Devil and Anti-christ rules there teacheth there thou art a poor Captive and Bondslave thereof profess what thou wilt and if the Power of God thou knowest not working within thy self and operating in thy Heart not only to shake pull down and remove that which can be shaken and removed but also to bring in that which cannot be shaken nor removed viz. Everlasting Righteousness I say if this thou knowest not the Power of the Enemy of God and thy Soul worketh in thee and prevaileth over thee by working in thy Imaginations Will and Affections Mind and Members that which is Evil either in self-Sinning or self Righteousness which are both Abomination to the Lord So if thou knowest not the Word of God within thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart with the Virtues and Properties thereof as a Hammer as a Fire quick and powerful sharper then a two-edged Sword and hearest and obeyest the Voice thereof I say if this Word thou knowest not within thou art not made clean nor sanctified by it but those Things stand in thee against which it is as a Hammer Fire Sword sharp and powerful and the Word and Commands of the old Serpent that Betrayer sounds loâ—d in thy Ears and pierceth deep into thy Heart and thou art carryed away with the Wind thereof and enterest into his Temptations daily and knowest not Power against them so thou canst not say as David once did Psal 119.11 I have hid thy Word in my Heart that I might not sin against thee neither hast thou received with Meekness the Ingrafted Word which is able to save but art of those whom Christ spoak to Ye have not his Word speaking of his Father abiding in yoâ— John 5.38 And if thou knowest not the Law of the Spirit of Life within thee written in thy Inward Parts thou art a Stranger to the New-Covenant Jer. 31.33 the Law of Sin Death hath Power over thee the Law that is in thy Members leads thee Captive thereto and the Carnal Mind which is Enmity against God and cannot be subject to his Law reigns in thee though thou professest the Law of God with thy Tongue thou dost not love it nor delight in it in thy Hearr neither is it better in thy Esteem then Thousands of Gold and Silver So in short If thou art not Partaker Possessor of the Heavenly Treasures in thy Earthen Vessel thou art fraighted with Earthly Treasures Vanities if thou knowest not thy Body the Temple of the Living God and thy Heart his Throne then is it as a Cage for Unclean Birds and as a Habitation for Wild Beasts and as a Nest for Venemous Creeping Things and the Prince of Darkness sits upon the Throne of thy Heart and rules there let thy Opinion and Talk of Religion be what it will Now be thou warned and advised to watch against that Spirit in thy self which moveth thee to sleight deride and mock at the Appearance and Manifestation of the Light Crace Spirit Power Word and Law of God within And learn to cease also from those Teachers without which have caused thee to err who hate the Light within and despise the Shining of it and give it despicable Names as Ignis Fatuus 〈◊〉 certain or Falce Fire Natural Light and the Checks and Reproofs of it but the Checks of a Natural Conscience and despise the Grace that appears to all men and call it Common and not Saving Crace and sleight and reject the Power and Spirit of God within which moves and works against all Evil and to all Good not allowing it to be the principal Rule and Guide of a Christian and also endeavour to demolish race out the Word and Law of God within under Pretence of directing thee to a more sure Word and Law without viz. the Holy Scriptures which contain divers Words Precepts and Commandments c. spoaken by holy men to whom the Word of the Lord came which was before the Words were and by this Word and Spirit that came to them and was in them were they moved to speak them and that is greater then the Words and till thou knowest a Measure of the same Word and Spirit within thy self thou canst neither truly understand nor obey the Words and holy Precepts and Exhortations that proceeded from it that indeed being the Original Cause Root and Ground from whence all the Good Words and Good Works that ever sprang up in the Heart of Mankind proceeded Such Teachers have ran â—ut God hath not sent them so People are not profitted but spoiled by them they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men they neither enter themselves nor suffer those that would and under the Name of Ministers of Christ are direct Ministers of Antichrist from such turn thou away learn of the Grace of God which Teacheth to deny Ungodliness c. and love the Light and bring thy Deeds to it John 3.21 and walk in it so shalt thou become a Child of it and have Right to inherit the precious Promises and possess and enjoy the Glorious Priviledges which thou hast hitherto only profess'd heard and read of in the holy Scriptures so wilt thou come to inherit Substance and soon be wiser then thy former Teachers and of a Titular Christian thou wilt become a Christian indeed an Israelite indeed a Jew inward indeed whose Praise is of God and not of Men. W. S. THE True Christian's FAITH AND EXPERIENCE DECLARED Concerning God Christ the Spirit c. First Concerning God THE True Christian believes there is One God who is a Spirit pure in Essence God is infinite and incomprehensible in himself and all the Words of Men and Angels cannot define him as he is being in all through all and above all And the various Names given him throughout the holy Scriptures were according to the Manifestation or Appearance and Operation of his Spirit in their Hearts that wrote them and according to the State it found them in when it appeared to them hence he was call'd a Consuming Fire Our God is a Consuming Fire and his Word as a Hammer and as a Fire and a Jealous and Angry God who as a Devouring Fire goes through the Bryars and Thorns and consumes them and the Day of his Appearance among these Bryars and Thorns Thiâ—les and Stubble is compared to the burning of Fire in an Oven in which the Wicked cannot dwell And others could call him by quite contrary Names even according to the Operation of his Spirit in them by the same could say that God is Love and his Word was as Milk and sweeter then Hony or the Hony-Comb and that the Light of his Countenance was better then the Encrease of Corn Wine and Oyl and that he was a Shield and a Shaddow of a Rock in a Weary Land his Name as a strong Tower and safe-dwelling-Place and as precious Oyntment pour'd forth and his Face or Presence
these things the Titular Christian deceives himself and indeed hath no Part in the one nor in the other in the true Figure nor in the Substance And notwithstanding his outward Mouth eats and drinks outward Bread and Wine which comes from beneath and is the Fruit of the Earth his Inward Man pines and hungers for want of partaking of that Living Bread which comes down from Heaven and is wholely a Stranger to that Flesh which is Meat indeed and to that Blood which is Drink indeed and puts the Coming of the Lord far off and is wholely ignorant not only of him but of the Manner of his Coming also and of the very Door of Conscience at which he stands knocking and so doth not open unto him but openeth to a Stranger and entertaineth his Enemy and giveth Place and Obedience to that which occasioned all his Sufferings to wit Sin and the Author of it ☞ this is to sit at the Table of Devils eating of the Forbidden Fruit in this State he hath no Part in the Precious Promises no Right nor Title in Christ nor his Ordinances much being to do before all things are prepared ☞ and made ready for the Last Supper And before this Titular Christian is made fit to fit at the Table with him or stand upright in his Presence and before he knows him tomake his abode with him and to sup with him as he hath promised and as the True Christian in former Ages and now in this Age enjoyeth who did and doth witness Eternal Life abiding in him Read John 6.53 54 55 56 57 58. For he that eateth his Flesh and drinketh his Blood hath Eternal Life and dwelleth in him and he in him c. This the Titular Christian cannot receive nor understand no more then the Jews did this he stumbleth at and goeth backward murmureth and taketh Offence as some of old did when Christ was speaking of the Bread which came down from Heaven which who eat of should live forever many of his own Disciples said This is a Hard Saying who can hear it and so murmured and went backward walked no more with him ☞ These though they heard his many Gracious Words and saw his Mighty Works and Miracles wrought before their Carnal Eyes and Ears yet they saw not him as he was the Mighty Power of God nor heard him as Peter did who said when he asked the Twelve Will ye leave me also Master To whom shall we go Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life and we believe and know thou â—rt Christ the Son of the Living God This Knowledge Christ said was revealed unto him not by Flesh and Blood but by his Heavenly Father Now the Titular Christian denyes Revelation the only Means of all true Knowledge and so in his Carnal Imaginations and exalted Mind above the Cross of Christ glories in the Flesh and prides himself with what Flesh and Blood hath taught him and revealed unto him and cryes up Natural Bread and Natural Wine ☞ and a Natural Supper which feeds the Natural Man and remains a Stranger to that Bread which cometh down from Heaven and to the Wine of the Kingdom and to the Supper of the Lord and to his Table which is richly spread and hates and derides the True Christian who possesseth and enjoyeth these things And this is the Cause that notwithstanding the Titular Christian eats never so often of this Outward Bread and drinks this Outward Cup which he in his Ignorance calls The Supper of the Lord he hungers and thirsts again ☞ even after the Forbidden Fruit and after the Wine of Sodom and Egypt and drinks down Iniquity as the Ox drinketh Water And so in the End notwithstanding his Notions and Profession of the Supper of the Lord and Eating at his Table his Soul is hard bestead with Hunger and pines for Thirst and labours for very Vanity soweth the Wind and reaps the Whirle-wind of the Wrath of God This is the State of all the Titular Christians upon the Face of the Earth of what Name or Sect soever X. The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning the Universal Love of God towards all Mankind THe True Christian believes that the Love of God is universal unto all Mankind and that his Grace which bringeth Salvation hath and doth appear unto all men and that he hath given a manifestation of his Spirit to every man to profit withal and that he hath and doth give his Good Spirit and Gifts to the Rebellious and that God so loved the World that he hath given his only begotten Son that * None excluded from Salvation in Christ by any Decree who soever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life and that he is the true Light that lighteth every man coming into the World ☞ and that this Light is saving and sufficient to lead all Mankind that love it and walk in it to him from whence it comes where they may inherit Life and Salvation and God wills not the Death of him that dyes neither doth he desire the Death of a Sinner but rather that he would turn and live and his Call is to all men every where to Repent and there is a Possibility that all men may hear his Voice and Repent and may partake of his Universal Love and be saved by his Grace which hath appeared and profit by the Manifestation which he hath given The Gifts Graces and Spirit of God are given to all men yea to the Rebellious Sloathful and Disobedient to lead them out of those things and be guided out of Rebellion by his Good Spirit and to believe in him which saves from perishing and gives Everlasting Life These things are call'd for exhorted to throughout the Holy Scriptures and there is a Possibility to obey them otherwise all is in vain the Call to all in vain the Appearance of Grace to all in vain the Gift and Manifestation of the Spirit to every one in vain and the Shining of the Light in vain if Men may not obey it ☞ and walk in it So Man's Destruction is of himself and his Sores remain uncured and his Soul unredeemed not because there is no Balm in Gilead or because the Arm of the Lord is shortened or his Love abated nor not because he hath decreed any man's Destruction from Eternity but because men will not make use of the Balm nor be gathered by his Arm that is stretched out all the Day long even to the Rebellious to save them nor receive that Love that daily is tendered Their Eye is blind and their Souls poor miserable and naked not because he hath not Eye-Salve Fine Linnen and Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge to furnish them withal but because men are taken up with other things and have no mind to purchase Gold tryed in the Fire nor White Raiment to be cloathed The Forbidden Fruit seems more beautiful and lovely to desire the
a Form yet there may be a Form without the Power this Spirit of Formality captivated some in former Ages and led them to deny the Power from such they were to turn away then and so art thou now for if this Spirit of Formality prevails though a Form of Godliness be â—etained as a Form of sound Words Plainness and Decency in Apparrel Superfluity of Meats and Drinks laid aside Respecting Mens Persons and Worshipping them with Cap and Knee avoided Truth and Light within profest in Words Meetings and Assembling often frequented the Sound of Truth as a lovely Song c. Yet if thy Heart be gone astray if thou feelst not Life to lead thee if thou takest not up the Daily Cross to thy Will Thoughts Affections Lusts and Passions and by the same mortifie them thou mayst be a meer Formalist and thy observing and abiding in thy Form may become as abominable in the Sight of the Lord now as it was of old among his once Peculiar People the Jews when he sent his Prophet Isaiah to cry against them though they kept and observed the Multitude of Offerings and Sacrifices Feasts Fasts New-Moons and Sabbath Dayes Solemn Meetings and Assemblings before the Lord c. which was the very Form of Worship he once commanded but the Spirit of Dead Formality being got into their Hearts corrupted them So that he that killed an Ox was as he that slew a Man he that sacrificed a Lamb as he that cut off a Dog's Neck he that offered Oblations as if he offered Swiâ—â—s Blood he that burnt Incense as if he blessed an Idol the Reason of all this was not because these Things were evil in themselves but because the Call of the Lord was not answered and because when he spake they did not hear but did Evil before his Eyes and chose that in which he delighted not yet observed and performed the outward Part of Worship and sate before the Lord as his People and loved and delighted to hear the Word of the Lord by the Mouth of his Prophet but not to do them Read Isaiah 66.3 and Ezekiel 33.30 31 32. Now dear Friend let this sore Evil never some near thy Dwelling in thy holy Form of Godliness which thou hast been lead unto by the Power keep in the Sence and Feeling of the same in thy Form of sound Words keep in the Fear of God and Tenderness of Conscience wherein thou wert at first constrained to speak them even in the Cross to self which took great Offence thereat yet in Tenderness Love and Fear to God against thy Will and the Pride and haughty Spirit of this World wert thou moved to speak them likewise thy holy Form in not Respecting Mens Persons or having them in Admiration because of Advantage nor honouring them in bowing with Cap Knee nor giving flattering Titles to Men this the Spirit of the Lord led to in the Beginning keep in the same and his Presence and Power will uphold thee in the same and also lead thee to honour all Men in the Lord and to be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake and truly to honour thy Parents and rise up before thy Elders and give them double Honour and to be curteous and kindly affectionate unto all this will the Spirit of the Lord lead thee to being the Nature of Christianity as thou walkest and abidest therein thou wilt be like thy Heavenly Father And thy Holy Form of Plainness of Apparel and thy Avoiding of Superfluity in Meats and Drinks c. keep thou with that Holy Spirit that led thee thereto and let not the Sense thereof depart from thee so shalt thou feel the Power thereof accompanying of thee and working in thee to remove that Root and Ground from whence all Superfluity of Naughtiness did arise and wholely mortifie that Spirit that delighted in these things And in thy Holy Form and Manner of Meeting together alwayes have thy Mind exercised in that Love and Life Virtue and Power of the Lord by which he touched thy Heart and met with thee therein in the beginning so shalt thou enjoy more and more of his Presence and encrease in Wisdom Life and Strength and all the Virtues of the Holy Spirit And though thou hast received an Unction from the Holy One which is able to teach thee all things necessary or needful to thy Salvation yet this will not lead thee to forsake the assembling of thy self with the Lord's People according to their wonted Manner nor to forsake the Flocks of the Companions nor the Foot-steps thereof but to travail on in the same till thou comest to know where they lie down at Noon solacing themselves in the green Pastures of Life and there to lie down with them where none can make thee afraid and where no Destroyer is where the Spirit of dead Formality hath no place Here thy Form of Godliness will be accompanied with Power and this Evil will never overtake thee as it hath some in our Age who are convinced by the Truth and love the Sound thereof yet come to our Meetings and frequent our Assemblies formally and customarily even as the Unbelievers and ignorant People go to hear the Common Service or Studied Sermons but receive not the Ingrafted Word which is able to save their Souls So though they hear many Heavenly Testimonies and Exhortations they receive and obey them not neither do they grow and encrease in their Inward Man from one Degree of Grace Knowledge and Virtue unto another This Spirit of dead Formality hath also assumed the Form of Sound Words and Plainness of Apparel c. and under this Form and Disguize hath brought forth and effected much Evil deceived many and laid a stumbling before others and brought an Evil Report upon the Truth and those that live in it And this Evil Spirit of Deceit Hypocrisie and Formality hath wrought more Mischief against the Truth and the Holy Profession of it manifest within even under this Form then all open Opposition and Persecution could ever effect This is now and hath been in former Ages the Way and Work of the Spirit of Deceit when he cannot prevail by direct Opposition and Perfecttion then will he get the Words and Profession of Truth and appear and work under the Form thereof and by the Evil Fruits he brings forth under this Disguize he occasions many who are waiting for the Consolation of Israel and strictly observing the Conversation of the Children thereof to lose their Expectation and to sit down and conclude These People are but as others and their Way is but as other Wayes and they fail in their Profession of Holiness c. as others do we see Evil amongst them as amongst others even under their very Form c. This hath occasioned many to take up their Rest in a Latitudinarian Spirit or to be ready to say All Men are Lyars and Religion a Cheat and some to run into Atheism it self But double Wo and Misery will be the Portion of those Persons who entertain and joyn with this Spirit of Deceit and Hypocrisie and thereby occasion many to stumble go backwards and fall and speak Evil of the Way of Truth which is Peaceable Peasant and Pure not only in it self but also to all those that love it and obey it and become Children of it But as for those that once knew the Way of the Lord and afterwards gave way to the Spirit of Evil Deceit Hypocrisie and Formality or that took up the Form of Godliness to deceive as in former Ages so now such are more Abominable in the Sight of the Lord and more to be testified against then the very Heathen or prophane Unbelievers False Brethren are most Perilous and Hypocrites most Odious in the Sight of God and all good Men and the Guilt of Souls lies at their Door because of their Ungodly Practices and Evil Doings under the Form Shew and Profession of Godliness such like Unsavory Salt are good for nothing but to be trod under Foot of Men judged and condemned by God's Witness within themselves and without by others and the Knawing Worm takes hold of them and the Unquenchable Fire is kindled in their Bowels and an Earnest of Eternal Vengeance they receive as a Just Recompence of Reward and like faln Angels are reserved in Chains to the Judgment of the Great Day For my Faith and Belief is That if all that ever took up the Form and Profession of the Truth Light Grace and Spiritual Manifestation thereof within had stood firm in the same and watcht against ruled over and kept out the Spirit of Enmity Vngodliness Deceit and dead Formality and by the Heavenly Gift and Power with which they were endued had judged the Serpent in all his Appearances Formings and Transformings and walked Vprightly in the same the Eye of the Nations had been towards us and Yea and Nay had been of great Authority in this Nation of England before this day and Truth in the Inward Parts the Law of the Spirit the Rule of Life and Manners Within honourable and of high Esteem in the Hearts and Minds of Thousands more then now it is Offences have come and may come but Wo to them by whom they come So my tender Friend who hast not had thy spiritual Senses throughly exercised nor art not yet acquainted with all the Wiles and Devices of the Enemy for whose sake I chiefly write this Epistle this One Thing I would have thee settle in thy Mind At the Gate of dead Formality and under the Form of Godliness the Destroying Spirit of Apostacy entred in the Primitive Times and soon ecclipsed the Light of the Glorious Gospel and the Old Adversary effected that by turning Professor of Christianity which he could not bring to pass by Bloody Persecutions and open Opposition and fully understand that the Spirit of Satan working under the Form of Godliness is that which hath been is and will be the greatest Waster and Destroyer and Opposer of the Power thereof Therefore watch thou against him in this Appearance not only in others but in thy self so wilt thou frustrate his Design and be able to keep thy self as some of Old did that the Evil One touch thee not W. S. THE END
follows as the Faith and Experience of a True Christian which iâ— written in True Love and Good-Wiâ—â— to all that have the Vail over their Hearts and the Scales before their Eyes when they are reading the holy Scriptures and professing God Christ Christianity and the Doctrines thereof which are but briefly hinted at or spoaken to in few words in what follows And whether thou art a bare Professor or a real Possessor thou mayest reap Profit hereby if the one thou art in vited to inherit Substance if the other thou art exhorted and Warned to beware lest thou lose thy Inheritance again So to the Light Grace and holy Spirit of God in thee 〈◊〉 thou Professor Prophane or Believerâ— I do commend thee with it to read and with it to judge by it to be taught gâ—â—ded into a good Understanding and into the true Knowledge of the two great Mysteries of Godliness and Iniquity And that thou mayest truly understand and receive the one and discover and avoid the other is the Desire of him who is a Lover of the Christian-Religion and of all that walk therein and hath Good-will to all men William Shewen Reader THese Scriptures following having a good Esteem in my Mind as Sayings worthy greatly to be noted and weightily considered I have committed them to the Press wishing thou mayest enjoy the End wherefore And this I will assure thee If thou canst understand believe and receive these Divine and Heavenly Sayings Precepts Exhortations Promises and Testimonies in these and other Scriptures mentioned in this brief Declaration of a True Christian's Faith c. thou wilt not stumble at nor reject his Testimony c. but imbrace and have Unity therewith But if thou understandest not nor believest the one neither wilt thou the other for the True Christian bears Testimony to the holy Scriptures and the Scriptures to him and the Titular Christian's Testimony is against them and they are against him because he doth not obey them nor live the Life they call for Eccl. 12.1 2. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth while the Evil Dayes come not nor the Years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no Pleasure in them while the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkened nor the Clouds return after the Rain Dearly Beloved Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God for many False Prophets are gone out into this World 1 John 4. 1 c. Little Children You are of God and have overcome them for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the World Vers 4. Whosoever transgressâ—th and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He that continueth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 John 9th vers If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House neither bid him God speed Vers 10. To be Carnally-minded is Death but to be Spiritually-minded is Life Peace because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God But ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of God he is none of his And if Christ be in you the Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11. Vnto the Pure all things are pure but unto them that are Defiled and Vnbelieving is nething pure but even their Minds and Consciences are defiled They profess that they know God but by Works they deny him and are abominable and to every good Work Reprobate Tit. 1.15 16. If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you ask what you will and it shall be done unto you John 15.7 And you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free Whosoever committeth sin is the Servant of sin John 8.32 34. Verely verely I say unto you If a man keep my Saying he shall never see Death Vers 51. Father I will That they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them John 17.24 26. The Disciple is not above his Master but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master Luke 6.40 But love ye your Enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your Reward shall be great and ye shall be the Children of the Highest for he is Kind to the Vnthankful and to the Evil Be ye therefore Merciful as your Father also is Merciful Luke 6.35 36. Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you And ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no Lye And even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 1 John 2.27 Read the 8th Chapter to the Romans and the Lord give thee Understanding Rom. 10.8 The Word is nigh thee in thy Mouth in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him But whosoever keepeth his Word in him verely is the Love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him He that saith He abideth in Him â—ught himself also so to walk even as he walked 1 John 2.3 4 5 6. read to the end of the Chapter Little Children Let no man deceive you He that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous He that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this Purpose was the Son of God manifest that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loves not his Brother We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death 1 John Chap. 3. Vers 2. to the 10th and 14th No man hath seen God at any time If we love one another
a being led by the Spirit in the Way of Holiness and so cannot fulfil the Lust of the Flesh but by the same doth mortifie them and gain Victory over them and is sanctified and cleansed from them and is taught by the Spirit the true Knowledge of God how to worship him aright in Spirit Truth and so prayes in the Spirit and with the Understanding and sings in the Spirit and praiseth God in the Spirit and the Law of the Spirit is in his Heart and this Law of the Spirit of Life makes him free from the Law of Sin and Death and the Spirit of God which raised up Jesus from the Dead dwelleth in him and quickneth his Mortal Body And this True Christian is the Spiritual Man which discerneth all Things but is not discerned by another out of the same Spirit which searcheth all Things yea the deep Things of God and he is led by the Spirit from under the Law and through the Law to him which was before the Law and so is under Grace and brings forth the Fruits thereof which is Love Peace Joy Long-Suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against this Christian there is no Law The Titular Christian he saith he believeth in the Holy Spirit c. But how doth he demonstrate his Faith and Belief he is ready to make a Mock of receiving the Spirit and being led by the Spirit mov'd taught by the Spirit this seems strange Doctrine to him that he should know his Lusts mortified by the Spirit and that he should walk in the Spirit and be sanctified by the Spirit from all Sin and Uncleaness and that he should attend the Motion and Guidance of the Spirit and in all his Conversation to do nothing but what will stand justified by this Holy Spirit and that he should pray in the Spirit and sing with the Spirit and worship in the Spirit c. These are new Doctrines to the Titular Christian he knows not what to make of them except it be to brand them with despicable Names And the Law of the Spirit of Life which should free him from the Law of Sin and Death he is a Stranger to and wholy ignorant of the Indwelling of that Spirit which raised Jesus from the Dead to quicken his mortal Body this he counts Fanatick Doctrine c. And instead of being a spiritual Man which discerneth all Things he is Carnal and seeth not far off the Vail being over his Heart cannot see nor regard the Glory of God when it appeareth in the Inward Temple but opposeth slighteth the Appearance of that Holy Spirit which searcheth his Heart and all Things and so is not led by it from under the Law which Law was added because of Transgression and this Titular Christian which liveth in the Nature and Act of Transgression and that knows not the Cursed Ground removed which bringeth forth Bryars and Thorns from whence all Evil Thoughts Words and Works proceed and is a Stranger to the Mortification of them by the Spirit he is under the Law and liable to the Punishment thereof and not under Grace let him profess what he will if he brings not forth the Fruit of the Spirit in his Life and Conversation he clearly sheweth he doth not believe in it nor walk in it neither hath received it nor come to any true Knowledge of it by its Work and Operation in his Heart he only talks of it with his Tongue as some Book or Body hath told him this is the Property and State of a Titular Christian IIII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Holy Scriptures THE True Christian truly honoureth the Holy Scriptures in their Places and believeth and receiveth their Testimony and is a living Witness of the Truth thereof and he domonstrateth it as followeth By believing receiving and obeying him viz. Christ Jesus of whom they testifie whereby he receives Power to order his Conversation according to them and the True Christian believeth that they were spoaken and written by the Motion and inspiration of the Spirit of God in Holy Men Prophets and Apostles and that it is his Duty to Wait upon God to receive the Spirit of Grace and Glory and the Gifts thereof of whom they testifie that thereby be may be enabled to read them with Understanding and to receive the Comfort of them and to be made wise through Faith in Christ unto Salvation by them And this Christian knows rightwell That all the Vniversity or Acad miâ—al Learning in the World is not able to give the true Knowledge of the Mind of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures they are as a seal'd Book to all the Wit Reason Comprehension and Acquired Parts of all Mankind in the Fall Learned and Unlearned And until man comes to receive regard and improve the Manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withal as the Scriptures witness he is wholy ignorant and a Stranger to the Key of true Knowledge and the Treasures of Life and Wisdom are hid from him and secured as with seven Seals and the Cherubimâ— with a Flaming Sword that turns every Way and guards the Tree of Life with the Fruits thereof from the faln Wisdom of Man And this the True Christian knows by Experience having tryed what the Wisdom of this World in all its Perfection can do and hath seen it confounded and brought to nought in himself being discovered to be no part of the Key of true everlasting Knowledge but rather that which hides it makes the Vail the thicker and shuts the Door of the Kingdom the faster and those that abound in it neither enter themselves nor suffer those that would and this the Holy Scriptures testifie The Titular Christian he saith He honoureth the Scriptures and believeth the Testimony of them c. But how doth he demonstrate his Honour to them and Belief of them Doth he order his Conversation according to them They exhort To abstain from every Appearance of Evil and from every fleshly Lust which wars against the Soul and to put on the whole Armour of God and thereby resist the Devil and make him flee The Titular Christian doth not obey this Exhortation neither doth he believe that it 's possible that any should obey it on this side the Grave So while he pretends to honour them he gives them the Lye for what 's more ridiculous and unreasonablethen to profess a Belief that the Spirit of God in Holy Men hath left Holy Precepts and Exhortations upon Record in the Scriptures which are unpossible to be obeyed Yet this is the Language of the Titular Christian who honoureth them with his Lips and cryes them up with his Tongue but in Works denyes them Sometimes he will give them more Titles of Honour then to them is due as when he calls them The Word of God The Touch-stone and Tryer of all Spirits The Everlasting Rule of Faith and Practice so in his
is taken up he meets with no greater Enemy in his Journey then Self-Thoughts and Imaginatons Self-willing and Running Self-consultation and Self-working which * This made Paul careful to keep his Body under lest while he preached to others he himsolf became a Cast-away if he watch not against rule over and keep under by that Hand and Power that hath appeared for his Deliverance and hath wrought it in a measure he again may be entangled and enshared and driven back into that Pit wherein is no Water therefore he stands in the Doctrine of Self-Denyal till Self be denyed and in the putting off the Old Man with his Deeds till they are wholy put off and when he hath done all to stand still and abide with the same powerful Hand that hath wrought all these things in him and for him and to it he attributes the Glory and gives the Praise forever Now the Titular Christian professeth the Doctrine of Mortification and talks of a Dying to Sin and a Warring against it and of Self-Denyal and putting off the Old Man and taking up the Daily Cross c. But how doth he answer his Profession What Course doth he take to mortifie Sin while he believes not in the Light which shines in his Heart that discovers it nor in the Manifestation of the Spirit given him to mortifie and destroy Sin nor in the Power of God within which gives Strength to War against it and to overcome Sin within neither hath he received the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 whereby he is enabled to call God Father but is unacquainted and ignorant of him in that Relation yet hath learned by Tradition as the impenitent and unconverted Jews did John 8.41 to call God Father whose Knowledge of him was taught by the Precepts of Men And though they accounted themselves Children of God by virtue of this Traditional Knowledge received from their Fore-Fathers Isa 29.3 John 8.44 c Rabbies and Doctors of the Law yet Christ Jesus the Great Doctor and Righteous Judge and True Teacher told them they were quite the Contrary even of their Father the Devil So the Titular Christian while unbegotten to God in his impenitent unregenerate State having read the holy Scriptures and the Traditions of his Fathers furnisheth himself with the Profession of the Doctrines of the Gospel as the Jews did of the Law even while Sin reigns in his mortal Body while the Old Man with his Deeds are un put off and while Self Will Self-Wisdom and Self in all its Properties is undenyed and while he is a Stranger to the Cross of Christ and so takes it not up and follows him but wants Power to mortifie Sin and to war against the World Flesh and the Devil So while he talks of Mortification and Dying to Sin Sin lives in him encreases as his Days encrease and instead of overcoming it is overcome daily by it And while he professes Self-Denyal nothing but Self is owned Self wills and runs Self worships and offers the Offerings of Cain Self seeks and knocks and strives to enter but is not able And â—â—ll this Willing and Running and Power of Self is denyed judged and brought down and made of no Reputation by the Powerful Working and Operation of the Spirit of God within none can witness a being dead to Sin nor have Victory over it nor be a Disciple of Christ Jesus nor follow him in the Work of Regeneration let them profess what they will except this be known their Profession is a Lye and they deceive their own Souls This is the Word of Truth to all the Titular Christians upon the Face of the Earth of what Name or Sect soever VII The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Sanctification Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corruption THe True Christian owns and believes the Doctrine of Sanctification Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corruption and he manifests his Faith by the Virtue and Operation of the Spirit of God working in him having been led by the same through the Work of Repentance Mortification and Self-Denyal he is now not only turned from Sin and come to the Mortifying of it but also to the Sanctifying Washing and Cleansing from it so he comes to witness a being delivered from the dead Body and the Dead to be buried out of his Sight ☞ and as he abides and dwells with this Sanctifying and Cleansing Power he is preserved from corrupting himself or so much as touching the Dead again This is the Anti-Type and Substance of all the divers Washings Purifications and Sanctifications used under the Law where the Temple and all the Furniture thereof were sanctified 1 Cor. 6.19 Now he knoweth himself to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost and this Knowledge keepeth him from defiling of it being bought with a Price not with Gold nor Silver nor Corruptible Things but with the Precious Blood of Christ which cleanseth and keepeth clean the True Christian who trampleth it not again under his Feet And herein also he witnesseth the Anti-Type and Substance signified by the laying of the People's Sins upon a Scape-Goat once a year and letting him go into the Wilderness c. so that the People were as free and clean from Sins committed the year past Levit. 16. from vers 8. to 26. as if they had committed none at all their Sins confessed and Sacrifices being offered and Attonement made ☞ These were the Shadows of Good Things to come the Substance of which the True Christian now enjoyeth and is come to the One Everlasting Offering Christ Jesus which perfects forever those that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 and both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Hebr. 2.11 And he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit And the True Christian abiding in this Sanctification and Unity with the Lord Sins no more so needs no farther Confession of Sin nor further Sacrifice for it being drawn near unto the Lord with a true Heart Heb. 10.22 in full Assurance of Faith having his Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience and his Body washed with pure Water Here is no more a Remembrance again of Sin once a Year Yet there is a Possibility after this Estate is witnessed and enjoyed Heb. 10.26 that there may be a Falling-away or a Wilful Sinning again which the Apostle knew well and therefore warned People to beware of it that they tread not the Son of God under Foot Heb. 10.29 30. nor count the Blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an Vnholy Thing nor do Desâ—ight unto the Spirit of Grace Therefore the True Christian after he is washed cleansed and sanctified watcheth against all that would defile him again and in the Spirit and Power which hath wrought his Sanctification abiding he rules and reigns over Sin and Satan and is no more entangled with the Yoak of Bondage but keeps in his Inheritance
Things And all those Babel Builders blind Guides which set up minister this kind of Doctrine that God hath pre-ordained how many Persons shall be saved and how many damned if People were not as ignorant and as blind as themselves their Trade would quickly be spoiled and come to an End and no Body would imploy them for if there be a fixed Decree from all Eternity how many shall be saved and how many damned which neither the one nor the other by all the Good Evil they can do are able to alter this determinate Counsel then altogether in vain is it for People to hire such Builders who say before hand their Tower will never convey any to Heaven who are not designed to go there without it or to maintain such unprofitable Talkers and vain Bablers when they can neither make them better nor worse nor bring one Soul to Salvation that is not determined and decreed already to be saved nor direct one Soul how he may escape Hell that shall not escape it without their Directions these are unprofitable and vain Talkers indeed and Messengers of miserable Tidings that preach this Doctrine of Devils in the World the Fruit and Effect of which runs many a poor Soul upon one of these desperate Rocks disfolute Despair or implicite Imaginary Security Again this Doctrine of God's absolutely decreeing the greater Part of Mankind to Damnation makes void Christ's coming a Light into the World and his Suffering Dying and Râ—sing again his sending his Apostles and Ministers out into the World to perswade Men to be reconciled to God and to receive his free Love and Grace that 's tendered in Christ Jesus to all †The Doctrine of a setled Decree concerning Election and Reprobation as to Persons layes wast all the general Means of Salvation and excludes God's Vniversal Love and makes him a Rospecter of Persons and if all stand under such a unrevokeable Decree which all that the Sons of Men can do or say is not able to alter or to make them one Jot the better or worse as to the End nor any Means contrarvwise take Effect to gain Heaven nor prevent going to Hell I say if these Things were so then in vain are all conditional Preachings Woings and Beseechings in an universal Way in vain is the Gospel preached in every Creature in vain hath and doth the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation appear unto all Men in vain are all enlightened in vain is a Manifestation of the Spirit given to every Man to profit withal in vain are his good Gifts given to the Rebellious and the Testimonies of God's Universal Love to all Mankind plentifully declared of in the Holy Scriptures are all in vain and this Doctrine gives them all the Lye Much might be said to shew the Grossness and Absurdness of this kind of Doctrine but intending Brevity and a Hint at Things and hoping the Light of the glorious Gospel that now shines and is broaken forth in the Hearts of Thousands and Ten Thousands will disperse this gross Darkness and cause this destructive pernicious Doctrine to vanish away especially in this Nation of England before this Age is worn out I say for these two Reasons I forbear to enlarge with a Breathing to the Lord that People may come to know the fallow Ground plowed up and the hard Clods broaken and their Hearts made tender and honest that the good Seed of the Kingdom wherein the Election stands may spring and grow up and bear Fruit in them to Everlasting Life and the Seed of the Serpent rooted out and he and all his Works destroyed this is the glorious Liberty which the whole Creation groans for and some already enjoy it Praises to God forever whose Love extends to all whose Arm is stretched out to help all whose Scepter of Salvation is held forth to all whose Desire is that all may come to the Knowledge of his Truth and be saved This is the Testimony of God and of those Righteous Men that knew him in former Ages who were born of the Incorruptible Seed and is the Testimony of the Righteous in this Age ☞ and the contrary is the Testimony of the Enemy of God and Man that old Serpent and his Children who are born of the Seed of it and their Fruit is the Off-spring of the Adulterer and the Whore whom God will judge This is the Word of Truth to all whom it may concern XII The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Temptation IAMES saith Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Let no man say when he is tempted he is tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with Evil neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed James 1.12 13 14. Now the True Christian is a Witness of this Saying of James having found the Blessedness that follows the enduring Temptation received the Earnest of the Crown of Life And he truly and experimentally knoweth That God cannot be tempted with Evil because that Heavenly Light and Grace and Manifestation of the Holy Spirit which he is Partaker of and endued withal and is of God cannot be tempted with Evil nor be prevailed upon to consent or take Pleasure in any Unrighteousness and this good and perfect Gift of God which cannot be tempted with Evil nor tempteth no man received believed in and entertained in the Heart is that which enabled the Righteous in all Ages to endure Temptation and doth enable them in this Age ☞ And all those that know not receive not believe not in this Good and Perfect * Which is the Light and Grace or Holy Spirit Within Gift of God given and sent into the World to Sinners as well as Saints they cannot nor are not able to endure Temptation but are led away of their Lusts and enticed and fall into Temptation for want of Faith in the Gift and Power of God which is as near them as the Temptation and able and ready to deliver them if they would regard it and obey it Now the Ground of all Temptations are within the Lusts that lead away are within the Light which discovers them and the Grace which is sufficient and the Spirit which mortifies the Lusts ☞ must be also known within where the Temptations rise and attend Mankind even the Righteous for a time and divers outward Objects also may present in order to draw out and alure the Mind to joyn with them and to entertain them ¶ The Devil hath Power to Tempt but not to Force But neither the Temptations Within nor Without can prevail until the Light is disregarded the Appearance of Grace sleighted and the Spirit of God despised and the Mind joyned to the Tempter and Temptation Now it s no Sin to be tempted but to
enter into the Temptation No man was ever condemned because tempted or because Evil Motions Temptations did arise in him and present themselves if he entered not into them nor gave no place to them nor joyned with them in his Mind nor suffered his Members to obey them but kept in the Light Grace and Spirit of God by which he resisted them and the Author of them and made him flee This is the Blessed Man that endureth Temptations So though Temptations are Evil and Sinful in themselves and did at some times attend the Righteous in all Ages and do at this day yet if they give no place nor Consent to them ☞ nor obey them but by the Light and Spirit of God judge them and walk in the Light which discovers them and the Evil Tendency of them and are preserved from joyning to them they are no Sinners because tempted as for instance to speak but to a low State if any are troubled with unclean and vain Thoughts and tempted with Dark Unlawful Imaginations which in themselves are Evil and * These will lodge in that Flesh in which dwells no good thing till it and its Habitation be Mortified and removed which is to be known even while the Earthen Vessel remaineth that holds the Heavenly Treasure Sinful yet if they by the Light and Spirit of God judge them and give no Place or Obedience to them but wait to see the ground thereof remov'd they do that which is right in the Sight of the Lord and are no Sinners so if tempted to use any Member of the Body to speak or do any Evil as the Tongue to lye flatter or dissemble or speak perverse things or the Hand to do Violence to any man or the Feet to run to do Mischief ☞ if these Members are not yielded up to serve and obey these Temptations those so tempted are no Transgressors but are Witnesses of that Prayer and the Effect of it which Christ taught his Disciples Lead us not or let us not be led into Temptation but deliver us from Evil. Christ Jesus was attended with divers great Temptations and the Old Serpent that deceived the first Adam was very bold with him and carried him from * Let him that readeth understand Place to Place from the Wilderness to the holy City from thence to the Pinacle of the Temple and then to an exceeding high Mountain and shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them with a Promise He would give them all to him if he would fall down and worship him But he standing in the Power of his Father gave no place to him but rebuked him and resisted him in all his Temptations and overcame him Now it s said While the Time of Temptation lasted he eat nothing and when they were ended Luke 4. Mat. 4. he afterwards hungred and when the Devil departed Angels ministred unto him this is the Glory of the Second Adam that never fell though tempted to fall eat no forbidden Fruit though tempted to ea◠neither did he hunger in the time of Temptation after it nor gave no place to the Lyes of the Old Serpent that allured and deceived the First Adam thereby and subjected him under Hope of enjoying a better Estate then that wherein God had placed him and so fell into the Depth of Misery first by letting out a Desire after the Pleasantness of the Forbidden Fruit and Hungering after it in the Time of Temptation and then putting forth the Hand and joyning to it obeyes and eats and fulfils the Lusts of the Serpent And thus and in this manner Temptation prevails over all the Sons of the First Adam who bear the Earthly Image and are not born again of the promised Seed that breaks the Head of the Serpent and redeems from under his Power and brings to grow up in the Second Adam who could not be prevail'd upon with his Lyes and Subtilty And this Second Adam Christ Jesus is the Captain of the True Christian's Salvation who is gone before leaving him an Ensample to follow his Steps And he hath endued him with Heavenly Power and armed him with Spiritual Armour and furnished him with Strength so to do So the True Christian is compared to a good Souldier that follows his Captain ☞ and fights with him and doth not desert him and leave him to fight by himself but makes Good Use of the Power Armour of Light and Sword of the Spirit that 's given him to war withal and to overcome his Enemy withal and he keeps on his Breast-Plate of Righteousness and the Helmet of Salvation which are able to quench all the Fiery Darts of the Devil and so follows his Captain not only Conquering but also to Conquer for when he hath overcome him not only in the Field but hath also pursued him to his †The Devil 's Strong Holds are built in the Wills Thoughts and Imaginations of Men. Strong Holds and beaten him out there and pulled them down and cast down Imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the Knowledge of God in which he built them When this is effected by virtue of the Weapons which are Mighty and by the Power of him which enables the True Christian to do all things he still keeps on his Watch-Tower which is the Light of Christ wherewith he is enlightened that he may not be surprized with another Part of his Forces and as he keepeth watching there in vain are all his Stratagems Wiles and subtil Devices in vain are all his Snares Ambushments laid in vain are all his Temptations and Allurements as the True Christian keeps in that and dwells in that in which the Devil hath no Part nor Fellowship in ☞ viz. the Light whereby he is discovered and all his Baits and Snares seen and avoided It is in the Darkness and over all that dwell in it that he prevalls his Power stands there and is exercised over all that walk in it he need not go about with Wiles and Devices to deceive such who already dwell and are Subjects in his Kingdom nor he need not go about like a roaring Lyon seeking to devour them being already under his Dominion and obedient Children Vasals and Slaves to him ☞ he need not use Subtilty to tempt such but Power to command and they obey But it s against the Children of Light that are turned from the Darkness and from under his Power that he improves all his cunning Subtilty and Devices and it s against them he rageth if by any Means he can beguile them as he beguiled Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 and corrupt their Minds from the Simplicity that is in Christ even after they are presented as a chast Virgin to Christ and are come to a dwelling Place in Paradice and to appear before God in Heaven he will not cease to tempt and accuse there as he hath done he is still ready to do he tempted
and Power to save being known to none but such as do receive it And all that do receive this Grace Tit. 2,11 are taught by it to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Thus it taught the True Christian in former Ages and teacheth the same now and all that are so taught by it ☞ are not under the Law but under Grace for Grace doth not destroy the Law but fulfils it and leads those that are under it to the Enjoyment of the Substance of those Heavenly Things it shaddowed forth and which the Prophets prophesied of And further it teacheth more Spiritual and Evangelical Lessons then Moses did by whom the Law came And the True Christian not only receives this Grace but grows in it from one Degree unto another and witnesseth a being saved by it and a being justified by it having Experience of its Sufficiency when the Enemy doth assault and Tryals and Temptations attend even as Paul 2 Cor. 12.19 the aged when in Danger and besought the Lord the Answer was My Grace is sufficient for thee The Christians are Witnesses this Day of the same And Paul could say ☞ By the Grace of God I am what I am That was an High and Heavenly State to be no otherwise then Grace made him Self Sin and Satan is here excluded and all Boasting and Glorying in the Flesh is laid aside and the free Gift and Grace of God exalted over all This is a standing by Grace and a living under it being sav'd by it from transgressing the Law Rom. 5.20 21. which is Holy Just and Good Here Grace reigneth through Righteousness unto Eternal Life even where Sin reigned once unto Death and abounded here Grace is known to abound much more ☞ This was not only professed and talked of by the True Christians in former Ages nor is not now in this Age but really selt known and witnessed in them by the effectual Work and Operation of it they did not nor do profess a living under Grace while they do and commit that which the Law is over and which the Law was added because of viz. ☞ Sin He that is alive to Sin the Law hath Power over him and he is indeed under the Law notwithstanding he may profess a being under Grace and living in Gospel-Times Rom. 7. Read and Vnderstand for Paul's Parallel holds good A Woman is bound by the Law to her Husband so long as he liveth but when Dead she is loosed from the Law of her Husband So the Law hath Dominion over a Man so long as he liveth in that Life and Nature which transgresseth it let him profess what he will And none are fitted and prepared to be married to another even to him who is raised from the Dead till they are become Dead unto the Law and so delivered from it that being Dead wherein or whereby they were held viz. Sin For saith he When we were in the Flesh the Motions of Sin which were by the Law did work in our Members to bring forth Fruit unto Death but now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in Newness of Spirit and not in the Oldness of the Letter Here the True Christian knows the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him who walketh not after the Flesh nor the Motions of it but after the Spirit and the Motions thereof so that his Words are seasoned with Grace and walks to the Praise and Glory of his Grace And as he here abides he witnesseth a being delivered from under the Law and knows the Occasion of it taken away and so truly lives under Grace and grows in it and in the Knowledge of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be Glory both now and forever But now notwithstanding the Cry of the Tuular Christian is No Falling from Grace totally c. yet there is a Possibility that after People have received the Grace of God and known the Virtue and Operation of it also that they may Fall from it again and of Children of Grace become Children of Wrath they may turn the Grace of God into Wantonness or rather turn from it after they have received it into Wantonness they may use their Liberty which by Grace they are come unto as an Occasion to the Flesh and so not stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ had made them free And they may fall from Stedfastness after by Grace they have attained unto it And after People have clean escaped from them which live in Error and from the Pollutions of the World they may Err again and be polluted again and turn like the Dog to his Vomit again and like the Sow that was washed to the Wallowing in the Mire again ☞ and an Evil Heart of Unbelief and Disobedience in departing from the Living God after they have known him may get in again and People may crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open Shame and trample the Blood of the Covenant with which once their Hearts were sprinkled under Foot again and do Despight unto the Spirit of Grace and grieve the holy Spirit of God and finally they may make Shipwrack of Faith a Good Conscience c. These things may all be done or else in vain are the divers Exhortations recorded in the Holy Scriptures to the primitive Christians To Stand fast Abide and Continue to the End that they might not be Entangled again Deceived nor fall into Temptations again And in vain was all the Labour Travail Care and Exercise of the Apostles Teachers and Elders among the Churches after they were gathered out of the World and had received the manifold Graces of God to confirm them and establish them in the same if there had been no Danger of their Falling from it again and corrupting themselves again This Titular Christian's Opinion of no total Falling from Grace is contrary to the Current of the whole Scriptures and of the True Christan's Experience And Paul's Testimony is That such that so fall away who were once enlightened and tasted of the Heavenly Gift and Powers of the World to come Hebr. 6.4 10.26 if such sin wilfully after they have received the Knowledge of the Truth that it is unpossible to renew them again to Repentance and that there remains no more Sacrifice for Sins but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and Fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries who incur a sorer Punishment then those that despised Moses's Law who dyed without Mercy under Two or Three Witnesses There is a sorer Punishment then Outward Death which the Outward Law inflicted upon the Transgressors of it and those that have known the Law of him that is greater then Moses which is the Law of the Spirit of Life and have been Subjects of it and fallen and apostatized from it again
and hearkening to this and following of this in the particular and in the general is the universal Ground and Root from whence spring all the Diversities of Sects and Erroncous Opinions upon the Face of the Earth and from this ariseth all the Willing Running Self-Righteousness Will-Worship Voluntary Humility and Intrusion into Things which are not seen in the Vision of God but being vainly puffed up in a fleshly Mind Now this thou art to cease from in thy own particular for thou wert not created to sollow thy own Thoughts Conceivings and Imaginations ☞ nor the Motions of the Flesh nor Enticements of the Serpent But another Guide is appointed for thee which all that are ignorant of go astray from their Youth Now this Guide is not far off that thou needest say Who shall ascend or descend or go beyond the Seas to setch it but it s nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart thaâ— thou mayest hear it and obey it and be guided by it And that thou mayest know its Voice and Teaching and Guidance from all other Voices and Teachings I will in a few words set before thee an Infallible Way and shew thee Certain Marks and Tokens thereof for it s known by its Work and Operation First If thou art as all are before the New Creation is known without Form and Void Darkness being over the Face of the Deep ☞ if thou art as the Waters or one cover'd with Darkness yet the Spirit of God moveth upon the Waters and is ready to work in thee and to form thee into a Comliness and the true Light shines in thee though thou art Darkness in order to shew thee the Way out of it And thou mayest know this holy Spirit that moveth upon the Waters and the Voice of it from thy own Spirit Thoughts and Imaginations and from the Voice of the Serpent * An infallible Mark of the Holy Spirit of God in the Hearts of Men Jew and Gentile because it alwayes moveth against every Appearance of Evil and calls out of it sheweth thee the very secret Thoughts and Intents of thy Heart reproveth and judgeth every vain Thought and wicked Imagination and when thou goest before it and walkest in the Pathes of Darkness Sin and Disobedience thou may'st hear it as a Voice behind thee reproving thee saying This is the Way walk in it And this holy Guide consents to no Evil thou dost but is given of God to lead thee out of it and to bring thee to him that saves from it This is the great Ordinance of God Ae and the Means of Salvation that he hath appointed the which if thou sleight and difregard thou wilt remain without Form Void and Empty of the Heavenly Treasures and never be able to say in Truth as the Primitive Christians did and the True Christians now can viz. God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ and so wilt continue ignorant of the New Creation of God and of the Experimental Work of Regeneration profess what thou wilt ☞ and live under what other Ordinances and Means thou wilt and hear what other Teachers thou wilt and follow what other Guides thou wilt if thou learnest not of the Grace of God within which hath appeared to thee and all men if thou walkest not in the Light which shines within and art not guided by the good Spirit of God which was the Saints Guide in all Ages thy Profession is vain and thy Religion a Lye and thou deceivest thy own Soul in Sin thou livest and in Sin thou wilt dye and where Christ is thou canst not come This is the Experience of him that hath tryed the Traditions of Men the Teachings and Inventions of Men Books and studied Sermons and Carnal Ordinances and hath found them not able to lead one Step in the Narrow Way or give perfect Victory over one Sin neither is all the Wisdom Understanding Prudence and Knowledge among all the Children of men that are Strangers to the New Creation Work of Regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God within themselves ☞ able to direct or bring any so much as to the Gate or Entrance of true Wisdom Life and Immortality but rather hedgeth up the Way and leadeth more and more astray from it This is the Wisdom and Knowledge which the Righteous in former Ages testified against which is of this World Fleshly and Foolish Earthly and Sensual and whoever encreaseth in it encreaâ—eth in that which brings Sorrow for as the Fool so dyeth this Wise Maâ— And whosoever sets himself up 〈◊〉 this Wisdom ☞ as a Teacher of thâ— Ignorant and as a Guide to the Blinâ— though allowed by the Universitiâ— or general Schools he runs befoâ—â— he is sent and doth not profit tâ— People at all but is as the Bliâ— which leadeth the Blind and they bâ— fall into the Ditch together out which there is no Redemption 〈◊〉 by the Knowledge of the Effect Working of the holy Spirit and Son of God in thee to open thy Eye that thou mayest see where thou art and beget a Desire in thee and a Cry in thee for Deliverance and minister Strength unto thee and to pull thy Feet out of the Mire and Clay and to set them upon a Rock and be as a Light unto thee to guide thee in thy Way that thou stumblest not again all which I testifie he is ready and willing to do for thee and all that love his Appearance ☞ And those only love his Appearance that love the Spirit of Truth in them and believe in it and receive it which reproveth them of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment and this is an Infallible Proof that People love this Spirit believe in it and receive it A True Proof that People love the Spirit when they walk in it and obey it and bring forth the Fruits of it and are led by it out of Sin and that Righteousness and Judgment which it did reprove them of while they lived therein and are led by it into that Holiness and Everlasting Righteousness through true Judgment which is the White Rayment Fine Linnen and Cloathing of the True Christian who is come to know the same holy Spirit of Truth which once convinced reproved and judged him for Sin and Ungodliness to make him free from it and become his Comforter and Leader into all Truth according to the Promise of Christ Jesus Joh. 16. the which to possess and enjoy The Sum of Christian-Religion is the End Sum and Substance of the Christian-Religion and the End of all Hearing Reading Preaching and Believing And that thou mayest know whether thou art a Possessor hereof or whether thou only talkest of it and professest it I in thâ— Bowels of Love intreat and beseecâ— thee seriously to weigh read and confider what
God dwelleth in us and his Love is perfected in us Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit And we have seen and doe testifie That the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 John 4.12 read to the end of the Chapter I counsel thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the Fire that thou mayest be Rich and White Rayment that thou mayst be cloathed and that the Shame of thy Nakedness do not appear and anoint thy Eyes with Eye-salve that thou mayst see As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be Zealous therefore and Repent 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 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am sate down with my Father in his Throne He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Rev. 3.18 19 20 21 22. To him that Overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a White Stone and in the Stone a New Name written which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it Rev. 2.17 He that believes hath the Witness in himself He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son But the Fearful and Vnbelieving and the Abominable and Murderer and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their Part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone which is the Second Death Rev. 21.7 8. Thus I have here transcribed and set before thee these Scriptures before being very Divine and Heavenly Sayings greatly worthy of thy reading over and over again and in that Light and Grace which shines and appears in thy Heart and is able to remove the Covering and take away the Vail from off the same I desire thee to weigh and consider them and measure and try thy self thereby Had I not the Remembrance still upon my Mind how I often read those Scriptures and many the like while my Understanding was clouded and the Vail over my Heart and did not understand what I read nor receive the Comfort of them nor witness the Truth thereof in my self I say were it not for this Remembrance and the Knowledge of the true Light that now shineth out of Darkness I should admire and wonder how the Titular Christian who readeth and professeth the holy plain Testimonies Precepts Exhortations and Glorious Promises recorded in the Holy Scriptures and lived in and born witness to by divers true Christians now in this Age should oppose and gain-say the fame and understand nothing thereof Though he professeth them to be 〈◊〉 he is so far from being ruled by 〈◊〉 Ruâ—â— that he hates and persecutes those that are and that have received the good things they testifie of And were it not that the holy Scriptures had a great Esteem in the Affections of the People of those Nations called Christendom and that they did bear so plain Evidence to the Truth of the Doctrines taught and Heavenly Estates now professed and enjoyed by the True Christian he would be more hated persecuted and cryed out against then he is So for this Reason and divers more he hath great Cause to praise God that the Scriptures have been preserved and the holy divine Sayings and Testimonies of the Righteous delivered down to this Age so clear true and plain as they are for he alone enjoyes the Benefit Priviledge and Comfort of them by the Virtue and Operation of the Light Love and Spirit of God which they testifie of working in his Inward Man And except this be known the Scriptures and all Heavenly things are as a sealed Book to thee let thy Natural Parts Wisdom and Acquired Attainments be never so great Therefore thy Duty is above all things To hearken to and obey the Voice of God and regard the Inspiration of the Almighty which gives Understanding that thou mayest learn his Heavenly Precepts and understand his Divine Mysteries and enjoy his Glorious Promises and be made wise unto Salvation and so inherit Everlasting Life Peace and Glory and know an Entrance ministred into the Joy of the Lord. And at least an Earnest of all these things thou art to know revealed felt and enjoy within thy self before thou go hence and be no more among men Therefore put not the Day of the Lorâ— afar off nor say in thy Heart The Lorâ— delayes his Coming for he waits to shew himself gracious unto thee and is come nigh unto Judgment and standeth even at thâ— Door Read Proverbs 8. and appeareth at the Gate Entrance of thy Hearth and his Appearance thou may 〈◊〉 infallibly know from all other Appearances because it judgeth every Appearance of Evilâ— and not only so but if thou openest thâ— Gate and entertainest him in thy Heart hâ— will furnish thee with Power and Strength against it and fill thy Temple with his Heavenly Treasures of Wisdom and Glory Sâ— shalt thou not only read and hear of Gooâ— Things but understand possess and enjoy them and be able to obey this Exhortatioâ—â— Abstain from every Appearance of Evil. And this Saying once spoaken to Cain the First-born after Transgression universally concerns thee and all Mankind and is sounded daily in their Ears If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted But if thou dost Evil Sin lies at thy Door Gen. 4.3 And Tribulation and Anguish attends every Soul of Man that doth Evil let him profess what he will Rom. 2.9 Something by Way of Caution and Warning to the Titular Christian to whose Hand this following Treatise may come I Have some Sence upon my Mind that thou wilt upon thy reading thereof be ready to censure and judge those Things thou understandest not nor hast had any Experience of and also to deride and mock at the frequent Testimonies and Exhortations to the Light within Grace within Spirit within Power of God within Word of God within Law within c. Consider what thou dost and against what and whom thou openest thy Mouth and dread the living God whom in Words only thou professest to be a Spirit Infinite Omnipresent and Almighty which Spirit searcheth thy Heart and judgeth thy Wayes though thou at present be Ignorant and Unbelieving concerning him and his being so near thee and also consider within thy self how that if thou knowest not Light shining within and a walking in it thou art no Child of it but Darkness abounds in thee and thou knowest not whither thou goest nor at what thou stumblest if Grace thou knowest not to rule and reign within thee Sin ruleth and Death the Wages thereof is present with thee if the Spirit of God thou knowest not teaching and ruling in thy Heart and sitting upon the Throne thereof the Spirit of Satan
Day and his Wrath Enmity and Work is the same in the Hearts and Hands of all Mankind in whom this Seed of the old Serpent hath taken Root and grows up Psal 37.28 Isa 14.20 this is the Seed of the Wicked that shall be cut off and of Evil Doers that shall never be renowned ☞ and all that are joyned to it and become Children of it are Reprobate to every good Word and Work and go upon their Bellies and Dust is their Meat and they dwell upon the Earth where the Wo is and where the Devil is come down among them and they walk upon that Ground that is Cursed and inhabit the dark Corners thereof and they hate the Light and are Reprobate from the Prefence of God and from the Glory of his Power Children of Disobedience and Wrath in whom the old Serpent rules and holds them in sore Captivity and as in this State of Reprobation they abide they are Children of the Devil and his Lust they do Marks â—f Reprobation his Servants and Slaves they are and cannot cease from Sin nor enjoy the many glorious Promises made to the Seed of the Woman nor know the Serpents Head in them bruised by it nor the great red Dragon chained being Reprobate from that Faith which gives Victory over him But out of this Estate of Reprobation and deep Pit of Misery wherein a great Part of Mankind is held A Possibility that the Reprobate may become Elect. the Testimony of the True Christian is that God hath appointed a Means of Deliverance Salvation and Redemption ☞ there is a Possibility of being born again of the other Seed the incorruptible Seed wherein the Election stands Children of Disobedience and Wrath may become Children of God and partake of his Grace and Mercy and witness Redemption from the Earth and the Cursed Ground with its cursed Fruit burned up by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning and the Seed of the Serpent may be rooted out of the Heart of Man though it hath grown there long and filled it with its Fruit and the good Seed of the Kingdom may spring and grow there and every Thorn Bryar Thistle and Plant which hindereth its Growth may be pulled up which the Heavenly Father hath not planted and they that have born the Earthly Image may bear the Heavenly and those that have yielded their Members Servants to Unrighteousness may yield them Servants to Righteousness and those that are foolish may become Wise those that are disobedient and deceived may become obedient and undeceived those that serve divers Lusts and Pleasures Tit. 3.3 4. and live in Malice and Envy hateful and hating one another may come to witness Victory over ☞ and Redemption from all these Things and this True Christian's Testimony is plentifully born witness to in the Holy Scriptures as Paul wrote to Titus saying We our selves were sometimes foolish diso edient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures living in Malice and Envy hateful and hating one another these were all the Fruit and Effect of the Evil Seed these were all Fruits of the Ground that is Cursed and in this Estate they were reprobate concerning the Faith and Children of Wrath as well as others But saith he After the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour c. So in the Kindness Love and free Mercy of God by the washing of Regeneration or New Birth they become transplanted out of the Old into the New out of the Seed of the Serpent into the Seed of the Woman out of the Reprobate State into the Chosen and Elected State taken out of the Wild Olive and planted or grafted into the True Vine that brings forth Fruit which glads the Heart of God and Man and he is ready to do the same in this Age for all that love his Appearance ☞ and hearken to his Voice and obey it and shut their Ears against the Voice of the Serpent which is possible to be done they shall enjoy God's Salvation and partake of his Love and Kindness which the Saints enjoyed in former Ages and do in this Age and is freely tendered to all for their Everlasting Good For God hath not as some Titular Christians affirm predestinated or fore-ordain'd the greatest Part of Mankind or any Part to Everlasting Perdition nor made any fixed Decree that so many and no more shall be saved and all the rest damned and that this Decree was established before Mankind was brought forth without having Respect to either Good or Evil that they should do This is a Doctrine that 's accursed and contrary to the Gospel or glad-Tidings of Peace and Reconciliation ☞ and Inconsistent with all the Dispensations of God's Love towards lost Man ever since he obeyed the Voice of the Serpent and his Seed grew up in him and ever since the Devil got his Seat and Dominion in Man all which have been in order to break his Power and to dispossess him cast him forth and spoil his Goods and to sweep and garnish the House and furnish it again with Heavenly Goods as it was before the Devil and his Goods entered and as it was before the Evil Seed was sown in Man's Heart and before he entered into Temptation or eat of the forbidden Fruit this hath been the End of the Lord in all his Promises Appearances and Dispensations before the Law and under the Law and in the Dayes of the Evangelical Prophets who saw and prophesied of glorious Things which God would bring to pass for the Universal Good of Mankind for Isaiah saw that Day in which the Lord with his sore great and strong Sword should punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent even Leviathan that crooked Serpent and slay the Dragon that is in the Sea †In Scripture Phrase People are compared to the Sea and he saw that the Abundance of the Sea should be converted and the Forces of the Gentiles should come unto him Isa 27.1.60.5 whom God hath appointed to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and he spake of a Time wherein the Lord would gather all Nations and Tongues to come and see his Glory which he had given for a Light to the Gentiles and for the Glory of his People Israel to finish Transgression and make an End of Sin and bring in Everlasting Righteousness to destroy the Devil and his Works to repair the Breach and restore Paths to dwell in even Paths of Holiness wherein the wayfaring man though a Fool cannot err ☞ this is the End or Substance of all the Dispensations of God and many have been and are living Witnesses of the same and no Man is exempted by any Decree of God from the Enjoyment of these
Old Serpent in the Hearts of Men. THe True Christian is endued with a Heavenly Spirit of Discerning by which he seeth to the Beginning before Sin enter'd the World and by it perceiveth how it entered and how it hath grown and encreased and filled the Earth with Violence and how that Old Serpent which at first was fain to use great Subtilty and Lyes and make great Promises before he could prevail against Eve is now grown so Power ful a Prince in his Kingdom of Darkness in the Hearts of the Children of Men in whom he rules that he no sooner moves in their Hearts ☞ but they follow him no sooner commands but they obey he needs not use his Subtilty and Cunning to betray allure and perswade nor make great Promises before he can win to his Obedience many being grown such Natural Children of him and such born Slaves in his Kingdom that now in these dayes his Commands are sufficient to Thousands and Ten Thousands and his very Motions to Evil have gain'd such a Powerful Name in the World even among the Titular Christians that they count them too Mighty to be withstood too Powerful to vanquish too Strong to war with overcome and conquer in all his Motions Commands and Temptations while on this side the Grave hereby People are become Home-bred Slaves and have sold themselves for nought having let in that accursed Faith that hath sprung up in the Apostacy from the True Faith that they can never resist all the Motions of the Devil nor disobey all his Commands ☞ nor be delivered from all his Temptations till the Death of their Natural Bodies which is then too late for As the Tree falls so it lies c. Now the Titular Christian will readily acknowledge and confess that the Motions of the Devil are strong powerful and present with him and in him and that thereby he is stirred up to Evil But he doth not believe that the Spirit of God is so nigh him and present with him moving in him against the Motions of the Evil One nor that there is sufficient Power from God given to him to preserve him from obeying the Motions and Temptations of the World Flesh and the Devil and to move him to that which is Good and enable him to do it Also he hath no Faith in this Gift of God but rather counts it Delusion and the Property of a Phanatick to profess the Knowledge of the Spirit of God moving in them to speak and write good Words and do good Works this Professors and Prophane Learned and Unlearned make a Mock at concluding this Operation of the Spirit is not in use nor to be known in these dayes nor to be expected in these latter Ages of the World as if God had left the World of Mankind to be guided wholely by the Motions of the Devil as if there was no Law or Power in the Mind able and sufficient to war against the Law and Power that is in the Members and overcome it Thus to believe is the Faith of Devils and not the Faith of God's Elect For the True Christian in this Age as in former Ages is a living Witness of the Moving of the Spirit of God to every good Word and Work as the Holy Men and Christians in former Ages did who speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and as they were led and guided by the Spirit as is testified in the Holy Scriptures though made a Mock of in this Day And this Spirit of God accompanied the Righteous in all Ages and always moved led and guided them into the Way of Peace and as they obeyed it and abode with it Acts 7.9 they were preserved by it therein though in the midst of their Enemies This preserved Joseph when the Patriarchs moved with Envy sold him into Aegypt and out of the Temptations he met with there and the same Spirit of Envy that moved the Patriarchs to sell Joseph moved Cain to kill Abel and moved Esau to hate his Brother and the Israelites to envy Moses and Aaron and the Jews to persecute the Prophets Christ and the Apostles And the Unbelieving Vagabond Jews were moved by this Spirit of Envy Acts 17.5 to make a Tumult against Paul and Silas and to assault the House of Jason and to draw him and the Brethren to the Rulers with false Accusations the Spirit of Envy is the same at this Day and his Motions are the same and all that obey them are found in the same Work And the Motions of the Holy Spirit are also the same and all that obey them bring forth the Fruits thereof and they are both manifested by their Fruits the one moves to Good the other to Evil the one to Love and Good-will the other to Envy and Hatred ☞ the one to Patience and Long-suffering the other to Anger Rage and Persecution the one moves to Meekness Gentleness Lowly-mindedness the other to Hardness Roughness Exaltedness and High-mindedness So by the Fruits and Effects are the Motions of the Spirit of God known and distinguished from the Motions of the Devil the Prince in Darkness And whosoever do or shall profess to speak or write Words or do Works Many whom the old Serpent could not move nor draw into Carnal Wickednesses have been captivated with Spiritual Wiskednesses in High Places and have been deceived so far as to call High Thoughts and Imaginations Motions of the Spirit of God and these have been exalted above all that is called God being joyned to the Son of Perdition who usurps the Throne of God and hath been and is worshipped as God or do Works in and by the Motion of the Spirit of God if they tend not to Good if they are not accompanied with the Fruits of the same if they will not endure the Tryal of the Spirit of God in others and abide by the Testimony thereof and also agree with the Testimonies of the Holy Men of old left upon Record in the holy Scriptures For the Spirit of the Prophets was subject to the Prophets and The Christians were of One Mind I say except this their Motion is to be judged by the Spirit of God and them also that obey it as a Delusion of an Exalted Spirit and as a High Imagination which must be brought down and whoever glories therein or boasts thereof will fade and wither as a Flower and fall and corrupt as Untimely Fruit the Mouth of the Lord hath spoaken it XV. The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning Revelation THE Cry in the World is even among many called Christians No Revelation in these dayes Revelation is ceased No Spiritual Vision to be known now No Sight of God now as Abraham Moses and the Prophets and Primitive Christians had c. Now the Faith Experience and Testimony of the True Christian is that Where there is no Vision Prov. 29.18 no Heavenly Sight that 's the Perishing State Where there
shall partake of this sorer Punishment And as none knoweth the Joy and Consolation of those that have the Law of the Spirit of Life and obey it and abide in it or the White Stone wherein the New Name is written which none knoweth but he that hath it so none knoweth the sorer Punishment the Fiery Indignation kindled by the Breath of the Lord Apostates Punishment is from God and not Men. Vengeance is the Lord's And it s a fearful thing to fall into his hand by sinning against Light and Knowledge c. nor feels the biting of the Worm which never dyes which attends the Transgressors and wilful Sinners against this Law of the Spirit of Life but he that hath it and receives it as a Just Recompence of Reward of his Disobedience Rebellion and Apostacy And the Fitular Christian who talks of living under Grace and not under the Law and of being married to Christ c. before he hath known the Law as a School-Master to bring him to Christ before he is become dead to that which the Law hath Power over before he comes to know the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him by the Spirit of Grace and Righteousness which exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees before he knows Grace to reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life even where Sin hath reigned unto Death before he is taught by Grace to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly and before he ceaseth from Sin and before he knoweth the Body of it destroyed and become dead and Deliverance from the Dead Body I say before this his Talk and Profession of living under Grace is â—ain he remaining alive in that for which the Law was added viz. Sin For the main Reason to prove a Person under Grace which Paul mentioneth is For Sin shall not have Dominion over you for or because you are â—ot under the Law but under Grace He that â—ommitteth Sin is the Servant of it and Sin â—ath Dominion over him let the Titular Chritian profess what he will XVIII The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning Outward and Inward Miracles ALL Miracles and Wonders that were outwardly wrought by the Power of God before the Law under the Law since the Law by the Hand of Mâ—ses and Aaron the Prophets Christ and his Apostles were in themselves Signs generally shewed before Unbelieving Hard-hearted Adulterous Untoward Generations and we read not of very many in the holy Scriptures that were converted by the Working of Outward Miracles Pharaoh and the Egyptians were hardened the Israel tes themselves after they had seen and partook of wonderful Deliverances and Mighty Miracles wrought before their Face as the going through the Sea on Dry Land and their Enemies dâ—stroyed in the same the Pillar of Cloudâ—y Day and the Pillar of Fire by Night the Manna and Quales from Heaven the Watter out of a Rock and also drunâ— of the Spiritual Rock which followed them yet an Unbelieving Ignorant Disobedient Rebellious Murmuring Heart got up in them so that they discerned not the Power by which they were wrought nor the End wherefore being ignorant of both neither did they truly regard the Instruments by whom they were wrought their Wills and Lusts remained strong their Hearts foul and gross their Ears dull of Hearing and their Eyes so weak and their Understandings so darkened that they could not look upon nor behold the Glory of that Ministration though it was but of Angels nor abide and endure the Voice of God in giving forth the Law for the Condemnation of the Transgressor which was Glorious in its time so that they could not behold the Glory of Moses's Face without Fear Exod. 34.30 19.22 nor so much as touch the Mount on which God appeared yea the Priests unless Sanctified or made Holy were not to come nigh the Lord This was the State of the Israelites notwithstanding they were Eye-witnesses of the Mighty Wonders and Miracles visibly wrought before their Natural Senses yet through Unbelief Disobedience Murmuring and Rebellion they perished and their Carcases fell in the Wilderness and entred not into the Promised Land Let the Reader consider those things And when Christ Jesus the Great Prophet came of whom Moses prophesied and wrought divers Visible Miracles before the Hard-hearted Jews who professed themselves the Disciples of Moses I do not find nor read that many of those that saw them wrought with their Natural Eyes and that drank of that Mâ—raculous Wine made of Water and that eat of the Five Loaves and Two Fâ—shes that fâ—d Five Thousand and Twelve Baskets of Fragments to spare ☞ were converted nor so much as became his Disciples or Foâ—â—owers except for Loaves or some Selfish Ends and some among whom he wrought mighty Miracles desired him to depart their Coasts And from the Chief Priests and Leaders he met with this Judgment That he was a Deceiver a Samaritan and had a Devil and cast out Devils by Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils so that his Raising the Dead Healing the Sick Possessed and Diseased though Mighty Works in themselves and wrought by the Power of his Father in him yet they were not such great Works â—oâ— the Effects of such great Extent but that those that did believe in him should do greater or he in his Spiritual Appearance in them would do greater John 14.12 13. according to his Saying Verely verely I say unto you He that believeth in me the Works that I do he shall do also and greater then these shall he do because I go to my Father and whatsoever ye ask in my Name that will I do This Saying and Promise was and is fulfilled fulfilling and to be fulfilled And every True Christian is a Witness of the Power that is received by believing in Christ and knoweth and experienceth greater Works and Miracles wrought by the Power and Spiritual Appearance of Christ within then all the Outward Miracles he wrought before the Carnal Eyes of Carnal Professors and Unbelievers in the dayes of his * We read of more Converted at One Sermon of Peter then by all Outward Miracles Flesh But this the Titular Christian cannot receive knowing nothing thereof In order therefore to convince him of the Truth of the same the True Christian speaks further as follows First He saith That once he was Dead in Trespasses and Sins and so Dead that though he was loaded therewith yet he felt not the Weight and Burthen thereof and not only so but he had all the Properties of a dead Man spiritually his Eye was so blind that he could not see the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin his Ear was so deaf that he could not hear the Voice of God though he often called him out of it his Feet were so lame that he could not walk one Step in the Way of God and he was so bowed down that he could not stand upright and his Bloody
Issue could not be stopped nor his Wounds healed and his Sores ran in the Night and his Soul refused Comfort and he was cast out into the open Field to the loathing of his Person and the Levite and the Priest passed by and ministred no Help he saw no Eye to pitty nor no Hand to save nor no Physitian of value could he meet withal all told him he could never be cured healed and made a sound living Man again while he lived upon the Earth and to encrease his Misery he was perswaded to believe the same which Belief is one of the strongest Links of the Chains of Darkness in short Words cannot express the sad and lamentable Estate of Mankind in the Fall which the True Christian once lay in even bound in Chains of Darkness under the Slavery and Bondage of Sin and Satan captivated in a strange Land c. out of which nothing leâ—s then the mighty terrible and glorious Power of God by and through his Son Christ Jesus is able effectually to redeem save and deliver Therefore in the second Place the True Christian's Testimony is as followeth To the Praise and Glory of the Power of God in his glorious Appearance and heavenly Revelation through the Son of his Love in this latter Day wherein his exceeding Riches and Kindness and Power is manifested and made known as in Ages past and as in the Generation of Old and his faithful Promises fulfilled John 5.25 〈◊〉 the Hour is come wherein the dead hear the Voice of God and the Graves open and they that are therein come forth and a mighty Sound is heard of the dry Bones in the Valley coming together People dead in Sins and Trespasses degenerated and estranged from the Life of God are as these dry Bones and are to be witnesses of the same Power to restore them to Form and Life and knitting Bone to Bone and Joynt to Joynt and Sinnew to Sinnew and Flesh grows upon the same and the Breath of Life is received and a standing up is known of an exceeding great Army which shall yet encrease more and more and inherit and possess the Anti type of the promised Land this was seen and prophesied of by Ezekiel and now enjoyed by the True Christian read Chap. 36. to Ver. 14. and the Lord give the Understanding Now to witness these Things effected by the Spirit and Power of the Lord is more then to see a dead Body outwardly raised to Life and to have the Eye of the Mind opened and the Ear of the Spiritual Man unstopped the Tongue unloosed that can praise the Lord and the Lamâ—â— to leap as an Heart and to run the Wayes of God's Commandments with Delight without stumbling Weariness or Fainting I say these Things being wrought by the Power of God in the inward Man are greater Miracles then the opening of a blind Eye or unstopping of a deaf Ear or unloosing the Tongue of the dum or curing the lame outwardly And to be cleansed from the Leprous Disease of Sin and to know the bloody Issue thereof stopped and to have the Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience and the Body washed with pure Water and the Heart and Mind cleansed from all that would defile by the precious Blood of Christ manifest and known within where the Defilements are greater Miracles ☞ and effected by a greater Power though the same in Nature then that which cured the Leprosie and bloody Issue outwardly and the cleansing of the Mind Heart and Conscience and healing the Inward Man of all its Diseases is more wonderful then the healing all outward Diseases whatsoever Now the working of outward Miracles are not of absolute Necessity in the Church of Christ neither doth the Gift thereof alwayes attend the Church and we read of no outward Miracles wrought by divers primitive Apostles Ministers and Teachers Elders and Fathers in the Church ☞ But these greates Works and Miracles which Christ promis'd those that believed in him should do they were all Witnesses of in a Measure being of absolute Necessity to be known wrought by Christ the Power of God in every True Christian now as then without which no Resurrection to Life nor Entrance into the Way of Salvation is attained unto let the Titular Christian profess what he will And I still well remember when I was a Titular Christian and a Hearer and Disciple of that Generation which now calls upon the True Christian for Signs aad Miracles which no Impostor or false Christian can give they used then to acknowledge and preach for Doctrine That the Conversion of one Soul to God was a greater Work then the Creation of the World and the main Reason they gave was That in the Work of the Outward Creation nothing did resist and oppose God said Let it be and it was so But now in the New Creation and Work of Regeneration God meets with much Opposition He speaks and calls once and again and Man regards it not he stretcheth out his Hand all the Day long and the Rebellious regards it not he stands at the Door and knocks but his Enemy is gotten into the House and the Door is shut against him yet he waits to shew himself gracious according to the Phrase in Scripture Till his Head is wet with the Dew and his Locks with the Drops of the Night and he woeth and beseeches with Bowels of Compassion all Mankind by his Universal Love and Light and holy Spirit All have a Day of Visitation to be reconciled unto him and to turn or be converted unto him that he may heal them restore and redeem them out of the Degeneration which they are run into through Sin into the Primitive Estate and pure Enjoyment of himself which was before Sin entered or the forbidden Fruit was eaten or Evil was in the World but Mankind slights this great Love and resist and despiseth this Light and Holy Spirit which would work all these Things in him and for him So these Things above considered which are according to the Phrase and Language of the Holy Scriptures it may evidently appear that the Work of the New Creation being accompanied with so much Opposition is greater then the Work of the Old In this the Titular Christian as in many other Things talks a Truth with his Tongue but is not a living Witness and Experiencer of the same in his Heart ☞ therefore when the True Christian tells him what the Lord hath done for his Soul and the mighty Works and Wonders that he hath wrought in him and for him how he hath raised him from Death to Life from Sin to Righteousness and translated him from Darkness to Light from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of his dear Son and how he hath made him whole every whit even upon the Sabbath Day and that he now sits in Heavenly Places with him cloathed in his right Mind and that he hath received a good Understanding
John saw in his Divine and Heavenly Revelation and thou abiding in the Light and walking in the Spirit wilt not only see but enjoy the same Read Rev. 21 22. and the Lord give thee Understanding more and more and encrease thy Joy in believing and strengthen thy Faith and Hope that they may be as a Trusty Shield of Defence and as an Anchor sure and stedfast to preserve thee from all Assaults and from splitting upon a Rock or Sands till thou arrivest at the Haven of Eternal Rest and lie down in the Valley where thy Bread yea thy Daily Bread fresh fresh from the Table of the Lord will be sure and thy Water fail not where none can make thee afraid where no Enemy can prevail where no Danger of making Shipwrack of Faith and a Good Conscience is where no Destroyer is where all Tears and the Cause of them are wiped away where Faith and Hope hath an End and where the Heavenly City is whose Gates stand alwayes open and yet no unclean thing can enter As thou perseverest in the Light and obeyest and followest him that hath called thee out of Egypt and translated thee from the gross Darkness thereof thou wilt thereby be led to inherit and possess these things for It is he that endureth to the End that shall be saved Now tender Friend As thou walkest in thy Way the Light within the Spirit and Grace of God within which teacheth not only to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts but also to live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World thou art safe But I do advise thee notwithstanding to take great heed and watch diligently against the Enemy of thy Happiness in all his Appearances and especially when he appears under the Form of Truth it self with the Words of it in his Mouth and with the very likeness of it for I have seen him there he has beguiled and betrayed many thereby in this Age even since we were a People and he effected it by drawing the Mind from being staid upon God waiting low in his Light to wonder after and desire something else which he made appear lovly to behold the attaining of which he perswaded them would better their Condition and encrease their Glory so in hope many after they have been presented as a chaste Virgin to Christ have again been subjected unto Vanity in this Age as Mankind was in the Beginning and have lost a present good Estate by believing the Lyes of the Serpent who told them They should enjoy a better some he hath drawn out on this wise and by other of his Wiles to that Degree of Apostacy and Degeneration that they are become like Trees twice dead and plucked up by the Roots never like to grow in the Garden of God again whose Way and End is Vtter Darkness out of which there is no Redempiâ—on Now his other Wayes and Means whereby he lies in wait to deceive are more open and manifest but his Working under the Form of Truth more secret and mysterious and more likely to prevail upon the Mind of â—e Simple unless a diligent Watch be kept then when he appears as he is By this Means I have known him not only get into the Temple of God sit there but to be worshipped as God and exalted above all that is called God or that is worshipped besides him Now â—e never got into the Temple not sate there 〈◊〉 was worshipped under the Name of a Dâ—vil Satan or Prince of Darkness now 〈◊〉 in any Age but mysteriously wrought himself in under a Disguize cloathing himself like an Angel of Light that desired and endeavoured the Good of Mankind by this Means he came and comes to be obeyed and worshipped not as he is but as he appears to be Now this Temple where he sits and where he is Worshipped is the Heart and Mind of Mankind in the Degenerate Stite And that which doth reveal him with his Mystery of Iniquity is the Light and Spâ—rit of God in which thou hast believed working and Operating in the same place and consuming him with the Spirit of his Mouth and destroying him with the Brightness of his Coming But this thou knowest not effected so soon as thou believest 't is a Work wrought by Degrees thy Safety and Duty is To wait with Patience for the Coming of the Lord in that Light and Grace which fits and prepares his Way and teacheth thee how to joyn with him when he appears and to help the Lord against the Mighty and to meet him in the Way of his Judgments by which Sion is redeemed And so as thou here waitest thou wilt discern him when he appears from all the Appearances of thy Enemy and be made willing in this Day of his Power to yield up thy Heart Mind and Strength unto him and to serve him love fear and obey him this is required on thy Part so wilt thou know him to appear unto thee as a Morning without Clouds and in his Light thou wilt see more Light and know it shine more and more unto a Perfect Day till by the Brigâ—tness thereof the whole Mystery of Iniquity be discovered and the Man of Sin destroyed and thy Temple cleansed from all that doth Defile and the Mystery of Godliness display'd therein and Truth and Righteousness sit upon the Throne and reign where Sin and Unrighteousness did reign even in thy Heart and Mind Will and Conscience then will thy Earth rejoyce and thy Heavens rain down â—atness and Everlasting Peace will be in thy Dwellings The which that thou mayest attain unto hold fast that thou hast let none take thy Crown whereunto thou hast attained therein walk pressing forwards to the End of thy Race where the Crown of Life is laid up and take heed of thy own Thoughts and Imaginations Conceivings and Consultations and of that Will that works not the Righteousness of God these of thy own House will prove thy greatest Enemies if thou walkst not in the Light which discovers them and takes up the Cross that crucifieth them and is able to bring every high Thought and Imagination into the Obedience of Christ while this is bringing to pass abide in the Patience bearing the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God and keep thy Eye fixed on the same and look not downward to the Earth nor at the Smoak that ascends out of the bottomless Pit and darkens the Air nor at the Dragon that makes War in Heaven but joyn thou with Michael the Prince and follow the Lamb which rides on conquering and to conquer so shalt thou overcome and sit down with him on his Throne as he sate down with his Father on his Throne and know thy Enemies made thy Foot-stool And that thou mayst not fail hereof Watch also against the dead Spirit of Formality see that thy Form of Godliness is accompanied and seasoned with Life Virtue and Power for though Godliness is not manifested without