A. Yes it doth so for Christ is the author of it whereby we are assured of his love towards us and in the Faith that we have in him we are sure that he is Christ the son of the living God and by this Faith wee live in the assurance of eternal life Q. But how may your Faith be knowne unto others to be true Faith A. By the fruits and effects that is manifest from it through which it may be known unto others to be true Faith Q. What are those fruits and effects by which your Faith may so be known A. Love Mercy Meekness Gentleness Peace Long-suffering Patience Righteousness and Holiness of life which is the fruit of our Faith by which others may know that it is true Faith Q. But how doe you believe unto salvation A. By the Faith that we have in Christ Jesus our foundation and principle through which we know that he is salvation unto us and doe believe that there is not another name given under heaven by which any can be saved but the name of Jesus Q. But is there no true Faith but what stands in a principle within A. There is but one true Faith and that stands in a principle within which is Christ and the mystery of it is held in a pure conscience and this is a living Faith in a living principle and all other Faiths are dead Q. And can none have true Faith unto Salvation and life eternal but such as are of your opinion A. Wee are not in any opinion but in the principle of life by which we are saved and receives life and in this state wee stand not in any opinion but in a feeling of life and Salvation for all opinions are in notions and apprehensions in which none feeles the life and Salvation in Christ but what they apprehend in the natural part unto that they give up their own beliefe and so erres from the life in themselves and neither beleives unto Salvation nor receives life eternal Q. But do you judge all to be in the unbeliefe that are not just as you are in all things A. Nay wee doe not so for we believe that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him and wee also believe that none can fear God and work righteousness to be accepted of him but as they are in some measure guided by the principle of his light in their conscience and have some Faith in it towards God and we believe that many in some small measure doe thus fear God and work righteousness though they doe not understand the principle by which they are drawn to doe it and such we doe not â—udge to be in the unbeliefe but have unity with them in that measure of Faith in which they simply breath after God and according to their understanding walkes in his fear and serves him in righteousness and though such be not just as we are in all things yet being in any measure guided by our principle to fear God and work righteousness wee truly love them and have tenderness towards them that in the principle they may grow in Faith and be as we are in all things Q. And doe you simply act from your Faith in single love to God A. Yes wee doe so for we know that our Faith proceeds from his love unto us and that is the overcomming power by which we are constrained to love him for he hath begotten us and quickened us in his life in which our Faith is kept fresh and living unto him and by the same we act in simplicity and fervent love towards him Q. What is your Faith concerning Christ in you as a mediator A. Wee believe that Christ in us doth offer up himselfe a living sacrifice unto God for us by which the wrath and justice of God is appeased towards us and that through the offering end sacrifice of Christ for us the hand writing of ordinances which stood against us is blotted out and a mediation wrought between God and us and so we know the consideration of Christ unto us and his mediation with the Father for us and this is he in whom our Faith standeth as the one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Q. What is your Faith concerning Christ in you as an intercessor A. Wee believe that Christ in us doth interceed the Father in our behalfe and by him we doe appeale to God in all our distresses and we believe that all our breathings toward God have access unto him through the intercession of Christ for us for as he knows what we want so he also knows the Fathers will and according to our want and the Fathers will he makes intercession through whose intercession all our breathings are accepted of God and not onely so but we have also boldness to draw nigh unto God and by Christ our intercessour we have access to the throne of grace and findes grace to helpe us in the time of our need so that we are relieved in our distressess and afflictions through Christ that loves us who by his mediation and intercession prevails with the Father for us Q. What is your Faith concerning reconciliation whith God by Christ in you A. Wee believe through the offering and sacrifice of Christ for us that God is satisfied concerning our sins which in our alienation was committed against him by us for as then Christ bare our sins for us so now by the offering up himselfe unto God on our behalfe our sins are blotted out and done away and we through him are reconciled unto God and having reconciled us he is eased of the sins which he bare for us in our alienated state and so he hath slaine the emnity which was the wall of partition between God and us whereby we that sometimes were strangers unto God and enemies in our own mindes by wicked works are now reconciled unto him in Christ so that we are no more forreigners and strangers in the emnity but through the reconciling power of Christ in us we are brought nigh unto God and in his Covenant of life and peace we know his pardoning mercy in the remission of our sins Q. But doe you now believe that you are now come to such a state as to be free from sin A. Wee believe that Jesus Christ the righteous doth make us free from sin for in him there is no sin and we being made free by him we are free indeed so that we now live by the Faith that is in him and by our Faith in him we have obtained victory over the world the flesh and the devil and in the victory we are freed and walkes with Christ in the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Q. But doe you believe that you are so freed from sin as not to commit sin whilest you remaine in the body or that there can be such a perfect state attained in this life A. Wee believe that with God all things
action before life thereby to attain life and so we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them and this is ordained of God to be the fruit of our life and faith and in these good works we walk to his glory and depends upon him alone for the renewing of our strength to continue in them unto the end Q. But how do you manifest your good works which you say are ordained of God for you to walk in A. By our faith we manifest them and the manifestation doth clearly demonstrate the nature and root to be of God in which they are created and the nature and root in which they are created being of God they must needs be good and so they are good works as being of God and of God ordained that we should walk in them and that of God in every conscience bears witness to the same so that we know all our works to be wrought by him in us and for us and we do walk in them who are born of him and he alone hath the glory though the natural man perceiveth not from whence they are nor whither they goe Q. And is it your faith and love towards God that makes you such a willing people to serve God and to do his will A. Yes it is so for the day of his power hath overcome us and therein he hath begotten us unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and in him our faith and love is encreased and strengthened to run without weariness for in his life we have motion and action whereby we are willingly disposed to serve him and to do his will Q. But how do you know all these things you act and do are the commands of God and according to his will A. By the word of his power in us through which we are made sensible of all his commands unto us for as we are born of him so we know his voice and by his word we are instructed in his commands and thereby put upon motion to act and do them and in our duty he gives us his peace by which we know that all those things which we act and do are his commands unto us and according to his will Q. But are you so constrained through your faith and love towards God as to answer him in all things that he commands you A. Yes for if we should say we love him and do not keep his commands we should be lyars but we do so love him and our faith is so stedfast in him as that we are thereby constrained to keep his commands in all things for it is natural unto his own birth to delight to do his will and to do whatsoever he commandeth and hereby we know that his love is perfected in us and our faith and love is single unto him and as his good will is manifested unto ns even so is our hearts disposed in good will towards all men Q. What good will have you to such as you judge and condemn because they are not like-minded with you A. Much every way for that which we judge and condemn in any is only that spirit which wrongs them by which our good will is manifested unto that which suffers wrong and this is our judgment according to truth and knowing that the judgment of the Lord is according to truth and having felt it so in our selves through the condemnation of sin in the flesh we judg sin in the flesh in whomsoever it reigns that sin in the flesh may be condemned and they in the spirit may be justified and herein we manifest the universal love of God to be shed abroad in our hearts in which our good will extendeth unto all men Q. And is that the love with which you love your enemies A. Yes for as God had pity upon us in the day of our alienation from him and followed us with many tender visitations and also many righteous judgments even so we know that he would not have a sinner to perish and in this love we labour for the good of all people and it is the greatest manifestation of love to an enemy when his destruction is not sought but rather a condescending to recover him out of the state of his enmity into a state of reconciliation and peace and we know that there is none that are enemies unto us but they are enemies unto God and crucifies his life in themselves and therefore our love is in pity towards them though they be enemies unto us knowing that they cannot have peace with God whilst in that state they remain Q. And are you so disposed towards your enemies as that you cannot seek rerevenge when they do you wrong A. Yes that is the disposition of our nature not to seek revenge though we do suffer wrong for the revenging nature is in the fall in which people are enemies unto God and one to another but it is not so with us whom God hath redeemed for though we may have many enemies yet we are not enemies unto any though in the power of God by which we are redeemed we do bear testimony against the evil and the sin and that spirit in us doth not seek after revenge but in all long-suffering and patience we bear the enmity of our enemies and waits to see their conversion out of the enmity whereby our good will is manifested in love to their souls Q. But are you not the cause of the sufferings that comes upon you as being contrary minded unto all other people and so are enemies to your selves A. Nay the cause of our sufferings are not from our selves but from that spirit which cannot bear our testimony which God hath given us which testimony being contrary unto the actings and workings of the spirit of darkness it provokes the minds of such in whom it ruleth to enmity against us and that is the ground why sufferings comes upon us and we are clear for being enemies unto our selves in it as having our faith and love towards God in those things for which we suffer Q. But why can you not be conformable unto those things which other people observe and practice outwardly and yet keep your Faith and love towards God inwardly and so have your Faith to your selves A. Because we dare not deny or own that outwardly which God doth manifest to us inwardly either to be truth or out of the truth for so we should deny our Faith and love towards him every way and it is not possible that any should keep Faith and love to God inwardly and conforme to any practice outwardly which is contrary to their inward principle for as the body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without works is dead also and they that have Faith to themselves in the power of God they also have Faith in him to serve him in works of truth and righteousness and so we shew
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