were the true witnesses of Jesus, his birth, life, death and resurrection, as many of you, who have the form and not the power, have done against us, and therefore are we turned away from you. But we can say as the apostles said to the Jews, and to you that are in their spirit, 'the God of our fathers has raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree,' him hath God lifted up with his right hand, to be a 'Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins;' and we are witnesses concerning these things, which we say, yea, and the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him, testifies the same, but you that are disobedient, say, 'the Holy Ghost is not to be looked for now a-days, and forbid us to speak in the power of Jesus, though you will use the name of Jesus, but in the form, and deny the power and spirit, and persecute them that are in it, Acts v. 30, 31, 32. But remember Gamaliel's counsel, and Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost looked steadfastly into heaven, and said, behold the heavens open, and the Son of man, [mark the Son of man,] standing at the right hand of God;' so with the Holy Ghost, he could see into heaven, and see Christ Jesus, and so do we, Acts vii. and 1 Cor. xii. 3. where it is said, that no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed.' Also no man can say, 'that Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Ghost,' [mark,] no man can say it, but by the Holy Ghost.

Now ye that say there is no Holy Ghost to be looked for now a-days, as was amongst the apostles, and teach so to the people, do not ye deny the promise of Christ, and the succession of the true ministers in the Holy Ghost, which shall lead into all truth.

And if no man can call Jesus the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, and ye deny having it yourselves, and teaching it so to others, then ye cannot be the faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ the Lord, nor can ye truly call him Lord, neither are led into all truth by the Holy Ghost, but by an unclean ghost into error, and so are no true christians.

For this Comforter or Holy Ghost, which Christ hath sent, he shall reprove the world of their sin, and righteousness, and judgment, and unbelief: so how are you reproved of your sin, of your righteousness, of your judgment and unbelief, if the Comforter the Holy Ghost be not come to you? according to Christ's promise, that he would send him after he was risen. And as the disciples of Christ then, so now, the spirit of truth, this Comforter, doth lead them into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, he shall speak.' So are not people to hear this Comforter, this Holy Ghost, that proceeds from the Father and the Son? John xv. xvi. And in Acts ix. xxii. 8. Paul saith, who art thou Lord, and the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest, and it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.'

VOL. V.-12

Now you know that Jesus Christ was risen, but he was persecuting him in his saints; compared with Matt. xxv. 40, to the end.

So are not all they, that kick against that which pricks them, the persecutors of the life of Jesus, where he is made manifest?

And in Acts x. 34. &c. where Peter opened his mouth and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.' And how God hath anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him; and we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, whom they slew, and hanged on a tree, him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly, and we did eat and drink with him after he arose from the dead, and he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he, that is ordained of God, a Judge of quick and dead.' And to this do we testify, which are the people of God, in scorn called Quakers. And to Him, (to wit, Christ,) also gave all the prophets witness, that through his name, all that believe in him, shall receive remission of sins.'

Now to believe in Christ, he teaches how to believe, John xii. who saith, I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in me, shall not abide in darkness.' And 'while ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may become the children of the light, verse 36, 46. And John vii. 37, 38. Jesus stood up, and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink: and he that believeth in me, as the scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of water of life.' And John iii. 16. God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.' And, as many as receive him he gives them power to become the sons of God, yea even to them that believe in his name.' John i. 12. And he that believeth in him shall not be condemned, but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God:' to wit, in the light, as Christ commands. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light, because their works are evil; for every man that doth evil hates the light,' he hates that light which Christ commands to believe in, 'neither cometh to the light, least his deeds should be reproved.' So he is afraid of his evil deeds being reproved, and therefore doth not believe in the light, if he will not come to it; but he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God; and he that believeth, is born of God,' as John in his epistle saith, and he that is born of God, overcometh the world. And he that

believeth in the Son of God, hath the witness in himself.' And this we witness, which are the true believers in the light; and he that hath the Son, hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.'

So all ye letter-professors of Christ, if ye have him not, you have no life, for Christ, whom God sent, speaks the word of God, and he that believeth in his Son, hath eternal life in him, and he that believeth not in the Son of God, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him.' John iii. 34, 35, 36. And the Son of God that spake the words of God, how people should believe, said, believe in the light; for he was come a light into the world, and in him was life, and this life was the light of men, and that was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world.' And he was in the world, and the world knew him not.' So the world knows him not now, though the world was made by him, and he is in the world by his light, though they will not believe in it, but love the darkness rather than the light, and will not come to it, least it should reprove them of their evil deeds, as the apostle saith, whatsoever doth reprove and make manifest, is light.' So they cannot see Christ Jesus the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, without the light, which is called the life in him, and light in men.'

And so the unbelievers now, though they may profess Christ is come, like the pharisees to come, who persecuted Christ in the days of his flesh, but he is risen out of their reach. And now the same spirit persecutes his believers and disciples that believe in the light, which is life in him, and light in them, as John teaches. So now they are persecuting the light and life of Christ, where it is manifest in his members, for every one that doth evil, hates the light, and so hates Christ, his light, his life. But we who are the people of God, and in scorn called Quakers by them, are believers in the light, and children of the light, with which we see our life hid in Christ; and are witnesses of Christ's birth, suffering, death, and resurrection, and of his flesh, and of his divinity, and can say 'he that hath the bride, is the bridegroom.' John iii. 29. And Acts xiii. 23, &c. of the seed of David hath God according to his promise, raised up to Israel a Saviour; and whosoever feareth God, to you is the word of salvation sent, for the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the rulers, because they knew him not, nor the words of the prophets, which were read every sabbath day amongst them, they have fulfilled them in condemning him, though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired. they Pilate to kill him; and when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree, and put him into a sepulchre, wherein no man was before laid, but God hath raised him. from the dead, and he was seen many days of them, which came up

with him from Galilee unto Jerusalem, and we cannot but speak those things which we have seen and heard.' Acts iv. 20.

And so now consider, you professors, was not this highest place of worship at Jerusalem, where the scriptures and prophets were read every sabbath day, and they knew not the voice of the prophets, though they read their words, like the professors now, and yet did not they crucify him (to wit, the Jews,) without the gates of Jerusalem? and the priests and rulers were against him, and knew him not in his birth, sufferings, death and resurrection.

And now, you that read the scriptures with the same persecuting spirit, do not you 'crucify him afresh to yourselves, and persecute him in his members, and put him to open shame,' as it is said? Heb. vi. 6.

And Acts xiii. 47. I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the world.' And so Christ, who is the light, is the salvation to the ends of the world, and the Gentiles are glad of this, and glorify the word of the Lord, which none can do but in the light, which is the life in the word. And we declare according to God's promise made to the fathers, which God hath fulfilled unto his children, in that he raised up Jesus, as it is written in the 2d Psalm, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.'

Now as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, no more to turn to the grave, wherefore he saith in another place, thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption;' though David lay with his fathers, and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up, saw no corruption. 'Be it known unto you, therefore men and brethren,' saith the apostle, and say the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, to all the sons of Adam, that through this man,' to wit, Christ Jesus, 'whom God hath raised up, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.' By him, to wit, Christ, every one that believeth is justified. And what is it to believe? to believe in the light, as Christ saith; if not, he is condemned, and then not justified, as you may see. Job iii. 12, and Acts xiii. 32, &c.

Now the time of ignorance,' as the apostle saith, (who preached Christ's birth, death, and resurrection,) the times of ignorance God winked at,' but now he admonishes all men every where to repent. So if God and Christ do admonish, he doth it by his power and spirit, as Acts. xvii. 30, 31, 'because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath appointed, whereof he hath given an assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.' Therefore if he would have all men to repent, he would have all men to be saved, and their destruction is of themselves.

And this we the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, do witness,

and have the assurance of. As the apostle saith; but this I confess unto thee, that after that way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, and believe all things, which are written in the law and the prophets, and have hope towards God, that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselves look for also, shall be both just and unjust; and herein I endeavour myself to exercise a good conscience towards God and towards men.' Acts xxiv. 14, 16.

This confession the apostle made before Felix and Ananias, the high priests and elders; and this is, and hath been our confession amongst your high priests and elders, above two hundred years ago, and unto this day.

And the apostle in his confession, Acts xxvi. 18, saith he was sent to ⚫ turn the people from darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified, by faith in Christ.'

And now have not many of you separated professors, and priests, and others, scoffed at this light, and called it an idol and darkness? but can any receive the remission and forgiveness of sins, and so have an inheritance among them that are sanctified, but who are turned from the darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God, according to the true minister's doctrine, which we possess and are witnesses of, against them that turn them from this light to darkness, and keep them in Satan's power from God's? and was not this doctrine a wonder amongst the professing Jews, and before Agrippa, (whose eyes were not open, like yours,) of turning people from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified? [mark,] are sanctified, that is already done, though the apostle said he had obtained help from God unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come; that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and unto the Gentiles.' And also was not this a strange doctrine, think you then? and is it not so now, which we do witness, by this light which Christ hath shewed unto us what Moses and the prophets did say, that Christ should suffer and rise from the dead, and shew light to the Gentiles? this through the help of God are we daily witnesses of, to small and great, who are dead with Christ, and are risen with Christ; for,' as the apostle saith, 'if ye be dead with Christ, and risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.' Colos. iii. 1, and this we are in the practice of, and cannot seek after your things which are below, though you rage against us, and persecute us with tongue and hand. And Rom. i. 'God, who had promised before by his prophets, in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son Jesus