The true light shining in England, to give unto all her inhabitants the knowledge of their ways wherein they may behold things past, and things that are, and thereby come to repentance, and escape that which is to come : also, something demonstrated concerning the people of God (called Quakers) as to their principle and practice ... / William Smith. Smith, William, d. 1673. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A60661 of text R10265 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing S4339). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 43 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A60661 Wing S4339 ESTC R10265 11990442 ocm 11990442 52017 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A60661) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 52017) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 824:28) The true light shining in England, to give unto all her inhabitants the knowledge of their ways wherein they may behold things past, and things that are, and thereby come to repentance, and escape that which is to come : also, something demonstrated concerning the people of God (called Quakers) as to their principle and practice ... / William Smith. Smith, William, d. 1673. 23, [2] p. Printed for Robert Wilson ..., London : 1660. Reproduction of original in Duke University Library. eng Society of Friends -- England -- Doctrines. A60661 R10265 (Wing S4339). civilwar no The true light shining in England, to give unto all her inhabitants the knowledge of their ways; wherin they may behold things past, and thi Smith, William 1660 8526 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2005-04 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-05 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-08 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-08 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE TRUE LIGHT Shining in ENGLAND , To give unto all her Inhabitants the Knowledge of their Ways ; wherin they may behold things past , and things that are , and thereby come to Repentance , and Escape that which is to come . ALSO , Something DEMONSTRATED concerning the People of God ( called QUAKERS ) as to their Principle and Practice ; with what they own , and dare not deny : And also , what they cannot own , nor joyn withall for Conscience sake . Published in tender love unto all ENGLAND'S Inhabitants , Rulers , Teachers , and People ; that all may see what hath been neglected , and every one in their place may labour to amend it ; And they who have any desires after the Knowledge of the People of God , as to their Principle or Practice , or what they own or disown , may here briefly see some things opened , not in many words to please men , but in the Power of God , through one who seeks to please God ; Whose Name is , WILLIAM SMITH . LONDON , Printed for Robert Wilson , at the Sign of the Black-Spread-Eagle and Windmil , in Martins Le Grand . 1660. THE TRUE LIGHT Shining in ENGLAND , &c. OH ENGLAND , ENGLAND ! Thou hast been oft faithfully Warned , but thou hast not regarded , thou hast been careless of thy own happiness , and hast not respected those that have sought thy good ; thou hast been a stubborn and a rebellious Nation , and hast set at nought many tender Visitations of Gods love unto thee , which by the mouths of his faithful Servants have been declared ; thou hast been a proud scornful , and disdainful Nation , stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears , hating every Tender of Love that hath been proffered to thee , and hast exalted they self in the strength of thy own might , against the Lord , and against his faithful Servants , whom he hath sent forth in his Love to Declare his Goodness unto thee ; and who have run , and yet do run in the strength of his Power , early and late to do thee good ; but thou hast evilly entreated them , and rendred Cruelty unto them , and raised bitter Persecution against them for their travail within thee , and for their good-will unto thee ; this Recompence hast thou given them , whose lives are not dear unto them for thy sake , Holes and Prisons , Stocks and Whips have been their Reward from thee , for thou wouldest not obey the voyce of the Lords Servants , nor hearken to the Lords Counsel , that thou mightest have humbled thy self before him ; but thou despised the day of Mercy , and lightly esteemed the Visitations of the Almighty : Oh! how hast thou provoked him dayly , and caused his jealousie to burn like fire ; and yet for his Names sake , he spares thee , and doth not bring utter Desolation upon thee ; such is his goodness towards thee , wouldst thou open thine eyes to see it , he hath no pleasure to destroy thee and lay thee wast , therefore hath he exercised a day of Patience towards thee , and many faithful Warnings have been sounded within thee from the Lords Power ; how hath he striven with Thee , thy Rulers and Teachers , in these late years , that you might have observed his Goodness , and thereby have come to Repentance ; but thou hast been a perfidious Nation , turning every way to promote thy own Intrest ; and this hath been the great work of thy Rulers and Teachers in late time : Therefore is the Lord just concerning thee , with all thy Rulers and Teachers , that had their day and time in thee , and the Lords tender Mercy is not yet shut up from thee , though he hath been rejected by thee , but Visitations of Love he still reaches forth unto Thee , thy Rulers and Teachers , that now have their day within thee , if any will turn unto him , if any will hear his voyce , and do the thing that is right in his sight , that he may not utterly cut off and destroy at once . Therefore hear O England , and let all thy Rulers and Teachers that now stand within thee , incline to the Lords Counsel ; for it is but a little while , and the wicked shall be no more ; then happy will they be that Rules for God , and happy will they be that Teach Truth that God may be glorified , for he is risen the works of men to try , and all that seek his right he will cut off , for that he will not give to any : Therefore let all beware what they seek , and what they take upon them , that they enter not upon his right , which he will not give to any man , for he is glorifying his own Name , and exalting his own Son , and spreading abroad his Living Truth ; and this he will have to Reign as his own Right , and let none strive to take it from him , for he is a jealous God . Oh ENGLAND ! thy way is much in darkness , and thou travellest through the thickest Clouds , and with them thou compassest thy self about , and therein sittest secure , as if thou shouldest never see sorrow more . Is the sound of the Trumpet and Alarm of War so soon passed away from before thee ? Is all the Blood that hath been spilt in thy Fields and Towns so soon gone out of thy remembrance ? Hast thou so soon forgotten the years of thy Calamity that so lately hath been upon thee ? If these things be passed out of thy mind , and thou run out of the sense of them , as if they had never been , yet let the Treasure , that thou so dearly lovest , which was spent within thee to uphold such Cruchy , cause thee to remember the years of thy Misery , in which thou wast deeply distressed , that thou mayest repent of all thy wickedness , and uncleanness , and abominations , that thou dost not draw down an heavier judgment upon thee than yet thy eyes hath beheld . What hath been brought forth by men through all these years of thy Calamity and Distress , into which thou hast been plunged ? Have any been faithfull unto God , or performed their Vows unto the Most High ? Surely they all corrupted their way , and none set their heart to do the thing that is right ; nor any that had respect to the Poor and Needy , but laid Burdens upon them , and sorely oppressed them , and their Cry went unto the Lord , and he heard them , and in his strength he rose to help them , and hath undertaken the Cause for them , and will plead it throughly with all men upon the Earth ; for he hath great respect unto a poor and an innocent People , whom he hath raised within thee by his Eternal Power , which all thy Rulers and Teachers set themselves against , and took counsel together how they might suppress them and root them out : But the Lord doth uphold them , and by the Arm of his Power hath preserved them , and they are standing , when those that did afflict them , and sought to harm them , are cut down and fallen ; and this is a marvellous thing , which the Lord hath brought to passe by an Invisible Power , who hath laid all waste before him , and hath prospered his Work , and carried it on by his out-stretched Arm ; and as man at any time hath devised Crueky , then hath he appeared in his Mercy , that the more that Affliction hath been laid upon his Innocent People , the more have they multiplied ; and this is the Lords doings , who pleads with all flesh . Oh England ! much Enmity remains within thee , against an Innocent people that seeks thy good ; who travels to turn thee unto the Light that shineth in thee , that thou mightest not abide in darkness and perish , but mightest come to the Light of life ; And this is the Lords good-will unto thee , who hath raised an Innocent people whose love is to thee , when thou art most filled with enmity against them . How long hast thou had it in thy heart to execute Cruelty , and yet thou hast not had power to do it unto the full ! but by an Invisible hand hast been restrained from swallowing up , when thy mouth hath been opened wide , and thy heart thirsty to devour . There was a time when thou wast let loose , and wast as a Bear bereaved of her whelps , and as a Lion sit for his prey ; yet in the height of thy fury thou wast chained , and thy bounds was set , and the chain was too strong for thee , and the bounds thou couldest not drive away before thy fury ; thou stretchedst thy self to the length of thy chain , and came up in thy strength to the utmost bounds , and there roared and swelled , and foamed out thy shame , and cast up much of thy mire and dirt ; but thou wast there stopped , and thy proud and turbulent waves were limited , and the innocent Lambs were preserved out of thy devouring mouth ; and thou couldest not destroy them , though thou soughtest it with all thy strength ; and when thou couldest not execute the mischief of thy heart unto the full , there was a hope in thee , that power should be given thee in time to come ; but the Lord forsakes not his Chosen , neither gives he them wholly up for a prey into thy teeth , though some do suffer by thee , which at that time were given into thy hands to try thee , and thou cast them into prisons in thy rage and fury , when they were in the Lords service , and labouring to do thee good , and had done nothing worthy of bonds , neither hast thou any such charge against them , but in thy wrath and madness thou ran rashly upon them , when they neither disturbed thy Peace , nor transgressed thy Law ; and this was to try thee that thou mightest make thy self manifest ; and the witness against thee , is the Prisons within thee , into which thou hast cast the Lords faithfull Servants , for whose sakes he will plead with thee ; and though thou hast shut them up , and shews no pity towards them , but lets them lye , though they have done nothing worthy of it , and keeps them in thy malice and envy , some in one place , and some in another , as Lawcaster , Lambeth-house , Nantwich , and divers other places within thee , where the Lords faithful Servants suffer under thy Cruelty , and are afflicted by thee , whose innocent cause the Lord will certainly avenge upon thee , except thou speedily repent ; for there are many strong cries unto the Lord this day , and prayer and supplication is made unto him in the strength of his own Spirit , which his ear is open to hear , and he will not forget the Righteous , neither will he forsake them , but will plead with all that seek to spoil them , and will recompence unto them according to the fruit of their doings . Oh England ! thou art traced thorow , and thy doings are all found out with the Light of Christ that shines in thee ; which thy darkness cannot comprehend , and all thy wayes are manifest therein , and thou art found to be exceeding wicked in thy heart , and exceeding vain in thy imaginations : Thou settest not the Lord before thee , therfore his displeasure is against thee , & except thou speedily repent and obey his Counsel , thou canst not escape the severity of his judgment ; for a fire is kindled in his breast , which shall burn to the nethermost hell , and it will reach thee when thou goest down thither for counsel , and will be as hot burning coals in the midst of thy bowels , and there will be none to quench it ; for God will not spare thee in thy wickedness and abominations which yet remain in thee , but will cut down and consume , untill he hath cleansed the Land of Cruelty and Oppression . And now the Revolution is gone about , and that which was out of sight is come up , and that which was above is gone down and over-shadowed ; so vain a thing is man before his Maker ; and this is not come to passe for the righteousness of any man , or that any man should exalt himself in it , but for his own Names sake , who Reigns over all . Oh England ! let all such as are now risen in thee to Rule , be carefull and mind well their doings ; for the same God Ruleth still , and his Power changeth not , but brings to passe all changeable things in their time and place : and if man now strive again to set up the same things which once provoked the Lord to anger , and which his Controversie was against , and still continue the Burdens by strengthning the Oppressors , which hath from time to time drawn down Judgment upon the heads of those that had Power to remove it , but did not , and brought the Lords stroak upon them , and none could be found that were able to uphold them , though many sought it with all their strength . Let not vain man imagine that the Righteous God will either favour or allow these things to be set up or continued in this day , against which he hath appeared , and by his Eternal Power overwhelmed ; but certainly his Controversie is still against the same things , and all that strengthens them , or endeavours to promote them ; and though neither Sword nor Spear may be used , yet will the Lord carry it on by his own power , that works according to his own pleasure ; for his way is not as the way of man , who sometimes destroyes and builds the same things again with his changeable mind ; But the way of the Most High is more equal , and he will not allow the setting up of those things again , which once grieved his Holy Spirit , and provoked him to Anger , which drew forth his Arm against them , by which they were cut down ; neither is this come to passe in ENGLAND that it should be so done , but that all should FEAR before the God of Jacob , and BOW before the Holy One of Israel , and mind his Goodness , and come to Repentance , and be humbled in the dust for Iniquities committed , that he may spread forth his Power , and Reign in his Right , and Order all things that concerns his Service and Worship , and that none go about to keep him out of that , and take it upon themselves , but let him be HEAD and KING , JUDGE and LAWGIVER , and Supream Governour over his Church , for that is his Right and his Glory who is the Prince of Peace , and who seeks to take it from him , must fall before him , for he will not give it to any man , and herein hath his Controversie appeared with all Sorts and Sects of People whom he hath tryed in their day , who would never submit to his Government , nor yield unto him his Right , but took it to themselves , and robbed him of his Glory ; for which Cause the Lord hath turned their Glory into shame , and their day into darkness , and they are gone downwards , and others are come upwards , and are new placed in Power to Rule over their Heads , because the Warnings of the Lord had no place in them , but were rejected by them ; and the things that they should have done , they did them not . And thus are the Kingdoms of the World in the hand of the Almighty , and he pulls down , and he sets up , and gives them unto whom he will ; and he disposes mans heart , and brings him into a sensibleness of some things that be evil and prophane , and orders him to declare his dislike against it , as in this present Power hath been made manifest by a Declaration against something prophane ; and he also disposes mans heart into some Acts of Mercy , as likewise is made manifest in this present Power , by freely pardoning many things , which in the time of this great Revolution hath been acted and done , which might have occasioned great trouble upon the Nation , if they had not been remitted ; and this is the Lords doings , who disposes mans heart herein , and it is to be prized as the Lords Mercy who hath brought it to pass , though there be much Excluded , which should have been compassed within it , and a free Pardon Extended to it , that life in all might have been spared , and nothing Charged against any to have taken away life ; but a free Pardon should have reached unto all for their lives , and that would have quenched all flames , and calmed all boysterous winds , that there would not have been any blast to have blown up a spark ; for though the Lord gave them justly up to be scourged , yet not to be destroyed ; and Pardon should have reached the life of all , and no Revenge should have been sought or Executed upon any to have taken away their lives , though seemingly there might be Guilt upon them , and that done by them which the Law of the Nation may seemingly Condemne ; yet should Mercy have opened towards such , and it should have been freely forgiven , which would sweetly have healed and closed the hearts of thy Inhabitants together , O England , and made them as one man : And it is upon me from the Lord to sound forth a Warning in the power of his Eternal Spirit unto all thy Rulers , O England , whose day now is , that they mind how the day is theirs , and who it is that hath given it them , and keep their hands from shedding of Blood , lest they provoke him who hath shewed Mercy unto them ; for by Cruelty acted , and then Revenge sought , it opens the Fountain of Blood wider , but never stops it : And this is not the End ( O ye People who are now in POWER this day in ENGLAND ) for which God hath raised you up , that you should destroy life , but to shew Mercy as he hath shewed Mercy unto you , and to try you if you will perform what they carelesly neglected , whom he hath given up into your hands without the stroak of any Weapon of War , and hath brought you up to Rule in Government wit hou the loss of any Blood , which is such an infinite Mercy as might cause you to stop the Issue of Blood , and not to open it : Something you have done , which in its place , and in it self , is good ; but the Work you have yet to do is weighty , if you mind the Lords Counsel , and give up unto him , that he may dispose your hearts to Answer the End which he doth Expect from you , which is to shew Mercy , and to break off every yoak , and undo all heavy burdens , and remove all Compelling Lawes in things pertaining to the Conscience , and set the Oppressed free , that Righteousness may Reign , and true Judgment and Equity may run down , and a peaceable and quiet life may be enjoyed in all Godliness and Honesty : And this is required of you all from the Lord God , and it is not to be neglected by any of you in your Places , whether it be the KING as Supream of the Nation , or those that be set in Authority under him , but is a Work to be set upon speedily ; for the neglect of performing of it , when many Promises have been made to do it , hath drawn down Judgment upon such as have Ruled before you , who promised much in these things , but performed little ; and you are come to see their day End , and the Beginning of your own ; therefore reject not the Lords Counsel , to follow your own Imaginations , that when you should do the thing which God requires , you do not bring forth that which his Controversie is against ; that when you should set free , you lay not on a yoak and bring forth Oppression , and continue Oppression ; and so encrease Burdens and make them heavier when you should remove them , and take them away ; this is not the End for which God hath raised you , that you should look back again , and begin to build again those things which God hath removed , and to seek your own Glory in them ; but to promote the everlasting Gospel which is the Power of God , and freely given of God ; and that all may stand in the freedom they have in God to Worship him , without any Law to compel them otherwise under Penalties and Punishments ; this is some part of your Work in this your day which God hath given you ; and as you obey the Lords Counsel , and mind the Light of Christ in your own Consciences , you will see what is your whole Duty , and what the Lord doth require of you , not to make LORD-BISHOPS again , and DEANS and PREBENDS ; not to set up Common-Prayer-Book , Organs , and Anthems , and such Abominations which the Saints never practised , nor there is no Scripture for ; and these things , with much more that might be mentioned , the Lords Controversie was against , and none could uphold them , though there was great Hosts of Men and Horses appeared to defend them , they all fell before the Power of the Lord in that day ; And do you believe that God will take pleasure in them now ? be not so much deceived ; for the Lord is provoked , and his Spirit is vexed , and his Indignation riseth against them , and he will not yet spare them , nor these that strive to promote and uphold them , and compel a conformity unto them ; and this is in plainness of speech unto you all in the movings of Gods Power . Oh England ! thy Prophets deceive thee , and thy Teachers deal very treacherously with thee , they cry peace to thee , when sudden destruction is nigh to come upon thee ; they know not the things that are , neither the things that are coming to passe ; for Night is come upon them , the Vision hath failed them , they have no Answer of God , and thus they have deceived thee in those late years , who then had their day in thee , and were set up by thee , and thy Faith stood in their Wisdom ; they have all deceived thee by their lies and flatteries , crying peace unto thee through all changes that have come to passe in this great Revolution , and whatever came up to rule that favoured their time and day , they cryed peace unto thee in it , though the Lord had determined to overthrow it speedily ; and when it was overthrown and destroyed , they covered thee over with new lies and flatteries , and still cryed peace within thy borders , under the next appearance that came forth to rule within thee ; So they cryed peace unto thee in O LIVER' 's Day , and when he was cut down and fell , and RICHARD his son seemed to arise in his place , then their sound went forth with a noise , of a Star that was risen , and a Son that was born in Bethlehem to establish Peace ; and thus they cryed aloud in their deceitful sound , which was nothing but lies and flatteries : for theis Star soon fell , and their Sun soon set and was overshadowed , and Bethlehems Peace was broken : Canst thou not see , O England ! how deceit hath abounded within thee , and how thy Prophets and Teachers have dealt with thee ? Was ever such a professing People so blinded as thou hast been , and so overcome to believe lies and flatteries as thou hast done ? and these are they which thou hast laboured to uphold , who have brought that which thou mad'st thy day into darkness and obscurity . Oh England ! the Lords love hath been exceedingly towards thee , though thou hast been a Rebellious Nation , and it is yet with the Lord to do thee good , if thou wilt but hearken and obey : Therefore turn unto the Lord God , and wait his Counsel to receive , that Cruelty and Oppression , Vanities and Abominations which do still abound in thee , may all be done away and removed out of thy bowels , that a godly sorrow may come upon thee , and true Repentance may be wrought in thee , never to be repented of ; that a Life in the pure God thou mayest come to know , and Uprightness of heart thou mayest learn by the teachings of his own Spirit , and deny all thy Ungodliness , Prophaness and Licentiousness , vain Customs , Worships , Fashions , and Traditions , and learn to live soberly , righteously and godly in this present world , that God may divert his Judgment from thee , which certainly thou art drawing down upon thy own head , by those unclean abominations which still live and abide within thee ; and though the Revolution be come about , yet thou dost not learn Righteousness , neither makest thy wayes and doings good before the Lord ; thou reapest little profit by all that hath come upon thee , and passed through thee in these late years of thy Calamity ; thou hast had sufficient tryal of man and his way , and if thou dost but mind in soberness , thou mayest see what the end of it is , and whither , and into what it all turns . This may be a Warning unto thee , O England , for ever placing thy Faith in man's Wisdom any more ; for thou hast been long a deceived Nation , and the Lord hath largely opened his love to thee , that thou mightst have been undeceived , and not to have placed thy confidence so much in man , but that thou mightest have turned unto the power of God , and placed thy confidence in it , but thou hast kickt as a wild Heifer that would not come to the yoke , and didst not regard the faithful MESSAGES that in thee hath been sounded forth . Therefore , O ENGLAND ! Turn , Fear , and Obey in this thy day , whilst the visitation reaches thee , and mind the Teachings of God , and hearken to his Reproof , that thy Faith may stand in his Power , and no more in the Wisdom of men ; that thy confidence may be placed in God , and not in the arm of flesh . Oh ENGLAND ! down into the dust with speed , and be humbled , for the day hastens over , and night comes on a pace , in which darkness will be thy covering , and WO and MISERY thy portion , except thou speedily repent ; then shalt thou know that God hath raised up true Prophets in Israel this day , who run in obedience to his movings to do thee good , and labour in thee to bring thee to repentance , that thou mayest escape the judgment from which no man can hide thee , or prevent it from coming upon thee if thou go on in Rebellion against the Almighty God . Therefore all RULERS , TEACHERS and PEOPLE , dread the Mighty God ; and bow before the Most High , and unto Him turn with speed , and joyn to his Spirit that is manifest in you own Conscience , and make your wayes and doings good therein , love mercy , do justly , and walk humbly before the Lord , who respects no persons in judgment . And this is a faithfull warning unto thee , O England , with all thy Rulers and Teachers , and all sorts and sects of people whatsoever that inhabite within thy borders , and now have their day in thee , that all may turn to the Light of Christ in their own conscience , and that none may neglect it any longer , but turn to it speedily , that in it they may obtain mercy before he strike in judgment , whose everlasting Power ruleth over all the Kingdoms of the world . Something concerning our PRINCIPLE , and what it is . OUr PRINCIPLE is JESUS CHRIST , the LIGHT of the World , that doth enlighten every man that comes into the VVorld ; it is the free gift of God unto every man , placed in his Conscience , to be a witness for God ; it shews unto man all his thoughts , words and deeds , and makes them manifest whether they be good or evil : when man joyneth unto evil in thought word or deed , the Light reproves him in his own Conscience , and finites him in judgment for Transgression ; the Light speaks near unto every man , and calls the workers of Iniquity to Repentance , and to abstain from evil ; it doth not consent to any evil thing which in mans heart arises , but secretly reproves it ; if any intent arise that is not brought forth , it searcheth it out and makes it manifest , and brings it to a discovery that it may be seen of what sort it is ; it brings man into a sensibleness of his present state , the Light shews him whether he be a Drunkard , a Swearer , a Lyer , an Envious man , or what ever it be that arises from the Darkness , it is made manifest by the Light ; if any thing lodge never so secretly it finds it out ; if there be an intent to Steal , or to Defraud , or to Lie , or Anger , or Envy , or Pride , or Evil-will lodge in the heart of man , and none can accuse him for any of them , yet the Light finds out such things , and judges man , and reproves him in his own Conscience for them ; the Light hath no Communion with Darkness , nor fellowship with Unrighteousness , but stands in man , a witness against man that unto any evil thing is joyned . And this is something of our PRINCIPLE according to the Scriptures of Truth . Something concerning the Operation of the LIGHT in all that Obey . THe LIGHT is given for a Leader , and to be Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth , in all that believe ; as the Light is minded and obeyed , it leads out of the Evil that it testifies against ; when it reproves for Lying , then being minded and the Reproof turned unto and obeyed , it will lead out of Lying , and learn every man to speak Truth to his Neighbour ; or what ever it is that man is driven into through the Fall , and hath taken up a life in it , the Light bears witness against it , which being turned unto and obeyed , it leads out of it , and leads unto that which is good , and it places Gods fear in the heart of man , and brings him to depart from the Evil , and then he comes to the thing that is good in the Leadings of the Light , and so man comes out of Anger and Envy , into Meekness and Love , and is led from all the Works of the Flesh that be evil , unto God who is the chiefest good ; and this is the work of Christ , the Power of God unto Salvation ; he comes into the World , and reproves the World , he leaves the World again , and saves out of it all that obey and follow him ; So he makes manifest all things that be evil , and he leads out of them , and saves from them as obedience is given to him : So a Drunkard turning to the Light , when it reproves him for Drunkenness , and yielding obedience to it , it leads him out of Drunkenness into Soberness , and delivers him from under the power of Satan , who hath him Captive at his will ; and so the Light makes all things manifest , and as it is obeyed it leads out of all Evil , both in thought , word and deed ; and places true judgement upon all Evil things , and brings them all to the death of the Cross , and slayes the Enmity , and makes all subject to its power , cutting down the Man of Sin , and Crucifying the Flesh , with all the Affections and Lusts of it ; and so the old Man dies with all his corruptible deeds , and in the Judgment is buried down , and the new Man is raised , which after God is created in Righteousness ; and so a holy Birth is born through the Operation of the Power of the Light , in which the spirit of the mind is renewed , and Soul and Body sanctified , and the Conscience purged from all dead works ; and thus all old things is put off , and all things are made new , in the work of Regeneration , in which a new birth is raised , that abides in the Fathers House , and feeds upon bread of Life . And this is something of the Operation of the Light , in all that do obey according to the Scriptures . Something concerning our PRACTICE , and our walking therein . VVE meet together as we are moved of the Lord , and wait upon him in his Fear , and are subject to the Power of his Spirit , that is manifest in us , and in the measure of the Spirit which we receive of God , we Worship him , and in the fervency of the Spirit we serve him , and as he moves upon any who in his Fear waits upon him , and opens in them the Word of Eternal Life , and gives a Word to minister in due season , and utterance to declare it in the power of his own Spirit ; so we minister one to another in the gift of Gods Spirit , and are thereby Edified and Comforted one in another ; and so our Preaching stands not in the inticing words which mans Wisdom teacheth ; but in the Spirits Demonstration and in Power ; and this is the Gospel which we freely receive from God , and freely Preach in his own Power . And this is something of our Practice , and our walking therein according to the Scriptures . And thus do we own what stands in the Truth , and is brought forth in the Spirit of Truth , and agrees with the Scriptures of Truth , and hath its Root in the Love and Meekness , Gentleness and Patience , that we own and dearly love in whomsoever it doth appear . VVE own MAGISTRACY that stands in the Power of God , and executes true Judegment within the Gates , cutting down Sin and Evil-doers , and setting up Righteousness , and those that walk therein . We own MINISTERS who are made of God , and sent forth in his Living Power , and Preaches freely as they receive , and labours to gather People unto the Power of God . We own WORSHIP in the Spirit and in the Truth , which makes all flesh subject . We own the CHURCH which is in God , of which Jesus Christ is HEAD and KING . We own SINGING in the Spirit , which gives the Psalm and an understanding to Sing at , and the Melody is made in the Heart unto the Lord . We own PRAYER that is made in the Spirit , which teaches how to Pray , and what to Pray for , and makes Request unto God according to his Will . We own BAPTISM in the Spirit , by which all are Baptised into one Body . These with many other things which is true according to the Scriptures , we own and dearly love , with all that walk in the practice of them , being guided thereunto by the Spirit of Truth , in the power of which we are constrained to testifie unto the Truth as we know it in Jesus ; and these things which God hath opened unto us , and the practice of them , and in what they are to be performed unto him , we dare not deny in the practice of it , neither can we be subject unto any Traditions for Conscience sake . Something that we cannot own for Conscience sake , being found contrary to the Scriptures . VVE cannot own ENGLANDS WORSHIP , nor joyn with it , because it is set up by Tradition , and not after Christ . We cannot own ENGLANDS CHVRCH to be the Church of Christ , because it hath been set up in the night of Apostacy , and is but the Work of Mens hands , and found amongst the many Inventions . We cannot own ENGLANDS MINISTERS to be the Ministers of Christ , because they walk contrary to him in all things , and are not endued with his power , nor made Ministers in that ; but are made at Schools and Colledges by natural Arts and Languages , and so speak things they know not for filthy Lucres sake , making their Belly their God , and Sues and Imprisons , and Persecutes such as cannot put into their mouths . We cannot own such a MINISTRY , nor for Conscience sake joyn with them , or any way help to maintain them , because they walk contrary to Christs Ministers , who themselves were persecuted , but never persecuted any , or sued people at Law for Wages : We cannot for Conscience sake pay unto any whether Priest or Impropriator the Tenth part of our Increase , which is called Tyths ; because the Lord freely gives it unto us ; and he doth not Command us to give it to any other ; and knowing that Priesthood to be changed , who had a Maintenance out of the Tyths : We also know that of necessity the Law must be changed , and of this we are convinced by the manifestation of his Light , who hath changed both that Priesthood and Law , and is become the End of the Law for Righteousness unto us that do believe ; and we are also convinced of the Unjustness of it upon what account soever it is claimed , whether unto a Minister , as given unto him by a Law ; or an Impropriator , as a Purchase , and assured unto him by a Law . We cannot own that LAW to be just or equal , which compels us to give or set out , contrary to our freedom , unto another man , any part of that which the Lord freely gives unto us ; or else gives him power to sue and Imprison us , and to keep in prison until death , as some of late have been , or else give triple dammage , and power to distrain for it , and drive away Goods and sell them , and make spoil and havock of them , to the impoverishing and weakening the outward Estates of many tender People in this Nation of England , within these late years ; in which time there hath been many fair promises made for LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE , but Persecution was never stayed , nor Cruelty stopped ; but unreasonable men executed their own Wills upon many tender Consciences , and made a prey upon them notwithstanding all fair promises ; And these things we cannot own or conform unto , being found contrary to the Scriptures , and to the Saints Life and Practice , though long they were pleaded for to be right according to the Scriptures : But the DAY is sprung , and the LIGHT now shines in ENGLAND , that hath declared them and their Root , and they are of the POPES Invention , and by his power settled in ENGLAND in the midnight of Apostacy ; and now they cannot be proved a lawful thing by the Scripture either to Priest or Impropriator ; They plead them right by the Nations Law , and so takes us to be Transgressors of the Law , when we never resisted the Law , but alwayes submitted to it by a patient Suffering under it , for a Testimony against it , with all such as Exercise Cruelty by it . We cannot own that which they call SERMONS , neither can we joyn in that Practice ; because they make SERMONS by their natural Arts and humane Inventions , which they have studied at Schools and Colledges , and then by their Art they divide a portion of Scripture , which they call their TEXT , and raise DOCTRINES , and make Vses and Arguments in such like things , as by their Art they make ; and so their Preaching stands in the Wisdom of man , and not in the power of God . We cannot own their SINGING Davids Words in Metre , nor joyn in that practice ; because it stands amongst the many Inventions , in which people satisfie their vain minds in Singing Davids Words out of Davids Condition , which is to Sing Lies in Hypocrisie , when David roared all the day , and at night watered his Couch with his tears ; and they neither roar nor weep , but are Singing , they do not Sing with an Understanding . We cannot own their SPRINKLING INFANTS with Water , and calling it Baptism ; nor joyn in that practice , because it stands in the many Inventions , to bring a little Child into their Congregation , and have certain People come up with it , where they have a little Water , and call those People GOD-FATHERS and GOD-MOTHERS , and put it upon them to confess a Faith on the Child's behalf , and to promise for the Child , — That it shall forsake the Devil and all his Works , and keep Gods holy Will and Commandments — with such like things , and then sprinkle a little Water in its face , and say , they baptize it into the Congregation of Christ's Church ; and when the Child grows up , it runs in the Vanity and the Pomp of the World , which is the Devil's Work ; and so neither keeps God's holy Will nor Commandments , which they promised on its behalf that it should keep : And we cannot own this practice , knowing that the living God is without beginning of dayes , or end of time , and hath neither Father or Mother ; and they blaspheme the Lord and his Name , who give such names unto the Creature ; And there is none that can forsake the Devil and all his Works , but as they come to the Light of Christ manifest in them , that doth discover what the Devils Works are , and gives power over them , and leads out of them all that in it do believe . We cannot own Made PRAYERS , and Reading them over in a Book , or any other formal way ; we cannot joyn with that practice , or those that pray after that manner ; because it stands amongst the Inventions , and is not performed in the Spirit of Truth , that only hath access to God and makes Request according to his Will . We cannot RESPECT PERSONS , of what quality soever they may be reputed ; because they that respect persons , commit sin . We cannot put off our Hats , as in honour to the Person of any man , or give him any flattering Titles : for our Subjection is to the Power of GOD ; and all Men in that we honour , not with putting off the Hat , and bowing the Knee , which is the honour below ; but in Uprightness of our hearts before the Lord we truly honour all Men in his Power . We cannot speak any other language but THOU to any single person , which is the language of Truth unto him , and according to the Scriptures of Truth ; and that which cannot receive it , is proud flesh , which we cannot satisfie , but speak Truth to every man , without any respect to his person . We cannot own the WORLDS CUSTOMS which they run into , and answer one another in , when they meet one with another , or passing by one another , saying , Good Morrow , or Good Even , or Good Day or Good Night ; and this they have got in the Custom , not understanding what they speak ; but if the Custom of it be but observed , and the words be spoken , they are pleased and satisfied , when they know not that which made the Evening and the Morning good ; So unto them neither Morning nor Evening , nor Day nor Night is good , not dwelling in God's Power that made all things good . So it is but words in Custom which fallen man , that abides in the Evil , uses one to another ; which Custom we cannot own , neither dare we observe to do it unto any People upon the Earth . And this is the great cause why we bear so many Reproaches from Ignorant People , who are in darkness , and know nothing beyond their Customs ; because we dare not speak but in the Wisdom of God , which gives us words to speak in due season . These things here mentioned , with much more that is observed in the Customs and Worship of the World We cannot own , nor joyn withall , for no other cause but only for Conscience sake , being convinced of the Evil of them ; and being redeemed by the Power of God from amongst them , we cannot return again to observe them , or to come under the power of them : for , we have weighed them , and finde them to be out of the Truth , and contrary to the Scriptures of Truth ; and who will search the Scriptures , and wait in the Light to understand them , may certainly know that our Testimony agrees with them , and what we are led to witness for , or testifie against , we finde the Answer of a good Conscience in it , and Peace with God , which is our Joy and Crown of Rejoycing . And if any sober People desire any further satisfaction concerning us , we are ready in the Power of God , to give a Reason unto any that asks us a Question of the Hope that is in us in meekness and fear . THE END .