he should find some in sinne and save them and others in sinne and condemn them But who knows Christ and hopes in him hopes in righteousnesse and therein to stand in the day of Judgment and therein to live in this evil world above it and all the unrighteousnesse of it And the end of the lively hope is no lesse then Gods righteousnesse to attain and live in as it is received and onely 1 Pet. 3. 14 15. such can give a Reason of the Hope that is in them Who sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts and have a good conscience and suffer for well-doing 1 Thes 5. 8. 16. which unreasonable men who live in the unreasonable nature cannot do whose Hope is not an Helmet of Salvation against Sinne yet would have it for Salvation against Hell And this is the unreasonable Hope in unreasonable men for which they can give no reason but in their own Wills and Imaginations for is there any reason why you should hope to be saved by Christ who will be the Devils servants to yield your members servants to and delight in his wickednesse while you live and yet be saved by Christs righteousnesse when you die This is a Hope that serves you to talk on to feed your selves in your vanities but will be in the end like the giving up of the Ghost But who is begotten into the lively Hope are begotten into an Inheritance uncorruptible and undefiled whereunto they are kept by the power in Hope through Faith unto Salvation from sinne the thing that he that 's begotten of God longs and hopes for which Hope shall not faile Concerning Love THe love of God is but one and in One nor can any receive it but who receives that one the Son of God and this cannot stand with Self or any changable thing for God is that love and none can dwell in it but as he dwels in God so it 's pure and perfect As the Creature comes to live in God as he is into his Image and likenesse so with the pure Light his love is seen and shed abroad in the heart whereby the power of Faith worketh to the overcoming all that is contrary to God so the love of God abounds and who dwels in it worketh none ill but the Work of Love fulfills the Law of God which is upon all that 's gone out from him into the world self-ends which hath received-in the love of carnal things and so are gone into the enmity against God setting the Affection on changable things for whosoever will be a friend to the worlds is the enemy of God for the Worlds love arises from the Spirit of the World but the love of God is a fruit of Gods Spirit and none hath the love of God but who hath that Spirit from which it springs which is Eternal Unchangeable and above all Carnal things nor can Time or Carnal things quench it for it endures for ever and herein it differs from all the worlds love nor can any one have this love but in the Fountain of love even the manifestation of Gods love shed in the heart wherewith he first loved the Creature and this being known and seen in the Light from thence is the Spring of Love which runs out to the whole Creation of God and for the same end for as the love is one so the End is but one Now God so loved the World that he gave his Son into the World a Light to condemn sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of God might be fulfilled in the Creature in walking after the Spirit and denying the Works of the flesh and this is the love of God to sinners to condemn sinne and take it away in the Light and life of Christ and to all that love with this love this is the end of it But with this love is all your love condemned whose love stands in Fashions and Customes Feastings and Ryotings Sports and vain Pleasures or any thing in the flesh that 's in the Fall and in flattering one another in your evil wayes or in respect of persons or any other thing that hath an end for the love of God is without end in love to the Soul and Body as God hath made it but in hatred to all that is come in since which hath defiled it So that this love of God consists of Reproofs Judgment and Condemnation against all that defiles the Creation and against the Creature who yields to that pollution and this is pure love to the Soul that deals faithfully therewith in declaring its condition and that was the Mat. 23. great love Christ shewed the Jews when he told them they were Hypocrites blind guids Lyars and said Wo unto you ye Serpents ye Generation of Vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell And many such plain true Act. 13. 10 words he spoke in love to them And that was the love of God in Paul which said to Elimas O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou Child of the Devil thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervent the right wayes of the Lord For all the love that can be shewed to any Creature is to deal faithfully and truly with them as they are seen in the Light and he who doth not so loves neither God nor them as will be found in the day of Judgment and so are out of Gods love and have imagined a love which is of another nature and with this love such as are out of the love of God flatter one another in your evil wayes and changable opinions which love is grounded in carnal things and stands in your own Wills And therewith when you will you love and when you will you hate but neither knows love nor hatred as it is in God Eccles 1. 9 6. whose love and hatred stands in changeable things so your love and hatred perisheth which stands not in God But who knows the love of God tramples upon all your love and hatred and sees an end thereof And such sees your blindnesse who say you would have all wone by love but know not whereof you affirm whose wayes is not Gods ways nor your Isa 2. 27. thoughts his For saith he I will redeem Zion with Judgment and with Isa 4. 4. the Spirit of Judgment and burning will I wash away the filth thereof But You who are in your filth would have all flattered therein So that love is seen to be filthy which spares filthinesse which defiles the Temple of God but that is pure which purges away the filth and condemns the Unclean and all that loves it For the love of the Devil may be wone with serving of him and flattering him in his wayes in them in whom he is But what is it worth So may one have the love of all the World and their friendship but woe unto that friendship which is got by sparing Gods enemies that is enmity against God
Therefore faith Jam. 4. 4. God let love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evill cleave to Rom. 12. 9. that which is good and that love is it which covers sinne which condemns sin unto death and covers it with righteousnesse Otherwise saith the Scriptures he that covereth sinne shal not prosper And saith James Prov. 28. 13. Jam. 5. 20. He which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a Prov. 29. 5. soul and shall hide a multitude of sinnes And saith Solomon Open rebuke is better thâ—â—â—â—â—â—t love such wounds are precious to them that know what love is but he that spares mens wickednesse hates Gods righteousnesse And so with the Light is seen Gods love and the Devils love and each loves his own works and so do their Children in whom they raign For who ever loves the one hates the other and he that serves the one hates the other and so the Servant pleads for his Master whom he loves Concerning Judgment TRue Judgment as it is known to men is a gift from the Spirit of God set in the heart of every one who dwells in the Light of Christ which Judgmennt passeth upon all that 's in the Creature contrary to the life of God and so as it is received springs up with Light and Salvation to the redeeming of the heart from all uncleannesse condemning all which is contrary to purity that God may be seen in his dwelling place with his righteousnesse and so he is said to redeem Zion with Judgment and her Isa 1. 27 Converts with Righteousnesse and to purge away the filth of the Daughter of Zion with the Spirit of Judgment and the Spirit of burning And if there be a dwelling in the Light this Judgment ceases not till the Isa 4. 4. Throne of Christ be established in the heart in peace for this is his Judgment and is upon all that stands up against his Kingdom and this Isa 9. 7. is the cause why the enemies of righteousnesse love it not but have turned it into gall and wormwood which the righteous delights in and loves who are redeemed and saved therewith and knows it to be the the Promise first to be received For saith the Lord I will make Judgment Isa 51. 4 to rest for a light of the people which being received his righteousnesse is neer to be revealed Therefore his Judgment must passe before upon all that 's Unrighteous and none can have his righteousnesse but who receives his Judgment Hos 6. 5. Therefore saith the Lord I have hewed them by the Prophets I have slain them by the words of my mouth and my Judgments are as a Light that Dan. 7. 2 goeth forth And for this end is Judgment given to the Saints of the most High And saith the Lord righteous men shall judge them after the manner of Adulteresses and after the manner of women that shed blood because they are Adulteresses and blood is in their hands thus will I cause loudness to cease out of the Laud. Therefore is Ezekiel so often commanded to judge them and cause them to know their abominations And Jeremy was full of the fury of the Lord and he was weary with hold 〈◊〉 in And Micah was full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of Judgment to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne And so in all Ier. 6. 11. Ages he placed his Judgments in his servants who were to judge the Heathen and such as knew not God therewith and so many as did believe Mic. 3. 8. it and receive it did repent and found mercy and the rest were hardened And this judgment is eternal and shall stand in Heaven as it is passed upon earth And this was committed to the Apostles as a Doctrine and Heb. 6. 2. whom they bound were bound and who by it they loosed were loosed therefore did all the Saints love judgment for it is the ministration of Christ ministred out upon all that 's against Christ and that which is against Christ is against the Soul so this judgment must begin at the 1 Pet. 4. 17 house of God but where the Devil keeps the house he rejects it and saith Solomon the ungodly scorneth Judgment and evill men understand it not So saith he there i that 's destroyed for want of Judgment and Prov. 19. 28. he that hath not Judgment is blind and sees not that his Enemy raigns which must raign till Judgment be brought into victory and set in the Prov. 28. earth but when Judgment is laid to the Line and Righteousnesse to the Prov. 13. 25. Plummet then the Covenant with Hell and Death must be disanulled so all that are in this Covenant loves not that which breaks it Isa 28. 17 18. And this is your Case who hates reproof who when you are told of your evil hearts where sinne lives and your cursed crooked natures you say Who made thee a Judge And many say You could like what we say but that we judge people so you are they that hate Judgment and would not have the Ministry of Christ to go on for who hath the Spirit of Christ hath the Spirit of Judgment and who serves that Spirit must sâ—ffer it to speak and judge in them and all that oppose it shall be condemned by it Therefore saith David the tongue of the Righteous talketh judgment the Law of God is in his heart his steps shall not slide but the wicked Psal 137. 30 31 32. seekech to slay him So for uttering the Judgments of God against the Wicked have the just ever suffered and for the same do you now hate them and condemn them and you are in the same nature and covenant that your Fore-fathers was in who shed the innocent bloud and you would have joyned with them had you lived with them what ever your deceipt may say to the contrary And you are found in the same Opposition to the utmost power you have against the Spirit of Judgment now as they was then and the cause is the same now as it was then both they and you living in that which is for Judgment Fire and Condemnation therefore you cannot receive their Testimony who have that evil judged and condemned which you love and live in and for this cause Cain slew his Brother and so do all his generation and with that which you hate shall you be condemned and shall not be able to stand in judgment which is the Saints delight in which they are united to God as he hath said I â—os 2. 19. will betroth ye unto me for ever in righteousness and in judgment which righteousnes and Judgment must condemn the wicked So who hath Christ hath him in Judgment and righteousness and loves him his Judgment and righteousness but who is married unto the world cannot love that which is his Condemnation for so doing Concerning
without action no more Jeames 2. 18. can faith in Christ without righteousnesse these are inseparable Rom. 10 6. 10. therefore it s called the righteousnesse of faith where the heart believes unto righteousnesse there the mouth confesseth to salvation without hypocrisie of selfe righteousnesse And so Gods righteousnesse is received in the heart by faith and by obedience thereto brought forth into the world a witnesse against all the unrighteousnesse of the world and so the righteousnesse of God is preached through faith in all whose faith stands in Christ Jesus but that is a dead faith which brings not forth the life of Christ into the 1 Tim. 6. 10. 21. world and that 's the reprobate faith which is to the good worke reprobate and he that errs from the righteousnesse errs from the faith also which is held in a pure conscience and he that makes shipwrack of a good conscience and puts that away makes shipwrack of faith also And in the eternall light is all your faith seene and judged to be without Christ and without foundation who are out of the light and out of the life And your Faith is seen to be the same with the Scribes and Pharisees who believed the Scriptures and thought to find life therein but did not believe in the Light and so would not come to Christ that they might have life So all your Faith which is out of the Light which from the Letter you have formed is a Faith set up in your own Wills and not that which is given of God For that Faith that is the gift of God believes in the Light and follows it and so leads to the Life and this Faith that stands in the Light and Life is the living Faith and never without Works which Works are Love Meeknesse Patience Mortification Sanctification Justification c. the Works of God in Christ Jesus in which Gods Workmanship is seen in the new Creation received in the Faith and in the obedience to which the Soul is purified and Victory witnessed over the World Sinne and Death But you who believe not in the Light are Enemies to this Faith and yet you get the Words of the Scripture given forth from the Light and so your Faith stands in the Wisdome of words into which you have been searching with your wisdome but not in the power of God and his Work so you are they who say and do not whose practice could never suit your Profession Concerning Hope HOpe is a gift of God and is pure and stands in that which is pure shewing that purity of God and his righteousness Rom. 4. 8. in Christ Jesus the beholding whereof stayes the soul Rom. 5. 4 5 from Joyning to the wicked one when he tempteth because 2 Joh. 3. 2 3 he sees in the light a better worke to serve so that untill the time of that work being manifest the hope is as an Anchor to stay from following the unclean one and so keeps out of the sin and so makes not ashamed even in the time of want it hopes against 2 Tim. 1. 1â— hope When that life of Christ is not yet seen in its full power yet it is evidenced in the hope which is wrought in the patience experience 1 Pet. 1. 1â— 12 1â— whereby the love appeares and the faith workes whereby Gods righteousnes is revealed and the Son is seen who is the redeemer and he that hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure And this is that hope that enters within the vail into the holy place where the life and immortality is brought to light which the mortall eye nor carnall senses cannot approach to and this is the living hope which hopes to the end That Christ and his righteousness may be revealed to take away sin and save from it and out of it and in hope of this the Children and babes of Christ wait in the obedience of the Spirit not fashioning themselves after the lusts of ignorance but as he who hath called to that hope is holy so in his holiness is their conversation who are in his hope But the Devill hath begotten an other hope as like this as may be in his servants who beleive him and are acted by his Spirit which stands in an other ground and brings forth an other fruit And that is That though they be servants to sin for that must be Concluded in all his Covenants and graces yet there is hopes of salvation and such hopes as may not be Judged false nor questioned although the witness of God in the conscience doth testifie to the contrary yet it must not be heeded lest they be deluded So that where he is become teacher â— Cor. 1. 12 a tender conscience to is be resisted as the greatest Error and foolery in the world and that To wait for the testimony or witness within is to deny Christ at Jerusalem and the greatest blasphemy that can be spoken of and to wait for that mystery that hath been hid from ages to wit Christ Col. 2. 17. within the hope of glory is to deny the person of Christ and his blood and sufferings And many such imaginations hath he begott in peoples brains to scare them from â—â—inding the light of Christ within that so he may Ephe. 4. 18. 19. keep the heart in darkness and his seat there undiscovered So he sets them to look for the kingdom of Christ without them and a spirit without and a light without and a word without and righteousness without and in that to hope while he dwells in the heart and there in darkness Luke 17. 21. upholds his kingdom of sin and seat of unrighteousness all their life and feeds them with a hope after they be dead by a profession without power Gal. 4. 6. and life and spirit and truth in them to order them and their Conversation 2 Cor. 4. 6 a right towards God and man in their generation Psal 119. 11. and this is the hope of the hypocrite that must perish in the end and come short of salvation whose hope is not in God nor gives being Rom. 10. 8 in his righteousness but he hath a hope and lives in the world without 2 Cor. 5. 21. God and his hope And this is not the hope of Christ which lives in sin and hopes for salvation but this is his hope that hopes to freedom Rom. 1. 17. and perfection which never comes short of its end in all that Iob 17. 8. wait in it and this hope only is it that maketh not ashamed But you Ephe. 7. 17. may be ashamed of your hope who are found in your sins and Hab. 7. 19. encouraging your selves therein that you shall not dye That 's the Devils hope which hopes not freedome from sinne as much as freedome from Hell And with this hope would he make God a Lyar and partial like himself that
he do any thing but what he see the Father do in that worke he was found doing the same as he was taught of the Father in his obedience to him not what the Scribes and Pharisees did though they sat in Moses seat nor what the world approved but what was contrary to all the world and contrary to his own will onely submitting to the moving of the Spirit of the Father that dwelt in him by which alone he was to be guided and furnished to every good work And all that believe in him and follow his light he leads into the same knowledge and obedience out of all carnall knowledge power and obedience and by faith the creature is made partaker of this obedience and the power thereof from faith to faith And all that have learned him as he is so are they in this present world both in law and life and power and Spirit and in all this in the measure as he is learned and as any comes to the unity of the faith in him to his measure stature and fulnesse so the obedience is but one the power one the way one and the Son one and the Father one And this is not any thing from without but in Spirit it is learned and obtained and the mystery of it is hid from all who are without and the ministration of it is spirituall within whereby that obedience is known which is to the truth through the Spirit which is in life and not in imitation in the will of God and not in self will which obedience stands not in any thing seen from man or by man done thereby to imitate or doe the like for that is two obediences but it stands in Christ Jesus and in his one obedience to the Father seene in the light and in the faith received whereby the believer is made one in it and it in him that as the same Father calls for the same obedience in Spirit so in the same Spirit doth the believer offer up himself and all he hath in the same power and obedience in Christ Jesus And so as the creature by faith partakes of that one obedience in the second Adam he is made righteous and no further even as all are made sinners as they partake of the disobedience of the first Adam and no further And who knows to partake of this obedience knows the eternal Spirit in which all the Children of God have been taught and enabled to this one obedience in their several measures ever since the world was which is not works by them done but the everlasting righteousnesse of God obeyed in that Spirit according to the motions thereof seene in the light of Christ which none knows who are heart-blind and who minds the motions of the flesh and obeys them their minds being gone out to carnall pleasures the Call to this obedience is not by them heard neverthelesse the same carnall Spirit that leads out into the world teaches to make an imitation of this obedience and so deceives the simplicity by setting up a likenesse without life and so glories in appearance but not in heart And the witnesse of God in the heart or Conscience of such testifying to the face of truth that their obedience is not perfect nor accepted they conclude that there can be no perfect obedience attained in this world they not knowing the mighty powerful working of God in Spirit which worketh in them perfectly who believe and walk in the light whereby such become his workmanship in Christ Jesus wrought into his obedience and his obedience into them in their measure till they become of one heart one mind one soul one spirit one flesh and bone and blood and one obedience and one life that it is no more we that lives but Christ that lives in us and the life that we now live is by Faith in the Son of God and though the fulnesse of this obedience is not attained at once yet the least measure of it is perfect and accepted and so accepted in him in whom it is wrought as the obedience of a Child is as pure clear and willing as the strong mans even so is the new Birth in Christ Jesus according to what God requires thereof who never requires but what he gives and never gives but what is perfect and what he perfectly accepts which gifts are all in his Son and in him the least is accepted and every one that therein exercise themselves without mixture Concerning good Works AS there is but one good so there is but one Worker of good in Heaven and in Earth who by the Word of his Power made all good in the beginning and in this good Work and Will was Man wrought in the Will of God in his Image and goodnesse he stood but falling from this stedfastnesse that was in God and be taking him unto self thereby to become wise he became subtill and proud in himself seeking to be as God was cast out from God his Power Love and goodnesse and being fallen into the dark Imaginary of his own heart and finding himself under the Curse whereof the Light of Christ in the Conscience is a Witnesse he hath set himself to make a likenesse of God Christ and Gods Worship and good Works Faith Hope Patience Love c. but being under the powers of darknesse neither knows God nor his Work but is deceived by the Prince of Darknesse and so doth please himself with an Imitation of God and his Work but without power and so as he imagines is doing good but the testimony of God in his heart bears witnesse against him that his Work is not perfect nor accepted He also imagines that he is redeemed but is still under the commanding power of Satan led Captive at his will who that he may the more strongly blind him he leads him sometimes into a seeming worship that so he may not so much suspect his way nor be too much troubled at his other unrighteous practices so that the worst of men in this state have a worship and each sort thinks they are right though there be but one way and they all without it and each in their thoughts are not so bad as others but have their severall good works though there be but one good work and they all out of it in their own works And it is no small work to undeceive the least of these who are thus conceited though men of greater wits and parts as they call them which is but a higher deceipt may lead them from one deceipt to another yet all the worlds wisdome cannot bring them into the good work nor the way wherein it is wrought Onely such who mind the light of Christ in their dark hearts which manifests to them their Evill deeds and reproves them for them and can believe it to be the light of Christ and thereto take heed to follow it out of the world and carnall mindednesse and in that light wait till the Living-Word
in bondage Concerning Justification Sanctification and Mortification THe wisdom of men in the Fall finding these several words in Scripture hath in their imaginations run them into divisions and separated that which is in one and cannot be devided in the possession for it is one that worketh all these where he is present according to the measure received And this is the just one who by faith lives in the Creature and the Creature in him and so becomes the justifier and sanctifier of all that believe and the mortifier of that nature which is out of the faith and one of these is not alone without the rest For that which sanctifies that mortifies and the same justifies and all that know what it is to have these in the life knows this I know there are a people who have a desire to Heaven more then to holynesse and they lest they should spoyle their Carnal delights have in their brain-imag'nation conceipted a Justification without santification or mortification wresting those Scriptures which condemns the works of the law and therewith they would exclude the righteousnesse of faith also And because the Scripture saith God justifies the ungodly through faith therefore they conclude themselves justified in their ungodlinesse by a fancy which they call faith but are without faith in Christ For that faith which laies not hold upon Gods righteousnesse is not the faith of Christ but a dead thing for so far as any hath the faith of Christ so far it reveals Gods righteousnesse without the law from faith to faith by which righteousnesse of God the just lives and the unjust dies and so justified as they are sanctified and mortified and no further even as the righteousnesse of God without the law is manifest being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleive without respect of persons No righteousnesse no faith in Christ but where Gods righteousnesse is unto all and upon all there the belief is witnessed and the faith is shewed by the works which cannot be shewed without the works for that faith that hath not works is dead being alone as the body without the Spirit so is your faith without workes and so is your justification without holinesse and mortification of life And you will find in the end that he that justifies the wicked in you is the same that condemneth the just and they are both abomination to the Lord And this is your state who plead for sin and live in pleasure and wantonly on the earth you slay the just and holy one and save the unjust alive and so know not him that is just who justifies mortifies sanctifies and redeemes who of God is made so to us that in all things we are and have we may glory in him And although the Scriptures mention these three yet not to devide them so as to make people believe they may have one and not all but as to shew the severall effects of that one work of mans redemption all wrought by one thing in the creature For the blood of Christ it washes away the filth and so puts off the old man and mortifies the deeds of that body and so sanctifies and justifies The Spirit it mortifies and sanctifies and justifies now though the Saints named both these it was not to devide them but being one they might declare it by either for none could have the one without the other and all that have them are thereby mortified sanctified and justified yet none of these without the creature being works of faith and not of selfe for by the law of faith is selfe-sanctification self-mortification and self-justification excluded though they who had received the Spirit were called to all these by faith in his blood yet it is the work of God wrought by Christ in the believer and in the light are they called to behold the work of God herein and joyne to it in the faith and obedience thereto being the work of God which he will work in all that beleive in the light that they may receive his Son in whom the promise is and the power to mortification sanctification and justification as by faith he is received from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised againe for our justification but such who would share in his Justification but not have fellowship in his sufferings and obedience are such as are justified in conceipt but sin raignes and the unjust lives and acts in them and this is selfe that justifies selfe but is not just before God the just being dead in trespasses and sins but God justifies the living and not the dead Therefore the Saints suffered the losse of all things counting them as doung that they might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death These through death came to the power and fellowship of his resurrection whereby they are justified being raised with him to newnesse of life by faith receiving the gift of Gods righteousnesse and becoming servants thereto and thereby became free from sin and this is true justification where there is no condemnation where the deeds of the flesh are mortified and the creature walks no more after the flesh but after the Spirit for the condemnation is to him that walks after the flesh but he Gal. 5. 16. that walks in the Spirit is justified for he that walks in the Spirit shal not Rom. 8 3 4 fulfill the lusts of the flesh and there is mortification to that nature that breaks the law and the just is seen who fulfils the law in such as walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit So not the hearers of the law are just Rom. 2 13. before God but the doers of the law shall be justified In the first mans state the law is broken and there mortification and sanctification is denyed and there the man would be justified from the guilt of sin but not from the love and power of sin but would have his carnall delights in the world and Heaven also but this is vaine hope and will perish But in the second mans state the law is fulfilled through mortification sanctification Justification of the Spirit And no man can be justified where the just lives not for that by which the just lives is that by which the creature is justified Concerning the Law IN this thing are many people confounded yea all who know not the ministration of the Spirit for such going into the Scriptures and finding the ministration of the Letter and the ministration of the Spirit and themselves being under neither of these but in Notion as they have received it in their imaginations and not from the Mouth of the Lord some say they are under the Law and that it continues still others say but some part of it which is Morall others say nay but it
him who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire whose Flesh is the Life of Men and his Light is as a Law that goeth forth whereby man is led to his food and the sons of men sees out of darknesse and this is he who cannot be limitted nor his person restrained in one place who filleth Heaven and Earth with his presence and appeareth at his pleasure to his own though the wise of the world knows him not and therefore limit him above the stars who dwelleth in the bodies of his Saints but as for the Reprobates they know him not so who have put the good day farre from them and hate reproof that they may spend their days in folly and feed themselves with the wind and fill their hearts with carnal delights When the hearts of the Children of Light are established with grace yet these will be disputing about the body of Christ but the body of sinne rules in them whereby they are darkened and become Heart-blind past Ephe. 4. 18 19. feeling the measure of God whose hearts are over-charged with surfeiting and cares of the world and their minds corrupted with Earthly things To such I say Cease your imaginations as to find out what Christ is in that state for he alone reveals himself in Spirit to such as wait in the Light and love that which is pure to such his appearance is as the Sun whose Rising is not by the Will of Man but for his appearing all the World must wait to be refreshed with the Beams of his Glory and to all who are yet in the night shall he appear if you look towards the place of his Rising which is not Lo here Lo there but within you in your Luke 17. 21. hearts and all who are come to the sure Word of Prophesie as to a Light that shines in a dark place to which you do well to take heed til the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts you shall see the Sun arise where the day-starr appeares in your hearts if in the light you wait that shines in the darknesse and you shall feel the vertue and life of him and receive thereof to live in the same with him and you shall see him as he is and know him to be the Sun of Righteousnesse whose arising is with healing in his wings and whose breaking forth is upon all his enemies which over the seed hath raigned whose spirituall weapons are mighty through God to the palling down strongs holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of himself and having in readinesse to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled And thus the Saints know the Son with his Light his power and dominion over all things in Heaven and in Earth who rules in righteousnesse in the hearts of his people trampling down Satan under their feet which Son of God Hypocrites call Lord Lord but the Devill they serves and obey and though such have got the words of Lord and Christ and Jesus yet they know not his light his power his kingdom and dominion over sin and the Devill in them to set them free therefrom by his Light and life Nor his blood to wash them from their pollutions and to present them without spot or wrinkle or any such thing And so you have made the name of Christ a reproach among the Nations who call him a redeemer but lives in your sins So as such as professe not the syllables of Christ and Jesus even from a principle of God within them many of them become your Judges as to moderation faithfullnesse and honesty Nay it is manifest amongst you that the name of Jesus which gives the Saints victory over sin you know not Who have it in words and therewith make a cover for your sin your pride Lust and excesse What covetousnesse and all manner of unrighteousnesse is covered over which a profession of the Name of Christ which redeems from those things all that knows him For none knowes Jesus further then they know a Saviour from sin And not a cover for sin and live in it for the promise of the Father is He shall save his people from their sins And the Children of the promise knowes this to be so without a cover or meaning to live in sin And none knowes Christ but who knowes the anointing and such need no man to teach them but as the Anointing teacheth them all things that is true if they abide therein and there is noe lye in it But who sayes they know Christ and are redeemed and commits sin not keeping his commands is a lyer And so abides not in the truth and anointing And so is of the Devil and not of Christ for he that abides in Christ sins not For the Name of Jesus Christ is power over all sin as it is known and the creature baptized into it by faith So all that know Christ know the seed the promise the word of Life the covenant the Heritage the righteousnesse the Kingdom the power the glory which is not of this world and the Father of all which you that commits sin have not seen Neither can any say that Jesus is Lord but by the Spirit so you whose knowledge is without Another Lord ruleth within Concerning the Ministry of Christ THe Ministers of Christ are ever Called out of the World and contrary to the world contrary to their own wills and the wills of all flesh for such have the Word who are begotten of the word and such are begotten contrary to the will of man and through such came the Scriptures which came not by the will of man but by the Spirit and so are of no private interpretation nor are his ministers of any private Call but of himself who hath all creatures in his hand to chuse whom he will to go on his message nor would he ever send by whom the Kings of the earth did chuse nor the powers thereof but such as they called and set up without his Immediate call was ever the great enemies to such as he sent and this is evident in all the Scriptures and in all histories since that when ever the mystery of iniquity had spread over and darknesse had passed over his seed and his people had broken his covenant and lost his word then he in love to his people sent out some Immediately who had his word in them to bear witnesse to the Lord against all their blackslidings and self wayes and formall worships and to such the worlds ministers or rather masters was ever enemies and sought to stirr up the powers of men against them to devour them alwayes under the name of Blasphemers and hereticks destroyers of worship and peace-breakers and enemies to authority when they are but sent of God to testifie against their false worships and to break the peace of the
wicked one who keeps his house in peace till a stronger then he comes And this you shall find recorded through all the Scriptures And all histories of persecution in all ages and at this day and you shall never find that ever any of these could joyn in with the worlds worships but cryed them down their priests their prophets their dayes their times their places their whole worship who was gone out into the world from the Word and spirit for which they was ever envied of them who was therein and such as they had deceived thereby for the world ever loves its own but he that is of God testifies against the world and the deeds thereof that they are evil therefore hated thereby for the truths sake And as the ministers of Christ are ever Called out of the world and the things thereof so they are not carfull for the things of the world but he who is their master is their maintainer whom they preach and so they that preach the Gospel live of the Gospel so never any of his sought to the people for meanes nor bear rule by it nor sought for their gain from their quarter nor taught for the fleece preached for hire nor prophesied for money for peices of bread nor handfulls of Corn none of Christ ministers ever lived in parson ages nor lived upon tythes nor ever went to law with their flock for carnall things they were never called masters of their hearers but servants they were never approved by men to whom they was to preach but was sent of God to preach to such as sought him not nor them neither and amongst such they in all things approving themselves to be ministers of God that the ministry be not blamed In much patience in affliction in necessities in distresses in Stripes in prisonments in tumults in labors in watchings in fastings by purenesse by knowledge by longsuffering by kindnesse by the holy Ghost by love unfained by the word of truth by the power of God by the armor of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left by honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true as unknown yet well known as dying yet live chastned sorrowfull poor having nothing wandering up and down having no certain dwelling place and in this state their reward was that they might keep the Gospel without Charge and yet they was ever hated by such as was approved of men who stirred up such as they preached to for their hire to persecute them that preached freely yet must they not cease but preach freely even against their own wills to such as are so far from hiring them as they would rather devour them then heare them yet will hire and heare them of their own choosings And this must be that the grace of God may apeare to be free and He be found of them that sought him not And this was ever his way who will be taught by none nor shall any chuse for him by whom he shall send nor shall any whom he sends ever want nor take care for ought afore-hand that they may follow their maister and be as their Lord who shall feed many but seek to none for food but what God gives for it is not like that they should feed others with everlasting food who dare not trust God for carnall food for God will not have such as are of his family to take care for food or Raiment nor wherewith to feed others for who hath the word in them in which all fullnesse is need not study what to say nor have a divination to make what to preach like them who have not the word in them but what they steal from another or fetch out of the bottomlesse pit by divination and witchcraft who can have their word in their own times and wills against whom they will and to flatter whom they will who cry peace to such as put into their mouthes else they prepare warr against them who minde earthly things whose God is their belly who talke against pride and live in it against covetousnesse and live in it who preach against sin but cannot cease from sin and such as they are such is their hearers who in words confesse Christ but in works deny him And these are they who for their pride pleasures and carnall ends have changed all the Lords worship from what it was both in matter manner meanes and maintenance and so have scattered the Lords people into sects and opinions Forms Customes and Traditions in every Nation as may best sute their wicked wills for which they pretend decency order and necessity so that not one is found in the way of God nor forme of true worship such as the Scriptures will own without wresting And now the Lord is appeared in the true way as Christ left it with his disciples to gather his own from off all these mountaines where they are scattered all the Idol shepards are gathering against him to battel of all sorts not willing to heare of the living way which is but one in which there is no Rent Sect Error and opinion but Christ in all nay one can scarcely grieve a Town-Teacher worse then to tell him of the Apostles way of preaching their call their spirit their wandrings their wages their word and way of walking in this world and amongst their hearers as is declared in Scripture without a meaning or liberty to change it according to the times Nay though all their parish be beleivers as they call them yet can they not beleive they shall get their wages from them without a law to compell them so that though they have begott a larger faith in their hearers then the Apostles ever taught to wit that though they commit sin while they live yet they may be saved and set free when they dye yet have not they so much faith themselves as to beleive they will pay them their wages without it be forced from them that which none of Christs Ministers ever did either in Law or Gospel so we may not say that these are Ministers of Christ or like them if we will speak truth and take Christs Rule to judge by who saith By their fruits you shall know them Nor should I have spoken thus much of them in this place did they but call themselves the ministers of men made so by them and so upholden and maintained but such as call themselves ministers of Christ and walk so far unlike him and his in all things I say to such as are found in these things Your wayes testifie to your face and before all men that you are no more like the ministers of Christ then they that walked in your steps before you so Search the scriptures and search your hearts with the light of Christ and know your portion and count me not your enemy for telling you the truth how ever I have cleared my conscience in love to your soules though such as are deceived through
blind zeal and enviy cannot receive it Concerning Free Will. THere is no Will free for God but that which is free from sinne which Will Man lost in the Fall when he let in the Will of the Devil and entred into it wherein Man became in bondage And all that man in that state knows of the free Will is that which moves in him against the Will of the flesh and of the Devil which is seen in the Light of Christ And this is the Will of God whereby he willeth not the death of the sinner And this Will of God is manifest according to the Spirit which is free always moving contrary to the Will of the flesh which is in bondage to the Devil And this Will that is free onely those who abide in the light do feel the moving of it present in the Spirit And as the Spiritual man is quickned by the Word of God and that man born which is not of the flesh nor of the will of it so is that Will seen again in man which is free wherein the Creature is made free from the Will of the flesh which is bondage So the Spiritual man hath the Spiritual Will which is free and that is from above And the Carnal man which is from below his Will keeps in bondage who is contrary to God in all things So the first born hath not the Free-Will for who is born after the flesh thereof is kept in bondage but who is begotten again of the Word from above is free born when he is born who is born of the Spirit for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty but where the Spirit of the World is there is bondage for as is the Man so is his Will So with the light of Christ which shows you the thoughts of the heart if you it diligently mind you may see the two motions of the two Wills each contrary to other the one after the flesh the other after the spirit So whether of these Wills thou art servant to that thou may be said to have and to the other thou art an enemy for no man hath Free-Will further then he is joyned to it though he that is in his own Will may feel the Will of God contrary to him and that Will he is in yet can he not come to it untill he own that which leads him to take up the Cross to his first Will and in the Cross to his own Will is he born who hath the Will of God wherein God worketh to Will and to do of his good pleasure in the Male and in the Female even the plant of God who hath the will of God the mind of God the heart of God as in measure he is formed it the Creature So man hath not free will further then he is free-bor from above of the Seed that sinneth not and the growth in that Seed is mans freedom but while this lies under the Earthly Will and Self thereby it is denied though the Free-will may often move in the Creature to Holiness and be felt in the light of Christ as a Tender of healing yea and would lead to holiness healing were it minded obeyed for that will which is of God onely leads to God by which Will we are sanctified and saved but you that stand in the Will of the flesh resists and so you will not come to me that you may have life for the Will of God which is life is free and freely tendered in Christ Jesus to every Creature and in the light which reproves the evil deeds it is seen but they that resist free grace resist free will for that 's free grace which shews a man his sin and reproves for it which would lead to God and to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and so to live godlily righteously and soberly in this evill world And that 's free Will which wills not that thou should commit sin which Will is that thou should not die So mans destruction is of himself and self-will by which he resists the Will of God but Salvation is of the Will of God which is free and in the measure of God is this freedom found and enjoyed so that in Christ I have free will but in the flesh is bondage therefore the flesh must be denied by all that will own freedom in will or deed for none hath free Will but who in the light of Christ hath learned to deny their own Wills and such knows that in the first man is neither will nor deed that is free from sin nor for God and his Work or Worship for God hath concluded the whole man under sin that the gift of grace might appear to be free that all might glory in the Lord and the whole treasure be found in him to whom every tongue shall confess when the glory of man shall come to an end to his praise who is blessed for evermore FINIS