The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers: Intermixed with Several Remarkable Occurrencs.Sewel, William
History
The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers: Intermixed with Several Remarkable Occurrencs.
Sewel, William
Society of Friends -- History -- Early works to 1800
‘And you people of the nation, that have seen the hand of
God against the prince and people for these and the like
abominations, and you yourselves are escaped, as brands plucked
out of the fire; have you at all turned to him who hath smitten
you; or are you bettered by correction; or have you made your
peace with the Almighty? Although you have seen war, and the
sword reaching to the very soul, are you not every one, to your
own power, gathering fuel to that fire which hath been burning
in the land, and hath consumed thousands; which should have been
as a warning unto you who are escaped, to return to the Lord
from the evil of your doings? But are not you still making the
breach wider between God and the nation, as though you were left
for no other end, but to fill up the measure of iniquity that
is yet behind, that the just God may sweep the land with the
besom of destruction? O when will you cease to provoke the Lord
by your sins? Where is your Redeemer you have professed so long
in words and forms? Can you witness him in your works? And what
hath he redeemed you from? For saith he, “Why call you me Lord,
and do not the things which I say?” Is He your Lord, and you
servants to all manner of filthiness? And notwithstanding you
have seen his wonders in the nation, yet do not you exceed all
that ever went before you, in pride, covetousness, drunkenness,
swearing, envying, quarrelling, backbiting, slandering, false
accusing, self-love, and deceit in all manner of merchandise and
trading; false weights and measures, sayings, protestings one
towards another, in your bargaining, speaking things that are not
true, and hereby to overreach your brethren, and get dishonest
gain. How many false oaths, and idle words are spent about every
bargain in your markets, and open streets, without blushing, or
being ashamed? Yea, it is able to break the hearts of any who
know the pure God, to know it, and hear it; for it is come to
such a height of deceit, that none can trust his brother, for
lying, swearing, and forswearing, which abound in the nation;
and yet you will profess yourselves to be the members of Jesus
Christ: and had Jesus Christ ever such a body as this? Nay, all
that are members of him, are of one heart, and one soul.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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