no Unclean Thing shall enter the Kingdom of God and all Sin and Wickedness is unclean in the Sight of God and this was that which John saw was done away which he called the Old Heaven and the Old Earth and said He saw a New Heaven and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness which was a real Change in Man and Woman out of Sin and Wickedness into Righteousness and so Christ comes to rule where the Devil ruled and this is being born again and without coming to this none can come to be saved nor go to Heaven Therefore 't is good for all to consider this while there is time to do it before the Night come wherein no man can work for God for there are many things that hinder man from being born again as I was about to say concerning them that make Visible Things their Heaven and their God as some make Covetousness and Pride their Heaven and their God and othersome Drunkenness Swearing and Lying their Delight so it is their Heaven and their God some in Envy Malice Hatred and Strife Backbiting and Revenge others delight in Quarrelling Fighting and Murdering about Religion others in Hunting Hawking and Horse-Racing in Cards and Dice in Foolish Jesting spending their precious time in Idle Stories which corrupt Youth and are a Shame to Old Age. These things and many more while people live in them they are not born again nor led by the Spirit of God for all these things are brought forth in people by the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit which ruleth in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience ' Ephes 2.2 But the worst is that all these things ' or most of them are brought forth by such and in such as do pretend to worship and Religion but all such Worshippers are out of the Fear of God God made Man Upright but he falling from that Upright State he came to invent many Wayes to find out that again which he by Disobedience had lost but none could find it till they came to be led to it by the Spirit of God the Spirit of Truth which leadeth and guideth into all Truth and none come to be led by the Spirit of Truth till they deny themselves and take up a Cross to their own Wills a Cross to their old Heaven and to their old Earth which they have lived and delighted in not a Cross of Wood or Stone and such outward things as the Papists set up but to the Perverse Nature and the Selfish Will that the Will of God may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven in thy Earthen Vessel but while the old Heaven and the old Earth and the old Beggarly Elements are standing these things cannot be till all that cometh to be done away by the Spirit and Power of God for by him all things are to be made new in Man and Woman For when thy Delight cometh to be set on the Law of the Lord and thy Mind to be set on God and Godliness above all other things and to make it thy chiefest Joy to serve and worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and to seek after a Righteous Life here thou wilt come to know that New Heaven which John spoke of in the Revelations wherein dwelleth Righteousness so new Pleasures and Joyes for while the Old Nature in thee bears rule the old Pleasures of Sin yet stand in thy Mind and Heart in that dwelleth Unrighteousness and that must be destroyed and when these things by Christ come to be destroyed then thou wilt come to know Sanctification and to be redeemed from Sin by the Spirit of God and to be sanctified as the Scripture saith throughout in Body Soul and Spirit and so come to know all things to become new to be changed by the Lord and this is the New Birth which is begotten and brought forth by God which is not of this World but cometh to be changed by the little Leaven which was hid in the three Measures of Meal Matth. 13.33 and blessed be the Name of the Lord this little Leaven hath in many brought the three Measures into one Lump and hath changed Body Soul and Spirit into its own Nature and in such all things are become new for the Kingdom of Heaven and the Spirit of it is compared to a little Leaven that was hid in three Measures of Meal for the Spirit of God seemeth to most people to be of little and of low Esteem in their Eyes and the Appearance of his Spirit in them against Sin is more hated than any man's and he is as the Prophet said Amos 2.13 prest down as a Cart that is laden with Sheaves It is Sin and Wickedness that the Spirit of God is pressed down with in the Hearts and Consciences of People but Wo be to them one day if by Faith and Repentance they remove not these Weights and Burdens from the Lord's Spirit this is that which will sink them down to the Pit of Hell where there is never any more coming out it s without End 't is Torment forever Therefore it is good for all People to be faithful to the Spirit of Christ it is no less than the Power of God to Salvation in them that are faithful to it and by this People come to escape the Damnation of Hell and by no other means can ever any escape but as they come to know Christ's Spirit to rule in the Heart and Mind over all Impurity for he is come to bear sway in the Heart and therefore Wisdom saith My Son give me thy Heart and if he rule in the Heart then that which abounds out of the Heart will be from the Good Motions of Christ's Spirit and as the Holy Man of God said in dayes past Acts 17.28 In Him we live and in Him we move and have our being this will also be witnessed by them in this day that know Christ to rule in them for such come to live in him and to move by him and in him to have their being he that came to this state said Gal. 2.20 The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God This was a Life out of Sin in the New Birth being chosen out of this World and come to walk in a new and living Way which leadeth to the Rest which never will have End Christ is the Leader of such and they are no more their own but his as he is their Leader so he is their Father Master and Keeper when Temptation comes he is a strong Tower he is also in the Righteous as a Refiner's Fire and as a Fuller with Soap and as a Purifier of Silver he makes them more pure than Gold than the Golden Wedge of Ofer he is in all those that are led by him as a Consuming Fire against Sin and all Deceit and therefore it is said Who can dwell with Everlasting Burnings Isa 33.14 for by that Heat cometh all the
the Captives that are in Satans Bands That they may all upon these fore-mention'd Terms come to Enjoy Peace with God again and a Crown of Everlasting Life to their Souls when Dayes in this Life will have an End 2 Cor. 5.7 when all Crowns of Glory here below will fade away and never be enjoyed more Oh! then Happy will they be that have got an Habitation in God and an Inheritance that will never decay And God also by his holy Spirit makes Proclamation on the other hand That they that will not turn to him and lead a New Life but still Rebel against the Manifestations of his Light and the Strivings of his good Spirit in their own Hearts and Consciences till he leaveth striving with them and their Day of Visitation be over That unto all such and upon all such shall pass the Sentence of Mat. 7.23 ch 25.40.41 Go you Cursed Depart from me I know you not And thus the Wicked and all the Workers of Iniquity will be turned into Hell and all that forget God where they must inherit Everlasting Punishment And here is the Reprobation Damnation that God decreed in the Beginning not that God would not have saved them But it is happened to them as to Jerusalem of old Luke 13.34 God hath striven to gather them and they would not be gathered and so God's Unalterable Decree in Justice is fulfilled upon them And this concerneth all people upon the face of the Earth that desire Peace with God in this Life and a Dwelling with him for their Souls when this Life will have an End I say It concerns them to search and try how it is with them and how they stand in Relation to the Spirit of God in themselves and to consider by what they are led for all are led by the good Spirit or the bad and the good Spirit leads Peoples Mind Heaven-wards to mind heavenly things and the bad Spirit leads Peoples Minds Hell-wards to mind Ungodliness and Carnal Earthly things and if not resisted strived against and turned from it will lead into the Bottomless Pit out of which there is no Redemption And no man in his own Will or Strength can stand against that Soul-betraying Spirit which hath taken hold of all Mankind so that without the help of God's Spirit all are undone being no way able to Help themselves but blessed be the Lord he hath taken care of man and hath sent his good Spirit to that end to help us against the Spirit of Unrighteousness Now here all People by this good Spirit of God may come to have their Understandings opened and to see how it is with them as upon the account of their Salvation and how they stand in acceptance with God Now Mark here lies the thing if thou art led by the Spirit of God then thou art at Peace with the Spirit of God in thy self Rom. 8.16 but if the Spirit of God be yet a Reprover and Condemner in thy Heart and Conscience John 16.7 8. John 3.3 20 21 22. and check and trouble thee there then thy Peace and thy Salvation is not wrought with God but thou standest far rejected in the sight of God who is the Searcher of all Hearts and the Discerner of all Thoughts although thou mayst profess much of Religion and mayst run into many Inventions and Forms thinking to please God and to find Peace for thy Soul and thou mayst Pray Preach Read and Sing and be an Observer of outward Ordinances and Family-Duties too as they are called and yet be an Enemy to God and to thy own Soul if thou refusest to be led by the Spirit of God out of the Evil Wayes of the World from a vain Conversation Prov. 15.8 28.9 For the Prayers of the Wicked are an Abomination to the Lord. For so far came Saul when he was an Enemy to God and his People and to his own Soul he made a great flourish about Religion and was much in the outward Observations Acts 9. chap. 22. he said of himself that he was blameless as concerning the outward Law Rom. 7. and doubtless he had great Learning and was very zealous for Religion far beyond Thousands now adayes of those that are called Christians yet all this while he was an Enemy to the Spirit of God in his own Heart and in his blind Zeal kickt against the prickings of Gods Spirit in himself as many high Professors do now adayes and are rebelling against the strivings of Gods Spirit in their own Consciences while full of outward Duties that make a fair shew in the Flesh But it is hard for People to kick against the Pricks for consider that if ever man come into the Way of God again it must be by being instructed by the Spirit of God Prov. 6.23 For the Reproofs of instruction are the Way of Life and God hath given his good Spirit to that end viz. to instruct People in the way of Everlasting Life And this is he that was in that Body of Flesh that suffered at Jerusalem by the murdering Jews who was the only begotten of the Father John 1.12 13 14. Chap. 3.16 full of Grace and Truth that whosoever would believe on him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life He that said Before Abraham was I am this is that second Adam John 8.59 that quickning Spirit who is that Saviour and God manifested in Flesh Rom. 9.5 1 Cor. 15. 1 John 2.5 who is come to Redeem people out of Sin and from a Vain Conversation that he might be the Saviour of their Soul Tit. 2.13 14. by inwardly washing and cleansing them from their Sin by his own Blood and not to save People in Sin but from it and this is that Rock that followed Israel of Old of which they drank Which Rock 1 Cor. 10.4 says Paul was Christ Jesus So here is the means of Salvation and that of Gods preparing for poor lost mans recovery to bring him back to be an Inheritor in that Kingdom that stands in Righteousness and Peace and Joy forever and the way to it is to come to be instructed by this holy Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth and the Reproofs of this instructing Spirit is the way to Life as the Scriptures of Truth say and bear Testimony Now that that Reproveth people for sinning is that which leadeth them that adhere to it out of Sin and Instructs and teaches people the Way to this Kingdom of God and till People come to own the Instructions Teachings and Leadings of this good Spirit of God that leads into all Truth and teaches all Truth and no Lye is in it they shall never know the way to the Kingdom of Heaven nor have the Peace of it never any did But by rejecting the strivings of Gods Spirit and striving against the prickings of it in the Conscience comes Misery upon all People This was the Overthrow
for here he makes them believe All is well and so being under a Profession they are willing to believe it but he cannot so easily perswade them that are in open Prophaneness that it is well with them for they have no such Cover for their Sins and therefore Christ said Publicans and Harlots should enter the Kingdom before such Matth. 21.31 And for them that profess the Truth and do not walk in it they shall never enter the Kingdom of God All these fore mentioned things and many more that might be mentioned do hinder many from entering in at the Strait Gate these be the Weights and Burdens which were and are to be laid aside which do easily beset People and it is not applying of Promises as they call it will do it in that Way which Carnal-minded Men do apply them for there is no Promise of coming to the Kingdom of God which Kingdom is not of this World but upon such terms of being born again and so becoming new Creatures and then such come to know the In-side cleansed of Sin by him that hath regenerated them which is the Lord from Heaven the Second Adam the Quickening Spirit for 't is not making clean the Out-side will do and still the In-side to be full of Sin and here many People have been cheated of their Souls in believing of them that have smoothed them up in Sin for when it hath pleased the Lord many times to awaken people out of Sin that have been asleep in Sin and when they are a little awakened and by that Light which then shineth in them come to see Sin appear as it is exceeding sinful and he that shews unto man his Thoughts he it is that sets all in order before them and so people come to see that it is not as it should be with them as concerning their Peace with God and then not knowing what it is that sheweth them how it is with them and that God is so near them neither do they know that that which sheweth them their Sin is able to deliver out of it and to give them Power over it because it is so slighted by their Teachers therefore they sleight it also and under this Trouble of Mind many a poor Creature is under great Distress seeing his Sin is remaining and that the Wages thereof is Death finding no Helper on Earth but wandering in dry places seeking Rest but finding none because they are still reasoning with Flesh and Blood not joyning to that which sheweth them their Sin here they are at a Loss concerning Salvation and in this State and Condition many are going from one Profession to another there inquiring of one Teacher or another What they must do to be eased of their Troubled Mind and come to some Satisfaction concerning their poor Souls then these blind Teachers begin to turn them to Wrong Wayes herein cometh Destruction upon many a poor Soul being led by the blind Leaders of the Blind into many Crooked and By Wayes which lead to Destruction and here one he bids them apply the Promises another he cryes out Go into the Water another turning them to the Bread and Wine and another to worship Images which can neither hear speak or see So here they are turning People to Outward Things when the chief cause lies within and cannot be purged out by these outward things but only by the Power of God Man may make clean the Out-side but the In side must be cleansed by God and if the In-side be clean then the Out-side also will be clean the Out-side may be clean and painted and the In-side full of Rottenness and in this State and Condition the Dawbers with Untempered Morter dawb over peoples Wounds but could never cure them I am not speaking against those Outward Means which the Lord calleth any into but for People to run into any thing which they are not called to though it may be in Pretence of Service and Worship to God this never did not will ease any of their Burden of Sin which they groan under but it is Christ alone that must do it it must be upon his own Terms and not as Man would have it but there are many Lo Heres turning people to Outward Things and not to Christ's Appearance within one crying Lo here is Christ and another Lo there he is in this or the other Outward Observation But what said Christ of such that spoke after this manner Go not after them said he that shall say Lo here is Christ or Lo there he is go not forth believe them not for that which may be known of God is near which is called the Word which is in the Heart and in the Mouth and this is that which shews unto Man his Sin and also able to take it away for he is come to put an End to Sin and to finish Transgression so to bring in Everlasting Righteousness this is the Work which he came to do which all the blind Guides can never do and this is he which bringeth that Peace and Wisdom which passeth all Understandings of Men. And further Christ said to the Jews The Kingdom of Heaven is within you But observe instead of turning People to this inward Principle which Christ told People of the Blind Guides are altogether turning People unto outward things and so here setting them to make clean the Out-side of the Cup and Platter and People are cheated of their Souls for one is crying The Mass-Book is the Way to come to Heaven and Praying to dead Saints and Worshipping of Images others crying Dipping and Bread and Wine is the Way and another crying The Church-Faith is the Way another steps up and saith His Directory is the Way and there is another saying The Common Prayer-Book is the Way so here are many Wayes set up by the Invention of Man in the fallen state so leading many Thousands of poor People into these outward things and not keeping to that or being turned to that which searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and for want of this come to lose their Souls Rest and Happiness with God for 't is not the making clean the Out-side will do but them that are cleansed within these are them which God delights in it is the Pure in Heart that see God here every one cometh to know how it is with them for God is with the Pure in Heart and by him people come to know the Way which leadeth to Everlasting Life and this is he that we say is the Way to come to that Kingdom which is not of this World where no Mortal Man ever came to and the Scripture directeth people to him and bears Testimony of him which we whom the World in Scorn calls Quakers do faithfully believe is true and though we have been belyed and falsly accused in that matter we desire the Lord may forgive them that have been guilty of that thing in saying we Deny the Scriptures for there are no
and Ruin of Israel of old Neh. 9.20 That God had given unto them his good Spirit to instruct them but they rebelled against it till their Day was over and then came in a Flood of Misery upon them and then all the World could not help them but his Wrath broke out upon them as it is written Their Carcases fell in the Wilderness yea Twenty Three Thousand in one day and were destreyed of Serpents and of the Destroyer 1 Cor. 10.8 9 10 11 12. and this happened to them because they rebelled against God's good Spirit that he gave to instruct them resisting it till their Day was over and that the Lord ceased striving with them and swore in his Wrath They should not enter into his Rest a dismal Conclusion These things did not only happen to them in that time but to all those in all Ages that rebelled against God's Spirit till he ceased striving with them they ever came to Misery which never will have an End Rebellion said one of old is as the Sin of Witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 and the Law would not suffer a Witch to live and as in the time of the Law God allowed not Witches their natural Lives neither will God give Eternal Life to those Souls that go on in Rebellion against the Reproofs of his good Spirit now but sin out the Day of their Visitation even the Day of his Long suffering and Forbearance to them who hath said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man Gen. 6.3 It was the Saying of a good Man in dayes past speaking to People in their Youth one that was acquainted with the Dealings of the Lord with Mankind Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth before the Evil Day come Eccles 12.1 that is the Evil Day when God's Spirit hath done striving with Man which will come upon all People that do not turn at the Reproofs of God's Spirit in their Hearts in that time when he offereth Merey to them But in all Ages God raised up faithful men that were faithful to the Spirit of God in themselves to bear a Testimony against Sin and to warn People of the Evil of their Doings as well as by the strivings of his good Spirit in them because he would leave them without Excuse that hated Knowledge and did not chuse the Fear of the Lord but set at nought all his Counsel and would not turn from their Evil Wayes at the Reproof of his good Spirit in them And these good Men the Prophets they spake what God spake to them or in them by his Spirit and not a Premeditated Matter as the Priests do now adayes of all sorts that are not led by the Spirit of Christ In dayes past God spake to the People by the Prophets and they were moved to speak as he pleased sometimes little and sometimes much as he pleased and what hep eased and in this manner God speaks by his Prophers in this our Age and these be the true Ministers and none else nor none else ever were nor can any inform men and set them in the Way to Heaven if they are not themselves led instructed 1 Cor. 1. Chap. 2.10 1 John 1.1 2. taught and guided by the Spirit of God themselves such can instruct others as God doth them and such can speak their Experience to the People of the Teachings Leadings and inward Guidings of God's Spirit and how the Soul comes to be reacht converted and brought into Union Communion and Fellowship and to converse with God as they are moved by the Holy Ghost and as the Spirit gives them utterance and these be the true Ministers of Christ and these preach without Study or Natural Art or Invention of Man and they that take upon them to be Teachers of others and are not come to be taught led and guided themselves by the Spirit of Truth that leads mark into all Truth that so by this they may turn people as Prophets and Apostles did of old to the Leadings and Guidings of God's Spirit in themselves are False Prophets and Deceivers for that which may be known of God is manifest and to be manifested in man for there God shews it to man as it is written God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1.19 And all that take upon them to be Teachers and would seem to be something and know not these things are Deceivers and will cheat people of their Souls and have done many Thousands already Jerem. 14.14.23.28 29 30 31 32 36. And this I speak that all may take Warning and be awakened to seek after God and come out from the False Prophets and Deceivers that are in the World and in wardly to wait upon God to receive from him the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of himself in your inward parts and this is the saving Knowledge as it is writterr This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 But now to return to the thing before in hand which was to take a View of the Misery Destruction and Ruin of those that in their Day did not turn from the Evil of their Doings at the Reprooss of God's Spirit in their own Hearts and inward parts but provoked God from day to day then God raised up his Servants the Prophets and sent them to warn Evil-doers as a Sign to them that the Long-suffering of God was drawing to an End and that his Spirit should cease striving with them and that swift Destruction should come upon them except a speedy Repentance and Amendment of Life as namely Noah that just Man who walked with God and was perfect in his Generation him did God raise up to be a Witness against that Generation a Minister a Preacher of Righteousness to whom God revealed his Mind concerning that Generation saying My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man that will take no Warning and God said to Noah Make an Ark for the End of all Flesh is come before me and behold I even I said God bring a Flood of Water to destroy all Flesh wherein is the Breath of Life but I will establish my Covenant with thee for thee have I seen Righteous before me in this Generation And I suppose much need not be spoken now to convince people that God did destroy the old World in the execution of his Wrath and that because they sinned out the Day of their Visitation and did not Return at God's holy and just Reproofs while his Spirit strived with them Again the Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah with their Cities and Substance for their Sins were brought into Ashes who as the Figure of Eternal Vengeance hath God made to be an Example to all that afterward should live Ungodly here Also there was the Overthrow of Pharaoh and his Host who in the Pride of his Heart said Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice I know not the Lord neither will
Sheep hear my Voice and the Voice of a Stranger they will not hear John 10.27 these were good Sheep Now to come to hear Christ's Voice is to obey his Spirit that striveth in the Heart to reclaim the Wicked and the Willing and Obedient shall dwell in the Land in the Kingdom of God and shall eat of the Good of the Land the Bread of Life and their Souls shall partake of the Honey and the Milk that floweth therein Isaeah 1.19 Some may say If I had been in the dayes of his Flesh I would have heard him and have come to him but he is asoended up on high and sitteth at the Right Hand of God and how can I hear him now Well it is true he is ascended into Heaven and is with the Father But mark this he is not confined to one place but as thou mayst read in the Scriptures Rom. 9.5 He is God over all blessed forever and his Presence filleth Heaven and Earth he is every where and there is a measure or manifestation of his Light and good Spirit given to thee 1 Cor. 12.7 and to every man and woman upon the Earth that thou and they may profit by it upon the count of Salvation and the knowledge of this is made known in thee or that which may be known of God is manifest in thee and the Scripture saith Rom. 1.19 The Word is near even in the Heart and in the Mouth c. there thou mayst hear it and as thou obeyest the Voice of it it will give thee Power to do that which it doth require of thee and by doing this it is that thou mayst hear his Voice by keeping to that of God in thee and thy mind exercised in it Here the Voice of the Spirit of Christ is known as well as in days past and in Generations gone So let none deceive themselves for the Spirit of Christ is near to all whether they will hear him or not and true it is that they must one day give an account to him whether they will or no therfore let none deceive you with lying Vanities or unprofitable Words for this is he that searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and sheweth unto man what his Thoughts are the Lord of Hosts is his Name and he is not far from any Acts 17.27 28. so that no man need say Who shall ascend to fetch Christ or who shall descend to fetch Christ up or who shall go beyond the Sea For saith the Apostle The Word of Faith which we Preach is nigh but how nigh in the Heart Rom. 10.6 7 8. and that Christ was that Word of Faith which they preacht and so we say that People may hear it and do it And Christ said to John as may be read in the third Chapter of the Revelations Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3.20 It is at the Door of the Heart the Lord knocketh and they that hear obey the Spirit of Jesus that there knocketh such come to be born of the Spirit and by this come to sup with the Lord which is not an outward Supper but an inward enjoyment of spiritual Food the Bread of Life that which came down from Heaven which Christ said He that eateth thereof should never dye should live forever John 6.33 34 35 50 52 53 63. and that Bread that a man eating of it never dyes Christ said was the true Bread that his Father gave from Heaven then the Priests did not give it And when the People murmured because Christ said Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you did not Christ for their further satisfaction make them this Answer The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life it is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profitteth nothing Now they that can believe Christ let them who said The Flesh profitteth nothing but the quickening Spirit and Power of God that raiseth the Soul from Death to Life And this is that we labour to bring People to that all might come to know that they have a part in him who said I am the Resurrection and the Life John 5.25 and so to feed at the Table of the Lord that they may never hunger more And for this we have been and yet are hated of the World both of Professors and Prophane but more especially of some angry and envious Professors and no marvel for none hated Christ and the Apostles more than they that made Profession of Religion in those dayes who were themselves out of the Life of Righteousness and in Hatred Strife and Envy as too many Professors are now adayes who stick in the outward Observations and Ceremonies one crying Lo here is Christ and another Lo there he is and all in their own Inventions or in the Inventions of their Fore-Fathers or at least in the Imitation of Elementary Things often Persecuting and Destroying one another about Opinions And these are they that are led by a false spirit for all people are led by the true or false Spirit for there is but two the Good and the Bad which all People upon the Earth are led by that is the Spirit of God or the Spirit of the Devil and to which of these a man gives his Mind to serve his Servant he is and his Conversation is managed by that Spirit and it may be that both lead to profess Religion for even the Devil in some sense is not against Peoples making a Profession of Religion but he makes them so blindly Zealous that they shall Hate Persecuto or Murder those that will not believe what they believe and worship as they worship and be of their Religion The Devil cares not how much People talk of God and Christ and Religion provided they do not deny him to lead them and so become New Creatures For they that are not led by the Spirit of Christ are none of his Rom. 8.9 And to be led by the Spirit of Christ is to become a New Creature for all have been in the old Nature Children of Wrath as the Apostle said Ephes 2.3 we as well as others till we come to put off the Old Man with his Deeds and to put on the New Man which is created after the Image of him that created him in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes 4.24 the image of Christ who said Behold I make all things New And herein cometh the New Birth to be known by which People come to be Heirs to God's Kingdom which none ever come to but they that are born again which is to live a Life answerable to the Truth and to put off the old Man's Deeds is to put off Sin for all Sin and Wickedness is of the Devil the old Man and this is the old Nature by
and the Life But now here is one thing to be considered that I would have all People well to mind that is Christ being the Way the Truth and the Life to know what Way he is and how he is the Truth and the Life Now to confess to this is one thing and to come to be a Witness of it is another thing for mind Christ his mind in this thing is that he is man and womans Way to Heaven and the Truth that they must come to and be guided by and the Life that they must live in which is by Faith in the Son of God Now here lieth the matter to be considered whether or no thou art come to that state and condition that is to come to know Christ to be thy Way and whether thou art come to know the Truth as it is in Jesus and to live that Life which pleases God yea or nay which Life is in Christ Jesus this every one is to consider for till People come to be Witnesses of this in themselves 't is not a confessing to it or talking of it will do or stand them in any stead in the Day of Account when God comes to reckon with them For this the holy men of God did witness and said The Life which we now live is by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 And John said that came to witness the work of God begun and carrying on in himself on this manner That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life this declare we unto you 1 John 1.1 And further the Apostle saith Christ wrought all their Works in them and for them which work was to root out Sin Now this they came to know and witness in themselves and not by report and hear-say of others this state the People of God came to in all Ages and Generations in a measure while they were here in this Life and did not think to have the work of Redemption done for them when they were dead as some now adayes think to have thinking to serve the Devil while they are here and that God will save them when they can sin no longer but mark this such as People sow such shall they reap and they that sow Sin and Wickedness must of the same Wages reap Corruption which Wages the Scripture saith is Death saying The Wages of Sin is Death and that to them for evermore but the Gift of God is Eternal Life Rom. 6.23 For this is a strange thing that a man should be a Servant to one man many Years and at last come to another for Wages for the same time this is Confusion and Madness and with this Cheat a great part of the World is cheated by both Priests and Professors in telling People that they cannot live without Sin and so they serve the Devil all their days and that God would accept with the reward of Peace of them when they can serve him no longer For inasmuch as they tell People they cannot leave off Sinning but must sin as long as they live it is the same thing as if they tell People they must serve the Devil all their dayes for there is no sin committed or brought forth in any but it is of the Devil 's begetting and bringing forth in People for he is the Father of all Sin in all people wheresoever or in whomsoever it is brought forth and therefore this unavoidably must follow that they that live and dye in Sin must live and dye Servants to the Devil if so every man must expect his Wages according to his Works Therefore I would have none deceive themselves for if the Devil must be served all your dayes him you must go to at last unavoidably whether you will believe it or no. And further take notice of this Christ is not the Way of the Wicked nor of Sinners neither are Sinners or they that plead for Sin come to the Truth nor to know it nor to live the Life of it which Life is out of Sin and not in Sin for that is a Life of the Devil for he is the Founder of all Sin and the Wages of Sin is Death and Damnation to all that live and dye in Sin These things are worthy to be considered before it be too late which will be when God's Spirit hath done striving with thee for without coming to know the Devil's Works destroyed in thee or that work begun by the Lord till thou comest to know this thou shalt never know the Truth making Free from Sin and that which makes Free from sin is Christ and till People come to know this Freedom from Sin begun they can never know Righteousness and without Righteousness none shall see God and without coming to see God none can go to Heaven till they come to be Freed from Sin none can be fitted for Heaven And the Scripture saith The Truth makes Free and the Truth is Christ Jesus and if this be to make Free it is to make Free from something and if it be not from Sin what is it that People must be Freed from I would know I do believe it is from Sin for I never heard of any thing that any was in Bondage to but Sin that hindereth People of Salvation and therefore Christ the Truth is come to make an end of it that Righteousness may reign in the room of Sin and these two things were never known to dwell together but one must be known to be pulling down before the other can be set up therefore it was said Light hath no fellowship with Darkness nor a Believer with an Infidel Here Christ is meant the Light and the Devil the Power of Darkness and these two War one against the other in People striving which shall rule and bear sway in Peoples Minds Hearts and Affections one of these two Spirits striveth to lead into all manner of Sin and Evil and the other striveth to lead into all manner of Righteousness and true Holiness both in things Spiritual and Temporal And here I will make a difference betwixt the manner of their working and striving in People and that in all People at one time or another and that all may be sensible of it if they will but if they will not in the day when God's good Spirit striveth with them they shall be brought one day to a Remembrance of it when they shall be unwilling and before they are aware when nothing but Death and Sorrow shall meet together and none to help them will be found Now to the matter and manner of these two Spirits striving the bad Spirit he in all People strives to keep their Minds altogether in Carnal and in Earthly things which is Death to the Soul The Scripture saith To be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace and this I do believe is