without action no more Jeames 2. 18. can faith in Christ without righteousnesse these are inseparable Rom. 10 6. 10. therefore it s called the righteousnesse of faith where the heart believes unto righteousnesse there the mouth confesseth to salvation without hypocrisie of selfe righteousnesse And so Gods righteousnesse is received in the heart by faith and by obedience thereto brought forth into the world a witnesse against all the unrighteousnesse of the world and so the righteousnesse of God is preached through faith in all whose faith stands in Christ Jesus but that is a dead faith which brings not forth the life of Christ into the 1 Tim. 6. 10. 21. world and that 's the reprobate faith which is to the good worke reprobate and he that errs from the righteousnesse errs from the faith also which is held in a pure conscience and he that makes shipwrack of a good conscience and puts that away makes shipwrack of faith also And in the eternall light is all your faith seene and judged to be without Christ and without foundation who are out of the light and out of the life And your Faith is seen to be the same with the Scribes and Pharisees who believed the Scriptures and thought to find life therein but did not believe in the Light and so would not come to Christ that they might have life So all your Faith which is out of the Light which from the Letter you have formed is a Faith set up in your own Wills and not that which is given of God For that Faith that is the gift of God believes in the Light and follows it and so leads to the Life and this Faith that stands in the Light and Life is the living Faith and never without Works which Works are Love Meeknesse Patience Mortification Sanctification Justification c. the Works of God in Christ Jesus in which Gods Workmanship is seen in the new Creation received in the Faith and in the obedience to which the Soul is purified and Victory witnessed over the World Sinne and Death But you who believe not in the Light are Enemies to this Faith and yet you get the Words of the Scripture given forth from the Light and so your Faith stands in the Wisdome of words into which you have been searching with your wisdome but not in the power of God and his Work so you are they who say and do not whose practice could never suit your Profession Concerning Hope HOpe is a gift of God and is pure and stands in that which is pure shewing that purity of God and his righteousness Rom. 4. 8. in Christ Jesus the beholding whereof stayes the soul Rom. 5. 4 5 from Joyning to the wicked one when he tempteth because 2 Joh. 3. 2 3 he sees in the light a better worke to serve so that untill the time of that work being manifest the hope is as an Anchor to stay from following the unclean one and so keeps out of the sin and so makes not ashamed even in the time of want it hopes against 2 Tim. 1. 1â— hope When that life of Christ is not yet seen in its full power yet it is evidenced in the hope which is wrought in the patience experience 1 Pet. 1. 1â— 12 1â— whereby the love appeares and the faith workes whereby Gods righteousnes is revealed and the Son is seen who is the redeemer and he that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure And this is that hope that enters within the vail into the holy place where the life and immortality is brought to light which the mortall eye nor carnall senses cannot approach to and this is the living hope which hopes to the end That Christ and his righteousness may be revealed to take away sin and save from it and out of it and in hope of this the Children and babes of Christ wait in the obedience of the Spirit not fashioning themselves after the lusts of ignorance but as he who hath called to that hope is holy so in his holiness is their conversation who are in his hope But the Devill hath begotten an other hope as like this as may be in his servants who beleive him and are acted by his Spirit which stands in an other ground and brings forth an other fruit And that is That though they be servants to sin for that must be Concluded in all his Covenants and graces yet there is hopes of salvation and such hopes as may not be Judged false nor questioned although the witness of God in the conscience doth testifie to the contrary yet it must not be heeded lest they be deluded So that where he is become teacher â— Cor. 1. 12 a tender conscience to is be resisted as the greatest Error and foolery in the world and that To wait for the testimony or witness within is to deny Christ at Jerusalem and the greatest blasphemy that can be spoken of and to wait for that mystery that hath been hid from ages to wit Christ Col. 2. 17. within the hope of glory is to deny the person of Christ and his blood and sufferings And many such imaginations hath he begott in peoples brains to scare them from â—â—inding the light of Christ within that so he may Ephe. 4. 18. 19. keep the heart in darkness and his seat there undiscovered So he sets them to look for the kingdom of Christ without them and a spirit without and a light without and a word without and righteousness without and in that to hope while he dwells in the heart and there in darkness Luke 17. 21. upholds his kingdom of sin and seat of unrighteousness all their life and feeds them with a hope after they be dead by a profession without power Gal. 4. 6. and life and spirit and truth in them to order them and their Conversation 2 Cor. 4. 6 a right towards God and man in their generation Psal 119. 11. and this is the hope of the hypocrite that must perish in the end and come short of salvation whose hope is not in God nor gives being Rom. 10. 8 in his righteousness but he hath a hope and lives in the world without 2 Cor. 5. 21. God and his hope And this is not the hope of Christ which lives in sin and hopes for salvation but this is his hope that hopes to freedom Rom. 1. 17. and perfection which never comes short of its end in all that Iob 17. 8. wait in it and this hope only is it that maketh not ashamed But you Ephe. 7. 17. may be ashamed of your hope who are found in your sins and Hab. 7. 19. encouraging your selves therein that you shall not dye That 's the Devils hope which hopes not freedome from sinne as much as freedome from Hell And with this hope would he make God a Lyar and partial like himself that
Love to the Lost AND A HAND HELD FORTH To the Helpless to lead out of the Dark Wherein is plainly held out divers perticular things as they are learned of Christ and are most needfull to be known in all who professe godliness Set forth chiefly for the directing the Simple into the living way of Truth as it is in Christ Jesus the Righteous that therein they may come to the life and power of that which the World hath in words which being received satisfies the weary Soul and makes the Creature well-pleasing to his Maker Wherein also there is some Reproofs to the Dark World By one that seeks the redemption of Sions Seed and a Lover of the Creation of God who is called JAMES NAYLOR London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1650. Let him that reads understand FRiends The things following which I have declared of are not things of Man nor by Man did I receive them but by the revelation of Jesus Christ which is contrary to the Wisdom and Will of Man Nor to the wisdome and will of Man do I commend them to be received for the natural mans wisdome receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God therefore would devour that which is born thereof so to that wisdom I appear not being a leight thing to me to be judged thereof But if any one know the gift of God and a measure of that Spirit which openeth the bosome of the Father and reveales his secrets unto Babes The least measure of that if not clouded with the Imaginations will savour these things and to such they may be profitable So to the light of Christ that which changeth not in every one I appear to be judged and discerned which is one in the Male and in the Female for therein alone both these things and all other that proceeds from that root makes for gathering Creatures together into that One Name and Seed wherein all the Nations of the earth are blessed As therewith they are gathered into the one Word of Faith and Power of Life to believe and speak the same things in the godly Conversation which leadeth to the end of all Rents Schisms Heresies and Errours Sects and Divisions into that one Name to be baptized where the fulness of God is Blessed for ever So whoever thou art that shall read these particulars following or any thereof and shall find any thing which for the present thou canst not receive be not hasty in judging that which yet thou know'st not nor kick not against that which comes contrary to thy will lest thou put far from thee in thy will that which therewith thou canst not call again and the day of thy visitation pass over unawares and in the evil day thou be made to cry out How have I hated Instruction and resisted the day of Healing And this know that no Prophecie of old ever came by the will of man nor by the will of man could be received but by those that stood in their own wills was ever resisted And so must it be in these things unless with the eye that never changeth thou read'st them which if thou know'st such a thing in thee and stand single therein in the meek Spirit not lifted up above thy measure thou wilt come to feel how that of God in thee answers to the things of God as face answers face and find them to agree with the life of the Scriptures though for the present some things appear darkly for to that Seed which is not of this world which savours spiritually and judgeth not according to outward appearance is my service And to that of God in every Conscience am I manifest if therein I be received however a good savour am I unto the Lord in them that are saved and in them that perish at that day when it shall appear that I have not handled the Word of God deceitfully Though with the Swine who feeds on the Husk this may be trampled on and I sought to be rent if to such it come to whom I send it not A Table of the several Particulars following Concerning the Fall of Man Pag. I. Concerning Light and Life p. 1. Concerning Righteousnesse p. 3. Concerning the Word p. 8. Concerning Worship p. 8. Concerning Errour Heresie c. p. 11. Concerning Faith p. 13. Concerning Hope p. 15. Concerning Love p. 17. Concerning Judgment p. 19. Concerning Perfection p. 21. Concerning Government or Magistracy p. 24. Concerning Obedience p. 27. Concerning good Works p. 29. Concerning Election and Reprobation p. 32. Concerning the New Birth p. 34. Concerning the Baptism of Christ from that the World so calls p. 37. Concerning the Lords Supper p. 43. Concerning Redemption p 47. Concerning Justification Sanctification and Mortification p. 50. Concerning the Law p. 52. Concerning Christ Jesus p. 56. Concerning the Ministry of Christ p. 59. Concerning Free-Will p. 62. Concerning the Fall of Man IN the beginning God made all things good so did he Man whom then he made in his own Image and placed in him his own Wisdome and Power whereby he was compleatly furnished with Dominion Power and Authority over the Works of Gods hands knowing the nature and use of each Creature by what God had placed in him of Himself who in that state was the Son of God whose seed was in himself God also made the Tree of Life in the mid'st of the Garden and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and both of these was good in their place but the Tree of Knowledge not good for food Therefore did he that made it forewarn of it as the thing wherein death was placed as in the other Tree was Life And herein was the Blessing and the Curse placed the Life and the Death the Obedience and the Disobedience Election and Reprobation And this was good for man in their place whilst man stood in his place guided by that which placed him in the good and fore-warned him of the knowledge and gave him power against it whilst he stood in that Wil which had set all these things in their place which Will was free for God and from sinne and the will of God and the will of Man was one and so at unity with all the Creation But when man looked out into the other where he ruled who abids not in the Truth wherein the disobedience was received in of that which was contrary to the will of God to feed upon then he joyned to that which was contrary wherein the weakenesse was and the death darknesse and blindnesse as to the things of God and that which freely he had received of God And grew subtil within himself and wise to do evil so that he had lost the will that was free to wait upon God in his wisdome and counsel freely to be cared for by him and so from the uprightnesse and innocency and pure wisdome and spiritual power which God had placed in his heart he
in bondage Concerning Justification Sanctification and Mortification THe wisdom of men in the Fall finding these several words in Scripture hath in their imaginations run them into divisions and separated that which is in one and cannot be devided in the possession for it is one that worketh all these where he is present according to the measure received And this is the just one who by faith lives in the Creature and the Creature in him and so becomes the justifier and sanctifier of all that believe and the mortifier of that nature which is out of the faith and one of these is not alone without the rest For that which sanctifies that mortifies and the same justifies and all that know what it is to have these in the life knows this I know there are a people who have a desire to Heaven more then to holynesse and they lest they should spoyle their Carnal delights have in their brain-imag'nation conceipted a Justification without santification or mortification wresting those Scriptures which condemns the works of the law and therewith they would exclude the righteousnesse of faith also And because the Scripture saith God justifies the ungodly through faith therefore they conclude themselves justified in their ungodlinesse by a fancy which they call faith but are without faith in Christ For that faith which laies not hold upon Gods righteousnesse is not the faith of Christ but a dead thing for so far as any hath the faith of Christ so far it reveals Gods righteousnesse without the law from faith to faith by which righteousnesse of God the just lives and the unjust dies and so justified as they are sanctified and mortified and no further even as the righteousnesse of God without the law is manifest being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleive without respect of persons No righteousnesse no faith in Christ but where Gods righteousnesse is unto all and upon all there the belief is witnessed and the faith is shewed by the works which cannot be shewed without the works for that faith that hath not works is dead being alone as the body without the Spirit so is your faith without workes and so is your justification without holinesse and mortification of life And you will find in the end that he that justifies the wicked in you is the same that condemneth the just and they are both abomination to the Lord And this is your state who plead for sin and live in pleasure and wantonly on the earth you slay the just and holy one and save the unjust alive and so know not him that is just who justifies mortifies sanctifies and redeemes who of God is made so to us that in all things we are and have we may glory in him And although the Scriptures mention these three yet not to devide them so as to make people believe they may have one and not all but as to shew the severall effects of that one work of mans redemption all wrought by one thing in the creature For the blood of Christ it washes away the filth and so puts off the old man and mortifies the deeds of that body and so sanctifies and justifies The Spirit it mortifies and sanctifies and justifies now though the Saints named both these it was not to devide them but being one they might declare it by either for none could have the one without the other and all that have them are thereby mortified sanctified and justified yet none of these without the creature being works of faith and not of selfe for by the law of faith is selfe-sanctification self-mortification and self-self-justification excluded though they who had received the Spirit were called to all these by faith in his blood yet it is the work of God wrought by Christ in the believer and in the light are they called to behold the work of God herein and joyne to it in the faith and obedience thereto being the work of God which he will work in all that beleive in the light that they may receive his Son in whom the promise is and the power to mortification sanctification and justification as by faith he is received from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised againe for our justification but such who would share in his Justification but not have fellowship in his sufferings and obedience are such as are justified in conceipt but sin raignes and the unjust lives and acts in them and this is selfe that justifies selfe but is not just before God the just being dead in trespasses and sins but God justifies the living and not the dead Therefore the Saints suffered the losse of all things counting them as doung that they might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death These through death came to the power and fellowship of his resurrection whereby they are justified being raised with him to newnesse of life by faith receiving the gift of Gods righteousnesse and becoming servants thereto and thereby became free from sin and this is true justification where there is no condemnation where the deeds of the flesh are mortified and the creature walks no more after the flesh but after the Spirit for the condemnation is to him that walks after the flesh but he Gal. 5. 16. that walks in the Spirit is justified for he that walks in the Spirit shal not Rom. 8 3 4 fulfill the lusts of the flesh and there is mortification to that nature that breaks the law and the just is seen who fulfils the law in such as walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit So not the hearers of the law are just Rom. 2 13. before God but the doers of the law shall be justified In the first mans state the law is broken and there mortification and sanctification is denyed and there the man would be justified from the guilt of sin but not from the love and power of sin but would have his carnall delights in the world and Heaven also but this is vaine hope and will perish But in the second mans state the law is fulfilled through mortification sanctification Justification of the Spirit And no man can be justified where the just lives not for that by which the just lives is that by which the creature is justified Concerning the Law IN this thing are many people confounded yea all who know not the ministration of the Spirit for such going into the Scriptures and finding the ministration of the Letter and the ministration of the Spirit and themselves being under neither of these but in Notion as they have received it in their imaginations and not from the Mouth of the Lord some say they are under the Law and that it continues still others say but some part of it which is Morall others say nay but it
nor to hate that which God hates and love that which he loves in any measure but joynes with that which destroyes the soul and devoures the life and yet makes a profession and a prayer against it in words and that 's the pharisee and hypocrite who with the words destroys the life who makes a profession above the life but not in the life and this is he that climeth up some other way then the life which is the doore to which the light leads And in this state are all the high minded lofty ones whose mouths speake of great things swelling words of vanity for so are words without life empty Brasse giving a pleasant voyce to the carnall eare but cannot evidence the life and the works of it who have the Saints words present but their righteousnesse is as far off as Judea Corinth Thessalonica c and these are they who in words confesse God but in works deny him who have a large faith in words but to the good worke reprobate for none can be of any true judgment concerning the work of God who are strangers to the life that workes it Concerning Righteousness THat Righteousness which God accepts is but one which is his own perfectly fulfilled and manifest in the world in Christ Jesus the light and Saviour thereof which Righteousness is not of the world nor manifest to the world nor in the world received but by the world ever Judged as unrighteousness nor can the world inherit it but only they who believe in the light of Christ which God hath given into the world to lead out of the world to Christ where Gods righteousness is And there be many talkers of this righteousness but none inherit it further then by faith they receive the Son of righteousness and with him his righteousness is freely imputed or put into the creature a free gift from the Father and with this righteousness is the creature made righteous even as he is righteous even as the measure of Christ is received and no further and whose life is kept in the measure of him as he is so are we in this present world and not of this world even as he is of not of this world and herein is boldness in the day of Judgment in that which is perfect And all that is not perfect is self and with the righteousness of Christ denied in the light which condemns all self-actings under what pretence soever So who abides in the righteousness abides in that which denies Self and all the world and so lives in obedience to that which is contrary to all mens wills and so every where evil-spoken on for the will of men works not the righteousness of God but this righteousness is wrought into the Creature in that obedience which is contrary to the will of the flesh and in the faith by the eternall Spirit is the new begetting both of the will and the deed and so the new is born of the Spirit and life And so farr as any have this righteousness he doth not lye under sin nor give place to the Divell but it is as a brest-plate against all assaults on the right hand and on the left and all who have not this are they who have that which will not stand in stead in the evil day So you that say your righteousness is as filthy Raggs why do you abide in that Gods righteousness is not so wherefore Cease from that and own that which is perfect even that everlasting righteousness in which his all Saints have been gathered unto himself who can receive nothing but what 's his own and it must be yours also else can you not be received in it In vain do you plow wickedness and sow iniquity and think to reap righteousness So with the light you may see what works in you and to what you yeeld your selves servants to That you bring forth while you live that will go with you so if you own no works in you but what God works you shall have no righteousness but what is perfect even the least measure of it And as you obey unto this righteousness you shall see the Spirituall man raised and living and the bonds of death broken and that living which gives power over hell and death Then may you say the spirit is life because of righteousness and your dead profession will be Judged with the life as it arises and seen to be fruitless But this is blasphemy in your own eyes who have made Christs righteousness a cover for your abominations What wickedness is so vile now in these nations but the righteousness of Christ is made a Cover men blesse themselves there-with in the greatest abomination And this hath its beginning at the head of deceit and is gone over all the whole body For to cover your own wickedness pride and covetuousness have you teachers invented this faith That its sufficient to believe in a righteousness you read of in the letter through you be not obedient to it in Spirit But you that are not servants of Righteousnesse are no servants of Christs and his Workes and your Faith without his Works will be little worth to Salvation and even as it saves you out of sinne so will it save you out of condemnation and no further And this that in your Conscience will witnesse if you take counsel at it no further then you find the power of his righteousnesse working in you and you owning it in obedience and subjection and joyning to it against all unrighteousnesse no more of it you can inherit nor be made the righteousnesse of God in him And at that day when he comes to separate the precious from the vile then will you see in what stead your notions of righteousness are when the Worker of iniquity is found and judged with Christs righteousnesse of which you have been boasting in words without the power of it By the power and purity of it shall all the workers of iniquity be judged and condemned So deceive not your selves He that workes righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous but he that talks of this and commits sin is of the Devil and with him must inherit by whom he is acted and guided for Gods righteousness will not mixe with nor cover deceipt nor was it ever given for that purpose but as it is obeyed it reveales and destroys mans righteousness and unrighteousnesse as it is revealed from Faith to Faith by which the just lives and the unjust perisheth and passeth into death And all who have Christs righteousnesse can witnesse this effect to kill and make alive as by Faith it is received and this is Zions righteousnesse that goes forth as brightnesse and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth that the Gentiles may see it and its glory Be ashamed you Heathens who have hid the Lords righteousnesse under your Pride and Covetousnesse who have exalted the Idols of the World and bring forth to the Oppressor who
that Spirit which never erred and who ever is lead out by any other is Erred already though unknown to them who are so deceived For Error could never Judge of Error nor darkness of light though it will be doing to shew enmity So Error Cryes Take heed of being deceived which is deceived already but the Spirit of light searcheth out that deceipt but who walks not in the spirit and light of Christ is blind and knows not by what he is lead nor whither and stumbles at the light which should Judge his blindness and become his Leader and such a one though he be in Error yet knows not whence he is fallen who never knew the right way as many at this day who are talking of blindnes but themselves in the pitt and must be till they own the light to lead them out of it which never Erred which is of God even as they who received it are of God and they that were of God knew that all that would not heare them had the Spirit of Error and thereby they knew it and the Spirit of truth And what ever that be which leads out into the Worlds Conformity and pleads for it or any thing that is come in by the Fall that is the Spirit of Error But that Spirit which testifies against all that is in the fall and convinceth of it and leads out of it that 's the Spirit of truth comes to testifie of the redeemer Christ Jesus who is to set free out of it which all that lives in lives in Error So all who desire to know the Spirit of Error you must turn to the Spirit of light from whence you have Erred for no other thing shews the Error but that which reproves the fruit of Error that which reproves for sin is that from which man hath Erred the faithfull and true witness which is in the beginning of the Creation of God to which all must give an account and which alone is appointed for a light and leader of the people that sit in darkness to shew the darkness and the way out of it So to that which was in the beginning all must come that with the light from which man hath Erred you may know the wayes of Error and the way of truth Concerning Faith HE that hath living faith which is in Christ lives by it and the life that he lives is above all the world and the powers of darknesse and the least measure of that Faith â—s perfect and is present power against all the assaults of â—acan if in it the Creature abide faithfull and run not to other helps and so lay himself open to distrust for it is the gift of God whereof whosoever receives a measure he hath a measure of the Son above which he Father will not suffer any temptation for the true faith laies hold upon Gods righteousnesse against which no unrighteousnesse can prevaile which righteousnesse is received by faith in Christ Jesus wherein the Creature so believing stands armed against all the fierie darts and temptations of the Devill with Gods righteousnesse seene in the light and wrought in the Spirit whereby the Creature becomes Gods workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works by which he becomes free from the evill dead to sin but alive to Gods righteousnesse waiting in faith to see it revealed through obedience thereto from faith to faith and it is written The just shall live by faith and this is the living faith which purifies the heart unto the life of godlinesse and so reveales the righteousnesse of faith for an inheritance everlasting righteousnesse ever growing and springing whereby the Creature grows into the knowledge of God with him to walke by faith out of the knowledge of all the world translated out of the pleasures and kingdoms of it into the kingdom of the Son of God where the reproach of Christ is esteemed great riches laying hold upon the invisible which the worlds faith cannot reach which caryes them no higher then visible reasonings and consulting with sensuall wisdom and carnall helps and so brings nothing to perfection because it sees nothing that is perfect but the liying faith sees him that is invisible and layes hold on the measure of God made manifest in Spirit which measure of the Spirit is that which in the faith worketh out the old and worketh the new both will and deed whose worke is perfect to kill and make alive But the worlds faith is not of this nature and power who heare a thing with the outward care and so set themselves to believe or not believe it in their wills or outward perswasion from others or in their own imagination and as their imaginations thoughts and conceivings changes so their faith changes also and so it cannot be steadfast because it stands not in the measure of God known in the heart which changes not and this faith serves not God nor can it please him nor doth it see him that is invisible And so not standing in that which is contrary to the will of man and power of sin it lies under the wills of men and power of the Prince of this world and as the world and times changes so doth that faith but can never lead out of the world and all time up to the redeemer of the soul And to all who are in that nature the living faith that stands in that which is of God in a pure conscience is a mystery not known nor received and so cannot be improved which is the true faith which is the gift of God which none Tim. 3. 9. can receive but in the Spirit So the faith of Christ and the faith of the world are two and have their severall effects and fruits the one professeth freedome and redemption in the imaginations and comprehensions but is a servant of sin the other hath the living faith which gives the life of freedom and so as is their ground and roote so is their fruits and effects and the one of these is against the other For that Act. 13. 27. faith which stands in Christ believes in purity and perfection and holynesse and slays sin and by that faith alone the just lives and justice and righteousnesse is brought forth to light in the godly conversation but that faith which stands in the imaginations and wisdom of man which believes salvation without holynesse of life that slaies the just and keeps alive the unjust and this faith they had which believed the Scriptures and the words of the Prophets and that God was their Father but not having the word of Faith in their hearts these slew the Son of God and set the murtherer free and as that faith which is dead works death so that faith which is living worketh life And a profession of faith without righteousnesse is like a body without life and like as a living man is known by his actions so is the living faith by its fruits And as the man cannot live
he should find some in sinne and save them and others in sinne and condemn them But who knows Christ and hopes in him hopes in righteousnesse and therein to stand in the day of Judgment and therein to live in this evil world above it and all the unrighteousnesse of it And the end of the lively hope is no lesse then Gods righteousnesse to attain and live in as it is received and onely 1 Pet. 3. 14 15. such can give a Reason of the Hope that is in them Who sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts and have a good conscience and suffer for well-doing 1 Thes 5. 8. 16. which unreasonable men who live in the unreasonable nature cannot do whose Hope is not an Helmet of Salvation against Sinne yet would have it for Salvation against Hell And this is the unreasonable Hope in unreasonable men for which they can give no reason but in their own Wills and Imaginations for is there any reason why you should hope to be saved by Christ who will be the Devils servants to yield your members servants to and delight in his wickednesse while you live and yet be saved by Christs righteousnesse when you die This is a Hope that serves you to talk on to feed your selves in your vanities but will be in the end like the giving up of the Ghost But who is begotten into the lively Hope are begotten into an Inheritance uncorruptible and undefiled whereunto they are kept by the power in Hope through Faith unto Salvation from sinne the thing that he that 's begotten of God longs and hopes for which Hope shall not faile Concerning Love THe love of God is but one and in One nor can any receive it but who receives that one the Son of God and this cannot stand with Self or any changable thing for God is that love and none can dwell in it but as he dwels in God so it 's pure and perfect As the Creature comes to live in God as he is into his Image and likenesse so with the pure Light his love is seen and shed abroad in the heart whereby the power of Faith worketh to the overcoming all that is contrary to God so the love of God abounds and who dwels in it worketh none ill but the Work of Love fulfills the Law of God which is upon all that 's gone out from him into the world self-ends which hath received-in the love of carnal things and so are gone into the enmity against God setting the Affection on changable things for whosoever will be a friend to the worlds is the enemy of God for the Worlds love arises from the Spirit of the World but the love of God is a fruit of Gods Spirit and none hath the love of God but who hath that Spirit from which it springs which is Eternal Unchangeable and above all Carnal things nor can Time or Carnal things quench it for it endures for ever and herein it differs from all the worlds love nor can any one have this love but in the Fountain of love even the manifestation of Gods love shed in the heart wherewith he first loved the Creature and this being known and seen in the Light from thence is the Spring of Love which runs out to the whole Creation of God and for the same end for as the love is one so the End is but one Now God so loved the World that he gave his Son into the World a Light to condemn sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of God might be fulfilled in the Creature in walking after the Spirit and denying the Works of the flesh and this is the love of God to sinners to condemn sinne and take it away in the Light and life of Christ and to all that love with this love this is the end of it But with this love is all your love condemned whose love stands in Fashions and Customes Feastings and Ryotings Sports and vain Pleasures or any thing in the flesh that 's in the Fall and in flattering one another in your evil wayes or in respect of persons or any other thing that hath an end for the love of God is without end in love to the Soul and Body as God hath made it but in hatred to all that is come in since which hath defiled it So that this love of God consists of Reproofs Judgment and Condemnation against all that defiles the Creation and against the Creature who yields to that pollution and this is pure love to the Soul that deals faithfully therewith in declaring its condition and that was the Mat. 23. great love Christ shewed the Jews when he told them they were Hypocrites blind guids Lyars and said Wo unto you ye Serpents ye Generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell And many such plain true Act. 13. 10 words he spoke in love to them And that was the love of God in Paul which said to Elimas O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou Child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervent the right wayes of the Lord For all the love that can be shewed to any Creature is to deal faithfully and truly with them as they are seen in the Light and he who doth not so loves neither God nor them as will be found in the day of Judgment and so are out of Gods love and have imagined a love which is of another nature and with this love such as are out of the love of God flatter one another in your evil wayes and changable opinions which love is grounded in carnal things and stands in your own Wills And therewith when you will you love and when you will you hate but neither knows love nor hatred as it is in God Eccles 1. 9 6. whose love and hatred stands in changeable things so your love and hatred perisheth which stands not in God But who knows the love of God tramples upon all your love and hatred and sees an end thereof And such sees your blindnesse who say you would have all wone by love but know not whereof you affirm whose wayes is not Gods ways nor your Isa 2. 27. thoughts his For saith he I will redeem Zion with Judgment and with Isa 4. 4. the Spirit of Judgment and burning will I wash away the filth thereof But You who are in your filth would have all flattered therein So that love is seen to be filthy which spares filthinesse which defiles the Temple of God but that is pure which purges away the filth and condemns the Unclean and all that loves it For the love of the Devil may be wone with serving of him and flattering him in his wayes in them in whom he is But what is it worth So may one have the love of all the World and their friendship but woe unto that friendship which is got by sparing Gods enemies that is enmity against God
Perfection GOd is perfect and so is all his works and all his gifts and who ever receives his gifts receives that which is perfect And by receiving and joyning to that which is perfect is the creature made perfect And no farther then the creature is in this perfection can any be united to God nor appeare in his sight nor be blessed but is gone out into the curse from what was in the beginning and so is in the fall unredeemed and hath no more of Christ then what he hath of perfection for perfection is of Christ and imperfection is of the Devill and these are two contraryes and comes from contrary grounds and brings forth contrary fruits for he that is of God is of perfection and believes perfection but who is of the Serpent cannot own it nor beleive it being blinded by the God of this world So God sent his son into the world to preach perfection even the perfection of the Father that all who will believe may inherit it and all that believed him believed perfection And when he had left a perfect example in all things he ascended and gave gifts to men several sorts of gifts all for the perfecting the Saints that all might come up to one faith to a perfect man to the measure and stature and fulness of Christ that so he may be an everlasting redeemer perfecting the work of God in every generation of them that believe in his work and follow him And this all his ministers improved to the same end and preached and prayed that they might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus from whom they had received the gift and all that believed them believed perfection and pressed after it as the end of their faith knowing nothing lese then perfection could give them rest and redemption Now since the mistery of iniquity entred there is another ministry gone out into the world who hath taken up an imitation instead of gift have begotten an other kind of faith in the world wholly reprobate as to perfection preaching against it with all the power that may be holding it for blasphemy and calling it a doctrine of Devills and the like And these would be called the ministers of Christ that so they may not misse of their end for did they come in his name whose work they uphold he knows they might run in vain Thus they deceive all who receive them by their words but who mindes the end of their work may easily see as much difference as is betwixt Christ and Belial the work of Christ is and ever was to renew man again to his perfect estate but the work of Antichrist is to withstand it and each hath his ministers sutable to their ends intended Christs end is to perfect the devils is to keep unperfect And each ministers have their faith hope and other gifts sutable one pure the other polluted and according to each faith so it is to all that believe them follow them for the faith of Christ is a shield gives victory over uncleanness sin and evill but the devills faith lets in and believes it must be so for had not the devil first brought man to beleive him rather then God he could not have polluted what God had perfected And the same way he takes to keep up his work by which at first he wrought it So none can come to know a new creature but who can believe perfection nor can any come to God nor Christ nor Gods righteousness but who comes to perfection For all who are in the unperfect righteousness are in your own righteousness for the lest measure of Gods righteousness is perfect and all are in perfection who become servants to it and thereby become free from sin So by your unbeliefe you destroy your souls who are in your own works which makes nothing perfect so measureing your selves with your selves cuts you off from Christ as measureing your faith by your own ability so standing in that covenant which makes nothing perfect but the coming in of a better hope doth and this all know whose faith stands in what God is and not what we can do in everlasting righteousness not in what we have to work the one being righteousness by faith revealed a gift put into the believer the other an Imitation of the same in works but not the power and such are you who read a verse and see therein what the Saints did and then set your selves to do the like but know not that righteousnes revealed in you in the faith which they had which was wrought in them by the Lord before they brought it to light and so did not work but beleived on him who worketh the will and the deed of his own good pleasure who alone is well pleased with his own work and with all who are servants to his work to bring it to light to his praise whose work-manship such are And they who are found herein have his witness in the light to prove their workes that they are wrought in God and not of self self-will nor for self-ends nor in self-time nor in self-power and all that know this perfect will and acceptable worke of God knows it begotten and brought forth in self deniall in all things and not of us but of him that is perfect and so makes our way perfect And this is the covenant that makes perfect all that comes thereto and self being denied in the work boasting is excluded by the law of faith which receives the free and perfect gift And for this cause the first covenant was found faulty and disanulled because it made not the commers thereto perfect as pertaining to the conscience nor did exclude boasting no more doth your imitations from the letter for the light in your consciences witness your imperfection therein and your works is condemned before they be wrought and your ministers tells you your righteousness is not perfect yet they call for righteousness and yet say your best is but as filthy raggs and they call for prayer and yet tell you that you must be wicked while you live and that the prayers of the wicked are abomination to the Lord. So the abominable sacrifice is preached and performed and perfection denied by all those priests and people who have not received the gift for perfecting And of this sort are they who have their preaching to study and to seek at other mens mouthes or from the Letter but have it not from the mouth of the Lord freely given the perfect gift for perfecting the Saints so what they get that they sell for none can give freely but who so receives nor can any perfect others who have not the perfect gift themselves So you that talk of perfection you must first know a free gift from above Perfection is not from below where you have your carnal imaginations and reason and wisdom and prudence gotten by your learning and studies whereof you boast and wherein you exalt
he do any thing but what he see the Father do in that worke he was found doing the same as he was taught of the Father in his obedience to him not what the Scribes and Pharisees did though they sat in Moses seat nor what the world approved but what was contrary to all the world and contrary to his own will onely submitting to the moving of the Spirit of the Father that dwelt in him by which alone he was to be guided and furnished to every good work And all that believe in him and follow his light he leads into the same knowledge and obedience out of all carnall knowledge power and obedience and by faith the creature is made partaker of this obedience and the power thereof from faith to faith And all that have learned him as he is so are they in this present world both in law and life and power and Spirit and in all this in the measure as he is learned and as any comes to the unity of the faith in him to his measure stature and fulnesse so the obedience is but one the power one the way one and the Son one and the Father one And this is not any thing from without but in Spirit it is learned and obtained and the mystery of it is hid from all who are without and the ministration of it is spirituall within whereby that obedience is known which is to the truth through the Spirit which is in life and not in imitation in the will of God and not in self will which obedience stands not in any thing seen from man or by man done thereby to imitate or doe the like for that is two obediences but it stands in Christ Jesus and in his one obedience to the Father seene in the light and in the faith received whereby the believer is made one in it and it in him that as the same Father calls for the same obedience in Spirit so in the same Spirit doth the believer offer up himself and all he hath in the same power and obedience in Christ Jesus And so as the creature by faith partakes of that one obedience in the second Adam he is made righteous and no further even as all are made sinners as they partake of the disobedience of the first Adam and no further And who knows to partake of this obedience knows the eternal Spirit in which all the Children of God have been taught and enabled to this one obedience in their several measures ever since the world was which is not works by them done but the everlasting righteousnesse of God obeyed in that Spirit according to the motions thereof seene in the light of Christ which none knows who are heart-blind and who minds the motions of the flesh and obeys them their minds being gone out to carnall pleasures the Call to this obedience is not by them heard neverthelesse the same carnall Spirit that leads out into the world teaches to make an imitation of this obedience and so deceives the simplicity by setting up a likenesse without life and so glories in appearance but not in heart And the witnesse of God in the heart or Conscience of such testifying to the face of truth that their obedience is not perfect nor accepted they conclude that there can be no perfect obedience attained in this world they not knowing the mighty powerful working of God in Spirit which worketh in them perfectly who believe and walk in the light whereby such become his workmanship in Christ Jesus wrought into his obedience and his obedience into them in their measure till they become of one heart one mind one soul one spirit one flesh and bone and blood and one obedience and one life that it is no more we that lives but Christ that lives in us and the life that we now live is by Faith in the Son of God and though the fulnesse of this obedience is not attained at once yet the least measure of it is perfect and accepted and so accepted in him in whom it is wrought as the obedience of a Child is as pure clear and willing as the strong mans even so is the new Birth in Christ Jesus according to what God requires thereof who never requires but what he gives and never gives but what is perfect and what he perfectly accepts which gifts are all in his Son and in him the least is accepted and every one that therein exercise themselves without mixture Concerning good Works AS there is but one good so there is but one Worker of good in Heaven and in Earth who by the Word of his Power made all good in the beginning and in this good Work and Will was Man wrought in the Will of God in his Image and goodnesse he stood but falling from this stedfastnesse that was in God and be taking him unto self thereby to become wise he became subtill and proud in himself seeking to be as God was cast out from God his Power Love and goodnesse and being fallen into the dark Imaginary of his own heart and finding himself under the Curse whereof the Light of Christ in the Conscience is a Witnesse he hath set himself to make a likenesse of God Christ and Gods Worship and good Works Faith Hope Patience Love c. but being under the powers of darknesse neither knows God nor his Work but is deceived by the Prince of Darknesse and so doth please himself with an Imitation of God and his Work but without power and so as he imagines is doing good but the testimony of God in his heart bears witnesse against him that his Work is not perfect nor accepted He also imagines that he is redeemed but is still under the commanding power of Satan led Captive at his will who that he may the more strongly blind him he leads him sometimes into a seeming worship that so he may not so much suspect his way nor be too much troubled at his other unrighteous practices so that the worst of men in this state have a worship and each sort thinks they are right though there be but one way and they all without it and each in their thoughts are not so bad as others but have their severall good works though there be but one good work and they all out of it in their own works And it is no small work to undeceive the least of these who are thus conceited though men of greater wits and parts as they call them which is but a higher deceipt may lead them from one deceipt to another yet all the worlds wisdome cannot bring them into the good work nor the way wherein it is wrought Onely such who mind the light of Christ in their dark hearts which manifests to them their Evill deeds and reproves them for them and can believe it to be the light of Christ and thereto take heed to follow it out of the world and carnall mindednesse and in that light wait till the Living-Word
they come to receive in their hearts onely such come into the good work and will of God For without the Word was nothing made nor without it can any be redeemed For it is the Word of the Lord heard and received that quickens the Dead and raises to Life that which is dead in the trespasses and sins and the Spiritual man being quickned the power of the Word brings forth in him the work of Gods righteousnesse which was from everlasting which in the measure thereof confirms the Creature unto God in righteousnesse who lost the Image in unrighteousnesse and so is the Creature renewed in the Spirit of the mind and inward parts to receive wisdom and power in the hidden man how to escape the evil and resist it and to bring to light what God begets in the heart and so the new Creature is seen created in Christ Jesus unto good works to walk therein as was fore-ordained And as the Believer is found diligent in the light waiting and in the Spirit obedient to this work in this work he comes still more to learn Gods Power and Teaching and Christs obedience and Gods wisdome and care over him in leading into the sufferings and tribulations tryals and temptations and the Faith and Fellowship with Christ therein in which if the creature stand not a hair can fall but he is sure to come out more pure then gold and so in all this work he grows in the knowledge of Christ and his Sonship toward the measure and stature and fulnesse of the perfect man into the likenesse of God And thus the Saints were made conformable to God by his mighty working whereby he wrought powerfully in them after his good pleasure contrary to their fleshly pleasures And what is thus wrought is good because it comes from the Fountain of all good and this is not a new work but the everlasting good work of God manifest to the Creature and through the Creature to the World by which God is glorified who is the Father and Author and Finisher thereof in every one that believes And this is no self-work nor can it be wrought in any but where self is denyed and a Crosse to self taken up so boasting is excluded the Creature having nothing but what he hath received neither by his own Will nor Deed but by believing in the Light and in obedience of Faith And with this Faith and Work are all the world judged who are in their own works and all that are without works whose Faith is dead and to every good work reprobate And whose works are their own their prayers are abomination where the Works come not from this one everlasting Work and Workings For though there be many Works as to the Creatures obedience and measures yet they all compleat but this one work of the Creatures Redemption and Gods praise therein the beginning and end of all And of this work of God is all the world ignorant who are preaching pressing and acting their good works as they call them but all their works do not manifest a Power that brings them out of sinne and the worlds Conformity and service thereof in his ways and worship but every good work of God in his Saints who become obedient to his working as they subject to bring forth the good work and will of God every work begets the Creature nearer to God and into his likenesse and nature and this is the reward of good works to every one who are exercised therein that thereby they are wrought out of the worlds likenesse and conformity and so out of their friendship till all manner of evil they suffer for the name of God that is in them and the nature of his works which is abomination to the Worlds works and the world to them And so their name being cast out as evil among men they are received into the love of the Father of the Work for which they are hated of the world and so the reproach of the world becomes great riches to all who love God and are obedient to his work which none who stands in their own wills can inherit And so self-works and Gods works are manifest in the light The one is that which men see or hear or imagine and so set themselves to imitate the same in their own Wills and Ways which they have conceived in their fallen wisdome and earthly minds not in Spirit new born but in the old letter or tradition from men But Gods works are those which are from everlasting before the Will of Man or the Worlds Customs and therefore must conform to neither but every one who into this Work will come must deny the world and their own Wills and all that is in them must bow and conform to the motion of the Spirit and to its Workings which is seen to such as in the Light dwels and in its way and time must bring forth the fruits of the Spirit in due season not the works of the flesh nor to the flesh but the working of the Spirit to God in the sight of God and the praise of such is not of the world who bring not forth to the World but of God who bring forth to God and the World praises it own Concerning Election and Reprobation THis is that which is Sealed from all the world nor can any know it nor receive it who is in the reprobate state though many be disputing about it in the dark which none know but the children of light So as one who have obtained favour to have this mystery revealed I shall according to permission write a few words as is received in Jesus yet can be received by no mans wisdom nor any who are born after the flesh but who knows what it is to walk in the Spirit shall witness me herein And I deny all of that Spirit who would foolishly Charge God to have concluded the condemnation of some persons before they come into the world and though they seek after God yet they cannot be sayed because God hath purposed the contrary And on the contrary some are concluded to salvation though they live and dye in their sins And this is the Spirit of the world which knowes not the secrets of God revealed in Spirit and therefore judges from the letter from the figures and shadows but knows not the uprightness that lyes in the mystery but being without so he imagins But none knows the purpose of God but who comes to the beginning for in the beginning was the Election and reprobation established by an eternal decree unalterable in the two seeds that after the flesh and that after the Spirit and he that can Judge of these two he knows the two vessels ordained to honour and dishonour and as every one is found in these so is Gods purpose touching them Now in the fall all are in the dishonour and so children of wrath under the curse and â—heirs thereof and so without God or the promise
the cause thou knows not God the Father nor the Son for to this he is revealed though thou talke of redemption yet thou knows not God nor his power nor life nor persence with thee to guide thee out of the evill and to give the victory over the Prince of this world and his dominion but art captivated at his will to do his works and so under the condemnation that he is in and the talke of redemption doth not deliver thee from his temptations but into it thou falls and commits the sin that is of his moving and so art of the Devill but that which is of God lies under in death and captivity and bonds of iniquity and so thou canst not have power nor the promise nor salvation which in the seed is placed which is not of thee nor with thee while thou art in these delights but against thee and thou sinning against it and so art not of the promised seed but an enemy to it and by thy lusts and pleasures and self-will art in Pharoahs state and nature keeping the seed of God in the house of bondage and dost not pittie nor regard the cryes thereof which cryes against thy pride and excesse envie and wrath and all thy wickednesse by which thou oppressest the seed of God in thee in that state where death raignes for which the wrath of God comes upon the world of iniquity who are enemies to that seed which is of the Covenant and are not joyned to it but to the contrary in the contrary nature to which all who are joyned in the light come to pertake of Gods love and life therein by Jesus Christ who takes upon him that seed after the flesh not the seed of the evill one nor the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham to whom the promise is And all who know this quickned and raised by the Spirit of Jesus know the plant of Gods renowne of Gods own planting in which the fruit is found and such knows where to waite for a supply of all wants and counsell in all straits where is the law received that is spirituall and the righteousnesse of saith revealed from faith to faith from which Gods righteousnesse is manifest in the world not of selfe nor self-self-works nor of that seed but of the heritage of faith a free gift to the seed And in this seed as it is redeemed hath the Saints fellowship with the Father and the Son in the light and all the gifts and grace whereby that creature becomes free from the law of sin that they be married to Christ in him to serve the living God set free from the service of sin and Satan And this is their freedom even their righteousness which is everlasting as the seed is redeemed out of the pit For where this seed is raised up there the creature receives from God of his fulness but where the seed is in the grave the curse is betwixt upon him where the sin is and the trespasses by which it is slain But where this is raised the creature is blessed of God for the seeds sake throughout all the Nations of the Earth which layes this seed for in this is God worshipped but where this is dead the sacrifice is abomination for they that are in the grave cannot Praise God it s the living that he accepts and not the dead And this I say to all you who find such a thing as is holy thus moving in you against your lusts and worldly pleasures Take heed and do not deceive your selves with a talk of redemption while this is in prison and not brought above all your lusts But in the light of Christ waite which lets you see this that you may see his power in spirit to raise this to raign above all in you that is contrary so shall you raign with it over all the world and its wicked wayes but if you have found this breathing towards God and you have no regard thereto take heed lest he that gave this for thy salvation take it away from thee in wrath and leave thee to thy lusts without reproof For his Spirit will not alwayes strive with you And then it had been good you had not been born And this hath befallen many after many reproofes and motions to good Who now are left to fill up their measure with greedinesse Who now glory in their shame and boast of their filthynesse and this day is coming upon many more who now little minde the measure of God moving in them but live in the lust sinning against their conscience out of the selfe ends And yet please themselves with a talke of redemption As the greatest profession now set up by many is to make the redemption of Christ a cover for all licentiousnesse and fleshly liberty and say they are to that end redeemed which redemption the Son of God needed not to come from Heaven to purchase for them man being thither fallen by nature subject thereto but all who know the redemption of Christ by his pretious blood are redeemed from the vaine Conversation received by tradition into the holy conversation 1 Pet. 1. 5 18. of him that hath called them to be holy as he is holy and not vain as the World is vain And this is the true redemption to all that know it whereby this seed hath received redemption for us who were transgressors even to purge the conscience from dead works to serve Heh 9. 12 15. the Living God And for this end he gave himself for us to redeeme Tit. 2. 14. us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of Rev 5 9. of good works who hath redeemed us to God by his blood out of Rev. 14. 4. kindreds tongues and fashions from amongst men to follow the the lamb and not the lust And all whose redemption leads not out of this world will fail you when you look for another and this all that are redeemed know but who live in the lust are blinded with the god thereof as the light in every conscience shall testifie that he that lives to the flesh is not redeemed So with the light of Christ which lets you see your transgressions search your hearts that you may see if the just principle that moves to righteousnesse be not oppressed and burthened and over-powred by the seed of the evill doer and that nature which loves carnal delights and so you be led captive to do the works of Satan then what redemption have you further then a talk like a man that hath a conceit of eating but still hungry so you conceit freedom but still serve sin and while servants of sin you are free from righteousnesse as he that is a servant of righteousnesse is free from sin for it is an easie thing to conceit righteousnesse and redemption but he that doth righteousnesse is righteous even as he is righteous but this is not seene while the seed of God is
is done away and they are not under any ministration of Law but under grace and so by their faith make voyd the Law not knowing what they say herein And this is all such know either of Law or Gospel who in their wisdom and prudence read the letter and from thence imagine what is Law and what is Grace not having that spirit by which they were ministred to the Saints and by them received who had the law in their hearts and grace there also and such do know that the one of these doth not make voyd the other but establish the other for the coming of Christ was not to make voyd but to fulfill the Law and he doth not come to put the Law afatre off but to bring it neare that with his light all may see it as it is written in the heart by the living God and he is so farre from destroying or taking away the Law that he declares it in its force and purity saying That one jot or tittle should not passe till it be fulfilled And whereas it was said in the letter Thou shalt not commit adultery saith he Thou shalt not lust In the letter it was said thou shalt not sweare falsely but in the Spirit he saith Swear not at all In the letter Thou shalt not kill but in the Spirit Thou shalt not be angry and whosoever doth any of these things is guilty before God and this is farre from making it voy'd which declares it in its purity so as they who might seeme to be cleare in the letter might be found guilty in the Law of the Spirit that by Christ Jesus who is the end of that Law they may come to see their condemnation and by faith in him become set free not by the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer and carnall Sacrifices Oracle Temple or Altar or Days or Sabbaths without in the letter but by all these in Spirit which are in Christ Jesus ministred to the soule and conscience to wash away sin and purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God which the ministration of the letter and carnall Ordinances could not do And for this cause is the ministration of the letter done away because it could not make perfect the commers thereto as pertaining to the conscience And the Ministration of the Spirit preached in its steed which gives perfect knowledge of sin and perfect redemption from it and from all things from which the Law without could not and the same Spirit doth testifie it perfectly in the conscience which the letter cannot though the letter may shew a man his condemnation yet it cannot give life it can shew the duty but not give power to performe it so the letter kils but the Spirit giveth life And hence it is that all you who read your duty in the letter but want power to performe what you read you set up your imaginations instead of performance and some say the Law is done away and none now shall be condemned by it others say Christ fulfilled it in his own person and to believe what he did sixteene hundred yeares since is all we need to do others say nay but we must do what we can of what the Scriptures commands and he will do the rest with his Father others say that what we do he makes it accepted which the Father as though we did performe all that is required but none in that state knows his commands in Spirit which gives life and power to performe what is commanded in Spirit which none knows who reads what others did but want their Spirit and power to performe the same This was the selfe righteousnesse and is the selfe righteousnesse which is by the letter of the Law taken-on without the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus And here is the weaknesse of the Law taken-on through the flesh but the power of the law to such as receive it in Spirit and life for the Law is fulfilled in Spirit and not in the letter and so in Christ and not in selfe and so by faith and not by works even by the everlasting righteousnesse of God freely given and received by faith and revealed in the creature from faith to faith in every one that beleives and not by works of the Law which the creatures see in the letter and sets themselves a doing who are carnall and sold under sin not quickened by the Spirit of righteousnesse for the letter of the Law gives the knowledge of sinne but the Law in the Spirit gives not only the knowledge of sin he knowledg of God and his righteousnesse in Christ Jesus for fulfilling the Law which is life eternall according to his promise I will write my Law in your hearts and put it in your inward parts and you shall all know me from the greatest to the least so the letter kills but the Spirit giveth life So all you who read the commands in the letter without from thence you may fetch your own Condemnation but from thence can you not fetch power for obedience to justification of life From within is the Life in Spirit and not in the letter And here is change of the Law to that which is Spirituall the Preisthood Spirituall The Temple Spiritual The Altar the Circumcision the offering the blood the Oracle the Anointing the washings and the whole worship which was without and could make nothing perfect is become Spirituall and within which is the better hope being more pure then that without could be and so more perfect even as he is perfect Now the Law was added because of transgression till the promised seed should come of whom it is prophesied in types and figures which seed is Christ the end of the Law to every one that believes without respect of persons and so it is in the spirit A Law hath God written in the heart whereby the transgressor is condemned in his own Conscience and this Law is upon the first Man who is the Transgressor and hath power over that man as long as he lives Judging reproving and condemning And prophesying of one that is to come to fulfill the Law in every one who minds the light And so is as a Scool-master to bring to Christ And till he come to fulfill it who is the end of it there is Condemnation upon the Creature because the pure Law of God is broken And this is testified by the light in the conscience a witnesse against the first Man and his deeds which is contrary to the perfect Law of God And so by that which perfect is he condemned who is imperfect where the Image of God is lost and the seed lyes in death because of trespasses and sins For God did not give a Law to condemne his own work but the work of the Devil And where the transgressor is there is the work of the Devil And the law hath power over that man as long as the transgressor lives