second Adam it is Jesus in them that sinneth not in them and without that Jesus in them they cannot live without sin So then where is the difference between those that believe they cannot live in this body and not sin and yet they believe that Jesus lives in that body and he cannot sin and those that believe that there is a life attainable while this body lives that does not sin but this life that doth not sin is the life of Jesus in them But Adam did not continue in that state that God had made him in the Serpent gets into the garden into mans heart and the first work the Serpents subtile self doth he sets upon man in his faith and brings man first to question the truth of what God had commanded Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden and then to a not believing of what God had said that they should surely die but man believed the Serpent that said they should not surely die although they eat of the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat of Here man by yielding to the temptation lost his faith his faith did not continue in him and then he lost his love that he had to God he was afraid of God and there is no fear in love perfect love casteth out fear and then he lost his holiness the Image of God and also lost his sobriety pride got up in him a desire to be as gods And thus man although he had before his fall Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety yet he not continuing in them was the cause of the fall and the woman that is saved in Child-bearing must not onely have Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety as Adam had before his fall but must continue in them so that the saving of the woman is not onely a restoring of that again in man that was lost but a preserving man in that state that he was in before the fall which onely can be done by the power of that Jesus in her that the Devil could not prevail with in his temptations It is the bringing forth of that Child Jesus in man now that is the onely begotten son of God that must keep and preserve man that he is not prevailed with and overcome by the subtile Serpents temptations as Adam was I know there may be much wrought in man and yet the Child Jesus not born nor the woman saved out of the transgression But first to speak something of Jesus as he is the Light to all and a Saviour to some that never heard of Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and crucified by the Jews Christ Jesus as he is the Light John 1. 9 10 11 12 13. so he is the true Light that lightneth every man that comes into the world And so Jesus that saves from sin is in all that cometh into the world that was made by him but they knew him not And when he came to his own his own they received him not But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Which were born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have eternal life Jesus the onely begotten son of God as he is the Light so he is given of God to all the world to save them to keep them from perishing and to give them eternal light if they will receive him and believe in him He is a Light in all and to all that have not heard of him by that name of Jesus as born of the Virgin Mary and crucified at Jerusalem and yet have heard of him and knew him that is as there is Serpent bruising the heel of the seed of the woman If they do not then how do they find what God said to be true God said that the Serpent should bruise the heel of the seed of the woman but the begotten son of God in man that cannot sin the seed of God in man that cannot sin neither did it condescend to sin in Adam nor doth it now condescend to sin in any that are restored to that state that Adam was in before the fall And this is that that lives without sin that lives and cannot sin it is Jesus in us the onely begotten son of God And this is that life that Paul speaks of Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ that is dead with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Doth not most of them that profess themselves the sons of God and know any thing of the work of God in their hearts but will own Jesus Christ to be raised from death to life in them and to be alive in them And ask them if they believe that this Jesus Christ that lives in them sins they will answer No he lives in them without sin Then ask them that believe a state of Perfection and living without sin while this body lives what is it in them that does not sin whether it be the first Adam that was deceived and in the transgression that lives without sin in them or whether it be Jesus the second Adam that lives without sin in them They will answer The second Adam it is Jesus in them that sinneth not in them and without that Jesus in them they cannot live without sin So then where is the difference between those that believe they cannot live in this body and not sin and yet they believe that Jesus lives in that body and he cannot sin and those that believe that there is a life attainable while this body lives that does not sin but this life that doth not sin is the life of Jesus in them But Adam did not continue in that state that God had made him in the Serpent gets into the garden into mans heart and the first work the Serpents subtile self doth he sets upon man in his faith and brings man first to question the truth of what God had commanded Yea hath God said Ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden and then to a not believing of what God had said that they should surely die but man believed the Serpent that said they should not surely die although they eat of the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat of Here man by yielding to the temptation lost his faith his faith did not continue in him and then he lost his love that he had to God he was afraid of God and there is no fear in love perfect love casteth out fear and then he lost his holiness the Image of God and also lost his sobriety pride got up in him
a desire to be as gods And thus man although he had before his fall Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety yet he not continuing in them was the cause of the fall and the woman that is saved in Child-bearing must not onely have Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety as Adam had before his fall but must continue in them so that the saving of the woman is not onely a restoring of that again in man that was lost but a preserving man in that state that he was in before the fall which onely can be done by the power of that Jesus in her that the Devil could not prevail with in his temptations It is the bringing forth of that Child Jesus in man now that is the onely begotten son of God that must keep and preserve man that he is not prevailed with and overcome by the subtile Serpents temptations as Adam was I know there may be much wrought in man and yet the Child Jesus not born nor the woman saved out of the transgression But first to speak something of Jesus as he is the Light to all and a Saviour to some that never heard of Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and crucified by the Jews Christ Jesus as he is the Light John 1. 9 10 11 12 13. so he is the true Light that lightneth every man that comes into the world And so Jesus that saves from sin is in all that cometh into the world that was made by him but they knew him not And when he came to his own his own they received him not But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believed on his Name Which were born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have eternal life Jesus the onely begotten son of God as he is the Light so he is given of God to all the world to save them to keep them from perishing and to give them eternal light if they will receive him and believe in him He is a Light in all and to all that have not heard of him by that name of Jesus as born of the Virgin Mary and crucified at Jerusalem and yet have heard of him and knew him that is as there is something that is in them that tells them that there is a God or a power above them and this God or power above them ought to be pleased served or obeyed and that as they please serve or obey this God or power that is above them so it will be well or ill with them when this life is ended And so as they yield an obedience to what they thus know of God that God hath made known to them and in them for it is Christ the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world that makes this known in them so they are accepted of God or else condemned in themselves for not yielding obedience to what they know of God their Consciences bearing them witness accusing or excusing them See the truth of this in Romans the first Chapter the 14th verse to the end of the Chapter And the second Chapter the 11th verse to the end And the third Chapter the ninth verse to the end And the ninth Chapter the 25th verse to the end And the 10th Chapter the fifth verse to the end of the Chapter I read in Revel 7. that John heard the number of them that were sealed for the servants of God a hundred forty and four thousand of all the Tribes of the children of Israel of each Tribe twelve thousand Dan who Jacob told should be as a Serpent by the way when he told his sons what should befal them in the last days Gen. 49. 17. There was none sealed of his Tribe but instead of him Manasses is put in a son of Joseph mark that there is none of the Serpents Tribe to be sealed although Dan's Tribe were in the outward Worship of God as were the other Tribes And of the other Tribes but twelve thousand of a Tribe sealed In all but an hundred forty and four thousand which is the number sealed to be the servants of God of those who had the Commandments written in Tables of stones without them and the Law and the Prophets written in Books without them These are they that worship God in outward forms of Worship the number of them that were sealed that were the servants of God is easily to be numbered being one hundred forty and four thousand which is but a very small number to what a man can number And these were all that John heard the number of that were in the outward form of worshipping of God that were sealed to be the servants of God unto whom were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. And to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises whose are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came Rom. 9. 4 5. What can all these in the several forms of the worshipping of God say that they have more and yet of all these there is but twelve thousand of a Tribe sealed may I say of an outward form of worship in all but an hundred forty and four thousand that were the servants of God a very small number in comparison of what a man can number and these John did but hear of to be sealed for the Servants of God mark that After this John beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations Kinreds and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their hands and cryed with a loud voice saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb. And John was asked what these were which were arrayed in white Robes and whence they came he was not asked what they were that were sealed they were told him before that they were of all the Tribes of the Children of Israel and it was told John These are they which come out of great tribulations and have washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb therefore they are before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them John did but hear of the hundred and forty four thousand sealed to be the Servants of God of all the Children of Israel but he beheld and lo that is with a kind of admiration this great multitude that no man could number now amongst men that is looked upon as a more certain knowledge which they behold with their eyes than what they hear with their ears although John might not question the truth that
and what the Lord said to Satan of Job and wha Satan said to the Lord concerning Job and the leave that the Lord gave Satan to try Jobs Integrity and how Satan tryed Job I have also read that the Lord said to Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren And of Peters Confidence not to deny Jesus and how he was prevailed with to deny Jesus and of his repenting And I have likewise read of Jesus being led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil and when the Tempter came to him what he said to Jesus what answers Jesus gave the Tempter and Devil and by my reading of them and remembring what I had read I could speak and discourse of them but I knew little of them in comparison of what I did then speak of them nor do I now know any thing of them but what by experience I hear of them spoken within me and have seen with the inward eye and have looked upon within me as a measure of them have been acted done or wrought within me and I do believe it to be unlawful for me now to speak or declare more of them than what by experience I have seen and heard of them within me and so much I may speak and declare and no more And if it be objected to me If thou mayst speak or declare no more than what by experience thou hast within thee heard and seen then how hast thou heard and seen within thee That Jesus is a light to all and a Saviour to some that have not heard of an outward Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and crucified at Jerusalem To that I answer I was once without the true knowledge of that Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and Crucified at Jerusalem although from my being a Child I was brought up to read the Scriptures that make mention of such a Jesus and I was taught by my Parents to say that I believed there was such a Jesus and yet I do now know that I did not then when I read of such a Jesus in the Scriptures and said I believed in such a Jesus I did not then know that there was such a Jesus I was onely learned to say so but I knew it not and what was I then better than those that never heard of the name of such a Jesus when I onely heard of the name but knew not what he was that is I knew not what he was as he was sent of God to save from sin And all that profess themselves Christians and know any thing of the work of God in their hearts will own that the knowing by reading or here-say of such a Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and so growing up to be a man and Crucified at Jerusalem and know no more of him that this knowledge of him does them no good as to their Salvation and what are they then the better for their hearing or reading of the Name of such a Jesus are they any thing better than those that never heard of that Name But that knowledge of Jesus that does them good to their Salvation is the knowing of him to be a Jesus that is a Saviour that saves from sin that knowing of him is that which is onely good and profitable to their Salvation and not the hearing or knowing of an outward name of Jesus I knowing and having experience of this within me to be true that it is not the hearing and knowing of the outward Name Jesus that does man any good to his Salvation but it is the knowing him to be Jesus a Saviour from sin that does man good to Salvation and thereby I know and have experienced that God may save some that have not heard of an outward Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and Crucified at Jerusalem and the way how he saves them is by saving them from their sins before I know a saving from sin I know nothing of Jesus but onely as I had heard or read of the Name Jesus but of the nature of Jesus as he is a Saviour sent of God I was as ignorant as those that never heard of the name Jesus I onely knew the Name as it was written in these letters JESVS but the nature of Jesus as he is a Saviour I knew not I did not know him as he is the great power of God to Salvation the onely begotten son of Gods Love the true Light which makes known to man the unchangeable being of Gods Love to the World MAN that whosoever believed in him the onely begotten Son of God the true Light that is whosoever so believed the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World so that none are without this Light they that so believe in this true Light that tells them this is good and what they ought to do and this is evil which they ought not to do and yield obedience to God according to what this true Light the onely begotten Son of God in them makes known to them to be Gods will that they should do or that they should leave undone These that so yield an obedience to the light in them in doing the good that this Light makes known in them they ought to do and in leaving undone the evil that this Light makes known to them that they should not do these are they that Gods love is so to in his begotten Son as that they shall not perish but have everlasting life and this believing the true Light Jesus the onely begotten Son of God and yielding obedience thereunto is not wrought in them by the reading or hearing of a Name Jesus that a man had that was born of the Virgin Mary and Crucified at Jerusalem and that knowledge that we have by reading the Scriptures and hearing the name Jesus preached that is all the knowledge that we now can have more than those that never heard of that Name and of that Man But that which give us the true knowledge of that Name and what that Man was before that Body had a being upon the Earth and what it was when it had a being upon the Earth and what it is now it hath no being upon the Earth I say that which gives us the true knowledge of what that man Jesus was before he had a body upon the Earth and what he was in that body upon the Earth and what he is now that body is taken from the Earth That which gives us the true knowledge of what he was and now is it is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and so he is a light and the true light in those that never heard of that Name and of that Man as he is the same true light in us that hath heard of that Name and of that Man And as he
the garden that is as man in his own apprehensions looked upon God to be like himself that is as he had changed himself in his obedience to God so man in that false sight that he then had of God looked upon God that he had changed his love to him and so man beheld himself as sent or drove from the presence of God and turned out of the garden out of Gods love and delight that he had in man And the reason why man so looked upon God to have no love nor delight in him in his fallen state was because man in his disobedience he found no love nor delight that he had in himself towards God and so he judged God to be changed towards him as he had changed himself towards God when in truth the change was onely in man And so man may be said to send drive or turn himself out of the Garden where man in the fallen state is and so do continue out of the Garden until there is a change wrought in the heart of man by being brought to a knowledge of God's unchangeableness that although man by his disobedience turned enemy to God yet love continued in God towards man God so loved the world God's love was so great to man too great for the tongue of man to express or the heart of man to conceive of that he gave his onely begotten son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. And God commended his love towards us that while we were sinners Christ died for us When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son Rom. 5. 8. 10. These Scriptures shew the unchangeableness of God's love to man which until man comes in some measure or degree to be made sensible of the unchangeableness of God's love the fear of God's justice for sin continues in the heart of man and man continues out of the Garden and a true love to God is wanting in the heart of man But when that Change is wrought in the heart that we love God because he first loved us then man cometh again into the Garden and man obeys God because God hath made known his love to him and therefore he loves God again and then the heart or inward part in man is pleasing and delightful to God man's delight is to obey God 1 John 4. 18 19. There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love We love him because he first loved us Here is the true state of man in the Fall and of his being restored again When man by his transgression had lost his love to God then the fear of God entered into his heart and that caused or brought forth torment and as long as fear continued in mans heart mans love is not made perfect to God and mans love is made perfect to God by our loving of him because he first loved us and then mans heart or the inward part in man cometh again to be as a pleasant and delightful Garden The Tree of knowledge of good and evil as in the mystery God made man and as a gift God gave to man the knowledge of himself that he was his God And God also gave to man the knowledge of his revealed will that what God had commanded man to do was God's will that he should do and what God had made known of himself in man and what was God's revealed will in man that he should do in obedience to him was good and so God gave to man the knowledge of what was good And God gave also to man the knowledge of his revealed will of what God had commanded him not to do and what was Gods revealed will in man that God had commanded man not to do that was evil and so God gave to man the knowledge of what was evil And this was in mans heart or the inward part of man which in the mystery was God's Garden And this knowledge of good and evil in the mystery is a Tree remaining in the Garden in the heart or inward part of man and in this knowledge of what was good and what was evil man for a time stood in his obedience to God obeying God in the doing all that he had commanded him to do and obeying God in the leaving undone all that he had forbidden him to do And while man in this his knowledge stood thus in obedience to God in doing all that God had commanded him to do and in leaving undone all that God had commanded him not to do man knew no will in him of his own but mans will was wholly resigned up into Gods will man willed nothing but what God willed in him and what God willed in man that man willed in God and man knew no other will but the will of God and so God was all and in all man And man was the Paradise the delight of God and God was the Paradise the delight of man And out of the ground that the Lord God had made man of the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food the tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of knowledge of good and evil Gen. 2. 7. 9. The Tree of Life is Jesus the Light of God in man and this Tree was also in the midst of the garden the garden is the heart or inward part of man which the Lord God planted Eastward which is the place of the rising of the Sun which is as much as to say God so placed the heart or inward part in man his garden that it should be in the place wherein the rising of his Son Jesus the true Light in man did rise and as a Tree there to grow and be in the midst of his garden and the Tree of knowledge of good and evil I pray observe the words of the Scripture The tree of life also in the midst of the garden and the tree of knowledge of good and evil See how near the Tree of knowledge of good and evil is placed to the Tree of life there is but and between them and that and makes them two Trees and so indeed they are The Tree of Life is one which is Jesus the true Light of God in man and the Tree of knowledge of good and evil is another and they are so near joyned together that there is but an and that parts them Jesus the Word of God the true Light in man gave man the knowledge of what was Gods will that he should do and that was good man was to do good and the same Jesus the Word of God in man gave man the knowledge of what he should not do and that was evil man was not to do evil And these two Trees were very nearly joyned together in Gods garden in the heart of man and so a measure of
but Christ was so far from yielding to the temptation that he called the Devil Satan and bad him get him hence for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Mat. 3. 19. Mark that which tempted Jesus ought to have done him worship and served him onely as being his Lord and God And if the Devil thus set upon him that was God in man is it to be questioned that the Serpent would not nor did not set upon man that was but the Image of God and that in the time when he did what he did by the leadings drawings or going forth of the spirit of God or Jesus in him Jesus the Son of God was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. If it be objected thou call'st the Serpent subtile self or mans will was there any such thing in Christ to tempt him I desire the Objecter to read and well consider Christs Prayer the night in which he was betrayed and the place where he prayed in it was in a garden John 18. 1. Adam was in a garden when the Serpent tempted him His Prayer was O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Matth. 26. 39. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of bloud falling down to the ground Luke 22. 44. Is it not plain by these Scriptures that there was in Christ a will and desire that the Cup might pass from him but he yielded not to that will and desire but resigned and gave up all to the will of the Father and so he did not sin Is it not plain by these Scriptures that although Christ as man had never sinned never did any thing contrary to the will of the Father and all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in that body Col. 2. 9. yet what a conflict or striving was their between the will and desire as man and the will and desire as God as he was the son of God the onely begotten son of God What was it else but the strife or conflict between the desire if it were possible to have that Cup pass from him and a will that it might pass from him and a desire and will that was in him that that desire and will that would have the Cup to pass from him should not be satisfied but that the will of the Father should be done whose will it was that he should drink of that Cup Was not this the case of the agony that caused such a sweat that the drops thereof were as great drops of bloud If Christ as man who always had done the will of the Father found it so hard to bring the will to be resigned and given up to the will of the Father Can it be believed by any of those who have known the resurrection of Jesus in them and have known a time when their will and desire have been after what God hath forbidden that it is an easie work in them to have their wills resigned and given up to the will of God in all things They know that it is God that must work in them both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Jesus as he was the onely begotten son of God so he could not be prevailed with or overcome by the temptation It was the onely begotten son of God in that body born of the Virgin Mary that kept that body from yielding to the temptation mark that and it is the begotten son of God in us and that onely that must and doth keep us from yielding to the temptation Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 1 John 3. 9. God may be said to have two sons one a created son as was Adam Luke 3. 38. and that son although made in Gods Image yet he yielded to the temptation and so sinned The other was a begotten son which is Jesus which is the same with the Divine Nature and was and is God by whom the created son was made and this begotten son cannot sin because the seed of God remaineth in him And the want of a true understanding of these two sons makes that great difference that is amongst those that call themselves the sons of God the one believing they cannot live in this body without sinning the other believes a state of perfection and that such a life is attainable while the outward body hath an outward life That there may be a life or living without sin which is true indeed and it were well if all those that make profession understood what it is to live and not sin and what it is in them that live and do not sin if they did the Controversie between them that believe they shall sin and that they cannot live while the life of this body continues without sin would not be so great as it is Adam the created son of God made in Gods Image and had Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety he yielded to the temptation and sinned And does not men and women do so now although restored to Adam's created Estate Do they not find the Serpent bruising the heel of the seed of the woman If they do not then how do they find what God said to be true God said that the Serpent should bruise the heel of the seed of the woman but the begotten son of God in man that cannot sin the seed of God in man that cannot sin neither did it condescend to sin in Adam nor doth it now condescend to sin in any that are restored to that state that Adam was in before the fall And this is that that lives without sin that lives and cannot sin it is Jesus in us the onely begotten son of God And this is that life that Paul speaks of Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ that is dead with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Doth not most of them that profess themselves the sons of God and know any thing of the work of God in their hearts but will own Jesus Christ to be raised from death to life in them and to be alive in them And ask them if they believe that this Jesus Christ that lives in them sins they will answer No he lives in them without sin Then ask them that believe a state of Perfection and living without sin while this body lives what is it in them that does not sin whether it be the first Adam that was deceived and in the transgression that lives without sin in them or whether it be Jesus the second Adam that lives without sin in them They will answer The
is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World so he made known to me what was Gods will that I should do and what was Gods will that I should not do and also made known in me the unchangeableness of Gods love towards me and so he begot a love in me again to God and so he wrought a willingness in me to do what God hath made known to me to be his will that I should do and hath wrought a willingness in me to leave undone what God would not have me to do and I have known him as he is the true light to be the Word of God which is the seed sown upon all the four grounds which is all men as he is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and I have known the nature of all the four grounds in me and how the light the word the seed hath been sown in me in the nature of all the four grounds and so have I known and experienced how the seed hath been sown in those that never heard of that outward name Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and Crucified at Jerusalem and how they have been saved from sin which is done by the light of the Divine Nature the Word the Seed sown in them causing them to be the good ground It is the word of God which is the power of God that changes the heart and makes it the good ground the same word by which all things were made and thereby causes them to do the things contained in Gods Law writ in their hearts and are become a Law to themselves and have the witness of God in their Consciences accusing them or else excusing them as we have that have heard of that Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and Crucified at Jerusalem And by the doing the things contained in Gods Law and thereby shew the works of Gods Law written in our hearts it is by that that they and we wash our Robes in the Blood of the Lamb that is in the life of Jesus and make them white in his Blood in the innocent life that he lives in us not that we live but he lives in us and worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure and when the will of man is so given up into the will of God for God to be all to will and do all in man as it pleaseth him then mans will is restored to be what it was when God made man in his own Image And God saw every thing that he had made and beheld it was very good Gen. 1. 31. All things that God made was very good and God saw them to be very good and God set his mark of behold upon them to be very good that man might see and behold them to be very good as they were what he had made and gave the being to that is all that God had made was very good as a measure of his being was and is in them whereby they are preserved and upheld and so were and are very good as God that made them is good and is in them Before time was God was and was All in All before subtile Serpent Satan Tempter or Devil was and so God is to be All in All again See 1 Cor. 15. 21 vers to 29 vers For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die even so mark that even so in Christ shall all be made alive But every man in his own order Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power For he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death For he hath put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under him it is manifested he is excepted which did put all things under him And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all When this shall come to pass where then will be the subtile Serpent Satan Tempter or Devil Do they not rule Have they not authority and power Are they not his enemies Where will be subtile Serpent Satan Tempter or Devil when Jesus shall have put down all rule all authority and power for he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death which is that the subtile Serpent Satan Tempter Devil sin was the cause of death and gave death its being where will they all be then when all Jesus's enemies shall be thus subdued unto him and he as a Son shall be subject to the Father that hath put all things under him that that God who before time was may be all in all That which may be known of God is manifested in men for God hath shewed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse Rom. 1. 19 20. By this Scripture it plainly appears that God by his true Light in man that lighteth every man that cometh into the World doth make known in men that which may be known of him Those things that were invisible of him and not known before the Creation he hath made known from the Creation of the World and they are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead Gods eternal power and Godhead which was before the Creation God by his true Light Jesus hath in men made so much of it known unto them as may be known of God being clearly seen and understood by the things that are made God hath shewed it unto them so that all men are without excuse They cannot plead ignorance that God hath not made known himself unto them or that they have not known so much of God as that they might be saved for that which may be known of God is manifested is made known in them for God hath shewed it unto them even his eternal power and Godhead And what is there more to be known of God than is in his eternal power and Godhead In that he hath made known his eternal power and Godhead to all men God hath thereby shewn his love to all men John 3. 16. vers to the 21 vers That God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life whosoever God makes no exception For God sent his Son not to condemn the world but that the world through him might
God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient Even that is just equal alike then things are said to be even when they are just equal alike Here is the reason why God gives men over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are evil It is because they do not like to retain to keep that knowledge that God hath given to them of himself and to keep it so as to glorifie him in that knowledge and so to glorifie him in that knowledge as thereby to manifest their thankfulness to him and to manifest their thankfulness by their obedience in obeying God according to what they know of him And the want of this their obeying God according to what God hath made known of himself unto them is the cause why even just alike God gives men over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient and as they are Reprobates so they are condemned Others that do the truth they obey God in Jesus the truth and their hearts desire is that Jesus the true Light may make known the truth in them and to them that their deeds are wrought in God and they are lovers of the Light and from that love that they have to the Light and to the doing the truth that is the doing of the will of God in sincerity and integrity of their hearts according as Jesus the true Light in them hath made known in them what is Gods will that they should do and what is Gods will that they should not do These they bring their deeds to the Light that they may be made manifest that is made known in them and to them that they are wrought by God in them Gods love is such to man in general to all men as that he is willing to keep man from perishing and is willing to save them and give them eternal life But some men are not willing to come to Jesus the true Light in them although God so loved the world Man as to send him to that end that whosoever believed on him should not perish but have eternal life yet Jesus the true Light said to some that thought to have eternal life in the Scriptures and it was to those that were in the highest outward form of worshipping God and said God was their Father to these Jesus said Ye will not come to me that ye might have life John 5. 39 40. Mans will is that which hinders man from coming to Jesus the true Light that they may have life that they may be saved by him God does his part in sending his Son into the World to save them and so the Father draws them by the Son and he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World he makes known Gods love in them and to them and so the Father draws them by making known his love in them Can any one say that they have known the Father to draw them to come to the Son to believe on him any other way but as Jesus the Son the true Light in them hath made known the Fathers love to them And this God hath done to all because that which may be known of God is manifest in them God hath shewed it unto them The invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead Mark that Even his eternal power and Godhead And what is there more to be known of God than his eternal power and Godhead Dare any one say that they know any thing more of God than what is contained in his eternal power and Godhead And although God hath so manifested himself in them and shewed himself to them yet they will not come to his beloved Son Jesus the true Light that they may have life Jesus did not say to them the subtle Serpent Satan the Tempter or the Devil that they would not have them come to him that they might have life but it was their will that hindered or kept them back from coming to Jesus that they might have life Ye will not come to me that ye might have life Oh Will Will that which brought man into sin and so brought death that keeps man from coming to Jesus the true Light that they may again have life To speak something of what I know of taking up the Cross and to follow JESUS TO have the will brought to be resigned up into Gods will to be given up into the will of God to be what God will this is the taking up of the Cross and following of Jesus this is to be a Disciple of Jesus this is to learn of Jesus and without this whatsoever outward profession any may be of how zealous soever they may be in that outward profession how outwardly blameless soever they may live how much soever they may be esteemed of by others how high esteem soever they may have of themselves as to be the Disciples the Scholars or Learners of Jesus yet if they have not learned some part of this Lesson to deny themselves to deny all that is of self in them which the will is a great part of and take up his Cross and follow Jesus The Cross that Jesus took up was the Cross to that will in him that as he was man would have had the Cup taken from him but he took up the Cross to that will in praying Father not my will but thy will be done and this Cross must all take up that will be his Disciples that will learn of him and follow him in the spirit and not be knowers of him in the flesh and followers of him onely in the flesh Jesus said to his Disciples that if any man will come after him and whosoever will come after him must deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow him Matth. 16. 24. Mark 8. 24. Luke 9. 23. I pray mark the words of the Scripture if any man will or whosoever will which is as much as to say there is none whosoever that can come after Jesus there is none whosoever that can follow Jesus there is none whosoever that can learn of Jesus but they must first deny themselves deny all that is of self in them which will is a great part of All that is of self is first to be denyed before man can take up his Cross and follow Jesus before man can take up a Cross to his own will his own will must first be denyed be said Nay to be resisted as being of the Devil Resist the Devil and he will flee from you Jam. 4. 7. Resist the Temptations of the will and stand in obedience to Jesus the true Light and that will which opposeth Gods will that will flee from you it will not abide the battel with you but it will flee from you it will vanquish will be overcome and cease to be in you as it ceased to
given as Help-meets for the life of Jesus in man When I speak of the Life of Jesus in man I do not mean that eternal Life and Being that gave life and being to all things for that Life and Being the works or actions of man cannot reach unto to do it either good or harm but I mean the Life of Jesus as a Saviour in man as he is sent of the Father and is come into fallen man and is of that eternal Life and being that gave being to all that life of his that was slain in man by sin and is come again into man to be raised up to life and thereby to save man from sin and to bring man to God and into God again from whence man fell by his sin And so as man keeps in obedience to his being drawn or led forth by the Spirit of Jesus in him so he in his obedience being thereunto led or drawn forth by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in him is as an Help-meet for that life of Jesus in him to save him from sin which the woman given to Adam as an Help-meet I believe was a figure of And mans going out of his obedience in the time of the drawings or strivings of the Spirit of Jesus in him is a hurt or hindrance to that Life of Jesus in him that is to that Life that is a saving him from sin And so that which was as an Help-meet is deceived by the subtilty of the Serpents self that in man that yielded obedience to God is deceived in and by its disobedience God's Spirit striving in man to keep him from sin that is God's drawing of man and as man keeps in obedience to those strivings and drawings of the Spirit of God in him so he becomes an Help-meet to the Life of Jesus in him that is to that Life that saves from sin The end of Paul's preaching was to bring men to repent and turn to God and do works meet for repentance Acts 26. 20. And it was Gods Command by the Apostle to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Philip. 2. 12 13. Every one is to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling But how are they to work out their own salvation It must be according to the strivings or drawings of the Spirit of God in them to do it For it is God that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure The work is God's but he doth not do it without man working with him and as God chose man to work with him so he makes man as an Help-meet for the Life of Jesus in man to save man from sin as man yields an obedience to the working of God in him but when man goes out of his obedience and yields not obedience to the working of God's Spirit in him then the woman is deceived and found in the transgression While the woman stood in obedience to the strivings or drawings of the Spirit of God in her which strove in her to keep her from yielding to the temptations of the Serpent and caused her to resist the temptations of the Serpent telling him that they might eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden But of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden God had said they should not eat of it nor touch it lest ye die While the woman stood thus in obedience to the working of the Spirit of God in her that strove in her to keep her from sinning she was as God wrought it in her an Help-meet for the preserving of the Life of Jesus in her that kept her from sin But while the Spirit of God thus wrought and strove in her she hearkened to the Serpents temptation and went out of her obedience into disobedience then she was deceived and found in the transgression as all men in the state of disobedience are How doth experience teach the truth of this at this very day the subtile Serpent presents to man his temptation The Light the Spirit which is Jesus although in several names yet but one Being God makes known to man that what the Serpent tempts to is a breaking of his Commands and the penalty that follows the breaking of the Command is death This is the striving or drawing of God by his Spirit in man to keep man from sin this was in the woman While man stands in obedience to these strivings or drawings of God in him he is kept from sin and so was the woman And as man is thus an Instrument in Gods hand for God doth not save man from sin without mans joyning condescending or being willing thereunto and although the work be wholly Gods who worketh both to will and to do yet God doth not do this his great work without his Instrument man And as man is an Instrument in Gods hand so God makes him a fit Instrument to do his work withal And so man may be said to be an Help-meet for the work of God in man as a man that hath a work to do makes an Instrument fit to do his work with and so his Instrument is an Help-meet or fit for him to do his work withal God strives or draws in man by his Light his Spirit his Son Jesus to keep man from yielding to the temptation of the Serpent The Serpent also then strives in man and draws in man to yield to his temptation this was the cause of the woman The Serpent in his temptation causeth man to behold a good and pleasantness to be had in the sin in the forbidden Fruit the woman saw that the Tree was good for food and pleasant to the eye When the understanding part in man the knowing part in man beheld a good for food and pleasantness to the eye in what was contrary to the Command of God and that there was so much good and pleasantness in it that he shall thereby have content and full satisfaction as being wise as Gods Then there is a desire in the mind stirred up after the enjoying of it this was the case of the woman when she saw the Tree to be good for food and pleasant to the eye then there was a desire stirred up in her to take thereof to be made wise thereby So when the understanding and knowing part in man looketh out and sees that there is a good a pleasantness a satisfaction and full content in what God hath forbidden man to do and that thereby he shall be made as Gods then a desire gets up in the mind to get the enjoyment thereof that he may be wise as Gods that is that he may know what good what pleasure what satisfaction what content there is to be had in the doing the thing that God hath forbidden to be done And so mans desire is to be wise in that God hath forbidden him to do and to know what
And he was first formed the Apostle does not here say made as a Creature but formed he was in the form and likeness of God before the World was and the World was made by him This Adam in man that is Jesus in man was not deceived neither doth this Jesus in man enter into the transgression But Eve so called because she was the Mother of all living she that had her beginning after Adam and was taken out of Adam mark that she was the woman that was deceived and found in the transgression that which was taken out of Adam and was bone of Adam's bone and flesh of Adam's flesh and given to Adam of God to be an Help-meet for Adam this was deceived and was in the transgression Read it within who can in the mystery Christ is compared to the man and the Church to the woman Ephesians the fifth Chapter and the Saints are compared to a woman bringing forth a man child Revelations the 12th Chapter All they that can read it in the mystery in some measure degree or other who knows what it is to have the woman in them saved in Child-bearing that is to know that in man which was deceived and found in the transgression to be again saved in bearing the Child Jesus in bearing and bringing forth in them that which saves from sin and that which saves from sin is that Adam in them that was not deceived that of God in man that never changed but was and is and ever shall be the same and is the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven and the heavenly Image that we shall in time bear if we continue in Faith and Charity and Holiness with Sobriety It was Gods promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head it was not the woman that was to bruise the Serpents head mark that but the seed of the woman Not mans being drawn forth by the Spirit or the goings or the leadings forth of man by the Spirit of Jesus in man that was in man before the fall that was not to bruise the Serpents head but the seed of the woman was to bruise the Serpents head A Virgin shall conceive and bear a son his name is Emmanuel God in us Mat. 1. 23. The Virgin that knew no man brought forth Jesus the Son of God Luke 1. 34 35. That is the seed that bruises the Serpents head that is that in man that knoweth nothing of man that wherein there is nothing of man joyned to it as is in mans being drawn lead or going out to act by the Spirit of Jesus in him there the Serpents self or a mans own will is ready to bruise the heel of it The feet is the walking or going part of man or upon that which man walks and the heel is the hindermost part of the foot and so it represents the walkings goings or drawings forth of man by the Spirit of Jesus in him which self or a mans own will is ready to bruise the heel of it that is to hurt or hinder the pure operations of the work of the Spirit of Jesus in man but the seed of the woman God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin this bruises the head of the Serpent The head is that part of the body wherein the life and understanding is placed it is the seat of that which makes wise and it is the uppermost part of the Creature And this seed of the woman God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin is that seed which bruises the head of the Serpent in us bruises the head of self or a mans own will in us bruises the life of self or a mans will bruises its wisdom or understanding bruises whatever is uppermost in man God did not promise that the seed of the woman should slay or kill the Serpent so as that there should be no life or motion in the Serpent mark that no there was to be an enmity between them between the woman and the Serpent and between the womans seed and the Serpents seed And although the Serpent had his head bruised by the seed of the woman yet the Serpent should bruise the heel of the womans seed mark that The Serpent was not to bruise the heel of the woman although God put enmity between the Serpent and the woman and between the womans seed and the Serpents seed and so great an enmity that the Serpent was to bruise the heel of the womans seed and the seed of that woman not the woman but the womans seed was to bruise the head of the Serpent Man in his goings forth by the leadings or drawings of the spirit of Jesus in him is not to bruise the Serpents head but it is Jesus in him by whom man is drawn forth to do what he doth in obedience to God it is he it is that seed of the woman that is to bruise the Serpents head so that man must be nothing in bruising the Serpents head but God must be all in the doing thereof And doth not experience teach us the truth thereof do we not find that although God in us Jesus that saves from sin doth bruise the head of the Serpent in us self or mans will wherein the life of the Serpent and its wisdom is placed and what is uppermost in Man is bruised by the seed of the Woman in us yet there remains a life or motion in this Serpents self or mans will that doth bruise the heel of the Womans seed in us that is it hurts or hinders the hindermost part of the pure operations or workings of the seed of the woman in us that is of Jesus in us and it must be this Jesus in us and he alone in us that can bruise the head of the Serpent in us and man must be but an instrument in his hand and not to move therein but as moved by Jesus in him that so God may be all in all to work both to will and to do of his own good pleasure And yet this woman that was deceived and in the transgression shall be saved in Child-bearing in bearing the Child whose name is God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin which is conceived in the pure Virgins seed in man in that in man that knew no man that is that knew nothing of self or the will of man but knew onely the will of God it is that in man that knew nothing of man that is of mans self or will by joyning with it or condescending to it that is the Virgins seed in man which conceived God in us the Son of God Jesus that saves from sin and this Conception of the Virgins seed in us is wrought and brought to pass by the Holy Ghost the power of the highest coming upon us and over-shadowing of us it is the great power of God by the holy Spirit joyning with that seed of God in man that never condescended or
Baptist and feared him knowing that he was a just and holy man and he heard him gladly and did many things yet because John reproved him for his beloved sin he put him into prison and afterwards cut off his head Mark 6. This is to be read within in the mystery Simon who by his Sorcery had bewitched the People being looked upon as the great power of God he believed Philip preaching and was baptized and continued with Philip wondring and beholding the miracles and signs that were done and offered to part with his money if for it he might have had the power of disposing the Holy Ghost yet his heart was not right in the sight of God but he was in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity Acts 8. This also may be read within in the mystery These both were under Johns dispensations the one of Preaching and the other of Water-Baptism and both in an outward yielding obedience to God Hymenia and Alexander they went further they put away Faith and a good Conscience which they could not have done if they had not first had Faith and a good Conscience and were gone so far as to make shipwrack of Faith and yet there was a hope of recovery of these 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. But it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Here is a going a great way in the ways of God and a being in a high state and yet a possibility of falling when they are gone so far and are in that high state but if then they do fall it is impossible for them to be renewed again by Repentance and therefore what great need hath all to have a care and not to desire the forbidden Fruit that is to desire to know more of God than a desire to yield obedience to God in what they know of him and also to keep low and to have a low esteem of themselves in and under all the enjoyments of God and his manifestations or making known of himself in them and unto them and not to look upon any part of what they enjoy of Gods making known himself in them or unto them as their own but to look upon all their enjoyments as the Free Gift of God and given to them to be as an Help-meet for the life of the Son of God in them for the bringing them into the Image or likeness of the heavenly Adam I know no subtile Serpent no Satan no Tempter no Devil without me and therefore I can say nothing of a substile Serpent a Satan a Tempter or a Devil without me Those who do know a subtile Serpent a Satan a Tempter or a Devil without them they may declare their knowledge of that subtile Serpent of that Satan of that Tempter or of that Devil that they know without them and what works or actions they have known done by that subtile Serpent that Satan that Tempter oâ— Devil without them As I have declared my knowledge of the subtile Serpent the Satan the Tempter or the Devil within me their works or actions I would not be mistaken I do not say there is no more to be known of the Devil than what I have known of his works and actions within me that is as he is a subtile Serpent a Satan a Tempter or a Devil that is as much as to say he is all whatsoever it is in man that opposeth God and the work of God in man that is the Devil I know no more of him that is I have no experimental knowledge of him but onely as he opposeth God and the work of God in man But I read of other works actions or manifestations of the Devil in Scripture as that of Witches Wizzards familiar Spirits Divinations Inchantments which I know nothing of but onely as I read of them in the Scripture and of those possessed with Devils in the time that Jesus Christ lived in the Humane Nature upon the Earth as the man that came to him to have the Devil cast out of his child which did sometimes cast him into the fire and into the water and rent and tore him at the time of his casting out that he left him as if he had been dead And the man possessed with Devils that chains and fetters could not hold him cutting himself with stones and kept in tombs and had many Devils entred into him but of these I know nothing of experimentally but as something of the inward work of the Devil in man may be compared to these outward works or actions of the Devil but as to the outward works themselves I am altogether ignorant of them I onely know them as I read of them in the Scripture but having no experimental knowledge of them causes me to say I know no other subtile Serpent Satan Tempter or Devil but what I have found of his works and actions within me and I leave it to others that know the other works and actions of the Devil as without doubt some there be that now do know some of them to declare if they please what they know of them I know and do believe that evil men have evil Spirits or evil Angels that do attend upon them their works or actions I have seen of those evil Spirits or evil Angels within me but I never saw any of those evil Spirits or Angels without me and I also know and believe that good men as God hath again made them good by bringing forth his begotten Son Jesus in them they have good Spirits or good Angels attending upon them their works or actions I have seen of those good Spirits or Angels within me but I never saw any of those good Spirits or Angels without me I think that to be my duty that John said was his and others their practice in his time 1 John 1. 1 2 3. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life for the life was manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ I have read what the subtile Serpent said to the woman and what answer she gave the Serpent and how she yielded to the Temptation and I have read how the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them
be saved Gods end in sending his Son was not to condemn any one but to save all He that believeth on him is not condemned all those are saved that believe on him but he that believeth not is condemned already all those that do not believe on the begotten Son of God the true Light they are already condemned that is presently while they are in that state of unbelief All men as they have sinned are as they are in the state of sin under the sentance of condemnation but Gods love is such to man in general that he hath sent his onely begotten Son to take off that sentance of condemnation that whosoever did believe in him should not be condemned God grants to them that believe in his Son to speak after the manner of men a Pardon and so the sentence of condemnation is taken off from them and they are as if they had never been condemned but all those that do not believe in his Son they remain under that sentence of condemnation and so are condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the onely begotten Son of God The cause why all men are condemned is because they do not believe in the Name of the onely begotten Son of God As the name of a King signifies the power of the King so the Name of the onely begotten Son of God signifies the power of the onely begotten Son of God They do not believe in his power who is the true Light in them that makes known in them and shews unto them what may be known of God They do not believe that this Light hath power to save them or that there is a sufficient power in this Light that if they should yield obedience to it to save them And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world Light is come into the world into that world Man that God so loved that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever of that world Man believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life God hath by his true Light made known his love in them and their condemnation is not because they did not know God or for want of Gods making known his love to them or for want of Gods making known so much of God to them as may be known of God but it is because Light is come into the world Man come into them and men love darkness rather than light is because their deeds are evil For every one that doth evil hateth the light evil doers hate the Light hate Jesus the onely begotten Son of God whom God in his love hath sent to save them neither cometh to the light they will not come to Jesus the onely begotten Son of God the true Light that lighteth them that makes known in them and shew unto them what may be known of God to the end that they may be saved by believing in his Name by believing in his power but they will not come to him the true Light the power of God to salvation to be saved by him lest their evil deeds should be reproved or discovered They so love their evil deeds that rather than they will have them reproved or discovered so as to be brought to a leaving or forsaking of them They will not come to the Light to be saved by the Light that is to be saved by the onely begotten Son of God But he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God This is that which maketh the difference in men God makes known himself in all that which is to be known of God even his eternal power and Godhead Gods makes known in all he hath shewed it unto them and so they are without excuse His love is to all he gave his Son that whosoever none excepted that did believe in him should not perish He did not send his Son to condemn the world Man but to save the world Man and those that believe in him are not condemned but are saved from the condemnation and those that believe not are already condemned they are now in the state of condemnation And it is because they have not believed on him the condemnation is because Light is come into the World come into them and they believe not in it but they love darkness the works of darkness evil deeds better than they love the Light And instead of loving the Light that makes known evil deeds in them they hate the Light because it discovers lays open and makes their evil deeds known and reproves them for evil deeds and therefore they will not come to the Light but hate it The Light in them calls them to come and believe in it but they will not come and believe in it And why will they not come and believe in it It is because they love their evil deeds and that causes them to hate the Light but he that doth truth that is he that in sincerity and integrity of his heart doth the things that God hath made known in him to be his will that he should obey him in he cometh to the Light And why doth he that doth truth come to the Light It is that his deeds his works may be made known made manifest that they are wrought in God He that doth truth he that truly yields obedience to God according to what he knows of God his hearts desire is to bring all his actions and deeds to Jesus the true Light of God in him that thereby they may be made known made manifest made truly known in him and to him that they are the works of God wrought in him that is the great thing desired by him that doth the truth to know that all that is done in him is done by Jesus the truth in him So that the difference that is made in men is of their own making Gods love is general to all he sent his Son to save all that would believe in him he hath made known his love in all That which may be known of God is manifest in them God he hath shewed it unto them they are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse But some love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil and therefore they will not come to the light but are haters of the light Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were they thankful to God for what God had made known of himself to them but became vain in their imaginations Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient Rom. 1. 21 28. I pray mark the words of the Scripture Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge which knowledge they once had that God had given to them of himself
as this I believe will come although through my outward age I may not live in the body to see it yet now I do see it by the eye of faith and if I depart this life before that day come I shall die in the belief of it That there shall be a time when Jesus shall be less known and less followed in the flesh than he is now and more known and followed in the Spirit than now he is And that there shall not be so much Lordship and power used over one another as now there is amongst those that are the disciples of Christ and know him and follow him after the flesh which had its being when the Twelve met one casting out Devils in Jesus Name and forbade him because he followed not them but there shall be a true following of Jesus and obeying his command in those that are great among them in that they will not do as the Kings of the Gentiles did exercise Lordship one over another but he that is great among them shall be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve and that is to be like Jesus who was amongst his Disciples as he that serveth Luke 22. 25 26 27. When this day comes the high places will be taken down within and also without what high places were there either within or without for men to get up in when the Apostles and others first preached the Death and Resurrection of Jesus and the power of God went forth then wonderfully in reaching the witness of God in them that heard them although their words were not many And what high places were there either within or without for men to get up in when those called Quakers came first forth like poor silly men and here and there spake a few words as they met with people And how then went the power of God forth with them reaching the witness of God in many that went to see what manner of men they were as my self was one I believe there will come a time when the Disciples the followers of Jesus shall know what it was that Jesus did when he washed his Disciples feet which Peter when he did it did not know what he did and yet Peter saw him wash and wipe the outward feet of some before he came to him to wash his feet And Peter looking upon it but onely as an outward act and saw not then the spiritual meaning of it but looking upon it as an outward act he thought it was not a sitting thing for Jesus his Lord and Master to wash his feet but Jesus tells them that although he was their Lord and Master he had washed their feet and he did it to that very end to give them an Example that they should do to others as he had done to them and that it was a duty that they ought to wash one anothers feet John 13. When and where this duty is practised there all Lordly and Masterly power is cast down there is no exercising of authority over others there is a knowing what it is to take up the Cross to their own Wills and to follow the Example of Jesus Which washing of feet was another thing than the washing of the outward feet for although Peter then had so much outward familiar acquaintance with Jesus in the flesh yet he knew not the meaning of it although he had been sent forth by Jesus to preach and cast out Devils as others now may be but Peter should know afterwards the meaning of it And Peter did afterwards know the meaning of it when he knew the Death and Resurrection of Jesus which then he did not know nor believe the Death and Resurrection of Jesus when Jesus washed the outward feet of his Disciples But when Peter came to that knowledge that Paul speaks of 2 Cor. 5. 16. Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him no more When and where this knowledge is of knowing no man after the flesh not the knowing of Christ after the flesh there is the knowing what it is to wash one anothers feet which Peter did not know while he knew Christ after the flesh which knowledge cannot be meant the outward feet being washed for then Peter would have known what Jesus had done when he washed the Disciples outward feet but it was the washing of those feet which if Jesus did not do for them they had no part in him And then Peter who had before denied Jesus to wash his feet now rather than he would lose his part in him would have not onely his feet washed but his hands and his head but Jesus told him he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clear every whit that is the feet that is the duty of the Disciples the Followers of Jesus that they are to be as Instruments in Gods hand to wash one for another it is that or those feet that makes them clean every whit That part of the body that God had said the Serpent should bruise that part Jesus washt and left it as an Example and Command for his Disciples to follow read it in the Mystery who can The feet is that upon which the whole body is born up they are those upon which the body walks they are next the Earth these being washed and made clean the whole body is clean and so they represent or figure mans walking in obedience to God which as an Instrument in Gods hand the new Creature in us moves and walks upon the feet of obedience in us which if our obedience be not washed and made clean by Jesus we can have no part in Jesus that is if what we do in obedience to the outward Command of God be not the work of Jesus in us we have no part in Jesus And man being washed and made clean in that part of him that is in his walking in obedience to God by Jesus who is the life of the new Creature in man he need not have any more washed or made clean but is clean every whit Man in this his walking in obedience to God he treads upon the earthy part in him which is very ready to cleave to the feet of his walking in obedience to God and so to defile them the Serpent God hath said shall bruise the heel of the seed of the woman hurt or hinder Jesus in the pure operation or working of the Spirit of Jesus in man And so thereby the feet of mans walking in obedience to God that which the new Creature in man may be said as in a figure to walk and move upon in obedience to God as Jesus the Life moves in the new Creature and so as our obedience is from the movings and stirrings of the new Creature in us which moves and walks upon the earthy part in us and so as the earthy part in us cleaves to the feet of
love that God hath shewed to man in making of him in his likeness and Image yet man proved so unworthy and rebellious to this God that manifested and made known so much love to him as that he rebelled against this God and as I may say to speak after the manner of men proved a Traytor to this God that had manifested and made known so much love to him For whereas God in the Creation as man was made in his Image God ruled in man and over man and mans will was resigned and given up into the will of God But man like a Traytor set up his own will and preferred that above and before the will of God in him and put the government of himself under his own will to be ruled by his own will where all men in the fallen state now are and while this will bears the rule over them they will not come to Jesus the true Light in them that they may have life John 5. 40. And although man in his Treachery and Rebellion lost his love to God and became an enemy to God yet God as unchangeable he continued his love to man and his love was then so great to man when man was in his Rebellion against God and an enemy to God that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. And God commended his love towards us that while we were yet sinners and enemies to God Christ died for us Rom. 5. 8. And God hath sent his Ambassadours to beseech and pray you to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. And what shall not the unchangeableness of Gods Love to us and the willingness that is in God that we should be reconciled to him and not to perish shall not this work upon us to be willing to resign and give up our wills into Gods will when there can be no reconciliation made between God and lost man but by mans being willing to resign and give up his will into the will of God That is the partition-wall that must be taken down that which at first made the separation between God and man It was man went out of the doing of Gods will into the doing of his own will and to reconcile man again to God there must be a going out of mans will into Gods will again And is not this very reasonable that man should resign and give up his will into the will of God being Gods love is so unchangeable to man As that when man had no true love in him to God but was Gods enemy yet then Gods love was such to man as to give his Son his beloved Son to keep man from perishing and that man by his love of God might have everlasting life and therefore can there be any thing more reasonable than this That man should resign and give up his will into the will of God And further if the consideration of Gods love to man in his Creation and the unchangeableness of his love to man when man was turned Gods enemy and Gods willingness to have man to be reconciled unto him if this will not prevail with man to be willing to have his will resigned and given up into the will of God let man consider the absolute necessity that there is as on mans part to have his will resigned and given up into Gods will for if mans will be not resigned and given up into Gods will man perishes for ever There can be no reconciling of God and man together without mans will being resigned and given up into the will of God for although indeed God is unchangeable in himself and so is a God of love and so there is love in God to man his Creature yet also God in himself is a God of Justice executing of his Justice to all and upon all that stand it out in Rebellion against him which all men do while in their wills they oppose Gods will And let men flatter themselves what they will with the unchangeableness of Gods love to man and so have thoughts that God loves them yet until there is a willingness in them to have their wills resigned and given up into the will of God I know by experience that these thoughts of theirs of Gods loving of them is changeable in them and sometimes they may have thoughts in them that God loves them and at other times they are afraid of Gods Justice and Judgments to fall upon them for their sins and transgressions And to be made free from the manifestations or making known of Gods Justice and Judgments for sin in us and to us is to have our wills resigned and given up into the will of God and then we may say with Paul Rom. 7. For that which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that I do If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the law that it is good now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me And as the will comes to be resigned and given up into the will of God so there is a knowing that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus to them whose wills are resigned and given up into the will of God as their Father as was the will of Christ Jesus and there is no being in Christ Jesus unless in some measure degree or other the will be resigned and given up to God as a Father as was the will of Christ Jesus And as their wills are resigned and given up into the will of God so they walk not after the flesh they walk not after their fleshly wills they follow not their fleshly wills but they walk after the spirit they follow after the spirit of Christ Jesus the true light in them that teacheth them to resign and give up their wills into the will of God and those who are not thus in Christ Jesus who have not their wills resigned and given up into the will of God as Christ Jesus will was they are still in the state of condemnation because they walk after the flesh their own wills and although at sometimes they may have some hopes or apprehensions of Gods love towards them yet it is not lasting in them it fails them when they stand in most need of it that is it fails them when God is making known in them and to them his Justice and Judgments due to them for their sins Then they cannot apprehend any love in God to them but they are afraid of God for then they cannot say as Paul said that what I would I do not but what I hate that I do and then that it was no more I that did it but sin that dwelleth in me They cannot speak after that manner but instead thereof the
in their Wills set by them and thereby and therein to please satisfie and content themselves as if they were worshipping God in his spirit and in his truth in his Jesus that saves from sin and also telling of them what would follow and fall upon them for such Worship and Service But at length it happened to me as it did to the man of God sent to cry against the Altar at Bethel who King Jeroboam by his threatning nor by his friendship could prevail with to disobey any part of the Command of God but he was prevailed with and brought into disobedience by an old Prophet that told him that an Angel spake to him by the Word of the Lord but he lyed unto him he had no Angel spake to him nor no Word from the Lord to say what he did to the man sent of God It was the old lying Serpents self in him that spake these words to him whereby he deceived the man sent of God and so it happened to me All the bad dealings that I had received did not in the least hinder me in my obedience to any part of the Command of God in speaking what I had in Command to speak but it so happened that I was in Company with three Women called Old Quakers of great esteem amongst them and although in plain words they did not give themselves the Name of Prophetess as the old Prophet did or say as he did that an Angel spake to him by the word of the Lord yet they spake words to the same purpose That they were moved by the spirit of God to speak to me and that it was in the Name of God and for Gods sake and many words to these purposes that they used to me and that although as they said they did not know one anothers minds nor had said nothing of it before yet they did speak to that purpose as if they all of them severally one by another had a Command from God and that they were all moved by the spirit of God in them at that time to speak to me and let me know from God that what I spake in the Meeting I did not speak by a true moving of the spirit of God in me but it was the wrong spirits self in me that put me forward to speak and very many words they spake to me to these purposes And I having had a large experience of the subtilty of the Serpents self in me and how he had in former times deceived me in a shew of godliness and then they all as the old Prophet did did affirm that they had a several Angel or as they called it a several moving of the spirit of God severally did move in each of them and put them upon it to speak to me by the word of the Lord in them although I now know they all lyed to me as the old Prophet did yet these their lying words then spoken in the Name of the Lord deceived me as the lying words of the old Prophet deceived the man sent of God and they caused me as the Serpent did Eve who at first resisted the Temptation but afterwards she yielded to question or doubt of the Command of God whether God had said Ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden and so at first I resisted them very strongly yet at length through their many words I question'd or doubted whether God had commanded me to speak as I had spoken although I did before know that God had Commanded me to speak as Eve knew that God had said they should not eat of every tree of the Garden there was one Tree that God had Commanded that they should not eat thereof And in this knowledge of what was Gods Command Eve had obeyed God in as I in that knowledge that it was the Command of God for me to speak had obeyed God in but it was with me as it was with Eve and the man sent of God who at first resisted and said Nay to the old Prophet after the Serpent by his deceit and lye had caused Eve to question or doubt whether God had Commanded what she in her self before knew to be the Command of God and from that knowledge that she had in her self that it was the Command of God she had yielded obedience unto it but soon after the Serpent had wrought in her to question or doubt whether it was the Command of God or no he soon by his lying brought her to disobey God in his Command and it cost her her life and so the man sent of God he knew that it was the Command of God in him that he should not eat bread or drink water in that place and he for a time obeyed the Command of God in him and did not yield to the desire of the old Prophet but when by the lying of the old Prophet and that in the word of the Lord as the old Serpent in him caused him to say he questioned the truth of the Command of God in him which before he had obeyed and would not for the fear or friendship of a King be prevailed with into the disobedience of any part of it yet by the lye of one that called himself a Prophet and sent of God as he was he went from obeying what he had known to be the true Command of God in him and believed the lye that the lying old Prophet had told him was the Command of God for him to obey God in and that cost him his life and so it was with me although at first I resisted them strongly and would give no way to them yet afterwards by the lyes that they told me in the word of the Lord as they pretended to me that it was by the motion of the spirit of God in them that they spake to me I giving some credit to them as Eve did to the Serpent and the man sent of God to the old lying Prophet I began to question the truth of the Command of God in me which before I knew to be the Command of God in me and had obeyed God therein and I did with Eve and the man of God who gave more credit to the lye the Serpent told and the old Prophet told than to the truth spoken in them and to them by the spirit of God and so did I give more credit to the lye that they spake to me in that they told me it was by the moving of self in me that I spake and not by the Command of God and by believing them in their lye I went out of the obedience to what I knew was the Command of God in me and to me and for a time I had obeyed God in which all the hard or bad dealings that I had met withal could not in the least prevail with me to disobey the Command of God in me and to me to speak what God had given me in Command to speak but I was prevailed with and prevailed over