Page images
PDF
EPUB

are never fo corrupt, vile, and polluted in themselves, yet are they reconciled to, and juftified in the fight of God, by his perfonal righteoufnefs imputed unto them, and not from a work of grace or regeneration in the creature; therefore no wonder at your vehement cries against a state of perfect feparation from fin, as being a dangerous doctrine, who preach acceptance with the holy God, whilft in an unholy state. You generally fcoff at revelation as being ceafed; moft of you alfo abetting God to have ordained a remnant abfolutely to falvation, and confequently making fin as well as torment unavoidably neceffary to the major part; whereby the glorious God of mercy is reprefented more infamously unjust than the worst of men; doctrines of devils indeed, and grounds of all loofenefs and ranterifm; and the pleaders, and fighters for liberty of confcience when oppreffed, are the greatest oppreffors when in power, not minding the end of God's loving kindness. Because of your wanton neglect is your day darkened, and your fun fet, and grovelling you are in beggarly elements, imitations, and fhadows of the heavenly good things, relating to the difpenfation of the fecond covenant; hoping by your many duties to be heard, and find acceptance, whilft very strangers to the covering of God's fpirit, and ignorant of him (whom to know is life eternal) from the revelation of his eternal fpirit, and operation of his mighty power, but from the conceivings and apprehenfions of other men, and books well reputed; whereby God's grace and light have loft their office of leading and teaching, and thus true counsel becomes darkened, the fountain fhut, the book fealed, and you in this ftate ftrangers unto God, so that you perish for want of found knowledge: for I declare and testify on the behalf of God's everlasting way to life, and against you all, that you are yet in the man's fpirit, which works not God's will and righteousness, being found helpers of the mighty against that pure and unchangeable principle of light, grace and life, in which God only did, does, and will reveal and manifeft himfelf unto the fons and daugh

ters

[ocr errors]

ters of men, for which caufe you are yet in your ups and downs, toffed to and fro, not knowing the "rock "of ages, and foundation of many generations, which "is that only holy feed, wherein the duties and per"formances of all nations only can be bleffed, and from whence proceeds that pure, righteous, and immortal birth, to whom is the promife of an everlasting inheritance; but are fticking in your own imaginations, and patching out a peace unto yourselves from your duties, performances, and the imitations of weak times and feasons in fome perishing obfervations, that no way relate to the nature of the "pure fpiri"tual and internal kingdom of peace, righteousness, "and joy in the Holy Ghoft:" therefore well may I fay, as was faid of old, "Wo unto thee Capernaum, "which art exalted unto heaven; for if the mighty "works that have been done in thee, had been done "in Tyre, Sidon, or Sodom, they would have repented in duft and afhes, and would have remained "unto this day"."

Wherefore, O ye zealous profeffors, who in the fpirit of a man are ftriving to comprehend the mystery of God, unless ye repent and believe in "that light, "wherewith Chrift hath enlightened every man," that you may attain to the true difcerning of the fpirit and nature, in which you live and worship, that fo you may come to witness the work and will of God, "it "fhall be more tolerable for them, in the day that "God fhall judge the fecrets of men, by Jefus Christ; "God will make them of the fynagogue of Satan, "who fay they are Chriftians, and are not'."

Therefore unto you, princes, priefts, and people, whether papists or proteftants, or any other feparated way, that are in your idolatry, fuperftition, carnal ordinances, and will-worship; whofe faith in, and fear towards God, are grounded on other mens apprehenfions, perfuafions and precepts, and not from the teach

* Gen. xii. 13. Gal. iii. 8. • Rom. xiv. 19. P Mat. xi. 23, 24. ¶ John i. 9. Rev. iii. 9.

ing of God's Holy Spirit or grace; to you all am I constrained to found forth and proclaim, that unto us, the most defpifed, afflicted and forfaken, by all the families of the earth, is a child born, "unto us a fon "is given, we call him wonderful, counsellor, the "mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of "peace; of the increase of whofe government, there "fhall be no end": this is he the prophet ftiles, "a light unto the gentiles, and for falvation unto the ends " of the earth;" unto whom John Baptist bore this certain record, "that he was the true light which en"lighteneth every man that cometh into the world ';" who alfo gave this teftimony of himself, that "who"foever followed him fhould not abide in darkness, "but have the light of life, and the blood of Jefus "(faith the beloved disciple) cleanseth us from all "fin".'

[ocr errors]

"This is the fecond Adam, the quickening fpirit, "the Lord from heaven, the new and fpiritual man, "the heavenly bread, the true vine; the flesh and "blood that was given for the life of the world; the "fecond covenant; the law written in the heart and

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

spirit, put in the inward parts; the way in which "the fool cannot err; the truth, before deceit was; "the life that's hid in God, eternal in the heavens, glorified before the world began; the power, the "wisdom, the righteoufnefs of God; the plant of "renown; the royal feed that bruifeth the ferpent's "head; in short, that grace which hath appeared un" to all men, teaching them to deny all ungodliness "and worldly lufts, and to live godlikely and foberly " in this present world"." He ftands at the door of every heart, and knocks, if by any means he may be heard and have admittance, whereby God's promife may be fulfilled, that God will dwell with men; and

t

Ifa. ix. 6, 7. Chap. xlix. 6. John i. 7, 8, 9.

Ц

1 John i. 7. I Cor. xv. 47.

Chap. viii. 12.

15.

w John vi. 51, John xiv. 6. Tit. ii, 11, 12.

52, 53. Ifa. Cor. i. 20.

xlii. 6. Jer. xxxi. 32, 33, 34. Ezek. xxxiv. 29. Gen. iii.

my

my teftimony is, that a remnant have obeyed this heavenly voice, and now walk in this pure light, in which God Almighty is known to tabernacle with them*: therefore, in the fear of God eternal, do I cry aloud unto you all, who are wandering in the by-paths of mens inventions, traditions and precepts, to empty your hearts and minds of thofe unprofitable guests, that better entertainment than a manger may be had to receive this Lord of glory; the mighty prophet, all must hear or die, "who fearcheth the heart, trieth the "reins, and is able to tell you all that ever you did":"

this is the Quakers Chrift, and Son of the living God, whom we are not afhamed to confefs before men, as that glorious light, which fince we have believed and walked in, according to our diftinct measures, we have not only received a perfect discovery of all the will-worfhips, pollutions, and vain fashions, or cuftoms that have been brought forth by, and stand in the dark, luftful, and apoftatized nature; but as we have continued in an holy watchfulness, to obferve and obey its righteous dictates; God's mighty power we have and do experience to fubdue and redeem therefrom; yea, that fpiritual blood is fenfibly felt, to fprinkle and cleanse the confcience from dead "works"."

And to you all muft I declare, that by no other way did I ever receive the knowledge of the leaft evil, or ability to conquer it, than in this univerfal light, who is given for a captain and a leader out of all the bypaths and petty perfuafions of men, through judgment that purifies, and the red fea of troubles, trials, and afflictions, unto the reft which is pure and undefiled: "this is God's beloved Son, hear ye him;" for I proclaim, another way there is not to eternal life and peace, than this everlafting gofpel which now is preached; for the time is come that the angel of his prefence is flying through the midst of heaven, having

* Rev. xxi, 3.
y Deut. xviii. 18, 19, 20. Jer. xvii. 10. John
iv. 29.
z Heb. ix. 14. Chap. x. 22.

[ocr errors]

this ancient gospel to preach to them that dwell upon the earth, and are in their earthly nature, wisdom, and worship, " crying with a loud voice, Fear God, "and give glory to him, for the hour of his judg

ment is come:" therefore away, away with all your own ways, works and worships, that are grounded upon mens command, and fallible apprehenfions, whose breath is in their noftrils; and no more do homage according to fuch prefcriptions, but fear and dread the living Lord God of heaven and earth: " for if the righteous fcarcely be faved, where fhall the ungodly "and finner appear? but wo, anguish, tribulation " and forrow fhall come upon every foul that remains " in fin.""

Therefore be warned, ye dark and idolatrous Papifts, ye fuperftitious and loofe Proteftants, ye zealous, yet carnal profeffors, to come out of all your own ways, works, worships, nature, fpirit and practice: in filence and fear to wait in this glorious light which God Almighty has difplayed, and raised us contemned Quakers to walk in, and testify of, in these last ages; that by believing therein, and circumfpectly adhering thereto, you may come to experience the rifing of that eternal power which overcomes and removes tranfgreffion, that hath fo long separated between you and your God; hereby fhall you receive found judgment and heavenly wisdom.

This will not deftroy, but fulfil the fcriptures of truth, and fo fhall you know the baptifm that is from above, and eat the heavenly bread, and drink the fpiritual wine at Chrift's table, in his kingdom, which the faints of old faw the coming of before they tafted of death; " for the kingdom of God is within:"here all old things, covenants, figns, ordinances, and whatever perisheth with the ufing, fhall be done away; and the everlasting unchangeable fubftance witnessed; and no more fhall you profefs religion, or perform worship from the imagining and tranfgreffing nature,

a Rev. xiv. 6, 7.

I Pet. iv, 18.

Luke xvii. 20, 21.

but

« PreviousContinue »