are possible and we also believe that whosoever are born of God doth not commit sin but is perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect whose children they are and we believe that such a state is attainable in this life whilest in the body Q. But is it so with you at all times as that sin hath no power over you A. There is a state whilest the birth is in travaile as that temptations may at sometimes prevaile for in that state the birth is not come into full strength through the growth of Faith and so may sin through weakness but where it is so there is a cry goes unto God to be delivered and though there may be such an over comming in weakness as that sin may have some power yet that which cryes to God in the sence of sin it hath an advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation by whom the attonement is made and through whom the sin is pardoned and remitted and so the birth grows stronger in the Faith and goes on from one degree to another until it be made perfect in Christ Jesus Q. But doe you believe that such of you as are grown into such strength as to have victory over the world the flesh and the devil are not lyable to temptations and that the motions of the flesh doe not sometimes move and stir in you to commit sin A. Yes we finde that daily but we conquer over them through him that loves us so that when temptations are proffered we resist them in the power of Christ and when the motions of the flesh doe move or stir unto sin we subdue them and keep them under and by our Faith in Christ we have victory over them and though such temptations and motions may be stirring as alive in themselves yet unto us they are all dead and we are dead unto them and though they may tempt us yet they prevaile not for by Christ we are preserved in the hour of temptation and the wicked one toucheth us not and thus we are kept by the mighty power of God through Faith unto Salvation and knows Christ in us to reigne over sin which sometimes hath reigned over us and in the dominion of his life we are conquerors in victory and so our perfection is in Christ in whom there is no sin and we know that he is the finisher of sin and the bringer in of everlasting righteousness unto us and in his righteousness and holy life we live to the glory of the Father Q. But if all these things be done for you by Christ within you then what doe you believe concerning that great worke which by the death of Christ was accomplished on the Cross in time past according to the Scriptures or doth not this your Faith concerning such things done for you by Christ in you make voide his death upon the Cross and the benefits which is to be received thereby A. Wee believe that all things which are spoken by the holy Prophets and Apostles concerning Christ are true according to the Scriptures we believe that all the dispensations of God which are manifested by the Scriptures are altogether true and that they were all fulfilled according to the determinate will and councell of God so that our Faith concerning Christ in us and the work which he there worketh for us doth not at all make voide any of the dispensations of God which in times past was revealed unto his holy Prophets and Apostles and by them testified in the Scriptures so that the work which the Father then gave unto the Son to doe we believe that he fulfilled and finished according to the Fathers will and that all things partaining to life and salvation was fully and perfectly in him and that he humbled himselfe to the death of the Cross and from death did rise againe and we believe that he is the resurrection and the life and gives eternal life to all that believe in him but that any doe believe in him as he is Christ who are dispisers of his light and life in them that is not our Faith for as we know him in us and so have our Faith in him we likewise know the dispensation of God in times past and the end of their manifestation and the time of their finishing and the Scriptures are fulfilled in us who live in the Faith of Christ and walkes in his Spirit and we also know and believe that he is the same Christ in us which in dispensations past did humble himselfe to the Cross and doth perfect his work in us according to the determinate councell and will of the Father so that our Faith concerning Christ in us doth not at all make voide what he hath done or wrought in times past but doth fully perfectly establish it as a true dispensation by our Faith in Christ we know in a good understanding the things that are past present and to come and that Christ is yesterday to day and the same for ever and of his life nature and being there is neither variableness nor changing but an enduring substance of immortality who is glorified with the Father in the same glory that he had with him before the world began who through every dispensation hath manifested his glory and in this dispensation of his light and life he is come unto us and we know him to be the first and the last the beginning and the ending for him hath God the Father sealed and in him our Faith stands stedfast A. And have you such faith in God and love unto him as that you have respect unto all his commands and to answer him in all things according to his will A. Yes our faith is such in him and our love unto him as that we have respect unto all his commands for as he hath loved us and given Christ for us even so is our love begotten unto him and in his love unto us which is the ground of our love unto him we in the same are made willing to run the way of all his commands according to his will and they are not grievous unto us Q. But whether do you not depend upon the things you do for life and salvation Nay we do not so for we have life before we have motion to act or do any thing that is pleasing unto God and in the life we have salvation and so life and salvation is freely given us of God and by his grace we are saved through our faith which we have in him and that puts us upon motion and action to do his will in all things and yet not to depend upon what we do for life but to answer his will in all faithfulness because he hath given us life and so we do not act or do any thing for life but do all things which he commands us from the motion of his life and this is life before action which moves us to action and not
of Judgment to cut down and destroy the worker of iniquity and the gain-saying and rebellious nature Q. How doth he appear in love and judgment in one and the same administration A. He appears in love to the tender breathings which simply thirsteth after him and in judgment to the obstinate and rebellious nature that stands in opposition against him Q. How is this administration of the love grace and mercy of Christ to be attained A. By his light in the conscience for the light is manifest from his love and life and guids up to his love and life all that obey it in its manifestation Q. How doth the light manifest it self in order to the attainment of life A. It manifests it self against all that in man which alienates him from the life Q. How is man alienated from the life A. By the power of darkness which ruleth in him and leads him captive Q. What is captivity A. The bondage of the seed of God Q. What is that which causes bondage and captivity upon the seed of God A. The seed of the evil doer and the generation of its unclean nature from which is produced all the heart lusts with which the holy seed of God is oppressed and burdened Q. But doth the light of Christ in the Conscience make manifest the ground of bondage A. Yes for the ground of bondage is darkness and the light makes darkness manifest and appears against it and all the deeds of it Q. What is the state of man in bondage A. A state of grief sorrow pain anguish tribulation distress sighing mourning crying complaining heaviness and groaning Q. Is that the state of all people that are alienated from the life of Christ A. Yes for man in the fall and in the apostacy is under the power of darkness and all the evil deeds of darkness gender together in a body and that is the body of sin and death that lies upon him and the seed of God travels in pain under it and groans to be delivered Q. But are not some people joyful whilst they are alienated from the life of Christ A. the seed of the evil doer may rejoyce over the seed of God but that joy is bondage and it is a joy that must come into mourning and end in sorrow and in the midst of that joy there is sometimes a sense of trouble and pain Q. What are the deeds of darkness particularly that do oppress and burden the seed of God A. Fornication uncleanness laciviousness inordinate affections evil concupisence covetousness drunkenness pride anger malice envy witch-craft hatred variance strife foolish jesting vain communication vain thoughts idle words praying in the will of the flesh preaching in the wisdom below self-righteousness with all other things which are acted by the motion of the flesh which are all of a contrary nature to the pure and holy seed of God and is the oppression and burden of it Q. But how may such people know when they live in such things which doth burden and oppress the seed of God A. By the light of Christ in the Conscience for the light doth make them manifest and also reproves them Q. And doth the light of Christ make such discoveries in the consciences of people A. Yes for there is never a secret thought but the light shews it if the heart intend any evil it is seen in the intention and that which makes such discoveries is the light for the light makes all things manifest mark all things and if all things then there is not any thing that is hid from it and so people may know when there is an inclination or an intention in their hearts to do any thing that they should not do they sometimes are sensible that they should not intend that which they do and will say They should not have such thoughts and intentions as is stirring in them and so they see in secret what they incline unto and many times are secretly convinced of the vil of their own intentions and inclinations and are stopped from doing that which they have an intention to do and that which thus secretly discovers and secretly convinces it is the light of Christ and so the compassion of God manifests it self in the light and he reacheth to the oppressor with rebuke and to the oppressed in love and mercy Q. What is the ground of the manifestation of the light by which such discoveries are made A. The ground of its manifestation is the love of God for he would not that any should perish and all people in the fall are in a perishing state and therefore he manifests his light to convince and reprove the sinner in his way that he may turn from his way and live and hereby he is manifest to be a God gracious and merciful in that he would not the death of a sinner but shews the sin to the sinner and reproves him for it that he might forsake it and find mercy Q. But can man be freed from sinne whilest he is in the body A. Yes if he love the light which reproves it the light will free him from it for in the light there is no sin and therefore they that joyn to the light which reproves sin they with the light are guided out of sin and so they come from under Satans power which is the ground of sin unto the power of God which takes the sin away and thereby the Conscience comes to be purged and cleansed from all iniquity and sin and the righteousness of Christ comes to be revealed in a new life Q. But is not the grace of God free by Jesus Christ and hath not Christ accomplished the work of salvation by himself alone A. The grace of God is free by Jesus Christ and in his light it is freely manifest and therein it appears unto all and brings salvation unto all that receives it and so it may be felt what Christ accomplishes for salvation by himself alone which will not fall to an unbelievers part either as to what he hath done or is doing in those that believe in him Q. But if there be a believing in Christ for Salvation doth not his Salvation belong unto such without any thing done on their part A. Christ is the Author of Faith and there is none can truly believe untill he give them Faith in his power and he doth not give Faith to any but such as obeyes his light and therefore such as applis Salvation by Christ through their own beliefe of what he hath accomplished for Salvation they are not in the Faith which saveth but contrariwise are in the unbeliefe to his light and power in which he bringeth Salvation by the resurrection of his life Q. How doth the light within man manifest it selfe in order to Salvation A. It manifests it selfe against the darkness and all the deeds of it it finds out all wandering thoughts and vaine immaginations so that man may see with the light that is within
him when the darkness tempts him and when the lusts of the flesh are moving to any evil and thus doth the light within man manifest it selfe in order to Salvation Q. And is the light an universall manifestation unto all men A. Yes And that without respect of persons Q. And is the love of God universally tendred unto all in such a manifestation A. Yes For the light being manifest from the love it tendres it selfe in the manifestation Q. And is the love received by all unto whom it is so tendred A. Nay for many reject the light and will not become subject to the reproofe of it and they that doe so they doe not receive the love which in that manifestation is tendred unto them Q. But is there any thing that lyes on mans part in order to his salvation A. Yes he is to obey the light and follow it and then the light will teach him to deny himselfe and to take up the daily Cross Q. And doth the light work in order to salvation if man obey it and follow it A. Yes for he that obeyes the light and followes it he doth not abide in darkness but comes to the light of life Q. Hath man power in himselfe to turn to the light and to obey it and follow it A. Nay of himselfe he can doe nothing that is good nor turn from any thing that is evil but if he stand still when the light reproves him he there answers it in obedience as not joyning with that which the light reproves him for and so by giving diligence to the reproofe and standing still when reproofe comes he is there in obedience to it and then the love which is tendred in that manifestation it casts it selfe about him and with its strength it separates him from the sin and begets a dislike in him unto it so that he begins to abhor the appearance of it and then in the strength of the love he turns from the power of Satan unto the power of God where the light becomes his leader and teacher in the way of peace so that Salvation is in the light alone and not by any thing which is done by man of himselfe yet the light requires man to yeild himselfe unto it and yeilding himselfe unto it he answers the requirings of it in obedience and so becomes a servant to the light in all things Q. What doth the light work when man so yeilds himselfe to serve it A. It then rises in power and is felt to be powerfull to the pulling down the strong hold of sin and unthroaning the powers of darkness whereby the uncleane corrupted nature comes to be crucified and fleshly lusts condemned and so the burdens weights and loads are removed under which man hath travelled and groaned Q. But is the light sufficient to save man from all sin and to present him holy and blameless before God A. Yes it is so and they that love it knowes it to be so for the light is Christ and all power in heaven and earth is given unto him and there is nothing impossible with him nor too hard for him if man doe not reject him and rebell against him Q. And doth the power in its rising work contrary to mans own will wisdome and reason A. Yes for the power is the Cross unto the will wisdome and reason of man and in all things worketh as a cross unto that nature and stops it and chaines it and yoaks it down when it would be at liberty Q. And is that work of the power unto Salvation A. Yes if it be obeyed that the opposer doe not quench it it puts a difference between the precious and the vile and so rises as a hammer and knocks down the vile and takes hold on it as a fire and burnes it up and so man comes into the furnace where God is a consuming fire Q. But can any abide the day of his comming in such a dispensation A. Yes some there be that doe abide it who loves not their lives unto death but trusts in the Lord though he kills them Q. And is Salvation wrought through such a dispensation of Christ A. Yes for he is terrible whilest the wicked stand in his sight and reveales himselfe in flaming fire to execute vengeance upon the rebellious nature for his appearance unto Salvation is in judgment against all and upon all that would not that he should reigne Q. And doth Christ worke this worke in man A. Yes for sin is within man and there must Christ work to purge his conscience if ever he be made clean Q. But doe none know Christ to be Salvation but such as feeles his work within them A. No for it is to be understood that whilest man remaines in the fall he is under the power of darkness and therefore the power of Christ must work within him to subdue the power of darkness that ruleth over him and to save him from the temptations that the darkness entangles him in and so man is ever to stand in the pure fear of God and to waite for the appearance of his power to deliver him out of the snares in which he lyes entangled in the darkness and then he will feele the work of the power in him to cast out the strong man which hath kept the house and the power will keep man in the awe that he dare not sin for who have felt the judgment of the Lord for sin they stand in the pure fear least at any time their feet should slip into sin and this is true love to God when sin is denyed with which his Spirit is greived Q. And doth the power work effectually to Salvation as man yeilds himselfe unto it and denyes that which it doth reprove him for A. Yes it works effectually unto Salvation by destroying death and him that hath the power of it which is the Devil and so by the work of the power the old man is crucified the old works words and thoughts they all dye and sin is condemned in the flesh and the flesh is brought into subjection and silence through death and this man must know wrought in him by the power of God if ever he come to eternal life for no unclean thing that must enter into the Kingdome of God and therefore it must be denyed and put off before the Kingdome can be obtained Q. But must man pass through death and rise again whilest he is in the body A. Yes For except he be regenerated and born again he cannot enter into the kingdome of God and therefore he must dye to the first Adams flesh and be quickened and raised again in the second Adams spirit and so in the resurrection and life enter the Kingdome as a little child Q. And doth the work of the power bring death upon the first Adam through out A. Yes for no part or propertie of the first Adam that must live before God and as the second Adam rises in power
the first Adam is put to death and so the quickning spirit of the second Adam goes over the sinful flesh of the first Adam and there is the resurrection of the seed and the translation of man into its nature where he receives a new body and a new life in which body and life he bears the image of the heavenly and then he is blameless in Body Soul and Spirit Q. And is that the way by which man must come to inherit life eternal A. Yes for life eternal is only in the Son and man in his own life is alienated from it and therefore he must dye to his own life before he can inherit eternal life in the Son Q. And is there none that pleases God but who are thus regenerated and born again A. None in the flesh can please God and therefore man is to wait in the power for a new birth which is not after the flesh but after the spirit which birth of the spirit is the Fathers beloved Son in whom he is well pleased Q. How doth the power dispose man in the death A. It disposes him in stilness keeping all fleshly motions in silence so as a little child he lyes nakedly and innocently before God and hath no will nor wisdom nor reason left in him but all baptized down into the sufferings of Christ where they are dissolved into nothingness and there the power kils him and gives him life again and so man layes down his own life and takes up life in Christ in which life he comes to be raised in the resurrection of Christ and here is the passing from death to life where man puts on Christ and is made a new creature and in a new life he then serves God and pleaseth God for his thoughts words and works are all changed and with a new tongue he then sings the new songs and gives glory and honour and praise and thanks unto him that sits upon the throne who lives for ever and ever and this is in substance the whole matter Q. But doth not the birth of the seed meet with much opposition in its resurrection A. Yes whilest it is in the travaile it is strongly opposed by a contrary nature and many dangers that lyes near on every hand untill death have passed upon all as is said before but when the power hath crucified the first Adam throughout and that the seed be raised into the glorious liberty of its own life then the seed reigneth and hath dominion and government over all oppositions triumphing in victory Q. But how is oppositions removed and dangers escaped in the travaile A. By Faith in the power and watching to be kept close to the leadings of it and so the power will remove oppositions and defend from dangers for the watch being kept to it and the Faith standing stedfast in it the enemy hath no power to prevaile though he may tempt for the living power is as a wall on the right hand and on the left to preserve from dangers and it goes before as a conquerour to remove oppositions and comes behinde as a safe guard to keep off the Enemy for smiting the hind most part of the Campe and thus Christ by his power is all in all every way to the travailing Babe that cannot rest in any place below the freedome of his own life and therefore let none enter into unbeliefe as if oppositions could never be removed nor dangers clearly escaped for he that quickeneth and giveth life to breath after him he is mighty in his power and he doth assuredly save to the utmost the birth of his own begetting which abides in the simple tender breathings to possess more of his life Q. But may there not be captivity after the power be received and that something be quickened by the power to breath after God A. That present state is captivity for that which by the power is quickened to breath after God it is then in captivity and breathes in the power to be delivered out of captivity and as the power is received and Faith kept in it the power works in order to deliverance Q. But may there not be captivity after there be deliverance in some measure wrought by the power A. Yes there may be so for if the minde erre from the power and unbeliefe enter there may be captivity again in those very places out of which the power hath wrought deliverance and so many may come to taste of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come and yet may goe back again and here captivity comes upon many who have had a long travaile out of Egypt and have seen great and wonderfull things wrought by the power Q. But is not the power sufficient to preserve from going a stray and returning again into such a state as to come into captivity after it have wrought deliverance A. The power is as sufficient to preserve as to deliver and is not at al weaker in the one then in the other but where such a state comes to pass there is not Faithfulness to the power but temptations enters and prevailes and so the minde goes from the power into the temptations whereby there is away opened for the darkness to rise again which in the day of tenderness and faithfulness to the power was kept in subjection under the yoak Q. And doth the power follow after such again after they erre from it and doe not abide faithfull in it to recover them and deliver them out of their captivity A. Yes for the Lord waites to be gracious and though there may be a backsliding yet he doth not shut up his compassion but condiscends in bowels of tenderness to follow the wandering sheep which is gone a stray and by the word of his power he calls to return and if there be a yeilding to the word of power and a joyning to it again the Lord heales the backslidings and loves as freely as ever he did and so he brings the erring sheep again into the Fold and gives it pasture amongst his Flock and here he shews his goodness in the Riches of his mercy Q. And doth the power preserve and keep all safe in their travaile that abide in it Faithfully A. Yes for they that abide in the power and are guided by the power they doe not erre but by the power are kept through faith unto Salvation and all the babes that live in the power they receive strength in the power and doe not faint Q. What are the dangers that may befall whilest the seed is in travaile A. There be very many which the light discovers distinctly yet I shall name a few of them 1. To glory in the flesh with that which is manifest from God in the day of tenderness 2. To gather the manifestation of truth into the wisdome below and to enrich the false birth 3. To center in the forme or practice of truth as it stands in appearance onely 4.