and all things have been out of good order Kings Princes Rulers Governments Laws and Decrees have been corrupt and not right in the sight of the Lord oppressions tyranny and vain-glory hath abounded in the Nations and justice and true judgement have been neglected and mercy and truth have been strangers and the world hath been filled with violence and the whole earth stained and polluted with oppressions unjustice and cruelties and the cry of poor hath not been heard every one hath sought themselves and not the Lord not the good one of another the Kings and Princes of the earth have not been perfect nor upright before the Lord but vain-glory hath abounded and superstitions and idolatries have reigned over them and unrighteousnesse hath abounded and self-seeking and they have risen up one against another in quarrelling and destroying one another and to gain one anothers dominions by craft and Policy and strong hand and the poor hath been oppressed and troden down and thousands of thousands destroyed to fulfill their wills and lusts and the pride of their hearts all this hath been evill in the sight of the Lord and his soul hath been weary with it by the destruction of his creatures one by another even Rulers Teachers and people have all been out of the way and subverted from that wherein God hath pleasure and the Prince of darknesse hath ruled in his dominion swaying all under his Government and even all things both of civill and spirituall concernment hath been on t of the counsell of the Lord Oh what cruel injustice and tyranny in civill Government Oh what abominable superstitions and idolatries hath been in supposed Church-Governments it s a vexation to the Spirit of the Lord to consider it and the righteous soul hath long cried out and mourned under it and because of this is the Lord of Heaven and Earth now arisen to overturn to overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws and he will confound and break down all tyranny and oppression under which the poor hath groaned and he will change times and laws and governments there shall be no King ruling but Jesus nor no government of force but the government of the Lamb nor no law of effect but the law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to powder the Kingdom of the most high shall rule amongst men and the Kingdoms of this world shall be changed and shal become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and the Lord shall be known in the earth to be the God of truth of righteousness justice and mercy and truth shall be exalted and true judgement shall be set up in the Nations and the worship in spirit and in truth shall be established for the Lord is gathering his numberlesse number to stand before his throne without guile in their mouth and without fault before him CHAP. VI Concerning mans Restauration Redemption and Salvation what they are and by whom they are wrought this testimony I give unto all people MAns Restauration is a repairing and giving again that which he hath lost by transgression and Redemption is a recovering and a winning again and setting free from that wherein man hath been held even all the Sonnes of Adam because of disobedience and Salvation is a saving keeping and preserving from sin and death and disobedience and all the waies thereof and also a saving from wrath and misery and condemnation which are the effects thereof and by the Son of God Christ Jesus is all this wrought manifested and witnessed and Restauration Redemption and Salvation is onely in Christ Jesus the second Adam and not in any other and it is wrought by him and by no other and they are the free gift of the Father unto the sons of men no way purchased by the works of the creature or desert of him but are freely given unto the creature through the power and wisdom of the Creator and only by Jesus Christ the Son of the eternal God and by the eternal Spirit are they witnessed in all that believe and through the word of life are they handled tasted seen and felt near at hand in power and not in words onely Many professes them in words and what others enjoyed of these things but hath not felt in themselves the working of the eternall Spirit neither hath the witnesse in themselves of being restored to God again and of being redeemed by him from under the devils power neither are saved by Christ from sin and transgression and so are not nor cannot be saved from condemnation and wrath for who abide in their sins and in the state unreconciled to God hath not any part or portion in these things which belongs to their peace and without the knowledge of which by the working of the eternall Spirit all mankind is everlastingly miserable CHAP. VII Concerning true Religion and the true worship of the true God this testimony I give unto the whole world THis is true Religion to be kept pure and clean from all evil and from all that which would defile in the sight of the Lord and to walk in his fear in all things this is Religion to do good and to do no evill and to speak the truth and to do the truth in all things and to do unto all men as a man would be done unto and to love God withal the heart and the neighbour as self and not to love the world and waies and pleasures of it nor to use deceit in words or actions this is true Religion and the true worship of God to be led with his Spirit in all things and to be guided in the truth at all times on all occasions this is acceptable and well pleasing unto God above all words and outward conformity and set times and daies and observances for the worship of God is not in these things but is without respect of daies places or things this Religion and worship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam who hath lighted every man that comes into the world that all men through him might believe and by him have their consciences purely exercised towards God and towards man in all things whatsoever and this is our Religion and worship of the true God he that can receive it let him CHAP. VIII Concerning Iustification and Sanctification this testimony I give unto all people JUstification is freely by Jesus Christ in the sight of the Father and not by the works of mans own righteousness and such as are taught by Christ and guided by him in all the waies of truth and righteousness are justified by him and none else not in any word or work whatsoever but in what they are led to fulfill by him and it is the new man that is justified and not the old he that is born of God and none that are born of the flesh such cannot please God neither can such be justified by him for they are not taught of him nor saved nor restored nor
redeemed and therefore are not justified nor cleared from condemnation in the sight of the Lord but who lives in iniquity and sin and the waies and works of the world which are evill by Christ Jesus are condemned and not justified though in words they professe him yet of justification by him they have no part and sanctification is by the working of the eternall Spirit in the heart of the creature which purgeth out and taketh away all unrighteousness and all the works and fruits of darkness it witnesseth against and witnesseth unto Jesus who takes away all sin and destroies the works of the devill that man may be holy and pure in the sight of his Maker and every one that hath the witness of his justification hath the operation by the eternall spirit of sanctification and all that receives Christ Jesus who hath lighted every man that cometh into the world receiveth sanctification and justification by him and he unto us is made so of the Father he that can receive it let him CHAP. IX Concerning the Kingdom of Christ and how it is to be set up this testimony I give unto all the World THE Kingdom of God and of his Son is not of this world but is from above and stands in righteousnesse and in truth in mercy and in peace in true judgement and justice and this dominion is from everlasting to everlasting and it reacheth beyond all the world and its Government is love and unity and everlasting peace and is perfect liberty to the just and bindeth and chaineth the unjust in it there is no oppression but perfect freedom from all unrighteousnesse and it consists not in word but in power to the bringing down of the Kingdome of the devill and to the breaking off the bonds of all injustice and all ungodlinesse which is the Kingdom of satan which hath long ruled in the world that Kingdom whereof Christ is King which stands in righteousnesse no unclean thing can have any part therein and this we believe it shall be set up and advanced in the earth but not by might of man or arm of flesh not the multitude of an host neither by policy nor craft nor by revenge but by the arm of the Lord alone through the suffering and patience of his people and by faithfull witness bearing unto Jesus Christ by doing and by suffering by doing his will in all things in a pure life and conversation and upright walking in the sight of the Lord and by patient suffering under the injustice and oppression of men and of their unjust Government and Laws till they be overturned and confounded and further we give testimony that suffering in patience under the cruelty and oppression of the devils government and Kingdom more reaches to overthrow them than the rising to rebel in any way of outward offence toward them or defence from them and the Kingdom of Christ is near to come and the Kingdoms of this world shall be changed and none shall have any part therein but they that are redeemed out of kindreds tongues and people this we believe he that can receive it let him CHAP. X. Concerning Governours and Governments and Subjection to this testimony I give to the world GOvernours Rulers and Magistrates we own and do respect in the Lord and yet cannot respect any mans person whatsoever such as be a terrour to all evill in their government and that fears God and hates covetousnesse and delights in equity in justice and true judgement and gives diligent heed to try the cause of the poor and will judge justly without respect of men who justifies the good and gives praise to the well-doer such Government and Governours we reverence where sinne and iniquity is kept under drunkenness swearing Murther quarrelling and all the waies and works of the flesh are terrified and a well-doer praised and justified this Government of men reaches to the witnesse of God in every man and that answers to the justice and righteousnesse of all such Governours and Government and these witnesse that they are of God but the witnesse of God in every man beareth witness against all unjust men and Laws and Rulers and Governments which strengtheneth the hands of the wicked and oppresseth the just where the making and execution of Laws are in the power of proud men and covetous men who fears not God neither hates covetousnesse neither doth respect the cause of the poor but rules by their wills and tyranny and not by just Laws in righteousnesse but makes unrighteous decrees to oppresse the poor and innocent letting the wicked go free such who upholds unrighteous worships and teachers by oppression and cause the innocent to suffer and makes them offenders because the exercise of a pure conscience towards God and men such Rulers and Government we cannot be subject to for conscience sake but doth rather fulfill the law and will of God though we transgresse their wills and unrighteous Laws and yet doth not rebell against them nor seek defence from them but patiently suffers under them and bears their injustice and cruelty without seeking any revenge but leaves vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongs and this is our judgment in ful the Government and Laws which we cannot obey nor fulfil for conscience sake we chuse rather to suffer under them for disobedience to them than to transgresse the righteous Law of God written in our hearts by obeying them so that what we cannot obey for conscience sake for conscience sake we resist not but suffers under that the punishment of it patiently and herein are we subject to every ordinance of man for conscience sake in fulfilling of the good the just and righteous and in patience suffering under the cruelty and oppression of the unjust and unrighteous and this we do and teach every where subjection to every ordinance of man and are not destroyers of true Government not rebellious against just Governours but are exalters of true justice and judgement in the earth CHAP. XI Concerning the true Ministry of Christ and the false Ministry and the difference betwixt them this testimony I give unto all the world THe true Ministry is sent of God and is the gift of the Holy Ghost and it stands in the power of the Spirit of God and not in the words of mans wisdom of that wisdom which is from below and it brings people to the knowledge of God which is life eternall and it turns people from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God it is freely received of God and freely given forth of us it proclaims peace on earth unto such as are of a broken and upright heart and it proclaims warre against all the wicked upon earth it is a good savour unto God in setting the way of life and the way of death before all people the Ministry of Christ is free and cannot be bought nor sold for money it is without hire and gifts and
rewards from any man which is given freely into the world and it ever was and is persecuted by the generation of the unjust and by the powers of the earth he that comes in the Fathers name cannot be received of the world but the world is at enmity against it in this generation as ever was it converts people unto the knowledge of God and many did and many doth receive the knowledge of God thereby though some thereby be hardened against God unto destruction and the word of the Lord and the Ministry returns not in vain unto God but all by it are left without excuse the witnesse of Christ in every creature being reached to which gives testimony to the power and to the truth of the Ministry of Christ but the false Ministers and Ministry are not such for their Ministry is received by naturall learning and arts and is not the gift of the Holy Ghost but stands in the wisdom of mans words and not in the power and life of God it profits not the people at all neither doth any come to the knowledge of God thereby neither is turned from darknesse to light but Teachers and people continues in the power of Satan and in the unconverted estate the witnesse of God not reached to to bring to the understanding of things which are eternall but people are ever learning by it and never coming to the knowledge of the truth but the blind leads the blind and like Teachers like People all out of the way given to iniquity and unrighteousness and such are they who preaches for hire and divines for money and seeks for their gain from their quarter and through covetousnesse by feigned words makes merchandize of souls going for gifts and rewards and reaching for filthy lucre having setled places and so much a year these are not the true Ministers of Christ but false Ministers of Antichrist and deceivers and was never sent of God and do never bring any to the knowledge of God and such we bear witnesse against to be of the Devil and that for many generations the world hath been deceived by them who hath had the form of godlinesse but not the power and Christs words and the Apostles words without the life and they have served themselves and not the Lord Jesus but now they are made manifest with the true Light which approveth the Ministry of God and disapprove such who are Ministers of Antichrist and all that are in the light and walks in the light can receive this testimony which is given by the Spirit of God to that Ministry which is sent of him which doth fulfill his will and against the false Ministry which is not of God which runs and was never sent of him CHAP. XII Concerning the Gospel of Christ this is my testimony unto all the world THe Gospell is the power of God and it is sent of him into the world to reconcile people unto him that have been in the enmity against him it is peace to the poor in spirit and judgement to the fat and to the high minded and it is to be preached to every creature male and female under Heaven without respect of Peoples Nations or generations it is the manifestation of the love of God to the whole world togather people out of all unrighteousnesse into the living way of life peace and truth to walk with God in purity and holinesse and to deny the world and all its waies and works and worships which are evill and by it some are brought to God and to salvation and life eternal and some through it are hardened against God that they may be destroyed and condemned who are reprobates and believes not in him from whom the Gospell comes and it cannot be received by any other way or means than by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the hearts of his people and many have the letter which knows not the Gospell nor hath received it and this Gospell which is everlasting have we received from God and this is the sound of it which we give in the world unto the world fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgements is come and this is the everlasting Gospell of salvation he that can receive it let him CHAP. XIII Concerning the word of God and concerning the Scriptures this testimony I give unto all the World THe word of God was in the beginning before any creatures were made and by it all things stand and remain unto this day and the world endures for ever and by it all things in Heaven and in Earth are brought to pass which God doth and it is from everlasting to everlasting without beginning and without end and the word is powerfull dividing and discerning all things even the secret thoughts of every mans heart it is a two-edged sword and as a fire and like a hammer to cut up to burn and to beat down the word of the Lord reconciles man again to him and this word is in the mouth in the heart and the servants of the Lord handled tasted saw and felt the word of life and from it spoke sorth the Scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Ghost through the eternall Spirit and it is a declaration of the word of life which was in the beginning and endures for ever and it declares what the Saints received believed and enjoyed and none can understand it without the same Spirit that gave it forth and to such who have the same Spirit the Scripture is profitable the Word of God which was in the beginning and which endures for ever is not the Scripture which was not in the beginning neither can it endure for ever but the Scripture testifies of that word and that word witnesseth to the Scripture and they are not contrary one to the other but gives witnesse each of other but many hath the Scripture that hath not the Word neither knows it but they that have the Word cannot but own the Scriptures and this the truth as it is in Jesus testified to all the world by us who doth deny them that hereof gives any other testimony CHAP. XIV Concerning the Devill and Damnation this testimony I give to all people THere is a Devill which is out of the truth who abode not in the truth but is a lyar from the beginning and the Father of all evill and evill doing and the author of all unrighteousness and whatsoever is contrary to God in thought word and action he is the enmity against God and against all good and by his power subverts creatures and things to another end than wherefore they were created even to the dishonour of the Creator he is the god of this world the Prince of darknesse and he rules King in all the children of the first Adam who are in evill he was the cause of the first transgression and is the cause of disobedience to God to this day in all people who are led by him moving
rather than their destruction Yet this we give all to know that the Lord will be avenged on all them who hates the way of righteousnesse and all that opposeth the Lord and his way and despiseth his truth which he hath revealed they shall be confounded and broken to pieces and shall confesse to the Lord and his way and his truth in the day of their destruction Again let all the earth know that against all unrighteousnesse injustice oppression whoredom murder and drunkennesse and all sin whatsoever we do declare and acknowledge our selves to be enemies against all sin and they that commit it and we cannot hide sin and iniquity in any but gives our testimony against it and against all that live in it whatsoever without respect to men or places and cannot flatter any man in his transgressions but saith that lying swearing drunkenness covetousness injustice dissimulation hypocrisie murder and envy lust of the flesh pride and wantonnesse and all the works of the flesh whatsoever are contrary to God and of the devill and they that lives in them and brings them forth are the servants of the devill and must not inherit that kingdome of God who brings forth those works which grieves the Spirit of God and vexes his righteous soul and this is that Government onely which is the Government of sin and death which we declare our selves enemies to which is of the devill and not of God and this is that Government which we testifie against and warrs against by the sword of the Spirit of God and by his power and not by the carnall weapons or subtill conspiracies or violent insurrections for this way and by this means shall not the Government of Satan be overthrown or the kingdom of Christ ever exalted Again let all the world know that we are not such as disanuls or makes voyd the Covenant and bond of Relations or teach any so to do or give any example by our practice to any subjects to be rebellious to their Governors or children to be disobedient to their Parents or that servants be undutifull to their Masters But on the contrary doth say and affirm it that it is the duty of Subjects to be obedient and subject in the Lord to their Rulers and Governours whether Kings Dukes or others who have rule over them and also that Children should be obedient to their Parents and Servants to be dutifull and subject to their Masters in the Lord in all things and that Husbands and Wives live in all unity and peace in the Lord Provided onely where Rulers Parents or Masters or Husbands requireth of their Subjects Children or Servants or any other whatsoever requiring of their relations that which is unjust and contrary to God and his righteous law in such a case we say that Subjects Children Servants and all other whatsoever are free and we say where man requires any thing contrary to God and God requires another thing contrary to man the obedience to God is rather to be chosen and the obedience to all men is to be denyed and this is our judgement which is according to truth and is the mind of God concerning subjection and obedience and the duty of Relations one to another And lastly know ye assuredly that we do not hold and maintain any thing by conversation or doctrine but the very same truth in word and practice as all our fore-Fathers did but bears witnesse of the same salvation by the same Christ as they did and are not setters forth of strange gods for no other God is worshipped by us than he which Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the rest of the servants of the Lord in every generation worshipped served and obeyed neither are we such as doth maintain Heresie Errour or Idolatry or the worship of any strange god though hereof we are accused falsely yet against us cannot it be proved truly and this we give the whole world to know that no other end or purpose or design is in our hearts but only to fulfil the will of God in all things as it is to us made manifest Even this is the resolution of our hearts and the full purpose of our minds to give testimony through the world as we are moved both by writing and declaring of these Truths which to us is known from the Lord that truth and righteousnesse may come to reign and this may we do as the Lord provideth way for us nor fearing the face of any man nor being afraid of the threatning of high looks and that we may finish the testimony given us of God our life nor any other thing is dear unto us and all ye people every where for your sake is this written to come abroad amongst you to give you warning and true information of the work of the Lord and what he is about to do that you may hear and understand and may receive the knowledge of those things which belong to your peace and may be saved with an eternall salvation or otherwise through this are you wholly left without excuse if you perish And unto this was I pressed in spirit for many daies that all the world may be satisfied what we are and what we hold and what the purpose of the Lord is and I whom God hath warned do warn all people upon the face of the earth that you prepare prepare to meet the Lord for his coming and his day is nigh at hand and his judgements shall be revealed in the Earth and all flesh shall tremble before him and all the inhabitants of the world shall be confounded at his presence The proud shall be abased and the poor shall be exalted the high and lofty shall be brought down and the meek and upright shall be set up Truth shall reign as King and deceit shall utterly be confounded they that now suffer all manner of evill for the Name of Jesus shall possesse everlasting freedome and the dominion shall be in their hands and they that now cause the just to suffer shall go into endless captivity the seed of God shall spring forth and flourish but the seed of evill-doers shall never be renowned And betwixt these two seeds is an enmity put and they can never be reconciled each seed hath his fruit the one is cursed and the other is blessed and each seed is known by its fruit and must receive from the Lord accordingly And this is the testimony of the servants of the Lord and the witnesse which they give unto all the world of those things which we have handled tasted heard seen and felt blessed are all they thar can receive it We are known to God in the Spirit and one to another in his life and are known in the world by the name of Quakers cast upon us through the derision of the heathen But Quaking and trembling at the World of the Lord by the servants of the Lord we do own when the power of God reacheth to the witnesse of God in the creature which brings condemnation upon all high looks and upon the lofty nature which causeth the earthly part to tremble we do own and many of us do witness the Quaking and Trembling which is by the operation of the Spirit of God and the severall operations by the one Spirit we own which brings down proud flesh whose honour God will lay in the dust and bring it to everlasting contempt and when this comes to pass quaking shall not be a strange thing nor the Name reproached as it is at this day by the proud spirits of men who knows not the work of the Lord nor the operation of his Spirit Moreover and besides all this let all the world know that our conversation life and practice is one and the same with what we hold forth in words and that we give as large a testimony of God amongst us by pure conversation as doctrine and doth deny them who gives testimony in words onely and answers not in their conversation for that is hypocrisie and our souls loath it and it is abomination in the fight of the Lord where he is profest in words and not walked to in purity and righteousnesse of life for righteousnesse being brought forth in the heart works of righteousnesse will spring forth in the world and where righteousnesse springs not forth in the world and the fruits of the knowledge of God it shews that righteousnesse is not in the heart and that God is not known Also concerning our Government it is according to Christ whom we own to be head amongst us and no other head we have or do bow unto and we are but members of his body joyned to him through the Spirit as head over us all and the greatest of us is but a member of Christ who is the head alone and we have not another neither can we be subject to any other Government but his or to obey any Government but what is justly according to his whose Government must be set up in the earth and for it we wait and labours and travels and counts nothing hard but all things are easie to us for this prise which is before us even the Government of Christ to be set up and all Governments of men establisht according to it and this is our testimony which we give forth in words and practice and if it be required can seal it with our blood And this is written for no other end but that you may be certainly informed what we are and what we hold and what the Lord hath done and what he is about to do in all the earth who is arisen and hath said Ah! I will ease me of my Adversaries FINIS ERRATA Pag. 3. l. 21. for word r. world p. 3. l. 33. for same r. son p. 25. l. 10. for world r. word p. 25. l. 18. r. and in the heart