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scripture doctrines, and this the spiritual worship of the holy Jesus, his apostles, and the ancient Christians? Stand up and answer me, ye members of the church of England; but are they not the offspring of that idolatrous popish generation, amounting at best to will-worship, which is abominable to the God of heaven, who is now breaking forth in vengeance, to thunder down and consume all the fair buildings, and pleasant pictures of Babylonish inventions? Therefore from you may I expect an answer to the question I asked the Romanists, in what nature and spirit is it, O princes, priests, and people, you hold and profess religion, and worship towards God? Is it the divine and heavenly one, which is pure and perfect? Are you baptized by the Holy Ghost, and with fire; crucified through the daily cross to the world; born again, and your affections set on things above? But alas, poor souls! are you not at "have mercy upon us miserable sinners, there is no health in us;" from seven to seventy? and as in truth it is to the shame of religion, and destruction of human society; how do you abound in evil! equalizing, if not outstripping papists and heathens (against whom you protest in words) iu all kinds of impiety: therefore, "Wo unto you protestants, that are mighty to drink strong drink, that give your neighbours drink, and put the bottle to them that they may be drunk'; that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch yourselves upon your couches; that eat the fat of the flock, and drink the sweet of the vine; that anoint yourselves with the chief ointments; that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to yourselves instruments of music, but consider not the afflictions of Joseph." How sport you away your precious time, as if ye were born not to die, at least never to be judged? O what swearing, what uncleanness, what drunkenness, what profanation, what vanity, what pride, what expense, what patching, what painting, what lascivious intrigues, what wanton appointments, what public unclean houses, what merry masks, what lustful ininsinuating treats at your plays, parks, mulberry and springgardens, with whatsoever else may please the lustful eye, and gratify the wanton mind! Is not this your case and practice, ye gallants, young and old, men and women? and by these courses, have not debts surprised your estates, poverty plenty, diseases health, debauchery chastity? Whole families ruined both in soul and body; yea, such a deluge of intemperance has so overwhelmed the nations, that hard it is to light upon sobriety and virtue.

Acts xix. 2, 3, 4, 5. Col. iii. 2. Isa. v. 11, 12. * Amos vi. 3, 4, 5, 6.

Well, my friends, when I ruminate on these things, my heart affects mine eye, and grief overcomes my soul for your sakes: repent therefore, O ye Protestants, or else know, "that for all these things God Almighty will bring you to judgment;" and in the day that his indignation shall be kindled, your religion of words shall fly away, and your Lord Lord-cryings shall be rejected, because you were strangers to the spiritual nature (though babblers of the name) of true christianity, and therefore shall ye perish by the sword.

Now as for you separatists of divers names, although I shall not disallow the zeal that once you had, yet must I on God's behalf bear my testimony concerning you; therefore be it known unto all, "that you are teaching and receiving for doctrine the traditions of men," running and striving in your own spirits, compassing yourselves with the sparks of your own fire,m" being not yet come to stand still and know that will done on earth which is done in heaven you tell people, Christ Jesus has suffered and satisfied for sins past, present, and to come; and that though they are never so corrupt, vile, and polluted in themselves, yet are they reconciled to, and justified in the sight of God, by his personal righteousness 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 separation from sin, as being a dangerous doctrine, who preach acceptance with the holy God, whilst in an unholy. state. You generally scoff at revelation as being ceased; most of you also abetting God to have ordained a remnant absolutely to salvation, and consequently making sin as well as torment unavoidably necessary to the major part; whereby the glorious God of mercy is represented more infamously unjust than the worst of men; doctrines of devils indeed, and grounds of all looseness and ranterism; and the pleaders, and fighters for liberty of conscience when oppressed, are the greatest oppressors when in power, not minding the end of God's loving kindness. Because of your wanton neglect is your day darkened, and your sun set, and grovelling you are in beggarly elements, imitations, and shadows of the heavenly good things, relating to the dispensation of the second covenant; hoping by your many duties to be heard, and find acceptance, whilst very strangers to the covering of God's spirit, and ignorant of him (whom to know is life eternal) from the revelation of his eternal spirit, and operation of his mighty power, but from the conceivings and apprehensions of other men, and books well reputed; where

'Mat. vii. 21. m Isa. I. 11.

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by God's grace and light have lost their office of leading and teaching, and thus true counsel becomes darkened, the fountain shut, the book sealed, and you in this state strangers unto God, so that you perish for want of sound 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 spirit, 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 manifest himself unto the sons and daughters of men, for which cause you are yet in your ups and downs, tossed to and fro, not knowing the "rock of ages, and foundation of many generations, which is that only holy seed, wherein the duties and performances of all nations only can be blessed,"" and from whence proceeds that pure, righteous, and immortal birth, to whom is the promise of an everlasting inheritance; but are sticking in your own imaginations, and patching out a peace unto yourselves from your duties, performances, and the imitations of weak times and seasons in some perishing observations, that no way relate to the nature of the "pure spiritual and internal kingdom of peace, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Ghost:" therefore well may I say, as was said 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 dust and ashes, and would have remained unto this day ".

Wherefore, O ye zealous professors, who in the spirit of a man are striving to comprehend the mystery of God, unless ye repent and believe in "that light, wherewith Christ hath enlightened every man "," that you may attain to the true discerning of the spirit and nature, in which you live and worship, that so you may come to witness the work and will of God, "it shall be more tolerable for them, in the day that God shall judge the secrets of men, by Jesus Christ; God will make them of the synagogue of Satan; who say they are Christians, and are not"."

Therefore unto you, princes, priests, and people, whether papists or protestants, or any other separated way, that are in your idolatry, superstition, carnal ordinances, and willworship; whose faith in, and fear towards God, are grounded on other mens apprehensions, persuasions and precepts, and not from the teaching of God's Holy Spirit or grace; to you all am I constrained to sound forth and proclaim, "Gen. xii. 13. Gal, iii. 8. Rom. xiv. 19. P Mat. xi. 23, 24. 9 John. i. 9. Rev. in. 9.

that unto us, the most despised, afflicted and forsaken, by all the families of the earth, is a child born, "unto us a son is given, we call him wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace; of the increase of whose government there shall be no end:" this is he the prophet stiles, "a light unto the gentiles, and for salvation unto the ends of the earth;" unto whom John Baptist bore this certain record, "that he was the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;" who also gave this testimony of himself, that "whosoever followed him should not abide in darkness, but have the light of life, and the blood of Jesus (saith the beloved disciple) cleanseth us from all sin"."

"This is the second Adam, the quickening spirit, the Lord from heaven, the new and spiritual man, the heavenly bread, the true vine; the flesh and blood that was given for the life of the world; the second covenant; the law written in the heart and 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 righteousness of God; the plant of renown; the royal seed that bruiseth the serpent's head; in short, that grace which hath appeared unto all men, teaching them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live godlikely and soberly in this present world"." He stands at the door of every heart, and knocks, if by any means he may be heard and have admittance, whereby God's promise may be fulfilled, that God will dwell with men; and my testimony 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 those 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 searcheth the heart, trieth the reins, and is able to tell you all that ever you did":"this is the Quakers? Christ, and Son of the living God, whom we are not ashamed to confess before men, as that glorious light, which since we have believed and walked in, according to our distinct measures, we have not only received a perfect discovery of

Chap. viii. 12.

U 1 Johni. 7. Jer. xxxi. 32, 33 34. John xiv. 6. Tit. ii, 11, 12. * Rev..xxi, 3

Isa. ix. 6, 7. Chap. xlix. 6. * John i. 7, 9. 1 Cor. xv. 47. John vi. 51, 52, 53. Isa. xlii. 6. 1 Cor. i. 20. Ezek. xxxiv. 29. Gen. iii. J5. › Deut. xviii, 18, 19, 20. Jer. xvii. 10. John iv, 29.

all the will-worships, pollutions, and vain fashions, or customs that have been brought forth by, and stand in the dark, lustful, and apostatized nature; but as we have continued in an holy watchfulness, to observe and obey its righteous dictates; God's mighty power we have and do experience to subdue and redeem therefrom; yea, that spiritual blood is sensibly felt, to "sprinkle and cleanse the conscience from dead works"."

And to you all must I declare, that by no other way did I ever receive the knowledge of the least evil, or ability to conquer it, than in this universal light, who is given for a captain and a leader out of all the by-paths and petty persuasions of men, through judgment that purifies, and the red sea of troubles, trials, and afflictions, unto the rest 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 everlasting gospel which now is preached; for the time is come that the angel of his presence is flying through the midst of heaven, having 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 judgment is come:" therefore away, away with all your own ways, works and worships, that are grounded upon mens command, and fallible apprehen- " sions, whose breath is in their nostrils; and no more do homage according to such prescriptions, but fear and dread the living Lord God of heaven and earth: "for if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? but wo, anguish, tribulation and sorrow shall come upon every soul that remains in sin.b"

Therefore be warned, ye dark and idolatrous Papists, ye. superstitious and loose Protestants, ye zealous, yet carnal professors, to come out of all your own ways, works, worships, nature, spirit and practice: in silence and fear to wait in this glorious light which God Almighty has displayed, and raised us contemned Quakers to walk in, and testify of, in these last ages; that by believing therein, and circumspectly adhering thereto, you may come to experience the rising of that eternal power which overcomes and removes transgression, that hath so long separated between you and your God; hereby shall you receive sound judgment and heavenly

wisdom.

This will not destroy, but fulfil the scriptures of truth, and so shall you know the baptism that is from above, and eat the heavenly bread, and drink the spiritual wine at Heb. ix. 14. Chap. x. 22.

Rev. xiv. 6. 7.

1 Pet. iv. 18.

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