THE True Christian's FAITH AND EXPERIENCE Briefly Declared, Concerning God, Christ, the Spirit, the holy Scriptures, the Gospel and the Doctrines thereof.  
Also, The Titular Christian's Faith and Profession Tried, Examined and Judged.  
Written for the Confirmation and Consolation of the One, and for the Information in order to the Restoration and Salvation of the Other.  
Also, A Few Words to such who are newly turned in their Minds to the Light within, & are Believers in it.  
By William Shown.  He is not a Jew that is one outwardly, Rom. 2.28.— He that hath the Bride, is the Bridegroom, John 3.29.— He that hath the Son hath Life; he that hath not the Son, hath not Life, John 5.6.— Darkness is past, the True Light now shineth, 1 Joh. 2.8. The People that walked in Darkness have seen a great Light, they that dwell in the Shadow of Death, upon them hath the Light shined, Isa. 9.2.— Every one that doth Evil, hateth the Light, etc. John 3.20.21. 
Printed in the Year 1675.   

THE CONTENTS.  
THE Faith and Experience of the True Christian briefly declared  

1. Concerning God, page 33.  
2. Concerning Christ, page 39  
3. Concerning the Holy Spirit, page 45.  
4. Concerning the Holy Scriptures, page 48.  
5. Concerning Repentance, page 52.  
6. Concerning Mortification, Warfare, Self-denial and Dying Daily, page 60.  
7. Concerning Sanctification, Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corruption, page 65.  
8. Concerning Justification, page 72.  
9 Concerning Baptism and the Lord's Supper, page 76.  
10. Concerning the Universal Love of God towards all Mankind, page 88  
11. Concerning Election and Reprobation, page 92.  
12. Concerning Temptation, page 105.  
13. Concerning a Holy Life, pag 114.  
14. Concerning the Motion or Moving of the Spirit of God, and the Motion of the Spirit of the Old Serpent in the Hearts of Men, pag 119.  
15. Concerning Revelation, pag 224.  
16. Concerning the Gospel, or Gladtidings of Life and Salvation, pag 133.  
17. Concerning Grace, and Living under it, and Growing in it from one Degree unto another; and of the Possibility of Falling Away from it, pag 142.  
18. Concerning Outward and Inward Miracles, pag 150.  
19 Concerning the Doctrine and State of Perfection. pag 161.  
20. A Few Words to such as are newly turned in their Minds to the Light, and are Believers in it. pag 173.    

TO THE READER.  
Friend,  
THou mayest know, that in this Part of the World called Christendom, the Name Christian is very Famous, and that there are few therein but desire to be called by that Name; and a high and great Profession of Christianity abounds amongst the divers Sects therein, all covering the Name of Christian, 
☞  but the Christian-Life, the Christ-like Life, and the nature of Christianity is much Wanting; and the Fruits and Effects of the holy Spirit of Christianity are much wanting among them all, and the contrary much abounds, whereby an Evil Savour is sent forth to the Nations round about, called, Heathens and Infidels: For, there is scarce any Sort of Wickedness to be found upon the Face of the whole Earth, which is not done and committed in this Part of the World, called Christendom, whereby the Jews and Heathen, instead of being Converted, are strengthened and confirmed in their Infidelity, Ignorance, Blindness and Idolatry; For, where this Nominal or Titular Christian hath prevailed (as among the Americans) he hath sent forth such a Stink and III Savour, by his Abominable Inhuman Practices, that the Name of Christ is blasphemed, and the Christian-Religion hated, by many that have heard the Fame and Report thereof.  
Had the Life of Christ, and the Nature of Christianity been known and lived in by all that profess the Name, Christendom had been as a Fruitful Field, and as a Pleasant Garden enclosed, and as a Vineyard walled about full of Trees of Righteousness, and Plants of God's own Right Hand planting; and the Tree of Life would have flourished among them in the midst thereof; and the Leaves of the same would have healed the Nations round about; and it would have been as a City set upon an Hill, which cannot be hid; and as a Lamp that burneth, being fed with Sweet Oil; and as a Glorious Light that shineth; and many would have fled unto it, as unto a City of Refuge, and have walked in the Light thereof, and have seen and beheld their Good Works, and have Glorified their Father which is in Heaven; and they would have lain down as a Flock of Harmless Lambs together, solacing themselves in the Green Pastures of Life and Salvation, in the low Valley, and a top of that holy Mountain, where no Destroyer is, nor none can make afraid; 
Isa. 11.7, 8, 9  Where the Lion eats Straw like the Ox, and where the Sucking Child-plays on the Hole of the Asp, and the weaned Child puts his Hand on the Cockatrice's Den without Hurt: And the Earth would have been full of the Knowledge of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea: And this Song would have been in Christendom, as in the Land of Judah, 
Isa. 26.1, 2.  We have a strong City; Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks: and the Gates thereof would have been open to them, as a Righteous Nation, that keepeth the Truth, that they might have entered in, and dwelled safely; this would have been the State of Christendom.  
But, alas, alas! the quite Contrary appears: Instead of being as a Fruitful Field, and as a Pleasant Garden ●●closed, and as a Vineyard planted and walled about, bearing Fruit unto God, and flourishing with Trees & Plants of his own Right-hand planting; it's like a Desert, Howling Wilderness, full of Briars & Thorns, and hurtful Weeds, whereby the Good Seed that was sown is choked, and the Noble Plant degenerated from, and become the Plant of a strange Vine, which brings forth the sour Grapes, which makes the Wine of Sodom, which fills the Whore's Cup, whereby Nations are made drunk.  
And instead of being like a Flock of Harmless Lambs, & lying down together in Love and Unity, feeding in the Green Pastures of Life and Salvation, in the low Valley, and a top of the holy Mountain, where no Destroyer is, they are like unto a Herd of Swine, that is possessed, and runs violently into the Sea, and that walloweth in the Mire; and like the Wolf, Bear, Lion, 
☞  Asp and Cockatrice, which the little Child hath not Power over; but their devouring and poisonous Nature remains, which makes them pray one upon another, by't and devour one another, hate and murder one another, even under the Profession and Name of Christ and Christianity: So instead of being as a City, whose Walls are Salvation, and as the heavenly Jerusalem, they are like Sodom, Gomorrah and Babylon: And instead of being like a Lamp that burneth, being fed with sweet Oil, and a Light that shineth, they are like a Lamp that's gone out, and a Candle under a Bed or Bushel, which gives no Light to others: Instead of the Meekness, Love, Brotherly-kindnes, Gentleness, Patience, Long-suffering, Forgiveness, Innocency, Goodness, Harmlesness, Righteousness and Heavenly-mindedness of Jesus, which he and his Followers were and are endued withal, the quite contrary abounds; and yet a Profession of Jesus in Words is not wanting in these Nations called Christendom; so that Isaiah's Vision, Sight or Prophecy is fulfilled therein, The show of their Countenance doth witness against them, 
Isa. 3.9, 12.  and they declare their Sin as Sodom, they hid it not: Woe unto their Soul; for they have rewarded Evil unto themselves; Children are their Oppressors, and Women rule over them: Oh my People! they which lead thee, cause thee to Err, and destroy the Way of thy Paths, etc.  
In this day also this Prophecy is fulfilled in Christendom, Seven Women shall take hold of one Man, 
Isa. 4.1.  saying, We will eat our own Bread, and wear our own Apparel, only let us be called by thy Name, to take away our Reproach: 
☞  These seven Women are (or may fitly be compared to) the perfect full Number of all the Titular Christians of all the divers Sects and Opinions in whole Christendom, who profess the Name of Christ, and call Christ their Husband, but play the Harlot with other Lovers, and eat their own Bread, which is the forbidden Fruit (and the old gathered Manna) and wear their own Apparel, which they have sowed together with their own Hands, and form by their own Inventions, to cover they Nakedness in Transgression: But the Lord God, whom they have transgressed against, is come down to walk in his Garden; and he finds it overgrown with Weeds, Thorns, Briars and Thistles; but neither the Weeds, Trees nor Figtree Leaves of Profession, though sowed together, and made like a Garment of Modefty and Righteousness, 
☞  can hid from his Allseeing Eye; the Word Adam, where art thou? is sounded forth, and he and all his Works are found out, and the hidden things of Esau are sought out, and the Earth can no longer cover her slain: But the Blood of Righteous Abel cries, and the Souls under the Altar cry, How long Lord, how long will it be ere thou avenge thyself on them that dwell on the Earth, and yet profess thy Name and thy Son's Name, and say, Thus saith the Lord, when they have not heard thy Voice, nor seen thy Shape, nor known thy wondrous Works in the Deep, nor regarded the Operation of thy Hand?  
Because of these things the Cry of the Righteous hath been unto the Lord in all Ages, and is now in this Age, even because of the Hatred and Bloodiness of Cain about Religion and Worship, and because of the Envy of Esau about the Blessing; and because the great Whore, who sits upon the Waters, and rides upon the Beast, and calls herself the Lamb's Wife, and holds forth her Golden Cup, full of Abominations, with which the Nations (even those called Christendom) are made drunk, hath so far prevailed.  
And because the Waters on which the Whore sitteth, which are Nations, Tongues and People; and the Beast on whom she rides, takes her Golden Cup for the Cup of Blessing, and for the Gold that is tried in the Fire, and the Wine of Fornication, for the New Wine of the Kingdom.  
And because this great Whore is taken for the Bride, the Lamb's Wife; the Harlot for the Spouse of Christ; the Titular Christian for the True; finally, because Light is called Darkness, and Darkness Light; Good Evil, and Evil Good.  
I say, 
This made Jeremy wish his Head were Waters, and his Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that he might weep day and night for the Slain of the Daughter of his People, Jer. 9.1, 2. This made Christ to weep over Jerusalem, and Paul to wish himself separate from Christ for his brethren's sake. This made the Prophets, Apostles & Ministers willing to spend and be spent, and to run to and fro, that Knowledge might be increased, and People undeceived.  because of these things the Cry & Breathing of the Souls of the Righteous is unto the Lord, that he would take away the Veil that is spread over the Hearts of all People by Transgression, and open the Blind Eye, and unstop the Deaf Ear, that his Glory may be seen, and his Voice heard, and the two great Mysteries of Godliness and Iniquity revealed.  
And that People may come to look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn over him, even him whom they have kissed with their Lips, but betrayed in their Hearts, and so come to that Godly Sorrow which leadeth to Repentance, and a Turning unto him, who redeemeth from all these things, and bringeth into Favour with God again, and giveth Right to eat of the Tree of Life, and to enter through the Gate into the City, even the heavenly Jerusalem; which, that all may partake of and inherit, is the Desire of the True Christian, who hath received the Gospel of Peace and  to all men; the which, that thou may attain unto, take the Counsel of one who was a Child of Wrath as well as others, and once lived in the Nature of Cain and Esau, and was one of them on whom the Whore sat, and was deceived by her Golden Cup, and drank of the Wine of her Fornication; and once took the Whore for the Lamb's Wife, the Harlot for the true Woman, Babylon for Jerusalem, Antichrist for Christ, the Titular Christian for the True: But now knoweth that the Son of God is come, and a good Understanding given, whereby he knoweth him that is true, and is in him that is true; and hath received Wisdom to trace the Eagle in the Air, and the Serpent on the Rock, and the Adulterous Woman, who eateth (the Forbidden Fruit) and wipeth her Mouth, and saith, She hath done none Evil; and is now acquainted with the Wiles and Mysterious Workings of him, who is more subtle than all the Beasts of the Field; and is come to the Rending of the Veil, and the taking off the Covering, and to the falling of the Scales from his Eyes, and to the Revelation of the two great Mysteries of Godliness and Iniquity; I say unto thee, whosoever thou art, that readest these words (and knowest not the same) Turn thy Mind inward; 
☞  common with thy own Heart, and be still; stand in Awe, and sin not; fear to offend that holy Spirit which searcheth thy Heart, and love the Reproofs thereof; for its the Way of Life; and wait low in the same, until that Eye be opened in thee that can see God's Salvation, that he hath appointed unto the ends of the Earth; then wilt thou Rejoice therein.  
And cease from Man, 
☞  whose Breath is in his own Nostrils, and speaks the studied Inventions of his own corrupt Heart, and the Traditions of his Forefathers, and yet saith, Thus saith the Lord, when he hath not spoken unto him, nor heard his Voice, nor seen his Shape; but speaks the Conceivings and Divinations of his own Brain, and the Uncertain Notions of his own Spirit; The 
* The Root of all Division, Erroneous Opinions and Sects.  listening and harkening to this, and following of this in the particular and in the general, is the universal Ground and Root from whence spring all the Diversities of Sects and Erroncous Opinions upon the Face of the Earth; and from this ariseth all the Willing & Running, Self-Righteousness, Will-Worship, Voluntary Humility, and Intrusion into Things which are not seen in the Vision of God, but being vainly puffed up in a fleshly Mind: Now this thou art to cease from in thy own particular; for thou wert not created to sollow thy own Thoughts, Conceivings and Imaginations, 
☞  nor the Motions of the Flesh, nor Enticements of the Serpent; But another Guide is appointed for thee, which all that are ignorant of, go astray from their Youth.  
Now, this Guide is not far off, that thou needest say, Who shall ascend, or descend, or go beyond the Seas to fetch it; but it's nigh thee, in thy Mouth and in thy Heart, tha● thou mayest hear it, and obey it, and be guided by it.  
And that thou mayest know its Voice, and Teaching, and Guidance from all other Voices and Teachings, I will in a few words set before thee an Infallible Way, and show thee Certain Marks and Tokens thereof; for it's known by its Work and Operation.  
First, If thou art (as all are before the New Creation is known) without Form, and Void, Darkness being over the Face of the Deep; 
☞  if thou art as the Waters, or one covered with Darkness; yet the Spirit of God moveth upon the Waters, and is ready to work in thee, and to form thee into a Comeliness: and the true Light shines in thee, though thou art Darkness, in order to show thee the Way out of it: And thou mayest know this holy Spirit, that moveth upon the Waters, and the Voice of it from thy own Spirit, Thoughts and Imaginations, and from the Voice of the Serpent, 
* An infallible Mark of the Holy Spirit of God in the Hearts of Men, Jew and Gentile.  because it always moveth against every Appearance of Evil, and calls out of it; sheweth thee the very secret Thoughts and Intents of thy Heart, reproveth and judgeth every vain Thought and wicked Imagination; and when thou goest before it, and walkest in the Paths of Darkness, Sin and Disobedience, thou may'st hear it as a Voice behind thee, reproving thee, saying, This is the Way, walk in it. And this holy Guide consents to no Evil thou dost; but is given of God to lead thee out of it, and to bring thee to him that saves from it; This is the great Ordinance of God, 
A  and the Means of Salvation, that he hath appointed; the which, if thou slight and difregard, thou wilt remain without Form, Void, and Empty of the Heavenly Treasures, and never be able to say in Truth as the Primitive Christians did, and the True Christians now can (viz.) God, who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness, hath shined in our Hearts, to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ; and so wilt continue ignorant of the New Creation of God, and of the Experimental Work of Regeneration, profess what thou wilt, 
☞  and live under what other Ordinances and Means thou wilt, and hear what other Teachers thou wilt, and follow what other Guides thou wilt, if thou learnest not of the Grace of God within, which hath appeared to thee and all men, if thou walkest not in the Light which shines within, and art not guided by the good Spirit of God, which was the Saints Guide in all Ages, thy Profession is vain, and thy Religion a Lie, and thou deceivest thy own Soul; in Sin thou livest, and in Sin thou wilt die, and where Christ is, thou canst not come. This is the Experience of him that hath tried the Traditions of Men, the Teachings and Inventions of Men, Books and studied Sermons, and Carnal Ordinances, and hath found them not able to lead one Step in the Narrow Way, or give perfect Victory over one Sin; neither is all the Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence and Knowledge among all the Children of men, that are Strangers to the New Creation & Work of Regeneration, wrought by the Spirit of God within themselves, 
☞  able to direct or bring any so much as to the Gate or Entrance of true Wisdom, Life and Immortality; but rather hedgeth up the Way, and leadeth more and more astray from it.  
This is the Wisdom and Knowledge which the Righteous in former Ages testified against, which is of this World Fleshly and Foolish, Earthly and Sensual and whoever increaseth in it, increaseth in that which brings Sorrow (for as the Fool, so dyeth this Wise Ma● And whosoever sets himself up 〈◊〉 this Wisdom, 
☞  as a Teacher of th● Ignorant, and as a Guide to the Blin● though allowed by the University (or general Schools) he runs befo●● he is sent, and doth not profit t● People at all; but is as the Bli● which leadeth the Blind, and they b● fall into the Ditch together, out which there is no Redemption, 〈◊〉 by the Knowledge of the Effect Working of the holy Spirit, and Son of God in thee, to open thy Eye, that thou mayest see where thou art, and beget a Desire in thee, and a Cry in thee for Deliverance, and minister Strength unto thee, and to pull thy Feet out of the Mire and Clay, and to set them upon a Rock; and be as a Light unto thee, to guide thee in thy Way, that thou stumblest not again; all which I testify, he is ready and willing to do for thee, and all that love his Appearance; 
☞  And those only love his Appearance, that love the Spirit of Truth in them, and believe in it, and receive it, which reproveth them of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgement; and this is an Infallible Proof, that People love this Spirit, believe in it, and receive it, 
A True Proof that People love the Spirit.  when they walk in it, and obey it, and bring forth the Fruits of it, and are led by it out of Sin, and that Righteousness and Judgement, which it did reprove them of, while they lived therein, and are led by it into that Holiness and Everlasting Righteousness (through true Judgement) which is the White Raiment, Fine Linen, and Clothing of the True Christian, who is come to know the same holy Spirit of Truth, which once convinced, reproved and judged him for Sin and Ungodliness, to make him free from it, and become his Comforter and Leader into all Truth, according to the Promise of Christ Jesus, Joh. 16. the which to possess and enjoy, 
The Sum of Christian-Religion.  is the End, Sum and Substance of the Christian-Religion, and the End of all Hearing, Reading, Preaching and Believing: And that thou mayest know, whether thou art a Possessor hereof, or whether thou only talkest of it, and professest it, I in th● Bowels of Love entreat and beseech thee seriously to weigh, read and consider what follows, as the Faith and Experience of a True Christian, which i● written in True Love and Good-Wi●● to all that have the Veil over their Hearts, and the Scales before their Eyes, when they are reading the holy Scriptures, and professing God, Christ & Christianity, and the Doctrines thereof, which are but briefly hinted at or spoken to in few words, in what follows.  
And whether thou art a bare Professor, or a real Possessor, thou mayest reap Profit hereby; if the one, thou art in vited to inherit Substance; if the other, thou art exhorted and Warned, to beware, lest thou lose thy Inheritance again. So to the Light, Grace and holy Spirit of God in thee 〈◊〉 thou Professor, Profane or Believers I do commend thee, with it to read, and with it to judge, & by it to be taught & g●●ded into a good Understanding, and into the true Knowledge of the two great Mysteries of Godliness and Iniquity.  
And that thou mayest truly understand and receive the one, and discover and avoid the other, is the Desire of him who is a Lover of the Christian-Religion, and of all that walk therein, and hath  to all men;  
William Shown.   

Reader,  
THese Scriptures following, having a good Esteem in my Mind, as Say worthy greatly to be noted, and weightily considered, I have committed them to the Press; wishing thou mayest enjoy the End wherefore.  
And this I will assure thee, If thou canst understand, believe and receive these Divine and Heavenly Say, Precepts, Exhortations, Promises and Testimonies, in these and other Scriptures mentioned in this brief Declaration of a True Christian's Faith, etc. thou wilt not stumble at, nor reject his Testimony, etc. but embrace and have Unity therewith. But if thou understandest not, nor believest the one, neither wilt thou the other; for the True Christian bears Testimony to the holy Scriptures, and the Scriptures to him; and the Titular Christian's Testimony is against them, and they are against him, because he doth not obey them, nor live the Life they call for.  
Eccl. 12.1, 2. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, while the Evil Days come not; nor the Years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no Pleasure in them; while the Sun, or the Light, or the Moon, or the Stars be not darkened, nor the Clouds return after the Rain.  
Dear Beloved, Believe not every Spirit; but try the Spirits, whether they are of God; for many False Prophets are gone out into this World, 1 John 4. 1, etc.  
Little Children, You are of God, and have overcome them; for, greater is he that is in you then he that is in the World, Vers. 4.  
Whosoever transgress●th, and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ, hath not God: He that continueth in the Doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son, 2 John 9th verse.  
If there come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine, receive him not into your House, neither bid him God speed, Vers. 10.  
To be Carnally-minded, is Death; but to be Spiritually-minded, is Life & Peace; because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be: So then, they that are in the Flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the Flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of God, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the Body is dead because of Sin; but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit, that dwelleth in you, Rom. 8.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.  
Unto the Pure all things are pure; but unto them that are Defiled and unbelieving, is nething pure; but even their Minds and Consciences are defiled: They profess, that they know God, but by Works they deny him, and are abominable; and to every good Work Reprobate, Tit. 1.15, 16.  
If ye abide in me, and my Words abide in you, ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you, John 15.7.  
And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free. Whosoever committeth sin is the Servant of sin, John 8.32, 34.  
Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my Saying, he shall never see Death, Vers. 51.  
Father, I will, That they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World. That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them, John 17.24, 26.  
The Disciple is not above his Master, but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master, Luke 6.40.  
But love ye your Enemies, and do good; and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your Reward shall be great, and ye shall be the Children of the Highest; for he is Kind to the Unthankful, and to the Evil: Be ye therefore Merciful, as your Father also is Merciful, Luke 6.35, 36.  
Ye are my Friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  
But the Anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you; And ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things; and is Truth, and is no Lie: And even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him, 1 John 2.27.  
Read the 8th Chapter to the Romans, and the Lord give thee Understanding.  
Rom. 10.8. The Word is nigh thee, in thy Mouth & in thy Heart; that is the Word of Faith which we preach. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments: He that saith, he knoweth him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a Liar, and the Truth is not in him: But whosoever keepeth his Word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected; hereby know we, that we are in him. He that saith, He abideth in Him, ●ught himself also so to walk, even as he walked, 1 John 2.3, 4, 5, 6. read to the end of the Chapter.  
Little Children, Let no man deceive you: He that doth Righteousness is Righteous, even as he is Righteous: He that committeth Sin is of the Devil; for the Devil sinneth from the beginning: For this Purpose was the Son of God manifest, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil. Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit Sin; for his Seed remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the Children of God are manifest, and the Children of the Devil; Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his Brother. We know, that we have passed from Death to Life, because we love the Brethren. He that loveth not his Brother, abideth in Death, 1 John Chap. 3. Vers. 2. to the 10th and 14th.  
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his Love is perfected in us. Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen, and do testify, That the Father sent the Son, to be the Saviour of the World, 1 John 4.12. read to the end of the Chapter.  
I counsel thee to buy of me Gold tried in the Fire, that thou mayest be Rich; and White Raiment, that thou mayst be clothed, and that the Shame of thy Nakedness do not appear; and anoint thy Eyes with Eyesalve, that thou mayst see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be Zealous therefore, and Repent. Behold, I stand at the Door, and knock; if any man hear my Voice, and open the Door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his Throne. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches, Rev. 3.18, 19, 20, 21, 22.  
To him that Overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and will give him a White Stone, and in the Stone a New Name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it, Rev. 2.17.  
He that believes hath the Witness in himself.  
He that overcometh, shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son.  
But the Fearful and unbelieving, and the Abominable, and Murderer, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Liars shall have their Part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone, which is the Second Death, Rev. 21.7, 8.  
Thus I have here transcribed and set before thee these Scriptures before, being very Divine and Heavenly Say, greatly worthy of thy reading over and over again; and in that Light and Grace which shines and appears in thy Heart, and is able to remove the Covering, and take away the Veil from off the same; I desire thee to weigh and consider them, and measure and try thyself thereby. Had I not the Remembrance still upon my Mind, how I often read those Scriptures, and many the like, while my Understanding was clouded, and the Veil over my Heart, and did not understand what I read, nor receive the Comfort of them, nor witness the Truth thereof in myself; I say, were it not for this Remembrance, and the Knowledge of the true Light, that now shineth out of Darkness, I should admire and wonder how the Titular Christian, who readeth and professeth the holy plain Testimonies, Precepts Exhortations, and Glorious Promises recorded in the Holy Scriptures (and lived in, and born witness to by divers true Christians now in this Age) should oppose and gainsay the fame, and understand nothing thereof.  
Though he professeth them to be 〈◊〉 he is so far from being ruled by 〈◊〉 Ru●● that he hates and persecutes those that are, and that have received the good things they testify of.  
And were it not that the holy Scriptures had a great Esteem in the Affections of the People of those Nations called Christendom, and that they did bear so plain Evidence to the Truth of the Doctrines taught, and Heavenly Estates now professed and enjoyed by the True Christian, he would be more hated, persecuted and cried out against than he is: So for this Reason and divers more, he hath great Cause to praise God, that the Scriptures have been preserved, and the holy divine Say and Testimonies of the Righteous delivered down to this Age, so clear, true and plain as they are; for he alone enjoys the Benefit, Privilege and Comfort of them, by the Virtue and Operation of the Light, Love and Spirit of God, which they testify of, working in his Inward Man: And except this be known, the Scriptures and all Heavenly things are as a sealed Book to thee, let thy Natural Parts, Wisdom and Acquired Attainments be never so great: Therefore thy Duty is above all things, To hearken to and obey the Voice of God, and regard the Inspiration of the Almighty, which gives Understanding, that thou mayest learn his Heavenly Precepts, and understand his Divine Mysteries, and enjoy his Glorious Promises, and be made wise unto Salvation, and so inherit Everlasting Life, Peace and Glory, and know an Entrance ministered into the Joy of the Lord.  
And at least an Earnest of all these things thou art to know, revealed, felt and enjoy within thyself, before thou go hence, and be no more among men.  
Therefore put not the Day of the Lor● afar off, nor say in thy Heart, The Lor● delays his Coming; for he waits to show himself gracious unto thee, and is come nigh unto Judgement, and standeth even at th● Door, 
Read. Proverbs 8.  and appeareth at the Gate & Entrance of thy Hearth and his Appearance thou may 〈◊〉 infallibly know from all other Appearances because it judgeth every Appearance of Evils and not only so, but if thou openest th● Gate, and entertainest him in thy Heart, h● will furnish thee with Power and Strength against it, and fill thy Temple with his Heavenly Treasures of Wisdom and Glory: S● shalt thou not only read and hear of Goo● Things, but understand, possess and enjoy them; and be able to obey this Exhortatio●● Abstain from every Appearance of Evil.  
And this Saying, once spoken to Cain, the Firstborn, after Transgression, universally concerns thee and all Mankind, and is sounded daily in their Ears, If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? But if thou dost Evil, Sin lies at thy Door, Gen. 4.3. And Tribulation and Anguish attends every Soul of Man that doth Evil (let him profess what he will) Rom. 2.9.   

Something by Way of Caution and Warning to the Titular Christian, to whose Hand this following Treatise may come.  
I Have some Sense upon my Mind, that thou wilt upon thy reading thereof, be ready to censure and judge those Things thou understandest not, nor haste had any Experience of; and also, to deride and mock at the frequent Testimonies and Exhortations to the Light within, Grace within, Spirit within, Power of God within, Word of God within, Law within, etc. Consider what thou dost, and against what and whom thou openest thy Mouth, and dread the living God, whom in Words only thou professest to be a Spirit, Infinite, Omnipresent and Almighty, which Spirit searcheth thy Heart, and judgeth thy Ways, though thou at present be Ignorant and Unbelieving concerning him, and his being so near thee; and also consider within thyself, how that if thou knowest not Light shining within, and a walking in it, thou art no Child of it, but Darkness abounds in thee, and thou knowest not whither thou goest, nor at what thou stumblest; if Grace thou knowest not to rule and reign within thee, Sin ruleth, and Death, the Wages thereof, is present with thee; if the Spirit of God thou knowest not teaching and ruling in thy Heart, and sitting upon the Throne thereof, the Spirit of Satan, Devil and Anti-christ rules there & teacheth there, & thou art a poor Captive and Bondslave thereof, profess what thou wilt; and if the Power of God thou knowest not working within thyself, and operating in thy Heart, not only to shake, pull down, and remove that which can be shaken and removed, but also to bring in that which cannot be shaken nor removed, (viz.) Everlasting Righteousness; I say, if this thou knowest not, the Power of the Enemy of God (and thy Soul) worketh in thee, and prevaileth over thee, by working in thy Imaginations, Will and Affections, Mind and Members, that which is Evil, either in self-Sinning or self Righteousness, which are both Abomination to the Lord: So if thou knowest not the Word of God within thee, in thy Mouth and in thy Heart (with the Virtues and Properties thereof, as a Hammer, as a Fire, quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged Sword) and hearest and obeyest the Voice thereof; I say, if this Word thou knowest not within, thou art not made clean nor sanctified by it; but those Things stand in thee, against which it is as a Hammer, Fire, Sword, sharp and powerful; and the Word and Commands of the old Serpent, that Betrayer, sounds lo●d in thy Ears, and pierceth deep into thy Heart, and thou art carried away with the Wind thereof, and interest into his Temptations daily, and knowest not Power against them; so thou canst not say, as David once did, 
Psal. 119.11.  I have hid thy Word in my Heart, that I might not sin against thee; neither haste thou received with Meekness the Engrafted Word, which is able to save; but art of those whom Christ spoke to, Ye have not his Word (speaking of his Father) abiding in yo●. 
John 5.38.   
And if thou knowest not the Law of the Spirit of Life within thee, written in thy Inward Parts, thou art a Stranger to the New-Covenant, 
Jer. 31.33.  & the Law of Sin & Death hath Power over thee, & the Law that is in thy Members leads thee Captive thereto, and the Carnal Mind which is Enmity against God, and cannot be subject to his Law, reigns in thee, & though thou professest the Law of God with thy Tongue, thou dost not love it, nor delight in it in thy Hearr, neither is it better in thy Esteem then Thousands of Gold and Silver.  
So, in short, If thou art not Partaker & Possessor of the Heavenly Treasures in thy Earthen Vessel, thou art freighted with Earthly Treasures & Vanities; if thou knowest not thy Body the Temple of the Living God, and thy Heart his Throne, then is it as a Cage for Unclean Birds, and as a Habitation for Wild Beasts, and as a Nest for Venomous Creeping Things; and the Prince of Darkness sits upon the Throne of thy Heart, and rules there, let thy Opinion and Talk of Religion be what it will.  
Now, be thou warned and advised, to watch against that Spirit in thyself, which moveth thee to sleight, deride and mock at the Appearance and Manifestation of the Light, Crace, Spirit, Power, Word and Law of God within.  
And learn to cease also from those Teachers without, which have caused thee to err, who hate the Light within, and despise the Shining of it, and give it despicable Names; as, Ignis Fatuus 〈◊〉 certain or False Fire; Natural Light; and the Checks and Reproofs of it, but the Checks of a Natural Conscience; and despise the Grace that appears to all men, and call it Common, and not Saving Crace; and sleight and reject the Power and Spirit of God within, which moves and works against all Evil, and to all Good, not allowing it to be the principal Rule and Guide of a Christian; and also endeavour to demolish & race out the Word and Law of God within, under Pretence of directing thee to a more sure Word and Law without, viz. the Holy Scriptures, which contain divers Words, Precepts and Commandments, etc. spoken by holy men, to whom the Word of the Lord came (which was before the Words were) and by this Word and Spirit that came to them, and was in them, were they moved to speak them, and that is greater than the Words; and till thou knowest a Measure of the same Word and Spirit within thyself, thou canst neither truly understand nor obey the Words, and holy Precepts, and Exhortations that proceeded from it, that indeed being the Original Cause, Root and Ground from whence all the Good Words and Good Works that ever sprang up in the Heart of Mankind, proceeded: Such Teachers have ran, ●ut God hath not sent them, so People are not profitted, but spoiled by them; they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men; they neither enter themselves, nor suffer those that would; and under the Name of Ministers of Christ, are direct Ministers of Antichrist; from such turn thou away, & learn of the Grace of God, which Teacheth to deny Ungodliness, etc. and love the Light, and bring thy Deeds to it, 
John 3.21.  and walk in it; so shalt thou become a Child of it, and have Right to inherit the precious Promises, and possess and enjoy the Glorious Privileges, which thou hast hitherto only professed, heard and read of in the holy Scriptures; so wilt thou come to inherit Substance, and soon be wiser than thy former Teachers; and of a Titular Christian thou wilt become a Christian indeed, an Israelite indeed, a Jew inward indeed, whose Praise is of God, and not of Men.  
W. S.   

THE True Christian's FAITH AND EXPERIENCE DECLARED Concerning God, Christ, the Spirit, etc.  

First, Concerning God.  
THE True Christian believes there is One God, who is a Spirit, pure in Essence, 
God is infinite and incomprehensible in himself; and all the Words of Men and Angels cannot define him, as he is, being in all, through all and above all. And the various Names given him throughout the holy Scriptures, were according to the Manifestation or Appearance and Operation of his Spirit in their Hearts that wrote them, and according to the State it found them in, when it appeared to them, hence he was called a Consuming Fire; Our God is a Consuming Fire; and his Word as a Hammer and as a Fire, and a Jealous and Angry God, who as a Devouring Fire goes through the Briars and Thorns, and consumes them; and the Day of his Appearance among these Briars and Thorns, Thi●les and Stubble, is compared to the burning of Fire in an Oven, in which the Wicked cannot dwell. And others could call him by quite contrary Names, even according to the Operation of his Spirit in them & by the same could say, that God is Love; and his Word was as Milk, and sweeter than Honey or the Hony-Comb, and that the Light of his Countenance was better than the Increase of Corn, Wine and Oil; and that he was a Shield and a Shadow of a Rock in a Weary Land, & his Name as a strong Tower and safe-dwelling-Place, and as precious Ointment poured forth; and his Face or Presence, Glory and Power, which is Terrible to the Worker of Iniquity is pleasant and desirable by those that witness Sion's Redemption by the Spirit of Judgement and Burning from Iniquity; these things are known now, as in former Ages: The same Ark, whose Presence troubled and plagued the Philistians, was the Glory of Israel; the same Hand and Power that smites and destroyeth the Egyptian, saves and delivers the Israelite; the same Spirit of Truth that reproveth the World of Sin, is the Comforter of those that are made free by it from Sin; the same Breath that breathed Life in the beginning, before Sin entered, kind'eth the Fire that tormenteth the Wicked. He that can understand, let him.  omnipresent in Be●●g, incomprehensible and Almighty in Power: And he demonstrateth his Faith and Experience after this manner; He has received a Manifestation of him in his own Heart, Mind and Spirit; and so is come to know him poor, & Omni-present by his Work and Operation therein; he can say, that God is pure of a Truth, because he findeth his Appearance so pure and holy in his Heart, that it will not allow nor suffer so much as a vain Thought to lodge there, nor no unclean thing to be touched. And this True Christian is a true witness of the Truth of those Scriptures (Hab. 1.13. Jer. 17.10. & 15.19.) which saith, that God is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity; and that He searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins, and divideth betwixt the Precious and the Vile, betwixt Thought & Thought, Word and Word, Work and Work. And further, He is a True Witness, that God is Almighty in Power, because he hath by his mighty Power broken down those Strong Holds, formerly builded in his Heart by the Enemy of his Soul; Cast down Imaginations, and every High Thing, that exalted 〈◊〉 self against the Knowledge of God; ●inging into Captivity very Thought into the obedience of Christ. And he knoweth the ●rk Mountains, at ●●ich his Feet stumbled, removed, & the Rocks rended, & the Raging Waves stilled, and that Tongue and Nature bridled, which no Man could tame: But before this be witnessed, he hath known him to sit as a Refiners Fire, 
Mal. 3.3.  and as Fuller's Soap, and as a Spirit of Judgement and Burning; and so became a living Witness of what he hath seen, felt, heard & understood, by the mighty Working of his Holy Spirit in his Mortal Body.  
The Titular Christian he saith, he believeth in one God, who is pure, omnipresent and Almighty (take his Word and there is no Difference) But how doth he demonstrate his Faith, that to him there is but one God? why, he hath heard a Relation of him, his Oneness his Purity and Almightiness in the Holy Scriptures, and he hath been educated and trained up in the Traditions of his Forefathers, and so his Knowledge of God he professeth is acquired therefrom; he hath read in some Book, or some Body hath told him, that God is One, Pure, Omnipresent and Almighty, and he grounds his Faith and Knowledge upon this Tradition and History, and sorofesseth God and his Attributes in Words, but is not a living Witness of the same within himself: And so, notwithstanding he professeth one God, he liveth in the World which hath many Gods, and worships and falls down before them; every beloved Lust, obeyed, is a God. Let the Titular Christian profess what he will, he that committeth Sin is the Servant of it, and therein is no Believer, Worshipper nor Knower of the True God, his Purity nor Almightiness, because his Heart remaineth Corrupt and Rocky, and the Mountains of Darkness & Ignorance remain unremoved, and the strong Holds of Satan unbroken down, his Thoughts and Imaginations unsubjected to the Obedience of Christ, his Will Tongue and Nature unbridled, the Dross, Tin and Rubbage remains, and is as a Grave to the pure Metal; this Titular Christian contents himself to hear or read of God as a Refiner's Fire, and as Fuller's Soap, and as a Spirit of Judgement and Burning, and of his cleansing and purifying some in former Generations, but loves not, nor cares not to know him so in himself; but rather despiseth and hateth his pure Appearance in him) whose first Work is to convince him of Sin, Righteousness & Judgement) which is compared to a little Silver amongst much Dross, a little Seed amongst many great ones, & to a little Leaven hid in three Measures of Meal; which Silver can't be parted, separated & enjoyed, but by the Appearance of God within, as a Refiners Fire, to purge away the Dross, & take away the Tin also, which is somewhat like the Silver, whereby indeed the Titular Christian is deceived; neither can the little Seed grow up till the Rubbish be taken away, and the Ground that is Cursed, removed, and the Heart made honest, which is the good Ground, wherein the Seed of the Kingdom grows to Perfection; neither can the little Leaven work through and leaven the three Measures of Meal, till that be taken away which lets and hinders, viz. Unbelief and Hardness of Heart: Now this Day of small Things, this Day of Jacob's Troubles, wherein he goes through the Refiners Fire, this little Seed, this little Leaven is overlooked, despised and slighted by the Titular Christian, who in his own Conceit is exalted and puffed up above the pure Appearance of God in his Heart, which to know and obey is the Gate of all true Wisdom and Knowledge; and is grown so tall, great and Wise in his own Thoughts and Imaginations, that he cannot walk in the strait Way, nor go in at the Door of the Sheepfold, but would climb up some other Way, and so contents himself with a Traditional Historical Profession of God in Words, and deny him in Works: And all the Knowledge and Experience he hath of God, his Purity, Oneness and Almightiness, is but as some Body hath told him, or as he hath in an Unsanctified and Unprepared Heart, read in the Holy Scriptures, which Knowledge avails nothing, except accompanied with a living Expe●ience of the same Power, working after the same Manner as it did in others in Times past, who have left their Testimonies thereof upon Record.   

II. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.  
THE True Christian believes in one Lord Jesus Christ, who came from the Bosom of the Father, who is the Son of the true God, by whom he made the World; and that this Lord Jesus Christ is his Saviour, Redeemer, Sanctifier and Cleanser, by his precious Blood, and is to him as a King, Priest and Prophet, etc. And he demonstrateth his Faith in this Manner; in being Obedient to him as he is Lord, in being saved by him from Sin, as he is Jesus, and by his learning of him, and being taught by him, as he is Christ or the Anointing: So he can call him Lord Jesus Christ in Truth and Righteousness, having truly learned his Name and Nature, through Obedience to his Cross, and a Cleansing by his precious Blood; and so he not only reads, hears and professes the Benefits and Privileges which the primitive Christians partook of and enjoyed, by believing in & receiving of Christ, but experimentally partaketh of, and possesseth, and enjoyeth the same; 
Rom. 8 16.  And the Spirit of God beareth Witness with his Spirit, that he is a Child of God, and a Joint. Heir with Christ, Bone of his Bone, and Flesh of his Flesh; and that he hath the Mind of Christ; and that Christ lives in him, and is greater in him than he that is in the World: And as the old Adversary the Devil is strong and powerful to tempt, and ready on the one Hand, and on the other, to draw and allure into Evil; so he knoweth his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as near, and as ready, and more powerful to deliver, save and preserve him from falling into Evil and Temptation; and he is not only enabled to resist the Devil, but to make him flee also: Thus in Truth can the True Christian call Christ the Captain of his Salvation, who being armed with his Power, fights as he did, & followeth him, & sits down in Heavenly Places with him, triumphing over Sin, Death, Hell and the Grave: So the True Christian proveth himself so, by denying himself, and taking up his Cross daily, and following of Christ; and that he believeth in him, because he enjoyeth Everlasting Life, and abides not in Death and Darkness, but hath overcome the Wicked one; and that he is his Lord, because he doth the thing he saith or commandeth; and that he loveth him, because he keepeth his Commandments; and hath received Power to become the Son of God; and further, hath a Name better than the Name of Sons and Daughters.  
The Titular Christian saith, he believeth in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the true God, by whom he made the World, and that this Lord Jesus Christ is his Saviour, Redeemer and Sanctifier by his precious Blood, etc. and professeth him as King, Priest and Prophet and in all his Attributes and Offices.— But how doth he demonstrate and show forth his Belief and Profession? How is he his Lord? Doth he do the Thing he saith? How is he his Saviour? Is he saved by him from the committing of Sin, and redeemed from a vain Conversation? How doth he believe in him as Christ or the Anointing? Is he taught by him? How is he his King, Priest and Prophet? Doth he rule in his Heart as King? Are all his Services, Sacrifices and Offerings offered up by and through his Hand, as Priest? Doth he hear him in all Things, as the Prophet whom God hath raised like unto Moses? No, the Titular Christian hath no Knowledge of him after this Manner, neither doth he believe 'tis attainable on this side the Grave; nor possible to obey him as Lord; nor to be saved by him from Sin, as Jesus; nor taught by him, as Christ or the Anointing; nor that he can be washed, cleansed and sanctified by his precious Blood from the Stains, Spots and Defilements of the World, Flesh and the Devil, while he bears about this Body of Clay; he contents himself with a corrupt, traditional Faith, which hath sprung up in the dark Night of Apostasy (which is certainly a very venomous pernicious Weed of the Devil's Kingdom, which hath poisoned and destroyed the Souls of many, and is now grown to such Maturity, and clothed with such Beauty to the Eye of the Titular Christian, that he calls it the Christian Faith, though thereby he is taught to believe, that 'tis not possible to cease from Sin, nor to have his Heart purified, nor to overcome the Devil, and gain Victory over the World; and further, that notwithstanding he committeth Sin daily, and liveth in the Act of it Term of Life in this World, he is hereby taught to believe, that Christ will save him from the Gild and Punishment of it in the World to come: It may be said of this Titular Christian's Faith; as it was once said of Saul and David; Looseness and A theism hath slain its Thousands; but this its Ten Thousands.  
So although he hears and reads what Christ did in, and for those that belived in him, and of the powerful Virtue and Operation of that Ancient Christian Faith, which was once delivered to the Saints, and born witness to by the Holy Scriptures; yet he neither hopes, believes, nor expects to witness the same wrought in him, and for him; they bear witness of some, in whom Christ wrought 
(a) In whom Christ works all, the Devil works nothing.  all their Works; and that through him they were able to do all Things: And many glorious Things were spoken of, and were enjoyed by the true Believers in Christ, while upon Earth: But the Titular Christian puts off all till he is dead, and pleads for the Continuation of the Devil and his Works, Term of Life, and saith, the Devil works strongly in him, and prevails over him, and causeth him to sin in his Holy Duties; and that he is so captivated by him, that he cannot live one Day nor Hour without Sin; so notwithstanding his Profession of Christ, he knows him not greater in him, than he that is in the World; so the strong Man keeps House, and it's furnished with his Goods, and though he cries Lord, Lord, he is a Worker of Iniquity, and is bound in Chains of Darkness, and his Feet stick fast in the Mire and in the Clay, even while he talks of Lord and Saviour, he is led Captive at the Devils Will; and is a Stranger to that Power which is able to resist him, and make him flee, and to that Faith which gives Victory: So he cannot in Truth call Christ the Captain of his Salvation, nor approve himself one of his Soldiers, who is armed with the same Power, & with it fights against the same Enemy, and gains the Victory, and followeth him, who rides on Conquering and to Conquer; so never comes to sit down with him in his Father's Kingdom, triumphing over Sin, Death, Hell and the Grave, but remains under the Power thereof, through the Fear of which he is all his Life Time subject to Bondage, 
2 Heb. 15.  let his Profession of Liberty and Redemption by Christ be what it will; his fair Talk will avail him nothing, though he saith he believeth in Christ, and loveth him, yet if he keepeth not his Commandments, he is a Liar, and deceiveth himself, and hath not Eternal Life abiding in him; Profession and Name of Christ without Possession and Nature, is of no worth.   

III. The true Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Holy Spirit.  
THE True Christian believeth in the Holy Spirit, being one of the Three which bears Record in Heaven, which Three are one; and he showeth forth his Faith by his Obedience thereto; he hath received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby he can call God Father (not as the Scribes, Pharisees and Hypocrites did) but in Truth and Righteousness; and he witnesseth a being led by the Spirit in the Way of Holiness, and so cannot fulfil the Lust of the Flesh, but by the same doth mortify them, and gain Victory over them, and is sanctified and cleansed from them, and is taught by the Spirit the true Knowledge of God, & how to worship him aright in Spirit & Truth and so prays in the Spirit and with the Understanding and sings in the Spirit, and praiseth God in the Spirit, and the Law of the Spirit is in his Heart, and this Law of the Spirit of Life makes him free from the Law of Sin and Death; and the Spirit of God which raised up Jesus from the Dead, dwelleth in him, and quickeneth his Mortal Body: And this True Christian is the Spiritual Man which discerneth all Things, but is not discerned by another out of the same Spirit which searcheth all Things, yea, the deep Things of God; and he is led by the Spirit from under the Law, and through the Law, to him which was before the Law, and so is under Grace, and brings forth the Fruits thereof, which is Love, Peace, Joy, Long-Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance; against this Christian there is no Law.  
The Titular Christian he saith, he believeth in the Holy Spirit, etc. But how doth he demonstrate his Faith and Belief; he is ready to make a Mock of receiving the Spirit, and being led by the Spirit & moved & taught by the Spirit; this seems strange Doctrine to him, that he should know his Lusts mortified by the Spirit, and that he should walk in the Spirit, and be sanctified by the Spirit from all Sin and Uncleaness, and that he should attend the Motion and Guidance of the Spirit, and in all his Conversation to do nothing but what will stand justified by this Holy Spirit, and that he should pray in the Spirit, and sing with the Spirit, and worship in the Spirit, etc. These are new Doctrines to the Titular Christian, he knows not what to make of them, except it be to brand them with despicable Names; And the Law of the Spirit of Life, which should free him from the Law of Sin and Death, he is a Stranger to; and wholly ignorant of the Indwelling of that Spirit which raised Jesus from the Dead, to quicken his mortal Body; this he counts Fanatic Doctrine, etc. And instead of being a spiritual Man which discerneth all Things, he is Carnal, and seethe not far off; the Veil being over his Heart; cannot see nor regard the Glory of God when it appeareth in the Inward Temple, but opposeth & slighteth the Appearance of that Holy Spirit which searcheth his Heart and all Things; and so is not led by it from under the Law; which Law was added because of Transgression; and this Titular Christian which liveth in the Nature and Act of Transgression, and that knows not the Cursed Ground removed, which bringeth forth Briars and Thorns, from whence all Evil Thoughts, Words and Works proceed, and is a Stranger to the Mortification of them by the Spirit; he is under the Law, and liable to the Punishment thereof, and not under Grace, let him profess what he will, if he brings not forth the Fruit of the Spirit in his Life and Conversation, he clearly showeth, he doth not believe in it, nor walk in it, neither hath received it, nor come to any true Knowledge of it, by its Work and Operation in his Heart; he only talks of it with his Tongue, as some Book or Body hath told him; this is the Property and State of a Titular Christian.   

FOUR The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Holy Scriptures.  
THE True Christian truly honoureth the Holy Scriptures in their Places, and believeth and receiveth their Testimony, and is a living Witness of the Truth thereof, and he domonstrateth it as followeth. By believing, receiving and obeying him (viz. Christ Jesus) of whom they testify, whereby he receives Power to order his Conversation according to them; and the True Christian believeth that they were spoken and written by the Motion and inspiration of the Spirit of God in Holy Men, Prophets and Apostles; and that it is his Duty to Wait upon God, to receive the Spirit of Grace and Glory, and the Gifts thereof, of whom they testify; that thereby be may be enabled to read them with Understanding, and to receive the Comfort of them, and to be made wise through Faith in Christ unto Salvation by them.  
And this Christian knows rightwell, That all the University or Acad mi●al Learning in the World is not able to give the true Knowledge of the Mind of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures; they are as a sealed Book to all the Wit, Reason, Comprehension and Acquired Parts of all Mankind in the Fall, Learned and Unlearned: And until man comes to receive, regard and improve the Manifestation of the Spirit, which is given to every man to profit withal, as the Scriptures witness, he is wholly ignorant and a Stranger to the Key of true Knowledge; and the Treasures of Life and Wisdom are hid from him, and secured as with seven Seals; and the Cherubim●, with a Flaming Sword, that turns every Way, and guards the Tree of Life, with the Fruits thereof, from the fallen Wisdom of Man: And this the True Christian knows by Experience, having tried what the Wisdom of this World in all its Perfection can do; and hath seen it confounded and brought to nought in himself, being discovered to be no part of the Key of true everlasting Knowledge; but rather that which hides it, & makes the Veil the thicker, and shuts the Door of the Kingdom the faster; and those that abound in it, neither enter themselves, nor suffer those that would; and this the Holy Scriptures testify.  
The Titular Christian, he saith, He honoureth the Scriptures, and believeth the Testimony of them, etc. But how doth he demonstrate his Honour to them, and Belief of them? Doth he order his Conversation according to them? They exhort, To abstain from every Appearance of Evil, and from every fleshly Lust, which wars against the Soul; and to put on the whole Armour of God, and thereby resist the Devil, and make him flee: The Titular Christian doth not obey this Exhortation, neither doth he believe, that it's possible that any should obey it on this side the Grave: So while he pretends to honour them, he gives them the Lie; for, what's more ridiculous and unreasonablethen to profess a Belief that the Spirit of God in Holy Men hath left Holy Precepts and Exhortations upon Record in the Scriptures, which are impossible to be obeyed? Yet this is the Language of the Titular Christian, who honoureth them with his Lips, and cries them up with his Tongue, but in Works denies them: Sometimes he will give them more Titles of Honour then to them is due, as, when he calls them, The Word of God, The Touchstone and Tryer of all Spirits, The Everlasting Rule of Faith and Practice; so in his Ignorance will advance them with Lip-Honour beyond what they testify of themselves, and above what they are; for they are not the Word of God, but proceeded from it, and bear witness thereof, which Word is sharp & powerful, sharper than any Two edged Sword, dividing in the inward Parts; & this Word is in the Mouth and in the Heart, to be heard there, and obeyed there: And they call Christ the Word of God, which Word was in the beginning, before the Scriptures were written: And all that understand not the Voice of this Word, this inward and spiritual Speaking Word, are wholly ignorant of the Words of God and Good Men, recorded in the holy Scriptures; and is no true Honourer nor Believer of them, notwithstanding his Verbal, Traditional, Notional Profession and high Titles he gives them; he only therein shows his Blindness and Folly, in taking the History and Description or Declaration of a thing for the thing itself: They are not the Everlasting Rule, Touchstone and Tryer of Spirits, but declare and testify of him that is, as Christ said to the Jews, speaking of the Scriptures, They are they that testify of me, but you will not come to me, that you may have Life.   

FOUR The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Doctrine of Repentance.  
THE True Christian believeth the Doctrines and Teachings of Christ and his apostles recorded in the Holy Scriptures, and that it is not only his Duty, but his Practice to obey them, and live according to them: As first, the Doctrine of Repentance from Dead Works, or a turning from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God; this is the Gate of the Kingdom, or the first Step towards Christianity; this is the Door at which the True Christian entereth; if any miss this Way, they strive to enter in vain, without Repenting, which is changing or turning from Evil to Good, from the Way of Death to the Way of Life, from Darkness itself to Light itself, from the Power and Service of Sin and Satan to the Power & Service of God & Righteousness. This is the Nature and Effect of true Repentance, and without this no Man hath a true Title in Christ, nor Christianity, let his Profession of it be never so high; for Death reigned over all Men from the Fall of Adam till Moses, and all Men have therein come short of the Glory of God, and in that fallen Nature are the Children of Wrath, dead in Sins and Trespasses? and God hath concluded all in Unbelief, 
Rom. 11.32.  that he might have Mercy upon all.  
And now the Call of God is to all Men every where to Repent, 
Acts 17.30.  and none but those that answer this Call, finds the Mercy; this Call of God is more universally inward and immediate, then outward and mediate, the which if People slight, disregard and neglect to obey, the outward Instruments and Means avail not.  
Now the true Christian gives Testimony that he believes and obeys the Doctrine of Repentance, in manner following: First-Whereas his Mind and Heart was running after, and captivated with the Sight of the Eye, the Lust of the Flesh, and the Pride of Life, that are in that World which lies in Wickedness; now his Mind and Heart is not only stopped, but also turned from them, and weaned from the Delight and Pleasure he had in them, and not only so, but by the Shining of the Light in his Heart, is made to see the exceeding Sinfulness of them, and to feel the Weight and Burden thereof, which while he was dead in Sins and Trespasses, he could not feel, nor be sensible of; but now being quickened by the Voice of God, which calls to Repentance, he cries out with Paul, O wretched Man, who shall deliver me, & c? and this is the Cry which the Lord is ready to hear, and to answer with the Manifestation of his Love and Power, and with the Joy of his Salvation; and now is his Face Sion-ward, and his Travail towards the Holy City is begun; and this True Christian right well knows that his Repentance or turning from and out of the broad Way of Sin & Satan, and setting his Foot into the straight and narrow Way, was not of himself, nor effected in his own Will and Power, but by the Virtue of the free Gift of God, and Operation of his freegrace, and that he daily and momentarily needs the Divine Assistance of the same, to lead, guide and assist him every Step of his Journey, to the End of the same.  
And now he is a living Witness of the Truth of Christ's Saying, when he said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, 
John 5.25.  the Hour is coming, and now is, when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live: This is the first distinguishing Work of the powerful Voice of God, and the true hearing of it; the World hears its convincing Voice, but not regarding nor obeying it, are not made alive nor converted by it; nothing is able, nor sufficient, nor appointed of God to give Repentance unto Life, but the hearing of this Voice of the Son, he hath formerly, or in Times past heard many Voices, Lo here and lo there, and hath made many Repentances, and Turn from one Way and Opinion to another; but till he heard and obeyed the Voice of the Son of God, never knew that Repentance which is never to be repent of.  
And then 2dly, when this Christian hath heard and obeyed this Voice, and is turned out of the broad Way, and gins to walk in the strait and narrow Way, and to have no Fellowship with the Unfruitful Works of Darkness, but rather reprove them, than he became a Wonder, a Byword and a Taunt, and his former Companions, who thought it strange, that he run not with them into the same Excess of Riot; but makes straight Steps to his Feet, and measured all his Go by the Line of Righteousness, 
Rom. 2.4.  which the Goodness of God; that leadeth to Repentance, hath brought him to; now he appeared like an Owl in the Desert, and like a Pelican in the Wilderness, and like a Sparrow upon the Housetop: Now his great Trials, Temptations and Exercises begin both within and without; here he sees his Enemies about him like Bees when they swarm, which till now he had no Sight nor Sense of; the strong Man keeping the House, all his Goods were at Peace, and the House being Dark, and his Eye Dim, did not perceive nor discover the Enemies of his Soul that lodged therein, nor could not judge, nor discern the Nature of the Goods with which his House was furnished, that old Deceiver having Power to transform himself like unto an Angel of God, and to imitate the Furniture of his Temple; but now he having heard the Voice of the Son of God, and being quickened by his mighty Power, and the Eye of his Mind opened & fastened upon the same, than the Devil rageth, knowing he hath but a short Time, and that his Dispossession grows nigh, and the spoiling of his Goods are at Hand, Except he could by any Means prevent it; but all his Endeavours were and are in va●n against this true Repentant, who trusting in the Goodness of the Lord, which at first led him to Repentance, and relying upon the Arm of his Power, which had opened the Eye that was blind, and unstopped the Ear that was deaf, and enlightened the Understanding that was darkened; he in the same is made able to stand, and to resist him in all his Assaults, and to escape all his Baits and Snares, and to quench all his fiery Darts, and to overcome him in all his Temptations, and to go right on his Way, pressing forward towards the Mark of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus, 
Phil. 3.14.  where all the Treasures of Wisdom, of Knowledge, and of Glory are hid, 
Col. 2.3.  and laid up for these that love his Appearance, and obey his low Calling, which is to Repentance; and none other are in the Way to know what the High-Calling of God in Christ Jesus is, let their Notions, Professions and Confessions be never so high.  
The Titular Christian he professeth, he believeth the Doctrine and Teachings of Christ and his Apostles, and first this of Repentance; but how doth he demonstrate his Faith? Is his Mind turned from the Darkness and the Way of it, to the Light and the Way of it, from the Power of Satan and the Works of it, to the Power of God and the Works of it? Is he quickened and made alive by the hearing of the Voice of the Son of God? Is he come forth of the Grave of Sin, and Sea of Corruption? Doth he feel the Weight and Burden of it? Is Sin become exceeding sinful unto him? Is a Cry raised in his Soul unto the Lord for a full Deliverance and Redemption from the Servitude of Sin and Satan? Hath he a true Sense and Sight of the Nature and Tendency of Sin? Is his Mind truly turned to the Appearance of God in Christ within, which is to destroy and make an End of Sin, and finish Transgression, and the Authors of it, and bring in Everlasting Righteousness instead thereof? Doth he bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance? And doth he show by them that he is turned from the Service of Sin and Satan, into the Service of God and Righteousness? Is he turned out of the broad Way? Doth he walk in the strait and narrow, and make straight Steps to his Feet? and are they pulled out of the Mire and Day? and are they set upon the Rock? and are all his Go guided by the Line of Righteousness? & is he enabled by the powerful Voice & Arm of the Son of God, to stand upright on his Feet in the midst of all his Enemies, and by the same to travail on in the Way of Holiness towards the Holy City and Heavenly Jerusalem, the City of the Saints Solemnity? These Things accompany True Repentance; therefore let the Titular Christian turn the Eye of his Mind Inward, and commune with his own Heart, and be still, and consult with God's Witness therein, and examine and answer these Things, and see and try whether he hath not deceived himself with a false Profession and a feigned Repentance, wherein he confesseth daily, but doth not forsake, and so finds not Mercy, deceiving his own Soul by daily sinning, and an Imaginary Repentance, being subject to call and account a changing and turning from one Sort of the Devil's Service to another, from Self-Sinning and Debauchery to Self-Righteousness, from one Opinion to another, and from one Sort and Fashion of invented Worship to another, a Repentance; though in all the old Man with his Deeds appears prevalent, and the Earthly Image is born, and the Nature and Ground of Sin and Transgression remains unshaken by the Voice and Power of the Son of God, which calls and leads all that hear and obey it to true Repentance.  
And till this Voice be heard, and this Power felt and witnessed to work and operate in the inward Man, the Beast receives no deadly Wound, nor the Strength of Sin is not abated, and the strong Holds of Imagination continues unbroken down; and so Repentance in this State is only talked of in vain by all the Nominal Christians upon the Face of the Eatth, who experience not these Things wrought and effected in them and for them, and are wholly ignorant of that Repentance which is never to be repent of, and of that Joy that is in Heaven over one Sinner that Repenteth, more than over ninety nine Just Perfons who need no Repentance.   

VI The True Christian 's Faith & Experience concerning Mortification, Warfare, Self-denial and a Dying daily.  
THe True Christian, next unto Repentance, believes the Doctrine of Mortification, Warfare, Self-denial and a Dying daily; and he showeth forth his Faith by his Works, having heard & obeyed the Call of God, & being thereby turned or repent, he comes to receive the Spirit of Adoption, where by he can call God Father, and so comes to receive Power against the World, the Flesh and the Devil, which though he hath turned his back upon them, and set his Face Sion-wards, yet they will follow him, and pursue him, and attend him with divers Allurements and Temptations, in order to turn him back again; and thus will continue, laying Baits and Snares, in Hopes to prevail, until a Death be witnessed to the Carnal Mind, and Transgressing Nature, which is prone to receive the Temptation; therefore the True Christian being come to a true Sight and Sense of the Strength and Subtlety of the Enemy, watches and wars in the Spirit against him, and obeys the Apostle's Exhortation, Mortify therefore your Members, 
Col. 3.5. Rom. 8.13.  which are upon the Earth, etc. And if ye through the Spirit mortify the Deeds of the Body, ye shall live. So he witnesseth a Dying or Mortifying daily of that Nature and Mind which has had a Life in Sin, until it be mortified or Killed, and till he cometh to witness that Saying fulfilled, Death is Swallowed up in Victory, the Strength of it being taken away; till which is effected he remaineth in the Warfare, like a good Soldier, following his Captain, conquering and to conquer, until a perfect Victory be obtained: And that he may not fail nor come short in this Warfare and Work of Mortification he keeps his Eye always upon his Captain, and his Ears open to that Voice that at first quickened him, and called him to Repentance, and his Mind stayed upon that Holy Spirit of Grace that hath wrought hitherto for him, which makes Self of no Reputation, and which burieth self in all his Acquirements and Perfection in the Death of the Cross, as not being fit nor worthy to be concerned in the Work of Regeneration. And the True Christian well knows, that there is no Possibility to be a Disciple and Follower of Christ further than the daily Cross to Self is taken up; he meets with no greater Enemy in his Journey then Self-Thoughts and Imaginatons, Self-willing and Running, Self-consultation and Self-working, which 
* This made Paul careful to keep his Body under, lest while he preached to others, he himsolf became a Castaway.  if he watch not against, rule over and keep under by that Hand and Power that hath appeared for his Deliverance, and hath wrought it in a measure, he again may be entangled and enshared, and driven back into that Pit wherein is no Water; therefore he stands in the Doctrine of Self-denial, till Self be denied, and in the putting off the Old Man, with his Deeds, till they are wholly put off; and when he hath done all, to stand still, and abide with the same powerful Hand, that hath wrought all these things in him and for him; and to it he attributes the Glory, and gives the Praise forever.  
Now the Titular Christian professeth the Doctrine of Mortification, and talks of a Dying to Sin, and a Warring against it, and of Self-denial, and putting off the Old Man, and taking up the Daily Cross, etc. But how doth he answer his Profession? What Course doth he take to mortify Sin, while he believes not in the Light, which shines in his Heart, that discovers it; nor in the Manifestation of the Spirit given him to mortify and destroy Sin; nor in the Power of God within, which gives Strength to War against it, and to overcome Sin within; neither hath he received the Spirit of Adoption, 
Rom. 8.15.  whereby he is enabled to call God Father, but is unacquainted and ignorant of him in that Relation; yet hath learned by Tradition, as the impenitent and unconverted Jews did, 
John 8.41.  to call God Father, whose Knowledge of him was taught by the Precepts of Men: And though they accounted themselves Children of God by virtue of this Traditional Knowledge, received from their Forefathers, 
Isa. 29.3. John 8.44, &c,  Rabbis and Doctors of the Law; yet Christ Jesus, the Great Doctor, and Righteous Judge, and True Teacher, told them, they were quite the Contrary, even of their Father the Devil.  
So the Titular Christian, while unbegotten to God, in his impenitent unregenerate State, having read the holy Scriptures, and the Traditions of his Fathers, furnisheth himself with the Profession of the Doctrines of the Gospel (as the Jews did of the Law) even while Sin reigns in his mortal Body, while the Old Man with his Deeds are un put off, and while Self. Will, Self-Wisdom, and Self in all its Properties is undenyed, and while he is a Stranger to the Cross of Christ, and so takes it not up, and follows him; but wants Power to mortify Sin, and to war against the World, Flesh and the Devil: So while he talks of Mortification and Dying to Sin, Sin lives in him, & increases as his Days increase; and instead of overcoming it, is overcome daily by it: And while he professes Self-denial, nothing but Self is owned; Self wills and runs; Self worships and offers the Offerings of Cain; Self seeks, and knocks and strives to enter, but is not able: And ●●ll this Willing and Running, and Power of Self is denied, judged and brought down, and made of no Reputation, by the Powerful Working and Operation of the Spirit of God within, none can witness a being dead to Sin, nor have Victory over it, nor be a Disciple of Christ Jesus, nor follow him in the Work of Regeneration, let them profess what they will, except this be known, their Profession is a Lie, and they deceive their own Souls: This is the Word of Truth to all the Titular Christians upon the Face of the Earth, of what Name or Sect soever.   

VII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Sanctification, Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corruption.  
THe True Christian owns and believes the Doctrine of Sanctification, Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corruption; and he manifests his Faith by the Virtue and Operation of the Spirit of God working in him; having been led by the same through the Work of Repentance, Mortification and Self-denial; he is now not only turned from Sin, and come to the Mortifying of it, but also to the Sanctifying, Washing and Cleansing from it; so he comes to witness a being delivered from the dead Body, and the Dead to be buried out of his Sight; 
☞  and as he abides and dwells with this Sanctifying and Cleansing Power, he is preserved from corrupting himself, or so much as touching the Dead again: This is the Anti-Type, and Substance of all the divers Washings, Purifications and Sanctifications, used under the Law, where the Temple and all the Furniture thereof were sanctified. 
1 Cor. 6.19.  Now he knoweth himself to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost; and this Knowledge keepeth him from defiling of it, being bought with a Price, not with Gold nor Silver, nor Corruptible Things, but with the Precious Blood of Christ, which cleanseth and keepeth clean the True Christian, who trampleth it not again under his Feet: And herein also he witnesseth the Anti-Type and Substance signified by the laying of the People's Sins upon a Scape-Goat once a year, and letting him go into the Wilderness, etc. so that the People were as free and clean from Sins committed the year past, 
Levit. 16. from vers. 8. to 26.  as if they had committed none at all, their Sins confessed, and Sacrifices being offered, and Atonement made: 
☞  These were the Shadows of Good Things to come, the Substance of which the True Christian now enjoyeth; and is come to the One Everlasting Offering, Christ Jesus, which perfects forever those that are sanctified; 
Heb. 10.14.  and both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one: 
Hebr. 2.11.  And he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit. And the True Christian abiding in this Sanctification, and Unity with the Lord, Sins no more; so needs no farther Confession of Sin, nor further Sacrifice for it; being drawn near unto the Lord with a true Heart, 
Heb. 10.22.  in full Assurance of Faith, having his Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience, and his Body washed with pure Water: Here is no more a Remembrance again of Sin once a Year; Yet there is a Possibility, after this Estate is witnessed and enjoyed, 
Heb. 10.26.  that there may be a Falling-away, or a Wilful Sinning again, which the Apostle knew well, and therefore warned People to beware of it, that they tread not the Son of God under Foot, 
Heb. 10.29, 30.  nor count the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, an Unholy Thing; nor do Despite unto the Spirit of Grace. Therefore the True Christian, after he is washed, cleansed and sanctified, watcheth against all that would defile him again; and in the Spirit and Power, which hath wrought his Sanctification, abiding, he rules and reigns over Sin and Satan, and is no more entangled with the Yoke of Bondage; but keeps in his Inheritance among them that are sanctified, 
Acts 20.32. Eph. 5.27.  who are Members of that Glorious Church, which is without Spot or Wrinkle, or any such thing, Holy, and without Blemish.  
The Titular Christian, he also talks of and professeth the Doctrine of Sanctification, Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corruption; But his Talk is not true, and his Profession is feigned, because he is not a Witness of the Work thereof in himself: He hath read in the Holy Scriptures, That no  Thing can enter the Kingdom; and that without Holiness no man can see the Lord; and that the Lord will be sanctified of all that draw near unto him: Therefore he hath devised a Profession of Sanctification, which may be only talke● of, but never possessed and wrought in him on this side the Crave: And to this End he hath made up a Faith of his own (and is wholly ignorant of that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints (or holy People) by which their Hearts were purified) And by Virtue of this Feigned Faith, persuades himself, that the Sanctification and Holiness of Christ without him, shall be reckoned and imputed unto him, 
☞  while he remains unsanctified, and unholy; and that the Cleanness, Innocency and Spotlesness of Christ shall be accounted unto him, notwithstanding he remains foul, guilty and full of Spots and Defilements; and that God looks upon him not as he is in himself, but as he is in Christ Jesus, his Saviour; when indeed he is not in him, nor saved by him from that which defiles him; for, if any man be in Christ, 
2 Cor. 5.17.  he is a New Creature, old things are passed away, and all things are become New: By this the Titular Christian may try himself, if he be not really changed, the old Creature and old Things passed away, he is not in Christ; and God cannot, nor doth not look upon him where he is not; 
☞  therefore let him not further deceive himself; for God's Witness in his own Conscience seethe and judgeth him where he is, out of Christ, unsanctified, in the old Nature and old things; and God, from whence it comes, is greater, and seethe and judgeth him also.  
And this Titular Christian is so far from living and enjoying a sanctified State, really, indeed, and in truth, as the True Christian did and doth, that he never comes to enjoy so much Clearness and Freedom from Sin, as the Jews did, who lived but in the Types, Figures and Shadows of Good Things to come; for they once a year, while they kept the Law, were quitted and eased of all their Sins and Transgressions, and a full Atonement was made once a year for all Sins past, etc. which is more than all the Nominal Christians upon the Face of the Earth really enjoy, notwithstanding their Boast of living in Gospel Times, and in the Days of the New Covenant, and of Salvation by Christ Jesus: Their Boast is vain; the Gospel, which is the Power of God to Salvation (working and operating in their Inward Man, to save not only from the Gild, but from the Act of Sin, and to cleanse from all Iniquity) they are wholly ignorant of, and Strangers to; and the New Covenant, the Law in the Heart, which makes free from the Law of Sin and Death, and the Spirit that sanctifieth from it, reigns not in their Mortal Bodies; but the contrary, viz. Sin, and the Law of it, and by the Spirit of Truth are convinced of it, and by God's Vicegerent, the Light in their Consciences, they stand arraigned, and convicted before the Judgment-Seat of God, let their Profession be never so high.  
And the Titular Christian is not a living Witness of the One Everlasting Offering, which perfecteth forever those that are sanctified; nor of the Oneness and Unity which is between him that sanctifieth, and those that are sanctified; nor of the abiding with him that sanctifieth, so as to sin no more; neither is he drawn near unto God with a true Heart, sprinkled from an Evil Conscience; nor is his Body washed with pure Water: he hath no full Assurance of Faith in these things; but rather concludes them unattainable on this side the Grave, and so is held captive in the Chains of Sin and Satan, and entangled with the Yoke of Bondage, and in this State inherits Misery and Darkness, and is a Member of that Church which is full of Spots and Wrinkles, Sores and Corruptions, Diseased from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot; of this Church Christ is not the Head: Let the Titular Christian imagine what he will, he must departed among the Goats, because he is a Worker of Iniquity.   

VIII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Justification.  
THE True Christian believeth the Doctrine of Justification, and that it immediately succeeds the Work of Sanctification; Being justified by Faith (even that Faith which is the Gift of God) he witnesseth Peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ; 
Rom. 5.1.  
Heb. 10.38. Heb. 12.23.  And the Just lives by Faith; And he is come to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect, etc. even now in this Age, as the True Christian did in former Ages, testified of in the holy Scriptures: Now to be Justified, is to be made Just, by Virtue of that Faith which gives Victory over the Unjust, and by that Blood which cleanseth and saveth from Wrath to come: And this Justification comes not by the Works of the Law; 
Gal. 2.16.  For by that shall no Flesh be Justified, nor by self-Works, nor self-Righteousness, but by the free Gift of God, which leads through the Law, and fulfils it, and destroys self-Works, and self-Righteousness, & establishes good Works, and brings in Everlasting Righteousness, which exceeds the Righteousness of Scribes, Pharisees and Hypocrites; and herein the True Christian stands Justified in the Sight of God, who worketh all his Works in him and for him, 
☞  and to will and to do of his own good Pleasure: 
Phil. 2.13. Rom. 8.33.  And none can lay any Thing to the Charge of this Elect, whom God justifieth.  
The Titular Christian, he professeth the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ Jesus: But it's no more than a bare Profession, and his Faith is not the Faith of God's Elect; neither is he led into Peace with God by it, nor receives Power by it to gain Victory over the Unjust Nature and Spirit that lives in him, but imagines an imputative Justification, and applies the Justness, Righteousness and Holiness of Christ, wrought without him, above 1600 Years ago unto himself, while he is Unjust, Unholy and Unrighteous: But this avails not the Titular Christian at all; herein also he deceives himself, being not experimentally acquainted with the Blood of Christ, which justifieth, washeth and cleanseth, and saveth from Wrath to come, and from that which is the Cause of it (viz. Sin) And so he knows not a leading through the Law (which was added because of Transgression, and hath Power over the Transgressor as long as he liveth) unto Christ, which was before the Law, and before there was any Occasion for the Law, who alone is able to Justify the Righteous, and condemn the Wicked, whose Ways are all Equal, Just and Righteous, never condemning the Just, nor justifying the Wicked; and it may be truly said of this Titular Christian, as Christ said to the Covetous Pharisees, who derided him, 
☞  Ye are they which JUSTIFY YOUR SELVES before Men, but God knoweth your Hearts; 
Luke 16.15.  for that which is highly esteemed amongst Men, is Abomination in the Sight of God.  
And now the same Spirit that then derided Christ, and set him at Naught, and that then ruled in the Hearts of Scribes, Pharisees and Hypocrites, and Impenitent hardhearted Jews, in this Part of the World called Christendom, 
☞  is now turned Professor of him in Words, and teaches him in whom it rules to talk of Salvation and Justification by him, though at the same Time that Spirit lives and rules in his Heart (to which God looks, and which he knoweth) that denyeth, 
☞  despiseth, betrayeth and crucifieth him, even while he pretends to worship him, as the Jews did, who sm●te him on the Head, 
Mark 15.19.  and spit upon him, and mocked him, and at the same Time bowed their Knees and worshipped him; and as Judas did, who said, Hail Master, and Kissed him, 
Mat. 26.49.  and at the same Time betrayed him; the Nominal or Titular Christian is guilty of the same Thing, he living in that, and daily committing that which ever was the Cause and Occasion of all his Sufferings (viz. Sin) Therefore is he many Times convicted, 
☞  reproved, judged and condemned in his Heart by God's Spirit that searcheth it, even while his Tongue talks of Justification: Now to this Spirit of God, which searcheth his Heart, and tryeth his Reins, and the innermost Parts of the Belly, is this Titular Christian counselled to take heed, and to hear its Judgement concerning him, and with his whole Heart receive the same, and by it judge all the Flatteries, vain Conceits, Notions, Imaginations and Dreams, by which he hath been led and deceived, through the Subtlety of that grand Enemy the Devil and Satan, who will suffer his Servants, Children, & Slaves, 
☞  to turn Professors of Christianity, & be Christians in Name, and to talk of the Gospel, while he keeps Possession of the Heart: Let the Titular Christian consider these Things before it be too late.   

IX. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Baptism and the Lord's Supper.  
THE True Christian believes and lives under the two great Ordinances of Christ, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord in the Mystery; and he can give an experimental Account how he come to live in the Enjoyment of these Ordinances, even how he passed through the Work of Regeneration, Mortification and self Denial, Sanctification and Justification, before he come to be a true Subject and Partaker of these Ordinances; he can tell how the Old Man with his Deeds were put off, and the New Man put on; 
Gal. 3.27.  for he that is baptised into Christ, hath put on Christ, 
☞  not only professed him, while the Old Man was alive; but baptised with the same Baptism he was baptised with in a Measure, even with the Holy Ghost and Fire, which is inward and spiritual, and washeth, cleanseth and purifieth inwardly and Spiritually, which all the outside Washing; and Baptisms were but a Type of; and by this Baptism the True Christian is not only washed and made clean, but kept and preserved by the same clean and pure, prepared and made fit to put on the Wedding-Garment, and to sit at the Table of the Lord, and partake of the Feast of Fat Things, and drink of the Wine that he hath prepared, which is the Blood of the New Testament, which is Drink indeed and he eats the Flesh of the Son of Man, 
John 6. 5●.  which is Meat indeed, and this is the Supper of the Lord; and he eats and drinks worthily, discerning the Lord's Body, having heard his Voice, and opened the Door at which he once stood knocking; and he is now come in unto him, according to his faithful Promise, 
Rev. 3.20.  and suppeth with him, and he with him; here is the Fruit of the Vine drank new in the Kingdom of God; 
Mark. 14.25. Luke 14.15.  and here is the blessed Man that eateth Bread in the Kingdom of God, and sitteth down therein, being clothed with his Wedding-Garment of fine Linen, and adorned as a Bride for her Husband, and enjoying the efficacious Virtue of him, which is Everlasting Life and Salvation, hungering and thirsting no more after the forbidden Fruit nor after the Wine of Sodom, because he hath the same Mind which was in Christ Jesus, who never hungered nor thirsted after those Things, 
☞  though tempted, yet never transgressed, but overcame the Devil in all his Temptations: This is the State and Glory of the True Christian; this Honour have all the Saints, who come to be established in the Mind of Christ; and this Honour they had in former Ages, born witness of and testified in the Holy Scriptures, and is in Store, and laid up for all that love his Appearance, and come unto God by him.  
The Titular Christian he saith, he owns Christ's Ordinances, and professeth himself a Subject of the Baptism of Christ, and a Guess at the Lord's Table; but his Profession must be examined, tried and searched; for as in other Things, so in this he must not be so because he professeth it; this were to judge according to Appearance, and so not Righteous Judgement; his Account that he gives to prove that he is so, is as followeth: First, as to Baptism, he hath received the Administration of it by Water after one Fashion or other; either when he was a Child, he had Water sprinkled upon his Face by the Hand of a sinful Priest, or plunged all over, it may be accompanied with other Ceremonies, as Spittle, Cream, Salt, Oil, and the Sign of the Cross, etc. or otherwise, when he grew up to Years of Discretion able to receive the Traditions of his Fore Fathers, and to read the Holy Scriptures, therein he finds that divers were baptised in Water after they did believe in John's Ministry who was the peculiar Minister of it (& was a burning and a shining Light in his Day, & as the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness, Prepare the Way of the Lord) and that Jesus himself was baptised therewith, and that many others were baptised, not only by John, but also by the Disciples and Apostles of Jesus: Now this Reader, it may be in the Tenderness and Simplicity of his Spirit, the Veil being over his Heart when he reads, is ready to conclude, Surely this is an Ordinance of Christ, this is Christ's Baptism: & if I will be his Disciple, I must be a Subject of it; if I would be counted a Believer, I must also be baptised with Water, or else I cannot be saved; and so this Reader, his Eye being abroad, and being ignorant of that Head, in which the Wise Man's Eye stands, and not discerning the Times and Seasons, and the divers Dispensations of God towards Mankind since the Fall, 
☞  nor perceiving the End of them, lays hold of the Shadow and Figure, instead of the Substance, and gets Possession of the Shell instead of the Kernel, his Body washed, though not with the pure Water of the Word, his Outside baptised with outward Water, and then accounts himself a Subject and Partaker of Christ's Ordinance. But herein the Titular Christian of all Sorts is deceived; for notwithstanding his Teachers tell him, that he entered within the Pale of the Church, 
☞  and was made a Member of Christ, when he was sprinkled with Water in his Infancy; and the other, when of Understanding to imitate others, I say, herein he deceiveth himself, and is deceived, because he still remains ignorant of the One Baptism, which washeth and cleanseth the Inside, purifieth the Heart, and sprinkles the Conscience from dead Works, of which all the Outside Sprinklings, 
☞  Washings and Baptisms that ever were appointed of God, or practised of holy Men, were but a Figure or Type: And the True Christian sticks not, nor remains in any of them: but it's a great Mystery to tell the Titular Christian of being baptised with this one Baptism, which is the Baptism of Christ, under the Term of Holy Ghost and Fire, though he may read that Christ foretold, that even those that were Partakers of John's Baptism, which was the greatest of outward Baptisms, should be baptised with the Holy Ghost and Fire: And John said, I indeed baptise with Water, 
Mat. 3.11, 12.  unto Repentance; but he that cometh after me, is mightier than I, whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear, he will baptise with the Holy Ghost and with Fire, whose Fan is in his Hand, and will make clean his Floor, and gather his Wheat into his Garner, and burn up the Chaff with Unquenchable Fire; This the True Christian witnessed fulfilled in the Primitive Times; and now is Partaker of the same, being baptised into Christ, 
Gal. 3.27. Col. 2.12.  hath put him on, being baptised into his Death, is buried with him in Baptism; 
☞  and this Baptism being one, brings all that are Partakers of it, 
The Ground of Unity.  of what Nation or Country soever, Bond or Free, into one Body, into Oneness of Heart, and Mind, and Spirit, as Paul testified to the Corinthians: For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body, whether we be Jews or Grecians, 
1 Cor. 12.13.  whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit; this blessed Oneness and Unity, is the Fruit and Effect of the one true Baptism of Christ Jesus.  
These Things the Titular Christian can read of in the Holy Scriptures, which the True Christians were Witnesses of: But till the Veil of the Covering be rend and taken away from off his Heart, and he truly turned unto the Lord, and becomes sensible of the Operation of his Spirit, as a Fanner, as a Purger, as a Gatherer of the Wheat in the Garner, and as a Fire to burn up the Chaff, till this he knows working in his own Heart, 
☞  he remains in Death and Darkness, and only talks of Heavenly Things, and lives in the Earthly, and boasts of Christ's Ordinance of Baptism, but is a Stranger to it, and sticks in the Outside and Shadow, and abides in the outward Court which is trodden under Foot of the Gentiles, and cries up the Temple of the Lord and his Ordinances, but dwells not therein, nor is not a living Witness or Member thereof.  
And concerning the Lord's Supper, the Titular Christian professeth himself a Guess prepared to sit at the Table, and to eat of the Dainties that he hath prepared; but the Master of the Feast hath appeared, and taken notice of his Guests, and hath given an Eye also to his Children, to see beyond the outside Appearance and Profession; and the Day of Trial and Manifestation is come, and the Titular Christian must be examined, whether he sits at the Table of the Lord, and eats of his Flesh, and drinks of his Blood; or on the contrary, whether he only professeth it, 
☞  and crowdeth himself in unprepared, without his Wedding-Garment, and catcheth at a Shadow, and feedeth upon Husks, and is as one that dreameth he eateth, but when he awakes, is hungry; therefore how doth he demonstrate that he is a Partaker of this Supper? why, he hath received by Tradition, or findeth it written in the holy Scriptures, That the same Night that Christ was betrayed, he took Bread and blessed it, and broke it, and gave to his Disciples, and said, take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you, do this in Remembrance of me; and also the Cup, saying, This Cup is that Now Testament in my Blood, which is shed for you, this do as often as ye drink in remembrance of me, and Paul saith, So often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, you show forth the Lord's Death till he come: This was only to and amongst the Disciples and weak Believers, and was in itself but a Representation and Figure of that which is Meat indeed, and Drink indeed, which Paul principally aimed at, which at Christ's second Appearance without Sin unto Salvation, his Saints and Disciples were Partakers of: But the Titular Christian before he hath approved himself a Disciple of Jesus, and before he hath followed him one Step in the Work of Regeneration, 
☞  gins to imitate what he finds was practised by Christ and his Disciples, though not in the same Spirit, nor to the same End; one Sort gets Bread and Wine, and consecrates it (as he saith) by a sinful Hand and polluted Lips, and then imagines it immediately Transubstantiated (or changed) into the Real Flesh and Blood of Christ; this is a great and strong Delusion indeed, be being led by such a gross implicit Faith, as to believe so palpable and witless a Lie (contrary to his outward Senses, which are able to try outward Things for the very Bread and Wine so consecrated, remains of the very same Quality, Nature and Form as before, and as subject to Decay, Mould and Corrupt, and be eaten by Vermin, as any other Bread and Wine of the same kind.  
Another Sort, not quite so much besotted in this thing, blesseth Bread and Wine after his manner, and looks upon it as Bread and Wine after his Blessing is bestowed upon it, eating and drinking of it, some after one Fashion, and some after another, calling it, A Blessed Sacrament; one will eat it before Dinner, another after Supper; one Standing, another Kneeling, another Sitting, etc. and do not look upon it as Real Fesh and Blood, but a Representation, Type, or Figure, or something which ought to be partaken of in Remembrance of Christ till he comes. But in all these things the Titular Christian deceives himself, and indeed hath no Part in the one, nor in the other, in the true Figure, nor in the Substance: And notwithstanding his outward Mouth eats and drinks outward Bread and Wine, which comes from beneath, and is the Fruit of the Earth, his Inward Man pines and hungers for want of partaking of that Living Bread which comes down from Heaven; and is wholly a Stranger to that Flesh which is Meat indeed, and to that Blood which is Drink indeed; and puts the Coming of the Lord far off; and is wholly ignorant not only of him, but of the Manner of his Coming also, and of the very Door of Conscience at which he stands knocking, and so doth not open unto him, but openeth to a Stranger, and entertaineth his Enemy, and giveth Place and Obedience to that which occasioned all his Sufferings (to wit, Sin) and the Author of it; 
☞  this is to sit at the Table of Devils, eating of the Forbidden Fruit; in this State he hath no Part in the Precious Promises, no Right nor Title in Christ nor his Ordinances, much being to do before all things are prepared, 
☞  and made ready for the Last Supper: And before this Titular Christian is made fit to fit at the Table with him, or stand upright in his Presence; and before he knows him tomake his abode with him, and to sup with him, as he hath promised, and as the True Christian in former Ages and now in this Age enjoyeth, who did and doth witness Eternal Life abiding in him; 
Read John 6.53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58.  For he that eateth his Flesh and drinketh his Blood, hath Eternal Life, and dwelleth in him, and he in him, etc.  
This the Titular Christian cannot receive nor understand, no more than the Jews did; this he stumbleth at, and goeth backward, murmureth and taketh Offence, as some of old did, when Christ was speaking of the Bread which came down from Heaven, which, who eat of should live forever, many of his own Disciples said, This is a Hard Saying; who can hear it? and so murmured, and went backward & walked no more with him: 
☞  These, though they heard his many Gracious Words, and saw his Mighty Works and Miracles wrought before their Carnal Eyes and Ears, yet they saw not him, as he was the Mighty Power of God, nor heard him, as Peter did, who said, when he asked the Twelve, Will ye leave me also? Master, To whom shall we go? Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life; and we believe and know, thou ●rt Christ, the Son of the Living God. This Knowledge, Christ said, was revealed unto him, not by Flesh and Blood, but by his Heavenly Father.  
Now the Titular Christian denies Revelation, the only Means of all true Knowledge; and so in his Carnal Imaginations, and exalted Mind above the Cross of Christ, glories in the Flesh, and prides himself with what Flesh and Blood hath taught him, and revealed unto him; and cries up Natural Bread, and Natural Wine, 
☞  and a Natural Supper, which feeds the Natural Man, and remains a Stranger to that Bread which cometh down from Heaven, and to the Wine of the Kingdom, and to the Supper of the Lord, and to his Table which is richly spread; and hates and derides the True Christian, who possesseth and enjoyeth these things. And this is the Cause, that notwithstanding the Titular Christian eats never so often of this Outward Bread, and drinks this Outward Cup (which he in his Ignorance calls, The Supper of the Lord) he hungers and thirsts again, 
☞  even after the Forbidden Fruit, and after the Wine of Sodom and Egypt, and drinks down Iniquity as the Ox drinketh Water: And so, in the End, notwithstanding his Notions and Profession of the Supper of the Lord, and Eating at his Table, his Soul is hard bestead with Hunger, and pines for Thirst, and labours for very Vanity, soweth the Wind, and reaps the Whirlwind of the Wrath of God. This is the State of all the Titular Christians upon the Face of the Earth, of what Name or Sect soever.   

X. The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning the Universal Love of God towards all Mankind.  
THe True Christian believes, that the Love of God is universal unto all Mankind; and that his Grace, which bringeth Salvation, hath and doth appear unto all men; and that he hath given a manifestation of his Spirit to every man to profit withal; and that he hath and doth give his Good Spirit and Gifts to the Rebellious; and that God so loved the World that he hath given his only begotten Son, that 
* None excluded from Salvation in Christ by any Decree.  who soever believeth in him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life; and that he is the true Light, that lighteth every man coming into the World; 
☞  and that this Light is saving and sufficient to lead all Mankind, that love it and walk in it, to him from whence it comes, where they may inherit Life and Salvation; and God wills not the Death of him that dies, neither doth he desire the Death of a Sinner, but rather that he would turn and live; and his Call is to all men every where to Repent; and there is a Possibility that all men may hear his Voice, and Repent, and may partake of his Universal Love, and be saved by his Grace, which hath appeared, and profit by the Manifestation which he hath given, 
The Gifts, Graces and Spirit of God are given to all men, yea, to the Rebellious, Slothful and Disobedient, to lead them out of those things.  and be guided out of Rebellion by his Good Spirit, and to believe in him, which saves from perishing, and gives Everlasting Life: These things are called for & exhorted to throughout the Holy Scriptures; and there is a Possibility to obey them; otherwise, all is in vain, the Call to all in vain, the Appearance of Grace to all in vain, the Gift and Manifestation of the Spirit to every one in vain, and the Shining of the Light in vain, if Men may not obey it, 
☞  and walk in it. So Man's Destruction is of himself, and his Sores remain uncured, and his Soul unredeemed; not because there is no Balm in Gilead, or because the Arm of the Lord is shortened, or his Love abated; nor not because he hath decreed any man's Destruction from Eternity; but because men will not make use of the Balm, nor be gathered by his Arm, that is stretched out all the Day long, even to the Rebellious, to save them, nor receive that Love that daily is tendered: Their Eye is blind, and their Souls poor, miserable and naked; not because he hath not Eyesalve, Fine Linen, and Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge to furnish them withal; but because men are taken up with other things, and have no mind to purchase Gold tried in the Fire, nor White Raiment to be clothed: The Forbidden Fruit seems more beautiful and lovely to desire, the Enemy having drawn out his Mind to look after it, he turns his Back upon the other; then his Eye is blinded, and his Ear stopped; then he cannot see the Glory of God to surpass the Beauty and Glory of all things visible and in visible, nor delight in the hearing of his Voice and obeying it; but his stolen Water is sweet, and the Forbidden Fruit is pleasant to Man in this Blind, Deaf and Dead Estate, wherein he walks in the Broad Way, and falls into every Temptation, Bait and Snare of the Enemy, that old Serpent, who having drawn him thus far, takes him captive at his Pleasure. 
☞  Thus entered Sin in the Beginning, and thus it increaseth, and thus the Enemy prevaileth.  
Now, no man in this Estate can open that Eye which was blinded through Transgression, nor unstop that Ear, nor save and deliver himself out of the Hand of his Enemy, which holds him in sore Captivity: Therefore, herein is the Universal Love of God manifest, that he hath laid Help upon one that's Mighty, that's able to save to the uttermost; that he hath appointed and prepared a Seed that's able to bruise the Serpent's Head; and that he hath sown this Good and Powerful Seed in the Hearts of all men, 
☞  in the Bad Ground as well as in the Good; and that he hath caused his Light to shine in the Hearts of all, though in Darkness; and his Rain to Fall upon all, Just and Unjust; and to call upon all men every where; and to follow Mankind (who is run from him by Transgression, & hide himself among the Trees, and covered himself with the Figtree Leaves) and to meet with him in the Cool of the Day; and to Reason with him, Reprove, Correct and Chastise him, in order to do him Good, if he will hearken to his Voice, and turn at his 
† Correction is Gracious to him that forsakes the Way; and he that hateth Reproof shall die, Prov. 15.10.  Reproof; and be gathered by his Arm, which is stretched out to save him; which, if he doth, he shall not miss of Salvation: But if he stops his Ear, hardens his Heart, and continues in Rebellion, and refuseth to be reconciled, his Destruction is of himself, and God will be just when he judgeth.   

XI. The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation.  
ELection and Reprobation stands in the two Seeds, called, The Seed of the Woman, and The Seed of the Serpent; and all Mankind are Partakers of the one or of the other, as either of these two Seeds grows up in them, 
☞  and as they grow, up in the one, or in the other; or join to the one, or to the other; and are born of the one, which is Incorruptible; or of the other, which is Corruptible: And this Seed, which is incorruptible, and hath remained pure throughout all Generations, is that in which all Nations are blessed, 
Acts 3.25.  as they come to be born of it: 
☞  And this is it unto which all the Promises of God are Yea & Amen, which was not made unto Seeds, as of many, as Paul saith, speaking of the Seed of Abraham, 
Gal. 3.16, 29.  but of one Seed, which is Christ; and they that are Christ's, are Abraham 's Seed, and Heirs by Promise. And the Election or Choice of God, stands in this Seed, and all the Heavenly Blessings and Evangelical Promises come to be enjoyed and inherited by Mankind through Faith in this Seed, through the Growing up of this Seed in them, and through the knowing this Seed to remain in them, and become the greatest of all Seeds, stopping the Growth of the Seed of the Serpent, bruising his Head, and causing his whole Body to languish and die: And through the knowing this Seed become so Powerful in them, as to possess the Gates of its Enemies; 
☞  with this Seed, and with all that are born of it, God's Election stands sure, and his Covenant is kept with it forever; whom he loves here, he loves to the End; and all that love this Seed, he will be their God, and they shall be his People; and those are the Elect, which can never be deceived, nor the Gates of Hell prevail against.  
And the True Christian, who is born of this Incorruptible Seed, 
2 Pet. 1.  obeys Peter's Exhortation, Giving Diligence to make his Calling and Election sure; adding to his Faith, 
☞  Virtue; and to Virtue, Knowledge; and to Knowledge, Temperance; and to Temperance, Patience; and to Patience, Godliness; and to Godliness, Brotherly-Kindness; and to Brotherly Kindness, Charity, etc. and as he doth these things, he shall never fall; but have an Entrance ministered abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of his Lord and Saviour Jesus-Christ: And he lays aside all Malice, and all Guile, 
Oh! that Christendom would obey this.  and Hypocrisies, and Envies, and all Evil-Speakings, and becomes as a Newborn Babe, desiring the Sincere Milk of the Word, that he may grow more and more, and increase with the Increase of God thereby, until he grows up in the Promised Seed, in which his Calling and Election stands, unto the Unity of the Faith, and of the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man, unto the Measure of the Stature of the Fullness of Christ, growing up in him in all things, which is the Head, 
☞  even Christ. This is the Mark of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus; and these are the Marks, Tokens and Signs, Fruits and Effects, which attend and accompany all those that are born of this Incorruptible Seed, in which their Election stands, in, through and by which their Calling and Election is made sure. And the True Christian, who is thus elected, and born of this Seed, hath not only the Witness in himself, and the Spirit of God bearing witness and sealing to his Spirit, 
☞  that he is a Child of it; but the Fruit of this Seed also shows itself forth, and appears, that men may see and behold it, and glorify his Father which is in Heaven.  
Now, the Reprobation stands in the Seed of the Serpent, and all that are born of it, are born of Flesh and Blood, and of the Will of Man, and not of the Will of God, nor by Promise; and in whomsoever this Seed grows up, 
☞  Enmity increaseth in them against the Seed of the Woman, against the promised Seed, and all the Children of i●; hence arose Cain's Envy, Ishmael's Mocking, and Esau's Rage, and is continued in that Generation or Birth, down to this Age: This is that Birth that is born after the Flesh, which always did, and doth to this Day persecute him that is born after the Spirit; this is he that was grown a great Dragon in John's Day, which persecuted the Woman that brought forth (the Seed) the Man Child, and that went to make War with the Remnant of her Seed, which kept the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus: And he is the same at this Day and his Wrath; Enmity and Work is the same in the Hearts and Hands of all Mankind, in whom this Seed of the old Serpent hath taken Root, and grows up; 
Psal. 37.28. Isa. 14.20.  this is the Seed of the Wicked that shall be cut off, and of Evil Doers that shall never be renowned; 
☞  and all that are joined to it, and become Children of it, are Reprobate to every good Word and Work, and go upon their Bellies, and Dust is their Meat, and they dwell upon the Earth, where the Woe is, and where the Devil is come down among them, and they walk upon that Ground that is Cursed, and inhabit the dark Corners thereof, and they hate the Light, and are Reprobate from the presence of God, and from the Glory of his Power, Children of Disobedience and Wrath, in whom the old Serpent rules, and holds them in sore Captivity; and as in this State of Reprobation they abide, they are Children of the Devil, and his Lust they do, 
Marks ●f Reprobation.  his Servants and Slaves they are, and cannot cease from Sin, nor enjoy the many glorious Promises made to the Seed of the Woman, nor know the Serpent's Head in them bruised by it, nor the great red Dragon chained, being Reprobate from that Faith which gives Victory over him.  
But out of this Estate of Reprobation and deep Pit of Misery, wherein a great Part of Mankind is held, 
A Possibility that the Reprobate may become Elect.  the Testimony of the True Christian is, that God hath appointed a Means of Deliverance, Salvation and Redemption; 
☞  there is a Possibility of being born again of the other Seed, the incorruptible Seed, wherein the Election stands; Children of Disobedience and Wrath, may become Children of God, and partake of his Grace and Mercy, and witness Redemption from the Earth, and the Cursed Ground with its cursed Fruit burned up by the Spirit of Judgement and Burning; and the Seed of the Serpent may be rooted out of the Heart of Man, though it hath grown there long, and filled it with its Fruit; and the good Seed of the Kingdom may spring and grow there; and every Thorn Briar, Thistle and Plant which hindereth its Growth, may be pulled up, which the Heavenly Father hath not planted; and they that have born the Earthly Image, may bear the Heavenly; and those that have yielded their Members Servants to Unrighteousness, may yield them Servants to Righteousness; and those that are foolish, may become Wise; those that are disobedient and deceived, may become obedient and undeceived; those that serve divers Lusts and Pleasures, 
Tit. 3.3, 4.  and live in Malice and Envy, hateful, and hating one another, may come to witness Victory over, 
☞  and Redemption from all these Things; and this True Christian's Testimony is plentifully born witness to in the Holy Scriptures, as Paul wrote to Titus, saying, We ourselves were sometimes foolish, diso edient, deceived, serving divers Lusts and Pleasures, living in Malice and Envy, hateful, and hating one another; these were all the Fruit and Effect of the Evil Seed; these were all Fruits of the Ground that is Cursed; and in this Estate they were reprobate concerning the Faith, and Children of Wrath as well as others: But saith he, After the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared, not by Works of Righteousness which we have done; but according to his Mercy he saved us, by the Washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, etc. So in the Kindness, Love and free Mercy of God, by the washing of Regeneration (or New Birth) they become transplanted out of the Old into the New, out of the Seed of the Serpent into the Seed of the Woman, out of the Reprobate State into the Chosen and Elected State; taken out of the Wild Olive, and planted or grafted into the True Vine that brings forth Fruit which glads the Heart of God and Man; and he is ready to do the same in this Age for all that love his Appearance, 
☞  and hearken to his Voice, and obey it, and shut their Ears against the Voice of the Serpent (which is possible to be done) they shall enjoy God's Salvation, and partake of his Love and Kindness, which the Saints enjoyed in former Ages, and do in this Age, and is freely tendered to all for their Everlasting Good. For God hath not (as some Titular Christians affirm) predestinated or foreordained the greatest Part of Mankind (or any Part) to Everlasting Perdition, nor made any fixed Decree, that so many, and no more, shall be saved, and all the rest damned, and that this Decree was established before Mankind was brought forth, without having Respect to either Good or Evil that they should do.  
This is a Doctrine that's accursed, and contrary to the Gospel or glad-Tidings of Peace and Reconciliation, 
☞  and Inconsistent with all the Dispensations of God's Love towards lost Man, ever since he obeyed the Voice of the Serpent, and his Seed grew up in him, and ever since the Devil got his Seat and Dominion in Man, all which have been in order to break his Power, and to dispossess him, cast him forth, and spoil his Goods, and to sweep and garnish the House, and furnish it again with Heavenly Goods, as it was before the Devil and his Goods entered, and as it was before the Evil Seed was sown in Man's Heart, and before he entered into Temptation, or eat of the forbidden Fruit; this hath been the End of the Lord in all his Promises, Appearances and Dispensations, before the Law, and under the Law, and in the Days of the Evangelical Prophets, who saw and prophesied of glorious Things, which God would bring to pass for the Universal Good of Mankind; for Isaiah saw that Day in which the Lord with his sore, great and strong Sword, should punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent, even Leviathan that crooked Serpent, and slay the Dragon that is in the Sea, 
† In Scripture Phrase People are compared to the Sea.  and he saw that the Abundance of the Sea should be converted, and the Forces of the Gentiles should come unto him, 
Isa. 27.1.60.5.  whom God hath appointed to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth; and he spoke of a Time, wherein the Lord would gather all Nations and Tongues to come and see his Glory, which he had given for a Light to the Gentiles, and for the Glory of his People Israel, to finish Transgression, and make an End of Sin, and bring in Everlasting Righteousness, to destroy the Devil and his Works, to repair the Breach, and restore Paths to dwell in, even Paths of Holiness, wherein the wayfaring man, though a Fool, cannot err; 
☞  this is the End or Substance of all the Dispensations of God; and many have been and are living Witnesses of the same, and no Man is exempted by any Decree of God from the Enjoyment of these Things.  
And all those Babel Builders & blind Guides, which set up & minister this kind of Doctrine, that God hath preordained how many Persons shall be saved, and how many damned, if People were not as ignorant and as blind as themselves, their Trade would quickly be spoiled, and come to an End, and no Body would employ them; for if there be a fixed Decree from all Eternity how many shall be saved, and how many damned, which neither the one nor the other by all the Good & Evil they can do, are able to alter this determinate Counsel, than altogether in vain is it for People to hire such Builders, who say before hand, their Tower will never convey any to Heaven, who are not designed to go there without it, or to maintain such unprofitable Talkers and vain Babblers, when they can neither make them better nor worse, nor bring one Soul to Salvation that is not determined and decreed already to be saved, nor direct one Soul how he may escape Hell, that shall not escape it without their Directions; these are unprofitable and vain Talkers indeed, and Messengers of miserable Tidings, that preach this Doctrine of Devils in the World, the Fruit and Effect of which runs many a poor Soul upon one of these desperate Rocks, disfolute Despair, or implicit Imaginary Security.  
Again, this Doctrine of God's absolutely decreeing the greater Part of Mankind to Damnation, makes void Christ's coming a Light into the World, and his Suffering, Dying and R●sing again, his sending his Apostles and Ministers out into the World, to persuade Men to be reconciled to God, and to receive his free Love and Grace that's tendered in Christ Jesus to all; 
† The Doctrine of a settled Decree concerning Election and Reprobation, as to Persons, lays waste all the general Means of Salvation, and excludes God's Universal Love, and makes him a Rospecter of Persons.  and if all stand under such a unrevokeable Decree, which all that the Sons of Men can do or say is not able to alter, or to make them one Jot the better or worse, as to the End, nor any Means contraruwise take Effect to gain Heaven, nor prevent going to Hell; I say, if these Things were so, then in vain are all conditional Preach, Wooing, and Beseeching in an universal Way; in vain is the Gospel preached in every Creature; in vain hath and doth the Grace of God, which bringeth Salvation appear, unto all Men; in vain are all enlightened; in vain is a Manifestation of the Spirit given to every Man to profit withal; in vain are his good Gifts given to the Rebellious; and the Testimonies of God's Universal Love to all Mankind, plentifully declared of in the Holy Scriptures, are all in vain, and this Doctrine gives them all the Lye.  
Much might be said to show the Grossness and Absurdness of this kind of Doctrine; but intending Brevity and a Hint at Things, and hoping the Light of the glorious Gospel, that now shines, and is broken forth in the Hearts of Thousands and Ten Thousands, will disperse this gross Darkness, and cause this destructive pernicious Doctrine to vanish away, especially in this Nation of England, before this Age is worn out; I say, for these two Reasons I forbear to enlarge, with a Breathing to the Lord, that People may come to know the fallow Ground ploughed up, and the hard Clods broken, and their Hearts made tender and honest, that the good Seed of the Kingdom, wherein the Election stands, may spring and grow up, and bear Fruit in them to Everlasting Life, and the Seed of the Serpent rooted out, and he and all his Works destroyed; this is the glorious Liberty which the whole Creation groans for, and some already enjoy it, Praises to God forever, whose Love extends to all, whose Arm is stretched out to help all, whose Sceptre of Salvation is held forth to all, whose Desire is, that all may come to the Knowledge of his Truth, and be saved: This is the Testimony of God and of those Righteous Men that knew him in former Ages, who were born of the Incorruptible Seed, and is the Testimony of the Righteous in this Age, 
☞  and the contrary is the Testimony of the Enemy of God and Man, that old Serpent and his Children, who are born of the Seed of it, and their Fruit is the Offspring of the Adulterer and the Whore, whom God will judge: This is the Word of Truth to all whom it may concern.   

XII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Temptation.  
JAMES saith, Blessed is the Man that endureth Temptation; for, when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say, when he is tempted, he is tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with Evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed, James 1.12, 13, 14.  
Now the True Christian is a Witness of this Saying of James, having found the Blessedness that follows the enduring Temptation, & received the Earnest of the Crown of Life: And he truly and experimentally knoweth, That God cannot be tempted with Evil, because that Heavenly Light and Grace, and Manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which he is Partaker of, and endued withal, and is of God, cannot be tempted with Evil, nor be prevailed upon to consent or take Pleasure in any Unrighteousness; and this good and perfect Gift of God, which cannot be tempted with Evil, nor tempteth no man, received, believed in, and entertained in the Heart, is that which enabled the Righteous in all Ages to endure Temptation, and doth enable them in this Age: 
☞  And all those that know not, receive not, believe not in this Good and Perfect 
* Which is the Light and Grace, or Holy Spirit Within.  Gift of God, given and sent into the World (to Sinners as well as Saints) they cannot, nor are not able to endure Temptation; but are led away of their Lusts, and enticed, and fall into Temptation, for want of Faith in the Gift and Power of God, which is as near them as the Temptation, and able and ready to deliver them, if they would regard it and obey it.  
Now, the Ground of all Temptations are within, the Lusts that lead away, are within; the Light which discovers them, and the Grace which is sufficient, and the Spirit which mortifies the Lusts, 
☞  must be also known within, where the Temptations rise and attend Mankind (even the Righteous for a time) and divers outward Objects also may present, in order to draw out and allure the Mind to join with them, and to entertain them: 
¶ The Devil hath Power to Tempt, but not to Force.  But neither the Temptations Within nor Without can prevail, until the Light is disregarded, the Appearance of Grace slighted, and the Spirit of God despised, and the Mind joined to the Tempter and Temptation.  
Now, it's no Sin to be tempted, but to enter into the Temptation. No man was ever condemned because tempted, or because Evil Motions & Temptations did arise in him, and present themselves, if he entered not into them, nor gave no place to them, nor joined with them in his Mind, nor suffered his Members to obey them; but kept in the Light, Grace and Spirit of God, by which he resisted them, and the Author of them, and made him flee: This is the Blessed Man, that endureth Temptations.  
So though Temptations are Evil and Sinful in themselves, and did at some times attend the Righteous in all Ages, and do at this day; yet if they give no place nor Consent to them, 
☞  nor obey them, but by the Light and Spirit of God judge them, and walk in the Light which discovers them, and the Evil Tendency of them, and are preserved from joining to them, they are no Sinners because tempted; as for instance (to speak but to a low State) if any are troubled with unclean and vain Thoughts, and tempted with Dark Unlawful Imaginations, which in themselves are Evil and 
* These will lodge in that Flesh in which dwells no good thing, till it and its Habitation be Mortified, and removed, which is to be known, even while the Earthen Vessel remaineth, that holds the Heavenly Treasure.  Sinful; yet if they by the Light and Spirit of God judge them, and give no Place or Obedience to them, but wait to see the ground thereof removed, they do that which is right in the Sight of the Lord, and are no Sinners: so if tempted to use any Member of the Body, to speak or do any Evil; as, the Tongue, to lie, flatter, or dissemble, or speak perverse things; or the Hand, to do Violence to any man; or the Feet, to run to do Mischief; 
☞  if these Members are not yielded up to serve and obey these Temptations, those so tempted are no Transgressor's; but are Witnesses of that Prayer, and the Effect of it, which Christ taught his Disciples, Led us not, or, let us not be led into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil.  
Christ Jesus was attended with divers great Temptations, and the Old Serpent (that deceived the first Adam) was very bold with him, and carried him from 
* Let him that readeth, understand.  Place to Place, from the Wilderness to the holy City, from thence to the Pinnacle of the Temple, and then to an exceeding high Mountain, and shown him all the Kingdoms of the World, and the Glory of them, with a Promise, He would give them all to him, if he would fall down and worship him: But he standing in the Power of his Father, gave no place to him, but rebuked him, and resisted him in all his Temptations, and overcame him. Now it's said, While the Time of Temptation lasted he eat nothing, and when they were ended, 
Luke 4. Mat. 4.  he afterwards hungered; and when the Devil departed, Angels ministered unto him: this is the Glory of the Second Adam, that never fell, though tempted to fall, eat no forbidden Fruit, though tempted to ea●; neither did he hunger in the time of Temptation after it; nor gave no place to the Lies of the Old Serpent, that alured and deceived the First Adam thereby, and subjected him under Hope of enjoying a better Estate then that wherein God had placed him, and so fell into the Depth of Misery, first by letting out a Desire after the Pleasantness of the Forbidden Fruit, and Hungering after it in the Time of Temptation; and then putting forth the Hand, and joining to it, obeys and eats, and fulfils the Lusts of the Serpent: And thus, and in this manner, Temptation prevails over all the Sons of the First Adam, who bear the Earthly Image, and are not born again of the promised Seed, that breaks the Head of the Serpent, and redeems from under his Power, and brings to grow up in the Second Adam, who could not be prevailed upon with his Lies and Subtlety.  
And this Second Adam, Christ Jesus, is the Captain of the True Christian's Salvation, who is gone before, leaving him an Ensample, to follow his Steps: And he hath endued him with Heavenly Power, and armed him with Spiritual Armour, and furnished him with Strength so to do: So the True Christian is compared to a good Soldier, that follows his Captain, 
☞  and fights with him, and doth not desert him, and leave him to fight by himself; but makes Good Use of the Power, Armour of Light, and Sword of the Spirit, that's given him to war withal, and to overcome his Enemy withal; and he keeps on his Breastplate of Righteousness, and the Helmet of Salvation, which are able to quench all the Fiery Darts of the Devil, and so follows his Captain, not only Conquering, but also to Conquer; for when he hath overcome him not only in the Field, but hath also pursued him to his 
† The Devil's Strong Holds are built in the Wills, Thoughts and Imaginations of Men.  Strong Holds, and beaten him out there, and pulled them down; and cast down Imaginations, (and every high thing, that exalts itself against the Knowledge of God) in which he built them) When this is effected by virtue of the Weapons which are Mighty, and by the Power of him which enables the True Christian to do all things, he still keeps on his Watch-Tower, which is the Light of Christ, wherewith he is enlightened, that he may not be surprised with another Part of his Forces; and as he keepeth watching there, in vain are all his Stratagems, Wiles and subtle Devices; in vain are all his Snares & Ambushments laid; in vain are all his Temptations and Allurements, as the True Christian keeps in that, and dwells in that in which the Devil hath no Part nor Fellowship in, 
☞  (viz. the Light) whereby he is discovered, and all his Baits and Snares seen and avoided.  
It is in the Darkness, and over all that dwell in it, that he prevalls; his Power stands there, and is exercised over all that walk in it; he need not go about with Wiles and Devices to deceive such, who already dwell and are Subjects in his Kingdom; nor he need not go about like a roaring Lion, seeking to devour them, being already under his Dominion, and obedient Children, Vasals and Slaves to him; 
☞  he need not use Subtlety to tempt such, but Power to command, and they obey.  
But it's against the Children of Light, that are turned from the Darkness, and from under his Power, that he improves all his cunning Subtlety and Devices, and it's against them he rageth, if by any Means he can beguile them, as he beguiled Eve, 
2 Cor. 11.3.  and corrupt their Minds from the Simplicity that is in Christ; even after they are presented as a chaste Virgin to Christ, and are come to a dwelling Place in Paradise, and to appear before God in Heaven; he will not cease to tempt and accuse there, as he hath done, he is still ready to do; he tempted and beguiled Eve in Paradise: 
Gen. 3. Job. 1. Rev. 12.4  And on a Day when the Sons of God appeared before the Lord, Satan came also among them, and accused Job: And John in his Day saw the great red Dragon appear in Heaven, 
☞  waiting to devour the Manchild (he that reads let him understand) This made Paul fear the Serpent might beguile them he wrote to, 
1 Cor. 11.3.  as he beguiled Eve, through his Subtlety tempt & allure them out of Innocency, out of a Virgin, sinless and harmless Estate, after they were in it; 
* It's possible to be tempted and alured out of Innocency, and to lose a good Estate.  this he once did, and may do again, if he be not watched against, and resisted in the Power of the second Adam, which enables to endure Temptation, and so to receive the Blessing, and after Trial to enjoy the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 
Jam. 1.12.    

XIII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning a Holy Life.  
THE True Christian believeth, that it is his Duty to live a holy Life, and to forsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomp's and Vanity of the World (which lies in Wickedness) and to keep God's holy Will and Commandments, 
Jer. 31.33.  and they are not grievous unto him; for he loves the Law of God in his Heart, and sees it written there with his own Finger, enjoying that precious Promise, I will write my Law in their Hearts, 
Isa. 51.7.  and put my Fear into their inward Parts; and he can say, as David once did, Oh how I love thy Law, it is my Meditation all the Day! 
Psal. 119.  how sweet are thy Words unto my Taste! yea, sweeter than the Honey to my Mouth; thy Law is my Delight; the Law of thy Mouth is better to me then Thousands of Gold and Silver: The True Christian being in this Estate, and persevering in this Love of God and his Law, it becomes his Meat and Drink to do the Will of his Heavenly Father: And so by walking in this Law, and meditating in it, and by feeding on this Word, which is sweeter than Honey, he becomes so united with it, and so natural a Subject and Child of it, that he comes to be able to say, 
☞  as some of old did, We can do nothing against the Truth; this is the true forsaking the Devil and all his Works, etc. and the keeping God's Holy Will and Commandments: And as the True Christian grows up in this, he doth always that which pleaseth him, like unto his elder Brother, the Captain of his Salvation, who is gone before, being Bone of his Bone, and Flesh of his Flesh, sitting in Heavenly Places with him, beholding the Glory of their Heavenly Father, even the same Glory which was before the World began, before the Devil and his Works entered, before his Holy Will and Commandments were broken, or before the forbidden Fruit was eaten. Those that have their Eyes anointed with Eyesalve, and are clothed with fine Linen, and have their Garments washed in the Blood of the Lamb, and follow him whethersoever he goeth, and have no Guile in their Mouths, but stand before the Throne of God without Spot or Wrinkle, those are they that are redeemed from the Earth, and have their Conversation in Heaven, and enjoy those Things, and give the Glory to him who is God blessed forever.  
The Titular Christian he saith and professeth, that it is his Duty to live a holy Life, to forsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomp's and Vanities of the World, and to keep God's Holy Will and Commandments, but never cometh to witness that Estate; it's very grievous to him to make straight Steps to his Feet; he enjoys not that precious Promise, the Law writ in his Heart, and the Fear which keeps the Heart clean, in the inward Parts; neither is the Law of God his Meditation all the Day, nor his Delight therein; neither are his Words to him sweeter than Honey, or better than Thousands of Gold and Silver; he cannot say that he doth nothing against the Truth; nor that he doth always that which pleaseth God; nor that he follows Christ the Captain of Salvation, neither is he a Member of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his Bones; nor sits in Heavenly Places with him, beholding the Glory of God, etc. though he will sometimes talk of these Things, as they are written in the Holy Scriptures; but in his Heart he is a Stranger to them; and God's Holy Witness in his own Conscience makes him confess that his Heart is desperately wicked, and that his Thoughts and Meditations are defiled, and full of Sin, and that his best Performances or Do are accompanied with Sin and Corruption, and that in all he doth, he doth something against the Truth: 
☞  And further, he is so far from living a Holy Life, and forsaking the Devil and all his Works, and keeping God's Holy Will and Commandments, that he is begotten into such a Belief and Persuasion, that it is not possible to do it, while he breathes in the Air of this World, but must always be sinning, and doing that which he ought not to do, and leaving undone that which he ought to do; always confessing, always sinning, and never forsaking; so always reaping the Wages of Sin, which is Death; and so always wanting the Mercy and Forgiveness, which he that forsakes the DEVIL and all his WORKS, partaketh of.  
So in short, this is one of the last Lessons the Devil can teach his Children, viz. to 
† Those that preach this Belief and Persuasion in the world aredirect Ministers of Satan.  persuade them, and make them believe, that they cannot cease from Sin, but must be Committers of it, and Servants to it, and that they cannot forsake him and all his Works, nor keep God's Holy Will and Commandments so long as they live in these Houses of Clay; such Titular Christians as these he hath them in Chains and Fetters strong enough, nothing less than the Mighty Arm and Power of God is able to break them, and to release those poor Captives, and to redeem them out of this deep Pit of Misery, wherein is no Water, wherein their Souls or inward Man lies as among the Pots, soiled with the Smoke and Soot of the Bottomless Pit. Oh God hasten, and bring Deliverance to these poor Bend-slaves of Sin and Satan, is the Cry of the Souls of the Righteous, who have the Mind of their Heavenly Father, who desires not the Death of him that dies, but that they should come to the Knowledge of his Truth, and be saved, and be Partakers with them of the exceeding Riches and Glory that is laid up for all that love his Appearance, 
☞  and is ready to be revealed to all that truly wait for it.   

XIV. The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning the Motion or Moving of the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the Old Serpent in the Hearts of Men.  
THe True Christian is endued with a Heavenly Spirit of Discerning, by which he seethe to the Beginning, before Sin entered the World, and by it perceiveth, how it entered, and how it hath grown and increased, and filled the Earth with Violence; and how that Old Serpent (which at first was fain to use great Subtlety and Lies, and make great Promises, before he could prevail against Eve) is now grown so Power full a Prince in his Kingdom of Darkness in the Hearts of the Children of Men, in whom he rules, that he no sooner moves in their Hearts, 
☞  but they follow him; no sooner commands, but they obey: he needs not use his Subtlety and Cunning to betray, allure and persuade, nor make great Promises, before he can win to his Obedience, many being grown such Natural Children of him, and such born Slaves in his Kingdom, that now in these days his Commands are sufficient to Thousands and Ten Thousands; and his very Motions to Evil have gained such a Powerful Name in the World, even among the Titular Christians, that they count them too Mighty to be withstood, too Powerful to vanquish, too Strong to war with, overcome and conquer in all his Motions, Commands and Temptations, while on this side the Grave; hereby People are become Homebred Slaves, and have sold themselves for nought, having let in that accursed Faith that hath sprung up in the Apostasy from the True Faith, that they can never resist all the Motions of the Devil, nor disobey all his Commands, 
☞  nor be delivered from all his Temptations, till the Death of their Natural Bodies, which is then too late; for, As the Tree falls, so it lies, etc.  
Now, the Titular Christian will readily acknowledge and confess, that the Motions of the Devil are strong, powerful and present with him and in him, and that thereby he is stirred up to Evil: But he doth not believe, that the Spirit of God is so nigh him, and present with him, moving in him against the Motions of the Evil One; nor that there is sufficient Power from God given to him, to preserve him from obeying the Motions and Temptations of the World, Flesh and the Devil, and to move him to that which is Good, and enable him to do it. Also he hath no Faith in this Gift of God, but rather counts it Delusion (and the Property of a Fanatic) to profess the Knowledge of the Spirit of God moving in them to speak and write good Words, and do good Works; this Professors and Profane, Learned and Unlearned, make a Mock at, concluding this Operation of the Spirit is not in use, nor to be known in these days, nor to be expected in these latter Ages of the World; as if God had left the World of Mankind to be guided wholly by the Motions of the Devil; as if there was no Law or Power in the Mind able and sufficient to war against the Law and Power that is in the Members, and overcome it: Thus to believe, is the Faith of Devils, and not the Faith of God's Elect; For, the True Christian in this Age (as in former Ages) is a living Witness of the Moving of the Spirit of God to every good Word and Work, as the Holy Men and Christians in former Ages did, who speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and as they were led and guided by the Spirit, as is testified in the Holy Scriptures, though made a Mock of in this Day: And this Spirit of God accompanied the Righteous in all Ages, and always moved, led and guided them into the Way of Peace; and as they obeyed it, and abode with it, 
Acts 7.9.  they were preserved by it therein, though in the midst of their Enemies: This preserved Joseph, when the Patriarches, moved with Envy, sold him into Egypt, and out of the Temptations he met with there; and the same Spirit of Envy that moved the Patriarches to sell Joseph, moved Cain to kill Abel, and moved Esau to hate his Brother, and the Israelites to envy Moses and Aaron; and the Jews to persecute the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles; And the Unbelieving Vagabond Jews were moved by this Spirit of Envy, 
Acts 17.5.  to make a Tumult against Paul and Silas, and to assault the House of Jason, and to draw him and the Brethren to the Rulers, with false Accusations; the Spirit of Envy is the same at this Day, and his Motions are the same, and all that obey them, are found in the same Work. And the Motions of the Holy Spirit are also the same, and all that obey them bring forth the Fruits thereof, and they are both manifested by their Fruits; the one moves to Good, the other to Evil; the one to Love and , the other to Envy and Hatred; 
☞  the one to Patience and Long-suffering, the other to Anger, Rage and Persecution: the one moves to Meekness, Gentleness & Lowly-mindedness; the other to Hardness, Roughness, Exaltedness and High-mindedness: So by the Fruits and Effects are the Motions of the Spirit of God known and distinguished from the Motions of the Devil, the Prince in Darkness.  
And whosoever do or shall profess to speak or write Words, or do Works, 
Many whom the old Serpent could not move nor draw into Carnal Wickednesses, have been captivated with Spiritual Wiskednesses in High Places; and have been deceived so far as to call High Thoughts and Imaginations, Motions of the Spirit of God; and these have been exalted above all that is called God, being joined to the Son of Perdition, who usurps the Throne of God, and hath been and is worshipped as God.  or do Works, in and by the Motion of the Spirit of God, if they tend not to Good, if they are not accompanied with the Fruits of the same, if they will not endure the Trial of the Spirit of God in others, and abide by the Testimony thereof; and also agree with the Testimonies of the Holy Men of old, left upon Record in the holy Scriptures; For, the Spirit of the Prophets was subject to the Prophets; and, The Christians were of One Mind: I say, (except this) their Motion is to be judged by the Spirit of God, and them also that obey it, as a Delusion of an Exalted Spirit, and as a High Imagination, which must be brought down; and whoever glories therein, or boasts thereof, will fade and whither as a Flower, and fall and corrupt as Untimely Fruit; the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.   

XV. The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning Revelation.  
THE Cry in the World is even among many called Christians, No Revelation in these days; Revelation is ceased; No Spiritual Vision to be known now; No Sight of God now, as Abraham, Moses, and the Prophets, and Primitive Christians had, etc.  
Now, the Faith, Experience and Testimony of the True Christian is, that Where there is no Vision, 
Prov. 29.18.  no Heavenly Sight, that's the Perishing State: Where there is No Revelation known, there is No True Knowledge of God, as is witnessed by the Holy Scriptures; 
Mat. 11.27.  None knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.  
Since the Veil came over Man's heart, there was never any other Way in any Age, nor is not in this Age, to come to the true Knowledge of God but by Revelation; by taking off the Veil and removing the Covering, which hides the Face of God from Man; the outward Veils before Moses' Face, and in the outward Temple, were a Figure of this Veil, that is spread over the Hearts of Men; and the rending the Veil of the Temple from top to bottom, 
☞  was a Figure of Revelation and Spiritual Sight into the Holiest of all, or the taking away that which stood betwixt Man and the True Sight and Knowledge of God: And there is not, nor never was (since the Cause of the Veil entered) any Man upon the Face of the Earth, that came or comes to the Knowledge of God by any other Means: Men have sought out many Inventions, and devised many Ways and Means to gain the Knowledge of God, but all in vain; as his Invention, Device and Knowledge increaseth, his Sorrow increaseth also; and all he can arrive at, is Traditional Knowledge, a Historical Knowledge, a Strong Conceit and Imagination concerning God, which is all nothingworth: When he comes to see and know him by Sight and Revelation, he will say as Job once did, 
Job 42.5, 6.  I have heard of thee by the Hearing of the Ear, but now my Eye seethe thee; therefore I abhor myself, and Repent in Dust and Ashes.  
And as there is no True Knowledge of God but by Revelation, 
2 Thes. 2.3, 4.  so there is no perfect Knowledge of the Son of Perdition, or Man of Sin, but by Revelation: Iniquity is a Mystery, as well as Godliness; and the Devil can appear like unto an Angel of Light, and get into the Temple of God, and sit there as God, and be worshipped as God also; and when he thus appears in the Temple of God, clothed with the Sheep's Clothing, 
☞  and in the Form of an Angel of Light, with the Saints Words in his Mouth, many are then beguiled with him, the Veil being over their Hearts, and the Scales before their Eyes, that they see no further than his Appearance, his Show and Outside; and hereby he deceives many in the Form of Religion, which could not be deceived by him as a Devil, nor drawn into his Service in the gross Evils that are in the World: This is the Mystery of Iniquity, which cannot be discerned nor discovered while the Veil is over, till Revelation be known, and the Prophecy of Isaiah witnessed; 
Isa. 25.7.  I will destroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering, cast over all People, and the Veil that is spread over all Nations: This is a Blessed Promise to enjoy, and to witness fulfilled.  
Now till it pleased God to reveal his Son in Paul, and to shine round about him with a Light, surpassing the Natural Sun in his Strength, and to cause the Scales to fall from his Eyes, he was deceived, and captivated with this Mystery of Iniquity, and in his Religious Zeal and Ignorance thought he was serving God, when he was serving the Devil: And in this Estate lie all the Titular Christians at this day, who are persecuting the True Christians, and hating one another, and destroying, biting and devouring one another about Religion, Church and Worship; and this comes to pass for want of Revelation, for want of true Knowledge: All the Contentions, Envies, quarrelings and Divisions among all the Sects in Christendom, 
☞  arise, for want of being acquainted with Revelation. One saith, Lo here is Christ; another, there; one says, Christ is this; another, that, and are of many Minds concerning him now, as they were in the Days of his Flesh, some saying one Thing, and some another of him; But saith Christ to Peter and the rest, what say ye? 
Mat. 16.17.  Peter answered, thou art Christ, the Son of the living God, Christ saith, blessed art thou Peter; etc. for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven: Revelation was the Cause of Peter's surpassing the others in true Knowledge; many that eat and drank with him, and had a Love for him, and heard his gracious Words, and saw his mighty Works that he did, yet wanting this Revelation, had only a Knowledge of him after the Flesh, 
Ignorance of Revelation, the Ground of Division & Contention.  contended and reasoned about him; but this Knowledge that was revealed to Peter, they were Strangers to; this was the Ground of Contention then, and is the same at this Day, throughout all Christendom.  
But Peter himself did not abide in this Knowledge, which was revealed to him; but for want of Watchfulness and through selfconfidence, Weakness and Fear became vailed again, 
Mat. 26.70, 7●, 74.  and lost ●is Knowledge, Sight and Revelation, and in the Day of close Trial denved that he knew him at all; then began he to Curse and to Swear, saying, I know not the Man: this is a great Change in Peter, who in his Zeal and Affection thought, if all forsook him, he should not, yea, though he should or were to die, with him, he would not deny him; likewise also said all the Disciples.  
This may learn all even those that have had Revelations, Heavenly Sights and Visions to be watchful, and beware, lest Darkness overtake them again, the Veil spread over again, these things are written for our Learning, and are set forth as an Ensample, showing how far Selfconfidence, Zeal, and Affections, and a Knowledge of Christ after the Flesh, can carry men; and how Heavenly Sights, Vision and Revelations may be seen and partaken of, before a through Conversion; The Wind bloweth where it listeth, 
John 3.8.  and many hear the sound thereof, yet knoweth not whence it comes, nor whither it goes, so is every man that is born of the Spirit. Now, it's a farther thing to grow up in it, and to increase with the Increase of God, unto the Stature and Fullness of Christ; such are not only born, nor Children, but Men, such cannot be tossed to and fro with Wind; and till this is attained unto, there is much Danger.  
I knew a Man (Twenty Four Years ago) who had Heavenly Sights, and Revelations, and Raptures into the Third Heaven, and heard and saw Things unutterable, ravished with Delight, overcome with a Joy and Consolation, while his Hand hath been in his outward Labour; and would with Peter and John, have built Tabernacles there, and all before his Conversion, before he was endued with Power from on High, 
☞  before the Work of Regeneration was wrought, and before he knew from whence it came, or whither it went, being as the Lightning coming out of the East, & shining into the West; & so knew not how nor where to wait to receive it again, nor knew not a Stay to his Mind, nor a Bridle to his Tongue, nor Strength to endure Temptations, nor Patience to have its perfect Work; neither was he endued with Wisdom and Discerning, to discover the divers Wiles and Devices of that Old Serpent that betrayed in Paradise, being not humbled and brought down to the true Foundation, though the Seed of the Kingdom was sown, and received with much Joy; but springing up in great Haste, for want of Depth of Earth, proved like Corn upon the Housetop or in Stony Ground, soon withered again.  
So, let none be lifted up above Measure, because of Revelations, Heavenly Sights and Visions; let none rest in Zeal and Affections; let none deck themselves with God's Jewels, and play the Harlot with them, nor lay up Manna for to morrow; but wait upon him from whence the Daily Bread comes, and abide low in the Root, 
☞  from whence all Heavenly Blessings, Gifts and Grace's spring; so a growing up in him, which was from Everlasting, before Evil sprung up, before the Veil was spread over, when all was good, yea, very Good, will be witnessed. This is the converted Estate, which those that are come unto it, not only stand themselves, but are able to strengthen their Brethren, who are begotten by the same Father, and born of the same Mother: And this Counsel Christ gave unto Peter, that Zealous Affectionate Disciple, after he had had Heavenly Sights and Revelations, When thou art Converted, Strengthen thy Brethren. Let this be minded by all to whom the Lord hath appeared, and given Discoveries of himself, lest they take up their Rest by the way, and like Peter and John at the Sight of the Transfiguration of Christ, say, Master, it is Good for us to be here; let us build Three Tabernacles, one for Thee, one for Moses, one for Elias: This they spoke in Ignorance; while the Cloud over shadowed them, while they saw his Payment shining exceeding white, as Snow; but did not see him not hear him as the Beloved Son of God, nor understand the Vision; 
Mark 9  therefore the Voice out of the Cloud saith to them, This is my Beloved Son, hear him, etc. Heights may separate, as well as Depths; therefore what Christ saith to one, he saith to all, Watch and Pray, l●st ye enter into Temptation. In hearing and obeying the Beloved Son, there's Peace Blessings and Safety; but in hearing and obeying the Serpent, Tribulation, Anguish and Sorrow, and great Danger; which all that wait & watch in that True Light, 
The Light that shines in the heart, is the safe Dwelling place of its Children.  where with they are enlightend, enjoy the one, and escape the other.   

XVI. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Gospel or Glad Tidings of Salvation.  
THE True Christian believes the Gospel or Glad Tidings of Life, Liberty and Salvation; and at the hearing the Joyful Sound thereof he is glad; and he rejoiceth to see the Angel fly through the midst of Heaven, having the Everlasting Gospel to preach again to them that dwell on the Earth, 
Rev. 14.6.  and to every Nation, Kindred, Tongue and People, saying with a loud Voice, Fear God, and give Glory to him, for the Hour of his Judgements is come, and worship him that made Heaven and Earth, the Sea and Fountains of Water. And the True Christian hath not only heard, but obeyed this Gospel; and he knoweth Life and Immortality brought to Light through this Gospel; 
2 Tim. 1.10.  and the Light of this Glorious Gospel shines in his Heart, and he hath repent or turned to the Light thereof, received and believed this Gospel, 
Gal. 3.8.  which is the Power of God unto Salvation, which Gospel was preached unto Abraham, and was and is now preached in every Creature under Heaven; 
Col. 1.23.  of this Gospel Paul was a Minister: And the True Christian is come to the Mystery of the Fellowship of the Gospel, 
That which judgeth the Secrets of men's Hearts is the Gospel.  which stands not in Word, but Power, and is not of Man, nor by Man, but of God; and this Gospel judgeth the Secrets of all Men; and he is come to the Knowledge of the Mystery of the Gospel, and through it hath received Life, Liberty, and Salvation; and his Feet are shod with the Preparation of the GOSPEL of Peace, and his Conversation is as becomes the Gospel; and he adorns the Gospel of his Lord and Saviour; and in this abiding he enjoys the Privileges of the Gospel, and inherits the precious Promises made of old, and enjoys that which was prophesied of by that Evangelical or Gospel Prophet Isaiah, when he saw and spoke of the Universal Love of God to be enjoyed in the Gospel Days, in making a Feast unto all People: In this Mountain shall the Lord of Host make unto all People a Feast of fat Things, 
Isa. 25.6, 7, 8, 9  a Feast of Wine on the Lees, of fat Thingsfull of Marrow, of Wine on the Lees well refined; and he will destroy in this Mountain the Face of the Covering that is cast over the Face of all People, and the Veil that is spread over all Nations; he will swallow up Death in Victory; the Lord will wipe away Tears from all Faces, and the Rebuke of his People will he take away from off all the Earth, the Lord God hath spoken it: And it shall be said in that Day, Do this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, and we will be glad, and rejoice in his Salvation, etc. A Blessed Sight and Heavenly Prophecy, which the True Christian is come and coming to the full Enjoyment and Fulfilling of; Glory to God forever.  
And the Anti-type of the Year of Jubilee is now enjoyed, and the Sabbath of Rest is entered into; and the holy Mountain in which is no Destroyer, is now dwelled in; and the Light of God's Countenance is lifted up, which makes the True Christian's Heart more glad, than the Joy that comes with the Increase of Corn, Wine and Oil; many Prophets and Righteous Men saw that afar of which he now possesseth; so that he can truly say, Gospel-Times are Glorious Times, the Privileges of the Gospel are Glorious Privileges; 
☞  Christ reigning and ruling in his Heart, leading Captivity Captive, and giving Victory over Death, Hell and the Grave, wiping away all Tears, and taking away the Reproach (being Sin, which is a Reproach to any People) and giving Power to bind Kings in Chains, and Nobles in Fetters of Iron, and no war with Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places, and to bring down every High Thought and Imagination into the Obedience of Christ; this Honour have all the Saints, who receive the Gospel of Peace and Salvation, and arrive at the Mark of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus.  
The Titular Christian he saith, he believeth in the Gospel, and talks of Life, Liberty and Salvation by it; he saith, he hath heard the Sound of the Gospel, and that he obeys the Gospel; but how doth he show forth the Truth hereof? let him examine himself; doth he know the Light of the glorious Gospel to shine in his Heart, whereby the Mystery of it is revealed unto him? Hath he repent or turned to the Light, and believed the Gospel? Doth he know it to be the Power of God unto Salvation? And is he saved by it, as Abraham was, when preached unto him, and as the Primitive Christians were, when they received it? Doth he know Life & Immortality brought to Light through the Gospel? Hath he obeyed the Gospel? And is his Feet shod with the Preparation of it? And doth be adorn the Gospel with a Holy Life and Conversation? No, the Titular Christian knows no such Gospel, nor the Light of it to shine in his Heart, nor the Mystery of it to be revealed in him; for he hates the Light, and denies Revelation, and saith it is ceased, and that there is no Revelation to be expected in these Days, nor no Possibility to live a holy Life, as becometh the Gospel; nor no inheriting the precious Promises, nor enjoying the glorious Things prophesied of, while on this side the Grave; nor no having the Veil taken off the Heart, nor Tears wiped away, nor the Cause of them removed; nor Death swallowed up in Victory, while he remains in the Body; nor that the Anti-Type of the Year of Jubilee, which is perfect Liberty and Redemption, can be witnessed and enjoyed, by believing in the Gospel; nor that the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established upon the Top of all Mountains, or that any can dwell in that where no Destroyer is; nor that the Sabbath or Rest wherein he shall not speak his own Words, nor think his own Thoughts, nor bear any Burden, can be entered into, or dwelled in, while on this Side the Grave: 
☞  The Titular Christian hath no Faith in any of these Things; therefore his Faith is feigned, and the Object of it is Imaginary, and is indeed that which may be called another Gospel, which he that bringeth is accursed, and is not of God, but of Man.  
And the Titular Christian can be a professor of this Gospel, and a Hearer of this Gospel and yet never hear the Voice of the Son of God, nor never come to be quickened unto Life; nor never receive Remission of Sin, nor Inheritance among them that are sanctified; nor never come to enjoy the Privileges of the Gospel, signified and showed forth by divers Types, Figures and Shadows under the Law, and seen and prophesied of by the holy Prophets, yet can talk of all these Things, even while in Death, will talk of the Fame of Wisdom, and the glorious Things her Children formerly enjoyed, while he himself is poor, blind and miserable, and wants the Possession and Experimental Enjoyment thereof.  
And indeed, the Mystery of Iniquity hath so far prevailed, and the Darkness is grown so thick, by Reason of the Smoke that ascend out of the Bottomless Pit, in this Night o● Apostasy, which hath spread over this Part o● the World, called Christendom, since the Apostles Days, that the Titular Christian (which hates the Light, and dwells in this Darkness is grown so great a Friend to the Devil, that old Serpent, 
☞  that he will not endure the preaching any other Gospel, than such an one, which will admit of living under the Bondage, Service and Slavery of the Devil Term of Life (this is he that cannot endure sound Doctrine.)  
Now the joyful Sound of this Gospel, which whole Christendom rings of, is, No perfect Victory over Sin; no Overcoming the Devil; no withstanding him in all his Temptations; no abstaining from every Appearance of Evil; 
The Message and Sound of the Ministers of Darkness, who preach another Gospel.  no perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God; no ceasing from committing of Sin; no dispossessing the strong Man, and spoiling all his Goods; not sweeping the House, and garnishing it with Heavenly Goods; not pulling down the strong Holds of Sin and Satan; no bringing every Thought and Imagination into the Obedience of Christ; no putting off the old Man with his Deeds, nor putting on the new, nor bearing the Heavenly Image, nor any such Regeneration or new Birth to be known, which committeth not Sin; no repairing the Breach which our first Parents made; no finding again that which is lost; no Restoration into Innocency and a sinless State again, while Men dwell in these Earthly To bernacles, none of these Things can be effected, saith the Sound of this Gospel, or the Preachers of it in all Sects.  
Oh! how greatly is it to be lamented, not only to see and behold the Garden and Vineyard of the Lord become so great a Wilderness, and so overgrow with Briars and Thorns, Thistles and noisome Weeds, where many venomous and hurtful Things are nourished; but also to see those who count themselves Labourers in the Vineyard, and Dressers of the Garden, sit down and conclude, that it can never be dressed, nor the Vineyard purged from all that doth offend the tender Grapes, and that the wild Boar and the little Foxes can never be driven out, nor those Plants which the Heavenly Father never planted be pulled up, nor that this Wilderness can ever become a fruitful Field, nor like Eden again: and that there are so many Believers of this sorrowful Tidings and miserable Messengers and Ministers of Satan, 
The Sorrow and Misery of Mankind is much increased and continued by this Unbelief and Sound of bad Tidings, or another Gospel, which they that have brought, are accursed.  Evil Unbelieving Spies, who discourage and persuade the People they can never inherit the good Land, nor overcome their Enemies.  
Oh thou God of Heaven, appear more and more, and disperse and remove this Unbelief and gross Darkness, and stop the ascending of this Smoke, which ariseth out of the Bottomless Pit, and darkens the Air, and gather thy scattered People from under those Idol Shepherds and false Vine Dressers, blind Guides and miserable Comforters; thou hast gathered a Remnant from under them, and made their Folly manifest, and to them their Gospel is accursed; do so for Thousands and Ten Thousands, which yet know thee not, is the Breathing of the Soul of the Righteous, and remove this Monstrous Faith out of the Hearts of all Men, which holds up the Devil's Kingdom there TERM OF LIFE: And let thy POWER be known and Magnified over all, who art God, Blessed forever.   

XVII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Grace, and Living under it; and Growing up in it from one Degree unto another; and of the Possibility of Falling Away from it.  
THE Law came by Moses, but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ: Grace is the free Gift of God for the Salvation of all, and hath appeared unto all men; but all men did not, nor do receive it, so know not the Teachings and Virtue of it, nor its Sufficiency and Power to save, being known to none but such as do receive it: And all that do receive this Grace, 
Tit. 2,11.  are taught by it to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, and to live Soberly, Righteously and Godly in this present World: Thus it taught the True Christian in former Ages, and teacheth the same now; and all that are so taught by it, 
☞  are not under the Law, but under Grace; for, Grace doth not destroy the Law, but fulfils it, and leads those that are under it to the Enjoyment of the Substance of those Heavenly Things it shadowed forth, and which the Prophets prophesied of. And further, it teacheth more Spiritual and Evangelical Lessons then Moses did, by whom the Law came.  
And the True Christian not only receives this Grace, but grows in it from one Degree unto another, and witnesseth a being saved by it, and a being justified by it, having Experience of its Sufficiency when the Enemy doth assault, and Trials and Temptations attend; even as Paul, 
2 Cor. 12.19.  the aged, when in Danger, and besought the Lord, the Answer was, My Grace is sufficient for thee: The Christians are Witnesses this Day of the same. And Paul could say, 
☞  By the Grace of God I am what I am. That was an High and Heavenly State, to be no otherwise then Grace made him; Self, Sin and Satan is here excluded, and all Boasting and Glorying in the Flesh is laid aside, and the free Gift and Grace of God exalted over all: This is a standing by Grace, and a living under it, being saved by it from transgressing the Law, 
Rom. 5.20, 21.  which is Holy, Just and Good; Here Grace reigneth through Righteousness unto Eternal Life, even where Sin reigned once unto Death, and abounded, here Grace is known to abound much more.  

☞  This was not only professed and talked of by the True Christians in former Ages, nor is not now in this Age, but really felt, known and witnessed in them, by the effectual Work and Operation of it; they did not, nor do profess a living under Grace while they do and commit that which the Law is over, and which the Law was added because of (viz. 
☞  Sin) He that is alive to Sin, the Law hath Power over him; and he is indeed under the Law, notwithstanding he may profess a being under Grace, and living in Gospel-Times; 
Rom. 7. Read and Understand.  for, Paul's Parallel holds good, A Woman is bound by the Law to her Husband, so long as he liveth; but when Dead, she is loosed from the Law of her Husband. So the Law hath Dominion over a Man, so long as he liveth (in that Life and Nature which transgresseth it) let him profess what he will: And none are fitted and prepared to be married to another, even to him who is raised from the Dead, till they are become Dead unto the Law, and so delivered from it, that being Dead wherein or whereby they were held (viz. Sin) For saith he, When we were in the Flesh, the Motions of Sin, which were by the Law, did work in our Members, to bring forth Fruit unto Death; but now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in Newness of Spirit, and not in the Oldness of the Letter: Here the True Christian knows the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him, who walketh not after the Flesh, nor the Motions of it, but after the Spirit, and the Motions thereof; so that his Words are seasoned with Grace, and walks to the Praise and Glory of his Grace: And as he here abides, he witnesseth a being delivered from under the Law, and knows the Occasion of it taken away, and so truly lives under Grace, and grows in it, and in the Knowledge of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom be Glory both now and forever.  
But now, notwithstanding the Cry of the Tuular Christian is, No Falling from Grace totally, etc. yet there is a Possibility that after People have received the Grace of God, and known the Virtue and Operation of it also, that they may Fall from it again, and of Children of Grace, become Children of Wrath; they may turn the Grace of God into Wantonness (or rather, turn from it after they have received it, into Wantonness) they may use their Liberty, which by Grace they are come unto, as an Occasion to the Flesh, and so not stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ had made them free: And they may fall from Steadfastness, after by Grace they have attained unto it. And after People have clean escaped from them which live in Error, and from the Pollutions of the World, they may Err again, and be polluted again, and turn like the Dog to his Vomit again, and like the Sow that was washed to the Wallowing in the Mire again; 
☞  and an Evil Heart of Unbelief and Disobedience, in departing from the Living God, after they have known him, may get in again; and People may crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open Shame; and trample the Blood of the Covenant, with which once their Hearts were sprinkled, under Foot again; and do Despite unto the Spirit of Grace, and grieve the holy Spirit of God; and finally, they may make Shipwreck of Faith & a Good Conscience, etc. These things may all be done, or else, in vain are the divers Exhortations recorded in the Holy Scriptures to the primitive Christians, To Stand fast, Abide and Continue to the End, that they might not be Entangled again, Deceived, nor fall into Temptations again: And in vain was all the Labour, Travail, Care and Exercise of the Apostles, Teachers and Elders among the Churches, after they were gathered out of the World, and had received the manifold Graces of God to confirm them and establish them in the same, if there had been no Danger of their Falling from it again, and corrupting themselves again. This Titular Christian's Opinion of no total Falling from Grace, is contrary to the Current of the whole Scriptures, and of the True Christan's Experience: And Paul's Testimony is, That such, that so fall away, who were once enlightened, and tasted of the Heavenly Gift, and Powers of the World to come, 
Hebr. 6.4. & 10.26.  if such sin wilfully, after they have received the Knowledge of the Truth, that it is impossible to renew them again to Repentance, and that there remains no more Sacrifice for Sins, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgement and Fiery Indignation, which shall devour the Adversaries; who incur a sorer Punishment than those that despised Moses' Law, who died without Mercy under Two or Three Witnesses: There is a sorer Punishment then Outward Death, which the Outward Law inflicted upon the Transgressor's of it; and those that have known the Law of him that is greater than Moses, which is the Law of the Spirit of Life, and have been Subjects of it, and fallen and apostatised from it again, shall partake of this sorer Punishment. And as none knoweth the Joy and Consolation of those that have the Law of the Spirit of Life, and obey it, and abide in it; or the White Stone, wherein the New Name is written, which none knoweth but he that hath it; so none knoweth the sorer Punishment, the Fiery Indignation, kindled by the Breath of the Lord, 
Apostates Punishment is from God, and not Men. Vengeance is the Lord's: And it's a fearful thing to fall into his hand, by sinning against Light and Knowledge, etc.  nor feels the biting of the Worm which never dies, which attends the Transgressor's, and wilful Sinners against this Law of the Spirit of Life, but he that hath it, and receives it as a Just Recompense of Reward of his Disobedience, Rebellion and Apostasy.  
And the Fitular Christian, who talks of living under Grace, and not under the Law; and of being married to Christ, etc. before he hath known the Law as a Schoolmaster to bring him to Christ; before he is become dead to that which the Law hath Power over; before he comes to know the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him by the Spirit of Grace, and Righteousness which exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees; before he knows Grace to reign through Righteousness unto Eternal Life (even where Sin hath reigned unto Death) before he is taught by Grace to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, and to live Soberly, Righteously and Godly; and before he ceaseth from Sin; and before he knoweth the Body of it destroyed, and become dead, and Deliverance from the Dead Body; I say, before this, his Talk and Profession of living under Grace, is ●ain, he remaining alive in that for which the Law was added (viz. Sin) For, the main Reason to prove a Person under Grace, which Paul mentioneth, is, For, Sin shall not have Dominion over you; for, or because, you are ●ot under the Law, but under Grace: He that committeth Sin is the Servant of it, and Sin ●ath Dominion over him, let the Titular Chritian profess what he will.   

XVIII. The True Christian 's Faith and Experience concerning Outward and Inward Miracles.  
ALL Miracles and Wonders, that were outwardly wrought by the Power of God, before the Law, under the Law, since the Law, by the Hand of M●ses and Aaron, the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, were in themselves Signs, generally showed before Unbelieving, Hardhearted, Adulterous, Untoward Generations; and we read not of very many in the holy Scriptures, that were converted by the Working of Outward Miracles; Pharaoh and the Egyptians were hardened; the Israel tes themselves, after they had seen and partook of wonderful Deliverances and Mighty Miracles wrought before their Face, as, the going through the Sea on Dry Land, and their Enemies destroyed in the same; the Pillar of Cloudly Day, and the Pillar of Fire by Night; the Manna and Quales from Heaven; the Water out of a Rock, and also drunk of the Spiritual Rock which followed them; yet an Unbelieving, Ignorant, Disobedient, Rebellious, Murmuring Heart got up in them, so that they discerned not the Power by which they were wrought, nor the End wherefore, being ignorant of both; neither did they truly regard the Instruments by whom they were wrought, their Wills and Lusts remained strong, their Hearts foul and gross, their Ears dull of Hearing, and their Eyes so weak, and their Understandings so darkened, that they could not look upon, nor behold the Glory of that Ministration, though it was but of Angels; nor abide and endure the Voice of God in giving forth the Law, for the Condemnation of the Transgressor (which was Glorious in its time) so that they could not behold the Glory of Moses' Face without Fear, 
Exod. 34.30. & 19.22.  nor so much as touch the Mount on which God appeared; yea, the Priests, unless Sanctified (or made Holy) were not to come nigh the Lord: This was the State of the Israelites, notwithstanding they were Eye-witnesses of the Mighty Wonders and Miracles visibly wrought before their Natural Senses; yet through Unbelief, Disobedience, Murmuring and Rebellion, they perished, and their Carcases fell in the Wilderness, and entered not into the Promised Land. Let the Reader consider those things.  
And when Christ Jesus, the Great Prophet, came, of whom Moses prophesied, and wrought divers Visible Miracles before the Hardhearted Jews, who professed themselves the Disciples of Moses; I do not find, nor read, that many of those that saw them wrought with their Natural Eyes; and that drank of that Miraculous Wine, made of Water; and that eat of the Five Loaves and Two Fish, that f●d Five Thousand, and Twelve Baskets of Fragments to spare, 
☞  were converted; nor so much as became his Disciples or Follower's, except for Loaves, or some Selfish Ends; and some among whom he wrought mighty Miracles, desired him to departed their Coasts: And from the Chief Priests and Leaders he met with this Judgement, That he was a Deceiver, a Samaritan, and had a Devil, and cast out Devils by Beelzebub, the Prince of the Devils; so that his Raising the Dead, Healing the Sick, Possessed and Diseased, though Mighty Works in themselves, and wrought by the Power of his Father in him; yet they were not such great Works, ●o● the Effects of such great Extent, but that those that did believe in him should do greater, or he in his Spiritual Appearance in them would do greater, 
John 14.12, 13.  according to his Saying, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth in me, the Works that I do, he shall do also, and greater than these shall he do, because I go to my Father; and whatsoever ye ask in my Name, that will I do. This Saying and Promise was and is fulfilled, fulfilling, and to be fulfilled: And every True Christian is a Witness of the Power that is received by believing in Christ, and knoweth and experienceth greater Works and Miracles, wrought by the Power and Spiritual Appearance of Christ within, than all the Outward Miracles he wrought before the Carnal Eyes of Carnal Professors and Unbelievers in the days of his 
* We read of more Converted at One Sermon of Peter, then by all Outward Miracles.  Flesh. But this the Titular Christian cannot receive, knowing nothing thereof: In order therefore to convince him of the Truth of the same, the True Christian speaks further, as follows;  
First, He saith, That once he was Dead in Trespasses and Sins, and so Dead, that though he was loaded therewith, yet he felt not the Weight and Burden thereof, and not only so, but he had all the Properties of a dead Man spiritually; his Eye was so blind, that he could not see the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin; his Ear was so deaf, that he could not hear the Voice of God, though he often called him out of it; his Feet were so lame, that he could not walk one Step in the Way of God; and he was so bowed down, that he could not stand upright, and his Bloody Issue could not be stopped, nor his Wounds healed, and his Sores ran in the Night, and his Soul refused Comfort, and he was cast out into the open Field to the loathing of his Person, and the Levite and the Priest passed by and ministered no Help; he saw no Eye to pity, nor no Hand to save, nor no Physician of value could he meet withal; all told him he could never be cured, healed, and made a sound living Man again while he lived upon the Earth; and to increase his Misery, he was persuaded to believe the same (which Belief is one of the strongest Links of the Chains of Darkness) in short, Words cannot express the sad and lamentable Estate of Mankind in the Fall, which the True Christian once lay in, even bound in Chains of Darkness, under the Slavery and Bondage of Sin and Satan, captivated in a strange Land, etc. out of which nothing le●s then the mighty, terrible and glorious Power of God, by and through his Son Christ Jesus, is able effectually to redeem, save and deliver.  
Therefore in the second Place, the True Christian's Testimony is as followeth; To the Praise and Glory of the Power of God in his glorious Appearance and heavenly Revelation, through the Son of his Love in this latter Day, wherein his exceeding Riches and Kindness and Power is manifested, and made known, as in Ages past, and as in the Generation of Old; and his faithful Promises fulfilled; 
John 5.25.  〈◊〉 the Hour is come, wherein the dead hear the Voice of God, and the Graves open and they that are therein come forth, and a mighty Sound is heard of the dry Bones in the Valley coming together, 
People dead in Sins and Trespasses, degenerated and estranged from the Life of God, are as these dry Bones, and are to be witnesses of the same Power to restore them to Form and Life.  and knitting Bone to Bone and Joint to Joint, and Sinnew to Sinnew, and Flesh grows upon the same, and the Breath of Life is received, and a standing up is known of an exceeding great Army, which shall yet increase more and more, and inherit and possess the Anti type of the promised Land; this was seen and prophesied of by Ezekiel, and now enjoyed by the True Christian; read Chap. 36. to Ver. 14. and the Lord give the Understanding: Now to witness these Things effected by the Spirit and Power of the Lord, is more than to see a dead Body outwardly raised to Life; and to have the Eye of the Mind opened, and the Ear of the Spiritual Man unstopped, & the Tongue unloosed, that can praise the Lord, and the Lam●● to leap as an Heart, and to run the Ways of God's Commandments with Delight, without stumbling, Weariness or Fainting; I say, these Things being wrought by the Power of God in the inward Man, are greater Miracles than the opening of a blind Eye, or unstopping of a deaf Ear, or unloosing the Tongue of the dumb, or curing the lame outwardly.  
And to be cleansed from the Leprous Disease of Sin, and to know the bloody Issue thereof stopped, and to have the Heart sprinkled from an Evil Conscience, and the Body washed with pure Water, and the Heart and Mind cleansed from all that would defile, by the precious Blood of Christ manifest and known within, where the Defilements are greater Miracles, 
☞  and effected by a greater Power, though the same in Nature, then that which cured the Leprosy and bloody Issue outwardly; and the cleansing of the Mind, Heart and Conscience, and healing the Inward Man of all its Diseases, is more wonderful than the healing all outward Diseases whatsoever.  
Now the working of outward Miracles are not of absolute Necessity in the Church of Christ, neither doth the Gift thereof always attend the Church; and we read of no outward Miracles wrought by divers primitive Apostles, Ministers and Teachers, Elders and Fathers in the Church: 
☞  But these great Works and Miracles which Christ promised those that believed in him should do, they were all Witnesses of in a Measure, being of absolute Necessity to be known wrought by Christ, the Power of God, in every True Christian now, as then; without which, no Resurrection to Life, nor Entrance into the Way of Salvation is attained unto (let the Titular Christian profess what he will.)  
And I still well remember, when I was a Titular Christian, and a Hearer and Disciple of that Generation, which now calls upon the True Christian for Signs and Miracles, which no Impostor (or false Christian can give; they used then to acknowledge and preach for Doctrine, That the Conversion of one Soul to God, was a greater Work than the Creation of the World; and the main Reason they gave, was, That in the Work of the Outward Creation nothing did resist and oppose, God said, Let it be; and it was so: But now in the New Creation and Work of Regeneration, God meets with much Opposition; He speaks and calls once and again, and Man regards it not; he stretcheth out his Hand all the Day long, and the Rebellious regards it not; he stands at the Door and knocks, but his Enemy is gotten into the House, and the Door is shut against him, yet he waits to show himself gracious, according to the Phrase in Scripture, Till his Head is wet with the Dew, and his Locks with the Drops of the Night; and he wooeth and beseeches with Bowels of Compassion all Mankind by his Universal Love and Light, and holy Spirit, 
All have a Day of Visitation.  to be reconciled unto him, and to turn or be converted unto him, that he may heal them, restore and redeem them out of the Degeneration which they are run into through Sin, into the Primitive Estate and pure Enjoyment of himself; which was before Sin entered, or the forbidden Fruit was eaten, or Evil was in the World; but Mankind slights this great Love, and resist and despiseth this Light and Holy Spirit, which would work all these Things in him and for him.  
So these Things above considered, which are according to the Phrase and Language of the Holy Scriptures, it may evidently appear that the Work of the New Creation, being accompanied with so much Opposition, is greater than the Work of the Old: In this the Titular Christian, as in many other Things, talks a Truth with his Tongue, but is not a living Witness and Experiencer of the same in his Heart; 
☞  therefore when the True Christian tells him what the Lord hath done for his Soul, and the mighty Works and Wonders that he hath wrought in him, and for him; how he hath raised him from Death to Life, from Sin to Righteousness, and translated him from Darkness to Light, from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of his dear Son; and how he hath made him whole every whit (even upon the Sabbath Day) and that he now sits in Heavenly Places with him, clothed, in his right Mind; and that he hath received a good Understanding to know him that is true, and is in him that is true; And that he hath the Witness of God's Spirit bearing Witness with his Spirit, that he is a Child of God, and a Possessor of these Things (which Things not Impostor, Deceiver, nor Titular Christian can have and possess, while so) I say, when these Things are told, and born Witness of in the Ears of the Titular Christian, he slights, and disregards, and will not believe the same; but counts it Delusion, and Fanatic Dreams, and Fancies, arising from spiritual Pride, High-mindedness and vain Conceit, and so despiseth his Testimony, & the Works that bear Witness thereof, even as the Jews did of old, judge & condemn Christ and his mighty Works, as wrought by the Power of the Devil; so doth the Titular Christian in this Age Judge, Censure, Arraign and Condemn Christ and his Mighty Works in this Day of his Power and spiritual Appearance in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men, wherein he hath wrought as mighty Works, and done as great Miracles, as in any Age since the Fall of Man, and many are now living Monuments of the same; blessed is the Eye that seethe them, and is fixed upon the Author thereof, to whom be Glory and Praise throughout all Generations forever.   

XIX. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning the Doctrine of Perfection.  
IN the Holy Scriptures are divers Precepts, and Commands, and Exhortations, not only to Holiness, 
2 Cor. 7 1.  but to the Perfecting of Holiness in the Fear of God, 
Phil. 3.14.  and to the pressing forwards until it be attained unto, and afull Growth be witnessed. to the Stature of a Perfect Man in Christ Jesus; Presented to God without Blemish, 
Col. 1.28.  Spot or Wrinkle, or any such Thing: And it's said of Noah, 
Gen. 6.9.  that he was a Just and Perfect Man in his Generation, and that he walked with God: And God said unto Abraham, Walk before me, 
Gen. 17.1.  and be thou Perfect: And that Job was a Perfect and Just Man: 
Job 1.8.  And in David's Time he bids, Mark the Perfect Man, 
Psal. 37.37.  and beh●ld the Upright, the End of such is Peace: And Christ exhorted his Disciples to be Perfect, as theirl eavenly Father was perfect: 
Mat. 5 48.  And the Labour and Travail of the Apostles was, that People might be Perfect and Entire, 
☞  
Ja●. 1.4.  wanting nothing, and that they might be presented Perfect, 
Heb. 13.21.  and be made Perfect in every good Work: And he wished the Perfection of those he wrote to: 
2 Cor. 13.9. ● Cor. 2.6.  And he spoke Wisdom among them that were Perfect.  
So the Holy Scriptures contain, not only Precepts and Exhortations to Holiness and Perfection; but they also give Testimony that several did obey them, and attain thereunto in Ages past: And the Faith and Testimony of the True Christian in this Age, is, That Holiness and Perfection are attainable now as in Days of old, and that the divers Precepts and Exhortations in the Scriptures thereunto, may be obeyed, and the State truly enjoyed, even while People dwell in these Earthly Tabernacles, 
2 Cor. 4.7.  they may enjoy, the Heavenly Treasure, in their Earthen Vessels, 
1 Thes. 4.4.  which may be possessed with Sanctification and Honour.  
Now this is one of the sound Doctrines which the Titular Christian cannot endure, comprehend, nor understand, therefore cries out against it, and says, No Perfection here; no perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God; no coming to the Mark of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus, 
2 Cor. 11.2.  no growing up to the Stature of the Fullness of Christ; no perfect Man in Christ nor no being presented to God as a  Virgin, Holy, 
Col. 1.22, 28. Judas 24.  and Vnblamable, Faultless, without Spot or Wrinkle. In Sum, no being now as the Fathers of old and the Christians in the primitive Times were; No Possibility of perfect Obedience to the divers Precepts, Exhortations and Commands of the Spirit of God throughout the Holy Scriptures; this is the Language of the Titular Christian; so that herein he commits these two great Evils; 
☞  First, Notwithstanding his pretended Honour to the Scriptures and Holy Men, he gives them all the Lye. Secondly, He with the slothful Servant calls God a hard Master, in requiring that which nont are able to perform: But the Testimony, Faith and Experience of the True Christian is quite the contrary; he having passed through the Work of Regeneration, and experienced the divers Workings and Operations of the Spirit of God in his Heart (in this small Treatise before hinted at) leading him from one Degree of Grace unto another, from one Degree of Faith and Knowledge unto another, until he is fully saved by the Grace, & hath gained Perfect Victory by the Faith from & over that which made him Imperfect, Sinful and Defiled, and until the Knowledge of the Lord so abounds in him, that it covers the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea; and until he comes to the Sabbath of Rest (the Anti-Type of the outward Sabbath) wherein he speaks not his own Words, nor thinks his own Thoughts, nor doth his own Will nor Works, but witnesseth a Denial of them all, and a putting off the old Man with his Deeds, and keeping the Body under, and a Bridle upon the Tongue, Nature, Will, Thoughts and Desires, which received the Temptation in the Beginning, always keeping them to the Cross, 
☞  though a Rend wing & Restoration be attained unto, and the State of Innocency known and lived in, even as in the Beginning before the Fall; yet the Will; Thoughts and Desires must be watched, ruled over, and subjected to the Will and Command of God, in Truth and Reality, even as Christ hath lest an Ensample, whose Will and Desires were as good, pure and perfect, as Adam's were before he fell and as any can attain to in this Age) yet said he, when he prayed to his Father, Not my will, but th●ne, whose Will he came to do.  
Now in this Heavenly Self Denial and true Resignation stands the Perfection and Safety of the True Christian, all which is wrought and effected by the Power and Spiritual Appearance of the second Adam in him, and for him, who of himself can do nothing.  
And in this is his Happiness and Perfection, that he is come to cease from his own Thoughts Words and Works, his own Way and Will, and his own Wisdom and Knowledge also; for in these Things began his Misery, 
☞  and while they lived in him, and ruled over him, he continued in the Misery, notwithstanding his divers Devices, and Inventions, and Strive to get out of it; Death, Misery and Sorrow accompanied him, and clavae close unto him, and he could never be rid thereof, till he come through the Work of Regeneration, through true Self Denial and Resignation, to that Estate which Paul was in when he said, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the Life that I now live, I live by the Faith of the Son of God; this is the Perfection the True Christian arrives at, 
☞  even to know Christ live in him, and Self and Sin dead, than this Life of Righteousness reigns, where once Sin and Death reigned; and this Life cureth all Diseases, and makes a Man grow to Perfection, makes the Mind sound, and the Understanding 
A perfect Sign where Life reigns.  the Heart clean and honest, purgeth the Conscience from all dead Works, and brings into the Service of the living God, and makes free, and redeems from the contrary, viz. the Service of Sin and Satan; and this is a perfect State, and hath been, is, and may be attained unto, according to the Holy Scriptures, and the Testimony of the True Christian.  
And some Titular Christians do pray for, promise and profess as much 〈◊〉 Words, 
The Titular Christian prayeth for, and professeth Perfection, but doth not believe it's possible to attain, till after the Death of the Body: So his Prayer is vain, & his Belief a strong Delusion.  when they pray for a clean Heart, and the renewing of a right Spirit, to live a holy Life, and to be cleansed from all Sin, and when they promise one for another, to forsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomp's and Vanities of this World, and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, and to keep God's Holy Will and Commandments; this is Perfection, and he that doth receive a clean Heart and a right Spirit, and doth those Things, is a perfect Man.  
Now he that professeth and witnesseth these Things before spoken of, and hath travailed through the Work of the New Creation; he can speak of Perfection in Truth and Righteousness; he can say, all the Works of God are perfect, good, yea, very good, being a living Witness of the same, and that the Works of Man in the Fall and Degeneration, and of the old Serpent whom he obeys, are all imperfect and bad, yea, very bad; therefore let all that talk of Perfection with their Tongues, and profess it with their Lips, see that they are in that Faith which is the Gift of God, and works by Love, 
☞  and doth wonderful Things, though it be but as a Grain of Mustard. Seed, it removes Mountains, and the Effect of it doth away all Imperfection, and makes whole every whit, the Eye being fixed upon the Author thereof, it brings the Mighty from its Seat, and exalteth that of low Degree, it brings to the true Poverty which makes many rich and inherits all Things, to the Sorrowing wherein is Rejoicing always; to the having nothing, and yet poffessing all Things; to the Weakness, wherein is Strength; to the Loss, wherein is Gain; to the Death, wherein is Life Everlasting; this State Paul was in, when he spoke after this Manner, When I am Weak, then am I strong, when dead, then alive, as sorrowing, yet always rejoicing, 
2 Cor. 6.10.  as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, yet possessing all Things; these Things are as Riddles and Mysteries to the Carnal Mind, and are hidden from the Wise and Prudent, but revealed to the Babes, who suck at the Breasts of Consolation, and are weaned from the Breasts of this World, in all its Perfection, Glory and Beauty, visible and invisible, and are become Children of that Faith, without which 'tis impossible to please God. Therefore if any will be perfect and have Treasure in Heaven, 
☞  they must become as new born Babes, feeding on the Milk of the Word, and know a growing up in and by the Virtue of the same, to the State of a perfect Man, out of all Self-Will, Thoughts and Imaginations, self-Wisdom, Riches and Knowledge; for in the State of Innocency, before the Fall, Man was not rich, wise nor strong of himself, his own Will, Thoughts and Desires, 
☞  though in themselves and in their Places harmless, did not rule over him; neither did he feed upon the Tree of Knowledge, which was and is good in its Place, (though not for Food) but he ruled over them all, while he stood in the Image of his Maker, and obeyed his Command, he had Power over all the Beasts of the Field, and Fish of the Sea, and the Earth was subdued by him, and he had Dominion over it, standing in the Life, Power Riches and Wisdom of his God, and out of his own; here, though he had nothing, yet he possessed all, subdued all, and had Dominion over all; though he fed not upon the Tree of Knowledge, yet was he full of Knowledge and Wisdom, to discern the Nature of all Things, and to give them Names accordingly; though he had no Will nor Desire, 
☞  but what was to be subject to the Will of God, nor no Power or Strength given him of God to act contrary to his Command, yet he had great Power, Liberty and Freedom given him of God over all the Works of his Hands: And every Herb bearing Seed, which was upon all the Earth, and every Tree in which was the Fruit of a Tree, bearing Seed for Meat; only the Tree of Knowledge, which grew (not at one Corner, but) in the midst of the Garden (even where the Tree of Life itself grew) he was not to eat of; he that reads, let him understand (for I testify that Moses, 
☞  or the Author of Genesis was endued with the same Divine Heavenly Sight and Wisdom, when he wrote these Things, as John was when he wrote his Book of Revelations; and a Measure of the same must give the Understanding of them.)  
Now Mankind had nothing to do, but to dress and keep the Garden, which God's own Hand had planted; and this he was to do in the Will, Wisdom and Power of God, by which he became a Living Soul, clothed with the Image of God, without any other Covering but his Spirit; this was his Glory and Perfection: And in this stood his Joy and Felicity, Power and Dominion within and without (in this stands the True Christian's now.) But when he suffered his Will and Desire, and the Eye of his Mind by the Temptation, to be drawn and allured forth, and gave way to the springing up of a Desire, 
☞  to know and be wise for himself to be something of himself, this let the Temptation over him being deceived, disobeyed his God, even under a Hope of gaining by it, and bettering his State, 
The Life and Image of God, which Adam lost, was inward and spiritual; he died not immediately, as to his outward Form or bodily Existence, but lived many years.  believing the Serpent, who said, You shall be as Gods, you shall not die: Thus Death entered upon him, thus the Image of God in him became veiled, and his Beauty, Glory and Perfection defaced; his own Will and Desires no sooner gave way to, but Temptationt entered; no sooner his own Eye opened, but his Imperfection appeared, and his Nakedness was seen; 
☞  no sooner he began to live of himself, and to will, and to know of himself, but Death, Misery and Ignorance followed, and Shame, Fear and Gild appeared; and many Inventions and Contrivances, how to cover the Nakedness and Shame, and excuse the Gild, was invented: This was the Work of Transgressing Man in the Beginning, and is the same at this day among all the Children of Men (of what Nation, Name or Sect soever) who abide in the transgressing State of the First Adam.  
Now the State of Perfection that the Children of the Second Adam do attain unto, while in the Body, is a True Self-denial and Resignation into the Will of God, throughout all Trials, 
☞  and over all Temptations; he is a Perfect Man in Christ, who is not only Restored and Redeemed by him into a State of Innocency, Harmlesness and Uprightness; but also in this State is resigned and given up in his Mind, Will, Thoughts and Desires, into the Will of God, as clearly knowing it; so that his Mind being the Mind of Christ, 
☞  is eyeing his Heavenly Father, and his Mind is stayed upon him, where the perfect Peace is: And his Will, Thoughts and Desires, though Harmless, as Christ's were, yet subject to his Father, truly saying as Christ did, Not my will, but thine. In this State of true Resignation unto and Unity with the Father's Will stands the True Christian's Safety and Perfection; and that which preserveth him in the same; is the Power of God, that throughly debaseth Self, subjecteth Man's Will, and saves to the uttermost through Faith in it. And in this State of Perfection, as he lives and remains, he is clothed with the Spirit of Glory and Humility; the greater his Attainments are, and the higher the Heavenly Place is he fits in, the lower is his Mind, and the lesser he is in his own Eyes; & the greater he is in the Kingdom of God, the more he is replenished with true Love, Goodness & Humility; here the greatest is the Servant, a Helper of others; the highest, the lowest; here the Servant is as his Lord, and the Lord as him that serveth. And among these True Christians there is no Strife nor Dispute, 
☞  who shall be Greatest; though they are Elders, and have Crowns upon their Heads, yet they throw them down at the Feet of him that sits upon the Throne, and give Glory to him forever, Rev. 4.10, 11.   

XX. A Few Words, by Way of Advice, Counsel and Exhortation, to such as are newly turned in their Minds from Darkness within, to Light within, from the Power of Satan within, to the Power of God within, whereby the Work of Regeneration is begun within, that such may not miscarry in the same, nor sit down by the Way (short of the Mark of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus) is what follows written, seriously to be Read, Weighed and Considered.  
TEnder Friend, who art turned to this Light and Power, and art a Believer in it, and desirest to hear and obey the Word in thy Mouth and in thy Heart, to this Light thou dost well to take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place, and as a Voice that calleth unto thee, saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's Wife.  
In Order thereto, thou must understand and regard the End of the precious Appearance of the Light within, though it be and appear unto thee, but as Light that breaketh forth before the Day dawn within, or before the Daystar arise in thy Heart, yet the End of its Appearance and Shining in thee, is, that thou shouldst fix the Eye of Faith upon it, and keep thy Mind towards it, till the Day dawn, and the Daystar arise within, and this is the Star of the Messiah (and the Angel of the Lord) that will lead thee to the Inn, where the Virgin is delivered of a Son, and where the Babe of Glory lies, swaddled in a Manger, unregarded by all the Guests thereof, and thou following this Star, and finding him, wilt not spare thy Cold, Incense and Mirth, but offer up thy precious Things unto him, as the Wise Men did.  
And when the Light within, the Daystar within, hath led thee thus far, thou must not think within thyself, that thou hast now attained to the Mark of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus, because thy Eye seethe the Salvation which God hath prepared before the Face of all People, think not with thyself that thou presently possessest and enjoyest the same, because of the Joy, Delight and Pleasure that accompanies the Sight thereof, yet take thou heed of sitting down in the Appearance of Light and Heavenly Discoveries, and in the bare Sight and Knowledge of the Manchild that's born, but wait thou, and walk in the same Light within, which will discover unto thee that Spirit that seeks its Life within thyself even after it is born, 
☞  under the Pretence of worshipping of it (as Herod did) and in it thou wilt receive Wisdom and Counsel, to cherish and preserve it, till the Death of its Enemies, as J●seph did; in the Light thou mayst come to read and understand those Things which are written for thy Learning.  
Now whatsoever makes manifest is Light, Darkness and the Works of it, is, and hath been wrought within; the Light that expels the Darkness, and the Power that destroys the Works of it is also to be known within; 
None walk in the Light further than they bring their Thoughts, Words and Works to the Light to be proved and tried, whether they proceed from, or are wrought in God or no, Joh. 3.21.  & thou must believe & continue walking in the Light, that thou mayest become a Child of it; and abide with the Power that thou mayest know & witness the Work of it within thyself, proceeding in Order from the first Day to the seventh, or Sabbath of Rest: And thou mayst understand, that thou dost not become a Child of Light so soon as thou seest the Shining of it, and gins to believe and walk in it; thou must not only have Faith, but thou must add unto thy Faith Patience, etc. for thou hast as much need, as some of old had, which Paul wrote to, when he said, You had need have Patience, that after you have done the Will of God, you may (wait to) receive the Promise, and it was after they believed, that the Primitive Christians were sealed with the Spirit of Promise; the End of Faith is not soon attained unto; 
☞  he that believes must not make haste, neither must he will nor run, but in Patience wait in the Faith without Doubt and Wavering, till he receives the End of it, as some of old did, viz. the Salvation of their Souls: And so thou wilt know, as in the Light thou waitest, Salvation come nearer and nearer one Day then another unto thee, and wilt witness to the Truth of what the Apostle wrote, when he said, Now is Salvation nearer than when you first believed.  
Now tender Friend, I have this principally to advise thee of, that the Wiles and Devices of the Enemy are many and mysterious, and the Murderer ariseth with the Light, and 'tis against thee, who art come to believe in the Light, he rageth within and without, and about thee he goeth as a roaring Lion, seeking to devour; and as a subtle Fox to get into the Vineverd again, and spoil the tender Grapes; therefore I counsel thee to wait low in thy Mind, in that Heavenly Principle of Light, to which thou hast been turned, and in which thou hast believed, in this the Devil hath no Part; abiding here, thou art as one armed in a strong Tower of Defence; keep thou thyself that he may never prevail against thee by Allurements, Baits, Shares and Enticements, and he can never force thee, nor by all his Strength compel thee to yield unto him and obey him.  
But know this, he will suit and sort his Temptations according to thy Temperament, State and Condition, seeing thou hast turned thy Back upon that wherein his Kingdom stands, and where his Works and Will is done, and set thy Face Sionward, and walks in the Light within, that leadeth thereto; he knoweth 'tis in vain for him to appear unto thee now as a Devil, therefore will he transform himself like unto an Angel of Light, and propose and promise as great Things to thee, as he did to Eve in Paradise, if he can but get thee out of thy Way, the Light within (which makes him manifest in all his Shapes and Transforming) he will prevail against thee, and cause thee to err, and deceive thee under the Hope of enjoying a greater Liberty and a higher Glory; thus he hath beguiled some in this Age; for when and where the Woman appeareth clothed with the Sun, 
☞  and the Moon under her Feet, and a Crown of twelve Stars upon her Head, being with Child, crying, travailing in Birth, pained to be delivered, then, and there also the great red Dragon with his seven Heads, ten Horns, and seven Crowns upon his Heads, appeareth also, and with his Tail draws Stars from Heaven, and casts them to the Earth, and also stands ready before the Woman, to devour her Child as soon as 'tis born; Read Rev. 12.1, 2, 3, 4. and the Lord give thee Understanding.  
So, tender Friend, If thou desirest to travail on with Safety in the Way and Path of Christianity, from its Birth to the Cross, and from the Cross to the Crown, thou must walk in the Light, and daily learn of the Grace of God within, and keep on thy Armour, the Light within, whereby thou hast conquered many Enemies within, and overcome divers Temptations within; and hast known it as an Axe laid to the Root of the Evil Tree within, abide thou in it, and keep thy Eye fixed upon him that heweth therewith, that thou mayest know its Work throughly effected, (viz.) the very Root of the Evil Tree cut up; not only its Branches lopped off, and the Root struck at, but Root and Branch destroyed; and the Heavenly Plant to grow and increase into a Tree of Righteousness instead thereof within thyself, that thou mayest fit under its Shadow with Safety, and eat of the Fruit thereof with Delight.  
Now, though thou art a Believer in the Light, and a Learner of the Grace, and art travailing right on in the same, towards a full Enjoyment thereof, know this, That thou wilt meet with many Trials, Exercises and Temptations in the Way, some to turn thee out of it, and others to cause thee to sit down short, and take up a Rest by the way, and glory in thy former Experiences, Openings, Sights and Revelations, and Power over Devils, which thou hast been endued withal; so, if the old Serpent cannot prevail in the one, he may in the other; envying thy Happiness, he will try all Means against thee, to beguile thee, as he did Eve, tempt and allure thee out of a Heavenly Estate, he will hardly beset thee within and without; and when thou appearest before God, hewill appear also with Lies and Accusations against thee: Now, keep thou in the Light wherewith thou art enlightened, and in which thou hast believed, and lean thou upon and trust in the Grace of God, which is sufficient and present with thee, and ready and able to save and deliver thee, when his Allurements and Buffet attend thee.  
And this Light within, in which thou hast believed, as thou walkest in it, will show thee the Nature and Tendency of the Bait, though covered with Golden Pretences, and the very Hook that's covered therewith: So as thou waitest and abidest in this Light, in vain is the Snare laid in thy Sight, in vain are all his subtle Devices 'gainst thee, and in vain are all his variable Appearances in order to deceive and destroy thee, whether he appears as a subtle Serpent, or as a Satan to accuse (as he did Job) before God, or as a Dragon or Roaring Lion to devour, or as an Antichrist; or on the contrary, whether he appear as an Angel of Light, with two Horns, like a Lamb, and in Sheep's Clothing; and further, 
In our Age, as in Ages past, the Devil hath confessed to the Appearance of Christ, and preached the Words of Truth, but in O position to the Power.  though he appears in, and assumeth the Form of Godliness, and preaches and confesses Christ in his Spiritual Appearance, within in words, and talks of and professeth the Light within, and the Motion of the Spirit, and a Learning of the Spirit, and a Ceasing from Man, and a Learning of the Anointing, Light and Grace within, and get into the Throne and Temple of God, and sit there as God; I say, In vain are all his variable Appearances, Wiles and Works, Forming and Transforming; as thy Eye is kept single, thy whole Body will be full of Light; and thou wilt be able to say, as some of old did, We are not ignorant of his Devices: And thou wilt try and discern Spirits; and that Ear will be open that tries Words as the Mouth tastes Meat, and judgeth the divers Sounds and Voices, and seethe to the In side, Root, Ground and Foundation of things that do appear, and gives them Names according to their Nature, and judgeth Righteously concerning them, and not according to Appearance only, whether within thyself or without: As in this Wisdom and Discerning thou abidest, thou wilt travail safely on, from Faith to Faith, from Knowledge to Knowledge, from one Degree of Grace and Glory unto another, till thou comest to be fully gathered from the East, West, North and South, and sittest down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God; and also knowest the Son surrender the Kingdom to the Father, and God become all in all; then shalt thou know as thou art known, and see as thou art seen; and Death shall be swallowed up in Victory, Mortality of Immortality; and there shall be no more Sea, Death nor Sorrow, Crying nor Pain, former things being passed away, and all things made new; this Estate John saw in his Divine and Heavenly Revelation; and thou abiding in the Light, and walking in the Spirit, wilt not only see but enjoy the same: Read Rev. 21, & 22. and the Lord give thee Understanding more and more, and increase thy Joy in believing; and strengthen thy Faith and Hope, that they may be as a Trusty Shield of Defence, and as an Anchor sure and steadfast, to preserve thee from all Assaults, and from splitting upon a Rock or Sands, till thou arrivest at the Haven of Eternal Rest, and lie down in the Valley, where thy Bread, yea, thy Daily Bread, (fresh & fresh) from the Table of the Lord will be sure, and thy Water fail not, where none can make thee afraid, where no Enemy can prevail, where no Danger of making Shipwreck of Faith and a Good Conscience is, where no Destroyer is, where all Tears and the Cause of them are wiped away, where Faith and Hope hath an End, and where the Heavenly City is, whose Gates stand always open, and yet no unclean thing can enter: As thou perseverest in the Light, and obeyest and followest him that hath called thee out of Egypt, and translated thee from the gross Darkness thereof, thou wilt thereby be led to inherit and possess these things; for, It is he that endureth to the End, that shall be saved.  
Now, tender Friend, As thou walkest in thy Way, the Light within, the Spirit and Grace of God within, which teacheth not only to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts, but also to live Soberly, Righteously and Godlily in this present World, thou art safe. But I do advise thee notwithstanding, to take great heed, and watch diligently against the Enemy of thy Happiness in all his Appearances, and especially when he appears under the Form of Truth itself, with the Words of it in his Mouth, and with the very likeness of it; for I have seen him there, & he has beguiled and betrayed many thereby in this Age, even since we were a People; and he effected it by drawing the Mind from being stayed upon God, waiting low in his Light, to wonder after and desire something else, which he made appear louly to behold; the attaining of which, he persuaded them, would better their Condition, and increase their Glory: so, in hope, many, after they have been presented as a chaste Virgin to Christ, have again been subjected unto Vanity, in this Age, as Mankind was in the Beginning; and have lost a present good Estate by believing the Lies of the Serpent, who told them, They should enjoy a better; some he hath drawn out on this wise, and by other of his Wiles, to that Degree of Apostasy and Degeneration, that they are become like Trees twice dead, and plucked up by the Roots, never like to grow in the Garden of God again, whose Way and End is Utter Darkness, out of which there is no Redempi●on.  
Now, his other Ways and Means, whereby he lies in wait to deceive, are more open and manifest; but his Working under the Form of Truth more secret and mysterious, and more likely to prevail upon the Mind of ●e Simple, unless a diligent Watch be kept (then when he appears as he is) By this Means I have known him not only get into the Temple of God, & sit there, but to be worshipped as God, and exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshipped besides him. Now, ●e never got into the Temple, not sat there, 〈◊〉 was worshipped under the Name of a Devil, Satan or Prince of Darkness, now, 〈◊〉 in any Age; but mysteriously wrought himself in under a Disguise, clothing himself like an Angel of Light, that desired and endeavoured the Good of Mankind; by this Means he came and comes to be obeyed and worshipped, not as he is, but as he appears to be. Now, this Temple, where he sits, and where he is Worshipped, is the Heart and Mind of Mankind in the Degenerate Stite: And that which doth reveal him with his Mystery of Iniquity, is the Light and Sp●rit of God, in which thou hast believed, working and Operating in the same place, and consuming him with the Spirit of his Mouth, and destroying him with the Brightness of his Coming: But this thou knowest not effected so soon as thou believest; 'tis a Work wrought by Degrees; thy Safety and Duty is, To wait with Patience for the Coming of the Lord in that Light and Grace which fits and prepares his Way, and teacheth thee how to join with him when he appears, and to help the Lord against the Mighty, and to meet him in the Way of his Judgements, by which Zion is redeemed: And so, as thou here waitest, thou wilt discern him when he appears from all the Appearances of thy Enemy, and be made willing in this Day of his Power to yield up thy Heart, Mind and Strength unto him, and to serve him, love, fear and obey him, this is required on thy Part; so wilt thou know him to appear unto thee as a Morning without Clouds, and in his Light thou wilt see more Light, and know it shine more and more unto a Perfect Day, till by the Brightness thereof the whole Mystery of Iniquity be discovered, and the Man of Sin destroyed, and thy Temple cleansed from all that doth Defile, and the Mystery of Godliness displayed therein, and Truth and Righteousness sit upon the Throne, and reign where Sin and Unrighteousness did reign, even in thy Heart and Mind, Will and Conscience; then will thy Earth rejoice, and thy Heavens rain down ●atness, and Everlasting Peace will be in thy Dwellings.  
The which that thou mayest attain unto, hold fast that thou hast; let none take thy Crown; whereunto thou hast attained, therein walk, pressing forwards to the End of thy Race, where the Crown of Life is laid up; and take heed of thy own Thoughts and Imaginations, Conceivings and Consultations, and of that Will that works not the Righteousness of God; these of thy own House will prove thy greatest Enemies, if thou walkest not in the Light which discovers them, and takes up the Cross that crucifieth them, and is able to bring every high Thought and Imagination into the Obedience of Christ; & while this is bringing to pass, abide in the Patience, bearing the Cross of Christ, which is the Power of God, and keep thy Eye fixed on the same, and look not downward to the Earth, nor at the Smoke that ascends out of the bottomless Pit, and darkens the Air, nor at the Dragon that makes War in Heaven; but join thou with Michael the Prince, and follow the Lamb, which rides on conquering and to conquer; so shalt thou overcome, and sit down with him on his Throne, as he sat down with his Father on his Throne, and know thy Enemies made thy Footstool.  
And that thou mayst not fail hereof, Watch, also against the dead Spirit of Formality; see that thy Form of Godliness is accompanied and seasoned with Life, Virtue and Power; for though Godliness is not manifested without a Form, yet there may be a Form without the Power; this Spirit of Formality captivated some in former Ages, and led them to deny the Power, from such they were to turn away then, and so art thou now; for if this Spirit of Formality prevails, though a Form of Godliness be ●etained, as a Form of sound Words; Plainness and Decency in Apparel; Superfluity of Meats and Drinks laid aside; Respecting men's Persons, and Worshipping them with Cap and Knee avoided; Truth and Light within professed in Words; Meetings and Assembling often frequented; the Sound of Truth as a lovely Song, etc. Yet if thy Heart be gone astray; if thou feelst not Life to lead thee; if thou takest not up the Daily Cross to thy Will, Thoughts, Affections, Lusts and Passions, and by the same mortify them; thou mayst be a mere Formalist, and thy observing and abiding in thy Form may become as abominable in the Sight of the Lord now, as it was of old among his once Peculiar People, the Jews, when he sent his Prophet Isaiah to cry against them, though they kept and observed the Multitude of Offerings and Sacrifices, Feasts & Fasts, New-Moons and Sabbath Days, Solemn Meetings and Assembling before the Lord, etc. which was the very Form of Worship he once commanded; but the Spirit of Dead Formality being got into their Hearts, corrupted them, So that he that killed an Ox, was as he that slew a Man; he that sacrificed a Lamb, as he that cut off a Dog's Neck; he that offered Oblations, as if he offered Swi●●s Blood; he that burned Incense, as if he blessed an Idol; the Reason of all this was, not because these Things were evil in themselves, but because the Call of the Lord was not answered, and because when he spoke, they did not hear, but did Evil before his Eyes, and chose that in which he delighted not, yet observed and performed the outward Part of Worship, and sat before the Lord as his People, and loved and delighted to hear the Word of the Lord by the Mouth of his Prophet, but not to do them: Read Isaiah 66.3. and Ezekiel 33.30, 31, 32.  
Now dear Friend, let this sore Evil never some near thy Dwelling, in thy holy Form of Godliness, which thou hast been lead unto by the Power, keep in the Sense and Feeling of the same, in thy Form of sound Words; keep in the Fear of God and Tenderness of Conscience, wherein thou wert at first constrained to speak them, even in the Cross to self, which took great Offence thereat; yet in Tenderness, Love and Fear to God, against thy Will, and the Pride and haughty Spirit of this World, wert thou moved to speak them; likewise thy holy Form, in not Respecting men's Persons, or having them in Admiration because of Advantage, nor honouring them in bowing with Cap & Knee; nor giving flattering Titles to Men; this the Spirit of the Lord led to in the Beginning, keep in the same, and his Presence and Power will uphold thee in the same, and also lead thee to honour all Men in the Lord, and to be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake, and truly to honour thy Parents, and rise up before thy Elders, and give them double Honour, and to be courteous and kindly affectionate unto all; this will the Spirit of the Lord lead thee to, being the Nature of Christianity, as thou walkest and abidest therein, thou wilt be like thy Heavenly Father.  
And thy Holy Form of Plainness of Apparel, and thy Avoiding of Superfluity in Meats and Drinks, etc. keep thou with that Holy Spirit that led thee thereto; and let not the Sense thereof departed from thee; so shalt thou feel the Power thereof accompanying of thee, and working in thee to remove that Root and Ground from whence all Superfluity of Naughtiness did arise, and wholly mortify that Spirit that delighted in these things.  
And in thy Holy Form and Manner of Meeting together, always have thy Mind exercised in that Love and Life, Virtue and Power of the Lord, by which he touched thy Heart, and met with thee therein in the beginning; so shalt thou enjoy more and more of his Presence, and increase in Wisdom, Life and Strength, and all the Virtues of the Holy Spirit: And though thou hast received an Unction from the Holy One, which is able to teach thee all things necessary or needful to thy Salvation; yet this will not lead thee to forsake the assembling of thyself with the Lord's People, according to their wont Manner, nor to forsake the Flocks of the Companions, nor the Footsteps thereof; but to travail on in the same, till thou comest to know where they lie down at Noon, solacing themselves in the green Pastures of Life, and there to lie down with them, where none can make thee afraid, and where no Destroyer is, where the Spirit of dead Formality hath no place: Here thy Form of Godliness will be accompanied with Power, and this Evil will never overtake thee, as it hath some in our Age, who are convinced by the Truth, and love the Sound thereof, yet come to our Meetings, and frequent our Assemblies formally and customarily, even as the Unbelievers and ignorant People go to hear the Common Service, or Studied Sermons; but receive not the Engrafted Word, which is able to save their Souls: So, though they hear many Heavenly Testimonies and Exhortations, they receive and obey them not; neither do they grow and increase in their Inward Man, from one Degree of Grace, Knowledge and Virtue unto another.  
This Spirit of dead Formality hath also assumed the Form of Sound Words, and Plainness of Apparel, etc. and under this Form and Disguise hath brought forth and effected much Evil, deceived many, and laid a stumbling before others, and brought an Evil Report upon the Truth, and those that live in it. And this Evil Spirit of Deceit, Hypocrisy and Formality, hath wrought more Mischief against the Truth, and the Holy Profession of it, manifest within (even under this Form) than all open Opposition and Persecution could ever effect. This is now (and hath been in former Ages) the Way and Work of the Spirit of Deceit, when he cannot prevail by direct Opposition and Perfecttion, then will he get the Words and Profession of Truth, and appear and work under the Form thereof; and by the Evil Fruits he brings forth under this Disguise, he occasions many, who are waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and strictly observing the Conversation of the Children thereof, to lose their Expectation, and to sit down and conclude, These People are but as others, and their Way is but as other Ways; and they fail in their Profession of Holiness, etc. as others do; we see Evil amongst them, as amongst others, even under their very Form, etc. This hath occasioned many to take up their Rest in a Latitudinarian Spirit; or to be ready to say, All Men are Liars, and Religion a Cheat; and some to run into Atheism itself. But double Woe and Misery will be the Portion of those Persons, who entertain and join with this Spirit of Deceit and Hypocrisy, and thereby occasion many to stumble, go backwards, and fall, and speak Evil of the Way of Truth, which is Peaceable, Peasant and Pure, not only in itself, but also to all those that love it, and obey it, and become Children of it. But as for those, that once knew the Way of the Lord, and afterwards gave way to the Spirit of Evil, Deceit, Hypocrisy and Formality; or that took up the Form of Godliness to deceive, as in former Ages, so now; such are more Abominable in the Sight of the Lord, and more to be testified against then the very Heathen or profane Unbelievers: False Brethren are most Perilous, and Hypocrites most Odious in the Sight of God and all good Men; and the Gild of Souls lies at their Door, because of their Ungodly Practices and Evil Do under the Form, Show and Profession of Godliness; such, like Unsavoury Salt, are good for nothing, but to be trod under Foot of Men, judged and condemned by God's Witness within themselves, and without by others; and the Knawing Worm takes hold of them, and the Unquenchable Fire is kindled in their Bowels, and an Earnest of Eternal Vengeance they receive, as a Just Recompense of Reward, and like fallen Angels, are reserved in Chains to the Judgement of the Great Day.  
For, my Faith and Belief is, That if all that ever took up the Form and Profession of the Truth, Light, Grace and Spiritual Manifestation thereof within, had stood firm in the same, and watched against, ruled over, and kept out the Spirit of Enmity, Ungodliness, Deceit and dead Formality; and by the Heavenly Gift and Power, with which they were endued, had judged the Serpent in all his Appearances, Forming and Transforming, and walked Uprightly in the same, the Eye of the Nations had been towards us; and Yea and Nay had been of great Authority in this Nation of England before this day; and Truth in the Inward Parts, the Law of the Spirit, the Rule of Life and Manners Within, honourable, and of high Esteem in the Hearts and Minds of Thousands, more than now it is: Offences have come, and may come; but Woe to them by whom they come.  
So, my tender Friend (who hast not had thy spiritual Senses throughly exercised, nor art not yet acquainted with all the Wiles and Devices of the Enemy) for whose sake I chief writ this Epistle; this One Thing I would have thee settle in thy Mind, 
At the Gate of dead Formality, and under the Form of Godliness, the Destroying Spirit of Apostasy entered in the Primitive Times; and soon eclipsed the Light of the Glorious Gospel; and the Old Adversary effected that by turning Professor of Christianity, which he could not bring to pass by Bloody Persecutions and open Opposition.  and fully understand, that the Spirit of Satan working under the Form of Godliness, is that which hath been, is, and will be the greatest Waster, and Destroyer, and Opposer of the Power thereof: Therefore watch thou against him in this Appearance, not only in others, but in thyself, so wilt thou frustrate his Design, and be able to keep thyself (as some of Old did) that the Evil One touch thee not.  
W. S.  
THE END.