before to all who with a spiritual eye discerneth the things of God by which they are only known 1 Cor. 2. 11. but they are foolishness and madness to such sons of Belial as Leo. Letchford hath manifested himself to be whos 's Query is Whether to do good and not to commit sin be a perfection that any man dares challenge while he is upon the earth c. By which it manifestly appears that he hath made a strong Covenant with death and an agreement with hell who dares challenge no perfection but to do evil and commit sin and that for term of life and would perswade others so to do and make them believe this is praise to God which is the highest disgrace he can possibly bring to his Name and the most for the promoting of that antichristian doctrine of the Church of Rome that the devil can lead any of his servants to give forth For it is wholly raked out of that kennel and filthy puddle of iniquity and never once mentioned in the Scriptures of truth but condemned thereby root and branch as I have shewed above By which let all sober-hearted men judge whether Iohn or he is to be believed who said He that committeth sin is of the Devil c. I Iohn 3. 8. And whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaines in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God then said In this is the children of God manifested and the children of the Devil Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother I Iohn 3. 9 10. and by this they will soon see whether L. L. be a childe of God or of the Devil who would perswade others that to do good and not to commit sin is that which none dares challenge upon the earth and that it would be praise to God to say his Commandements cannot be done without sinning or offending this cannot be parallel'd in all the Scripture if it can I leave it to Leo. Letchford to produce if it cannot I leave him naked to all the world to judge of him in truth equity and righteousness whether this doctrine of sin and imperfection doth not overthrow all the works and sufferings of Christ the Son of God and establish the work of the Devil for term of life yea or nay Therefore oh thou begotten of God who art born again of the water and of the spirit give in thy evidence who ever thou art against this unheard of Heresie which God will confound with the breath of his mouth and with the brightness of his shining glory Which is arisen and arising to expell all these foggs mists and vapours which the man of sin hath overspred the earth withall in this long night of darkness and apostacy from the life of God wherein the great Whore that hath sitten upon many waters hath made all Nations drunk with the wine of her fornication Rev. 17. 1 2. 18. 3. and hath sitten a a Queen and seen no sorrow and all her ministers hath pampered themselves like fat horses in the sulness of the earth and hath made merchandise of many through covetousness and feigned words 2 Pet. 2. 3. this sixteen hundred years and upward ever since the Antichrists went out into the world who hath continued in the world to this day I Iohn 2. 18. deceiving the Nations with the multitude of their Inchantments but now is the day of the Lord broken forth in clearness again in this latter age which hath discovered her skirts with all her merchants who is worse then Balaam the son of Bosor who though he loved the wages of unrighteousness durst not take it Num. 22. 18. and 24. 13. but they love and take it and persecute all those who will not give it to them as we have a cloud of witnesses standing upon record against them at this day their actions hath been more cruel then ever was any of their sore-fathers the Pope excepted as thou who art spiritual has clearly seen I question not but their end shall be according to their works Cor 11. 15. what ever their words are the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Here is the way which leadeth to the Kingdome of God in short held forth to all who are willing to enter therein AS Satan by sin and transgression hath opened a way into eternal misery and condemnation from God for all who followes and obeyes him So God in his infinite love and mercy by Jesus Christ hath opened a gate of mercy unto all mankinde and hath prepared a way of life peace and eternal salvation that all who are willing to walk therein may attain thereunto This way is called the way of Holiness which the unclean shall not pass over the wayfareing man though a fool shall not err therein Isa 35. 8 This way is a mystery to all the Sons of Adam and is strait and narrow and few there be that finde it Matth. 7. 14. but the way which leads to destruction is wide and broad and all the unclean yea all the workers of Iniquity can walk therein Matth. 7. 13. So there is but these two wayes for all mankinde to walk in the one leads to life eternal and the other to eternal death Now the Lord hath opened my heart a little to shew unto every one the way of life which is Christ Jesus Iohn 14. 6. And that by which they may be brought into this way according as the Spirit of God shall give me utterance It is written in the Scriptures of truth of a Woman having ten pieces of silver if she loose one doth light a candle and sweepeth her house and seek diligently till the finde it and when she hath found it calleth in her friends and neighbours together saying Rejoyce with me for I have found the piece which I had lost Luke 15. 8 9. This was a Parable of the way of Life which was to be found within when the candle was lighted thy house swept Which is thy heart which is soul and corrupted by the enemy of thy soul who hath led thee from mountain to hill like a lost sheep I mean from one High Priest to another so that thou hast sorgotten thy resting place Isa 50. 6. Therefore hath the good Shepherd left the ninety and nine in the Wilderness and is gone after thee which is lost in the mountains and will lay thee upon his shoulders till he bring thee home and rejoyce over thee Luke 15. 4 5. And when thou art come in thou shall be sed in a good pasture by the rivers of water where thou shalt not want Ezek. 34 14. and thy soul shall delight it self in fatness and shall live Isa 55. 2. For the Lord will be thy Shepherd and thou shalt be established in Righteousness and great shall be thy peace Isa 54. 13. and thou shalt not need to say Who shall ascend into heaven to setch Christ from above
God Isa 10. 20 21. as afterwards it came to passe And again he testified of the peaceable Kingdome of Christ wherein the earth should be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the Sea Isa 11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. which ksowledge came afterwards to be received by the Light which God had commanded to shine in their hearts who was witnesses of the same 2 Cor. 4. 6. by which the light of the knowledge of the glory of God was received in the face of Iesus Christ Again the Lord by the Prophet called every one that thirsted to drink freely of the waters of Life without money and without price and called many to pentance verse 6. and said Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him verse 7. Here was the promise of mercy unto man if he forsaked his unrighteous wayes and thoughts and to no other as afterwards was testified Prov. 28. 13. and furthermore the Prophet declareth the glory of the true Church and saith the Gentiles shall come to her light and Kings to the brightnesse of her rising Isa 60. 3. which was afterwards fulfilled All which prophesies was the universal love of God in Christ Iesus to Mankind for his restauration into that Image and perfection of holinesse in which he was created so that all who received him when he came to be manifested to them he gave power to become the sons of God and heirs of life Iohn 1. 12. And Ieremiah also prophesied of the scattered flock of the Lord whom the wicked Pastours of Israel had destroyed And the Lord said I will gather the remnant of my Flock out of all Countries where they have been driven and will bring them again into their fold and will set one Shepherd over them which shall feed them Ier. 23. And in his dayes Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness ver 6. And they shall no more say the Lord liveth which brought the children of Israel out of Egypt but the Lord liveth which brought the seed of the house of Iacob out of the North Countrey and out of all Countries whither he hath driven them vers 7 8. All which the Lord spoke by way of Prophesie that he would restore Israel his people into unity with him which could not possible be untill he had finished transgression in them which was the first cause of separation from God and the glory of his power And again the Lord by the mouth of Ieremiah Prophesied of the restoration of Israel and said he would bring them from the North Countrey and gather them from the coasts of the earth he that scattered Israel will gather them as a Shepherd doth his flock Ier. 31. 10. And also said he would make a Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iudah not according to the Covenant which he made with their Fathers when he took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt Mark but this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord c. Ier. 31. 31 32. 33. This is the Covenant in which Christ was promised where in God would write his Law in his peoples hearts which afterwards the Apostles witnessed with whom this Covenant was made and confirmed in which they witnessed the blood of Christ to cleanse them from all sin 1 Iohn 1. 7. This Covenant was a Covenant of Light and of Life wherein the Law of the Spirit of Life not writ in Tables of Stone but in the fleshly Tables of the Heart 2 Cor. 3. 3. was their Schoolmaster to bring them to Christ that they might be justified by faith Gal. 3. 24. and so were presented blameless unto God which the blood of Bulls and Goats could not do nor any outward thing Heb. 10. 4. And by the mouth of Ezekiel the Lord promised to gather his people again unto himself and seek them as a Shepherd seeketh his Sheep and feed them in a good pasture Ezek. 34 12 13 14 15 16. Here was Gods universal love again manifested by way of prophecy for the recovery of lost man again all which promises was made conditionally unto mankind if they believed in him whom God hath chosen to be the author of eternal salvation to all who received and believed in him Then afterwards Daniel prophesied of the suffering of the Son of God of whom the Prophets had written whom the Angell shewed that seventy weeks were determined to finish transgression and to make an end of sin and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness Dan. 9. 24. And in verse the 26. saith that after sixty two weeks shall the Messiah be slain but not for himself and in verse the 27. he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the offerings and the oblations to cease This shewed the death of the Son of God before he came into the world by which sin and transgression was to be finished which was the cause of offerings and sacrifices still demonstrating Gods eternal purpose through him to put an end to transgression in man without which man could never come to him again nor be restored into that image and glory which he lost by transgression which is the perfection of holiness in the sight of the Lord which the Apostles testified unto 2 Cor. 7. 1. that man might live with God in the spirit for which end he was created which was brought to pass through the death and suffering of his Son whom he sent into the world that they through him might be saved Iohn 3. 17. And the Lord spake again by the mouth of Amos and said The plow-man should overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him that sowed seed and the mountains shall drop down with sweet wine and he would bring again the captivity of his people Israel Amos 9. 13 14. And Micah foretold of the birth of this Saviour even in Bethlehem Ephratah though it was little among the thousands of Iudah yet out of it shall he come forth that was to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth hath been from old from everlasting and he shall stand and rule in the strength of the Lord and in the majesty of the name of the Lord and shall be great unto the end of the earth Micah 5. 2 3 4. And also said that the remnant of Israel should be among many Nations as a dew from the Lord that tarrieth not for man and as the showers upon the tender grass c. And the remnant of
Iacob shall be among the Gentiles as a Lion among the beasts of the forrest and as a young Lion among the flocks of the sheep which should rouze them and go thorow and none can deliver ver 7 8. All which Prophesies being so clear and full both of the Birth and coming of the Son of God and of his perfecting the work of the Lord which is to destroy the works of the Devil and restore man into that Image and Glory of God which he lost by transgression that he that runs may read it Hab. 2. 2. this was the very end for which he was manifested and for which he dyed and rose again according to the Scriptures So when he was come of whom the Prophets gave testimony and born in Bethlehem of Iudea Mat. 2. 1. Luke 2. 4. he began to do many mighty works and wonders in restoring the blinde to his sight and the lame to walk and the deaf to hear as it is written of him Mark 7. 37. whose work was alwayes a work of perfection both in his restoration of body and soul who saved to the uttermost all who came to God by him Heb. 7. 25. and made man every whit whole Iohn 7. 23. and did not leave his work imperfect nor uneffected in nor upon them who did believe in him for then he had done no more then did the Old Covenant which was disannulled because of the weakness andunpr ofitableness thereof because it made not the comers thereunto perfect for then it should have ceased Heb. 10. 1 2 but he hath obtained a more excellent ministry how much also he is become a Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. For if perfection had been by the Levitical Priesthood under which the Law was received what further need was there that another Priesthood should arise after the Order of Melchisedec and not be called after the Order of Aaron Heb. 7. 11. All which is granted the first Priesthood with all its Offerings and Sacrifices evening and morning and with all its Rites and Ceremonies could not make the comers thereunto perfect and the Law with all its works could never justifie any nor make any thing perfect Heb. 7. 19. And therefore Moses did but obtain a Servants place yet being faithfull therein according to what God had manifested Heb. 3. 2. 5. he was called the Friend of God in doing whatsoever he commanded him and laid down his head in peace in the Land of Moab according to the word of the Lord Deut. 34. 5. though that Priesthood was not then appeared thorow which the perfection of holiness was afterward witnessed nor power to become the Sons of God but only servants who in doing what the Lord commanded them it was well-pleasing to God and he blessed them in their generation And Abraham also God blessed in his generation because he obeyed the Word and Commandement of God and with-held not his onely Son at the Commandement of the Lord Gen. 22. 8 9 10 11 12. who believed in God and obeyed his Word therefore he died in a good old age an old man and full of years and was gathered unto his people Gen. 25. 8. And God said unto him because thou hast done this and hast not with-held thy Son thine onely Son that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed and make it as the Stars of Heaven and as the sand upon the Sea shore c. Gen. 22. 16 17. And David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite I Kings 15. 5. for which he suffered the severe judgement of the Lord so that he laid roaring all the day long and watered his Couch with his tears Psal 22. 1. Psal 32. 3. by which judgement he was redeemed again unto God and became a vessel of honour to sound forth the praises of God Psal 98. Psal 101. and 103. and 104. after which he departed not from the Law of God but continued in the same unto the end of his dayes And many other of the faithful servants of the Lord who obeyed his Word and Commandements which I might mention both in the time of the Law and the Prophets who kept the Commandements Laws Statutes and Ordinances of God in the keeping of which he promised life unto man Levit. 8. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. which Laws Statutes and Iudgements was given to Israel but they despised them and polluted his Sabboths therefore he powred forth his fury upon them in the Wildernesse to consume them Ezek. 20. 13. And all that went on in breaking his Laws and Commandements he overthrew in the Wildernesse and they never came into the promised Land I Cor. 10. 5. Now these things were examples to them that came after that they should not lust after evil things as they also lusted verse 6. Neither to be Idolater as were some of them as it is written The people sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play Exod. 32. 6. I Cor. 10. 7. This was counted Idolatry then which many are found in at this day who cannot endure so to be called though we know that no Whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an Idolater hath any Inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ nor of God Eph. 5. 3 4 5. And the Apostle said Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience verse 6. ¶ Here followeth some of Leonard Letchford's doctrine by way of Quaery lately published in two or three papers sent to me which I shall compare with the writings of the holy men of God which I have before asserted who lived but in the dayes of the first Covenant and the Prophets in which the Law and Commandements of God was given forth yet they were blessed in the keeping of them as I have before shewed but Leo Letchford hath lately sought to perswade it would be praise to God sor me to say the Commandements of God could not be done without sinning as he and his brethren hath long believed and hath caused many to believe to their own destruction And so hath kept people in sinne and transgression and imperfection for which they have long pleaded and doth yet plead for their disobedience to Gods Law and Commandements from some failings of the servants of God before mentioned which were onely written to warn all not to tempt the Lord as some of them tempted him many of which was destroyed in their rebellion and disobedience but they who were willing and obedient came to eat the good of the Land of promise And none of them did answer the Lord when he gave them his Laws Statutes and Ordinances Commandements and Preceps and say it cannot be done as Leonard Letchsord
Letchford would have others say doth overthrow the foundation Principles of the Book of Common-Prayer which enjoyneth every childe to keep Gods holy Will and Commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of his life 15. This makes the God-fathers and God-mothers as they are called Covenant-breakers which Leo. Letchford and others of his profession hath caused to promise and vow that the Childe should keep Gods holy Will and Commandements and walk in the same to his lifes end Many more damnable Consequences incurres from this Doctrine which are to many to mention which is charged upon Leonard Letchford and all the rest of his brethren of the same minde throughout this Nation till they clear themselves which they can never do but by speedy repentance and publick revocation of these their wicked Errours Oh! return unto his mercy gate Whose patience long for you doth wait And learn your waies for to amend Least God destroy you in the end ¶ A few words concerning man in his fallen degenerated estate from God in which he hath not power to keep the Commands of God nor his Law nor to do any work accoptable to him but all his righteousness is as filthy raggs or as a menstruous garment ALL men by nature are the children of wrath as it is written Eph. 2 3. fallen from God his power degenerate plants of a strange Vine Ier. 2. 21. daily bringing forth evil fruit in which God hath no delight his heart is corrupted his minde is corrupted and every part and member of his body from the crowne of the head to the sole of his foot full of wounds and bruises and putrifying fores Isa 1. 6. every imaginatión of his heart is onely evil continually cen 8. 21. So that he is a Vessel altogether unfit for the Lords use or service neither hath the Lord any delight in him in that state because he is a slave to Satan led captive at his will to dishonour his Maker in all his words and works So that all his undertakings and out-goings is to promote Satans kingdome He calls evil good and good evil and puts light for darknesse and darknesse for light And is void of understanding as the beast that perisheth He is altogether unsenseable of his Creator and of his Way Truth and Life because they are spiritually discerned being wholely a stranger to the Life of God and to the Covenant of Promise and without God in the World in its wayes and workes of darknesse drawing iniquity with Cords of vanity and drinking it in as the Oxe drinks water till he fill himself and vomit it up again In this estate he was compared to a dog whose nature is to vomit up that which he greedily eats and to a swine whose nature is to wallow in the mire as most pleasing to his nature till he hath fouled himself all over that he is loathsome to behold Even such is man by nature who wallows in sin and corruption till he be loathsom in the sight of the Lord and fit for no service for him till he be washed again and therefore the Lord cryed unto the house of Israet Wash ye and make ye clean put away the evil of your doing Isa 1. 16. and then come unto me ver 18. In this condition mans Wisedom is earthly carnal sensual and devilish yet by this he would compass the heavenly mystery of eternity and dive into the secrets of the Almighty and set up a way of Worship of God in his will and establish a righteousness of his own and will pray read sing and perform many duties in an hot zeal though without undetstanding of the least grain of the knowledge of God his Creator And in this state was the Iews who killed and persecuted the Lord of life in their darkness and unbelief in a righteousness of their own which was as filthy rags and as a menstrous garment and would not cover them from the wrath of the Almighty a just reward of all their ungodly deeds unto whom Christ put forth many parables and said Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Iohn 3. 3. And except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall in no wise enter the Kingdom of God Luke 18. 17. though they was whited over as whited walls yet they were foul and corrupted blinde and naked therefore the wo was often pronounced against them for all their zeal and profession of Christ and the Apostles words Therefore oh natural man who ever thou be whether Professor prophane thy profession and prophaness are alike justified in the Lord while thou art uncoverted unregenerated and uncreated again into that Image and nature which is from above which can do the will and work of God well-pleasing to him I preach not perfection to thee but repentance I do not say that thou can keep the Law of God for then I should bely thee and the truth also I do not press thee to keep the Commandments of God for thou will say with Leo. Letchford it cannot be done but this I say to thee if thou wilt be wise thou must first become a fool that thou may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. but this thou canst hardly bear thou art so puffed up in the pride of thy heart in what thou performest unto God though when thou hast done all thou canst thou art an unprofitable servant as it is written Luke 17. 10. which is to have his portion with hypocrites where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever Matth. 25. 30. At thy hand God cannot have a sacrifice well-pleasing to him if thou give thy first-born for thy transgression or the fruit for the sin of thy soul it is but as the cutting off a dogs neck or offering Swines blood while thy heart is corrupted thorow the deceitfulness of sin this is that with which God hath a controversie in thee and with thee he will not make peace till this wall of partition be broken down for it was that which first made a separation between thy father Adam and him which stands against all his seed and race after him nay it was not all the offerings and oblations throughout the first Covenant which stood in outward things which could ever make an atonement so as to bring Adams stock into unity with his Creator Therefore this is my counsel and advice unto thee who art in the unconverted state alienated from God and estranged in thy minde from his Covenant of life who hath any desires in thee to return unto the Lord who made thee that he may save thee from the heat of his wrath for ever cease from thy own words works and wayes and be not hasty to run before thy Maker lead thee by the hand in the light of his truth wherewith Christ hath lighted thee Iohn 1. 9. which shineth in thy dark heart 2 Cor. 4. 6. so shall not thou abide in darkness but shall receive the light of life
Iohn 8. 12. Harken unto his voice who stands at thy door and knocks and would have thee receive him into thy heart which is his Throne upon which he must sit as King if ever he receive thee into protection with him there he must work the Fathers will in thee which is to purifie thee throughout in body soul and spirit without which thou canst never be a vessel of honour to God to set forth his praise and glory in the earth his righteousness he must work in thee by his right hand which must cover thee for ever and thou must be crucified upon his Cross from all thy own righteousness and unrighteousness which did all spring from the seed of enmity in which God had no delight before thou know the peace of God which passeth all understanding to keep thy heart and minde All this thou wilt find true in the day of thy visitation however the false Prophets may perswade thee to the contrary that will all deceive thee in the day of the Lords fierce indignation when every one shall receive a reward according to their deeds This is a hard saying to thee who is yet alive in the fulness of delight and pleasure in the flesh to tell thee of dying to thy own righteousness and unrighteousness before thou come to live to God This is a bitter cup to thee of which thou must be willing to drink before thou teste of the Cup of blessing which is the Communion of the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16. thou must suffer with him who dyed upon the Cross before thou know the vertue ol his resurrection thou must put off the old man with his deeds before thou put on the new man Eph. 4 22 23 24. Thou must purge out the old leven of uncleanness and the old bottle must be broken before thou keep a seast of unleavened bread 1 Cor. 5. 7 8 as a Passeover unto the Lord. This is the footsteps of the flock in which thou must walk before Christs righteousness he thine thou must buy the truth with the loss of all that is contrary to it if ever thou truly purchase it so as to be thine for ever This is the word of the Lord God unto thee which must be fulfilled in or upon thee Let no man deceive thee through vain word of such as tells thee God looks upon thee not as thou art in sin but as thou art in Christ Oh poor deluded wretch this is the deceiveableness of righteousness indeed which would make God as unrighteous as themselves to look upon a man in Christ when he is not but in sin and transgression Oh give not heed to such lying vanities lest thou forsake thy own mercies for ever For because of those things hath come the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Ephes 5. 6. Coll. 3. 6. He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the Nations curfe and people shall abhor him Prov. 24. 24. I say God looks upon thee as thou art art who will not justifie thee in sin nor hold thee guiltless in transgression but will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Psal 68. 21. therefore return return unto the Lord by speedy repentance and kiss the Son lest he be angry and thou perish from the way of life for if his wrath be kindled blessed are they that trust in him Psal 2. 12. I tell thee again I am not sent to preach perfection unto thee but the day of the Lords vengeance ane recompence I am not to daub thee with untempered morter as the false Prophets hath done many years to cry peace to thee in iniquity to whom the Lord saith No peace Ifa 48. 22. chap. 57. 21. Therefore cease from man and from spending thy money for that which is not bread and thy labour for that which satisfieth not Isa 55. 2. if thou art or has been feeding among the Swine upon the husk and wallowing in the mire among them and satisfying thy self with a profession of the Saints words outwardly as they are written in the Letter of the Scripture while thou art a stranger to that life in which they lived who writ them forth Oh this is as chaffe to the wheat which is the inward profession of the life and righteousness of the Son of God therefore return unto the Fathers house which is the light in which God dwelleth 1 Tim. 6. 16. so will he meet thee and embrace thee and rejoyce over thee and satisfie thee with bread enough Lnke 15. 17 18 19 20. yea with the fatted calf his own crucified one of which thou shalt feed and never hunger more This I was warned by the Lord to lay before all who are yet in Babylon and Egypt that they may flie out and escape from her sins lest they pattake of her plagues as it is writeen Kev 18. 4. for the hour of her judgement is comes and the execution will speedily follow which will leave the wicked neither root nor branch Therefore let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heaviness for God hath clothed himself with a garment of vengeance and with zeal as with a cloak Isa 59. 17. and no unclean thing shall now stand before him Howl ye oaks of Bashan and ye Cedars of Lebanon the Lord hath haid his axe to your roots and your strength and tallness must come down for your fruit hath been the fruit of Sodom and your grapes the grapes of Gomorrah you have long cumbred the ground even till it is weary with you and is ready to vomit you up therefore bow your selves unto the mighty God of Iacob before he cut you down and cast you into the fire of his jealousie for ever and tremble at the presence of him whose word is gone forth even from Dan to Beersheba 2 Chroo 3. 5. for he is the God of the whole earth and before him all Nations are as the drop of a bucket Isa 40. 15. who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted the heavens with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance Isa 40. 12. who will render to every man according to the fruit of his doings therefore while thou has a little time prize it lest the day of thy visitation pass away and the day of wrath come upon thee as a thief in the night 1 Thess 5. 2. Here followeth an Invitation of Love to all people to come unto the Fountain of Fountain of Living Waters which is now open that they may drink and be satisfied and never thrist more OH all ye Nations of the earth ye people every where Let me invite you to come forth the voice of Christ to hear By whom the Lord will now declare his righteousness and truth Unto the Nations every where that
they may now come forth Of that great bondage unto sin in which their souls doth mourn And that you all may now begin unto the Lord to turn That he may save your souls alive for his own mercy sake Of which he will not now deprive all them that do awake And follow him whom God hath sent his Law for to fulfil Which perfectly cannot present compleatly in his will Nor by its works cannot mankinde be justifi'd with him Until he come this Christ to finde with whom I did begin And his own righteousness obtain which he for them hath wrought In bearing of that mortal pain when he the reto was brought By which he fully ransomed all those who did believe And death he then abandoned and raised from the grave Him hath God raised now again in this the latter day Who must for ever now remain as Moses once did say Even Israels Shepherd and their Rock to save them from their sin Who now doth ope unto his knock and him receive within He 'll give them power his sons to be his danghters eke also And give them perfect victory over their internal foe But first he ll purifie their hearts by his own precious blood And quench the enemies fiery darts when they come as a stood He 'll ope to them his fountain sweet that they thereof may drink And when they pass the Lake so deep therein they shall not sink The waters he 'll divide that they way pass through without harm And Pharaoh and his host destroy That they his fear may learn And bring them through the wildenress wherein he 'll try their faith That they may know his righteousness and see his saving health He 'll bring his royal chosen flock thorow many tribulations And suffer many them to mock to exercise their patience And many other tryals great he 'll suffer them to bear Too many now for to repent that they his Crown may wear Thorow which he 'll purge away their dross their Tynne also consume And nothing in them shall be lost that with him must have room And when he thus hath brought them nigh unto his habitation He 'll fill their mouths with praises high and shew them his salvation That they may ever with him dwell in joy and lasting rest And tryumph over death and hell by which they were opprest In that strait path of righteousness in which he did them bring To see his truth and faithfulness that they his praise might sing Therefore ye people great and small unto the Lord return Incline your ears to hear his call that he may now confirm His promise made to Israel if they his face did seek Their enemies for to expel for his own mercy sake A Testimony concerning the spiritual man who is begotten of God through the spirit by the Immortal Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and hath received the spirit of Adoption whereby he cries Abba Father AS there is a natural man who is corrupted after the deceitful lusts so there is a spiritual man who is born of the Spirit and hath the promise of Eternal Life thorow the Adoption viz. the redemption of the body he is made an habitation of God thorow the Spirit in whom God dwells and walks according to his promise of old 2 Cor. 6 16. he walketh in the Spirit and doth not fulfill the lusts of the Flesh in him hath God great delight and giveth him wisdom power strength and ability to do whatsoever he commands him and he can do all things thorow him whom is his strength Phil. 4. 13. The Commandements of God are not grievous but joyous to him nay they are his onely delight and this keeps him in love and favour with God so that he with-holds no good thing from him Psal 84. 11. but gives him of the abundance of his heavenly treasure He seeds him with the Heritage of Iacob even with the finest of the wheat and with honey out of the Rock Psal 81. 16. he opens his Brests of Consolation to him out of which delight some refreshment comes whereby he grows in the beauty of holinesse in his mouth is the high praises of the as a two-edged sword in his hand thorow which he executes vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people Psal 149. 7. As the natural man is wife to do evil He is wife to resist evil so that it doth not come nigh unto his honse yea though evil pursue the wicked yet to him there is a Tree of Life Prov. 13. 21. upon which he seeds and lives for ever He is stout and valorous even as bold as a Lion Prov. 28. 1. he fears not the swelling of the Sea he is not afraid of the terrour of the night nor of the arrow that flieth by day Psal 9â— 5. the Law of Truth is in his mouth Mal. 2. 6. so that his steps cannot slide he calls no man Father upon Earth nor no man Master below the Sun Mat. 23. 9 10. for he is born of God and receiveth his Law from his mouth he is Created again in Christ Jesus unto good works that he may live in them He lives by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4. 4. over him death nor darnknesse hath not power but he stands in the glorious liberty of the Sons of God a free born son and heir of God a joynt Heir with Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 17. he grows up in the measure of the stature and of the fullnesse of Christ unto a perfect man as it is written of him Eph. 4. 13. but this is a mistery to the natural man even as the winde blows where it listeth and he hears the sound thereof but knows not whence it comes nor whither it goes Iohn 3. 8. even so is every one that is born of the Spirit Therefore they who are of the flesh they minde the things of the flesh and they who are of the Spirit the things of the Spirit And as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 14. but the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. but the spiritual man judgeth all things and he himself is judged of no man 2 Cor. 2. 15. And this is that noble birth which God hath brought forth in many at this day unto whom we preach perfection and freedome from the law of sin and death which is the same wisdome which Paul said he preached among them that was perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. But this the carnal man cannot endure to hear of who receives not the things of the spirit of God as it is written of him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Therefore it is no marvel why Leonard Letchford cannot receive this doctrine of perfection which the holy men of God held forth unto the spiritual man so plentifully throughout the Scripture of truth as I have shewed