hath diftinguished them, has been, To promote the ⚫ experimental and faving knowledge of Jefus Christ in the world, by turning the minds of all people from the darkness that is in them, to the light of Chrift which is in them, as the great, fingular, and neceffary agent and principle, by which, only, man is enlight• ened, and enabled to fee and do the will of God."' For, until men receive, and are quickened by, this divine principle, they are hypocrites, and not Chriftians; baftards, and not fons. Neither can they have true and living faith, whatsoever they profefs; nor can they truly and acceptably worship God, whatsoever they perform. O then, let the poor Quakers, and their abused principles, have better entertainment with thee, reader: and do not conclude, because they direct people to the light of Chrift in them, that therefore it is a mere natural, and not a divine light: or because they affert Chrift to be the Word of God, and that he is revealed in the heart, according to the fcripture, and that the Scripture, in that excellent fenfe, is not so; that therefore they deny the divine authority of the fcriptures, and that the mind and truth thereof, as declared by them, is not, in any fenfe, the Word of the Lord to men: or because they do not receive the fchoolmens Trinity, that therefore they deny the Scripture-Trinity of FATHER, WORD, and SPIRIT: or that therefore they deny the divinity of Christ the Word: or that they deny Chrift without them, who was the Son of Man, in a fuffering state on earth, and is now the Son of Man in glory, because they exalt and press an experimental knowledge of Chrift within, as the truth, fubftance, and excellency of the "hope of the glory" that hereafter shall be revealed, as being the "riches of the glory of the mystery revealed, and to be revealed, in "these latter days," according to the fcriptures of 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Rom. viii. 1, 12, 2 Cor. xiii. 5 Acts xxvi. 18. John i. truth. truth. Neither do thou fay, they hope to be faved by their own works, because they prefs the neceffity of well-doing toward acceptance with God; fince they maintain, that no works that are not wrought by the Spirit of God are acceptable with him: or that they hold even fuch works to be meritorious, because they fay, good works are necessary and rewardable:' or that they are forgiven for what they do, and not for what Chrift did: or that they deny the ufe of means, because they reject ungofpel ones: or that they deny baptifm and the Supper, because they say, they are but figns of the Spiritual grace, and that they served but for a time, and that they experience their accomplishment.' Neither fay, that they are uncivil, and honour no man, because they forbear fuch titles and ceremonies, in which true honour and civility do not confift: or, that they are against government, because they cannot, out of tenderness and not obftinacy, conform to it in matters relating to religion and confcience; in which CHRIST only is Lord and King: fince, reader, thou plainly feeft, that they believe the light to be divine, and the fcriptures to be of divine authority: that they own the Scripture-Trinity, or Holy Three, of FATHER, WORD, and SPIRIT, to be truly, and properly, ONE: that CHRIST is God, and that CHRIST is man: that he came in the flesh, died, rofe again, afcended, and fits on GOD'S right-hand, the only Sacrifice and Mediator, for man's happiness that truly gospel-means and ordinances are requifite, and to be reverently practifed: that good works are neceffary and rewardable: that all men are to be honoured in the Lord, according to their degrees: and that government, in church and state, is God's ordinance, and both requifite and very beneficial. Now, reader, that which remains, is to recommend thee to this divine principle of light and life, which they make the root and Spring of all true fenfe of God and religion in man; even the light within, which they began with, and comes from Chrift, and indeed is Chrift, the eternal Word, and which brings all, that follow the convictions and leadings of it, to Chrift; that that is, to his nature, which is meek, patient, loving, bumble, harmless, felf-denying, and holy; and thereby to know him "in themfelves," according to fcripture, to be the "< hope of their eternal glory:" who, as he is of Abraham after the flesh, fo is he God, the True Light, over all, bleffed for ever; and lighteth all, in order to life and bleffednefs. Unto the manifeftation of whose most holy and bleffed light within, thou, reader, art earneftly exhorted. Bring thy deeds to it, and love it, and walk in it, and thou wilt affuredly have the light of life; and thy " fellowship fhall be "with God, and with his Son and faints, and the blood "of Jefus Chrift his Son fhall cleanfe thee from all "fin." And "whatfoever things are true, whatfoever things are honeft, whatsoever things are just, "whatsoever things are pure, whatfoever things are " of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there "be any praife, think on these things." Which, reader, is, I know, moft earnestly defired on thy behalf, by this despised and most abufed people, called Quakers. So be it. Amen. сс POST SCRIPT. Being an EXHORTATION to all people, to turn fpeedily to the LORD, and feek him while he may be found, whatever perfuafion they are of, or forms they are under, before the dreadful day of God's vengeance overtake them. Ye inhabitants of the world, but more especially you that know this people, and among whom the teftimony, which they bear, hath been held forth; hear, and be intreated, for your fouls fake! O that ye knew God, your Creator, to be alfo your Redeemer! Who does as certainly vifit you by the SPIRIT of the 'Second Adam, as ever he created you in the NATURE of x John v. 6, 7. y Phil. iv. 8. the the first Adam: that as in one you fell, in the other you may arife out of your fallen and foul eftate, and become a reformed, regenerate, and chofen people to God." "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well "pleased; hear ye him;" faid God the Father. And what fays Chrift the Son? "Learn of me, for I am "meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find reft unto rr your fouls." For out of Chrift, out of his Spirit and nature, verily we cannot have peace. No peace "to the wicked," no peace to the proud and ungodly, faith the Lord. O friends, you must take up your crofs daily, and follow him, or ye cannot be his difciples; his followers, his people, his friends; thofe in whom he is well pleased. Whofe doctrine is not fo much the good words you read in creeds and catechifms, as it is the living teaching of his Spirit in your own bearts; and whofe religion is not opinion, but experience; not notion, but enjoyment: life from death, converfion, regeneration: in fhort, undefilednefs and holiness, "without which no man fhall fee the Lord." Here is the faith of Jefus; a faith that overcomes the world, and works by love, not violence: where zeal and charity are companions, and knowledge doth not puff up, but lives and works by obedience. This is the faith and religion of Jefus all others are the faith and religion of hypocrites and devils; which they may have, and be hypocrites and devils ftill: for though they believe, their faith works not by love; and though they know the truth, they obey it not." Wherefore, friends, it ftands you much upon to fee what faith and religion you have; and not flatter yourselves on to perdition. If it be the true, the pure, b Rom. a I Cor. xii. 7. Tit. ii. 11, 12. Rom. v. 10, 12, 18, 19, 22. Mat. iii. 17. chap. xvii. 5. Mat. xi. 29. Ifa. lvii. 21. viii. 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Gal. v. 24. 1 John iii. 3, 8. chap. v. 4. Jam i. 27. Rom. vi. 19, 20. 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. chap. vii. 7. Eph. iv. 34. 1 Thef. iii. 13. Heb. xii. 14. 1 John v. 4. 2 Cor. x. v. chap. v. 22. chap. ii. 8, 9. VOL. V. 1 James ii. 19, 20. C Gal, vi. 7, 8. the the undefiled, according to the apostle, James i. 27. then you will have light hearts, and eafy confciences, and "an hope that will not make you afhamed:" elfe, believe it, heavinefs, anguish, and tribulation will (whatever be your profeffion) overwhelm you, in the day that God fhall enter into judgment with you. For which cause, O my dear country-folks and people, be intreated, "while it is to-day," to turn unto the Lord with all your hearts, and "hearken to his voice," in your own confciences, that calls you to holiness, and harder not your hearts against his reproofs, for "the "reproof of inftruction is the way to life;" endless life. Did you but fee that God fees you every where, and in every thing, and that continually, it would abundantly alter the cafe with you. Then would you fay, as one of old, "The Lord was here, and I knew "it not."" Certainly, fear, holy fear, would take hold of you, an awe of the Omniprefent Majesty would feize you, and you would not do that before God, which you would be afhamed men fhould fee you do. For no place is fecret to Him: " the light "and darkness are alike:" his witness is with you as much alone, as in company; and may perhaps be better heard by you. Sin not, then, in the face of God, in contempt of his witness, in defpite of his Spirit that is in you; but hear it, receive it, and love it, and you will be born of it, and become the children of him whose eye penetrates the darkest coverts, and findeth out the fecreteft corners. Even He that "fearches the heart, " and tries the reins of man, and fets his fins in order "before him, and telleth unto him his most inward "thoughts." This being the cafe, what manner of perfons ought ye to be, O ye children of men! Do not fatisfy your |