THere is a Poſition laid down in ſome Printed Letters, concerning the uſe of the Common-Prayer-Book, tendred by one Edm. Elis (who profeſſeth himſelf to be a Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt) to Mr. Hughes, and Mr. Ford (as he ſtileth them) againſt which Poſition he entreateth me, if I find upon my Spirit any thing to be objected againſt it, to diſcover it in exact and punctual expreſſions. This deſire of his is ſet down in Print after the Letters.

His Poſition or Aſſertion is this: That a man may Worſhip God in Spirit, and in Truth in the uſe of that form of Prayer for Morning and Evening, which we call the Common-Prayer.

Now whoever would weigh this Aſſertion aright, muſt have the Ballance of the Sanctuary, and muſt put it into the Scale with an equal hand; and then looking with that eye, which is given to ſee the Miſteries of the Kingdom of God, to him who is born of God, the Truth or Error of it is eaſily diſcerned.

True Prayer is the breathing of the Child to the Father which begat it, from the ſence of its wants, for the ſupply of thoſe wants.

The Winde bloweth where it liſteth, and thou heareſt the ſound thereof, but canſt not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: So is every one that is born of the Spirit, John 3.8. God by the Breath of his Spirit, begets a man out of the Spirit and likeneſs of this World, into his own image and likeneſſe. He that is thus begotten: wants Nouriſhment, wants the Divine Warmth, the Breaſts of Conſolation, the Cloathing of the Spirit, the Garment of Salvation; wants the Bread of Life to feed on, wants the Water of Life to drink, wants ſtrength againſt the enemies Aſſaults, wiſdom againſt his Snares and Temptations, wants the arm of the Deliverer to preſerve and carry on the work of Redemption daily, wants Faith to deny the fleſhly Wiſdom, that ſo he may Truſt and Feel the Vertue of the Arm of the Deliverer, wants Hope, Patience, Meekneſſe, a clear Guidance, an upright Heart to follow after the Lord: yea very many are the daily wants of that which is begotten by the Breath of God, in its ſtate of weakneſſe, until it be drawn up into the Unity of the Body, where the full Communion with the Life is felt, the Heart ſatisfied, and the wants drowned.

Now the breathing of this Child to the Father, from the ſence of theſe wants, for his Supply, that's Prayer: nay though it be but a Groan, or Sigh, which cannot be uttered or expreſſed, yet that's Prayer, true Prayer, which hath an acceptance with the Lord, and receiveth a Gracious Anſwer from him: And he that begetteth the Child, teacheth him to Pray, even by the ſame Spirit which begat him. In watching daily to the Spirit, the Child is kept ſenſible of the Will of the Father, and in his Light he ſees the Way wherein he is to walk, he ſees alſo the Enemie when he is coming, yea and the Snares he is privily laying, and he feels his own weakneſſe to withſtand or eſcape: And in this ſence his Heart cries to the Father of Spirits for Preſervation, for him to ſtand by him, for him to ſtep in in the needful time, even in the Seaſon of Diſtreſs. And thus, watching to the Spirit, the Life of a Chriſtian is a continual courſe of Prayer: He prayes continually. This is the Living Prayer of the Living Child, which conſiſts not in a Form of Words, either read out of a Book or conceived in the Mind; but in feeling the Breath of its Nature iſſuing out, from the Principle of Life in it, to the Living Spring, which is the Father of it; who by cauſing his vertues to ſpring up in it, nouriſheth it to Everlaſting Life.

But now, man who is not born of the Spirit, but (by conceiving ſome of the Truths of God in the Wiſdom from below) hath attained to ſome change of Opinion and Converſation, he pretends to be this Birth from above, though indeed he is born but of Bloods, or of the Will of the fleſh, or of the Will of Man, John 1.13. and what God begets in, and gives to his True Child, he will be imitating, though he be out of the Nature and Spirit, where the True Child is begotten, and where the True gift of the Father is received by him. He will be believing, though he hath not received any Proportion of the Living Faith from the Hand of the Father; he will be forming Repentance and Sorrow for ſin, though his Heart be not turned from it; he will be hoping in Gods Mercy, although he be both from off the Foundation, and from under the ſhadow of the Mercy-ſeat; and he will be praying, though he hath neither received the Spirit, nor be taught by the Spirit to pray: And ſo being from that which ſhould guide him, and teach him the truth and way of Worſhip as it is in Jeſus, he runs out into the inventions and imaginations, and ſets up a way of his own chuſing; which he having much conſidered of, and beat out by reaſonings, and fenced about with Arguments, he grows wiſe in his own eyes, and now verily believes it to be the way of God, and that he is able to maintain it againſt all oppoſers. Thus one man, he is for a Form; another man, he is againſt a Form, and for conceived prayers; and each think themſelves able to maintain their own, and to overthrow each other. But Oh that that ear were open, which can hear the truth, that where there is any true, honeſt, upright deſire after God, from the ſimplicity of the heart, it might not be thus betrayed through the ſubtilty of the fleſhly wiſdom, which lies lurking in the wiſe, reaſoning, knowing part, to betray the poor weak Babe. The natural man, the reaſoning man, the underſtanding man, the wiſe man according to the natural wiſdom, cannot underſtand the things of God. Here's no learning to pray aright, to believe aright, to hope aright, to mourn aright, to rejoyce aright, &c. But this wiſdom muſt be brought to nothing (1 Cor. 1.19.) and a man muſt become as a child to all knowledge, as let in this way: And he that ſo becomes a child, is taught to pray, to believe, to wait, to hope, and all that is neceſſary to eternal life.

Now as the Father teacheth to pray, ſo he giveth deſires or words (if he pleaſe) according to the preſent need. Sometimes he gives but ability to ſigh, or groan (if he give no more, he accepts that.) Sometimes he gives ſtrong breathings, and plenty of words to pour out the ſoul in before the Lord. But if a man ſhould catch thoſe words, and lay them up againſt another time, and offer them up to God in his own will, this would be but Will-worſhip and abomination. This I have known experimentally, and have ſelt the Wrath of God for it. That is Prayer, which comes freſh from the Spirit; and that is a true deſire, which the Spirit begets: but the affections and ſparks of mans kindling pleaſe not the Lord, nor do they conduce to the Souls reſt, but will end in the Bed of ſorrow, Iſa. 50.11.

Now as touching the Book of Common-Prayer, or Prayers conceived without the immediate breathings of the Spirit, I ſhall ſpeak mine own experience faithfully, which is this: I have felt both theſe wayes draw out the wrong part, and keep that alive in me, which the true Prayer kills. And he that utters a word, beyond the ſence which God begets in his ſpirit, takes God's Name in vain, and provokes him to jealouſie againſt his own ſoul. God is in Heaven, thou art on Earth, therefore let thy words be few. The few words which the Spirit ſpeaks, or the few, ſtill; ſoft, gentle breathings which the Spirit begets, are pleaſing to God, and profitable to the Soul: but the many words, which mans wiſdom affects, hurt the precious life, and thicken the vail of death over the Soul, keeping that part alive, which ſeparates from God; which part muſt dye, e're the Soul can live.

The true Prayer is by that which God begets, in the vertue of his Spirit (praying alwayes in the Spirit, Epheſ. 6.18. Jude 20.) in the time he chuſes: for the Spirit breatheth as well when he liſteth, as where he liſteth; and man cannot limit him when he ſhall breath, or when he ſhall not breath, but is to wait the ſeaſons of his breathing, and ſo to watch unto Prayer.

Now if the Prayer be in words (for there is a praying without words) then it muſt be in thoſe words which he pleaſeth to give, from the ſence which he kindleth, and not in the words which mans wiſdom teacheth, or would chuſe to uſe. And indeed, in the true Religion, and in every exerciſe of it, mans wiſdom is kept out, and nail'd to the Croſs, by which means the immortal life is raiſed and grows in the true Diſciple. He believes, he hopes, he waits, he prayes, he mourns, he rejoyces, he obeyes, &c. in the Croſs to the mortal part: not as mans wiſdom teacheth, or would teach, or can teach any of theſe things; for his Sacrifice is ſtill an abomination, even to the wiſe Egyptian part in himſelf (O wiſe man, abaſe thy ſelf before the Lord in his Spirit, that thou mayeſt read this and live) but as the life teacheth, as the Wiſdom from above teacheth, which breaketh down, ſhutteth up, confoundeth and deſtroyeth mans wiſdom, while he is teaching his Babe.

Thus have I anſwered, in the ſimplicity of my heart, to the nature of the thing, ſo far as the Lord hath pleaſed to draw forth my ſpirit; and in ſinking down to that, which thus opened my ſpirit, my Anſwer may eaſily be read and aſſented to: but to that which is in the diſputing wiſdom, out of the feeling of the hidden life and vertue, it may prove a Myſtery.

Afterwards, he alſo intreateth me to peruſe ſeriouſly, and to lay deeply to heart (in the real fear and dread of the great God) ſome particulars which he teacheth for Truths.

I perceive he is offended at the queſtioning of his Miniſtry, and that the main intent of his propoſing theſe, is to juſtifie his Miniſtry; which if they were true, yet the preaching of them would not prove him, or any man elſe, to be a Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt: for it is not preaching things that are true, which makes a true Miniſter, but the receiving of his Miniſtry from the Lord. The Goſpel is the Lords, which is to be preached, and it is to be preached in his Power; and the Miniſters which preach it, are to be endued with his Power, and to be ſent by him. The Apoſtles themſelves, though they had received inſtructions concerning the Kingdom from Chriſts own lips, both in his lifetime, and after his Reſurrection (Act. 1.3.) and had received a Commiſſion from him to teach all Nations, Matth. 28.18, 19. Yet this was not ſufficient to make them able Miniſters of the New Teſtament; but before they went abroad to Preach, they were to wait for the Power, Act. 1.4, 8. And when they had received it, they were to miniſter in it, that men might be converted to the Power and by the Power, that the Faith of perſons might not ſtand in the wiſdom of their words (which Paul might have abounded in, as well as others) but in the Power of God, 1 Cor. 2.5. And this was it made Paul miniſter in fear and trembling,, leſt the wrong part in him ſhould miniſter, leſt the earthly underſtanding part ſhould be holding forth the Truths of God out of the Life, out of the Power; and ſo he ſhould Convert men to the Wiſ •• m of the words he ſpake, and not to the Power, v. 2, 3. This was it he was ſent for, to turn men from darkneſs to light, from the Power of Satan to God (Acts 26.18.) from the ſpirit of enmity and death to the Spirit of Love and Life: and this he was careful of in his Miniſtry, that men might not run away with his words and miſs of the thing. And this alſo was the way whereby he diſcovered true and falſe Miniſters, I will come and know (ſaith he) not the ſpeech of them which are puffed up, but the Power: for the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in Power, 1 Cor. 4.19, 20. Many men might catch their words, and run away with them and Preach them, but they could not Miniſter in the Power. Now the Kingdome, which the Goſpel-Miniſters are the Preachers of, conſiſts not in words, but in Power. God hath made us able Miniſters of the New Teſtament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.6. The Miniſtry of the New Teſtament is a Miniſtry of the Spirit, and it cannot be without the Spirit. It is a reaching to men's Conſciences in the demonſtration of the Spirit and of Power (1 Cor. 2.4. and 2 Cor. 4.1, 2.) which being felt in the heart and turned to, this converts them to God.

The Miniſtry of the Goſpel doth not conſiſt in a bare opening of the Letter (or raiſing of Doctrines and Uſes from the Letter, which the wiſdom of man may eaſily perform) as the Miniſtry of the Law did: but in bringing men to the feeling of the Spirit, even of the Eternal Power of God which redeems, in turning men from the darkneſs to the Light, in ſetting their faces towards the Power. The Goſpel is the ſubſtance of what was ſhadowed out in the Law; and he that Miniſters it, muſt Miniſter ſubſtance. He muſt have the heavenly Treaſure (that's the ſubſtance) in his earthen veſſel, 2 Cor. 4.7. and he muſt give out of this Treaſure into the veſſel which God prepares: and that he may do this, he muſt Miniſter in the Spirit and in the Power. His words muſt not be ſuch as mans wiſdom would teach, or as mans comprehenſion would gather, but ſuch words as Gods Wiſdom prepares for him, and puts into his mouth. He that will be a true Miniſter, muſt receive both his gift, his Miniſtry, and the exerciſe of both from the Lord; and muſt be ſure in his miniſtring to keep in the Power, or he will never win others to the Power: but in keeping in the Power, while he is miniſtring, and ſtanding in the croſs to his own underſtanding and wiſdom, giving forth the truths which the Lord chuſeth to have him ſpeak, in the words which God chuſeth, even in the words which are miniſtred to him by the Power; in thus miniſtring he ſhall ſave both his own Soul and thoſe that hear him, even all who in fear and meekneſs receive the ingrafted Word, which is able to ſave the Soul. For alas, alas, many have received words of Truth, and apprehenſions of Knowledge, whereby they hope to be ſaved: but how few are acquainted with that Knowledge which ſtands in the Power, which alone converts and keeps alive unto God! O how many Souls are to be anſwered for by them, who take upon them to be Paſtors from God, who have fed the Flock with words, with Diſcourſes which they have made, and have ruled over them with force and cruelty, but have wanted the love, the tenderneſs, the Light and Power of the true Shepherd! O what will theſe do, when God requires his ſheep at their hands! O that there were an heart to conſider. Ye Shepherds of England, little do ye know what is towards you.

Now for thoſe things themſelves, which he ſaith, he principally endeavours to make known to the ſons of men, there is a mixture in them; which, if he could ſingly apply himſelf to wait of the Lord, in the meek ſober Spirit, out of the conſultations, wiſdom and confidence of the fleſh, it might pleaſe the Lord to make manifeſt to him.

The firſt particular of thoſe, which he layes down for Truths, is, That the good things of this life, honours, riches, &c. unleſs we make uſe of them in the ſervice of God, are but vanity, and vexation of ſpirit; And in no wiſe any more capable to ſatisfie, or content an immortal Soul, than Lime, and Aſhes, and Cobwebs, and ſuch like traſh are to ſatisfie, and keep in health the bodies of thoſe perſons, who through the depravedneſs of their appetite, deſire to feed on them.

Anſw. Chriſt by his Miniſtry, calleth his Diſciples out of the world, up to the Father, out of the honours, riches and what ever elſe is of the world. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and ſeek not the honour that cometh from God onely? John 5.44. And the rich man, he bids him ſell all and follow him. And the Apoſtle John ſaith, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the juſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, 1 John 2.15, 16. He that will be a Diſciple of Chriſt, muſt travel out of the earthly into the heavenly, leaving all that is of this world behind him, poſſeſſing nothing as his portion, but him who hath call'd him out of his Countrey, from among his kindred, and from his Father's houſe to another Land, kindred and habitation. So that here they are Pilgrims and Strangers, Sojourners and Paſſengers, unknown to the world and of a ſtrange garb, behaviour and appearance in it, not enjoying any thing as the world enjoyes, not uſing any thing as the world uſeth, not honouring men or receiving honour from men, as the world gives or receives honour, but honouring men in the Lord, and receiving honour from the Lord: and what ever they ſeem to retain of the earthly things, they hold as Stewards under the Lord, not uſing or diſpoſing of them as they think good, but waiting for the diſcovery of the Maſters pleaſure, who is to order, in his Counſel and Wiſdom, all that is his own to his own glory. The Law required a tenth part to be given up to the Lord: the Goſpel requires all; Soul, Body, Spirit, Goods, good Name, &c. even that the whole poſſeſſion be ſold and laid at the Maſters feet: and he that keepeth any thing back, cannot be a Diſciple, cannot be a Souldier of Chriſt, but muſt needs entangle himſelf with the affairs of this life. This is ſound and ſavoury, even the Truth of Jeſus, as it is known and felt in the renewed Spirit: but his Words, if he meaſure them in the pure Light of God, he will perceive not to have ſprung thence, but to have been formed in the earthly wiſe part, even in that wiſdom, underſtanding and comprehenſion, which is ſhut out of the Myſteries of Gods Kingdom.

For his ſecond, That nothing but the enjoyment of God, the Fountain of all Goodneſs, can truly and really content an immortal Soul: And for his third, That no man can enjoy God, but he that loves him with all his heart, and with all his Soul, and (for his ſake) his Neighbour as himſelf: I own both the things themſelves and theſe words, and I felt a good ſavour in them at the reading of them: onely let me ſay this, if he put men upon ſtriving after theſe things, without pointing them to the gift where the ſtrength is received to perform, and where the waiting is to be for the ſtrength, he cannot preach them profitably to his hearers.

To his fourth, That, though every ſincere Convert, or regenerate perſon loves God continually with his whole heart, as to the habit, or root of holy love; yet whilſt he is in the body, he may ſometimes fail of the Act, or fruit of it, and may offend God through the love of the creature. Which Truth (ſo much oppoſed in theſe dayes) is clear, and manifeſt in the holy Scriptures: particularly in the Records of the hainous ſins of the Prophet David, and Peter the Apoſtle.

Anſw. The Lord Circumciſeth the heart of Believers under the New Covenant, to love the Lord their God with all their heart, that they may live: he cauſeth the Plant to ſpring up out of the dry and barren ground, which he watereth with his Bleſſing; and he layeth his Axe to the Root of the old Tree, hewing at it, even till he hath cut it up: he engrafteth the Eternal Word into the heart, and by it is daily purifying thereof, fulfilling the good pleaſure of his goodneſs therein, and carrying on the Work of Faith with power: and the Miniſtry which he gave, was for the perfecting of the Saints. (Epheſ. 4.12, 13.) which Miniſtry exhorted and encouraged Believers (from God's Promiſes of his preſence and powerful operation of his Spirit in the hearts of his Sons and Daughters) to cleanſe themſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. Now that the corrupt Tree ſhall never be cut down whilſt man is in the body, that the heart ſhall never be throughly circumciſed to love the Lord, but be in danger of offending God through the love of the Creature: this doctrine and belief ſpringeth not from the pure Fountain of Life and Power, but the reaſoning part hath gathered it from it's conceivings beneath the Power.

The Seed of God cannot ſin (for as he is pure which begetteth, ſo is that pure which is begotten of him) nor can man ſin, who is born of it and abides in it: and if God pleaſe to perfect the Birth and the work of Circumciſion, What can hinder a man from being wholly born of it & from abiding in it? Indeed a man that ſtrives in his own ſtrength, either againſt ſin or towards holineſs, may well doubt of ever having it accompliſhed: but he that feels the Eternal Power beginning the work, and carrying it on daily, cannot doubt but he can perfect it, yea, and is encouraged (by the feeling thereof) to hope and wait on him for the perfecting of it.

As for his inſtances of David and Peter, they reach not the thing: For though David and Peter did fall, yet both David and Peter might attain an higher ſtate before they went out of the body, then they were in before they fell. David was a great Prophet, and Peter a pretious Diſciple, but yet there was an higher Eſtate to be adminiſtred, even the receiving that which the Prophets propheſied of, and which the Diſciple was to wait for. The Diſciples who had known Chriſt, and had been taught by him, and had received a Commiſſion from him, to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth was given, yet were to wait for a Further and Higher State, even for receiving the Promiſe of the Father, the Power from on High, that he that was with them might be in them, John 14.17. John was as great as any Prophet, and yet he that was leaſt in the Kingdom, was greater then he. Read the Acts of the Apoſtles, behold what a pretious people was brought forth, even in the beginning of the Apoſtles Miniſtry, how full of Faith, how ſtripped of the world, how ſingle-hearted to God and one towards another, Acts 2.42. &c. and Acts 4.32. &c.) What would theſe be, abiding and growing up in the Vine? The cutting off of ſin, is neceſſary while in the Body, but to make the committing of ſin neceſſary while in the Body, is a great Derogation to the Power of Gods Grace, and to the Myſtery of Faith, which overcometh the evils of the Heart, and the Worldly Nature within; purifieth the Conſcience from dead works, and is held in the Pure Conſcience. O that men knew the Power, and the Faith which ſtands in the Power: For then would not they judge it ſo impoſſible to be cleanſed by the Faith through the Power. O that Light, that Light, that Pure Light of the Spirit, wherein the Living Blood runs, which cleanſeth from all ſin, and keepeth clean them that abide and walk in it! If this were but a little felt, ſuch Doctrine as theſe (which are gathered in the comprehenſion from words read, without being let into the thing it ſelf) would ſoon vaniſh, and find no place in the Heart where the Power dwells, nor in the underſtanding which is renewed, preſerved and fed by the Power. For the things of God are to be known, and held in the underſtanding which is given of God (which underſtanding is of the Spirit, and is Spiritual) and not wirh the natural underſtanding, which cannot receive the things of the Spirit, but onely a carnal apprehenſion and ſence of the words of the Spirit, according as a man can beat them out with, and comprehend them in his reaſoning part.

To the fifth, That the Souls of the faithful are alwayes growing in grace, whilſt they are in the body; and at the inſtant of death, or ſeparation from the body, our Lord Jeſus ſhall preſent them to the Father without ſpot, or blemiſh.

Anſw. Chriſt preſenteth to the Father, when he hath purified the heart and mind, and made it fit for Gods pure life and preſence. He hath received the fulneſs from the Father, and hath freely given of his grace and of his truth to the ſons of men, to regenerate them, to cleanſe and ſanctifie their hearts, and make them fit for God to dwell in. He ſitteth in his Temple as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver (who is like a Refiner's Fire and like Fuller's Soap) and when he hath purified his Diſciples, his Children, his Levites, he preſenteth them to the Lord, for the Lord to Tabernacle and dwell in: when he hath throughly conſecrated them, he preſenteth them as Kings and Prieſts to his Father, to offer up an Offering for Righteouſneſs, and to reign with him in his Kingdom, Mal. 3.3. Rev. 1.5. And there were ſome ſo purified by the leaven of the Kingdom (which purgeth out the old leaven by degrees, even till at length it hath made the lump wholly new) that to them all things were pure, Titus 1.5. There were ſome come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jeruſalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Aſſembly and Church of the firſt-born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the Spirits of juſt men, made perfect, and to Jeſus the Moderator of the New Covenant, and to the Blood of Sprinkling, Heb. 12.22, 23, 24. Thus it was before the Apoſtacy: yea, and after the Apoſtacy there were ſome found ſtanding on Mount Sion again, ſuch as had learned the New Song, ſuch as were redeemed from the Earth, ſuch as were not defiled with Women, (with any of the falſe Churches or their falſe wayes of worſhip) but had kept their Virginity in the Wilderneſs. If ye would know who theſe were, they were the firſt-fruits unto God and the Lamb after the Apoſtacy, who were throughly cleanſed by the Spirit of burning, inſomuch as in their mouth was found no guile, but they were without fault before the Throne of God, Revel. 14. v. 1. to 6.

The Work of the Spirit of Chriſt in the heart is an inward work, and doth not conſiſt in outward time or ſeaſons, but in ſpiritual degrees and ſeaſons: which when they are finiſhed, the heart renewed, the ſpirit changed, the work wrought out; then the glory of the Father is revealed, the entrance into the everlaſting Kingdom Miniſtred, and then there is a ſitting down in the everlaſting Manſion, even with Chriſt in the Heavenly places which he hath prepared, where they that are redeemed, and purged, and ſanctified, ſit together with him: and as the body cannot hinder his entring into the ſpirits of his Saints, and his dwelling in them, no more can it hinder their entring into him and dwelling in him.

Now there are ſeveral exerciſes of Spirit, ſeveral meaſures of Faith, and ſeveral degrees of Life and Glory. Some are under the Clouds, ſome in the Sea; ſome in Egypt, ſome in the Wilderneſs; ſome waiting for his appearance, ſome in the enjoyment of him already appeared. In ſome the work of Regeneration, of Sanctification, of newneſs of Spirit and Life is but begun, in others it is interrupted and they come to a loſſe; in ſome it is much carried on, even towards conſummation, and ſome are already compleat in him, finding fulneſs of ſatisfaction in him (in whom the everlaſting Springs are opened, to the full content of their hearts) and bring forth fruit to him, to the full content and ſatisfaction of his heart. In the Apoſtles dayes there were thoſe that waited for his coming, and there were thoſe alſo that knew him come, and had received the good underſtanding from him, and were in the Eternal life, John 5.20.

Yet this doth not exclude growth, for the fulneſs is infinite: and though a perfect ſtate may be attained in the perfect gift, yet there is a growth in the perfection (for Chriſt who was perfect, and in whom was no guile, grew in Wiſdom and Knowledge, and in favour with God and men.) And as God is infinite, ſo that which is tranſplanted into him, there is no growth in him; but the Tree, which ſtands in God's holy Earth, by his pure River of waters, ſhall grow for ever into his endleſs life and fulneſs.

To his ſixth, That no man can ſo know God as to love him with all his heart, and with all his Soul, but through the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, and him Crucified: Who, by thoſe grievous ſufferings which he endur'd when he was upon Earth, made ſatisfaction to the juſtice of God for the ſins of all thoſe that believe in his Name: ſo that it is as conſiſtent with the juſtice, as with the mercy of God, to forgive them their ſins, and make them heirs of eternal life. God is juſt, and the Juſtifier of him that believeth in Jeſus.

Anſw. The knowledge of Chriſt is life Eternal, and in his Croſs is the ſpiritual vertue, which cuts off the uncircumciſion of the heart, whereby it is enabled to love the Lord. Now Chriſt is the Lord from Heaven, the quickning Spirit, who ſoweth the Seed of the Kingdom in the heart, and cauſeth it to ſpring up; out of which Seed the Faith, the Love, the Hope, the Meekneſs, the Patience, and every ſpiritual fruit ſprings and grows. And he that is thus born of this Seed, and receives the knowledge of life which ſprings from this Seed, he cannot but love him which begat him, and he reapeth the fruit of all that Chriſt did and ſuffered in that prepared body: and God is both juſt, and the Juſtifier of him, who is thus united to Jeſus. But that man who knoweth not this Faith, nor is acquainted with the love which ſpringeth from this Root, and which is of this Divine nature, but thinketh to be juſtified by applying to himſelf what is related in the Hiſtories concerning Chriſt; this man deceives his Soul, and miſſeth of the true Juſtification: for God is juſt, who hath made the Promiſe ſure to the Seed, and hath ſhut out man, further than he is born of the Seed, and found in the Seed. But he who abideth in the Seed, and in whom the Seed findeth pleaſure and abideth, he cannot miſs of the Promiſe, of the everlaſting Righteouſneſs, the Reconciliation, the Peace, the Joy, and whatever elſe God giveth to the Seed.

To his ſeventh and laſt, That the ready way to receive Chriſt, the onely Light, by which we may ſee the way to Heaven: or ſo to believe in him that we may be ſaved by him, is, to forſake all that we have, that we may be his Diſciples: that is to ſay, to take off our affections from things on the Earth, and to ſet them on things above, where Jeſus ſitteth on the right hand of God: putting our truſt and confidence in the free, and in the infinite mercy of God, through Chriſt, to be guided by him in all our wayes, to be led by his good Spirit in all thoſe wayes of grace and holineſs, through which we muſt paſs before we can attain to glory.

Anſw. To know Chriſt as the Light eternal, (as he was yeſterday, is to day, and will be for ever) to truſt this Light in its convictions, calls, and free openings of love, to feel its living virtue, and in that virtue to give up all thats of the earthly nature and ſpirit, to ſell it for the everlaſting inheritance, this is indeed the way to life. But it is not the doing of things which is of value, for man may imitate and ſtrive to do much, and may go a great way in forſaking all, and in taking off his affections from things, (inaſmuch as he may give all his goods to the poor, and his body to be burned, and yet it profit him nothing:) but it is the doing of things in the virtue, in the life, in the power which comes from Chriſt, which is of acceptance with God, and of advantage to the ſoul. Every motion and operation of true life ſprings from the root of life, and hath the virtue of the root in it: and that which differenceth it from all mens imitations, and from all the likeneſſes which the earthly ſpirit can frame, is the nature and virtue of the root being found in it. Therefore he that will be a true Chriſtian, muſt eye Chriſt the ſpring of his life, and keep in the feeling of his living virtue, and in that offer up all his Sacrifices of faith, love, and obedience to God: and he that will be a true Miniſter, muſt wait upon the power himſelf, to be an Inſtrument (in the hand of the power) to direct men to this, and to preſerve and build them up therein.

But alas, this is the Stone, which the wiſe Builders have all along refuſed! The Builders before the coming of Chriſt, they got a knowledge concerning the Meſſiah to come, but being unacquainted with the thing it ſelf, rejected both it at its coming, and alſo the Veſſel wherein it appeared. And the Builders all along the Apoſtacy, gat a knowledge of Chriſt come, and preached Believing in him crucified as the way to life; but the living Stone, the living thing it ſelf (which is both the foundation, the corner-Stone, and the top Stone of the Building) they have been ignorant of, and ready to perſecute every appearance of it. Chriſt can no more now appear in Spirit, than formerly he could in that prepared body of fleſh; but the wiſe Builders now are as ready to cry out againſt him for a Blaſphemer, a prophaner of Gods Ordinances, a deceiver of the people (yea, a Witch or one that hath a Devil) as the wiſe Builders then were. But Wiſdom in all ages is juſtified by her Children, and of none elſe. He that is born of the Wiſdom, he can diſcern the womb, and own the fruit and branchings forth thereof under the mean dark vail, whereby it hides it ſelf from all the fleſhly wiſe of every age. The Kingdom of God cometh not by obſervation, the wiſeſt Scribes and Phariſees could not know it by all the obſervations, which they could gather out of Moſes and the Prophets Writings; nor can any now know it, by any obſervations they can gather out of the Apoſtles Writings: but by being born of that ſpirit whereof they were born, and by being formed in that womb wherein they were formed, by this means alone is the thing come to be known which they knew. He that receiveth the ſame eye, ſeeth the ſame thing, according to his meaſure: and coming to the life, wherein they received the Truth, the words which they ſpake concerning the Truth are eaſie. Thus as they were writ in the Spirit, ſo are they there along truly read: and being ſo read, they become exceeding profitable to that which ſo reads them: but man gueſſing, and imagining, and reaſoning in his carnal wiſdom concerning the things of God, and ſo gathering ſences and meanings about the words and expreſſions of Scripture, doth but build up a Babel, which the eternal Life and Power will throw down (when ever he appears) with that which built it. O that men were wiſe to wait for the diſcovery of the true Rock, and of the true Builder upon that Rock, that that City and Building might be raiſed in them, which God alone can rear, that they might not be left deſolate and miſerable in that ſtormy day, which will ſhake all Buildings, and Foundations, and Rocks but our Rock: wherein all Profeſſors, and Preachers, and high Notioniſts, and what ever ſort elſe can be named (who have ſtumbled at Gods living Truth, and at the pure appearance of his redeeming Power, which in this age hath mightily broke forth, after the long dark night of Apoſtacy, to the ſight of every eye which is opened in the Spirit) ſhall confeſs with tears, ſorrow, anguiſh and ſhame, that their Rock is not in our Rock, they themſelves being Judges. For though all ſort of Profeſſors generally own Chriſt as the Rock in words, yet moſt miſs of the thing: and the ſubtile Enemy hath made uſe of a Notion, or apprehenſion of the thing in the carnal mind, to deceive them of the thing, to keep them from feeling the eternal vertue, the living Power of Life in the heart, which is the Arm of Gods Salvation, whereby Chriſt draws mans loſt ſoul and ſpirit out of the Pit, out of the Grave, out of Sin and corruption up to the Father. But O how are poor hearts deceived, who think by a believing of what Chriſt did, of a ſatisfaction he made for them while he was here on Earth, though they lye in the Pit all their dayes, though they carry the body of ſin about with them to the very laſt of their time here in the body, and have not felt the Arm of God's Power breaking down their ſpiritual enemies, their luſts, their corruptions, and redeeming them from them, yet hope to be ſaved in the end, and to be preſented without ſpot or wrinkle to God! Chriſt had the name Jeſus given him, becauſe he was to ſave his People from their ſin: and no man can truly and livingly know the name Jeſus, further than he feels the ſaving vertue of it: but he that effectually feels the vertue, he indeed knows the name, and can bow at the name, feeling his luſts and enemies bowed under by the power thereof, and that raiſed up in him, which can Worſhip the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth. O that the ſons of men knew, O that the Teachers and Profeſſors of this age knew, what they have ſo long reviled and trampled upon! Surely they would mourn bitterly, kiſs the Son, and eſcape the wrath.

Now, if the Lord pleaſe to ſmite any ones earthly wiſdom and comprehenſion (which is the main thing which ſtands in the way of the pure openings and revelations of the life) and give him the feeling of any thing here written, let him in fear acknowledge the Lord, ſacrificing to his goodneſs, and waiting upon him to be kept in that feeling, not magnifying or villifying any of his Inſtruments, but in meekneſs and humility embracing the inſtructions of the Almighty, from the hand which he pleaſeth to give them forth by. As for me, I am but a Shell; and if this party knew me (who ſets me up ſo high, preferring me above many, whom the Lord hath preferred far above me) he would ſoon acknowledge me to be a very poor, weak, contemptible one: yet this I muſt by no means deny, that the pure Liquor of the eternal Life, at its pleaſure ſpringeth up and iſſueth out through me; though I can alſo in true underſtanding ſay, that it iſſueth out far oftener and much more abundantly through others. Let it have its honour, where ever it appears; and the Lord bring down that in peoples hearts, which hindreth the owning and receiving of its virtue.