Garden and I was afraid because I was Naked and I hid my self And the Lord God said Who told thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat Who began to excuse himself saying The Woman thou gavest to be with me she gave me to eat and I did eat And the Lord God said to the Woman What is this that thou hast done And the Woman said The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat And the Lord God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this cursed art thou above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field on thy Belly shalt thougo and Dust shalt thou eat c. And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel So the Lord sent him forth from the Garden to till the Ground c. and placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a Flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the Way of the Tree of Life Oh miserable Change Oh deplorable Alteration Oh lamentable State undeclarable undone Condition unexpressible Fall What! he that was in the Image of the Incorruptible Being a Living Soul inhabiting in the Garden of the Lord where the Tree of Life was and the Splendor of the Glory of the Divine Being was known and enjoyed drove from all into the Earth and not only so but the Cherubims and Flaming Sword that turneth every way placed to keep the Way of the Tree of Life Be astonished oh Heavens at this and be horribly afraid oh Earth The Lord God brought up Children and they Rebelled against him Now what was the Cause and Ground O ye Sons and Daughters of Adam that brought this horrible Change that brought man into this deplorable State and Condition Was it not Disobedience to the Righteous Law of God Did not Sin enter into the World through Disobedience and Death by Sin And is not Sin continued in the World through Disobedience Is there any other Way by which Sin enters now then it did then and Death by Sin which has reigned over all and reigns over all who are in the fallen Estate from God even over them that have not sinned according to the Similitude of Adam's Transgression For all have not sinned according to his Similitude who was deceived with an Expectation of an higher Estate then that in which the Lord God had placed him But all Iniquity of what Similitude soever is one in the Ground and becomes a Separator of man from his God So the Ground of all Iniquity and Transgression that ever was is or shall be is man's Disobeying the Righteous Law of God Disobedience whereunto bringeth Death But what was that which in Adam dyed and what was the Death seeing that the Lord said In the Day thou eatest of the Tree before mentioned thou shalt surely Dye and yet though he did eat thereof he lived outwardly and had Children It was the Inward Man that dyed which was so made by the Living Breath of the Almighty for man going out of the Counsel of the Lord by his Disobedience came to be alienated from the Life of God and so became insensible of that primary Life in which he was wholely a right Seed and a noble Plant In his Degeneration he became inwardly dead the inward Senses of the inward Man were lost the inward Ear was stopped the inward Eye was blinded the inward Sence of tasting how good the Lord is the inward Feeling after the Divine Virtue who is all Power Life Love and Joy the inward Sence of Smelling his Garments that smell of Myrrh and of the Spikenard Spiritually were all lost and instead thereof an Ear opened that hearkened to the Voice of the Stranger and an Eye opened that saw the forbidden Fruit pleasant and desirable the Heavenly Cloathing of Innocency Meakness and Resignation lost and thus he came to be without God in the World and here in this Estate Man was altogether out of a Capacity of abiding in the Garden or partaking of the Heavenly Tree of Life that was in the midst thereof and in this Estate are all the unconverted Sons and Daughters of men notwithstanding all Fig-leaf-Coverings of Professions But as the Law of the Spirit of Life breaketh forth in its Manifestation and the Sons and Daughters of men come with it to be awakened they will have the Sight and true Sence of their inward Estate and Condition which will indeed cause a Cry to arise in the Soul Oh wretched Estate Oh miserable Condition And here the Entrance of Sin comes to be seen which hath brought Death for the Wages of Sin is Death which was the Death that came over Adam and over all since that have disobeyed the Righteous Spiritual Law of God which is just holy and good and was before Transgression which Law bringeth to Christ the Promised Seed the Gift of God which is Eternal Life Now man being thus departed out of that Nature Image and Seed in which man had his Being before Transgression is become the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine before the Lord God that made him And from the Sons and Daughters of men as they stand joyned to this Nature and Seed of the Serpent which hath defiled Man in Soul Body and Spirit proceed these Branches and Fruits of Iniquity to wit Pride Envy Emulation Strife Variance Debate Hatred Wrath Anger Murder Inordinate Affection Concupiscence Lasciviousness Wantonness Vanity Uncleanness Fornication Adulteries Love to this World Drunkenness Revelling Idleness Swearing Cursings Cheating Defrauding Double-dealing Evil-speaking Back-biting Covetousness Idolatry Witchcraft Man being thus fallen from God into this miserable deplorable State the infinite Being in his Endless Boundless Fathomless Loving-kindness hath opened a Way by which Mankind might be restored up to himself again which Way is the promised Seed concerning whom he said to the Serpent I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel So herein was the tender Mercy of the everlasting God extended unto Mankind in leaving a Seed else all would have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah which God destroyed with Fire in his Wrath So this is that one Seed on which he hath laid Help who is mighty to save who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature in which Image Man was before the Transgression who was glorified with the Father before the World began This is He of whom in the Name of the great Jehovah I give Testimony That He is the Way of Life and Salvation and that there is no other Name by which any man can be saved then by him who was and is and is to come who was from Everlasting to Everlasting the Rock of Ages which followed Israel and was in the Church in the Wilderness as Stephen
unto whom be the Glory of his own Work forever and so here will be a growing and increasing until there is a coming into that pretious State and Image in which man was before he fell The By Pathes Crooked Wayes Wiles and Snares of the Enemy Discovered NOw when the Mind is turned to this Divine Heavenly Principle and that therein the Work of the Lord is begun which before is said is the bringing man into a Real Sensible Knowledge of his State and Condition then will the same Destroyer that brought man into Bondage at first and hath kept him in Bondage begin to work cunningly and every way endeavour to destroy the Work of God begun in the Soul and that he may accomplish his End he will go about every way seeking an Entrance and will lay his Temptations suitable to the Propensity or Inclinations of the Creature If the Heart and Mind be bowed down under the weighty Sence of Iniquity the Sins committed coming in order and the many Transgressions in sight through which the Sorrow and Bitterness is great here the Enemy will work in his Transformings and although in Appearance like the Light yet in Nature contrary thereto For albeit the Light and Appearance of God gives the certain Vnderstanding of the inward State and brings Sorrow because of Sir and shews the Mountain of Iniquity and the exalted Hills of Transgression yet its Workings inwardly beget a secret Hope of Overcoming by the Lord's Strength but then the Enemy when he seeth the Soul bewed down as aforesaid oftentimes afflicteth and brings down the Mind into Vnbelief of ever Overcoming thereby endeavouring to sink the Soul down into Despair knowing if he overcomes he still keeps under his Power although in another Appearance but all that are exercised on this kind waiting on the Lord singly with the Mind stayed in the Light this Snare will be discovered for as I said although the true Appearance of God's Heavenly Light and Grace brings a Day of Trouble Sorrow and Anguish yet that Sorrow it not a Sorrow without Hope but the Enemy's Working is to bring into a Sorrow Trouble and Anguish without Hope and to draw down the Spirit into the Chambers of Darkness where there is no order But now when the Enemy of the Soul's Peace is discovered in this his Working and the Heart and Soul through the Love and Power of God is comforted incouraged and refreshed and raised up into a Measure of the Living Hope Satisfaction and Content then the old crooked subtil Serpent endeavours to lead from off the inward daily Travail that so Judgment may not be brought forth into Victory and so draw up the Mind into a False Perswasion of Obedience and Diligeuce whenas there is not an Abiding in that which gives a true Sight and Sence of the State and Condition And as before he would have destroyed the Hope that is an Anchor sure and stedfast so now on the other hand he would beget a Fasle Hope and Confidence and so bring out of the Daily Cross through which the Nature which hath alienated from God should be destroyed And if the Workings of the Enemy be seen and overcome in both these Wiles and Snares on the Right Hand and on the Lest and that the Work prospereth even until much be subjected and that through the daily Obedience to the Heavenly Power much is slain and that the Heart and Mind comes in a good measure to be cleansed and that in pure Obedience and constant Faithfulness in this Light of Righteousness a good Progress is made through the Administration of Condemnation that is Glorious in its time and that something of pure Peace and heavenly Joy springs and arises in the Heart and Soul here again the Enemy will be subtilly at work to betray and lead aside in perswading to sit down now as if all were done and so lead out from the feeding on the Tree of Life to feed on the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and so lead out into a Liberty to break the Commandment of the Lord and here at first subtilly and cunningly draws the Mind out so far as to take a little Liberty and draws the Mind somewhat from that diligent Watchfulness Dread Fear and Awe it was in before in the inward Travail of Spirit And here if the destroying subtil Enemy can but prevail a little he will lead out of the Innocent Harmleis Life and so gradually lead a little forth and so by degrees openeth an Eye that may see something in the outward visible things that may somewhat affect the Mind and as here he prevails and causeth his Work to prosper which he doth subtilly gradually and hiddenly the Eye that was opened comes again through Disobedience to be in some meature blinded and here Loss is sustained even before the Unwatchful is aware And so the Working of the Enemy first is to cause such to make Shipwrack of Faith in a little measure that is not to have the daily Belief to stand in the Power the daily Injoyment of which coming to be left by degrees there will then be a Turning from the Power of Godliness into the Form thereof And although at sometimes the Eternal Power of the Lord God may be felt in this Estate yet there being not a daily feeling after it the Injoyment thereof as to true Refreshment Consolation comes to be lost an Image comes up in its place and the Enemy provides and presents some Object or Objects so to take up the Mind as that by degrees he may enter in and defile the Mind and draw it out from its true Guide so as also to make Shipwrack of a good Conscience And now if the Enemy be discovered in these his Workings before he can so effect his Work as to bring Death and Darkness over again and that the Power of the Lord breaks his Snares and gives a true weighty Sence thereof through which Trouble and Anguish of Spirit comes here he will again transform and begin to work as in the beginning of the Work like the Condemning Power of the Lord endeavouring to lead the Mind down into Despair of ever recovering again into the Former Condition and hereby endeavour to draw the Mind to look at him that hath stung that so the Remedy the Soul-Ransoming Power of the Lord may not be felt after nor looked at but here as there is a true Regard to the Lord and a waiting upon him in the Way of his Judgments having the Faith and Confidence to stand in his Power the Backsliding will be heaâ—ed and returning and diligently keeping in the Light the Power of the Lord God Almighty will work over that which hath Hurt and endeavoured like a Rearing Lyon to destroy c. and so leads on the Way again But when Deliverance is known again from this deadly Snare and the Work again goes on prosperously until the House be swept and garnished and there is a Passage
same came for a Witness to bear Witness of the Light that all through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear Witness of that Light that was the true Light which lightneth every man that comes into the World c. And to this agrees the Testimony of Just Simeon who came by the Spirit into the Temple and took the Child Jesus into his Arms and said Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy Word for my Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel This is He of whom we Testifie whose Light is the VVay to Life And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil For every one mark that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Now this Light which the Servants of the Most High testified of is that which hath been spoken of and denominated under several Names For this Manifestation of God in man is sometimes called the Word the Spirit the Law the Grace of God now the VVord Light Grace Law Spirit are all one in Nature although diversly named Moses called it the Word and directed to this Word in the Heart and in the Mouth which Paul that illuminated Man rehearsing saith Say not in thy Heart mark Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring Christ up again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith that we preach This is the sure Word of Prophecy unto which Peter directs to take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in the Heart c. This Light is the Law of the Spirit of Life where-with Paul was acquainted that warred in his Mind against the Law of Sin and Death which was in his Members This Light is the Law in the Heart and the Spirit in the inward parts the New Covenant of God Almighty This is that which converts the Soul which Law Paul delighted in according to the inward Man This Law is Light of which the Scriptures of Truth plentifully testifie This is that Grace that Paul declared brings Salvation which hath appeared to all men which Law Light Spirit Grace Gift hath in measures as God's Talents appeared unto all men which teacheth all that are lead taught and guided by it to deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and not only so but also to live Soberly Godly and Righteously in this present Evil World This is that Grace which the Lord the Giver thereof said to Paul was sufficient for him to deliver him from the Temptation the Thorn in the Flesh of which the same Apostle said unto the Ephesians By Grace ye are saved c. And this is the Manifestation of the Spirit spoken of by Paul which is given to every man to profit withal And this is that good Spirit of the Lord given to Israel who rebelled against it as the old World did unto whom the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man of which â—ord Law Light Grace and Spirit given to be the Leader and Guider of Mankind out of Sin Death and Darkness into which Man fell through disobeying the Righteous Law of God as is afore declared the holy Scriptures give clear and full Testimony as hath been demonstrated But now that which is ready to arise is an Objection in some whose Understandings are not opened whose searchings to comprehend and Inquiries after the Way of man's Salvation stand in that Wisdom that is from below and in the Will and Reason of Man degenerated from the Life of God which is VVhether the preaching up this Word Light Law Spirit and Grace of God manifest within hath not a Tendency to make Christ Jesus his Appearance in the Flesh his Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension to be Invalid Unto which I answer Nay Forasmuch as no Persons ever did do or shall truly see discern know understand or enjoy the Benefit of Christ Jesus his Manifestation in the Flesh but as their Hearts were are or shall be opened and Understanding illuminated by the Light which is a Measure of the Divine Fulness that dwelt in him and is communicated to and placed in all Immortal Souls as the Universal Love of God extended in the Son of his Love to all the Families of the Earth as the Revealer and Discoverer of the VVill of him from whose Divine Fulness it comes and issueth forth it self universally for the Scripture thus witnesseth that No man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knows no man but the Spirit of God The Hearts of the Jews not being seasoned with this Grace of God and ignorant of the Gift of God which is Eternal Life they neither discerned loved nor received Christ Jesus when manifested in that outward bodily Appearance but rejected him notwithstanding they professed Love Honour and Regard to the Prophets and were in Expectation of the Fulfilling their Prophecies of the Coming of the Messiah who in due time came and yet they did not receive him but instead thereof set themselves against him taking Counsel from time to time how they might slay him though in Words they profest an earnest waiting for him So in this Day Age and Generation there are many who by their words do profess they believe his Coming in the Flesh and his Sufferings Death Resurrection and Ascension but yet having their Faith consisting in outward Notions and having no inward Experience of the End of his Coming nor of the Virtue of his Sufferings Death Resurrection c. they are Enemies in their Minds to his second Appearance and coming without Sin unto Salvation So there is a Necessity for all the Sons and Daughters of men to come to and obey this Divine Spiritual Principle which is placed in their Consciences by the Living Eternal God that thereby the Eye which hath been blinded through Disobedience by the God of the VVorld may be opened for until this in some measure be effected the Mystery of Godliness which is great can neither be seen nor understood and therefore Christ said finding the Woman of Samaria ignorant of himself who was and is that great Mystery and the Gift of the Father's Love If thou knowest the Gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee Living Water The Travail in Spirit of
out of all its own Willings and Runnings Comprehendings Searchings into the Principle of Light therein to see a Death to his own Will and be comprehended into this Light and so man comes to have an Understanding to know him that is true and to be in him that is true Now as any are convinced of and converted by this Heavenly Principle which is placed in the Conscience there given to be a Guide and Leader unto Mankind they are led thereby out of Darkness wherein they have been while yet the Light shone in Darkness in which Darkness no man ever comprehended this Light or Heavenly Grace which sometimes moves through the Darkness on the Depth of man's Understanding reproving and discovering Darkness causing man to hear its small still Voice moving in man God-wards so daily continues without Change reproving man whilst he remains in Rebellion and Disobedience all the time of his Visitation and approving and giving Peace unto man when he is Obedient This Principle of Light remains intire in its own Purity and although man may change and alter and go from it and rebel against it and thereby become one of them of whom Job speaks that rebel against the Light and thereby knows not the Way of it but gives way to the Working of the God of the World to be drawn out into the fading perishing things yet this Principle remains immutable in it self being of and from the Immutable Unchangeable Being and remains with man until it be taken from him and he be cast into utter Darkness The first Operation of this heavenly Light amongst those who are convinced by and turned to it the Gift of the Father which Christ Jesus in his Parable to the Jews compared to a Grain of Mustard-seed and to a little Leaven which a Woman took hid in three Measures of Meal until the whole came to be leavened is to shew man his in ward State and Condition and the first Step in the Way of Life is to be turned to this holy Principle that teacheth the Obedient to know God savingly and when by this Principle man comes to have a true Sight and Sence of his fallen Estate and sees how he hath transgressed against that Eternal Being that gave him Life and Breath who notwithstanding in his Long-Suffering waiteth long to be Gracious and knocketh at the Door of the Heart and hath striven by his Divine Light the true Sight and Sence hereof will break the Heart and tender the Spirit before the Lord and under the weighty Sence of the great Burden of Sin and Iniquity there will be a crying out My Sins they are too heavy for me to bean and mine Iniquities are gone over my Head as Paul did saying Oh Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death And here comes the Eye to be opened that seeth him whom man in his Disobedience hath pierced afresh and put to open Shame and then there will be Dayes of Mourning and Wailing because of him and this is truly the Day of Jacob's Trouble And in the Sence of this Deplorable Fallen Estate and the Long-suffering of the Lord and the Long-striving of his Spirit thou wilt see that in the Justice of God Eternal Death might be thy Portion but that which brings into this Sence begets a secret Cry in the Immortal Soul after a Deliverer and Saviour and will also give a true Sence and Sight that there is no way for thy Soul to be ransomed but in and through the tender Mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ which thou wilt see can no other way be effectually begun in thee but in the Way of the Judgments of the Lord For 't is through Judgment that Zion is redeemed and her Converts with Righteousness And here also thou wilt see that the Measure of the Sufferings of Christ yet behind must be filled up in thee for no other Way can any man pass unto Life Peace and Joy with the Father of Spirits but the Way the Captain of Salvation passed which was through Death and here thou wilt begin to arm thy self with the same Mind For none ceaseth any farther from Sin but as they suffer in the Flesh the crucisying of the Affections and Lusts thereof and here the End of the Gospel's Preaching comes to be known and witnessed which was and is that all man might be judged as men in the Flesh that so they might live according to God in the Spirit and in this spiritual inward Sence Exercise the Lord God Almighty will bow down his Ear Answer the Cryes of thy Awakened Soul and manifest his Word of Power which all in this State and Passage will know to be sharper then any Two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of thy Immortal Soul from the Spirit and Nature of Transgression and its Working daily as Subjection and Obedience is yielded unto it dividing and making a Separation between Joynts and Marrow giving thee daily a Discerning of the Thoughts and Intents of thy Heart And as the Soul Mind and Heart gives up in Love to God freely to follow him in the Way of his Judgments and gives up to the Sword of the Lord that which is for the Sword and that which is for Destruction to be destroyed thus will the pretious Work of the Lord prosper And although this be a Time of Sorrow and a Time of Trouble Travail and Anguish yet notwithstanding it is a Good Day therefore strive not to get from under it neither to make haste for the true godly Sorrow worketh the true Repentance which is never to be repented of and after the true Repentance follows the true Knowledge of Remission Forgiveness and so thy Inquities by the Judgments of the Lord God Almighty come to be blotted out and then the Times of Refreshment come from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power c. And as there is a faithful abiding in inward Watchfulness and continual Obedience to this Heavenly Light in which the Beginning of the Work of God was known there will be a going on from Step to Step in the Foot steps of the Flock of Christ Jesus and a growing from Strength to Strength over Sin and the Nature thereof and from one Degree of Grace to another and as there is a faithful Perseverance in this Divine Principle the Eye of the Understanding will be single and here every thing which hath or doth let will be seen and the Soul never start aside from an inward Travil until that which hindereth be taken out of the Way and until thou seest all the Rule and Authority of the Enemy to be subdued under the Feet of the Lord 's Anointed and the Government in the Soul upon his Shoulders whose Right it is to Raign over all And here Salvation Redemption and Restoration is effectually injoyed through the Effectual Working and Operating of the Almighty Power and Arm of God Almighty
the Messengers and Servants of the Most High in Ages past was the same as now is viz. To turn People from Darkness unto Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of the Living God thereby in no wise invalidating Christ Jesus his Manifestation in that Bodily Appearance neither his Sufferings Death Resurrection or Ascension but brings all People guided thereby unto that which will open the Eyes of their Understandings whereby they all come unto such a Condition and spiritual Understanding as to see and know their Benefit by that Appearance of the Saviour of the World for this we testifie All are perfected by that one Offering that are sanctified But here ariseth another Objection by some who may come so far as to own and confess That there is a Principle or Light in man that discovereth Sin and teacheth man to do Justly and Equally which some call Morality but That this Light or Principle in man is of a Saving Property and of the Nature and Quality of the Divine Being many for want of Understanding do deny and so are found Opposers of Truth it self and stumble at the Corner-stone which indeed in all Generations hath been to many men a Stone of Stumbling Rock of Offence which Thousands giving themselves up to be guided by their own Wisdoms and Prudence reject yea those accounted the Wise Master-Builders Professors of God and Christ being ignorant of the Root and Off-spring of David have and yet do reject this Corn â—-Stone Now for the sake of all who do or may desire after the true and saving Knowledge of Christ Jesus it is on my Spirit yet further to open and manifest the Original Nature aâ—â— Property of this Principle and Light whose Original and Founâ—â—â—n is the Eternal Being and Everlasting Ocean of Divine Fulness and its Nature and Quality is one with this Fountain from which it comes John testified In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God c. In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men He also testify'd That he was not that Light but came for a Witness to bear witness that that was the True Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World So the Original of this Light is Christ Jesus the Word But some may query thus Is Christ the Light in every man To which I answer Christ doth appear by his Light in every man and the Light which cometh from Christ is in every man as is clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures of Truth And though I account it unnecessary to answer the curious Inquiries of such who seeking to know much do not walk answerable to what they know yet for the sake of such whose Understandings are not open'd and yet are inquiring the Way to Sion I add this Similitude The Natural Sun is placed by the Creator to lighten the Outward World and doth extend from its Body a Measure of its Light and Natural Property shining on the Just and the Vnjust and so doth daily give forth of that Vertue which is inherent in its self when the Sun shineth on an Object whatsoever we sometimes say the Sun there appears and other times we say there is the Sun the Propriety of either of which manner of Expressions I suppose none will question for Light in that Appearance is seen and Vertue is felt penetrating to the Refreshment of our Natural Bodies and this Light and Heat is inseparable from the Fulness and notwithstanding it daily shineth and displayeth its Vertuous Life into and over all the Earth and its Inhabitants yet its Body is not any way exhausted or altered through Ages and Generations And so I say that Christ the Vniversal Fountain of Life the Sun of Righteousness the Ocean and Fulness of Spiritual Light Life and Vertue from whence is communicated a Measure of his Nature Property and Quality is given of the Father to enlighten all the Sons and Daughters of men who accordingly are all enlightened with his Spiritual Appearance and though this Appearance cannot be call'd the Fulness yet being a Measure of that Fulness it is one in Nature Property with and inseparable from the Fulness And though through its Virtue Life is daily communicated unto the Sons of men who waiting for the Appearance thereof as for the Morning-Light cannot live unto God without it yet doth he admit of no Diminution Alteration or Change but all Fulness of Divine Light Life and Glory doth and shall through every Age and Generation remain with him And albeit the Vail of Darkness hath over-shadowed the Hearts of some so as when we give Testimony unto the Universal Appearance of the Sun of Rightcousness in the Hearts of all the Sons and Daughters of men they are ready to say Such a Testimony leads to the Diminishing of that Glory and Honour which belongs unto him as he is the Fulness and sitting at the Right Hand of the Father inferring from such our Testimony as if whilst we testifie to his Appearance in our Hearts we exclude his Presence to be else-where which Inference I say is as irrational as it would be for any to conclude That because we say of the shining and Appearance of the Sun there is the Sun or the Sun there appears therefore we exclude the Being of the Sun else-where For its Virtue is communicated to our Natural Bodies every one having in measure some Enjoyment of the Virtue or Light of the Natural Sun which is Light to the Eye even as the Outward Eye is Light to or of the Natural Body and whosoever they are whose invisible Senses are quickened by the influencing Virtue which proceeds from the Eternal Sun of Righteousness do thereby see and discern that these things are according to the clear Manifestation of Truth in their inward parts and from a true Sence thereof can of a Truth give this certain Testimony That Christ the Lord by his holy quickening Spirit hath appeared in them to the quickening of their immortal Souls and that through believing in the Light and Obedience to his Appearance being come out of that State which is reprobated by the Lord can of certain experimental Knowledge say Christ is in 〈◊〉 the Hope of Glory And so when we direct People to this Word Light Law Grace and Spirit we do not thereby intend that Christ Jesus the Light of the World and Gift of God is not the true Saviour Redeemer and Reconciler of Mankind unto God Now this Word Light Law Grace and Spirit which is one in Nature doth lead and guide the Souls and Spirits of all such as obey it up to God the Fountain from whom it comes and no man comes to see its Nature and Original but such who are led by it for in the Light of the Lord alone man cometh to see Light to have an Understanding of the Original from whence it springs before this be seen or understood the Mind of man must be brought down