SHORT DISCOVERY OF THE STATE of MAN: Before The fall, in the fall, and out of the fall again; wherein is also laid open the ignorance and error of Robert Hall Preacher at Colebrook in Buckingham-shire, and Edmund Board of the same Town a Professor, who are contentious, obeying not the truth (which they be erred from) but do oppose themselves against it, as may be seen with the single eye in that which followeth,— by W: B:   
The Lord frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad, he turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish. Isa. 44: 25: But the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, Psa: 25: 14: 
IN the 4th: Month 59: At a meeting in Colebrook, as I was moved of the Lord, I spoke these words, verily, verily I say unto you, except a man be born again, he can in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God, and I also declared that God made man in his image, after his likeness, having dominion, and was blessed of God, Gen: 1: 26: 28: also that this state was lost from Adam, (in which he was blessed) ●y reason of sin and transgression, which brought the curse, (mark) man was made ●n the image of God, and in that state was blessed, here was the first word man (in the ●mage of God) that ever I read of in Scripture, Let us make man in our image after ●ur likeness, and let him have dominion, Gen: 1: 26: man in the image of God, like God, upright having dominion blessed of God, (mark) this state was lost and erred from ●y transgression, transgression lost the dominion, shuts out of the kingdom: therefore except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom (or dominion) of Gods nor ●e blessed of God, nor be in the likeness or image of God, these things I did and do still affirm and testify, and that as Adam lost the dominion, the peace, and the blessing of ●od, going from God into transgression, so must all that ever enter the kingdom again, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy spirit,) come to the light which Christ ●esus hath enlightened them withal, (which shows them sin,) and believe in it, and ●●ey it, to be led out of transgression by it up to God again, This is the work of the last ●dam, to destroy the works of the Devil, to quicken up to God again, and to bring again ●●●t which was driven away by transgression, (mark that) Ezek: 34: 4: for it is your iniquities that have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, Isa: 59: 3: 4: for this purpose was the son of God manifested, to destroy the works of the Devil, 1 John: 3: 8: (mark) to destroy that which the Devil hath wrought, disobedience, transgression, all unrighteousness and sin, this the Devil wrought, the old Serpent when he led man out from God, (who is light) into darkness, the thick cloud, the separation, Isa: 44: 2●: which must be broken down and destroyed by the power of God, before fallen man can be reconciled to God again.  
Now such were the things which these men, Robert Hall, and Edmund Board opposed, saying my doctrine tended to no other thing, then to bring people from Chri●t, to be as the fir●t Adam was, who said they was not in Chri●t, neither had he the holy spirit said Robert Hall, in his first state, but was earthly, And that the breath of life, which God breathed into man, (whereby he became a living soul) was a created thing, these things was by them spoken, before many people, bringing the Apostles words (in their dark minds) where he said the first man is of the earth earthy, etc. now the Scripture is true, (the first Adam was in two states, who will deny it) but I query, whether the first state of the first man was earthly, seeing he was made in the image of God, in his likeness, without sin, upright, and was blessed of God, having dominion, and peace with God, I know the first Adam became earthy, when drove from God by transgression, into the earth, after he had transgressed, and was afraid of God, when he saw his nakedness, and hid himself, (mark) he had a self now to hid after transgression, than 'twas I heard thy voice, and was afraid, here was a division and separation, (I and thy, twain) after transgression, but not before, (mark that) so here is the state of the whole world, in transgression afraid of God, drove from God in the earth, hiding and covering self, and loving and embracing that which God will destroy.  
Now these men granted and confessed, that man in his first state had peace with God, and was without sin, in the image, likeness, and dominion of God, and was blessed of God, but said Robert Hall he had not then the holy spirit, and said Edmund Board he was not in Christ in that state, now this is to be considered with a sober mind in the light.  
Christ Jesus is called the image of God, (who was without sin) 2 Cor. 4: 4: and man was made in the image of God, before sin and transgression was after the likeness of God, and had dominion, and was blessed of God, and saith the scripture, Adam which was the son of God, Luke: 3: 38: Then I thus query, could Adam be in the image o● God, without sin, in the likeness of God, the son of God, at peace with God, and blessed of God, and yet not have the holy spirit, n●r be in Christ, is not God holy? and can any be in his image like him, but such as are holy? or be in peace with him, but who are holy▪ seeing the scripture saith, there is no peace to the wicked saith my God, Isa: 57: 21: and without holiness no man shall see the Lord, Heb: 12: 14: and be ye holy for I the Lor● your God am holy, Levit: 19: 2. 1 Pet: 1: 16. can any man be the son of God, or like God▪ or blessed of God, and not b● holy, let the just answer, or can any be holy, like God, i● the image of God, without the holy spirit, if thou say no, none can be like God (wh● is holy) but such as are holy, and that none can be holy without the holy spirit, then whether man had not the holy spirit, when he was in the image of God, the soon of God, in peace and blessed of God, before sin and transgression was, or can any be the sons of God, at peace, reconciled to God again, without Christ and the holy spirit, yea or nay? or do God speak peace, to that which is n●t like him, or is his blessing to two seeds, or but to one, Gal: 3: 16: yea or nay:  
Now if any other shall say, that man in his first state, in the image of God, before sin and transgression was, when he was blessed of God, had not then the holy spirit, neither was he in Christ, Then do I query, what and whose spirit was it, which he had, when he was made in the image of God, and blessed, self was not before transgression, and Christ being the image of God without sin, 2 Cor. 4: 4: and man was made (in) the image of God, before sin and transgression and self was, blessed of God, having dominion over the earth, and the creatures, then what or who stood he in, if not in Chri●t, or what spirit was he guided and upheld by, before transgression, if not by the holy spirit, or what was his fall, and what fell he from when he transgressed, did he fall from that which was earthly, or from that which was holy, pure and eternal of God, yea or nay? consider it, But if any should say, that man's fir●t state was earthly, (as these men have said) then say I man fell from that which was earthly, for he fell from his first state by transgression, (did he not fall from that which he transgressed) or do any now fall from that which is earthly, or from that which is heavenly, when they transgress and sin against God? Let God's witness in you answer,  
Object. But do not the scripture say: the first man is of the earth, earthly, and the second is the Lord from heaven, and as we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly. 1 Cor: 15: 47.  
Answ. Yea, it doth so, and the scriptures is true, but he speaks of a mystery verse 51. which the blind cannot see, and a leight mind in vanity, and lust, and rebellion against God, cannot weigh the weight of holy men's words being from the light in them the just balance, neither can men, by the wisdom of this world, comprehend and discern spiritual things; Therefore must all people upon earth, be brought to the light, which they be lighted withal, which comes from Christ, the first and the la●t, the saviour out of transgression, before they can see, and know that state which was before sin and transgression was, for in the dark thou cannot see things that differ, (iniquity is darkness) but come to the light which condemns sin, and in it wait, and thou wilt see a great difference, between a state before sin and transgression was, and a state in transgression, between a state in peace, and blessed of God, in the image of God, the son of God. And a state under condemnation, wrath, and the curse of God, out of his image, out of his son, a transgressor afraid of God, without peace and the blessing of God, for both these states Adam was in, the first before he transgressed, the other after transgression, so the wages of sin is the curse and death, which came by sin, by transgression, in which state Adam was driven from God into the earth: Gen: 3: 24: and this image all transgressors have borne, and the Apostle said ye were sometimes darkness, etc. envying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living in malice, hating and hateful, Here was the image which they had borne, but were waiting to bear another image, to put on Christ and walk in him, who is the image of God, 2 Cor: 4: 4: the first and the last, Rev: 1: 17:  
Now if any can say that the Apostle or them to whom he thus spoke, had ever borne that image, which Adam was in, before sin or transgression entered into the world, then let me know when it was they bore it, if thou shall say, when they were infants, having done neither good or evil, they were in that state, then let me query, whether all men since transgression (in the natural state) were not conceived in sin and borne in iniquity yea or nay? and whether the Apostle and them he spoke to had any other birth before regeneration in Christ the way to God again, the truth, the light, the life, the first and the last the image of God.  
Object. But how could Adam be in Chri●t, before Christ came into the world, or was borne of the Virgin, seeing Adam was made in the image of God long before, could he be made in Christ, or by Christ, before Christ was, how can these things be?  
Answ. The word Chri●t in letters CHRIST, was not known (neither was there any occasion of them,) before man had transgressed, and lost that life in and by which he was created, but the power which was in that man (or body) which suffered without the gate of Jerusalem, was before the body, or creature was made, and it was the power of the most high which overshaddowed the Virgin; and said he, a body hast thou prepared me (mark) this was the life and power in the b●dy which spoke, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelled, and he spoke and prayed to his father, which was in him: John: 14: 11: so though he was not known by them letters, or the name CHRIST, yet he was with the father glorified, before the world began, and was the word in the beginning, John: 1: 1: by whom the world was made, who said, before Abraham was I am, John: 8: 58: but the name or letters CHRIST, was not until many hundred years after, so thou may see, that the Chri●t of God, the word by whom all things was made, was before it was made, glorified with the father, before Abraham, and Adam, and Moses, and the names or letters were, the image of God, the blessed seed: Then why was not man (who was made in the image of God) and blessed of God, in that seed, or power, or image, seeing the scripture saith, he was made in God's image, and blessed of God, Gen: 1: 26: 28: or whether there be any blessing to more seeds than one, and whether God did not say to Abraham, in thy se●d shall all Nations upon earth be blessed, Gen: 22: 18: and they that are Chri●ts are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise, Gal. 3: 29: in Christ, in the seed, in the heir, in the image of God, (which was before Abraham was) is the promises (and the blessing) 2 Cor: 1: 20: yea and amen: and not unto seeds, Gal. 3.16.  
Again in those days before transgression was, there was no need of a saviour, or words, or letters, or names, or preach, or teachings to bring man to God, until he had departed from him by transgression, until sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and darkness, ignorance, blindness, captivity, and bondage was, there was no need to say believe in the light, and come to the light, and follow and obey it which shows you sin, until sin was, and darkness was, sin could not be discovered, where it was not or before it was, there was no need to say know the Lord, and fear the Lord, and departed from evil, and to tell of a redeemer, until ignorance, transgression and bondage was, and to say obey the Lord, or his word, until disobedience was so there was not need ●o mention the name Christ at that time, neither was it, though that seed was a mystery hid from ages and generations, (the seed of the Woman, which bruises the serpent's head, which was borne of a virgin in due time) and is yet hid to and in such as walk in darkness, and from all transgressors, who love the evil and darkness, rather than the light.  
Now when Moses and Israel was in the wilderness, and when they sinned in the wilderness, there was a rock which followed them, [mark] (some thing that's hard to ●hem that sinneth) and the Apostle said, the rock which followed them was Christ, (consider this well with a single eye) he that was given for a leader and commander, and goes before his own sheep, followeth them that sinned, (read within) and he is the ●ight, which lighteth every man, that cometh into the world, which is to lead up to God again, out of the world, to the beginning, before the transgression or hills was.  
So that this one seed (which was a rock in Moses days to them that sinned, and cal●ed a hard master by the slothful) hath in process of time, many names though one ●ower in nature, as he was called the word, a child, a son, a stone, the elect, the foundation, the door, the vine, the lamb (of God and) slain from the foundation of the world, (and all that is in the world, is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of ●ife, 1 John: 2: 16: and) he is called the lion of the tribe of Judah, the saviour, the redeemer, the mediator, the way, the truth, the life, the seed, the wonderful counsellor, ●he mighty God, the prince of peace, the immanuell, God with us, the Messiah, and Jesus which is called Christ, all these names and more, is given to the one seed; now must people be pouring and imagining, and contending about names, letters, and words, which was given since the fall, since transgression, or be brought to the seed, the word, which was in the beginning the substance, which was before the names, and ends the names, and the letters, and the words, and the imaginations, strive, and contending about words to no profit, and before transgression was, who is the express image of the invisible God, who now is come a light into the world, and preacheth himself the light of the world, John: 8: 12: and his witness declares him to be the true light, that lighteth every man, which cometh into the world, full of grace and truth: John: 1: 9: 14.  
Now Reader if the blessed eye in thee be open, and thou stand single in it, thou wilt see something in what I have written for the simple sake, and for the truth sake, and if thou can stand still, and but see the truth, then wilt thou see Robert Hal●: teacher at Colebrook, and Edmund Board in blindness and error, and with a lie in their right hand, who said man in his first ●●ate, before transgression, (who was the son of God, in the image of God, and blessed of God) ●ad not the holy spirit, nor was in Christ, but bare the earthly image, and that the breath of ●●fe, which God breathed into man, was a created thing, let the sober minded with God's wit●esse, (the light in them) judge, whether that which made living be the created thing? or that which was made living by it? or whether a created thing, can create and make living, or whether that life, in which we live move and have our being, be the created, or the creator, let understanding judge: Acts: 17: 28: Deut: 30: 20:  
Now this was the great error which Robert Hall, charged against me, (viz.) that I went to bring people from Christ, to that state, which Adam was in before the fall; mark and consider, and see what state Adam was in, before the fall, before transgression (that was his fall) and then see wherein I have erred, if I had brought all people upon earth into that state, or wherein I brings any from Christ as he hath said, Adam before the fall, was without sin, before the fall was in the image of God, in his state before the fall, had dominion over the world, and was the son of God, in the likeness of God, before the fall, was blessed of God: Gen: 1:  
Now if I had, could, or do bring people to this state, (to be without sin, to be in the image of God, to be the sons of God, to have dominion over the world, to be blessed of God) wherein is my error, or what have I erred from herein, or what are they erred from which are brought into this state; let truth judge.  
Now if any shall say, we are erred from Christ, or from God in Christ, or from the spirit, or from the doctrine of Christ, I answer nay? its he that transgresseth, that abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, and such hath not God, 2 John: 1: 9: and the father, son, and spirit ar● one, and Christ is the first and the last, without sin, before sin and transgression was, the desire of all nations, the image and son of God, glorified with the father, before the foundation of the world, to him, and into him, is our desire that people should come, in which seed only the blessing is, Gen: 22: 18: Gal: 3: 16: 1 John: 3: 9: which all in transgression be erred from.  
Then it was asked Robert Hall, what he went to bring people unto by his preaching:  
He answered, he went to bring them from that state, (mark that) Now if any people were come into that state, to be without sin, in the image of God, the sons of God, having dominion over the world, and blessed of God, as at the first read Isa: 1: 25: 26:) is it no● the work of the devil, of his ministers, and messengers, and angels, to bring them out o● this state? is not this the same work which the devil, the old serpent did, when he brought man from that state, in which he was without sin, and blessed of God) at the first, when h● transgressed, and was driven out of paradise, (peace, rest, joy) into the earth, where he become earthly, unsavoury, unrighteous, and unfruitful to God? and was it a work of the serpent then to bring from that state which God blessed, (whose blessing unchangeably, and promises are 〈◊〉 the seed only, and in the seed yea and amen: 2 Cor: 1: 20:)  
And is it not now the work of the devil, the old serpent in Robert Hall, and the rest of h●● mind, to bring people from that state, which of God is blessed? let them that fear God judge and then see whose messenger and minister he is, and whose will and work he doth; and if he 〈◊〉 found doing the same work, which the devil did, when he brought man from his blessed sta●● into transgression, then whether the son of God, (the light of the world) will not destroy h●● work, seeing for this purpose he was manifested, even to destroy the works of the dive●● 1 Joh: 3: 8: and whether he will not 〈…〉 … ●her the wages of sin be not death, and whether it be not a sin to bring people into sin, from ●hat state which God doth bless, yea or nay, and whether there be any other state among men, but the blessed and the cursed, if not, then whether he that brings from the bless d state, do not bring under the curse, and whether he that brings to the state blessed, brings not from under the curse, into peace with God, into the image of God again, into the resurrection and the life which was before death, the curse, and the fall, so if it be not an error to bring people from all error, into a blessed state out of transgression, into the image of God, to be the sons of God, to have victory over the world, through him, who is the second Adam, the light of the world, the quickening spirit, the first and the last, than I am cleared of that, which Robert Hall himself is in, and the blessing of God is to him, that brings into the blessed state, and is in the blessed state which was before sin and transgression was, the first and the last, Cant: 12: 3: Rev: 22: 13: 14: Mat: 5: 9:  
Also this Edmund Board said, that he was through grace, in a more glorious state, than Adam was in before the fa●l, (these are to high words for a liar) and that he was sat down with Christ, in heavenly places, and bad peace with God and was harmless, and innocent, and without spot, and that the blood of Christ had cleansed him from all sin.  
Something of this, I may leave to his neighbours, at Colebrook to judge, which knoweth his words, and actions, and conversation, whether he be without spot, or cleansed from (all) sin yea or nay? if so, than he have no sin, but if he commit sin, than he is a liar, and of his father, whose works he doth; now if it were so, as he hath said he is, cleansed from all sin, so was man without sin, before the fall, (for sin, transgression was his fall and error,) and if he were without sin, and had no sin, and blessed of God before the fall, then how much do Edmund Board's state, exceed this in glory? who saith the blood of Christ, hath cleansed him from all sin, (mark) to be cleansed from all sin, and to have no sin, what difference is here, (if no sin had been committed, there had been no need of being cleansed from it,) he said he is sat down with Christ in heavenly places; now Christ is the image of God. 2 Co●: 4: 4: and man before the fall, was in the image of God, Gen: 1: 26: he said he was innocent, and without spot, and had peace with God, now if it were as he hath said, was not man in his first state before the fall innocent, and without spot (is not sin the spot) and had he not peace with God before transgression, or was he afraid or hid himself before transgression, or after (read within) or was he blessed in peace and dominion before or after he had transgressed? search the scriptures, they testify of the truth; and are a true declaration: Gen: 1: 28: Luk: 1: 1:  
So that if any could believe that this professor, were in a more glorious state, than man was in before transgression was, yet I would have them believe the truth also, and search the scriptures, for they testify of him, which was before sin, and transgression was, glorified with the father before the world began, who is the alpha and omaga: the first and the last, he that have ears to hear let him hear and understand a right, Rev: 22: 13:  
Now if this man were cleansed from all sin, without spot, innocent, sat down with Christ in heavenly places, and had peace with God, (as he hath said) yet in the light search him out further, and see if we can find him in a [more] glorious state, than man was in before the fall; before transgression was, who was made in the image of God, the son of God, and blessed of God (then in peace) having dominion over all before transgression and sin was, (then without sin the spot, and innocent) so that if he be not in a [more] glorious state than this, then say I, he is a liar, for he hath said, he was in a more glorious state th●n Adam was in before the fall, (as many other can witness) and if he be a liar then of him which ●ed from 〈…〉 whose work 〈…〉 people 〈…〉 state, in which God blessed man, before transgression was; then he is no● innocent, nor cleansed from (all) sin, for lying is sin, and the spot, so not without spot, not in peace, n●● blessed of God, than not in so glorious a state, as Adam was in, before lying and transgression was; bu● shut out, without are dogs and all liars, Rev: 22: 13: 14: 15:  
Now consider all them that are in transgression are in the fall, in the adulterated seed, to which th● curse is, and not the blessing driven from God, into the earth, vagabonds cast out, losing the blessing, a●● that are in lying, swearing, pride, covetousness, wantonness, drunkenness, envy, wrath, frowardness, corrupt communication, lust, whoredom, idolatry, deceit, wildness, profaneness, mocking, these are i● the fall, lost, cast out, driven, banished from God by transgression, in the seed of evil doers, which shall never be renowned, but judged, condemned, plagued, and tormented day and night for ever and ever, if they be not converted, and changed into another seed and stock, Cain the envious, the vagabond, driven from God, Ishmaell, the wild man, the mocker cast out, Esau the profane person, the cunning hunter lost the blessing, hear this all professors, who are of that stock and seed, whose deeds are evil hating) the light, with which you be lighted, (and all you ungodly ones every where) which lets you see all your ungodly deeds, and hard speeches, and your perverse and crooked ways you have walked in, it's your condemnation in that state, even the light: John: 3: 19: which would lead you out of transgression, up to God again, (did you love it) out of the world, to the beginning, before the world and transgression was, to Christ jesus, by whom the world was made, the word, which was before the words, and letters, and before the many things, and names, and languages, and before the sects, and opinions, heaps and imaginations were, the light leads out of all these, up to him from whence it comes, who hath a name above, (and before) every name under heaven, the saviour of the soul immortal, glorified with the father the prince of peace, who brings out of transgression and sin, out of darkness, the curse and fall again, all them that follow him in the regeneration, and I say again, except a man be born again, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God, (which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy spirit) so to whom this may seem error, (as it hath to some) my advice to such is; come to the light, (which is true) in thy conscience, (and be not hasty to speak evil of things thou know not, as many as hath done, but first cast out the beam) and let it search thy heart, and try thy reins, and ways, and words, and in it see, if thou be not yet in the fall, transgression and error, for all that be from the l●ght, are erred from the right way, Christ the light, the way, the truth, and the life, who is the first and the last, the image of God; and so are in darkness, not able to discern things that differ; because darkness hath blinded the eye 1 Ioh: 2: 11:  
These things are not published in envy to any man upon earth, but in true love to the seed and truth of God, and for the sake of the simple, (who are tossed up and down with every wind of doctrine) that they may come to the word, which was in the beginning, which the true light comes from, and in it be established.  By William Bayly 
Kingston upon Thames the 24th: of the 4th: month 59:   

London; Printed the 6th month for Mary Westwood, 1659.