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TRUTH EXALTED:

IN A

SHORT but SURE TESTIMONY

AGAINST

All those Religions, Faiths, and Worships, that have been formed and followed in the Darkness of Apoftafy:

AND

For that GLORIOUS LIGHT which is now rifen, and fhines forth, in the Life and Doctrine of the despised QUAKERS, as the alone good old Way of Life and Salvation.

PRESENTED

To Princes, Priefts, and People, that they may repent, believe and obey.

BY WILLIAM PENN,

Whom Divine Love conftrains in an holy Contempt, to trample on Ægypt's Glory, not fearing the King's Wrath, having beheld the Majefty of HIM who is invifible.

Published in the Year 1668.

TRUTH EXALTED, &c.

TO PRINCES, PRIESTS, and PEOPLE.

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EHOVAH, the everlasting power, that spans out the heavens with his fpan, and measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, before whom all nations, tongues and people, are lefs than the drop to the ocean, or the fand to the fea-fhore; who faid, "Let "all things be," and they were, and by the fame word of his might, preferves them to this very day, is holy, merciful, and juft; and, as the most excellent part of the whole creation, made he man," the image "of himself," by investing him with that righteous principle, and innocent life, which gave him dominion and authority over all his works, allowing him to eat of every tree, faving that of the knowledge of good and evil, of which if he did eat, he fhould certainly die.

Happy had it been for Adam and his pofterity, had he obeyed God's commands; but tranfgreflion by disobedience getting entrance, he foon died to his innocent ftate, in which God created him, and became alive in the dominion fin had over him, being now as one without law: in whofe fallen ftate all nations have been, and are, (let their profeffions feem never fo great, and their facrifices never fo many) that live in the disobedient nature, and fo ftrangers to that immortality and life eternal, the first Adam became dead and darkened to by his tranfgreffion, and which the fecond Adam raifes to the knowledge and poffeffion of, by the power of his quickening fpirit; yet where the devil (that fubtil ferpent) hath not totally extinguished the notion of a God, and the neceffity of his VOL. I.

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being

being worshipped, it has been rather his interest than differvice, to put the selfish part of the creature upon facrificing, wickedly infinuating that none can be freed from fin, and that the performing of rites, duties, and ceremonies, is all God requires, and what is neceffary to procure acceptance with him. Thus it was that murdering Cain became a facrificer, whofe facrifice God rejected, because offered in the fallen, unright eous, and accurfed nature.

Such alfo were thofe generations who drew near to God with their lips, and to whom he faid of old, "To "what purpose is the multitude of your facrifices un

to me, I am full of burnt-offerings, bring no more "vain oblations; incenfe is an abomination unto me; "the new moons and fabbaths; the calling of the "affemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquity; even "the folemn meeting: I am weary to bear them; and "when you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine "eyes; yea, when you make many prayers, I will "not hear, your hands are full of blood: wafh you, « make you clean, put away the evil of your doings," &c. Ifa. i. 11, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Therefore, O ye princes, priefts, and people, the folid, neceffary, and weighty queftion I have to ask you all, in the dread and fear of the everlasting, holy, Lord God Almighty, (by whofe eternal Spirit the fenfe of your prefent ftate and condition I perfectly have received) is this: what nature, what heart, what fpirit, and what ground is it in which your religions, faiths, works, words and worships ftand and grow? is it the divine, not the fallen nature? is it the broken, not the ftony heart? is it the contrite, not the formal fpirit? is it the gospel increafing good, not old Adam's corrupt, thorny ground? for this know, that no performances but by clean hands, and a pure heart, from whence evil doings are put away, can give acceptance with the pure God.

Come, anfwer me firft, you papifts, whofe popes for many hundred years have fat exalted in the hearts

of

of nations, (God's temple) above all that is called God: what fcripture ever made a pope, or gave authority to any one to lord it over the confciences of others, fince Chrift enjoins that Chriftians fhould be brethren? and by what warrantable tradition can he make, difpofe, and depofe civil empires? whence came your creeds, but from factious and corrupted councils, dyed in the blood of those who refused conformity? what fcriptures of the holy prophets, and apostles, or any tradition for the first three hundred years, mention a mass-book, fpeak of Peter's chair, and a fucceffive infallibility, or fay a wafer is corporally the flesh, blood and bones, which fuffered without Jerufalem? And where did they teach to adore images, confume many thousands and millions in building, carving, and painting outward temples, after Jerufalem (the type) was deftroyed, whilft thousands of poor families languifhed through extreme poverty? when did they enjoin baby-baptism, churching of women, marrying by priefts, holy water to frighten the devil, hallowing of bells to fcare evil fpirits, making and worshipping of croffes, erecting of altars? and where did they command bowings, inftitute muficks, appoint holy days, canonize faints, chaffer and merchandize about indulgences, pray for the dead, preach, or write for a purgatory? and what book, or chapter, in the old or new teftament, mentions the degrees of popes, cardinals, archbishops, deans, prebends, Jefuits, Francifcans, Dominicans, Urfulines, Capuchines, Benedictines, with other fuch like lazy nuns and friars, for the edification of Chrift's church? but above all, when and where did they authorize, or indulge your cruel, perfecuting, whipping, racking, inquifition, murdering fpirit? whofe popes, faith, church-government, and whole religion, were founded, and are maintained by inhuman bloodshed, as your own histories plainly manifeft. Who gave life to these things but the devil," who was a murderer from the begin"ning?"

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Thus

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