the mover thereof and worker also and the creature only servant therein in the same power And this is not a self taken on performance from the Letter but is in the eternall counsell and strength of God commanded moved and performed in Gods will and time contrary to the will of the flesh whereby the will of all flesh is subdued even all that is come in since the beginning till all be seen in the light to be good and the work of God and so his works praise him from a good understanding of the spirit and power of the Living God And with the living word is the living soul witnessed and the life of Christ made manifest in the mortal body and the creature comes to have fellowship in the life and is transformed thereinto and united in one and this is the word of reconciliation which unites God and the Creature in Spirit which who ever knows needs not go forth for wisdom counsell or strength against all the powers of darkness nor wiles of the enemy but by diligent taking heed to the word which is nigh in the heart from thence finds the issues of life spiritual strength and power against the spiritual wickedness which all who run out for help lye under become servants of Concerning Worship THe worship of the true and living God stands out of mans will and knowledge wisdom or prudence as in the naturall for God is a Spirit and in Spirit he is worshipped not with mens hands nor with bodily exercise further then by the eternall Spirit the body is exercised nor doth it stand in meats and drinks nor divers washings nor carnall ordinances taken on by tradition nor imitation of others but as every Creature is moved by the Spirit of the living God who is that Spirit who will be served with his own alone not with any thing in man which is come in since the fall so the imaginations thinkings and conceavings are shut out all mans ways mans times and formes nationall customes mans decency and orders by men devised and added are all shut out and condemned with that Spirit in which God alone is worshipped and his people taught his worship and the manner of it and the times are in his hand whose the worship is So that before any can rightly worship God they must waite to know his Spirit that leads to know him and his worship and the matter and manner for all who do the same thing as to the outward performance do not worship God because they worship not in Spirit and power of God himselfe So that all who would so worship him as to be accepted you must know the light and in it waite to know what God calls for at your hands for it is not what men appoint you to do or not to do that will acquit you before the Lord for this know that God made man for himselfe and for his service and the living God is not as the dumbe Idolls that people should imagine a way to serve him as may best sute with the fashion and custome of a Nation or people but he that made man hath given him a life from himself to improve in his service and a light hath he given wherewith to see the moving of this Spirit of life which ever moves after the will of God because it is of him and so where it is awakned it ever draws the Creature towards God the mind and will and affections and love of God is in it and who walks in the light sees this But the Creature running before this or without this there comes all the dead works and worships And the ground of all this ariseth out of darkness and disobedience for when the Creature hath beene out in the world and unrighteous wayes thereof doing that which is evill then that in the heart condemns for the evill and neglect of good then the same mind runs to act a worship to get peace when both the evill and the worship is in one nature and so the prayer becomes abomination as the others was for he that regards the iniquity God will not heare his prayers nor accept his worships that 's Cains sacrifice and Esaus prayers but either must your worship be performed in one that never sinned or it cannot be accepted with the pure God So that the way to be well pleasing to the Father is to waite in the light till you see somthing of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus moving in you and then to that joyne in its power to worship and that being of God he cannot forget himselfe and that is done in the name of Christ which is done in his light and power and wisdom and strength and what ever is done in his name is not denyed of the Father and so far as any are in him so far sons and so far accepted in him without whom you can doe nothing nor be respected nor did ever any worship in this nature but they found acceptance and the knowledge thereof and you who know not this to lead and guide you in your worships are worshiping you know not what nor with what and though you say that God works all your works in you and that it is his work and worship you are about yet when it comes upon tryall he will not own it for his which the worker of iniquity hath wrought For the evil worker hath not onely his hand in the deceitfull works of the unrighteous Mammom but in the deceitfull works of Worship too For did he not deceive in worship to hide his wickednesse with pretence of godlinesse and long prayers he could not keepe people in any peace in his wicked wayes so they who joyne to him herein receive the greater damnation for the false worshippers were alwayes greatest enemies to Christ and so to their own souls and woe to him that hides his sin thus So all who desire to worship in truth you must know the truth even the Spirit of truth to lead into all truth which Spirit of truth takes of Christ and testifies of his life and power in the Creature worshiping who believes in the light and such know they are in him and he in them who is true in whom they worship the Father of the truth and so God is served with his own and no further then this is known can any worship God in Spirit which the light doth manifest So you having received a light from Christ in that waite till therein you find the Spirits leading acting and ordering and here the least in the light is in Gods service when on him you are waiting in Spirit and such as abide in the light waiting upon God in the light are kept from serving the Prince of darknesse and having your loynes gire and your light burning you are always ready to know the voyce and answer it with obedience and then you serve God and not men when you have a command from the living God not
taken on by tradition from men for in vaine do all worship whose feare and service towards God is taught by the precepts of men for all the Children of the Lord are taught of the Lord And they are the Sons of God who are led by the Spirit of God and such harken to the Lord and know his voyce and what they see and heare that they doe and doe not offer the sacrifice of fools But do not you ofter the sacrifice of fooles who have been worshiping all your time and yet have his worship to learne and are but still asking If this be the right worship and have it yet to dispute if not confident in a false way which is much worse and such are you who are fighting and contending for such a manner of worship as Christ never ordained nor his own ever practised as you may see if you compare your nationall worship with the Saints practice which is changed in every particular and that by men and councels under pretence of decency or conformity or somthing that stands in mens will which God never commanded But you may long worship here and call it Gods worship ere he own it by answering you yet was Nebuchad nezzer never more zealous for his Image then you are for this if you had but his power yea them who have found the everlasting way of Christ and an answer from God in it such would you force to bow to your imaginations where you know not God nor his presence with you therein nor can you euer find God in that way which is not his own nor is that his own which generations of men and councels have altered and added to and changed from time to time as may most sute their customes and Countryes so that each Nation hath its different manner of worship but all out of the counsel of God agreed on by Councels of men And all you who are gone out in any thing from Christ the true paterne and example you are gone into the imaginations of men and so are become servants of men and not of God herein For God is pure and so is his way and worship and without his command cannot be changed in the least jot but by him is denyed and is become will-worship and not Gods worship For it is not the name that makes it Gods worship for all pretend to worship God but it is the nature of it which must be in Spirit and will of God contrary to the will of all men and their wisdome wherein men in all ages have performed the idolatrous worship and set up likenesses instead of true worship though being heart-blind did not know it but ever looked upon all to be out of the way but themselves And this is your work who at this day set up an imitation from the letter of what other men have done but have not received your command and power in Spirit from the Lord and to you it will be said Who hath required these things at your hands for all the Saints have their commands in Spirit but yours is in letter and so of another Ministration for the litterall Ministration is don away in the spirituall and all that knows the command in Spirit knows it is life eternall and gives life to fulfill the command and so the worship is spiritual and the heart and the mind and soul is united in it and so being in one there is no idolatry nor likenesses but in one is the command and power life and will and way and worship but all you who have taken on the Saints practice to performe the like but not called commanded and furnished in Spirit you want power and life and so even in the time of your worship your hearts are going out after carnall things and there is the spirituall idolatry for what ever your minds are in that is your God you worship and the pure God ownes no such for its truth in the inward parts he seeks for wherein none of you can worship who knowes not the living word in your hearts to keepe them up to God in your worship and that worship which is not in the will of God is the worshipping of Devills Concerning Error Heresie c. IT is not Error to forsake the opinions of any man whatsoever nor to with draw from the Church of Rome as they call it nor from any who have reformed some things since the time of popery but yet are not come to the true foundation of the Apostles though they call themselves Nationall Churches or Gathered Churches whatsoever But the Error is to erre from the Spirit of God and its teachings and that Church which by its teaching alone is gathered into God out of all the wayes worships sects and opinions of the world Convocations and Councels that are not in God And the Church so gathered into God is the pillar and ground of truth where the Spirit alone is teacher and all that are gone out from this church and Teaching are in the Error where all the Sects and Opinions and false wayes and worships are and their teachers who have erred from the Spirit of Christ and the Saints teacher and theâ—r practice and are gone after their pride covetuouâ—ness and filthy lucre here lyes the Worlds Teachers thoâ—gh they do not know from whence thâ—y are Erred because they never yet came in the right way nay who never yet came so far as Balaam who had the word of the Lord from his ownmouth knew it yet hâ—s heart erred after gifts and honour So these preâ—ch against Balaam but cannot see themselves in the same Error ever since they were promoted to honour and gifts and Maisterships and great Livings by the pope who received his power from the Beast and gave of it to all his Adherents to cause all that dwell on the earth to worship them but such whose names are written in the book of life who have suffered to this day and do suffer because they cannot bow to that power nor worship it nor according to its likness and under pretence of Herefie and Eerror do these alwayes suffer by such who are Erred and with the Spirit of Error do Judge which Spirit hath shed all the innocent blood since Abel to this day though the Error was ever in the persecuter So that there is no Error but who goes from the spirit of Christ and his teachings and all who are gone from that are into Error what ever they pretend And that which leads from that Spirit is the mother of Confusion and vain Janglings and Contention disputeing about the things of God but are gone out into the world where all the deceived ones are AntiChrists and seducing Spirits which deceives the nations with inchantments and witcheries which none can see till to the light of Christ and his Spirit they return which only leads out of all Errors as it is beleived and followed For no Spirit can lead out of Errors but
shewed us a more excellent way The Light is come and therein have we found Christ Jesus the Guide of his people and the Leader of Ages even the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth even into all that God requires the obedience to which is better then Sacrifice And to direct people to this Spirit are we sent that Christ may be all in all who gives power in the Creature to perform in what he leads into that thereby all that believe in the light may learn him who begets the Will and the deed also who is the Author and Finisher of their Faith who look to him alone and to his light that all may see their righteousnesse to be of him alone And by this which we have received of him in Spirit do we all see you who read what the Saints have done by Call from God and from that sets your selves to do the like to be in the Imitation and self-righteousnesse and Will-worship both in this and all other things into which you are not led by the Lord and by a Call from him For this I say that the Father hath given his Son for a Leader and Guide to all Ages and into and out of all Forms at his Will and in his way and time in every Generation And therefore it is that all who know his Will herein cannot endure that any visible thing should be set up to limit his leading in Spirit or his people from following in Spirit So no form we deny into which Christ leads in Spirit but all forms we deny that are used by Men to keep people from following the Spirit for those onely are the Children of God Rom. 8. 14. who are led by the Spirit of God to whom they who are led by the 2 Cor. 4. 6. Letter were ever enemies for it is the Spiritual Ministration that gives the knowledge of God and his Glory and Power and not the literall for he that is born after the flesh hath his way in the visibles but he that is born after the Spirit hath his food the world knows not of and therefore becomes his enemy And in that state you are who takes the shadow to oppose the body which should lead to the body which is the end of the shadow And takes the Letter to oppose the Spirit which Coâ— 2. 16 17 20. is given to declare the sufficiency of the Spirits teaching alone and so pervert the Scriptures out of their place and end which are set to testifie of Christ the Life and End to set them in the place of Christ and Joh. 5. 38 39 40. think to have life in them And this is the errour of the Wicked who are gone into the world sensual not having the Spirit And in this state wherein the Spirit leads not both Scriptures and Ordinances and all other the gifts of God are abused wrested out of their places and made unprofitable And therefore you that take up from the Letter cannot bring forth their fruits who were spiritually called into their several Ministrations therefore your Ordinances are left to you desolate you and they in the world together out of which God is leading his people in Spirit to get himself a Name in such a way as is foolishnesse to your wisdome yet the hidden wisdome of God to the Children of Light who have believed therein And you that use great swelling words crying We deny an Ordinance of God To you I say To neglect that which is altered from what God ordained both in Call Manner and End is no neglecting an Ordinance of God 1. God never called any to baptize but first he called them out of the world and their habitations there to follow Christ as into the Wildernesse which were Prophets and Apostles called immediatly 2. They did not baptize Believers over again with water who had had it because they had it not before in their fashion but they went to disciple Unbelievers Neither did they lay it upon all as of absolute necessity but as they saw it useful and could for bear in case it was idolized 3. Their End was to gather all into One out of all the Shaddows and Ceremonies and Fashions of the World to follow Christ alone as he walked bearing his Crosse daily suffering the spoyling of their goods joyfully and their lives unto death rather than to conform to any but him alone for whose sake they were hated of all men which end how your Baptisms answers let your Pride and Pleasures and Conformity to the world in their Fashions Manners and Worships and upholding thereof your Suits and Contentions about carnal things your Rents and Divisions about outward Forms of Baptisms and Worships and upholding that in others which you know is false by Tythes and Offerings whereby Christ is denyed and the Popish Inventions holden up with much such like I say That these things judge you before all men and the light in your Conscience answers thereto untill the Lord appear to judge your unfaithfulnesse herein Concerning the Lords Supper THis is the thing that all the Worlds Professors are contending about and indeed is of great use and profit to the weak Believers who have not yet seen the Lord for bringing them all into one body and bloud mind and heart and soul and spirit But since the Mystery of Iniquity began to work the Worlds Teachers and Professors having lost their in-dwelling in the body of Christ are run out into the Imaginations and are so far from the life of this as that they have lost the Form and the first Institution as as it was by Christ first performed and appointed and therefore are so far from being thereby made one in the blood of Christ that they are shedding one anothers blood about the Form which they are all out of and have lost and the power also For this was done and instituted by Matth. 26. 26. Christ as they sate at meat and did eat and so often as they did eat and drink thereof they were to do it in remembrance of him shewing his Mar. 14. 22 death till he came 1 Cor. 11. 26. And this was that the Apostles received of the Lord and was so practised in the purity of the Church before they ran into confusion which did continue stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship breaking bread and prayer daily breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladnesse and singleness of heart in the fear and favour of God And this was to be done at all Seasons when they eat and Act. 2. 41. to the end drank in their eating and drinking they were to do it to the Lord and therein to have Communion with his Body and his Blood and for that 1 Cor. 10. end were to keep themselves pure from all pollution yea when they 15. to the end were to eat with Gentiles they were to partake of the Table of the Lord as
have bowed down to the god of this World and his begettings are in all houses and assemblies and the name of the Lord you have polluted before all the world yet will you lean upon the Lord and say The righteousnesse of Christ the righteousnesse of Christ so that you have more dishonoured his Righteousnesse then all that ever were before you and the name of a Christian is become a reproach in all the world because of your unfaithfulnesse to his righteousnesse For this will he plead with you and will take from you the Covering that you may appear and he will bring forth his Righteousnesse to your Confusion and his own shall witnesse him in the Gate and his work shall praise him openly so shall sinners be afraid and fearfulnesse surprize the Hypocrite when God shall own his own righteousnesse and judge the wicked after the works of their hands Concerning the Word THe Word is that which was in the beginning and was the beginning of all visible things and that by which all things were made but it self is invisible which though it be the Upholder of all visible things yet can no visible thing reveal it yet doth it reveal the ground and use and end of all visibles And as without it was nothing made that was made so without it is nothing soen as it was made nor any thing can be guided nor used in its pure place but what ever man medles with not having the Word in him to guide order and sanctifie the same he defiles and it is polluted as to him Nor can this Word be comprehended in Heaven or Earth without this Word can no Scripture be read with profit for it opens the Scriptures and the Scriptures declare of it yet cannot the Scriptures nor all the Writings of the World comprehend it nor declare the depth and extent of it which is beyond all Generations yet is it the Teacher and Guide of his own in all Generations and in all Generations of Saints hath been known in measure more or lesse immediatly though it hath no place in the worlds profession So hearing of a Word but not knowing it they say The Letter is it But who hath the Word hath that which comprehends Death and Hell and the Grave that which binds and chains Satan overcomes the World gives the issues of Life and Light whereby the new Creation is known wherein dwels Righteousnesse and this every one hath so far as he hath the Word abiding in him but so hath not every one that hath the Letter Nor can any mans will change the Word for it is contrary to all mens Wills nor can any mans Wit open or expound this Word which confounds the Wisdome of the Wise and brings the understanding of the Prudent to nought that hides from the Wise and Prudent and reveals to Babes and the Word grows and increases within the Babes but so doth not the Letter and as it grows it sanctifies all that have it but so doth not the Letter and it s as a Fire and a Hammer to all that have it but so is not the Letter It is quick and powerful to the dividing asunder the Joynts and Marrow the Soul and Spirit where ever it is so is not the Letter And the Word is a Reproach to every Carnal Mind even to them especially who profess the Letter Whosoever have the Word with it are washed and cleansed and translated from the World and conformed to God so far as they have it and it reconciles to God all that have it but many have the Letter who know not God but are in the unclean Customes and Fashions and wayes of the World not changed nor reconciled None can keep the Word and his sins both but the Letter without he may for where ever the Word is known the new Creature is witnessed who is created to walk in Righteousnesse and who hath the Word sees all who say they know the Word and walk not in Righteousnesse to be Lyars and do not the Truth and with the Word of Truth are such cast out and judged to be those who dishonour the Word as though it were a polluted thing or could dwell with pollution which is a Fire to burn up all uncleannesse where ever it is and where sinne stands the Word is not known But such reading of the word which came to the Saints in obedience to which they were washed and purified and in which they were begotten again they finding that the Saints had this word but not knowing it they say the Letter is it which doth but declare of it and so their word hath not power in them to overcome the Devil break the bonds of wickedness whereas the word of God is not bound but free sets free all that have it abiding in them which breaks down the seat of sin and raises up and quickens the seed of God which lives in the life of God which through sin death hath passed over and so quickens the mortall body to newness of life So that the old life and the word cannot stand together in one body nor doth the old man who lives in that life know any word but the letter and the life of that he knows not but in the Imaginations searches with the fallen wisdome for that which God hath in his wisdome hid from it and in this is all the darknesse to this the Scriptures are spoken as a Parable and Mystery which in that disobedient wisdome cannot be found out so is the Simplicity deceived with Meanings Addings and Wrestings which are all in that man that cannot enter in whom the Word dwells not nor can any thing such do be accepted because it is not from the Word for all that comes not from the Word by the Word is condemned not to be the Work of God for all that God made he made it by the Word and it was seen in the light to be good which was made with the Word and here all stood in the reconciliation to God but when man went out from the Word then he went out from the good and so with the Light was seen to be in the evil and so was accursed from the same Word against which he had sinned and so long as out of that Word he acts all is accursed being Self and not God that works it And so man being gone out into the world the light of the Gospel is preached to turne man again to know the word that coming to the knowledge thereof in his heart and having his mind stayed thereto in the light he may come to see the power of the word working in Spirit working out the unclean nature and the rebellious will and working in the pure nature in the Cross slaying the carnall man with all his affections and so through death thereof raising up the new man making a new Creation in Christ Jesus with power unto Good works from the eternall word and this God owns when he is
that Spirit which never erred and who ever is lead out by any other is Erred already though unknown to them who are so deceived For Error could never Judge of Error nor darkness of light though it will be doing to shew enmity So Error Cryes Take heed of being deceived which is deceived already but the Spirit of light searcheth out that deceipt but who walks not in the spirit and light of Christ is blind and knows not by what he is lead nor whither and stumbles at the light which should Judge his blindness and become his Leader and such a one though he be in Error yet knows not whence he is fallen who never knew the right way as many at this day who are talking of blindnes but themselves in the pitt and must be till they own the light to lead them out of it which never Erred which is of God even as they who received it are of God and they that were of God knew that all that would not heare them had the Spirit of Error and thereby they knew it and the Spirit of truth And what ever that be which leads out into the Worlds Conformity and pleads for it or any thing that is come in by the Fall that is the Spirit of Error But that Spirit which testifies against all that is in the fall and convinceth of it and leads out of it that 's the Spirit of truth comes to testifie of the redeemer Christ Jesus who is to set free out of it which all that lives in lives in Error So all who desire to know the Spirit of Error you must turn to the Spirit of light from whence you have Erred for no other thing shews the Error but that which reproves the fruit of Error that which reproves for sin is that from which man hath Erred the faithfull and true witness which is in the beginning of the Creation of God to which all must give an account and which alone is appointed for a light and leader of the people that sit in darkness to shew the darkness and the way out of it So to that which was in the beginning all must come that with the light from which man hath Erred you may know the wayes of Error and the way of truth Concerning Faith HE that hath living faith which is in Christ lives by it and the life that he lives is above all the world and the powers of darknesse and the least measure of that Faith â—s perfect and is present power against all the assaults of â—acan if in it the Creature abide faithfull and run not to other helps and so lay himself open to distrust for it is the gift of God whereof whosoever receives a measure he hath a measure of the Son above which he Father will not suffer any temptation for the true faith laies hold upon Gods righteousnesse against which no unrighteousnesse can prevaile which righteousnesse is received by faith in Christ Jesus wherein the Creature so believing stands armed against all the fierie darts and temptations of the Devill with Gods righteousnesse seene in the light and wrought in the Spirit whereby the Creature becomes Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works by which he becomes free from the evill dead to sin but alive to Gods righteousnesse waiting in faith to see it revealed through obedience thereto from faith to faith and it is written The just shall live by faith and this is the living faith which purifies the heart unto the life of godlinesse and so reveales the righteousnesse of faith for an inheritance everlasting righteousnesse ever growing and springing whereby the Creature grows into the knowledge of God with him to walke by faith out of the knowledge of all the world translated out of the pleasures and kingdoms of it into the kingdom of the Son of God where the reproach of Christ is esteemed great riches laying hold upon the invisible which the worlds faith cannot reach which caryes them no higher then visible reasonings and consulting with sensuall wisdom and carnall helps and so brings nothing to perfection because it sees nothing that is perfect but the liying faith sees him that is invisible and layes hold on the measure of God made manifest in Spirit which measure of the Spirit is that which in the faith worketh out the old and worketh the new both will and deed whose worke is perfect to kill and make alive But the worlds faith is not of this nature and power who heare a thing with the outward care and so set themselves to believe or not believe it in their wills or outward perswasion from others or in their own imagination and as their imaginations thoughts and conceivings changes so their faith changes also and so it cannot be steadfast because it stands not in the measure of God known in the heart which changes not and this faith serves not God nor can it please him nor doth it see him that is invisible And so not standing in that which is contrary to the will of man and power of sin it lies under the wills of men and power of the Prince of this world and as the world and times changes so doth that faith but can never lead out of the world and all time up to the redeemer of the soul And to all who are in that nature the living faith that stands in that which is of God in a pure conscience is a mystery not known nor received and so cannot be improved which is the true faith which is the gift of God which none Tim. 3. 9. can receive but in the Spirit So the faith of Christ and the faith of the world are two and have their severall effects and fruits the one professeth freedome and redemption in the imaginations and comprehensions but is a servant of sin the other hath the living faith which gives the life of freedom and so as is their ground and roote so is their fruits and effects and the one of these is against the other For that Act. 13. 27. faith which stands in Christ believes in purity and perfection and holynesse and slays sin and by that faith alone the just lives and justice and righteousnesse is brought forth to light in the godly conversation but that faith which stands in the imaginations and wisdom of man which believes salvation without holynesse of life that slaies the just and keeps alive the unjust and this faith they had which believed the Scriptures and the words of the Prophets and that God was their Father but not having the word of Faith in their hearts these slew the Son of God and set the murtherer free and as that faith which is dead works death so that faith which is living worketh life And a profession of faith without righteousnesse is like a body without life and like as a living man is known by his actions so is the living faith by its fruits And as the man cannot live
but could not obtain it And in this state came Nicodemus to Christ but could not enter into the Kingdom in that state nor knew the new Birth though he loved Christ and believed him to be sent of God And this is that state David speaks of when he saith If I regard iniquity God will not hear my prayer And in this state you all are who are worshipping in your carnal minds and sensual wisdome in the flesh But that which is born of the Heavenly is Heavenly Spiritual Eternal and incorruptible which is the state of the New man which of God is begotten of the Divine Nature and as is his Nature so is his Works and so his delights are Spiritual as he is Spiritual for as is the Man so are his Works and as is the Tree so is his Fruit and so he that is born of this Seed is born of God and he that is born of God sins not in whom that Seed remains And all who remain in this Seed and it in them this hath the Promise and Power that puts off the Old Man with his Deeds Lusts and Affections and so the body of sinne being put off through the body of Christ the Redemption is witnessed and as the Creature passeth from the Old to the New so they passe from the Death to the Life for the life is in the new and so the victory is received in the new over sinne the grave and hell which the Worlds Birth talkes of in their fallen Nature but cannot receive the Power and Victory whereby to enter into that Kingdome nor see the glory of it and so takes up their rest and delights in visible things and so encumbers themselves with that the end whereof is destruction which those who are born of the spirit tread upon and cannot set their mindes upon nor bow unto nor be conformable to such vanities And so those who are of the heavenly cannot have communion with the earthly they being contrary minded in all things So that which is wisdom to the one is foolishnesse to the other and ever was So the Spirituall seed could never worship the heathen Gods nor can it bow to their imaginations for that seed which is of God leads the heart upto God and that which is of the earth to earthly things and so those that are the children of God are lead by his spirit of which they are born and the children of this world by the Spirit of this world are Captivated into the worlds wayes and fashions and love of it wherein is the Serpents seate and kingdom in which he rules and wherein his power is seen in all who are disobedient to the light of Christ the new man so being given up because of the blindnesse of their hearts to his power which is alwayes in the dark in such he brings forth his enmity against the babes of God born after the Spirit children of the light of the immortal seed who bear the image of the invisible God and have the Spirituall worship into which they are led and guided with the eternal spirit of which they are born which can no longer stay in any form of worship then God stayes therein but by his Spirit is led to follow him into whatever he goes and out of what ever he departs which those who are born after the flesh and see but the out-side and form and there abides when God is departed such are the seat of Satan become where he sitts and persecutes such as follow the Spirits teaching into its several ministrations And therein hath the serpent beguiled the creature by getting into somewhat of the form once used with the Saints whilst God dwelt therein and to that adds inventions of his own called Decency and Order and the like and with this hath deceived the creatures so as to serve his ends to shed the blood of their bretheren under a pretence of error and blasphemy and denying Ordinances and worships and as being leaders of dangerous Sects and Heresies denying government turning the world upside down and the like So that the childreu of light have been ever numbred amongst transgressors but were never so further then to transgresse the wills of men to observe the will of God yet none of these did ever suffer as well-doers in the worlds accompt but as not worthy to live in the world being born of a principle above the world which the natural man knows not So he that is born after the flesh persecutes him that is born after the spirit as it is at this day thinking they do God service because they know not the Father nor the Son but live in darknesse nor owning that whereof the children of light is born so becomes their enemies And this is your state who resist that measure of light that shines in your dark hearts that shews your evil deeds So being against the light of the Spirit you are enimies to all who of that Spirit are born And so farr as you see the ground root of your disobedience to the light in your selves that reproves of sin so farr you may see the ground of your emnity and no farther And untill you joyn to that light you cannot be one with that seed but hate it for that which is born of the will of the flesh is emnity to that which is born of the will of God and that which is born of God is emnity with the world and conformity to it And with the light are you Judged to be of the flesh who love the things of the flesh and minde them and who conform to this world are of it what ever you professe to the contrary the light will find you out which light leads above all these things up to the Father of light which light is one with all who are born of the Spirit but a witnesse against you who are born of the flesh So they that are in the flesh cannot please God that in your conscience is witness the light which is condemnation But who is born of the Spirit with such he is well pleased the testimony of their conscience bearing them witnesse in the sight of God that they are his Children and born of him and their envy and reproch and suffering from the world for testifing against the deeds thereof are as a cloud of witnesses that they are not of it for it loves its own and so the enmity is seene put betweene the seeds that of the Serpent seeks a word or a forme without whereby to murther and destroy the creature that God hath made under a pretence of serving God but the seed of God strikes at the head of that enmity and roote of sin but saves the work of God alive Concerning the Baptism of Christ from that the world so calls IN the world there be many forts and forms of Baptismes but in Christ there is but one and that is that of the Spirit and this is the Baptisme of Christ and all
in bondage Concerning Justification Sanctification and Mortification THe wisdom of men in the Fall finding these several words in Scripture hath in their imaginations run them into divisions and separated that which is in one and cannot be devided in the possession for it is one that worketh all these where he is present according to the measure received And this is the just one who by faith lives in the Creature and the Creature in him and so becomes the justifier and sanctifier of all that believe and the mortifier of that nature which is out of the faith and one of these is not alone without the rest For that which sanctifies that mortifies and the same justifies and all that know what it is to have these in the life knows this I know there are a people who have a desire to Heaven more then to holynesse and they lest they should spoyle their Carnal delights have in their brain-imag'nation conceipted a Justification without santification or mortification wresting those Scriptures which condemns the works of the law and therewith they would exclude the righteousnesse of faith also And because the Scripture saith God justifies the ungodly through faith therefore they conclude themselves justified in their ungodlinesse by a fancy which they call faith but are without faith in Christ For that faith which laies not hold upon Gods righteousnesse is not the faith of Christ but a dead thing for so far as any hath the faith of Christ so far it reveals Gods righteousnesse without the law from faith to faith by which righteousnesse of God the just lives and the unjust dies and so justified as they are sanctified and mortified and no further even as the righteousnesse of God without the law is manifest being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleive without respect of persons No righteousnesse no faith in Christ but where Gods righteousnesse is unto all and upon all there the belief is witnessed and the faith is shewed by the works which cannot be shewed without the works for that faith that hath not works is dead being alone as the body without the Spirit so is your faith without workes and so is your justification without holinesse and mortification of life And you will find in the end that he that justifies the wicked in you is the same that condemneth the just and they are both abomination to the Lord And this is your state who plead for sin and live in pleasure and wantonly on the earth you slay the just and holy one and save the unjust alive and so know not him that is just who justifies mortifies sanctifies and redeemes who of God is made so to us that in all things we are and have we may glory in him And although the Scriptures mention these three yet not to devide them so as to make people believe they may have one and not all but as to shew the severall effects of that one work of mans redemption all wrought by one thing in the creature For the blood of Christ it washes away the filth and so puts off the old man and mortifies the deeds of that body and so sanctifies and justifies The Spirit it mortifies and sanctifies and justifies now though the Saints named both these it was not to devide them but being one they might declare it by either for none could have the one without the other and all that have them are thereby mortified sanctified and justified yet none of these without the creature being works of faith and not of selfe for by the law of faith is selfe-sanctification self-mortification and self-justification excluded though they who had received the Spirit were called to all these by faith in his blood yet it is the work of God wrought by Christ in the believer and in the light are they called to behold the work of God herein and joyne to it in the faith and obedience thereto being the work of God which he will work in all that beleive in the light that they may receive his Son in whom the promise is and the power to mortification sanctification and justification as by faith he is received from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised againe for our justification but such who would share in his Justification but not have fellowship in his sufferings and obedience are such as are justified in conceipt but sin raignes and the unjust lives and acts in them and this is selfe that justifies selfe but is not just before God the just being dead in trespasses and sins but God justifies the living and not the dead Therefore the Saints suffered the losse of all things counting them as doung that they might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death These through death came to the power and fellowship of his resurrection whereby they are justified being raised with him to newnesse of life by faith receiving the gift of Gods righteousnesse and becoming servants thereto and thereby became free from sin and this is true justification where there is no condemnation where the deeds of the flesh are mortified and the creature walks no more after the flesh but after the Spirit for the condemnation is to him that walks after the flesh but he Gal. 5. 16. that walks in the Spirit is justified for he that walks in the Spirit shal not Rom. 8 3 4 fulfill the lusts of the flesh and there is mortification to that nature that breaks the law and the just is seen who fulfils the law in such as walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit So not the hearers of the law are just Rom. 2 13. before God but the doers of the law shall be justified In the first mans state the law is broken and there mortification and sanctification is denyed and there the man would be justified from the guilt of sin but not from the love and power of sin but would have his carnall delights in the world and Heaven also but this is vaine hope and will perish But in the second mans state the law is fulfilled through mortification sanctification Justification of the Spirit And no man can be justified where the just lives not for that by which the just lives is that by which the creature is justified Concerning the Law IN this thing are many people confounded yea all who know not the ministration of the Spirit for such going into the Scriptures and finding the ministration of the Letter and the ministration of the Spirit and themselves being under neither of these but in Notion as they have received it in their imaginations and not from the Mouth of the Lord some say they are under the Law and that it continues still others say but some part of it which is Morall others say nay but it