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* devil, finish tranfgreffion, and bring in of his everlafting righteoufnefs." Wherefore to imagine one's felf entitled to a state of falvation, whilst in rebellion against the light within, which is Chrift's inward knocking and appearance, muft needs be a delufion, most pernicious, and deftructive to the fouls of men.

IX. That, upon the whole, it is determined and concluded, that "Chrift is that light which fhineth " in the conscience."

X. That the light is proved, by reafon, both univerfal and fufficient: the firft, from the consent of mankind, and the goodness and rectitude of God: the fecond, both from experience, and that it were inconfiftent with the goodness and wifdom of God to give a light to his creature infufficient for the work for which he gave it.

Thus, in fhort, have I given the heads and refults of most of the matter contained in the whole difcourse upon the light: and I entreat our adversaries they would seriously weigh the whole, before they either reject it, or pretend to reply to it. But let them be advised to try the virtue of the light, before they fentence it to have none; and, in the love of God, be once prevailed upon to confider, if fomething in them doth not really condemn them for evil; and, amongst other things, for these brifk attempts against it, and unreasonable undervaluings of it.

O why fhould men covet to know so far beyond what they do faithfully practife! Let them first outlive the juft and holy requirings of the light, before they put these barbarous affronts upon it; as a Willin-the-whisp, a dark-lanthorn light, natural, insufficient, ignis fatuus, the Quakers idol, and abundance of fuch-like frothy, profane, and indeed blafphemous epithets, which fome have wickedly bestowed upon it, as if they were its proper names: when the fcriptures they would oppofe to it plainly tell them, that the whole work of the apoftolical miniftry was, "to turn "people from darkness to the light, from the power

" of

" of Satan unto God, that they might have remiffion " of fins." As much as to fay, Such as are turned to the light, are turned to God, who is light; and those who abide there, both have remiffion of the • punishment, and purgation from the defilement, of <fin.'

And whatever any may think of us, we both believe, affert, and will maintain, against men and devils, "That God is light:" and that out of the light, or void of his divine illumination, no man can know him, and confequently not worship him, unless they fhould worship an unknown god: that fuch as receive this illumination, and rebel not against it, but improve this heavenly talent, they have fellowship with the pure eternal God, and experience the blood of Jefus Chrift to "cleanse them from all unrighteouf"nefs."

If any think to arrive at glory another way, and will not be admonished, let them proceed: we speak what we know, and can but declare what we have felt of the work of God in our hearts. The fcriptures we highly value: but we believe not the things we often quote thence to be true only because there, but for that we are witnesses of the fame operation, and bring in our experimental teftimonies to confirm the truth of theirs; and fuch truly honour the scriptures: all others are at beft but empty fcribes, and pharifaical babblers.

So with God I leave my labour in this particular, defiring that this heavenly light may yet more abundantly arise upon the dark hearts of mankind, and awaken them to repentance: that fince it hath fo long fhined in darkness uncomprehended, till even darkness itself is grown fo impudent as to impute it to the infufficiency of the light, he would be pleased to cause it to shine out of darkness, that it might plead the excellency of its own divine nature in the confciences of men and women, against the scorns and detractions that even too many of the great profeffors of Chrifti

anity stick not to fling upon it; fo ill are they principled, and fo unchriftianly employed: which proves to me how little they are profeffors of the " true, pure and undefiled religion," whatever opinion fome weak and fimple people may have of them. My foul pitieth their oppofition, and feareth the confequence of fuch refiftance, and defires they may fee the very vanity of their endeavours against the light, repent of them, and be converted, that God may yet heal them. Which fincere prayer is my return for all their hard fpeeches and ungodly fayings against us in general, and myself in particular.

WILLIAM PENN.

VOL. I.

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A DISCOURSE

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A

DISCOURSE

OF THE

General Rule of FAITH and PRACTICE,

AND

JUDGE OF CONTROVERSY.

Greatly importing all those who defire to take right Measures of Faith, and to determine (at least to themselves) the numerous Controverfies now on foot in the World.

By the fame Author.

For in Chrift Jefus, neither Circumcifion availeth any Thing, nor Uncircumcifion, but a NEW Creature. And as many as walk according to THIS Rule, Peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Ifrael of God. GAL. vi. 16. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit fearcheth all Things, yea, the deep Things of God.-The Things of God knoweth no Man, but the Spirit of God. He that is spiritual judgeth all things. ii. 10, 11, 15.

I COR.

But ye have an Unction from the Holy One; and ye fhall know all Things. I JOHN ii. 20.

Published in the Year 1673

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