A

SUMMONS, OR CALL,

TO

CHRISTENDOM;

In an earnest Expostulation with her, to prepare for that great and notable Day of the Lord, that is at the Door.

Published in the Year 1675.

AWAKE, O Christendom! Awake, and come to judg ment; for the great and notable day of the Lord is drawing apace upon thee: prepare to meet him, thou and thy children, for the hour of his judgment hasteneth upon you, as travail on a woman with child, in all which your works shall be tried, and that by fire: for "the day of the Lord shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble." Yea, "by fire and by sword will the Lord God Almighty plead with all flesh; with all fleshly worshippers and workers, who live after the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof: and with the spirit of judgment, and the spirit of burning, that is, with spiritual judgment and burning, will he visit all ranks and regions upon the earth: yea, his holy terrors shall take hold of the rebellious, and anguish and distress shall fill the souls of the guilty. The faces of nations shall gather paleness, and their knees smite together, because of the anger of God that is kindling against them, and his fierce wrath that is revealing from heaven against all the ungodly, but more especially against the children of the "Mystery of iniquity:"it is in this day that the kindreds of the earth shall mourn with a great lamentation.

O. Christendom! Thou hast long sat as a queen, that should never know sorrow: great have been thy pretences, and large thy profession of God, Christ, Spirit, and scriptures: come, let me expostulate with thee and thy children, in the fear and presence of him that shall bring every word and work to judgment. God is pure, and the pure in heart only see him now, are you pure? Do you see him? God is a Spirit, and none can worship him aright, but such as VOL. II.

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come to his Spirit, and obey it: Do you so? Christ is the gift of God: Have you received him in your hearts? Does he rule there? Then have you eternal life abiding in you: if not, you are not true Christians. The Spirit of Truth leadeth into all truth; and the children of God are born of it, and led by it. But are you led into all the holy ways of truth, born of this eternal Spirit? Then you follow not the spirit of this world; nor do your own wills, but the will of God. You profess the holy scriptures; but what do you witness and experience? What interest have you in them? Can you set to your seal they are true, by the work of the same Spirit in you, that gave them forth in the holy ancients? What are David's roarings and praises to thee, that livest in the lusts of this world? What are Paul's and Peter's experiences to thee, that walkest after the flesh?

O you, that are called Christians, give ear a little unto me, for I am pressed in spirit to write to you: read with patience, and consider my words; for, behold, what I have to say unto you concerneth your eternal good.

"God hath so loved the world, that he hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that those that believe on him, should have eternal life." And this Son is Christ Jesus, the true light, that lighteth every one coming into the world; and they that abide not in him, the light, dwell in darkness, in sin, and are under the region and shadow of death: yea, dead in sin, and see not their own states, neither perceive the sad conditions of their own souls. They are blind to the things of God's kingdom, and unsensible of true and spiritual life and motion, what it is to live to God; and, in that state, are alienated from God, without true judgment and living knowledge, and under the curse. For in Jesus Christ, the light of the world, are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, redemption and glory; they are hid from the worldly Christian, from all that are captivated by the spirit and lusts of the world: and whoever would see them (for therein consist the things that belong to their eternal peace) must come to Christ Jesus, the true light in their consciences, bring their deeds to him, love him and obey him; whom God hath ordained "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and for his salvation to the ends of the earth." Light and salvation are joined together; and none can come to salvation, but as they come first to the light, and submit to the manifestation of it, which leadeth to salvation. For "the nations of them that are saved, shall walk in the light of the Lamb, Christ Jesus." Light and justification are also joined together: "If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth

us from all sin." And light and life eternal are joined together: "For in the Word (that was with God in the beginning, and was God, by whom all things were made, that were made) was life, and the life was the light of men." And this is the testimony of Jesus, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not abide in darkness, but have the light of life:" yea, it is eternal life to believe in him, in Christ, the light; to receive, embrace, and to follow him. And "that was the true light," saith the same beloved disciple, "which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Now this light shineth in darkness, in the children of darkness, in their dark hearts, in their black souls, and defiled consciences; but in this darkness they comprehend it not: neither can man know the nature and benefit of it, whilst he rebelleth against it: for the virtue and excellency of it is shut up and hid from the children of disobedience." To as many as received him of old, gave he power to become the children of God; and they that did his will, knew his doctrine to be of God, and of power and efficacy to their salvation.

But this is the great condemnation of the world at this day, that though God hath sent his Son, a light, into the hearts of all men and women, to manifest and reprove their evil deeds, and to save them; yet they love darkness, they love the lusts and imaginations of their vain hearts, better than this holy light, that is given unto them for salvation they choose Barabbas rather than Jesus. Yea, they have set up other lights, than Christ Jesus, God's great light; and other prophets than Christ, God's great prophet; and other priests than Jesus, the High Priest of the new covenant: but they are dark lights, false prophets, and blind priests. "All that came before me," saith Christ, "are thieves and robbers:" and all that pray, preach, sing, worship, &c. and not by the light and spirit of Jesus, they go before Christ, before Christ cometh, before he prepareth their hearts, and toucheth their lips, with a coal from his heavenly altar; and perform worship in their own will, time, and power, and stay not for his leadings. And therefore all such rob Christ of his office, who is the leader of the true Christians; their heavenly high priest, to anoint them, and offer up their sacrifice to God for them; and prophet, to let them see and know, by his light in their hearts, what they ought to do, according to the new and everlasting covenant; "I will write my law in their hearts, and put my spirit in their inward parts, and they shall be all taught of me, saith the Lord."

Now this is the question to the whole world called Chris

tians: Do you see with this divine light? Have you searched your hearts with it? And are you anointed by this High Priest with his holy unction, that leadeth into all truth? Doth this heavenly prophet give you vision, and reveal the Father to you? Is he your eye, your head, your wisdom? Do you live, move, and have your life and being in him, in praying, preaching, and singing, yea, in your whole conversation? Are you renewed into his life and image? And have you heard his voice, and seen his shape? Are you witnesses of his holy rebukes, his pure judgments, the shame and death of his cross? Is he the fountain of your knowledge? The author of your faith? O consider! are you of those that have spoke with Jesus? That have been taught in the school of his holy cross? Students in his heavenly academy? O have you drank of his cup, and been baptized with his baptism? Tell me, in the fear of the Lord God, you that call yourselves Christians, doth he go before you, and lead you, as a master teacheth his disciples, and a captain leadeth his soldiers? And do you follow him in all the weighty things of this life? And doth he order your minds, and rule your affections? If not, you are thieves and robbers; for you rob Christ of his office. For God hath appointed him to be the leader and ruler of all people; yea, it is God's decree; and those that he leadeth not, in their thoughts, words, and works, shall never come to God: for all must come to God by him, that is, by his light and spirit ruling in their hearts, which sanctifieth, regenerateth, and converteth the soul to God.

And the cause of the confusion and contention that is about religion in Europe at this day, is, that men have deserted this true light and holy spirit, and so are degenerated from the life and power of pure and unspotted religion, and have attempted to comprehend Christ's doctrines without Christ's light, and to know the things of God, without the Spirit of God. And being thus miserably erred, by wicked works, from the One Spirit of Truth, they have wandered into the fallible conceits and opinions of men. And in this state one party hath contended against another: from words they have fallen to blows, and the strongest hath opposed the weakest. And not knowing what spirit they were of, have called light darkness, and darkness light; putting the sheep's skin upon the wolf, and the wolf's skin upon the poor sheep of Christ, endeavouring by carnal weapons to enforce their opinions, and to extort conformity, by worldly Jaws and punishments, to their persuasions. All this is out of the light, life, and doctrine of Christ Jesus, and in the spirit of darkness, confusion, strife, and bloodshed, which

are of the devil. All which Babel must and shall come down, by the light, power, and spirit of Jesus, now rising in the world; and hell, death, and the grave, shall not be able to hinder it: for the set time, the appointed time of the Father, is come, and the judgment is begun.

O ye, that are called Roman Catholics, tell me, are you truly catholic, that is, of an universal spirit? Then you will not persecute, but love all, and be tender to all. Are you truly Roman, and successors of that ancient, apostolical church? Then you walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; yea, the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in you, and you are led by the Spirit of God, and can call him Father in truth and righteousness, and the Word of God in the heart is your teacher, and not the traditions of men; for so the Romans of old time were instructed. O. consider, if you are true successors, you must follow them in the same nature, spirit, and life; for in that only standeth the Christian succession, to wit, in Christ: and every branch, person, or church, that abideth not in this great vine, is rejected for the fire. Therefore deceive not yourselves, as the Jews of old did, with crying, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord;" and saying, "We have Abraham to our father, and to us belong the fathers, covenants, law, priesthood, and chair of Moses :" for, as the apostle said of old, so say I to you; "His servants you are, to whom you obey;" and "He that committeth sin, is of the devil." So that Christ's successors are they that take up his cross, follow him, and that abide in his holy doctrine, that keep his commandments, and themselves unspotted from the world. And those that follow the "lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and pride of life," are not of Christ, nor of the Father, but of the world; subjects to the prince of the power of the air, and successors of Sodom, Gomorrah, Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, and persecuting Jerusalem; and not of the harmless, selfdenying, holy, suffering spouse of Christ Jesus, that is ruled in all things by her husband, her head, her Lord. O search and try, with the light of Jesus, if you are not degenerated from primitive simplicity and purity? For great are the abominations of all sects, that flow like a deluge throughout your countries! Repent, and turn to the ancient apostolical spirit and life, that you may enter into the rest of God.

O you that call yourselves Evangelics, or Gospellers, are you evangelical? Are you saved from the lusts, and pleasures, and dead worships of the world, by the mighty power of God, which is the gospel, and led by an evangelical spirit? If not, you are not yet redeemed, you are not yet un