The voice of God in others not to be neglected.

Source: Some Misrepresentations of me Concerning Church Government.

View in Source Document "Yet in none of these dispensations was any testimony from God to be despised; but his voice to be heard in the prophets, in Christ, and in the apostles. And though men are blessedly and gloriously turned, and to be turned to the light within, in these our days; yet they are not thereby taught to neglect or despise the voice of God, in any whom he sends and speaks by, and pretend it is contrary to their light; but to lie low before the Lord, that in the true humility and holy fear, they may know the voice of the Shepherd, both in their own hearts, and in whomsoever he pleaseth to speak. For the great Almighty God is not limited, but he may speak in and through whom he pleaseth. He may speak to me from the anointing in my own heart, and the holy anointing may please to speak to me through others; and so far as I am of God, and sensible of his appearance, I cannot despise the voice of the anointing in my own heart, or through others. Yea, truth teacheth that modesty, temperance, humility, tenderness, and sobriety, that I dare not despise the voice that pretends to the anointg in any, until I have made trial of it. Yea, John Pennyman’s voice and testimony I durst not condemn, until the Lord my God, in the unerring light and pure springing life, manifested unto me that it was not of him, but of the transforming enemy, who had bewitched and deceived him by his strong delusions (he forsaking the rock, which would have been his strength), to receive and believe a lie instead of the truth."

"Oh, blessed be the Lord for the building up such a church, and speaking to us through his church! And happy are they that hear her voice, and so keep to their own, as to know the voice of their own in the church, and are not through temptation prejudiced against it. For it is the Lord’s gathering, and the Lord is with it; and the people who have been gathered by the Lord, and are daily taught by him, keep with him. And though some may depart from us, and, through error of judgment, testify against us, yet truth abides, and the Lord’s people abide with the truth, and his building goeth on, and the holy government of his Son increaseth in it, and the Lord appears more and more inwardly in his glory, as the hearts of his people are made capable to receive it from him. And in all the goings out of any, and apostasies that have been in any, through hearkening to a wrong spirit, they that have heard and reverenced the voice and testimony of the church, and God’s chosen and blessed ministry, which he hath raised among us, have still been preserved; and they that have gone therefrom been betrayed. And it is my faith, this church of God’s gathering shall still be preserved, and grow in the holy dominion and authority of God’s blessed Spirit; and that all her enemies shall be found liars unto her, and she shall tread upon their high places, and shall grow and prosper the more by all opposition; the everlasting arm and wisdom of the Almighty being with her, to preserve, prosper, and bless her, so be it. Amen."