To ſuch I anſwer, Art thou truely acquainted with God, hath he appeared in Spirit unto thee, and called the out of the way and worſhip of the world, & called thee into the way and worſhip of God, and haſt thou obeyed the call of the Lord, art thou departed accordingly out of the way and worſhip of the world, and art thou admitted of, and entered into the ſpiritual way and worſhip of God, how was it with thee before thou left the one, and come into the other, was not God angry with thee, when thou offered to tarry and ſtay behind in the way and worſhip of the world, after he had diſcovered it unto thee, and called thee to come out of the ſame, and did not he by his good Spirit, teſtifie againſt thee for ſo doing; moreover, did not the Lord purſue thee, and withſtand or beat down the carnal reaſonings and gainſayings of thy heart, and make thou weary untill thou didſt depart and come out thereof; if ſo, was it not the Lords own doing? and didſt not thou own and confeſſe it ſo to be, as firſt to unvail thy vailed heart; and ſecondly to diſcover unto thee the ſpirit of errour, and what it had led thee into; and thirdly to adviſe and perſwade thee to come out thereof, and alſo to forſake the way and worſhip of the world, That thou might be admitted into the way and worſhip of God: and did not the Lord in making known himſelf unto thee, make known his worſhip, and either anſwer or beat down the fleſhly objections and gainſayings of thy heart, and call thee and guide thee into his own pure worſhip in ſpirit, Iohn. 4.23.24. and afterwards ſignifie unto thee, how he owned the ſame, and thee as thou didſt abide and continue therein; if ſo, what cauſe haſt thou to deſert him, or offer to depart from him and his worſhip again, for fear of an outward ſuffering from men, or haſt thou any toleration from God ſo to doe? conſider well of it, and let the Lord judge in this caſe, as doubtleſſe he will, for he hath not called thee out of the way and worſhip of the world, into the way and worſhip of God, to allow of thee, to forſake him in a ſuffering time, ſo as to forſake the Lord and his worſhip, to comply and joyn with that ſpirit and worſhip of the world which he hath called thee from, neither will he tolerate and juflifie thee therein, but rather condemn and ſeverely puniſh theefor ſo doing.

To Sin wilfully after the knowledge of the Truth, by forſaking the Aſſemblies of the people of God when they are forbidden by men, Heb. 10.23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. to avoid an outward danger or ſuffering from them, is not the way to ſafety and happineſſe, (in a way that God doth own,) but is the way rather to everlaſting miſery and ruine, by turning the Lord againſt them,2 Theſ. 1.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. therefore, how doth it concern all that offer to decline from the truth, rightly beforehand to conſider what they are doing, and to be adviſed and take warning in time, ſo as to mind their continuation, and ſtanding in the Truth, and upon the ſure and certain foundation, 2 Tim. 2.19.

And ſince you received the Truth have you not had many perſwaſions within and without,2. Tet. 2.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Phil. 1.29. 2 Tim. 3.12. to forſake it again becauſe it is attended with a ſuffering condition; but know this aſſuredly, that when you are perſwaded either without or within from the way and worſhip of God in Spirit which he hath called you into, and doth own, to depart and goe back again, into that which God hath called you from, that ſuch perſwaſions cometh not of God who hath called you, & therefore you may juſtly deny them, for there were ſome in the primative Time, that once did run well, and were afterward hindred, that they ſhould not obey the Truth; but ſuch a perſwaſion did not come of him that had called them, as by the Scripture is evident and plain, Gal. 5.7, 8.

The Apoſtle of Chriſt did account it a kind of witchcraft, to be ſeduced and drawn from the Truth, and is it any better now. That it was ſo then is apparent and evident, Gal. 2.1. for ſaid he, O fooliſh Galatians who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould not obey the Truth. Gal. 2.3. Are ye ſo fooliſh having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the fleſh, it is a kind of witchcraſt and great folly indeed, for a people that have begun in the Spirit, to depart and go back again into the fleſh, to have known the Truth, and true way of the Lord, and been obedient and ſubject thereunto; Rom. 3.122. and afterward to diſobey the Truth, and depart from the way of the Lord, into the way and worſhip of the Spirit of the world,2 Tim. 3.3.4. to leave a certain thing for an uncertain, to leave the everlaſting Truth, to follow Errour and Fables, to leave the beſt for the worſt, to forſake that which God doth own, to follow that which he hath called from, to leave that which is attended with bleſſings and happineſs from God, to follow that which is attended with miſery and wrath, from the Lord, is folly indeed, and below the Spirit and wiſdome of God; and indeed it is no point of true wiſdome, or any part of a wiſe man, indued with the wiſdome of God, So to do.

Haſt thou not been acquained with the teachings of God, in the way of the Spirit of the Lord, and did not the Spirit of God in its teachings and leadings, both teach thee and lead thee, to the knowledge of a people, both taught and owned of the Lord, to meet with them in point of Religion and worſhip of God, and give thee many refreſhings and teſtimonies from his own life, to enjoyn and encourage thee therein to abide and continue with the Lord and his people in the way of his teaching and worſhip as aforeſaid.

And as thou haſt bin acquainted with the teachings of God, haſt thou not alſo been acquainted with the teachings of the enemy of God, under pretence of a Friend did Satan never yet transforme himſelf like to an Angel of Light, to labour to bewitch thy mind, by inſinuations, and crafty myſterious workings, to ſeduce and withdraw thy heart from God, and to labour to cauſe thee to diſobey the known truth of the Lord; wherein the Lord appeared unto thee, and gave thee many Teſtimonies of his Love, and enjoyned thee therein to walk, and didſt thou not with purpoſe of heart, and godly reſolution, intend and ſignifie thy intentions to the Lord, that thou hadſt a purpoſe of heart to continue therein, untill the enemy by inſinuation, and crafty myſterious workings, did ſomewhat change thy purpoſe of heart, and began to altar thy godly reſolutions, did not the enemy of thy ſoul come craftily, and after a myſterious manner, and ſay, what doſt not thou own the teaching of God, and art not thou taught of the Lord, and very ſenſible thereof: and didſt not thou in ſimplicity anſwer and ſay, yes, it is ſo, I cannot deny it; did not the enemy reply then & ſay unto thee, ſeeing thou art taught of the Lord, and art ſenſible of his Teachings, as thou art alone by thy ſelf, and when thou art on thy bed, and as thou walkeſt up and down, and art about thy occaſions, and hath ſuch ſweet refreſhings from him, what needſt thou to goe hither and thither to Meetings, and to expoſe thy ſelf to hazards and dangers? and was there not a fleſhly eaſeful part in thee ready to hearken, and be inclineable to the ſecret Teachings of the Enemy, and account them as Divine Oracles, or Sayings of God? and was not thou ready to have changed thy former Purpoſes, and godly reſolutions, and ſay, what ſhould I goe to Meetings for? ſeeing I am ſo acquainted with Divine Teachings, at home and abroad, and do find the Lords refreſhing preſence to attend and accompany me as I do, will not my going to Meetings, and continuing faithful to the Lord therein, as I have purpoſed, make the thing cuſtomary and bring it up into a form, by ſo doing; is it not better therefore for me, and my ſafety to abſent there from, and keep cloſſe with the Lord at home, and not goe to Meetings, did not the Lord Purſue the Enemy, and ſearch out and diſcover unto thee the depth of that wile and crafty myſterious working of Satan, and teach thee that thou art not to deny thy duty to God, and the continuation and abiding with the Lord, in what he makes known unto thee, and wherein he enjoynes thee to walk, and with him to abide, under the denominations of Formality and Cuſtomarineſſe as the Enemy under pretence of a Friend would perſwade thee, and when thou haſt been made ſenſible of the Love of God, in diſcovering the wiles of the Enemy, and the danger which he laboured to lead thee into, and were preſerved and kept out of the ſame, how didſt thou then prize his Love, and walk humbly before the Lord, and as thou didſt continue with him, and abide faithful unto him, didſt not thou meet with ſome or other that the Enemy had poſſeſt with that wile, and crafty working of Satan, which God preſerved and kept thee out of, as aforeſaid; and did not they into whom Satan had ſo entred and poſſeſt with that wile and myſterious working, endeavour to hold it out to thee, as ſome new diſcovery, and when thou couldſt not own or entertain the ſame as an Oracle, or ſaying of God, but withſtood the ſame, and declared againſt it as a deluſion of Satan, did not prejudice appear (as a work of the enemy) in ſuch an inſtrument againſt thee for ſo doing, and was not he ready to judge thee to be formal and cuſtomary becauſe of thy ſtedfaſtneſs unto the Doctrine of the tryed Truth, and for thy continuation and abiding with the Lord in that wherein he appeareth unto thee, owns thee in, gives thee many Teſtimonies of his love, and enjoyns thee to walk, as a true ſubject unto him, and worſhiper of him.

To continue and abide with the Lord, in that wherein he hath appeared, and whereby he doth accompany the ſouls of his people, both in the miniſtration and government of Spirit, for refreſhment and preſervation to teach and defend them againſt the power and pollicy of Satan; and for the benefit, and ſafety of the people of God: ſo that the continuation and abiding with God, in the way and worſhip of God, is not to be looked upon as a cuſtomary traditional or formal thing: which the Lord doth not own, for it is the duty of the people of God under the Covenant of grace to continue in the things wherein they have been, and are inſtructed of God, and are aſſured of,2 Tim. 3.14. Ioh. 15.4.5. knowing of whom they have learned them, as the Saints did: and according to the Doctrine of Chriſt.

That wherein God appears and abides is full of life, power, and vertue, and what doth God appear and abide in without forme, either in the inward or outward creation, ſo that the forme wherein God appears and abides with his people, in the ſpirit of his Son is full of life, vertue and conſolation, the Apoſtle ſaith to the Church of God, and Saints in Chriſt Jeſus which were at Philippie: let this mind be in you, which was alſo in Chriſt Jeſus, who being in the forme of God thought it no Robery to be equal with God, Phillip 2.5, 6. And if God ſhould deſtroy and make void all forme, wherein he appeareth, then foraſmuch as Chriſt Jeſus is in the forme of God, would not that be to deſtroy Chriſt Jeſus, but God doth not deſtroy that form, therefore not all form & comlineſs as the enemy ſuppoſeth: And if the Enemy of the ſoul, cannot beget thee, to be negligent and careleſſe in meeting, and continuing with the people of God, under pretence of formality & cuſtomarineſs, would he not, by another of his wiles and craftineſſe ſeek to deceive & ſeduce thee, & ſay, conſider what ſweet refreſhments and ſpringings of Love thou haſt at home alone by thy ſelf, and what weights and burdens thou many times meets with at Meetings; and is not thy ſouls Enemy under pretence of putting thee in mind of taking that into conſideration ready to ſay, thou had better ſtay at home, and not goe to Meetings, then to goe thither to bear many burthens, or elſe ſay thou ſhould not have been at that Meeting, and goe no more, unleſſe thou have ſome ſpecial motion to go unto Meetings; & under that pretence doth he not myſteriouſly labour to kill thee, ſo that thou begins to die to thy love, and faithfulneſſe, if thou lend an ear to him, and then thou wilt looſe ſtrength and grow weak, and after that when thou ſhouldeſt goe to a meeting, he will tell thee, thou either haſt no motion to goe, or elſe it is not ſtrong enough to raiſe thee above and carry thee through the reaſonings and over the oppoſitions which thou meets withal in thee to hinder and keep thee from going to meetings, ſo that the Enemy is myſteriouſly deſtroying of thee, and labours to ſlay thee in thy Principles and Teſtimony; and when thou art dead, thou art ready to judge others to be out of the Life, and Power of Truth, through thy miſtake, and if he cannot wholly prevail with any to abſent from all Meetings, doth he not goe about by another of his ſlights and cunning devices, and tell thee in ſecret, that if thou go to meetings, thou ſhould not goe to publick mixt Meetings, to bear Burdens, but ſhould meet with thoſe onely that are neareſt unto thee, and the equalleſt in condition and growth with thee, and ſo hearkning unto him he draws out into Parties, and begins to rent and divide thee from the Body, and begets ſome others into the like ſubtilty, and ſelf ſeparation with thee, and preſents them to thee, and thee unto them, and labours to gather you after that manner into the myſtery of Iniquity, and makes Parties, and cauſeth deviſions, and that's the way to Sects and Schiſms.

Now when thou art once acquainted with the Lord, both in counſel, direction, inſtruction, power, vertue, and conſolation, in a ſpiritual miniſtration, and haſt taſted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, which are ſpiritual and eternal powers which binds under, keeps down, and turns aſide the earthly dark powers within thee, and makes way to come to that which is oppreſſed, and afflicted within thee, to relieve it, refreſh and miniſter unto it, wherein and whereby it hath many Teſtimonies, of the Love and Acceptation of God in that miniſtration, as well as refreſhments and ſouls conſolation; thou art therein to mind thy continuation and abiding with God and his people in that miniſtration, that thou mayſt appear for the Lord in the Aſſemblies of his Saints, in that Principle and Spirit, wherein the Lord hath appeared unto thee, that in that Spirit and Power, wherein the Lord hath born with thee, thou mayeſt bear with others, that are under Burdens, Sufferings, Exerciſes and Tryals, and ſo by bearing one anothers burden, with the Spirit and Power of God, the Law of Chriſt is fulfilled, and thereby thou and others will be eaſed, refreſhed, reached unto, by the power, and filled with the Love and vertue of God, to be a ſweet ſavour to the Lord, and one in another, that he may be honoured and glorified; and if thou be under a burden, at any time in a Meeting, doſt thou fetch it in, or is it laid upon thee that thou maiſt be as a help to another, to ſimpathize with ſuch as are burdened, and under a Suffering condition; Gal. 6.2. for it is ſaid, Bear ye one anothers burden, and ſo fulfill the Law of Chriſt: haſt thou been burdened, and hath not the life and power of truth, joined with that which was burdened and afflicted within thee, to help the oppreſſed untill the burden was removed, and the afflicted was relieved, and the oppreſſed in ſpirit was eaſed, and art thou unwilling to bear with others, and be a help to them when they are under burdens, troubles, tryals, and exerciſes, whether art thou then in the life and power of love, which is willing to help the oppreſſed, and doth bear and endure under all burdens, tryals, and exerciſes, untill it riſe over all that which oppreſſeth, and miniſter to the afflicted for its refreſhment, doth not many times the ſtrong bear the infirmities or burdens of the weak, Rom. 15.1 2, 3, 4, 5. 1 Cor. 13.4.5, 6, 7. nay is there not a deſire ariſeth many times in thoſe that are moſt in the life and power of love which is acquainted with bearing of burdens, and helping the afflicted, when it ſees others under afflictions and burdens, that they may be a help to them in that eſtate, deſiring that the burden of the oppreſſed, may come ſo much upon them, as the other may be eaſed, knowing that the power will eaſe them again, and doth not the oppreſſed many times both in meetings and when they are viſited by a good Friend, feel the burden go ſo much from them as that they are eaſed, and when it is ſo, doth it not go upon ſome that feels when it comes upon them and are they not ſo made meet helps in the Lord one to another after a ſpiritual manner, for if I come freſhly, and lively into a meeting and have no burden upon me, if a burden do come when I am there I feel the life bear it, and I know thereby that ſome or other is eaſed by it, and I waighting patiently & with contentedneſs under the burden, the life and power of truth works through it, and riſeth over it, ſo that I am eaſed and refreſhed, and in the power and vertue of the life and ſpirit of God, am made to miniſter to the afflicted, and to be a ſimpathizer with the oppreſſed.

So that we may ſay (as the ſervants of God did in former ages) to the Church of God, and Saints in Chriſt Jeſus, bleſſed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteh us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are comforted of God, for as the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our Conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt, and whether we be afflicted it is for your Conſolation and ſalvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the ſame ſufferings, which we alſo ſuffer, or whether we be comforted, it is for your conſolation and ſalvation, and our hope of you is ſtedfaſt, knowing that as you are partakers of the ſufferings; ſo ſhall ye be alſo of the Conſolation, as it is written and left upon Record in Scripture, 2 Cor. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. It is a pretious, and an excellent thing, to be in that power which meaſures ſpirits and lets forth it ſelf in power and vertue in a miniſtration to ſeveral eſtates and conditions, and doth acquaint one another with the way and manner of its working & bearing of burdens, when the ſoul is in ſufferings.

To Simpathize with it therein, as well as to h • ve fellowſhip with it in conſolation, or elſe how ſhould we performe that Chriſtian office and duty, both in tribulation and conſolation, which in the ſpirit of love we are to do, for we are to ſuffer with them that ſuffer, as well as to rejoyce, with them that rejoyce, therefore it is good to know one another under ſufferings, that we may have fellowſhip one with another, both in ſufferings and in rejoycings; and ſo be helps in the Lord one to another, to do good unto all, but not to hurt or deſtroy any that are weak in the Faith, and attended with many weakneſſes, tryals or exerciſes, ſo that we may alwayes upon the account of the Lord, & his ſervice, both appear and be found in that principle & ſpirit wherein we and our ſervices may be acceptable, & well pleaſing to the Lord, and helpfull one to another, through Chriſt Jeſus the Son of his love.

For aſſuredly God hath appeared & ſpoken unto us in ſpirit, and called us out of the way and worſhip of the ſpirit of the world, & hath made known that which is certain unto us, that is to ſay; the tryed known Truth, and true way and worſhip of God in the ſpirit, and we are not to leave or forſake it, leaſt it be ſaid who required thee to forſake the way and worſhip of God, the Lord hath made known the truth and way of his worſhip unto us, and he hath called us unto it, & required us to continue and Abide with him in it, and therefore it is our duty to meet together as God hath commanded and not to forſake the aſſemblies of the people of God when man doth forbid us, for we have judged already that if God command us to meet and aſſemble together to wait upon God and true worſhipers of him, and if men do command the contrary, and forbid us to meet under great penalties, in ſuch caſes we are to obey God rather then man, and the Lord hath given us this Teſtimony that he owns and accepts of us in ſo doing.

For if God command one thing and man command another thing, It is better to obey God then man in ſuch caſes, becauſe the Lords power is abſolute, add his commands are righteous and juſt, and therefore ought to be obeyed, he hath power to pardon or puniſh as we are obedient or diſobedient unto him, and he hath right to teach, order and diſpoſe of us both by Creation and by Redemption, who hath puniſhments for the wicked, and rewards for the righteous: and if he be offended or diſpleaſed by denying obedience to his juſt and righteous commands, whoſe power is the higheſt power, to obey the will and commands of men who are contrary minded to him, to avoid a ſuffering condition, no King nor Potentate upon earth can deliver from the wrath and diſpleaſure of God for ſo doing; but if we fall into the wrath and diſpleaſure of men, for denying their commands which are contrary to the commands and requirings of God, to be obedient and ſubject unto him, whoſe power is abſolute, and who hath right both by creation and redemption, to claim our obedience and ſubjection unto him, he can deliver us from the wrath & diſpleaſure of man; and therefore it is the Saints duty to be obedient to God, and it is for their ſafety and happineſſe to continue in his word and doctrine, and in all conditions to abide true and faithful unto him, though we be attended with ſufferings from men for ſo doing.