A CHRISTIAN LIFE MANIFESTED Wherein is showed who they are which follows the Lamb in meekness and Patience.  
THe night of Apostasy having overspread the earth, and the darkness of it having covered the people, the wisdom below hath sought out many Inventions, and the name of Christians have been taken up from something observed which the wisdom below hath invented; and with this name people are satisfied, though from the life they be alienated, and such are Gentiles who know not God, but are separated from him, through the darkness that is in them; and whilst they profess to know God, and to worship him, they are ignorant of him, and in works denies him & though they have taken upon themselves the name of Christians, yet they are not changed from the Gentiles nature but abides in darkness and walks in darkness, and knows not whither they go, because that darkness hath blinded their minds, and such errs from the way of truth, notwithstanding they profess a Christian state, and a Christian worship, and the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ is hid from their eyes, and they do not know the fellowship of the Gospel, but walks in their own way, and follows the devices of their own hearts, and worships the works of their own hands after the manner of the Gentiles, and though that which may be known of God be manifest in them, yet they like not to retain God in their knowledge, but likes to retain their own inventions better, and so they forsake the Fountain of living water, and hews to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water, and this brings a famine upon the land because people feels not the Lord, nor the springs of his refresh, and though they may assemble together and sit before him as his people, yet their hearts are not towards him, and therefore in vain they worship him: Now forasmuch as that which may be known of God is manifest in people, and that both Jew and Gentile are enlightened with the light of Christ, and that there is no respect of persons with God, then that which is manifest from God within people is to be chief minded in its manifestation, for seeing that none can know God but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and that none can witness salvation but by the power of Christ, then is every one to mind that light with which Christ enlightens them, that by the manifestation of it they may know God, and worship him as he is God, for as the light comes from God, so doth it give the knowledge of God in the hearts of all that believe in it, and there is not any that are true. Christians until they believe in the light which is manifest from God within them, for as the Apostasy is entered, and the darkness overspread, so with the light that shines in the heart is darkness expelled, and then the light doth give the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus, and in the light thus shining the Lord is known and truly worshipped, for as blindness hath happened in part unto the Jews, until the fullness of the Gentiles be brought in, the Lord willing to make known his loving kindness unto a people that sought him not, and that they might be his people which were not his people, and that both Jews and Gentiles in fullness of time might be gathered together in one, even in Christ, so doth his power work both in Jews and Gentiles who in his light believe; by which power they come to be changed from all things which they have outwardly observed, and comes to be renewed in the spirits of their minds, and to feel the inward man restored into Christ, who of twain maketh one new man in himself and so maketh peace, for he is not a Jew which is one outward, neither is circumcision that of the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one inward, and circumcision is that of the heart, which is wrought by the power of God's spirit within man, and there is the seed of Abraham known both in Jew and Gentile, for the love of God doth universally spread abroad unto all Nations, Kindred's and People, and in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him, and Christianity doth not lie in any outward observation, nor in any particular form which in any Nation, or amongst any people is set up, but it is in Christ the seed, and if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, and a a new creature is a Christian, for Christ is his life, and this is that which hath been witnessed by all the holy men of God in ages past, who were partakers of the Divine nature, and had all things therein given them that pertained to life and godliness, and there is none can come to a christian state, but who comes to the light which from the life is made manifest, for the light is given of God to search out all invented ways and form works, and with the light they are all reproved, and that which makes them manifest and reproves them, that is the way which leads out of them, and as the testimony of it is received, so all invented ways and form works comes to be denied, and the mind comes actually to be disposed in the leadings of the light in its own way, and then the judgement rises in the power, which casts out the Idol, and destroys the inventor, and they both fall together by the work of the power, and then the nature of the Heathen dies, and Christ appears in the glory of his own life, and translates the beleiver into the immage of his own likeness, and that is a christian state in which man comes into union with Christ, and lives the life of Christ, and there the Jew and the Gentile is made one, and comes into the fellowship of the Gospel, and Christ is then felt who is a christians nature, and from the nature there is fruit produced in love, and peace, and meekness, and gentleness, and that which doth not bear this fruit it is none of Christ's, for all strife, and envy, and malice is from the darkness, and they that live in such things are not Christians, though they may take the name upon them, but they are in the Heathens nature, where God they know not, and such destroys one another, who are not in the love, and peace and unity of the spirit for where the spirit is not received the fruit of it cannot be manifested, and therefore every man's way, seeming right in his own eyes, he would have all to walk with him in his path, and there rises all contention from men's own opinions, for which they persecute and destroys one another about their Religion, but the life of a christian is not so, for the birth born of God is love, and love thinketh no ill, but is kind and courteous, and gentle towards all men, and they that are born of this life they are true christians, and their life doth manifest their nature, and though they be hated and wronged they do not seek revenge, and though they be reviled they do not revile again, but endures patiently, and waits to see the conversion of their enemies, for christians never persecuted any but hath always been persecuted by the Apostates, who have clothed themselves with the name of Christians; and it hath ever been a mark of a true Disciple of Christ to be hated and persecuted for his name's sake, and whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution, but whosoever doth live godly in Christ Jesus doth not persecute any, for it is contrary to their life, for they that are born of God, they have the mind of Christ, and in his life they hold forth their testimony in all long-suffering, meekness and patience, not striving nor resisting nor revenging, but loving, and praying, and blessing, and in this a christian life is manifested, and the heathens life is judged and condemned, for who are guided by the spirit of God they do not persecute any, though they be contrary minded, but in all meekness and gentleness they labour in love, and seeks to win them unto the truth which they are partakers of, and by soundness of doctrine and holiness of life, they hold forth their testimony, and this manifests a christian life, where love and good will is held forth unto all people, and this life is far from persecuting any, for it can love an enemy, and as there can be no perfect unity nor fellowship but in the spirit of God, so they that are guided by the spirit and lives in it, they labour in love to gather others into fellowship with them, for what can persecution do to the changing and renewing the mind of a man, it can never work reformation in the heart, though it may force the outward man to conform in practice, for it is only the love which overcometh and persuadeth the mind into the way of truth, and though persecution may prevail over some as to make them conform in practice, yet it doth not make them Christians, neither doth it cast out heresy, where any is found in such a state; and what advantage hath the persecutors by forcing contrary minds into their practice and worship, whilst such is not in their own hearts reform thereunto, and to force a conformity when in heart people is nor reform, it is but to make a hypocrite, for if a man be not persuaded in his own heart that the practice which he observeth is according to truth, he can never join in unity with such as are so persuaded, though he may conform his body to their observation: Then forasmuch as persecution cannot make a christian, neither cast out heresy where it is, than it would be more commendable to let persecution cease, seeing that it doth not manifest a christian life in practice, neither can make a christian by such a practice, therefore let every one wait to be gathered in the spirit of life and love in which there is no persecution, but peace and unity, and prosperity every way, for it ever hath been and is the ruin of people and nations where any Religion hath been endeavoured to be promoted by persecution, and such as have endeavoured it have ever fallen in it, but could never establish themselves by it, and so the fall of one hath been the rise of another, and these things brings desolation and not peace.  
Objection. But if any shall say that people and nations ought to be kept in order, in matter of worship, according to the present constitutions of the laws of that nation wherein they live.  
Answ. It is the spirit of God that ordereth all in the worship of God, and they that are not ordered by the spirit of God they are in disorder, however they may conform to that worship which by the laws of any nation is set up, and if the worship be not performed in the spirit of God, it is not the worship of God, neither is that order in the order of God, for God is worshipped in the spirit only, and not by the constraint of the constitution of any nation law, and when people are guided by the spirit of God, than they are guided in good order, and edifies and comforts one another, and dwells together in the love, and peace, and unity of the spirit, and so they are under the law of the spirit, which only hath power to order the conscience, and not the law of any nation in things pertaining to the worship of God, so as the spirit comes to be received and the testimony of it obeyed, then by the spirit the mind of man is disposed in love and peace, and meekness, and godliness, and that is good order, and against such there is no law, for the birth born of God hath love to all people, and it is this day manifested amongst a poor and an afflicted remnant whom the Lord hath raised in his power, and chosen to himself, who are by such as are strangers to their life reproachfully called Quakers, though they have a name given them which no stranger can read, for the Lord hath raised them in his own name, and the name of Jesus is their life, and it is a name which is above every name, and a name unto which every knee must bow, and they bear his name in all long suffering and patience, and follows his leadings in all gentleness, and meekness, and with his name they are clothed as with a garment, for they are of him and they live unto him, and the fruit of his own life declares his praises, he hath appeared for them in the day or their distress, and he hath helped them when there was none to pity them, and by the arm of his power he hath raised them, and they are his people, and they dare not deny him, but are in love with him and keeps his Commandments, and he prepares their way for them, and leads them in it with joy of heart, and though tribulation do attend them, yet with his power he preserves them, and they are not weary though there race be long; So doth the Lord our God give unto us his peace in all that he calls us to, and we desire that all might be partakers with us, which we know none can that set themselves against us, and as the Lord hath wrought his own work in us, and hath changed us from that nature in which we sometimes lived, so we are constrained to serve him and worship him in the spirit in which he hath gathered us, and as the cause is his own, so we commit it to him, who is able to defend it, and to preserve us in it, and we must confess it before men, and we know that we shall never be ashamed of our testimony, for that of God in every conscience is our witness how unblamably we have behaved ourselves, and how through all our sufferings and hardships we have borne and endured with patience, and have not at any time taken advantage against those who without law have wronged us, but have in our innocency been willing to bear the reproach of those that have reproached us, and to endure the hard afflictions of those that have afflicted us, and it is well known that we have not at any time sought an occasion against those that have dealt cruelly with us, but have sought their eternal good; and it is also well known that we have not behaved ourselves disorderly or tumultuously among any people, but in all sobriety, meekness and fear, we have held forth our testimony, and have laboured in the work of the Gospel, that all might be gathered into the fellowship of it, and come to the enjoyment of the love and peace that is in it, and in these things we have manifested a christian life, in its nature, which is a state beyond the Jews and Gentiles, and Apostates, who are not yet attained unto the glotious Resurrection of Christ, nor to the mystery of the fellowship of the Gospel, and as we have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so do we walk in him, and are rooted and grounded in his love, and by his power we are preserved to abide faithful, and to persevere in the work unto which he hath called us, and by how much we are afflicted for his sake, by so much the more doth he cause his joy to spring and abound in our hearts, so that tho●gh we be afflicted, yet we are not cast down, and though we be persecuted yet we are not forsaken, for the Lord is with us in all our trials, and in faithfulness he performs his promise, even as with his seed of old, so that when we pass through the fire he is with us, and when we go through the water it doth not overflow us, for the Lord is our Rock and refuge, and by him alone we are saved as it is at this day; Therefore ye people behold a christian life, which in this day is manifested as in times of old, for the Lord hath raised a people who are of the seed of Abraham, and he establisheth his covenant with them for ever, and he hath said in his counsel, surely in blessing I will bless them, and in multiplying I will multiply them, and their branches shall spread abroad, and they shall flourish as plants of my own hand, and I will pluck up the wild plants from amongst them, and will lay waste the briars and thorns that troubles them, and they shall grow in my love and increase in my life, for I am their God and they are my people, and all generations shall call them blessed: Now forasmuch as these things are so, and that the Lord hath called us unto peace, and the fruit of his spirit doth so manifest itself through us; then why is it that we bear the affliction of this present time? for as we follow peace with all men, and walks blamelessly towards all men, so ought we to receive encouragement in the same, and not to be oppressed for our obedience unto God, for as the life that we live is the life of Christ, so it is not in our own power to make choice of any thing in our own wills, but as we have received Christ, and lives in his life, so by him alone we are disposed, and it is his leadings that we follow, & we know his way is peace, and his life eternal rest: Therefore all people of all sorts, wait in the light to know a christian life, and content not yourselves with a christian name, for except you be regenerated and born again, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God, and howsoever you may be clothed with the name of christians, yet whilst the Heathen nature lodgeth in you the uncleanness remains upon you, and your christian name will leave you in the day of your calamity, and then you will see the want of a christian nature, and so if whilst you seem to be something in a christian name you be found nothing in a christian nature, you do but deceive yourselves in your imaginations; and now the day of the Lord shines forth, and the light of it spreads abroad, and he is gathering the scattered in the covenant of his life and with the light of his day he is visiting the Nations, and he proclaims his salvation in the word of his power, and that is his living testimony in every man, and the witness of it is true and faithful, and unto this must every man turn his mind, if ever he come to have life in Christ, or come to witness a christian state, and therefore every one is to bow unto that which reproves them, for anger, and envy and malice, and deceit, for that is God's witness whose word is life, and let your ear be open to its counsel, and cast not behind you its holy testimony, but incline with diligence, and obey it with carefulness, that by it you may be lead out of all your own ways where you are scattered, & may come into unity and fellowship with those who are by it gathered, and so worship God in his living spirit in which there is no condemnation, and there you will know a christian life by translation, & then you will cease from persecution, and live in love and peace and unity with those that obey the gospel, and where there is unity there is no persecution: So all Rulers, Teachers and People, be sober and moderate, and let not innocent christians be the object of your severity, but wait for the day of redemption which is come, and is yet coming, that you may all feel the power of God to change your hairs, who hath all hearts in his hand, and that the weight of God's power may go over all that in you which at any time provokes you to anger and evil will, and draws you to exercise cruelty upon the meek of the earth, and that it may all be subdued and beaten down into the obedience of Christ, that the low meek humble spirit may arise in you, and by its own power dispose you and order you, for this is the day of the Lords gathering, though it be a day of sore affliction, and though many be yet a far off, yet is the Lord fetching them in, for the cords of his love is very strong, and he is gathering together in one, even in Christ, in whose love and life many are set down in rest, and inherits the riches of his grace in heavenly places, and many are drawing night to their habitation, who have been wand'ring as sheep without a shepherd, but now are returning to the shepherd and Bishop of their souls, whose pastures are fresh and green, with which he doth satisfy every breathing soul that cannot live by any other food, So if you will hear and obey God's spirit in yourselves, then may you do well, and may come into unity and fellowship with us, who of the spirit are born, and loves the Lord Jesus Ch●ist in sincerity, but if you refuse the heavenly call of God's holy spirit in your conscience, and will not come unto us who in the spirit of life and bond of peace are united, but yet say in your hearts that you will make us come unto you, then do you deceive yourselves with an uncertain hope, for as we abide in the life in which we are gathered, and in which we have fellowship with God and one another, it is most certain that if you will not come unto us we can never return unto you, and forasmuch as God in his mercy hath manifested his life in us, so is our belief in it, and our testimony is unto it, and the life that we now live is by the faith of the son of God, and the dearness of his love is more precious unto us then all perishing things, and in his power we wait to be preserved, in whose life we are united, and from whose nature a christian life is manifested, and this is the Lamb whom we follow, who leads us in his hand, and comforts us with the riches of his goodness, and we live by him, and his own works praises him, who is over all blessed for ever.  
W. S.  
The End.   

Printed for M. W.