their power oppose and persecute this is a Ministry of darkness There is a Ministry also that teacheth Christ onely as an Allegory or figure of things to be done in us the cross and bloud without onely typing and signifying the cross and bloud and spirit within us Moses John and Christ with their several Ministries being onely as transient forms figures and examples of another and more spiritual Ministry within that onely makes perfect this doctrine indeed has a glory with the natural man or him that is led by the principles of Law or heightened Reason but has no glory with afflicted ones who are under workings of wrath and spoiled of all let the Masters of such doctrines with all their disciples know the Law was an Allegory or shadow of good things in Christ had nothing in it self but signified all in another and referred us over to him this was but the weakness and emptiness of the Law it was but an Allegory So they that preach the Person of Christ and Redemption in him to be onely an Allegory of things in us such set not forth Christ in glory but weakness this is the emptiness of Christ that he was but a figure having done nothing for us in himself but onely pointing us to another the Spirit to work Redemption in us this is a Ministry of darkness but under a form of Light Which sets forth Christ in most light let it be judged he that sayes Christ has already by himself done away the ministration of condemnation and death which was as a cloud of darkness spread over us as a thick vail before us that we could not come unto God and in the place thereof hath brought forth a ministration of righteousness and life whereby a way is opened into the holiest into the light and glory of God that saith Sing oh heavens for the Lord hath done it shout ye lower parts of the earth break forth into singing ye mountains oh forrest and every tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and glorified himself in Israel all things that were against us are overcome on his cross and descended into his deep grave for ever nothing remains but that you receive this Saviour as having done all things for you as working all things in you or he that saith Christ came once into the world a Teacher of Perfection and a living Example therein but is now come in us setting up a Law of condemnation and death wherein if we abide and bear the indignation of God and punishment of sins in his Spirit and after his example through these sufferings as by the bloud of the Cross shall the Attonement and redemption be made and perfected if we be perfect in obedience and that we are not to beleive any such thing that the bloud of Christ without takes away sins sin is not taken away nor redemption made till the same obedience and sufferings be fulfilled in us as in him this doctrine because pointing to the bloud the Cross the Redeemer within may by shaken and darkened hearts be called a doctrine of light but indeed it bringeth back the shadows and terrors of the Law again remembrance of sin suffering sacrifice wrath and so far from being a Light that it shuts up the light grace and glory of God that he cannot be seen any other wayes than through a vail far thicker than that of Moses Christ as appearing above all mountains as Head over all Principalities and Powers to his Church so he is a Light as by the brightness of his glory he has vanquished that darkness and death brought in by sin so he is a light as he has in himself the second Adam destroyed all that which came in by the first Adam so he is a light he that brings not this doctrine makes Christ no more a Light but either a figure and example without or at the best a Law-giver a Moses and an Exact or within Their Purity and Power examined what it is THere is a Purity that is so with men but not before God Reason saith Man's nature is defiled by sin and must be washed by our obedience disobedience to God was the defilement and by obedience and mortification we return to Purity but faith sayes Purity before God is the conscience purged by the dead body of Christ and the heart purified by the Spirit of faith beleiving the same who are most for spiritual Purity they that beleive sin already done away in him that came by bloud water and spirit and by union with him are therein washed and made clean every whit or they who contend sin not yet done away take away our righteousness in the Head so pure and perfect and affirm our righteousness to be but in part till perfection in obedience if bodily exercise or purifying the flesh may be called purity divers Monks and Jesuites especially of old may claim a name herein who yet knew little of Purity by the righteousness of God when almes bodily chastisements retirement into holy houses and going on pilgrimage was beleived as the way to be perfect no wonder if this Religion abounded so where this Principle is received in power that obedience to the light within and all the several acts of that obedience till come unto perfection are the onely Redemption and way to be perfect to see zeal and exactness labours and sufferings denying the pleasures fashions and customs of the world in such t is not to be wondered at to purifie the earthly members by the spirit is good while the inward Man abides as in a more excellent way purified in the Head but to purifie the members as reckoning it our redemption our righteousness all such Purity is sin blindness and Idolatry Lastly as to their Power the Law is mighty to kill because of sin weak to save because of the flesh he that takes out of our sight our righteousness as in heaven in the Lord already prepared brings us back into weakness and bondage again and leaves us without light or strength to withstand in the hour of temptation that may come either by spirits from without or our flesh from within that doctrine that declares our liberty victory triumph to be already in being in Christ the Head that shews us a life given unto us above all spiritual actings exercises and comforts felt in our selves a life liberty and perfection hid in Christ this doctrine brings power and a spirit of power Compleatness in the Head without Law or work being beleived and learned gives a spirit of judgement over all spirits and doctrines interest and kinds of life and a strength of righteousness which preserves from the evils of all whilst this Truth lay hid the Church was in bondage unto the elements of the world will-worship and monkish holiness having over-spread all instability and unfaithfulness to this Truth does at this day deliver up many unto principles and practises not according to Christ thus where righteousness in the Head
God for to that there is a more excellent price required which is neither the righteousness of man nor yet of the Law here we must have Christ how not by works but by faith therefore as there is a great difference between Christ blessing or redeeming and Christ working or giving example wherefore we must seperate the believing and the working Abraham as far asunder as there is distance betwixt heaven and earth Abraham believing in Christ is altogether a divine person the child of God inheritour of the world conqueror of sin death the world and the Divel therefore he cannot be praised and magnified enough let us not suffer this faithful Abraham to lye hid in his grave as he is hid from the Jews but let us highly extol and magnify him and let us fill both heaven and earth with his name so that in respect of the faithful Abraham we see nothing at all in the working Abraham for when we speak of this faithful Abraham we are in heaven but afterwards doing those things which the working Abraham did which were carnal and earthly and not divine and heavenly but as they were given unto him of God we are among men in earth the believing Abraham filleth both heaven and earth so every Christian through his faith filleth both heaven and earth so that besides it he ought to behold nothing Thus far his words Good works or the works of God in us are in comparison of the righteousness in Christ but carnal like as Abraham's good works a thing worthy of note are but accounted flesh in comparison of the righteousness of Christ Rom. 4.1 2. Concerning Election and Reprobation He saith that the light in every man which reproves of sin is Christ and is the election elect seed the mercy of God placed in all men that this light being believed and followed till by it a man be changed and purged from the oldness and lusts of flesh to the newness of the spirit then he comes to the election or to be selected Truth saith that in every man which reproves of sin is not Christ but the Law by the Law is the knowledge of sin that Christ the Elect and beloved of God is he in whom the purposes promises counsels and all the works of God were laid up and known unto God from before the world began Christ was from the beginning the common seed or Father in whose loines God in his foreknowledge beheld and in his love choose a seed or ofspring whom he would beget of his own will by his spirit God that separated the Jews from all other Nations only because he loved them that said of the children of Isaac being not yet born Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated that called them his beloved which were not beloved that separated Paul a persecuter from his mothers womb that hath mercy on whom he will have mercy the same God hath foreknown and chosen and loved a people in Christ the beloved who though for the present as concerning the Gospel they be enemies through wicked works yet as touching the election they are beloved for Christ's sake you have not chosen me but I have chosen you If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me Christ drawed up all his own in his body into himself in love this love shed forth into our hearts draws us up in love into him again thus we love him because he loved us first the father gave a people to the Son from everlasting and saw and loved them in him before the world was the Son came forth to manifest and make way for this love through his righteousness down unto men the spirit reveals that love and by Christ leads us unto the father thus redemption and sanctification are both fruits of that love and election that was given us in Christ before the world began by receiving Christ the Image of the father I come indeed to know his love and election but he both loved elected and redeemed me in Christ the head before I was Wherefore they that deny election and redemption until the creatures obedience to the light within do measure the thoughts and waies of the unsearchable goodness of God with the low and narrow thoughts and waies of man being zealous indeed for the righteousness of God according to the Law but darkning and denying the glorious righteousnes of God as in Christ Jesus Concerning the New birth He saith that by abiding in the seed or light within every man thereby the old man is put off with his deeds that they who are guided by this light called by him the eternal spirit do follow God as he goes out of one form into another all others stay therein after God is gone as seeing but the outside or form only that they who joyned to the light within that reproves of sin to be led by it are and ever were hated and persecuted of all others His silence throughout of that more excellent and truly misterious way of crucifying the body of sin in the person of Christ whose body and blood is by him made as no more but figuers of the body and blood within that is the light within all men this doth sufficiently manifest his mind and principle and the end whether it leads unto mount Sinai to press through unto God by an attonement and mediation to be made in our bodies that is obedience to the light within The new creature is not a Jew one seeking righteousness by the Law either in the letter or conscience nor a Gentile one thinking to know comprehend and worship God by the light or wiâ—edom of the natural man but a man in Christ dead buried and risen with him into heavenly places above the world sin and death by faith alone without work that is before these things be manifest or wrought in his members also he is one in whom Christ dwels by faith so made partaker of the divine Nature that spirit which the world sees not hath not nor by any light they have can find it out the world's light is a candle from the Lord saying do this and live the spirit of the new creature is the Lord himself saying I have done it only believe and live According to the mysterie of faith the new man is in heart and spirit gone out of all the world and is in heaven perfectly justified redeemed and saved but in a way above sense and feelings yet seen by faith according to present manifestation he hath the spirit of Christ whereby he sees knows and enjoys in part those perfect things in Christ till they be fully revealed if any man boasts of the first that he is redeemed by Christ and hath not the other that he lives in some measure after the spirit that man's boasting is in vain likewise if any man glories of the spirit that he walks in the spirit in mortifyings of the flesh neglect of the body reproaches necessities
that beleive and 〈◊〉 them perfect and without spot to God in it self without and before any work or good done whatsoever let this righteousness shine forth â—…ongst us and our eyes shall be kept seeing our judgement sound 〈◊〉 either philosophy of men nor perfection of Angell shall spoil us neither iniquity in the Letter not in the Mystery shall beguile us but where this Righteousness is denied or out of sight there darkness had covered the mind there spiritual wickedness will be taken for Gospel-mysteries What is Idolatry God may be known three manner of wayes AMong the works of the flesh Gal. 5.20 Idolatry is one the knowledge and worship of God according to the Law according to Philosophy and not after Christ this is Idolatry until Christ be formed in thee not as a Law-giver but as a meer Saviour not onely as putting away sin and perfecting righteousness in thee but as having already put it away and perfected thee in himself thou art in Idolatry Hebr. 9 26. and 10.14 That of God which is manifest in all men presents God according to one form in his eternal Power and Godhead Moses presents God in another form in his back parts as a Law-giver and a Judge Christ presents his face to us Glory in the Highest Peace on Earth good will towards men all these prepared already Hence may be observed That God may be Known three wayes first to that in every man by the things that are made this may discover to men the invisible things of him his eternal Power and Glory but not his good pleasure or purpose of Grace this may raise up to high imaginations of the divinity as over all through all and in all to a glorious shew and height of seeming holiness and perfection but knows nothing of the Mystery hid in God redemption by Christ nor can lead any into it unto these Christ crucified is foolishness 2. God may be known by the Law from Mount Sinai but this fight is so terrible that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake this knowledge exerciseth the body purifies the flesh compels unto works but opens not the way into the Holiest the heavenly righteousness hid with Christ in God unto these Christ crucified is a stumbling block 3. God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ without a vail as in a glass there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. the invisible inaccessible God comes down in the Man Jesus and appears in him as upon a Mercy-seat unto him let all men look that would see the Father the crucifying of his flesh was the renting of the vail that Grace and Glory before hid in God might now shine forth in him so Jesus Christ alone in his Person is the face and Image of God wherein he may and will be seen If any man though an Angel from Heaven shall not point you unto a crucified and glorified Jesus for fight and access to God know this that he leads you out from the New and Living way unto the old and deadly Gate where the flaming Sword turns every way that no flesh can enter in and live Gen. 3.24 Curious speculations of the divine Majesty without Christ Jesus are the proper work of Reason and the highest divinity of Philosophers Jesuites and Justitiaries if thou thinkest to approach the divinity hâ—s Light and holiness excluding the Mediator thou shalt be confounded of his Glory Let J. Naylor and his followers with fear and trembling hear and consider Who hold not the Head and how Christ is Head DOctrines and Spirits are spoken of fair in shew high and perfect which yet hold not the Head Col. 2. what are the doctrines and what is the Head the Doctrines are first of men such are they who come in the words and wisdom of Man their Doctrine a leaven of the Pharisees that is a compound of humane wit and learning Law and Gospel letter Jesus Christ having onely a Name among them himself being not beleived nor known by them neither in his crucified body nor quickening Spirit these being of a lower and common nature are received by the greater part of men Secondly there is a doctrine of Devils of Sathan transformed into Angels of light such preach a Jesus Gospel and Spirit but not the true speak great things abstaining from meats from marriages neglecting of the body as things base sensual imagine intrude into things in shew more excellent things not seen purity perfection life of Angels but the true perfection and life which is in Christ alone they deny and set up another in work that which is prepared and finished already in one the body of the Man Christ they destroy and teach another to be wrought or done again in many by Angel or Spirit in the bodies of all the Saints these are they who worship Angels who hold not the Head their doctrine by how much in shew more spiritual by so much does it spoil and bewitch the minds of men above all other What then is the Head The Head over all things the Head of the Church is Christ of this 〈…〉 understanding First according to his Godhead onely that God is Head over all things to be feared and worshipped of all men thus Jews Turks Pagans and all men do know and profess this is that which may be known of God by all men and is manifest in them the enlightening upon every one that comes into the world Secondly according to the whole Person God and Man in one as such he received power to become Head over all things to his Church against him drove two great and dreadful enemies the hand-writing of Ordinances charging our sins and Curse upon him and Principalities and Powers with their spiritual wickednesses to have swallowed him up against both these he prevailed blotting out the one having nailed it to his Cross and spoiled the other making a shew of them openly and triumphing over them in it and thus he was declared Head over all things which is to be rightly understood not onely as he is in the form of God equal with God able to subdue all things in us to himself for this is true of him had he never been manifest in flesh at all and is known and professed by all Nations though they beleive not or know nothing of Christ come in the flesh as Jews and Pagan but he is Head according to his whole Person Emmanuel God and Man in Union in that not often and in every generation and in many bodies but in one body by one offering once and for ever he hath not in our Persons but in himself already subdued for us all things whatsoever are named in heaven on earth or in the deeps the Law sin and death with all their might dominion and power Hence are these sayings faithful and true and if any Man or Angel preach another Doctrine beleive him not That Jesus Christ the brightness
of the Fathers glory has already by himself without us and before any good wrought in us finished transgression made an end of sin abolished condemnation and death and that not by Spirit onely but by spirit water and bloud That though in the Kingdom of the Law of Reason and sense that is in the flesh sin condemnation and death are seen and felt yet in the Kingdom of Grace and Faith that is in Christ they are vanquished and appear no more That a beleiver while enclosed and shut up in a body of sin and death fightings and fears within and without as he is in flesh is at the same time raised up into the heavenly righteousness immortality and freedom above all sin or shadow of evil as he is in Christ the Head as redeemed in Spirit a Christian is in heaven in rest in victory and perfection as not yet redeemed in the body he is on earth in labours infirmities and imperfection These blessed sayings whosoever holds fast in faith and love will be in him as a lamp leading him through the thick vail of Legality the vain speculations of Philosophy the mysterious depths of Anti-christ and will be to him a Light to discern the Doctrine Spirit Ministry and Church of Christ from them that say they are so and seem to be so but are not but are of the Synagogue of Sathan Ye are compleat in him Upon this truth has the Church of Christ been built as upon a rock higher than all the flouds and storms that have gathered against her during the long Night of Anti-christian darkness as this Truth shined forth literal and mystical Idolatry in England France and Germany as shadows of the Night fled away On the other hand this Truth dying and decreasing out of the Churches of Galatia Colosse c. prepared the way of the Man of Sin into them and to this day hath exalted him over all Nations when the knowledge of Christ as Head shall more encrease and the Church grow up more into him who is Head Anti-christ in his highest forms his deepest speech his fairest shews worshipped and wondered at by the unbeleiving and unstable world of Professors shall be revealed and consumed Three cheifest Principles of this people called Quakers examined and weighed COncerning this people passing by their language postures and all other respects as to Person or Circumstance the tryal and knowledge of theirs or any other Spirit may more certainly be had from the substance and ground of their doctrine and faith the sum and scope whereof as to me it appears may be fully and faithfully gathered up in these three following principles 1. That the Light which enlightens every man accusing of sin is Christ and God the Pure and Perfect the Eternal and Just One and so the Redeemer and Saviour and the All to be known and beleived not as do others in word letter or person without but as within redeeming reconciling and making attonement not without in another but within in our selves out of which Light man departing was lost in darkness and the fall into which Light returning again he is restored and redeemed as at the beginning 2. That this Light as condemning of sin and death and restoring out of it into Righteousness and Life this is the bloud and death of the Cross the resurrection and second coming of the Son of God and that Obedience without mixture unto this Light working all our works in us this is our Redemption Justification Mortification and Sanctification so much obedience so much redeemed thus the Law and Gospel Faith and Obedience Death Resurrection Redemption Justification and Sanctification are not things distinct but one and the same within us 3. That the way to come to all this and to Christ and the Father is the Light in every man condemning of sin the sure word of prophesie wherein we must wait within and not as others go out unto a Christ without a letter without Christ and the Scriptures onely delivering their own experiences and conditions not as a Rule or word of faith to others and giving their Testimony onely to the Light within not to any Person Redemption or operation without also his and their Ministration in work words or letter without being onely the literal Covenant that makes nothing perfect This is the justest description and my truest understanding I can give of their faith and principles their other doctrine are but conclusions proceeding from these Three Principles of Truth are perverted and denied by these three principles of theirs the Person of Christ as the Object of Faith the Scriptures as the Rule of Faith and Faith it self as the evidence of things not seen of each of these a word whereby both Truth and Errour may appear Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God the Word the promise the Life yet fore ordained in the end of the world to be manifest in flesh to put away sin therein by the sacrifice of himself Unto him that is Christ as to come in the flesh the two great witnesses under the old Testament the Law and the Prophets did testifie and point as the true Promise and Sacrifice the Law having a shadow of things seen afarre of not then received of good things to come not present and done of Jesus the High-Priest to minister in flesh and therein to offer himself the one the perfect the eternal Sacrifice once and for ever no more to be offered from thenceforth in any age or generation In the fulness of time the Word was made flesh and being greater than Moses the Prophets or John he gathered up their several ministrations and finished them in himself the fulness of the Godhead in him as a Sea of righteousness life and blessing abolishing and overwhelming the sin condemnation and curse of the world as the less is overcome of the greater And hereunto when he ascended on high he gave gifts unto men whom he ordained as Apostles and Witnesses to the world that the Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the world began which was shadowed by the Law and foretold by the Prophets was now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished sin and death in his crucified body and hath brought forth immortality and life in himself in spirit Thus the Mystery of Grace and truth lay hid in the divinity but came forth and was acted in the humanity neither is the divinity without the humanity nor the humanity without the divinity but both one in Christ thus the crucified and glorified Person of Christ is the express Image of God the alone object of faith the way whereby God came down in salvation unto men and by which we ascend and have access unto God thus Redemption and Righteousness is gloriously wrought without us in the person of Christ to point to any Person or Spirit within for the working Redemption over again other than to him that descended and ascended
defaced or any other wayes painted out unto thee when the hour of temptation or trouble cometh thou shalt soon be overthrown By the Spirit of this world Christ is set forth under another resemblance by some more according to the Godhead as the Word the Light the Truth the Spirit by others according to the humanity as a man holy spotless separate from sinners and by both as a living example unto the world of perfect obedience to the law of the Spirit and the life of God this sets forth Christ indeed as a divine Person and so has a Truth but presents him onely as giving a Law and working it in us and so denies and blots out the Glory of his Grace as being the end of the Law this is the divinity of Sophisters and Justitiaries and all that they know or can teach of Christ let such Teachers know who cry up the Spirit to cry down the bloud who teach him as an Example and cast out the Attonement let all such know while they vaunt of sublime divinity and mysterious truth they do but set Christ in Moses chair as Law-giver and Judge but the great love in him as propitiation for sins they know nothing of the highest Religion of natural Reason is to pierce far into notions of God and to set him before it as a pattern to obey but faith onely sees the deep secret of Grace laid up in a crucified Christ he that would behold the glory of God and would be set up in those heavenly places let him lay down his Reason how heightened soever and begin in the simplicity of faith at the crucified body of Christ in whom he shall see himself dead and buried and raised up also together with him not by any work or obedience to Christ within but by the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Christ from the dead Hence these things follow 1. That the Light within or of the natural man with the work of Reason together is that spirit of this world which hath formed this false resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker and Pattern as upon the Cross an Attonement to Justice the victory of sin curse and the grave and the Head over all which is the true likeness or image of him terrible to others but the joy of his own so he is not known to the Light within If a man should be born into the world and in the space of one hour should grow up to the perfection of a man to the fulness of Light and Reason propound unto him these doctrines whether he will chuse that Christ has already by himself purged away his sins and sanctified him for ever before any good work wrought in him or that not Christ without but the Light within him is the Christ which through obedience thereto purges away sin in him and redeems him that way the first would seem foolishness and a contradiction to his Light the last would be received as the more reasonable and excellent way 2. That this false conception or resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker is an Idol and the root of idolatrous Religions doctrines of Circumcision added to Christ by the false Apostles of charity humility and bodily chastisements by the Church of Rome preparatives before faith by the Teachers of the Law and obedience to the Light within as the way of Redemption by the people called Quakers all these though divers as to Parties and Notions yet are one in the root and foundation of their faith all looking upon Christ according to the Law as perfecting out in part or in whole Redemption by work within them Conceptions of Christ how divine soever if not as crucified for our offences and raised up again for our justification are but Idols set up of a more spiritual nature as the Gods of Gold and Silver Lastly That they who affirm the Light in every man that condemns of sin to be Christ the Redeemer have set up an Idol for Christ they are gone back from that Christ that came not to judge but to save the world that speaks not condemnation but meer joy and sweetness to the weary and weak and have set up another Jesus and another Gospel neither of which nor the worshippers thereof shall be able to stand when the true Jesus shall appear this is the other errour as to the Light within Two things charged upon us by this people first that we deny the Light within and set it against Christ weighed and removed THis blessed doctrine of Grace Christ bearing away sins as in his crucified body and justifying the ungodly as in himself is by the words and writings of this people often and principally charged of two things 1. As denying the Light within and setting it against Christ 2. As teaching Christ at a distance and onely without A word to both may not be unseasonable While the Light within condemns of sin to beleive by Christ I am justified from sin is not this to make the light within against Christ no no more than the Law is against the Promise the Light in the Conscience and the Law of Commandements for substance are one their power one their kingdom one that is the flesh or first Adam Jesus Christ came forth one greater than the Law greater than our Conscience against him arose the Law of commandments the Law in the conscience sin in the flesh death and the curse all great and mighty Lords who had devoured the earth sparing no flesh neither Kings Princes nor People whom he having vanquished and triumphed openly over them he took the Law out of the tables the work of the Law out of the heart and sin out of the flesh as the Conquerour takes the conquered Kings out of the Throne of their Kingdoms and nailed them to his Cross according to the flesh he was as it were given for a prey to the fowls of Heaven and the beasts on Earth principalities on high and the miseries of the flesh according to the Spirit of glory and power he redeemed the prey brought back the spoil raised up his flesh and therein his body mystical and gathered together all things that were against him that are against us buried them in his grave and therein shut them up for ever Hence then a beleiver is divided into twain and accordingly lives in two Kingdoms according to his faith he is a man in Christ raised in him and set up in him above the law of his flesh of conscience or sin above the whole world with all things therein into the glorious liberty and blessedness of Jesus Christ as thus he is to be known no more after the flesh but as having put it off in union with Christ according to reason and sense he is a man in the flesh subject to the Law to infirmity and death the life of his spiritual man being many times hid from the sense of his natural as the Life of Christ in the Godhead
born our griefs carried our sorrows for he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisements of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed This sets forth Christ to be the kind Samaritane the neighbour nighest unto us the other makes him unmerciful going afar off not tarrying with us What is the inward Life and who is the retired Christian THis gives occasion among other matters to cast in a word conconcerning the inward life or retired Christian as all other spiritual things so this has its truth and its counterfeit by mistake whereof of one for the other the faith may be perverted and our minds soon shaken Separation from the world the company of men and affairs of this life in stilness and silence searching into the knowledge of mysteries the divine being and things of the inward world was the Religion of some Jesuites School-men and others that superstition in the Conscience and fancy in the Head was all in this may appear by their writings which are filled either with perplexities of wit natural speculations of God or rules of Legality leading men unto God by a perfection of obedience Christ crucified as the way into the Holiest being not known unto them these had but a shew of the inward life for they entered not by faith within the vail Retirement from the Scriptures and administrations without from Religions and Assemblies from all order and form professed and practised by whomsoever unto the Light within and to it alone to attend as to the onely Scripture the voyce of God and light of men without respect to person or work Redeemer or Redemption without this is the Religion of the people called Quakers they who by the Light within peirced into invisible things the eternal Power and Godhead had but the wisdom of this world Rom. 1.20 1 Corinth 1.20 and were of the world under sin as all other again they who excelled in shews of humility wisdom and all outward holiness as to the exercise of the body and neglecting the same yet their Religion was no more than the Rudiments of this world and perishing Ordinances Col 2. I must say the same of this people and their Religion to be both of this world until they give faith or acknowledgement to the flesh or dead body of Christ to be the onely way into the inward life or within the vail which whilst they deny instead of bringing into Heaven into the peace of God and rest from their labours they shut up the Kingdom and keep men on earth to perform sacrifices and obedience in flesh for their attonement these have a pretence to the inward life but are not entered through the vail of his flesh by faith into the Holiest He that by faith goes out of all things in himself whether perfections of Reason or the Light in the Conscience into Jesus Christ crucified and in him beleives all things of Law or Nature with the works of both to be passed away and himself crucified and washed and perfected for ever and not considering his body now dead nor yet the deadness of all things as to any good in his flesh but shutting his eye and ear from all things of sense and reason in the world or his flesh cleaves onely by faith to the dead body of Christ and therewith mounts up into the spirit of his mind into Christ Jesus alone as his own victory righteousness and life this man is he that enters into Rest into the inward life he is truly separate from all the Religions of the world and yet exercises a Religion in the world he is free from all men and yet a servant unto all his life is in the Head while decayes and deaths in his flesh and of him is that true he is as unknown and yet well known This is the retired Christian that most truly lives and rejoyces in things not seen to sense nor reason nor the light in the natural man he has the clearest surest and sweetest beams of Christ leading him not into Pharisaical austerity nor wanton libertinisme but into a spirit of holiness quietness and stilness in the Lord yet so as that according to grace received he desires to become all things to all men Theâ—e is a generation who have the form of faith and knowledge of the words and profession of Christ but have not the faith whereby they are dead in Christ and he lives in them it sufficeth them to know Christ dyed for sins which faith is common to all men but the mystery of faith they have not that is union with him in it or that they are buried with him into death in the flesh and raised up with him into life in the spirit they behold Christ as without to be the end of the law of sin and death the fulness and fulfilling of all things in himself wherein they do well and tast some joy therein but they receive him not by faith into themselves my root and foundation is this what Christ is and has done without me in himself but the way to partake of the benefit of it is my union with him these do confess to the truth of the first but are not joyned to it by union with it and so fail in the last Christ indeed is by these honoured onely as without while in his Spirit and Grace he is by lust crucified within from such do ye turn away Another generation there is not beleiving the end of sin in the death of Christ nor themselves perfected onely in the Head look for a Redemption not that already in being in Jesus Christ but to be wrought out by him in their own persons that is after the example of Christ turning away from all things inwardly and outwardly every thought desire pleasure or affection and every creature till they come to the Light and Being of God and become so passive and in all things subject thereto that God may do all things in them A cheif Master of this way speaks plainly thus Though God should assume all men that are unto himself and should become Man in them and they in him should become God and the same should not be done in me my fall should never be recovered nor yet my sin done away except the same were also done in me These are the words of a Germain Priest written as is said above two hundred and fifty years ago this doctrine as it carries upon it the notion of God or the divine Nature doing all in us has a shew of glory but as it denies that God has done all things for us in Christ so it has no glory but rather spreads again the vail which Christ rent in his bloud that the riches and glory of grace may not appear if any of the fiery darts of hell have ever been shot against the saith whereby I stand and if by any of them I have ever been near to staggering this doctrine was one if Scriptures
and a crucified Jesus may stand for a little aside among all the doctrines either named or professed this day among men for shews of light spirituality and holiness I know none to be compared with this yet if I much mistake not the glorious and eternal efficacy victory and triumph of the Son of God upon the Cross over the whole world and all things against us is by none so much obscured and debased as by this of which I think it meet at best in this place to say onely this that if the sins transgressions and evils of mankind were so great before God that all the wood of Lebanon all the Rams of Nebaioth ten thousand rivers of oyle and the first born of our body were not sufficient to offer for the sin of our soul that the bloud of Jesus and in him the eternal wisdom and righteousness of God was found onely among all things in heaven and earth to be sufficient to take away the same then let all high thoughts come down whereby any do or shall exalt themselves into an equal capacity with Christ Jesus of drinking that cup and being baptised with that baptisme in the measure and manner as he did in hope to make that attonement for their own sins which onely could be made once by Christ never to be renewed more wherefore coming to God through the bloud of Jesus beholding the glory of God in the safe of Christ and communion with God in the Spirit of Christ this is the true inward Life but he that enters in any other way may break through unto the Lord and gaze but he shall perish A twofold departure from the faith in the last dayes what the first is NOw the things hitherto spoken off give occasion to admonish you of a twofold departure that should come to pass in the last dayes the one of men holding the form of godliness but denying the power thereof 2 Tim 3 the other of men denying the form of godliness or of the words of faith and good doctrine but pretending to the power thereof 1 Tim. 4.1 2 6. seducing spirits worldly interests mingling themselves with the Gospel and Church of Christ have in every Age since the Apostles fell asleep been as the two Armes of the God of this world with the one he has defaced and vailed the image and glory of Christ in Gospel-truths with the other he has quenched the love of Christ and the power of godliness in the hearts of men The one of these defections is to be seen at this day in this our Nation in degrees of wickedness beyond what has happened in former generations namely in the Army their Leader and Commanders their Court and Clergy with all their stupified admirers and servants who have sometimes been as the sword of the Lord as the Chariot of fire wherein our Lord Jesus has ridden forth against the interests of usurpation and tyranny and against his and his peoples enemies in this Nation this was their ministry the eyes of their understandings enlightened with beams from the face of Christ their hearts as burning coals consuming them with zeal to Christ their hands stretched up towards heaven to receive him coming their feet with wings setting them up upon the Head of all worldly and lower interests to prepare the way of the Lord this was their spirit and posture against the whole kingdom of Anti-christ both in its forms and powers either in the civil or spiritual state went forth their prayers professions and undertakings the sound whereof went abroad almost through all the earth from off them is this Spirit of glory and vertue departed and in the place thereof it entered another spirit feirce ruling the people by laws and weapons of warre instead of pure spiritual righteousness and meekness without natural affection peircing the hearts with unkindness and the sides with sufferings of them who have been as a Mother that bore and nourished them with their own bloud life and spirit all the dayes of their youth while they were little in their own and despised in the worlds eyes blasphemers thinking speaking and measuring evil to that spirit of faith light and expectation in others which they had tasted and testified of formerly in themselves traytors betraying that Right and liberty the price of much precious bloud the succouring and defence whereof was committed to their trust unto the will and pleasure of unlimited Monarchy heady proud high minded imposing laws constitutions powers forming transforming all things in the spiritual and civil interests in a way of superiority and mastership above and apart from others without taking in the hopeful assistances of more light by the conjunction of the counsels hearts and hands of their sometimes dear brethren unto themselves as if the Spirit of the Lord came forth onely from them or came onely into them incontinent not behaving themselves towards the wife of their youth the new Jerusalem to which they are joyned as one flesh and one spirit but have poured out themselves upon every one that passeth by unholy and prophane defiling their holy things the appearances and gifts of Christ the buddings beginnings and earnests of a more excellent way both in Church and State by mingling them with a strange seed the dark and fleshly principles policies and administrations of worldly Reason and Prudence despisers of those that are good casting contempt upon those Principles and Persons which were a cheering and strengthening to them in the day of their streights refusing the one as not squaring to their greatness and imprisoning or shaking hands with the other as too sullen or noble to be vassals thereto Lastly lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God careless Daughters at ease in Zion who are gone up to their fathers bed and have bestowed the ornaments the Lord put upon them for the dressing up the old Harlot again which though themselves had been teaching before yet fell in love with her after above measure to wit greatness and glory in the flesh while Christ stands without door as crucified and forgotten so that they having lost their savour from them hath proceeded sourness upon the spirits and filthiness upon the actions of many others who had a savour before their fall being not alone but thereat as it were the heavens were removed and the starrs therein darkened Righteousness and Truth being as the Heavens over our Land and many excellent spirits as lights and starrs to men are also darkened and fallen together with them this first departure is a sorrow but the other adds thereto Second departure from the Faith what it is NOt many years since Jesus Christ began to shine forth in clearer principles and doctrines of light and grace justification and faith whereby the darkness and bondage of the Law with the Teachers thereof passed away and liberty and peace in him brake forth severe descriptions preachings of Christ as a Law-giver Judge which were as the vail upon
of fear zeal and activity for God in the Contemplations of him as a pure and holy God but 't is a far other principle that is Christ crucified for us and the faith of him that leads unto that spirit of peace power and joy in the beholding of God as our father in him so then that spirit that shews the commandment and leads to the services thereof to be redeemed thereby is a spirit which all men may attain unto but that spirit that reveals the things freely given of God without Law or service is that spirit that is not given unto all nor eye nor ear nor heart of man can see or find this out he only descends and blows where he lifts neither being received can he be retained any longer then he pleaseth no more then we can restrain the breath in our nostrils that spirit exerciseth the servants thereof with labour and hard bondage and then kills them as preferring the commandment of the Old before the blood of the New and everlasting Testament this makes his Children free and saves for ever as rejoycing in the Head and having no confidence in the flesh or the works done therein That the pattern of true worship is Jesus Christ as the Oracle speaking from Heaven and the Gospel as the Preacher on earth the one being the substance of Heavenly things themselves the other but the Copy that doctrine or spirit whatsoever it may seem that calls you to the light in every man and to that alone as the only pattern of faith and worship doth but build up a worship upon the same foundations with the worships of the world that is righteousness by the Law and serves to no other end then to blot out the true attonement the blood and water that fountain of healing in the Person of Christ with the very name and remembrance thereof to bring forth instead thereof another attonement to be made in our persons which in true sense is no other but the righteousness of the Law Concerning Error Heresie c. He saith that the light within every man is that Spirit of truth which judgeth all deceit but can be deceived by none that to divide or go out from this Spirit or light is errour and the mother of all false worship and Religions It has been before proved that the light within all men is the candle of the Lord in every naturall man revealing the law and the offences against that law but the Spirit that reveales the gift of grace by one man Jesus Christ the naturall man neither knows nor can receive There are three that bear record in heaven and they are one there are three that bear witness on earth and they agree in one God sending forth his Son in our flesh for a propitiation for sins this is the witness of the Father as the fountain of grace and truth Christ comming forth as the Image and brightnesse of the Father purging away our sins by himself and returning to God this is the witness of the Son as the fulness of grace and truth the spirit of Christ coming into our hearts revealing the righteousness of Christ and the life of Christ in us this is the witness of the Spirit Now among these witnesses there is such an Unity that he that denies one denies all the witnesses are one and their testimony one yet each in their order the Father spoke and appeared and bowed himself to sinners but so as in the Mediator the man Christ the Son redeemed sinners but so as he did in his own body not in ours the spirit comes unto such but so as he leads them into the Light and fulness of Christ not the light in every man to divide from any of these or to set one against another is Error Jews and Turks believe in God but not as in the Son they divide from the Son and so have not the Father the litteral and carnal Professors after a sort believe in God as in the Mediator but deny his spirit in their hearts these divide from the spirit and so have neither the Son nor the Father this people believe in God as by the Light within men redeeming from sin but not as in the Man Jesus having done it already and so deny the witness of the Son and have neither Son nor Father Christ is the band of unity between God and men in him Mercy and Truth righteousness and peace do kiss each other in him God and sinners are met together reconciled and at unity in him God comes down to sinners by him we come unto God in him the blessed Divinity and the seed of Abraham that is the humane nature are in covenant in union the Covenant the union was made by the Cross by blood by the body of Christ this was the Sons witnesse take heed he that divides you from the Son and this his witnesse sets you at such a difference with the Majesty of God as no light nor spirit within you can attone or make up thus Error is not to divide from the Light within all men but from Christ the Head the fulness of all Truth in whom we only see and have the Father and Spirit and without whom all Religions are fleshly or mystical Idolatries Concerning Faith He saies the measure or light of God in every man is Gods righteousness perfection that turning into this righteousness and adiding therein is the receiving of the righteousness of Christ by faith that by waiting in the light within through faith and obedience thereto righteousness is wrought in and unrighteousness wrought out and so the creature is made free from sin not a word of the Faith in the person of Christ or the operation of God in him for us The scope of their Doctrine herein and in all the height and depth of it seems plainly this that a measure of the eternal Divinity is in every man by turning whereinto out of all sayings writings persons operations Scriptures or Christ without the same doth through obedience thereto destroy and purge away sins out of us and so redeems and reconciles unto God The precious faith saies that the eternal word manifest in flesh being the substantial fulness of the Divine life and righteousness and having thereby vanquished in his flesh and buried in his grave our sins and death with all powers visible or invisible that were against us this is he who is the pure perfect and acceptable righteousness of God That to look away from all the voices and condemnations of the Law without or conscience within from all things in our flesh and heart whither good or evil unto the person of Jesus Christ himself and to believe him to be our righteousness salvation and liberty as in the hidden mysterie of faith which to our sense or earthly members we are in infirmities buffetings and bondage this is to receive the righteousness of Christ by faith the faith of things not seen to sense and reason yet hid in
Christ in flesh and there in put an end both to the Law and the flesh thus we are delivered from the Law by the body of Christ and are joyned to one husband not to the Law and Christ but to Christ alone according to the inward man we dwell in the curtains of Solomon in the liberty and rest of Christ as in him while according to the flesh we are in the tents of Kedar tempted and dark and weak as in our selves thus in the dead body of Christ I am dead and buried unto the Law sin death and the whole world and raised in Christ and this is my redemption which neither the principles of reason nor morality nor Law nor light of conscience can discern and teach but the alone light of the glorious Gospel of Christ shining into the heart Wherefore there is a redemption that is according to reason and a redemption that is in a mystery to return to that light and purity by obedience from which we are fallen by disobedience this is redemption according to reason the Law the light within and the judgement of this people herein is no mystery for the wise men of the heathen wrote of it and pressed after it all Nations imagine such a redemption but that the fall should be amended and the creature restored not into the state of the first Adam but a greater and better the righteousnesse of God and all this without any vertue or work or service on our parts but by the alone operation of the blessed God-head in the man Jesus this is that mystery hid in God whereof the highest speculations the clearest light of that candle in the naturall man is utterly ignorant and unlearned otherwise it were not a mystery if any light whatsoever set up in man by his first creation could have found it out wherefore to live to the Law that thou mayst live to God is the redemption that reason and this people teach I through the Law am dead to the Law that I may live unto God is the Redemption that brings glory the other will end in death Concerning Justification Sanctification and Mortification He affirms that to walk in the spirit and not fulfil the lusts of the flesh or Christ fulfilling the Law in us or the spirit mortifying and sanctifying and so fulfilling the Law in us this is justification sanctification and mortification and these are one and so a man is justified as he is sanctified and mortified and no further Will you adventure your souls upon such a justification as this therein to appeare before God if it be not too late to tell you know that justification is a free gift already prepared and wrought for sinners in the person of him who is greater then Angels or men who being the fulnesse of all divine vertue and perfection did thereby as by an overflowing flood upon his Cross beare away our sinnes and death all the evils of this world and buried them in his grave for ever Angels though great and mighty in power could not save the Law being greater then they could not give life Christ came forth mightier then all gathered together in himself the enmity death and Law and all things that were against us nailed them to his Cross and took all out of the way gloriously in himself and so was that saying fulfilled his voice then shoak the earth He that believes this truly according to his faith so is it done unto him the Christian as believing is a man in Heaven in Christ sit down in rest liberty and perfection in Christ as working righteousness he is on earth groaning after rest liberty and perfection But can there be Rest and liberty where there is a groaning for it yea oh man as well as Paul could be present in spirit where he was absent in body whilst at home in the body we are absent from the Lord yet by faith we are present in the Lord things of nature are taken in by reason or sense reason hath knowledge and communion with things before the sense feeles or tastes them so the things of the spirit are taken in by faith or spiritual sense through faith the believer hath communion with spiritual things before they be in their power and fulnesse attained by sense and feeling the mystery of grace in Christ is not limited yet love of God and righteousnesse of Christ are not more or lesse for the Believer because the manifestations thereof in him are so the vail is rent sin finished all old things are passed away but by faith I understand it to be so as in Christ my head and therein am justified the manifestation thereof in my self I wait for and therein is my sanctification as in my members take away that justification in Christ for you and all sanctifications by obedience to the light within will profit you nothing Concerning the Law The things of note said by him are Law is the ministration of the letter without the Gospel or ministration of the spirit is the same Law but written in the heart of all men they that believe Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own person and what we do he makes it accepted with the father as though we did performe all that is required none such know his commands in spirit that righteousnesse by faith is when the Law is performed in us by workes in spirit righteousnesse by workes is when the Law is done by us without life and spirit that the offering and blood without could make nothing perfect that within being more pure and perfect and that the Law in the conscience is answered by the resurrection of Christ within Are the Law and Gospel the same aske the wounded spirit beset with the terrours of the Law of God who lie under the sharpest sense of the Law and can give the best account thereof whither redemption was finished in One the person of Christ alone or yet to be done in many the persons of all the redeemed let the Scripture with the spirit be your light and rule until the day declare The holy just and perfect will of God revealed to the world first by that in the conscience after upon Tables of stone reproving for sin and requiring righteousness by obedience whether to the Letter without or Light within this is the ministration of death mighty to kill because it was the working Covenant weak to give life because it was not the Mediatour Christ the fulness of all heavenly things came forth in flesh and being in lengths and breadths sufficient for that purpose did in himself fulfill what the Law required and sustaine all the Law had to charge upon us and so in himself put an end to the Law for all that should believe that which requires works to be wrought in us as the way to attaine righteousness whether it be Letter without or Light within it is the Law and herein do all the false and fleshly Religions of the world agree
in one the Pagan seeks perfection by his Law natural Reason and Vertue the Turk by his Alchoran the Jew by Moses the Monke by the Rule of his Order the Spiritual Papist by mortification of the Spirit and this People by perfect obedience to the Light within that is the Law in this all are one all seeking righteousness by work in the flesh in obedience to Tradition or Letter or Spirit The Law is a great light manifesting all flesh and the deeds thereof a great Lord ruling over all flesh as long as it lives Christ came forth greater than the Law crucified the flesh and the body of death in himself and thereby put an end to the dominion of the Law unto all that believe thus in his Crosse I am dead to all things and they to me Whereas he saith they know not his Commands in Spirit who say Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own person or that he makes what we do accepted with the Father I ask of him and of all in his perswasion Can yee pass through the depths of Sin Death and the Curse that he passed through yee neither know the Law nor what spirit yee are of Can yee bring forth the works of obedience an incorruptible righteousness in your corruptible bodies answering to that pure Law and most pure God before whom Moses did fear and quake and Abraham by works could not glory and no flesh can be justified were not all we like sheep gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed where this is truly and purely believed Revelations of Christ are most desirable and glorious where this is excluded all pretended approaches to God Revelations of God or perfections of obedience will be but as hotter fires to consume first your faith and interest in Christ and after your precious souls with all your labour and pains and works To what he saies the bloud within makes perfect that without could not let it be said the bloud of the Man Christ through the eternal Spirit working therein became the death of the first Adam with all his deeds and all the evils that came in by him so with him am I already dead and freed from sin as in him the Head as this my death and freedome in him does reveale it self in me so I dye daily as in my earthly members If by the bloud within be intended this that as the bloud of Bulls and Goats was a figure of the bloud of Christ so his bloud was but a figure of bloud or Spirit within us then know assuredly that as the bloud offered in the first Tabernacle was offered without the Holiest though within the Tabernacle so the bloud within all purifyings by the light within will be found to be but the bloud without that is offered without the veyle without the Holiest though within your Persons But is not the Spirit sufficient in power to redeem from sin by his work within us let this be said as of use in most things that have been spoken the power of the Spirit is unsearchable and unlimited but the mystery of his Will is declared in Christ that not by Spirit alone but by Spirit and Bloud and that in one man he has redeemed and purged all the evils that came by the offence of one of old God filled Heaven and Earth yet he would be known and sought only in Jerusalem nothing could comprehend the God head yet the fulness of it dwelt in Christ bodily so the Spirit dwells in all his people yet through the bloud of the Man Christ alone did God chuse to go forth in his power to the abolishing of our death and manifesting eternal freedome for us so when it is said yee are justified redeemed and saved by God by Grace by the name of Christ by the Spirit of our God we are to understand that the Name and Grace and Spirit of God went forth against our sins and death in the bloud of Jesus and thereby did them away forever which by faith we behold and as we behold we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Wherefore the proper use of the Law is first to bridle civil transgressions and then to reveale and encrease spiritual transgressions the Law is a Light which revealeth not the Grace of God not righteousness and life but sin and death wrath and judgement and as in Mount Sinai the thundring lightning the thick and dark cloud the hill smoaking and flaming and all that terrible shew did not rejoice nor quicken the children of Israel but terrified and astonished them and shewed how unable they were with all their purity and holiness to abide the Majesty of God so the Law in its true use doth nothing else but reveale sin work wrath and bring into desperation and here it hath an end and ought to go no further the use of the Gospel is to reveale the end of the Law of sin and wrath in the death of Christ and the righteousness peace and love of God brought forth for us in him I shall adde an observation of Luther of this difference between the Law and Gospel there is nothing to be found in the Books of Monks Cannonists and School men no nor in the Books of the ancient Writers there was a wonderful silence many years as touching this difference in all Schools and Churches and this brought mens consciences into great danger for unlâ—ss the Gospel be plainly discerned from the Law tru-doctrine cannot be kept sound and uncorrupt but if this difference be well known it is an easie matter to discern faith from works Christ from Moses and all politick works for all things without Christ are the Ministry of death for the punishing of the wicked Concerning Christ Jesus HIs Faith is that Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death that he might become a living example to all Generations that the Light within every man unâ—ted and followed will lead unto Christ and will reveale the power and God-head and so the Light within is the sure word of Prophesie The word of Faith saies that Christ being the brightness of the invisible God came forth in flesh and being the eternal word wisdome and power of God and so having obtained a name and supremacy above all other Lords he put an end to the Law Sin and Death and the dominion thereof over us in his Crosse that he might bring forth Grace Righteousness and Life for us in himself that so we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear and is this no more than a living example to you and if so can ye after his example break through the gates of sin wrath and the grave and make your access unto God through all as he did is so great a mystery of Faith as this become no more with