stinking Vapour from Hell Now we know that with God there dwelleth no imperfect thing but with the Devil dwelleth all Unrighteousness and with him remaineth all they that live and dye in theiâ— sins for all them that remain in sin in this Life they are never free from the Devils Power which if it were not for the restraing Power of God the Devil by them that serve him would soon destroy the whole Heritage of God which as yet remain the Body on this side the Grave for the Devil finneth from the beginning and his Work is to lay waste Gods Heritage and to destroy all that which is good Now so this purpose was the Son of God made manifest that he â—â—ght destroy the Works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. â— For whosoever committâ—th sin transgresseth the Law for sin is the Transgression of Gods holy Law and ye know he was made manifest to take away our siâ— and in him is no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither knoweth him 1 Joh. 3.6 Let no man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is righteous 1 Joh. 3.7 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his Sâ—â—d remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3.9 Now in this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that hateth his Brother vers 10. Now we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that Wicked One toucheth him not 1 Joh. 5.18 And this Declaration of Gods Truth hath proceeded from the Spirit of God and is agreeable with Chriâ—s own words John 8.21 Thy that dye in their sins where Christ is gone they can never come for as Death leavâ—s so Judgment finds and there is no Repentance in the Grave And in John 1â— 23 from Christs own words Ian them and ther în me that they maâ— be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them â—s thou hast loved me By which we may see that which God hath commanded he is in no way short in his Power towards the willing and obedient but unto them who through Disobedience to the Gift of Gods Spirit which came by Jesus Christ they remain in sin whose Reward will be with that unprofitable Servant which hid his Lords Talent by which he lost his portion of Gods heavenly Riches which the faithful are made partakers of in this Life and in the Life to come so that where there is any thing of faithfulness wanting to the gift of Gods Spirit of divine Grace Life and Light it hinders from a perfect state even as with him whom Christ brought to the Touch-stone If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that which thou hast and give it to the poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven Mat. 19.20 21. By which it is manifest that men through Obedience to what the Lord requires of them to do may by him be made perfect according to his own Command in this Life Mat. 5.48 for Christs words are to be believed before the words of all men that have ever taught the Doctrine of Imperfection for Christs vvords are very plain and by the Spirit of God easie to be understood in his saying Be ye therefore Perfect as your heavenly Father â—s Perfect also That the Disciple is not above his Master bâ—t every one that is perfect shall be as his Master Luke 6.40 Which also implyes that some there were that were perfect otherwise it vvould not have been said Every one that is perfect and for this end Christ gave Gifts for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4.12 For the gift of God is for the perfecting of his Saints for vvhich the Lords Servants prayed That they might present every man Pefect in Christ â—esus preaching and â—arning every man and teaching eâ—â—â—â— man in all Wisdom that they might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus 1 Col 1.28 But unto such who Reply That he that saith he hath no sin deceiveth himself and the Truth is not in him 1 Joh. 1.8 and vers 10. If we say we have not sinned we make him a Lâ—ar and the Truth is not in us By which it is evident That all men in their first state have sinned and that there is something of that Nature so long as the Warfare against sin remaineth but at the end of the Warfare against sin sin in the Warfare is overcome and no longer remains in the Man of God which is according to the Spirit of God as by the Apostles writing concerning that state in which men were in the Warfare I write unto you little Children because your sins are forgiven you for his Name sake I write unto you Fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I write unto you Young Men because ye have overcome the Wicked One I write unto you little Children because ye have known the Father I have written unto you Fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I have written unto you Young Men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and you have Overcome the Wicked One 1 John 2.12 13 14. So that in the Warfare the Churches growth was in their several states of pressing forward to Perfection in which state of their Warfare they came to grow from a Childs state to the state of a strong man in Christ Jesus So that in their Spiritual Travail against Sin they still come more and more to the increase of Gods holy Truth by their knowledg of his will and mind through Jesus Christ by whose Power they received dayly Strength for their Preservation in his holy Truth by which they come to grow from one degree of Grace unto another till at length in the Lords due time they become perfect Men in Christ Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of his good Work in the hearts of his People for when they have overcome the wicked One they have also overcome sin and the same is a perfect Man 1 John 2.13 14. And this is agreeable with the Apostle Pauls writing concerning the same state which he did experience in his Warfare including all under sin in the first state for as Men are found to partake of Adams Disobedience so also are they found Transgressors of Gods holy Command in which they have sinned and all that remain in that state remain in sin being Servants to sin which frees them from the Righteousness of Christ whose faithful Servants war not with carnal Weapons but with spiritual Weapons which through him are mighty to the pulling down of strong Holds and Wickedness in high Places Now least the Apostle should be exalted above measure through the abundance of Revelations there was given unto him a Thorn in the Flesh
dayes of this Life which Faith is begotten by the spirit of Anti-christ which rules in the Children of Disobedience whose minds are drawn into works of Darkness which are begotten by their Father the Devil the Prince Power of the Air whose â—iry Kingdom remains in the Heart and Mind of all Unrighteous men who are bewitched by the spirit of Anti-Christ that they should not obey the Truth of God made manifest by Jesus Christ Gal. 3.1 by whose Spirit the heart and mind in the righteous are governed from vain and evil Thoughts for every Thought Word and Action that tends not to the honour of God it proceeds from the lust of the corrupted Desire which yeilds its Obedience to the Spirit Power of Anti-christ who is that Devil and Enemy to God and all Mankind and his they are if they obey for his Servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6.16 So that Death Hell and Destruction remains in all Thoughts Words and Actions which proceed not from the Power of God in Obedience to the gift of his Spirit by Jesus Christ for all that is not of Gods Righteousness by the Spirit and Power of Christ is of Unrighteousness by the Spirit and Power of Anti-Christ So that all sin is of Unrighteousness and all unrighteousness is of the Devil who sinneth from the beginning and he that committeth sin it is of the Devil but whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remnineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3.8.9 Then let no man be deceived by the Spirit of Anti-Christ or by any of his Disciples for he that doth Righteousness is righteous even as he is Righteous 1 Joh. 3.7 for whosoever committeth Sin is a Servant to sin Joh. 8.34 Then he that is a Servant to sin is free from Righteousness for the wages of sin is Death and God is not a God of the Dead but a God of them that are made alive by the Power of his Spirit in and thorough the Lord Jesus Christ whose gift of Righteousness is Life eternal that is to them that keep close in their minds with the Lord by which they may not be drawn into the Anti-Christian Faith of any one thing with which the Devil seeks to destroy the Soul for God is not mocked whatsoever men some that they shall also reap for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but he that soveth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life everlasting Gal 6.7.8 Now every-Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God 1 Joh. 4 2.3 Then that which appears from a spirit in men which doth not lead from sinning against the gift of Gods holy Spirit their so living doth manifestuâ— a unrighteous Life is towards God and that unrighteous Life is in obedience to the Spirit of Anti-Christ which denyeth that Christ is come in the flesh of which Spirit there are many which have entered the false Prophets which are gone out into the World by which many are deceived for they are of the World and speak of the World and the World heareth them 1 â—oh 4.5 but the Children of God are begotten by the Power of his own Spirit in and thorough the Lord Jesus Christ and by Grace through Faith in him their works are of Righteousness before him who is the Author and the Finisher of his own Work in all them whose Works of Righteousness manifest Jesus Christ to be come in the flesh which the works of the Unrighteous do not do CHAP. XVIII Concerning the true Language and proper Nature of Speech and the true Names of the Days and Months And also the Vnrighteousness of Peoples vain living Through the Unrighteousness of Peoples careless living unto God they are got into a habitual custom of vain living before the Lord not regarding to live up in Obedience to the the Spirit of Truth which lead Gods faithful People into the true Nature of Speech and to call the Dayes of the Week and the Months of the Year by their proper Names according as by that Spirit of God they are recorded for People to learn in the holy Scriptures of Truth which givs a holy Testimony of the Righteous in dayes past who lived in all manner of good Life and holy Conversation before the Lord speaking their words in the true Language which is the proper Nature of Speech and calling the Days of the Week and and Months of the Year by their proper Names which holy Practise doth witness against this Generation of evil Doers who accostom themselves to a vain way of living both in Words and Actions by which it doth manifest that they are Lovers of their own vain Wayes and not the Lovers of Gods holy Truth which leads every upright hearted man and woman to keep in the true Language and proper Nature of Speech unto all men without respect of Person to any for that which the World terms Reâ—pect with Hand Hat and Knee and You to the Rich and Thee and Thou to the Poor is a respecting of Mâ—ns Peâ—sons which is a transgressing of Gods holy Law for they that respect mens persons commit sin and are convinced of the Law as Transgressors Jam 2.9 for thee and thou is proper to all men and you to more then one for God said thee and thou to Adam and Adam said thee and thou to God again Gen. 3.12 13. and the same was maintained between â—acob and his Sons Gen. 43.49 which proves that thee and thou was the true Nature of Speech between God and Man and Men and their Children as Jeptha a Judge in Israel did thee and thou his Daughter and his Daughter did thee and thou her Father again Judg. 11.3 5 6. And the three Children did thee and thou to the King and also Paul to Agrippa And the same form of thee and thou to a single person and you or ye to more then one was prectised by Christ to his Disciples and the same by the Disciples as thee and thou to Christ again which is the true Nature of speech as contained in holy Record thoroughout the Scriptures of Truth though some have wrested divers Scriptures thinking thereby to prove a lawfullness of saying thee and thou to more then one which doth not prove that you on ye is proper to a single person for those scriptures which they have wrested do manifest that when the spirit of God in his Servants and Messengers of his Truth did speak by the Spirit of Truth to a Nation Church or People it was proper to say either you or ye or thou which did include a Nation Church or People as one body in the cause which was from the Lord either for or against them which is not the
which Doctrine ought not to find itching Ears among any the Children of them who have persecuted the Lords Servants to Death at Boston but as the Lords Seâ—vants and Messengers of his Truth have born the merciless Rod of that persecuting Generation so ought every man concerned either actually or by consent to bear the Charity of the Lords People which is great Charity indeed to inform them of their unrighteous ways against the Lord and his People The fore-going Letter some of them called Railing but the Day will come in which they shall know and that from the just God of Heaven and Earth that it is no railing to infoâ—m People of the Truth which in the time of my Letter was both lawful and expedient for me so to do neither are they to have forgiveness of God further than they turn and repent neither are the Lords People to forgive that on Earth which is not forgiven in Heaven but to pray that his Will may be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven CHAP. XXVIII Concerning the Covering and Vncovering of the Head in Honour to Man or Men. WHere there is liberty by the Law of God for one man to remain with his Head covered before another it can be no transgression of any Righteous Law among men and as to Customs of that nature it is better to obey God than Manâ— for all things which a man is perswaded of God in his own heart to be comely decent and of good report that men ought in obedience to God to follow but that which hath no Scripture Example from any command of Christ nor Practice of any of his Apostles for one man to stand bear-headed in honour to another is that which cannot proceed from the Life and Power of God because it is not found in the holy Scriptures to be commanded of God neither in practice by any of Christs Disciples nor his holy Apostles bâ—t only a beaâ— Cuâ—tom got up among some of the Nations which indeâ—d by many of them are so accustomed to the Hat Hand and Knee by or with which they bestow so much Honour one towards the other that by that practice with other of their Works among men they have not due regard to the Works of Righteousness and Holiness for the honour oâ— God before whom in the time of praying prophecying the Head is to be uncovered for the Head of every man is Christ and the Head of Christ is God which proves a dishonour to the Name of the Lord to honour men whose hearts they know not as to God but honour them in the saâ—â—e form as they do the Lord when their Prayers are made to him who is the searcher of all hearts and giver to every man according to the fruits of his doings which to the faithful will be a Crown of Righteousness to the hoary Head but to the Sinner though a hundred yeaâ—s old he is accursed which also doth of Hat-Honour by which men honour that which is accursed of God CHAP. XXIX Concerning the great Judgments of God upon the Inhabitants of New-England by Witch-craft WItch-craft is altogether wrought through the Spirit and Power of the Devil which rules in the Children of Disobedience who ramain in the Works of the flesh with which Witch-craft is included Gal. 3. and 5 20 for which cause the just Judgments of God are the Reward of all Wicked and â—â—godly men but to all that repent their Sins and Blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme shall be forgiven but he that blasphemeth against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven in this World nor the world to come Joh. 5.6 17. Mat. 21.10 Now as to divers Authors their apprehensions are various in differing one from the other about Witches and Witch-craft which to prevent error that Truth and Righteousness may take place I have taken in hand to set forth in order a Declaration which is according to the holy scriptures which do hold forth the nature and cause of People having familarity with the Devil who is the Father of all Unrighteouâ—ness through which Unrighteousness he begets the heart and mind to serve him in which state more or less are most men through which Life of Disobedience the Understanding of man is darkened that it cannot see what is for God according to his will neither do they comprehend divers works which are against him which is also as a Judgment from God for Disobedience which indeed is of the nature of Rebellion which is as the sin of Witch craft then where men are in the like state they are blind as to the knowledge or God concerning such whom he commanded to be destroyed in the time of the Law Deut. 〈…〉 11.12 Exod. 22 18. for they that are not come to 〈◊〉 Law and the Prophets do not know the will and Mind of God relating to the new Law of Light Life and Grace by Jesus Christ for they that serve sin are servants to sin and of him they are whose works they do Rom. 6.16 Iohn 8.44 Mat. â— 24 Luke 6.13 Then in what state are they that are alwayes confessing but never forsaking for if through Obedience they did forsake sin then there would be no such need of confessing that which they have forsaken because where men forsake their sins and live in all good order of Gods holy Truth as they are commandâ—d to do then the Lord will remember their Transgressions no more Isa 45 7. and 44.25 for where men keep Judgment and do Righteousness at all times they are not in a state of alwayes confessing and of not forsaking Psal 106.3 for where men confess and not forsake their works manifest a dead Faith James 2.26 in which state of â—â—obedience they draw near with their Lip and Moâ—th to honour the Lord when it is manifest by Works that the heart is far from him and their fear is taught by the precepts of men therefore doth the Lord do amarvelous work and a wonder for the Wisdom of then Wise Men shall perish and the Vnderstanding of their Prudent men shall be hâ—d Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.8 Mark 7.6 which scriptures are fulfilled as a Judgment of God for innocent Blood shed in New-England whose Priests and Rulers with the consenting Inhabitants have been bewitched that that should not obey the Truth of God made manifest by Jesus Christ whose Servants they have put to Death at Boston for which cause as a Judgment they are deliverd up through Unbelief to hardness of heart to commit other sins which with the sin of Blood hath furder stored up the Lords Wrath to add to their Troubles through the increase of his Judgments against them for rebelling against his holy Truth for which cause as Judgment increaseth against sin so sin in New-England increaseth against Judgment until the Light of sin at this time is of that hight and nature that there is no less of the Priests and their Church Members with others of their hearers then five
the Father in full Power Maiesty and Dominion being God over all and in all for evermore whom the World hath in great dispute and many Controversies have risen to the destroying of many Thousands of Peoples lives when that it is plain That Christ came not to dâ—stroy menâ— lives but to save and make alive leaving this Example That Wheat and Tares should grow together until the Harvest lest in gathering the Tares they root up also the Wheat with them Mat. 13 28 29 30. from which saving Christ proceeds to another Parable comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to a grain of Mustard-sâ—ed being accountâ—d the least of all Grain Seeds which being grown up it becomâ—th the greatest among Hâ—rbs and bâ—cometh a Tree that the Bâ—rds of thâ— Air come to lodge in the Branches thereof Mat. 13.31 32. and in the 33 verâ— Christ likens the Kingdom unto leven hid in three measures of Meaâ— until the whole was leavened These things were spoke in Parables that the Saying of the Prophet might be fullfilled in the â—ttering things which have been kept secret from the Foundation of the World which now is manifest by the Light through the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus and also left upon Record in the holy Scriptures of Truth that in the light of the Lord God People may learn and come to uâ—derstand that Peoples perishing is not altogether for want of Knowledge but for want of Obedience to that measure of Light which they have received for he that is faithful in that which is little is made Ruler over more for as the Grain of Mustard Seed hath the Light been â—own in the hearts of many which have received as one Talent and in others who have received more so that where much is given much is required and where more or less if it light on good ground it becomes the greatest among Herbs in the Lords Garden and bringeth forth Fruit abundantly to the Praise and Honour of Gods holy Name also the little Leaven had in three measures of Meal implyes the whole man till the whole becomes leavened into a new lump of the heavenly Nature of Gods Kingdom in Christ Jesus which as men come into a true Christian state of Obedience to the Gift of Gods divine Light quickening Word or his Spirit which hath been handed â—orth through the Death and Resurrection of the Lord of Life and Light they through Obedience may come to witness Eternal Life by Jesus Christ Which things one would think are sufficient to incourage all to yeeld their Obedience to the gâ—â—t of Gods divine Light for there is not a Thought of the Heart nor an Inâ—ent of the Mind but the Light makes it manifest which to obey is 〈◊〉 and to disobey is Death for to be carnally minded is Death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Rom. â— 6 For while men â—emain in obedience to the Light they are spiritually minded in which state they are â—ervants to Righâ—â—ousness but while men are in Disobedience to the Light it is accounted before the â—ord as Rebellion which is as the 〈◊〉 Witchcraft for it is the Willing and Obedâ—ent that shall 〈◊〉 the good Land which 〈◊〉 only extends to the Christ of 〈…〉 to the Lâ—ght who walk in the right as 〈…〉 â—â—dallght and â—n Christ the 〈◊〉 and Light havâ— they Fethâ—â—sh pâ—one with anothâ—â— and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleansâ—◠〈…〉 from their sins 1 John 1 7 for Christ is the Light 〈◊〉 the â—oeld and he that followeth Christ shall not walk in Darkâ—◠〈…〉 have the Light of Life Joh. 8.12 Now 〈◊〉 this 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 the Dâ—â—obedâ—ent whose Eyes are blâ—nde◠〈…〉 of 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Gor. 4.4 Awake thou that sleepest in sin and Christ will give thee Light for all things that are reproveable in the heâ—â—t of man are reproved by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Ephe. 5.13 1â— by which it is manifest that mans condemnation is of himself in that he will not be faithful to the Gift of Gods divine Light because his deeds are evil for every man that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reprovea Joh. 3.19 20. but he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his â—eâ—ds may be manifest that they are wrought in God cap. 3.21 for God in Christ is the Fountain and Well spring of all Life and Light in whom the â—aithful of God shall for evermore remain in the holy City of heavenly Jerusalem where there is no need of Sun Moon nor Stars to shine in it for the Glory of God righteth it and Christ the Lamb of God is the Light thereof and the Nation of them that have been Obedient to the Light of Gods Gift by Jesus Christ shall be saved and shall walk in the Light of it Rev. 21.23 24. So the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ who is God of all Life and Light and the Way the Truth and the Life of Light which all men in measure have received that they may yeild their Obedience to the Requirings of it that by it their Understandings may come to be more more enlarged towards the Lord of Life and Light that by him through the Power of his Spirit of Grace they may come throughly to see and perceive to hear and understand the things of God treasured up in â—hrist for all them that love the appearance of his â—ight in their own hearts which is the gift of his Spirit of â—race which in measure all men have received and it preaches Life and Salvation to all that are found in faithful obedience to it but it preaches Condemnation Wo and Misery to all that live in a known Life of Disobedience to it which state of so living is no less than to â—rucifie the Lord of Life afresh and to trample under foot all that ever Christ hath done and suffered for the Redemption of the Soul of that Man or Woman which is found in a known state of Disobedience to the Gift of Gods Spirit of Truth which is that Gift of his divine Light which will not loose it honour either by the Salvation or Condemnation of all Mankind even as their Obedience or Disobedience hath been in this Life accordingly will be their Reward in the Life to come which is matter for all to consider before the Spirit of God hath lest striving and the Day of Gods Grace be over with them that perish through a Life of known Disobedience to the Gift of Gods divine Light which came by Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of his own Work in them that believe Concerning Christ the true Seed and everlasting Covenant of God to his People THis is the Christ which the holy men of God in their Day and eneration prophesied to come and to finish Sin and to put an end to Transgression in all thaâ— truly believe in his Name which according to Gods appointed
time the Word was made Fesh and dâ—elt among the Son Daughters of Men and they beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Joh. 1.14 and this is Christ unto whom all things of the Father are delivered both in â—eaven and Earth and no man knows him but the Father neither knoweth anâ— man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11.27 By which it is evident that all Revelation is not ceased Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest vers 28. Here Christ hath promised Rest unto all that will come unto him But how shall they come unto him by Faith in Obedience to that measure of his divine Light of his Spirit of Grace which he hath placed in their Hearts it being the Lords Talent given to Man for this end that he should improve it to the Honour and Glory of God and Salvation of his own Immortal Soul by Jesus Christ the Evidence of whose Spirit giveth Life to the Soul of that Man whose cleart Mind and Spirit is faithful to his Gift for the Scriptures restâ—le That Christ affordeth unto all them that by true Faith come unto him Search the Scriptures for in them â—e think to have Eternal Life and they are they that testifie of me and ye will not come to me that you may have Life Job 5.39 40. Here it is evident from Christs own words That to search the holy Scriptures without the true saving knowledge of God in Christ and of his Spirit which moved in the holy Men of God and gave them Utterance to declare his Will and Mind according as contained in the holy Scripture without which in some measure Men cannot profit or benefit towards Salvation by Jesus Christ by their reading the holy Scriptures for they that will not come to the inward Evidence of Gods Gift of his Spirit and Grace they have not the Love of God in them Joh. 5.42 For Jesus Christ the Promise of God and Seed of the Kingdom him hath God given to be an Everlasting Covenant of Grace Light and Life to them that fear and tremble at the Power of his Word and stedfastly remain in the belief of his holy Name which is no less than to give up in their whole desire of Heart and Mind to serve him the Lord of Life in Truth and Righteousness with uprightness of Heart Mind Soul and Spirit for unto him it doth belong and unto such belongeth the Promise of God by the suffering of his Son the Lord Jesus Christ which doth extend Salvation to their Souls for God in tender Love Mercy towards all men falling short of his Glory by the fall of the first Adam doth tender the Son of his Love the Lord Jesus by the call of his good Spirit of Grace Life and Light which remains not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit which hath no relation to the saving of that Soul which remains in sin term of Life having received the inward Evidence of the Spirit which condemns for every thought word and action which is not agreeable with the Spirit of Truth of which every man hath received a measure in his own heart to justifie or condemn even as his Works appear before the Lord so shall be his Reward if of Faith and Obedience then Life and Peace will follow but if it be of Sin and Unbelief then Death Hell and Destruction will be the Portion of him or her which dyes in such a state for the Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life so they that dye in sin are free from Righteousness having no part lot nor share in the Promise of God and Hope of Jesus Christ for their Hope shall be cut as the Spiders Web which shall perish for evermore for Christ came not to save People in their sin but to save and redeem from sin and Transgression His Name shall be called Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins Mat. 1.21 for they that dye in their sins cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven as Christ said If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins and where I go ye cannot come which relates to a state of Perfection in this Life upon which Head I shall God willing treat more at large in a distinct Chapter by which the Understandings of them that desire after Truth may receive the benefit of my small measure relating to the same for man living in sin becomes destitute of any benefit by Christ for the Salvation of his Soul for he that commits sin it is of the Devil and he knows not God the Father but he that is faithful to the Gift of God in his heart learns to fear the Lord and to work his Righteousness which is the fullfilling of what God requires in obedience to the Son of his Love the Lord Jesus Christ who spiritually moves in the hearts of all whose day of Visitation is not over for Christ ruleth over all and will in no way fall short of his Honour either by the Salvation of the one or Condemnation of the other for Christ by the measure of his Spirit is in all except Reprobates 〈◊〉 and therefore it is matter of great concern for People to examin their own hearts whether by true Faith Christ abides in them for the Body of Man where Christ by the gift of his divine Light and Spirit liveth is the Temple of the holy Ghost and if any Man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy Then he that is not in obedience to the gift of God which he hath received is a Pollutor of the Temple and is without true Faith in Christ Prove your own selves know you not that if Christ be not in you you are Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 Now they whose Minds are wrought towards the Lord their Affections are set on heavenly things above to seek God in Christ and in them Christ by the measure of his divine Light Grace and Spirit liveth Gal. 2.20 Now Christ being in his People the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness Rom 8.10 for there is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision Barbarian Sithian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and in all and many more Scripture Prooffs might be produced to the same effect That Christ lives and moves by the Gift of his divine Light and Spirit of Grace and Truth in the hearts of his People and that their Bodies are the Temple of God for Christ by the gift of his Spirit Life and Light to dwell in which if People both Young and Old would forsake their Vanity and apply their Minds to seek the Lord in his own way of Truth and Righteousness according to the Gift of his divine Light and quickening Word of his Spirit as by Record for their help
shall end and be no more for the Word of the Lord shall endure forever And what is left recorded in the written Word of God is for this end that People may learn in the Light of the Lord to perform that which by the Gift of his Spirit of divine Light Grace he requires of them to do the Declaration of which is recorded in the holy Scriptures of Truth which are profitable for Doctrine c. 2 Tim. 3.16 which no man can learn but as he remains faithful to the gift of God which he hath received for that end that by so doing he may come to grow more and more in Grace to the Honour of God and everlasting Wellfare of his immortal Soul which will never witness Salvation but by true Faith in Christ Jesus the most sure VVord of Prophecy whereunto they will do well to take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day star arise in their hearts without which there is no Salvation CHAP. VI. Concerning Faith Hope and Obedience which by the Power of God through â—esus Christ worketh Salvation to the Souls of them that truly believe in the gift of his Grace Also something concerning Silence JEsus Christ in all things became obedient to the Will of God the Father for the Redemption of all Mankind that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but should receive Life Everlasting which is the Promise of God by Jesus Christ unto all the faithful willing and obedient that is in all things for the Salvation of their Souls by Faith in Jesus Christ for Man by Obedience to the Gift of God which is a measure of divine Light by Jesus Christ by whom the Soul comes to be reconciled unto God for the Lord in 〈◊〉 â—ay requires no less than perfect Obedience of all Men 〈…〉 all men have received of his Gift of his Spirit of divine Light by Jesus Christ so he will not have any left without Excuse in the Day of his Coming to take Vengeance on all the Vngodly which call not upon the Name of the Lord. for Christ is made manifest according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God made known to all Nations for the Obedience of their Faith Rom 16.6 and for that end did the Apostle write that he might know the proof of them whether they were obedient in all things 2 Cor. 2 9. for this is the Day of Gods Visitation wherein if ye will hear his Voice harden not your hearts against the Light of his Spirit of Grace for unto whom ye yeild your Minds Servants to obey his Servants you are to whom you obey whether of Sin unto Death or Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6.16 Now the Gift of Gods divine Light by Jesus Christ makes manifest to all men all the thoughts of his Heart and intents of his Mind for the Righteousness of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead but what saith it the VVord is nigh thee even in thy Mouth in thy Heart that is the VVord of Faith Rom. 10.6.7 8 By which it is evident that where men perish it is not altogether for want of Knowledge but for want of Obedience to the Gift of God which he hath placed in the hearts of all the Sons and Daughters of Men which by obedience would give them Power over their lustful Desires which by Nature lodgeth in the hearts of sinful Men and Women whose Minds for want of Obedience are drawn by the Enemy's Power to joyn with the Temptations of the Devil but if they yeilded Obedience to the gift of Gods Spirit they would witness strength to with-stand the Enemy and cause him to flee for the â—eapon of every true Believers VVar-fare are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulâ—ing down strong Holds casting down every high thing that exalteth its self against the Knowledge of God and bringeth into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ having in readiness to revenge all Disobedience when their Obedience is fullfilled 2 Cor. 10.1 5 6. and in this do the faithful come to witness the inward Affections of Christ more more abundant towards them whilst he remembereth their Obedience how with fear and trembling they receive him 2 Cor. 7.15 Which things are plain and by Obedience easie to be understood that they who come to receive the benefit of Chriâ—â— by the Power of Gods Spirit in and through him it is by true Faith in Obedience to his Word at which they fear and tremble it being sharper than any two-edged Sword dividing between the Precious and the Vile which is an Engagement between the Power of God and the Power of the Souls Enemy who hath seated himself in the Temple of God as if he were God which Enemy is the strong Man that hath taken Possession in the hearts of the Sons Daughters of Men whose Minds are alienated from God by reason of Sin and Transgression who keepeth the House until a stronger than the Devil doth dispossess him of his Power unto which Povver through the Lust of Peoples unregenerated Hearts they are most inclined to serve vvhich hath been and yet is the state of many Thousands of Men and Women vvho are deceived by the Devil vvhich is for vvant of Obedience to the gift of God Povver vvhich by true Faith and Obedience vvould dispossess the Devil of his Povver and bring the inward Man into the true saving Knowledge of his sanctified Work of Grace in their own Hearts vvhich things they are ignorant of who remain in a blind zeal for God but not according to the true saving Knowledge of him in Jesus Christ Rom 10.2 by which their Faith remains in a dead Hope that shall perish for true Faith works the whole inward Man of Heart Mind Soul and Spirit into the true Love of God and Hope of Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ whose Spirit gives Evidence of an assurance in those things that by true Faith are hoped for so that Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 2. for by Faith the holy Men of God obtained a good Report for we see and understand through Faith in God that the Worlds were framed by Christ the Word of God so that things that were seen were not made of things which do appear Heb. 1.3 By when it is manifest that Christ is the Word by whom all things were made long before the Scriptures were given for 〈◊〉 for the Law came by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ in whom remaineth the â—ope of hâ—s People for the â—arvation of their Souls and from this Word Christ the Seâ—vant of God received Grace Apostleshâ—â— for their Obedience to the Faith
the Messenger of Satan to buffet least he should be exalted above measure And whereas he said O wretehed Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death Rom. 7.24 All which doth not incinde him to be a Transgressor of Gods holy Law as every man that remains in sin is which cannot in truth and righteousness say as the holy Apostle did I thank God throvgh Jesus Christ our Lord so then with the Mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the Flesh the Law of sin vers 25. Now by the Law of Sin the ignorant do conclude the holy Apostle was not free from sin in this Life which he clears in Rom 8.1 2 3 4 5 6. There a therefore no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Lâ—â— of Sin and Death for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the Likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the Rightenâ—sness of the Law might be fullâ—illed in them who walk not after Flesh but after the Spirit For they that be after the Flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that be after the Spirit the things of the Spirit for to be carnally minded is Death but to be spiritually minded is Life and Peace because the carnal mind is at Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can it be so then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. By which it is manifest that the holy Apostle did not all his days continue in a Body of sin but in his Warâ—are was pressing forward towards the Mark of the Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.14 forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before Phil. 3.13 That the Man of God might be perfect thorowly furnished unto all good Works 2 Tim. 4.17 in which state of pressing forward to Perfection Patience hath her perâ—ect work that they might be perâ—ect wanting nothing James 1 17. Which state the holy Scriptures bear Record Paul in the end of his Warfare did attain which is a state free from sin in this Life according as by the Spirit of God he himself testified That he had ought a good fight wherein he had finished his Course and â—ept the Faith or whom there was laid up a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous â—udge would give him at the last Day and not to him only but to all them that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.7 8. And these things were done before his Departure from the Body as appears by his Epistle to Titus and to Philemon and also to the Hebrews so that the Lords People well know by the Spirit of God agreeing with the holy Scriptures as also by their daily progâ—ess in the Way of the Lord all agreeing with the gift of his divine Light and quickening Word of his Spirit that by true Faith and Obedience thereunto they shall receive a daily supply of his Power which will give sufficient strength against the Devil and all his Temptations by which he that hath set his hand to the Plow and doth not look back shall come to witness a thorow cleansing from sin in this Life which they that witness not in this Life shall not witness a cleansing in the Kigndom of Heaven for no imperfect thing can enter the Kingdom of Heaven neither is there any Repenting in the Grave for as Death leaves so Judgment finds Concerning the true Worship of God in Spirit EVen at this day as in days past among the Peopâ—â— of the World there are many Wayes of Worship but with the People of the Lord his way of Worship is but one in which they worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth for God is a Spirit and they which are true Worshippers of him they worship in the Spirit and in the Truth Then how can any be true Worshippers of God which abide not in his Truth for Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life and they that are not in â—hrist are out of his Truth and so not in the true Worship of God so as they are not in Christ theâ— are not in the 〈◊〉 but out of that spiritual Life in which the true Worship of God remaineth Now this we know that all men are in the worship of some one thing or another all pretending that their Worship is the right and true way of Worship Then seeing that all are Worshippers How is the true Worshipper known from the false Even as the Tree is known by its Fruit so are Worshippers known one from the other for the good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit but the evil Tree bringeth forth corrupt Fruit for men do not expect to gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figs of Thistles neither can any man be a true Worshipper of God in Spirit that doth not bring forth Fruits of the Spirit which are Love Joy Peace Long-Suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law Gal. 5.22 23. for they live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit with Christ such are the true Worshippers of God in Spirit and Truth but such Worshippers that draw in sin as an Ox draweth in Water their best Performances in Worship are sin unto which the Lord hath no regard for we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a true Worshipper of God and he doth his will him he heareth John â— 31 Now to think that God will accept any mans Work wherein sin remaineth that man deceiveth himself for all Works wherein sin remaineth it is not of the Spirit of God but of the Devil for he is a sinner from the beginning and the Truth abideth not in him for in the time of the Law the Peoples Offerings before the â—ord were to be perfect without blemish Lev. 22.21 and their weight and measure were to be perfect before the God or their Salvation Deut. 25.15 Which did signifie spiritual Obedience to â—hrist the Lamb of God without blemish spot or wrinkle who requires in this Gospel Day under the Light of his â—ovenant of Grace Light and Life unto which not any thing of mans imperfect Gift and Offerings can find place to enter into Covenant with the Lord of Life for the Salvation of their immortal Souls for as God hath perfected his work of Grace in Jesus Christ for the Salvation of Peoples Souls so most their work be also perfect by the Power of God in and through Christ for the Salvation of them that are saved in and through him the Lord of Life of whose Spirit there is a gift given to the Sons and Daughters of men which is for
this end that through perfect Obedience thereunto they may work out their Salvation by true Faith in Jesus Christ who is Author and Finisher of his own Work in the hearts of them that in him believe for he is given a Light to the Gentiles and a Rule of Life for all to walk by So here is no occasion of stumbling as the heart and mind attends its Rule which Rule directs the heart and mind in to the true and living Way which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven where they that worship out of the Spirit and Truth can never come for though they may not profess to worship a false God as many do yet they profess a worship of the true God in a false way by which their worship is a false Worship which the â—ord will destroy for contrary to the mind and will of God they have set â—p a false Worship teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men Mat. 15.9 For the hour cometh and now is â—hen the true Worshipper shall worship the Father in Spirit â—â—d in ruth for the Father seeketh such to worship him â—ob 4.23 By which its manâ—est That all words in Deâ—arations Preaching and Praying with all whatsoever â—se that men pretend to the Worship of God being not â—ad thereunto by the Power of God it is no more before 〈◊〉 Lord than he that cuts off a Dogs Neck or â—fforeth Sâ—ines â—lood Isa 66. â— For the â—ord is o◠〈◊〉 pure Eyes â—an to behold Iniquity or to regard Iniquity for be will not have regard to that Worship in which Obedience is not yeilded to the gift of his own Spirit of Truth which calls for Silence in the heart and mind of all such People whose Worship is not in the Spirit and in Truth for the fleshly part must be subdued and the natural Thoughts of the heart and the intents of the natural Mind must be subdued by the Power of God unto which Obedience is to be yeilded that every wandering Thought may be brought into subjection by the Power of God then the Lord will have regard unto the Soul of him that so worshippeth for such Worshippers are they of the Circumcision which worship in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus having no Confidence in the Flesh Phil 3 3. Now this is the main Reason why People do not pront but in their Worship as themselves confess go round in their Duties even like a Horse in the Mill and a Door on the Hinges still remaining where they were because they offer to God with a false weight and measure which is of their own Imperfection in a belief that they shall never be free from Sin in this Life whereby their Debt is in larged and causeth them to fall short of a true Hope by Jesus Christ who will not accept that imperfect Offering which would not profit in the Time of the Law for this is the Day of Gods Grace by Jesus Christ in which if any man will hear let him not harden his heart through a false Belief begotten by the denyal that in this day of so large a Dispensation of Light by Jesus Christ that God will receive the imperfectness of Mans own Work which indeed is that which the â—ords Soul abhors for the Devil and Enemy of Mans Peace hath seated himself in the heart and mind of Man and exalted himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God fitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God Thes 2.4 and unto him the natural Mind inclineth to serve by which the Soul remaineth in Sin and Transgression against God whose Gift of divine Light is vailed from the Understanding which also becomes Dark in which state they walk in the light of their own wayes which leads in the Paths of Death which fulfills Christs saying If the Eye be evil the whole Body shall be full of Darkness then how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.23 which Darkness drowns the Understanding of the inward Man that it cannot come to perceive the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ Jesus which is the Power of God to Salvation in them that believe in the Light of it which if it be hid it is only to the Disobedient who yeild their Obedience to their hearts Lusts which lusteth after Sin and Evil being also desirous to know God without Obedience to the gift of his Spirit of Grace in which state the Devil hath the ruling part in the heart which lusteth after some outward Work in pretence of worshipping God only for the outward Name of Christian amongst Men such Worshippers the Lords Soul doth abhor for Mans natural Will is Enmity with God and in that state mans Time in Worship is not that Time which the Lord doth accept but the Lords Time in which he doth accept Mans Offering is when by the Power of his own Spirit the heart is moved to worship him the only true God in the only true way of his Worship which is in the Spirit and Truth So all are commanded to keep silence before the Lord and to hear him for the profit of their own Souls before they can speak or declare any one thing for the spiritual Edification of another for he that nameth the Name of the Lord is first to depart from Iniquity and to wait for the Teachings of Gods holy Spirit which hath commanded Silence to all Flesh before hîm Hab. 2.20 Ezek. 2.13 also Psal 3.25 28 Let all the Earth keep Silence before the Lord I patiently waited on the Lord Truely my Soul waiteth on God from him cometh my Salvation So that God requireth a free and willing Mind to be free from all Incumberments and love of visible things which are below the true Wisdom of God which unto the wise-learned in the things of this World is counted foolishness to see the Lords Children sit together in Silence waiting on God to hear the Voice of his inward Call by the gift of his Spirit of divine Grace Life and Light in which is the true Worship of God in Spirit and Truth So here is to be no giving way to any stragling Thought of the Heart nor Intent of the Mind for all that is of Self is by the Power of God to be brought into Subjection to his holy Will which is the true worshipping of God in Spirit and Truth for all Thoughts and Intents which proceed not from the Power of Gods Spirit they are Thieves and Robbers which keep lurking through the Devils Power to deceive the Soul of that benefit which if they were obedient to the command of the Lord they might receive for as the true Worshippers in all Ages have been sound in the silent waiting their strength hath been renewed for they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with Wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and thâ—y shall walk and not be faint Isa â—0 31 for they come
pray for but the Unrighteous pray for the deliverance from sin which living in a state of Unbelief that God will never in this Life wholly free them from Sin which Unbelief stops the current of Life and hinders the Work of God by Christ whose Work by Faith in him is to destroy Sin and put an end to Transgression that is in them which believe in the gift of his Grace by which men are saved for its the Gift of God which comes by Jesus Christ and through Faith in him is Life Everlasting that is to them who through Faith have their whole dependance on him but where men remain in a state of dayly sining against the manifestation of his spirit which all have received to profit with all it keeps them short of Gods Grace by Jesus Christ for the Prayers of the Wicked are sin because they remain in sin which causeth their Prayars to be sin in the sight of God for the Prayers of the wicked are an Abomination before the Lord and the Sacrifice of the wicked are an Abomination to him but the Prayers of the Vpright is his delight Psal 119.7 Prov. 15.2 so it is the Prayers of the Upright in heart which the Lord accepts and delights in for unto them is the promise of God by Christ who renews the Faith of his People by the power of his spirit which begets the inward man into a lively hope of that assurance which by true Faith the soul receives by true Prayer unto the Lord through which Prayer by Grace every Dispensation of Gods gifts come to be sanctified through the Power of his own spirit for every Dispensation is from God and only sanctified to the Righteous which receive of the Lords free benefits and rich Mercies of his Love in the outward Dispensation which through Prayer and Thanks-giveing are sanctified to them which live in Uprightness of heart and mind towards God which the Unrighteous also pretend but it is with unclean Hearts for which cause the Lord will not accept their Prayers for the Lord only dwells with the pure in heart whose minds are wrought into a true and living sence of Gods heavenly riches in Jesus Christ which is the inheritance of his faithfull People which pray unto him by the power of his own spirit which doth condemn the Prayers of all unrighteous men who pray in their own time and in their own wills But some may then query Whether the Unrighteous are not commanded to pray Ans The hearts of the righteous desire the return of the Wicked that they may forsake the evil of their way and serve the Lord in Truth and Righteousness and that the Wicked are to pray which will not discharge any part of their Disobedience to God until they come to forsake their Unrighteous way of sinning against the gift of his Grace and divine Light of his Spirit which remains their Condemnation for sin Joh. 3.19 20 21. By which it is evident that the Prayer of a wicked man availeth not before the Lord that is while he remaineth in the known Life of Sin which he prays against but let the wicked forsake their way and the Unrighteous Man his Thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and unto our God for he will abundantly pardon Isa 55 7. So that where men live in known sins against God and in a belief of its being impossible to be free from sin in this Life the Prayer of such doth not proceed from the Spirit of God who hath Commanded his People not to touch taste nor handle with any unclean thing but to follow the leadings of Gods holy Spirit as the Apostles have done for Example and to mark them which walk otherwayes So every man and every woman is to seek God for themselves for he hath promised to be found of them that seek him in uprightness of heart and I do not read that any of the Lords servants in dayes past were ever lead by the spirit of God to pray either privatly among People in unbelief of ever attaining that which ths Apostles prayed for which is that they might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus then where in remains the profit of any true Beleivers Prayer in publick though in his own family which through their unbelief in the power of God that they shall never be free from sin in this Life by which they are not as yet of the true Houshold of Faith at times and seasons as the spirit of God moves in the heart of every such master of family he doth pray for the return of them and all other People which remain in the same state of Unbelief which until they repent and forsake their prayers will not be accepted of God CHAP. IX Concerning the Lords Supper which People call the Sacrament AS to the word Sacrament I find it not contained in the holy Scriptures of Truth but as to the Lords Supper according to Christs OWN words Luke 22.1.20 when he took Bread and gave Thanks and broke it and gave it to his Disciples saying This is my Body which is given you This do in Remembrance of me likewise also thê up after Supper saying This is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you The fore-going words some have Wrested by which they have gathered in their Comprehension some-what of a Meritorious Work which they hold most necessary to Salvation â—rom which grounds they have set up a Form each for themselves according to the Apprehension of the natural Mind being altogêther destitute of experience of the Power of the Blood of Christ the end of whose Death was not to destroy mens Lives and Estaâ—es about his Body and Blood for his Coming was to heal the Sick to bind up the Broken and to make alive but where the Nature of Christ is wanting they are not come to the true saving Knowledge of God by the Body and Blood of Christ through whose Death and Resurrection there is no hope of Salvation to them that by his Blood are not cleansed from all sin in this Life for where sin remains it Rules the Heart and darkens the Understanding by which the Power of God is not received which gives the true knowledge of the Nature of the body and Blood of Jesus Christ which proves their Form dead and they to remain in a dead Form having a zeal for God without his saving Knowledge by Jesus Christ about whose Body and Blood many thousands of Peoples Lives have been destroyed which makes manifest that such are not in the true form of Godliness for neither Christ nor his Apostles have enjoyned any to particular time or place but in remembrance of his Death as is furder manifested by the Apostles saying 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26 27. That Christ took the Cup when he had supped saying This is the New-Testament in my Blood this do ye as often as you drink it in remembrance of me So
that great â—ork of Redemption by the Son of God and Lord of Sabbath is worthily regarded and attended for the Worship of God in the Spirit and in the Truth having the holy Apostles for Example to follow them as they were Followers of Christ and to mark them which walk otherwayes then sure we are to mark them whose Dress appears more like for Stage-Play than for the true Worship of God on the first Day of the Week for where the heart is there is the Treasures also and out of the heart proceedeth all evil Communications which abundantly appears among People who rather exceed upon the Day of their Worship than at other times when their Minds are exercised in things of Bodily Labour which by their Fruits they are to be judged that they live void of the true fear of God or regard to their Immortal Souls and so are as a People without God in the World who have no true saving Knowledge of God by Jâ—sus Christ they will talk of God and Christ and of the Sabbath without any spiritual sence of his saving Grace by Jesus Christ the Lord of Sabbath who is the everlasting â—abbath of his Peoples Rest where the Righteous cease from their own Works as God did from his Heb. 4.9 10. CHAP. XII Concerning Election and Reprobation agreeing with the Holy Scriptures THis is that which many hold That God from all Eternity hath unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass and That God hath decreed one part of the Angels with Men Women and their Infants for everlasting Damnation Which Doctrine is mostly held by the Presbyterians as by their Confession of Faith cap. 3. which Doctrine I have often considered in the spirit of Meekness and according to my measure of Gods holy Truth by Jesus Christ do I declare as followeth That to know God by Jesus Christ is Life eternal and for that end was the Son of God made manifest that all might come unto God through Faith in Jesus Christ and through Grace by him be saved for God made Man in his own Image and gave him a being in the Garden of Paradise from which state he soon fell which Fall was through Disobedience by eating of the forbidden â—ruit which hath brought Darkness over the Children of Men which are in a state of Bondage to that Seed of the Enemies sowing in their first Parents which more or less comes by Nature in the Children of Men in whom that Seed lusteth which is a doing of that in Obedience to the Temptations of the Souls Enemy which God hath strictly commanded should not be done And for that end that the Children after Adam should know the Will and Mind of their Maker God in all Ages gave unto the Sons and Daughters of Men a gift of his own Spirit of divine Light by which they might see the right way of the Lord and walk therein which is according to his holy Promise as in Gen. 3.15 And I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Hâ—el in which two Seeds iâ— chiefly contained Election and Reprobation former Seed should bruise the Head of the Serpent and break his Power that is through perfect bedience to Christ the Seed of the Woman and to his Grace which is that gift of divine â—ight that makes manifest all the hidden things of Darkness so that let the Devil appear in what likeness soâ—ver he will yet as Men and Women stand faithful to the manifestation of Gods gift the Enemy's Power comes to beâ—broken So that the Promise of God in the Seed remains only to the faithful for the Promise of God was not to Seeds as of many but as of One and to thy Seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 for the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty Years after cannot disannul that it should make the Promise of none effect for the Law was added because of Transgression till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made but the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the Promîse by Faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal 3.17 18 19 20. Now all not believing in Christ the true Seed doth not include that God ordained them to perish because the Promise of God in the Seed is tendered in Gods own time and way to all the Children of Men otherwise all that perish would not be left without excuse concerning which the Spirit of God hath left it plain to be understood that the Seed of the Kingdom hath been sown in all sorts of Ground and the Reason is rendered by the Spirit of God why it did not bring forth fruit in all sorts of Ground which is because Obedience hath not been yeilded to the Command of God for if God had absolutely decreed mens Damnation his Decree being unrevokable there would be no need for men to strive for Salvation for who could resist such an absolute Decree But blessed be the Name of God and Father of Jesus Christ whose faithful People well know that he is a just God which hath not ordained the Souls of any to perish before they were born but for their Sins and final Impenitence through Disobedience to the â—ift of his Grace which is of the Seed of the Kingdom and hath been sown throughout all Ages in all sorts of ground of what Nature soever and hath been the same in this day among all the Children of Men and if any perish it is of themselves for Light is come into the World and mans Condemnation is of himself because he loves Darkness rather than Light Joh. 3.1 the Reason is because he hates the Light which repreves his evil Deeds in which stare the Seed is appressed and kept as in Bondage by which it can take no roâ—t in the hard rebellious heart and barren sandy ground where Rocks Thornes and Thistles grow and Serpents have their abiding place which destroy and cause the Life of the Seed to depart which iâ— the state of disobedient and rebellious men whose Damnation neither slumbereth nor sleepeth but is of themselves by which they cannot charge the just and holy One of ordaining them to perish By which it is manifest that mans Dimnation is of himself and thaâ— is by yeilding his mind to serve in Unrighteousness when occasions sin that destroys the soul â—y which at appears that they unjustly charge â—od of decreeing men â—o perish which for the begetting of a further belief of unfound Doctrine they have wrested the Apostles words Rom. 9.11 12 13 where is is said The Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Also in another place where
mens learning no man can learn to know God aright without the gift of his Grace and divine Light of his Spirit by Jesus Christ for the Letter kâ—â—eth but the Spirit giveth Life 2 Cor. 3.6 for as the Spirit of God is the Ministration of Condemnation to the Disobedient so also do they read their Condemnation in the Scriptures of Truth but to the faithful who live in Obedience to the Spirit of Truth to them the Spirit of God by Jesus Christ is the Ministration of Life and Salvation and through Faith in Christ Jesus the Scriptures do minister the knowledge of Life for through Faith in Christ they are able to make wise to Salvation Then whatever men may gather in the outward Comprehension from the holy Scriptures concerning the great Work of God by the Death and Resurrection of his Son the Lord of Life which will not profit them that remain in a state of daily sinning against the gift of his divine Light which is their Condemnation for evil Deeds Joh 3.19 20 21. in which state they remain dead as to God having no benefit by the Resurrection in the Life to come â—or God is not a God of that which is dâ—ad but a God of thê Living Mat. 22 23 So that God is a â—od of the living who have been buried with the first Man in sin but through the Resurrection of the second Man the Lord from Heaven have they received the earnest of Life Everlasting 1 Cor. 15.48 49 50. having obtained the Promise of God through the Resurrection oâ— Jesus Christ which the 〈…〉 the benefit 〈◊〉 Christ concâ—ied and 〈…〉 â—he is â—hat which People ought to witness through the in â—ard Word of his traching which teaches the true knowledge of God according as is recorded in the holy 〈…〉 That â—â—s sâ—hcient to Salvâ—tion to know God and Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 Lord which was made of the Sâ—ed of David accordâ—nâ— to the 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 to be the Sâ—â— of God with 〈◊〉 according to the Spirit of Hoâ—â—ness by the Resâ—rrection of thâ— death Rom 1 4. which the Righteous witness through 〈◊〉 the Law of sin by the Body of Christ that they should b◠〈◊〉 to another even to him who is raseaâ— from the dead that they should bring forth fruit unto God Râ—m â— 4 for they 〈◊〉 have been planted together in the likeness of his Death 〈…〉 also in the likeness of his Resurrection Rom. 6.5 So that the châ—efest desire of true Believeâ—â— is to know the Lord Jesus Christ and the Power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death Phil. 3 10. for they that shall be accounted worthy to obtain the Kingdom of God and the Resurrection from the Dead neither marry nor give in Marriage neither can they dye any more for they are equal unto Angels and are the Children of the Resurrection Luke 20.34 35 36. but they whose hearts and minds are joyned to the perishing things of this â—ife they are not married to Christ and so have no hope to be the Children of the Resurrection but only Children of the World which love gain delights and pleasures in which there is no profit for a man to gain and lose his soul for he that loveth any thing more than Christ is not worthy of the rich benefits which the faithful receive through his Death Resurrection Therefore it concerns all that they may so live as to dye from sin and be mâ—me alive with Christ that they may be partakers of his heavenly Riches in the Kingdom of God where Flesh and Blood cannot inherit 1 Cor. 15.50 CHAP. XV. Concerning the Ministers of Christ and the Ministers of Antichrist Also of Humane Learning and the Vsâ—â—f it and how it came in practise among them called the Reformed Churches of this latter Age. And concerning Gospel-Maintenance and in what manner and to whom it belongeth JEsus Christ the Son of God and Everlasting Covenant of Grace Life and Light he is Minister of all Truth and Righteousness which hath appeared for Salvation of men for which end in dayes past he chose unto himself Twelve Disciples which were men that believed in him and not being brought up in that manner as the many Teachers are in this day who serve a time in Schools of Learning by which they gather outward knowledge in Hâ—brew Greek and Latine Phrases also Arts in other things which the holy men of God did never practise for the twelve Disciples of Christs chusing were not fitted after any such manner to preach the Gospel for they were illiterate and Trades-men c. and lived not by hire for preaching but laboured with their hands for their outward subsistance such were they whom the Lord did call to preach the Gospel which did minister the glad Tidings of Peace and Salvation unto the Nations among whom the Word of God was divided 〈◊〉 and every one their portion according to their 〈◊〉 for they had not their Wisdom from below is the many Teachers now have notwithstanding the Lands Servants wanted not Wisdom from above when gave them utterance of words whereby they were enabâ—â—d â—o divide the Word aright in declaring and demâ—ustraâ—ing the Will and Mind of God at which time some of the learned Jews and wife Rabbies opposed them setting them at naught others resisted them notwithstanding they did not 〈◊〉 to be approved in that Wisdom that Man toucheth which is never able to prepare and sit for 〈…〉 work and service of the Gospel as is further manifested by the saying of him who was brought up in great outward Learning at the feet of Gamaltel Acts 22. in which state he was not capable by all his outward Learning to know Christ whom he persecuted in his Servants and Messengers of his Truth thinking that he did good service for God when he was destroying his People even as hath been in many places many of the learned Hebrew Greek and Latine Men have destroyed the Lives and Estates of many People because they could not conform to their Anti-Christian Faith which the Devil would have had set up in the Disciples of Christ who came not to destroy mens lives but to save and make alive which work is of a contrary Nature to that Wisdom which is from below for the true Wisdom of God openeth the Understanding in the things of God which the learned by all their outward wisdom can never do for they remain in the Wisdom of Darkness as to the things of Gods Kingdom which Paul in all his outward Learning was a stranger unto but by that Wisdâ—m which is from above he came to receive that spiritual sight which gave him the true saving knowledge of God by Jesus Christ whose Minister he became being then a Witners unto all men of both what he had seen and heard Act. 22.13 14 15. Which doth manifest that his 〈◊〉 to the work of the â—oâ—pel was of God which Work he attended according
to the Dispensation which he had received for the opening of blind Eyes in others by which they were turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Stran to the Power of God and received Forgiveness of sins and an Inheritance among them 〈◊〉 are faâ—ctified Acts 26.18 in which state he did not 〈◊〉 to speak any thing which Christ had not wrought in him yea he so strove to preach the Gospel not where hâ—st was named lest that he should build upon another mans Foundation Rom 1â— 18.20 which is as much differing from the call and practice of many called Gospel Ministers in this day as the East differs from the West being contrary one against the other and at that distaâ—ce by which they can never joyn one to the other even so contrary are they in their own Wisdom to the Doctrine Principle and Practâ—ce of the holy Apostles who were called of God by the Power of his own Spirit in and through the Lord Jesus Christ which made them able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit which gave forth the Letter that kills them that are not in Obedience to the gift of the Spirit for the Letter kills but the Spirit makes alive 2 Cor. 3.6 for the Apâ—stles were not made Ministers by the Will of Man neither were they upheld by the Power of Man but were made Ministers according the gift of Gods Grace given unto them by the effectual working of his Power Ephes 3.7 neither did they build again the things which they had once destroyed for in so doing they become Transgressors Gal. 2.18 Now the hited Teachers of this Age preach against Sin which on the other hand they build up by laying a rotten Foundation That People can never be free from sin in this Life which is inconsistent with Gods holy Truth by Jesus Christ who came to destroy sin and put an end to Transgression that is in them which believe as the Apostles have done for example for they were so far from hire that they had as it were nothing and yet through contentment with the Lords providing were made possessors of all things approving themselves as the Ministers of Christ in much â—atience in Distress by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the holy Ghost by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the right hand and on the left by Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report as Deceivers yet true as sorrowful yet always rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.4 to 11. which was the state of the true Ministers of Christ in that day and is in measure the same with many in this day Which doth manifest the wide difference between the Ministers of Christ and the Ministers of Anti-christ the one being in a state of Darkâ—eâ—s through that wisdom which will neither enter nor suffer others to enter and the other in a state of Light through the gift of that Wisdom which is of God by Jesus Christ which is willing to give entrance through Faith in him to his Rest which the wise of this World by all their outward Learning can never find for as the true Ministers of Christ give no offence so the Ministers of Anti christ offend in all things towards God and his People and he that offends Christs little ones better were it for him that a Mill stone were hanged about his Neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Mat. 18.6 7. for the People of the Lord are even to him as the Apple of his Eye and blessed are they that are not offended in him for they shall receive a double Reward of Gods heavenly Râ—ches in Jesus Christ but Wo is unto them that have taken upon them the name of his Ministers and are not found in â—he 〈…〉 of his Life by whose Spirit of Grace his Servants were made able Mâ—nisters of his Truth according to the Dispâ—niation given thâ—â— for others to fullfil the Word of God Col. 1.25 which is evident they did not preach 〈…〉 but Jâ—us Christ the Lord and themselves the Peoples Servanâ—s 〈◊〉 Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 neither had any mans Person in aâ—miration for advantage sake of outward gain neither was their preaching with 〈◊〉 words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration oâ— the Spirâ—â— and of Power that Peoples Faith might not stand in the Wisdom oâ— Man but in the Power of God 1 Cor 2.4 〈◊〉 that so they might continue in the Faith grounded and stedâ—ast and not be moved away from the Hope oâ— the Gospel which they â—ave heard and which was preached to every Creature â—hat is under the Heavens whereof the Apostles were made the Ministers of Christ Col 1.23 Now it is evident that they who pretend to be Gospel Ministers and are not in Dâ—ctrine Principle and Pratice as aforesaid related of Christs Ministers they are â—â—e Worlds Teachers set up and upheld by the World â—nd so no true Gospel maintenance belongeth unto them â—r their mouthes are to be stopped because they subvert â—hole Houses teaching things they ought not for filthy â—ucre take therefore their mouthes are to be 〈◊〉 â—hom God hath not sent to tred out his Corn for 〈◊〉 God taketh care for Oxen so he taketh the greater care 〈◊〉 the Ministers of his Truth that as they plow in hove they also thresh in hope and are made partakers of their hope 1 Cor. 9 9 10. in which state the Houshold of Faith do good unto all men and more in a special manner to them of whom they pertake of their spiritual things So in the one Faith do the People of God minister to each other without any Compulsion by or from the Power of man Rom. 15.27 1 Cor. 9 11. So they that waâ—t aâ— the Altar are made to partake with the Altar 1. Cor. 9 13. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preaâ—â—h the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 So the true Ministers of Christ do not use any outward Power least that they should hinder the Gospel of Christ 1 Cor 9.2 which Example is left for all to follow even as the true Gospel Ministers have followed Christ and also to mark them that walk otherways 1 Cor. 11 1. Phil. 3.17 Then whom should we mark but them who have taken upon them the Name of Gospel Ministers and by their Doctrine Principle Practice are not found of the Nature of Christ and his true Gospel Ministers which teach People the way to Gods Kingdom without Money by the year for preaching for the Love of God in Christ by whom his Servants and Messengers of Truth are constrained to preach the Gospel for whose sake they preach the Gospel without Charge even so was it with the Apostles in their Day who used no Compulsion neither did he write that any such thing should be done unto them
to do as many say that if they live where Governours and Rulers are they must be subject to their Laws which they say are ordained of God for the benefit of Church and State otherwayes say they we cannot be subject to all Powers which are ordained of God Now this I do believe that all Powers which are to keep down sin and evil that they are ordained of God but for any to think that the holy Apostle did include the Powers of Darkness to be ordained of God is gross Ignorance in them that so believe for all the Powers of Darkness are of the Devil who is the Father of all Unrighteousness and God never ordained the Devil nor any of his Dark Towers which rule in the Children of Disobedience of whom some have asserted to me That God made the Devil as he now is a Devil but it s through Disobedience to God and Obedience to the Power of the Devil men come to grow into such gross Ignorance that they will venture to the hazard of their souls to say that which they neither know nor understand for the Powers of Darkness which God permits to rule in the Children of Disobedience are for a tryal of his Peoples Faith who are not to submit in active obedience to the dark Powers of the Earth among unrighteous men which cause the righteous to suffer for the Truth of God and Testimony of Jesus which if any refuse Obedience to suffer for the Truth of God and Name of his Son Jesus Christ they cannot be his Disciples for he that is not willing to part with his Life for the sake of Christ can never be made partaker of his heavenly Riches in the Life to come for he that denyeth Crhist before men he will be denyed of Gods Kingdom by Jesus Christ in the World to come so that the Righteous are not to be subject in active Obedience they are to submitt and that for Conscience sake well knowing that their reward will follow in heavenly Riches of Gods Kingdom where the Wicked shall never come So all Powers that be are of God who permits the Devils Power in unrighteous men for a tryal of his Peoples Faith and that he may gain honour to his ovvn Name through their damnation which fullfils the Apostles saying Let every soul be subject to the higher Power for there is no Power but what is of God either by commission or permission for the Power of the Devil God doth permit in unrighteous men whose Power the rightous are not actually to obey for if they should actually they any unrighteous Power in so doing they resist the Ordinance of God and to themselves receive Damnation Rom. 13 1â— which according to the Apostles words no man is actually to obey any Power save the Power of God which is saving to them that through Faith live in Obedience to his Truth according as the holy Apostle did or example who hinself was accounted one of the greaâ—est Transgressors of mens Laws in that he was not in â—ctual Obedience to any of their dark Powers which â—ere then in his time for which cause he himself suffered 〈◊〉 the Name of Jesus through whose Power his People â—ome to be redeemed from all actual Obedience to the â—eviles Power which rules in Unrighteous men which â—ould force People from their Obedience to God which â—ermits the Disobedient to wrêst the holy Scriptures to â—eir own Distruction in which state they would bind 〈◊〉 others to believe in their Anti-Christian Faith that 〈◊〉 is of God and that if any man resist their Power that 〈◊〉 resisteth the Ordinance of God and to himself receives â—amnation which is the very way of promoting the Kingdom of Anti-Christ through whose Power many weak People are seduced from the true Faith and have distrusted in the Power of God by their actual Obedience of conforming to the dark Powers of the Devils setting up in wicked men but the day will come which haltens towards the wicked whom the Lord by his mighty Power will overthrow for all power is committed unto him whose power is over the power of the Devil which the power of God suffers to rule that he may see who will serve him the God of all Truth which permits the Devil to set up and pull down even to the making waste oâ— one another but they that truly serve the Lord shall stand forever for he is God and Lord over all whose almighty Power suffers one dark Power to pull down one and to set up another until his time comes whose right it is to rule in Truth and Righteousness in the heart of every man and woman and in the mean time they that rule for God are not a Terror to good works but to the evil for they are the Ministers of God for the Peoples good that they that do evil might be afraâ—d for he bareth not the Sword in vain but is the Minister of God and a Revenger to execute wrath upon them that do evil Rom. 13.3.4 Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake Vers 5. and for this cause pay you Tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Vers 6. Render therfore their due Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom is due Fear to whom Fear is due Honour tâ— whom Honour is due owe no man any thing but love on another Rom. 13.7 8. Now them that are faithfully in Obedience to the Power of Gods gift of Grace by Jesus Christ they fear the Lord and work his Righteousness through which they live in the love of God towards all men which is the fullfilling of the Law Vers 8. in which staâ—e oâ— true love they render to all men rich and poor vvhatever the Lord requireth of them to do for their obedience is to the power of his own spirit which leads every Just and upright man in Power to rule for Gods Honour through which they have Dominion over the evil Doers and praise unto them that do well such Rulers bare not the Sword in â—aine but he that respects the Person of any man in Justice and Judgment is a Transgressor of Gods holy Law is convinced of the Law as a Transgressor Jam. 2. â— for they that rule for God do no unrighteousness in Judgment neither do they respect the Persons of the Poor nor honour the Persons of the Mighty but in Righteousness judge they their Neighbour Lev 19.15 for they hear the small as well as the great without respecting the persons of either thereby they do not fear the face of any man for the Judgment is the Lords which if there be any thing too hard for them they are to wait on the Lord who in his own due time will manifest the truth of the Cause by which they may come to render true Judgment according to the mind of God Deut. 1.17 but if they respect mens Persons and wrest
whom he exhorted not to Swear at all were Brethren in Covenant with the Apostle in the Church of Christ else why called he them Brethren then if Brethren with the holy Men of God in the Church of Christ then why should any presume to say his Exhortation from Swearing did only include common Swearing which it so it must then follow that there vvere common Svvearers in Covenant vvith the holy Apostle in the Church of Christ vvhich thing I do not believe that any common Svvearers vvere in Covenant vvith the Apostle James in the Church but that as they vvere Observers of the Oath in the Lavv he exhorted them to believe in Christ vvho had fulfilled all Righteousness contained in the Law in which the Oath was contained also So that by fullfilling the Righteousness of the Law or that righteousness of Works which was required in the Law he also fulfilled the Righteousness of the Oathâ— and being the end of all Oathes Strife and Contention be exhorted the People to believe in him who is the Way the Truth and the Life of Light which lighteth every true Child of God begotten through faith in him to speak the Truth each to the other in all cases whatever without Swearing which is according so what the Apostle James doth also direct viz. Above all things my Brethren Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more than these is evil and we know that all evil is for condemnation neither do the People of God cause any to Swear but desire that all may speak Truth and that they which speak the Truth and they that swear the Truth may be received under one Penalty without transgressing the Kings Law by which men might live in outward peace as to these things of Swearing or not Swearing CHAP. XXII Concerning Wars and Fightings being contrary to the Command of God by Jesus Christ and Example of his holy Apostles IF People would but follow Truth and Righteousness they would do to one another as they would be done unto which is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 12. Luke 6.31 then would there be an end of all Wars and Fightings which until men come to the first Ministration of the Law and the Prophets to do even as they would be done unto they are far from the Covenant of Life Light and Grace by Jesus Christ whose doctrine to his Discipâ—es by many is not minded as they ought to do or else they would put up the Sword for Christ hath said All they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword Mat. 26.52 whose Doctrine is in general for all men to observe and do that thereby they may perform the command of God and live the Life of Obedience unto him who hath said all they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword by which People may see and know besides what daily experience teacheth that they which take the Sword perish with the sword by which they may see the woful effect of their use of means as they call it which is according to the spirit of God by his Prophet â—ursed bâ— the man that trust thâ—in man and maketh Flesh his Arm Jer. 17.5 Then is not man departed from the command of the Lord when he takes the Sword with which Christ hath said they that take it shall perish with it Can there be a more plainer saying in the holy Scriptures for People to understand then the saying of Christ to Peter Put up the Sword for all they that take the sword shall Perish with the Sword which doth manifest â—he use of the Sword to destroy the lives of each other not to be the â—rdinance of God for Christ came not to destroy mens â—ves but to save and make alive And his holy Apostle â—ueries Do not Wars and fightings come even of mens Lusts â—hat war in their members Jam. 4.1 which notwithstanding Christ and his holy Apostles their sayings People â—un back in their minds as Israel when in distress turned â—heir minds to Egypt for help even so do People distrust 〈◊〉 this day as if there was no God in Israel to save but 〈◊〉 run back in their minds to what Abraham and David and divers others of Gods faithfull Servants did against the Enemies of God in the time of the Law which is no way lawfull for Christians to do in the time of the Gospel for the holy men of God in the time of the Law did destroy People by Cursing them in the Lords Name and destroyed mâ—n others by fire from Heaven which if such things were lawfull in the time of the Gospel as was lawfull in the time of the Law then every false Preacher is to be destroyed now in this Gospel day even as they were destroyed in the time of the Law for though they do not preach up a false God yet they preach the true God in a false way which no whit differs in sin against God in this Gospel day no more then the sin of Baals priests did in the time of the Law but as the Lords People are to pray and do pray that the Lord may turn the hearts of all such to preach the true God in the true way of living unto him in Truth and Righteousness with uprightness of heart and mind according as of God by Jesus Christ they are commanded to do then would they preach against the use of the Sword and pray for the return of their Enemies which is according to the command of Christ who directs not any of his true begotten Children to follow Abraham David nor any other of the Lords Servants with the use of the Sword in the time of the Law which was to cut down and lay waste their Enemies Country that it might be an outward holy Land for the Lords People to remain in and serve him in Truth and sincerity of heart and mind according to the Commandments of God which they had received so that all what was done in the time of the Law in respect of wars and fightings they were all to end in the time of the Gospel for Christ is the end of all war strife and contention for Christs day was before Abraham who trained up his Servants to fight the Lord Battel against the outward Ennemies of Gods Truth which is fulfilled by Jesus Christ who hath commanded us to pray for Enemies for he suffered Death for all and doth not desire that any should perish but that all might turn and live and for that end he doth not with-hold the Sword of his Spirit from his Servants and Children but trains them up to fight the Lords Battel against the spiritual Enemies which oppose his Truth and strive to hinder the prosperity of his Peoples peace towards the holy Land or spiritual abode in heavenly Rest which Enemies are the World the Fresh and Dâ—vil and all whatever else doth tend to hinder the soul of true enjoyment with â—he Lord of
Rest so that now in this Gospel day it is by the Sword of the Spirit by which the Kindom of God is advanced in the hearts of his People who pray to the Lord oâ— Life to teach their spiritual hands to right the Lords Battel against the Enemies of their Peace with him so as Israel of old were to destroy all Gods outward Enemies with the outward Sword for the outward advancing the outward Kingdom of Israel in the outward Laâ—d of Canaan so are the People of God in this day with the inward Sword of his spirit to maintain now in their inward Travail to the heavenly Canaan against all the inward Enemies which would hinder the advancing of Gods Kingdom by Jesus Christ in his People by whom they receive strength to fight the Lords spiritual Battel against the Enemies of their soul and as Israel of old did not perform the command of the Lord by the mouth of his Prophets to destroy all them outward Enemies out of their Land for which cause they remained as Thorns in their sides so will it be with them that reserve alive any one inward Enemy to Gods Truth for every Enemy to his Truth seeks to draw the heart and mind from serving God in the true and living way even as in the outward with Israel in that day of the Lords command to destroy all them that were outward Enemies to his Truth which Israel not fulfilling the word of the Lord them Enemies were as snares and gins to draw their minds from serving the true and living God by which they not obeying the word of the Lord they by their enemies were drawn into Idolatry to worship the gods of the Nation which were no godds to save Israel from the just hand of God through whose just Judgments they received their reward from â—he Lord which suffered them for their disobedience to be destroyed by the hand of their outward Enemies so as Israel was to fulfill Gods command to destroy their outward Enemies by or with the outward Sword of the Lords outward Battel against them that were outward Enemies to the true Worship of God in that day even so are the inward Enemies of mans soul to be destroyed by or with the spiritual Sword which is to fight the Lords spiritual Battel against the spiritual Enemies which would hinder the inward man of the true inward Worship of God in the Spirit and in the Truth so as the Rebellion in dayes past did not regard the Sword of the Lord who of long time after did strive with his People in that day of their outward War against their outward Enemies and they would not hearken to obey the Word of the â—ord by the mouth of his Prophets but beat one and destroyed another till at length through unbelief and hardness of heart they crucified the Lord of Life whom they put to open shame without their City gates for which cause their day was over and their House became desolate even so will it be with the Rebellious in this day who reserve Gods spiritual Enemies by keeping them alive whom God hath appoynted to be destroyed which for not obeying the command of God by his Son the Lord of Liâ—e but refuse the tenders of his Grace by his gifts of divine Light and Word of his Spirit which keeps striving from day to day and from time to time until their day be over and House be left desolate for the Spirit of God vvill not alvvays strive vvith man which is matter of great vveight for all to consider that they may so live in obedience to the manifestation of Gods Spirit that they may come to vvitness every evil Lust of the heart and corrupt desire of the mind vvhich are the invvard Enemies to God and mans Soul that they may not reserve or keep any one alive but keep all dovvn vvith the spiritual Svvord of Gods Povver in and through the Lord Jesus Christ vvho vvith-holds not from any that are vvilling to take up the Cross to their natural will and follovv him to gain the Crovvn vvhich is far from them that lust after War and Fighting vvith the outvvard Svvord vvhich hath no relation tovvards the promoting of Gods Kingdom by Jesus Christ vvho hath said all they that take the Sword shall perish with the Sword vvhich is according to the Apostles Query From whence come Wars and Fightings among you come they not hence even of your Lusts that war in your Members ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask amiss that you may consume it upon your Lust Jam. 4.1 2 3. Then they vvhich ask cannot receive because thay ask that vvhich God hath forbidden they lust to kill and ask Victory that they may spend it on their lust but their reward is to be according to Christs vvords all that take the svvord shall perish vvith the Svvord But some vvill say If the Spirit move the Quaker he will sell his coat and buy a Sword to fight for his Religion To which I Answer That Christ sent his Disciples vvithout Purse and Scrip and Shoos yet they lacked nothing notvvithstanding he said unto them He that hath a Purse let him take it and likewise his Scrip and he that hath no Sword let him sell his Garment and buy one for I say unto you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me So he that had no Svvord vvas to sell his Garment and buy one that the use of the Sword according to the Righteousness of the Lavv might befulfilled by the Righteousness of Christ vvho said unto them that two Swords were enough Luke 22.35 36 37 38. Then seeing that tvvo Svvords vvere enough for the Disciples of Christ by vvhom the use of the Svvord vvas fulfilled by the Righteousness of Christ as to the Lavv then vvhose Unrighteousness is that vvhich the many Svvords are fulfilling in this day for the use of the Sword as to the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled by the Righteousness of Christ which suffered his Body to be pierced for the sins of the People that all might witness him to be the end of all War Strife and Contention for if his Kingdom had been of this World he could have prayed to the Father and the Father would have sent him more then twelve Legions of Angels and this was in full satisfaction to Peter which was after Peter had put up the Sword when Christ said to him all they that take the Sword shall Perish with the Sword which doctrine is true as by the Spirit of God and holy scripture with daily experience which teaches the same but Faith and Patience of the Lords People witness the Kingdom of Christ not to be of this World for which cause they cannot fight for him with the carnal Sword for the Spirit of God doth not change in his People to command them from a thing that is
Lord. CHAP. XXVII Concerning the begetting being born and brought forth of the Immortal and Incorruptible Seed of Gods Kingdom by Jesus Christ THe Immortal and Incorruptible Seed of Gods Kingdom in Jesus Christ is of that Birth which the World by all their Wisdom in outward Learning are never able to find neither can any ever know to witness the new Birth further than by Faith and Obedience to the gift of Gods Spirit by Jesus Christ whose Spirit of Life makes frâ—â— from the Law of Sin and Death for the Seed of the Kingdom is of a heavenly divine Nature which hath no fellowship with the Works of Darkness in which all that disobey the Lord of Life remain by which their Birth is of the Enemies Seed which alienates the Heart of Man and Woman from true Oâ—edience to God â—n which state they are Strangers to the nature of the New Birth which is not born of Blood nor of the will of the Fleâ— nor of the Will of Man but of God Iohn 1.13 for it is born of the Spirit of God and brought forth by Gâ—ace through Faith in Christ Jesus by whom the Children of men have received a measure which though but as a grain of the smallest of all grain it is of the little leavens Nature to purge out and leaven the whole Lump into the nature of Gods Kingdom in Christ Jesus whom the World by all their Wisdom can never know for the things of Gods Kingdom are hiâ— from the Wise and Prudent of this World and revealed to the Children of God whose Life remains in the Babe-like Nature of God in Christ whose Babes they are begotten of God by the word of his Spirit through Faith and Obedience to the Lord of Life in whose Life and Nature every true Child of God in their measure live move and have their being in the nature of him for as his nature is the New Birth and all that are born of him hey bring Fruits acceptible to him for they are the Children of the Day which live in the Light and walk in the Light which the Children of the Night cannot do for the Day of Gods Visitation by the gift of his divine Light is unto them a dark thing at which the wise stumble and the prudent cannot receive for by their own Wisd 〈◊〉 in their own prudent way is their Understanding darkdarkened as to the things of God and Nature of his Kingdom neither can any grow to understand the things of 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ buâ— as they grow in Grace through the affectual working of his divine Life and Light by the quickening Word 〈◊〉 his Spirit which opens the understanding and enlarges the gift of his divine Nature through which 〈◊〉 the holy Seed increâ—seth more and more and in the increase bringeth forth fruit more and more abundant to the praise of God and honour of his Name and well-being of the Soul in Christ Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of his own Work of Righteousness in his true begotten People who are begot by the gift of Gods good Spirit of Grace Life and Light in which the faithful see Light Psalm 36.9 for by Light is all and every Deed of Darkness manifested so that Faith in Christ Jesus and Faithfulness Obedience to the gift of Gods divine Light is the first beginning of an acquintance with the divine Nature of Christ who draws the heart of every faithful man and woman into the assurance of Faith having their hearts sprinkled from â—n evil Conscience and their Bodies washed with pure Water Heb. 10.22 and of this Nature is the Seed of Gods Kingdom in the hearts of them that belong unto him the nature of whose Kingdom the wise prudent part in man cannot comprehend for the wise unregenerated part is that which ramains in the Fall and is alienated from the true Seed of the Kingdom which will not take root in any other ground but in that honest heart which is made willing to bear the Cross in all things to the self will in which state of subjection to the will of God the Seed takes root down-ward and brings forth Fruit upward to the honour of Gods holy Truth so than all reasoning with Flesh and Blood is shut out by the Power of Gods Spirit in every upright honest heart to wards God in which life of Obedience there is no giving way to the Earthly part which ramains in the Disobedient through which they oppress the Seed of God and cause his Life in the measure of the Seed to depart which if they were but faithful to the measure of Seed received the Life of Gods Spirit of Grace would increase to the withstanding of all the Enemies Power which through the willingness of the obedient part being yeilded to him the true Seed of God will take no root of abidance in any sort of ground whatever where People live in a state of sinning against God and his Christ Mat. 13. So they that are new born of the incorruptible Seed they first come to dye through the Cross of Christ which crucifies the self will prudent part for Knowledge without Obedience brings Death over the Soul in which state the Kingdom oâ— God is hid For that which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit John 3.2 3 4 5 6. So they that are truely begotten of God in Christ theâ— witness the New-Birth which is not born of Flesh and Blood nor of the Will of Man but of the incorruptible Seed the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever 1 Pet. 1.23 Now the Word of God which abideth forever is of his Spirit 〈◊〉 Life Light and Grace which floweth into the hearts 〈◊〉 true Believers through Faith in Christ Jesus who drawâ— the willing mind to partake of Gods heavenly Riches iâ— and through him who is the Lord of all Grace Life anâ— Light which by measure lives moves and abides in thâ— heart of every sincere Believer in him through whoâ— Power they witness a daily decaying of the first Nature and a daily increase of Newness in a holy Life unto Goâ— who gives power to the weak feeble through which there is no distrust in the Power of God which they daily experience to give them Victory over every Thought which would exalt it self above the Witness of God and hinder the growth of the Seed of the Kingdom of Heaven in which no man can enter without being born again the benefit of which no man is denyed of God by Jesus Christ who hath said by his Spirit of Truth Whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely Rev. 22.17 Isa 55.1 2 3. By which it is clear that the Spirit of God hinders no man of any benefit by Jesus Christ for the Salvation of his Soul that is as Man keeps faithful to God according to what he hath commanded by the Son of his Love the Lord of Life Postscript MUch more might
follow that they are false Worshippers then why they put to Death according to that Command in the Law and their Substance taken away to defray publick Charge contrary to the express Command of God in the time of the Law Exod. 22 18. Deut. 28.16 13 1â— 1â— But when men come â—o burn their Books of curious Arts then the oldness of the Law will dye and newness in Spirit will appear through the growth of Gods Word which in that day shall prevail Acts 19.17 18 19 20. until which time let Christs saying to the Rebellious Jews be sufficient that is when they brought the Woman taken in the act oâ— Adultry saying Moses in the Law commanded that such should bâ— stoned to Death Christ bids Let him that is without sin cast the first stone but no man among them being without sin the woman escaped even so may Witches not guilty of Murder escape in this day for he that â—s wholly clear of every degree of Witch-craft may cast a stone at Witches that is when as evidently proved as the Womans act was in Adultry John 8.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. for where the nature of Witchtraft remaineth it evidently appears by Peoples Threats one to the other and their living in Malice Hatred and Envy one against the other watching and waiting for the opportunity of advantage one against the other and if no advantage present of damnifying one the other yet the sin of Witch-craft in one degree is as deeply rooted in them as the sin of Adultry is rooted in him that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultry with her already in his heart Mat. 5 28. for the intent of Wickedness is of greater abomination in the sight of God than the act of sin is in the sight of sinful men Of which number I am now concerned to give an account of New England's first Inhabitants and of them which yet remain without Power but in the very nature of their fore Fathers justifying the Laws by which the Lords Servants were persecuted to Death at Boston for which Judgment after Judgment hath fallen upon this place even since and the Lords just Judgments were to bring them to a sight of that sin of Blood but instead of reâ—enting their hearts have waxed harder and harder against the Truth of God delivered by his Servants in that day in which Day of Gods Truth to them their requital was by destroying the Lives of the Lords People with whole innocent Blood New-England remains defiled for the very first stept of the first Inhabitants towards this land in may be questioned whether or not they fled beyond the command of the Lord for finding the Bishops Yoke uneasie under which if they had remained faithful the Yoke of the Lord would have been easie and his Burden light but instead of manifesting the Lords cause in the other City they fled this Land which fleeing was it not beyond what the Lord hath commanded when persecuted in one City to flee to the other that each place or each People may hear the Truth which all that are called of God are to deliver according to their measure which if any say that it was sufficient warrant from God for them to flee the Land and as Paul did preach the Gospel where Christ was not named then why followed they not Paul as for example he followed Christ who came not to destroy mens lives but to save and 〈…〉 by turning People from Darkness to Light and 〈…〉 Power of Satan to the Power of God but how 〈◊〉 they turned the Native Indians where Christ 〈…〉 named did they not in their first settlement 〈◊〉 them in to the Grave where there is no Repentance a strang turning in feed by a People that pretended so much to Gods Truth as they did and not come so far as the Law and the Prophets but to do unto the poor Natives otherwayes then they themselves would be done unto well might such a work not be expected to promote a People for the Service of God Honour of his Name who hath well rewarded the Inhabitants of New-England for their unrighteous dealings towards the Native Indians whom now the Lord hath suffered to reward the Inhabitants with a double measure of Blood by Fire and Sword which had they followed the command of the Lord to have prayed for their Enemies and done to others even as themselves would have been done unto the â—nhabitants might have been free from these great and terrible Judgments of God which for sin and evil is their Reward in this Day So its evident that through their unfaithfulness to God in their first settlement of this Land and since hath been the leading cause of their being further left to do these unrighteous things which have increased the Lords Wrath against them and their following Generation who remain guilty for not repenting of sin and evil against God for whose Truth they ought to have born a faithful Testimony in their publick â—ssemblies against all the unrighteous Ways of their fore-Fatcers which have been against the Lord and his People of which I may relate something that others thereby may receive warning not to follow Unrighteousness but to remain faithful to their measure lest the Lord deliver them up through Unbelief to hardness of heart and they do as New-England's Priests and Rulers have done which hath caused the hand of the Lord to be against them and all that actually or by silence have consented to their unrighteous ways which have been maintained by the Sword of the Magistrate which the Priests in the day of their Power whitted sharp through their false pernicious Doctrines which did encourage the Rulers of that day to deshoy all the Lords Servants that were found within their Government under the Name Quaker to whom they allotted the Valley of Achor for a door of Hope Josh 7 24.25 perverting the Truth of God through their preaching up things in the Law which Christians are not to do in the time of the Gospel Deut. 13. 1 King 1.10 2.24 Luke 9.54 which notwithstanding they would preach and pray That all were accursed that did their Work negligently against the Quakers whose living among the People the Priests did impute to be the cause of Gods Judgments which they said was the Peoples just Reward for suffering any one Quaker to live among them whereupon the Rulers with the silent consent of the greatest part of the Inhabitants did make sharp and bloody Laws against the Quakers whereby they were long imprisoned under many Hardships as in respect of the hard cold Clymate without fire and for days together without food having their Friends denyed of visiting them in any kind but as the Lord was daily with them their strength in love did increase towards him who did uphold and support them in their great Sufferings which were of that Nature that one would even wonder that a People of so much preaching and praying
be rich is pierced through with many sorrows for it is written They that will be rich fall into many Temptations and a Snare and many foolish and hurtful Lusts which draw men into perdition for lust to Covetousness is such a subtil Enemy and the Devils snare is so cunningly contrived and so full of fair pretences that let a man be once in love with Money he knows not which way to wind himself out for it doth so bewilder fetter and entangle his mind even to the destruction of his soul and loss of body also yet how vehemently with care and diligence will men vindicate Covetousness because that care and diligence there may be and ought to be but the truth is every covetous man makes care and diligence a cloak for Covetousness whereby he is sheltered against all reproof in which state mans life among his Neighbours is not much desireable neither by the Poor lamented at his Death but rather rejoyce at the dividing of his Idol to whom God hath not given the priviledge of a beggar who hath a Child to inherit his old Apparel And again an Inheritence hastily gotten by covetous men soon wasteth among their Children for all that is gained not agreeable to truth and righteousness it is under the curse for the promise of blessing is only to that which is gained according to Gods Word which is That men should first seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof unto which is the promise of adding all other things needful for God that taketh care to provide for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field takâ—th the greater care for them that fear him and work righteousness So that in whomsoever God is not retained in their thoughts words and works cannot be agreeable with his Truth therefore are they of the World the ways of which are Covetousness through which they oppress one another evèn like to the sweeping rain CHAP. VI. Concerning that Life the Nature of it which God requireth of all Men. GOd in the counsel of his own Wisdom and Time hath set before all men the way of Life and the way of Death which Death is the Tree of Knewledge of good and evil that is man 's own will wisdom knowledge reason righteousness and the like of which he ought not to eat because in it is death for it opens their eyes against themselves and that in evrey thing in which to them abideth death Now the Tree of Life is Christ which calleth to all men to feed upon him to eat his Flesh to drink his Blood to do his Will to follow his gift of divine Light to hear and obey his Word to improve his Talant and measure of his Spirit of Truth which leads into all truth which is Bread and Wine indeed without Money without Price the Bread of the Kingdom the Water of Life of which if a man eat and drink he can neither hunger nor thirst for it giveth life to all that hunger and thirst after Righteousness These things are not hid from man unto whom the spirit saith Come take of the Water of Life freely come take the yoâ—e it is easie and the burden is light come take up the Cross and follow him that in all things hath done the Fathers will for the Redemption and Salvation of all them that hear him and obey him to do his will which is meat and drink indeed Here the heavy are made light and the mourner is comforted yea he of a sad Countenance hath his heart made better here the flying Cherub and the glittering Sword turns every way to destroy lay waste and dispossess the strong man of all his goods the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil mans own wisdom will knowledge reason righteousness and the like that all lust may dye and Devils be cast out and that through the work of the spirit which hath the Government to mortifie all the deeds of the flesh that man may be brought to nothing to will nothing do know nothing omit nothing but as God willeth in him doth in him knoweth in him and omiteth in him this man doth rest from his Labour and keepeth the Sabbath holy he cleaves to the Tree of Life he is regenerated new born and brought forth of the immortal Seed he is cleansed and purified through the Baptism of the Spirit he is planted into Christ and is in whole obedience to the rule and goverment of his Spirit both in though word and work his meat and drink is to do the will of God on Earth as it is done in Heaven he willeth nothing but what God willeth in him he doth nothing but what God doth do inhim he omitteth nothing but what God omitteth in him he knoweth nothing but what God knoweth in him his only food is of the Tree of Life which is Bread and Wine of Life indeed which he that knoweth nothing of this work wrought in him self he yet is in a miserable and undone estate reposing upon his own knowledge wisdom and reason in which abideth death it self therefore saith the Spirit arise take up the cross to that which is of self and Christ will give thee Life his yoke is ease his burden is light that is to them whom he is of God made Wisdom Righteousness Senctification and Redemption they also renew their strength in the Tree of Life which is the beginning of grace by the work of the Spipit which mortifies the deeds of the flesh that the house may be cleansed of Gods Enemies which destroy means peace with his maker and defile the Temple of God whose Enemies is mans lust and every Devil which hath sprung from the seed of the Serpent sown in man which lusteth to be wise and knowing having its eyes alwayes open against it self which must be destroyed by the Spirit of Truth the strength of the Tree of Life that the man of God may grow from one degree of Grace to another till they become perfect men and women in Christ Jesus in whom there is no condemnation to them to whom Christ of God is made wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemtion they are born of the Spirit and baptized of the Spirit and made free by the Law of the Spirit of Life from the Law of Sin and Death in which work of the Spirit of Life there is nothing of mans own Wisdom Knowledge Will or Reason for the work is wholly wrought of God through faith and obedience to hear believe and obey Gods gift of Grace his Spirit of Truth by Jesus Christ who for his works lake imputeth it to them for Righteousness for faithful Abraham beleived God to trust in his promise but his faith was not without Works of Obedience nor according to his own knowledge wisdom will and reason but in Gods time according to his own knowledge and wisdom through which the work done by Abraham was done in Faith and Obedience to God whose will was done on Earth as it
was done in Heaven therfore is it writen that as the body is dead without the spirit so is also Faith dead without Works that by whomsoever works are not manifested agreeable to Gods holy Truth and example of his holy People in days past they are only Christians in namê and not in nature of that life which God requireth of all men to live and abide in therefore it is that people profit not by what they hear or read because they are spiritually dead having blinded Eyes and deaf Ears with which they can neither see hear nor receive to understand the Spirit of Truth of which a manifestation is given to every man to profit withal and is the gift of his Spirit the Word of Faith to them that will hear to obey the Light of the Spirit of Truth which is the condemnation of the Disobedient who are here and there in this and the other Form of Religion serving God with mouth and lip in their own wisdom wills and with their own words being only called by the Name of Christ without the Nature of his Life which being destitute of no man can be a true Christian yet how contentedly do men live and abide in this and the other form but do not witness the strength of the power of God to redeem from sin and transgression and to make alive to God who is only a God them that through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh and through the Spirit are brought in again by the flying Cherub and glittering Sword of Gods power in and by Christ the Tree of everlasting Life on which as any eats he cannot dye to God but hath an infallible assurance of life in the Son of God without which assurance no man can truly say that he pleaseth God in thought word and deed for it is the anointing which is by the Tree of Life that teacheth all things which leadeth into all Truth the evidence of which Spirit doth assure the Son in whom there is life and the nature of his life dwelleth and abideth in them that by true faith in him and obedience to the word of his Spirit they are made alive unto God and of this nature is Christ in his people and in whom he is not they are Reprobates and in whom he abideth not they are cursed Children abiding under the curse in their own wisdom knowledge will reason righteousness and the like which causeth them to lust more and more after the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil for which cause they rebel against the Spirit of God in themselves and deny his appearance in his People for which cause of Rebellion which is as the sin of Witch-craft the Truth of God abideth not in them therefore are they without God in the world living to their own God of which in the world there are many that delight and sweetly recreate their minds in by living a life of obedience to their own ways of righteousness which only proceeds from lust that gives way for men to live according as their own will and reason directeth them in all they do for God and to one another all which is vnder the Curse as it is written Cursed is he that putteth his Trust in man and maketh flesh his Arm. So all men that live in flesh and blood and are obedient to their own wisdom will and reason they are servants to their own lust being in bondage as slaves servants to that and those things which they do as it is written Men are Servants to him to whom they obey and Children of him whose work they do therefore he that will be free from the curse of condemnation must take up the cross and deny himself of all things which are not of God and his Spirit of Truth otherwise he cannot come to the Tree of Life but will fall short of that Crown of Righteousness which is in store for all them that abide faithful to God as by his divine Light he doth lead and teach by the spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth by which men are made fit to enter in at the strait gate of Christâ— Kingdom CHAP. VII Concerning Judgment begun at the House of God and in his House to judge down every appearance of evil THe House of God in general where Judgment first beginneth is his people but Judgment cometh to every Transgressor of his holy Truth and that to judge down every appearance of evil therefore said one in his day Who shall deliver me from this Body of sin death Now the Body of this man was the House of God and Temple of the holy Ghost in which God by his Judgment was at work to judge down cast out and destroy every lust that would evalt it self above the Witness of God that the House of God might be throughly cleansed and only become a house of â—oly Habitation for the Spirit of Truth to abide in for as 〈◊〉 is written The high holy one who inhabits EternÃty dwelleth not in Temples made with hands but taketh up his abode with men of clean hearts contrite spirits that fear him and work righteousness do justly love mercy and walk humbly such bear the image of God and nature of Christ with whom and in whom both Father and Son do take up their abode therefore where men give not up to come under the cross and follow the light and word of Gods Spirit in obedience to his call they resist the holy one crucifie him afresh to themselves such defile the house and temple of God and them will God destroy indeed how many such people with a fair Israel 〈…〉 of Religion are crept into a profession of Gods Truth 〈◊〉 â—hrough deceit have under the like profession entered 〈◊〉 selves as Christians among the People of God but he that caused the Net to be cast into the Sea which brought forth good and bad to the shore the same doth permit the net of profession to gather all sorts of People into the outward name Christian therefore doth Judgment also begin at the House of God which are his people to make a seperation between the precious and the vile not only to purge and cleanse from lusts but also to cut off the stubborn and stiff-necked ones which will not submit to the cross whose Judgment will also reach to the old Age of them that live in disobedience to the Spirit of Truth for Judgment from God hath spread it self to the ends of the Earth and hath begun its work at the house of God If the righteous scarcely are saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear Judgment is not come to bring peace to any unrighteous person but is gone forth to do the work of God among the People and will both inwardly and outwardly lay waste and destroy all that is not of himself for that which only is of himself shall stand and that which is not of himself shall come to nought and therefore Judgment from God is gone forth to the ends of Earth that all that will be gathered may be preserved and that which will not hear the Spirit of Truth to be obedient thereto the same shall be scattered abroad till Judgment gather it as Fuel for the fire of Gods Wrath which forever burneth against the unrighteousness of wicked and ungodly men and for this very end is judgment at work for God that he may gather a People pure in heart and of uprightness in mind which in all things shall be of one spirit and mind towards him in thought word work therefore let none in this day which make a profession of Gods holy Truth deceive themselves for God will not be mocked such as every man soweth of the same he shall 〈◊〉 reap whether to the flesh or to the Spirit for all that is of the Spirit the spirit giveth evidence in every faithful man and woman that it is of God though the Spirit abideth not in every unrighteous man yet the appearance of it is often to their condemnation and so doth continue 〈◊〉 it hath left striving and the day of Gods Grace be over having sinned out the day of Gods Visitation Let all therefore consider in what state they abide as to God whose promise to the Righteous is That it shall go well with them but it shall go ill with the Wicked Therefore let not these Truths which have been received by the Spirit of Truth find itching Ears among any but as every man turn in his mind to the Spirit of Truth he will witness the truth of these Things â—th 1st Mon. 1694. THO. MAVLE THE END