COme Papists, Protestants, Presbyterians, Independents and Anabaptists, are not the very people amongst you the A­postle Peter said would come in the last dayes?

That many of you are guilty of being Scoffers, is too evident; and for you to deny it, would be notorious, since if a Catalogue of your Scoffs, Jeers, Reproaches, Flouts and Derisions could possibly be collected, it would, without doubt, be one of the greatest Volumns now extant in the World.

First, To prove you to be such as generally practise Scoffing at Quaking and Trembling, I may call for witness the greatest part of that call'd Christendom; and it hath been a thing much observed by me in all Companies for these 20 years last past, even amongst the [Page 4]solidest of you all, that it hath been as the Burden of all your Drolleries, to let fall some Scoff, Taunt or Jeer at Quaking and Trembling.

And it hath been very ordinary with many, especially the Priests, to ask me, Of how long standing Quakerism (as they scoffingly called it) had beer, as if suggested by them, that it is some New T [...]ing, not heard of before; George Fox preached, that which convinceth men of Sin in their own Bosoms, to be the Light of Christ.

And to Answer their Objections much hath been said to the same purpose, as shall appear in these following Lines, notwith­standing they persist in scoffing at such a Practice, as a Delusion of the Devil.

Come Scoffers of all sorts, read the following Scriptures, and see if there were not Quakers before you reproachfully gave us that Name; and if both Old and New Testament, Prophets, Christ and his Apostles approved of such a Practice as Quaking and Trem­bling, and that they were [...]uch themselves; then let the Light in your Consciences judge, what you are that scoff at it.

Gen. 27. Mark how good old Isaac was surprized, that he had blessed Jacob instead of Esau, insomuch that the Text saith, And Isaac Trembled very exceedingly.

Come you Scoffers, you may see that Quaking and Trembling is of greater Antiquity then either your Name of Papist, Prote­stant, Presbyterian, Independent or Anabaptist; and which of you dare say but Isaac was an Honest Man, although a Quaker?

Exod. 19.16. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there was Thunder and Lightnings, and a thick cloud on the Mount, and the Voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people that were in the Camp Trembled.

Come all of you before-mentioned, who call your selves Christi­ans, that scoff at quaking and trembling, saying, It is a New Thing, and of Late Date; I pray, cast up how many Hundred Years is since these Quakers were in being; and were not here a great num­ber of Quakers, above Six Hundred Thousand? and were not these Quakers the Israel of God?

And truly, we may say, It was with us in England as it was then [Page 5]with Israel of old, that when the Morning Light of Christ appear­ed (after a long and dark Night of Apostacy) we saw a thick Cloud over us, and over you all; and the Lord uttered his Voice like a Trumpet, and thundered and lightened exceedingly, so that great Terror and great Fear and Trembling sell upon us; but it seems you have not seen nor heard any thing that could make such sturdy Oaks as you to tremble, but scoffed us that did and do Trem­ble before our Maker.

1 Sam. 4.13. where you may read, that good old Eli watch­ed by the Way side an! trembled for the Ark of God; and when he had heard that the Philistines had taken the Ark, he fell down backward, and broak his Neck, and dyed. And hath it not been ordinary with your Priests of all sorts, to call their Opposers the Philistines, and make Applications on this Text, what Danger the Ark of God was in, although we very well know what the Ark of your God was and is, viz. your Fat Benefices, Tythes and Aug­mentations; and this was the Reason some of the Priests did so Bemone the Death of Old Oliver, and in their Addresses to his Son Richard, Read the Priests Addresses to Richard Cromwell, after O­liver's Death. telling him, That their MOSES was Dead, but he was their JOSHUA, that must carry them to the Proms [...]d Land. But what that Land and their Ark is, may be easily known; and so at every Overturning and Change, this hath been the man­ner of the Priests of all sorts; but they scoff at quaking and trem­bling.

1 Sam. 14.15. And there was trembling in the Host, in the Field and among all the People, the Garison and the Spoilers, they also trembled, and the Earth quaked; so it was a very great Trembling: Read that Chapter, and see the Cause of their Trembling, and see if you can find any Encouragement for you to Scoff at Trem­bling.

Ezra 9.4. Then there were assembled unto me every one that trem­bled at the Words of the Lord God of Israel, because of the Trans­gression of those that had been carryed away; and I sate down until the Evening Sacrifice.

Come you Scoffers of all sorts, was not here a Meeting of [Page 6] Quakers, that trembled at the Words of God? But you say, Quakers and their Meetings are a New Thing, and of late Date.

Ezra 10.3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God, to put away all the Wives, and such as are born of them, according to the Counsel of my Lord, and of those that tremble at the Command­ment of our God.

Mark, you Scoffers, there were Quakers in Ezra's dayes, and the People that had done amiss were resolved to take Counsel of them that Trembled at the Commandment of God.

Job 4.14. Fear came upon me, and Trembling, which made all my Bones to shake.

Observe, Was not this good Man a Quaker.

Job 21.6. Even when I remember, I am afraid, and Trembling taketh hold of my Flesh.

Psalm 2.11. Serve the Lord with Fear, and rejoyce with Trem­bling. But your Rejoycing is to Jeer, Taunt and Scoff at Trem­bling.

Psalm 55.5. Fearfulness and Trembling are come upon me, and Horror hath overwhelmed me.

Psalm 99.1. The Lord reigneth, let the people Tremble. Would not the People be Quakers then?

Psalm 119.120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am a­fraid of thy Judgments.

Mark this, you Scoffers, this Prophet and King was not asha­med to own himself to be a Quaker.

Isa. 32.11. Tremble ye Women that are at ease, be troubled ye Careless Ones, strip and make ye bare, and gird Sackcloth upon your Loyns.

And truly, I judge that many of the Women of our time had as much need to take this Counsel as them, to whom he wrote; but rather then repent in Sackcloth, and turn Quakers, they had rather gird themselves in every Frenchified new Fashion, and scoff at the Quakers.

Isa. 64.2. As when the Melting-fire burneth, the Fire causeth the Waters to boyl; to make known thy Name to thine Adversaries, that the Nations may tremble at thy Presence.

[Page 7]Here you may see that the Prophet Isaiah had a Desire that the Nations should be Quakers.

Isa. 66.5. Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his Word, your Brethren, that hated you, that cast you out for my Names sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to your Joy, and they shall be ashamed.

You may see here how the Quakers were served, as you serve them now; however, I have Faith to believe, that the Lord will appear to our Joy, and to the Shame of them that cast us out.

Jer. 5.22. Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my Presence?

Observe here, the Lord requires Trembling at his Presence; but you Scoff at Trembling.

Jer. 33. and the latter-end of the 9th verse, And they shall fear and tremble, for all the Goodness and all the Prosperity that I pro­cure unto it.

But instead of Fearing and Trembling, when you receive Goodness and Prosperity, you scoff at such as Fear and Tremble.

Ezek. 12.18. Son of Man, eat thy Bread with Quaking, and drink thy Drink with Trembling.

Mark how God doth injoyn his holy Prophets to be Quakers, and yet you can scoff at quaking and trembling.

Ezek. 26.16. Then all the Princes of the Sea shall come down from their Thrones, and lay away their Robes, and put off their Broidered Garments; they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit on the Ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee.

And hast not thou, O England, had many Threatnings, as well as Tirus had? but instead of trembling, thou scoffest at such as do tremble.

Dan. 5.6. Then the King's Countenance was changed, and his Thoughts troubled him, so that the Joynts of his Loyns were loos­ed, and his Knees smote one against another. But had it been in our time, no doubt but it would have served to droll on.

Dan. 6.26. I make a Decree, that in every Dominion of my King­dom, Men fear and tremble before the God of Daniel.

See how Zealous King Darius was at the time of his Convince­ment, [Page 8]to have all in his Dominions to be Quakers; but you say, It's a New Thing, and scoff at it.

Dan. 10.7. And I Daniel saw the Vision; for the Men that were with me saw not the Vision, but a great Quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

It seems; you read the Scripture but little, that scoff at quaking, and say, It's of Late Date; but you may see, if you be not stark blind, that the Quakere were before you.

Dan. 10.1 [...]. And he said is to me, O Daniel, a Man greatly beloved, understand the Words that I speak unto thee, and stand up­right; for unto thee am I now sent: and when he had spoken this Word unto me, I stood trembling.

See, was not Daniel a Quaker in your Eyes, that Scoff at trem­bling?

Joel 2.1. Blow ye the Trumpet in Sion, sound an Alarm in my holy Mountain, let all the Inhabitants of the Land tremble; for the Day of the Lord cometh, and it is nigh at hand.

And hath not the Trumpet been blown in thee, O England and Wales, my Native Country, and the great Day of the Lord, that is near at hand, proclaimed, that the Inhabitants might with Fear and Trembling prepare for it; but instead of so doing, thou hast fed thy self without Fear, and scoffed at such as fear and tremble before him.

Hab. 3.16. he said, That his Belly trembled, and his Lips qui­vered, and Rottenness entered into his Bones, and he trembled in himself, that he might rest in the Day of Trouble.

And would not you have scoffed him, and called him Quaker, if he had been in our time?

Luke 8.47. Mark 5.33. But the Woman fearing and tremb­ling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the Truth.

Mark how this Woman trembled at the Work of God; but you scoff at it.

Mark 16.8. And they went out quickly, and fled from the Sepul­chre; for they trembled, and were amazed

Come, you Scoffers, were not these Quakers good Christians, who trembled at the Resurection of Jesus? and if ever you come [Page 9]in your selves truly to witness the Power of his Resurrection, it will make you also to quake and tremble, although now you scoff and deride such as do witness it, and tremble at it.

Acts 7.42. you may read, When Moses heard the Voice of the Lord in the mount, he trembled. Yet the Scoffers in our Age, that call themselves Christians, say, That there were no Quakers, but of late.

Acts 9.5, 6. And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Iesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick a­gainst the Pricks: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Here you may see a Persecuter tur­ned Quaker of a sudden.

But suppose any of you should send any of your Company with a Packet of Persecuting Letters, as was with him, and that by the Light and Power of God he should be convinced, and fall a Trembling, as Paul did, would not you soon fall a Scoffing, and calling him Fool, Puppy, Loggerhead, Phanatick, with many more Derisions, if not to Blows and Imprisonment? So you may, if you please, see what kind of Christians you are.

Acts 16.29, 30. Then he called for a Light, and sprange in, and came tremling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what shall I do to be saved?

Come you Scoffers, did not this poor Goaler turn Quaker?

1 Cor. 2.3. And I was with you in weakness, and Fear, and in much Trembling.

Would not our Scoffing Professors have said, that this was Can­ting, and have called Paul Quaker?

Phil. 2.12. Work out your Salvation with Fear and Trembling.

Here you may see, that the Prophets and Apostles were Qua­kers, by which you may judge, what you are that scoff at them who tremble because of God's Power in our Age.

Oh my dear Country-men! I beseech you, be calm a little while, and reflect upon your selves, and consider, whether you do not scoff and taunt all the Prophets and Apostles, who were Quakers, as well as we, who you now reproachfully call Qua­kers?

[Page 10]And now, since I have proved the Antiquity of the Quakers but of their own Writings, viz. out of both the Old and New Testament, and that they were such, is very evident, and that the Jews and Heathens acknowledged them to be the only People to be hearkned unto, is undeniable; and that God not only own­ed such, but that he required them to be such, is very plain; and how you will answer scoffing and taunting of them, without coming under the Apostles Reflection, I leave you to make your De­fence.

Come Papists, Protestants, Presbyterians, Independents and Anabaptists, answer me a Query; How came you to give credit to these ancient Quakers Writin s, viz. Old & New Testament, and now Mock, Scorn, Scoff, Jeer, Taunt, Flout and Reproach the pre­sent Quakers, whose Principles and Practice run parallel with the ancient Quakers? Are you not like your Fore-Fathers of old, who said to Christ, the Head of both the Ancient and Present Quakers, that Abraham was their Father, and God was their Fa­ther, yet they went about to kill him? but he said unto them, You are of your father the Devil, else you would not go about to kill me, John 8.39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44. So you may see how your An­cestors owned the ancient Quakers, before their time; but mock­ed, taunted, jeered, scoffed and persecuted the present Ones, and put them to Death; as witness Matthew, Mark, Luke and John's Narration of Christ, and other Histories of the Cruel Persecutions of the Apostles, by the great Professors in that Ge­neration. And so you, like them, profess to own the former Quakers, and make their Writings the Rule of your Faith; but like your Fore-Fathers, that owned the ancient Quakers, and per­secuted the present Ones.

You pretend to own the ancient Quakers, both Prophets and Apostles, but deny, scoff and persecute the present Quakers, whose Faith is one with the ancient Ones, both Prophets and A­postles, as having Dependence on the one Foundation, which it's in vain for any to lay any other then that which is laid, even Jesus Christ. So the Work of the present Day, all who were out of the Truth hated, and sought to shelter themselves by adhereing to, or owning the Work of former dayes, as you may see at [Page 11]large how the Scribes and Pharisees adhered to Moses and the Prophets, but killed Christ Jesus, whom they prophesied of; and so do you in words, like them, adhere and seem in words to own the Prophets, and Christ, and his Apostles, but now deny his present appearance in our day and time, viz. the Light and Prin­ciple of God in you, which checks and reproves you for Sin.

Come Papists, Protestants, Presbyterians, Independents and Anabaptists, how comes it to pass that you make such a stir with the former ancient Quakers Writings, and carry them about with you, and keep them in your Houses, and call them the Bible, and the Word of God, and your Rule; but cannot abide the present Quakers, and their Writings, but are afraid to read their Wri­tings; although there be nothing in our Writings but what is largely testified of, and pointed unto, in the Writings of our traduced Brethren, the Quakers of old. And seeing you thus calumniate, scoff, mock and taunt the present Quakers and their Writings, how can you for shame (I mean you Priests of all sorts) make such a Trade and Gain of the former Quakers Writings? And may not I say, without doing any of you Wrong, that that is one great Reason why you so highly own the ancient Qua­kers Writings, because the Trade you drive with them brings in most Gain of all Trades? And is not that the Reason, why you so abuse the present Quakers and their Writings, because they tell you, that it's Symony so to do, and that you ought to preach freely, according to Christ Jesus his appointment, as his Apostles, the then persecuted Quakers did and the present Ones now do?

And oh you Priests! both papists, protestants, presbyterians, in­dependents and anabaptists; when I think of you, I cannot but take up a Lamentation for you (for God knows, that as you are a part of Mankind, I love you, and unfainedly desire your Welfare) when I consider at what a Loss you are all, about the Meaning of the ancient Quakers Writings, one saying, Lo, this is the Mean­ing of it; and another saith, Lo, that's the Meaning; and a third, fourth and fifth, The other is the Meaning: and what's the Rea­son, but that you all deny to make use of the Key of David, an ancient Quaker, that unlocks the Mysteries of all his Brethren's Writings (which the Quakers have at this day.)

[Page 12]But you not having the Quakers key to unfold the Mystery, you, like Pharaoh of old, that called his Wise Men, Magicians, Southsayers and Astrologers, to make known the matter, so I say do you: you having lost the key of David, a Quaker, you run to your Magicians, to your Schools, Tongues and Languages, and with them you perplex your selves, as Pharaoh did, and as Nebuchadnezzar, did; and in that nature would, as of old, build a Tower reaching heaven.

But behold, you builders are confounded, you magicians and schollars cannot tell the mystery, nor unfold the meaning of the ancient Quakers Writings; but Pharaoh's Proviso, and Nebu­chadnezzar's Proviso was more discreet by far then their's are who trust in you; for each of you with your Tongues pretend to unfold the thing; and you Bargain, and make the poor blind peo­ple give you great Gifts and Sums by the year, although the My­stery be not unfolded until this day.

And are you not they that Christ (the ancient Quakers head) said, would come, Luke 17. who would say, Lo, here, and lo there; but believe them not; for (saith he) the Kingdom of God is within you?

Now, if you would hut honestly consider, what did and doth induce you to believe the verity of the ancient Quakers writings, viz. the Scriptures, the same Light wou'd induce you to believe the present Ones; for it's the same thing in you that doth assert unto you the Truth of the Scriptures, as doth assert that sin is sin; but although each of you before-mentioned do believe the anci­ent Quakers Writings, yet you differ in your Faith, as touching the ancient and present Quakers Principles, held forth in the anci­ent Quakers writings; and so you being wrong in the principle of your foundation or building, how then is you Edifice but like to fall?

First, It was the ancient Quakers faith, (Iohn 1.9.) That it was the true Light, that lightned every man that comes into the World, But you deny it to be that true Light, but say, It's the light of Nature, or of a natural Conscience.

The ancient Quakers said, ( Rom. 19.) that Whatever may be known of God, is manifest in men; for God hath shewed it unto them. [Page 13]But each of you in Contradiction to the ancient Quakers, that writ so, and in Contradiction to the present Ones, that now write so; you say, That which may be known of God is not ma­nifest within men, but without them.

In the ancient Quakers Writings one of them said, (1 John 2.27.) We have an Anointing in us; and we need not any man teach us, but as the same Anointing teacheth us.

But in contradiction to him, you will not trust that Anointing in you, to teach you, but hire Men without you, who do not teach from that Anointing within, but what they have scraped from Books and Histories without them.

In the ancient Quakers Writings you may find a Proclaimation made to all People, Isa. 55.1. (thus) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come, buy Wine and milk, without money and without Price. And in another place in the ancient Quakers Writings thus, The Spirit saith Come, and the Bride saith Come, and let him that is athirst Come, and take of the Water of Life freely, Rev. 22.17. & 21.6.

And if you will read the present Quakers Writings, you may see that they are of the same Mind; but each of you in contra­diction to both ancient and present Quakers, will not allow of your pretended Milk, Honey nor Wine, without Money or Price; and have got Laws made, that if any will not give you your Price for your Ware, you will sue them at Law, and recover treble Dammage, and put their Bodies in Prison until Death, and drive away their Cows, Oxen, Horses, Swine, Pigs, Geese, Beds and Blankets, and their Wearing Apparel, not leaving a Skellet to boyl poor Children Meat, nor a Bed to lie on.

Oh! how diametrically opposite are you all to the ancient and present Christian-Quakers, who Gave all, and now do freely Give, without Money or Price? but you have Money and Price, not only of them that willingly give you Money for that which is not Bread, but of them also who have Bread of Life freely given them, and have no Want.

And now you might say, the present Quakers were Phanaticks and mad-men; indeed if they should forsake the Fountain of Li­ving Waters, and the Bread of Life that's given them freely, and come to you, and give you Money for that which is no bread.

[Page 14]Oh you Priests of all sorts! I beseech you for Christ's sake, do not run thus headlong to Destruction, and draw the poor blind People after you; it would be far better for you to accept of the Bread and Water of Life freely, without Money or without Price.

For, what Profit will it be to you, as Christ (the Head of the Quakers) said, to pull down your old Barns and build new, and fill them with ill-gotten Treasures, when you know not but this Night God may require your Souls of you?

The ancient Quakers Writings, viz. the Scriptures of Truth, Mich. 3.11. are very full of Testimo­nies to this purpose, Isa. 56.11. sharply reproving all such as in their day did preach for Hire, Jer. 5.30, 31. and divine for Money, Ezek. 13. and 34.2, 3. and were for the Fleece and Wool, and made a Prey on the People, and Merchandize of their Souls.

And in the latter-end of the ancient Quakers Writings, one of them named John, in his Revelations, speaks of a time coming, that no man would buy their Merchandize any more.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head of both the ancient and present Quakers, Prophets, Apostles and Children of the Most High at this day, hasten that day, that all people may come, and take of the Water of Life freely; for the Spirit and the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, at this day invites all to come freely, without Money and without Price, Revel. 22.17.

And it's said unto all that do come, even as it was said to the Church in the Canticles, (Cant. 5.1.) I am come down into my Gar­den, my Sister, my Spouse; I have gathered my Myrh with my Spices, I have eaten my Honey with my Honey-Comb; I have drunk my Wine with my Milk: Eat, oh Friends! drink, yea, drink abundantly, O Beloved.

Oh! blessed State, Oh! happy Estate is this to witness and ex­perience Christ Jesus his great Love unto us, who is now come down unto us, and hath made us of so near Relation to him as Sister and Spouse, and doth give freely the Bread of Life, even the hidden Manna, and the Water of Life, and sayes unto us, and unto [Page 15]all that will come, Take of it freely, yea, eat oh Friends, yea, drink abundantly O beloved, Rev. 2.17.

And now the Visitation and Invitation is to you, both Papists, Protestants, Presbyterians, Independents and Anabaptists, both Priest and People, to come and take of the Waters of Life free­ly, and lay out your Money no more for that which is no Bread, nor make a Trade no longer of the ancient Quakers Writings, but believe and obey the ancient and present Quakers Principle, the Glorious Light, which shineth in the Darkness, but the Darkness comprehendeth it not; and that will bring you to be of one Heart, and one Mind, and one Soul, and to serve God with one consent; and then you will know your Teacher in you, which Christ promised and said, could not be removed into a Corner; which is the Anointing in you, which the Apostle said, there was no need of any other Teacher; for all other Teachers may be remo­ved into a Corner; and therefore, as you prize the welfare of your Immortal Souls, Cease from Man and Man's Teaching, although he may transform himself so like Truth that he might d [...]ceive the Elect, if it were possible, and own and believe the Light, the A­nointing in you; for you need not any Man teach you, but as the A­nointing in you teacheth you, which is Truth, and no Lye; for it's a measure of the Light of Christ, God's Anointed.

Objection, But do not you teach your selves, and allow some Tea­chers among you?

Answer, It's true, we do allow the Children of the Light to declare to people what God hath done for their Souls, as the same blessed Anointing in them teacheth and directeth them; so we may say, as the Apostles said, What our Ears have heard, and what our Eyes have seen, and our Hands handled of the Word of Life, that we declare, according to the blessed Experience God hath given us, (which Teaching only can edifie the Hearers.)

And that's the Reason that sometimes we sit silent in Meetings, without any Word, waiting diligently in quietness, with reve­rent Attention, hearkening with the inward Ear of our Mind for the Voice of our Beloved, Christ Jesus, the Anointing in us, to [Page 16]teach us; and if any do teach from this Anointing, Christ Jesus, we own it, and have Unity with it; although we own the Tea­ching enjoyed by waiting in silence to be before and beyond any man's teaching, although he teach immediately from the Anoint­ing in him; for that's but at second hand to the Hearers, but what we are taught by the Anointing, every one in his own particular, is at first hand; he that hath an Ear to hear, let him hear: and we may say, as the Church in Canticles said, Cant. 5.2. It's the Voice of my Beloved that knocks, saying, Open to me, my Sister, my Love, my Dove, my Ʋndefiled; for my Head. is filled with Dew, and my Locks with the Drops of the Night.

And I may say unto you, my dear Country-men in England, and my Native Country North-Wales, That a long Night of Apo­stacy hath been since the Apostles (the ancient Quakers) dayes the true Church fled into the Wilderness for a time, and times, and half a time (Rev. 12.) but now she is coming out of the Wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved, whose Head is wet with the Dew, and his Locks with the Drops of this long Night; and this is he whom John speaks' of, who said, Behold I stand at the Door and knock, if any man open, I will come in, and sup with him, and he with me: Lo how universal is his Voice, and his Knocking, and how willing to be entertained by all men.

And I appeal to all your Experiences, you my Friends and be­loved Welsh men, Have not you heard the Voice of our Belo­ved, Christ Jesus, the Anointing in you, calling you one day af­ter another from all the Evil of your Wayes? and doth he not stand at the Door of your Hearts, knocking, that he may come in, and sup with you, and you with him?

And which of you in England or Wales, for which I mourn, can tell me of any one Sin that you have practised, and although no Eye hath seen you, but you have heard the Voice of our Belo­ved, Christ Jesus, in you, calling you away from it: Oh! what wonderful Love is this, that he should thus continue to speak to, and wo the Children of Men?

And is it not great Ingratitude for you thus to disregard this blessed Voice in you? Oh! I beseech you consider; Would it not be counted great Ingratitude in you, if some Prince or great Man [Page 17]of the Earth, who had been your great Friend, should stand at your Door without, and knock, and you refuse to open unto him? Nay, I am perswaded, that if but a Lord, or Earl, or Knight of your acquaintance, should but knock at your Door, oh what a Passionate Haste would you be in to open to him! and what Apologies would you be ready to make, that you could not accommodate him with Entertainment fit for him! and how great Care would you have of sleighting him! but if you should be so unkind, as not to open to him, nor entertain him, how soon would he take Offence at you, and it may be never be reconcilied to you more, although you never did it but once? and how ready would most of your Neighbour be to fall out with you on his account, telling you of your ill Behaviour to so worthy a Person.

But behold, how oft have you sleighted our Beloved, who stands knocking, and whose Voice calls you to open to him? and notwithstanding that, you have sleighted him a thousand times, and let him stand and call, and knock, some twenty, some thirty, some forty, some sixty years, yet is he willing to be reconciled to you. Therefore I beseech you be perswaded to open unto him, and let him (the anointing in you) be your Teacher; for you need not any man to teach you, but as this Anointing in you doth teach you, freely, without Money and without Price.

Now I beseech you, my Friends and Country-men, both Papists, Protestants, Presbyterians, Independents and Anabaptists, Priest and People of all sorts, That you no longer sleight the Voice of our Beloved, that calls thus in you, and that so long hath waited to be gracious to you, as your own Experience will tell you; yea, I earnestly beg and entreat of you, that you proceed no further, as many of each of your Priests have done in their Books to abuse our Beloved, the Anointing in you; some saying, Its a Natural Light, or Natural Conscience; some calling it Witchcraft; and some, Ignis Fatuus; and some, the Quakers Idol, with many more ill Names too tedious to name; and like the Jews great Schollars and Priests of old, that Crucified him; so have they done now afresh, and put him to open Shame; and it was the God of this World that blinded those great Schollars Eyes then, that blinds these now. And as the Mysteries of his Kingdom were hid from all those men then, so it's [Page 18]at this day; and it's my Testimony for God, that there is no way to come to the Knowledge of the Heavenly Mystery, but by giving heed to the Light, the Voice, the Knocking of the Anointing in you.

Therefore strive no longer with your Invented Various Mean­ings, your Various Commentaries on the ancient Quakers Wri­tings, your Tongues and Languages, strive no more with your Lo­gick, Rhetorick, Studied Sermons, Philosophy and great Books; for there's none, neither Learned nor Unlearned, found worthy to open the Mystery of the Book, but the Lamb, whose voice in you only can make it known unto you: For as the Apostle Paul said, If I give all my Goods to the Poor, and my Body to be Burnt, and have not Charity, I am but as a Sounding Brass or Tinkling Cymbal; so I say unto you, study, pray, preach, read Books, hear Sermons, yea, do all the uttermost your Arts and Sciences can teach you, and it will signifie nothing unto you without Charity; and where is your Charity or Pity either, to let the Beloved of our Souls, Christ Jesus, stand at the Door of your Hearts, and call unto you for En­trance, and take no Pity of him, but many of you call him ill Names, as before.

Well, my Friends, my Soul's Love desires you to open unto him; for he will not alwayes strive with you, and if you persist in sligh­ting of him, although his Voice be but low, and his Appearance but like a Grain of Mustard-seed sown in your Hearts, you will find that this Light, the Anointing in you, will be more against you then a thousand Witnesses; and then you shall know, that this is the Truth, written in Love to your Souls, by me, who am.