labours stripes prisons in weariness painfulness watchings often in hunger thirst cold and nakedness and yet hath not that which is above all these the heavenly and glorious righteousness in Christ by faith let such know their glorying is but in the flesh and shall not profit before the Lord. Concerning ministrations and following God out of one into another it may be said that the Law Prophets and John were ministrations typing and testifying of things in the heavens to come and so were done away Christ was the substance of heavenly things themselves and so his ministration remains to this day as that of the letter was perfected and given at once by one man at mount Sinai yet to be continued till he came who was the end thereof so this ministration of righteousness and spirit was perfected and given at once by one man Christ on the Cross yet to stand in force by divers measures and manifestations of spirit and truth to be revealed and brought to light till he comes again and takes his people unto himself now of the diverse manifestations of spirit some are true some deceiveable for discerning of which we have a good rule 1 Cor. 12.4.5 now there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit and differences of administration but the same Lord administrations of light truth though diverse as to the measure and manner of the gifts yet if agreeing in one Christ are all good and useful in their seasons to follow God into the purest and best is a glory upon them that do it to be left behind may be weakness in them that are Christ's but is wickedness in the world On the other hand those pretended Ministries or Angels of light whatsoever that do teach another Jesus another spirit another faith that is redemption by obedience to the light in every man such are not of God and to call that a ministration of spirit and life is no more true then to call the Law so the light in every man and the Law in the letter being the same if any shall leave Christ crucified as but a figure of redemption and shall follow the light in the conscience as the substance thereof let him know out of Christ crucified is no more sacrifice for sin nor will God be found but as consuming fire If any shall think that redemption without by the blood of Christ is done away when that by the light within is perfected to such I say till mortality be swallowed up of life and the body now dead because of sin be thereby freed from all corruption until then I judge both Christ crucified for us and the faith therein will be of necessary and blessed use To what he saith of persecution this may be said they that followed after the spirit and teachings thereof were indeed alwaies persecuted by the children of the flesh and letter but they that sought righteousness by the Law and the principles thereof in the conscience were those children of the flesh by whom the blood of them that were after the spirit hath been shed in every Age was not the blood of Saints formerly in England France and Germany shed for bearing testimony to the righteousness of faith alone without works Concerning the Baptism of Christ from that the world so calls His profession herein is that the Baptism of Christ is I understand the light within all men by which a man being baptised into his death buried with him unto the world its waies and worships loves and friendships so he is baptised with the Batism of Christ That Baptisms of water as now are carnal in the world about which all are divided and contending that are in them being gone out into the world The Baptism of Christ is that in Christ wherewith he was baptised in his own person not for himself but for us and we in him as in our head that is when together with his own body through death he put off our old man and all the sins of our flesh at once in himself by whose baptism our sins death our flesh and all this world were really yet in a mystery dead and buried with him and as by an overflowing River washed clean away by himself before either the faith or power thereof was known or wrought in us this baptism is a mystery unknown to all Law-workers whatsoever whither the more mystical or literal sort of them who know no higher baptism then by deeds of holiness in obedience to a light within or letter without also to the masters of reason who know no other baptism then by refined principles and exercises of morality this is the baptism of justification and sanctification in the head wherewith we were washed sanctified and justified in him even before we were the same being revealed in us by faith sprinkles from our hearts an evil conscience and then the spirit of him dwelling in our mortall flesh washeth our bodies with pure water thus the baptism of Christ is one first in him perfected for us afterwards in measures revealed in us Whereas he concludes only baptisms of water to be carnal washings I say both baptisms of water in what form soever without the spirit are carnal and also all baptisms by what name soever particularly that of retirement out of all things into the light in every man where that Baptism in the head by the offering up of his body once for all is denied will be found to be but carnal that is serving to the washing off the filth of the flesh only take away that baptism in the head wherein the first Adam with his disobedience and death was crucified and purged away and all other baptisms whither by reformations within or fair shews without whither by the Law letter water or whatsoever will be found equally carnal equally insufficient to present the sinner holy and without spot to God His judgement against all indifferent baptisms that they are gone out into the world savours of a spirit as divided and carnal as they can be whom he judgeth so are they carnal that judge and contend for one form against another and are not they as carnal that judge and contend against all forms because not in their form of doctrine and posture and way when Christ shall sit as Judge as there shall be no advantage to them that are in one form more then another so neither to them that are gone out of all professed forms but to be found in him who is the head is more then all Concerning the Lords Supper These things are said the true end of the Supper is moderation to keep men from excess and lust in eating aad drinking that to do it in remembrance of his death till he comes is to eat in fear without lust till he comes to govern in the the creature himself to keep out of lust in all and this is the restoring and reconciling to God the creation by Christ That Christ's Disciples were not changed nor he born
for all to be known and beleived as done onely within thus nothing is less learned and understood by the most of Religions and Opinions that are than faith in Christ and the life of faith sense or reason or fancy or mystical legalitie all which in the account of the Spirit are but sight and appearance having left no more room for true Gospel faith than onely in that Church of the faithful that holds the Head even him that is far above all things and they in him by faith And hence it is that where sight or sense as to spiritual things is by any spirit or doctrine made a principle and rule of judgement these and such like conclusions follow do this and live if thou sinnest after faith thou art under the law so much obedience so far justified while flesh lusteth within thee no freedom from sin to be perfectly justified by Christ and reconciled to God is not till fully mortified and obedient to Christ within thee all which are sentences of the Law not of Grace denying Christ overwhelming the afflicted in sorrow without hope and turning the feet of the lame out of the way of such doctrines beware On the other hand where faith or things not seen or things in Christ are made the rule or principle of Judgement these sayings are blessed and true I am black but comely as dying and behold we live when I am weak then am I strong Enoch Noah and Abraham dyed in the faith yet received not the promises onely saw them afar off all things are put in subjection under Christ though we see not all things yet put under him The sum of all is measure not things by sight but faith the door of faith is open when that of sense may be shut rejoyce alwayes in the Lord though thou mayest not alwayes see him sight as alone is the foundation of idolatry if thou beest led by that thou fallest back into the Law though in a mystery of deceit if thou walkest by faith thou shalt be led on to sight not that of reason or dry speculation but of spiritual sweet and gracious mainfestation of Christ as in person a Saviour for thee and as in Spirit revealing himself in thee and hereby their second principle above named of justification and redemption to be the light within as obeyed within may appear to be a mystery of iniquity to my understanding affirming in effect that Christ is divided Paul and every Christian crucified and made an offering for himself and thereby justified reconciled and accepted and if it be so let this people consider and fear but if not so let plainness of speech be used and not a vail Concerning the Spirit and Scriptures as together making up a perfect witness or rule of faith COncerning the Scriptures passing by all other distinctions they are first the Law of Commandments ordained by Angels a ministration of the letter answering to that of God in every man the law in the conscience this within and that without being one in substance a light and a law of things to be done for righteousness and life thus all Nations have received a law having a law in themselves though suppressed and vailed thus all have a law though dimmed and darkened pointing to the righteousness of the law or first Adam but not attaining thereunto and herein all Nations are one whether Jews Turks or Pagans their Light one Law one Religion one all following one righteousness that is of the Law onely in difference of notion and form and manner of worship all equally concluded under the law of sin and all equally ignorant of the second Adam and righteousness by him thus if Scriptures were not by that Candle in man God might be known and the law and righteousness yet but as in a ministration of death the righteousness of God and the law of the Spirit and God manifest in flesh being a mystery hid from the natural man declared onely by the Gospel and discerned by the Spirit 2. The word of the Gospel or Reconciliation being the joyful tidings of an heavenly Person and an heavenly gift both equally wonderful God manifest in flesh and our righteousness in him in whom old things or things belonging to the first Adam whether the Law of God or deeds of the flesh are passed away having in him received their period or perfection and all things though not yet to us fully seen in him become new Thus the Gospel being a mystery of things hid in Christ is neither written not to be seen in the heart of man and being a mystery of things of the new Creature and of another world cannot be known by the wisdom of this world that is by the wisdom spirit and light of the natural Man as he that gave a law to all the world has set in every man a light to know that law so the ministration of Grace being a far other thing and exceeding it in glory cannot be known but by a far other Light than that in every man and exceeding it in glory that is the Spirit of grace Wherefore the bringing the Gospel to Light is after this manner it first lay hid in God unknown to Angels or men as the deeps that are beneath afterward was declared and administred by the Word made flesh in the Person of Christ as the spring head bring forth the deeps beneath thereby him revealed through the sending of the Spirit to them that were with him and to this day by the same spirit to them that beleive through their word and hence these things follow That the knowledge of God according to the law all Nations may have by his enlightening within them the mystery of God in Christ not so the first being engraven in the spirit of man this having not so much as entered into the heart of man and being onely revealed by another Light far exceeding in glory even that Spirit which the world never saw nor can receive That the Scriptures as joyned in one are the onely sufficient warranted and standing evidence of Christ to men the Scriptures as the Image of him without and the Spirit as the light shining upon them bring forth the true and living image of him into the heart if Grace have appeared to any where Scriptures are not the Spirit is free to blow where he lists but this spirit or grace the light in the natural man knows nothing of That the Spirit and Scriptures together as they are a full witness to Christ and Truth so they are as the standing Oracle or constant Vision unto which all ought to come for the knowledge of Truth the perfect Judge for ending all difference about spiritual matters and the perfect Rule for tryal of all spirits and wayes of Religion the Scriptures as the lanthorn and the Spirit as the candle therein they as the Commandment of Christ to his Church and the Spirit as the Judge giving the true understanding thereof and bringing forth the
defaced or any other wayes painted out unto thee when the hour of temptation or trouble cometh thou shalt soon be overthrown By the Spirit of this world Christ is set forth under another resemblance by some more according to the Godhead as the Word the Light the Truth the Spirit by others according to the humanity as a man holy spotless separate from sinners and by both as a living example unto the world of perfect obedience to the law of the Spirit and the life of God this sets forth Christ indeed as a divine Person and so has a Truth but presents him onely as giving a Law and working it in us and so denies and blots out the Glory of his Grace as being the end of the Law this is the divinity of Sophisters and Justitiaries and all that they know or can teach of Christ let such Teachers know who cry up the Spirit to cry down the bloud who teach him as an Example and cast out the Attonement let all such know while they vaunt of sublime divinity and mysterious truth they do but set Christ in Moses chair as Law-giver and Judge but the great love in him as propitiation for sins they know nothing of the highest Religion of natural Reason is to pierce far into notions of God and to set him before it as a pattern to obey but faith onely sees the deep secret of Grace laid up in a crucified Christ he that would behold the glory of God and would be set up in those heavenly places let him lay down his Reason how heightened soever and begin in the simplicity of faith at the crucified body of Christ in whom he shall see himself dead and buried and raised up also together with him not by any work or obedience to Christ within but by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Christ from the dead Hence these things follow 1. That the Light within or of the natural man with the work of Reason together is that spirit of this world which hath formed this false resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker and Pattern as upon the Cross an Attonement to Justice the victory of sin curse and the grave and the Head over all which is the true likeness or image of him terrible to others but the joy of his own so he is not known to the Light within If a man should be born into the world and in the space of one hour should grow up to the perfection of a man to the fulness of Light and Reason propound unto him these doctrines whether he will chuse that Christ has already by himself purged away his sins and sanctified him for ever before any good work wrought in him or that not Christ without but the Light within him is the Christ which through obedience thereto purges away sin in him and redeems him that way the first would seem foolishness and a contradiction to his Light the last would be received as the more reasonable and excellent way 2. That this false conception or resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker is an Idol and the root of idolatrous Religions doctrines of Circumcision added to Christ by the false Apostles of charity humility and bodily chastisements by the Church of Rome preparatives before faith by the Teachers of the Law and obedience to the Light within as the way of Redemption by the people called Quakers all these though divers as to Parties and Notions yet are one in the root and foundation of their faith all looking upon Christ according to the Law as perfecting out in part or in whole Redemption by work within them Conceptions of Christ how divine soever if not as crucified for our offences and raised up again for our justification are but Idols set up of a more spiritual nature as the Gods of Gold and Silver Lastly That they who affirm the Light in every man that condemns of sin to be Christ the Redeemer have set up an Idol for Christ they are gone back from that Christ that came not to judge but to save the world that speaks not condemnation but meer joy and sweetness to the weary and weak and have set up another Jesus and another Gospel neither of which nor the worshippers thereof shall be able to stand when the true Jesus shall appear this is the other errour as to the Light within Two things charged upon us by this people first that we deny the Light within and set it against Christ weighed and removed THis blessed doctrine of Grace Christ bearing away sins as in his crucified body and justifying the ungodly as in himself is by the words and writings of this people often and principally charged of two things 1. As denying the Light within and setting it against Christ 2. As teaching Christ at a distance and onely without A word to both may not be unseasonable While the Light within condemns of sin to beleive by Christ I am justified from sin is not this to make the light within against Christ no no more than the Law is against the Promise the Light in the Conscience and the Law of Commandements for substance are one their power one their kingdom one that is the flesh or first Adam Jesus Christ came forth one greater than the Law greater than our Conscience against him arose the Law of commandments the Law in the conscience sin in the flesh death and the curse all great and mighty Lords who had devoured the earth sparing no flesh neither Kings Princes nor People whom he having vanquished and triumphed openly over them he took the Law out of the tables the work of the Law out of the heart and sin out of the flesh as the Conquerour takes the conquered Kings out of the Throne of their Kingdoms and nailed them to his Cross according to the flesh he was as it were given for a prey to the fowls of Heaven and the beasts on Earth principalities on high and the miseries of the flesh according to the Spirit of glory and power he redeemed the prey brought back the spoil raised up his flesh and therein his body mystical and gathered together all things that were against him that are against us buried them in his grave and therein shut them up for ever Hence then a beleiver is divided into twain and accordingly lives in two Kingdoms according to his faith he is a man in Christ raised in him and set up in him above the law of his flesh of conscience or sin above the whole world with all things therein into the glorious liberty and blessedness of Jesus Christ as thus he is to be known no more after the flesh but as having put it off in union with Christ according to reason and sense he is a man in the flesh subject to the Law to infirmity and death the life of his spiritual man being many times hid from the sense of his natural as the Life of Christ in the Godhead
was sometimes hid from his flesh According to this twofold state a beleiver is under he does at the same time give a twofold account of himself both just and true in my body indeed I have a law of sin but as I am in the Lord I have put it off as I walk by sight I am in the earth in labours in groanings warfare and imperfection but as I walk by faith I am in heaven received into glory walking on my high-places in Rest in victory and perfection where I shut my eyes from looking upon my self and forget all my fears infirmities and bondage leaving them all behind me as under my feet and so is that word fulfilled in him as sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as having nothing and yet possessiing all things This is some of the mystery and knowledge of Christ crucified not like unto that of the Schools and Law-makers whose highest knowledge therein comes to no more but this that the Humanity on the Cross resigned up it self in profound humility and meekness to the will of the Divinity as the Popish Doctors or that he yeilded perfect obedience to the Light within him for a living example to the world as this people called Quakers I say this knowledge and such preachings of the Cross of Christ are poor barren and empty reaching onely to the morality thereof the praises of a just man dying without cause and of his spirit and temper but not discerning the mystery therein that is an end put to the Law to sin and the flesh to and upon all them that are given to him thus their first charge is weighed and resolved in this that to a man in Christ the Light within accusing of sin pertains onely to the flesh and should abide in the flesh that Christ alone as justifying from sins as joy and sweetness should abide in the conscience as the chamber of the Bridegroom and Bride into which no Law nor Light nor any thing that accuseth may in any wise enter Christ raigning therein over every Law thus according to the flesh and light within there is conscience for sin in the justified man according to faith and union with Christ there is no more conscience of sins Hebr. 10.2 Second thing charged That we beleive in a Christ without and at a distance weighed and resolved THe other charge follows that to beleive Christ has redeemed us as in his own body without is to beleive in a Christ without and at a distance this charge examined will appear to be vain the faith of the Gospel saith that Christ descended into our nature and therein came down to us in our bloud our prisons under judgement and thence raised us up together with himself into the heavenly places he descended first into the lower parts of the earth into the lowest estate of lost and undone sinners and thence ascended up far above all Heavens and raised us up together in himself this sets forth Christ as near and not at a distance as one within us wrapped in our sin as our sin and us as one with him in Righteousness and his very righteousness oh the blessed nearness between him and the beleiver That Christ comes down in Spirit into our Persons not to redeem but to manifest the Redemption not as a light accusing of sin but as revealing righteousness and liberty from sin in himself and gathering us out of the life of reason and sense the law and things without into the glorious rest and victory in himself he there lets us know that we are in him his Sister and Spouse that he is in us our Head and fulness and that all things are ours that we are Christs and that Christ is Gods Thus Christ is beheld both as without having wrought all things for us in the Person of the Mediatour and also as within us working all our works in us as a quickening Spirit On the other hand the faith of the Quakers so called sayes thus that Christ indeed took on him our nature but not our judgement and sin that he dyed at Jerusalem but by way of example not as a sacrifice putting away sin that he did not the work by himself at that once but onely shewed us the way how he redeems within us in every generation That Christ is come in our flesh but as a light accusing and judging renewing a law and requiring obedience thereto through the fire and the sword by them called the bloud of the cross and so through perfect obedience justifying and redeeming O what darkness and confusion has covered this people thus to make faith void and the bloud of Christ of none effect and now let the spiritual-wise judge unto whom Christ is known as nigh or as afar off to them or to us to us who behold him as having already scattered the clouds of the law and darkness dryed up the flouds of sin and death opened a way into the Holiest and received us into his glory and besides all this shewing himself in the nearest conjunctions and freindliest appearances of a Brother a Father and Husband after an unspeakable manner filling us with his fulness or to them who draw the vail over this most comfortable face and aspect of things set up the law sin and death again to be suffered satisfied and done away within us and Christ standing upon terms with us of obedience and death without which no remission of sins no redemption nor benefit to be expected from him I say let the wise judge who of these have Christ most nigh most as unvailed in the most inward and freindly way let the charge then of Christ without return from whence it came I shall onely mind ye of the Parable of the wounded man lying between Jericho and Jerusalem there came first a Priest and a Levite looked on him and passed by after came a Samaritane had compassion and bound up his wounds putting in oyle and wine set him on his own beast and brought him to an Inn and took care of him there according to the severe and unmerciful doctrine of this people Jesus Christ came down into our nature beheld it wounded and lying in bloud able enough to have said to us while in our bloud live and to have made us so but onely leaving us an example of perfection and sufferings wherein if we followed him we should live and so departed leaving us as he found us till the Light within come and cured us so they reckon of the Man Christ to be such a one as was the Preist or Levite but blessed be that Gospel that saies he passed by beheld us in bloud and it was a time of love with the bloud of his Humanity and the love and glory of his Godhead he bathed our wounds suppled and healed them and after set us upon his own beast carried us to the Inn bare us in his body and carried us into his Mansion in the Fathers house according as it is said He hath
born our griefs carried our sorrows for he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisements of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed This sets forth Christ to be the kind Samaritane the neighbour nighest unto us the other makes him unmerciful going afar off not tarrying with us What is the inward Life and who is the retired Christian THis gives occasion among other matters to cast in a word conconcerning the inward life or retired Christian as all other spiritual things so this has its truth and its counterfeit by mistake whereof of one for the other the faith may be perverted and our minds soon shaken Separation from the world the company of men and affairs of this life in stilness and silence searching into the knowledge of mysteries the divine being and things of the inward world was the Religion of some Jesuites School-men and others that superstition in the Conscience and fancy in the Head was all in this may appear by their writings which are filled either with perplexities of wit natural speculations of God or rules of Legality leading men unto God by a perfection of obedience Christ crucified as the way into the Holiest being not known unto them these had but a shew of the inward life for they entered not by faith within the vail Retirement from the Scriptures and administrations without from Religions and Assemblies from all order and form professed and practised by whomsoever unto the Light within and to it alone to attend as to the onely Scripture the voyce of God and light of men without respect to person or work Redeemer or Redemption without this is the Religion of the people called Quakers they who by the Light within peirced into invisible things the eternal Power and Godhead had but the wisdom of this world Rom. 1.20 1 Corinth 1.20 and were of the world under sin as all other again they who excelled in shews of humility wisdom and all outward holiness as to the exercise of the body and neglecting the same yet their Religion was no more than the Rudiments of this world and perishing Ordinances Col 2. I must say the same of this people and their Religion to be both of this world until they give faith or acknowledgement to the flesh or dead body of Christ to be the onely way into the inward life or within the vail which whilst they deny instead of bringing into Heaven into the peace of God and rest from their labours they shut up the Kingdom and keep men on earth to perform sacrifices and obedience in flesh for their attonement these have a pretence to the inward life but are not entered through the vail of his flesh by faith into the Holiest He that by faith goes out of all things in himself whether perfections of Reason or the Light in the Conscience into Jesus Christ crucified and in him beleives all things of Law or Nature with the works of both to be passed away and himself crucified and washed and perfected for ever and not considering his body now dead nor yet the deadness of all things as to any good in his flesh but shutting his eye and ear from all things of sense and reason in the world or his flesh cleaves onely by faith to the dead body of Christ and therewith mounts up into the spirit of his mind into Christ Jesus alone as his own victory righteousness and life this man is he that enters into Rest into the inward life he is truly separate from all the Religions of the world and yet exercises a Religion in the world he is free from all men and yet a servant unto all his life is in the Head while decayes and deaths in his flesh and of him is that true he is as unknown and yet well known This is the retired Christian that most truly lives and rejoyces in things not seen to sense nor reason nor the light in the natural man he has the clearest surest and sweetest beams of Christ leading him not into Pharisaical austerity nor wanton libertinisme but into a spirit of holiness quietness and stilness in the Lord yet so as that according to grace received he desires to become all things to all men Theâ—e is a generation who have the form of faith and knowledge of the words and profession of Christ but have not the faith whereby they are dead in Christ and he lives in them it sufficeth them to know Christ dyed for sins which faith is common to all men but the mystery of faith they have not that is union with him in it or that they are buried with him into death in the flesh and raised up with him into life in the spirit they behold Christ as without to be the end of the law of sin and death the fulness and fulfilling of all things in himself wherein they do well and tast some joy therein but they receive him not by faith into themselves my root and foundation is this what Christ is and has done without me in himself but the way to partake of the benefit of it is my union with him these do confess to the truth of the first but are not joyned to it by union with it and so fail in the last Christ indeed is by these honoured onely as without while in his Spirit and Grace he is by lust crucified within from such do ye turn away Another generation there is not beleiving the end of sin in the death of Christ nor themselves perfected onely in the Head look for a Redemption not that already in being in Jesus Christ but to be wrought out by him in their own persons that is after the example of Christ turning away from all things inwardly and outwardly every thought desire pleasure or affection and every creature till they come to the Light and Being of God and become so passive and in all things subject thereto that God may do all things in them A cheif Master of this way speaks plainly thus Though God should assume all men that are unto himself and should become Man in them and they in him should become God and the same should not be done in me my fall should never be recovered nor yet my sin done away except the same were also done in me These are the words of a Germain Priest written as is said above two hundred and fifty years ago this doctrine as it carries upon it the notion of God or the divine Nature doing all in us has a shew of glory but as it denies that God has done all things for us in Christ so it has no glory but rather spreads again the vail which Christ rent in his bloud that the riches and glory of grace may not appear if any of the fiery darts of hell have ever been shot against the saith whereby I stand and if by any of them I have ever been near to staggering this doctrine was one if Scriptures
the Law or first Testament he was to stand or fall to live or dye upon account of works according to the nature and terms of that Testament he was under as it is written he that doth these things shall live by them and therefore the reward unto Christ that worked was not reckoned of grace but of debt and so he was made under the Law fulfilled the Law and was justified according to the Law That God requires the same obedience of us as of him and that through offering up our selves in the same obedience he did we become justified in measure and degree according to the measure of obedience being perfectly justified when come up to the same measure of obedience that Christ did not before this they affirm The conclusion is this that even as Christ by doing the works of the Law was justified according to the Law after the same manner by the same works done by us in the same spirit unto the same measure we become justified and accepted with God that is by the works of the Law the righteousness of the Law saith thus he that doth the will of God commanded in the Law is sanctified thereby and shall live therein the righteousness of faith sayes he that works not but beleives the will of God is already done by the offering of the body of Christ by this will is he sanctified and perfected for ever of these they take away the second and establish the first that is the righteousness of the Law God having wrought all things for us in the Person of Christ this is our righteousness and that Truth which is first God working all things in us by Christ is the fruit or manifestation of our righteousness and that truth which comes after these when together are both Gospel-truths yet in their own order when the first is alone without the other it is turned into a principle of carnal Libertinisme where this last is alone without the first it is made a principle of mystical Legality both these Truths have their glory but in a different respect the first as in Christ the Head onely visible to faith therefore to the Children of Reason the law and the letter not known nor discerned nor by them desired nor praised the other has its glory in the members upon the flesh as therein seen and felt therefore more eyes are upon it more admirers of it and a greater name and shew thereof in the world than of the other The Mystery of God manifest in flesh was a ministration of infinite necessity as to us that thereby all sin might first be taken away and the reconciliation made this being done in him for all made way most blessedly for the other mystery of God Christ in us to be brought forth I cannot I did not know Christ Jesus a fountain of living waters in me until I first knew and beleived that I was washed sanctified and justified in him before any good done in me or by me we love not him by bringing forth the fruits of love to him in our members till we knew that he loved us first by the fruits of love manifested for us in our Head God as having perfected me for ever in the body of Christ through the Spirit appears to me with open face as love as light a father and freind as nigh me I in him and he in me God as having not saved me in himself already so he appears with a vail upon his face the sight of him terrible and to come near him is consuming fire can two walk together except they be agreed It is a faithful saying and a sure rule of judgement and will stand for ever that as the greatest zeal for the sacrifice in the body of Christ excluding his spiritual appearance in us is a professing him as afarre off but not a joyning or bringing us together into one so the most spiritual pretences to Christ in us excluding the sacrifice for us in the body of his flesh is to bring God and us together before we be agreed that is before the propitiation for sins or attonement be performed or done woe unto them that profess they are brought nigh unto God in the death of the Mediatour but come not unto God by him in the spirit of him these have onely the form but not the power of faith woe unto them that would enter in or come nigh unto God excluding the death of the Mediator the Man Christ Jesus as the onely way unto him such have lost both the form and power of faith Darkness and delusion works upon men by these two mistakes some preach Christ as the Head but bring not men into union with him others preach Christ as doing all things in union with us but hold not the Head as having done all for us in himself these condemn each other both are condemned by the children of faith who rejoyce in Christ Jesus as having overcome all things for us as the Head over all things to us and who wait till the same victory be declared in us by his appearance in us Christ's first and last Comings what and a Question answered FOr further satisfaction another great Question concerning this people may be taken into serious and humble consideration whether may not they be that Angel of God that should fly through the midst of Heaven preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom unto all Nations a little before the end should come Two things searched out may give light and resolution herein the Comings of Christ first and second and the last coming of Anti-christ the Comings of Christ and his work in both are expressed Hebr. 9.26 28. once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him the second time shall he appear without sin unto salvation the flesh sin and death with all the evils of mankind were laid upon Christ together who being the righteousness wisdom and power of God could not be held of them but as Sampson the new ropes so he rent them from off him on the Cross and together with his body buried them in his grave wherein a mystery unknown to sense and reason but known to faith they lie to this day hid and covered taken out of the sight of God and the conscience of the beleiver as perfectly as if they had never been so that as the floud of Noah overwhelmed the old world that it was not or as the Sun shining at noon-day vanquisheth the least shadow of darkness that it is no more so he that was the brightness of the Fathers glory and the deep fountain of David abolished and purged away sin by himself that it is no more if sense or reason or the natural conscience may be judge in things of God these things are not so but let all such know that this Gospel of Christ is a mystery
their power oppose and persecute this is a Ministry of darkness There is a Ministry also that teacheth Christ onely as an Allegory or figure of things to be done in us the cross and bloud without onely typing and signifying the cross and bloud and spirit within us Moses John and Christ with their several Ministries being onely as transient forms figures and examples of another and more spiritual Ministry within that onely makes perfect this doctrine indeed has a glory with the natural man or him that is led by the principles of Law or heightened Reason but has no glory with afflicted ones who are under workings of wrath and spoiled of all let the Masters of such doctrines with all their disciples know the Law was an Allegory or shadow of good things in Christ had nothing in it self but signified all in another and referred us over to him this was but the weakness and emptiness of the Law it was but an Allegory So they that preach the Person of Christ and Redemption in him to be onely an Allegory of things in us such set not forth Christ in glory but weakness this is the emptiness of Christ that he was but a figure having done nothing for us in himself but onely pointing us to another the Spirit to work Redemption in us this is a Ministry of darkness but under a form of Light Which sets forth Christ in most light let it be judged he that sayes Christ has already by himself done away the ministration of condemnation and death which was as a cloud of darkness spread over us as a thick vail before us that we could not come unto God and in the place thereof hath brought forth a ministration of righteousness and life whereby a way is opened into the holiest into the light and glory of God that saith Sing oh heavens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into singing ye mountains oh forrest and every tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in Israel all things that were against us are overcome on his cross and descended into his deep grave for ever nothing remains but that you receive this Saviour as having done all things for you as working all things in you or he that saith Christ came once into the world a Teacher of Perfection and a living Example therein but is now come in us setting up a Law of condemnation and death wherein if we abide and bear the indignation of God and punishment of sins in his Spirit and after his example through these sufferings as by the bloud of the Cross shall the Attonement and redemption be made and perfected if we be perfect in obedience and that we are not to beleive any such thing that the bloud of Christ without takes away sins sin is not taken away nor redemption made till the same obedience and sufferings be fulfilled in us as in him this doctrine because pointing to the bloud the Cross the Redeemer within may by shaken and darkened hearts be called a doctrine of light but indeed it bringeth back the shadows and terrors of the Law again remembrance of sin suffering sacrifice wrath and so far from being a Light that it shuts up the light grace and glory of God that he cannot be seen any other wayes than through a vail far thicker than that of Moses Christ as appearing above all mountains as Head over all Principalities and Powers to his Church so he is a Light as by the brightness of his glory he has vanquished that darkness and death brought in by sin so he is a light as he has in himself the second Adam destroyed all that which came in by the first Adam so he is a light he that brings not this doctrine makes Christ no more a Light but either a figure and example without or at the best a Law-giver a Moses and an Exact or within Their Purity and Power examined what it is THere is a Purity that is so with men but not before God Reason saith Man's nature is defiled by sin and must be washed by our obedience disobedience to God was the defilement and by obedience and mortification we return to Purity but faith sayes Purity before God is the conscience purged by the dead body of Christ and the heart purified by the Spirit of faith beleiving the same who are most for spiritual Purity they that beleive sin already done away in him that came by bloud water and spirit and by union with him are therein washed and made clean every whit or they who contend sin not yet done away take away our righteousness in the Head so pure and perfect and affirm our righteousness to be but in part till perfection in obedience if bodily exercise or purifying the flesh may be called purity divers Monks and Jesuites especially of old may claim a name herein who yet knew little of Purity by the righteousness of God when almes bodily chastisements retirement into holy houses and going on pilgrimage was beleived as the way to be perfect no wonder if this Religion abounded so where this Principle is received in power that obedience to the light within and all the several acts of that obedience till come unto perfection are the onely Redemption and way to be perfect to see zeal and exactness labours and sufferings denying the pleasures fashions and customs of the world in such t is not to be wondered at to purifie the earthly members by the spirit is good while the inward Man abides as in a more excellent way purified in the Head but to purifie the members as reckoning it our redemption our righteousness all such Purity is sin blindness and Idolatry Lastly as to their Power the Law is mighty to kill because of sin weak to save because of the flesh he that takes out of our sight our righteousness as in heaven in the Lord already prepared brings us back into weakness and bondage again and leaves us without light or strength to withstand in the hour of temptation that may come either by spirits from without or our flesh from within that doctrine that declares our liberty victory triumph to be already in being in Christ the Head that shews us a life given unto us above all spiritual actings exercises and comforts felt in our selves a life liberty and perfection hid in Christ this doctrine brings power and a spirit of power Compleatness in the Head without Law or work being beleived and learned gives a spirit of judgement over all spirits and doctrines interest and kinds of life and a strength of righteousness which preserves from the evils of all whilst this Truth lay hid the Church was in bondage unto the elements of the world will-worship and monkish holiness having over-spread all instability and unfaithfulness to this Truth does at this day deliver up many unto principles and practises not according to Christ thus where righteousness in the Head
he had power to be the Sonne of God and Ruler over all the creatures this was the state of the first man that mans departing out of Gods own wisdom and power or spirit put into him and joyning to another the disobedience entred in Gods own wisdom and spirit remaining yet in him but as a Captive this was his fall that by looking and turning not to any thing without but to that of God lying under and covered within him the same makes attonement in him and reconciles unto God through his yielding up himselfe thereunto which is the blood of the Crosse this is his Redemption The account of truth is that the first man Adam was made a living soul 1 Cor. 15. had a beam of light power glory of God as to that appearance of him to the first creation yet still but a living soul not a quickning spirit as to his outward part earthly not heavenly created of earth and feeding upon things created as to his inward naturall not spirituall that is having in him the perfection and beauty of a created wisdom and power not the eternall wisdom and power a candle of light not the Sunne or fountain of light it self by that in him he saw the Godhead as Light righteousness and power but as giving a law and a sentence of death thus God appeared and appeares to the first creation he saw him not as his light righteousness and power by himself fulfilling the law and abolishing death this appearance as then lay hid in God reserved to be brought forth in the second creation thus was man in his first estate That by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Adam was so one that he was many in one as the root before the branches is one yet many as a root departing from the commandement and therein from God he disobeyed and died yet not as alone but we all in his loynes the root being unholy so were the branches all flesh was defiled in him that was the father of all flesh his sinne and death like a flood having overflown himself and all the earth with a curse This was his fall and all ours in him That by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Christ was One as to person yet many in One in a mysterie so his obedience was not the righteousnesse of one but of all in him not by looking back and returning to the first Adam made a living soule or the glory of the Godhead shining forth upon him but by looking out of every thing in man to the second Adam made a quickning spirit and the grace of God shining forth in him through the blood of his crosse we are redeemed and that not unto the righteousness of the first but of the second Adam thus Christ crucified was that wisdom hid in God before the world unto our glory not known by the naturall or first man neither before nor after his fall if there be that in the naturall man which being turned into and followed can redeem and make atonement for him as this man sayes then the blood of Christ is of no more effect but do this and live Concerning Light and Life He saith that the light shining in every man is Christ the true light and life of men That the going out of this Light is the cause of all false Religions Sects and errors that redemption out of all these out of sinne and death is by the Light within all men as minded and obeyed that a righteousnesse done as far as India and preached as far as Corinth where the same is not done in us is the profession of Pharisees hypocrites Faith saies that God manifest in the flesh and his glory shining forth in the man Jesus vanquishing and doing away the ministration of the law sin and death for us by his own righteousness and life as excelling in glory this is the Christ and light of men the word made flesh as the Mediatour having purged away our sins by himself so he is light unto us the same word as the spirit of revelation in us so he is light within us so he is not light in every man That where faith in the blood of the Mediator is not there is darkness the mother of Errors and all false Religions every of which are more or less bottomed upon the Law in the Conscience that is the light within righteousness by obedience or work being the Root of all they only differ in the Rule some are for Moses others for the Alchoran others for Holy Church these for the Light within That the righteousness done in India and Preached at Corinth is the light that scatters the Redemption that leads out of all erring Religions from sin and death and that the Righteousness as far as India a term of dishonour by them put upon it is to the true spiritual believer not confined in the Land of India but according to the Divine Person in whom it is is extended unto and upon all that believe as a garment spread upon them for the covering of sins a fountain of life within them for the washing away sin Concerning Righteousness The sum of their faith is that the imputed righteousness that justifies is the Light within or that of God in every man which is the free gift that Saints are justified with this righteousness by obedience to it so much we work or obey so much justified and no further That the righteousness that is made a covering for sin is an invention of men and will not stand in the last day Nothing said of Christ manifest in flesh or his crucified body and righteousness that way The Gospel-faith said that the Righteousness that justifies is Christ not as God alone nor as Man alone but as God-man in one who being made sin for us did most graciously and gloriously upon the Cross abolish and overwhelm sin condemnation and the Curse laid upon his flesh by that Omnipotent righteousness life and blessing that was in his God head That not by the works of God in us but by the work of God in Christ with the brightness of his glory purging away our sin in himself are we justified without works only through faith Redemption is a work wholly and entirely in the Person of Christ as Head revealed and given unto us through faith and confessed and manifested by works by once offering of his body he hath perfected for ever all that are his he that truly believes this is perfectly purged and there is no more Conscience of sin though yet the feeling of sin by this faith is the creature made perfect in righteousness at once as in Christ by the Light within he is not made perfect till obedience be perfected judge whither Doctrine leads to perfection That the righteousness of Christ as a covering upon sin presenting the believer in him as righteous to God while ungodly and in sins as to his own sense is a mystery of God that
God That by him all that believe are justified from all things by the Law of the spirit according to the Conscience from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses without or the work of the Law written within according to the flesh by the eternal spirit in the blood of Jesus were sins washed away in the person of Christ before either faith or work by faith the same is brought to light in the Conscience by the works of faith is manifest in the body as I am in the flesh I labour between light and darkness flesh and spirit in fightings in work as I am in Christ I am entered into rest and victory and know no more work but Christ to be all that faith that cannot see justification in Christ till full mortification in the flesh will be found to be that fleshly Reason that cannot enter within the vail that is beyond the Law sense and reason Let these things be weighed that the purging away sin by a measure of God or light within is a baptism devised by reason and may wash away the filth of the flesh before men and hath a glory in appearance but the answer of a good Conscience in the death and resurrection of the man Jesus will be found to be the Baptism that saves before God and brings forth the true glory within That this people seeking after righteousness by perfect obedience to the light within and the Jews seeking it by obedience to the Law of Moses without are both in one spirit and under one law of work and differ no more but in the Copies of the Law those say the Law in the Conscience is holy just and pure and by obedience thereunto the unholiness and sin is taken away these say the Law upon Tables of stone is holy just and spiritual and by obedience to it they think to attain righteousness let both these know that neither the letter of the Law without nor the light of the Law within how holy and pure soever but Christ Jesus crucified as the end of both and faith in him is that which shall preserve men blameless and without spot before him at his coming all other coverings whither by Law letter or light within if without that in him shall be too short in that day Concerning Hope He saith to hope that that of God in every man or a Christ may be revealed to take away sin to give freedome from sin in this life is the pure the reasonable hope that makes not ashamed that to hope salvation while the witnese in the Conscience condemns of sin is the Divels hope and the unreasonable hope that they who have this hope look only for spirit light word and righteousness without and deny the witness within and Christ within the hope of glory To believe Christ hath already once in the end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself whereby we are saved through faith according to the inward man Heb. 9.26 1 John 3.5 and to look and long for him to appear again without sin unto salvation and redemption of the body or outward man this is the lively hope that makes not ashamed that gives perfection and strength in him while yet poor and wanting in our selves That to rest in hope that I am saved already from sin and wrath in Christ the Head through his blood and spirit whiles conscience condemns of sin in my flesh this is the hope against hope the hope of grace and faith against the hope of Law and conscience or sense and feeling this is the hope unreasonable indeed according to the Law and natural light but most true and reasonable according to an higher Law and reason in God that is the Word made flesh and made sin for us this hope in many is no more but an imagination or idle notion living in the pleasures of sin in such it was begotten by the letter or Reason or at the best by a vanishing flash of Light but where it is begotten by the inhabiting and abiding spirit there it is a hope beholding the glory of the Lord and changing the creature into the same image in the Lord the hope that sees the love of the father shed forth upon us in the blood of attonement and all sins and evils finished therein is the hope that gives rest to the afflicted wearied and not comforted and lifts up the head above the floods of all waters that can come against them He that truly looks unto the righteousness and grace in the person of the Mediator doth also wait in hope for the righteousness light and spirit of the Mediator to be revealed within him therfore his words are a slander to know Christ only as without to know him only as within are both a like Error to conclude they that are Christs are saved already but it is by hope not in clear and full enjoyment the hope is laid up in him but not seen to sense and feeling what a man sees or enjoys why doth he yet hope for it Concerning Love His Doctrine is that Gods love to the world in sending his Son is this that God had given a light in every man to condemn sin in the flesh and take it away through walking after the spirit and denying the works of the flesh that God's love in the creature doth likewise condemn all sin in others not flattering or sparing any and then covers them with righteousness Was this Gods great and abounding love in sending his Son is it no more but God giving a light in all men condemning of sin and taking it away in them or was it not rather herein that when the Law was weak the flesh weak while we were yet sinners and in our blood while there was no man no Intercessor that even then God sent his Son a propitiation for sins who came down unto us not in the nature of Angels but in our flesh and therein through death quenched in the still deep waters of his meekness and love the anger enmity sin and death with all things that might separate us from the love of God which of these was the great love let the Scriptures spirit and spiritual man be judge or is this God's love in men to condemn curse and judge others as not justified and saved in Christ whilest they feel sin in the flesh to take away my liberty joy and peace which I have in Christ witnessed by the spirit to faith until the same be witnessed in my flesh to sense is this divine love to trouble them that have believed in Jesus the afflicted and wounded and weary by calling them unto the ministration of Moses the fire and the sword the suffering the indignation for sin and unto perfect obedience all this as the way to redemption and righteousness by Christ is this the love that is of God the grace the meekness of the Gospel or rather is it not the love of the false
Christ in flesh and there in put an end both to the Law and the flesh thus we are delivered from the Law by the body of Christ and are joyned to one husband not to the Law and Christ but to Christ alone according to the inward man we dwell in the curtains of Solomon in the liberty and rest of Christ as in him while according to the flesh we are in the tents of Kedar tempted and dark and weak as in our selves thus in the dead body of Christ I am dead and buried unto the Law sin death and the whole world and raised in Christ and this is my redemption which neither the principles of reason nor morality nor Law nor light of conscience can discern and teach but the alone light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shining into the heart Wherefore there is a redemption that is according to reason and a redemption that is in a mystery to return to that light and purity by obedience from which we are fallen by disobedience this is redemption according to reason the Law the light within and the judgement of this people herein is no mystery for the wise men of the heathen wrote of it and pressed after it all Nations imagine such a redemption but that the fall should be amended and the creature restored not into the state of the first Adam but a greater and better the righteousnesse of God and all this without any vertue or work or service on our parts but by the alone operation of the blessed God-head in the man Jesus this is that mystery hid in God whereof the highest speculations the clearest light of that candle in the naturall man is utterly ignorant and unlearned otherwise it were not a mystery if any light whatsoever set up in man by his first creation could have found it out wherefore to live to the Law that thou mayst live to God is the redemption that reason and this people teach I through the Law am dead to the Law that I may live unto God is the Redemption that brings glory the other will end in death Concerning Justification Sanctification and Mortification He affirms that to walk in the spirit and not fulfil the lusts of the flesh or Christ fulfilling the Law in us or the spirit mortifying and sanctifying and so fulfilling the Law in us this is justification sanctification and mortification and these are one and so a man is justified as he is sanctified and mortified and no further Will you adventure your souls upon such a justification as this therein to appeare before God if it be not too late to tell you know that justification is a free gift already prepared and wrought for sinners in the person of him who is greater then Angels or men who being the fulnesse of all divine vertue and perfection did thereby as by an overflowing flood upon his Cross beare away our sinnes and death all the evils of this world and buried them in his grave for ever Angels though great and mighty in power could not save the Law being greater then they could not give life Christ came forth mightier then all gathered together in himself the enmity death and Law and all things that were against us nailed them to his Cross and took all out of the way gloriously in himself and so was that saying fulfilled his voice then shoak the earth He that believes this truly according to his faith so is it done unto him the Christian as believing is a man in Heaven in Christ sit down in rest liberty and perfection in Christ as working righteousness he is on earth groaning after rest liberty and perfection But can there be Rest and liberty where there is a groaning for it yea oh man as well as Paul could be present in spirit where he was absent in body whilst at home in the body we are absent from the Lord yet by faith we are present in the Lord things of nature are taken in by reason or sense reason hath knowledge and communion with things before the sense feeles or tastes them so the things of the spirit are taken in by faith or spiritual sense through faith the believer hath communion with spiritual things before they be in their power and fulnesse attained by sense and feeling the mystery of grace in Christ is not limited yet love of God and righteousnesse of Christ are not more or lesse for the Believer because the manifestations thereof in him are so the vail is rent sin finished all old things are passed away but by faith I understand it to be so as in Christ my head and therein am justified the manifestation thereof in my self I wait for and therein is my sanctification as in my members take away that justification in Christ for you and all sanctifications by obedience to the light within will profit you nothing Concerning the Law The things of note said by him are Law is the ministration of the letter without the Gospel or ministration of the spirit is the same Law but written in the heart of all men they that believe Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own person and what we do he makes it accepted with the father as though we did performe all that is required none such know his commands in spirit that righteousnesse by faith is when the Law is performed in us by workes in spirit righteousnesse by workes is when the Law is done by us without life and spirit that the offering and blood without could make nothing perfect that within being more pure and perfect and that the Law in the conscience is answered by the resurrection of Christ within Are the Law and Gospel the same aske the wounded spirit beset with the terrours of the Law of God who lie under the sharpest sense of the Law and can give the best account thereof whither redemption was finished in One the person of Christ alone or yet to be done in many the persons of all the redeemed let the Scripture with the spirit be your light and rule until the day declare The holy just and perfect will of God revealed to the world first by that in the conscience after upon Tables of stone reproving for sin and requiring righteousness by obedience whether to the Letter without or Light within this is the ministration of death mighty to kill because it was the working Covenant weak to give life because it was not the Mediatour Christ the fulness of all heavenly things came forth in flesh and being in lengths and breadths sufficient for that purpose did in himself fulfill what the Law required and sustaine all the Law had to charge upon us and so in himself put an end to the Law for all that should believe that which requires works to be wrought in us as the way to attaine righteousness whether it be Letter without or Light within it is the Law and herein do all the false and fleshly Religions of the world agree
of fear zeal and activity for God in the Contemplations of him as a pure and holy God but 't is a far other principle that is Christ crucified for us and the faith of him that leads unto that spirit of peace power and joy in the beholding of God as our father in him so then that spirit that shews the commandment and leads to the services thereof to be redeemed thereby is a spirit which all men may attain unto but that spirit that reveals the things freely given of God without Law or service is that spirit that is not given unto all nor eye nor ear nor heart of man can see or find this out he only descends and blows where he lifts neither being received can he be retained any longer then he pleaseth no more then we can restrain the breath in our nostrils that spirit exerciseth the servants thereof with labour and hard bondage and then kills them as preferring the commandment of the Old before the blood of the New and everlasting Testament this makes his Children free and saves for ever as rejoycing in the Head and having no confidence in the flesh or the works done therein That the pattern of true worship is Jesus Christ as the Oracle speaking from Heaven and the Gospel as the Preacher on earth the one being the substance of Heavenly things themselves the other but the Copy that doctrine or spirit whatsoever it may seem that calls you to the light in every man and to that alone as the only pattern of faith and worship doth but build up a worship upon the same foundations with the worships of the world that is righteousness by the Law and serves to no other end then to blot out the true attonement the blood and water that fountain of healing in the Person of Christ with the very name and remembrance thereof to bring forth instead thereof another attonement to be made in our persons which in true sense is no other but the righteousness of the Law Concerning Error Heresie c. He saith that the light within every man is that Spirit of truth which judgeth all deceit but can be deceived by none that to divide or go out from this Spirit or light is errour and the mother of all false worship and Religions It has been before proved that the light within all men is the candle of the Lord in every naturall man revealing the law and the offences against that law but the Spirit that reveales the gift of grace by one man Jesus Christ the naturall man neither knows nor can receive There are three that bear record in heaven and they are one there are three that bear witness on earth and they agree in one God sending forth his Son in our flesh for a propitiation for sins this is the witness of the Father as the fountain of grace and truth Christ comming forth as the Image and brightnesse of the Father purging away our sins by himself and returning to God this is the witness of the Son as the fulness of grace and truth the spirit of Christ coming into our hearts revealing the righteousness of Christ and the life of Christ in us this is the witness of the Spirit Now among these witnesses there is such an Unity that he that denies one denies all the witnesses are one and their testimony one yet each in their order the Father spoke and appeared and bowed himself to sinners but so as in the Mediator the man Christ the Son redeemed sinners but so as he did in his own body not in ours the spirit comes unto such but so as he leads them into the Light and fulness of Christ not the light in every man to divide from any of these or to set one against another is Error Jews and Turks believe in God but not as in the Son they divide from the Son and so have not the Father the litteral and carnal Professors after a sort believe in God as in the Mediator but deny his spirit in their hearts these divide from the spirit and so have neither the Son nor the Father this people believe in God as by the Light within men redeeming from sin but not as in the Man Jesus having done it already and so deny the witness of the Son and have neither Son nor Father Christ is the band of unity between God and men in him Mercy and Truth righteousness and peace do kiss each other in him God and sinners are met together reconciled and at unity in him God comes down to sinners by him we come unto God in him the blessed Divinity and the seed of Abraham that is the humane nature are in covenant in union the Covenant the union was made by the Cross by blood by the body of Christ this was the Sons witnesse take heed he that divides you from the Son and this his witnesse sets you at such a difference with the Majesty of God as no light nor spirit within you can attone or make up thus Error is not to divide from the Light within all men but from Christ the Head the fulness of all Truth in whom we only see and have the Father and Spirit and without whom all Religions are fleshly or mystical Idolatries Concerning Faith He saies the measure or light of God in every man is Gods righteousness perfection that turning into this righteousness and adiding therein is the receiving of the righteousness of Christ by faith that by waiting in the light within through faith and obedience thereto righteousness is wrought in and unrighteousness wrought out and so the creature is made free from sin not a word of the Faith in the person of Christ or the operation of God in him for us The scope of their Doctrine herein and in all the height and depth of it seems plainly this that a measure of the eternal Divinity is in every man by turning whereinto out of all sayings writings persons operations Scriptures or Christ without the same doth through obedience thereto destroy and purge away sins out of us and so redeems and reconciles unto God The precious faith saies that the eternal word manifest in flesh being the substantial fulness of the Divine life and righteousness and having thereby vanquished in his flesh and buried in his grave our sins and death with all powers visible or invisible that were against us this is he who is the pure perfect and acceptable righteousness of God That to look away from all the voices and condemnations of the Law without or conscience within from all things in our flesh and heart whither good or evil unto the person of Jesus Christ himself and to believe him to be our righteousness salvation and liberty as in the hidden mysterie of faith which to our sense or earthly members we are in infirmities buffetings and bondage this is to receive the righteousness of Christ by faith the faith of things not seen to sense and reason yet hid in