called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, &c. 1 Pet. v. 10. 15. To say that men must commit sin while they are upon the earth, is contrary to the whole body of the Scripture, and was never affirmed by any of the holy men of God, but by such deceivers as Leonard Letchford hath proved himself so to be, by pleading the devil's cause so frequently, which is to keep people in sin for term of life, which if he can by any means do, he knows they must come to him at the last, because the Son of God hath spoken it, Luke xiii. 27. 16. It is contrary to all these plain Scripture proofs, John viii, 34. 1 John iii. 4. 1 John iii. 8. He that committeth sin is of the devil, &c. they offend all, and so did Martha while she was cumbered about many things, as Christ told her, Luke x. 41. So when they went into the many things and many masters, as the world doth now, they offended all; but as they dwelt in the one thing which Christ spoke of, Luke x. 42, they were kept out of the offences, and kept a conscience void of offence towards God and all men, Acts xxiv. 16. 1 Cor vi. 3, And Christ said, woe to the world because of offences: for it must needs be that offences come; but woe unto that man by whom they come, Mat. xviii. 7. Luke xvii. 1. Obj. It is said also, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. Ans. This was spoken by John before he came to the fulness of Christ, though he was come to a measure of the stature of Christ, which kept him from committing sin; for he said, he that committeth sin is of the devil, and hath not seen God, neither known him, 1 John 17. To say that none can be perfect, doth make void the apostle's prayers for the Hebrews, when he parted from them; who prayed, that the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the ever-iii. 8. And whosoever is born of God doth not lasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, Heb. xiii. 20, 21. 18. To say that none can be perfect on earth, makes Paul a liar, who said to the Hebrews, But ye are come to Mount Sion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to the innumerable company of angels, Heb. xii. 22. 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, verse 23. But it may be objected, that there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not. Answer. This was spoken before the coming of Christ, who came to destroy sin, and finish transgression, as it is written, 1 John iii. 8, and to save his people from their sins, Mat. i. 21. not to be a Saviour in sin, nor to save his people in their sins, but to save them from their sins, and so from the punishment due there unto. Objection. But some in their blind ignorance will say, What benefit hath man by Christ, if he come to live without sin? Ans. He hath the benefit of the coming of Christ, of his death, and of his resurrection, and of his blood which was shed for the remission of sins, as it is written, Matth. xxvi. 28. And he only can call Christ his redeemer, who is redeemed from all iniquity, Tit. ii. 14. Obj. Again it is said, in many things we offend all, &c. Ans. This was spoken to the brethren as a warning, not to go into the many things, nor to be many masters; for then they should receive greater condemnation for in many things commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God, 1 John iii. 9. John afterwards grew up to a perfect state, and said, Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world, 1 John iv. 17. After this he said, Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; but he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son, 2 John 1. 9. And if any come unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him good speed: for he that biddeth him good speed, is partaker of his evil deeds, verse, 10, 11. Hear this Leonard Letchford, and all other of thy belief! John did witness a further state than committing of sin, or having it; but said, whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, is not to be received into the house, lest they were partaker of his evil deeds. Will not this doctrine shut thee and all thy brethren out of doors, who are not in the doctrine of Christ, but pleading with all your might against it, which is perfection, and keeping his commandments, as I have before showed? This was his doctrine while he was on earth, which you are now so much opposers of, and pleading for committing sin for term of life. I shall not trouble the reader to reckon up the commandments and laws of Christ, they are so generally known to all who do but read the Scriptures. But I shall further lift up a standard of righteousness against this generation, who daily break the commands of God, and would per- overthrow the foundation principles of the book suade others so to do, as Leonard Letchford of common prayer, which enjoineth every hath done; I shall here demonstrate how this child to keep God's holy will and commandstrikes at the crown and dignity of Christ; and ments, and walk in the same all the days of his then I shall leave it to the serious consideration life. of the honest-hearted, whether this be a friend 15. This make the godfathers and godto Christ or an enemy to him. mothers (as they are called) covenant-breakers; 1. To say the things commanded by Christ whom Leonard Letchford and others of his cannot be done; renders him unjust to com- profession have caused to promise and vow that mand his servants to do that which he knows the child should keep God's holy will and they cannot do. commandments, and walk in the same to his life's end. 2. This frustrates the end for which God manifested him, which was to give power to as many as received him to become the sons of God. 3. This makes his commands of none effect; for if the things he commands cannot be done, to what end were they given forth? 4. This doctrine renders him more unjust than the devil; for he giveth the power to his servants to do all manner of iniquity which he commands them, and they obey his commands daily. 5. This is the highest dishonour that the enemies of Christ can bring to his sovereignty. 6. This makes the second covenant inferior to the first, which is damnable doctrine and heresy. 7. This makes him an insufficient Saviour, who was called Jesus, because he saved his people from their sins, which is the breach of God's law and commandments. 8. This makes the blood of the covenant of none effect, which was shed to cleanse his people from all sin. 9. This renders him an hard master; (to say his commands cannot be done), which none ever said of him, but the slothful servant who hid his talent in the earth. 10. To say his commands cannot be done, doth make him a liar, who commanded his servants to take his yoke upon them, for his yoke is easy and his burden light. 11. This is an inlet for all the workers of iniquity, to encourage them to break the commands of Christ, and to keep them in unbelief all their days. 12. This makes the apostle's testimony false; who saith, greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the world: but this renders him inferior to the prince of the world, if his commands cannot exactly be done without sinning; for what is it that hinders any from keeping his commands, but the prince of this world, by whose power all who break his law and commandments are led? A few words concerning man in his fallen degenerated estate from God, in which he hath not power to keep the commands of God, nor his law, nor to do any work acceptable to him; but all his righteousness is as filthy rags. ALL men by nature are the children of wrath, as it is written, Eph. ii. 3, fallen from God and his power, degenerate plants of a strange vine, Jer. ii. 21, daily bringing forth evil fruit, in which God hath no delight; his heart is corrupted, his mind is corrupted, and every part and member of his body, from the crown of the head to the sole of his foot, full of wounds and bruises, and putrifying sores, Isa. i. 6; every imagination of his heart is only evil continually, Gen. viii. 21. So that he is a vessel altogether unfit for the Lord's use or service, neither hath the Lord any delight in him in that state, because he is a slave to satan, led captive at his will, to dishonour his Maker in all his words and works: so that all his undertakings and outgoings are to promote satan's kingdom. He calls evil good, and good evil, puts light for darkness, and darkness for light, and is void of understanding, as the beast that perisheth. He is altogether insensible of his Creator, and of his way, truth, and life, because they are spiritually discerned; being wholly a stranger to the life of God, and to the covenant of promise, and without God in the world, in its ways and works of darkness; drawing iniquity with cords of vanity, and drinking it in, as the ox drinks water, till he fill himself, and vomit it up again. In this estate he is compared to a dog, whose nature is to vomit up that which he greedily eats; and to a swine, whose nature is to wallow in the mire, as most pleasing to his nature, till he hath fouled himself all over, that he is loathsome to behold. Even such is man by nature, who wallows in sin and corruption, till he be loathsome in the sight of the Lord, and fit for no service for him, till he be washed again. 13. This makes John a liar, who said his Therefore the Lord cried unto the house of Iscommandments were not grievous but joyous.rael, Wash ye and make ye clean, put away the 14. To say the things commanded by Christ evil of your doings, Isa. i. 16, and then come cannot be done without committing sin, as unto me, verse 18. Leonard Letchford would have others say, doth In this condition, man's wisdom is earthly, carnal, sensual, and devilish; yet by this he would compass the heavenly mystery of eternity, and dive into the secrets of the Almighty, and set up a way of worship of God in his will, and establish a righteousness of his own, and will pray, read, sing and perform many duties in a hot zeal, though without understanding the knowledge of God his Creator. In this state were the Jews, who killed and persecuted the Lord of life in their darkness and unbelief, in a righteousness of their own, which was as filthy rags, and would not cover them from the wrath of the Almighty, a just reward of all their ungodly deeds, unto whom Christ put forth many parables, and said, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God, John iii. 3. And, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of God, Luke xviii. 17, though they were whited over as whited walls, yet they were foul and corrupted, blind and naked; therefore the woe was often pronounced against them; for all their zeal and profession of Christ and the apostles' words. stood in outward things, could ever make an atonement, so as to bring Adam's stock into unity with his Creator. Therefore this is my counsel and advice unto thee, who art in the unconverted state, alienated from God, and estranged in thy mind from his covenant of life, who hast any desires in thee to return unto the Lord who made thee, that he may save thee from the heat of his wrath for ever: cease from thy own words, works and ways, and be not hasty to run, before thy Maker lead thee by the hand, in the light of his Truth, wherewith Christ hath lighted thee, John i. 9, which shineth in thy dark heart, 2 Cor. iv. 6, so shalt thou not abide in darkness, but shalt receive the light of life, John viii. 12. Hearken unto his voice; who stands at thy door and knocks, and who would have thee receive him into thy heart, which is his throne, upon which he must sit as King, if ever he receive thee into protection with him. There he must work the Father's will in thee, which is to purify thee throughout in body, soul and spirit, without which thou canst never be a vessel of honour to God to set forth his praise and glory Therefore, Oh natural man! whoever thou in the earth. His righteousness he must work in be, whether professor or profane, thy profession thee by his right hand, which must cover thee and profaneness are alike, while thou art un- for ever; and thou must be crucified upon his converted, unregenerated, and uncreated again cross from all thy own righteousness and into that image and nature which is from above, unrighteousness, which all spring from the which can do the will and work of God well-seed of enmity, in which God had no delight, pleasing to him. I preach not perfection to before thou know the peace of God, which pasthee, but repentance, I do not say that thou canst keep the law of God, for then I should belie thee and the Truth also. I do not press thee to keep the commandments of God, for thou wilt say with Leonard Letchford it cannot be done. But this I say to thee, if thou wilt be wise, thou must first become a fool that thou may be wise; 1 Cor. iii. 18, but this thou canst hardly bear, thou art so puffed up in the pride of thy heart in what thou performest unto God, though when thou hast done all thou canst, thou art an unprofitable servant, as it is written, Luke xvii. 10, who is to have his portion with hypocrites, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for ever, Matth. xxv. 30. seth all understanding, to keep thy heart and mind. All this thou wilt find true in the day of thy visitation, however the false prophets may persuade thee to the contrary; that will deceive thee in the day of the Lord's fierce indignation, when every one shall receive a reward according to his deeds. This is a hard saying to thee who art yet alive in the fulness of delight and pleasure in the flesh, to tell thee of dying to thy own righteousness and unrighteousness, before thou come to live to God. This is a bitter cup to thee, of which thou must be willing to drink, before thou taste of the cup of blessing, which is the communion of the blood of Christ, 1 Cor. x. 16. Thou must sufAt thy hand God cannot have a sacrifice fer with him who died upon the cross, before well pleasing to him; if thou give thy first-born thou know the virtue of his resurrection; thou for thy transgression, or the fruit of thy body must put off the old man, with his deeds, before for the sin of thy soul, it is but as the cutting thou put on the new man, Eph. iv. 22, 23, 24. off of a dog's neck, or offering of swine's blood, Thou must purge out the old leaven of uncleanwhile thy heart is corrupted through the deceit-ness, and the old bottle must be broken, before fulness of sin. This is that with which God thou keep a feast of unleavened bread, 1 Cor. hath a controversy in thee; and with thee he v. 7, 8., as a passover unto the Lord. will not make peace, till this wall of partition be broken down, for it was that which first made a separation between thy father Adam and him, which stands against all his seed and race after him; and not all the offerings and oblations throughout the first covenant, which This is the footsteps of the flock, in which thou must walk before Christ's righteousness be thine; thou must buy the Truth with the loss of all that is contrary to it, if ever thou truly purchase it, so as to be thine for ever. This is the word of the Lord God unto thee, which must be fulfilled in or upon thee. Let no man deceive mourning, and your joy into heaviness, for God thee, through vain words of such as tell thee, hath clothed himself with a garment of venGod looks upon thee not as thou art in sin, but geance, and with zeal, as with a cloak, Isa. lix. as thou art in Christ. Oh poor deluded wretch! 17; and no unclean thing shall now stand bethis is the deceiveableness of unrighteousness fore him. Howl ye oaks of Bashan, and ye indeed, which would make God as unrighte- cedars of Lebanon, the Lord hath laid his axe ous as themselves, to look upon man in Christ to your roots, and your strength and tallness when he is not; but in sin and transgression. Give must come down. Your fruit hath been the not heed to such lying vanities, lest thou forsake fruit of Sodom, and your grapes the grapes thy own mercies for ever. For because of these of Gomorrah; you have long cumbered the things hath come the wrath of God upon the ground, even till it is weary with you, and is children of disobedience, Ephes. v. 6. Col. iii. 6. ready to vomit you up; therefore bow yourHim that saith to the wicked, thou art righteous, selves unto the mighty God of Jacob, before shall the nations curse, and people abhor, Prov. he cut you down, and cast you into the fire of xxiv. 24. I say, God looks upon thee as thou his jealousy for ever. Tremble at the presart; and he will not justify thee in sin, nor hold ence of him, whose word is gone forth. He thee guiltless in transgression, but will wound is the God of the whole earth, and before him the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of all nations are as the drop of a bucket, Isa. such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses, Psal. lxviii. 21. Therefore return, return unto the Lord by speedy repentance, and kiss the Son lest he be angry, and thou perish from the way of life; when his wrath be kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that trust in him, Psal. ii. 12. I tell thee again, I am not sent to preach perfection unto thee, but the day of the Lord's vengeance and recompense. I am not to daub thee with untempered mortar, as the false prophets have done many years, to cry peace to thee in iniquity, to whom the Lord saith, There is no peace, Isa. xlviii. 22; ch. lvii. 21. Therefore cease from man, and from spending thy money for that which is not bread, and thy labour for that which satisfieth not, Isa. lv. 2. And if thou art, or has been feeding among the swine upon the husk, and wallowing in the mire among them, and satisfying thyself with a profession of the saints' words outwardly; as they are written in the letter of the Scripture, while thou art a stranger to that life in which they lived who gave them forth; oh this is as chaff to the wheat, which is the inward possession of the life and righteousness of the Son of God. Therefore return unto thy Father's house, to the light in which God dwelleth, 1 Tim. vi. 16, so will he meet thee, and embrace thee, and rejoice over thee, and satisfy thee with bread enough, Luke xv. 17, 18, 19, 20, yea with the fatted calf (his own crucified one) of which thou shalt feed and never hunger more. This I was warned by the Lord to lay before all who are yet in Babylon and Egypt, that they may flee out and escape from her sins, lest they partake of her plagues, as it is written, Rev. xviii. 4, for the hour of her judgment is come, and the execution will speedily follow, which will leave the wicked neither root nor branch. Therefore let your laughter be turned into xl. 15, who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heavens with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance, Isa. xl. 12. He will render to. every man according to the fruit of his doings; therefore while thou hast a little time, prize it, lest the day of thy visitation pass away, and the day of wrath come upon thee as a thief in the night, 1 Thess. v. 2. A TESTIMONY concerning the spiritual man, who is begotten of God, through the Spirit, by the immortal word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, and hath received the Spirit of adoption, whereby he cries Abba Father. As there is a natural man who is corrupted after the deceitful lusts, so there is a spiritual man, who is born of the Spirit, and hath the promise of eternal life. Through the adoption, viz. the redemption of the body, he is made an habitation of God through the Spirit; in whom God dwells and walks, according to his promise of old, 2 Cor. vi. 16. He walketh in the Spirit, and doth not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. In him hath God great delight, and giveth him wisdom, power, strength, and ability to do whatsoever he commands him, and he can do all things through him who is his strength, Phil. iv. 13. The commandments of God are not grievous, but joyous to him; nay they are his only delight, and this keeps him in love and favour with God; so that he withholds no good thing from him, Psal. lxxxiv. 11, but gives him of the abundance of his heavenly treasure. He feeds him with the heritage of Jacob, even with the finest of the wheat, and with honey out of the rock, Psal. lxxxi. 16, he opens his breasts of consolation to him, out of which delightsome refreshment comes, whereby he grows in the beauty of holiness. In his mouth are the high praises of the Lord, as a two-edged sword in his hand, through which he executes vengeance upon the heathen, and punishment upon the people, Psal. cxlix. 7. As the natural man is wise to do evil, [so the regenerated man] is wise to resist evil, so that it doth not come nigh unto his house; yea, though evil pursue the wicked, yet to him there is a tree of life, Prov. xiii. 21, upon which he feeds, and lives for ever. ii. 11, but they are foolishness and madness to the sons of Belial. 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; then saith he, in this are the children of God manifested, and the children of the devil. Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother, 1 John iii. 9, 10. By this a man will soon see whether he be a child of God or of the devil, who would persuade others, that to do good and not to commit sin, is that which none dares praise to God to say his commandments cannot be done without sinning or offending; this cannot be paralleled in all the Scripture. He is stout and valourous, even as bold as a lion, Prov. xxviii. 1; he fears not the swelling of the sea, he is not afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day, Psal.challenge upon the earth, and that it would be xci. 5; the law of truth is in his mouth, Mal. ii. 6; so that his steps cannot slide. He calls no man father upon earth, nor any man master below the sun, Matth. xxiii. 9, 10; for he Therefore, oh! thou begotten of God, who art is born of God, and receiveth his law from his born again of the water and of the Spirit, give mouth; he is created anew in Christ Jesus unto in thy evidence against this unheard of heregood works, that he may live in them. He lives sy, which God will confound with the breath by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of his mouth, and with the brightness of his of God, Matth. iv. 4; over him death or dark-glory. This is arisen and arising to expel ness hath not power, but he stands in the glori- all those fogs, mists and vapours with which ous liberty of the sons of God. A free born the man of sin hath overspread the earth, in son and heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ Jesus, Rom. viii. 17, he grows up in the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, unto a perfect man, as it is written of him, Eph. iv. 13, but this is a mystery to the natural man, even as the wind blows where it listeth, and he hears the sound thereof; but knows not whence it comes, nor whither it goes, John. iii. 8, even so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Therefore they who arc of the flesh, mind the things of the flesh, and they who are of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. And as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God, Rom. viii. 14, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, 1 Cor. ii. 14; but the spiritual man judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man, 2 Cor. ii. 15. This is that noble birth which God hath brought forth in many at this day, unto whom we preach perfection and freedom from the law of sin and death, which is the same wisdom which Paul said he preached among them that were perfect, 1 Cor. ii. 6, 7. But this the carnal man cannot endure to hear of, who receives not the things of the Spirit of God, as it is written of him, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Therefore it is no marvel why he cannot receive this doctrine of perfection, which the holy men of God held forth unto the spiritual man so plentifully throughout the Scriptures of Truth, as I have showed before to all, who with a spiritual eye discern the things of God by which they are only known, 1 Cor. VOL. XII.-No. 6. this long night of darkness and apostasy from the life of God, wherein [the false church] that hath sat upon many waters hath made all nations drunk, Rev. xvii. 1, 2; and xviii. 3, and hath sat as queen, and seen no sorrow. Her ministers have pampered themselves in the fulness of the earth, and have made merchandize of many through covetousness and feigned words, 2 Pet. ii. 3, for these sixteen hundred years and upward, ever since antichrist went out into the world, who have continued in the world to this day, 1 John ii. 18, deceiving the nations with the multitude of their enchantments. But now is the day of the Lord broken forth in clearness again in this latter age, which hath discovered her skirts with all her merchants, who is worse than Balaam the son of Beor, who though he loved the wages of unrighteousness, durst not take it. Num. xxii. 18; xxiv. 13. But they love and take it, and persecute all those who will not give it to them, as we have a cloud of witnesses standing upon record against them at this day. The way which leadeth to the kingdom of God, held forth to all who are willing to enter therein. As satan by sin and transgression opened a way into eternal misery and condemnation from God, for all who follow and obey him; so God in his infinite love and mercy by Jesus Christ hath opened a gate of mercy unto all mankind, and hath prepared a way of life, 27 |