to wit If we have said us not to have Sin the Latin words being thus si dixerimus nos peccatum non habere which are according to the signification of the Greek words in which the Apostle wrote which are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implieth the time past and that there had been a time wherein they could not have truly said that they had no Sin See Beza's Latin Testament and Pasor's Lexicon But that all are to continue in Sin while in this World the Words of the said Apostle here are very plain to the contrary to wit If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins 1 John 1.7 and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness And again If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another 1 John 2.1 to 10. and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin And again My little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not And speaking of Christ he saith He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him And again saith he Every one that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure And again Ye know that he was manifested to take away our Sin and in him is no Sin whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Little Children let no man deceive you it seemeth there were pleader for Sin then he that doth Righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous he that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God in this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil By all which and many other Scripture sayings it is evident that the Faith of those who believe that they cannot be free from sinning but must carry a Body of Sin and a Body of Death while they are in this World is quite contrary to the Faith and Testimony of true Christians For the Faith of true Christians is in Christ the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.2 and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 2.5 2 Cor. 13.3.4 5. 1 John 4.4 Phil. 2.13 Rom. 6.18 22. Jude 24. and that he is greater that is in them than the Prince of the power of the Air he that is in the World and that he must rule in them whose right it is who worketh in them both to will and to do and their Faith is that he is more able to cleanse and keep them free from Sin as true Christians were and are than the Devil is to lead them to Sin the Wages whereof is Death which the Servants thereof must have And so though those whose Faith is dead being servants of Sin may profess Christ who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Ephes 2.1 2 to 7. and quickned and quickneth them that truly believe in him who were dead in Trespasse and Sins yet in that dead Faith they cannot enjoy the benefit which true Christians did Rom. 8.1 2. and do enjoy which is to be set free from the Law of Sin and Death by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus for according to their Faith so it is unto them For as the People of Christ's own Country were offended at him for his Wisdom and his mighty Works and being astonished said Mark 6.1 to 7. Mat. 13.54 to 58. Whence hath this Man this Wisdom and these mighty Works Is not this the Carpenter's Son is not kis Mother called Mary and his Brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas and his Sisters are they not all with us whence then hath this Man all these things And he did not many mighty Works there because of their unbelief So they that are offended at the Light of Christ in his Spiritual Appearance in their Hearts that shews them their Sins and reproveth them in their Souls and Consciences for all their Offences against it insomuch that they are sometimes astonished thereby yet say they Is not this the Check of a Natural Conscience Is not this a Natural Light that we are born and bred up with are not our Vnderstandings and Knowledge in Arts and Sciences Brethren and Sisters to it whence hath it these things And there cannot in such be mighty Works done because of their Unbelief But true Christians who have believed in the Light Rom. 8.11 Ephes 2. Rom. 6.1 2 to the end Gal. 2.20 1 Pet. 4.6 Phil. 2.13 the Manifestation of the quickning Spirit of Christ in their Hearts and Souls they have as they have been faithful in the obecience of it known by the effectual working of it in themselves a being raised from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness and that where Sin hath abounded Grace doth much more abound and so to the Praise and Glory of God they live by Faith in the quickning Spirit of Christ in them But they that believe that they must carry a Body of Sin and Death with them while they live in this World and that the Devil's power and spirit must prevail in them so long as they live how can the Faith of such or their Works either honour God or Christ or his Power And they that deny Freedom from Sin being attainable while in this Life 1 Joh. 3.8 Jer. 23.6 Chap. 33.16 Dan. 9.24 deny the very end and purpose of Christ's coming which is to destroy the Works of the Devil and to put an end to Sin and to finish Transgression Rom. 8.3 4. and bring in Everlasting Righteousness and therefore it was prophesied that he should be called Mat. 21.1 The Lord our Righteousness and likewise it was said Thou shalt call his Name Jesus which is Saviour for he shall save his People from their Sins But are such his People or how doth he save them from their Sins who sin while they live in this World And likewise they that deny that Perfection to true Christians who are Saints is attainable while they live Eph. 4.11 to 17. they deny the very end of the true Christian Ministry which is for the perfecting of the Saints but they that are imperfect till they dye how doth the Work of the Ministry perfect them Eccles 11.3 or doth the Death of the Body perfect them for as the Tree falleth so shall it lie And if any believe that the Power of God if faithfully obeyed is able to make them free from Sin and so perfect one minute of an hour before Death why may they not as well believe that the same Power is able to make them so Heb. 13.8 Psal 111.3 10. two Minutes or two
Righteousness and Redemption and Justification by Christ Jesus but also though they might perswade exhort and advise People thereunto as they without Commission from Christ took upon them yet they were unlike to bring any to the enjoyment of those good things which they exhorted and advised to being out of them themselves and being in unrighteousness and disobedience themselves they could not bring others unto those good things which they wanted themselves But the true Christian Ministers who lived in and preached in obedience to the Light and Spirit of Christ and directed and turned peoples Minds to the true Light the Manifestation of the Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences by taking heed thereunto and giving up freely with their Hearts to the obedience of it thereby many came to see not only the Snares and subtil Devices of the Devil but also to know power to avoid them and also to know Redemption Holiness Righteousness Justification and Salvation by Christ whose Light and Spirit in their Hearts they obeyed and lived in and walked in according to the advice and exhortation of the true Ministers of Christ But how could the Antichristian Ministers direct or turn Peoples Minds to the Light which they doing evil hated John 3 2â— For every are that doth evil hateth the Light and bringeth not his deeds to the Light lest thereby they should be reproved And how should such bring any out of Sin and Unrighteousness by their Preaching who hate the Light which leads out of Sin and Unrighteousness them that believe in it and obey it But they that are unfaithful and disobedient to it them it reproveth and condemneth in their Hearts and such hate it and love rather to bear the words of Men though false Teachers than to hear the voice of the Light the word of God's Grace in their Hearts that reproveth them for Sin and is the true Teacher that leadeth to Salvation from Sin and from the Devil the Author of Sin the deceitful Enemy of Mankind So the deceitful Antichristian Ministers hating the Light of Christ were unlike to speak well of it and more unlike to possess others with the love of it or to turn their Minds to it for they loved Darkness rather than the Light and endeavoured to keep their Followers in Darkness lest they should turn from them But the true Christian Ministers they loved the Light believed in it walked in it and in the love and authority of it they preached it and said 1 John 1.5 6 7. That the preaching of the Light was the Message which they had heard of God and declared unto People and they turned the Minds of many to it who in the love of it received it believed in it became Children of it walked in it had Fellowship one with another in it and knew a cleansing from all Sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ the Author of their Faith in it Mark the difference between the true Ministers of Christ and the Antichristian Ministers and all that desire the Salvation of their Souls ought to beware what they hear and whom they follow And the difference between the Ministers of Christ and the Ministers of Antichrist is yet more fully declared of by the Scriptures of Truth for the true Christian Ministers preached that all should believe in the Name of Christ Jesus Rev. 19.13 Heb. 4.12 whose Name is called the Word of God which Word they said was quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit and of the Joints and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Hearts And they preached that this Word ought to be believed in which was nigh even in the mouth Rom. 10.8 1 Pet. 1.23 and in the heart being the word of Faith which they preached By which Word which liveth and abideth for ever the true Christians were Born again and so were the Children of God and Heirs of Eternal Life through Christ Jesus who is called the Word John 1.1 2 4 9.12 13. which was in the beginning with God and was and is God in whom was Life and the Life was the Light of Men that was the true Light which enlighteneth every Man and Woman that cometh into the World And they preached that as many as received him and believed in his Name to them he gave power to become the Sons of God which were Born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh John 12.36 John 1.5 Rev. 21.24 nor of the will of Man but of God and so they were Children of the Light by believing in it and Children of God who is Light in which Light the Nations of them which are saved must walk And the true Christian Ministers preached that this Light 1 Cor. 12.7 Jam. 1.21 or Word or Manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every Man to profit withal was the engraffed Word which is able to save the Soul and they called it the Word of God's Grace which brings Salvation and which is able to build up Isa 20.32 and to give an Inheritance among all them that are sanctified Tit. 2.11.12 and they said that this Grace of God hath appeared to all Men teaching them who obeyed it to live godly righteously and soberly and to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and thus all the true Christians as Christ said were to be taught of God John 6.45 Rom. 5.21 Rom. 8.2 and so Sin should not have dominion over them they being not under the Law but under Grace And they said as Sin had reigned unto Death so Grace might reign through Righteousness to Eternal Life And so the true Christians could say the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus had made them free from the Law of Sin and Death Jer. 31.32 33 which Law according to the Promise of God in his Covenant of Light and Grace was put into their Minds and written in their Hearts so that they should not need to teach every Man his Neighbour and his Brother saying Know the Lord Heb. 8.10.11 for all should know him from the least even to the greatest And they preached that what was spoken of by the Prophet Joel Joel 2.28 Acts 2.16.17 Rom. 8.14 Rom. 8.9 Cor. 3.16.17 Gal. 5.5 25. was fulfilled which God said That he would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and they said As many as are led of the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God And if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.1 he is none of his and so consequently is no true Christian for the Spirit of God dwelleth in true Christians who through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith And as they lived in the Spirit so they exhorted to walk in the Spirit saying There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after
if not for Deliverance for he saith presently after The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death So it is plain that he was delivered and set free from the Law of Sin and Death unto which he had been in Captivity while he was carnal sold under Sin and therefore the aforesaid Words of Paul with which some plead against the possibility of freedom from Sin cannot properly be rendred to describe his present condition at the writing thereof And it may at large be read in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul as also of the other Apostles that Freedom from sin Eph. 2.4 to 11. Rom. 6.22 1 Cor. 15.56 57. and the servitude thereof may be and was attained by true Christians while in this World And those that from the aforesaid Words of Paul do plead for continuance in sin during Life 1 Cor. 15.32 33 34. Isa 22.12 13 14. Isa 56.10 11 12. Wisd 2.5 6 7. they may as sensibly plead that he in a commanding manner spake to the Corinthians saying Let us eat and drink for to morrow we dye which in Scripture is recommended as a Motto of Epicures and Libertines though he writes next after saying Be not deceived Evil Communications corrupt good Manners awake to Righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame But the Apostle Peter as it were to put the matter concerning the understanding of Paul's Words out of all question 2 Pet. 3.14 15 16. writes thus Be diligent that ye may be found of him without Spot and Blameless and account that the Long suffering of our Lord is Salvation even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the Wisdom given unto him hath written unto you as also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction By which Words it is plain that some things written by Paul and here spoken of by Peter were things concerning Spotlesness and Blamelesness which things are not consistent with Sin and concerning which things Paul wrote in all his Epistles And it was such who obeyed not the Light and Grace of Christ which is the Word of Faith Tit. 2.11 12. Rom. 10.8 2 Cor. 10.4 5. 1 John 2.13 14. 1 John 5.4 nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart which the Apostles preached who were not diligent to be found spotless and blameless and it was such as those that wrested Paul's Words to their own destruction for such being in Sin and out of the living Faith whereby true Christians overcome they feeling themselves under the power of the Man of Sin in themselves he easily perswades them that there is no overcoming sin or attaining freedom from sin or spotlesness and blamelesness on this side the Grave and there he would have all Mankind And so such Rom. 6.18 22. quite contrary to the Doctrine of Paul and of the other Apostles wrest the Words of Paul to their own destruction Rom. 8.2 〈◊〉 Cor. 15.57 1 Tim. 6.12 14. 2 Tim. 4.7 Heb. 11.6 and plead for Sin with the Words that he wrote concerning his Warfare in the Faith against Sin though presently after he declares himself to be in another condition but they being out of that Faith without which it is impossible to please God they do not undertake the Warfare aright and therefore are not like to witness the Victory as Paul did And now let all those that plead for Sin for term of Life beware lest they be of those Unlearned and Unstable who wrest the Words of Paul to their own Destruction for though they may have learned many Languages and all the Learning that can be gotten for Money at Schools and Colleges yet if they be not learned in the Mystery of the Faith of Christ which is in his Light and Word of Faith nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart they will be found to be of the unlearned that the Apostle Peter here speaketh of Acts 1.13 for concerning humane Learring Peter himself was called unlearned and ignorant And let all consider whether are most likely to wrest the Apostles to their own destruction they who are truly diligent to be found spotless and blameless who take his Words as well as the words of the other Apostles against Sin in so strict a sence that according thereunto and for f ar of offending God they dare not allow themselves in any Sin lest it be to their destruction Job 28.28 Psal 111.10 Prov. 1.2 to 7. Prov. 9.10 Prov. 8.13 Prov. 14 26 27. Prov. 13.14 Prov. 16.6 or those that take liberty in Sin and chuse not the Fear of the Lord which is Wisdom whereby they might better understand the Words of the Wise and their dark Sayings which Fear is not only to hate Evil but to depart from Evil and from Sin the snare of Death and so they make use of the Apostle's Words to plead for the continuance of Sin reckoning that the Apostle when he wrote Letters on Truth 's account and reproved Sin with severity in others was himself continually sinning And so such who reject the Fear of God and his Counsel in their Hearts they are perswaded by the spirit of the Man of Sin in themselves that though they may strive and talk against sin yet while they are in this World they must continue in sin yea even in their best Performances and then what are their worst And so they do not believe that while they live God Feb. 12.29 who is a consuming Fire is able in them with the Spirit of his Mouth and the Brightness of his Coming to consume the Man of Sin or the Body of Sin and Death whose coming is after the working of Satan Mat. 3.11 12. Luke 3.16 17. with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders and so for all their using signs of Baptism that is a sign that they are not baptized througly with the Baptism of Christ who baptizeth with the Holy Spirit and with Fire whose Fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his Floor and gather his Wheat into the Garner but he will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Mark his Floor which is the Heart of Man he will throughly purge gather his Wheat and burn up the Chaff that which proceeds from the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that worketh in the Children of disobedience And what Mat. 15.18 19 20. must Sin remain in the Heart when it is throughly purged or if Sin be not in the Heart where is 〈◊〉 And let all consider that to whom they yield themselves servants to obey Rom 6.16 17. his servants they are to whom they obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness as
can truly call him according to the Prophecies of Old the Lord our Righteousness Rom. 8.4 9 10 14. and this is to be fulfilled in them who walk not after the Flesh Gal. 5.25 1 John 1.7 but after the Spirit and in the Light and Manifestation thereof And they that truly examine themselves and prove themselves whether they be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.3 Gal. 2.20 Col. 1 2â— they may know how that Jesus Christ the Lord their Righteousness is in them except they be Reprobates thus the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13. who through weakness in the Faith sought a Proof of Christ speaking in him which speaking of Christ he affirmeth was to themwards not weak but was mighty in them By which it is evident that where the Man of Sin hath prevailed by his deceitful power in and upon any when such come by the Light of Christ the Word of God's Power in themselves to be convinced of their Sins and made willing to resist the wicked One in the Faith of Christ the Power of God yet it seemeth not easie at the first for such to believe in the mighty Speakings of Christ the Power of God in themselves nor to believe in Christ's Ability to save and cleanse them from all Sin and that he is able with the Spirit of his Mouth and the Brightness of his Coming to consume and destroy the Man of Sin and his Works in them For while People yield their Members Servants to Sin and profess Christianity the Man of Sin in themselves and by his Instruments outwardly is ready to perswade them either that a Priest can forgive them or pronounce Forgiveness to them for their Sins as not only the Popish Priests but others as for instance the Author of the Book called The Practice of Piety teach and that so they may be absolved from their Sins or else he would perswade them as he doth too many That they must have the Righteousness of Christ only imputed to them wholly without them to justifie them though they be not inwardly sanctified by the Word of his Power in their Hearts and though they be continually sinning in Thought Word and Deed against his Light the Manifestation of his Spirit in their Consciences and that they must believe that they must only be saved by the Meriâ—s of Christ's Death and Sufferings which he suffered for them now above Sixteâ—n Hundred Years since without the Gates of Jerusalem to satisfie the Justice of God for their Sins but they must not expect to be free from Sin but to be continually sinning while they live in this World So the Man of Sin the Devil will suffer his Servants to make as large a shew of Christianity as they can so that they will continue in Sin that is in Service and Slavery to him and his Power but he willeth not to have them believe that they must be saved from their Sins by the precious Blood of Christ which he hath shed for them Rev. 5.9 Tit. 2.12 13 14. Eph. â—2 5 nor that they must be saved from their Sins and redeemed from all Iniquity by the Grace of God in their own Hearts Heb. 2.9 by which all true Christians were and are saved and by which Christ tasted Death for every Man and the Man of Sin would have People to believe Rom. 8.2 Rom. 6.18 22. Heb 8.10 that while they are in this World they cannot be set free from the Law of Sin and Death by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus as true Christians witnessed that they were and that Law was in their Hearts Thus the Prince or Ruler of Darkness keeps many in subjection to his dark Power and Spirit so that they consider not that they who live in Sin Heb. 6.6 and in disobedience to the Light of Christ's Spirit in themselves crucifie Christ afresh and put him to open shame whereas the Apostle said Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 Gal. 5.24 they that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts And the Apostle John writes He that saith he abideth in Christ as true Christians do ought himself also to walk even as be walked 1 Joh. 2.6 1 John 4.13 And said he Ye know that he was manifested to take away our Sin and in him is no Sin whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him 1 John 3 5 6 7. little Children let no man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous And the Apostle Paul saith The Church is subject to Christ in every thing but they that live in Sin are not so and that he gave himself for it Eph. 5.24 25 26 27. that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word which is nigh that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish And again he writes The Weapons of our Warsare are not Carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ And now let all that profess Christianity examine and prove themselves whether or no they be thus subjected to Christ for though he be the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 Heb. 2.9 Job 10.14 15. Nah. 1.3 Rom. 2.6 to 10. Rev. 22.12 John 1.4 and though by the Grace of God he hath tasted Death for every Man yet he will not acquit the Wicked but as he is a righteous Judge he will render to every Man according to his Deeds and how shall those escape that neglect his great Salvation and rebel against his Light which is his Life which they crucifie and oppress in themselves by Sin in their Affections and Lusts They are not like to escape the Righteous Judgments of God who disobey the Light of his Spirit in their Hearts and obey the Man of Sin the Devil who tempts them so to do and so they yielding to his Temptations are taken captive by his power which cometh through disobedience to God to be exalted in them above all that is called God or that is worshipped and so he swayes and rules them being his Subjects by his dark power who ought as true Christians are to be subject to the Light of Christ the Word of God's Power in their Hearts And so according to the perswasion of him whose power prevails over them many believe Gen. 17.1 Mat. 5.48 1 Cor. 13.11 1 John 2.3 3 4 5 6. and plead that none though assisted by the Grace and Power of God can keep the Commandments of God nor be freed from Sin
nor be made perfect while they live in this World And they may as well say plainly that God is an hard Master and commands Impossibilities or that he is unjust in requiring and commanding his People and Children to forsake all Sin and to be perfect but doth not afford them sufficient means or power so to do and so they seem to render God more unjust then the evil Men of which Christ spake If ye being evil Mat. 7.11 Luke 16.13 know how to give good Gifts to your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things or give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him And also they may as well say that Christ promised that which he will not or cannot perform Mat. 7.7 and 21 22. Maâ—k 11.24 Luk. 11.9 John 16.23 24. for he said Whatsoever ye ask in Prayer believingly or in my Name ye shall receive or it shall be given unto you Now probably all Professor of Christianity will confess that all ought according to Christ's Command to Pray for Freedom from Sin and Perfection while they are in this World and that believingly too but if they believe that it is not attainable to what purpose then should they Pray continually for it For they that Pray and not in the Faith do not obtain what they pray for but if their Faith were in the Light and Power of Christ it might be otherwise with them for why may not Perfection be attainable as well in our Age which is under a Gospel Dispensation as it was before as the Scriptures of Truth testifie For Enoch walked with God which no Man while sinning can do Gen 5.22 Gen. 6 9 22. And Noah was a Just Man and perfect in his Generation and walked with God and it is said that according to all that God commanded him so did he Job 1.8 and 2.3 Luke 1.6 And Job was a Perfect and Upright Man And Zacharias and Elizabeth were both Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Who can believe that these before mentioned were actually sinning And these were before or in the time of the outward Law which was given by Moses who typified Christ Rom. 10.4 who is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth And under the more glorious Dispensation of the Gospel the Scripture is very plain and largely testifieth of Christians that they were made free from Sin for the Apostle Paul writing to the Romans saith Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life He doth not say that they were continually sinning in Thought Word and Deed and must be so during their Lives And again he writes to the Ephesians thus But God who is rich in mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickened us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together Eph. 2.4 5 6 10. and hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus For saith he we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them Those that are daily or continually sinning are far from the state the Ephesians were in Now such who hold that Perfection or Freedom from Sin is not attainable by the Grace of God in this World will commonly confess that every degree of service done to Satan is an act of treachery and disloyalty against the King of Heaven and every Sin is certainly some degree of service done to Satan therefore such may as well hold that it is impossible while in this World to do any thing but act treachery and disloyalty against God the King of Heaven but certainly Death is the reward of treachery and disloyalty and the Wages of Sin And that Perfection or a state of being made free from Sin is required of true Christians is very plain from these Scripture Testimonies Matâ—h 5 48. 2 Cor. 13.11 1 John 2.3 4 5 6. and Chap. 3.2 to 10. Which Scriptures contain the Words of the positive Commands of Christ and his Apostles and declare an absolute necessity to leave Sin and are therefore sufficient to shew the great Mistake of those who esteem themselves true Christians or Children of God while they continue in Sin And so let every particular Male and Female examine themselves in the Light of Christ Jesus in their Hearts whose Servants they are whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness and whose Children they are whether Children of the Light and of God or Children of Darkness and of the Devil for they are certainly of the one and also whose power rules in their Heart whether it be the power of God or the power of the Devil for the power of one of them will rule And let all consider the Apostle's sayings that The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness See G. Pa. Lex Rom. 1.18 and Vnrightenusness of Men who hold or rather with-hold detain or suppress see G. Pasor's Lexicon the Truth in Vnrighteousness and if the Righteous scarcely be saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Pet. 3.10 11 12. Luke 21.35 where shall the Vngodly and the Sinner appear And therefore let none put afar from them the Day of the Lord which will come as a Thief in the Night and as a Snare upon all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth And therefore according to Christ's Admonition let all Watch and Pray continually Luke 21.36 that they may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass and to stand before him that Sinners cannot stand before in the Great Day of his Wrath when the Kings of the Earth and the Great Men and the Rich Men and the chief Captains and Bondmen and Free-men Rev. 6.15 16 17. shall hide themselves and say to the Rocks and to the Mountains Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb for the great Day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And so let all Rich and Poor High and Low of what state or condition soever consider Amos 4.13 Isa 59.18 Eccles 12.14 Jer. 25.14 Rom. 2.6 7 8 9 10. that they must appear before him who not only knows but also by his Light in their Hearts declares unto them what their Thoughts are and that they must before him give an Account of their Deeds done in the Body whether good or evil and they must be recompensed accordingly and Indignation Wrath Tribulation and Anguish shall be upon every Soul that doth Evil but to them who do well and patiently continue in well doing glory honour peace and eternal Life And all those who love their evil Deeds or
Christ nor his Apostles But if they that Teach such things as these for Doctrines to get Money by had not a shew of Christianity and a shew of believing in Christ and in the Scriptures of Truth they walking contrary could not prevail upon many who Believe the Truth of the Holy Scriptures and the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Recorded therein to embrace their Doctrines and receive them for Teachers nor to pay for their Teachings who through Covetousness with feigned words 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Pet. 2.2.3 make Merchandise of such as follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the Way of Truth which the Scriptures declare of even the Light the sure Word of Prophecy in the Heart is evil spoken of For if the False Church called Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth had not been Arrayed in Purple and Scarlet Colour and decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls then probably the Kings of the Earth would not have been so apt to commit Fornication with her Rev. 17.1 2 to 6. And so if those that Preach up this or that Ordinance or Tradition to get Money withal contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles did not deck themselves and their Doctrines with the precious words of Christ and his Apostles making them to serve to their Purposes as far as they can with all the feigned words and fair speeches that they can study out or invent their Trade would soon fail and their Merchandize be rejected as it is by the Children of the Light who plainly see their deceit let their shews be as fair as they can Now if it be any thing whereby God is really honoured or the Name of Christ exalted or People bettered or edified in Christ the Truth there is no reason why any such thing should be wanting amongst Christians but such Ceremonies Types Signs and Shadows which the Holy Scriptures declare of which were in their Time and Season appointed of God to be as Figures Types or Shadows to them who were as under the Cloud to typifie or shew forth Christ to come and to be as Shadows of good things to come Col. 2. â—â— and to be as Explanations of the Great Mystery of Godliness which by the prevailing Power of Darkness was hid from Ages and Generations which is made manifest to his Saints who have believed in Col. 1.26 27. and walk in his Light which is Christ in them the hope of Glory So now Christ the Antitype the End of all Figures Types and Shadows being come and also inwardly revealed and made manifest why then should not all those outward Ceremonies Types Figures Signs and Shadows cease seeing there is no Warrant nor Command of God nor Christ nor of his Holy Apostles left upon Record in the Scriptures of Truth for the continuance of them For that which was a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts Heb. 7.18 19 Heb. 9.9 10. Eph. 2.15.16 and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings imposed on them to wit the Jews until the time of Reformation that Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances was disanulled or made void for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof by Christ who came to fulfil abolish disanul and make void the same And the Apostle saith If that first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second for finding fault with them the Lord said Behold the Days come Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. Heb. 8.7 8 9 10 11. when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the Day that I took them by the Hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord But this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those Days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their Mind and write them in their Hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest and I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more So here is a clear Testimony to God's Law in the Mind and in the Heart Prov. 6.23 which is the Light that reproveth for sin and the Reproof of its Instruction is the Way of Life and the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus setteth them who walk in the Light the Way of Life free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 But it doth not so set them free from the Law of sin and death who love not the inward Law and Light of Life but are in Bondage to outward Ordinances John 8.12 Joh. 12.35 36. Gal. 4.9 and weak and beggarly Elements which the Apostles of Christ reproved And said the Apostle Paul in that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first old now said he that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to Vanish away and so he testified in his Day that the outward Covenant or Law of Ceremonies or of Commandments contained in Ordinances was old and ready to vanish away and it was his Exercise and Travail to bring those that in any measure believed in Christ out of those Ceremonies Ordinances and weak and beggarly Elements into the Obedience of the Inward Law of God put into their Mind and written in their Hearts that therein they might walk as Children of the Light which now the Preachers up of Ordinances and Elements hate and speak evil of and cannot endure to hear of Read the Epistles of Paul to the Hebrews Galatians Colossiani and Ephesians And so there is a great difference between the Ministers of Christ whose Labour and Travail was and is to turn People from Darkness to Light that they may believe in it become Children of it and walk in it and come out of the use of outward Ordinances and Elements into the true Worship of God in his Spirit and Light And the Ministers of the Man of Sin whose labour is to keep People from believing in the Light and in the sufficiency of it and so to keep them in Darkness where sin and the Works of darkness are done which are inwardly reproved by the Light and so to keep People in the use of such outward Signs Ceremonies Ordinances and Elements in their Vain and Ignorant Worship which are Taught variously according to the Traditions and Doctrines of Men and that for their Gain of Tythes Money and outward Preferment far different from the expectation of the
270 to the end Antichrist Unvailed c. THE large Love of God in his Son Christ Jesus being freely tendered unto all Mankind it hath been and is the endeavour of the Devil the great Enemy of Man's Happiness by his Subtilty and Devilish Wisdom and oft by insinuating into them hopes of better Attainments to draw out the Minds of Mankind from the pure Obedience to what God hath made known in them and unto them of his Will and Mind and their Duty towards him and so by affecting their Minds with outward things to bring them into disobedience to the Will of God thereby to make them unworthy of the Goodness of God to their Souls and of his Bounteous Love in which he gives to every Man and Woman a measure of his Divine Light in their Hearts and Souls which is the manifestation of the Spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 12 7â— which is given to every man to profit withal which Christ said should comfort and lead them that follow it into all truth or into truth in every thing but should reprove the World of sin and of righteousness and of judgment John 16.8 13. Now the God of Mercy in the tender Bowels of his Love having for the Redemption of fallen Mankind sent his Son into the World in the Body that was prepared him who came a Light into the World which is the true Light that enlightens every Man and Woman that cometh into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not perish John 1.9 but have everlasting life Joh. 3.15 16 Man's grand Enemy at that time endeavoured as much as in him lay to keep Peoples Minds in a Love of the Ceremonies and Ordinances given to their Forefathers and in an outward shew and form of Worship in which they that were erred from and rebelled against God's good Spirit Neh. 9.20 which he had given them to instruct them Isa 1.13 were not accepted of him thereby to keep People from coming to the light or manifestation of the Spirit whereby they might have come to have believed in him the Messiah or Christ Prophesied of by the Prophets who spake by his Spirit whose Writings they had and believed them to be true according to which they expected him about that time Yet by erring from and rebelling against his Light and Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences many of the Jews who esteemed themselves the peculiar People of God were so darkned that they did not believe in him but they that walked in Obedience to the Light of his Spirit they believed in him and they received him as the only Messiah the Christ the Son of the Living God as Simeon did who took him up in his Arms and said Lord Luke 2.2 â— to 35. now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel The great Enemy of Mankind had then so far prevailed upon the Learned Rabbies and Doctors among the Jews that though they had the Scriptures which testified of him in their own Language yet being erred from the light of his Spirit in themselves they were so far from receiving Christ and believing in him that they agreed that if any man did confess that he was Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue John 9.22 And although he did many Miracles among them yet they believed not but contended with him maliciously and falsly accused him and said He cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils and said that he brake the Sabbath with much more of the like kind of words as may be read in the Scriptures of Truth and at length were so desperately hardned in their wickedness that seeking opportunity to kill him when the Chief Priests had hired the false pretender Judas to betray him and deliver him unto them they put him to the Death of the Cross yet some of them said they found no fault in him And yet still his Love was towards them even upon the Cross and he prayed for them saying Father forgive them Luke 23.34 for they know not what they do So the Devil their great Enemy by his deceit had drawn them so far into darkness and from the light of Christ in themselves that they knew not what they did And indeed it may well be supposed that they knew not what they did when in the Service of the Enemy of their Souls they Crucified and put to Death him that came to save them from their Sins from Wrath and from the Devil their Enemy And so now all that oppose and contend against the Light which is the manifestation of the Spirit of Christ in the Heart or envy them that profess it and walk according to it or any other People whosoever upon the account of Religion are certainly deceived by their great Enemy Satan whose Service they are in being erred from the Light and Spirit of Christ which teacheth them who walk in it good will towards all Men and love to their Neighbours though Enemies But when the Chief Priests and Pharisees and People of the Jews had with a general consent Crucified the Lord of Glory after they had mocked him and scourged him yet they and their Enemy whom they served missed of their expectation and desire for they were still in fear lest he should rise again as he had told before and therefore they watched him sealing the stone Mat. 27.62 to 66. Mat. 28.2 to 2. and making as they thought the Sepulchre sure but in the Lord 's appointed time there was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it his countenance was like Lightning and his raiment white as snow and for fear of him the Keepers did shake and became as dead men but the Angel said to the Women who were Friends of Jesus Fear not ye for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified he is not here he is risen So the Grave could not contain him Death had not dominion over him Hâ—b 2. â—â— but through death he destroyed and will destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil So the Devil and his deceived Servants had not their desire nor the power to destroy Christ but they came to destruction themselves And so now all that err from and disobey the Light and Spirit of Christ and follow the leadings and movings of their deceitful Enemy the Prince of Darkness if he shall prevail in them so far as to cause them to kill the Bodies of the People of God who walk in his Light and answer the manifestation of his Spirit of Love and in it are kept in true good will towards all Men because of their Religion on purpose thereby to root out and destroy
over and to exercise Lordship over others their fellow Creatures with much Pride and Austerity expecting and desiring to receive and receiving Honour from them and one from another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only and this sheweth according to the Words of Christ that they are out of the true living John 5.44 1 John 5.4 Eph. 6.16 1 John 2.13 14 15. Christian Faith and so in the false dead Antichristian Faith which giveth no Victory as the true Faith doth for such are overcome and captivated by the love of the Honours Pleasures Preferments and Vanities of the World which if any man love said the Apostle the love of the Father is not in him And so though the dark Power of the Man of Sin more and more prevail upon and captivate them yet the Light of Christ in their Hearts and Consciences often sheweth them their Sins and for Sin checks and reproves them and sheweth them the dangerous dismal consequences of Sin but they not believing in the Light of Christ the Word of Faith Rom. 10.8 Heb 5.13 and the Word of Righteousness do not submit themselves unto the Righteousness of God nor unto Christ who is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth no more then old Israel did Rom. 10.1 2 3 4. And so though they may be zealous for their several Professions and as the Jews were for their Traditions Ordinances and Ceremonies which they use some after one manner and some after another according to their particular Apprehensions and Imaginations seeking to find Souls-satisfaction by using outward typical shadowy things which they cannot find whilst they neglect the Light the Substance the Word of God's Grace in their Hearts the Word of Faith Act. 20.32 Act. 13.26 1 Joh. 1.11 Col. 1.5 Mat. 13.19 John 3.36 the Word of Salvation the Word of Wisdom the Word of Truth the Word of Christ the Word of Life the Word of Reconciliation the Word of the Kingdom of God which is in the Heart and so they being in unbelief the Wrath of God abideth on them in all their doings For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 And so their best Performances their Prayers their Preaching and whatsoever they can do in that state is sinful as they generally confess But they who seek the Lord while he may be found with all their Hearts and Souls and cannot rest satisfied till he manifest himself in his Love but patiently in true brokenness and contrition of Heart wait under his Judgments till his Indignation for Sin be overpast as they continue faithful in true self-denyal bearing patiently the daily Cross to their own Wills the Lord will in his own time satisfie such with his Mercy and with his everlasting Kindness But if any flatter themselves that they shall have Peace although they walk in the stubbornness of their own Hearts they shut the Door of Mercy against themselves and when they have sinned out and slighted the Day of their Visitation wherein the love of God in and by his Light in their Hearts visiteth them and striveth with them then the Spirit of God ceaseth to strive any longer with them and they are wholly given up to be rul'd by the Man of Sin who is exalted in them above all that is called God or that is worshipped Psal 14.1 2 3 4. and although some of them may be wickeder then others yet none of them are righteous at all there is none of them that doth good no not one but many of them do badly with eagerness eating up the People of the Lord as they eat Bread And they do not only prey upon those who depart from Iniquity who make themselves a Prey but they often prey upon one another Isa â— 15 and sometimes war about their Ceremonies and Ordinances and many thousands have been killed upon that account and many they have put to Death for their Testimony for God who have by his Spirit been raised up even in the darkest times of Apostasy to testifie against the Abominations set up by the ruling power of the Man of Sin the Devil and his Instruments And many call the Popes or Pope of Rome the Man of Sin which the Apostle said should be revealed who may by the Light of Christ in their own Hearts be sensible of the Man of Sin and his power and works in themselves unto them revealed and therefore it were good for such first by the Power of God to be cleansed from him and his power and works inwardly in themselves lest they become more and more like unto him But indeed the Popes of Rome have been the chief visible Rulers of the false Church drunk with the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Rev. 17.5 6. and the Mother of Harlots and the many Abominations of the Earth and the Inventers and setters up of the pestilent Traditions and idolatrous Ceremonies still used in the Apostasy from the Truth and many who look upon themselves as reformed from Popery are yet in a great measure found in many of their pernicious Practices and Inventions to get Money by For the Popes having been in a great degree influenced by the power and spirit of the Man of Sin the Devil and having had the highest outward Exaltation over the Nations and Kings of the Earth or at least having claimed or challenged it may fitly be said to have been or to be the highest Representatives of the Man of Sin And amongst the many Popish Cheats none seemeth greater then their Purgatory or their telling of a purging Place from Sin after this Life whereby many are cheated of Eternal Happiness by living in hopes thereof securely in Sin while they live and many cheated of their Money also for Pardon and Indulgences from the Pope to redeem the Souls of their deceased Friends out of Purgatory Which is contrary to the Truth and to the Record of the Holy Scriptures which say where the Tree falleth there shall it be and every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire Ecc'e 11.3 Mat. 3.10 and Christ said Enter ye in at the straight Gate for wide is the Gate and broad is the Way that leadeth to Destruction and many there be that go in thereat because straight is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it And beware said he of false Prophets in Sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening Wolves ye shall know them by their Fruits A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire Matth. 10.7 to 20. Now if a good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit how is it then that all good men are continually sinning for Sin is Evil Fruit And if every such a one as bringeth not forth good
pretend to be Spiritual Physicians though they confess themselves to be all overspread with the Contagion and Leprosie of Sin and believe that they and all People must be so whilst their Bodies live for their Preaching and Confessing is to that effect and so they are not like to Cure others of it though they hold their Trade of advising People against Sin that brings this Contagion and Leprosie upon them and others might as needfully advise the Pretended Physicians for they themselves know not how to be rid of their Leprosie yet these Pretenders claim and rob and make havock of Peoples Goods and cast them into Prison for Tythes and Wages for their Advice and pay for their unprofitable Physick though People have not had it nor would have neither Buy any of their deadly Physick And so they are worse than Gehazi who when his Master Elisha would receive nothing though freely offered for the Cure of the Leprosie of Naaman the Syrian being thro' Elisha's Advice 2 Kings 5. by dipping himself Seven times in Jordan fully performed yet this Gehazi being Covetous ran after Naaman and took somewhat of that he offered to Elisha which was given to Gehazi very freely and yet Elisha by the Manifestation of the Spirit of God knowing what he had done said to his Servant Gehazi The Leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy Seed for ever and he went out from his presence a Leper as white as Snow And now these Pretenders to be Spiritual Physicians though the Cure never be performed nor can be by their Directions and though People have nothing of Advice or Physick from them they are like Gehazi and so of his Seed spiritually for Gifts and Rewards yea and more for Tythes and Wages for their Advice or Physick and take it by force and so worse than their Father Gehazi and so the Leprosie of Naaman which clave unto Gehazi and unto his Seed cleaveth unto these Pretenders being spiritually of Gehazi his Seed and so they are all spiritually Lepers as indeed they know it and confess themselves to be spiritually Leprous being sensible of it by the Light in their own Hearts which they hate because it reproveth for their unrighteous Doings and the Children of the Light see their Leprosie which cleaveth to them spiritually to be even as white as Snow so plain to be seen But the Light of Christ Jesus which reproveth for Sin in the Hearts and in the Consciences of People though it may be despised and rejected 2 Kings 5.11 12. as Naaman despised Jordan before he tryed it as in the Love of it any receiveth it and with a true Heart obeyeth it it will direct such a one to the spiritual Jordan which is by Interpretation the River of Judgment which is inwardly to be known where Christ Baptizeth with his Holy Spirit and washeth away the Contagious Leprosie of Sin and healeth the Bruises and Wounds and loathsom putâ—ifying Sores which Sin had made in the Soul as the dipping and washing in it is time after time abode in and that in true faithfulness and therefore they who have tryed the Vertue of it do freely recommend the tryal of its Vertue to all who are ignorant of it and are willing to be recovered from the spiritual Leprosie of Sin And now I heartily acknowledge my great Errour who being in a wretched sinful state my self did undertake and promise for Infants that which I then believed impossible for me ever to perform my self to wit That they should forsake the Devil and all his Works and keep God's holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the Days of their lives Oh what an abominable thing is it thus to Promise and Vow unto God who knoweth the Secrets of all Hearts that Children shall do that which a Man who promiseth it believeth that he shall never be able to do himself God accepteth of no such Sureties For it is a Ridiculous thing amongst Man for a Man to become Surety for the Debt of others that is never like to be able to pay the one half of his own Debt And then certainly God will not so be mocked and therefore let this serve for a warning to all that hear or read this that they undertake no such thing for the Lord will plead with all who are found in such things by his Light in their Consciences and he will fight against them with the Sword of his Mouth Rev. 2.16 Acts 3.22 23. Joh. 13.7 8 9. and every Soul that will not hear his Voice the Word of his Grace and Light in their Hearts and Consciences and suffer him thereby to wash them in his spiritual Baptism they have no part in him but shall be cut off And though some pretend that the Children sprinkled may receive Benefit by the Faith of their Sureties 1 King 17.17 to 24. 2 King 4.18 to 37. Luke 8.49 Luke 7.10 called Godfathers and Godmothers and alledge Examples to prove it as the Widows Son being raised to Life and Jairus Daughter also by the Faith of their Parents and the Centurions Servant restored to Health by the Faith of his Master and such others but this proveth nothing at all to their purpose for there is no mention made of Godfathers nor Godmothers nor of them promising any thing for the Parties restored nor yet of Water Baptism nor of paying the Priest for it and the Lord is often pleased and hath been formerly to answer the Desires and Cries that he hath begotten in the Hearts of his Faithful Ones upon the behalf of others in making them Instrumental in his Hand for the Benefit of whom it pleaseth him but it doth not follow that God requireth one Man to be Surety for another and especially to perform that which he believeth he cannot not perform himself Rom. 14.12 Mat. 12.36 but every one must give account of himself to God and that of every idle word And what a Ridiculous Prophane and Foolish thing doth it appear to be and without the least Ground of Scripture to Teach Children to say Such a one is my Godfather 2 Cor. 1.11 12. or Godmother Is it not far more absurd than that which Paul reproved the Corinthians for because they said I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cophas and I of Christ Nevertheless it is of absolute Necessity to Salvation that every one be truly careful to perform that which they say was promised in their Baptism to wit That they should forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flish but do not their Teachers teach them when they have their Money and this Promise of them to believe that they cannot perform this Promise whilst they live in this World And is not that confused Baptizing and Teaching And how should it be otherwise being composed in Babylon that is in Confusion in the False
for they abide not in Christ the true Vine but are cast forth as Branches and withered and it will not profit them at all to have a Name to live and be dead And this eating of spiritual Meat 1 Con. 0.1 2 3 4. and drinking of spiritual Drink was witnessed by the Fathers in Israel who were all under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all Baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea for said the Apostle they all drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them or went with them and that Rock was Christ and these were directed by Moses to the word very nigh in the Mouth Dent. 30.11 12 13 14. and in the Heart and he told them of the Prophet that God would raise up unto them in the midst of them that was to be heard in all things which the Martyr Steven said was Christ who was with the Church in the Wilderness whom said he our Fathers would not obey Acts 7 37 to 51. but thrust him from them and in their Hearts turned back again into Egypt And he said to the Jews The stiff necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Forefathers did so do ye And so they that believe in and faithfully obey the Light of Christ which is the Manifestation of his Holy Spirit and the Word of his Grace in their Hearts which is nigh to reprove for sin they become Children of the Light and with his inward Baptism by his own Spirit they are all Baptized into one Body whereof Christ is the Head and so they are Members of Christ whether they be Jews or Gentiles 1 Cor. 12.11 12 to 21. whether they be Bond or Free being all made to drink into his one Spirit for as the Apostle Paul saith The Body is not one Member but many for as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many Eph. 4.5 are one Body so also is Christ And saith he If they were all one Member where were the Body but now are they many Members yet but one Body And these all eat the same spiritual Meat and drink the same spiritual Drink even of the spiritual Rock Christ Jesus of which the Fathers who were under the Cloud of old drank and of which all the Servants Children and People of God and Disciples and Members of Christ in all Ages have drunk Even as all the Members of the Body receive Nourishment from or of the Body and as all the Branches or Members of the Vine receive Nourishment of the Vine in which they dwell But they that believe not in but Rebel against the Light the Manifestation of the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts they resist his Holy Spirit and will not by it be Baptized into his one Body and so they are not Members of Christ nor Branches of him the true Vine nor they do not receive Nourishment from him as his Members and Branches do neither do they know an eating of his Flesh or drinking of his Blood to have Eternal Life thereby though they may talk much of it for the power of Death and Darkness even the Man of Sin prevaileth over such and they are subject to his unclean dark unholy Spirit and so are Servants to him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and lying Wonders And so he prevailing upon them to yield to his Temptations and to obey his Power and so to disobey the Light of Christ in their Hearts which reproveth them for sin so that they can have no true spiritual satisfaction then he perswadeth them to endeavour for satisfaction in the use of outward Signs as well of Baptism before treated of as also of eating and drinking the Lord's Supper to wit cating his Flesh and drinking his Blood and so they use Bread and Wine as signs thereof but it is but after the Doctrines and Commandments of Men some after one manner and others after another manner for the Spirit of the Man of Sin doth not Baptize its Followers all into one Body as the Spirit of Christ doth his Followers to whom he giveth one Heart Jer. 31.39 and one Way but it makes them of many different Hearts and Ways and filleth all its Followers with Confusion and Disorder inwardly and outwardly For some believe that the visible Bread and Wine at or by the words of their Priest are Converted or Transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ and so they think they eat the Body of Christ with their outward Mouths though under the form of outward Bread and that they drink his Blood under the form of outward Wine See Councel of Trent Sess 13. C. 1. Others hold that the Body of Christ is in or with or about the Bread and Wine others only use it in remembrance of Christ's Death c. affirming That the Body of Christ is not there Corporally or Substantially but yet that it is Really and Sacramentally received by the Faithful in the use of outward Bread and Wine In Contention about these Opinions especially about that first mentioned much Innocent Blood hath been shed which is a plain Argument and Evidence that such Blood-shedders are not such as feed spiritually upon the Flesh and Blood of Christ Jesus Mat. 26 5â— whose coming is not to destory Mens Lives but to save them But it is also very plain that such who kill and destroy one another or the Servants of Christ about their Religions and Opinions John 16.2 are such as Rebel against the Light or Manifestation of Christ's Spirit in their Hearts being gradually drawn to that high degree of Rebellion Luke 23.34 by their being prevailed upon by the deceitful Power of the Man of Sin even the Power of Death and Darkness in themselves which maketh them so dark and sensless in spiritual things Acts 3.17 that they know not what they do no more than the Jews did when they Crucified Christ who came to save them but they think they do God good service 1 Cor. 2.7.8 9 10. as Christ foretold of them when they kill his Servants and Children in whom in and by his own meek innocent Spirit he appeareth testifying against all ungodliness and wickedness And so they become as Mystery Babylon their Mother drunken with the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus whose Plagues shall come in one Day Death and Mourning and Famine instead of eating as they say the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Christ Jesus and having Eternal Life thereby And as concerning the said Opinions themselves it is needless to make particular Refutations of them if any think themselves to be clear from shedding Innocent Blood concerning their manner of Doctrine and using of their Bread and Wine and that they have killed none about that matter particularly though they have warred with and probably killed some
14. and take which Water whosoever drinketh shall never thirst their Souls will not want Refreshment from any outward Bread John 7.37 38. Wine or Water but saith Christ the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into Eternal Life Now observe it was Christ's Disciples who had learned of him to deny themselves and to take up their Cross to their own wills daily and who had left all to follow him with whom he desired to eat and did eat the Passeover and whom he so instructed by the Bread and Wine which shewed forth his Death But there was a great difference between these his Disciples and the Priests of those Times 1 Cor. 5.7 who were very strict in keeping the Passeover which Typified Christ the true Passeover and caused him to be Crucified and so all that will not be instructed by the Light of Christ in their own Hearts nor learn of him that they may truly be his Disciples nor will not deny themselves nor take up their Cross nor follow Christ spiritually such may be strict in their outward Performances wherein they know not what they do Crucifying Christ afresh in their Affections and in their Lusts but God is displeased with all such their Performances And they who disobey the Light of Christ in their own Hearts and Consciences are all ignorant of the true spiritual Food which Christ daily ministreth to the Souls of the Children of the Light and such depend upon the Shadow or Ceremony not enjoying the Substance and as such as they did by Christ formerly so now they number among Transgressors the Children of God who feed upon the Bread of Life the Flesh and Blood of Christ and know the end of the things concerning him Now People may eat Bread and drink Wine in remembrance of Christ and of his Death also and yet not spiritually eat the Flesh nor drink the Blood of Christ for they are two different things and the Apostle Paul reproving the Corinthians for some abuses about their eating and drinking in their Assemblies and of themselves mentioneth the words of Christ to wit this do in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.20 to 28. and concerning the Cup he renders the Command thus to wit this do as oft as ye do it in remembrance of me and saith Paul As often as ye shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lord's Death till he come wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Where it is to be observed that the Corinthians being newly Convinced and in a weak estate of Faith of which mention is often made in this first Epistle of Paul to them and being in the use of this Ceremony of eating and drinking in their Assemblies they performed it as a Religious Act and so it is to all those that use it as a Religious Act for as much as therein their end is to remember the Lord's Body that was Crucified for them and his Blood that was shed for them and to shew the Lord's Death But to remember the Lord and his Body and Blood and to shew forth his Death is not the same as to partake of the Flesh and Blood of Christ for the Lord and his Death may be remembred by those who do not truly partake of his Flesh and Blood And the words of the Command mentioned by Paul are also to be considered to wit This do as oft as ye do it in remembrance of me which Command doth not imply that they were always to continue in that Ceremony of outward eating and drinking in their Assemblies in remembrance of Christ the continuance of it was not so positively commanded Gen. 17.9 to 14. as the continuance of Circumcision was and also of keeping the Passeover for Circumcision was commanded of God Exod. 12.14 to be in their Flesh for an Everlasting Covenant and the Passeover was commanded of God Phil. 3.2 3. Rom. 2.28 1 Cor. 5.7 Gal. 4.10.11 to be kept a Feast by an Ordinance for ever and yet the true Apostle of Christ under the Gospel Dispensation laboured to bring People out of the outward use of them to witness them inwardly in themselves but that saying in the said Command about the Cup to wit As oft as ye do it implieth that they were not enjoined how oft they should do it nor how long they should continue in that practice and so though the Corinthians Rom. 14. or others were then in such a practice it is not binding upon others to use it no more than was observations of Days or making a difference between Meats And those that do truly partake of the Flesh and Blood of Christ as he himself saith they dwell in him as the Branches do in the Vine and he dwelleth in them John 6.56 John 15.5 as the Life of the Vine extendeth thorow all its living Branches and therefore such cannot but remember him as naturally as a Man remembereth his natural Food when hungry or thirsty and so they need no Ceremonies to put them in remembrance of him or of his Death who always bear about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 that the Life also of Jesus may be made manifest in their Body And so such truly know Christ to be come the Abolisher of Ceremonies and outward Typical Ordinances And so it is good for every one to be a Disciple of Christ which none can be but who learneth of him by his Light the Manifestation of his Spirit in their Hearts which reproveth for sin before they presume to eat Bread and drink Wine thereby to shew forth his Death lest they eat and drink their own Damnation not discerning the Lord's Body And if any believe it is their Duty so to take or use Bread and Wine and make it a matter of Conscience to forbear yet if they do not so prepare and examine themselves as is required of all that appear before the All-seeing Eye of God to perform every Religious Act whatsoever then surely they do it unworthily and instead of feeding upon the precious Flesh and Blood of Christ or of truly remembring him or shewing forth his Death they make themselves guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and so they unworthily eating and drinking the Cup of the Lord as it is to them they eat and drink Damnation to themselves And though such pretend to be sorry for their sins whereby Christ is as in them Crucified and seem to be thankful for what Christ hath done for them who laid down his Life for them yet they are in the same Spirit in which formerly were the Jews Scribes and Pharisees who garnished the Sepulchres of the Prophets and said If we had lived in the Days of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the Blood of the
Brimstone mark this they must be so cast alive And the Remnant must be slain with the Sword that proceedeth out of the Mouth of the Lamb and so the Lamb and his Followers shall have the Victory And the pure Everlasting Gospel Rom. 1.16 which is the Power of God which is now Preached again if it be hid it is hid in them that are lost as the Scripture saith though some Translate to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not 2 Cor. 4.34 lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God who is Light should shine unto them 2 John 1.5 and so they that believe in the Light of the Gospel in them it will shine unto them as they are Faithful to it but the Man of Sin the God of this World with his Signs and all the means that he and his Ministers or Members can use endeavoureth to blind the Minds of People that he may keep them in Darkness unto Destruction with himself And those that God maketh Instruments Acts 20.24 Tit. 2.11 1 Cor. 2.4 to 14. in his Power to Preach the Everlasting Gospel of his Grace that bringeth Salvation they Preach not with enticing words of Man's Wisdom nor in the words that Man's Wisdom teacheth as Man-made Preachers do but which the Holy Spirit teacheth and they Preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and their selves Servants for Jesus sake for God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness 2 Cor. 4.3 to 7. hath shined in their Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Acts 26.18 and so their Errand is to turn People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan which is the Power of Darkness unto God who is Light And so the Message of the true Ministers of the Gospel in this Day and the Message of the true Ministers of it in the Primitive Times of Christianity is one and the very same for the Message of the true Ministers of the Gospel which they had heard of God and declared unto People was that God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all and they that walk in Darkness have no Fellowship with him and they Preached 1 John â— 1 to 7. and wrote to People that they should walk in the Light that they might have Fellowship with them whose Fellowship truly was with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ And they preached not neither wrote that which they had not Experience of but of that which was from the beginning which they had spiritually heard and seen and handled of the Word of Life and they Preached not up Carnal Ordinances nor Signs nor Shadows but against them and Preached the true Doctrine of Christ Jesus the Substance And the Doctrine of Christ concerning Faith without which it is impossible to please God is this Heb. 11 6. John 12.10 to 37. while ye have Light believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of Light and yet many believed not because the God of this World had blinded their Minds and hardened their Hearts and the Chief Priests were Cruel against him for his Doctrine in those Days as they are against the Light now and consulted to put him to Death And the true Ministers of Christ they preached this Doctrine that it is the Life in the Word which is Christ that is the Light of Men Joh. 1.1 to 12 and the true Light that lighteth every Man and Woman that cometh into the World 1 Cot. 12.7 Eph. 5.7 to 15. and they called the Light also the manifestation of the Spirit given to every Man to profit withal and said Whatsoever doth make manifest is Light and all things that are reproved Rom. 1.18 19. are made manifest by the Light and whatsoever may be known of God is manifest within and they called it the Word of Faith nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart which they preached Rom. 10.8 Jam. 6.21 to 26. and the Engraffed Word that is able to save the Soul and the Word of God's Grace that bringeth Salvation Acts 20.32 Tit. 2.11 1.2 2 Cor. 5.19 Phil. 2.16 Col. 3.16 Luke 17.20 21. Mat. 13.18 to 23. which hath appeared to all Men to teach and they called it the Word of Reconciliation which God had put in them as Margined Bibles truly say it is in the Greek and the Word of Life and the Word of Salvation and the VVord of Christ which they advised some to let it dwell in them richly and the VVord of Righteousness And Christ himself called it the VVord of the Kingdom of God which is within which is sown in the Heart And many other suitable Names and significant Appellations hath Christ and his Ministers given to the Light which they preached that People might believe in it Recorded in the Holy Scriptures and this was and is and is to be the Doctrine of Christ and his Ministers But this is terrible Doctrine to the Devil the Man of Sin the Power of Darkness for when People believe in the Light of Christ in their Hearts and in the Sufficiency of it and come into the Obedience of it then the very Foundation of the Devil's Kingdom cometh to be shaken and the Kingdom of Christ in some measure cometh to be enjoyed in them And this Doctrine is also terrible to the Ministers of the Man of Sin who undertake to teach People and tell them that the way to Christ is in the frequenting of their Ordinances Preachings Prayers and VVorships and in the use of their Elements Ceremonies and Traditions when as all of it is but for their Tythes Benefices Wages worldly Interest and Promotion for when any come to believe in the Light of Christ in their Hearts and to receive its Teachings in the Love of it they will know the free Teachings of Christ by his Light to teach them to profit in Spiritual Things and first to deny themselves of their Beloved Sins and so they will find ease and satisfaction of Soul which all their former Teachers with all their fair words John 6.45 Isa 48.17 Isa 54.23 Jer. 23.32 Psal 119.165 John 14.16 to 27. and preachings never so much against sin could not profit them in at all but God freely teacheth all his People to profit and in their profiting in his Fear and Obedience great shall be their Peace and therefore they who truly learn the Teachings of God by his Light they will never Hire other Teachers neither pay towards the Elements and Ordinances of the Worships of Mens Institutions or Doctrines but they will deny them all and Worsip the Image of the Beast no more And they who in the Faith and Obedience of the Light in their Hearts have in true Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness forsaken all for the Gain of its Rich
Hours or two Months or two Years before Death for that Power is the same for ever and the Righteousness and Praise thereof endureth for ever And they that think themselves to be true Christians and Members of Christ and yet believe that they and every other Member of his Body while in this World must be as the pleaders for Sin commonly confess themselves full of Bruises and Wounds and putrifying Sores which daily and continually renewed Sin makes in them from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot 1 Cor. 6.15 16. Chap. 12.12 to 27. Eph. 4.15 16. Chap. 5.26 27. 1 John 4.17 such surely suppose that Christ hath a very corrupt putrid imperfect Body which is his Church contrary to what the Apostle Paul speaks of it being holy and without blemish spot or wrinkle or any such thing and contrary to what the Apostle John wrote saying Herein is our Love made perfect that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this World speaking of God which he truly could not have said if they had not been free from Sin but full of Bruises Wounds and putrifying Sores which Sin makes in the Soul but contrary to that he saith plainly This is the Love of God 1 John 5.3 that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous And although there be some three places in the Scriptures which are translated as if they implied that all men sin to wit Eccles 7.20 There is not a just Man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not And 1 Kings 8.46 and 2 Chron. 6.36 If they sin against thee for there is no Man that sinneth not Yet in all the said places the Latin Translations as Iunius Tremellius and Vatablus render it instead of that sinneth not that may not sin or cannot sin it being the very same Word that is used in Psalm 119.11 to wit I have hid thy Word in my Heart that I may not sin against thee And any sensible one may see that it is imperfect Sence to say If they sin against thee for there is no Man that sinneth not for if all Men sin continually there would be no occasion here to say if they sin but it is good sence to say if they sin against thee for there is no Man that may not sin or that cannot sin which only implieth a possibility and not a continuation of Sin as likewise the next Verse but one after the last mentioned places doth where it is said If they turn unto thee that is to God with all their Heart and with all their Soul which Words plainly intimate a possibility to leave Sin for such a turning is certainly no Sin But there is no Man but he may sin if he be not continually watchful in the Light against the Man of Sin the Devil who is continually endeavouring to tempt Mankind to sin but as Man waits in the true Light of Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Jam. 4.7 which is the Word of Faith and the Word of God's Power in his Heart and Soul as he is truly faithful in the obedience of it and walketh in it he cometh to feel Power in the Faith of it to resist the Devil in all his Temptations and the Devil will flee from such a one and hath not power to take him captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 as he hath over his own whom he perswades that it is impossible for them to recover themselves from under his sinful power Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 while they live in this World and so they confess that their best Daties are intermix'd with Sin and so they are for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin and it is plain that such are not turned to God with all their Heart and with all their Soul whatsoever they profess For the Holy Scriptures say plainly That as many as received Christ and believed on his Name John 1.1 to 14. Rev. 19.13 Rom. 10.8 1 John 3.1 to the end which is called the Word of God which is nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God and such do not commit Sin But admit that the common English Translation of the aforesaid Words of Solomon were true Heb. 7.19 Heb. 9.9 Heb. 10.1 to 24. yet that was under the time of the Law which could not make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience and that which was not attainable under that Law may by the Grace of God be attained in a Gospel state Rom. 8.1 to 5. And although the Apostle Paul writing to the Romans saith The Good that I would I do not but the Evil that I would not Rom. 7.9 to 25. that I do Yet it is plain by what he wrote before and after that in the same Epistle that he wrote not of his own then present condition but of himself as well as others passing thro' that Condition for in that continued kind of Speech he likewise there saith I am carnal sold under Sin but a little before he had told them Rom. 8.7 the Carnal Mind is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be And saith he The Natural or Carnal Man cannot receive the Things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 for they are fool shness unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned And in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romans aforesaid he expresseth himself to be able to impart unto them Spiritual Gifts Rom. 1.11 which a Carnal Man could not do By which it is plain that when he wrote that Epistle he was not Carnal sold under Sin neither a Servant of Sin and therefore he was in another condition than he had been in of which he wrote the said objectible Words And that which renders it more plain is that in the same Epistle before the said Words Rom. 6.16 to 24. he gave testimony of the Romans to whom he wrote that they were made free from Sin and become Servants of Righteousness and Servants to God But they that are carnal sold under Sin are not so for how can they be free from Sin who remain carnal sold under Sin And the Apostle immediately after that kind of Speech which intimated his former condition declared plainly that he had when he wrote that Epistle attained to a better state for in the conclusion of that kind of speech he writes thus I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin which is in my Members O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Now for what doth he give thanks
said the Apostle Paul but how doth any obey unto Righteousness or how is any right in the sight of God that doth continue in Sin during Life for the same Apostle plainly intimateth the contrary concerning true Christians in his repeated Question and Answer saying Rom. 6.1 2 15. Shall we continue in sin God forbid And so it is plain that those who continue in Sin Acts 6.7 Rom. 1.5 Rom. 16.26 Eph. 6.11 16. Joh. 2.13 and believe that they must do so while they live they are out of the Obedience of the Faith of Christ in which true Christians are and they want the Shield thereof wherewith true Christians are able to quench all the fiery Darts of the wicked One And so though such may strive or talk of striving against Sin yet they are never like to get the Victory while they take not the only right Weapon Eph. 6.17 Rom. 10.8 or Shield which is Faith in his Word the Word of Faith nigh in the Mouth Rom. 13.12 and in the Heart which is the Sword of the Spirit which is the Light that truly manifesteth the Deeds of Darkness which while they are out of the Faith they know not how to put off nor how to put on the Armour of Light aright And such are unlearned in the Mystery of that Faith which is held in a pure Conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 Luke 17.21 and in the Mystery of Godliness and of the Kingdom oâ— God which is within and they are also unstable and double-minded who would have their Sins and continue in them while they live and have Heaven at their latter end notwithstanding and that is double mindedness James 1.8 and a double minded Man is unstabe in all his Ways And so being unlearned and unstable they wrest the Scriptures to their own Destruction in pleading for Sin all the while they live which is the very upholding of the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness for they can be his subjects in this World no longer and none are his subjects but the disobedient to the Light of Christ in themselves and they are subjects to him and his Power and consequently in his Dominion Rev. 16.10 Evh. 5.11 to 15. John 3.18 to 21. Empire and Kingdom which is full of Darkness working the Works of Darkness which Works are reproved and manifested by the true Light in themselves which they hate and rebel against which is their Condemnation let them profess what they will But they that believe in the Light of Christ in their own Hearts and Consciences and are faithful in obedience thereunto come to know deliverance from the Power of Darkness Col. 1.12 13. and Translation while in this World into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God and are made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light And let all that believe not this great Work of God to be possible beware lest that come upon them which was spoken of by the Prophet and the Apostle saying Behold ye Despisers and wonder and perish Hab. 1.5 Acts 13.40 41. for I work a Work in your days which you shall in no wise believe though a Man declare it unto you And although the Apostle James writes saying In many things we offend all James 3.2 yet he saith in the very next Words If any Man offend not in Word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole Body which is nothing against Perfection being attainable or a being made free from Sin and able to bridle and govern the whole Body And again he saith speaking of the Tongue Therewith bless we God even the the Father James 3.9.10 and therewith curse we Men which are made after the similitude of God out of the same Mouth proceedeth Blessing and Cursing my Brethren these things ought not so to be So they that will say that the Apostle here speaketh of himself in many things offending may as truly say that he proclaimeth himself to be a Curser which he here reproveth for the manner of speaking is in both alike being in one continued kind of Speech And the same Apostle writes saying lay a side all filthiness and all Sin is filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engraffed Word James 1.21 22 23 24. which is able to save your Souls but be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves for if any be a hearer of the Word and not a doer he is a like a Man beholding his natural Face in a Glass for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of Man he was This engraffed Word which is able to save the Soul is the Word of God's Salvation which he hath prepared before the Face of all People Luk 2.30 â—1 32. Tit. 2.11 12. Rom. 10.8 a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of his People who are Israclites indeed And it is the Word of God's Grace which bringeth Salvation and hath appeared to all Men teaching true Christians And it is the Word of Faith which is near in the Mouth and in the Heart which the Apostles preached Psal 119.9 10 11. and this is the Word which David hid in his Heart that he might not sin against God and he accounted the only means whereby a Young Man may cleause his Way is by taking heed thereto according to this Word which he said was Lamp unto his Feet Psal 119 105. and a Light unto his Path. And so the Apostle James biddeth to be Doers and not hearers only of this Word comparing them that hear and do not to him that beholdeth his natural Face in a Glass c. for they thereby see and know their condition to be sinful and miserable because of Disobedience but not truly taking heed to this Word that according to the teaching thereof their Ways might be cleansed so they go from it and more and more forget their sinful condition and what manner of Persons they are how filthy by reason of sin Rev. 21.27 and how unfit they are for the Kingdom of Heaven which no Unclean thing can enter And it is the Man of Sin that is the Devil that tempteth People into disobedience to the Word or Light of Christ in their Hearts James 4 7. but the said Apostle James saith Submit your selves unto God resist the Devil and he will flee from you And certainly none truly submit themselves unto God but they that submit to and obey his Light the Word of his Grace in their own Hearts So then if the Devil who is the author and original of all Sin will flee when he is resisted stedfastly in the Faith he being fled those that he is fled from are not surely continually sinning but Christ who puts an end to Sin Jer. 23.6 Jer. 33.16 Dan 9.24 and finisheth Transgression in them bringeth in Everlasting Righteousness and such