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
call of the Virgins one to another saying let us go trim our lamps and go forth to meet him this will be the work of the Spirit and Saints at that time Anti-christ will come forth in the same form and language as suiting with that season speaking words not of mean and low strain but of high and spiritual things I am Christ or he is come his doctrine will be of things of note and wonder deceiving and drawing many behold he is in the desart among us the lovely despised afflicted and cast out not among the wise mighty and noble behold he is in the secret chambers not in the multitude the assemblies the common wayes of Religion but among us a people separate and gathered and called out of the world into the more inward and spiritual way moreover he will come forth with power all men all things of the earth the faith religion souls and bodies of them which professed the Truth but were not of the Truth shall be given into his hand and be at his devotion the true Christ with his Church shall be as poor weak and inconsiderable in comparison of him lastly he will come with signes the world looks for a sign and he will come with signs of light zeal and holiness signs tokens and wonders to sight sense and judgement of all that are not in Christ such as if they were the very truths workings and comings of the Son of Man himself onely the Elect such as chose not God but were chosen of him such as have not their life in gifts and workings in the spiritual vigour and activity exercised in themselves but in the root of all this that is hid with Christ in God who have their redemption their life their religion in something that is perfect without and beyond all work in themselves that is in Christ himself these are those Elect that have that in them which shall keep them that they cannot be deceived he that in that day shall have a name written in Heaven that is a life compleat in Christ shall be greater than he that shall say Lord in thy Name have we cast out Devils that is we have prophesied and gone forth in the gifts activity and power of thy Spirit Wherefore it may be concluded concerning this people and all other whatsoever spirit or doctrine in them or any other shall teach the coming of Christ to make redemption or reconciliation in us as having not fulfilled the same for us already in himself I testifie against it as no other but the old Law-working Spirit under a new name and form and therein the power of Anti-christ coming forth in one of his highest and last counterfeits of truth thereby to pervert the faith and draw away the eyes and expectations of men from the true Saviour and his true appearance which also draws near An account of the hope that is in me concerning the first and last appearances of Christ COncerning both whose appearances that which is past and that which is to come I shall give a short account of that faith wherein I stand from which I trust neither Word nor Spirit shall ever remove me That Jesus Christ first manifest in flesh came forth not onely as an example of Perfection as some say nor onely as a type or figure without of things to be fulfilled in us nor onely as a Law-giver as others but that in his own body on the tree through union with the eternal Spirit he bore away and abolished our sin and death and fulfilled the Law and Prophets wherein God so rested and therewith was so well pleased that he signified the same by causing the blackness darkness thunderings and lightenings of Sinai in the midst whereof he dwelt before to pass away and the vail of partition between him and us to rent asunder besides which redemption there is none other either before or after by Angels without or by Spirit within that is or shall be wrought as to the thing but onely as to the manifestation thereof That not by following his example or by any work but by faith I come to know and partake of this Redemption which was in being before in him but with other the heavenly things hid in God and in time manifested to my faith and feeling so that I began not to be redeemed or loved when I first beleived but I began by faith to behold and enjoy that love and redemption which was prepared and entire for me in him before I had done either good or evil sin and death being finished and my old man crucified before in him as to God with whom all things are present by faith I come to know it and do reckon with him I am as truly crucified buried and raised up according to the comprehensiveness of his death and crucified Person much more than if the same had been acted in and upon my own Person That while according to my inward man or in a mystery I am in heavenly places above Law sin and death yet for the exercise and tryal of faith according to sight or my earthly man I often walk in the valley of the shadow of death in the feeling of infirmities buffetings and fightings in the flesh thus I am at once both weak and strong on earth and in heaven a sinner and righteous thus I know my redemption and victory as in him compleat while I feel the same redemption and victory as in me but in part and encreasing if my redemption were not more than what I feel the Gospel were not a mystery nor faith would be any more than sight nor grace have any glory That I look for Jesus Christ to come in me more in Spirit manifesting his death his cross and life in me not thereby to make attonement for sin but to gather me up through daily dyings and quickenings into the full sight union and profession of that redemption and grace and glory already given me freely in him also I look for the appearance of the Lord Jesus as God and man who shall enlighten the Saints with his brightness and shall cover the earth with his righteousness before whom all that which is against him shall be consumed by him and that which is of him shall yeild up it self to be perfected in him as the lesser in the greater this is my Testimony and my hope Light Purity and Power of this people examined what it is AFter all that hath been said some may retain this perswasion of this people that they are a people of light purity and power above all others As to their Light I would say That there is a Ministry that knows Christ onely as in an History and teach him so that presseth onely the outward letter according to principles of Law and natural Reason but know not the mystery and Spirit therein what they can comprehend by the letter and reason that they teach and what is more they do judge errour heresie and to
A TESTIMONY TO THE TRUE JESUS And the Faith of him Wherein the Way of the People called QUAKERS is in Meekness and righteousness summed and weighed First in a General Examen of their spirit and chief Principles after in a particular reveiw of the same as it is distinctly set forth in a book of theirs called Love to the Lost Wherein are many things useful for the discerning of Spirits in this hour of darkness and temptation By T. HIGGENSON LONDON Printed for Thomas Brewster at the three Bibles near the West end of Pauls 1656. A Testimony to the True JESUS and the Faith of Him COncerning the People called Quakers and that way a sum of their faith profession is come forth signed by James Naylor who seems to be cheif whereby having obtained through Grace a more perfect understanding of them then I had before his Trumpet giving a more certain sound than others had done and having observed that Spirit to shew it self therein with more nakedness and less covering at least to me than at other times I shall in righteousness and love to them and others present a veiw thereof according to the same form and visage it there presents it self under The ground of my appearing herein is not any interest I have in Court or Clergy from both whom I stand at a distance so farre as they appear at a distance from Christ and his work not any zeal I have to any form or way of worship cryed down by this people my heart is knit to all the Lords people from the Priest to the darkest forms though I am not joyned to them outwardly in the letter nor that I am ignorant or a stranger to spiritual mysteries or inward truths at least in part touching which I may say that my thoughts and zeal for Christ within have abounded so above the thoughts I had of his bloud without that I account it infinite mercy I am not at this day in unity with that Spirit that makes the death of Christ of none effect instead of this my appearing against it but my ground is this that I might bear some testimony to the blessed Mystery of Christ crucified and against this or any people so farre as they appear against it and that according to my measure I might set forth and justifie the harmony that is between the perfect Redemption in Christ for 〈◊〉 and the Revelation of him in us which two have been 〈◊〉 the Mystery of Iniquity divided and set up one against the other the first against the last by men zealous for the dead faith of Christ without against his Spirit and the last against the first by men pretending to the Mystery of Christ in them against the Redemption in Christ for them The Law was given by Moses in darkness blackness and tempests and with loud noises but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ in a still and meek way no cry nor voyce to be heard in the streets like as it was then so will it be now if the loud noises of the Commandment and Condemnation by Moses be brought in again the still voyce of Reconciliation and Peace by Christ may not be heard as to many The Law was given by him that spake on Earth commanding things to be done by men in the flesh the Gospel by him that spake from Heaven revealing our Righteousness already wrought in the Lord himself as many as are not ignorant of Sathans devices doe know how easily having begun in the Spirit we return back to the bondage of the first but how hardly we stand fast in the Loyalty of the second if such a spirit or faith shall cover this Land that saith we are not perfected for ever in Christ the Head before any good be done in us what remaines then but that sacrifices for sin be offered again though not in the Temple at Jerusalem yet in the Temples of our bodies and so build up again the old worldly Sanctuary onely changing the manner and form of administration Concerning the Righteousness of the Letter of Angels and of God VVHat may be useful for us to know as to the general Consideration of this and many other Spirits the things following may in part acquaint you in whose hearts the faith and love of Truth does yet remain There is a Righteousness according to the Letter consisting of bodily exercises in the earthly members after the outward Commandement which is but the purifying of the flesh Hebr. 9.13 herein stood the Religion of the carnal Jews under the first Testament this became a covering upon their eyes a vail upon their hearts that they could not see nor receive him who was the righteousness of God There is a Righteousness of Angels or a worshipping of Angels Col. 2. which is the Spirit of Man retired into things within passing beyond the things of the letter or of the body into speculations of the Godhead understanding of Mysteries to a certain perfection of knowledge and holiness all which is but the Glory of Man herein stands the Religion of the Anti-christian Gentiles now under the new Testament this was the sum of all the divinity the School-Doctors did know or deliver this Angelical Perfection falsly so called laid the foundation of the Eremites living by roots in the wilderness of Anchorites shutting up themselves from Communion with men of Monasteries and holy Houses for mortifying the flesh and perfecting in holiness these things while they bear a shew of wisdom in humility and neglecting the body have been in every age and still are set at enmity against him who is the Righteousness of God in the several approachings and manifestations of himself so what Sathan cannot do in a weaker way by the Righteousness of the letter he will endeavour to effect by a Ministery of Light and Righteousnes that appearing as in the glory and purity of an Angel of God he may darken or diminish the righteousness and glory of the Son of God There is the Righteousness of God Jesus Christ who by that fulness of Spirit and Life dwelling in him did at once and for ever not in ours but his own body triumph over and put an end to the Law Sin and Death on his Cross and rising from the Grave raised up and set up together with himself his Church in the heavenly Righteousness in him this Righteousness is as farre above either of the former as Christ is exalted above all Principality and Power therefore can they not add nor extend any righteousness to this no more than the Glory of Man or Angels can add glory 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ This Righteousness is the Word made flesh not the Wâ—… alone nor the flesh alone but the Union of these God and the â—…n Christ in One and the operation proceeding from this Union wrought and remaining in the Person of Jesus Christ this Righteousness being broad and perfect according to the Person in whom it is extends it self unto all and upon all
was sometimes hid from his flesh According to this twofold state a beleiver is under he does at the same time give a twofold account of himself both just and true in my body indeed I have a law of sin but as I am in the Lord I have put it off as I walk by sight I am in the earth in labours in groanings warfare and imperfection but as I walk by faith I am in heaven received into glory walking on my high-places in Rest in victory and perfection where I shut my eyes from looking upon my self and forget all my fears infirmities and bondage leaving them all behind me as under my feet and so is that word fulfilled in him as sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as having nothing and yet possessiing all things This is some of the mystery and knowledge of Christ crucified not like unto that of the Schools and Law-makers whose highest knowledge therein comes to no more but this that the Humanity on the Cross resigned up it self in profound humility and meekness to the will of the Divinity as the Popish Doctors or that he yeilded perfect obedience to the Light within him for a living example to the world as this people called Quakers I say this knowledge and such preachings of the Cross of Christ are poor barren and empty reaching onely to the morality thereof the praises of a just man dying without cause and of his spirit and temper but not discerning the mystery therein that is an end put to the Law to sin and the flesh to and upon all them that are given to him thus their first charge is weighed and resolved in this that to a man in Christ the Light within accusing of sin pertains onely to the flesh and should abide in the flesh that Christ alone as justifying from sins as joy and sweetness should abide in the conscience as the chamber of the Bridegroom and Bride into which no Law nor Light nor any thing that accuseth may in any wise enter Christ raigning therein over every Law thus according to the flesh and light within there is conscience for sin in the justified man according to faith and union with Christ there is no more conscience of sins Hebr. 10.2 Second thing charged That we beleive in a Christ without and at a distance weighed and resolved THe other charge follows that to beleive Christ has redeemed us as in his own body without is to beleive in a Christ without and at a distance this charge examined will appear to be vain the faith of the Gospel saith that Christ descended into our nature and therein came down to us in our bloud our prisons under judgement and thence raised us up together with himself into the heavenly places he descended first into the lower parts of the earth into the lowest estate of lost and undone sinners and thence ascended up far above all Heavens and raised us up together in himself this sets forth Christ as near and not at a distance as one within us wrapped in our sin as our sin and us as one with him in Righteousness and his very righteousness oh the blessed nearness between him and the beleiver That Christ comes down in Spirit into our Persons not to redeem but to manifest the Redemption not as a light accusing of sin but as revealing righteousness and liberty from sin in himself and gathering us out of the life of reason and sense the law and things without into the glorious rest and victory in himself he there lets us know that we are in him his Sister and Spouse that he is in us our Head and fulness and that all things are ours that we are Christs and that Christ is Gods Thus Christ is beheld both as without having wrought all things for us in the Person of the Mediatour and also as within us working all our works in us as a quickening Spirit On the other hand the faith of the Quakers so called sayes thus that Christ indeed took on him our nature but not our judgement and sin that he dyed at Jerusalem but by way of example not as a sacrifice putting away sin that he did not the work by himself at that once but onely shewed us the way how he redeems within us in every generation That Christ is come in our flesh but as a light accusing and judging renewing a law and requiring obedience thereto through the fire and the sword by them called the bloud of the cross and so through perfect obedience justifying and redeeming O what darkness and confusion has covered this people thus to make faith void and the bloud of Christ of none effect and now let the spiritual-wise judge unto whom Christ is known as nigh or as afar off to them or to us to us who behold him as having already scattered the clouds of the law and darkness dryed up the flouds of sin and death opened a way into the Holiest and received us into his glory and besides all this shewing himself in the nearest conjunctions and freindliest appearances of a Brother a Father and Husband after an unspeakable manner filling us with his fulness or to them who draw the vail over this most comfortable face and aspect of things set up the law sin and death again to be suffered satisfied and done away within us and Christ standing upon terms with us of obedience and death without which no remission of sins no redemption nor benefit to be expected from him I say let the wise judge who of these have Christ most nigh most as unvailed in the most inward and freindly way let the charge then of Christ without return from whence it came I shall onely mind ye of the Parable of the wounded man lying between Jericho and Jerusalem there came first a Priest and a Levite looked on him and passed by after came a Samaritane had compassion and bound up his wounds putting in oyle and wine set him on his own beast and brought him to an Inn and took care of him there according to the severe and unmerciful doctrine of this people Jesus Christ came down into our nature beheld it wounded and lying in bloud able enough to have said to us while in our bloud live and to have made us so but onely leaving us an example of perfection and sufferings wherein if we followed him we should live and so departed leaving us as he found us till the Light within come and cured us so they reckon of the Man Christ to be such a one as was the Preist or Levite but blessed be that Gospel that saies he passed by beheld us in bloud and it was a time of love with the bloud of his Humanity and the love and glory of his Godhead he bathed our wounds suppled and healed them and after set us upon his own beast carried us to the Inn bare us in his body and carried us into his Mansion in the Fathers house according as it is said He hath
Apostles calling them to the fulfilling of the Law that were at liberty in Christ who indeed zealously affected but not well that is that they might glory in their flesh God's love to his people speaks woe and wrath indeed but to the wise and strong who will not bow to the weakness and foolishness of a crucified Christ to be saved in him but to the hungry and weary to the least of the little children that are in Christ it speaks peace fear not your sins are forgiven you for his names sake wherefore to bring forth a full Christ a fulness of righteousness life and liberty in Christ to a creature empty and destitute of any such thing this is that love that feeds the hungry cloathes the naked and gives water in the wilderness there is a generation that flatters and spares in sin them whom the Lord condemns this is to justifie the wicked there is another generation that charges and reproves of sin whom the Lord hath justified let this people fear that this is their error both are alike abomination to the Lord. Concerning Judgement His words summed up are That the light in every man condemning of sin is the ministration of judgement and condemnation and as it is received is light and salvation redeeming from all uncleaness that the spirit of judgement that went forth in the Prophets against all unrighteousness is come forth in a people now I understand in him and in them The faith of the Gospel saith that Christ having all judgement committed to him in the body of his flesh judged and gave up to condemnation and death the prince of this world the flesh the glory of man his sin and righteousness and having done all he went to the father and was seen no more he being the brightness of Gods own righteousness and being to be made righteousness to men he judged and put an end to all other righteousness even to that which had a glory as having no glory so that it may be said by him that is in his Cross fell all the mighty Lords and Tyrants of the world Law sin and death all which are judged and overcome by that righteousness and spirit of life in him by this judgement are sinners redeemed already as in him the head That as Christ hath in every Age come forth more or less so in this last time he will come forth the righteousness and salvation of his people whose appearance doth and will judge the works of the Law as well as the lusts of the flesh with all things that shall not be found in him and of him God will judge the world by Christ not by Moses nor by Angel nor by any other spirit the Gospel and spirit of Christ in his people shall judge both Angels and men spiritual and fleshly wickedness The spirit of judgement is found either in the natural or spiritual man the natural man being under the Law hath a light within him to discern the things of the Law his judgement reacheth only to the righteousness of the Law and to sins against the Law the spiritual man being freed from the Law in the glorious righteousness of Christ is able to judge of all things all Religions spirits kinds and conditions of life whatsoever judgings do abound amongst all men in this Age but few have the true spirit or rule of judgement Law or form or light within are the principles of judgement with most with the spiritual man so far as he abides free in Christ it is a small thing to be judged by any of these yea he judgeth not himself therefore let all take heed with what spirit you judge lest you judge and not by the Gospel nor in the Lord. The Prophets and John had a spirit of judgement but they testified also of righteousness only by him that was to come they called not the people to a redemption present or to be done in that Age or by the light within every man let this people bear testimony to that alone righteousness as already fulfilled for us in him and not call away from that unto another redemption to be done over again of which no Prophets spake that is by the light within all men and then shall true judgement be given unto them till then they will but erre in judgement and stumble in vision Concerning Perfection His Principle matter is That Perfection is that gift or light in every man by joyning to which he is made perfect that God sent his son into the world to preach perfection a perfect example which whoso believe and follow him in it are made perfect that nothing but perfection that is freedom from sin in the body before death can give rest and Redemption that imperfection of righteousness and gifts came in by the ministry of Antichrist and is of the Divel The Gospel mystery saith that Christ being the perfection of grace and truth of life and righteousness came forth in flesh and therein on the Cross put an end to the imperfect Ministry of the Law and Prophets to the pollutions and imperfections of flesh and by one offering in his own person perfected for ever all that were sanctified he being the perfection of love life light and righteousness slew in himself the enmity the power of death and all that darkness and sin that was by the Law the Law could not give life men could not obey all creatures could not find out an Intercessor at this time Christ came forth in the glory of the Godhead in the weakness of our manhood that in the one he might bear all that was against us by the other he might spoil and triumph over all for us he was love and bowels to perfection a Saviour to perfection so that not by the Law without nor light within nor any other imagined or pretended perfection but in him ye are compleat who is the fulness of the God-head in whose death you are dead and buried and in him raised up into the heavenly liberty and perfection if you do believe though darkness imperfections fightings may yet remain in your flesh Christ first descended into the lower parts of the earth our weakness and death that he might finish them in himself after he ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things that he might make the Angels life and death to minister to be for his own as it is said all are yours this is perfection yet hid not in every man but with Christ in God and in the hearts of the children of faith And if so then was Christ in flesh no more then a Preacher or example of perfection was that fulness of the Godhead that brightness of the fathers glory in him no other then such a light as God hath set up in every man or was his bearing our sins and the wounds for iniquities no more but to shew unto us how we should bear them in our selves then what preheminence had his person above Moses
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