state of thousands at this day and they that have been publishers and preachers of free grace Now when the thing it self comes to be witnessed and declared what it is and as it is and where it is now they say it is not sufficient to teach any the knowledge of God but from all such foolish doaters and blind guids and ignorant shepherds is God bringing many sheep home which they have driven away and they would kill now them that are fed and taught by the gift of God and says its not sufficient and so make them to dislike their food dislike their shepherd so would make them deaf blind and then they might lead them into any desert feed them among the swine who wallow in the mire in filthiness and lust and pleasure and ungodliness and so beguil the sheep and scatter them from the fold and lead them from the true shepherd and from his appearance which is his grace and from the shepherds voice which is the word of his grace which is able to save the soul Oh all you blinde guides and you that call your selves Orthodox-men and Ministers and all you that have been preaching free grace in words and now when God hath given them that have waited upon him an understanding to declare the thing it self that you have spoken of now you cry it s not a sufficient teacher Now let me ask you a question if that which teacheth to deny ungodliness and shews it be the grace of God and the gift of God then how say you it s not a sufficient teacher if it be not a sufficient teacher then why did the Apostle commit them and commend them to the word of his grace which was able to save their souls and whether is not that which is able to save the soul a sufficient teacher Answer ye wise men and ye literal Rabbies if that which shews sin and temptation be not sufficient then declare you and let us see your skill in the mysteries of God but to return unto them in whose minds there is a desire to be informed seeing then that Gods free grace which is his pure appearance hath so far manifested it self or God through it shews sin and teacheth from sin that which teacheth from sin is holy and that which leadeth from worldly lusts is pure and that which saves from sin is grace which is saving in it self and God hath so loved the world as that he hath sent his Son into the world and he was and is the light of the world and hath shed abroad his grace and hath made it appear to all and all that waites upon it and comes to be taught by it feels its assurance so all is left without excuse therefore wait in that which hath appeared in thee that which shews the lusts and thoughts and motions unto sin this is Gods gift Gods grace this is sufficient though all men in the world say it is not sufficient yet this makes not my faith void neither thine who hath received it but thou hast the witness of thy faith in thy self which giveth pure and perfect feeling of the operation of the Spirit of the Lord and all is to wait within to hear him who condemns sin in the flesh within which by his grace shews man his transgression and insufficiency in himself and by the word of his grace saves all them that believe in it out of sin and giveth dominion over sin and this comes to be revealed in the heart of man and there must it be waited for in that which is pure that it may be received and there the operation of it comes to be known and its vertue partaken of by all that do believe in it and receive it and are subjected to it they see and feel Gods salvation revealed through it to their souls and knows where their strength lies not in self-acting but in the free gift of God the gift of righteousness the righteous gift by which justification cometh upon all that believe· Whether all have received the grace of God or no declared and and whether it be a sufficient teacher in it selfe to wit that grace that hath appeared to all if it be received demonstrated THis wise generation whose wisdome is below the wisdome of God have confounded peoples minds with distinctions as that there is a two-fold grace First that which they call common which they say hath appeared to all men Secondly that which they call special and saving which hath only appeared to the Saints and by giving heed to these distinctions in times past many years ago I lost my selfe and my guide and went from the appearance of it in my selfe to hearken to a thing at a distance from me and heeded not that at home which was near because it was called common and insufficient and so suffered great losse and there I am moved by him in whose fight I have found favour and mercy and grace to declare the truth as the Lord hath made it manifest to me and in me that all who seek after the Lord may be informed and know where to wait upon the Lord for unto that grace which shewed me evill and temptations unto evill I was made to go back unto after many yâ—ars profession which they called common and insufficient before ever I found the Lord or felt his living power again For the first they ground upon the Letter as they judge where it is said He causeth the sun to shine and the rain to fall upon the just and unjust And where it is said in him we live and move and have our being healâ—h and strength and an understanding in things naturall and by which men comes to see grosse sins and evils but that which they call special is that which the Saints are saved by are established in in righteousnesâ— and receive the remission of sins Now he that causeth the Sun to shine and the Rain to fall â—nd giveth health and strength and nourishment to all things living that are visible in the outward visible creation and that discovereth grosse sins and open evils to man the same is he who is the life of the soul the same is he that sanctifies and purifies and saveth them that believe and its the same vertue and power that upholds the naturall man in his pure nature that upholds the spirituall man and by which he liveth unto God It 's the same grace I do not say the same measure for the same vertue and power by which all things that are visible and living were made alive and subsist in their station and covenant and bound where they are set and placed the same grace strength power and suffiâ—iency upholdeth the heavenly bodies and moveth and acteth in a higher sphear or degree and preserveth all that believe and are quickned by him who is the power of God in heavenly places and the same power and vertue that discovereth the dark places and hellish places and
slayes the enmity therefore all must be still and quiet and wait in that which is pure of the Lord that they may feel that raised up which receiveth grace above the corruptible thoughts and desires of the carnall mind but many who talk of free grace have put no difference betwixt the precious and the vile but hath put them upon doing and working who are in the enmity and curse and in death and so hath brought forth dead works notwithstanding all performances they being dead to the life God another acteth in them even he which hath the power of Death which is the Devill and so have not known that which was precious in themselves could not minister unto that which was precious in others but have been Ministers of Death and have ministred to Death and so Death nourisheth it selfe in all them who are not yet come to the separation to see betwixt the precious and the vile Now though all have not received grace so as to save them from the committing of sin the fault is not in God Israel would have none of my counsell they stopped their â—ares Neither is the fault in the grace which hath appeared unto all men Neither is it because of it's imbecillity and weaknesse but because it is not hearkned unto and waited in and obeyed believed in and received For this eternall truth which shall for ever stand the least measure of the grace oâ— God hath power in it self to save man from committing of that evill or sin which it shews man And as it is received the power comes more and more to be made manifest where all that believe comes to be preserved out of evill Object But some have said and now say there is common grace and preventing grace and restraining grace and saving grace and the former that hath appeared to all but the latter hath appeared to the Saints and to the elect onely Answ. Grace is Gods pure and perfect gift and is but one thing I speak not of qâ—antity but of quality not oâ— so much as that the fulnesse of grace hath appeared to all but of a measure of that fulnesse which is in Christ the head although I do not divide the least measure from the fulnesse in quality or nature for it 's one and the same for that which shews a man he should not lye nor swear that is as pure according to it's latitude proportion as that which shews a man all that ever he hath done and that same grace which leads a man from drunkennesse and excesse is as pure and of the same kind and nature as that greater proportion which leadeth a man from all sin I speak what I have seen from the Father though the dark world cannot receive it But people hâ—ve been blinded and darkned with sounds and distinctions which men coyn and frame in their natural reason and by their natural parts which is out of the life although I do not condemn naturall parts which are purely naturall if they keep â—heiâ— bounds and compasse that is to say to the management of naturall things of the visible creation but the things of Gods kingdom are of another quality and nâ—ture and cannot be reached unto by the natural but as I said men through distinctions and names hath wrackâ—d peoples minds and confounded their understanding and have led them into a thick wood or a wildernesse so they know not where to get forth neither what the thing is of which one speaks because not being spoken through the enticing words of mans wisdome which darkens the counsell of God Now that which shews a man evill after it be committed is the pure appearance of God And that which shews a man the temptations when they arise that is the same now this they call common and that which preventeth a man and keeps him back that he lend not his heart nor puts forth his hand to commit evill but restrains a man from it is not that saving out of evill and that which stops the adversary in his way that he enter not but preserveth the Creature out of defilement and saves him from it is not this saving is not this the same thing that the Apostle who was well acquainted with the grace of God and of it's operation wrote of to Titus That grace of God which brought salvation which had appeared and doth now appear to all men which taught self-denyal them to deny worldly lusts and also to live godlily or like unto God in this present world and now doth the same is not this sufficient to believe in and sufficient to save Now I do not say but there is a greater measure let out unto them that are converted unto God then is to tâ—em that are convinced of their evill by the same grace yet still â—t is one and the self-same thing one gift yet a greater measure of one and the same pure vertue and power which is given to them that obeys the life which is already made manifest by its appearance unto all Object But some will be ready to say that this is errour and that which is contrary to the Scripture and to orthodox Teachers that the grace which is saving is near all men and hath appeared to all men To that I answer Though grace be saving in it self even the grace that hath appeared to all men and may be truly called saving grace yet to them that believe not in it neither are taught by it it convinceth and shews evill and checks and judges for it yet there is no variation nor change in the gift of God but as it worketh upon different objects for faith and unbelief are two different things as light and darknesse are different and so the word of his grace is the savour of life unto life that is to say unto them that believe and is the savour of death unto death unto them who are in the unbelief who indeed are dead while they live yet here is the same grace and the same word of grace yet here is different operations so the Lord killeth and maketh alive yet the same Lord the Spirit convinceth of sin and reproveth for sin and also consolates and comforts here is diversity of operations yet the same Spirit which never alters Obj. But further some may say If that it be saving grace or at the least a degree and a measure of saving grace that hath appeared to all men then how is it that all are not saved by it Answ. Because I would all stumbling blocks were removed away that the path might be made plain that all might come to believe in that which is Gods gift in which there is power and sufficiency therefore I am constrained by the grace of God to declare of it and to bear witness to it thus largly which I know will be to the edification of all that hunger after righteousness All are not saved by it because they believe not in it neither are taught by it
in some measure be felt and its living testimony in some thing yet it may be a long time before there be a clear distinguishment in the understanding so that one cannot clearly discern its moving from all other false motions and high imaginations which are above And hence it is that the hasty and forward minds follows their vain motions which leads them into deceit and then the Questioner gets up and then they question all that ever the Spirit hath made manifest unto them before a vaile then is drawn over and the enemy lodges in the vayl and in the darknesse which is entred and then as soon as any hearkens within to that which is the uppermost and doth abound the enemy that lodges in that presents motions as to obey this and that and all is deceit So therefore all is to keep back that they may sensibly feele between the pure motions and drawing of the Spirit and the vain thoughts that arise out of the earthly heart and when any thing doth arise which the light doth not bear witnesse to it 's not to be followed nor heeded but a quiet still writing that things may be cleared to the understanding and for want of this many have run out and have brought forth Satans work and acted things forwardly in their wil and so have clean lost the true sense of that which should guide their minds and have followed the spirit of errour and have caused the pure spirit of the Lord to be evil spoken of But as there is a keeping back and a quiet waiting out of willing or running and hast it arises purely and stilly in the heart and shines forth in brightnesse in the heart so that it giveth perfect evidence and full testimony of it selfe that there will be no doubting nor questioning of it's motion for it will apparently shew forth its selfe in its own transparent brightness with full assurance of its own will and then after it be cleerly seen and its motion then keep under all reasoning and keep out all questioning and give not way to temptation and that which moves of the Lord of life will carry thee through in its own operation and power to accomplish the will of God and so thou wilt have peace being obedient and thy strength will be renewed for as any is brought to submit unto the will of God when it is known and comes to obey by vertue of its own power that which is contrary unto Gods spirit in thee comes to loose its strength and to decay and be weâ—kned but as any disobeys the pure motion of Gods holy Spirt after it be known the enemy is strengthened and that which is of the flesh nourished and the spirit comes to be quenched that which would give thee power if thou submittest to it But yet know this the spirit in it selfe never loses its purity neither can be quenched in it selfe but will bear its pure witnesse against thee and none shall be able to stop its reprooâ— Thus the diversity of its operation comes to be known as it s hearkned unto obeyed loved and believed in it puts forth its pure power and gives strength and seales peace to the obedient but disobeyed and resisted it condemns judges reproves and seals condemnation to the disobedient and yet there is no variation in it self for it is always one and the same But as it operateth upon different natures or objects unto which it joyns to or stands at a distance from that is to say the good ground it causeth to bring forth fruit unto God and the cursed ground out of which bryars and thorns do arise it kindles a fire in that shall not quenched but as there is a submission unto its pure operation it burns up and destroys that which hinders the growth of the seed and it purgeth the heart of them that have confidence in it from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit and worketh up the creature into its own frame and nature and fashions and makes and moulds all that are in the faith into the image of the Father and so the Fathers love comes to be shed abroad in the heart and as wrath was revealed through the spirit and condemnation so now the peace of God comes to be enjoyed and his consolation shed abroâ—d largely in which there is pure rejoycing for ever Vnto whom the Spirit of the Father bears witness and seals assurance of the Fathers love aâ—d of justification with God declared NOne hath the witness of Gods spiâ—it bearing witnesse to them nor in them who have not believed in the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world by whom alone life is begotten by the powerful operation of Christ in them that believe in him who is eternal light it selfe whose word is spirit and life by which the new Creature is framed formed in them that bâ—lieve unto whom he maketh manifâ—st his power for unto him who is the life of men is all power committed both in heaven and earâ—h for nothing was made or created but by him neither is any turned from sin but by him and by his mighty power without him â—s death in him is life and the life is the light of men So that none but they that are born of the light and are begotten by him who is light can have the spirit of Christ who is light to bear witnesse unto them neither the assurance of the Fathers love for onely they that are born of the spirit and walk after the spirit are justified by the spirit of the Lord for the assurance of his love is not made manifest to his enemies but unto them that are born and brought forth in his own image in his own likenesse and nature which is pure and incorruptible without stain or dâ—filement the holy seed which is heire of the promise who knows the living hope which purifies the heart and bringeth the answer of a good conscience unto them that feel and witnessâ—the washing of regeneration and have knowâ— in themselves the clean water poured sorâ—h upon them which hath taken away the stains and spots and blâ—mishes and the defilements for where these are not washed out and the heart cleansed from them and that believed in wherein Gods all-suffiâ—iency is felt and his powâ—r made manifest there cannot be assurance of the Fathers love in the heart nor in the soule neither doth the spirit of the Faâ—her bear witnesse unto such nor assure their justification but on the contrary where sin remains unsubdued and taken away the spirit of the Father condemneth the sin and the creature now is joyned to it and is become one with it for no sin is broughâ— forth but there is a consent and an ascenting to the instigation of the Devill although when a temptation ariseth either within or without there may be a resisting and a striving against it for a little but the heart not being kept close to the spirit the enemie
the horrible pit it 's the same power life strength and vertue that leadeth all that believe into the land of the living into the holy place into the peaceable habitation into the holy mountain and into the heavenly Tabernacle made without hands And in few words he that discovereth open sins the same grace and the same purity discovereth hidden and secret sins though the measure of its purity shine in one more then another because them that are in the unbelief the darknesse over-shadows and the mountains are high and the vayl is thick and the clouds are many and the ayre dark so that it's resplendency and brightnesse is not seen because of the vail which shadows it that it hath not much entrance but in them that believe and have received that grace and is joyned to it in which they believe it renteth the vail and maketh the shadow to flye away and scatters the clouds and breatheth forth it self in purity and makes the ayr clearer so that its brightnesse shineth more purely forth to them and in them because the heart is more open to receive its vertues in yet the same purity and vertue remains still and the same grace keeps its purity and property in it selfe and its power and sufficiency is always the same though it do not appear so to the creature So this I say and is my testimony of the grace of God which is the gift of God which hath appeared in some measure more or lesse unto all men and convinceth and shews grosse and opâ—n evills even the same grace by its vertue and power leadeth from the least or impurest thought and shews the secretest evils that lodgeth in the heart unbelief and also every temptation unto sin and this shall be witnessed to be the truth by the whole earth in the day of the Lords appearing and is now witnessed by all the children of Light who believe with whom I have fellowship in the pure living sufficient perfect grace of God which is Gods free gift which in some measure hath appeared to all whereby all are left without excuse And herein is the wonderfull love of God made manifest to all man kinde and all that turneth to his grace will see he hath long waited to be gracious in his grace which is near that all man-kind might be partakers of his bounty love mercy favour and free gift by which justification cometh upon all that believe Therefore my bowels and heart is more open in this unto all because many have erred for lack of knowledge and have wandred aside because they have not found a true guide Therefore in dear love unto all upon the face of the Earth where this may come I write and let out my bosome into this thing that they may also be partakers with me of the free love of God and the free grace of God by which I am saved and know the wall which is salvation and the gates which are praise which the Saints are compassed about with and enterd in at and for the sake of such who thirst after God and the knowledge of him I write for their information and not to satisfie critical men nor them who are in the Philosophy and vain deceit who are swollen big in their fleshly understanding and puffed up in their earthly mindes for by such I desire not any testimony neither acceptation But now to come to speak of that which many are doubting about that is to say the grace of God which bringeth salvation which hath appeared to all men whether this be a sufficient Leader and Teacher of it selfe if it be received but in order to the thing in hand let all take notice of this that when I speak of the sufficiency of grace and that it is a sufficient Teacher I do not speak of it distinct from Christ or of a thing separated from the power of God but one with it and him from whence it comes for as he is salvation it selfe so the grace of God is of the same nature by which he manifests himselfe and his salvation to them that believe and also reveales his witnesse in them for where the appearance and presence of Christ is manifest there is his power and strength mâ—nifest either to condemnation or salvation and though his pure appearance and presence is one in it self yet them that have marred his countenance and pierced him his presence always hath been and will be very dreadfull and terrible but unto them that believe and have continued with him in his temptation and have suffered with him and have longed for him his appearance and presence will be amiable beautifull and lovely sweet pleasant delightful desirable glorious and admirable so that they who have seen it have been melted into tears and dissolved as into water because of his love and beauty who is the chief of ten thousand Oh! that all that long after him may wait for him in patience in that wherein he will appear they shall see him whose sight will be a recompence for all longing and thirsting and desiring and waiting the sense of longing and thirsting will be taken away when he that makes glad the heart appeareth who lifteth up the light of his countenance and maketh whole them whose hearts have been broken for him whom their souls loved therefore all wait and think not the time long Keep in your minds to his grace which is his appearance and him you will feel and see and be satisfied and say This is he we have waited for let us rejoyce and be exceeding glad for now he is come and his reward is with him to give every one that wait upon him in purity full contentment and satisfaction where peace comes to be fâ—lt and joy unspeakable which is full of glory And though God out of his everlasting love unto the sons of men hath followed man and hath called him to return yet that nature which is above in man which hath transgressed the life doth alwayes resist the drawing of the Lord and is not subject to the law of God neither to the grace of God which teacheth to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts that hath beset and compassed the creature about as a thick cloud and always maketh war against the soule that till there be a listning unto that which sheweth ungodlinesse which hath power in it selfe None hath power neither dominion over that in themselves which leads into the transgression Therefore though God who is salvation it selfe hath let out himself so farre and hath appeared in his pure and perfect grace unto all men yet all have not received grace For though the Lord profer his gift intentionally that the creature might receive it and so have benefit and partake of its living vertue and operation yet while that hath preheminence in man which is contrary to grace that will never receive it because it is contrary to the life of the corruptible and takes its life away and mortifies and
yet its validity power and vertue is nevertheless in it self and though them that are careless and heedless say we feel no power nor sufficiency in it to save us from sin yet this makes not void their confidence who have received it and knows its power which hath given them power and also sufficiency to do the will of God what though unbelievers who are in the alienation say there is no beauty in Christ neither form nor comliness this makes not his glory void who is the express Image of the father full of grace and truth the Disciples saw it and bore record of him who were in the faith and the Pharisees said he had a devil who were in the unbelief but in brief this is my testimony that the grace of God the perfect gift of God which shews ungodliness and leads from ungodliness all that are taught by it is a sufficient teacher of it self I mean as the power of Christ through it is made manifest unto all them that hearken to it Paul a Minister of the word of reconciliation who was rapt up into the third heaven where he saw things unutterable came to be tempted and buffetted with the messenger of Satan and fear and doubting rose up in him and he prayed unto God thrice and this answer was given unto him my grace is sufficient for thee so this is evident to all understandings who are opened by the Lord that which shewed him the temptations and Satans messengers and Satans buffetings was sufficient to preserve him and so is it for all who singly are kept to it and in it sufficient to shew ungodliness because of its purity and to lead from worldly lusts by its power and to teach the will of God and to live like unto God in this present world and this testimony I bear of it and to it even what as I have felt and tasted and handled of its sufficiency and vertue and power of its operation for the confirmation of the same truth which is believed by many brethren and also for the information of them who thirst after the Lord and for the opposition of all the gainsayers and opposers of it which testimony I commend to that of God in every man which will witness me herein in the day of God when all hearts is opened and all falshoods and truth is made manifest in the mean time shall rest in that which I have declared of in which there is pure and perfect peace A word to you wise men of this world who are glorying in the sound of words and worshipping outward appearances to all wise and litterall professors who think you are worshipping God aright who think to search into the deep things of God by your natural wisdom learning and parts and study GOd hath broken open the seals of the great deep where the wonderful unutterable things of God is revealed from whence eternal wisdom is flowing forth to his little ones whom he hath sanctified from the womb and his power and glory is he sheding abroad and making it to flow forth as though it issued out of a womb by which power and wisdom you are all weighed even by one who is swaddled about with righteousness and girded up with the girdle of truth you are all measured as with a span and are all weighed as with a scale all your parts tongues languages interpretations significations wisdome that is come to be enjoyed by them who have believed in the true light that lighteth everyman wch rounds you all as a heap measurs you all as with a line your breadth length height depth your parts tongues languages interpretations is but all natural words are but empty sounds though there be many languages and each have an interpretation and a signification they are all short to dâ—clâ—re the life the immeasurable being of eternal life you with all these are on heaps disjointed one from another your Rhetorick Philosophy your framed and devised disputations your tongues and the significations of all tongues cannot know the mind of the Spirit neither knows the original of eternal salvation by all these and so not knowing the signâ—fication of the living eternal spirit in your selves you invent study devise forms and frames up things in your carnal mind by the strength of your learned studied devised parts and framed speeches and hath filled the whole world with your dark muddy conceptions and hath led all out from seeking after the living wisdom of God which is from above which was before your tongues and languages was and they have sucked in your conceptions and distinctions and your devised fables and your imagined worship that many have lost the sence of any thing of God in themselves to guide them and when you have come as far as you can in those things and have devised in your minds by the strength of those parts natural you are farther from the knowledge then before and all that hear you and sucketh in your conceptions and imaginations into their hearts they are farther off Gods true knowledge then they were the day in which they came out of their mothers womb it is a lamentation to see how people are gone out of the pure simplicity which is in Christ into subtilty and deceit stuffed up full brim-full of that which must be all poured out as water before they and you all come to the least measure of Gods true and saving knowledge Oh a dreadful day is come upon many and it lingers not but will come swiftly as a thief upon you who have taken away the key of knowledge and gives people that which will not open and tells them of a litteral carnal thing that must give them entrance you and all they will be shut out together among the uncircumcised as fools though you count your selves wise men your wisdom will perish and your honour will be laid in the dust the time hastens it is the word of truth to you all And you litteral professors who have got the Scripture into your head and into the carnal mind to talk on and are run into so many heads you are almost past numbring and hath exalted so many horns yet the number is read the number of the heads of the beast and the number of his name you have taken up things and are exalting a visible shadowish practise and neglecteth the liâ—e and are making Idols of those things which were but a figure and a representation in their purest time now you like the Phariseâ—s are limiting the Lord that if he will not appear unto you in those thiâ—gs that you have prescribed unto your selves and fetched in from the lâ—tter and gotten it into the fleshly part which is heaped up as a mountain in many of you so high above Gods pure witness in you and so high above the appearance of God in you that you have quite lost the sight of that in your selves which should give you the knowledge of the living God and