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
Apostles calling them to the fulfilling of the Law that were at liberty in Christ who indeed zealously affected but not well that is that they might glory in their flesh God's love to his people speaks woe and wrath indeed but to the wise and strong who will not bow to the weakness and foolishness of a crucified Christ to be saved in him but to the hungry and weary to the least of the little children that are in Christ it speaks peace fear not your sins are forgiven you for his names sake wherefore to bring forth a full Christ a fulness of righteousness life and liberty in Christ to a creature empty and destitute of any such thing this is that love that feeds the hungry cloathes the naked and gives water in the wilderness there is a generation that flatters and spares in sin them whom the Lord condemns this is to justifie the wicked there is another generation that charges and reproves of sin whom the Lord hath justified let this people fear that this is their error both are alike abomination to the Lord. Concerning Judgement His words summed up are That the light in every man condemning of sin is the ministration of judgement and condemnation and as it is received is light and salvation redeeming from all uncleaness that the spirit of judgement that went forth in the Prophets against all unrighteousness is come forth in a people now I understand in him and in them The faith of the Gospel saith that Christ having all judgement committed to him in the body of his flesh judged and gave up to condemnation and death the prince of this world the flesh the glory of man his sin and righteousness and having done all he went to the father and was seen no more he being the brightness of Gods own righteousness and being to be made righteousness to men he judged and put an end to all other righteousness even to that which had a glory as having no glory so that it may be said by him that is in his Cross fell all the mighty Lords and Tyrants of the world Law sin and death all which are judged and overcome by that righteousness and spirit of life in him by this judgement are sinners redeemed already as in him the head That as Christ hath in every Age come forth more or less so in this last time he will come forth the righteousness and salvation of his people whose appearance doth and will judge the works of the Law as well as the lusts of the flesh with all things that shall not be found in him and of him God will judge the world by Christ not by Moses nor by Angel nor by any other spirit the Gospel and spirit of Christ in his people shall judge both Angels and men spiritual and fleshly wickedness The spirit of judgement is found either in the natural or spiritual man the natural man being under the Law hath a light within him to discern the things of the Law his judgement reacheth only to the righteousness of the Law and to sins against the Law the spiritual man being freed from the Law in the glorious righteousness of Christ is able to judge of all things all Religions spirits kinds and conditions of life whatsoever judgings do abound amongst all men in this Age but few have the true spirit or rule of judgement Law or form or light within are the principles of judgement with most with the spiritual man so far as he abides free in Christ it is a small thing to be judged by any of these yea he judgeth not himself therefore let all take heed with what spirit you judge lest you judge and not by the Gospel nor in the Lord. The Prophets and John had a spirit of judgement but they testified also of righteousness only by him that was to come they called not the people to a redemption present or to be done in that Age or by the light within every man let this people bear testimony to that alone righteousness as already fulfilled for us in him and not call away from that unto another redemption to be done over again of which no Prophets spake that is by the light within all men and then shall true judgement be given unto them till then they will but erre in judgement and stumble in vision Concerning Perfection His Principle matter is That Perfection is that gift or light in every man by joyning to which he is made perfect that God sent his son into the world to preach perfection a perfect example which whoso believe and follow him in it are made perfect that nothing but perfection that is freedom from sin in the body before death can give rest and Redemption that imperfection of righteousness and gifts came in by the ministry of Antichrist and is of the Divel The Gospel mystery saith that Christ being the perfection of grace and truth of life and righteousness came forth in flesh and therein on the Cross put an end to the imperfect Ministry of the Law and Prophets to the pollutions and imperfections of flesh and by one offering in his own person perfected for ever all that were sanctified he being the perfection of love life light and righteousness slew in himself the enmity the power of death and all that darkness and sin that was by the Law the Law could not give life men could not obey all creatures could not find out an Intercessor at this time Christ came forth in the glory of the Godhead in the weakness of our manhood that in the one he might bear all that was against us by the other he might spoil and triumph over all for us he was love and bowels to perfection a Saviour to perfection so that not by the Law without nor light within nor any other imagined or pretended perfection but in him ye are compleat who is the fulness of the God-head in whose death you are dead and buried and in him raised up into the heavenly liberty and perfection if you do believe though darkness imperfections fightings may yet remain in your flesh Christ first descended into the lower parts of the earth our weakness and death that he might finish them in himself after he ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things that he might make the Angels life and death to minister to be for his own as it is said all are yours this is perfection yet hid not in every man but with Christ in God and in the hearts of the children of faith And if so then was Christ in flesh no more then a Preacher or example of perfection was that fulness of the Godhead that brightness of the fathers glory in him no other then such a light as God hath set up in every man or was his bearing our sins and the wounds for iniquities no more but to shew unto us how we should bear them in our selves then what preheminence had his person above Moses
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
in them when he gave them this commandement nor was Christ yet appeared to those believers among whom the Apostles continued it That to eat of his body is to discern his body to be the body of all creatures and to fill all htings How is the Gospel-mystery become a doctrine of bare morality with this people to see God in all things to discern him as the body and vertue of every creature and to use all things in moderation what is this more then the purer principles and practises of Pagan divinity is this all the effect all the end of the blood of Christ He that appointed this Supper said drink ye all of it for this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Christ as he gave his flesh for the life of the world that is as he abolished death and brought forth life to light therein for us so he is the true spiritual passeover which was sacrificed for us so his death is a mystery whosoever can look therein may see the first Adam with all his deeds the world with all its works all old things done away therein traditions of men and rudiments of the world shews of wisedom wil-worship and humility were tares the Lord foresaw would spring up in the Churches from the root of reason and the Law that they might avoid the same he ordained the Supper for a rudiment to all that should have need thereof to be as a figure of his death and therein of the crucifying of flesh with all the glory and workes thereof Wherefore eating the flesh of Christ is to be esteemed neither as any naturall thing as the Jews did nor as any moral thing as this deluded people doe but a divine and heavenly mysterie that is to believe and rejoyce in Christ crucified as made the remission of sinnes the destruction of death the grace and the end of this world and all evils therein unto us likewise the discerning the Lord's body therein is not a bare speculation of Christ or the divinity as filling all things for the natural man by that of God in him may know so much to discerne together with his dead body our sins our old man the Law and all perfection whither by nature morality or the Law to be already dead buried and abolished in his grave and our selves raised up into the life liberty and righteousness of Christ in him this is the use of eating the Lord's body if any be become so vain in imagination as to think it is no more then the exercise of temperance and moderation to be performed by us let us know that it is the blood of the New Testament for remission of sins That Christ comming in the creature governing it himselfe so reconciles it to God is true indeed according to reason the Law and this people but in the person of Christ through death did God reconcile the World to himself Christ revealed in a man is not that he may reconcile but being reconciled that he may bring him to himself But canst thou poore sorry sinfull man beare in thy body the justice of the Law the punishment of thy sinnes the shedding of thy blood and raise up thy self again and through thy obedience come forth out of all thy sins before the majesty of God in that perfect and spotless righteousness that he shall see no sin in thee and if thou sayest Christ in thee can do all this I answer if thou believest not God hath already reconciled thee to himselfe by the death of his Sonne that spirit that thou thinkest doth reconcile in thee will be found most wicked and provoking delusion except Christ died in vain That Christ's Disciples were not changed nor he born in them when he appointed this Supper and that Christ had not appeared to the Believers with whom the Apostles continued it are both contrary to truth they were clean every whit through the word he had spoken or as in him and their bodies the Temple of the holy Ghost though they were as yet carnall and ignorant of the more spirituall truths so the Church of Christ is pure and beautifull as in him whilst fleshly and weake in many things as in themselves rejoyce in Christ as your liberty in whom you are made free let him dwell in you crucifying your flesh and manifesting his life wait for his great and last appearance to reign over all of which day it shall not need to be said lo here lo there but as lightning from East to West it shall beare witness of it self in and over the whole creation Concerning Redemption He saith that redemption is not of sinners that take delight in sin but of the light within that is it which wants redemption and of thâ—… it is said he took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham That this light or seed as it is raised to reign in us above all so it is redeemed and so is the creature made free from the law of sin and no redemption while this is in prison and not brought above all our lusts How hath the blackness and darknesse of mount Sinai covered the heart of this man how are the abounding riches of grace the fulnesse of the Mediator and the power of his Crosse resolved at once into the light or Law written in the heart of every man but the spirit of faith saith otherwise Man formed to be a living Image of the glory of God but fallen short of his glory separate from the life of God in spirit soul and body fallen into darknesse death and the curse this was it that wanted redemption that was redeemed in Christ scarcely for a righteous man would one die yet paradventure for a good man some would dare to die Rom. 5. to give ones life to save a righteous man the heart and love of man may be enlarged to that but herein divine love appeared beyond all number measure or the heart of man in that whilst yet sinners we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son and raised up together into heavenly places before we either knew desired or sought after the same but is the light or seed or Christ under the Law sin or curse or needs he to be redeemed or saved from these the children are pertakers of flesh and blood therefore Christ pertook of flesh and bringing his divine nature thereinto he crucified and abolished our sins and death out of it and so presented us to God a sanctified cleansed and perfected people in himself before we did obey or believe or were therefore let us say with joy in the Lord we have righteousness and strength in the Lord are we justified and do glory To what he saith as the light within is raised and reigns so is both it and the creature redeemed and no more the Law of commandments hath dominion over the flesh as long as it lives a greater Law came forth
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
call of the Virgins one to another saying let us go trim our lamps and go forth to meet him this will be the work of the Spirit and Saints at that time Anti-christ will come forth in the same form and language as suiting with that season speaking words not of mean and low strain but of high and spiritual things I am Christ or he is come his doctrine will be of things of note and wonder deceiving and drawing many behold he is in the desart among us the lovely despised afflicted and cast out not among the wise mighty and noble behold he is in the secret chambers not in the multitude the assemblies the common wayes of Religion but among us a people separate and gathered and called out of the world into the more inward and spiritual way moreover he will come forth with power all men all things of the earth the faith religion souls and bodies of them which professed the Truth but were not of the Truth shall be given into his hand and be at his devotion the true Christ with his Church shall be as poor weak and inconsiderable in comparison of him lastly he will come with signes the world looks for a sign and he will come with signs of light zeal and holiness signs tokens and wonders to sight sense and judgement of all that are not in Christ such as if they were the very truths workings and comings of the Son of Man himself onely the Elect such as chose not God but were chosen of him such as have not their life in gifts and workings in the spiritual vigour and activity exercised in themselves but in the root of all this that is hid with Christ in God who have their redemption their life their religion in something that is perfect without and beyond all work in themselves that is in Christ himself these are those Elect that have that in them which shall keep them that they cannot be deceived he that in that day shall have a name written in Heaven that is a life compleat in Christ shall be greater than he that shall say Lord in thy Name have we cast out Devils that is we have prophesied and gone forth in the gifts activity and power of thy Spirit Wherefore it may be concluded concerning this people and all other whatsoever spirit or doctrine in them or any other shall teach the coming of Christ to make redemption or reconciliation in us as having not fulfilled the same for us already in himself I testifie against it as no other but the old Law-working Spirit under a new name and form and therein the power of Anti-christ coming forth in one of his highest and last counterfeits of truth thereby to pervert the faith and draw away the eyes and expectations of men from the true Saviour and his true appearance which also draws near An account of the hope that is in me concerning the first and last appearances of Christ COncerning both whose appearances that which is past and that which is to come I shall give a short account of that faith wherein I stand from which I trust neither Word nor Spirit shall ever remove me That Jesus Christ first manifest in flesh came forth not onely as an example of Perfection as some say nor onely as a type or figure without of things to be fulfilled in us nor onely as a Law-giver as others but that in his own body on the tree through union with the eternal Spirit he bore away and abolished our sin and death and fulfilled the Law and Prophets wherein God so rested and therewith was so well pleased that he signified the same by causing the blackness darkness thunderings and lightenings of Sinai in the midst whereof he dwelt before to pass away and the vail of partition between him and us to rent asunder besides which redemption there is none other either before or after by Angels without or by Spirit within that is or shall be wrought as to the thing but onely as to the manifestation thereof That not by following his example or by any work but by faith I come to know and partake of this Redemption which was in being before in him but with other the heavenly things hid in God and in time manifested to my faith and feeling so that I began not to be redeemed or loved when I first beleived but I began by faith to behold and enjoy that love and redemption which was prepared and entire for me in him before I had done either good or evil sin and death being finished and my old man crucified before in him as to God with whom all things are present by faith I come to know it and do reckon with him I am as truly crucified buried and raised up according to the comprehensiveness of his death and crucified Person much more than if the same had been acted in and upon my own Person That while according to my inward man or in a mystery I am in heavenly places above Law sin and death yet for the exercise and tryal of faith according to sight or my earthly man I often walk in the valley of the shadow of death in the feeling of infirmities buffetings and fightings in the flesh thus I am at once both weak and strong on earth and in heaven a sinner and righteous thus I know my redemption and victory as in him compleat while I feel the same redemption and victory as in me but in part and encreasing if my redemption were not more than what I feel the Gospel were not a mystery nor faith would be any more than sight nor grace have any glory That I look for Jesus Christ to come in me more in Spirit manifesting his death his cross and life in me not thereby to make attonement for sin but to gather me up through daily dyings and quickenings into the full sight union and profession of that redemption and grace and glory already given me freely in him also I look for the appearance of the Lord Jesus as God and man who shall enlighten the Saints with his brightness and shall cover the earth with his righteousness before whom all that which is against him shall be consumed by him and that which is of him shall yeild up it self to be perfected in him as the lesser in the greater this is my Testimony and my hope Light Purity and Power of this people examined what it is AFter all that hath been said some may retain this perswasion of this people that they are a people of light purity and power above all others As to their Light I would say That there is a Ministry that knows Christ onely as in an History and teach him so that presseth onely the outward letter according to principles of Law and natural Reason but know not the mystery and Spirit therein what they can comprehend by the letter and reason that they teach and what is more they do judge errour heresie and to
Noah and the rest who were Preachers of righteousness and perfection or wherein is his Gospel above the Law which is a rule of perfection or what were his sufferings more then those of Paul who was in deaths often let the spiritual judge which is the Doctrine of Perfection Perfection is either that in the head hid for us there until he shall appear or a measure and earnest thereof manifest in our bodies according to the first a believer overcomes possesseth all things is dead raised up and received by Christ into the glory of God Rom. 15.7 according to the other a believer knows but in part sees enjoyes and prophesies but in part and so is in imperfection wherefore let the Children in Christ know that they are saved and perfected in the Lord for ever whilest yet their seeings prayings and actings in the Lord are but in part and let this people know if they look away from that one offering in the head and be not first perfected therein that all other perfection by the light within and utmost obedience will not stand them in stead in the last day Concerning Obedience The sum of things spoken by him is that to be guided in obedience to the spirit or light within us as Christ was by the spirit of the father in him this is the righteousness of Christ and thus by the obedience of one are many made righteous that the father calls for the same obedience of the believer as of Christ and the believer offers up himself in the same obedience Christ did and so is the obedience of Christ and a believer one that the creature is not made perfectly righteous by the obedience of Christ till he comes to the same perfection of obedience that Christ did and so he is made righteous no further then he obeys If nothing should be said the swelling pride of this spirit in lifting up it self in an equal sufficiency with the person of Christ to drink the same cup and offer up the same obedience for the purging away sin may hereby appear yet I may not be silent in the cause of my Lord although I am the least in my fathers house Although this Doctrine may have a glory with the sublime wits of speculative Pagans who know not or deign not to know any other way of approaching the Divine Glory then the way Christ did that is without a Mediator yet unto the true Christian who through many tribulations hath seen an end of all perfection whither fleshly lusts works of the Law or heights of Philosophy it is known to be but a depth of Satan but who art thou Oh man that utterest these great words hast thou all the fulness of the God-head in thy self in the measure the man Jesus had hast thou all those treasures of Light wisedom and Power in the same fulness that he had that thou canst follow him into the perfection and glory of God by the same way of obedience he did art thou able to bear the sins of many to sustain the sentence and terrible Majesty of the Law in thy body to encounter with all the Angels and powers of darkness to lay down thy life for many and take it up again was not this and much more the obedience of Christ was not he made perfect by these sufferings and doest thou think to come to perfection or the glory of God by doing the like or not rather by believing he hath done all this for thee Wherefore let it be known that the spirit hath testified in Scriptures of two things in the obedience of Christ a Mystery to be believed and an Example to be followed Christ as Mediator being the only person in whom all things pertaining to God and men the repairing of the breach and the making up of a blessed union between them were to be transacted received into himself and therein slew our old man the enmity and all the evils of the world and being in the glory of the second Adam put an end in himself to the glory of the first and in the place of all this brought forth in himself everlasting righteousness liberty and peace into and upon all them that believe whereupon a believer may say as I am in the first Adam where the Law reason and sense bear rule so I am in a Tabernacle of flesh an house of darkness so I often neither feel nor know nor behold any redemption liberty or peace but as I am in the second Adam I neither know law reason nor sense flesh world nor work but Christ to be all in all this is the mystery to be believed a mystery hid from the spirit of this world or the purest and clearest principle in the heart of the natural man if this mystery of Christ in his death were known to any as it is in him Christ would appear to that man as a fulness of light and glory in through and over all things or were a believer known to himself or the world as he is known in Christ to Christ he would not be able to bear the world nor the world him therefore blind or worse are those reproaches that are cast upon this mystery of the death of Christ and redemption by it as a knowing of Christ without at Jerusalem or after the flesh nothing brings forth Christ more as a spirit of wisedom power and holiness within me unto good works then when I behold him as made righteousness and sanctification to me without work whosoever takes away the last doth also take away the first and at best hath no more but a divised likeness or imagined shadow thereof As Christ suffered for us in the flesh that the father in him as his head and life might be revealed and glorified in him so in the same spirit and mind ought the believer to suffer in the flesh that Christ in him as this head and life might be glorified and manifest in him thus is Christ's obedience an example to be followed our dyings and perfectings in the body by obedience when proceeding from our first being dead and perfected in the head by faith so they are the precious savours and fruits of Christ and grace but if dyings and obedience in us be made the way unto perfection and justification in Christ then they are no other but works of the Law disguised with names of Christ and spirit as this people stand divided from the first so am I divided from them and so doth this testimony go forth against them There are diversities of operations but the same spirit his Doctrine saith that we are perfectly justified by Christ's obedience when we perform obedience in the same measure he did if so then the obedience of the man Jesus and ours are no more one then the obedience of Paul and ours that is one in spirit but two in operation thus by his Doctrine we are justified as much by the obedience of Paul as of the man Christ as to the operation
let him and them consider if it be not so and fear Concerning good Works His account is that by obedience to the light which reproves of sin following it out of the world and bringing forth the fruits of it the creature comes into the good work or obedience of Christ and so is by Christ redeemed that by being diligent in this light waiting and obedient therein the believer is led into the obedience sufferings tribulations and temptations of Christ that all the works and measures performed by the creature in obedience to this light do all compleat but this one work of the creatures redemption Where faith and unity with the head is lost no marvel if all the thoughts of that man run into confusion that the obedience or righteousness in Christ for justification and good works in us are one thing his own words at large may manifest if this short account of them may not and thereupon what foundation they build I need say no more only for the weaks sake I shal speak a word Christ was in the beginning with God that good Word whereby all things were made the same word in fulness of time became flesh in him that was the holy and just One who in his own person eternally vanquished all the evils of the world and to the utmost fulfilled the holy and perfect work of God for an everlasting and only righteousness upon all that believe of the greatness whereof might I speak it is higher then the Heavens deeper then the Sea and the utmost bounds and ends thereof can no more be known then can the heights and depths of him be known that is the holy one of Israel And this is the one obedience one righteousness one good work in one person one in spirit one in operation never to be renewed more in any other the same being not of a private nature nor for a private spirit but one for all he that hath made of one blood all Nations of men hath by one blood created anew out of all Nations a people for himself and if the natural heavens over us were spread forth at once in length and breadth large enough to comprehend preserve and nourish all Nations and all things therein how much more shall that One righteousness of Christ which is one with himself be as spiritual heavens large enough to take in to cover and preserve the second creation without any other to be added thereto how low and narrow yea how unbelieving and unworthy are their thoughts and esteem of the person and righteousness of Christ that think otherwise I leave to be weighed Through faith I come to read this most good and glorious work of God and therein to understand how that this world and my old man or flesh with all the evils of both by the operation of the blessed Divinity in his body were abolished in himselfe through death whilst yet darkness pollutions and fightings and thereby heaviness for a season is felt in my flesh wherein I also reckon my self to be as truly crucified and buried with him through the operation of the Godhead in the man Jesus for me as if the same had been done in me and this is the mystery of faith and the praise thereof is great but not before men who esteem of nothing but of what appears or is seen felt or handled and hence I think it necessary to give this warning that all approaches unto or converses with the majesty and glory of God by any redemption or operation of whatsoever spirit or light within and all mysteries of light and perfection so reputed whatsoever where that blessed and eternal redemption in the person of Christ for us is excluded I say through faith that all such are no other but some of the brighter sparks of Satans fires kindled on purpose to lead the creature to God by such a door as wherein he will be unto it a consuming fire can two walk together except they be agreed that man knows neither what God is nor himself that thinks to attain or to have attained the glorious presence of God by spirit within him who is not first reconciled through the propitiation of grace in the blood of Jesus If any man ask as they often do how can Redemption be where it is not witnessed where conscience chargeth of sin my answer is who shall lay any thing to my charge it is Christ that died my witnesses are the spirit water and blood the spirit of Revelation shining in my heart and the power of his death and redemption in part manifest in my body whilst heart and flesh that is reason and sense and law witness against me yet Christ and grace is greater then all let him alone speak let these be silent But if they ask to believe redemption whilst sin in me is not this the unreasonable hope No the father laid our sins upon Christ to take them away whilst we were yet enemies that he might commend his great love to us this was reasonable with God the Son rent our sins from off him in his own body on the tree because he could not be held of them this was reasonable with Christ the spirit bears witness that all things are finished sin death and the flesh in the body of Christ unto him that works not but believes on him that justifies the ungodly this witness is reasonable through faith I receive Christ into my self and am received into him and through this oneness am made righteousness life and light in the Lord whilst yet I am in many darknesses and deaths as to sense and feeling and this is reason as in the mind of God and according to the mystery of Christ that doctrine or spirit how mysterious soever in words or shâ—w that teacheth redemption to be by the operation of the spirit within us and not by that alone operation of God in the man Christ Jesus is indeed the excellency and height of man's reason and thoughts but a fearful contradiction to that higher reason or rather that blessed mystery of grace that appeared in Christ Whereas he saith that all the works and measures performed by the creature in obedience to the light within do all compleat the one work of the creatures redemption to this I shall only say how is the day of free grace set upon us and how are the thick clouds of Legality and misterious reason spread over us if this may be received for truth and let me only remember you of the words of Luther a man wiser and mightier in Christ then I which follows It was indeed a great glory that Abraham received circumcision at the commandment of God that he was endued with excellent vertues that he obeyed God in all things but all this availeth nothing to righteousness before God the excellent deeds and vertues of Abraham were not the cause that he was counted righteous before God so the following of the example of doth not make us righteous before
God for to that there is a more excellent price required which is neither the righteousness of man nor yet of the Law here we must have Christ how not by works but by faith therefore as there is a great difference between Christ blessing or redeeming and Christ working or giving example wherefore we must seperate the believing and the working Abraham as far asunder as there is distance betwixt heaven and earth Abraham believing in Christ is altogether a divine person the child of God inheritour of the world conqueror of sin death the world and the Divel therefore he cannot be praised and magnified enough let us not suffer this faithful Abraham to lye hid in his grave as he is hid from the Jews but let us highly extol and magnify him and let us fill both heaven and earth with his name so that in respect of the faithful Abraham we see nothing at all in the working Abraham for when we speak of this faithful Abraham we are in heaven but afterwards doing those things which the working Abraham did which were carnal and earthly and not divine and heavenly but as they were given unto him of God we are among men in earth the believing Abraham filleth both heaven and earth so every Christian through his faith filleth both heaven and earth so that besides it he ought to behold nothing Thus far his words Good works or the works of God in us are in comparison of the righteousness in Christ but carnal like as Abraham's good works a thing worthy of note are but accounted flesh in comparison of the righteousness of Christ Rom. 4.1 2. Concerning Election and Reprobation He saith that the light in every man which reproves of sin is Christ and is the election elect seed the mercy of God placed in all men that this light being believed and followed till by it a man be changed and purged from the oldness and lusts of flesh to the newness of the spirit then he comes to the election or to be selected Truth saith that in every man which reproves of sin is not Christ but the Law by the Law is the knowledge of sin that Christ the Elect and beloved of God is he in whom the purposes promises counsels and all the works of God were laid up and known unto God from before the world began Christ was from the beginning the common seed or Father in whose loines God in his foreknowledge beheld and in his love choose a seed or ofspring whom he would beget of his own will by his spirit God that separated the Jews from all other Nations only because he loved them that said of the children of Isaac being not yet born Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated that called them his beloved which were not beloved that separated Paul a persecuter from his mothers womb that hath mercy on whom he will have mercy the same God hath foreknown and chosen and loved a people in Christ the beloved who though for the present as concerning the Gospel they be enemies through wicked works yet as touching the election they are beloved for Christ's sake you have not chosen me but I have chosen you If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me Christ drawed up all his own in his body into himself in love this love shed forth into our hearts draws us up in love into him again thus we love him because he loved us first the father gave a people to the Son from everlasting and saw and loved them in him before the world was the Son came forth to manifest and make way for this love through his righteousness down unto men the spirit reveals that love and by Christ leads us unto the father thus redemption and sanctification are both fruits of that love and election that was given us in Christ before the world began by receiving Christ the Image of the father I come indeed to know his love and election but he both loved elected and redeemed me in Christ the head before I was Wherefore they that deny election and redemption until the creatures obedience to the light within do measure the thoughts and waies of the unsearchable goodness of God with the low and narrow thoughts and waies of man being zealous indeed for the righteousness of God according to the Law but darkning and denying the glorious righteousnes of God as in Christ Jesus Concerning the New birth He saith that by abiding in the seed or light within every man thereby the old man is put off with his deeds that they who are guided by this light called by him the eternal spirit do follow God as he goes out of one form into another all others stay therein after God is gone as seeing but the outside or form only that they who joyned to the light within that reproves of sin to be led by it are and ever were hated and persecuted of all others His silence throughout of that more excellent and truly misterious way of crucifying the body of sin in the person of Christ whose body and blood is by him made as no more but figuers of the body and blood within that is the light within all men this doth sufficiently manifest his mind and principle and the end whether it leads unto mount Sinai to press through unto God by an attonement and mediation to be made in our bodies that is obedience to the light within The new creature is not a Jew one seeking righteousness by the Law either in the letter or conscience nor a Gentile one thinking to know comprehend and worship God by the light or wiâ—edom of the natural man but a man in Christ dead buried and risen with him into heavenly places above the world sin and death by faith alone without work that is before these things be manifest or wrought in his members also he is one in whom Christ dwels by faith so made partaker of the divine Nature that spirit which the world sees not hath not nor by any light they have can find it out the world's light is a candle from the Lord saying do this and live the spirit of the new creature is the Lord himself saying I have done it only believe and live According to the mysterie of faith the new man is in heart and spirit gone out of all the world and is in heaven perfectly justified redeemed and saved but in a way above sense and feelings yet seen by faith according to present manifestation he hath the spirit of Christ whereby he sees knows and enjoys in part those perfect things in Christ till they be fully revealed if any man boasts of the first that he is redeemed by Christ and hath not the other that he lives in some measure after the spirit that man's boasting is in vain likewise if any man glories of the spirit that he walks in the spirit in mortifyings of the flesh neglect of the body reproaches necessities
you than a lofty imagination of Reason onely enlivened with an active spirit of bondage That not the Light within every man but the word of the Apostles and Prophets and the spirit of Revelation shining according to their Testimony is that which leads to the Lord Jesus the incomprehensible divinity cannot be seen nor approached unto but in the Mediatour the Man Christ so Christ is the image of the invisible God the unsearchable Mystery of Christ is brought to light by the Gospel and to be learned by the Spirit so the Scriptures are the Image of Christ he that shall seek for God out of the Humanity of Christ he shall loose both God and himself so he that to find out Christ shall go to the Light within every man and not to the Testimony of them who spake of him what they had seen and heard he may come to behold him as the Law-giver and Judge but as a Justifier and Saviour he cannot know him The Light within all men may find out the God-head but the Mystery of Grace and Love cannot be known but by that Spirit that blowes where and when he lists Would the light within have shewed you the Attonement Redemption the bloud and sacrifice or have put these words in your mouth Concerning the Ministry of Christ HE saies the Ministers of Christ have the Word in them and so declare it to others that they Preach not for hire or gain that they are persecuted of the world He saies rightly that is a Ministry of Christ but Ministers of Righteousness are of Satan or of Christ zealously to affect to compass Sea and Land to make fair shewes in the flesh to be as touching the Law blameless to preach freely suffer labour stripes imprisonments Satans Ministers may be herein transformed as the Ministers of Christ wherefore Ministryes are to be judged by their Spirit and Spirits by Doctrines If an Angel from Heaven if any Persons coming forth in the wisdome holiness power and glory of an Angel shall not confess that Christ was made Sin and a Curse and the end of both through his death unto us let them be accursed their Doctrine takes away the blessing of Abraham which is in Christ and brings men again under the Curse of the Law which by Christ is abolished to all that truly believe I am jealous that the Teachers of the People for the greatest part are carnal formal and but in the Letter and walking as men yet the Lord has his chosen ones among them I am as jealous that the Teachers of this People are the Ministers of that darkness and wroth by which God will punish this faithless perverse and back-sliding Generation Let thy Spirit of Grace be poured forth upon thy Sons and Daughters and the Spirit of errour and uncleanness shall be revealed and cast out Concerning Free-Will HE saies the Light within men which reproves the evil deeds is that Will of God by which we are sanctified and saved that in every man which shewes him his sin and reproves for it is Free-Grace This Light in every man is the Free-will which is free to God and free from sin If the first be so then is the death of Christ of no effect wherein the whole blessed Will of God was done by which Will we are sanctified through his Body how is Christ crucified become foolishness to you who whilst to your selves and others you have a shew of humility are vainly puft up with your fleshly mind not holding the Head If the second be so then the Law and Free-grace are the same if the Light God has put into all men accusing of sin be the gift of Grace the gift of heavenly Righteousness by Christ wherein is the end of the Law and Sin heeded not that we are delivered from that Law in the Letter or Conscience that reveales sin and wrath and while enemies in our minds were reconciled to God by the death of another this is Grace that we are saved in him raised up into heaven in him whilst compassed about with a body of death in our selves this is a mystery to all the Children of Reason the Law and the Letter the darkness that is upon it is that which keeps the Saints in weakness and unstability the world in blindness and Idolatry and Anti-christ with all his righteousness wisdome and works after the Law Reason and Flesh in his power and greatness If the third be so then there is that in the natural man whereby he is able to know and receave the things of the Spirit there is a candle in all men upon which some beames of the God-head do descend and may be known thereby also the righteousness and transgressions of the Law but the deep things of God his Grace in Christ sparkling in old time now in one promise now in another figured by the Law and foretold by the Prophets whereof the righteousness of the Jewes the Philosophy of the Greeks knew nothing this cannot be discerned by the clearest Light in the natural man Thus the Mystery of the second Adam and the restoring of all things in him is levelled and brought down by the Divinity of these People to be no other thing than that Light of the Law and Reason which all Nations have and so whilst they are condemning all other Religions may be concluded in one common Faith and Principle with all those Religions whom they condemne herein onely excelling them that those are Iniquity more manifested these are Iniquity in a Mystery When they shall cease to make the death of Christ and the whole Mystery of Grace in him of none effect I shall cease any longer to account them so The End A TABLE of the several particulars spoken to in this Book 1. COncerning the Righteousness of the Letter of Angels and of God 2. What is Idolatry God may be known three manner of waies 3. Who hold not the Head and how Christ is Head 4. Three chiefest Principles of this People called Quakers examined and weighed 5. How Faith is the Evidence of things not seen 6. Concerning Faith and Sight 7. Concerning the Spirit and Scriptures as together making up a perfect witness or rule of Faith 8. The Light in all men what it is and of what use 9. Two things charged upon us by this People first that we deny the Light within and set it against Christ secondly that we believe in a Christ without these weighed and resolved 10. What is the inward Life and who is the retired Christian 11. A two fold departure from the Faith in the last daies what they are 12. The Christ that dyed at Jerusalem how farre acknowledged and how far denied by this People to be thâ— Redeemer 13. Whether this People build up a Righteousness of the Law 14. Christ first and last Coming what and a Question answered 15. Anti christs last Coming what and how 16. The Authors Testimony concerning the first and last Appearances of Christ 17. Light Purity and Power of this People examined what it is 18. Opposition and persecution that is raised against this People what to be thought of it At Page 47. begins the Review of there Principles as laid down by J. Naylor in his Book called Love to the Lost under these several Heads 1. Concerning the fall of Man 2. Light and Life 3. Righteousness 4. The Word 5 Worship 6. Error and Heresie c. 7. Faith 8 Hope 9. Judgement 10. Perfection 11. Obedience 12. Good Works 13. Election and Reprobation 14 New Birth 15. Baptisme of Christ and that the world so calls 16 the Lords Supper 17. Redemption 18. Justification 19. Sanctification and Mortification 20. The Law 21. Christ Jesus 22. The Ministers of Christ 23. Free-Will