Lord hath unveiled, nor attribute these fayings of his, and this his book, to the light within, which thofe whom the Lord hath unveiled, and keepeth unveiled, in his pure Spirit and quickening life, know to have come from the darkness within, and not from the true light; but the true eye, in the truly living, fees through it, and hath no union with it; but returns it back thither, from whence it came. Oh! how deeply doth antichrift blind and deceive men; that that which is their own ftate, they cannot fee to be fo! But apply it to others, whofe state it is not, and fo juftify themselves in that wherein God condemns them, and condemn others in that wherein God juftifieth them! This is fad work, and will have a fad iffue!

Seventhly, He faith, There is an invisible woman in every visible man, and there is an invifible man in every vifible woman; and the man Chrift Jefus, whe is the light of the world, he is in them both, &c.

Rem. Is not he now in the notional and comprehending part, muddling himself and others (whofe ears are open to him) about a woman in a man, and a man in a woman, and Chrift in both? Whereas truth is a plain thing; which they that come to feel and abide in, feel and witness redemption, and prefervation out of the comprehending part, and the dead notional knowledge thereof.

Eighthly, He faith, He doth not own the judgment and opinion of those minifters, nor yet their fuperiority, who fay, be that is not juftified by the witness of God in friends, is condemned by it in himself.

Rem. I fhall not now argue that there are true ministers, and that there is a true fuperiority (fome being greater and fome lefs in the covenant and life of truth), which every one that heareth and learneth of the Father, and fo is taught of God, will own: but to the thing itself. The witnefs of God is but one in all, and it condemns nothing but what is not of God; and what his witness in another condemns in me, his witness in me (whenever it arifeth and speaketh in me concerning that thing) cannot but condemn alfo.

It is true, as he faith, that juftification is by Chrift alone, who is the bead in every member, &c.

Rem. But Chrift is in other members alfo, as well as in one; and his life hath power to judge and condemn; and it judgeth and condemneth nowhere, but that which is to be judged and condemned. So that where-ever Chrift's life in any judgeth and condemneth any thing, that is judged and condemned by Christ. And the faints have power and authority in Chrift, not only to judge and condemn the world, but also to judge and condemn fallen angels and fpirits. To what end are they bid to try the fpirits, if after they have tried them, they may not judge and condemn what they find life and truth judging and condemning?

Ninthly, He excepts against that paffage in friends paper (as he recites it) that none are to minifter, but those that are reconciled to the church, and bare the approbation of the elders.

Rem.

Rem. What is the end of miniftering, but to gather out of the world into the church, or to build up the church? And are they fit to do either, who are not reconciled to the church? Or whom the Spirit, life, and power in the church and elders hath not unity with?

He further faith, That God was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himself, and not to the church (faith be); he remembers no fuch Scripture.

Rem. God added to the church fuch as fhould be faved; and were they not reconciled to it before they were added? And Chrift faid, concerning that brother that would not hear the church, that he should be looked upon as an Heathen or a publican; and are fuch as will not be reconciled to the church, nor hear it, allowed by God to minister, either to gather into the church, or to build up in it? Ah! furely it cannot be. There can be no true miniftering out of the life and Spirit of the body, or church that is in God. And all fuch as have thus gone out from God, in whom the church is, have miniftered against the life, Spirit, and power, but not in it; but in antichrift's ipirit and power, and against the truth.

Tenthly, He faith, Chrift the light within, will not give his power and authority out of his own hand to any man or men; for unto him alone is all judgment in heaven and in earth committed in matters of confcience.

Rem. Is Chrift's power given out of his hands, when his life and Spirit in one judgeth concerning that which is evil and out of the truth in another? Doth not the spiritual man judge all things? Doth not Chrift teach and enable him fo to do? Is there not fuch a gift of his to difcern fpirits? Cannot the ear that is circumcifed, and kept open by the Lord, try fpeeches and actions, and difcern when they are out of the life, and when in the life? And doth he give the power and authority out of his own hands, in enabling them fo to do? What dark expreffions are these, and dead too; not fo much as literally true?

Eleventhly, He faith, Chrift the light within is able to break, and he is also able to bind up that which he hath broken, and to heal that which he hath wounded, &c.

Rem. And hath not Chrift put a spiritual rod and sword into the hands of his church and miniftry, with which to fmite and wound, as his Spirit guides and leads them? Have they not power both to bind and loofe as Chrift faith? And is not this a wounding and healing virtue and power? After Chrift had faid, Tell the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man or a publican; doth he not immediately add, Verily I fay unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven? Matt. xviii. 17, 18. Is not this power and authority neceffary to the true church? What! a church, and not have power over her own members; but every one left to the dictates. of what they fhall call the light within, and not be fubject to the judgment of the true light, Spirit, and power of Chrit, the head in the living body? What a church was this? A mere Ba

bel

bel, and heap of confufion, a body that would never be at unity in itself. But God is the God of the order of his own Spirit, life, and power; and not of fuch confufion. This doctrine may go for truth in Babylon, but can never be owned in God's Jerufalem, where his Spirit did build up and defends the buildings, and judgeth out all fuch fandy and windy doctrines, which are loofe and airy, and have not a ground or bottom in the truth.

Twelfthly, He faith, There is fallibility attends all thofe, who are regenereted, and born of the Spirit of God, who is light, and that it is poffible for them to err from the light again, &c.

Rem. He doth herein lay the ftate of the truly regenerate and born of God lower than the fcripture lays it. The fcripture faith, Whosoever is barn of God, doth not commit fin; for his feed remaineth in him, and he cannot fin, becaufe he is born of God, 1 John iii. 9. And again, We know that whosoever is born of God finneth not; but be that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not, chap. v. 18.

There is a gathering into the feed, and an abiding in the feed; and there the foul is in the ftrong tower, and munition of rocks, where the enemy cannot reach. Adam in the fall was in a fallible ftate. Is the renewed, the redeemed ftate as fallible? What ftate is that wherein truth is fonatural, and the foul fo one with it, that it can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth, as Paul speaks? What ftate is that, wherein men overcoming, shall become pillars in the house of God, and fhall go no more out? Rev. iii.

But let men be ever fo fallible, the infallible Spirit and power is given to the church of God, to guide them in true understanding and judgment, especially in all things that relate to and concern them as a body; and they that are of the truth, and in the truth, love the judgment of Chrift the head in her; but they that are of another fpirit, and would have liberty out of the truth, to the transforming nature and fpirit, cannot abide it. What were my life in me, if it did not judge in me? And what were the church's life, if it did not judge in her, and condemn all that rifeth up from a contrary fpirit and nature? What means that promise, Ifa. liv. 17. No weapon that is formed against thee shall profper, and every tongue that rifeth against thee in judgment, shalt thou condemn?

Yet he confeffeth, That God is infallible, and that no fallibility attends him; but denies the very regenerate and born of the Spirit to be infallible, and that it is poffible for them to err from the light again; the enemy, which is the power of darkness, prefenting to them the fruit of the tree of knowledge, &c.

Rem. If God be infallible, as he confeffeth (though it is to be queftioned, whether from any true knowledge of his nature, or only from the comprehenfion), and God beget children; into what doth he beget them? Whether into a fallible nature and spirit, or into his own nature and Spirit, the least degree whereof is infallible? When men are truly turned to God, there are great and precious promises made to them, which through faith, obedience, and diligence, they come to enjoy, whereby they are made partakers of the

divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4. And when they partake of the divine nature, do they partake of a nature that is fallible, or infallible? He that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit, 1 Cor. vi. 17. And is that one Spirit a fallible, or infallible Spirit? There is one baptifm, wherewith the truly living are baptized, and doth that baptifm wash away that which is fallible or no? The church of Chrift, the body of Chrift, the spouse of Chrift, the chafte virgin that is married to Chrift, is one with Chrift: is it one with him in fallibility, or in infallibility? Bear with me, for I am conftrained to speak these things for truth's fake, for the church's fake; yea, for Christ's fake, and for the fakes of them who cry up the light within in words, and yet are deceived about it, and know it not; but are erred from it, and have fet up the darkness of antichrift in their minds, instead of it, which with them goes for the true light; and in this they judge that which is true, as if it were false, and juftify that which is falfe, as if it were true, both in themselves and others; both which are an abomination to the Lord.

He faith, There is a fallibility attends all thofe that are regenerate, and born of the Spirit of God.

Rem. What all? Thofe that come to the highest pitch, and greatest growth, can they not pass fallibility, and arrive at infallibility in a measure, and abide in it? To be regenerated and born of God, is an high ftate; it is not for every notionist and comprehender to be talking what is experienced there. There is a regenerating, and a being regenerated. There is a following Chrift in the regeneration, and there is a conformity to him. in his death, and in his life too. It is not good for him to be speaking much concerning that ftate, but rather to wait to be led into it, and to arrive at it in the true travel. But how he that is regenerated is one with Chrift (and is in the measure as he is) is hard to be known, and harder to be uttered. But he that is in this ftate, hath witneffed the holy calling, and faithfulness to him that called, and the election, and is one of the chofen, or elect of God; and Christ faith, fuch are beyond fallibility; for fpeaking of falfe Chrifts, he faith, If it were poffible, they should deceive the very Elect, Matt. xxiv. 24. plainly fignifying, that it is impoffible.

Now their poffibility of erring he lays upon the enemy's prefenting to them the fruit of the tree of knowledge, whilst they are in Eden, p. 6.

Rem. The enemy's prefenting temptations, doth not imply a poffibility of letting in the temptation, and fo of erring, in all to whom he doth prefent things. For he prefented things to Chrift, and yet it was impoffible for that Spirit and nature that Chrift was of, to let in his temptations.

But then, immediately in the next words he fheweth, How this poffibility, of falling is upon the enemy's prefenting to them the fruit of the tree of knowledge; namely thus, Their minds taking delight in it, and they feeding upon it, the enemy bath power to draw their minds out of Eden again.

Rem. The regenerate and born of God, are partakers of the divine nature, and wait on God for living food, and receive it of him, and live by VOL. II.

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it,

it, and cannot abide dead, dry, notional food, nor feed upon it. Bleffed be the Lord, there is that birth known, which can feed on nothing but life itfelf. And let the power of darkness prefent the fruit of the dead tree ever so often; the living babe will not meddle with it, but hungers and thirfts after righteoufnefs, and defires the fincere milk of the pure living word, that it may grow thereby. And if this holy nature be put into the babe, how much stronger is it in those that are grown in truth, and who come to be naturalized into it, the contrary nature being crucified, and flain in them by the cross of Chrift, and the new and holy nature ruling in them?

Thirteenthly. He faith, Wherefore I do believe that I ought not to fubject myfelf to what the church impofeth.

Rem. The church of God under the law, walking in that outward covenant, was a glorious camp or body; and had outward power, according to the outward law, appertaining to it. And the church of God under the gofpel, walking with God according to the covenant of the gospel, is a glorious, fpiritual body, and hath inward power belonging to it; and though not the church merely as men, yet that Spirit and power in the church, ought to be obeyed by every member thereof, in things pertaining to God. So it was in the apoftles days; they that were not diforderly and unruly, were obedient to the Spirit and power of God in the apoftles and churches then, 2 Cor. vii. 15. and chap. xxix. who had power to judge those that were within, 1 Cor. v. 12. And those that are indeed of God, will be obedient and fubject to his Spirit and power in his church now. And there is nothing elfe defired, but obedience to the Lord, as he moves, guides, leads and orders, both in the particular, and in the general.

His reafons why he doth not believe that he ought to fubject himself to what the church impofeth, are thefe: For then, faith he, I must believe that it is God in them, which doth impofse those yokes of bondage upon their brethren.

Rem. The church is called into the liberty of the goípel, and her children are born of the word immortal, and of the truth which makes free; and it is not the church's nature, either to receive or impose yokes of bondage, but to ftand fast, and to exhort all her members to stand fast, in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made them free. But where there is any thing unruly, or contrary to the power, that is to be yoked down by the power.

And the particular waiting upon God in his Holy Spirit, light, and power; the Spirit, light, and power, will difcover what is diforderly, and unruly, and not of God in the particular, and lay a yoke upon it. The church alfo waiting upon God, in their meetings together in his name, the Lord will discover what is hurtful to the body, and contrary to the life of the body, and lay yokes upon it; and he that refufeth this yoke, keeps alive that which is impure and fleshly, and keeps down the juft in him

felf.

But,