A TESTIMONY TO THE TRUE JESUS And the Faith of him Wherein the Way of the People called QUAKERS is in Meekness and righteousness summed and weighed First in a General Examen of their spirit and chief Principles after in a particular reveiw of the same as it is distinctly set forth in a book of theirs called Love to the Lost Wherein are many things useful for the discerning of Spirits in this hour of darkness and temptation By T. HIGGENSON LONDON Printed for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles near the West end of Pauls 1656. A Testimony to the True JESUS and the Faith of Him COncerning the People called Quakers and that way a sum of their faith profession is come forth signed by James Naylor who seems to be cheif whereby having obtained through Grace a more perfect understanding of them then I had before his Trumpet giving a more certain sound than others had done and having observed that Spirit to shew it self therein with more nakedness and less covering at least to me than at other times I shall in righteousness and love to them and others present a veiw thereof according to the same form and visage it there presents it self under The ground of my appearing herein is not any interest I have in Court or Clergy from both whom I stand at a distance so farre as they appear at a distance from Christ and his work not any zeal I have to any form or way of worship cryed down by this people my heart is knit to all the Lords people from the Priest to the darkest forms though I am not joyned to them outwardly in the letter nor that I am ignorant or a stranger to spiritual mysteries or inward truths at least in part touching which I may say that my thoughts and zeal for Christ within have abounded so above the thoughts I had of his bloud without that I account it infinite mercy I am not at this day in unity with that Spirit that makes the death of Christ of none effect instead of this my appearing against it but my ground is this that I might bear some testimony to the blessed Mystery of Christ crucified and against this or any people so farre as they appear against it and that according to my measure I might set forth and justifie the harmony that is between the perfect Redemption in Christ for 〈◊〉 and the Revelation of him in us which two have been 〈◊〉 the Mystery of Iniquity divided and set up one against the other the first against the last by men zealous for the dead faith of Christ without against his Spirit and the last against the first by men pretending to the Mystery of Christ in them against the Redemption in Christ for them The Law was given by Moses in darkness blackness and tempests and with loud noises but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ in a still and meek way no cry nor voyce to be heard in the streets like as it was then so will it be now if the loud noises of the Commandment and Condemnation by Moses be brought in again the still voyce of Reconciliation and Peace by Christ may not be heard as to many The Law was given by him that spake on Earth commanding things to be done by men in the flesh the Gospel by him that spake from Heaven revealing our Righteousness already wrought in the Lord himself as many as are not ignorant of Sathans devices doe know how easily having begun in the Spirit we return back to the bondage of the first but how hardly we stand fast in the Loyalty of the second if such a spirit or faith shall cover this Land that saith we are not perfected for ever in Christ the Head before any good be done in us what remaines then but that sacrifices for sin be offered again though not in the Temple at Jerusalem yet in the Temples of our bodies and so build up again the old worldly Sanctuary onely changing the manner and form of administration Concerning the Righteousness of the Letter of Angels and of God VVHat may be useful for us to know as to the general Consideration of this and many other Spirits the things following may in part acquaint you in whose hearts the faith and love of Truth does yet remain There is a Righteousness according to the Letter consisting of bodily exercises in the earthly members after the outward Commandement which is but the purifying of the flesh Hebr. 9.13 herein stood the Religion of the carnal Jews under the first Testament this became a covering upon their eyes a vail upon their hearts that they could not see nor receive him who was the righteousness of God There is a Righteousness of Angels or a worshipping of Angels Col. 2. which is the Spirit of Man retired into things within passing beyond the things of the letter or of the body into speculations of the Godhead understanding of Mysteries to a certain perfection of knowledge and holiness all which is but the Glory of Man herein stands the Religion of the Anti-christian Gentiles now under the new Testament this was the sum of all the divinity the School-Doctors did know or deliver this Angelical Perfection falsly so called laid the foundation of the Eremites living by roots in the wilderness of Anchorites shutting up themselves from Communion with men of Monasteries and holy Houses for mortifying the flesh and perfecting in holiness these things while they bear a shew of wisdom in humility and neglecting the body have been in every age and still are set at enmity against him who is the Righteousness of God in the several approachings and manifestations of himself so what Sathan cannot do in a weaker way by the Righteousness of the letter he will endeavour to effect by a Ministery of Light and Righteousnes that appearing as in the glory and purity of an Angel of God he may darken or diminish the righteousness and glory of the Son of God There is the Righteousness of God Jesus Christ who by that fulness of Spirit and Life dwelling in him did at once and for ever not in ours but his own body triumph over and put an end to the Law Sin and Death on his Cross and rising from the Grave raised up and set up together with himself his Church in the heavenly Righteousness in him this Righteousness is as farre above either of the former as Christ is exalted above all Principality and Power therefore can they not add nor extend any righteousness to this no more than the Glory of Man or Angels can add glory 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ This Righteousness is the Word made flesh not the Wâ—… alone nor the flesh alone but the Union of these God and the â—…n Christ in One and the operation proceeding from this Union wrought and remaining in the Person of Jesus Christ this Righteousness being broad and perfect according to the Person in whom it is extends it self unto all and upon all
of the Fathers glory has already by himself without us and before any good wrought in us finished transgression made an end of sin abolished condemnation and death and that not by Spirit onely but by spirit water and bloud That though in the Kingdom of the Law of Reason and sense that is in the flesh sin condemnation and death are seen and felt yet in the Kingdom of Grace and Faith that is in Christ they are vanquished and appear no more That a beleiver while enclosed and shut up in a body of sin and death fightings and fears within and without as he is in flesh is at the same time raised up into the heavenly righteousness immortality and freedom above all sin or shadow of evil as he is in Christ the Head as redeemed in Spirit a Christian is in heaven in rest in victory and perfection as not yet redeemed in the body he is on earth in labours infirmities and imperfection These blessed sayings whosoever holds fast in faith and love will be in him as a lamp leading him through the thick vail of Legality the vain speculations of Philosophy the mysterious depths of Anti-christ and will be to him a Light to discern the Doctrine Spirit Ministry and Church of Christ from them that say they are so and seem to be so but are not but are of the Synagogue of Sathan Ye are compleat in him Upon this truth has the Church of Christ been built as upon a rock higher than all the flouds and storms that have gathered against her during the long Night of Anti-christian darkness as this Truth shined forth literal and mystical Idolatry in England France and Germany as shadows of the Night fled away On the other hand this Truth dying and decreasing out of the Churches of Galatia Colosse c. prepared the way of the Man of Sin into them and to this day hath exalted him over all Nations when the knowledge of Christ as Head shall more encrease and the Church grow up more into him who is Head Anti-christ in his highest forms his deepest speech his fairest shews worshipped and wondered at by the unbeleiving and unstable world of Professors shall be revealed and consumed Three cheifest Principles of this people called Quakers examined and weighed COncerning this people passing by their language postures and all other respects as to Person or Circumstance the tryal and knowledge of theirs or any other Spirit may more certainly be had from the substance and ground of their doctrine and faith the sum and scope whereof as to me it appears may be fully and faithfully gathered up in these three following principles 1. That the Light which enlightens every man accusing of sin is Christ and God the Pure and Perfect the Eternal and Just One and so the Redeemer and Saviour and the All to be known and beleived not as do others in word letter or person without but as within redeeming reconciling and making attonement not without in another but within in our selves out of which Light man departing was lost in darkness and the fall into which Light returning again he is restored and redeemed as at the beginning 2. That this Light as condemning of sin and death and restoring out of it into Righteousness and Life this is the bloud and death of the Cross the resurrection and second coming of the Son of God and that Obedience without mixture unto this Light working all our works in us this is our Redemption Justification Mortification and Sanctification so much obedience so much redeemed thus the Law and Gospel Faith and Obedience Death Resurrection Redemption Justification and Sanctification are not things distinct but one and the same within us 3. That the way to come to all this and to Christ and the Father is the Light in every man condemning of sin the sure word of prophesie wherein we must wait within and not as others go out unto a Christ without a letter without Christ and the Scriptures onely delivering their own experiences and conditions not as a Rule or word of faith to others and giving their Testimony onely to the Light within not to any Person Redemption or operation without also his and their Ministration in work words or letter without being onely the literal Covenant that makes nothing perfect This is the justest description and my truest understanding I can give of their faith and principles their other doctrine are but conclusions proceeding from these Three Principles of Truth are perverted and denied by these three principles of theirs the Person of Christ as the Object of Faith the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith and Faith it self as the evidence of things not seen of each of these a word whereby both Truth and Errour may appear Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God the Word the promise the Life yet fore ordained in the end of the world to be manifest in flesh to put away sin therein by the sacrifice of himself Unto him that is Christ as to come in the flesh the two great witnesses under the old Testament the Law and the Prophets did testifie and point as the true Promise and Sacrifice the Law having a shadow of things seen afarre of not then received of good things to come not present and done of Jesus the High-Priest to minister in flesh and therein to offer himself the one the perfect the eternal Sacrifice once and for ever no more to be offered from thenceforth in any age or generation In the fulness of time the Word was made flesh and being greater than Moses the Prophets or John he gathered up their several ministrations and finished them in himself the fulness of the Godhead in him as a Sea of righteousness life and blessing abolishing and overwhelming the sin condemnation and curse of the world as the less is overcome of the greater And hereunto when he ascended on high he gave gifts unto men whom he ordained as Apostles and Witnesses to the world that the Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the world began which was shadowed by the Law and foretold by the Prophets was now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished sin and death in his crucified body and hath brought forth immortality and life in himself in spirit Thus the Mystery of Grace and truth lay hid in the divinity but came forth and was acted in the humanity neither is the divinity without the humanity nor the humanity without the divinity but both one in Christ thus the crucified and glorified Person of Christ is the express Image of God the alone object of faith the way whereby God came down in salvation unto men and by which we ascend and have access unto God thus Redemption and Righteousness is gloriously wrought without us in the person of Christ to point to any Person or Spirit within for the working Redemption over again other than to him that descended and ascended
he had power to be the Sonne of God and Ruler over all the creatures this was the state of the first man that mans departing out of Gods own wisdom and power or spirit put into him and joyning to another the disobedience entred in Gods own wisdom and spirit remaining yet in him but as a Captive this was his fall that by looking and turning not to any thing without but to that of God lying under and covered within him the same makes attonement in him and reconciles unto God through his yielding up himselfe thereunto which is the blood of the Crosse this is his Redemption The account of truth is that the first man Adam was made a living soul 1 Cor. 15. had a beam of light power glory of God as to that appearance of him to the first creation yet still but a living soul not a quickning spirit as to his outward part earthly not heavenly created of earth and feeding upon things created as to his inward naturall not spirituall that is having in him the perfection and beauty of a created wisdom and power not the eternall wisdom and power a candle of light not the Sunne or fountain of light it self by that in him he saw the Godhead as Light righteousness and power but as giving a law and a sentence of death thus God appeared and appeares to the first creation he saw him not as his light righteousness and power by himself fulfilling the law and abolishing death this appearance as then lay hid in God reserved to be brought forth in the second creation thus was man in his first estate That by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Adam was so one that he was many in one as the root before the branches is one yet many as a root departing from the commandement and therein from God he disobeyed and died yet not as alone but we all in his loynes the root being unholy so were the branches all flesh was defiled in him that was the father of all flesh his sinne and death like a flood having overflown himself and all the earth with a curse This was his fall and all ours in him That by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Christ was One as to person yet many in One in a mysterie so his obedience was not the righteousnesse of one but of all in him not by looking back and returning to the first Adam made a living soule or the glory of the Godhead shining forth upon him but by looking out of every thing in man to the second Adam made a quickning spirit and the grace of God shining forth in him through the blood of his crosse we are redeemed and that not unto the righteousness of the first but of the second Adam thus Christ crucified was that wisdom hid in God before the world unto our glory not known by the naturall or first man neither before nor after his fall if there be that in the naturall man which being turned into and followed can redeem and make atonement for him as this man sayes then the blood of Christ is of no more effect but do this and live Concerning Light and Life He saith that the light shining in every man is Christ the true light and life of men That the going out of this Light is the cause of all false Religions Sects and errors that redemption out of all these out of sinne and death is by the Light within all men as minded and obeyed that a righteousnesse done as far as India and preached as far as Corinth where the same is not done in us is the profession of Pharisees hypocrites Faith saies that God manifest in the flesh and his glory shining forth in the man Jesus vanquishing and doing away the ministration of the law sin and death for us by his own righteousness and life as excelling in glory this is the Christ and light of men the word made flesh as the Mediatour having purged away our sins by himself so he is light unto us the same word as the spirit of revelation in us so he is light within us so he is not light in every man That where faith in the blood of the Mediator is not there is darkness the mother of Errors and all false Religions every of which are more or less bottomed upon the Law in the Conscience that is the light within righteousness by obedience or work being the Root of all they only differ in the Rule some are for Moses others for the Alchoran others for Holy Church these for the Light within That the righteousness done in India and Preached at Corinth is the light that scatters the Redemption that leads out of all erring Religions from sin and death and that the Righteousness as far as India a term of dishonour by them put upon it is to the true spiritual believer not confined in the Land of India but according to the Divine Person in whom it is is extended unto and upon all that believe as a garment spread upon them for the covering of sins a fountain of life within them for the washing away sin Concerning Righteousness The sum of their faith is that the imputed righteousness that justifies is the Light within or that of God in every man which is the free gift that Saints are justified with this righteousness by obedience to it so much we work or obey so much justified and no further That the righteousness that is made a covering for sin is an invention of men and will not stand in the last day Nothing said of Christ manifest in flesh or his crucified body and righteousness that way The Gospel-faith said that the Righteousness that justifies is Christ not as God alone nor as Man alone but as God-man in one who being made sin for us did most graciously and gloriously upon the Cross abolish and overwhelm sin condemnation and the Curse laid upon his flesh by that Omnipotent righteousness life and blessing that was in his God head That not by the works of God in us but by the work of God in Christ with the brightness of his glory purging away our sin in himself are we justified without works only through faith Redemption is a work wholly and entirely in the Person of Christ as Head revealed and given unto us through faith and confessed and manifested by works by once offering of his body he hath perfected for ever all that are his he that truly believes this is perfectly purged and there is no more Conscience of sin though yet the feeling of sin by this faith is the creature made perfect in righteousness at once as in Christ by the Light within he is not made perfect till obedience be perfected judge whither Doctrine leads to perfection That the righteousness of Christ as a covering upon sin presenting the believer in him as righteous to God while ungodly and in sins as to his own sense is a mystery of God that
of fear zeal and activity for God in the Contemplations of him as a pure and holy God but 't is a far other principle that is Christ crucified for us and the faith of him that leads unto that spirit of peace power and joy in the beholding of God as our father in him so then that spirit that shews the commandment and leads to the services thereof to be redeemed thereby is a spirit which all men may attain unto but that spirit that reveals the things freely given of God without Law or service is that spirit that is not given unto all nor eye nor ear nor heart of man can see or find this out he only descends and blows where he lifts neither being received can he be retained any longer then he pleaseth no more then we can restrain the breath in our nostrils that spirit exerciseth the servants thereof with labour and hard bondage and then kills them as preferring the commandment of the Old before the blood of the New and everlasting Testament this makes his Children free and saves for ever as rejoycing in the Head and having no confidence in the flesh or the works done therein That the pattern of true worship is Jesus Christ as the Oracle speaking from Heaven and the Gospel as the Preacher on earth the one being the substance of Heavenly things themselves the other but the Copy that doctrine or spirit whatsoever it may seem that calls you to the light in every man and to that alone as the only pattern of faith and worship doth but build up a worship upon the same foundations with the worships of the world that is righteousness by the Law and serves to no other end then to blot out the true attonement the blood and water that fountain of healing in the Person of Christ with the very name and remembrance thereof to bring forth instead thereof another attonement to be made in our persons which in true sense is no other but the righteousness of the Law Concerning Error Heresie c. He saith that the light within every man is that Spirit of truth which judgeth all deceit but can be deceived by none that to divide or go out from this Spirit or light is errour and the mother of all false worship and Religions It has been before proved that the light within all men is the candle of the Lord in every naturall man revealing the law and the offences against that law but the Spirit that reveales the gift of grace by one man Jesus Christ the naturall man neither knows nor can receive There are three that bear record in heaven and they are one there are three that bear witness on earth and they agree in one God sending forth his Son in our flesh for a propitiation for sins this is the witness of the Father as the fountain of grace and truth Christ comming forth as the Image and brightnesse of the Father purging away our sins by himself and returning to God this is the witness of the Son as the fulness of grace and truth the spirit of Christ coming into our hearts revealing the righteousness of Christ and the life of Christ in us this is the witness of the Spirit Now among these witnesses there is such an Unity that he that denies one denies all the witnesses are one and their testimony one yet each in their order the Father spoke and appeared and bowed himself to sinners but so as in the Mediator the man Christ the Son redeemed sinners but so as he did in his own body not in ours the spirit comes unto such but so as he leads them into the Light and fulness of Christ not the light in every man to divide from any of these or to set one against another is Error Jews and Turks believe in God but not as in the Son they divide from the Son and so have not the Father the litteral and carnal Professors after a sort believe in God as in the Mediator but deny his spirit in their hearts these divide from the spirit and so have neither the Son nor the Father this people believe in God as by the Light within men redeeming from sin but not as in the Man Jesus having done it already and so deny the witness of the Son and have neither Son nor Father Christ is the band of unity between God and men in him Mercy and Truth righteousness and peace do kiss each other in him God and sinners are met together reconciled and at unity in him God comes down to sinners by him we come unto God in him the blessed Divinity and the seed of Abraham that is the humane nature are in covenant in union the Covenant the union was made by the Cross by blood by the body of Christ this was the Sons witnesse take heed he that divides you from the Son and this his witnesse sets you at such a difference with the Majesty of God as no light nor spirit within you can attone or make up thus Error is not to divide from the Light within all men but from Christ the Head the fulness of all Truth in whom we only see and have the Father and Spirit and without whom all Religions are fleshly or mystical Idolatries Concerning Faith He saies the measure or light of God in every man is Gods righteousness perfection that turning into this righteousness and adiding therein is the receiving of the righteousness of Christ by faith that by waiting in the light within through faith and obedience thereto righteousness is wrought in and unrighteousness wrought out and so the creature is made free from sin not a word of the Faith in the person of Christ or the operation of God in him for us The scope of their Doctrine herein and in all the height and depth of it seems plainly this that a measure of the eternal Divinity is in every man by turning whereinto out of all sayings writings persons operations Scriptures or Christ without the same doth through obedience thereto destroy and purge away sins out of us and so redeems and reconciles unto God The precious faith saies that the eternal word manifest in flesh being the substantial fulness of the Divine life and righteousness and having thereby vanquished in his flesh and buried in his grave our sins and death with all powers visible or invisible that were against us this is he who is the pure perfect and acceptable righteousness of God That to look away from all the voices and condemnations of the Law without or conscience within from all things in our flesh and heart whither good or evil unto the person of Jesus Christ himself and to believe him to be our righteousness salvation and liberty as in the hidden mysterie of faith which to our sense or earthly members we are in infirmities buffetings and bondage this is to receive the righteousness of Christ by faith the faith of things not seen to sense and reason yet hid in
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
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
in one the Pagan seeks perfection by his Law natural Reason and Vertue the Turk by his Alchoran the Jew by Moses the Monke by the Rule of his Order the Spiritual Papist by mortification of the Spirit and this People by perfect obedience to the Light within that is the Law in this all are one all seeking righteousness by work in the flesh in obedience to Tradition or Letter or Spirit The Law is a great light manifesting all flesh and the deeds thereof a great Lord ruling over all flesh as long as it lives Christ came forth greater than the Law crucified the flesh and the body of death in himself and thereby put an end to the dominion of the Law unto all that believe thus in his Crosse I am dead to all things and they to me Whereas he saith they know not his Commands in Spirit who say Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own person or that he makes what we do accepted with the Father I ask of him and of all in his perswasion Can yee pass through the depths of Sin Death and the Curse that he passed through yee neither know the Law nor what spirit yee are of Can yee bring forth the works of obedience an incorruptible righteousness in your corruptible bodies answering to that pure Law and most pure God before whom Moses did fear and quake and Abraham by works could not glory and no flesh can be justified were not all we like sheep gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed where this is truly and purely believed Revelations of Christ are most desirable and glorious where this is excluded all pretended approaches to God Revelations of God or perfections of obedience will be but as hotter fires to consume first your faith and interest in Christ and after your precious souls with all your labour and pains and works To what he saies the bloud within makes perfect that without could not let it be said the bloud of the Man Christ through the eternal Spirit working therein became the death of the first Adam with all his deeds and all the evils that came in by him so with him am I already dead and freed from sin as in him the Head as this my death and freedome in him does reveale it self in me so I dye daily as in my earthly members If by the bloud within be intended this that as the bloud of Bulls and Goats was a figure of the bloud of Christ so his bloud was but a figure of bloud or Spirit within us then know assuredly that as the bloud offered in the first Tabernacle was offered without the Holiest though within the Tabernacle so the bloud within all purifyings by the light within will be found to be but the bloud without that is offered without the veyle without the Holiest though within your Persons But is not the Spirit sufficient in power to redeem from sin by his work within us let this be said as of use in most things that have been spoken the power of the Spirit is unsearchable and unlimited but the mystery of his Will is declared in Christ that not by Spirit alone but by Spirit and Bloud and that in one man he has redeemed and purged all the evils that came by the offence of one of old God filled Heaven and Earth yet he would be known and sought only in Jerusalem nothing could comprehend the God head yet the fulness of it dwelt in Christ bodily so the Spirit dwells in all his people yet through the bloud of the Man Christ alone did God chuse to go forth in his power to the abolishing of our death and manifesting eternal freedome for us so when it is said yee are justified redeemed and saved by God by Grace by the name of Christ by the Spirit of our God we are to understand that the Name and Grace and Spirit of God went forth against our sins and death in the bloud of Jesus and thereby did them away forever which by faith we behold and as we behold we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Wherefore the proper use of the Law is first to bridle civil transgressions and then to reveale and encrease spiritual transgressions the Law is a Light which revealeth not the Grace of God not righteousness and life but sin and death wrath and judgement and as in Mount Sinai the thundring lightning the thick and dark cloud the hill smoaking and flaming and all that terrible shew did not rejoice nor quicken the children of Israel but terrified and astonished them and shewed how unable they were with all their purity and holiness to abide the Majesty of God so the Law in its true use doth nothing else but reveale sin work wrath and bring into desperation and here it hath an end and ought to go no further the use of the Gospel is to reveale the end of the Law of sin and wrath in the death of Christ and the righteousness peace and love of God brought forth for us in him I shall adde an observation of Luther of this difference between the Law and Gospel there is nothing to be found in the Books of Monks Cannonists and School men no nor in the Books of the ancient Writers there was a wonderful silence many years as touching this difference in all Schools and Churches and this brought mens consciences into great danger for unlâ—ss the Gospel be plainly discerned from the Law tru-doctrine cannot be kept sound and uncorrupt but if this difference be well known it is an easie matter to discern faith from works Christ from Moses and all politick works for all things without Christ are the Ministry of death for the punishing of the wicked Concerning Christ Jesus HIs Faith is that Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death that he might become a living example to all Generations that the Light within every man unâ—ted and followed will lead unto Christ and will reveale the power and God-head and so the Light within is the sure word of Prophesie The word of Faith saies that Christ being the brightness of the invisible God came forth in flesh and being the eternal word wisdome and power of God and so having obtained a name and supremacy above all other Lords he put an end to the Law Sin and Death and the dominion thereof over us in his Crosse that he might bring forth Grace Righteousness and Life for us in himself that so we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear and is this no more than a living example to you and if so can ye after his example break through the gates of sin wrath and the grave and make your access unto God through all as he did is so great a mystery of Faith as this become no more with
again is to bring Christ down from above and up again from the dead to raise up Moses out of his Sepulcher which no man knows to this day with his ministration of death and to make the bloud of Christ a common thing or as the bloud of another Man consider this and fear ye people of whom I speak To conclude this first principle with one other note the Person of Christ and Redemption in him is vailed and denied by two sorts of men legal Teachers of the Gospel and mystical Teachers of the Law they differ herein the first set forth Christ in words of mans wisdom conditions of law and as onely in the flesh without not discerning him spiritually the other speak of him in more spiritual words and deep speculations but onely as redeeming within us in spirit not discerning nor beleiving the Glory of that Redemption without us in his Person they agree in this by both Christ is known onely after the flesh by the one onely as in the form of a Man or Person without by the other as a Redeemer onely within that is as not having finished already Redemption on earth nor as being Head over all things in the Father wherefore to know Christ as having aleady redeemed by his bloud without and as the incomprehensible fulness of Spirit and life above all through all and within all his people this is the true the safe the blessed knowledge of Christ and by this the first of their Principles above named is weighed and reproved of errour How Faith is the evidence of things not seen COncerning Faith it is the evidence of things not seen heavenly things were in God from everlasting by way of purpose yet unseen unsearchable by any eye in fulness of time they were manifested in the Person of Christ as by him perfected and wrought at once yet seen and discerned onely by faith according to the measures of Grace they are shed forth by the Spirit from him upon all the members and manifest to our sense all things of the first Creation were made by Christ all things pertaining to the second are ceased in him thus Redemption is first entire in him afterwards in measures revealed in his a work once perfected for ever in him not to be done by peices in us and so it is in being and finished already but hid with Christ in God Now upon these heavenly things there is a vail whereby they are hid the law in the conscience Reason and sense in the flesh and there is an evidence whereby they are seen that is Faith unto such as are under this vail nothing is seen nor heard but the Commandments to work and the sentences of death where work is not the Law in the letter and deeds in the flesh as the face of the covering spread upon the heart that Christ cannot be seen the highest divinity of men in this state is this Perfection by obedience to the letter without or at the best to the Spirit within Christ as a Law-giver in their Conscience and a worker of it in their Persons not as a Saviour having once fulfilled it for them in himself what of God is felt and wrought in themselves that they beleive and by that Rule they judge while the unspeakable righteousness operation and life hid in Christ and with him reserved in God with the faith liberty joy and peace thereof is hid from their eyes such is the vail and the people thereof But where Faith is come the vail is done away the earthly man with his deeds and death his hopes and fears and all things belonging to him are seen to be abolished and overcome by the everlasting righteousness and Spirit of Life that is in Christ even as the night is overcome by the day and this is to be understood to be true in him a Covenant in him ordered in all things and sure to us not alwayes perceived in feeling to our earthly members yet seen and fulfilled in the inward man through faith It is said 2 Corinth 5.7 We walk by faith not by sight Faith and sight are to be understood either as they are perfecting each other or as by men divided and made contrary one to the other sight of God has a glory and sweetness faith in him though not so seen has a certainty and evidence faith beholds things as true in Christ though hid to sense and feeling sight knows them onely as shining or flaming forth upon the heart visions and revelations bring joy and comfort but they are things that go and come and the breathings of the Spirit may blow when they list but when these streams are withheld and as passed away yet he ever lives and we also in him God spake in times past with the Fathers and Prophets by visions to sense he speaks in these last times in his Son to faith visions by figure as those were they were but given at times and passed away the face of Jesus Christ beheld by faith is the constant and standing vision now under the Gospel spiritual influences and actings do yeild some reflection and vision of God but as a Man sees his face in a troubled water broken and changeable but the face of Christ as the Christal and still waters presents God alwayes in his clear and blessed Image as full of Grace and Truth they who put spiritual workings for the Grace that is in Christ and a sense of the spirit for faith in him they do under a pretence of Spirit destroy Christ Jesus they take away that Gospel which presents us in him before any work done our perfection our Sabbath our Rest and leads us to work again for perfection by obedience to the Light within that is by the Law Concerning Faith and Sight FAith and sight the Gospel-Christian is for both in their season and place all other Religions have divided them and erred as it is very observable that sight being alone that is sight of the Godhead without faith in Christ has been is the foundation of all false fancied and Idolatrous worships that are named fight of the deity by the things that are made is the highest Religion of Philosophers and Pagans sight of God by the Golden Calfe by the Idols of gld and silver was the idolatry of Israel in the wilderness and Canaan Conceiving the things of the Spirit of God by the sight and judgement of natural Reason is the foundation of Arminians a Sect of Morality and of Socinians a Sect of subtilty a Kingdom with observation and fair shews in the flesh to the sight without was the Religion of Pharisees and legal Gospellers some are of a weaker spirit their Religion is about things of sight touch not taste not some are of stronger heads such are for divinations of the brain things seen to Reason babes in Christ are for enlightnings and tasts and gifts things of sight to the inward sense and they that would seem to be the highest are
born our griefs carried our sorrows for he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisements of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed This sets forth Christ to be the kind Samaritane the neighbour nighest unto us the other makes him unmerciful going afar off not tarrying with us What is the inward Life and who is the retired Christian THis gives occasion among other matters to cast in a word conconcerning the inward life or retired Christian as all other spiritual things so this has its truth and its counterfeit by mistake whereof of one for the other the faith may be perverted and our minds soon shaken Separation from the world the company of men and affairs of this life in stilness and silence searching into the knowledge of mysteries the divine being and things of the inward world was the Religion of some Jesuites School-men and others that superstition in the Conscience and fancy in the Head was all in this may appear by their writings which are filled either with perplexities of wit natural speculations of God or rules of Legality leading men unto God by a perfection of obedience Christ crucified as the way into the Holiest being not known unto them these had but a shew of the inward life for they entered not by faith within the vail Retirement from the Scriptures and administrations without from Religions and Assemblies from all order and form professed and practised by whomsoever unto the Light within and to it alone to attend as to the onely Scripture the voyce of God and light of men without respect to person or work Redeemer or Redemption without this is the Religion of the people called Quakers they who by the Light within peirced into invisible things the eternal Power and Godhead had but the wisdom of this world Rom. 1.20 1 Corinth 1.20 and were of the world under sin as all other again they who excelled in shews of humility wisdom and all outward holiness as to the exercise of the body and neglecting the same yet their Religion was no more than the Rudiments of this world and perishing Ordinances Col 2. I must say the same of this people and their Religion to be both of this world until they give faith or acknowledgement to the flesh or dead body of Christ to be the onely way into the inward life or within the vail which whilst they deny instead of bringing into Heaven into the peace of God and rest from their labours they shut up the Kingdom and keep men on earth to perform sacrifices and obedience in flesh for their attonement these have a pretence to the inward life but are not entered through the vail of his flesh by faith into the Holiest He that by faith goes out of all things in himself whether perfections of Reason or the Light in the Conscience into Jesus Christ crucified and in him beleives all things of Law or Nature with the works of both to be passed away and himself crucified and washed and perfected for ever and not considering his body now dead nor yet the deadness of all things as to any good in his flesh but shutting his eye and ear from all things of sense and reason in the world or his flesh cleaves onely by faith to the dead body of Christ and therewith mounts up into the spirit of his mind into Christ Jesus alone as his own victory righteousness and life this man is he that enters into Rest into the inward life he is truly separate from all the Religions of the world and yet exercises a Religion in the world he is free from all men and yet a servant unto all his life is in the Head while decayes and deaths in his flesh and of him is that true he is as unknown and yet well known This is the retired Christian that most truly lives and rejoyces in things not seen to sense nor reason nor the light in the natural man he has the clearest surest and sweetest beams of Christ leading him not into Pharisaical austerity nor wanton libertinisme but into a spirit of holiness quietness and stilness in the Lord yet so as that according to grace received he desires to become all things to all men Theâ—e is a generation who have the form of faith and knowledge of the words and profession of Christ but have not the faith whereby they are dead in Christ and he lives in them it sufficeth them to know Christ dyed for sins which faith is common to all men but the mystery of faith they have not that is union with him in it or that they are buried with him into death in the flesh and raised up with him into life in the spirit they behold Christ as without to be the end of the law of sin and death the fulness and fulfilling of all things in himself wherein they do well and tast some joy therein but they receive him not by faith into themselves my root and foundation is this what Christ is and has done without me in himself but the way to partake of the benefit of it is my union with him these do confess to the truth of the first but are not joyned to it by union with it and so fail in the last Christ indeed is by these honoured onely as without while in his Spirit and Grace he is by lust crucified within from such do ye turn away Another generation there is not beleiving the end of sin in the death of Christ nor themselves perfected onely in the Head look for a Redemption not that already in being in Jesus Christ but to be wrought out by him in their own persons that is after the example of Christ turning away from all things inwardly and outwardly every thought desire pleasure or affection and every creature till they come to the Light and Being of God and become so passive and in all things subject thereto that God may do all things in them A cheif Master of this way speaks plainly thus Though God should assume all men that are unto himself and should become Man in them and they in him should become God and the same should not be done in me my fall should never be recovered nor yet my sin done away except the same were also done in me These are the words of a Germain Priest written as is said above two hundred and fifty years ago this doctrine as it carries upon it the notion of God or the divine Nature doing all in us has a shew of glory but as it denies that God has done all things for us in Christ so it has no glory but rather spreads again the vail which Christ rent in his bloud that the riches and glory of grace may not appear if any of the fiery darts of hell have ever been shot against the saith whereby I stand and if by any of them I have ever been near to staggering this doctrine was one if Scriptures
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
defaced or any other wayes painted out unto thee when the hour of temptation or trouble cometh thou shalt soon be overthrown By the Spirit of this world Christ is set forth under another resemblance by some more according to the Godhead as the Word the Light the Truth the Spirit by others according to the humanity as a man holy spotless separate from sinners and by both as a living example unto the world of perfect obedience to the law of the Spirit and the life of God this sets forth Christ indeed as a divine Person and so has a Truth but presents him onely as giving a Law and working it in us and so denies and blots out the Glory of his Grace as being the end of the Law this is the divinity of Sophisters and Justitiaries and all that they know or can teach of Christ let such Teachers know who cry up the Spirit to cry down the bloud who teach him as an Example and cast out the Attonement let all such know while they vaunt of sublime divinity and mysterious truth they do but set Christ in Moses chair as Law-giver and Judge but the great love in him as propitiation for sins they know nothing of the highest Religion of natural Reason is to pierce far into notions of God and to set him before it as a pattern to obey but faith onely sees the deep secret of Grace laid up in a crucified Christ he that would behold the glory of God and would be set up in those heavenly places let him lay down his Reason how heightened soever and begin in the simplicity of faith at the crucified body of Christ in whom he shall see himself dead and buried and raised up also together with him not by any work or obedience to Christ within but by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Christ from the dead Hence these things follow 1. That the Light within or of the natural man with the work of Reason together is that spirit of this world which hath formed this false resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker and Pattern as upon the Cross an Attonement to Justice the victory of sin curse and the grave and the Head over all which is the true likeness or image of him terrible to others but the joy of his own so he is not known to the Light within If a man should be born into the world and in the space of one hour should grow up to the perfection of a man to the fulness of Light and Reason propound unto him these doctrines whether he will chuse that Christ has already by himself purged away his sins and sanctified him for ever before any good work wrought in him or that not Christ without but the Light within him is the Christ which through obedience thereto purges away sin in him and redeems him that way the first would seem foolishness and a contradiction to his Light the last would be received as the more reasonable and excellent way 2. That this false conception or resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker is an Idol and the root of idolatrous Religions doctrines of Circumcision added to Christ by the false Apostles of charity humility and bodily chastisements by the Church of Rome preparatives before faith by the Teachers of the Law and obedience to the Light within as the way of Redemption by the people called Quakers all these though divers as to Parties and Notions yet are one in the root and foundation of their faith all looking upon Christ according to the Law as perfecting out in part or in whole Redemption by work within them Conceptions of Christ how divine soever if not as crucified for our offences and raised up again for our justification are but Idols set up of a more spiritual nature as the Gods of Gold and Silver Lastly That they who affirm the Light in every man that condemns of sin to be Christ the Redeemer have set up an Idol for Christ they are gone back from that Christ that came not to judge but to save the world that speaks not condemnation but meer joy and sweetness to the weary and weak and have set up another Jesus and another Gospel neither of which nor the worshippers thereof shall be able to stand when the true Jesus shall appear this is the other errour as to the Light within Two things charged upon us by this people first that we deny the Light within and set it against Christ weighed and removed THis blessed doctrine of Grace Christ bearing away sins as in his crucified body and justifying the ungodly as in himself is by the words and writings of this people often and principally charged of two things 1. As denying the Light within and setting it against Christ 2. As teaching Christ at a distance and onely without A word to both may not be unseasonable While the Light within condemns of sin to beleive by Christ I am justified from sin is not this to make the light within against Christ no no more than the Law is against the Promise the Light in the Conscience and the Law of Commandements for substance are one their power one their kingdom one that is the flesh or first Adam Jesus Christ came forth one greater than the Law greater than our Conscience against him arose the Law of commandments the Law in the conscience sin in the flesh death and the curse all great and mighty Lords who had devoured the earth sparing no flesh neither Kings Princes nor People whom he having vanquished and triumphed openly over them he took the Law out of the tables the work of the Law out of the heart and sin out of the flesh as the Conquerour takes the conquered Kings out of the Throne of their Kingdoms and nailed them to his Cross according to the flesh he was as it were given for a prey to the fowls of Heaven and the beasts on Earth principalities on high and the miseries of the flesh according to the Spirit of glory and power he redeemed the prey brought back the spoil raised up his flesh and therein his body mystical and gathered together all things that were against him that are against us buried them in his grave and therein shut them up for ever Hence then a beleiver is divided into twain and accordingly lives in two Kingdoms according to his faith he is a man in Christ raised in him and set up in him above the law of his flesh of conscience or sin above the whole world with all things therein into the glorious liberty and blessedness of Jesus Christ as thus he is to be known no more after the flesh but as having put it off in union with Christ according to reason and sense he is a man in the flesh subject to the Law to infirmity and death the life of his spiritual man being many times hid from the sense of his natural as the Life of Christ in the Godhead
was sometimes hid from his flesh According to this twofold state a beleiver is under he does at the same time give a twofold account of himself both just and true in my body indeed I have a law of sin but as I am in the Lord I have put it off as I walk by sight I am in the earth in labours in groanings warfare and imperfection but as I walk by faith I am in heaven received into glory walking on my high-places in Rest in victory and perfection where I shut my eyes from looking upon my self and forget all my fears infirmities and bondage leaving them all behind me as under my feet and so is that word fulfilled in him as sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as having nothing and yet possessiing all things This is some of the mystery and knowledge of Christ crucified not like unto that of the Schools and Law-makers whose highest knowledge therein comes to no more but this that the Humanity on the Cross resigned up it self in profound humility and meekness to the will of the Divinity as the Popish Doctors or that he yeilded perfect obedience to the Light within him for a living example to the world as this people called Quakers I say this knowledge and such preachings of the Cross of Christ are poor barren and empty reaching onely to the morality thereof the praises of a just man dying without cause and of his spirit and temper but not discerning the mystery therein that is an end put to the Law to sin and the flesh to and upon all them that are given to him thus their first charge is weighed and resolved in this that to a man in Christ the Light within accusing of sin pertains onely to the flesh and should abide in the flesh that Christ alone as justifying from sins as joy and sweetness should abide in the conscience as the chamber of the Bridegroom and Bride into which no Law nor Light nor any thing that accuseth may in any wise enter Christ raigning therein over every Law thus according to the flesh and light within there is conscience for sin in the justified man according to faith and union with Christ there is no more conscience of sins Hebr. 10.2 Second thing charged That we beleive in a Christ without and at a distance weighed and resolved THe other charge follows that to beleive Christ has redeemed us as in his own body without is to beleive in a Christ without and at a distance this charge examined will appear to be vain the faith of the Gospel saith that Christ descended into our nature and therein came down to us in our bloud our prisons under judgement and thence raised us up together with himself into the heavenly places he descended first into the lower parts of the earth into the lowest estate of lost and undone sinners and thence ascended up far above all Heavens and raised us up together in himself this sets forth Christ as near and not at a distance as one within us wrapped in our sin as our sin and us as one with him in Righteousness and his very righteousness oh the blessed nearness between him and the beleiver That Christ comes down in Spirit into our Persons not to redeem but to manifest the Redemption not as a light accusing of sin but as revealing righteousness and liberty from sin in himself and gathering us out of the life of reason and sense the law and things without into the glorious rest and victory in himself he there lets us know that we are in him his Sister and Spouse that he is in us our Head and fulness and that all things are ours that we are Christs and that Christ is Gods Thus Christ is beheld both as without having wrought all things for us in the Person of the Mediatour and also as within us working all our works in us as a quickening Spirit On the other hand the faith of the Quakers so called sayes thus that Christ indeed took on him our nature but not our judgement and sin that he dyed at Jerusalem but by way of example not as a sacrifice putting away sin that he did not the work by himself at that once but onely shewed us the way how he redeems within us in every generation That Christ is come in our flesh but as a light accusing and judging renewing a law and requiring obedience thereto through the fire and the sword by them called the bloud of the cross and so through perfect obedience justifying and redeeming O what darkness and confusion has covered this people thus to make faith void and the bloud of Christ of none effect and now let the spiritual-wise judge unto whom Christ is known as nigh or as afar off to them or to us to us who behold him as having already scattered the clouds of the law and darkness dryed up the flouds of sin and death opened a way into the Holiest and received us into his glory and besides all this shewing himself in the nearest conjunctions and freindliest appearances of a Brother a Father and Husband after an unspeakable manner filling us with his fulness or to them who draw the vail over this most comfortable face and aspect of things set up the law sin and death again to be suffered satisfied and done away within us and Christ standing upon terms with us of obedience and death without which no remission of sins no redemption nor benefit to be expected from him I say let the wise judge who of these have Christ most nigh most as unvailed in the most inward and freindly way let the charge then of Christ without return from whence it came I shall onely mind ye of the Parable of the wounded man lying between Jericho and Jerusalem there came first a Priest and a Levite looked on him and passed by after came a Samaritane had compassion and bound up his wounds putting in oyle and wine set him on his own beast and brought him to an Inn and took care of him there according to the severe and unmerciful doctrine of this people Jesus Christ came down into our nature beheld it wounded and lying in bloud able enough to have said to us while in our bloud live and to have made us so but onely leaving us an example of perfection and sufferings wherein if we followed him we should live and so departed leaving us as he found us till the Light within come and cured us so they reckon of the Man Christ to be such a one as was the Preist or Levite but blessed be that Gospel that saies he passed by beheld us in bloud and it was a time of love with the bloud of his Humanity and the love and glory of his Godhead he bathed our wounds suppled and healed them and after set us upon his own beast carried us to the Inn bare us in his body and carried us into his Mansion in the Fathers house according as it is said He hath
him gave place to more evangelical manifestations of him as a Saviour of sinners the Covenant is heaven compleatness in the Head began to be more opened and the People came to Mount Sion as the children of the free-woman as saved already in the Lord and set up above all things in him This Grace and Liberty in Christ being by some turned into wantonness and liberty in the flesh by very many into dispute and contention about the letter and form has given occasion to the old Spirit to enter again into the house new swept and garnished that is the Law-working spirit denying the blessed Attonement and Righteousness as already in the Head the Person of Christ in zeal to another Attonement and Righteousness by obedience to the Light within which mystery of iniquity works more secretly in the Churches who too much press and praise a certain perfection by their rule and order but more manifestly in the people called Quakers of both whom it may be said whilst their first light and love liberty and perfection in Christ the Head was turned into strife about the letter and bitings of one another by the first they are in danger to be consumed and destroyed by the last a people indeed that have shew like a Lamb but speak like a Dragon devouring words to destroy both old and young not sparing the flock whom nothing sufficeth as to me yet appears but to tear out of our faith knowledge and profession the bloud of attonement redemption and reconciliation by that one Sacrifice offered once and for ever to blot out of our hearts the name remembrance the light and joy thereof till no other Redemption nor liberty be known but by a pretended divinity or light within working it in us through our perfect obedience thereunto which his true sense is to say the vail is yet spread the Law yet is standing the Lamb is to be slain all things continue as they were from the beginning ye are yet in your sins till by obedience to the light within you be redeemed The glorious Rest and Liberty in Christ the Head as it is the light of our eyes the girdle of our loyns to conduct and defend us from the mists and darts whether proceeding from the Law Philosophy or Satanical mystery so if once we suffer our selves to be spoiled of them our strength is departed and our eyes put out and we betraid unto every Fox out of the hole and Boar out of the wood unto every confusion distemper or deceit which may come amongst us therefore stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free that Liberty in him which is in being as to the Spirit when in you are felt nothing but buffetings and streights as in the flesh thus these departures from the faith have been as a door set open the one to let in upon us the oâ—d spirit of tyranny upon our bodies the ther of legality upon our spirits and the darkness and rebuke that is upon us is very great The Christ that dyed at Jerusalem how far acknowledged and how far denied by this people to be the Redeemer THis leads me to two Questions of weightiest consideration as to this people 1. Whether they deny the Christ that dyed at Jerusalem to be the Redeemer 2. Whether they establish a Righteousness by the Law As to the first how far they affirm or deny I shall give that just judgement and therein do them that right I desire they may do unto me That Christ became flesh was made in the likeness of men therein humbled himself and became obedient to death that he might become a living example to all generations of perfection thus far they affirm and have a zeal for Christ that in that body of his flesh through that obedience to death he crucified our old man purged away sin made reconciliation for iniquity and perfected for ever all that are sanctified this they deny as to me it appears and the faith thereof The Gospel has in it morality and mystery the morality of it is this that Christ came forth from God a man holy and innocent obedient in all things to the light or will of God and left that obedience for an example unto others this sets forth Christ onely as a Law-giver as one who came to give a Law more divine and perfect than others before him had done and as thus he is known by this people and set forth by their words and writings The mystery is this that Christ the righteous the blessed and Lord of the Law was made for us sin a curse and under the Law that was we who beleive being the unjust the cursed and under the Law are made in him the righteousness of God the blessed and no more under the Law The Gospel as a Commandment and peice of morality may be read and beleived by every man and so was taught by the Popish School men and is at this day by such Ministers as are more zealous for duty than grace the Gospel as a mystery or free gift can onely be known to whom it is given and so is clearly known and sincerely and worthily preached not by many obedience to moral Principles is the divinity of Pagans to the Law of Moses the divinity of the Jews to the preceptive part of the Gospel of Jesuites and Papists to the Light within of the so called Quakers these indeed excel one another as to Notion and Rule but they agree all in one as to principle or bottom that is that work or obedience to some law or rule is the way to redemption perfection and God the sum of all is this a Jesus in flesh as a Preacher of perfection also as dying for an example to us they beleive and teach the Jesus that dyed and therein by bloud and spirit perfected us for ever in himself they deny they know not whosoever deny the bloud of attonement in the death of Christ know not the Son not the Father in him nor the grace in his bosom nor our glory in him and to all such in some bowels of compassion I say you may walk a while during your hour in the light of your fire and warm your selves in the sparks you have kindled conceits of approaching perfection and the glory of God by a righteousness and cross set up in your flesh but you shall not be able to stand before God and the Lamb in the day of his appearing whose bloud whose travels whose sacrifice on the Cross is of no more account with you Whether this people build up a righteousness by the Law THe other Question is resolved in this onely for fuller satisfaction it may be weighed by it self The Law and Prophets testifified of Christ and continued till he came who fulfilled all that was written therein even the righteousness of the Law whereby he was justified according to the Law and so it is said he was a Minister of the Curcumcision being made thus under
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
their power oppose and persecute this is a Ministry of darkness There is a Ministry also that teacheth Christ onely as an Allegory or figure of things to be done in us the cross and bloud without onely typing and signifying the cross and bloud and spirit within us Moses John and Christ with their several Ministries being onely as transient forms figures and examples of another and more spiritual Ministry within that onely makes perfect this doctrine indeed has a glory with the natural man or him that is led by the principles of Law or heightened Reason but has no glory with afflicted ones who are under workings of wrath and spoiled of all let the Masters of such doctrines with all their disciples know the Law was an Allegory or shadow of good things in Christ had nothing in it self but signified all in another and referred us over to him this was but the weakness and emptiness of the Law it was but an Allegory So they that preach the Person of Christ and Redemption in him to be onely an Allegory of things in us such set not forth Christ in glory but weakness this is the emptiness of Christ that he was but a figure having done nothing for us in himself but onely pointing us to another the Spirit to work Redemption in us this is a Ministry of darkness but under a form of Light Which sets forth Christ in most light let it be judged he that sayes Christ has already by himself done away the ministration of condemnation and death which was as a cloud of darkness spread over us as a thick vail before us that we could not come unto God and in the place thereof hath brought forth a ministration of righteousness and life whereby a way is opened into the holiest into the light and glory of God that saith Sing oh heavens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into singing ye mountains oh forrest and every tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in Israel all things that were against us are overcome on his cross and descended into his deep grave for ever nothing remains but that you receive this Saviour as having done all things for you as working all things in you or he that saith Christ came once into the world a Teacher of Perfection and a living Example therein but is now come in us setting up a Law of condemnation and death wherein if we abide and bear the indignation of God and punishment of sins in his Spirit and after his example through these sufferings as by the bloud of the Cross shall the Attonement and redemption be made and perfected if we be perfect in obedience and that we are not to beleive any such thing that the bloud of Christ without takes away sins sin is not taken away nor redemption made till the same obedience and sufferings be fulfilled in us as in him this doctrine because pointing to the bloud the Cross the Redeemer within may by shaken and darkened hearts be called a doctrine of light but indeed it bringeth back the shadows and terrors of the Law again remembrance of sin suffering sacrifice wrath and so far from being a Light that it shuts up the light grace and glory of God that he cannot be seen any other wayes than through a vail far thicker than that of Moses Christ as appearing above all mountains as Head over all Principalities and Powers to his Church so he is a Light as by the brightness of his glory he has vanquished that darkness and death brought in by sin so he is a light as he has in himself the second Adam destroyed all that which came in by the first Adam so he is a light he that brings not this doctrine makes Christ no more a Light but either a figure and example without or at the best a Law-giver a Moses and an Exact or within Their Purity and Power examined what it is THere is a Purity that is so with men but not before God Reason saith Man's nature is defiled by sin and must be washed by our obedience disobedience to God was the defilement and by obedience and mortification we return to Purity but faith sayes Purity before God is the conscience purged by the dead body of Christ and the heart purified by the Spirit of faith beleiving the same who are most for spiritual Purity they that beleive sin already done away in him that came by bloud water and spirit and by union with him are therein washed and made clean every whit or they who contend sin not yet done away take away our righteousness in the Head so pure and perfect and affirm our righteousness to be but in part till perfection in obedience if bodily exercise or purifying the flesh may be called purity divers Monks and Jesuites especially of old may claim a name herein who yet knew little of Purity by the righteousness of God when almes bodily chastisements retirement into holy houses and going on pilgrimage was beleived as the way to be perfect no wonder if this Religion abounded so where this Principle is received in power that obedience to the light within and all the several acts of that obedience till come unto perfection are the onely Redemption and way to be perfect to see zeal and exactness labours and sufferings denying the pleasures fashions and customs of the world in such t is not to be wondered at to purifie the earthly members by the spirit is good while the inward Man abides as in a more excellent way purified in the Head but to purifie the members as reckoning it our redemption our righteousness all such Purity is sin blindness and Idolatry Lastly as to their Power the Law is mighty to kill because of sin weak to save because of the flesh he that takes out of our sight our righteousness as in heaven in the Lord already prepared brings us back into weakness and bondage again and leaves us without light or strength to withstand in the hour of temptation that may come either by spirits from without or our flesh from within that doctrine that declares our liberty victory triumph to be already in being in Christ the Head that shews us a life given unto us above all spiritual actings exercises and comforts felt in our selves a life liberty and perfection hid in Christ this doctrine brings power and a spirit of power Compleatness in the Head without Law or work being beleived and learned gives a spirit of judgement over all spirits and doctrines interest and kinds of life and a strength of righteousness which preserves from the evils of all whilst this Truth lay hid the Church was in bondage unto the elements of the world will-worship and monkish holiness having over-spread all instability and unfaithfulness to this Truth does at this day deliver up many unto principles and practises not according to Christ thus where righteousness in the Head
God That by him all that believe are justified from all things by the Law of the spirit according to the Conscience from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses without or the work of the Law written within according to the flesh by the eternal spirit in the blood of Jesus were sins washed away in the person of Christ before either faith or work by faith the same is brought to light in the Conscience by the works of faith is manifest in the body as I am in the flesh I labour between light and darkness flesh and spirit in fightings in work as I am in Christ I am entered into rest and victory and know no more work but Christ to be all that faith that cannot see justification in Christ till full mortification in the flesh will be found to be that fleshly Reason that cannot enter within the vail that is beyond the Law sense and reason Let these things be weighed that the purging away sin by a measure of God or light within is a baptism devised by reason and may wash away the filth of the flesh before men and hath a glory in appearance but the answer of a good Conscience in the death and resurrection of the man Jesus will be found to be the Baptism that saves before God and brings forth the true glory within That this people seeking after righteousness by perfect obedience to the light within and the Jews seeking it by obedience to the Law of Moses without are both in one spirit and under one law of work and differ no more but in the Copies of the Law those say the Law in the Conscience is holy just and pure and by obedience thereunto the unholiness and sin is taken away these say the Law upon Tables of stone is holy just and spiritual and by obedience to it they think to attain righteousness let both these know that neither the letter of the Law without nor the light of the Law within how holy and pure soever but Christ Jesus crucified as the end of both and faith in him is that which shall preserve men blameless and without spot before him at his coming all other coverings whither by Law letter or light within if without that in him shall be too short in that day Concerning Hope He saith to hope that that of God in every man or a Christ may be revealed to take away sin to give freedome from sin in this life is the pure the reasonable hope that makes not ashamed that to hope salvation while the witnese in the Conscience condemns of sin is the Divels hope and the unreasonable hope that they who have this hope look only for spirit light word and righteousness without and deny the witness within and Christ within the hope of glory To believe Christ hath already once in the end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself whereby we are saved through faith according to the inward man Heb. 9.26 1 John 3.5 and to look and long for him to appear again without sin unto salvation and redemption of the body or outward man this is the lively hope that makes not ashamed that gives perfection and strength in him while yet poor and wanting in our selves That to rest in hope that I am saved already from sin and wrath in Christ the Head through his blood and spirit whiles conscience condemns of sin in my flesh this is the hope against hope the hope of grace and faith against the hope of Law and conscience or sense and feeling this is the hope unreasonable indeed according to the Law and natural light but most true and reasonable according to an higher Law and reason in God that is the Word made flesh and made sin for us this hope in many is no more but an imagination or idle notion living in the pleasures of sin in such it was begotten by the letter or Reason or at the best by a vanishing flash of Light but where it is begotten by the inhabiting and abiding spirit there it is a hope beholding the glory of the Lord and changing the creature into the same image in the Lord the hope that sees the love of the father shed forth upon us in the blood of attonement and all sins and evils finished therein is the hope that gives rest to the afflicted wearied and not comforted and lifts up the head above the floods of all waters that can come against them He that truly looks unto the righteousness and grace in the person of the Mediator doth also wait in hope for the righteousness light and spirit of the Mediator to be revealed within him therfore his words are a slander to know Christ only as without to know him only as within are both a like Error to conclude they that are Christs are saved already but it is by hope not in clear and full enjoyment the hope is laid up in him but not seen to sense and feeling what a man sees or enjoys why doth he yet hope for it Concerning Love His Doctrine is that Gods love to the world in sending his Son is this that God had given a light in every man to condemn sin in the flesh and take it away through walking after the spirit and denying the works of the flesh that God's love in the creature doth likewise condemn all sin in others not flattering or sparing any and then covers them with righteousness Was this Gods great and abounding love in sending his Son is it no more but God giving a light in all men condemning of sin and taking it away in them or was it not rather herein that when the Law was weak the flesh weak while we were yet sinners and in our blood while there was no man no Intercessor that even then God sent his Son a propitiation for sins who came down unto us not in the nature of Angels but in our flesh and therein through death quenched in the still deep waters of his meekness and love the anger enmity sin and death with all things that might separate us from the love of God which of these was the great love let the Scriptures spirit and spiritual man be judge or is this God's love in men to condemn curse and judge others as not justified and saved in Christ whilest they feel sin in the flesh to take away my liberty joy and peace which I have in Christ witnessed by the spirit to faith until the same be witnessed in my flesh to sense is this divine love to trouble them that have believed in Jesus the afflicted and wounded and weary by calling them unto the ministration of Moses the fire and the sword the suffering the indignation for sin and unto perfect obedience all this as the way to redemption and righteousness by Christ is this the love that is of God the grace the meekness of the Gospel or rather is it not the love of the false
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
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