To Conclude this Preface, ‘tis with me to say, unto every one (through the Nations) called by the name Quaker, on this wise.

Let the remembrance of the dayes that are past come before you, wherein the Servants of the Living God, Labourers {Preface XXXVII} in the Gospel (in the beginning of the latter Day of the Ministration of Light) sounded by his trumpet an Alarm to the Nations. And what said the voice of the Eternal Power through them? It spoke to this effect unto the inhabitants of the Earth. Awake, Awake from the sleep of Death, that the Lord may give unto you Life. He that was, and is, and is to come, is arisen in a remnant; and Christ, the Son of the Eternal God (who was with the Father before the Foundation of the World was laid) is become the Horn of their Salvation, and hath brought Immortality to Light in them, and revealed that Teacher, that can never be moved into a corner: and therefore these cannot depend any longer on the teachings of man, nor yet on outward Canonical Articles, Creeds, Directories, or Church=Faiths prescribed by man: but on the teachings of Christ alone, by his Light and Spiritual appearance in themselves, to lead and guide unto the Father of life. The sound of this Alarm (as many can yet witness) became a joyful sound to that soul, which was hungring after the Lord; though piercing as a Dart through the liver to the man of sin, so that astonishment and amazement seemed to take hold on many, whereby they became a By-ward, a Mock, and a Taunt unto such, whose dependencies were on their outward Teachers, &c. as aforesaid. I say again, Oh Friends, let the Remembrance of this Day come before you, and consider further, {Preface XXXVIII} what was the voice of the Eternal Power unto such, who were struck with amazement, after they believed the appearance of that power, whereby they were so struck, to be the appearance of the Power of God; I well remember the voice was on this wise, To your own, To your Own, To your Own. Meaning thereby that they should turn in their minds to the Light of Christ in their consciences, which was declared to be that teacher, which could never be removed into a corner, that so they might witness the fulfilling of that loud voice, uttered by the Angel flying through the midst of Heaven, Having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth, &c. Fear God and give glory to him, for the Hour of his judgement is come, and worship him that made Heaven and Earth, &c. For no doubt but the Spirit of the Lord, revealed unto those first labourers in the Gospel, that there was a proneness in the Sons and Daughters of Men, to admire, to depend upon, and sometimes (through a affectionate part or blind Zeal) to worship such are were instruments, to give forth outward Directories, or Church=Faiths. For we find that the Apostle tells us of worshipping Angels (which are Messengers whom God hath sent) by him that intrudes into things which he hath not seen; therefore I am perswaded that the voice of Truth through them was not only thus, viz. To your own (which being observed, leads into an independency upon others) but also frequently on this wise,* We preach nor our selves, look not unto us.

{Preface XL} I well Remember, and many with me, that whil’st friends kept to their Own, and concerned not themselves to promote a zealous observation of other men's Lines made ready to their hands, we then heard not of so much contention, strife and debate, both publick and private, as of late years hath been: but since the promotion thereof, Confusion, Disorder, Emulation, Malice and Envy hath been its Offspring which hath been manifested by publick unjust revilings against some, when zealously contending for the Faith of God’s Elect; and though these are of that number that order obedience to the measures of others; yet other some there are, who have Endeavoured to bring Friends into conformity to the pretended Dictates of the Spirit through others; or at best through that one man man G.F. before spoken of: and that under the penalty of being accounted guilty of Corah’s sin, for scrupling to conform; and thus the variance is like to continue, unless the God of Heaven for his Names sake, by the Arm of his own Power, shall put a stop thereto.

From the preface of William Roger's The Christian Quaker, [View Source Document]1680