born our griefs carried our sorrows for he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisements of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed This sets forth Christ to be the kind Samaritane the neighbour nighest unto us the other makes him unmerciful going afar off not tarrying with us What is the inward Life and who is the retired Christian THis gives occasion among other matters to cast in a word conconcerning the inward life or retired Christian as all other spiritual things so this has its truth and its counterfeit by mistake whereof of one for the other the faith may be perverted and our minds soon shaken Separation from the world the company of men and affairs of this life in stilness and silence searching into the knowledge of mysteries the divine being and things of the inward world was the Religion of some Jesuites School-men and others that superstition in the Conscience and fancy in the Head was all in this may appear by their writings which are filled either with perplexities of wit natural speculations of God or rules of Legality leading men unto God by a perfection of obedience Christ crucified as the way into the Holiest being not known unto them these had but a shew of the inward life for they entered not by faith within the vail Retirement from the Scriptures and administrations without from Religions and Assemblies from all order and form professed and practised by whomsoever unto the Light within and to it alone to attend as to the onely Scripture the voyce of God and light of men without respect to person or work Redeemer or Redemption without this is the Religion of the people called Quakers they who by the Light within peirced into invisible things the eternal Power and Godhead had but the wisdom of this world Rom. 1.20 1 Corinth 1.20 and were of the world under sin as all other again they who excelled in shews of humility wisdom and all outward holiness as to the exercise of the body and neglecting the same yet their Religion was no more than the Rudiments of this world and perishing Ordinances Col 2. I must say the same of this people and their Religion to be both of this world until they give faith or acknowledgement to the flesh or dead body of Christ to be the onely way into the inward life or within the vail which whilst they deny instead of bringing into Heaven into the peace of God and rest from their labours they shut up the Kingdom and keep men on earth to perform sacrifices and obedience in flesh for their attonement these have a pretence to the inward life but are not entered through the vail of his flesh by faith into the Holiest He that by faith goes out of all things in himself whether perfections of Reason or the Light in the Conscience into Jesus Christ crucified and in him beleives all things of Law or Nature with the works of both to be passed away and himself crucified and washed and perfected for ever and not considering his body now dead nor yet the deadness of all things as to any good in his flesh but shutting his eye and ear from all things of sense and reason in the world or his flesh cleaves onely by faith to the dead body of Christ and therewith mounts up into the spirit of his mind into Christ Jesus alone as his own victory righteousness and life this man is he that enters into Rest into the inward life he is truly separate from all the Religions of the world and yet exercises a Religion in the world he is free from all men and yet a servant unto all his life is in the Head while decayes and deaths in his flesh and of him is that true he is as unknown and yet well known This is the retired Christian that most truly lives and rejoyces in things not seen to sense nor reason nor the light in the natural man he has the clearest surest and sweetest beams of Christ leading him not into Pharisaical austerity nor wanton libertinisme but into a spirit of holiness quietness and stilness in the Lord yet so as that according to grace received he desires to become all things to all men Theâ—e is a generation who have the form of faith and knowledge of the words and profession of Christ but have not the faith whereby they are dead in Christ and he lives in them it sufficeth them to know Christ dyed for sins which faith is common to all men but the mystery of faith they have not that is union with him in it or that they are buried with him into death in the flesh and raised up with him into life in the spirit they behold Christ as without to be the end of the law of sin and death the fulness and fulfilling of all things in himself wherein they do well and tast some joy therein but they receive him not by faith into themselves my root and foundation is this what Christ is and has done without me in himself but the way to partake of the benefit of it is my union with him these do confess to the truth of the first but are not joyned to it by union with it and so fail in the last Christ indeed is by these honoured onely as without while in his Spirit and Grace he is by lust crucified within from such do ye turn away Another generation there is not beleiving the end of sin in the death of Christ nor themselves perfected onely in the Head look for a Redemption not that already in being in Jesus Christ but to be wrought out by him in their own persons that is after the example of Christ turning away from all things inwardly and outwardly every thought desire pleasure or affection and every creature till they come to the Light and Being of God and become so passive and in all things subject thereto that God may do all things in them A cheif Master of this way speaks plainly thus Though God should assume all men that are unto himself and should become Man in them and they in him should become God and the same should not be done in me my fall should never be recovered nor yet my sin done away except the same were also done in me These are the words of a Germain Priest written as is said above two hundred and fifty years ago this doctrine as it carries upon it the notion of God or the divine Nature doing all in us has a shew of glory but as it denies that God has done all things for us in Christ so it has no glory but rather spreads again the vail which Christ rent in his bloud that the riches and glory of grace may not appear if any of the fiery darts of hell have ever been shot against the saith whereby I stand and if by any of them I have ever been near to staggering this doctrine was one if Scriptures
never entered into the heart or invention of man but that righteousness that covers us no further then our works is the invention of man's reason the very life and soul of all false Religions the first is Jerusalem above bringing forth her children unto liberty joy and rest as compleat in the Lord the last is Jerusalem beneath bringing forth to bondage and hanging down the Head labouring for a perfection in the flesh not discerning that already in the Lord. Was the woman that touched but the hem of Christ's garment made as whole as they whom he touched with his hand were the Disciples that sat at Jesus his feet made clean every whit as he that leaned in his bosome or was as the Child while under Tutors and Governours yet heir of all things and is it not so now doth God measure out his love and everlasting righteousness by inches and ells according to our obedience as men in a bargain what grace or glory is in such a faith where such a Gospel is received judge what is their spirit unmerciful censorious Let these people know that the righteousness as in the Lord though now least in fight shall be a shadow a Cover a Cloud upon Saints under which they shall be safe where righteousness as only within or the Light within where the blood is not though now having a glory with Religious Reason and unstable souls shall be condemned as found wanting let Saints stand fast in their Liberty in Christ while infirmity is in themselves yet let them look for the Revelation of it in themselves if it may be to swallow up all infirmity let such as boast of their Liberty in the Lord and desire not to be gathered into it in their members know they have neither liberty in him nor in themselves Concerning the Word They say That the Light within all men is the word of God sufficient in it self without any other word for Counsel and strength that this word or light in all men is that of which the Scriptures were given to declare and can be understood only by it That this Light or word be obeyed washeth cleanseth and conformeth man to God and this is the Reconciliation The inference If the light within every man be the word the Gospel then all Ages have had all Nations have had the Gospel in equality of Light and fulness if they would obey it then Moses Prophets and Christ were all but as one in Authority and Ministery equal and one that is testifying and pointing to the light within men not to the son of David the Mediator him that came as none before him nor after shall by Spirit Water and Blood Truth saies that the light within every man is the remaining sparkle of that Law or light that God set up in greater glory in the first or natural man and serves in all Nations as the Candle of the Lord representing God only as under a vail that is according to the Law and by things that are made That Christ come in the flesh in himself fulfilled the voices of the Law and Prophets and put an end to their Ministery as being the Minister by whom God would speak in the last times this is the Word the Oracles Figure and Tables with all the divers manners of God's speaking under the Law being all to serve but for a season and to be silent when he came who was the Living Word Christ is the Word according to a twofold Ministery as without us in flesh dying for our sins and rising for our justification so he was the Minister or Living Word of reconciliation as within his in spirit so he is the inward Word or Spirit of Revelation these two Ministries are not one without the other both are needful for us yet each in their order Christ's Ministry in flesh must first make way for his Ministry in Spirit till the Word of reconciliation had finished his work of redeeming us to God by his blood the spirit of revelation could not come as it is said the Spirit was not given because that Jesus was not glorified if no redemption by his blood in that Ministry without then no Revelation of the Spirit of grace within this people believe not the first therefore they have not the last but I entreat them to hear that the blood the Cross the grace the crucified body of the man Christ was and is to the true believer as the loud voice of God speaking reconciliation and redemption to be already finished in himself not to be done in us as it is written when he had said it is finished he gave up the ghost by that Ministry without in flesh he brought us unto God by that Ministry of his spirit he reveals God in us this Christ is the Word as in both these Mysteries and one is not without the other but the Light within every man knows him in neither therefore together with the Law with which it is one ought to give place Concerning Worship He affirms that the spirit of life from God wherein is the mind will and love of God the Name power and wisedom of Christ wherewith alone God can be acceptably worshipped is in every man that the way whereby the movings of this spirit of life and leadings may be seen and attained is the Light within every man and waiting therein that the light or spirit within every man is the pattern of true worship they who abide and serve God therein deny all the worship and Religions of the world and are well pleasing to the Father they who go out of this light into the letter or any thing without go into the dead works and worships darkness and Idolatry The word of faith saies that the law without or spirit in every man that saies do this and live are the vail and do keep them that are under it in the first Tabernable that is washings righteousness redemption by obedience in us that Christ's dead body was the rending of the vail or first Tabernacle and the way into the holiest through which we draw nigh unto God by the faith alone of Christ crucified for us without works to abide in any law or light whatsoever either from within or without and to be exercised therein as to be redeemed or perfected thereby this is to worship God according to the Law and as in the flesh but to worship God as already redeemed from the Law flesh and sin as already freed and set up through faith in the life spirit and righteousness of Christ this is to worship the father as in spirit and â—…h Thâ—… the way to attain to this spirit of Christ is not by the 〈◊〉 of the Law or waiting in the light within every man which is all one but by the hearing of faith or Christ revealed in the soul as the end of all Laws curses and evils and the fulness of all good things unto us that principle placed in all men may lead unto a spirit
God for to that there is a more excellent price required which is neither the righteousness of man nor yet of the Law here we must have Christ how not by works but by faith therefore as there is a great difference between Christ blessing or redeeming and Christ working or giving example wherefore we must seperate the believing and the working Abraham as far asunder as there is distance betwixt heaven and earth Abraham believing in Christ is altogether a divine person the child of God inheritour of the world conqueror of sin death the world and the Divel therefore he cannot be praised and magnified enough let us not suffer this faithful Abraham to lye hid in his grave as he is hid from the Jews but let us highly extol and magnify him and let us fill both heaven and earth with his name so that in respect of the faithful Abraham we see nothing at all in the working Abraham for when we speak of this faithful Abraham we are in heaven but afterwards doing those things which the working Abraham did which were carnal and earthly and not divine and heavenly but as they were given unto him of God we are among men in earth the believing Abraham filleth both heaven and earth so every Christian through his faith filleth both heaven and earth so that besides it he ought to behold nothing Thus far his words Good works or the works of God in us are in comparison of the righteousness in Christ but carnal like as Abraham's good works a thing worthy of note are but accounted flesh in comparison of the righteousness of Christ Rom. 4.1 2. Concerning Election and Reprobation He saith that the light in every man which reproves of sin is Christ and is the election elect seed the mercy of God placed in all men that this light being believed and followed till by it a man be changed and purged from the oldness and lusts of flesh to the newness of the spirit then he comes to the election or to be selected Truth saith that in every man which reproves of sin is not Christ but the Law by the Law is the knowledge of sin that Christ the Elect and beloved of God is he in whom the purposes promises counsels and all the works of God were laid up and known unto God from before the world began Christ was from the beginning the common seed or Father in whose loines God in his foreknowledge beheld and in his love choose a seed or ofspring whom he would beget of his own will by his spirit God that separated the Jews from all other Nations only because he loved them that said of the children of Isaac being not yet born Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated that called them his beloved which were not beloved that separated Paul a persecuter from his mothers womb that hath mercy on whom he will have mercy the same God hath foreknown and chosen and loved a people in Christ the beloved who though for the present as concerning the Gospel they be enemies through wicked works yet as touching the election they are beloved for Christ's sake you have not chosen me but I have chosen you If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me Christ drawed up all his own in his body into himself in love this love shed forth into our hearts draws us up in love into him again thus we love him because he loved us first the father gave a people to the Son from everlasting and saw and loved them in him before the world was the Son came forth to manifest and make way for this love through his righteousness down unto men the spirit reveals that love and by Christ leads us unto the father thus redemption and sanctification are both fruits of that love and election that was given us in Christ before the world began by receiving Christ the Image of the father I come indeed to know his love and election but he both loved elected and redeemed me in Christ the head before I was Wherefore they that deny election and redemption until the creatures obedience to the light within do measure the thoughts and waies of the unsearchable goodness of God with the low and narrow thoughts and waies of man being zealous indeed for the righteousness of God according to the Law but darkning and denying the glorious righteousnes of God as in Christ Jesus Concerning the New birth He saith that by abiding in the seed or light within every man thereby the old man is put off with his deeds that they who are guided by this light called by him the eternal spirit do follow God as he goes out of one form into another all others stay therein after God is gone as seeing but the outside or form only that they who joyned to the light within that reproves of sin to be led by it are and ever were hated and persecuted of all others His silence throughout of that more excellent and truly misterious way of crucifying the body of sin in the person of Christ whose body and blood is by him made as no more but figuers of the body and blood within that is the light within all men this doth sufficiently manifest his mind and principle and the end whether it leads unto mount Sinai to press through unto God by an attonement and mediation to be made in our bodies that is obedience to the light within The new creature is not a Jew one seeking righteousness by the Law either in the letter or conscience nor a Gentile one thinking to know comprehend and worship God by the light or wiâ—edom of the natural man but a man in Christ dead buried and risen with him into heavenly places above the world sin and death by faith alone without work that is before these things be manifest or wrought in his members also he is one in whom Christ dwels by faith so made partaker of the divine Nature that spirit which the world sees not hath not nor by any light they have can find it out the world's light is a candle from the Lord saying do this and live the spirit of the new creature is the Lord himself saying I have done it only believe and live According to the mysterie of faith the new man is in heart and spirit gone out of all the world and is in heaven perfectly justified redeemed and saved but in a way above sense and feelings yet seen by faith according to present manifestation he hath the spirit of Christ whereby he sees knows and enjoys in part those perfect things in Christ till they be fully revealed if any man boasts of the first that he is redeemed by Christ and hath not the other that he lives in some measure after the spirit that man's boasting is in vain likewise if any man glories of the spirit that he walks in the spirit in mortifyings of the flesh neglect of the body reproaches necessities
labours stripes prisons in weariness painfulness watchings often in hunger thirst cold and nakedness and yet hath not that which is above all these the heavenly and glorious righteousness in Christ by faith let such know their glorying is but in the flesh and shall not profit before the Lord. Concerning ministrations and following God out of one into another it may be said that the Law Prophets and John were ministrations typing and testifying of things in the heavens to come and so were done away Christ was the substance of heavenly things themselves and so his ministration remains to this day as that of the letter was perfected and given at once by one man at mount Sinai yet to be continued till he came who was the end thereof so this ministration of righteousness and spirit was perfected and given at once by one man Christ on the Cross yet to stand in force by divers measures and manifestations of spirit and truth to be revealed and brought to light till he comes again and takes his people unto himself now of the diverse manifestations of spirit some are true some deceiveable for discerning of which we have a good rule 1 Cor. 12.4.5 now there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit and differences of administration but the same Lord administrations of light truth though diverse as to the measure and manner of the gifts yet if agreeing in one Christ are all good and useful in their seasons to follow God into the purest and best is a glory upon them that do it to be left behind may be weakness in them that are Christ's but is wickedness in the world On the other hand those pretended Ministries or Angels of light whatsoever that do teach another Jesus another spirit another faith that is redemption by obedience to the light in every man such are not of God and to call that a ministration of spirit and life is no more true then to call the Law so the light in every man and the Law in the letter being the same if any shall leave Christ crucified as but a figure of redemption and shall follow the light in the conscience as the substance thereof let him know out of Christ crucified is no more sacrifice for sin nor will God be found but as consuming fire If any shall think that redemption without by the blood of Christ is done away when that by the light within is perfected to such I say till mortality be swallowed up of life and the body now dead because of sin be thereby freed from all corruption until then I judge both Christ crucified for us and the faith therein will be of necessary and blessed use To what he saith of persecution this may be said they that followed after the spirit and teachings thereof were indeed alwaies persecuted by the children of the flesh and letter but they that sought righteousness by the Law and the principles thereof in the conscience were those children of the flesh by whom the blood of them that were after the spirit hath been shed in every Age was not the blood of Saints formerly in England France and Germany shed for bearing testimony to the righteousness of faith alone without works Concerning the Baptism of Christ from that the world so calls His profession herein is that the Baptism of Christ is I understand the light within all men by which a man being baptised into his death buried with him unto the world its waies and worships loves and friendships so he is baptised with the Batism of Christ That Baptisms of water as now are carnal in the world about which all are divided and contending that are in them being gone out into the world The Baptism of Christ is that in Christ wherewith he was baptised in his own person not for himself but for us and we in him as in our head that is when together with his own body through death he put off our old man and all the sins of our flesh at once in himself by whose baptism our sins death our flesh and all this world were really yet in a mystery dead and buried with him and as by an overflowing River washed clean away by himself before either the faith or power thereof was known or wrought in us this baptism is a mystery unknown to all Law-workers whatsoever whither the more mystical or literal sort of them who know no higher baptism then by deeds of holiness in obedience to a light within or letter without also to the masters of reason who know no other baptism then by refined principles and exercises of morality this is the baptism of justification and sanctification in the head wherewith we were washed sanctified and justified in him even before we were the same being revealed in us by faith sprinkles from our hearts an evil conscience and then the spirit of him dwelling in our mortall flesh washeth our bodies with pure water thus the baptism of Christ is one first in him perfected for us afterwards in measures revealed in us Whereas he concludes only baptisms of water to be carnal washings I say both baptisms of water in what form soever without the spirit are carnal and also all baptisms by what name soever particularly that of retirement out of all things into the light in every man where that Baptism in the head by the offering up of his body once for all is denied will be found to be but carnal that is serving to the washing off the filth of the flesh only take away that baptism in the head wherein the first Adam with his disobedience and death was crucified and purged away and all other baptisms whither by reformations within or fair shews without whither by the Law letter water or whatsoever will be found equally carnal equally insufficient to present the sinner holy and without spot to God His judgement against all indifferent baptisms that they are gone out into the world savours of a spirit as divided and carnal as they can be whom he judgeth so are they carnal that judge and contend for one form against another and are not they as carnal that judge and contend against all forms because not in their form of doctrine and posture and way when Christ shall sit as Judge as there shall be no advantage to them that are in one form more then another so neither to them that are gone out of all professed forms but to be found in him who is the head is more then all Concerning the Lords Supper These things are said the true end of the Supper is moderation to keep men from excess and lust in eating aad drinking that to do it in remembrance of his death till he comes is to eat in fear without lust till he comes to govern in the the creature himself to keep out of lust in all and this is the restoring and reconciling to God the creation by Christ That Christ's Disciples were not changed nor he born
in one the Pagan seeks perfection by his Law natural Reason and Vertue the Turk by his Alchoran the Jew by Moses the Monke by the Rule of his Order the Spiritual Papist by mortification of the Spirit and this People by perfect obedience to the Light within that is the Law in this all are one all seeking righteousness by work in the flesh in obedience to Tradition or Letter or Spirit The Law is a great light manifesting all flesh and the deeds thereof a great Lord ruling over all flesh as long as it lives Christ came forth greater than the Law crucified the flesh and the body of death in himself and thereby put an end to the dominion of the Law unto all that believe thus in his Crosse I am dead to all things and they to me Whereas he saith they know not his Commands in Spirit who say Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own person or that he makes what we do accepted with the Father I ask of him and of all in his perswasion Can yee pass through the depths of Sin Death and the Curse that he passed through yee neither know the Law nor what spirit yee are of Can yee bring forth the works of obedience an incorruptible righteousness in your corruptible bodies answering to that pure Law and most pure God before whom Moses did fear and quake and Abraham by works could not glory and no flesh can be justified were not all we like sheep gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed where this is truly and purely believed Revelations of Christ are most desirable and glorious where this is excluded all pretended approaches to God Revelations of God or perfections of obedience will be but as hotter fires to consume first your faith and interest in Christ and after your precious souls with all your labour and pains and works To what he saies the bloud within makes perfect that without could not let it be said the bloud of the Man Christ through the eternal Spirit working therein became the death of the first Adam with all his deeds and all the evils that came in by him so with him am I already dead and freed from sin as in him the Head as this my death and freedome in him does reveale it self in me so I dye daily as in my earthly members If by the bloud within be intended this that as the bloud of Bulls and Goats was a figure of the bloud of Christ so his bloud was but a figure of bloud or Spirit within us then know assuredly that as the bloud offered in the first Tabernacle was offered without the Holiest though within the Tabernacle so the bloud within all purifyings by the light within will be found to be but the bloud without that is offered without the veyle without the Holiest though within your Persons But is not the Spirit sufficient in power to redeem from sin by his work within us let this be said as of use in most things that have been spoken the power of the Spirit is unsearchable and unlimited but the mystery of his Will is declared in Christ that not by Spirit alone but by Spirit and Bloud and that in one man he has redeemed and purged all the evils that came by the offence of one of old God filled Heaven and Earth yet he would be known and sought only in Jerusalem nothing could comprehend the God head yet the fulness of it dwelt in Christ bodily so the Spirit dwells in all his people yet through the bloud of the Man Christ alone did God chuse to go forth in his power to the abolishing of our death and manifesting eternal freedome for us so when it is said yee are justified redeemed and saved by God by Grace by the name of Christ by the Spirit of our God we are to understand that the Name and Grace and Spirit of God went forth against our sins and death in the bloud of Jesus and thereby did them away forever which by faith we behold and as we behold we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Wherefore the proper use of the Law is first to bridle civil transgressions and then to reveale and encrease spiritual transgressions the Law is a Light which revealeth not the Grace of God not righteousness and life but sin and death wrath and judgement and as in Mount Sinai the thundring lightning the thick and dark cloud the hill smoaking and flaming and all that terrible shew did not rejoice nor quicken the children of Israel but terrified and astonished them and shewed how unable they were with all their purity and holiness to abide the Majesty of God so the Law in its true use doth nothing else but reveale sin work wrath and bring into desperation and here it hath an end and ought to go no further the use of the Gospel is to reveale the end of the Law of sin and wrath in the death of Christ and the righteousness peace and love of God brought forth for us in him I shall adde an observation of Luther of this difference between the Law and Gospel there is nothing to be found in the Books of Monks Cannonists and School men no nor in the Books of the ancient Writers there was a wonderful silence many years as touching this difference in all Schools and Churches and this brought mens consciences into great danger for unlâ—ss the Gospel be plainly discerned from the Law tru-doctrine cannot be kept sound and uncorrupt but if this difference be well known it is an easie matter to discern faith from works Christ from Moses and all politick works for all things without Christ are the Ministry of death for the punishing of the wicked Concerning Christ Jesus HIs Faith is that Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death that he might become a living example to all Generations that the Light within every man unâ—ted and followed will lead unto Christ and will reveale the power and God-head and so the Light within is the sure word of Prophesie The word of Faith saies that Christ being the brightness of the invisible God came forth in flesh and being the eternal word wisdome and power of God and so having obtained a name and supremacy above all other Lords he put an end to the Law Sin and Death and the dominion thereof over us in his Crosse that he might bring forth Grace Righteousness and Life for us in himself that so we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear and is this no more than a living example to you and if so can ye after his example break through the gates of sin wrath and the grave and make your access unto God through all as he did is so great a mystery of Faith as this become no more with
A TESTIMONY TO THE TRUE JESUS And the Faith of him Wherein the Way of the People called QUAKERS is in Meekness and righteousness summed and weighed First in a General Examen of their spirit and chief Principles after in a particular reveiw of the same as it is distinctly set forth in a book of theirs called Love to the Lost Wherein are many things useful for the discerning of Spirits in this hour of darkness and temptation By T. HIGGENSON LONDON Printed for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles near the West end of Pauls 1656. A Testimony to the True JESUS and the Faith of Him COncerning the People called Quakers and that way a sum of their faith profession is come forth signed by James Naylor who seems to be cheif whereby having obtained through Grace a more perfect understanding of them then I had before his Trumpet giving a more certain sound than others had done and having observed that Spirit to shew it self therein with more nakedness and less covering at least to me than at other times I shall in righteousness and love to them and others present a veiw thereof according to the same form and visage it there presents it self under The ground of my appearing herein is not any interest I have in Court or Clergy from both whom I stand at a distance so farre as they appear at a distance from Christ and his work not any zeal I have to any form or way of worship cryed down by this people my heart is knit to all the Lords people from the Priest to the darkest forms though I am not joyned to them outwardly in the letter nor that I am ignorant or a stranger to spiritual mysteries or inward truths at least in part touching which I may say that my thoughts and zeal for Christ within have abounded so above the thoughts I had of his bloud without that I account it infinite mercy I am not at this day in unity with that Spirit that makes the death of Christ of none effect instead of this my appearing against it but my ground is this that I might bear some testimony to the blessed Mystery of Christ crucified and against this or any people so farre as they appear against it and that according to my measure I might set forth and justifie the harmony that is between the perfect Redemption in Christ for 〈◊〉 and the Revelation of him in us which two have been 〈◊〉 the Mystery of Iniquity divided and set up one against the other the first against the last by men zealous for the dead faith of Christ without against his Spirit and the last against the first by men pretending to the Mystery of Christ in them against the Redemption in Christ for them The Law was given by Moses in darkness blackness and tempests and with loud noises but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ in a still and meek way no cry nor voyce to be heard in the streets like as it was then so will it be now if the loud noises of the Commandment and Condemnation by Moses be brought in again the still voyce of Reconciliation and Peace by Christ may not be heard as to many The Law was given by him that spake on Earth commanding things to be done by men in the flesh the Gospel by him that spake from Heaven revealing our Righteousness already wrought in the Lord himself as many as are not ignorant of Sathans devices doe know how easily having begun in the Spirit we return back to the bondage of the first but how hardly we stand fast in the Loyalty of the second if such a spirit or faith shall cover this Land that saith we are not perfected for ever in Christ the Head before any good be done in us what remaines then but that sacrifices for sin be offered again though not in the Temple at Jerusalem yet in the Temples of our bodies and so build up again the old worldly Sanctuary onely changing the manner and form of administration Concerning the Righteousness of the Letter of Angels and of God VVHat may be useful for us to know as to the general Consideration of this and many other Spirits the things following may in part acquaint you in whose hearts the faith and love of Truth does yet remain There is a Righteousness according to the Letter consisting of bodily exercises in the earthly members after the outward Commandement which is but the purifying of the flesh Hebr. 9.13 herein stood the Religion of the carnal Jews under the first Testament this became a covering upon their eyes a vail upon their hearts that they could not see nor receive him who was the righteousness of God There is a Righteousness of Angels or a worshipping of Angels Col. 2. which is the Spirit of Man retired into things within passing beyond the things of the letter or of the body into speculations of the Godhead understanding of Mysteries to a certain perfection of knowledge and holiness all which is but the Glory of Man herein stands the Religion of the Anti-christian Gentiles now under the new Testament this was the sum of all the divinity the School-Doctors did know or deliver this Angelical Perfection falsly so called laid the foundation of the Eremites living by roots in the wilderness of Anchorites shutting up themselves from Communion with men of Monasteries and holy Houses for mortifying the flesh and perfecting in holiness these things while they bear a shew of wisdom in humility and neglecting the body have been in every age and still are set at enmity against him who is the Righteousness of God in the several approachings and manifestations of himself so what Sathan cannot do in a weaker way by the Righteousness of the letter he will endeavour to effect by a Ministery of Light and Righteousnes that appearing as in the glory and purity of an Angel of God he may darken or diminish the righteousness and glory of the Son of God There is the Righteousness of God Jesus Christ who by that fulness of Spirit and Life dwelling in him did at once and for ever not in ours but his own body triumph over and put an end to the Law Sin and Death on his Cross and rising from the Grave raised up and set up together with himself his Church in the heavenly Righteousness in him this Righteousness is as farre above either of the former as Christ is exalted above all Principality and Power therefore can they not add nor extend any righteousness to this no more than the Glory of Man or Angels can add glory 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ This Righteousness is the Word made flesh not the Wâ—… alone nor the flesh alone but the Union of these God and the â—…n Christ in One and the operation proceeding from this Union wrought and remaining in the Person of Jesus Christ this Righteousness being broad and perfect according to the Person in whom it is extends it self unto all and upon all
again is to bring Christ down from above and up again from the dead to raise up Moses out of his Sepulcher which no man knows to this day with his ministration of death and to make the bloud of Christ a common thing or as the bloud of another Man consider this and fear ye people of whom I speak To conclude this first principle with one other note the Person of Christ and Redemption in him is vailed and denied by two sorts of men legal Teachers of the Gospel and mystical Teachers of the Law they differ herein the first set forth Christ in words of mans wisdom conditions of law and as onely in the flesh without not discerning him spiritually the other speak of him in more spiritual words and deep speculations but onely as redeeming within us in spirit not discerning nor beleiving the Glory of that Redemption without us in his Person they agree in this by both Christ is known onely after the flesh by the one onely as in the form of a Man or Person without by the other as a Redeemer onely within that is as not having finished already Redemption on earth nor as being Head over all things in the Father wherefore to know Christ as having aleady redeemed by his bloud without and as the incomprehensible fulness of Spirit and life above all through all and within all his people this is the true the safe the blessed knowledge of Christ and by this the first of their Principles above named is weighed and reproved of errour How Faith is the evidence of things not seen COncerning Faith it is the evidence of things not seen heavenly things were in God from everlasting by way of purpose yet unseen unsearchable by any eye in fulness of time they were manifested in the Person of Christ as by him perfected and wrought at once yet seen and discerned onely by faith according to the measures of Grace they are shed forth by the Spirit from him upon all the members and manifest to our sense all things of the first Creation were made by Christ all things pertaining to the second are ceased in him thus Redemption is first entire in him afterwards in measures revealed in his a work once perfected for ever in him not to be done by peices in us and so it is in being and finished already but hid with Christ in God Now upon these heavenly things there is a vail whereby they are hid the law in the conscience Reason and sense in the flesh and there is an evidence whereby they are seen that is Faith unto such as are under this vail nothing is seen nor heard but the Commandments to work and the sentences of death where work is not the Law in the letter and deeds in the flesh as the face of the covering spread upon the heart that Christ cannot be seen the highest divinity of men in this state is this Perfection by obedience to the letter without or at the best to the Spirit within Christ as a Law-giver in their Conscience and a worker of it in their Persons not as a Saviour having once fulfilled it for them in himself what of God is felt and wrought in themselves that they beleive and by that Rule they judge while the unspeakable righteousness operation and life hid in Christ and with him reserved in God with the faith liberty joy and peace thereof is hid from their eyes such is the vail and the people thereof But where Faith is come the vail is done away the earthly man with his deeds and death his hopes and fears and all things belonging to him are seen to be abolished and overcome by the everlasting righteousness and Spirit of Life that is in Christ even as the night is overcome by the day and this is to be understood to be true in him a Covenant in him ordered in all things and sure to us not alwayes perceived in feeling to our earthly members yet seen and fulfilled in the inward man through faith It is said 2 Corinth 5.7 We walk by faith not by sight Faith and sight are to be understood either as they are perfecting each other or as by men divided and made contrary one to the other sight of God has a glory and sweetness faith in him though not so seen has a certainty and evidence faith beholds things as true in Christ though hid to sense and feeling sight knows them onely as shining or flaming forth upon the heart visions and revelations bring joy and comfort but they are things that go and come and the breathings of the Spirit may blow when they list but when these streams are withheld and as passed away yet he ever lives and we also in him God spake in times past with the Fathers and Prophets by visions to sense he speaks in these last times in his Son to faith visions by figure as those were they were but given at times and passed away the face of Jesus Christ beheld by faith is the constant and standing vision now under the Gospel spiritual influences and actings do yeild some reflection and vision of God but as a Man sees his face in a troubled water broken and changeable but the face of Christ as the Christal and still waters presents God alwayes in his clear and blessed Image as full of Grace and Truth they who put spiritual workings for the Grace that is in Christ and a sense of the spirit for faith in him they do under a pretence of Spirit destroy Christ Jesus they take away that Gospel which presents us in him before any work done our perfection our Sabbath our Rest and leads us to work again for perfection by obedience to the Light within that is by the Law Concerning Faith and Sight FAith and sight the Gospel-Christian is for both in their season and place all other Religions have divided them and erred as it is very observable that sight being alone that is sight of the Godhead without faith in Christ has been is the foundation of all false fancied and Idolatrous worships that are named fight of the deity by the things that are made is the highest Religion of Philosophers and Pagans sight of God by the Golden Calfe by the Idols of gld and silver was the idolatry of Israel in the wilderness and Canaan Conceiving the things of the Spirit of God by the sight and judgement of natural Reason is the foundation of Arminians a Sect of Morality and of Socinians a Sect of subtilty a Kingdom with observation and fair shews in the flesh to the sight without was the Religion of Pharisees and legal Gospellers some are of a weaker spirit their Religion is about things of sight touch not taste not some are of stronger heads such are for divinations of the brain things seen to Reason babes in Christ are for enlightnings and tasts and gifts things of sight to the inward sense and they that would seem to be the highest are
for all to be known and beleived as done onely within thus nothing is less learned and understood by the most of Religions and Opinions that are than faith in Christ and the life of faith sense or reason or fancy or mystical legalitie all which in the account of the Spirit are but sight and appearance having left no more room for true Gospel faith than onely in that Church of the faithful that holds the Head even him that is far above all things and they in him by faith And hence it is that where sight or sense as to spiritual things is by any spirit or doctrine made a principle and rule of judgement these and such like conclusions follow do this and live if thou sinnest after faith thou art under the law so much obedience so far justified while flesh lusteth within thee no freedom from sin to be perfectly justified by Christ and reconciled to God is not till fully mortified and obedient to Christ within thee all which are sentences of the Law not of Grace denying Christ overwhelming the afflicted in sorrow without hope and turning the feet of the lame out of the way of such doctrines beware On the other hand where faith or things not seen or things in Christ are made the rule or principle of Judgement these sayings are blessed and true I am black but comely as dying and behold we live when I am weak then am I strong Enoch Noah and Abraham dyed in the faith yet received not the promises onely saw them afar off all things are put in subjection under Christ though we see not all things yet put under him The sum of all is measure not things by sight but faith the door of faith is open when that of sense may be shut rejoyce alwayes in the Lord though thou mayest not alwayes see him sight as alone is the foundation of idolatry if thou beest led by that thou fallest back into the Law though in a mystery of deceit if thou walkest by faith thou shalt be led on to sight not that of reason or dry speculation but of spiritual sweet and gracious mainfestation of Christ as in person a Saviour for thee and as in Spirit revealing himself in thee and hereby their second principle above named of justification and redemption to be the light within as obeyed within may appear to be a mystery of iniquity to my understanding affirming in effect that Christ is divided Paul and every Christian crucified and made an offering for himself and thereby justified reconciled and accepted and if it be so let this people consider and fear but if not so let plainness of speech be used and not a vail Concerning the Spirit and Scriptures as together making up a perfect witness or rule of faith COncerning the Scriptures passing by all other distinctions they are first the Law of Commandments ordained by Angels a ministration of the letter answering to that of God in every man the law in the conscience this within and that without being one in substance a light and a law of things to be done for righteousness and life thus all Nations have received a law having a law in themselves though suppressed and vailed thus all have a law though dimmed and darkened pointing to the righteousness of the law or first Adam but not attaining thereunto and herein all Nations are one whether Jews Turks or Pagans their Light one Law one Religion one all following one righteousness that is of the Law onely in difference of notion and form and manner of worship all equally concluded under the law of sin and all equally ignorant of the second Adam and righteousness by him thus if Scriptures were not by that Candle in man God might be known and the law and righteousness yet but as in a ministration of death the righteousness of God and the law of the Spirit and God manifest in flesh being a mystery hid from the natural man declared onely by the Gospel and discerned by the Spirit 2. The word of the Gospel or Reconciliation being the joyful tidings of an heavenly Person and an heavenly gift both equally wonderful God manifest in flesh and our righteousness in him in whom old things or things belonging to the first Adam whether the Law of God or deeds of the flesh are passed away having in him received their period or perfection and all things though not yet to us fully seen in him become new Thus the Gospel being a mystery of things hid in Christ is neither written not to be seen in the heart of man and being a mystery of things of the new Creature and of another world cannot be known by the wisdom of this world that is by the wisdom spirit and light of the natural Man as he that gave a law to all the world has set in every man a light to know that law so the ministration of Grace being a far other thing and exceeding it in glory cannot be known but by a far other Light than that in every man and exceeding it in glory that is the Spirit of grace Wherefore the bringing the Gospel to Light is after this manner it first lay hid in God unknown to Angels or men as the deeps that are beneath afterward was declared and administred by the Word made flesh in the Person of Christ as the spring head bring forth the deeps beneath thereby him revealed through the sending of the Spirit to them that were with him and to this day by the same spirit to them that beleive through their word and hence these things follow That the knowledge of God according to the law all Nations may have by his enlightening within them the mystery of God in Christ not so the first being engraven in the spirit of man this having not so much as entered into the heart of man and being onely revealed by another Light far exceeding in glory even that Spirit which the world never saw nor can receive That the Scriptures as joyned in one are the onely sufficient warranted and standing evidence of Christ to men the Scriptures as the Image of him without and the Spirit as the light shining upon them bring forth the true and living image of him into the heart if Grace have appeared to any where Scriptures are not the Spirit is free to blow where he lists but this spirit or grace the light in the natural man knows nothing of That the Spirit and Scriptures together as they are a full witness to Christ and Truth so they are as the standing Oracle or constant Vision unto which all ought to come for the knowledge of Truth the perfect Judge for ending all difference about spiritual matters and the perfect Rule for tryal of all spirits and wayes of Religion the Scriptures as the lanthorn and the Spirit as the candle therein they as the Commandment of Christ to his Church and the Spirit as the Judge giving the true understanding thereof and bringing forth the
Mystery and Majesty that lies hid therein Either of these if set up asunder without the other brings forth a twofold errour both perillous and hurtful 1. Imposing the letter of Scripture without the light of the Spirit whether by Churches or Councils may be an opposing the Scriptures against the Spirit and sets up another dominion over the conscience which is subject to Christ alone 2. Imposing any thing for vision or Spirit without liberty of appeal or reference to Scripture whether by an Angel from heaven or an Apostle is a shaking mens minds from off the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone and a carrying them away as by a blast of wind unto another Jesus another Spirit of whom God never spake he that imposeth any thing upon conscience for Spirit without testimony of Scripture is as he that imposeth for Scripture without testimony of the Spirit both equally seeking to bear dominion over our faith the second errour if either is worse than the first the generations that are past who lived more in the letter suffered much by the first these last times which profess more of the Spirit may suffer an hour of sore temptation by the last The conclusion is A call to any light or voyce or word within as the way to Christ from the Spirit and Scriptures unto spirits in distemper who take apparitions of the night for dawnings of day the sparklings of fancy for the true beams of faith unto such thâ—s may seem a ministry of light but he that through Grace has still the faith of Jesus knows it to be a foundation of Sathan laid in the deep in order to a design of blotting out the Gospel and therein the face of the Mediator the Church in him their liberty their joyes and songs in Christ and hereby their third principle aforesaid affirming the Light in the Conscience the way or guide to Christ whereto onely to attend appears to be a darksome fleshly and most legal Principle a very grave wherein Christ Redemption Attonement our Victory and Triumph and Sabbath in him lies buried despised and forgotten for ever thus according to my measure their main Principles are weighed let the spiritual judge The Light in all men what it is and of what use THere is one thing more which I may not pass as being the soul and life of all their principles that the light which is in every man is Christ the Redeemer the Spirit a twofold errour may be discerned herein by the things following Christ as in the beginning the Word was he by whom all things pertaining to the first Creation or natural man were made and do consist and so he was and is the fountain of being and life to every Creature in him we live and breath Christ as the Word by whom all things were made is the splendour and image of the invisible God to the first Creation as brightness to the Son so Christ to the Father is a face of light sending forth his lightenings upon every Creature as a Rule or Law to every motion and operation and as thus he hath lighted up a candle in the natural mans heart and also presents some beams of the Godhead and therein of justice equity soberness c to be discerned by his candle and observed as his law thus all natural principles moral vertues and just laws of Nations are beams from Christ as he is the Word and Light of God to the natural man not as he is a Redeemer The highest office and use of this Light within or of the natural man is this to receive from God the manifestation of the invisible things of him that is the divine power and Godhead and to return to God obedience thereto just and perfect as God is just and perfect that is to know him as God and glorifie him as God thus the fullest account of the light within every man according to the Spirit and Scriptures is this as in it self it is the work of the Law written in their hearts as to its object it is the candle of the Lord in the Spirit of man beholding God according to some speculations of the divinity knowing nothing of the precious Gospel Mystery God manifest in flesh and as to its exercise it is a doing by nature the things contained in the law hence as the sum of things spoken these conclusions follow That the Light within for matter and substance is the fame with the law of Moses that was written upon tables of stone this upon tables of flesh in the conscience both were given for transgression not for righteousness neither of them could reveal or give life both Jews and Gentiles being all under sin From both these Laws whether in tables of stone or tables of conscience Christ came to justifie and deliver bringing forth in himself instead of both a more excellent and perfect law as far as the Sun of Righteousness himself excels that which is but a beam or letter of righteousness onely according to J. Naylor and the people of that way Christ came to redeem Israel in the flesh from the Law and every letter without but to establish in force that within in the conscience by obedience unto which men come to be redeemed this is the first errour the Light within or work of the Law in the heart from the terrour and condemnation whereof the blessed Lord Jesus came to deliver is called and worshipped by them as the Redeemer and Spirit Secondly while they affirm the light within or in every man is the Redeemer they know Christ onely as a Law-giver and worker not as a Justifier and Saviour naturally according to the Godhead as judging and purging away sins within them not Evangelically according to that blessed union or marriage with the humanity as having already therein purged away all sins by himself Christ is formed in the minds and described in the writings of men under a twofold image or resemblance one according to Gospel mystery by the Spirit of God the other according to natural Reason by the spirit of this world Christ beheld as having our sinful flesh condemnation and death as a garment upon him and as having rent and torn the same from off him again by the power of the Spirit of life in him and having so taken them all away as if they had never been this is a true resemblance of him thus is he seen in his proper colours thus Christ is no Moses no Exactor no giver of Laws but a most sweet Saviour and giver of Grace thus is he nothing else but infinite Mercy and Goodness freely given and freely giving to us all things in himself Christ according to this form shining in thy faith shall put to flight Armies of thy temptations shall try the Spirits shall preserve thee from being spoiled by any false doctrines either of subtil philosophy or specious Legality if this image of him thou sufferest to be
defaced or any other wayes painted out unto thee when the hour of temptation or trouble cometh thou shalt soon be overthrown By the Spirit of this world Christ is set forth under another resemblance by some more according to the Godhead as the Word the Light the Truth the Spirit by others according to the humanity as a man holy spotless separate from sinners and by both as a living example unto the world of perfect obedience to the law of the Spirit and the life of God this sets forth Christ indeed as a divine Person and so has a Truth but presents him onely as giving a Law and working it in us and so denies and blots out the Glory of his Grace as being the end of the Law this is the divinity of Sophisters and Justitiaries and all that they know or can teach of Christ let such Teachers know who cry up the Spirit to cry down the bloud who teach him as an Example and cast out the Attonement let all such know while they vaunt of sublime divinity and mysterious truth they do but set Christ in Moses chair as Law-giver and Judge but the great love in him as propitiation for sins they know nothing of the highest Religion of natural Reason is to pierce far into notions of God and to set him before it as a pattern to obey but faith onely sees the deep secret of Grace laid up in a crucified Christ he that would behold the glory of God and would be set up in those heavenly places let him lay down his Reason how heightened soever and begin in the simplicity of faith at the crucified body of Christ in whom he shall see himself dead and buried and raised up also together with him not by any work or obedience to Christ within but by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Christ from the dead Hence these things follow 1. That the Light within or of the natural man with the work of Reason together is that spirit of this world which hath formed this false resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker and Pattern as upon the Cross an Attonement to Justice the victory of sin curse and the grave and the Head over all which is the true likeness or image of him terrible to others but the joy of his own so he is not known to the Light within If a man should be born into the world and in the space of one hour should grow up to the perfection of a man to the fulness of Light and Reason propound unto him these doctrines whether he will chuse that Christ has already by himself purged away his sins and sanctified him for ever before any good work wrought in him or that not Christ without but the Light within him is the Christ which through obedience thereto purges away sin in him and redeems him that way the first would seem foolishness and a contradiction to his Light the last would be received as the more reasonable and excellent way 2. That this false conception or resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker is an Idol and the root of idolatrous Religions doctrines of Circumcision added to Christ by the false Apostles of charity humility and bodily chastisements by the Church of Rome preparatives before faith by the Teachers of the Law and obedience to the Light within as the way of Redemption by the people called Quakers all these though divers as to Parties and Notions yet are one in the root and foundation of their faith all looking upon Christ according to the Law as perfecting out in part or in whole Redemption by work within them Conceptions of Christ how divine soever if not as crucified for our offences and raised up again for our justification are but Idols set up of a more spiritual nature as the Gods of Gold and Silver Lastly That they who affirm the Light in every man that condemns of sin to be Christ the Redeemer have set up an Idol for Christ they are gone back from that Christ that came not to judge but to save the world that speaks not condemnation but meer joy and sweetness to the weary and weak and have set up another Jesus and another Gospel neither of which nor the worshippers thereof shall be able to stand when the true Jesus shall appear this is the other errour as to the Light within Two things charged upon us by this people first that we deny the Light within and set it against Christ weighed and removed THis blessed doctrine of Grace Christ bearing away sins as in his crucified body and justifying the ungodly as in himself is by the words and writings of this people often and principally charged of two things 1. As denying the Light within and setting it against Christ 2. As teaching Christ at a distance and onely without A word to both may not be unseasonable While the Light within condemns of sin to beleive by Christ I am justified from sin is not this to make the light within against Christ no no more than the Law is against the Promise the Light in the Conscience and the Law of Commandements for substance are one their power one their kingdom one that is the flesh or first Adam Jesus Christ came forth one greater than the Law greater than our Conscience against him arose the Law of commandments the Law in the conscience sin in the flesh death and the curse all great and mighty Lords who had devoured the earth sparing no flesh neither Kings Princes nor People whom he having vanquished and triumphed openly over them he took the Law out of the tables the work of the Law out of the heart and sin out of the flesh as the Conquerour takes the conquered Kings out of the Throne of their Kingdoms and nailed them to his Cross according to the flesh he was as it were given for a prey to the fowls of Heaven and the beasts on Earth principalities on high and the miseries of the flesh according to the Spirit of glory and power he redeemed the prey brought back the spoil raised up his flesh and therein his body mystical and gathered together all things that were against him that are against us buried them in his grave and therein shut them up for ever Hence then a beleiver is divided into twain and accordingly lives in two Kingdoms according to his faith he is a man in Christ raised in him and set up in him above the law of his flesh of conscience or sin above the whole world with all things therein into the glorious liberty and blessedness of Jesus Christ as thus he is to be known no more after the flesh but as having put it off in union with Christ according to reason and sense he is a man in the flesh subject to the Law to infirmity and death the life of his spiritual man being many times hid from the sense of his natural as the Life of Christ in the Godhead
the Law or first Testament he was to stand or fall to live or dye upon account of works according to the nature and terms of that Testament he was under as it is written he that doth these things shall live by them and therefore the reward unto Christ that worked was not reckoned of grace but of debt and so he was made under the Law fulfilled the Law and was justified according to the Law That God requires the same obedience of us as of him and that through offering up our selves in the same obedience he did we become justified in measure and degree according to the measure of obedience being perfectly justified when come up to the same measure of obedience that Christ did not before this they affirm The conclusion is this that even as Christ by doing the works of the Law was justified according to the Law after the same manner by the same works done by us in the same spirit unto the same measure we become justified and accepted with God that is by the works of the Law the righteousness of the Law saith thus he that doth the will of God commanded in the Law is sanctified thereby and shall live therein the righteousness of faith sayes he that works not but beleives the will of God is already done by the offering of the body of Christ by this will is he sanctified and perfected for ever of these they take away the second and establish the first that is the righteousness of the Law God having wrought all things for us in the Person of Christ this is our righteousness and that Truth which is first God working all things in us by Christ is the fruit or manifestation of our righteousness and that truth which comes after these when together are both Gospel-truths yet in their own order when the first is alone without the other it is turned into a principle of carnal Libertinisme where this last is alone without the first it is made a principle of mystical Legality both these Truths have their glory but in a different respect the first as in Christ the Head onely visible to faith therefore to the Children of Reason the law and the letter not known nor discerned nor by them desired nor praised the other has its glory in the members upon the flesh as therein seen and felt therefore more eyes are upon it more admirers of it and a greater name and shew thereof in the world than of the other The Mystery of God manifest in flesh was a ministration of infinite necessity as to us that thereby all sin might first be taken away and the reconciliation made this being done in him for all made way most blessedly for the other mystery of God Christ in us to be brought forth I cannot I did not know Christ Jesus a fountain of living waters in me until I first knew and beleived that I was washed sanctified and justified in him before any good done in me or by me we love not him by bringing forth the fruits of love to him in our members till we knew that he loved us first by the fruits of love manifested for us in our Head God as having perfected me for ever in the body of Christ through the Spirit appears to me with open face as love as light a father and freind as nigh me I in him and he in me God as having not saved me in himself already so he appears with a vail upon his face the sight of him terrible and to come near him is consuming fire can two walk together except they be agreed It is a faithful saying and a sure rule of judgement and will stand for ever that as the greatest zeal for the sacrifice in the body of Christ excluding his spiritual appearance in us is a professing him as afarre off but not a joyning or bringing us together into one so the most spiritual pretences to Christ in us excluding the sacrifice for us in the body of his flesh is to bring God and us together before we be agreed that is before the propitiation for sins or attonement be performed or done woe unto them that profess they are brought nigh unto God in the death of the Mediatour but come not unto God by him in the spirit of him these have onely the form but not the power of faith woe unto them that would enter in or come nigh unto God excluding the death of the Mediator the Man Christ Jesus as the onely way unto him such have lost both the form and power of faith Darkness and delusion works upon men by these two mistakes some preach Christ as the Head but bring not men into union with him others preach Christ as doing all things in union with us but hold not the Head as having done all for us in himself these condemn each other both are condemned by the children of faith who rejoyce in Christ Jesus as having overcome all things for us as the Head over all things to us and who wait till the same victory be declared in us by his appearance in us Christ's first and last Comings what and a Question answered FOr further satisfaction another great Question concerning this people may be taken into serious and humble consideration whether may not they be that Angel of God that should fly through the midst of Heaven preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom unto all Nations a little before the end should come Two things searched out may give light and resolution herein the Comings of Christ first and second and the last coming of Anti-christ the Comings of Christ and his work in both are expressed Hebr. 9.26 28. once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him the second time shall he appear without sin unto salvation the flesh sin and death with all the evils of mankind were laid upon Christ together who being the righteousness wisdom and power of God could not be held of them but as Sampson the new ropes so he rent them from off him on the Cross and together with his body buried them in his grave wherein a mystery unknown to sense and reason but known to faith they lie to this day hid and covered taken out of the sight of God and the conscience of the beleiver as perfectly as if they had never been so that as the floud of Noah overwhelmed the old world that it was not or as the Sun shining at noon-day vanquisheth the least shadow of darkness that it is no more so he that was the brightness of the Fathers glory and the deep fountain of David abolished and purged away sin by himself that it is no more if sense or reason or the natural conscience may be judge in things of God these things are not so but let all such know that this Gospel of Christ is a mystery
hid from such eyes or principles of flesh that Religion that saith sin is not done away for us in the Head because felt in part in our earthly members whatsoever honour it may take to it self as above others yet is but built upon the same principles with all the false Religions of the world to wit sense reason and unbeleiving conscience that is to say the Law thus Christ's first coming was to take away sin As Christ first appeared bearing and taking away sin so he shall appear the second time without sin that is not as at first condemning bearing and taking away sin for thâ—s he did once when he offered up himself as he first came cloathing himself upon with our sin so he shall come again cloathing us upon with his everlasting righteousness once he came in Grace taking upon himself the sin the sentence that was upon us then he shall come in more grace as having taken away sin both from off us and himself his first coming united him to our flesh and us unto him all his were gathered together in him in one body on the Cross his second coming shall unite us together with him in one glory and spirit and shall gather all Saints into one in himself as it is said The Lord my God shall come and all his Saints with thee we who beleive are entered into Rest we have Redemption perfection and life already but hid in him we wait for the same at his second coming not to be done over again but to be revealed in us those that shall trouble them who have beleived in Jesus by charging them of sin and calling to a Redemption as a thing yet to be done or that shall declare him coming again to charge or accuse his people of sin to set up in them a cross of attonement and redemption from sin such do make void his first coming in flesh which was to beat away sin such are not the Angel that shall publish his second appearance which is without sin unto salvation Jesus Christ in Person as raised up above all Principalities and Powers is the Head of his Church all that are Christ's whether those that are fallen asleep or that yet remain alive are in a mystery raised up already in him as in union with their Head they are so but they appear not so as all that were Christ's were raised up together with him when he was raised up so they shall all come together with him when he shall appear again the dead out of the graves and the living changed and all this by vertue of union the members with the Head as Christ is not Head in Spirit alone but as the whole Person so his second appearance will not be in Spirit alone but also in Person and as we are his members not as to the Spirit alone but also as to the body spiritual so our gathering together unto the coming of the Lord will not be in Spirit onely but also in the spiritual body thus the coming of the Lord in his heavenly Person and our meeting of him in our heavenly tabernacle or incorruptible state will be together the union of Head and Members and the evidence of Scriptures agreeing thereto perswading me so Let this union be kept clear as to our understanding and entire from first to last so shall the disputes of many and the diversities of their faith about the coming of the Lord be cleared and ended and the professions of this people will appear to be not according to Truth who some of them say to us the Day is come and the shadows are fled away that Day being as the Lightening that shall shine from East to West that is not coming to some first but to all that are Christs together bringing forth Redemption not of the Spiritt alone but also of the body bringing forth our Lord Jesus not onely in Spirit but also in Person and with him all that are his at coming Wherefore our union in Christ the Head and his union with us the members are Truths of a distinct nature and consideration according to the first we are in him compleat already according to the other we know him in part and grow up in measures to be in him compleat is a state more inward mor hid seen onely to faith to have him in us encreasing and in part is a thing more in sight and seen to sense and feeling learn and beleive your selves perfect in him and wait and groan for the manifestation thereof in your members let no man spoil you of your reward in the first if you would not fail and come short of the last live by faith alwayes in him though the clear and comfortable sense of him live not alwayes in you thus much of Christ his first and second Comings Anti-christ's last coming what and how COncerning Anti-christ in his last coming it may be said a conjunction of carnal things with spiritual Law and Reason with Christ was the Egg of Anti christianisme wherein that Kingdom began and whereby it has been nourished and continued unto this day Circumcision and Philosophy under the Pagan power Ceremony and works under the Papal subtil speculations in the dayes of the School-men and fair shews in the flesh in these our times all these in their several seasons having been coupled and mingled with the things of Christ and standing where they should not have made Anti-christ appear as a mystery worshipped and wondered as the true Christ In times of light or of the Apostles and first Churches he came forth in a ministry of light and righteousness of works that he might dishonour and diminish the righteousness of Christ in after ages as spiritual lights and truths decreased and declined into more carnality and darkness he likewise took up and worked by more carnal principles in later times as truth has begun to shine forth again he also has transformed himself into an Angel of light again Thus the way and method of Antichrist in general has been by a similitude of truth to deface the Truth or by lesser truths to oppose the greater by pâ—inciples of reason to oppose the things of faith by the letter to oppose the Spirit or by the Spirit as working all in us to oppose Christ as having wrought all for us in himself That Anti-christ in his last coming will observe the same method as before to wit a counterfeit of truth seems to be expressed by the Lord himself in his speech to his Disciples concerning Antichrist's and his own last coming Math. 24.5 26 27. Many shall come in my Name saying I am Christ some shall say he is in the desert some in the secret chambers but my coming shall be as lightening shining from East to West The last Truths or Truths last to be revealed before the coming of the Lord will be such as relate to his coming spiritual whispers and voices from Christ to the Virgins behold I come quickly and a
their power oppose and persecute this is a Ministry of darkness There is a Ministry also that teacheth Christ onely as an Allegory or figure of things to be done in us the cross and bloud without onely typing and signifying the cross and bloud and spirit within us Moses John and Christ with their several Ministries being onely as transient forms figures and examples of another and more spiritual Ministry within that onely makes perfect this doctrine indeed has a glory with the natural man or him that is led by the principles of Law or heightened Reason but has no glory with afflicted ones who are under workings of wrath and spoiled of all let the Masters of such doctrines with all their disciples know the Law was an Allegory or shadow of good things in Christ had nothing in it self but signified all in another and referred us over to him this was but the weakness and emptiness of the Law it was but an Allegory So they that preach the Person of Christ and Redemption in him to be onely an Allegory of things in us such set not forth Christ in glory but weakness this is the emptiness of Christ that he was but a figure having done nothing for us in himself but onely pointing us to another the Spirit to work Redemption in us this is a Ministry of darkness but under a form of Light Which sets forth Christ in most light let it be judged he that sayes Christ has already by himself done away the ministration of condemnation and death which was as a cloud of darkness spread over us as a thick vail before us that we could not come unto God and in the place thereof hath brought forth a ministration of righteousness and life whereby a way is opened into the holiest into the light and glory of God that saith Sing oh heavens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into singing ye mountains oh forrest and every tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in Israel all things that were against us are overcome on his cross and descended into his deep grave for ever nothing remains but that you receive this Saviour as having done all things for you as working all things in you or he that saith Christ came once into the world a Teacher of Perfection and a living Example therein but is now come in us setting up a Law of condemnation and death wherein if we abide and bear the indignation of God and punishment of sins in his Spirit and after his example through these sufferings as by the bloud of the Cross shall the Attonement and redemption be made and perfected if we be perfect in obedience and that we are not to beleive any such thing that the bloud of Christ without takes away sins sin is not taken away nor redemption made till the same obedience and sufferings be fulfilled in us as in him this doctrine because pointing to the bloud the Cross the Redeemer within may by shaken and darkened hearts be called a doctrine of light but indeed it bringeth back the shadows and terrors of the Law again remembrance of sin suffering sacrifice wrath and so far from being a Light that it shuts up the light grace and glory of God that he cannot be seen any other wayes than through a vail far thicker than that of Moses Christ as appearing above all mountains as Head over all Principalities and Powers to his Church so he is a Light as by the brightness of his glory he has vanquished that darkness and death brought in by sin so he is a light as he has in himself the second Adam destroyed all that which came in by the first Adam so he is a light he that brings not this doctrine makes Christ no more a Light but either a figure and example without or at the best a Law-giver a Moses and an Exact or within Their Purity and Power examined what it is THere is a Purity that is so with men but not before God Reason saith Man's nature is defiled by sin and must be washed by our obedience disobedience to God was the defilement and by obedience and mortification we return to Purity but faith sayes Purity before God is the conscience purged by the dead body of Christ and the heart purified by the Spirit of faith beleiving the same who are most for spiritual Purity they that beleive sin already done away in him that came by bloud water and spirit and by union with him are therein washed and made clean every whit or they who contend sin not yet done away take away our righteousness in the Head so pure and perfect and affirm our righteousness to be but in part till perfection in obedience if bodily exercise or purifying the flesh may be called purity divers Monks and Jesuites especially of old may claim a name herein who yet knew little of Purity by the righteousness of God when almes bodily chastisements retirement into holy houses and going on pilgrimage was beleived as the way to be perfect no wonder if this Religion abounded so where this Principle is received in power that obedience to the light within and all the several acts of that obedience till come unto perfection are the onely Redemption and way to be perfect to see zeal and exactness labours and sufferings denying the pleasures fashions and customs of the world in such t is not to be wondered at to purifie the earthly members by the spirit is good while the inward Man abides as in a more excellent way purified in the Head but to purifie the members as reckoning it our redemption our righteousness all such Purity is sin blindness and Idolatry Lastly as to their Power the Law is mighty to kill because of sin weak to save because of the flesh he that takes out of our sight our righteousness as in heaven in the Lord already prepared brings us back into weakness and bondage again and leaves us without light or strength to withstand in the hour of temptation that may come either by spirits from without or our flesh from within that doctrine that declares our liberty victory triumph to be already in being in Christ the Head that shews us a life given unto us above all spiritual actings exercises and comforts felt in our selves a life liberty and perfection hid in Christ this doctrine brings power and a spirit of power Compleatness in the Head without Law or work being beleived and learned gives a spirit of judgement over all spirits and doctrines interest and kinds of life and a strength of righteousness which preserves from the evils of all whilst this Truth lay hid the Church was in bondage unto the elements of the world will-worship and monkish holiness having over-spread all instability and unfaithfulness to this Truth does at this day deliver up many unto principles and practises not according to Christ thus where righteousness in the Head
Christ in flesh and there in put an end both to the Law and the flesh thus we are delivered from the Law by the body of Christ and are joyned to one husband not to the Law and Christ but to Christ alone according to the inward man we dwell in the curtains of Solomon in the liberty and rest of Christ as in him while according to the flesh we are in the tents of Kedar tempted and dark and weak as in our selves thus in the dead body of Christ I am dead and buried unto the Law sin death and the whole world and raised in Christ and this is my redemption which neither the principles of reason nor morality nor Law nor light of conscience can discern and teach but the alone light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shining into the heart Wherefore there is a redemption that is according to reason and a redemption that is in a mystery to return to that light and purity by obedience from which we are fallen by disobedience this is redemption according to reason the Law the light within and the judgement of this people herein is no mystery for the wise men of the heathen wrote of it and pressed after it all Nations imagine such a redemption but that the fall should be amended and the creature restored not into the state of the first Adam but a greater and better the righteousnesse of God and all this without any vertue or work or service on our parts but by the alone operation of the blessed God-head in the man Jesus this is that mystery hid in God whereof the highest speculations the clearest light of that candle in the naturall man is utterly ignorant and unlearned otherwise it were not a mystery if any light whatsoever set up in man by his first creation could have found it out wherefore to live to the Law that thou mayst live to God is the redemption that reason and this people teach I through the Law am dead to the Law that I may live unto God is the Redemption that brings glory the other will end in death Concerning Justification Sanctification and Mortification He affirms that to walk in the spirit and not fulfil the lusts of the flesh or Christ fulfilling the Law in us or the spirit mortifying and sanctifying and so fulfilling the Law in us this is justification sanctification and mortification and these are one and so a man is justified as he is sanctified and mortified and no further Will you adventure your souls upon such a justification as this therein to appeare before God if it be not too late to tell you know that justification is a free gift already prepared and wrought for sinners in the person of him who is greater then Angels or men who being the fulnesse of all divine vertue and perfection did thereby as by an overflowing flood upon his Cross beare away our sinnes and death all the evils of this world and buried them in his grave for ever Angels though great and mighty in power could not save the Law being greater then they could not give life Christ came forth mightier then all gathered together in himself the enmity death and Law and all things that were against us nailed them to his Cross and took all out of the way gloriously in himself and so was that saying fulfilled his voice then shoak the earth He that believes this truly according to his faith so is it done unto him the Christian as believing is a man in Heaven in Christ sit down in rest liberty and perfection in Christ as working righteousness he is on earth groaning after rest liberty and perfection But can there be Rest and liberty where there is a groaning for it yea oh man as well as Paul could be present in spirit where he was absent in body whilst at home in the body we are absent from the Lord yet by faith we are present in the Lord things of nature are taken in by reason or sense reason hath knowledge and communion with things before the sense feeles or tastes them so the things of the spirit are taken in by faith or spiritual sense through faith the believer hath communion with spiritual things before they be in their power and fulnesse attained by sense and feeling the mystery of grace in Christ is not limited yet love of God and righteousnesse of Christ are not more or lesse for the Believer because the manifestations thereof in him are so the vail is rent sin finished all old things are passed away but by faith I understand it to be so as in Christ my head and therein am justified the manifestation thereof in my self I wait for and therein is my sanctification as in my members take away that justification in Christ for you and all sanctifications by obedience to the light within will profit you nothing Concerning the Law The things of note said by him are Law is the ministration of the letter without the Gospel or ministration of the spirit is the same Law but written in the heart of all men they that believe Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own person and what we do he makes it accepted with the father as though we did performe all that is required none such know his commands in spirit that righteousnesse by faith is when the Law is performed in us by workes in spirit righteousnesse by workes is when the Law is done by us without life and spirit that the offering and blood without could make nothing perfect that within being more pure and perfect and that the Law in the conscience is answered by the resurrection of Christ within Are the Law and Gospel the same aske the wounded spirit beset with the terrours of the Law of God who lie under the sharpest sense of the Law and can give the best account thereof whither redemption was finished in One the person of Christ alone or yet to be done in many the persons of all the redeemed let the Scripture with the spirit be your light and rule until the day declare The holy just and perfect will of God revealed to the world first by that in the conscience after upon Tables of stone reproving for sin and requiring righteousness by obedience whether to the Letter without or Light within this is the ministration of death mighty to kill because it was the working Covenant weak to give life because it was not the Mediatour Christ the fulness of all heavenly things came forth in flesh and being in lengths and breadths sufficient for that purpose did in himself fulfill what the Law required and sustaine all the Law had to charge upon us and so in himself put an end to the Law for all that should believe that which requires works to be wrought in us as the way to attaine righteousness whether it be Letter without or Light within it is the Law and herein do all the false and fleshly Religions of the world agree