of their Souls, received them as the Meffengers of the Most High God; and their Words were unto them, not as the Words of Men, but as the Words of God: For in the receiving and embracing the Teftimony of Truth through them, they felt their Souls eafed, and the acceptable Day began to dawn in and upon them.

Now what Evidence brought thefe Men to make their Teftimony to be received? Did they entice? Did they flatter? Did they daub up? Did they preach Liberty to the Flesh, or Will of Man? Náy verily, they ufed no fuch Method: Their Words were as Thunder-bolts, knocking down all that stood in their Way, and pouring down the Judgment of God upon the Head of the Tranfgreffor every where. Did they fpare the zealous Profeffor more than the open Prophane? Nay verily, they condemned equally the Hypocrify of the one, as well as the Prophanity of the other; yet wanted they not Regard to the tender Seed and Plant of God in either. Did they give Way? Did they yield to the Wisdom of Man? To the Deceitfulness of the Serpent, that would reafon Truth for themselves, faying, I muft ftay till I be convinced of this and that, and the other Thing; I fee not this to be wrong, or the other Thing to be my Duty? How did they knock down this Manner of Reafoning by the Spirit of God, which wrought mightily in them, fhewing and holding forth, that this is the Day of the Lord that is dawned; that all are invited to come; that none ought to tarry behind; that that which fo pleadeth, is the fame Spirit, which of old Time faid in those that were invited, I cannot come yet, I must first marry a Wife; I must go prove my Yoke of Oxen; I must go visit my Poffef fions; let me first bury my dead Father. Did not the Lord through them teftify and declare against thefe Things? And is there not a Cloud of Wit

neffes,

4

Meffengers

neffes, who felt the Enemy thus reafoning to keep us in the Forms, Fellowships, falfe Worships, and foolish Fashions of this World? But we felt, as we were obedient, all thefe Things to be for Con'demnation; and that, as we obeyed the pure Manifeftation of the Light of Jefus in our Hearts, there was no Hefitation. We might and fhould have parted with all thofe Things at the firft; and what occafioned fuch Scruples, was but that which drew back, through being unwilling to give pure Obedience to the Crofs of Chrift: For as many as gave Obedience, and believed in the Light, found no Occafion of Stumbling; but fuch as believed not, were condemned already, because they believed not in him that appeared. Now the Boldness and Courage, and Efficacy of The Courthefe Meffengers Teftimony wrought fuch Afto- age of the nishment, Fear and Amazement in the Hearts of fuch as were ingenuous, that many began to be inwardly pricked, as in the Days of Old, and the Foundations of many began to be fhaken; and fome that were afleep, were awakened, and many that were dead and buried in the Graves of. Sin, and Formality, and Superftition, and Idolatry of all Sorts, were alarmed; and many were brought in from the Hedges and the High-ways, and the Truth was received by Thoufands with great Cheerfulness and a Readiness of Mind. And the Feet of those were beheld to be beautiful upon the Mountains, that brought the glad Tidings of thefe good Things. And great Lowlinefs and Simplicity of Heart was upon fuch, that were newly convinced of the Truth, and deep Humiliation of Spirit, and Subjection to the Power, both in themselves, and in thofe who were over them in the Lord, and had gathered them into the Truth.

But as it was in the Gatherings of Old, fo it alfo fell out in this Day; all kept not their first C Love:

and

Love: As among thofe Thoufands, which Mofes led out of Egypt, and carried through the Red Sea, who had fung Praises to God upon the Banks of Salvation, many Carcafes fel! in the Wilderness; fome who murmured, and longed to return again Oppofition to the Fiefh-pots of Egypt; and fome for oppofing and contradicting the Servant, and Servants of the Lord, whom the Lord had made Ufe of to lead them out of Bondage, in faying, Ye take too much upon you: Hath the Lord indeed only Spoken by Mofes? Hath be not spoken alfo by us? And as among these Multitudes, which were gathered by the Apostles, there were many, who continued not faithful to the End; fome returned back again with the Sow to the Puddle, after they were wafhed; some embraced the prefent World; fome -Sépara. again feparated themselves, being fenfual and withtion enter out the Spirit, defpifing Dominion, and fpeaking Evil of Dignities; their Mouths fpeaking great fwelling Words, being puffed up, and not abiding in thefe Things, which they were taught of the Apoftles: So it is to be lamented, that among thefe many Thousands, whom the Apoftles and Evangelifts whom God railed up in this Day, for the gathering of his Seed and People out of fpiritual Egypt and Babylon, into his pure Light and Life, did bring forth and gather, there are that have fallen upon the right Hand and the left. Some are turned back again into Egypt, running into the fame Excefs of Luft and Riot, from whence they were once purified and redeem'd: Some could not bear the Reproach of the Crofs of Chrift; and were by and anon offended in him: Some could not bear the Tribulations, Sufferings, and Perfecutions, which came for the Truth's Sake, and the Seed in them was foon fcorched with the Heat of the Day. And fome not abiding in Subjection to the Truth in themfelves, were not contented with that Place and Station in the Body,

which

visions.

which God had placed them in; but became vainly puft up in their flefhly Minds, intruding into thofe Things which they have not feen. And would needs be Innovators, given to change, and Innovators introducing new Doctrines and Practices, not only caufing Didiffering, but contrary to what was already delivered in the Beginning; making Parties, caufing Divifions and Rents, ftumbling the Weak, and denying, defpifing, and reviling the Apoftles and Meffengers of Chrift, the Elders of the Church, who loved not their Lives unto Death, but through much. Care and Travel, and Watchings, and Whippings, and Bonds, and Beatings, in daily Jeopardy gathered us by the mighty Power of God in the most precious Truth. Yet in all this there hath nothing befallen us, but that which hath been the ancient Lot of the Church of Chrift in the primitive Times.

his Church

Now he, that was careful for his Church and The good Shepherd People in old Times, hath not been wanting to us of Ifrael's in our Day; but as he has again reftored the Care over Truth unto its primitive Integrity and Simplici- and People, ty, and as he has delivered our Understandings from thefe falfe Doctrines and Principles, which prevailed in the Apoftacy; fo he hath not gathered us to be As Sheep scattered without a Shepherd, that every one may run his own Way, and every one follow his own Will, and fo to be as a confused Mafs or Chaos without any Order; but he, even the Lord, hath alfo gathered and is gathering us into the good Order, Difcipline, and Government of his own Son the Lord Jefus Chrift: Therefore he hath laid Care upon fome beyond others, who watch for the Souls of their Brethren, as they, that must give Account.

in the

There are then Fathers, that have begotten us The feveunto Chrift Jefus through the Gofpel; of whom ralstations we ought to be Followers, and to remember their church, Ways which be in Chrift. There are then Fa-1 Cor. 4.15, 16, 17. C 2. thers

iProphane Backfliding Apo. ftates,

2 Unwary

Sinners,

thers and Children, Inftructors and Inftructed, Elders and Young Men, yea, and Babes; there are that cannot cease, but must exhort, inftruct, reprove, condemn, judge; or else for what End gave Chrift the Gifts mentioned Ephef. iv. 11, 12? And how are the Saints perfected, and the Body of Chrift edified of thofe, who came under the Cognizance, and as it were, the Teft of this Order and Government? I may chiefly fum them up in three Sorts, though there be divers others little fub-divided Species of them.

The firft is, Thofe that turn openly back to the World again, through finding the Way of Truth too narrow. Thefe have not been capable to do us any confiderable Hurt; for being as Salt, that has loft its Savour, they moftly prove a Stink a mong thofe, to whom they go: And I never knew any of them, that proved any ways fteadable to thofe, to whom they go. I find other Profeffors make but fmall Boaft of any Profelytes they got out from among us; I hear little of their proving Champions for the Principles of others against us. And indeed, for the most Part, they lofe all Religion with the Truth: For I have heard fome of them fay; That if ever they took on them to be religious, they would come back again to the Quakers, &c.

Secondly, Those who through Unwatchfulness, repenting the fecret Corruption of their own Hearts, and the myfterious or hidden Temptations of the Enemy, have fallen into his Snares; and fo have come under the Power of fome Temptation or other, either of fleshly Lufts, or of spiritual Wickedness: Who being seasonably warned by thofe that keep their Habitation, and faithful Overfeers in the Church, have been again reftored by unfeigned Repentance: Not kicking against the Pricks; but have rejoiced, that others watched over them for their Good: And

are

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