I now live I live by the Faith of the Son of God this is the Perfection the True Christian arrives at ☞ even to know Christ live in him and Self and Sin dead then this Life of Righteousness reigns where once Sin and Death reigned and this Life cureth all Diseases and makes a Man grow to Perfection makes the Mind sound and the Understanding A perfect Sign where Life reigns the Heart clean and honest purgeth the Conscience from all dead Works and brings into the Service of the living God and makes free and redeems from the contrary viz. the Service of Sin and Satan and this is a perfect State and hath been is and may be attained unto according to the Holy Scriptures and the Testimony of the True Christian And some Titular Christians do pray for promise and profess as much 〈◊〉 Words The Titular Christian prayeth for and professeth Perfection but doth not believe it 's possible to attain till after the Death of the Body So his Prayer is vain his Belief a strong Delusion when they pray for a clean Heart and the renewing of a right Spirit to live a holy Life and to be cleansed from all Sin and when they promise one for another to forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to keep God's Holy Will and Commandments this is Perfection and he that doth receive a clean Heart and a right Spirit and doth those Things is a perfect Man Now he that professeth and witnesseth these Things before spoaken of and hath travailed through the Work of the New Creation he can speak of Perfection in Truth and Righteousness he can say all the Works of God are perfect good yea very good being a living Witness of the same and that the Works of Man in the Fall and Degeneration and of the old Serpent whom he obeyes are all imperfect and bad yea very bad therefore let all that talk of Perfection with their Tongues and profess it with their Lips see that they are in that Faith which is the Gift of God and works by Love ☞ and doth wonderful Things though it be but as a Grain of Mustard Seed it removes Mountains and the Effect of it doth away all Imperfection and makes whole every whit the Eye being fixed upon the Author thereof it brings the Mighty from its Seat and exalteth that of low Degree it brings to the true Poverty which makes many rich and inherits all Things to the Sorrowing wherein is Rejoycing alwayes to the having nothing and yet poffessing all Things to the Weakness wherein is Strength to the Loss wherein is Gain to the Death wherein is Life Everlasting this State Paul was in when he spoak after this Manner When I am Weak then am I strong when dead then alive as sorrowing yet alwayes rejoycing 2 Cor. 6.10 as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all Things these Things are as Riddles and Mysteries to the Carnal Mind and are hidden from the Wise and Prudent but revealed to the Babes who suck at the Breasts of Consolation and are weaned from the Breasts of this World in all its Perfection Glory and Beauty visible and invisible and are become Children of that Faith without which 't is impossible to please God Therefore if any will be perfect and have Treasure in Heaven ☞ they must become as new born Babes feeding on the Milk of the Word and know a growing up in and by the Vertue of the same to the State of a perfect Man out of all Self-Will Thoughts and Imaginations self-Wisdom Riches and Knowledge for in the State of Innocency before the Fall Man was not rich wise nor strong of himself his own Will Thoughts and Desires ☞ though in themselves and in their Places harmless did not rule over him neither did he feed upon the Tree of Knowledge which was and is good in its Place though not for Food but he ruled over them all while he stood in the Image of his Maker and obeyed his Command he had Power over all the Beasts of the Field and Fish of the Sea and the Earth was subdued by him and he had Dominion over it standing in the Life Power Riches and Wisdom of his God and out of his own here though he had nothing yet he possessed all subdued all and had Dominion over all though he fed not upon the Tree of Knowledge yet was he full of Knowledge and Wisdom to discern the Nature of all Things and to give them Names accordingly though he had no Will nor Defire ☞ but what was to be subject to the Will of God nor no Power or Strength given him of God to act contrary to his Command yet he had great Power Liberty and Freedom given him of God over all the Works of his Hands And every Herb bearing Seed which was upon all the Earth and every Tree in which was the Fruit of a Tree bearing Seed for Meat only the Tree of Knowledge which grew not at one Corner but in the midst of the Garden even where the Tree of Life it self grew he was not to eat of he that reads let him understand for I testifie that Moses ☞ or the Author of Genesis was endued with the same Divine Heavenly Sight and Wisdom when he wrot these Things as John was when he wrot his Book of Revelations and a Measure of the same must give the Understanding of them Now Mankind had nothing to do but to dress and keep the Garden which God 's own Hand had planted and this he was to do in the Will Wisdom and Power of God by which he became a Living Soul cloathed with the Image of God without any other Covering but his Spirit this was his Glory and Perfection And in this stood his Joy and Felicity Power and Dominion within and without in this stands the True Christian 's now But when he suffered his Will and Desire and the Eye of his Mind by the Temptation to be drawn and alured forth and gave way to the springing up of a Desire ☞ to know and be wise for himself to be something of himself this let the Temptation over him being deceived disobeyed his God even under a Hope of gaining by it and bettering his State The Life and Image of God which Adam lost was inward and spiritual he dyed not immediately as to his outward Form or bodily Existence but lived many years believing the Serpent who said You shall be as Gods you shall not dye Thus Death entred upon him thus the Image of God in him became vail'd and his Beauty Glory and Perfection defaced his own Will and Desires no sooner gave way to but Temptationt entred no sooner his own Eye opened but his Imperfection appeared and his Nakedness was seen ☞ no sooner he began to live of himself and to will
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
Harmlesness Righteousness and Heavenly-mindedness of Jesus which he and his Followers were and are indued withal the quite contrary abounds and yet a Profession of Jesus in Words is not wanting in these Nations called Christendom so that Isaiah's Vision Sight or Prophesie is fulfilled therein The shew of their Countenance doth witness against them Isa 3.9 12. and they declare their Sin as Sodom they hide it not Wo unto their Soul for they have rewarded Evil unto themselves Children are their Oppressors and Women rule over them Oh my People they which lead thee cause thee to Err and destroy the Way of thy Paths c. In this day also this Prophecy is fulfilled in Christendom Seaven Women shall take hold of one Man Isa 4.1 saying We will eat our own Bread and wear our own Apparel only let us be called by thy Name to take away our Reproach ☞ These seven Women are or may fitly be compared to the perfect full Number of all the Titular Christians of all the diverse Sects and Opinions in whole Christendom who profess the Name of Christ and call Christ their Husband but play the Harlot with other Lovers and eat their own Bread which is the forbidden Fruit and the old gather'd Manna and wear their own Apparel which they have sowed together with their own Hands and formed by their own Inventions to cover thei Nakedness in Transgression But the Lord God whom they have transgressed against is come down to walk in his Garden and he finds it overgrown with Weeds Thorns Bryars and Thistles but neither the Weeds Trees nor Fig-tree Leaves of Profession though sowed together and made like a Garment of Modefty and Righteousness ☞ can hide from his All-seeing Eye the Word Adam where art thou is sounded forth and he and all his Works are found out and the hidden things of Esau are sought out and the Earth can no longer cover her slain But the Blood of Righteous Abel cryes and the Souls under the Altar cry How long Lord how long will it be ere thou avenge thy self on them that dwell on the Earth and yet profess thy Name and thy Son's Name and say Thus saith the Lord when they have not heard thy Voice nor seen thy Shape nor known thy wonderous Works in the Deep nor regarded the Operation of thy Hand Because of these things the Cry of the Righteous hath been unto the Lord in all Ages and is now in this Age even because of the Hatred and Bloodiness of Cain about Religion and Worship and because of the Envy of Esau about the Blessing and because the great Whore who sits upon the Waters and rides upon the Beast and calls her self the Lamb's Wife and holds forth her Golden Cup full of Abominations with which the Nations even those called Christendom are made drunk hath so far prevailed And because the Waters on which the Whore sitteth which are Nations Tongues and People and the Beast on whom she rides takes her Golden Cup for the Cup of Blessing and for the Gold that is tryed in the Fire and the Wine of Fornication for the New Wine of the Kingdom And because this great Whore is taken for the Bride the Lamb's Wife the Harlot for the Spouse of Christ the Titular Christian for the True finally because Light is called Darkness and Darkness Light Good Evil and Evil Good I say This made Jeremy wish his Head were Waters and his Eyes a Fountain of Tears that he might weep day and night for the Slain of the Daughter of his People Jer. 9.1 2. This made Christ to weep over Jerusalem and Paul to wish himself separate from Christ for his Brethrens sake This made the Prophets Apostles Ministers willing to spend and be spent and to run to and fro that Knowledge might be encreased and People undeceived because of these things the Cry Breathing of the Souls of the Righteous is unto the Lord that he would take away the Vail that is spread over the Hearts of all People by Transgression and open the Blind Eye and unstop the Deaf Ear that his Glory may be seen and his Voyce heard and the two great Mysteries of Godliness and Iniquity revealed And that People may come to look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn over him even him whom they have kissed with their Lips but betrayed in their Hearts and so come to that Godly Sorrow which leadeth to Repentance and a Turning unto him who redeemeth from all these things and bringeth into Favour with God again and giveth Right to eat of the Tree of Life and to enter through the Gate into the City even the heavenly Jerusalem which that all may partake of and inherit is the Desire of the True Christian who hath received the Gospel of Peace and Good-will to all men the which that thou may attain unto take the Counsel of one who was a Child of Wrath as well as others and once lived in the Nature of Cain and Esau and was one of them on whom the Whore sate and was deceived by her Golden Cup and drank of the Wine of her Fornication and once took the Whore for the Lamb's Wife the Harlot for the true Woman Babylon for Jerusalem Antichrist for Christ the Titular Christian for the True But now knoweth that the Son of God is come and a good Understanding given whereby he knoweth him that is true and is in him that is true and hath received Wisdom to trace the Eagle in the Air and the Serpent on the Rock and the Adulterous Woman who eateth the Forbidden Fruit and wipeth her Mouth and saith She hath done none Evil and is now acquainted with the Wiles and Mysterious Workings of him who is more subtil then all the Beasts of the Field and is come to the Rending of the Vail and the taking off the Covering and to the falling of the Scales from his Eyes and to the Revelation of the two great Mysteries of Godliness and Iniquity I say unto thee whosoever thou art that readest these words and knowest not the same Turn thy Mind inward ☞ commune with thy own Heart and be still stand in Awe and sin not fear to offend that holy Spirit which searcheth thy Heart and love the Reproofs thereof for its the Way of Life and wait low in the same until that Eye be opened in thee that can see God's Salvation that he hath appointed unto the ends of the Earth then wilt thou Rejoyce therein And cease from Man ☞ whose Breath is in his own Nostrils and speaks the studied Inventions of his own corrupt Heart and the Traditions of his Fore-Fathers and yet saith Thus saith the Lord when he hath not spoaken unto him nor heard his Voice nor seen his Shape but speaks the Conceivings and Divinations of his own Brain and the Uncertain Notions of his own Spirit The * The Root of all Division Erroneous Opinions and Sects listening
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
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
Glory and Power which is Terrible to the Worker of Iniquity is pleasant and desirable by those that witness Sion's Redemption by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning from Iniquity these things are known now as in former Ages The same Ark whose Presence troubled and plagued the Philistians was the Glory of Israel the same Hand and Power that smites and destroyeth the Egyptian saves and delivers the Israelite the same Spirit of Truth that reproveth the World of Sin is the Comforter of those that are made free by it from Sin the same Breath that breathed Life in the beginning before Sin entred kind'eth the Fire that tormenteth the Wicked He that can understand let him â—mnipresent in Beâ—â—g incomprehensiâ—â—e and Almighty in Power And he demonstrateth his Faith and Experience after this manner He has received a Manifestation of him in his own Heart Mind and Spirit and so is come to know him pore Omni-present by his Work and Operation therein he can say that God is pure of a Truth because he findeth his Appearance so pure and holy in his Heart that it will not allow nor suffer so much as a vain Thought to lodge there nor no unclean thing to be touched And this True Christian is a true witness of the Truth of those Scriptures Hab. 1.13 Jer. 17.10 15.19 which saith that God is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity and that He searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and divideth betwixt the Precious and the Vile betwixt Thought Thought Word and Word Work and Work And further He is a True Witness that God is Almighty in Power because he hath by his mighty Power broaken down those Strong Holds formerly builded in his Heart by the Enemy of his Soul Cast down Imaginations and every High Thing that exalted 〈◊〉 self against the Knowledge of God â—inging into Captivity very Thought into the â—bedience of Christ And he knoweth the â—rk Mountains at â—â—ich his Feet stumbled removed the Rocks rended the Raging Waves stilled and that Tongue and Nature bridled which no Man could tame But before this be witnessed he hath known him to sit as a Refiners Fire Mal. 3.3 and as Fullers Sope and as a Spirit of Judgment and Burning and so became a living Witness of what he hath seen felt heard understood by the mighty Working of his Holy Spirit in his Mortal Body The Titular Christian he saith he believeth in one God who is pure omnipresent and Almighty take his Word and there is no Difference But how doth he demonstrate his Faith that to him there is but one God why he hath heard a Relation of him his Oneness his Purity and Almightiness in the Holy Scriptures and he hath been educated and trained up in the Traditions of his Fore-fathers and so his Knowledge of God he professeth is acquired therefrom he hath read in some Book or some Body hath told him that God is One Pure Omnipresent and Almighty and he grounds his Faith and Knowledge upon this Tradition and History and sorofesseth God and his Attributes in Words but is not a living Witness of the same within himself And so notwithstanding he professeth one God he liveth in the World which hath many Gods and worships and falls down before them every beloved Lust obeyed is a God Let the Titular Christian profess what he will he that committeth Sin is the Servant of it and therein is no Believer Worshipper nor Knower of the True God his Purity nor Almightiness because his Heart remaineth Corrupt and Rocky and the Mountains of Darkness Ignorance remain unremoved and the strong Holds of Satan unbroaken down his Thoughts and Imaginations unsubjected to the Obedience of Christ his Will Tongue and Nature unbridled the Dross Tin and Rubbage remains and is as a Grave to the pure Mettal this Titular Christian contents himself to hear or read of God as a Refiner's Fire and as Fuller's Sope and as a Spirit of Judgment and Burning and of his cleansing and purifying some in former Generations but loves not nor cares not to know him so in himself but rather despiseth and hateth his pure Appearance in him whose first Work is to convince him of Sin Righteousnes Judgment which is compared to a little Silver amongst much Dross a little Seed amongst many great ones to a little Leaven hid in three Measures of Meal which Silver can't be parted separated enjoy'd but by the Appearance of God within as a Refiners Fire to purge away the Dross take away the Tin also which is somewhat like the Silver whereby indeed the Titular Christian is deceived neither can the little Seed grow up till the Rubbish be taken away and the Ground that is Cursed removed and the Heart made honest which is the good Ground wherein the Seed of the Kingdom grows to Perfection neither can the little Leaven work through and leaven the three Measures of Meal till that be taken away which lets and hinders viz. Unbelief and Hardness of Heart Now this Day of small Things this Day of Jacob's Troubles wherein he goes through the Refiners Fire this little Seed this little Leaven is overlook'd despised and flighted by the Titular Christian who in his own Conceit is exalted and puffed up above the pure Appearance of God in his Heart which to know and obey is the Gate of all true Wisdom and Knowledge and is grown so tall great and Wise in his own Thoughts and Imaginations that he cannot walk in the straight Way nor go in at the Door of the Sheepfold but would climb up some other Way and so contents himself with a Traditional Historical Profession of God in Words and deny him in Works And all the Knowledge and Experience he hath of God his Purity Oneness and Almightiness is but as some Body hath told him or as he hath in an Unsanctified and Unprepared Heart read in the Holy Scriptures which Knowledge avails nothing except accompanied with a living Expeâ—ience of the same Power working after the same Manner as it did in others in Times past who have left their Testimonies thereof upon Record II. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Lord Jesus Christ THE True Christian believes in one Lord Jesus Christ who came from the Bosom of the Father who is the Son of the true God by whom he made the World and that this Lord Jesus Christ is his Saviour Redeemer Sanctifier and Cleanser by his precious Blood and is to him as a King Priest and Prophet c. And he demonstrateth his Faith in this Manner in being Obedient to him as he is Lord in being saved by him from Sin as he is Jesus and by his learning of him and being taught by him as he is Christ or the Anointing So he can call him Lord Jesus Christ in Truth and Righteousness having truly learned his Name and Nature through Obedience to his Cross and a Cleansing by 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
among them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 Eph. 5.27 who are Members of that Glorious Church which is without Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing Holy and without Blemish The Titular Christian he also talks of and professeth the Doctrine of Sanctification Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corruption But his Talk is not true and his Profession is feigned because he is not a Witness of the Work thereof in himself He hath read in the Holy Scriptures That no Vnclean Thing can enter the Kingdom and that without Holiness no man can see the Lord and that the Lord will be sanctified of all that draw near unto him Therefore he hath devised a Profession of Sanctification which may be only talkeâ— of but never possessed and wrought in him on this side the Crave And to this End he hath made up a Faith of his own and is wholy ignorant of that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints or holy People by which their Hearts were purified And by Vertue of this Feigned Faith perswades himself that the Sanctification and Holiness of Christ without him shall be reckoned and imputed unto him ☞ while he remains unsanctified and unholy and that the Cleanness Innocency and Spotlesness of Christ shall be accounted unto him notwithstanding he remains foul guilty and full of Spots and Defilements and that God looks upon him not as he is in himself but as he is in Christ Jesus his Saviour when indeed he is not in him nor saved by him from that which defiles him for if any man be in Christ 2 Cor. 5.17 he is a New Creature old things are past away and all things are become New By this the Titular Christian may try himself if he be not really changed the old Creature and old Things past away he is not in Christ and God cannot nor doth not look upon him where he is not ☞ therefore let him not further deceive himself for God's Witness in his own Conscience seeth and judgeth him where he is out of Christ unsanctified in the old Nature and old things and God from whence it comes is greater and seeth and judgeth him also And this Titular Christian is so far from living and enjoying a sanctified State really indeed and in truth as the True Christian did and doth that he never comes to enjoy so much Clearness and Freedom from Sin as the Jews did who lived but in the Types Figures and Shadows of Good Things to come for they once a year while they kept the Law were quitted and eased of all their Sins and Transgressions and a full Attonement was made once a year for all Sins past c. which is more then all the Nominal Christians upon the Face of the Earth really enjoy notwithstanding their Boast of living in Gospel Times and in the Dayes of the New Covenant and of Salvation by Christ Jesus Their Boast is vain the Gospel which is the Power of God to Salvation working and operating in their Inward Man to save not only from the Guilt but from the Act of Sin and to cleanse from all Iniquity they are wholely ignorant of and Strangers to and the New Covenant the Law in the Heart which makes free from the Law of Sin and Death and the Spirit that sanctifieth from it reigns not in their Mortal Bodies but the contrary viz. Sin and the Law of it and by the Spirit of Truth are convinced of it and by God's Vicegerent the Light in their Consciences they stand arraigned and convicted before the Judgment-Seat of God let their Profession be never so high And the Titular Christian is not a living Witness of the One Everlasting Offering which perfecteth forever those that are sanctified nor of the Oneness and Unity which is between him that sanctifieth and those that are sanctified nor of the abiding with him that sanctifieth so as to sin no more neither is he drawn near unto God with a true Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience nor is his Body washed with pure Water he hath no full Assurance of Faith in these things but rather concludes them unattainable on this side the Grave and so is held captive in the Chains of Sin and Satan and entangled with the Yoak of Bondage and in this State inherits Misery and Darkness and is a Member of that Church which is full of Spots and Wrinkles Sores and Corruptions Diseased from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot of this Church Christ is not the Head Let the Titular Christian imagine what he will he must depart among the Goates because he is a Worker of Iniquity VIII The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Justification THE True Christian believeth the Doctrine of Justification and that it immediately succeeds the Work of Sanctification Being justified by Faith even that Faith which is the Gift of God he witnesseth Peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 Heb. 10.38 Heb. 12.23 And the Just lives by Faith And he is come to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect c. even now in this Age as the True Christian did in former Ages testified of in the holy Scriptures Now to be Justified is to be made Just by Vertue of that Faith which gives Victory over the Unjust and by that Blood which cleanseth and saveth from Wrath to come And this Justification comes not by the Works of the Law Gal. 2.16 For by that shall no Flesh be Justified nor by self-Works nor self-Righteousness but by the free Gift of God which leads through the Law and fulfils it and destroys self-Works and self-Righteousness establishes good Works and brings in Everlasting Righteousness which exceeds the Righteousness of Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites and herein the True Christian stands Justified in the Sight of God who worketh all his Works in him and for him ☞ and to will and to do of his own good Pleasure Phil. 2.13 Rom. 8.33 And none can lay any Thing to the Charge of this Elect whom God justifieth The Titular Christian he professeth the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ Jesus But it 's no more then a bare Profession and his Faith is not the Faith of God's Elect neither is he led into Peace with God by it nor receives Power by it to gain Victory over the Unjust Nature and Spirit that lives in him but imagins an imputative Justification and applies the Justness Righteousness and Holiness of Christ wrought without him above 1600 Years ago unto himself while he is Unjust Unholy and Unrighteous But this avails not the Titular Christian at all herein also he decâ—ives himself being not experimentally acquainted with the Blood of Christ which justifieth washeth and cleanseth and saveth from Wrath to come and from that which is the Cause of it viz. Sin And so he knows not a leading through the Law which was added because of Transgression and hath Power over the Transgressor as
long as he liveth unto Christ which was before the Law and before there was any Occasion for the Law who alone is able to Justifie the Righteous and condemn the Wicked whose Wayes are all Equal Just and Righteous never condemning the Just nor justifying the Wicked and it may be truly said of this Titular Christian as Christ said to the Covetous Pharisees who derided him ☞ Ye are they which JVSTIFIE YOVR SELVES before Men but God knoweth your Hearts Luke 16.15 for that which is highly esteem'd amongst Men is Abomination in the Sight of God And now the same Spirit that then derided Christ and set him at Naught and that then ruled in the Hearts of Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites and Impenitent hard-hearted Jews in this Part of the World called Christendom ☞ is now turned Professor of him in Words and teaches him in whom it rules to talk of Salvation and Justification by him though at the same Time that Spirit lives and rules in his Heart to which God looks and which he knoweth that denyeth ☞ despiseth betrayeth and crucifieth him even while he pretends to worship him as the Jews did who smâ—te him on the Head Mark 15.19 and spit upon him and mocked him and at the same Time bow'd their Knees and worshipped him and as Judas did who said Hail Master and Kissed him Mat. 26.49 and at the same Time betrayed him the Nominal or Titular Christian is guilty of the same Thing he living in that and daily committing that which ever was the Cause and Occasion of all his Sufferings viz. Sin Therefore is he many Times convicted ☞ reproved judged and condemned in his Heart by God's Spirit that searcheth it even while his Tongue talks of Justification Now to this Spirit of God which searcheth his Heart and tryeth his Reins and the innermost Parts of the Belly is this Titular Christian counsel'd to take heed and to hear its Judgment concerning him and with his whole Heart receive the same and by it judge all the Flatteries vain Conceits Notions Imaginations and Dreams by which he hath been led and deceived through the Subtilty of that grand Enemy the Devil and Satan who will suffer his Servants Children Slaves ☞ to turn Professors of Christianity be Christians in Name and to talk of the Gospel while he keeps Possession of the Heart Let the Titular Christian confider these Things before it be too late IX The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Baptism and the Lord's Supper THE True Christian believes and lives under the two great Ordinances of Christ Baptism and the Supper of the Lord in the Mystery and he can give an experimental Account how he come to live in the Enjoyment of these Ordinances even how he passed through the Work of Regeneration Mortification and self Denyal Sanctification and Justification before he come to be a true Subject and Partaker of these Ordinances he can tell how the Old Man with his Deeds were put off and the New Man put on Gal. 3.27 for he that is baptized into Christ hath put on Christ ☞ not only professed him while the Old Man was alive but baptized with the same Baptism he was baptized with in a Measure even with the Holy Ghost and Fire which is inward and spiritual and washeth cleanseth and purifieth inwardly and Spiritually which all the outside Washing and Baptisms were but a Type of and by this Baptism the True Christian is not only washed and made clean but kept and preserved by the same clean and pure prepared and made fit to put on the Wedding-Garment and to sit at the Table of the Lord and partake of the Feast of Fat Things and drink of the Wine that he hath prepared which is the Blood of the New Testament which is Drink indeed and he eats the Flesh of the Son of Man John 6 5â— which is Meat indeed and this is the Supper of the Lord and he eats and drinks worthily discerning the Lord's Body having heard his Voice and opened the Door at which he once stood knocking and he is now come in unto him according to his faithful Promise Rev. 3.20 and suppeth with him and he with him here is the Fruit of the Vine drank new in the Kingdom of God Mark 14.25 Luke 14.15 and here is the blessed Man that eateth Bread in the Kingdom of God and sitteth down therein being cloathed with his Wedding-Garment of fine Linnen and adorned as a Bride for her Husband and enjoying the efficacious Vertue of him which is Everlasting Life and Salvation hungring and thirsting no more after the forbidden Fruit nor after the Wine of Sodom because he hath the same Mind which was in Christ Jesus who never hunger'd nor thirsted after those Things ☞ though tempted yet never transgressed but overcame the Devil in all his Temptations This is the State and Glory of the True Christian this Honour have all the Saints who come to be established in the Mind of Christ and this Honour they had in former Ages born witness of and testifyed in the Holy Scriptures and is in Store and laid up for all that love his Appearance and come unto God by him The Titular Christian he saith he owns Christ's Ordinances and professeth himself a Subject of the Baptism of Christ and a Guess at the Lord's Table but his Profession must be examined tryed and searched for as in other Things so in this he must not be so because he professeth it this were to judge according to Appearance and so not Righteous Judgment his Account that he gives to prove that he is so is as followeth First as to Baptism he hath received the Administration of it by Water after one Fashion or other either when he was a Child he had Water sprinkled upon his Face by the Hand of a sinful Priest or plunged all over it may be accompanied with other Ceremonies as Spittle Cream Salt Oyl and the Sign of the Cross c. or otherwise when he grew up to Years of Discretion able to receive the Traditions of his Fore Fathers and to read the Holy Scriptures therein he finds that divers were baptiz'd in Water after they did believe in John's Ministry who was the peculiar Minister of it was a burning and a shining Light in his Day as the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare the Way of the Lord and that Jesus himself was baptized therewith and that many others were baptized not only by John but also by the Disciples and Apostles of Jesus Now this Reader it may be in the Tenderness and Simplicity of his Spirit the Vail being over his Heart when he reads is ready to conclude Surely this is an Ordinance of Christ this is Christ's Baptism if I will be his Disciple I must be a Subject of it if I would be counted a Believer I must also be baptized with Water or else I
cannot be saved and so this Reader his Eye being abroad and being ignorant of that Head in which the Wise Man's Eye stands and not discerning the Times and Seasons and the divers Dispensations of God towards Mankind since the Fall ☞ nor perceiving the End of them layes hold of the Shadow and Figure instead of the Substance and gets Possession of the Shell instead of the Kernel his Body washed though not with the pure Water of the Word his Outside baptized with outward Water and then accounts himself a Subject and Partaker of Christ's Ordinance But herein the Titular Christian of all Sorts is deceived for notwithstanding his Teachers tell him that he entered within the Pale of the Church ☞ and was made a Member of Christ when he was sprinkled with Water in his Infancy and the other when of Understanding to imitate others I say herein he deceiveth himself and is deceived because he still remains ignorant of the One Baptism which washeth and cleanseth the Inside purifieth the Heart and sprinkles the Conscience from dead Works of which all the Outside Sprinklings ☞ Washings and Baptisms that ever were apointed of God or practis'd of holy Men were but a Figure or Type And the True Christian sticks not nor remains in any of them but it 's a great Mystery to tell the Titular Christian of being baptized with this one Baptism which is the Baptism of Christ under the Term of Holy Ghost and Fire though he may read that Christ foretold that even those that were Partakers of John's Baptism which was the greatest of outward Baptisms should be baptized with the Holy Ghost and Fire And John said I indeed baptize with Water Mat. 3.11 12. unto Repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier then I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear he will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose Fan is in his Hand and will make clean his Floor and gather his Wheat into his Garner and burn up the Chaff with Vnquencheable Fire This the True Christian witnessed fulfilled in the Primitive Times and now is Partaker of the same being baptized into Christ Gal. 3.27 Col. 2.12 hath put him on being baptized into his Death is buried with him in Baptism ☞ and this Baptism being one brings all that are Partakers of it The Ground of Vnity of what Nation or Country soever Bond or Free into one Body into Oneness of Heart and Mind and Spirit as Paul testified to the Corinthians For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Grecians 1 Cor. 12.13 whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit this blessed Oneness and Unity is the Fruit and Effect of the one true Baptism of Christ Jesus These Things the Titular Christian can read of in the Holy Scriptures which the True Christians were Witnesses of But till the Vail of the Covering be rent and taken away from off his Heart and he truly turned unto the Lord and becomes sensible of the Operation of his Spirit as a Fanner as a Purger as a Gatherer of the Wheat in the Garner and as a Fire to burn up the Chaff till this he knows working in his own Heart ☞ he remains in Death and Darkness and only talks of Heavenly Things and lives in the Earthly and boasts of Christ's Ordinance of Baptism but is a Stranger to it and sticks in the Outside and Shadow and abides in the outward Court which is trodden under Foot of the Gentiles and cryes up the Temple of the Lord and his Ordinances but dwells not therein nor is not a living Witness or Member thereof And concerning the Lord's Supper the Titular Christian professeth himself a Guess prepared to sit at the Table and to eat of the Dainties that he hath prepared but the Master of the Feast hath appeared and taken notice of his Guess and hath given an Eye also to his Children to see beyond the outside Appearance and Profession and the Day of Tryal and Manifestation is come and the Titular Christian must be examin'd whether he sits at the Table of the Lord and eats of his Flesh and drinks of his Blood or on the contrary whether he only professeth it ☞ and crowdeth himself in unprepared without his Wedding-Garment and catcheth at a Shadow and feedeth upon Husks and is as one that dreameth he eateth but when he awakes is hungery therefore how doth he demonstrate that he is a Partaker of this Supper why he hath received by Tradition or findeth it written in the holy Scriptures That the same Night that Christ was betrayed he took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave to his Disciples and said take eat this is my Body which is given for you do this in Remembrance of me and also the Cup saying This Cup is that Now Testament in my Blood which is shed for you this do as often as ye drink in remembrance of me and Paul saith So often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup you shew forth the Lord's Death till he come This was only to and amongst the Disciples and weak Believers and was in it self but a Representation and Figure of that which is Meat indeed and Drink indeed which Paul principally aim'd at which at Christ's second Appearance without Sin unto Salvation his Saints and Disciples were Partakers of But the Titular Christian before he hath approved himself a Disciple of Jesus and before he hath followed him one Step in the Work of Regeneration ☞ begins to imitate what he finds was practised by Christ and his Disciples though not in the same Spirit nor to the same End one Sort gets Bread and Wine and consecrates it as he saith by a sinful Hand and polluted Lips and then imagins it immediately Transubstantiated or changed into the Real Flesh and Blood of Christ this is a great and strong Delusion indeed be being led by such a gross implicite Faith as to believe so palpable and witless a Lye contrary to his outward Senses which are able to try outward Things for the very Bread and Wine so consecrated remains of the very same Quality Nature and Form as before and as subject to Decay Mould and Corrupt and be eaten by Vermin as any other Bread and Wine of the same kind Another Sort not quite so much besotted in this thing blesseth Bread and Wine after his manner and looks upon it as Bread and Wine after his Blessing is bestowed upon it eating and drinking of it some after one Fashion and some after another calling it A Blessed Sacrament one will eat it before Dinner another after Supper one Standing another Kneeling another Sitting c. and do not look upon it as Real Fesh and Blood but a Representation Type or Figure or something which ought to be partaken of in Remembrance of Christ till he comes But in all
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
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
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
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
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