have the Name but are out of the Nature They want the Nature of true Christians and so are like them who said They were Jews But did lye see Revel 3.9 The true Christians are guided by Christ's Spirit which leads them to love one another and their Enemies also and to bless such as curse them and not to overcome evil with the same but to overcome it with that which is of a contrary Nature to it namely that which is good and not to swear at all but to spake the truth without swearing in obedience to Christ Jesus who saith Swear not at all but their Yea is Yea and their Nay is Nay without an Oath as Christ teacheth so they are such as hear his sayings and do them and so differ greatly from them who call Christ Lord and yet do not the things which he saith and so the true Christians are subject to Christ Jesus in doing whatsoever he commands them the Spirit to Christ is that which they be led and guided by that holy Spirit which calls to follow peace and holiness with all men without which no man shall see the Lord though he be called by the best name and do profess never so much of Christianity Thus in shore I have shewed what it is to be a true Christian Object But it is commonly objected that things can never be well in Church or State which People who are contrary the one to the other in their Worship may have liberty to Worship God in their particular manners every particular sort of People viz. The Papists The Episcopal men Those called Baptists and those called Quakers c. Which must all have liberty to follow that which they think best This cannot do well say They We shall never do well until all are brought to one Uniformity in their Worship c. Answ Can you do better herein then the Apostle and Servant of Christ Jesus councelled in such Cases as these Who said Let every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind in what he doth For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Now as the Papist would have liberty to Worship God in that Way which he judges best so the same liberty he would have must he give to another The Episcopal Man must do the same and so the rest And lay aside all Forcing and Compelling and Persecuting about these things and who are in the right Way let them make it appear by their Meekness and Gentleness and Patience c. And so let them by their sound Doctrine and good Conversation convince them that are contrary minded if they can so long as all these are peaceable and do nothing that tends to the disturbance of the Common Wealth nor to the injury of any Person but do onely Worship God as they judge they ought What shall Men take on them to judge in such cases and to Punish in such cases if such err in their Worship seeing it belongs to God to judge and Punish for the same Now if Men take this upon them do not they do what they ought not seeing the thing belongs to God and not to Man to do thus If any err herein they ought to be admonished that they may desist from their error and close which the Truth by which they see their error Christ said who is to be heard in all things If thy Brother offend tell him between him and thee if he hears thee thou hast gaind thy Brother see Mat. 18.15 16 17. if he do not hear take one or two more with thee if he do not hear them then tell the Church if he do not hear the Church then let him be as the Heathen or the Publican he doth not say Persecute him Burn him for a Heretick but let him be as the Heathen or the Publican Further Christ speaking of false Prophets said Believe them not But did not bid his Followers to Persecute and Destroy them And further consider Christ's Parable concerning the Tares which the Enemy sowed while Men slept and what the Housholder said to his Servant thereupon that informed him of the same see Mat. 13.24 25 26 27 28 29 30. Which plainly shews that such should be left to God who err in point of Religion and Church Worship to be judged by him for the same who is the judge of all the Earth and will do right So let all have liberty to Worship God as they are perswaded in their own Minds they ought and not be barred therefrom so long as they be peaceable and do nothing that tends to the disturbance of the Common Wealth or injury of any Person viz. Whilst these things cannot be justly charged upon them and this is Gospel liberty and till this be given viz. Liberty of Conscience in things relateing to the Worship of God it cannot be well in Church nor state Now if any err herein not willingy but do it because they judge they ought and are sincere herein towards God doubtless God will when he sees it best for such discover their error to them and lead them therefrom and guide them in the right Way by his own Spirit which doth not nor cannot erre so here is no liberty desired for People to live in drunkenness or in stealing from any or to offer violence to any Person c. if any do after this manner let them be restrained and punished as God by his holy Laws has appointed which answers that of God in all Peoples Consciences Here is shewed how People may know what spirit they are of whether they be the Children of the Most High God or the Children of the Devil c. THis must be by what is brought forth by them for by the Fruit is the Tree to be known whether it be good or otherwise For a good Tree saith Christ Bringeth forth good Fruit But an evil Tree evil Fruit c. So by what is brought forth may it be known or judged of what spirit People are or by what spirit they are led and guided Now the Children of God are led by his Spirit also the Children of the Devil are led by the spirit of the Devil The fruits of the Spirit of the Lord are these viz. Love Joy Peace Gentleness Goodness Faith Gal. 5.22 23. Gal. 5.19 20 21. Meekness Temperance c. And the fruits of the spirit of the Devil or the Works of the flesh are these viz. swearing upon any occasion whatsoever when People know by that of God in their Consciences they should not swear at all Drunkenness Lying Fornication Envy Malice Persecution Fraud Dissimulation Idolatry or any thing else that a Man may set up in his Mind and love more then the Truth whether it be Covetousness or whatsoever it be for all these are Idolatry and all these are evil fruits So who are in these things they cannot be said to please God nor to be of God who is the Author of all good in this said John The Children of God
not run and the Lord never sent them who are so contrary to the Ministers of Righteousness They would have money for Bread and Wine at Easter so called which they call the Sacrament although the People never receive it But whether it be Equal and Just in them to desire Money from People for nought Let they that shall read this consider did not the Apostle and Servant of the Lord say That they did not eat any Mans Bread for nought And they would not make the Gospel chargable c I would know wherein these are followers of those who would have others to follow them as they followed Christ For my part I do not know wherein in one particular But they may be said to be followers of them who were contrary to Christ Jesus in many particulars They take and give that which they call the Lords Supper before and after Dinner and so do contrary to the Institution therein For Christ took the Cup after Supper and Blessed it and gave to his Disciples as you may see Luke 22 20. And though we cannot touch nor taste nor handle with them in those things which are to perish in the using after the Doctrines and Traditions of Men yet the Supper of the Lord we own and do witness the Substance of what was figured forth thereby Glory be given to him who is Holy and lives for evermore These and their followers who are taught by them say 't is true we ought not to Sin but to strive against it But we shall never be delivered from Sin while we are in this Life c. Now what hopes is there for People to overcome the Enemy of their Souls if the case stands thus If They do not follow such Teachers they can be but the Devils Captives and if they do so they must so continue it seems For he that lives in Sin serves the Devil and so is his Captive For so they must continue it seems while they be here and that is so long as they can be followed then sure they cannot be the servants of Righteousness whilst they obey the spirit of Unrighteousness The promise of that life that is Eternal is to him that overcomes and not to him that doth not He that is made a Conqueror and more through Christ he overcomes But how will any prevail while they follow such as say it can never be in this Life Was it not in this Life the Apostles were made more then Conquerours through Christ This I would know see Rom. 8.37 You that follow such Teachers did not your god-fathers and god-mothers so called promise and vow for you in Baptism that when you came to Age you should forsake the Devil and all his Works c And what do your Teachers tell you now the contrary saying It can never be in this Life but you must alwayes live in Sin till you come to your Graves Now Sin is the Work of the Devil and if People must always when they be here live in Sin then How can it be said it being so that they have forsaken the Devil and all his Works Consider what confusion is here and be awakened unto Righteousness that fruit may be brought forth by you unto God who will not be mocked with your Lip-service in calling Christ Lord and yet doing contrary to what he Commands who said to his Disciples Be Perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is Perfect So to draw neer to God with your Lips will not serve your turn or make you acceptable unto him But you must draw neer with your Hearts also and do well and as you ought or else all your good sayings will be in vain and to no purpose The Apostle James said So say and So do see Jam. 2.12 And Christ saith Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But he that doth the will of my Father c. Therefore see to it you that shall come to read these lines I charge you in the presence of the Lord that you be found doing his Holy Will that you may bring forth fruit unto him lest he cut you down as fruitless Trees and cast ye into the fire So these things before mentioned being considered it will appear that it is not erronious to hold that a freedom from Sin is to be attained unto here in this Life but that it is erronious and Devilish to Teach and Hold the contrary And if it be erronious to hold that we should live without Sin then it was erronious in our god-fathers and god-mothers so called to promise and vow on our behalfs that when we came to Age we should forsake the Devil and all his Works c. Which if we do certainly we must cease from Sin and not live any longer therein for while Sin is lived in the Devil and all his Works cannot be said to be forsaken because Sin is the Work of the Devil which Christ came to destroy and so it is those who can truely and properly call Christ their Saviour who witnesseth that he hath saved them from their Sins which is the cause of the wrath and displeasure of the Almighty so the true Followers of Christ the true Disciples of Christ they know and can declare it to the praise and honour of the most high God that it is Jesus who hath saved them from the wrath to come see 1 Thes 1.10 So who would be as they ought to be and do as they ought to do must abstain from every thing which the holy Light of Christ in them makes appear in them to be evil and follow this good and holy Light only that by it they may be led into all truth by which the God of truth is known and come to which who comes to must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and they who do refuse to be guided by the Light of Jesus Christ in them which is that which God hath appointed all People to be guided by it is them that do otherwise then they ought to do and be not what God requires them to be such were those the Apostle James spake of forgetful hearers of the Word who neglected to do it Jam. 1.23 24. whom he compared to a natural man who beholds his face in a Glass and straitway forgets what manner of man he is so what is the difference between such as refuse to hear the voice of truth that they may do it and those who are forgetful hearers who are negligent in doing according to the Word that they have heard this I shall leave to such as shall read these lines to give righteous judgment therein Now it is to be considered what it is to be a True Jew ABraham was a true Jew and all his Posterity they were and are called Jewes but all were not true Jewes nor are so who came of the Loyns of Abraham but those who were
and are guided by the Spirit of Truth as Abraham was such are the Children of the Promise who are accounted for the seed of Abraham Abraham he kept the Commandments of the Lord and they are the true Jewes who do like Abraham herein the Lord said of him hat he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him see Gen. 18.19 he said they shall keep the Way of the Lord c. Now what is it to keep the Way of the Lord but to be led and guided by the Spirit of the Lord as Abraham was and they who are led by this 'T is they I do affirm to be the true Jewes and not others viz. Not such as walk contrary to it and do rebel against it the Apostle said He is not a Jew who is one outward neither is that Circumcision that is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inward and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. Now they who are led by the Spirit of God at this time as Abraham was led by the Spirit of God then to the Circumcision that was outward in the flesh so are such now led to the Circumcision within of which the outward was a Figure So that which God requires of People is that they do as he makes manifest unto them they ought by the measure of his own Spirit which he have given them to profit withall and leads them unto by his Spirit Now if they do what the Servants of God did as is Recorded in the Scriptures if they be not led thereunto as they were by his holy Spirit he may say unto them who hath required this at your hands This is the Comforter which Christ said to his Disciples he would send which should lead them into all truth and blessed are they who do walk according to this Rule viz. Who are led and guided by the holy Spirit of the Lord God in what they do and not they who do gainsay and resist it See what became of Dathan and Abiram Corah's Company who gainsaid this holy Spirit they were swallowed up of the Earth Moses who was guided by the Spirit of the Lord God prayed the Children of Israel to depart from the Tents of those wicked Men and to touch nothing that was theirs lest they should be consumed in all their Sins Now let they who shall read these lines consider whether there be not too great a Multitude that do resist this holy Spirit now not regarding how God did punish such before though these things were written for their admonition there are too many whose Sin are like Sodom and Gomorab whom God over threw And though this sore judgment was written with many more that befel the disobedient and rebellious that they who should come after them should not do as they did yet what small regard do they take of the same Well though the Lord God be slow to wrath and of great kindness and do suffer long and bear long yet his long-suffering will come to an end and his great kindness will come to an end with such if they do not turn to him and amend their wayes and their doings while his Spirit strives with them when that ceases to strive with them and the things that belongs to their peace comes to be hid from their Eyes then they may wish they had never been born when their misery comes upon them this was the state of the miserable Jewes after God had long strove with them over whom Christ took up a lamentation see and seriously consider Mat. 23.37 And do not deceive your selves by perswading your selves it shall go well with you though you follow your sinful Lusts and Pleasures and the imaginations of your own foolish Hearts do you think you whose Mouthes are fuil of Cursing and Swearing and Bitterness and live in Drunkeness and Whoredom and are Envious and Persecutors of the Righteous and Just that Dathan and Abiâ—â—â—m whom the Earth swallowed up and the Sodomites whom God overthrew were greater Sinners I tell you nay but except you repent you shall as Christ said likewise Perish Object But some may say Are there any now that we are to departs from their Tents And to touch nothing of theirs lest we be consumed in all their Sins if there be Who are they or What be they That we may beware of them Answ There are such now whose Tents are to be departed from or dwellings They are those who have sold themselves to do wickedly whose life is in Sin and do make it a sport to transgress against the Lord by breaking his holy and Righteous Laws who serve other gods then the Lord God who made the World and all things therein contrary to his holy Command who follow after Covetousness contrary to his holy Command who are Murderers Adulterers and Swearers Exod. 20.3 contrary to his holy Commandments and are Haters of that which is good and Persecutors of the Righteous contrary to his holy will and appointment and do not as they would be done unto and so are contrary to Christ who gave this Commandment Now such as are found in these things and do live in these things and in whatsoever by the Light of Christ in them they see to be evil it is they whose Tents are to be departed from and nothing of their's is to be touched none of their Sins must People love to live in lest they be consumed in the same Therefore be warned in the fear of the Lord to depart from such and touch nothing that is their's do not Sin like them in any of these things lest you be consumed therein So to be a true Jew is to be guided by the Spirit of Truth us was Abraham the Jew the Father of the Faithfull And now let it be consider'd what it is to be a True Christian IT is said in the holy Scriptures that all are not Israel that are called Israel So I say though there are many that are called Christians yet there are none of these true Christians but who are guided by the Spirit of Christ Jesus who said Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall find rest unto your Souls So 't is them who are guided by the Spirit of Christ which leads to meekness and lowliness of heart that are the true Christians and not those who are biting and devouring on another who live in Pride and High-mindedness Nor those who are fighting one with the other and Slaying one another and Persecuting one another about Religion and Church Worship these are not the true Christians these are guided by Cains Spirit who slew his righteous Brother Abel because his Brothers Works were better them his These
are manifested and the Children of the Devil whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin c. And further he saith Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God see 1 John 3.9 10. c. Christ said to the Jews who were doing the Works of the Devil when they said God was their Father said he If God was your Father you would love me because I proceeded and came forth from him but said he You are of your Father the Devil and his Works you will do who was a Lyer and a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth c. These were Betrayers and Murderers of the Just and holy One and yet took on them to be the Children of God calling him their Father but made it appear that the Devil was their Father by doing the Works of the Devil which was to murder and betray the Righteous and these said that Abraham was their Father but were far from his Works So like them many that are called Christians that have the name but are out of the nature of true Christians they oppress the Righteous and perseture the Righteous who are the true followers of Christ and pertakers of his Nature and betrayes and murders them and yet would be counted holy and true Christians when it is quite contrary for such are altogether and wholly against Christ and so are followers of Antichrist who oppresseth and gainsayeth Christ and not the Followers of Christ Jesus and these would be accounted according to holy Church and Members of holy Church But whether they be let that of God in all consciences judge So away with these who say they are Christians and would be accounted truely so but are otherwise But the true followers of Christ Jesus have the Testimony in themselves that they please God as Enoch had who walked with God in his Generation Now these false Christians that have the name but are out of the nature of true Christians they want this Testimony For that of God in their consciences condemns them for walking contrary to it for if they did according to it they would bring forth fruit unto God which whilst they disobey the just by acting contrary to that of God in their consciences they are far from but are heaping up unto themselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath so though they take upon them to be true Christians yet do they want the Testimony of Truth in their Consciences to assure them that it is so as the Apostle who was a true follower of Christ and those who are such have who said We know we are of God and the whole World lyes in Wickedness and we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding whereby we know him that is true this is true God and Eternal Life see John 5.6 20. Which the true Christians know and are witnesses of Glory and Praise and Honour be given to the most high God who is holy and lives for ever So by what is brought forth may it be known what spirit People are of or by what spirit they are led and guâ—dâ—d and so whose Children they are whether they are the Children of God or the Children of the Devil the Children of God do like him who is righteous holy and Just and the Children of the Devil are like their father the Devil who was a Lyar and a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth and so like him dwell in darkness and have their habitation there and not in the Light of the Lord For how can they dwell in the Light whilst they are contrary to it and will not come to it to be guided thereby whosoever thou art that shall read these lines be serious in the consideration thereof that it may tend to thy good and not to thy harm Directions for such as live in Error how they may leave their Error and know the Truth which leads out of Error by which People are made free from sin which they run into and live in by following the Spirit of Error SO 't is the spirit of error this spirit of the Devil which too many are guided by who will not come to that which shews them their error that they may be led therefrom unto God You will not come to me said Christ to the unbelieving Jews that you might have Life Now 't is by following Christ that error is seen and the spirit of error shunned and avoided so who are in error and sees your error to that which lets you see your error which is the Light Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withall do I in the fear of God direct your minds that by taking dilligent heed unto it you may be led therefrom unto God who is holy and lives for ever So hereby you will know Truth the Spirit of Truth which makes free to free you from your Sins and Christ you will witness to be the Saviour of your Souls who saves from Sin and gives power over Sin and him who is the Author thereof viz. the Devil so you will be no longer in bondage to the Devil the Auther of Sin nor a Slave to your own corruptions but may to the praise of the most high God declare to others what God hath done for your Souls to your great joy and satisfaction So who can receive the report herein given of the Truth and in other Writings that are given forth therefrom let them that we may not complain as Isaiah did who said Lord Who hath believed our report c. see Isai 53.1 And consider of the same and what Christ spake by way of comparison of that Generation amongst whom he was before he suffered see Mat. 11.16 17 18 19 20. c. The Lord give the Reader an understanding herein and a Heart to do accordingly A few Words to Informers who make it their Work to inform against their Neighbours for Meeting together peaceably in the Fear of the Lord to Worship him as he requires COnsider what you are doing do you do the will of God herein or is it otherwise viz. do you do it because you hate that which is good and be at enmity against those whose Works are better then yours are Consider if it be your minds and your purposes not to amend wherein you have need to amend your wayes and your doings that you may be what you ought both in respect to God and all People doing to all People wherein you have to do with them as you would be done by your selves I say If the case stands thus with you whether your Sin will not be the less if you do nothing to the injury of them who desire to Worship God according to his holy will who is a Spirit and must be Worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth and be towards him and all People wherein they shall be concerned with them as they ought and as God requires them to be Certainly if you can refrain
A Looking-Glass Discovering to all People what IMAGE they BEAR By which the True Jew is known from the false and the Christian in nature from him that is so in name only Likewise all people in some measure may know what spirit they are of and whether they are the Children of God or of the Devil With directions for such as live in Error how they may leave their Error and know the Truth which leads out of Error by which People are made free from sin which they run into and live in by following the spirit of Error With a few words to Informers who make it their work to Inform against their Neighbours for meeting together peaceably in the fear of the Lord to Worship him as he requires By a Follower of him who saith if you continue in my Word then are you my Disciples indeed And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free John 8.31 32. Edward Bourne Printed in the Year 1671. A Looking-Glass FOR All People to See Themselves whether they be what they ought to be and do as they ought to do or otherwise ALthough much hath been Written and Spoken to turn Peoples minds to the Light of Christ in them to the end that all may do what they ought in all things and be what they ought towards God yet but few have received the Report thereof though by obeying this Light which is that which leads to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and Men true happiness is attained unto and contrariwise the neglect hereof is the cause of Peoples ruin and Eternal Misery But notwitstanding whether People will hear or forbear I know none on whom such a Work as this is laid by the Lord God can neglect the same but we must be Transgressors our selves in this respect And therefore to keep my Conscience pure towards God I thus proceed You that live in sin you know you should not live so and that which gives you this knowledg is the Grace of God which hath appeared unto you by which as in a Glass you may see your selves by which the Drunkard Tit. 2.11 12. sees he should not be Drunk and the Lyer he should not lie and the Envious Man he should not live in Envy and he that Persecutes his Neighbour whose Works are better then his and for that cause all these are doing what they should not do as they themselves many of them in their Prayers to God do confess And these though they do that which they know they should not do and leave undone that which they know they should not leave undone yet would they have the Lord to have Mercy on them although their daily practice is thus to Transgress They acknowledge they have Transgressed against Gods Holy Law and too much followed the Devices and desires of their own hearts c. And this is their manner from the beginning of the year to the end thereof But Mark you that are such can you believe that God will shew Mercy to you onely on this your Confession Are you so foolish and unwise as so to believe If you do certainly you will find it otherwise in the end Then your folly will appear though at the present you may account your selves wise and understanding and them foolish who are truely wise But I must tell you to be truely wise is to fear the Lord and to keep his Commandments though you may not account it so Object But some may say What are the Commandments of God that we are to keep Answ These Thou shalt love the Lord God with all thy heart Deu. 10.1 Luke 10.27 28. and thy Neighbour as thy self and whatsoever thou seest by the grace of God that hath appeared to thee thou oughtest to do it and it will be thy Transgression to neglect the same therefore do not deceive your selves with such a perswasion any longer if you do you will shew much folly and indiscretion therein for God will not be mocked with such lip Service This I am bold in the fear of God to assure you of you may draw neer him with your Lip 's but your Hearts are far from him whilst it is onely thus You must not onely confess your faults to God but must also forsake them if Mercy with him you would find And this is the Word of God unto you Let the Wicked Man forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have Mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly Pardon him Isa 55.7 You pray that God would deliver you from all Envy and Malice and from all uncharitableness and from all the works of the Devil But if you were delivered from all these abominations happy would you be then God who delivereth his People from all these would be your God But your Teachers many of them are Envious themselves and uncharitable themselves c. Therefore it may be you are the more imboldened to commit all these Abominations But if you and your Teachers would take heed to the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation that thereby you may be guided you would know the Lord God to be your Teacher who teacheth his People to profit and so be delivered from all these Abominations and all the works of the Devil and then we should not suffer by you as we do for the Truth being your Guide and Teacher you will give us the same liberty to Worship God that you would have your selves and so do as you would be done by in this and in all things and so hereby you will do what you ought to do and be what you ought to be towards God and not before viz. you cannot do nor be as you ought till you be guided by the Truth which leads to meekness and lowlyness by which God will direct you in all your wayes then shall you be far from oppression and violence and spoil will be as it may be said banished from your Habitations that spirit which leads to unrighteousness not being harkened unto but the Voice of the Lord God obeyed and his Councel stood in Object But some may say you direct us to the Light within that by taking heed unto it we may forsake that which God requires us to forsake and do what we ought to do that so we may be what we ought to be towards him You also will acknowledge that that which mâ—â—es to unrighteousness and unholiness is within And seeing that it is so that both these are within how shall they be known and distinguished the one from the other How shall that be rejected and forsaken that ought so to be And that followed and obeyed that ought to be followed and obeyed Especially because that Principle which leads to unrighteousness sometimes appeares like that which moves unto Righteousness How shall we distinguish between the one and the other and follow that which we ought to follow and
avoid the contrary in such a difficult case as this c. Answ 'T is true that both these are within The heart of Man is deceitful and desperately wicked c. as the Scriptures testifies But the Lord by his Light in the heart discovers this to his Creature which he hath made and is the Work of his Hands and by it he being therein hearkened unto and obeyed helps the Creature from running into the Snare which the Enemy of the Soul would by inticing draw him into and so though there is that within People that would Intice and lead them into Sin yet is there also that within which shews the Creature the Evil thereof and doth discover from whence it doth proceed and being harkened unto as it ought and obeyed doth preserve the Creature thereby out of Temptations and so hereby God doth deliver his Creature Man whom he hath formed out of the snares of the Devil who goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour And though he doth appear like an Angel of Light as he is mentioned in 2 Cor. 11.14 yet by the True Light he is discovered which Light leadeth to fear the Lord and do his will and his snares are avoided that Light and Truth being followed and obeyed which makes a discovery of him and so hereby the Lord preserves his Creature which he hath made by his own mighty Power to his own Praise and the Creatures joy and Comfort Glory be given to God on high forever And so it is by a dilligent taking heed to that which is pure of God within that this comes to be known and witnessed and t is by this the Soul comes to live which was dead hereby the quickening Power of God is known which quickens and makes alive to him they who are dead to him by reason of their Trespasses and Sins by inclining their Ears and hearkening dilligently to that which is pure of God in themselves that they may be guided thereby only and so hereby such are led to repent and Sin no more and so becomes Followers of Christ who said to the Woman taken in Adultery Sin no more c. And so that blessed state comes to be known which is without Sin c. Object But some may say this is strange Doctrine if we mean a state without Sin in this World what can People be freed from their Sins while they be on this side the Grave do not tell us so our Teachers have told us that such a state is not to be expected while we are in this World 'T is true we ought not to Sin but to strive against it but we shall never be delivered from it while we are here it is Erronious thus to hold c. Answ If People do not know a freedom from Sin here in this World Where then What ground is there for them to believe That they shall attain to such a state hereafter Seeing it is said there is no Repentance in the Grave and as Death leaves Judgment finds and no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of God If People must not be cleansed here I would know where they shall 'T is gross to hold that there is a Purgatory after Death for Peoples Soules to depart into when they shall leave this World where their Sins shall be purged away and if there be no such Place as I suppose you will not grant there is except you are Popishly affected then let not such plead for a never being made free from Sin while they are here if ye do well consider it will it not be best for you to grant that there is a Purgatory where sin is to be purged away afterwards if you would live in Sin Term of Life But Sin is to be Purged away here you must know Christ to free you from your Sins while you are here else Wo will be to you if you put it off till hereafter Christ came to save his People from their Sins and to destroy the works of the Devil which is Sin Mat. 1.21 And who doth not know this Work wrought in them by Christ they cannot so properly call him their Saviour For how is he a Saviour to such who are not saved by him from their Sins Christ taught Perfection here the Apostles and Saints knew a being made free from Sin while they were in this World and their Labour and Work was that they might present every Man Perfect in Christ Jesus See Mat. 5.48 Rom. 6.15 Col. 1.28 Therefore such as Teach and hold otherwise are contrary to Christ and contrary to his Ministers then judge whose Ministers they be for the Ministers of Christ they cannot be said to be who teach contrary to him and therefore are they to be turned away from and not to be believed So while that Spirit Rules in the Heart which leads to Sin there is not room for Truth but Sin is lived in the Spirit of Truth not being obeyed which frees from Sin and so while it is thus such cannot be said to be the Servants of Righteousness see Rom. 6.20 And so while People follow such they give their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfieth nor see Isa 55.2 Therefore turn your minds to the Light of Christ in you that you may know the Lord to be your Teacher who teacheth his People to profit so will you be taught of him and in Righteousness will you be established so hereby you will know him your Teacher who saith Whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely see Revel 22.17 So here I give you a mark whereby you shall know the Ministers of Christ from others the Ministers of Christ they gave freely as they have freely received according to the Commandment of Christ Mat. 10.8 The Ministers of Antichrist preach for Hire and filthy lucre and seek for their gain from their Quarters like the false Prophets and like those mentioned in the Scriptures prepare war against them that puts not into their Mouthes Mic. 3.5 And whether William Ley Priest of Nicholass Parish in Worcester did not like them for his Belly on the account of his Easter reckonings as he calls it Cast into and Keep Robert Smith and Edward Bourne of that Parish in Prison And would not make it appear to them it was his Right according to the Law of God which he ought to have done weigh these things with the Truth in your selves which weighs and measures things aright and give judgment herein accordingly The Ballance of the Sanctuary hereby you will know which weighs things aright here you will know that within which the outward was a Figure of and consider whether they be the Ministers of Christ that love to be called Master Mat. 23.6 7. and love Salutations in the Markets and the Chiefest Places in the Assemblies and the uppermost Rooms at Feasts seeing Christ forbad it and cryed wo to such and whether such as these do