simon Magus the Sorcerer when he perceived the Gift and Power of God which was with Peter and the rest of the Ministers of Christ he would have given them Money that he might have had the some Power but Peter said unto him Thy Money perish with thee thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter because thou hast thought that the Gift of God might be bought for Money so the Ministers of Christ in former Ages did not sell the Gift which God had given them for Money but judged and reproved Simon who would have given them Money for the Gift of God And the Servants or Ministers now at this day who have received a Gift from God and a Command from God to speak unto people they do not sell the Gift which God hath given unto them for Money nor any other Earthly thing nor their Words which they do speak from the Gift or Spirit of God within them they do not sell for Money nor for any Earthly thing and so in this they are like unto the Ministers of Christ in the Ages past and as the Ministers of Christ in the Ages past did direct people to the Light within the Grace within Joh. 1.1 2 c. to verse 13. the Spirit within the Word within and the Anointing within which was to guide them and lead them into all Truth so the Ministers of Christ in this Age doth direct people to the Light within Grace within Spirit within Anointing within and the Word within Deut. 30.14 which was in the Beginning that they may hear it in their own hearts and be obedient unto it And as the Ministers of Christ in former Ages lived a Godlike Sober and Holy life and lived in the good they exhorted others to come into and also lived out of the evil that they reproved others for so the Ministers of Christ at this day by the same Spirit of God within them are kept in a holy Godlike life and they are in the good they exhort others to come into and they live out of the evil that they reprove others for and in this they are like unto the Ministers of Christ in the former Age and the Ministers of Christ now in this Age are good examples unto those people unto whom they preach the Gospel and unto all people who sees them Glory yea glory to the Lord God for ever for it is his Work and it glorifies him and he is worthy for ever even so Amen for ever But the Hirelings whom God never sent nor commanded to preach who run and intrude themselves to be Teachers for Hire for their Belleys they say unto their Followers be not proud and they themselves are proud and they say unto their Followers be not covetous and they themselves are the most coveteous men that be upon the Earth their Fruits doth make them manifest for they do make it their frequent practice to force Wages from those they do no work for and I do not know any Tradesman in this Nation of any other Trade that will demand or force Wages from those they do no work for but only the Hireling Priests and the Officers of that bad Trade And the Hirelings saith be not Envious and they themselves are Envious and so they are out of the good they exhort others to come into and they are in the evil that they reprove others for and so their Doctrine is of no Authority and it is not worth heeding for it hath no power in it to kill Sin nor to cast him out of people who is the Power and Author and Root of Sin which is the Devil and so they are Hypocrites who judgeth their Followers for doing evil and they themselves are doing the same evil for Christ said that he was a Hypocrite who said unto his Brother Let me pull the Moat one of thine Eye and he had not first pulled the Beam out of his own Eye Mat. 7.3 4 5. and Christ said he was a Hypocrite who judged another Rom. 2.1 2 3. and acted the same things himself And this I say in the Name and Power of the Lord God that there is many thousands of those people who follows the Hireling Priests who are more naturally honest and are of a better understanding to receive the things of the the Spirit of God then the Hireling Priests who are their Teachers but God will gather them out from them and will teach them himself freely by his own Spirit in their own hearts Some of the Hireling Priests have been heard to say to their Followers do not as we do but do as we say now this is clearly contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle who said unto them that followed him Walk as you have us for an Example and follow us 1 Cor. 11.1 Phil. 5.17 18 19. 1 Thess 1.6 7. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 4. as we follow Christ speaking of himsef and the rest of the Ministers of Christ he did not bid them
God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 5.2 3. And now Oh ye Magistrates Priests and People who have persecuted and imprisoned until death your Neighbours called Quakers and spoiled and made havock of their Goods here you have broken the commands of Christ which is upon Record in the holy Scriptures of Truth which you call your Rule and everlasting Wo will come upon you if you do not speedily repent and with speed forsake those evil deeds for it is written in the Scriptures of Truth Wo unto thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and I know we have not spoiled your goods nor sought your hurt any way but hath and still doth desire that you might repent and forsake the evil of your wayes and have your Sins forgiven you and obtain mercy from the Lord God we desire not your destruction the Lord God knoweth but we desire that you might repent and live But the words of Christ in the holy Scriptures bears witness against you that you have not done unto us as ye would we should have done unto you if you had been in our condition and we in yours you would not have had us to have imprisoned you unto death as you have done many of our dear Brethren whose innocent blood lies upon you and it cryeth unto God against you for vengeance as righteous Abel's did cry unto God against Murthering Cain and God doth hear and will avenge the blood of his Elect And you would not have had us to have spoiled your goods as you have done ours therefore the Scriptures of Truth without you and the Light of Christ within you doth bear witness against you And now you are stripped of all your Coverings and you stand judged and condemned before the Lord God of Heaven before whom all things are naked and bare he searcheth all hearts Ezek. 18 read it through and tryeth all reins and there is not any wicked work that you do or have done but the Lord God seeth them all and they must not go unpunished for the Lord God is just and equal in all his wayes and he will deal justly with you and with all people upon the Earth yea he will certainly reward every one according to their deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil And Christs words are upon Record in the holy Scriptures which you call your Rule where he commanded his Disciples to love their Enemies Mat. 5 43 44 45 46 47 48. and to do good unto those that did dispitefully use them and persecute them and they did as he commanded them for they loved him with all their hearts and his Commandments were not grievous unto them but to keep his Commandments was great joy unto them and so it is unto us whom you in scorn call Quakers endless infinite eternal everlasting praises honour dominion and thanks be unto the Lord our God who hath gathered us out from amongst you and by his own everlasting power working in our hearts he hath made us a willing people yea willing to bear all that you are permitted to do unto us and also makes us willing to do you any good that lieth in our power and so to reward you good for evil and this shall add to your torment and our God for whom we suffer he will clear our innocency in the sight of all Nations But you are far from fulfilling of this Command who hates and persecutes us who are your friends and so these words which Christ spake which is in the holy Scriptures which you call your Rule bears witness against you and the Light of Christ within you condemns you and so you are stripped of all your Coverings and so you stand judged and condemned by the Lord God in the presence of all holy just and upright men who sees and behold your wicked works And now all ye Merchant men Husbandmen and Tradesmen of what Trade or Calling soever who are Extortioners who take unlawfull gain and use unjust Weights and Measures who cheat and defraud one another in Buying and Selling and Exchanging of Gods good Creatures some of you lying and speaking worse of Gods good Creatures then you know them to be for your own corrupt ends that you may make a prey upon them that hath those good Creatures to sell and others of you that hath Gods Creatures to sell you speak better of them then you know them to be and so you tell lyes to get gain and so to make a prey of the Buyer and here you are judged and condemned by the Light of Christ within you and by his words which are upon Record in the holy Scriptures of Truth without you which you call your Rule because you do not do unto others as ye would they should do unto you and you do not love the Lord God with all your hearts and therefore you cannot love your Neighbour as your self therefore those words with many more in the holy Scriptures bears witness against you and the Light of Christ within you condemns you so you are neither Ruled by the Light of Christ within you nor by the Scriptures of Truth without you and so you are unruly Therefore I say unto you all turn in your minds unto the Eternal true Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightened you all and if you love it it will work repentance in your hearts and if you give up your minds to be led by it it will lead you out of all deceit and double dealing and if you love it and in faithfulness follow and obey it it will lead you to love your Neighbours as your selves and then I am sure you neither can nor will nor dare cheat nor defraud them but then you will do unto them as you would they should do unto you and I am sure there is no man that would be cheated nor defrauded by any man that he deals withal in buying and selling and exchanging Gods good Creatures and so let every man and woman come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them and as they would have none to cheat nor defraud them the Light of Christ will not suffer them to cheat nor deceive nor defraud any man or woman or child whatsoever if they love it and in faithfulness follow it for the Light is the Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth all those that believe in it and in faithfulness follow it and so if all people would come unto the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened them then it would lead them all to deal justly plainly truly and uprightly one with another But alas this pure Light and Spirit in peoples Consciences is not loved nor heeded nor believed nor obeyed by many thousands of men and women who doth profess God and Christ in words and calls the Scripture their Rule and that is the reason that there is so much cheating and defrauding amongst people in buying and selling and exchanging
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