A Loving Exhortation TO All Kings Princes Potentates Bishops and People in the whole CHRISTENDOM Wherein is a Distinction betwixt the TRUE and FALSE TEACHERS To be Read over in Meekness and the Fear of the Lord Written by Thomas Taylor LONDON Printed in the Year 1666. A Loving Exhortation TO All Kings Princes Potentates Bishops and People in the whole Christendom etc. O Ye Kings Princes Potentates and Rulers of the Earth we desire not your Thrones Honours Places or Dignities neither do we envy you for them for we have enough in God our Reconciled Father who hath made us Kings and Priests to himself by Jesus Christ spiritually to reign over the evil in the World and to offer up ourselves in righteousness to his Glory and this is our Crown and that which we strive after in a pure Conscience for we are not of those that fight with flesh and blood and with carnal weapons for an earthly Crown but such as in the strength of Almighty God are taught with spiritual weapons to war only against that Mystery of Iniquity and Power of darkness that captivates the precious Soul of Man and keeps it short of the Glory of God desiring from the truth of our hearts that neither the Soul nor Body of any may perish but that this Wicked one which is the Enemy of both may be destroyed out of the Earth in this day of Christ by the Spirit of his mouth and brightness of his appearing that so the whole Creation of God may be delivered from Bondage to stand in its holy Order to the glory of the Creator as in the beginning that so he may take delight in the Children of Men and make his abode with them as at that time when the Morning Stars sung for joy and all was full of beauty and sweetness and no Death in them And O ye Bishops and high Teachers of the World we desire not your Seats neither do we envy you for your great Promotions but do desire that you may know with us the true Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul Christ Jesus the good and true Shepherd and Bishop who gave himself for the Sheep that he might Redeem them from all Iniquity and deliver their Souls from the hands of all Oppression to serve him in his own free Spirit where none can come to make afraid And as this Saviour you come to know and receive your knowledge of Men and things according to the flesh will cease and the Love of the World and the World's things will die in you and a Love to the Seed that breathes after Righteousness will arise in you and you will know what God requires of you and how you may do that which will commend you to God in the great day of his Judgement which is nigh at hand and apply your hearts thereto Therefore awake awake arise arise for the great day of the Lord is indeed nigh at hand yea the Sun is already arisen and his bright glory shineth upon the Sons of the Morning and the true searching Light from which nothing can be hid is felt and known in the Earth and before it the workers of iniquity are as Chasse and before it can no mortal man stand in Judgement though he glister never so much in outward glory in the World's eye for in the presence of this Light the Judgement proceedeth not according to person or worldly appearance but according to Truth Equity and Righteousness and so every Evildoer hates this Light because his deeds are evil and the Light reproves him to his Face and in his Heart without respect to his Person And therefore none but they whose deeds are wrought in God can willingly come to this Light with their deeds or endure that this Light should pass Judgement on them for its the Righteous only that hath praise in the presence of this pure God the Light who lighteth every man that cometh into the World and is come a Light in the World that all through him might believe and come out of Darkness and the deeds thereof and be saved So if any of you perish it is in your love of Darkness and your destruction is of yourselves for God would have you to be saved and to that purpose holds forth his Love in his Light to your Consciences daily that you might be warned and not perish And if this Gospel of his Love and Grace the Light be hid from you it is because the God of this World with his deceitful Allurements hath blinded your eye Mark The God of this World hath blinded your minds that Old Serpent who is called the Devil and Satan and Prince of the power of the Aix which works in the hearts of all disobedient ones hath captivated your Understanding if this Gospel of Light you perceive not to Love and Obey it And consider how the power of Darkness deceives man it begins with him betimes and works subtly with him in his mind when he is tender and young carrying him forth eagerly after Childish Vanities and youthful Lusts if by the Light that secretly checks for these things he be not resisted The World tells the Youth that by going forth into some form of Religion and conforming to that is God's way by which man may be helped against his sin but God the Truth saith I have laid help upon One that is mighty Christ Jesus the Light who is to be known in man a present help against sin And by what means saith David may a young man cleanse his way save only by taking heed according to the Word of God And the Word is nigh in the heart saith Paul discerning the thoughts and intents thereof And the Light shineth in darkness saith John in man yea in every man that cometh into the World making all things in secret manifest and who can hide their deeds from it So if the young men come not to this Light than they abide in darkness and grow up in darkness and covering themselves but not with the Spirit of God so long until there be no remedy but the woe and the curse must needs come upon them But he that followeth me saith Christ the Light shall not abide in darkness sin nor evil but shall have the Light of Life and shall not come into condemnation So He that hath an ear let him hear and mind the Light of Christ in you that lets you see all that ever you have done and sets before you your sins in order and brings Judgement and Condemnation upon your Souls for them And love the Light and its righteous Judgements for Zion must be redeemed through Judgement and bring all your deeds words and thoughts to this Light of Christ and hide not any thing from it for he that hideth his sins from the Lord shall not prosper But he that in this true Light sees his sin and forsakes the sin and turns to God in his Light and abides therein ●h●ll be blessed But woe is the portion of such as turn not to him that smites them but instead of owning the pricks and reproofs of Wisdom kick against them These are the ungodly whose Sacrifice the Lord could never accept but they abiding in their sins all their Prayers and performances were still returned upon them from the pure God as dung upon their faces Therefore go not forth saith Christ for the Kingdom of Heaven which he compared to many little things is within you And when they shall say Lo here lo there saith Christ go not after them for those that draw People from the Light and Spirit of Christ that holy anointing within in man were always Antichrists And in John the Apostles time many of these were come and they went out from us saith the same John the beloved Disciple of Jesus From us understand such as were in the Anointing of God which taught all things and they needed not that any man should teach them abiding in the Anointing wherewith their souls and spirits of God were anointed for that was true perfect and sufficient to lead them into all truth according to the Promise it was in them a Spiritual Unction a free Gift from the holy One in Christ the promised Seed with whom through Faith the right holy Faith they were become one Spirit and so became Heirs of the Promise and true Witnesses of the New and Everlasting Covenant which saith And they shall all be taught of God These are not outwardly anointed as those under the Law the Figure were but these were and are spiritually anointed of God himself in Christ and so were and are true Heirs of the Gospel the substance and true Children of the day walking in that heavenly and eternal Light wherein they could and do in truth say Our fellowship is with the Father and the Son So here in this holy Body there was no Antichrists but those that went out from these into the World's Ways Worships Customs Traditions and Inventions these were Antichrists and now being gone forth from the Lord and his Spirits Teaching they become one with the World using their Tongues to talk of the things of God in the world's spirit without God and so they being of the World saith John therefore the World hears them 1 John 4.5 But he that is of God saith the same John heareth us even us that abide in the holy Anointing of God in us And my Sheep hear my voice saith Christ and follow me but a stranger they will not follow So there are two Spirits the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of the evil World and two sorts of Teachers accordingly the one hears the voice of God in Christ and in the strength of this Spirit goes forth with the Word of God and Gospel of Truth in their heart and mouth in obedience to God and pure love to the Soul of man and not for filthy lucre nor any worldly end whatsoever and these the true Seed God's Little Ones Lambs and Sheep hear love and are one with merely for the Truth's sake which is one and endures for ever But now chose the other sort of Teachers who are rightly called Strangers because they are strangers to the Life of God and holy motion of his Spirit they go forth in their own Wills according to the motion of their own earthly spirits without God for self-ends in the allowance of the earthly Power Name and Authority not to build up the Body of Christ or to minister to his Seed in any for to that they are Strangers but to commend themselves to fallen man's wisdom for self-advantage and to gather People into several Forms and outside Professions and Observations where all sorts of Sinners are taught to say Lord Lord but never a one to do the will of God perfectly from the heart and so they build up Babel the City of Confusion where there is like Priest like People the Teachers living in sin and the People that follow them living in their sins always learning never learned to worship God aright For the Teacher being blind through his ignorance of God and Christ he must needs lead them that follow him from God into the ditch And of this sort were they in Christ's time that loved to be called of men Master fair sayers but evil doers who loved the praise of men and their greetings in the Markets and the chief and high places in their Feasts and Synagogues and loving for this end to go in long Robes and costly Apparel outwardly appearing beautiful to the World's eye but inwardly full of Pride Covetousness uncleanness the Spirit of Persecution and all manner of Unrighteousness as one may read in the 23 Chap. of Matth. and other places of Scripture where Christ had to do with the false spirited Rabbis in his day whom he compares to Graves painted Tombs Serpents and Vipers who shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men and neither entered in themselves nor suffered others but did what they could to hinder those that were entering And of such Christ gave his Disciples warning to take heed in time to come and told them though such Wolves should get the Sheep's clothing on them to wit the good words or so yet they should not trust them but should know them by their fruits And so the Tree that is by nature a Thorn and a Thistle hath manifested its fruit and by their fruit the Children of Light now know them and according to Christ's will avoid them And of this sort are they that not only in the days of Christ withstood him but even the same that in all ages withstood his Spirit and Work as at this day For with such earthly spirited Teachers it was that the Prophet Jeremiahs' heart was so broken in his day as one may read all along the 23. Chap. of his Prophecy and of whom in his fifth Chapter he so grievously complains saying A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesy falsely and the Priests bear rule by their means and the People love to have it so And therefore destruction from the Lord came upon them all And these Teachers said still in their lying earthly spirit that Jerusalem though sinful should have peace and that no evil should come upon them People though they walked every man after the imagination of his own evil heart Jer. 23.17 And of this sort were they that the Lord sent his Prophet Micah to cry against saying Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People to err that by't with their teeth and cry peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him Therefore night and darkness came upon them and the Vision ceased from them in the just judgement of God For a self-end was in all their work and the dead fly of covetousness corrupted all as one may read at large in the third Chapter of his Prophecy Verse 5 etc. And of this sort are they that Isaiah the Prophet of God in his time so grievously complains of also as one may read in the 56. Chapter of his Prophecy saying Vers. 9 etc. All ye beasts of the field come to devour yea all ye beasts of the forest his Watchmen are blind greedy etc. all looking for their own way every one for his gain from his quarter etc. And against this sort of earthly-spirited Teachers it was that God sent his Prophet Ezekiel to cry woe against saying Woe to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the flock Ye eat the fat and ye  you with the wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the flocks And so the God of this World through pride and covetousness had so blinded their eye and corrupted their hearts that they had neither will nor skill to help nor heal the poor diseased sick broken scattered souls of their hearers and therefore the Lord was glad to put them aside as Physicians of no value and became the Teacher of his People himself as one may read in the 34. Chapter of his Prophecy throughout Glory to the Lord who hath fulfilled his Promise to his Israel this day and is become the Teacher of his People himself whereby they come to be truly profited as it is written I the Lord thy God teach thee O Israel to profit But the  Teachers who have run in their Wills for self-ends and the Lord never sent them could never profit People at all and as Christ Jesus the Lord and his true Prophets in former times were troubled and opposed by such hirelings So also the true Apostles of Christ did not escape the trials and oppositions of that deceitful spirit by which they were acted For such saith Paul are false Apostles deceitful Workers Satan's Ministers transforming themselves into the likeness of the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11. Some of these were already come in his day And I know saith he that after my departure grievous wolves shall come in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Acts 20.29 etc. And as the Kingdom of Antichrist grew these perverse things were established for Doctrine by a Law For the very Name of Antichrist holds forth a spirit opposing itself to every appearance of Christ and of his holy Spirit and Anointing in man The true Apostles and Ministers of Christ drew the soul from men and self unto Christ and his Anointing in them to know that to teach them but these and all other false teachers draw from Christ and his Anointing within to look at Flesh and Form without which perfects not at all to God And of this sort also are they saith the same Paul which creep into houses understand the great stone houses called Churches as well as others and lead captive silly Women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3. Of this sort saith Paul as shall come in the last perilous times even Lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers Unholy who say they are Christians but are not so in truth Fierce etc. having the Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof and these he exhorted true Believers to turn from and so in obedience to God those now who are come to know Christ and his anointing in them to teach them are turned from such And though these Deceivers have proceeded for a time to wit during the late night of Apostasy which Paul 2 Thess. 2. spoke of to deceive many Yet now that the Light is risen again from under the earth they are manifest and can proceed no further Let none therefore now be so void of understanding as to brand the true Messengers of Jesus Christ in this day with the name of Deceivers Because they declare truth not only publicly but also from house to house by virtue of the holy Spirit only for so did the Apostles themselves and yet were no creepers into houses for creeping into houses denotes the work of the children of darkness who run without the Lord Jesus Christ his Spirit or Authority in their own wills for self ends as before leading about People in their silliness and sinfulness all their days as by woeful experience in the late Ages of the World since the Apostles days hath been fully manifest wherein the World hath wondered after the Beast And as there were false Prophets among the People saith Peter even so also shall there be false teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable Heresies etc. 2 Pet. 2. But how may these be known may some say By their fruits saith Christ ye shall know them And of this sort are they saith Peter in the same Chapter who through covetousness with feigned words make merchandise of People and by walking after the flesh in the lust of covetousness and uncleanness and despite of Christ's Government even deny the Lord that bought them These are the presumptuous ones indeed who count it pleasure to riot in the day time speaking evil of the worthy things that God works and makes manifest in his Children which these presumptuous ones know not And these false Teachers are of those whose eyes are full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin for how should they seeing their heart is exercised with covetous practices loving the wages of unrighteousness like Balaam as he to wit the Apostle Peter there speaks And therefore those that see not these are blind indeed and those that these Teachers can deceive may well be said to be without a foundation and hence it hath comes to pass that through such Teacher's wickedness and People's ignorance the World hath been as a Wilderness And now therefore is the the Lord according to his blessed Promise bringing up that knowledge of himself and his Christ again that shall make the Wilderness a fruitful Field and sweet smelling Garden for himself to be glorified in And this knowledge of God shall cover the Earth as the Waters do the Sea And thereby shall all hurting and destroying be done away from amongst men Isa. 65. last as is this day witnessed amongst such where this knowledge of God hath place Glory to his Name for ever So now therefore all ye Kings Princes Potentates and Rulers of the Earth see in what Principle you stand and upon what Foundation you grow and whose work you are a doing whether Gods or your own True Magistrates are not a terror to the good but to the evil But how can ye see the good and the evil truly asunder or know what to punish and what to protect if you come not to the Light Christ Jesus that true Light which lighteth every man that cometh in to the world as was said before to take counsel at him for he is the wonderful Counsellor and whatsoever makes things truly manifest is his Light and with it every hard thing is known and every secret thing found out but without it nothing but all People that walk in the darkness of their own understandings do err in Vision and stumble in Judgement and so know not what they do nor whither they go and this way that seemeth good in the man's own eye is that which always tended to death and disordered all things And by such a judgement Barralas was released and the innocent Jesus delivered to be crucified and by this the false Prophets in all ages were protected and born up and the dear Servants of Christ cast out as a thing of nought So arise arise awake awake to righteousness and sin not for the Lord is on his way to give unto every Nation and each People therein Rewards according to their Works without respect of persons And until God's righteousness rule in all and over all how can any thing stand let that of God in all Consciences judge So lay things to heart for this is the day of your visitation Also you Bishops and high Teachers who are pleased in your minds because accepted of man consider Are you accepted of God Is your Sacrifice so pure and your Persons so innocent that the holy God can receive them Is your Doctrine so sound and Life incorrupt that none can justly blame it Have your Hands handled the Word of Life which you speak of to others And do you know in yourselves what that living sharp and powerful Word of God is which the Apostle Heb. 4. speaks of which divides betwixt joint and marrow soul and spirit and discerneth all the thoughts and intents of every heart And are your hearts cleansed by it And do you preach and minister this internal living and eternal Truth the Word to the People or the dead Letter only See how it is For the Fruit now must be the real witness of every Trees nature Have you received the free gift from above Then sell it not for money Would you be accounted Ministers and Ambassadors of Christ and would you have the Children of Light to own you Then approve yourselves to them as Paul did to the Brethren in his days 2 Cor. 6.3 etc. In much Patience in Afflictions in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments as dying yet alive in the hearts of the Hearers by the power of Truth etc. And let all People see that you mind the good of the Soul and God's glory more than the World and your own self-ease and advantage For the Day is dawned that makes all things manifest And lay by your carnal Weapons and make proof of your spiritual Weapons if you have any and try a little how you can persuade men to be of your mind by that means for People begin to question much the forcing of men into Religion by the carnal Sword and outward Constraint whether it be of God or no. For it 's found by experience that into what People are forced by the outward Power by the same means may they be forced out of that again and so remain restless and without a foundation until the Truth itself settle them So set not up your rest in the Wilderness much less in Egypt but look towards the holy Land the undefiled unmoveable Foundation and suffer others to do so too And those that have spied out the good Land hinder them not from entering in but help them on in their journey if you can lest you be found fighters against God For now is the effect of every Vision coming in and a feeble one in this blessed Jerusalem that is descended and daily coming down from God out of Heaven is as David and David as the Angel of God before them Zach. 12.8 he that runs may now read it his eye be open And blessed are all that have believed in God's holy Name these will not be troubled at Zions' Prosperity but will set to their Seal that God is true and praise the Lord with us the Children of the Womb of the Eternal Morning Praised be God So be it And all know a separation in yourselves betwixt the precious and the vile and the vile brought under and the precious bearing rule there and then will you be in some measure able to discern and judge aright of things abroad but not until then The carnal man seeks to gather a great heap into a Form but the Spiritual man whose eye is in his head he seeks to bring People out of the evil of the world into the good of God's Kingdom and power of Godliness Blessed are they that can lay down all their own at the feet of Jesus Christ that they maybe what they are in him for the World and the Glory of it and the Lovers of it is as a fading Flower but he only that doth the Will of God abides for ever Given forth in the Move of the Spirit of the Lord God in his Servant who is a Sufferer amongst his Reproached Ones called Quakers for the Testimony of his Everlasting Truth praised and blessed be God for ever who hath counted us worthy thereunto T. Taylor THE END