A TESTIMONY To the TRUE and Spiritual VVorship AND A WORD of Consolation to the Children of LIGHT Also a MESSAGE of TRUTH to PROFESSORS By Tho. Tayler Printed in the Year 1670. A Testimony to the True and Spiritual VVorship And a VVord of Consolation to the Children of Light GOD is a Spirit all Pure Holy Just and True and therefore in Spirit Purely Holy and Truly will he be worshipped of all that come to him and therefore all that Worship which stands in the Impure and Unholy nature of the Flesh is of no acceptance with him Cain may Sacrifice and Israel may be Circumcised and Iudas do something like an Apostle but so long as the Murderous Scoffing Covetous Trayterous Nature of the flesh stands all is nothing The Lord God blessed for ever hath in this day of his powerful Love made manifest himself amongst the Children of men on Earth and now Sons and Daughters do Prophesie and Old and Young do Sing of his Praise and Sound forth with joyful Hearts of the worthy noble Acts of his Right-hand because his Kingdom is come and his Glory in Sion is appeared and the Tabernacle of God is indeed with men and he himself not a Shadow or a Figure or outward Representation of him but he himself who is over all God blessed for ever dwells in and with his People his dearly beloved Seed who have believed in his Light that true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and have not despised the day of Small Things but have waited in the Light in the Faith of his holy Power for the fulfilling of his Promises and so through FAITH and Patience have received the Promises of Everlasting Life and Salvation fulfilled in them whereby the Mountains are thrown down and the Vallies lifted up and all made plain pure and perfect for the Holy God and Father of all Mercy and Goodness to dwell in and walk in Glory glory to his great Name who hath not left himself without a Witness of his Faithfulness this day nor left the Throne of Davids Kingdom without an Heir to sit upon it to Order and Establish it in Righteousness And now even now in this our day the Day which the Lord hath made is the blessed Fountain of the great Deepth of the Love of God in Christ Jesus truly opened and the Waters of the Heavenly Temple are so deep that a man may swim in them and it is not now as sometimes in times past here a line and there a line here a little and there a little but now hath the Lord our God according to his excellent Loving-kindness fully opened to Judah and the Children of the Heavenly Mother Jerusalem the Mystery of his Will and Fountain of his Eternal Goodness in Christ Jesus the Light whereby our Souls are satisfied and Sin and Transgression done away and the Everlasting Righteousness which makes Pure and Perfect the very Heart Soul and Conscience to God brought in ever Blessed be his glorious Name for his unspeakable Gift Amen and amen And now are all false Religions seen and by the Light which makes them manifest judged for the false Births which are of the great Whore Mystery Babilon whose Religions are carried on by the will of the Flesh as by the fleshly wisdom they were invented stand all in the Curse where nothing is perfect but their own misery and wretchedness and therefore it is that both Priest and People in this wretched state do all with one consent cry out against the perfect Work of Jesus Christ in his People saying None can be Perfect here And so do in a word deny the very end for which Christ came and the end for which the Ministry of Christ was given for Christ give himself for his People That he might wash them in the Word of Life and so present them to himself a glorious Congregation without Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing Ephes. 5.25 c. And thou art all Fair my Love saith Christ to his Spouse and no Spot in thee And there is no spot in thee And the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of the better H O P E Christ in us the Hope of Glory Col. 1.27 did Heb. 7.19 And the very end of the Ministry was for the Edifying and Perfecting the Saints who are Christs Body Eph. 4.12 And we labour to present every man perfect to God in Christ Col. 1.28 And John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one But now the false Ministry which stands in the Flesh in which no good thing dwelâ—s keeps People alwayes learning and never brings any to the Knowledge of the perfecting Truth of the Lord Jesus for how should it For they have Run and I have not sent them saith God therefore they shall not profit the People at all Jer. 23. And under this woful Condition lieth all the World of unbelieving people who believe not in the Truth Christ Jesus but follow their own dark spirits which see nothing of the Kingdom of God nor the holy Worshippers therein A long and dark Night of Apostacy hath passed over the World since the Apostles time wherein the spirit of Antichrist and Devils hath wrought effectually in the Children of Disobedience as was foretold to the blinding of their minds and hardning their hearts against the everlasting Gospel of Truth the Heavenly Light and Power of God unto Salvation and hath so deluded them that they have thought they were doing God service when they were persecuting his Truth and Members of his Body as many in the same dark deluded state do at this day but now the Lord is lifting up his Standard against that great Whore Dragon false Prophet and their Armies who Gog and Magog like would devour the Lambs of Christ. And now no Weapon formed against Christ his Truth and People shall ever prosper any more at all but the Lamb shall have the Victory and the Kingdom Dominion and Greatness of it shall be given to the Saints of the Most High God whose Kingdom is everlasting and that Nation Kingdom and People that will not bow to Truth will moulder away and come to nothing as the Lord hath said for now is the effect of every Vision fully to come and no more at all to be prolonged And therefore Wo wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and the Sea who are putting the Day of the Lord afar off crying Peace Peace when there is no Peace for there is no Peace to any who will not have Jesus Christ the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World to rule in them and over them for his is the Kingdom Glory and Power and he will reign for evermrre in the midst of his Enemies Glory to his Name without ceasing Amen and amen saith my Soul whom thou hast redeemed O Holy One of Israel to set forth thy Praise amongst the Living in Jerusalem thy
his Name in vain Your Garment is not of the Pure White Linnen which is the Saints Righteousness but Linnen and Woolen is your Covering a thing forbidden by Gods Law Your Field is not sowen with the one Heavenly kind of Grain the good Wheat but another Seed have you mingled with it and the mixture is so great that the bad hath almost choked and covered the good in you If you will work you must into Gods Vineyard and be exceeding Dilligent and Laborious in Spirit in plucking up the Weeds by the Roots in you The Light of Christ in the Conscience waiting in it will give thee Understanding But Wo will be to them who call the Light Darkness and put Darkness for Light and so suffer the Good in them to wither and nourish the Bad Part in them which is like the Grane that never hath enough but is alwayes learning at man without and not at Christ within and ministring from the outward dead spirit of the World and not from the measure of the living Spirit of Christ so not taking heed to the Word of Faith which is nigh in the heart the Word of Christ which is Spirit and Life they never get victory over their sin as is manifest but go laden Teacher and Hearer all their life long with divers sins and lusts as was said before So Wo to the selfish Workers who speak their own words and think their own thoughts on this the holy Sabbath day of the Lord God wherein he hath given his People rest from all their weary labour and burdens The outward day the first day of the Week shall not cover you nor be a Sabbath to you but in the breach of Gods holy everlasting spiritual Sabbath of Rest you being found you must bear his Judgment Behold all ye that kindle a Fire this day and that compass about your selves with Sparks walk in the light of your Fire and in the Sparks that ye have kindled yet know that your reward from the Lords hand is to lie down in sorrow I say all you who feed upon and whose Faith stands in the wisdom of vain mans words raised up in the subtilty to please the iching Ear and not in the Power of God which washeth the inside a day of scattering cometh upon you it cometh and a grievous Whirle-wind from the Lord and the pleasant Brests of Mystery Babylon which you so much delight in shall be dried up for the Lord hath rejected your confidence because you have rejected his good Word and Counsel and chosen your own Delusion and evil entreated his Servants whom he sent rising up early and sending them time after time to warn you to come out of all your dead Forms and dead Faith into the living vertue and power of his eternal Spirit of Truth to worship him there and to know it in you but you would not therefore the Lord will yet do that great Wâ—rk and Wonder amongst you he will confound the wisdom of your Wise and bring to nought the understanding of your Prudent Men and they shall be as Women weak and feeble the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and the Songs of your Temple shall be Howlings in that day because of the Vine of Sodom that will bear no more Grapes but so many as have drunk of the Wine of her Fornication must drink of the Cup of Gods Wrath. And all you who talk of your Faith and suffering Condition and yer live in your sin you know not what spirit you are of for the same mind that you think to suffer in is it which by Transgression grieves the Spirit of God and stands against the setting up of his Kingdom in your selves and the Testimony thereof in his redeemed Ones this day And so if you could give your bodies to be burnt in this your Unsaved and Unsanctified Condition it would profit you nothing at all Wherefore come out from amongst them all you that would be happy touch no unclean thing but give your hearts to the Lord to know his Light in you to teach you and he will receive you and hide you from the Wrath that is to come upon all that are not in him as saith his Spirit in his Servant This is a Message of Truth to all you in and about Stafford and those of like Spirit with you elsewhere who go under the name of Presbyterians Teachers and Hearers to read and ponder in the cool mind that you may know what the Lords Mind is concerning you in this his day wherein he is manifest with his Fan in his Hand to purge the Floor that he may gather to himself the good Wheat and burn up the Chaff For we knowing the Terrors of the Lord perswade you and all People in love to your Soules to take heed of dallying with God who is a consuming Fire for his Judgments are manifest and who can stand before his Wrath O be not Proud lest your hands be made strong but be meek and lowly and gentle in heart to learn of him that is so that you may find rest for your soules for there is no Peace to the Wicked saith my God the true God that made Heaven and Earth whose Wrath from Heaven is perfect revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men without respect of Persons or Professions who hold the Truth in any manner of Vnrighteousness So be it In the 2d Moneth 1670. T. T. WEEP thou England Houl Houl ye People for the Dreadful Day of the Lord God is at hand it is at the Door as an Armed Man coming swiftly upon you to break down and tread under feet thy Pomp Glory and Strength Thou hast exceeded in thy Sins and art grown monstrous in thine Iniquities so the Lord will be exceeding Terrible unto thee Thou hast suffered the Wicked in thee to have Liberty and to take their fill of sin when the Voice of the Righteous cannot be endured in thee but he that departs from Iniquity and would perswade others so to do is even made a Prey of by Ungodly and Unreasonable Men their Bodies Imprisoned and Banished and Estates spoiled and all sorts of Injuries done them for God's Name Truths sake And therefore will the Lord God arise to take Vengeance for these things Yea his Soul will certainly be avenged on such a Nation as this saith this Spirit in his Servant AND moreover because you have said in your hearts We have compassed them about with an Act and none shall Worship God but as we please Therefore will the Lord the mighty God compass you about with his Terrors and you shall find no place to hide your selves in from his Wrath because of the Pride of your Hearts and Evil of your Doings O all ye People of the Land saith the Lord God who are guilty of these things T. T. THE Lord even the Lord God of infinite endless glorious Power and Truth plead our Cause our innocent Cause against you the Rulers of this Nation and of all the World who hate us and persecute us without all cause The Lord hath raised us up in Righteousness ever praised be his Name to bear our Testimony for God and his Christ against all the Wayes and false Worships of faln man and therefore it is that such as are in the fall through the ignorance and evil that is in them number us with the Transgressors and account all manner of Punishments and Grievances too little for us yea Banishment Imprisonment Spoiling of our Goods and Death it self is judged not less then we deserve So the Scripture is fulfilled see John 16.2 3. And all this for no manner of evil at all but meerly because we cannot cease to Worship and Serve the living and true God our Father as he hath taught us and doth teach all that come to him For our Worship to God is pure in Spirit and Truth And this is the true standing and established Worship for evermore and God is now mightily seeking such to worship him And so the Lord the Ever-blessed and True God plead our holy Cause against you who hate us without a Cause We have laid before you the Truth and Righteousness of our Cause and our Good-will to all men and how it is not in our hearts and hands in the least to injure you or any but to this day you will not hear but stop your Ears to our innocent Cryes and therefore to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth do we call and before him who is the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords and RULER of Rulers and JUDGE of Judges do we lay our innocent Cause O that you had known at least in this your day the things of your peace but you will not and therefore how can ye expect less then a Forsaking and Casting-off by the Lord as the People of old called Israel found who would not hear the Voice of the Lord and his Servants crying and calling unto them in those dayes Read the Prophesie of Hosea Hos. 1.6 8 9 and see what Lo-ruhaemah and Lo-ammi signifie and humble your selves greatly before the Lord for assuredly great wrath is gone out from the presence of the eternal Majesty of Heaven and Earth against you and nothing can stay it but your ceasing from Persecuting the blessed Truth of God which we the People of God in Scorn called Quakers do love and live in It is so T. T. THE END
the Joys and Sufferings of the Gospel In the 12 th of the 6 th Moneth 1669 T. T. A Message of Truth to Professors WO to the Teachers of the People that daub with untempored Morter and cry Peace Peace when the Lord hath not spoken Peace For the Lord speaks Peace to none in their Sins but they Teach for Doctrine That none can live out of Sin whilst on this side the Grave and so they Minister for Antichrist the Man of Sin and not for Christ who is without Sin in Gods Righteousness And he that keepeth Christs Commandments dwelleth in him and he in him and his Commandments are not grievous saith John And again He that is Born of Christ sinneth not for the everlasting Father of the Vnspotted Generation is he And herein saith the same John and all the living Members of Christ is our Love made perfect that we may have Boldness in the day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this World But the Masterly Teachers of this World cry out O the Commands of Christ who is God are hard none can keep them we must live in Sin whilst on Earth no Perfection here no Victory over all while on this side the outward Grave These have their Eyes abroad and judge after the Flesh and the things of Gods Spirit are Foolishness to them The Grave of Sin they lie dead in and know not the Resurrection from it and so are ignorant of Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life And the Eye in such is shut as yet that should hear the Sons Voice whose Voice raiseth the Dead O foolish and flow of Heart to beâ—ieve all that Christ and his Prophets have spoken Doth not Christ say The hour is coming and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live For as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself John 5.25 And in another place He that Liveth and Believeth in me shall never die for God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living for thâ— Dead cannot Praise him And I will Ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will Redeem thee from Death O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos. 13.14 And again Ezek. 37.12 c. Thus saith the Lord God Behold O my People I will open your Graves and cause you to come up out of your Graves and ye shall know that I am the Lord and I will place my Sanctuary in the midst of you for evermore These words are faithful and true and the Israel of God who are risen with Christ know them and in the Birth Immortal being passed from Death to Life do set to their Seal That God is a Faithful Performer of his Promises this Day For Life and Immortality is brought to Light through the Gospel which is the Power of God to Salvation in all that believe in God and know his Christ in them who is the D E A T H of Death and Destruction of Sin and Life Eternal to enjoy Glory to his Name forever And against this Living Faith and Quickning Power the Gates of Hell shall never be able to prevail But as was said before Wo to the Teachers of the People who Daub with Untempered Morter who look outward and judge of things according to the Flesh and outward appearance of things and plead for the Life of Sin during the whole time of mans being upon Earth and look at the Grave without and Death without and so lie dead in Sin and buried in the Grave of their spiritual Wickedness themselves and so lead about a People silly as Women in Matters Spiritual laden like themselves with divers Sins and Lusts alwayes learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth For who know the Truth as it is in Jesus are set free by it For if you be set-free by the Truth then are ye free indeed saith Christ. This is more then all outward Knowledge and Profession to be so free as not to be under the Power of any Sin Lust Temptation Will of Man nor any of the Powers of Darkness whatsoever but Free as Christ is Free who is over all God blessed forever But now that Christ is come to set up this his holy Glorious Kingdom in the Hearts of the Children of Men Where is this Faith to be found on Earth But all the Multitudes of Earthly Professors cry The Kingdom of Heaven hereafter The Kindom of Glory hereafter no Perfection on this side the outward Grave none câ—n overcome or put off the Body of Sin whilst here and the like Not knowing what they say nor whereof they affirm when they speak of such things because to the Kingdom of Heaven within in man they are wilful Strangers Eyes they have but see not and Ears but hear not for the inward Eye which should see have they fast closed and the Ear which should hear have they shut lest they should see and hear and be converted and be saved But Blessed is the Eye that sees the Kingdom of God which he hath set up and is setting up in his Trembling People and the Ear that hears the unutterable Word of the living Father which raiseth the Dead they shall never be Praising of him in the Congregation of the Righteous where none can come to make afraid for these Love and Fear the Lord and that frees them from the Fear of Vain Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils But all whose Religion stands upon the Sandy Foundation of mans Wisdom and Thoughts and Doings which perfects not to God these will be like the Chaff which the Wind scatters to and fro the Regenerating Power of Gods eternal Spirit they being ignorant of in themselves all their shew of Religion is meer Hypocrisie and the Religion of Hypocrites shall never be established for all who gather not with Christ shall scatter and every Plant that his Heavenly Spiritual Hand hath not planâ—ed shall be rooted up O! What Darkness have you rapt your Selves in and how is the Understanding Part clouded in you that you will neither see nor learn to know the things that pertain to Everlasting Life Can you say the Branches of the faln Tree the first Adam are Unholy and Corrupt because of the Unholiness of the Root And will you not see that the Members of the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus who never fell are Holy because of the Holiness of the Root For if the Root be Holy so are the Branches Anoint your Eyes with Eye-Salve that if possible you may see and know a better Root in you then the faln mans nature to grow on that the Kingdom of Holiness you may feel come near you For they that are in the Flesh cannot please God whatever they may Profess And this adds to their misery that when they have brought forth the deadly Works of the