Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	bear_v	body_n	sin_n	4,857	5	4.8788	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34984	An alarum sounded in the borders of spiritual Egypt vvhich shall be heard in Babylon, and astonish the inhabitants of the defiled and polluted habitations of the earth. And the power of the Prince of Darkness called into question; and he himself examin'd by the truth, how he came to raign over mankind; and how long his time shall be, till he comes to be cast out of his dominion, and the creature be deliver'd from under his tyranny; to serve God in spirit and in truth, as Christ, the prince of peace, has order'd them. Also the number of him whom the world hath wonder'd after, found out; and demonstrated to be near at an end: and withal, that it is no wayes unlawful, nor in vain, both to hope, and to expect the utter desolation, and destruction of sin in this life, and the setting up of perfect righteousness in the souls of men, where sin has too long raign'd. Written in a testimony to the truth, and against the false position of the devil, and his servants; by a servant of God, Steven Crisp.	Crisp, Stephen, 1628-1692.	1671 (1671)	Wing C6922; ESTC R215182	35,940	50

Record of Zachariah and Elizabeth his Wife Luke 1.2 that they were both Righteous before God not by an Imagined Righteousness but in regard to their Couversation walking in all the Commands and Statutes of the Lord unblamable but if they had been under the Power of Sin and not freed from it they had been neither unblamable nor Righteous but must at least have Transgressed some of the commands of the Lord or else they could not be Sinners Also Nathaniel in whom there was no Guile which could not have been John 1.48 if he had been under the Power of Sin And much more might I write upon this Subject to shew how that many by this one Faith in all Ages have been delivered from Sin and become the Children and Servants of God and therefore those that are Partakers of this Faith in this Age may hope and expect that the same Work may be wrought in them and this is no presumption And if these Sin-pleaders should say that there is none Partaker of this Faith now at this day and therefore cannot be made free from Sin they will exclude themselves which they will hardly do because they would fain have a Name of being Believers though they deny the Work of the True Faith in themselves Further let us consider what these strong Pleaders for Sin have to fortifie themselves withall They say they have the Scripture to plead withall for Sin which certainly was never the intention of the holly Spirit by which it was given forth But say They It is written in 1 Kings 8.46 For here is no Man that sinneth not Answ This is very true neither do I plead that any man is free from Sin all the dayes of his life except Christ but have confessed they are all Sinners by nature untill they be changed and besides there it is but spoken of a People that were under the Law of which the Apostle sayes that it made nothing perfect but said he the bringing in of a better Hope did but the Law did not purifie the Comers thereunto according to the Conscience but when the Offerers had offered there remained an Evidence of Sin in the Conscience but what is that to the Christians who are come to know a better Hope and the Blood that purifieth the Conscience for that same Apostle that said the Law made no man perfect under which Law Solomon was as also that People concerning whom it was said there is none that lives and sinneth not notwithstanding the same Apostle said that it was the bringing in of a better Hope that did it And what are these Fighters for Sin and Sin-pleaders become so Zealous that they will rather deny the better Hope then to cease from Sin if not then there is a possibillity to be made perfect by the Blood of Christ which the Blood of Bulls and Goats could not do An other Objection is brought forth that is That the Apostle Paul said that Sin lived in him and that the good that He would do He did not and the evil that He would not do that He did Answ That Paul knew the passing through such a State is without question and is not denied but this does not prove at all that he never knew no better State or that he never came to perfection for in that place he makes mention of three States First How it was with him when he lived without the Law of God in his liberty to fight against the Truth and he thought he might do many things against the Name of Jesus Secondly He declares of his Convincement and how it was with him then when he knew he should not do no more against the Truth and yet not being wholly changed he did things which he knew he ought not by reason of Sin living and dwelling in him and that State he did not call Happy or Blessed as these blind Professors do at this day that takes up a Rest in this State and say they can never be Redeemed out of it for he speaking of such a Condition cryes out for Deliverance calling it a miserable Condition which plainly sheweth that his eye was upon a further and better State unto which he also beareth Witness saying he was made free by the Law of the Spirit of Life both of the Law of Sin and of Death in which time he was yet in the Body Now what ●eason have these Pleaders for Sin to believe that Paul was in all these three States at once and if not Why not in the last being the other two are but fore-going States leading to the third especially considering the many other Testimonies which he gives of his being perfect and of those that by his Ministry were brought to perfection saying concerning himself Timothy and Silvanus We can do nothing against the Truth and in an other place he testifies That he has fought a good Fight kept the Faith and finished his Course Now if it was finished then there was no more to run and if the Fight was Fought then the Enemies were no more alive as they were when Sin lived and dwelled in him Again he sayes in an other place We preach Wisdom among them that are Perfect That is after the explication and Sence of these Sin-pleaders We preach Wisdom among none except among those that are already departed out of this World and gone to Heaven And again As many of you as are Perfect be so minded That is to say after their explication let none be thus minded before they be dead Again at last Dear Brethren be perfect And of one mind c. But this they say cannot be in this Life And again he sayes to the Hebrews You are come to the spirits of just Men made perfect and to God the Righteous Judge of all c. But where were these Hebrews were they yet alive or were they dead if dead How came his Epistle to meet them But a wilfull Blindness is come over many of these Servants and Ministers of Darkness and they have rebellious Hearts against the Light that discovers their Sin and would lead them out of it But because they have more love to Sin then to the Light therefore they seek to cover themselves so much But the Day is come that has discovered them and their deceitfull Coverings will not longer cover them An other pleading is of that which is spoken by the Apostle John 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Out of which words every miserable and pitifull Souldier of this great Prince of Darkness thinks he may Arm himself sufficiently to fight against that which would deliver them and make them free But if this Scripture were seen and read with that Spirit by which and in which it was written then it would appear that this John was not such a great Friend to Sin and the Devil who is a Father of Lyes as they would have him to be

in the Power of Christ believing that the Devil is more able to keep the Creature and to hold fast that which by Deceit and Treachery he has gotten in it then God who made the Creature good in his nature is ●ble to restore it to his first purity that the Creature might come to serve him in Righteousness and Holiness And such as so believe are no true Christians nor true Believers But are standing in the corrupt nature that has unity with the Devil and plead his Cause who is willing that his corrupt birth should live in Man as long as he lives in the World For he knows that so long no acceptable Sacrifice can be offered up to God for you cannot bring forth a clean Sacrifice out of an unclean Vessel and as long as nature is defiled the works will be unclean that are wrought in that nature Secondly The second pleading is That never any Man was freed from Sin ever since Sin first entred into the World and that therefore it is Presumption to expect such a thing in this Life Answ If this Position were true That there was never any Man freed from Sin yet it would be presumption to say that God should not be able to do that which he never did and it is also presumption to conclude that never any Man was freed but if this Position be false then not only the consequence is false to wit that none can be freed but also the Argument it self is proved to be a Lye and so is swept away and a Door is opened unto all that has more love to Righteousness then to Sin both to hope and to expect that the same work should again be wrought in and for them without presumption Now that all men are Sinners by nature is evident and that some were changed out of that natural State is as evident so that the Question is only whether those that are translated out of that sinfull nature remain sinfull yea or nay which if it be so what advantage have they beyond others if they after they are translated must remain unfreed But I answer with the words of the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.1 He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from Sin And here he spoke of such that were yet in the Body but had suffered with and were made partakers of the Sufferings and Death of Christ which was to Sin through which every one must pass before they can come to the Resurrection that is in Christ by which said Peter They obtained the answer of a good Conscience in the Sight of God which he calls the Baptism that Saves now some having been Partakers of that Death Baptism and Resurrection of Christ by which they came to cease from Sin and to have an answer of a good Conscience without offence both to God and Man which none that sins can have then may there some lawfully expect to come to the enjoyment of the same state of freedom and clearness as well now as formerly without presumption Secondly I answer with the words of the Apostle John 1 Joh. 3.9 He that is born of God sinneth not because his seed abideth in him and he cannot sin for he is born of God Now whereas there have been some that were born of God and have been his Children and that they that were so had overcome the Wicked one so that he could not touch them but they had kept their Garments white and unspotted and that some have been freed from the Law of Sin and Death and that some have Walked unbl●mable and without spot and had put off the old Man with his Deeds and had known the new Birth and could by the Holy Spirit call God Father which things are all manifest in the Scriptures of Truth which none can deny but those that will deny the Scripture Why then should any man question that the same Works of Redemption should not now again be brought to pass And therefore it is lawfull to expect it without presumption This Argument being confuted by the experience of the Saints Thirdly The Faith of Gods Elect is but one in all Ages and that Faith has purified the Hearts of many in former Ages and has taught them to Walk with God as for Instance Enoch Walked with God several hundreds of years Gen. 5.21 and it would be a horrible thing to say that he Walked with God when he Walked in Sin as if God Walked in a Sinfull Way for the Prophet said the Bloody-man nor the Worker of Iniquity Dwells nor walks not with the Lord But Enoch Dwelled and Walked with the Lord and did not Iniquity for if he had he should not have obtained a Testimony that he pleased the Lord for Sinners and Evil-doers do not please him By Faith Noah Walked with God and was a Preacher of Righteousness in the old World 2 Pet. 2.5 also Lot in Sodom which they could not have been if they had been Sinners except they had been such Preachers as the Preachers at this day but they were owned of God though they were mocked of men and it is said of them that they did Inherit Righteousness which they preached And of Lot it is said that his Soul as well as his Doctrine was Righteous And by the same Faith Job was kept in the fear of God in the Land of Vz for that taught him to eschew evil by which he obtained a Testimony of God that he was perfect and upright which no Sinner is 1 Job 1.22 and if he had not been free from Sin it would have been false to say of him that he eschewed the evil and was perfect and though his Tryals were many yet he sinned not with his Lips neither did he charge God foolishly and in the end of all his Tryals God cleared him of having sinned witnessing that he had found him faithfull and received a Sacrifice from his Hand for those zealous Professors that had charged him with Sin whom God had cleared And the same Faith caused Abraham and Sarah to be partakers of the Promise and Abraham was a Friend of God of which Christ said That none could be but by fulfilling his Will and those that do so are no Sinners And by this Faith Moses chused rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God Heb. 11.25 then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin So mark he left Sin and the pleasures of it and then he must be without Sin by which he obtained a Testimony that he was a Servant of God which Sinners are not By Faith David's Heart was made after the Mind of God and that is not sinfull but free from it for in him is no Darkness at all By the same Faith the Prophets were chosen Vessels of God and were upheld in their Testimony for God till they came to obtain that Testimony that they were the Men and Servants of God which they could not have been and withall Servants unto Sin And the Scripture beareth

cometh from God they shall understand and it is to such I write for I have learn'd to cover the Pearls before the Swine and to with-hold the Children's Bread from the Dogs And by what is here said it sufficiently appears First That this Intruder or Usurper call'd the Devil Satan Dragon or Antichrist has no Right to Rule and to Rain over Mankind all the dayes of their Life Secondly That his Kingdom is a limited Kingdom and was not to continue forever Thirdly That the limits of it has been reveal'd to several of the Servants of God Fourthly That the appointed time of his Government is nigh come to an End Fifthly That there is a Blessed Day and Time to be expected after the end of his Raign And Sixthly That none can come to enjoy that Blessed Time and Blessedness nor sing the Song of Joy and Deliverance but those that patiently wait upon the Lord in the dayes of Tribulation and have that Hope to see the Salvation which cometh out of Sion And therefore for a Conclusion I shall say this That all those that feel themselves in Bondage under this Prince of Darkness in what manner soever it be and are not willing to remain so alwayes Believe but in him that sheweth you your Bondage and wait in his pure Light in your own Consciences which discovers Darkness and the Prince of it and then you will feel a Hope to spring up in you that you may be deliver'd as I my self have felt 1 Joh. 3.3 And this Hope will lead to a daily Washing and Purifying and to a daily Crucifying and Mortifying of thy earthly Members And as this Hope comes to work in thee it will bring thee to an Experience of being deliver'd in some particular things and that will strengthen thy Hope of being deliver'd from more and so at last a Faith will arise in thee Perfectly and Thorowly to be made free from sin And when thou art made Partaker of this Faith then the greatest and strongest Bond of the Devil is broken for through the Unbelief of it he keeps his Kingdom in Man and Woman And when this Evil Root of Unbelief is taken away then his Kingdom comes soon to an end and the Government of Truth comes to be set up in thee and so there comes a Change to he wrought in thee both inwardly and outwardly and so comes his Kingdom who is the Intruder or Usurper to be lessen'd first in thy self and then thou comest to see that Change in another and so it goeth forward from one to ten and from ten to a thousand and so forth more and more until the Inheritance of the Wicked comes to be wholy laid waste till Truth and Righteousness and the Raign and Government of Christ Jesus our Lord comes to be set up in the Earth which my Soul longs and travels for and so I know it is with many more for whose sake this is written and as a Testimony against that proud and presumptious Generation of Hypocrites of what Sort or Name or in what Nation or Kingdom soever they may be who not only have subjected themselves unto this Prince of Darkness and unto the Power of him who is call'd the Devil and Satan but also pretend That all Mankind must do so and continue so all their dayes and that there is no Remedy nor Help against it and so deny the Power of God and lead the people to trust in a Lye But the Day of the Power of God is come and the Refuge of Lyes is swept away and the Deliverance and Victory of the Lamb is known unto many to whom and to the Everlasting God by the Operation of the Holy Spirit in the Hearts of the Redeemed be sung Everlasting Praises Thanks-giving Renown Honour and Glory and Dominion forever Postscript THere comes something further up in my Heart concerning this matter which I think good to communicate unto you There are hardly any ignorant how commonly it is said That we cannot live without sin and that we cannot be made free from it as long as we live in this World even as if our Sin and our Life were so knit together that they cannot be seperated from one another but that they must end together and not the one before the other Now all those that believe there is 〈◊〉 God they also believe that he is the Fountain of Life and gives Life unto all that Lives And all that believes that there is a Devil they also believe that he is the Author and Original of Sin as Christ said When he speaks a Lye he speaks of his own for he is a Lyar and a Father of Lyes Joh. 8.44 and so he is of all other Wickedness Now he gives life to no man for that comes of God and he having made them live then comes the Devil and betrayes them unto sin And now are Men and Women become such Fools that they seek to bind together inseparably that which is of God with that which is of the Devil and that is a gre●t Foolishness For What Fellowship has Christ with Belial or Light with Darkness So also the Life of Men simply consider'd in it self has no Fellowship with sin for they come forth of two different Originals and he who is the Original of Life is stronger then he who is the Original of Sin And though he has brought in Sin and has corrupted Nature which first was pure by sin and men in that corrupt Nature do abuse their Life which they have from God to his Dishonour and to their own Perdition yet that Life is not so joyn'd unto Sin that they are inseparable For though it be true That men cannot sin if they live not yet it is not true to say That if men sin not then they cannot live for the life that some lived they lived by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 and that is in dominion over Sin and over the Devil the Author of it There is another common Position That we must live in sin so long as we do carry about with us this Body of Sin and Death meaning this Substantial or Corporal Body alledging the words of Paul Rom. 7.24 Now this is also a Blind and Foolish Position as if the Fault of all sins which they commit were in the Body or the Member● of it whereas on the contrary the Body simply in it self is not guilty of that which through the Body is done it being altogether passive having no will in the Members but they are as Instruments that are order'd or dispos'd of according to the Laws of God or of the Devil the one or the other being set up to rule in the Will and Mind of the Creature and the Members have no power to do or leave undone any thing but as they receive it by the Will or Understanding Also there is no Member of the Body but is made to serve the Lord and is also made fit for it and

they are as ready and willing to do and to fulfil the Will of God as to fulfil the will of the Devil yea and they are more properly in their right place and service and have more joy and freedom in it then in the service of the Devil for the service of the Devil is but Bondage to which the Creature is led captive by a Lye as is afore said and those that call the Corporal Bodies the Bodies of Sin and Death they please the Devil well enough for he well knows that as long as they so Believe his Birth and Seed will remain in them without hinderance when the Eyes of Men are led out to suspect their own Bodies as being the cause of all Sin and Evil which they commit which Bodies are more fit to serve God but are capable to be given up by the Will and Affection to serve either God or the Devil as is manifest by the words of Paul Rom. 6.19 As ye have yeelded your selves Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity unto Iniquity even so now yeeld your Members Servants to Righteousness unto Holiness Now here every one may see that the same Members that before were given up to serve Unrighteousness must now be given up to serve Righteousness Mark they had them still they did not say we would we were delivered from these Members and Bodies that were used to commit Sin that so we might come to be made free But the Apostle said plainly That they were free from Sin and were become Servants unto Righteousness and that therefore they should give up their Members to the Service of him that had made them free as formerly they used to do to him that had brought them into Bondage And th●se People that so complain against their own Bodies calling them the old Man the Body of Sin and Death and of Corruption How will they understand the Apostle where he sayes Mortifie your Members which are upon the Earth What will they Mortifie their Hands and Feet and pull out their Eyes and cut out their Tongues I suppose not But how will they fulfill the words of the Apostle except they find out another Body of Sin and the Members of it which ought to be crucified with the daily Cross But the Apostle hath named the Members of that Body which must be Mortified Col. 3.5 to wit Fornication Vncleanness Inordinate Affection Evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry vers 8. Anger Wrath Malice Blasphemy filthy Communication out of your Mouth and lying one to another c. these are the Members that make up that Body which is called the Body of the Sins of the Flesh Col. 2.11 and this is a sort of Flesh which God has not made for that which he hath made that is good and it is for himself and not for Sin 1 Cor. 6.13 and though the Devil hath his seat in the Heart commanding the Members of the Body to do his will yet the same Members could serve to do the Will of God if the Devil were cast out and Truth and Righteousness were set up in the Heart and then these Sin-pleaders would come to see that the fault was not in their Bodies but in their corrupt Hearts and that there is another Body to be put off before they can come to do the will of God and not the Corporal Body which God has Created to serve him And besides that these People shew themselves to have but little love to God that all his kindness and manifold Mercies cannot draw them to serve him but on the contrary they will serve his greatest Enemy as long as they have Members to serve him withall using those Members which God has given them against him and his ordering and if he will not permit it so to be he must take away those Members again even as if there was no other remedy to put an end to sin that is as much as to say If the Lord will not have them to Swear to Lye or to spake Evil he must make them Dumb and if he will not have them to do bad Works he must make them Lame and if he will take away their Life from them then they will leave off sinning but not sooner yea they cannot endure to hear of putting off of Sin sooner That say they is the Grand Error of the Quakers to speak of ceasing to Sin before we cease to live O! Where is the sence of the Love of God that this People should feel in their Hearts sh●● abroad to God to constrain them unto Obedience Al●● 〈◊〉 They are strangers thereunto and the Covenant with Hell an●●●●th is so strong and the Unbelief is so rooted in them that ●●ey think this Covenant cannot be broken But Bless●d be ●he Lord that Faith is now manifested that giveth Victory and breaketh this Covenant Another great Plea which these Sin-pleaders bring is this If People can come to Perfection in this Life then they have no need of Christ to be their Saviour as if the Salvation by Christ and a Perfect and pure Life were Inconsistant with one another You fools and blind Know ye not that all good and Perfect Gifts come from the Lord and that none can come to Perfection but by his Gift and if God be the giver Is it not then by Grace Where are Works then but these Pleaders for Sin are as great strangers to the Salvation which is in Christ Jesus as they are to Perfection otherwise they would see their Ignorance When Christ said to his Disciples Be ye Perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is Perfect that is as much as to say according to the explanation of these People There is your Command when that is done you have no need of me And the Apostle spoke Wisdom among them that were Perfect but not such wisdom or rather foolishness as this to perswade them that they had no need of Christ to be their Saviour because they were come to Perfection but on the contrary he said That he could do all things then he could be Perfect but not as of himself but through Christ that enabled him and those that come to a Perfect State they know that their Salvation is not of their Works how good and pure soever they may be but meerly by Grace through Jesus Christ and that in respect of these three following Observations 1. First That it was the Appearance of Christ Jesus who is the Power of God that has brought them off from their Sin and Imperfection and that they have not left them off of themselves but do own that it is the Grace of God as the Apostle did Tit. 2 11 12. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all Men Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World So here you may see that it is the Appearance of the Grace of God that leads to Perfection and this Perfection is not yet a perfect Salvation for those that have it may fall from it again and so not be s●ved but those that endure to the end shall be saved 2. But Secondly it is Christ who is the Preserver and Keeper unto the end of those that trust in him and the Apostles testifie that those that were Delivered from the corruption of this World must know him to be their Keeper that had gathered them out of the World and therefore said Jude in his Epistle vers 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to Present you faultless before the Presence of his Glory with exceeding joy c. And Petter testifieth 1 Pet. 1.5 You are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation ready to be Revealed in the last Time And Paul testifieth That the keeping is by Jesus Christ Phil. 4.7 So here you may see that the bringing to the state of Perfection and the keeping from falling from it again is both the Work of Christ and yet this is not a perfect Salvation fo● this does not put away the former Sins 3. But thirdly Whoever comes to perfect Salvation he comes to know Christ to be an Offering for Sin and to obtain Reconciliation with God and forgiveness of his former sins For all the holy Conversation and perfection of Life can be counted no more but his Duty and therefore he cannot obtain remission of one of his former Sins but those that confess their sins and forsake them such comes to forgiveness by Jesus Christ and comes to know his Blood clensing them from all their former Sins and so they come to perfect Salvation by Grace not by Works but by Faith that works in the Love of God unto Obedience without which Faith is but dead and makes no man saved but those that have this true Faith and Hope in them They purifie themselves as he is Pure 1 Jo. 3.3 and he that has not this Hope does not purifie himself neither does he believe that he can do it and by this we know the true Believers from the false and by this Sinners are made manifest that cannot stand in the Congregation of the Righteous Psal 1.5 So now let all the Pleaders for Sin stop their Mouthes for ever and let the Devil stand for himself and plead his own cause and henceforth do not despise and revile the Innocent that are travelling and striving after Perfection with a Faith to obtain it that they think to be saved by their own works for we hope for no other Salvation but that which is in and by Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God who is the First-born of every Creature that brings many Sons and Daughters unto Glory but not by leaving them in their sins but his Name is Jesus and he saves People from their Sins S. C. THE END

Elizium-Feilds after they are dead Lucillius said know ye not what grevious Punishments and Torments the wicked and evil men are to suffer after this life or in what great happiness the good men shall live The Heathen Epicarmus said If thou art godly in thy mind thou shalt being dead not suffer evil and many such sayings are among them But these fallen Christians who plead a necessity to serve this spirit whom they call the Devil whose place they will confess is in Hell and in the everlasting Fire yet they notwithstanding without doing good expect to injoy their Elizium to wit a Heaven where God and the holy Angels dwell forever Now let us examine a little what reason there is for this great mistake First They say that Sin is rooted and planted in the Nature of Man yea so that a Man must cease to be a Man before he can come to cease from being a Sinner Answer That Man in his Natural state is so united with Sin as that he thereby is seperated from God I do not deny and also that there is a natural inclination in man to commit Sin is also true to wit as long as they remain in their natural state and condition And if these Champions for the Devil's Kingdom had blotted out out of that which they call their Rule all those Pretious sayings that make mention of a state of Grace of being under Grace of being Changed or Translated of being Redeemed and made Free of being Washed Clensed Sanctified perfectly in Soul Body and Spirit and many more such places then they had had a Plea for their Prince But seeing there is such a large Testimony of the Mercy and goodness of God and of his Power and Al-sufficiency to Redeem and Save therefore it is worthy to be pleaded before we allow the Devil such an unlimitted Power in and among yea over all the Sons and Daughers of Men. And therefore as concerning the first part of this Objection to wit That Sin is rooted in the Nature of Man How came it to be rooted there Whose Work was it to make it so was it the Work of God or hath he ordered it that it should be so If so Why is any Man or Woman punished or condemned for its being so seeing it could not be otherwise But none else but such as are wholly blind from a true sence of God will dare to say so For then the manifold calling of Sinners unto Repentance to Wash them to Cleanse them to put away the Evil from them to Cease to do Evil c. must all be against his will and ordering and so consequently but a mockery But God forbid that any Man should say or think so Well if it was not by the ordering or appointment of God but that God has made Man Righteous in his Nature Will and Affections yea in the Image of God he Created him Then it must needs be another that has wrought this great Work to plant Sin in his Nature and when it is examined it will appear that it is the work of a cursed Out-cast an Unclean Lying Treacherous Spirit who was rejected of God and had no place in the whole Creation but by framing a lye he brought a poor Woman from her Integrity and Obedience and so from that came a great alteration to be in her and a Ground or Foundation was laid for the Devil to build upon and from that time he has alwayes had a Rule in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience But now that this Rule and Government should not onely be Universal but also Irresistable and unalterable yea though God Almighty stretch forth his Power to Redeem any out of this Kingdom to bring them into the Kingdom of his dear Son yet they say it is impossible for him till he dies It is as much as to say If God will have any Man to serve him perfectly he must first kill him and then he shall have him to his service in another World Oh Horrible Ignorance of the Power of God and of the end for which Christ came into the World namely to destroy the Divel and his Works Now when his Work is destroyed which has a tendancy to corrupt man's nature then the nature of Men and Women come to be ag●in holy clean and pure and Man comes to be Restored to his first Image and the Glory of the first Body is again known of which all the Bond-slaves of the Devil are Ignorant and this Power to restore the nature of Man again is the Lord 's alone it was the Devil that corrupted it and it is God that sanctifies it again and delivers it by the Spirit of Judgment and of Burning which the Hypocrites cannot bear Now the manner how the nature of Man came to be corrupted you have heard that it was by Man's joyning with that spirit that was fallen and cast out from God and had onely a power in the Darkness and could not Reign over any thing but over that which he could draw from the Glory of God into the Darkness And God who dwells in the Light being moved with infinite compassion sent his Eternal Son that was with him before the World was that he should be made partaker of the same nature in which Man was Created that by the Vertue of the Eternal Power he might restore him unto God and might minister unto the spirits of all such to whom this Darkness and corrupted state was as a Prison-house And this Jesus received not the nature of Angels that was not his Work but he received the Seed of Abraham which was in Captivity that he might Redeem it from Captivity through Death suffering under the weight of that which oppressed the Creature and caused it to groan after Redemption so that although it could not deliver it self yet it might come to be Delivered through Faith in him who is mighty to save And this Jesus which was of the Seed of Abraham after the flesh purifieth the nature of all those that joyn with him for the Work of the Devil is to bring in corruption and the Work of Christ is to destroy it and instead thereof to bring in Everlasting Righteousness Now where Sin is remaining in the nature there the Covenant with Hell and Death is not broken neither are such in Covenant with God but are yet under the Power of the Prince of the Air whatever they may profess And the death of Christ is yet of no value unto them because they are yet in their Sin and corrupted nature unchanged Untranslated So that those that hold this Plea for the Devil that because he once got a Place in the nature of Man and has corrupted it that therefore Sin must remain so long as the Life or nature remains such are strangers to the Work of God and to his Power by which he worketh and also to Christ Jesus through whom he works and they have more Faith in the Power of the Devil then