eye, tooth for tooth; if to fight for outward and perishing things, to go a warring one against another, whom we never saw, nor with whom we never had any contest, nor any thing to do; being moreover, altogether ignorant of the cause of the war, but only that the magistrates of the nations foment quarrels one against another, the causes whereof are for the most part unknown to the soldiers that fight, as well as upon whose side the right or wrong is; and yet to be so furious, and rage one against another, to destroy and spoil all, that this or the other worship may be received or abolished; if to do this, and much more of this kind, be to fulfil the law of Christ, then are our adversaries indeed true Christians, and we miserable heretics, that suffer ourselves to be spoiled, taken, imprisoned, banished, beaten, and evilly entreated, without any resistance, placing our trust only in God, that he may defend us, and lead us by the way of the cross unto his kingdom. But if it be otherwise, we shall certainly receive the reward which the Lord hath promised to those that cleave to him, and, in denying themselves, confide in him.

And to sum up all, if to use all these things, and many more that might be instanced, be to walk in the strait way that leads to life, be to take up the cross of Christ, be to die with him to the lusts and perishing vanities of this world, and to arise with him in newness of life, and sit down

with him in the heavenly places, then our adversaries may be accounted such, and they need not fear they are in the broad way that leads to destruction; and we are greatly mistaken, that have laid aside all these things for Christ's sake, to the crucifying of our own lusts, and to the procuring to ourselves shame, reproach, hatred, and ill-will from the men of this world: not as if by so doing we judged to merit heaven, but as knowing they are contrary to the will of Him who redeems his children from the love of this world, and its lusts, and leads them in the ways of truth and holiness, in which they take delight to walk.

THE CONCLUSION.

IF in God's fear, candid reader, thou appliest thyself to consider this system of religion here delivered, with its consistency and harmony, as well in itself as with the scriptures of truth, I doubt not but thou wilt say with me and many more, that this is the spiritual day of Christ's appearance, wherein he is again revealing the ancient paths of truth and righteousness. For thou mayest observe here the Christian religion in all its parts truly established and vindicated, as it is a living, inward, spiritual, pure, and substantial thing, and not a mere form, shew, shadow, notion, and opinion, as too many fave hitherto held it,

whose fruits declare they wanted that which they bear the name of; and yet many of those are so in love with their empty forms and shadows, that they cease not to calumniate us for commending and calling them to the substance, as if we therefore denied or neglected the true form and outward part of Christianity, which indeed is, as God the searcher of hearts knows, a very great slander. Thus, because we have desired people earnestly to feel after God near and in themselves, telling them that their notions of God, as he is beyond the clouds, will little avail them, if they do not feel him near: hence they have sought maliciously to infer that we deny any God except that which is within us. Because we tell people, that it is the light and law within, and not the letter without, that can truly tell them their condition, and lead them out of all evil; hence they say, we vilify the scriptures, and set up our own imaginations above them. Because we tell them, that it is not their talking or believing of Christ's outward life, sufferings, death, and resurrection, no more than the Jews crying, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, that will serve their turn, or justify them in the sight of God; but that they must know Christ in them, whom they have crucified, to be raised, and to justify them, and redeem them from their iniquities; hence they say, we deny the life, death, and sufferings of Christ, justification by his blood, and remission

of sins through him. Because we tell them, while they are talking and determining about the resurrection, that they have more need to know the Just One, whom they have slain, raised in themselves, and to be sure they are partakers of the first resurrection; and that if this be, they will be the more capable to judge of the second; hence they say, that we deny the resurrection of the body. Because when we hear them talk foolishly of heaven and hell, and the last judgment, we exhort them to come out of that hellish condition they are in, and come down to the judgment of Christ in their own hearts, and believe in the light, and follow it, that so they may come to sit in the heavenly places that are in Christ Jesus hence they maliciously say, that we deny any heaven or hell but that which is within us, and that we deny any general judgment; which slanders the Lord knows are foully cast upon us, whom God hath raised for this end, and gathered us, that by us he might confound the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nought the understanding of the prudent; and might, in and by his own Spirit and power in a despised people (that no flesh might glory in his presence) pull down that dead, dark, corrupt image, and mere shadow and shell of Christianity wherewith Antichrist hath deceived the nations: for which end he hath called us to be a first-fruits of those that serve him, and worship him no more in the old

:

ness of the letter, but in the newness of the Spirit. And though we be few in number, in respect of others, and weak as to outward strength, which we also altogether reject, and foolish if compared with the wise ones of this world; yet as God hath prospered us, notwithstanding much opposition, so will he yet do, that neither the art, wisdom, nor violence of men or devils shall be able to quench that little spark that hath appeared; but it shall grow to the consuming of whatsoever shall stand up to oppose it. The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it! yea, he that hath arisen in a small remnant, shall arise and go on by the same arm of power in his spiritual manifestation, until he hath conquered all his enemies, until all the kingdoms of the earth become the kingdom of Christ Jesus.

Unto Him that hath begun this work, not among the rich and great ones, but among the poor and small, and hath revealed it not to the wise and learned, but unto the poor, unto babes and sucklings; even to Him, the only wise and Omnipotent GOD, be honour, glory, thanksgiving, and renown, from henceforth and for Amen. Hallelu-JAH.

ever.

FINIS.

Printed by W. Eade, at the Schools of Industry, Lindfield.