Teâ—timonie do in the least prove their Assertion or that others that do not take things meerly upon Trust would be so foolish as to believe them For though God made known and wrote excellent things to Solomon Though Luke wrote unto Theophilus an Account of divers Transactions of Christ's Outward Abode For many were never written Joh. last vers last et 20. 30. And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books that should be written And many other Signs truly did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book Though Christ made use of divers Scriptures against Satan and that Isaiah directed People to the Law and to the Testimony who will be so mad as to say It naturally follows from thence that God has now committed his Will wholely to Writing Such a Consequence is no more deducible from these Scriptures then if I should argue thus The Divines of Westminster have asserted many things without Ground therefore they had Ground for nothing they said Nay it follows not by far so naturally seeing after the writing of all these Passages by them cited according to their own Judgment there were divers Scriptures written so that it had been false for them to assert That Gâ—d had then committed his Counsel wholely to Wâ—iting which indeed was not true So it is most Irrational and Unwarrantable for any to draw such a strange and strained Consequence from their words For the Second That the former Wayes are now ceased they alledge Hebr. 1. 1 2. God who at sundry Times and in divers Manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he hath made the Worldâ— 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a More Sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a Dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts Which prove thâ— Matter as little as the former If Paul had intended by that to Timothy what those Divines would have Would not they have made the Apostle speak a manifest Untruth seeing they themselves acknowledg that John's Revelation was written long after so that these former Ways were not then ceased As for that of Peter it is to beg the thing in Question To say It is intended of the Scripture and though it were it proves not the Case at all That of Hebr. is so ar from asserting the Matter they would have it that it may be very aptly brought to prove the quite contrary for God indeed speaks to us now by his Son But to infer from thence That the Son speaks only to us by the Scriptures remains yet unproved Aâ—d for the Apostle to have there asserted it had been false seeing the Revelations which he and others afterwards had were inward so such were not ceased And if we may trust the same Apostle better then these Men he tells us that so soon as Christ was revealed in him he went straight and obey'd And the same Apostle tells us that Except Christ be in us we are Reprobates sure he is not dumb in us seeing he sayes He will dwell in us and walk in us and be with us to the End of the World And John tells us that the inward Anointing is to teach us all things so that we need not as to any absolute Necessity any Man to teach us how then is this ceased seeing God speaks to us by Christ and Christ must be in us Surely these Men have not herein followed the Rule of the Scriptures but rather endeavoured most grosly to wrest them and make of them a Nose of Wax notwithstanding their Pretences as to the contrary in their 6th Sect. where they say All things necessary are either expresly set down or by good and necessary Consequences may be deduced Now that these two former Assertions are not expresly set down they will not deny whether they follow by sound Consequence any understanding Man may judge by what is above observed There are divers other things in the same Chapter which will not abide the Test for which the Scripture-Proofs are alledged by them are most ridiculous yet for Brevity's sake I have omitted In Chap. 21. Sect. 7. where they say That the Sabbath from the Resurrection of Christ was changed into the First Day of the Week which in Scripture say they is called the Lord's Day and is to be continued to the End of the World as the Christian-Sabbath In which they assert Three Things First That the First Day of the Week is come in place of the Seventh for a Sabbath To prove which they alledge 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatâ—â— even so do ye upon the First Day of the Week Let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no Gathering when I come Acts 20. 7. And upon the First Day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached to them ready to depart on the morrow and continued his Speech until Midnight That these Proofs assert not the thing expresly we need not I suppose dispute Now to say that because Paul desired the Corinthians to lay somewhat by them in store that day or because he broak Bread and continued his Speech until Midnight therefore the First Day of the Week is come in place of the Sabbath is a Consequence more remarkable for its Sottishness then to be credited for its Soundness Indeed to make so solemn an Article of Faith as these men would have the Morality of the first day of the Week to be would need a more positive and express Authority The Text doth clearly enough tell the Reason of the Disciples meeting so frequently and of Paul's preaching so long because he was ready to depart to morrow it speaks not a word of its being Sabbath Their Second Assertion That the First Day of the Week is therefore called the Lord's Day is drawn yet more strangly from that of Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and heard behind me a great Voice as of a Trumpet Whereas no particular Day of the Week is mentioned so for them to say John meaned the First Day of the Week hath no more Proof but their own bare Assertion For their Third Assertion That it is to be continued to the End of the World as the Christian-Sabbath they alledge these Scriptures Exod. 20. 8 10 11. Remember the Sabbath-Day to keep it Holy but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any Work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-Servant nor thy Maid-Servant
A CATECHISM AND Confession of Faith Approved of and Agreed unto by the General Assembly of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles CHRIST himself being chief Speaker In and Among them Which containeth a true and faithful Account of the Principles and Doctrines which are most surely believed by the Churches of Christ in Great Brittain and Ireland who are reproachfully call'd by the Name of Quakers yet are found in the One Faith with the Primitive Church Saints as is most clearly demonstrated by some plain Scripture-Testimonies without Consequences or Commentaries which are here collected and inserted by way of Answer to a few Weighty yet Easie and Familiar Questions fitted as well for the wisest largest as for the weakest lowest Capacities To which is added An Expostulation with and Appeal to all other Professors By R. B. A Servant of the Church of Christ. Search the Scriptures or ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me and ye will not come to me that ye might have Life John 5. 39 40. THE PREFACE TO THE READER SINCE first that great Apostacy took place in the Hearts Heads of those who began even in the Apostles days to depart from the Simplicity and Purity of the Gospel as it was then delivered in its primitive Splendor and Integrity innumerable have been the manifold Inventions Traditions the different and various Notions and Opinions where-with man by giving way to the vain and airy Imaginations of his own unfâ—able Mind hath burdened the Christian Faith So that indeed first by Adding these things and afterwards by Equalling them if not Exalting them above the Truth they have at last come to be substitute in the stead of it so that in process of time Truth came to be shut out of doors and another thing placed in the room thereof having a Shew Name but wanting the Substance and Thing it self Nevertheless it pleased God to raise up Witnesses for Himself almost in every Age and Generation who according to the Discoveries they receiv'd bore some Testimony less or more against the Superstition and Apostacy of the Time and in special manner through the Appearing of that Light which first broak forth in Germany about One Hundred and Fifty Years ago and afterwards reach'd divers other Nations the Beast received a Deadly Wound and a very great Number did at one time Protest against and Rescind from the Church of Rome in divers of their most gross and sensual Doctrines and superstitious Traditions But alas it is for matter of Lamentation that the Successors of these Protestants are establishing and building up in themselves that which their Fathers were pulling down instead of prosecutiug and going on with so Good and Honourable a Work which will thus easily appear The generality of all Protestants though in many other things miserably rent and shatter'd among themselves do agree in Dividing from the Church of Rome in these Two Particulars First That every Principle and Doctrine of the Christian-Faith is and ought to be founded upon the Scripture and that whatsoever Principles or Doctrines are not only not contrary but even not according thereto ought to be denyâ—d as Antichristian Secondly That the Scriptures themselves are plain and easie to be understood and that every private Christian and Member of the Church ought to read and peruse then that they may know their Faith and Belief founded upon them and receive them for that Cause alone and not because any Church or Assembly has compounded and recommended them the choicest and most pure of which they are oblieged to look upon as Fallible Now contrary to this their known and acknowledged Principle they do most vigorously prosecute and persecute others with the like Severity the Papists did their Fathers for believing things that are plainly set down in the Scriptures and for not believing divers Principles for which themselves are forc'd to recur to Tradition and can by no means prove from Scripture To shew which I shall not here insist having allotted a Chapter for it in the Book it self because to put it here would swell beyond the Bounds of a Preface Oh! how like do they shew themselves I mention it with Regreet to the Scribes and Pharisees of old who of all men most cryed up and exalted Moses and the Prophets boasted greatly of being Abraham's Children And yet those were they that were the greatest Opposers and Vilifiers of Christ to whom Moses and all the Prophets gave witness yea their chief Accusations and Exceptions against Christ was as being a Breaker of the Law and a Blasphemer Can there any Comparison run more parallel seeing there is now found a People who are greatly Persecuted and bitterly reviled and Accused as Hereticks by a Generation that cry up and exalt the Scriptures And yet this People's Principles are found in Scripture Word by Word though the most Grievous and indeed the Greatest Calumny cast upon them is That they vilifie and deny the Scriptures and set up their own Imaginations instead of them To disprove which this Catechism and Confession of Faith is compiled and presented to thy Serious and Impartial View If thou lovest the Scripture indeed and desirest to hold the plain Doctrines there delivered and not these Strained and Far-Fetched Consequences which men have invented thou shalt easily observe the whole Principles of the People called QUAKERS plainly couched in scriptute-Scriptute-Words without Addition or Commentary especially in those things their Adversaries oppose them in where the Scripture plainly decideth the Controversie for them without Nicities and School-Distinctions which have been the Wisdom by which the World hath not known God and the Words which have been multiplied without Knowledge by which Counsel hath been darkned In the Answers to the Questions there is not one Word that I know of placed but the express Words of Scripture And if in some of the Questions there be somewhat subsumed of what in my Judgment is the plain and naked Import of the Words it is not to impose my Sense upon the Reader but to make way for the next Question for the dependence of the Matter 's sake I shall leave it to the Reason of any Understanding and Judicious Man who is not byassed by Self-Interest that great Enemy to True Equity and who in the least measure is willing to give way to the Light of Christ in his Conscience if the Scriptures do not pertinently and aptly answer to the Questions As I have upon serious Grounds separated from most of the Confessions and Catechisms heretofore published so not without Cause I have now taken another Method They usually place their Confession of Faith before the Catechism I judge it ought to be otherwise in regard that which is easiest and is composed for Children or such as are Weak ought in my Judgment to be placed first it being most regular to begin with Things that are Easie and
profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Q. Wherein consisteth the Excellency of the Scriptures A. Knowing this first that no Prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private Interpretation For the Prophecy came not in Old Time by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. Q. The Scriptures are then to be regarded because they came from the Spirit and they also testifie that not they but the Spirit is to lead into all Truth In what respect doth Christ command to search them A. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me Joh. 5. 39. Q. I perceive there was a Generation of old that greatly exalted the Scriptures yet would not believe nor come to be guided by that the Scriptures directed to How doth Christ bespeak such A. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is One that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me But if ye believe not his Writings how shall ye believe my Words John 5. 45 46 47. Q. What ought then such to be accounted of notwithstanding of their Pretences of being ruled by the Scriptures A. In which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own Destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. CHâ—P III. Of Jesus Christ's being manifest in the Flesh the Use and End of it Question VVHat are the Scriptures which do most observably prophesie of Christ's Appearance A. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken Deut. 18. 15. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a Sign Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his Name Immanuel Isa. 7. 14. Q. Was not Jesus Christ in being before he appeared in the Flesh What clear Scriptures prove this against such as erroneously assert the contrary A. But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah though thou be little among the Thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose Goings forth have been from of Old from Everlasting Mic. 5. 2. In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God The same was in the Beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made John 1. 1 2 3. Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Before Abraham was I am John 8. 58. And now O Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was John 17. 5. And to make all men see what is the Fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the VVorld hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ Ephes. 3. 9. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him Col. 1. 16. God hath in these last dayes spoaken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Hebr. 1. 2. Q. These are very clear that even the World was created by Christ But what Scriptures prove the Divinity of Christ against such as falsly deny the same A. And the Word was God Joh. 1. 1. Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed forever Amen Rom. 9. 5. Who being in the Form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God Philip. 2. 6. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an Understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and Eternal Life 1 John 5. 20. Q. What are the Glorious Names the Scripture gives unto Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God A. And his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor The Mighty God The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace Isa. 9. 6. Who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature Col. 1. 15. Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person or more propâ—rly according to the Greek of his Substance Hebr. 1. 3. And he was cloathed with a Vesture dipt in Blood and his Name is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. Q. After what manner was the Birth of Christ A. Now the Birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise Whenas his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost Mat 1. 18. And the Angel said unto her Fear not Mary for thou hast found Favour with God And behold thou shalt conceive in thy Womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his Name Jesus He shall be great and shall be called The Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David Then said Mary unto the Angel How shall this be seeing I know not a Man And the Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee Therefore also that Holy Thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luke 1. 30 31 32 34 35. Q. Was Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary and supposed to be the Son of Joseph a True and Real Man A. Forasmuch as the Children are Partakers of Flesh Blood he also himself took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him thath hath the Power of Death that is the Devil Hebr. 2. 14. For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a Merciful and Faithful High Priest c. Hebr. 2. 16 17. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points tempted as we are yet without Sin Hebr. 4. 15. And the Gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Rom. 5. 15. But now is Christ risen from the Dead and become the First Fruits of them that slept for since by Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead 1 Cor. 15. 20 21. Q. After what manner doth the Scripture assert
go and gather them up But he said Nay lest whâ—le ye gather up the Tares ye root up also the Wheat with them Mat. 13. 27 28 29. Q. Doth he explain these Tares of the Wicked whom the Godly must not take upon them to cut off lest through Mistake they hurt the Good but leave it to God to do it by his Angels A. The Field is the World the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the Wicked One the Enemy that sowed them is the Devil the Harvest is the End of the World and the Reapers are the Angels As therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt in the Fire so shall it be in the End of this World The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do Iniquity Mat. 13. 38 39 40 41. CHAP. XIV Concerning the Resurrection Question VVhat saith the Scripture of the Resurrection of the Dead A. And have Hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust Acts 24. 15. Q. To what different End shall the Good be raised from the Bad and how are they thereunto reserved A. Marvel not at this for the Hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done Good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Condemnation John 5. 28 29. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserv'd unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men 2 Pet. 3. 7. Q. What must be answered to such as ask How the Dead are raised and with what Body A. Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body that shall be but bare Grain it may chance of VVheat or some other Grain But God giveth it a Body as it hath pleased him and to every Seed his own Body All Flesh is not the same Flesh but there is one kind of Flesh of Men another Flesh of Beasts another of Fishes and another of Birds there are also Celestial Bodies and Bodies Terrestrial but the Glory of the Celestial is one and the Glory of the Terrestrial is another there is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differs from another Star in Glory so also is the Resurrection of the Dead it is sown in Corruption it is raised in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour it is raised in Glory it is sown in VVeakness it is raised in Power it is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15. 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44. Q. The Apostle seems to be very positive that it is not that Natural Body which we now have that shall rise but a Spiritual Body A. Now this I say Brethren That Flesh Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption Behold I shew you a Mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eye at the Last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the Dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality So when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the Saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory 1 Cor. 15. 50 51 52 53 54 55. CHAP. XV. A Short Introduction to the Confession of FAITH HAving thus largely and evidently performed the chief Part of that which I promised in this Treatise in giving a full Account of our Principles in plain Scripture-words and also answering by the Scriptures the chief and main Objections made against us I come to a Confession of Faith in which I shall not be so large for that I judge it not convenient to make an Inter-repetition of all the Scriptures before-mentioned which if needful the Reader may easily observe were not very difficult to do But whereas a Confession of Faith calleth rather for an Affirmative Account of one's own Faith then for the Solution of Objections or any thing of Debate in a Discursive Way which is both more properly and pertinently performed in a Catechism therefore I have here only done so I am necessitate sometimes to intermix some words for coherence of the Matter as sometimes And and sometimes Therefore and the like but not such as any ingenous Person can affirm do add to the Matter or that may any wise justly be reckon'd a Comment or Meaning and therefore to avoid the Censure of the most Curious Carping Critieks these are marked with a different Character Likewise unless I should have ridiculously offered to publish incongruous Grammar there was a true Need sometimes to change the Mood and Person of a Verb in all which places whosoever will look to the words shall find it is done upon no Design to alter any whit the naked import of them as for instance where Christ sayes I am the Light of the World were it proper for me to write thus I am the Light c Or can it be reckoned any whit contradicting of my Purpose or Promise to write Christ is the Light where the first Person is changed to the third Also sometimes I express things which are necessarily understood as when any of the Apostles say We there instead of We I write Apostles and where they say You speaking to the Saints there I mention Saints instead of it for the Connexion of the Sentence sometimes requires it as in the first Article in mentioning that of 1 Joh. 1. 5. concerning God's being Light and in such like Cases which I know no impartial Reader would have quarrelled though wanting this Apology which I judged meet to premise knowing there is a Generation who when they cannot find any real or substantial Ground against Truth its Followers will he cavilling at such little Nicities therefore such may see this Objection is obviated CHAP. XVI A Confession of Faith Containing XXIII Articles ARTICLE I. Concerning GOD and the True and Saving Knowledge of him THere is one God Who is a Spirit And This is the Message which the Apostles heard of him and declared unto the Saints That he is Light and in him is no Darkness at all There are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the
Father No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For the Things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now the Saints have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that they might know the things which are freely given them of God For the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father sends in Christ's Name he teacheth them all things and bringth all things to their Remembrance ARTICLE II. Concerning the Guide and Rule of Christians CHrist pray'd to the Father and he gave the Saints another Comforter that was to abide with them forever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not nor knoweth him but the Saints know him for he dwelleth with them and is to be in them Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God For this is the Covenant that God hath made with the House of Israel he hath put his Laws in their Mind writ them in their Hearts and they are all taught of God And the Anointing which they have received of him abideth in them and they need not that any man teach them but as the same Anointing teacheth them of all things and is Truth and is no Lye ARTICLE III. Concerning the Scriptures VVHatsoever things were written afore time were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope Which are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture being given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works No Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation for the Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ARTICLE IV. Concerning the Divinity of Christ and his Being from the Beginning IN the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the Beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Whose Goings forth have been from of old from Everlasting For God created all things by Jesus Christ Who being in the Form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God And his Name is called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature The Brightness of the Father's Glory and the express Image of his Substance Who was cloathed with a Vesture dipt in Blood and his Name is call'd The Word of God In him dwells all the Fulness of the God head bodily And in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom Knowledge ARTICLE V. Concerning his Appearance in the Flesh. THe Word was made Flesh For he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham being in all things made like unto his Brethren Touched with a feeling of our Infirmities and in all things tempted like as we are yet without Sin He dyed for our Sins according to the Scriptures and he was buried and he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures ARTICLE VI. Concerning the End and Use of that Appearance GOD sent his own Son in the Likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh For this Purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Being manifested to take away our Sins For he gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a Sweet-smelling Savour Having obtained Eternal Redemption for us And through the Eternal Spirit offered up himself without Spot unto God to purge our Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God He was the Lamb that was slain from the Foundation of the World Of whom the Fathers did all drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his Steps For we are to bear about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body being alway delivered unto Death for Jesus's sake that the Life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our Flesh That we may known him and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death ARTICLE VII Concerning the Inward Manifestation of Christ. GOd dwelleth with the Contrite and Humble in Spirit For he hath said he will dwell in them and walk in them And Christ standeth at the Door and knocketh if any man hear his Voice and open the Door he will come into him and sup with him and he with him And therefore ought we to examine our selves and prove our own selves knowing how that Christ is in us except we be Reprobates For this is the Riches of the Glory of the Mystery which God would make known among or rather IN the Gentiles Christ Within the Hope of Glory ARTICLE VIII Concerning the New Birth EXcept a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Therefore ought we to put off the Old Man with his Deeds and put on the New Man which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him and which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness For henceforth know we no man after the Flesh yea though we have known Christ after the Flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more For if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become new For such have put on the Lord Jesus Christ And are renewed in the Spirit of their Minds Sith as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth abideth forever And glory in nothing save in the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto them and they unto the World For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a new Creature ARTICLE IX Concerning the Unity of the Saints with Christ. HE that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all